Organizational Culture Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organizational Culture Analysis - Research Paper Example The presence of continues disagreements on the shared values or lack of commitment by the staff members is a sign of weak organizational culture and it is usually not healthy for any given company. Some of the strongest values that the employees of the company that I worked for termed, as being important to them are that of honesty, trust, quality production, and discipline amongst others. Consistency is one of the primary values that the employees viewed as being most important (Baack, 2012). Consistency in the duties that we performed in the company accompanied by a high degree of precision together led to an improvement in the general performance and production of the company. The behavior of each and every employee acting as a role model for the other also acted as a strong culture that helped in the smooth running if the organization. The above culture helped in making the employees be responsible for whatever action they did in the company (Baack, 2012). Being responsible tends to reduce the conflicts between the management and the employees themselves that in turn lead to strong relationships between the parties. The result of this was improved production. Another key culture that existed in the company is that of attention to details that lead to the creation of a very strong production culture with lots of accuracies. In this value, the employees paid full attention in the process of production. The process then ensured that quality was achieved and at the same time, the deadlines for production were met too. The production of high-quality goods was another organizational culture that governed our work in the company (Baack, 2012). Each employee was supposed to work in his or her line of production while ensuring that the full production procedures were followed to ensure the production of high-quality products. The employees were given the opportunity to start or stop the production process if they noticed any fault in the production line

Forms of Contract for Construction Work

Forms of Contract for Construction Work 1.0 Introduction The Scenario A leading manufacturer of confectionery in the UK suffered a devastating fire at their factory in Sheffield. Their insurers have authorised an immediate commencement of the rebuilding work and have been paying a sum of approximately  £1 5m. per month to the insured company as â€Å"Business Continuity† insurance to cover both loss of profit and to allow products to be imported from another country for packaging and sale. The factory site has been cleared using an enabling works contract and it has been decided that an experience single contractor, who is capable of undertaking this type of work would be appointed. It is now the responsibility of an experienced project manager to administer the rebuilding of the factory, which currently is thought to be in the region of  £60m worth. The time scale and who the project manager will use to achieve the delivery of the new building and process equipment to enable the manufacture of confectionery to re-start, including any trials, performance tests and commissioning at the earliest possible opportunity is for him/her to decide. On this account, time of completion and quality is the primary concern and cost is secondary, thus, a form of contract with a procurement route or strategy that would facilitate the construction of the rebuilding to start immediately, while all other preparations (e.g Engineering works) towards the building objective are going on, would be the appropriate or desired form of contract†. Chapter 2 2.0 Forms of contract Standard form of contract for the execution of work and the appointment of consultants are basically used in the construction, Engineering and processing industries. These contracts are prepared by one body in isolation or jointly prepared by bodies representing employers, consultants and contractors. Some of the forms of contracts by these bodies are: Joint contract Tribunal (JCT) forms of contract Engineering Contract (NEC 3) forms of contract Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE) forms of contract Association of Consultant Engineers (ACE) forms of contract Association of Consultant Architects (ACA) forms of contract General Condition/works forms of contact 2.1 Criteria for the Selection of Forms of Contract According to the office of building and development in Australia (1996), there are a variety of forms of contract and procurement route that are available for acquiring a new or rebuilding of building, facilities or infrastructure, which are basically determined by a number of criteria, which are: Type of client Level of involvement required by the client The project size and complexity Speed Time available for construction Risk allocation Approach to the design solution Cost certainty and method of financing the project Specialist input Capacity for variations Ability to change scope of work and Contract Administration Separation of design and management 2.2 Contract Types 2.2.1 Traditional Contract Traditional contracts are the type of contracts that separate the design from the construction stages with consultants leading on design and the contractor responsible for the construction execution. In this type of contracts, a consultant (an architect in most cases) acts on behalf of the client/employer as the contract administrator and most risks are passed to the contractors and sub-contractors. Traditional contracts embraced ‘sort it out latter mentality, where time, cost and other related problems are left to the end of the project, which often leads to dispute. Overlapping of design and construction stages in the traditional contract is not encouraged and there is wide criticism that traditional contracts polarise the parties resulting in extreme inefficiencies and encouraging dispute. However, it focuses on the clients main requirements of design control, time and cost certainty. Most of the JCT, ICE and General Conditions/work contract forms adopt the traditional contr act. According to Holt (2010), examples of traditional contracts include: JCT Standard Building Contract with Quantities JCT Intermediate contract JCT Minor Works Contract NEC Engineering and Construction Contract (option A and B fixed price) 2.2.2 Design and Build Contracts Design and Build contract is probably the recent form of procurement and it is available from most of the contract producing bodies (Keown 2010). In a design and build contract, the client employed consultant to prepare documents outlining his requirement in a form of a brief initial designed scheme (Employers Requirements). A single contractor is then appointed to deliver the designed scheme as required (contractors proposals) by employing his or her own design team and then carries out the execution of the work using both the employers requirements and the contractors proposals. The contractor could also engage the original consultant to complete the design through a novation agreement and term or use his own design team for the purpose, which would be verified by the clients design team. Under the design and build method, there is no independent contract administration rather the employer uses ‘employers agent to administer the contract. Examples of Design and Build proposed by Holt (2010) are: JCT Design and Build Contract The NEC Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) -Target cost contract with Activity schedule or Bill of Quantities (Main option C). 2.2.3 Non-Traditional (Management) Contracts Non-traditional contracts such as management contracts are specialist forms of contract, where a specialist e.g management contractor or project manager manages the construction activities on behalf of the client/employer. It is suitable for large, complex and fast-track projects such as high-rise buildings. Management form of contract tends to solve the problems associated with traditional contracts by a means of collaborative working and trying to unite the various project participants in order to avoid polarisation. It claims to remove traditional contract inefficiencies and increase cost and time certainty. Construction procurement by management contract requires great care and high level of sophistication by employer and contractor. According to Keown (2010), advantages of using management contract include: It is a quick method of procuring a competitive tendered. It facilitates a quick start of construction activities on the site. Flexibility design activities can extend into the construction period. It gives the opportunity for changes in the scope of work. It avoids polarisation of parties by collaborative work. It encourages early contractor input on the programme, buildability and content of work contract packages. The employer/client has an opportunity to stop the project before proceeding to construction, for a set fee to the contractor. Examples of Non-traditional (management) contract proposed by Holt (2010) are: JCT Construction Management Appointment JCT Management Building Contract The NEC ECC, Management Contract main option F JCT Construction Excellence (CE) Chapter 3 3.0 Review of Different Forms of Contract The JCT, NEC3, ICE, and ACA forms of contract are intended to be reviewed for the selection of a suitable form of contract for the rebuilding of the confectionery factory. 3.1 Joint Contract Tribunal (JCT) 2005 JCT form of contract, which was formerly known as RIBA contract until 1977 was the first form of building contract agreed between architects and builders established in 1931 (Chappell, et al. 2001). The JCT now comprises professional bodies, which are: Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Royal Institute of British Architects Scottish Building Contract Committee British Property Federation Construction Federation Local Government Association National Specialist Contractor Council Limited The JCT forms of contract embraced the traditional procurement philosophy and are very popular in the UK. According to the survey carried out in 2004 by Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS 2006), which was tagged RICS contracts in Use Survey 2004, approximately 78% of construction contracts were procured using JCT in the UK. As noted previously that most JCT contracts are basically traditional contract, they required well- developed design before the construction works to commence. It is a form of contract that is fairly complicated and is always criticised for polarising construction team and encouraging claims; this must always be borne in mind when considering selecting JCT forms of contract. However, it also offers collaborating working contracts like Construction Excellence (CE) that has not been tested in the market (Keown 2010). The JCT 2005, which is the current and updated form of contract, has varieties of procurement methods for small and large projects that are basically intended for building/construction work, particularly in the private/commercial sector depending on procurement criteria being considered. According to Keown (2010), most JCT forms of contract do not have any express clauses on ground condition, thus, they are often amended and include terms that exclude liability for ground conditions. So, JCT contracts are not suitable for: Rail or road related works; Civil or earthworks; Mechanical or electrical plant/installations works; Landscape or archaeological works; and Ecological or environmental works The JCT 2005 various forms of contract use to suit the ever changing construction industry are: The Minor Works (MW) Building Contract This form of contract is very popular and suitable for small construction works, which are relatively simple in nature. It is lump-sum form of contract that based on drawings and specifications, but not re-measurement contact and requires an independent contract administrator. According to Keown (2010), it is suitable for construction work that worth  £100,000 (2008 prices). The Minor Works with Contractors Design (MWD) Contract In this form of contract, which is a version of Minor works (MW), the contractor provides design, which is limited to discrete parts of the works. However, it should be noted that it is not a design and build contract. Intermediate Building Contract (IC) This form of contract is another popular form of JCT contract suitable for construction works of a simple content without complex building service installations (BrunswickIS 2007). It is a lump-sum contract based on drawing and specifications, ranging from  £100,000 to  £800,000 (2008 rough financial prices) (Keown 2010). It also requires independent contract administrator and a quantity surveyor. Intermediate Building Contract with Contractors Design (ICD) This form of contract is a version of the intermediate building contract, which the contractor can provide design that is limited to discrete part of the works. It should be noted that it is not a design and build contract. Standard Building Contract (SBC) The SBC is a modern and sophisticated construction contract, which is suitable for larger projects that value  £500,000 upwards (2008 prices) given by Keown (2010). The SBC requires considerable experience to operate and understand it effectively and an independent contract administrator and quantity surveyor are needed. It is unsuitable for projects with substantial substructure work, excavation and earthworks. SBC comes in three formats: Standard Building Contract with Quantities (SBC/Q) Standard Building Contract with Approximate Quantities (SBC/AQ) Standard Building Contract without Quantities (SBC/XQ) The SBC/Q and SBCXQ are lump-sum contracts based on drawings and specification, if there is a bill of quantities, then these rates and prices are for valuing variations. While the SBC/AQ is a re-measurement contract. All these forms of SBC made provision for the contractor to provide design known as ‘contractors Design Portion, which is limited to discrete parts of the works such as the piling, mechanical and engineering works. However, it should be noted that it is not a Design and Build Contract. Design and Build Contract (DB) JCT design and build is a sophisticated contract requiring considerable experience to be used effectively. The employer/client provides the initial design that sets out his requirement in the contract document (Employers Requirement) and the contractor completes the design (contractors Proposals) and commences the construction work. It is a lump-sum contract that requires adequate time and great care to draft the employers requirements as it does not encourage change of scope or variation without incurring an additional cost. Design and build contract does not require an independent contract administrator, rather the employer/client uses an ‘Employers Agent to administer the contract. Major Project Construction Contract (MP) JCT MP Contract is suitable for large projects, which both the client and contractor are sophisticated and experienced construction parties working on large projects that value around  £10m upward (2008 prices) (Keown 2010). It is similar to Design and Build, where the client provides initial design and the contractor completes the design and commences the execution work. Thus, adequate time and great care are required in drafting the employers requirement as there is little scope for change later.. Prime Cost Building Contract The JCT prime cost building contract is a cost reimbursement form in which the contractor is paid by a fixed fee or a percentage fee in addition to the incurred cost. According to Keown (2010), this form of contract is used where the scope of work could not be defined such as refurbishment work or where the works have to start immediately such as emergency work after fire damaged. In this form of contract, cost of the project cannot be ascertained until the completion, and it could be used alternatively to the NEC 3 ECC Main Options E, which is also a cost reimbursement contract.. JCT Management Contracts (MC) The JCT has two forms of management contracts, which are Construction management form and Management contract form. Both forms require great care and a high level sophistication and experience by the employer and the contractor. They are not popular in the UK but sometimes used on large, complex and fast track projects. Construction Management: In this form, the contractor acts on behalf of the client as only a construction manager to manage the construction work by supervising the trade subcontractors employed by the client. Management Contract: In this form, the main contractor acts as construction manager for the works and employs the subcontractor. The main contractor does not carry out any construction works but manages the work carry out by his subcontractor for a fee plus the prime cost. The JCT Construction Excellence (CE) This form of contract is radically different from all other JCT forms of contract because it is a partnering/collaborative contract newly introduced in 2007 to enter the collaborative contract market that is dominated by the NEC and PPC2000 forms. In JCT CE form, the parties are referred to as ‘suppliers and purchasers and it took the form of traditional two party contract used for procurement of construction works and construction services. The contract terms and condition are short and straightforward, and can be priced either by lump sum or by target cost having a guaranteed Maximum cost facility. What is unusual about this form is that the risk associated with the project is identified and then allocated the risks between themselves, particularly respect to time and cost. According to Keown (2010), â€Å"As of 2009, the JCT CE contract appears to be rarely used, thus, it has not been tested in the market†. In my opinion, JCT forms of contract are not the best option for the rebuilding of the confectionery factory because: JCT forms of contract are basically intended for building/construction work, thus, will therefore, be inadequate in addressing the engineering aspect of the factory. It required well- developed design before the construction works to commence, thus, unsuitable for work that would commence immediately. It is always criticised for polarising construction team and encouraging claims, thus, may not encourage a good relationships among parties involved, which is required for the success of the project. So, JCT forms of contract will not be considered for the rebuilding of the confectionery factory†. 3.2 NEW ENGINEERING CONTRACTS (NEC 3) FORMS OF CONTRACT The New Engineering Contracts (NEC 3) is a family of NEC standard contract launched in 1991 that was revised in 2005 to replace NEC 2 suite that promotes a partnering culture, and has been cited has the preferred form of contract in ‘Constructing the team, a report by Sir Michael Latham (Knowles 2001). The New Engineering Contract (NEC 3) suite adopts a different approach to the procurement and execution of construction engineering through a proactive means to construction problems as the work progress. It is a Non- traditional form of contract that embraces early collaboration of all parties involved to avoid polarisation that is claimed to be caused by traditional form, and also, intended to create an equitable balance of risk between the parties to the contract. NEC 3 is applicable to a wide variety of major and minor construction works, which include: Building and Civil engineering works; Mechanical and electrical plant/installations works; Process engineering; and Offshore fabrication. Some of the ways by which NEC 3 stage proactive features include: Early collaboration and involvement of all parties, which include the client, project manager, contractor, subcontractor, etc. The contractor proposes how to solve arising problems. It embraces parallel activities between the design and construction activities. It gives no chance for storing up of claims until after the work is accomplished. It is better suited for a project that must be completed quickly, even if that faster completion makes the project more expensive i.e. timely procedure/response and programmes are primary and cost is secondary. The pro-active approach that embraces collaboration of all parties and more man-hours administration is emphasised in the first core clause of the NEC 3, which states that ‘The Employer, the contractor, the project manager and the supervisor shall act as stated in this contract in the spirit of mutual trust and co-operation (core clause 10). The NEC 3 forms of contract that are currently in use are: NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Subcontract (ECS) NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Short Contract (ECSC) NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Short Subcontract (ECSS) NEC 3 Tern Service Contract (TSC) NEC 3 Framework Contract NEC3 Professional Services Contract NEC3 Adjudicators Contract. NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) NEC 3 ECC is the most widely used NEC 3 contract for appointing the main contractor for building, civil and all other engineering works including any level of design responsibilities i.e. it allows the contractor to provide design (Clause 21). However, it should be noted that NEC 3 has no specific design and build contract. The ECC has six (6) main options and twenty-two (22) secondary options to choose from. The main options are: Main Option A: Contract type priced contract with Activity schedule. Pricing Mechanism Lump sum Risk Allocation Contractor Suitability suitable for contract that the client wants maximum cost certainty but the need for a complete design is important. Main Option B: Contract type Priced contract with BoQ Pricing Mechanism Re-measurement Risk Allocation Contractor Suitability suitable for contract where there are grounds works and there is uncertainty on the final quantities of the work. Main Option C: Contract type Target contract with Activity Schedule Pricing Mechanism Cost re-imbursement with pain-gain mechanism Risk Allocation Shared between the client and the contractor Suitability suitable for contract where there is a need for an early start on site or the design is incomplete or inadequate. Main Option D: Contract type Target contract with BoQ Pricing Mechanism Cost re-imbursement with pain-gain mechanism Risk Allocation Shared between the client and the contractor Suitability suitable for contract where there is a need for an early start on site or the design is incomplete or inadequate. Main Option E: Contract type Cost Re-imbursement Contract Pricing Mechanism Cost re-imbursement Risk Allocation Client Suitability suitable for contract where it is difficult or impossible to define the scope of work (e.g. refurbishment work) or where the construction works have to start immediately (e.g. emergency work after fire damaged). Main Option F: Contract type Management Contract Pricing Mechanism Cost re-imbursement Risk Allocation Client Suitability suitable for contract where both the client and contractor have experience in construction work that has to start immediately. Ø NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Subcontract (ECS) The NEC 3 ECS contract is similar to ECC but used to appoint a subcontractor after the main contractor has been appointed through the ECC. Ø NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Short Contract (ECSC) The NEC 3 ECSC contract is used for small and medium sized simple and well-defined projects that worth up to  £500,000 (2008 price), where the sophisticated systems of the ECC are nor appropriate. It does not have main options, but can be a lump sum or re-measurement contract. Ø NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Short Subcontract (ECSS) The NEC 3 ECSS contract is similar to the NEC 3 ECSC contract, but used to appoint subcontractors after the main contractor has been appointed under NEC 3 ECSC. Ø NEC 3 Tern Service Contract (TSC) The NEC 3 TSC is similar to the ECC and is used for projects where regular work is required from a contractor over a period of time such as the appointment of suppliers to manage and provide a service. A plan or scheduled of work to be carried out is agreed upon by the client and contractor, and then payment is made using any of the options A, C or E. Ø NEC 3 Framework Contract (FC) The NEC 3 FC is a simple contract which is meant to be used in conjunction with other NEC 3 forms that will provide the contracts for call off contracts. It is used to appoint suppliers to carry out construction work or to provide design or advisory services on an ‘as-instructed basis. According to Keown (2010), the JCT framework contract is probably a better choice now. In my opinion, NEC 3 ECC with option E form of Contract is the best for the rebuilding of the confectionery factory base on the reasons given in the concluding part†. 3.3 Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE) Forms of Contract The ICE standard form of contract first edition was established in 1945 for mainly civil engineering and sometimes on building work that involved a large amount of earthwork. It is considered to be a traditional contract that requires a well-developed designed before the construction work can commence and contract administration under this form of contract is similar to that of the JCT. Experienced practitioners sometimes claimed that the ICE form of contract is complicated and not easy to understand, and are also frequently criticised for polarising construction team and encouraging claim just like the JCT form. According to Keown (2010), ICE contracts have different version, which include: Measurement Version Contract: it could be re-measurement or lump sum contract suitable for large civil engineering work that worth  £300,000 (2008 rough prices). Minor Work Contract: it is a shortened form of the measured version suitable for simple works with 6 months duration and up to  £300,000 worth (2008 rough prices). Design and Construct Contract: it is similar to the measurement version, but the employer provides the initial design (Employers Requirement), which would be completed by the contractor (Contractors Submission) and then carries out the construction work. Term Version Contract: it is used where there is variety of construction works or works at different locations to be executed over a period of time. It also accommodates emergency call out type work. Archaeological Investigation Contract: it is a simple contract for archaeological investigation. Ground Investigation Contract: it is similar to measured version and suitable where the employer intends to develop a site and required specialist contractor to perform substantial on-site investigation. Target Cost Contract: it is essential for a cost re-imbursement contract. However, a target cost mechanism option is provided to give the contractor incentives to control cost. In my opinion, the ICE form of contract is not the best option for the confectionery factory because†: It is mainly suitable for civil engineering works and building work that involves substantial earthwork, thus, may not be adequate for other engineering works like plant installation that is required. It requires a well-developed design before construction work could start, thus, unsuitable for this confectionery factory rebuilding situation which the work has to start immediately. It tends to polarise the construction team and encourages claim, which may be a threat to the progress of the work. 3.4 Association of Consultant Architects (ACA) Forms of Contract The ACA forms of contract is a non traditional collaborative contracts introduced in 1982. It is the only multi party standard form construction contract in the UK, where parties including the client, key consultants, main contractor and specialist subcontractors sign up the same contract i.e. all the parties are in a contract with each other, owe each other a duty of care and can sue each other for breach of contract and duty of care (Keown 2010). There is no suggested limit on cost or type of contract which this form is best suitable for because of its flexible accommodation of alternative clauses (Clamp, Cox and Lupton 2007). The ACA has different forms, which are: Project Partnering Contract (PPC 2000): it is a sophisticated and complicated partnering contract, which requires great care in setting up and running, particularly when preparing the project partnering Agreement. Specialist Partner Contract (SPC 2000): it embraces the PPC 2000 procedures and philosophy, but focuses on sub-contracting and relationship between main contractor, main sub-contractors and specialist. Term Partnering Contract (TPC 2005): it is suitable for works and services that extend over a period of time or where there is periodic/planned maintenance and can also accommodate to call out work. Extend the multi-party contract philosophy to Project Partnering Contract (PPC). In my opinion, the ACA forms of contract are unsuitable for the rebuilding of the confectionery factory because it does not give options for which someone can choose from†. Conclusion In my opinion, NEC 3 ECC form of contract with Main Option E and probably Secondary Options 5, 6, 7, 12 and 14 would be the best form of the contract options for the rebuilding of the confectionery factory because: It is suitable for engineering and/or construction work, which includes civil engineering, building, mechanical and electrical plant/installations work, process engineering and all allied industries that are adequate for the rebuilding of confectionery factory. It does not require well- developed design before the construction works to commence i.e. it encourages a parallel operation between the design and construction activities, thus, suitable for work that would commence immediately as applied to the confectionery factory. It embodies an efficient management process and stimulates good management of the relationship among all the parties involved, thus, avoid polarisation of parties involved. Its collaborative working across the entire chain optimises the project success. It uses clear and simple language, which is straightforward and easily understood. The NEC 3 ECC forms of contract with option E: cost reimbursement contract among other options of NEC 3 ECC would be considered for the rebuilding of the confectionery factory pursuant to the information given from the project proposal that it has been agreed that a single contractor would be employed to carry out the construction work and time cannot be spared for a well-developed design, since the construction work has to start immediately. 4.1 Confectionery Factory Rebuilding Project Parties and Organogram For the rebuilding of the confectionery factory, the identified parties that are likely to be involved in this project are: Client/Employer Project Manger Architect Structural Engineer Civil Engineer Mechanical Engineer Electrical Engineer Technology Specialist Quantity Surveyor Quality Assurance Officer Cost Manager CDM Regulator Facilities Manager Planning supervisors Lawyer Main Contractor Building works Subcontractor Mechanical Electrical Services Subcontractor Plant Installation Specialist Subcontractor Suppliers A detail organogram that shows these parties and their contractual relationship is attached below. 4.2 Contractual Relationships and Agreement For the NEC 3 ECC, option E: cost reimbursement contract chosen for this project, with a project manager leading and plan for a single contractor to execute the project, the contractual relationship will exist between: Client/Employer and Project Manager

Benjamin Jerome Cayetano :: Essays Papers

Benjamin Jerome Cayetano "†¦ No matter what kind of origin you have, you can succeed and rise to unprecedented. The American dream is still alive, but it definitely takes hard work and a lot of luck." This is a statement of Benjamin Cayetano when he was asked to give encouraging words to other Filipino American politicians. A lot of luck and fortune and hard work played a role in the life of Benjamin Cayetano, who is the first governor in the United States who is of Filipino ancestry. Governor Cayetano is today's highest-ranking Filipino American in government office. Born on November 14, 1939 in Honolulu, Hawaii, Benjamin Jerome Cayetano was the son of Bonifacio Marcos Cayetano, who migrated from Urdaneta, Pangasinan to Hawaii in 1928 as a part of the first wave of Philippine laborers to work at the sugar cane plantations. At the age of 6, his father and his mother Eleanor divorced, leaving him and his 4 year old brother to take care of themselves on a latchkey existence, while his father went to work as a waiter. As a child, Cayetano grew up in the Kalihi District of Honolulu, a working class community dominated by a diverse group of immigrant families, such as Chinese, Japanese, and Filipinos. The Kalihi District is an environment where manliness and superiority were measured by one's ability to settle disputes by the use of violence rather than intellectual dialogues. Early childhood experiences in the Kalihi district were major influences to Cayetano's adulthood as he later became a feisty but effective lawyer. Benjamin Cayetano graduated from Farrington High School in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1968. After graduation at the age of 18, Cayetano married his high school sweetheart, Lorraine Gueco, who according to him was "a major influence in his rise from a life of want to a life of means and power." A year later, when his first son Brandon was born, he was forced to worked a series of blue-collar jobs. In this period of hardship, Cayetano worked as a metal packer in a junkyard, followed by other jobs as a truck driver, gas station attendant, rodman, apprentice electrician, and finally as a draftsman with Hawaii's Department of Transportation.

Burger King Factors Of Production Essay

Capitol Capital goods are any tangible assets that an organisation uses to produce goods and services e.g. buildings, machinery and equipment. At a national level, burger king develops and creates new capital goods (machinery). For example, with the aim to minimize waste Burger king developed the kitchen minder. The kitchen minder monitors the amount of sales on previous days and estimates how many patties, fries and other ingredients burger king will need to prepare. This minimises waste significantly and therefore reduces costs. with reduced costs the difference between sale price and costs will increase meaning burger king has increased profits. Another very important capital good is the flame broiler. The flame broiler is a capital good because it is a piece of machinery used to produce other goods. At a national level, burger king developed the new broiler to decreases energy costs, labour costs and to enhance the flavour of patties. Because these broilers don’t run all day and use less fuel the average restaurant can save up to 40% on its monthly energy costs, Making it worthwhile to install and invest the broilers into New Zealand burger king restaurants. At a local level the flame broiler is constantly used and is managed carefully. Staff must put the required numbers of patties (as indicated by the kitchen minder) onto the broiler tray and turn on the broiler. The patties are then stored in heated containers and are ready to make burgers. If the patties are not used up within ten minutes then they must be thrown out. Although the patties are physically thrown out at a local level, the time of when to throw them out (ten minutes) is decided at a national level. The consequences on society of burger kings decision to use the new flame broiler is that burger king customers (particularly past customers) may not like the new flavour of the patties and could stop eating at burger king. however it is more likely that members of society will enjoy the new patties and therefore buy more of burger kings meals. burger kings decision to throw out 10 minute old patties will also mean society will eat more burger king as the burgers are fresher. therefore burger king has a negative effect on the health of society. the new flame broiler also has a positive impact on the workers because it may be easier and less time consuming to operate the broiler, resulting in less work for employees. Land Land is a very important factor of production as it is with land that burger king can runs its company. At a national level burger king must make important decisions about which piece of land will ultimately give the most profit e.g. airports, universities and sites close to popular attractions, are all sites that usually provide many sales. The hillcrest burger king is strategically situated on an elevated piece of land on cambridge road so that the large number of cars that pass by can easily see the burger king restaurant. If people see the shop, it is likely they will be tempted to purchase from burger king. Therefore the more people that see the shop, the more revenue and profit that burger king will receive. the consequences on society of this strategic positioning is that the large number of cars that drive on cambridge road are likely to eat burger king more often more and therefore have increased health problems. Another way that burger king manages its land at a national level is by choosing how much space the car park, eating lobby, storage etc. takes up. Nationally, burger king has decided to remove many of the restaurants play grounds. The benefits of this decision are that burger king can sell the playground to increase profits and can put the extra land to good use e.g. use the extra land to build an outdoor eating area. The negative effects  of removing the playgrounds is that burger king will not appeal to small children, resulting in less families eating at burger king and therefore a decrease in sales, revenue and profit for burger king. the consequences on society of t he decision to add an outdoor eating area is that consumers will be able to eat in fresh air so some consumers will have a greater eating experience. This outdoor eating feature could appeal to some members of society meaning that consumers will buy more burgers, resulting in an increase in health problems for society. by not having playgrounds less young children are going to eat at burger king which will result in an increase in the health of young children. At a local level, the management of the land can be split into two parts: management outside the restaurant and management inside the restaurant. Outside the restaurant, burger king will clean graffiti of their restaurant and off all their advertisements and also pick up rubbish off nearby footpaths. This will increase labour and  cleaning costs for burger king. inside the restaurant, burger king locally must manage the cleanliness of the land. this means making sure the floor is always clean and dry, the toilets are clean and there is no chewing gum or other food stuck to tables. burger king takes cleanliness serious because if the environment in which customers eat is healthy and clean the customers are likely to continue to shop at burger king, resulting in an increase in profit. the consequences on society of burger kings local cleaning decisions is that consumers will not be put off by rubbish and graffiti that would have been associated with burger king and therefore be more inclined to eat at burger king. it also means that the environment around burger king will be cleaner and more respectable. Labour Labour resources are the workers/employees that are needed to operate a business. at a national level burger king develops a training programme​  to train and educate new staff about what is  required and expected of them. new staff must spend 1 month practising at each station while under supervision of the manager e.g. practising at the cashier, cleaning equipment, making burgers etc. burger king invests a lot of time into the training of their new staff so that they do not need to be constantly supervised and that they are able to work fast and at a high standard at each station. nationally, burger will also determine how many workers are needed per restaurant. for example, hillcrest burger king is relatively large compared to other burger king restaurants and therefore it is likely that will have need more staff (total of 39 staff on their roster). at a local level, the manager will make decisions and assign important tasks to workers (depending on how busy it is) so t hat each staff member is working at a specific stage in the production process. This is specialisation. as the worker does their specific task over and over again they will become more experienced and more efficient, resulting in an increase in productivity and economies of scale (where a firm’s output increases, the average cost per unit produced falls). to keep up with orders, the manager may call in employees and have them work at an even more specific task in the production process e.g. 1 person cooking the patties, 1  person putting the fillings in and another person wrapping, rather than having just one person doing everything. this increases specialisation. by having more workers, labour costs will increase, but burger king is able to produce food much quicker and keep with the orders. this will result in a reputation of quick service which means customers are likely to return. at a national level burger king has decide to have on call staff. if business is slow, the local manager may decide to send some staff home (as they are not needed as much ) thus, decreasing labour costs. If business is fast, the local manager may decide to call in workers. this is flexible labour. the consequences on society of burger kings  decision for workers to only work on one part of the production process (specialization) has had a positive effect on some members of society but a negative effect on the employees. the positive effect on society is that consumers will receive a greater quality product and they are likely to get their burgers quicker. (due to workers gaining more experience). however the negative effect on the workers is that may become very bored while working (as they have little variation in their task). burger kings decision to have flexible labour has also had a negative effect on the workers because it is harder for them to make a schedule and they may be interrupted when doing something important Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship is the ability to take risks and organise all other resources and factors of production. at a national level, all the decisions that burger king makes are entrepreneurial decisions e.g the decisions regarding land, labour and capital. however, burger king will train the local managers to ensure their decisions involving the business are beneficial and ultimately profitable for burger king. this extra training for managers is an increased cost for burger king however, it is likely that the time invested into the mangers will pay off because they will make better decisions about burger kings local operations. at a local level entrepreneurship is managed by the manager. the manager must make decisions about what will give burger the most profit. for example, if staff are making and serving burgers before the required time, the manager will call  in staff meetings to discuss the problem as to why production is slowing down. With the extra training that burger king provides the managers with, the manager should be able to solve the problem. the manager could make changes in the production process or staff roster or the manager may even decide to lay off workers. it is also the local managers decision and responsibility as to if some staff get a promotion and/or pay rise. promotions act as an incentive to employees to work more productively and efficiently. the more efficient the staff are, the more profit that burger king will receive making it worthwhile to offer promotions and pay rises. the consequences on society of these entrepreneurial decisions is that customers are likely to get a better quality meal and a quicker. Commercial Goals All producers have goals. Burger king’s overall objective is to maximise profits. However, to maximise profits, burger king has more commercial goals such as: -Sales maximisation- when a firm wants to sell as much as possible without making a loss. -Increased market share- when a firm wants a greater share of the market e.g. dominating the fast food industry. -Cost reduction- when a firm wants to decrease the cost of their products without making a loss (increasing the margin between sale price and cost per product). -Business expansion- when a firm wants to increase the number of stores that consumers can buy from. Burger kings goal of business expansion has had positive and negative consequences on members of society. Burger king’s business expansion negatively affects other smaller fast food business e.g. Local fish and chip shops because some consumers will switch buying from small businesses and start buying at the new burger king. The lack of sales for these small businesses (caused by burger king) will result in less revenue and profit. This could even result in the closure of small businesses and therefore the government may have to provide more benefits for the unemployed. Although burger king’s business expansion has had a huge negative effect on small local businesses, it has a positive effect on local  unemployed citizens (particularly students). As new restaurants are launched, staff and managers are required for the running of the restaurant; this creates new job opportunities and therefore income for some members of society. If burger king expands its business, more fatty food will be available for society. This is a negative effect on society as more people will become overweight and unhealthy. Non-Commercial Goals Burger king also has many non-commercial goals that are very important. Some of these goals include: -Minimising the impact that they have on the environment -Purchasing from national and local suppliers (rather than purchasing from overseas) -Supporting charitable organisations-such as canteen -Supporting and organising local sport- such as the  Basketball tournament These non-commercial goals require burger king to either donate, fund or increase unneeded costs. This contradicts burger kings overall goal of profit maximisation. However, by helping and supporting New Zealand charities and the local community, many members of society may feel loyal to burger king for the good they do, and therefore shop at burger king more often instead of shopping at competitors. Price strategies Pricing is one of the most important elements for the success for burger king, as it is with price strategies that the goals of burger king can be achieved. One price strategy that burger king has in place is the ‘Burger king Change Range’. Burger king reduces the price of singular items e.g. Medium frozen coke from $2.00 to $1.00 BBQ beef burger from $3.50 to $2.00 so customers come into the shop or drive thru for their cheap item and then are offered other regular (more expensive) items. Burger king may not be making any profit on the change range items (as the selling price may not be greater than the costs to make it), however the other items that customers buy will give burger king increased sales. The negative effects of this price strategy are that it reduces the profit made on the change range items and it could also result in a price war if competitors cut their prices to compete. However, the strategy will satisfy burger kings goals of sales  maximisation and increased market share. If customers buy a significant amount of regular priced items then the price strategy may also satisfy burger king’s most important goal of profit maximisation. the consequences on society of this price strategy is the burgers become more affordable, so consumers will spend an increased proportion of their income on these cheap  burgers as they are saving more of their income. This can result in health problems and even obesity for some members of society. Non price strategies Non price strategies are methods other than price reduction that a firm uses to achieve their goals. This involves product variation and product differentiation. Product variation is the process that highlights and promotes actual differences amongst products. Burger king uses product variation with the whopper burger range. The six burgers vary in size and ingredients e.g. double whopper with cheese, whopper JR without cheese etc. this variation amongst burger kings signature meal, is put in place to compete with competitors (e.g. McDonald’s big mac) and to appeal to different tastes and income levels of consumers. Therefore, consumers may view the whopper variety as the better or the superior option, leading to more sales for burger king. Another way burger king uses product variation is by flame grilling their patties. Burger king has used this non price strategy since its founding in 1954 and is still in use today. By flame grilling their patties, burger king adds a distinct taste to their burgers and appeals to consumers who want a more genuine and traditionally cooked Pattie. This will also increase sales. Burger king uses product differentiation as some of its non-price strategies. Product differentiation is the process in which firms make a product appear to be different from that of competitors. Burger king uses product differentiation with its branding, advertising, sponsorship, packaging and store locations. For example, burger king uses unique packaging when wrapping their burgers. On the packaging they add the ingredients of the burger, a description of the burger, the colours that represent burger king (red) and their motto (Taste is king). Without changing the actual product, the packaging makes the burgers appear very different to similar competitor’s burgers. Productivity With 2 windows burger king on average serves 50 cars per hour. with the added window burger king serves on average 80 cars per hour. when burger king just had two windows customers would pay at the first and then pick up at the second window. however, as demand for burger kings meals has increased and burger employees have to prepare more complex meals, drive thru times have been very slow which means that customers have to wait a long time for their meal and they are less likely to purchase from burger king again. to increase the drive thru speed time burger king has decided to add in an extra pick up window so customers won’t have to wait as long. this extra window has had a positive effect on burger king as shown by the 60% increase of cars through the drive thru. although costs increase because of the installation of the new window and one more person is working at the new window, burger kings productivity has increased. Productivity is calculated as outputs divided by inputs. with the added window, burger king has 60% more sales and a small amount of costs (inputs)-wages and installation. making the margin between sales and costs much larger than before the window was added. because of burger kings decision to add the extra window productivity has vastly increased. the consequence on society of burger kings decision to add the 3rd window is that consumers will spend less time waiting for their burger and therefore get to where they want to be quicker. another effect of the 3rd window is that the queue in the drive thru will be much smaller. if consumers see this small queue they are more likely to buy burger king than if the queue was large. resulting in less disposable income and in an increase in health problems. the consequences on the workers is that they will have to work faster and harder to keep up with the drive orders. these workers may receive a slightly higher income for the more demandi ng work they do.

Slavery In The South

A large proportion of whites in the South supported slavery even though less than a quarter of these whites actually owned slaves. They felt that slavery was a necessary evil and that it was an important southern institution. The slave population in 1800 was just under 900,000 slaves and of that only 36,000 of these slaves were in the northern states. In 1860 this number grew to almost 4 million slaves were in the southern states. Many important statesmen such as Thomas Jefferson and George Washington regarded slavery as a necessity even though it was evil.Individuals and groups of people of all sects defended slavery. Eventually anti-slavery views grew steadier, but there were still many people who continued to hold on to their strong anti-slavery beliefs and hesitated to join in on the abolitionist agitation. These people were unwilling to dispute what other citizens held to be their right. Although there were southern whites that didn’t necessarily like slavery, they still supported it because they felt it was the South’s right to have slavery. Thus slavery became an increasingly Southern institution.Eradication of slavery in the North that started in the revolutionary era and was mostly over by the 1830’s. This dispute led to the division of the United States between the North and the South. Slavery came to eventually define the essence of the South, if you were for slavery you were from the south and you were considered pro-southern whereas opposition to slavery was considered anti-southern. Even though most white southern males did not own slaves, slavery continued to set the South farther and farther apart from the country and Nation as a whole.Even though slavery at one time was common in the America’s, by the time the 19th century came around it was only found in a few countries such as Brazil and Cuba and the southern United States. In the 19th century the U. S was known as a country that celebrated liberty and equality and yet here were the southerners who represented everything but these things. Most Northerners joined the abolitionist movement not to help the slaves but to help the appearance of the United States and the bad impression slavery left on the U. S. Even with these movements taking place, slavery was still on the up and up.This of course was due to the sudden increase in cotton cultivation in order to meet the demands of the Northern and European textile manufacturers, so in a sense the Northerners were without knowing supporting slavery in an indirect form. Another reason why the southerners clung to this belief of slavery being a necessity no matter how evil was because southern agrarian communities were in fact centered on slavery. The South did not undergo the same industrial revolution that was starting in the North, in fact the Southerners stayed almost completely rural and lagged in modernization very increasingly.Examples of this include indications such as public education at t he time and railroad construction. Because of all of this the Southerners felt as if slavery was indeed a necessity and their agricultural economy orbited around slavery. Many Southerners feared that the abolition of slavery would eventually result in an economic collapse. The biggest difference between the South and the North was purely ideological. In the North, slavery was abolished and small groups of abolitionists developed. In the South however, white spokesman, from political to ministers and etc.all rallied behind slavery and treated it as the bedrock of southern society. Overall defenders of slavery had developed a range of arguments that they presented in order to defend their cause. They relied strongly on the religious aspect of their arguments on slavery when they defended their belief. They portrayed slavery as a part of God’s plan for civilizing a primitive people. Because of this it made it so that any southerner who defied slavery also defied Southern society and religion itself. The Southerners also based their case on social arguments as well.They compared their supposed orderly religious and harmonious society to the Northerners supposed individualistic and tumultuous environment. This defense clearly represented the exact image of the so-called free labor argument that had become a very popular idealistic theory in the North. This stated that slavery kept the South back from modernization, and it kept them poor and as degraded, pro-slavery advocates that responded that only slavery could save the South from the evils that modernity brought to their land. In the 1840’s the struggle with slavery played a major role and factor in American politics.Northerners who were committed to free soil or the idea that western territories should be reserved for only for free white settlers, whereas southerners insisted that a limitation on slavery’s expansion was unconstitutional and was meddling with the Sothern’s order and t heir honor. The slavery’s issue was no longer about the morality of it, but instead became about how it would affect the U. S politically and economically. This debate became so aggressive that at a later time it would cause a civil war between the country itself.

Free Essays on Pschology

Men and Women What influences a person’s identity? Is it their homes, parents, religion, or maybe where they live? When do they get one? Do they get it when they understand right from wrong, or when they can read, or are they born with it? Everyone has one and nobody has the same, is there a point in everyone’s life when they get one? A person’s identity is his own, nobody put it there and nobody can take it out. Everyone in this world has a different identity because they all make their own over the course of their life. A person’s identity also causes a person to have masculine and feminine traits. There is no one thing that gives a person their identity, there are however many different factors that contribute to one’s identity. What is someone’s identity? Is it the way they look, the way they dress, or it could be many things all put together, or is it none of the above? To me someone’s identity is a part of their being. Nobody will ever hold it, touch it, or even see it, but it is there. Everybody has one, it guilds your decision making, your thoughts, ideas, and dreams. You may think something is terrible while someone else does not even care and yet another person may laugh, why? The answer is simple, everyone has his own identity and personality. Everyone feels, acts, thinks, and dreams differently. People may have some of these things in common with one another, but they will not be totally the same, it is like a fingerprint, unique. There are many origins to a person’s identity, their family, friends, home life, religion, environment and others. But how does it get there, you do not go into a store and pick on off the shelf. A person’s identity is developed over many years and put together by the person themselves. It comes from the individuals ability to think, reason and form an opinion. Nobody has the same mind, ... Free Essays on Pschology Free Essays on Pschology Men and Women What influences a person’s identity? Is it their homes, parents, religion, or maybe where they live? When do they get one? Do they get it when they understand right from wrong, or when they can read, or are they born with it? Everyone has one and nobody has the same, is there a point in everyone’s life when they get one? A person’s identity is his own, nobody put it there and nobody can take it out. Everyone in this world has a different identity because they all make their own over the course of their life. A person’s identity also causes a person to have masculine and feminine traits. There is no one thing that gives a person their identity, there are however many different factors that contribute to one’s identity. What is someone’s identity? Is it the way they look, the way they dress, or it could be many things all put together, or is it none of the above? To me someone’s identity is a part of their being. Nobody will ever hold it, touch it, or even see it, but it is there. Everybody has one, it guilds your decision making, your thoughts, ideas, and dreams. You may think something is terrible while someone else does not even care and yet another person may laugh, why? The answer is simple, everyone has his own identity and personality. Everyone feels, acts, thinks, and dreams differently. People may have some of these things in common with one another, but they will not be totally the same, it is like a fingerprint, unique. There are many origins to a person’s identity, their family, friends, home life, religion, environment and others. But how does it get there, you do not go into a store and pick on off the shelf. A person’s identity is developed over many years and put together by the person themselves. It comes from the individuals ability to think, reason and form an opinion. Nobody has the same mind, ...

What are the major threats to democracy in a modern society Essays

What are the major threats to democracy in a modern society Essays What are the major threats to democracy in a modern society Paper What are the major threats to democracy in a modern society Paper There are many threats to democracy in modern societies; these threats however, differ depending on the type of democracy implemented and the nature of the society, for example; the democracies of the developing world are confronted with different threats when compared to the threats faced by the democracies of the developed world. This paper will seek to provide an examination of the main adversities to democracies mainly in the developing world. To gain a general idea, it is necessary to look at the conditions conducive for democratization so that we can fully comprehend the many obstacles that modern societies are faced with. Democracy is not a natural order; this is stated by Pinkney in 1993. Throughout history most rulers were instilled without the consent of the citizens, such rulers were born into a monarchy or they were voted in by ruling elites. The factors that allowed for the establishment and maintenance of democracy in the west were different to those needed by the developing world; there are a few exceptions however. The west had already formulated a very stable economic and social structure, which are essential conditions for the development and advancement of long-term democracies. Based on this it is evident that in order for the world to flourish under a democratic type system there are several crucial requirements that are required to be met. One of the main perquisites that are conducive to the formation of a democratic state is the constant need for continual economic development; therefore it is evident that a lack of economic development in a particular country will pose a major threat to the prevalence and advancement of democratic ideologies in that country. Economic development is an idea supported by Lipset (1959). Economic development is considered one of the main necessities needed to guide a state into democracy. Lipset believes that the correlation between the existence of democracy and such variables as per capita wealth, industrialization, urbanization and the level of education, are causes of democracy. This underlines and demonstrates the insurmountable obstacles faced by many parts of the world, most notably the developing world in terms of maintaining and encouraging democratic influences. Poverty and unemployment are rife throughout the developing world and therefore the ever-rising unemployment levels coupled with exponential population growth is crippling the economies of many nations which is rendering these nations susceptible to adhering to the conditions necessary for the instilment of other forms of political governance which obviously, poses a threat to existing and potential democratic prevalence and advancement throughout modern society. Social structure is another factor that is hindering democratic advancement and instilment amongst modern day societies; this is particularly a problem throughout the developing world and most notably Africa. The predominant issue with this idea in terms of the developing world is that many developing nations after decolonization were left socially and religiously divided. This is just one of the many burdens left behind by the colonizers that has rendered the many societies and tribes of Africa liable to the prevalence of unfair and unjust rule as well as racial and other forms of discriminatory action which has left many ethnic minorities having the arduous task of attempting to rule and unite conflicting tribal, cultural and religious groups. For example, within each state of Africa it is possible to see a number of tribes or mixtures of Christianity and Islam, where they were all put together to live as one by colonial powers. This has left many ethnic minorities thus making the job of ruling fairly, extremely difficult. Democracy is more likely to come about from a society where, for example, the monarchy checks the nobility and the aristocracy goes into commerce. (Pinkney, 1993). We can see this in states that have conventionally had monarchs or upper class forced hierarchy ruling, such rulers are more prone to alter the political requirements of a democracy once the totalitarian regime has been lifted. From the arguments gathered above, it is easy to see the most prominent threats to democracy that are currently facing modern societies. The necessities needed to attain democratic rule portray how far some states are from acquiring and implementing a democratic status. It is evident that economic development is the main threat that is preventing many nations from adhering to the criteria necessary to implement and obtain democratic systems. The other factor that is hindering the advancement of democratic systems is the complex social structure of many developing nations due to the effects of colonization. The divisions and creation of isolated ethnic minorities caused by the colonization and decolonisation processes has made it extremely difficult for democracy to achieve fair and equal ruling that would be so beneficial for the many social groups within a society.

55 Boxing Idioms

55 Boxing Idioms 55 Boxing Idioms 55 Boxing Idioms By Mark Nichol Despite the waning popularity of pugilism, or the sweet science, as boxing is also called, the sport has contributed a number of colorful words, phrases, and expressions out of proportion to its current stature among athletic endeavors. Here is a list of idioms that originated in boxing and were subsequently extended to the world outside the square ring. 1. bare-knuckle: fierce or determined (from boxing done without gloves) 2. beat (someone) to the punch: accomplish something before someone else does 3. blow-by-blow: a detailed account (referring to commentary during a boxing match) 4. bob and weave: be evasive (as a boxer ducking to avoid an opponent’s blows) 5–6. come out fighting/swinging: be immediately aggressive or energetic 7–10. deliver/land a (knockout) blow/punch: hit 11. down and out: destitute (an analogy to a boxer who has been knocked down and remains motionless) 12–13. down/out for the count: defeated or overcome (as a boxer who has run out of time to stand up after being knocked down) 14–15. drop/take off the gloves: abandon civility (from the practice of using bare fists rather than gloves) 16. duke it out: argue (likely from dukes as rhyming slang for fists; â€Å"duke of Yorks† was substituted for forks as slang for fingers or hands) 17. glass jaw: vulnerability (from a reference to the target point on a boxer that is most fragile) 18. go down swinging: persist (from the notion of a boxer fighting up to the point at which he or she is knocked out) 19. have (someone) in your corner: have an ally (from the boxer’s support team, positioned in a corner of the ring) 20. heavy hitter: an influential person or other entity (from the term for a boxer who lands particularly hard punches) 21. heavyweight: see â€Å"heavy hitter† (from the boxing and wrestling weight class) 22. hit below the belt: act unfairly (from the act of landing a blow below an opponent’s waist) 23. in-fighting: conflict within a group (from the term for boxing close up) 24. keep (one’s) guard up: stay alert (from the idea of protecting one’s face with a gloved hand) 25. kisser: lips 26–28. knockout/KO: a decisive blow; a knockout is also a very attractive or impressive person 29. lead with (one’s) chin: take a risk (from the inadvisable act of exposing one’s chin) 30. lightweight: an insignificant person or entity (from the boxing and wrestling weight class) 31. low blow: a hurtful or unfair action or comment (see â€Å"below the belt†) 32. on the ropes: in trouble (an analogy to an exhausted boxer who is hanging onto a rope on the perimeter of the ring) 33. one-two punch: a combination or sequence of two impactful things 34. pull (one’s) punches: hold back from using full force or full resources (as when a boxer does not use his or her full strength) 35–36. punch-drunk/punchy: dazed or fatigued (from the notion of a boxer disoriented from receiving multiple blows) 37. put up your dukes: said by someone as an invitation to fight (see â€Å"duke it out†) 38. ringside seat: a position close to an incident or event or chain of events 39. roll with the punches: be flexible (from the idea of a boxer remaining in motion despite having received repeated blows) 40. round: one of a series of activities or events (from the name of a period of time during a boxing match) 41. saved by the bell: rescued from difficulty at the last moment (from the bell rung at the end of a round in boxing) 42. slap-happy: see â€Å"punch-drunk/punchy† 43. slugfest: a literally or figuratively combative event 44. spar: fight or dispute (from the term for a boxing maneuver, used in the phrases â€Å"sparring match† and â€Å"sparring partner†) 45. square off: prepare for conflict (from the tradition of boxers standing facing each other at the beginning of a match) 46. straight from the shoulder: direct and forthright (an analogy to a blow delivered using one’s full strength) 47. sucker punch: an unexpected blow 48. take a dive: fail (from the slang phrase referring to a boxer falling after being struck) 49. take it on the chin: stand up to criticism (from the idea of a boxer receiving a blow on the chin without falling) 50. the gloves are off: said when someone begins to act mercilessly (in reference to boxing without gloves) 51–53. put/throw/toss (one’s) hat into the ring: issue a challenge or indicate one’s interest in participating (from the custom of a challenger throwing his hat into a boxing ring when a boxer takes on random opponents) 54. throw in the towel: give up (from the custom of a member of a boxer’s support team tossing a towel into the ring to indicate that the boxer concedes defeat) 55. undercard: a subordinate activity or event in a series (from the term for the category of one or more boxing matches preceding the featured bout) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:25 Subordinating Conjunctions"Gratitude" or "Gratefulness"?The Two Sounds of G

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Case Study - Assignment Example He uses persuasion rather than his authority, a factor that portrays him as a being more of a leader than a manager. A leader motivates people to work together as a team and motivates them to work towards a common aim. This is evident from the case as Terrill tells the employees that he will try keep of their back so that they can be free to work. This is in contrast to a manager who would want to be involved in the activities of the workers and closely supervise their work. Another reason that makes Terrill a leader is his use of communication and leadership skills to influence behavior of the employees and direct them. He holds actively engages the workers in discussions, listens to their problems, and uses his leadership skills to guide them on the way forward. This is in contrast to a manager who uses his formal authority to get things done. Just like a leader, Terrill is always keen to ensure that the decisions made by him are well communicated to the employees and that they are in agreement. A leader will make and support decisions from top down and from down up. In most cases, a manager will only implement decisions from the top management. The workers are allowed to air out their views and opinions before any final decision is made. The willingness to communicate honestly: The first step that Terrill takes is to have an honest conversation with the employees. This enables him to listen to their grievances and ensures that they feel free to air them out. This enables him to identify problems before they manifest themselves in the department. Willingness to take risks: At one time, John Terrill calls for a meeting with the employees and after he hears their grievances, he tells them to drop the reports to his office, which was against the company’s policy. Through this, he shows his willingness to take the risk to prove a point to the top management. A leader should be strategically focused: A good leader needs to focus on

Worked based project - Why outdoor play is important in the early Essay

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Leadership Styles Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

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Leadership--Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Leadership--Decision Making - Essay Example Their effectiveness is impeded by what a number of scholars see as an avoidance of risk encouraged in the initial period of their profession. Moreover, military leaders usually fail to completely or appropriately recognize the global or diplomatic consequences of their decisions. Military leaders could have influential memories of pleasures, anxieties, failures, or triumphs that they experienced. In most instances, these emotions were beneficial to them. They have their own interests at risk in the decisions they make and the actions they take. If these judgments influence only them, their emotions will aid them in arriving at the appropriate solution. However, when their own interests go against their duties, their decision can be lopsided. Introduction The negative ramifications of taking risks or committing errors alongside lack of awareness about military and political circumstances usually results in wrong decisions. Incorrect decisions can imply strategic failure. Wrong decisio ns by military leaders are not only caused by risk aversion or fear of mistakes, but also by emotional factors. ... This paper will discuss how risk aversion and emotion negatively affect military leaders’ judgment or decision making process. Strategic Decision Making The mission of ambitious strategic military leader at present will be to gain the skill of integrating productively, maybe even combine, the function of strategic diplomatic decision maker with the function of strategic military decision maker (Flowers, 2004). According to Friedman, â€Å"connectivity is productivity†¦ connection enables, disconnection enables† (Granger, 2002, 38); strategic leaders should build settings of regional security by facilitating the formation of democratic mechanisms of the relationship between the military and civilians (Granger, 2002). Hence, as the bound between the military leader and the policymaker becomes more and more intricate, strategic leaders should concentrate on building matching capabilities and an awareness of both their independent and collective duties in the process o f making decisions (Taylor & Rosenbach, 2000) for national security. Risk Evaluation, Assumption, and Aversion Groups of US military leaders are burgeoning without being empowered and with inadequate knowledge of how to evaluate and afterwards be equipped to assume risks for the realization of a military goal (Flowers, 2004). Hence, there is a weakening of the important principle which strengthens every military unit, that is, the audacity to take risks. Risk is defined by FM 100-14 as â€Å"the probability and severity of a potential loss that may result from hazards due to the presence of an enemy, an adversary, or some other hazardous condition† (Granger, 2002, 38). Risk assessment, assumption, and aversion,

Cayman Islands Retail Banks Customers Satisfaction and Service Quality Dissertation

Cayman Islands Retail Banks Customers Satisfaction and Service Quality - Dissertation Example The prime objectives of this dissertation was to determine the significance of service quality rendered by the retail banks, price efficiency considered by the bank, technology concerns and innovations, along with the corporate image perceived by the bank in relation to customer satisfaction. To be precise, majority of the customers in the Cayman Islands’ retail banking industry considered the time efficiency and cost efficiency to be two major determinants of service quality in the industry. The assistance provided by the bank staffs and their friendliness towards the customers also has significant roles to determine the banking service quality to a large extent. Customers tend to determine their satisfaction level with regards to the outcomes rendered by a product and/or service along with taking in account the processes included by the company in delivering the demanded service and/or product. In accordance to the findings of this study, this certain fact can be well observ ed. For instance, the customers from banks, interviewed in this study, depicted that the efficiency of bank staffs to render the demanded service and/or product on time, along with the resolvements of issues faced by the customers has a significant impact over the satisfaction level perceived by them. Therefore, it can be stated that the outcomes and the processes of rendering services adopted by the banks play a significant role in determining customers’ satisfaction level.... The following recommendation should therefore be followed; The banking institutions can implement competitive strategies to facilitate technology enhancements within the industry structure. It can also be beneficial to understand the requirements of the customers in terms of service quality, value and even corporate image. To be precise, the banking institutions can take advantage of the research findings obtained in this study to enhance their overall service quality and corporate image to persuade the customers increasing the level of satisfaction within the target market. Table of Contents Declaration & Statements Page 2 Abstract 3 Table of Figures 8 Chapter 1: Introduction 10 1.1.Scope of the Research 10 1.2.The Cayman Islands Banking Sector 13 1.3.Research Aim, Objectives and Research Questions 16 1.4.Rationale 17 1.5.Research Methods 19 1.6.Dissertation Structure 20 Chapter 2: Literature Review 22 2.1. Overview 22 2.2. Defining the Concept of Service Quality in Relation to Cust omer Satisfaction 23 2.3. Significance of Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction in the Retail Banking Industry 26 2.4. Impact of Perceived Value (price) on Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction in Retail Banks 29 2.5. The Influence of Corporate Image on Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction at Retail Banks 32 2.6. Role of Technology Change in Influencing Customer Services Quality and Customer Satisfaction of Retail Banks 33 2.7. Summary 36 Chapter 3: Research Methodology 38 3.2. Research Approaches 38 3.3. Research Design 41 3.3.1. Research Objectives 42 3.3.2. Research Process 42 3.4. Data Collection Method 44 Chapter 4: Findings and Analysis 47 4.1. Section One: Analysing

Healthypeople Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Healthypeople - Essay Example People now tend to behave as consumers, through more responsibilities and choices they become more active participants in improving and managing their healthcare. Consumerism is evident in the healthy people 2020 as the healthy people strives to identify the improvements to be made in the health department, increase the public understanding and awareness in the determinants of disability health and disease and identify research, evaluation and the needs for data collection. The healthy people 2020 aims at ensuring that the consumers of heath care are more informed, healthier and, more collaborative (Braveman, 2014, p.29) The institute of medicine in the healthy people 2020 focuses on the consumers as they aim at the promotion of health and giving objectives for disease prevention. These reports give guidance and create awareness on different types of diseases and the best methods of prevention. Through this reports the consumers get up to date information regarding healthcare and are able to take better care of themselves, an example includes the article written on type 2 diabetes prevention. The consumers should be open to the information provided to them and should take it seriously in order to benefit from it and improve their health status (Finkelman,

Cayman Islands Retail Banks Customers Satisfaction and Service Quality Dissertation

Cayman Islands Retail Banks Customers Satisfaction and Service Quality - Dissertation Example The prime objectives of this dissertation was to determine the significance of service quality rendered by the retail banks, price efficiency considered by the bank, technology concerns and innovations, along with the corporate image perceived by the bank in relation to customer satisfaction. To be precise, majority of the customers in the Cayman Islands’ retail banking industry considered the time efficiency and cost efficiency to be two major determinants of service quality in the industry. The assistance provided by the bank staffs and their friendliness towards the customers also has significant roles to determine the banking service quality to a large extent. Customers tend to determine their satisfaction level with regards to the outcomes rendered by a product and/or service along with taking in account the processes included by the company in delivering the demanded service and/or product. In accordance to the findings of this study, this certain fact can be well observ ed. For instance, the customers from banks, interviewed in this study, depicted that the efficiency of bank staffs to render the demanded service and/or product on time, along with the resolvements of issues faced by the customers has a significant impact over the satisfaction level perceived by them. Therefore, it can be stated that the outcomes and the processes of rendering services adopted by the banks play a significant role in determining customers’ satisfaction level.... The following recommendation should therefore be followed; The banking institutions can implement competitive strategies to facilitate technology enhancements within the industry structure. It can also be beneficial to understand the requirements of the customers in terms of service quality, value and even corporate image. To be precise, the banking institutions can take advantage of the research findings obtained in this study to enhance their overall service quality and corporate image to persuade the customers increasing the level of satisfaction within the target market. Table of Contents Declaration & Statements Page 2 Abstract 3 Table of Figures 8 Chapter 1: Introduction 10 1.1.Scope of the Research 10 1.2.The Cayman Islands Banking Sector 13 1.3.Research Aim, Objectives and Research Questions 16 1.4.Rationale 17 1.5.Research Methods 19 1.6.Dissertation Structure 20 Chapter 2: Literature Review 22 2.1. Overview 22 2.2. Defining the Concept of Service Quality in Relation to Cust omer Satisfaction 23 2.3. Significance of Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction in the Retail Banking Industry 26 2.4. Impact of Perceived Value (price) on Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction in Retail Banks 29 2.5. The Influence of Corporate Image on Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction at Retail Banks 32 2.6. Role of Technology Change in Influencing Customer Services Quality and Customer Satisfaction of Retail Banks 33 2.7. Summary 36 Chapter 3: Research Methodology 38 3.2. Research Approaches 38 3.3. Research Design 41 3.3.1. Research Objectives 42 3.3.2. Research Process 42 3.4. Data Collection Method 44 Chapter 4: Findings and Analysis 47 4.1. Section One: Analysing

Recent scientific discussion has renewed interest in the religious Essay

Recent scientific discussion has renewed interest in the religious aspects of cosmology. What is the anthropic principle and what is its religious significance - Essay Example hropic principle theorizes that the vital requirements for human life, such as the unique properties of water, the Earth’s atmosphere, the Earth’s distance from the Sun, and the solar system’s place in the galaxy, are so specific and perfect to human life that they could not have happened by chance. According to the anthropic principle, these variables had to have been planned this way due to how well aligned they are with the needs of human beings. The religious significance of the anthropic principle is that it suggests the possibility of intelligent design, meaning that the universe was created by a great force who took considerable care to make sure that humans could survive in the universe. To most religious denominations, this great force would be considered God, or another deity. Scientific discussions that have considered the anthropic principle are, by association, presenting the belief that the universe was indeed the result of intelligent design. If this is the case, then the origin of the universe, which is believed to be the result of the Big Bang in the scientific community, could be called into question in favor of a more religious beginning, such as the theory of creation in the Christian-based

Evaluation of Suicide Research in the Elderly

Evaluation of Suicide Research in the Elderly A CRITICAL COMPARISON OF TWO RESEARCH APPROACHES TO SUICIDALITY IN THE ELDERLY: the qualitative and quantitative paradigms Introduction: Suicide may be considered a common and devastating emergency in the general practice of mental health. It is a phenomenon that is generally complex and inherently difficult to predict. Suicidality, which is the spectrum of psychological activities that culminates in the eventual death of the individual, may be especially complicated in the elderly. This is because people of that age group are known to traverse the continuum of suicidal behaviour with extraordinary secrecy, determination and lethality. Thus, there may be up to three new cases of elderly suicide for every one below the age of 25 years in many countries (Diego et al., 2004, Mello-Santos et al., 2005). Giving the intricate nature of the phenomenon in the elderly, understanding the immediate and remote factors that may be suggestive of imminent death by suicide may be an important step to setting up targeted interventions before it is too late. In the context of suicide research, immediate pointers to an impending suicide may, on the one hand, include a subjective ‘experience’ with suicidal ideas or the wish to die. This very personal experience may sometimes be expressed in signs and symptoms such as talking or writing about the end. A phenomenon sometimes referred to as suicidal warnings (Rudd et al., 2006). In this regards, immediate factors for imminent suicide may also extend to the ‘meanings’ attached to such notices by their recipients. The understanding of peoples experiences and meanings is strengthen by the qualitative research paradigm (Fossey et al., 2002). The more remote pointers to an imminent suicide may include correlates of suicidality within the larger population, as against the individual. The investigation of such independent risk factors within the population, or a systematically generated sample from it, is underpinned by the quantitative research model (Godwin et al., 2003). To provide a clear understanding of the qualitative and quantitative frameworks, this discourse aims to critically compare two studies using contrasting approaches in elucidating the factors related to suicide in the elderly. The context and comparison This first study, hereafter referred to as Kjiolseth and Ekeberg (Kjolseth and Ekeberg, 2012), was an investigation of the experiences and reactions of people to warnings they have received about the suicidal intention of their elderly wards. The authors relied on the technique of psychological autopsy (Beskow et al., 1990). Wherein, they re-created the circumstances of the suicide through interviews of 63 formal and informal carers of 23 individuals who had died in that manner aged 65 years or over. The second study, hereafter referred to as Ojagbemi et al (Ojagbemi et al., 2013), examined the predictive relationship between several health related variables and three behaviours occurring on a continuum leading to eventual death by suicide. The authors relied on a multi-stage probability sample of 2149 participants aged 65 years or over, and spread across a geographical area equivalent to a quarter of the national population. The main research question explored by Kjiolseth and Ekeberg was; how did people perceive and react to suicidal warnings communicated to them by the elderly around them? Perception in this context may be broadly understood as the individual’s cognizance of the events external to them. Such perception may also feedback on how the individual will react. In the view of empiricists such as Locke (Baird et al., 2008) the awareness of externally occurring events may only be possible if they are mentally represented. In this regards, the reality is created in the mind of the recipient. Further, Bekerley (Atherton, 1987) contends that this reality is inherently modifiable according to previous experience. Therefore, since the previous experiences of different individuals may be inherently different, and dynamic, the proposition of a single or unitary reality may be less likely. In other words, the research question of Kjiolseth and Ekerberg may be best answered if the perception and r eaction of a variety of carefully selected individuals who may have received the suicidal warnings are considered. Qualitative interviews may afford the opportunity for the researchers in this instance to generate more nuanced accounts from a wide selection of individuals who may be knowledgeable about the phenomenon of interest. In contrast to Kjiolseth and Ekerberg, Ojagbemi et al wanted to find out if there are indices of health and wellbeing in the general population that may demonstrate predictive associations with suicidality among the elderly living in sub-Saharan African communities. This research question may suggest as follows; firstly, by indices, the authors appear interested in numerical or value indicators of health and wellbeing. Secondly, by predictive associations, they may also be interested in relationships. Thirdly, Ojagbemi et al appear interested in the general population, rather than individuals. The interest of the authors in the examination of predicted relationships between numerical and/ or non-numerical (i.e, categorical) indicators, with a focus on the general population may support a non-experimental quantitative approach (Martens, 1998). In line with the quantitative framework, Ojagbemi et al specifically investigated the predictive relationship between a wide range of demographic and health related variables and three categories of behaviour occurring on a continuum leading to eventual suicide in people who have attained the age of 65 years or over at the start of the study. They additionally sort to investigate the transition between one behaviour and another. These categories of behaviour were namely; suicidal ideation, suicidal plans, and suicidal attempts. They hypothesized that several of the health and wellbeing indicators will predict the presence of these suicidal behaviours. The study was a community based cross-sectional survey of the elderly living in a geographical area equivalent to a quarter of the national population. Giving the research question of Ojagbemi et al about predictive associations, the exploration of several demographic and health related variables should allow the investigators to examin e the independent effect of individual variables on the suicidal behaviours while holding the others constant. Furthermore, giving the interest of the authors on sub-Saharan African communities, the focus on communities spread over a wide geographical area, should allow for a wider generalisation of the findings to several sub-Saharan African communities. Conversely, the community based design may inherently exclude the elderly in care and nursing homes, as well as hospitals. Therefore, the findings may not be generalizable, after all, to the entire sub-Saharan African elderly population. Also, the cross-sectional design makes the picture of whether the elderly have had these behaviours long before they attained the age of 65 years unclear. As such it may be doubtful if the result represents the true depiction of affairs in the elderly population. On the other hand, the study by Kjiolseth and Ekerberg studied people’s experiences and reactions to the ‘warnings’ they have received about the suicidal intentions or plans of the elderly around them. They have relied on psychological autopsy, based on several interviews with people the authors thought should have the knowledge and experience about the phenomenon they planned to investigate. Giving the research questions of the authors about how people perceived notices of suicide communicated to them, a re-enactment of the situation surrounding the eventual suicidal act, through information from key informants, may help shed light on people’s experiences and the processes involved in the reaction of individuals. The individual meaning is also referred to as phenomenology in the context of qualitative research (Thompson et al., 1989). However, with individual meanings it may be difficult to demonstrate ‘probabilistic’ generalisability to the w ider group of formal or informal carers of the elderly who have died by suicide. On the other hand, it might be possible to generalise findings with strong ‘internal validity’ to similar contexts (Pawson and Tilley, 1997 ). Furthermore, They were also interested in the general population of the elderly living a wide geographical area. In this regard, it is the ideal for the authors to access very elderly person living in the location of interest. However, it may be a near impossibility to attempt to interview every elderly person living in an area equivalent to a quarter of the country. As such, the authors resorted to a systematic method of taking a representative sample of the population of the elderly in the location of interest. In this way, they relied on a multi-stage area probability sample of the elderly living in households spread over the study location. They interviewed one elderly person per household, and eventually arrived at a sample size of 2149 participants REFERENCES ATHERTON, M. 1987. Berkeleys Anti-Abstractionism. In: SOSA, E. (ed.) Essays on the Philosophy of George Berkeley. Dordrecht: D. Reidel. BAIRD, E, F., KAUFMANN WALTER 2008. From Plato to Derrida, Upper Saddle River, NJ, Pearson Prentice Hall. BESKOW, J., RUNESON, B. ASGARD, U. 1990. Psychological autopsies: methods and ethics. Suicide Life Threat Behav, 20, 307-23. DIEGO, D. L., SHELLEY, B., M, B. J., KERKHOF, D. J. F. A. BILLE-BRAHEUNNI 2004. Definitions of Suicidal Behaviour. In: LEO, D. D., BILLE-BRAHE, U., KERKHOF, A. J. F. M. SCHMIDTKE, A. (eds.) Suicidal behaviour. Cambridge: Hogrefe Huber. FOSSEY, E., HARVEY, C., MCDERMOTT, F. DAVIDSON, L. 2002. Understanding and evaluating qualitative research. Aust N Z J Psychiatry, 36, 717-32. GODWIN, M., RUHLAND, L., CASSON, I., MACDONALD, S., DELVA, D., BIRTWHISTLE, R., LAM, M. SEGUIN, R. 2003. 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Suicide Life Threat Behav, 36, 255-62. THOMPSON, C. J., LOCANDER, W. B. POLLIO, H. R. 1989. Putting Consumer Experience Back into Consumer Research: The Philosophy and Method of Existential-Phenomenology. Journal of Consumer Research, 16, 133-146.