Postal Service As a Monopoly Essays - United States Postal Service

Postal Service As a Monopoly Essays - United States Postal Service Postal Service As a Monopoly In the United States economy most markets can be classified into four different markets structures. But, each and every market in the United States is completely unique from the others. Generally the best type of market structure for the general public is per-fect competition because it creates the lowest possible price for the public. There are some exceptions were perfect competition isnt the best choice for the public on account of various reasons. The United States Postal Service is one of them and since the Postal Service is a monopoly, it is its own market. This paper will discuss the budget dilemmas that the postal service has faced for the past twenty years and if it is in the best interest of the economy for the United States Postal Service to continue as a monopoly. The first time there was talk of privatizing the Postal Service was in1979 when the Postal Service was losing vast amounts of money in the long run. But since the Postal Service is a necessity for America, the government had to subsidize the service in order for it to continue in operation. In 1979 the United States Postal Service had a cash flow of $22.5 Billion and was additionally receiving $176 million from investing(#1, Intro). Even with this added revenue the Postal Service was still greatly under funded on its own (#1, Intro). During this time it was discussed to privatize the postal service and introduce competition because of the extreme losses that the service was experiencing. A positive argument for privatizing the Postal Service was with numerous competitors in the market there would be more efficiency and the public would receive lower prices. But this would also increase the usage of resources, for example airplanes and cars. One of the problems the Post Office had was its receipts from consumer purchases that were submitted the next day after the transaction (#1, i). If the receipts were submitted earlier the postal service would receive more money because they could invest that money sooner (#1, i). Another way the Postal Service could increased profits was by competitively selecting banks that would give them higher interest rates and such (#1, ii). Probably the most relevant and final way to improve the budget of the Postal Service is to improve the bookkeeping poli-cies and banking techniques (#1, ii). Not only did the Post Service propose to increase profits but they also proposed to cut costs in a number of ways. There were three methods that were proposed in 1946 for the protection of salaries that no longer exists (#2, Intro). These have to do with the rural mail carriers. Under this antiquated method of delivering mail the Postal Service was los-ing money to any mail that went to "rural" areas (#2, i) There are 48,000 mail carriers that deliver mail to millions of families that are considered to be living in rural settings; this costs the postal Service 858 million dollars a year (#2, i). This is a fairly easy problem to fix considering how much money is being lost. It was proposed that money loss could be significantly cut down if the Postal Service corrected the following problems. The rural mail carriers were assigned a certain amount of time to deliver to a specific rural area, this method was out of date and because of this the carriers have free time for which they got paid for (#2, ii). The next problem was that other mail routes based pay on how many miles the route covered, so the carriers were getting paid by the mile (#2, iii). With this problem fixed the Postal Service could saved 26.8 million a year (#2, iii). There was also an hourly rate that was in effect which indirectly promoted inefficient service (#2, iii). A stop to this could have saved the Postal Service $255,000 a year (#2, iii). From the num-bers mentioned above, it can be seen why the United States Postal Service was losing so much money. These problems did indeed eventually did get solved over the past fifteen years and now the Postal Service is making record breaking profits. Now in the first quarter of the fiscal year 1996 the Postal Service already has a net income of $1.2 billion (#3, 1). Now not only is the Postal Service just breaking even, but they are also making a profit. On top of that, the 1.2 billion dollar figure is 115 billion dollars better then the quarterly forecast predicted (#3,1). It is incredible that

5 Other Online Dictionaries

5 Other Online Dictionaries 5 Other Online Dictionaries 5 Other Online Dictionaries By Mark Nichol Regular Daily Writing Tips readers know that I often extol Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, the dictionary of record for the American publishing industry. Despite its apparent casual acceptance of nonstandard spellings, it’s an authoritative resource as is its Internet version, Merriam-Webster Online. But plenty of alternatives exist; here are five interesting and helpful variations on the lexicographical theme. 1. The Alpha Dictionary This portal features links to hundreds of foreign-language dictionaries and glossaries, as well as numerous specialty dictionaries and glossaries covering specific subjects like chocolate, jewelry, and weather, and more resources like thesauruses and collections of quotations. 2. The Free Dictionary Enter a word at The Free Dictionary, and you’ll get not only definitions from various dictionaries but also citations of the word in quotations, a translation tool to find the word’s foreign-language equivalents, and lists of related terms. The site also has starts-with and ends-with search functions and an option to call up a list of terms in which a particular word appears in the definition. In addition, you can look up acronyms and idioms and search encyclopedias, foreign-language dictionaries, and specialized dictionaries. 3. OneLook.com This dictionary offers more than just definitions of words you type in; it also enables a variety of tip-of-the-tongue searches: To return words and phrases beginning or ending in a certain word, type in that word followed by or preceding an asterisk, or type the first couple of letters of a word followed by a colon and any complete word to produce a list of words and phrases starting with those letters that pertain to that word. (For example, at:air brings up not only atmosphere but also â€Å"attic fan† and atomization.) Or, precede an acronym or initialism with expand: to find phrases these abbreviations stand for, and more. 4. Wordnik Wordnik collects definitions from numerous other dictionary websites, as well as displaying online citations of the word to provide context. 5. YourDictionary This plain-English resource provides easy-to-understand definitions. For example, the meaning of atmosphere, rendered at Merriam-Webster Online as â€Å"the gaseous envelope of a celestial body (as a planet), the whole mass of air surrounding the earth, the air of a locality, a surrounding influence or environment, the overall aesthetic effect of a work of art, an intriguing or singular tone, effect, or appeal† here is explained as follows: â€Å"the area of air and gas enveloping objects in space, like stars and planets, or the air around any location,† or â€Å"an overall feeling and/or effect of a place, specially if it is an environment of pleasure or interest.† This site also provides links to other dictionaries as well as other resources. 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 Book Reviews category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Great Opening Lines to Inspire the Start of Your Story50 Latin Phrases You Should KnowHow Do You Pronounce "Often"?

Tate Modern Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tate Modern - Essay Example With the advent of technology it has entered the virtual world of internet and is working as a successful organization for the benefit of art and artists who are able to met their most potential buyers Rockefeller to Mittal who, consequently were the noted patron of the establishment. In general sense it could be stated that this establishment values customers who are educated and connoisseur of art. (Lamb, 2004) Louis Lozowick, Duchamp, Jackson Pollock, Myron Krueger, Anja Kroencke and ceramic artists like Peter Voulkos, Paul Soldner, Robert Arneson, Viola Frey and Bennet Bean are the most popular artists at Tate Moder. Among these noted artists Anja Kroencke holds a favorite position as this magnificent illustrator renowned for her outstanding fashion illustrations or more better said lifestyle illustrations. Her contribution in her field is commendable and her work includes the most identifiable masterpieces of illustrations. Anja Kroencke is well known for her distinct haughty women characters. The body proportion, body movement, faces, hands and feet, poses of the characters and the backgrounds in her drawings reflect high class, high profile modern society. Her characters (mostly women) are elegant, stylish and fashion trendy as seen from her drawings. The sophistication and the elegance of her lines and the zing in her works of art have given Anja Kroencke a distinct and remarkable po sition in the field of illustration. Her drawings are incredibly pure, playing with measured degree of black & white and color producing visible contrasts between wide stretches of pure white and vast regions of velvety shadows. (King, 2006) It should be stated that Jackson Pollock's Convergence is one noted favorite in this context. The most important point to be noted in this respect is the amount of energy that is reflected within the parameter of this 95" x 155" inch canvas. (Samuel, 1999) To ascertain a piece of canvas to be judged as a work of art it is necessary to evoke a certain feeling within the viewers. There is no grammar involved in this part; no mathematics is needed; only the artistic sense is operational in this context from the part of the viewer. The interpretation may vary but the theme that evoked the interpretation of the viewer is all that is important to certify a painting as Art. In this context too Jackson Pollock's Convergence comes out with flying colors. (Mitra, 1985) American ceramic artist Bennett Bean lives and works in Blairstown, NJ. Bean is primarily a studio potter but is also an equally good sculptor and painter. His trademark creations include pale pit-fired pots and vessels such as bowls and teapots. Bean has confessed to having been influenced by a range of ceramic art including Japanese pottery, English pottery (such as those by Bernard Leach) Native and Modern American pottery (such as those by George Ohr). Bean is also in the habit of using other beautifying techniques such as gilding and glazing on his pots, only instead of serving as decorative measures these methods help Bean in creating the kind of space and surface he is known for. The patterns he uses comes from a collection he has built up over 20 years, many of them are influenced by the

DS Final Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

DS Final - Dissertation Example In the wake of such levels of debate and discussion among researchers, it is always useful to introduce a new paradigm that would serve as an alternative. Voice over internet protocol (VoIP) has been found to be a new technology that most IT projects would want to use in the provision of communication services. This is largely due to the level of reliability associated with the service output of VoIP. The study therefore took advantage to introduce a paradigm shift in medical alert systems by using VoIP instead of POTS. This was done through the development of medical software that was called VoIP medical alert system. Medical alert service is subsequently analyzed in this paper as a customized and integrated work activity, using emergency medicine as a theoretical framework. Medical alert service is regarded in the paper as an emergency response scheme that demands that medical care reach service users in emergency within the shortest timeframe. But for this to be achieved, the need to have a reliable and efficient communication system to link up to the medical alert service was necessary. Information systems theory was thus used as an activity theory to guide the development and introduction of the VoIP medical alert system at the St Theresa Hospital. ... I declare that the dissertation describes original work that has not previously been presented for the award of any other degree of any institution. Signed, your-name-here â€Å"This dissertation contains material that is confidential and/or commercially sensitive. It is included here on the understanding that this will not be revealed to any person not involved in the assessment process.† Student, Supervisors and Classes: Student name: Student ID number: GDI name: CRMT class ID: DA name: Yongge Wang CAC class ID: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A number of people played very instrumental roles in the completion of the current research. For various roles in which they supported me morally, spiritually, intellectually, and logistically, I would like to express a depth of gratitude to I would like to thank Dr.Yongge Wang (my dissertation advisor) for his support throughout this dissertation. I would like to thank my family for their continuous support and the University of Toronto. Finally, to all respondents who dedicated their time to answering interview questions during the primary data collection. LIST OF TABLES Table 6.1 Emergency Services given before and after the Intervention 47 Table 6.2 Deaths recorded before and after the Intervention 49 LIST OF FIGURES Fig. 3.1 Information Systems as an Activity 25 Fig 3.2 Decision-Making Theory Diagram 26 Fig 4.1 SSDAM Diagram 30 Fig 4.2 Simplified Data Flow Diagram 32 Fig 4.3 Business Systems Options Diagram 33 Fig 4.4 Requirements Specifications Diagram 35 Fig 5.1 Combined use of Waterfall Model and Action Research 42 TABLE OF CONTENT Chapter 1. Introduction 10 1.1 Scope 10 1.2 Problem Statement 11 1.3 Approach 12

Captain Corellis Essay Example for Free

Captain Corellis Essay By focusing on at least three characters from Captain Corellis Mandolin, consider the importance of the range of viewpoints used in the novel. Throughout the novel, Louis de Berniere gives every character a clear identity. By this every individual is representative of those that were present at the time of the war. This identity entitles them to show the reader different prospective and viewpoints on how they feel. Thus it portrays a sense of reality as it is not all fiction and does consist of facts from the war. However I do feel that there are central characters in the novel that make it seem more interesting and therefore grip the reader to make us want to read on. These characters dont only represent the individuals in the horrific war but manage to make the storyline seem more intriguing. Dr Iannis, Pelagia, Carlo and Mandras are selected well by Berniere to highlight different views of different people from different places. Captain Corellis Mandolin opens with an insight into Dr Ianniss daily routine. He is perhaps the most educated individual on the island and therefore well respected and known by all those who live amongst him. He is symbolic of the independence of Greece and through him we gain an incite into the historic and patriotic pride of Cephallonia. The deep desire and passion for the island is portrayed by the doctor are clear as he begins to describe the infamous island; Cephallonia rises improvidently and inadvisedly from the Ionian Sea, it is an island so immense in aniquity. rocks themselves exhale nostalgia However his views about the island, its past and its peoples beliefs prove to be inevitably subjective also showing us the history itself is subjective. This part is included by the author in the very first chapter to make readers know Dr Iannis and understand the way Cephallonians live and think. This clearly indicates the fact that this place isnt just a common ground but is, in fact a true beauty of nature to Dr Iannis. Having the doctor describe this makes us realize his view on the country and how he feels it should be written down in history as. Also the doctors occupation tells us that he is a man who likes to help others and therefore his character becomes more appealing and loved by the audience. His simple but actually quite basic procedures of operating such as carefully inserted the straightend hook into the hirsute orifice makes the patient very thankful and increases the doctors need to be with his people. The method itself sounds very complex yet in reality the operation is a simple one but as Dr Iannis is carrying it out, Bernieres adds sophisticated language to show the high level of intelligence the doctor has. Education is the reason why the doctor and his daughter stand at the top of the islands hierarchical system, and are therefore respected more than the commoners. The war brings out a side of Dr Iannis which is slightly more opinionated. We later realize that he is more into politics than he at first seems. He predicted that Greece was going to be attacked before war was even apposed upon them. To get his view across he prepares or rehearses a speech for Kokolios about Communism and its connection to Capitalism however doesnt manage to tell him as Lemoni interrupts. Pelagia is a young, ambitious women who takes after her father. She too would like to be a doctor even though she knows that women of her time have restrictions opposed onto them by a male dominating society. Her first patient was her fianci Mandras; its an irritant when the lice have gone, but oil of paraffin takes about two weeks to work This keen interest Pelagia has in medicine makes her question her future. As she goes to help Mandras with his poor health and severe condition, she realizes that she has learnt enough from her father and is in doubt about there being such a thing as a doctor who was also a woman. However it is this knowledge and education that Pelagia obtains which makes the division between Mandras and herself wider. In addition this event of her lover returning home in this condition makes Pelagia hate war even more and blames it for standing between her love and his love to fight. Pelagia is described as an attractive woman and many men on the island fall in love with both her beauty and intelligence, combining to make a perfect ideal for a woman. However, Pelagias perfection is her own downfall as she is confused about what to do when the captain is the one she loves. As of this the Doctor continued talking to Pelagia about her situation, and reminded her that she was betrothed to Mandras and that technically the captain was an enemy. He told her that love was a temporary madness; it erupted like volcanoes and then it subsided. Then he pressed her hand harder and told her that marrying the Captain would be impossible until their homeland was liberated. One can only forgive a sin after the sinner has finished committing  , he said and argued that there was an equation to be balanced, with love on one side and dishonour on the other, adding that Mandras may still have been amongst the living. To this Pelagia responds by saying i You make everything squalid. You dont know how it isi. Even though later on Dr Iannis tells her that he knows how it is, because her mother had been betrothed to someone else, and he shared all her feelings. She still doesnt realize why all this has to happen to her and says to her father that The captain has never tried to compromise me. The doctor says that Corelli is a good man but there are restrictions set and Pelagia can not go ahead with this as it is immoral and the war again is standing in her way. Mandras effectively speaks behind the veil, in secret, to the reader. What he actually went through and the way he returned from the front are revealed in his stream of thought. He starts by pointing out the indecency of his mother and his fiance seeing him naked amidst the infections, rashes and parasites infesting This portrays war as an inhumane and revolting event to be part of. All those who go to war in one way or another are infected. Whether thats physically or mentally. Then he goes on to describe what he thinks death is a brother and not an enemy He has obviously been very affected because he goes on about death being beautiful, a saviour and a good friend. However, he does not go so far as to say that it keeps him going; Pelagia does. Mandras proceeds to venerate her beauty and to say that she meant home to him, but that he has noticed that she is disgusted with her returning hero. From this he concludes that she does not think he is good enough for her and feels her love for him as changed into a formality. He realizes she may no longer have deep feelings for him, but cant understand why. Bernieres makes Mandras a lucky survivor from the war front so his description is the only valid one of the war. He describes the walk as an unpleasant travesy through the remnants of the war; decaying donkeys, charred bodies, crippled tanks and vast amounts of abandoned, useless equipment

Criminals Essay -- Social Issues, Rape, Non Consensual Sex

Criminals. The very word stands to threaten the stability and security of the individual and society at large. Thus dating back to 1760 , our understanding of the nature of crime and our ability to manage it has generated much discussion. Often we see the words â€Å"senseless acts† splashed across newspaper reports. However as suggested by early rational choice theorist Becarria, Crime is the outcome of choice; a calculated process of weighing up the costs against the benefits in order to maximise pleasure and minimise pain (Bernard et al. 2010). Given that specific crimes are committed with specific purposes, it makes little sense to construct broad categories of crime (Pateboster 2001). Each crime is so intricate and distinct we need to consider the offenders perspective, to understand the state of mind and play that underpins each particular offence. Rape and drunk driving, are profound examples of how different crimes compared to each other and within themselves have vastly different motives. Important to this is the offenders background and varying perceptions of costs and benefits. By tuning into these differences between offences and offenders, enables us to implement effective policies, as they hone in on the direct causes of how and why people commit crime. In order to fully understand criminal decisions, we must capture both sides of the equation; the costs as well as the benefits (Ward et al. 2006). When comparing rape, non-consensual sexual intercourse that is committed by physical force, threat of injury, or other duress, with drunk driving, driving over the legal limit of blood to alcohol level, their definitions highlight the different nature of each ... ...itive shortcuts and fail to acknowledge the full scope of costs and benefits (Pateboster 2001). Thus is it wise to conclude, that crime can not be managed effectively without close study of the dynamic nature of individual crimes from individual perspectives. A comparison of Rape and drunk driving illustrates how perceptions of costs and benefits, certainty and severity, legal and extralegal consequences, will vary across offences and offenders. Crime is thus multifactorial and complex. To construct broad programs and policies would be ill informed and ineffective. It is clear that one size can not fit all. If we as a society wish to understand crime we must continue to understand it from the offender’s perspective . To a large extent this understanding is everything. The safety, security and cohesion of our society depends on it.

Human resources Essay

Sales and profits Human resources can improve sales and profit within the business. This is because the HR department itself are in control in terms of Hiring (including recruiting candidates, the interview process, negotiations, and signing contracts. ) So technically speaking if the HR department hired a sales man that was not up to satisfaction and was lacking sales. Then this may have been down to HR department not being thorough enough at the interview or their person specification. I believe the business should overlook the HR department and see what may need tweaking. I believe doing this would potentially help the measurement of sales and profit within the business. Because hiring a well-earned applicant for the job would be there will be more sales/profit. There are many technical resources that may help aid sales and profits to increase within a business. One technical resource that could potentially increase sales and profits is the use of software for a development of a website. Nowadays the majority of the population has some type of computer. Having a website for your business can be very effective, businesses may use a website to either sell their products/items or they might just use it for promotion and advertisement purposes. One may be effective more the other depending on the type of business. Although at the end of the day both ways in which you use a website for your business is effective. As it will promote it to a wide range of audiences that have access to the web, this then would result in sales and profits potentially increasing. Physical resources may be necessary if the business may need publicity for it to operate. For example, having a branch. More customers are more likely to join a ‘firm’ if you have a branch and by this time the finance could potentially increase gradually, therefore improving sales & profits. Financial resources can help monitor the finance within the business. A business needs to insure that they have enough money so that they are able to order stock/products e. c. t. They also have to insure that they are monitoring the money effectively so that they have money for bills, wages and other expenses. I believe using financial resources can help aid a business’s profit and sales just by monitoring effectively. Customer base The HR department are in control of the Promotions and raises within the business. If for example a group of customers come on a regular basis to buy various products for a specific price. Then if one day HR decides to raise the cost of product doing this could potentially damage the customer base. This is why it is important for the HR department to ensure that they have regular promotions within the business they should also only raise the product items if it is completely necessary, otherwise it could affect suppliers or other customers that are In businesses ‘customer base. ’ Carrying this entire out could defiantly aid the customer base. Having technical resources available means that the business is able to keep a customer base. This can be done by customers be able to use a website for latest information or they can get updated emails e. c. t. I believe ensuring a business has an email system and website is important as it can maintain a customer base for people that are interested. A business should use physical resources to set up a customer base. There are many physical ways in which you can set up a customer base or help get one together. As a business you should always be on the hunt for new customers and seeking methods to bring them to your door. If you are not consistently looking for opportunities-s to build your customer base, your business could fall off of the growth track. One really popular way to start up a new customer base is it to use Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or LinkedIn. It all depends on whom you are targeting for business. Managing financial resources is about getting the most from the resources you have available. It involves implementing resource management procedures and it also controls and can include managing costs and maximising opportunities. A customer base can be managed and improved by using a bank loan or some type of finance resource. Using this investment business should use it to promote/advertisement their company, doing this could potentially help create or increase a customer base. Employee satisfaction and staff turnover HR department could potentially help aid the employee satisfaction within a business. This is because HR are in control off the employee, HR have the power to dismiss an employee they also have the power to promote an employee. The HR should ensure that all the employees are comfortable in their job they should do this by using questionnaires at the end of the month for employees to fill in, I believe doing this could potentially increase the employee satisfaction that they have on the business. HR should include special days once a month and include a paid meal for all employees; this could potentially raise employee satisfaction. Staff turnover is controlled by the HR department and Therefore they are in control in terms of employing new employee’s e. c. t. Although HR should be well aware and only employ employees that meet the full requirements for the job. Technical resources can make the work place more appealing and may satisfy employees. For example having computers in an office for employees to work on will satisfy them. Although if for example the work place did not have computers, employees may feel unsatisfied and they may feel uncomfortable this then may result in employees quitting their job. That is why it important for every work place to ensure that they have technical resources within the work place if necessary. Ensuring that the work place has computers and other technical resources may positively affect the staff turnover within the business. It may result in receiving a good reputation in terms of having good equipment and resources within the work place. Employee Job Satisfaction surveys allows an organization to understand their employees. Employees often act on the basis of their environment, the behaviour of their colleagues, and management policies. Employee satisfaction and retention surveys can give management the knowledge and tools that directly impact the bottom line and business outcomes and doing this could potentially build positive employee relations and a positive work environment. This could later down the line increase staff turnover as employees by feel comfortable and like their job more this therefore will potentially increase staff turnover. Finance within a business can increase employee satisfaction. For example if the work place is poor businesses should use financial resources to sort it out, if left poor employees may feel ‘unsatisfied. ’ This also could result in staff turnover to decline. Customer satisfaction The HR department are responsible for hiring employees with respect. The HR department should ensure that before hiring an applicant that they show good customer communication and they should also have a good experience with customers. Also ensuring that the applicants have these qualities is important especially as a sales man. Having attitudes towards customers would defiantly affect the businesses customer satisfaction in a whole. Tasks in hand cannot be completed without these vital technical Resources. For instance; if computers or any other technical resource is damaged or not working for a particular reason then, this may effect customer satisfaction. With physical resources there would be no customer satisfaction. Physical resources are known to be the resources made by man through his abilities and skill. The technology, buildings, and many more products. Therefore if the building layout is poor this could result in customers not being satisfied. Finance resources can be used to aid customer satisfaction. A small group of member can be funded by finance resources to carry out customer surveys this can be used to help manage customer satisfaction within the business. Customer satisfaction is down to the service and the quality of the service. This can be managed and potentially increased by using financial resources to improve the quality and the service. Levels of efficiency Human resources departments play a critical role in contributing to the Overall productivity and efficiency of an organization. As HR helps to build a stronger workforce through better recruiting, training and retention, the Workforce helps drive the efficiency of the business as a whole. Levels of efficiency can be improve and measured. This can be measured by using technical resources. For example using a piece of software such as ‘excel’, this type of technical resource can help businesses record figures e. c. t. Also using this piece of software could potentially improve the levels of efficiency within the business. Levels of efficiency can be measured using technology (physical resources. ) Businesses can measure the efficiency using computers. Measuring the levels of efficiency is important as business are able to see an overall view of the businesses performance/efficiency Finance resources can help increase the levels of efficiency. There are a number of ways in which this can be increased. The business should see where which area is falling and they should invest money into this to resolve the problem. 2 June 2013 From: UkAdvisers Subject: Measures of performance and resources Introduction Definitions: Performance measurements: A sale is something that is sold for generally money. Although profit on the other hand, is money that is made through services it also excluding all expenses. A customer base is group of customers that come on regular basis and is serve by the business or service. Employee satisfaction is important is any business without it a business will lack employees working. What is does it mean? Employee satisfaction is how an employee feels in terms of their workplace/job role. Staff turnover is the amount of staff joining and leaving the business. Customer satisfaction is similar too previous performance measurement, although customer satisfaction in a whole is how a customer feels about the business overall. The definition behind the levels of efficiency within a business is in other word the overall performance of the business, for example efficiency within a workplace is the time it takes to do something. Efficient employees and managers complete tasks in the least amount of time possible with the least amount of resources possible by utilizing certain time saving strategies/methods. Resources: Physical resources are known to be the resources that are made by man through his skill. The technology, buildings, and many other products that are made by man are just some examples of physical resources. Financial resources concern the ability of the business to finance its chosen strategy. An example of this is a strategy that requires investment in is things such as new products; distribution channels and working capital these will all place great strain on the business finances. Human resources (HR) is a department within the company that is responsible with finding, screening, recruiting and training job applicants, as well as employee programs. Technological resources are such things as software, designs, music or text. Findings: I believe for ‘sales and profit’ the important resource for this is technical resources, the reason I have chosen this as the most important resource for this performance measurement is because within this resource businesses will fail to get the business on-line they will also will be unable to measure the sales and profit within the business this potentially could then damage the business. I have chosen finance resource as the least important resource for sales and profit, the reason I done this is because although finance could potentially help a business it can also damage a business in terms of paying back interest, businesses may out take various loans or other types of finance and then struggle paying it back due to the large amount of interest (%) attached. A customer base is important in a business and in my personal opinion I believe that again ‘technical resources’ are the most vital compared to the others. This is because nowadays a large percentage of the population have internet and visit social websites such as; Twitter and Facebook. If a business had the right technical resources available then depending on the business having Facebook for example and starting up a Facebook fan page or customer page could potentially increase a customer base or it could maintain a longer existing customer base. The least important resource that would slightly affect a customer base is using finance resources. I believe that using finance wouldn’t maintain a customer base or increase a customer base unless used for promotion etc. Employee satisfaction is important if businesses want employees to stay working. This is why I believe physical resources are the most important resource. The reason I believe this is because handing out questionnaires to employees for feedback and improvement’s will reassure customers and make them feel more comfortable it will also give an opportunity to employees to get their point across about something they may not like within the business. The least effective resource for this is technical resources, having few technical resources may not mean that employees will be unsatisfied, also the business may not necessarily need technical resources for its purpose. Human resources (HR) in my opinion is the most important resource for satisfying customers, this is because HR are responsible for hiring well-respective and well suited people for the job. Without this customers may feel unsatisfied with their service or their talk with an employee. I also believe that ‘finance resources’ are the least important; this is because you can’t realistically fund customer satisfaction. Levels of efficiency again HR are responsible for who is hired and therefore if HR are not thorough enough with their recruitment process it may result in the company receiving an employee that is not suited enough for the job role this then would mean that the levels of efficiency within the business may decline. Conclusion: In conclusion, In my opinion I believe that human resources is the most important resource within a business and the most effective this is because HR are in charge of employee and their motivation and it also improves organizational productivity, if employees are well remunerated, with good salaries, wages, bonuses, and other fringed benefits such as housing allowance and medical allowances. This type of attitude motivation drives an employee to work as if it where his company, and thus in the long run the business will start too increase productivity. I believe that having a good motivation for something helps a person succeed. Evaluate the adequacy of accounting ratios as a means of monitoring the state of the business. (UNIT 2 D2) This is an informal report and the structure of the main section is as follows: (a) Introduce the accounting ratios. Which main areas do they measure? (Profitability, efficiency, liquidity). Why are these important? (b) How are these used to monitor the state of the business? (compare to last year, to plan, to similar businesses, to industry average) What problems might there be in using the ratios in these circumstances? (c) What can’t be measured with ratios that would be considered as relevant to measuring the state of the business? (e. g. environmentally friendly, staff motivation). Explain some examples. How important are these things when measuring the state of the business? Conclusion Given all of the above, how useful are accounting ratios to help you measure the state of a business?

Coptic Christians Essay

As one of the most dominant sources of primary readership in the world newspapers have a great deal of power over what their recipients read and believe; with this being the case it is no surprise that it is the editorial standpoint of the articles presented in your local newspaper that dictate how you feel about particular subjects, especially those of international appeal, not unlike the varying views of the recent pig culls in Egypt. With tensions in the area high and ready to boil over the Egyptian government has started a controversial pig cull that has left outside nations confused and poverty stricken pig farmers throwing stones. After having learned some very hard lessons with mad cow disease and bird flu fatalities, the Egyptian government began the cull to prevent the infestation of swine flu and it has since been deemed a general health measure of great concern and unending debate. People consider newspaper articles to be almost as valid a source as a first-hand account, often viewing news reports as individuals writing â€Å"live† from the location of the story as if a part of the incident taking place; it is never taken into account the fact that a great deal of newsprint stories are taken down from the Associated Press and reported in the way that the writer and editors of newspaper should see fit. Thus, with the story being reported and relayed differently the perceptions of readers in France, America, the United Kingdom and various other parts of the world are likely to be very different when it comes to stories like this one. Although the story has been reported all over the world, the only way to get the mixings of the real story with all of its elements would be to include the information obtained in every newspaper that has covered the story, or to at least take representative samples from varying parts of the world like what has been done here. Where one country may report predominantly on the religious aspects of the dispute another country may focus more on money and another on class, so in order to get the full story you must put together the pieces that you receive from the sources you review. In presenting information like the fact that the World Health Organization reports that the swine flu outbreak was spread through a person-to-person system of transmission and that in none of the more than 700 cases reported worldwide was there believed to be any animal-to-person transmission, nor were there any fatalities or serious cases reported outside of Mexico it is clear that BBC News is attempting to portray the views and understandings of various international organizations like the United Nations and their World Health Organization. This newspaper is attempting to present how the issue is being perceived by international health officials. BBC News also spent a great deal more time presenting the religious argument than on the monetary aspects and the class issues over the controversy of physical disputes. They reported that most people living in Cairo are Muslim, so it is the belief of the pig farmers, as Coptic Christians, that the pig cull is a personal attack on them as a direct insult against their chosen faith. With Muslims having taken a vow against pork, the pig farming and consumption that takes place in Egypt is enacted by its Coptic Christian minority, which constitutes only about 10% of the Egyptian population. BBC News is trying to make clear here that the Coptic Christians are being unfairly targeted as the lower class minority, an element not very well touched on in some of the other periodicals.

Education of Little Tree essays

Education of Little Tree essays Modern America could benefit from the Indian philosophy that nature is a living soul. In the book Education of Little Tree, the author explores the Indian belief in The Way. It maintains that nature is a living entity that must be treated with respect. One must be conscious of what one takes from it and how one can give back to the land. America strives on romance and material possessions, where as Indians truly try to co-exist with nature. Indians take time to understand nature and have their own beliefs on how to treat the world. The author tries to depict the life of a Cherokee Indian boy in a struggle of growing up in America. The boy Little Tree goes through many encounters with other people and learns to deal with many situations. When Little Tree and his grandfather first stepped on to the bus, grandpa held firm and tall. He was trying to show the white folk that he was not a week man. He paid the bus driver and looked straight at him. He then turned down the isle and guided little tree to an empty seat. Many of the people stared at them and began to laugh. Little Tree didnt feel to confident about this. He did not understand why the white man could hate the Indians so much. For he didnt have any negative feelings toward them, grandpa on the other had known exactly why. Grandpa and Grandma were raised to respect the earth and its entire people, but when Americans try to push there way across the land claiming everything, the respect had been lost. Grandpa had not believed that any American was smart. He told little tree that most of them were angry people that walked the planet already dead, only living for one thing, greed. Little Tree, still open to his own beliefs, believed most of what grandpa said. He found out at an early age how American civilization was nothing like his own. If only Americans could learn how to respect the land how the India ...

Ecology In and Around a Dead Tree

Ecology In and Around a Dead Tree The small image included with this article is an old dead tree snag on my rural property in Alabama. It is a photo of the remains of an old water oak that lived grandly for over 100 years. The tree finally succumbed to its environment and completely died of old age about 3 years ago. Still, its size and rate of deterioration suggest that the tree will be around and influencing my property for a long time yet - and for that I am pleased. What Is a Dead Tree Snag? Tree snag is a term used in forestry and forest ecology which refers to a standing, dead or dying tree. That dead tree will, over time, lose its top and will drop most of the smaller branches while creating a debris field underneath. As more time goes by, maybe as long as several decades, the tree will slowly be reduced in size and height while creating a viable ecosystem in and underneath the decomposing and falling biomass. A tree snags persistence depends on two factors - the size of the stem and the durability of the wood of the species concerned. The snags of some large conifers, such as coast redwood on the Pacific Coast of North America and the largest cedars and cypress of U.S. coastal south, can remain intact for 100 years or more, becoming progressively shorter with age. Other tree snags of species with rapidly weathering and decaying wood - like pine, birch, and hackberry - will break up and collapse in less than five years. A Tree Snags Value So, when a tree dies it still has not completely satisfied its ecological potential and the future ecological value it provides. Even in death, a tree continues to play multiple roles as it influences surrounding organisms. Certainly, the impact of the individual dead or dying tree gradually diminishes as it weathers and further decomposes. But even with decomposition, the woody structure may remain for centuries and influence habitat conditions for millennia (especially as a wetland snag). Even in death, my Alabama tree continues to have a tremendous influence on the microecology in, around, and under its decomposing trunk and branches. This particular tree provides nesting for a significant squirrel population and raccoons and is often called a den tree. Its branching limbs provide a rookery for egrets and perches for hunting birds like hawks and kingfishers. The dead bark nurtures insects that attract and feed woodpeckers and other carnivorous, insect-loving birds. The fallen limbs create understory cover and food for quail and turkey underneath the falling canopy. Decaying trees, as well as fallen logs, may actually be creating and influencing more organisms than a living tree. In addition to creating a habitat for decomposer organisms, dead trees provide critical habitat for sheltering and feeding a variety of animal species. Snags and logs also provide habitat for plants of higher orders by creating habitat provided by nurse logs. These nurse logs provide the perfect seedbed for tree seedlings in some tree species. In forest ecosystems such as the alluvial Sitka spruce-western hemlock forests of the Olympic Peninsula, Washington, almost all tree reproduction is confined to rotten wood seedbeds. How Trees Die Sometimes a tree will die very quickly by a devastating insect outbreak or from the virulent disease. More frequently, however, a trees death is caused by a complex and slow process with multiple contributing factors and causes. These multiple causal concerns are typically categorized and labeled as abiotic or biotic. Abiotic causes of tree mortality include environmental stresses like flooding, drought, heat, low temperatures, ice storms, and excess sunlight. Abiotic stress is particularly associated with the death of tree seedlings. Pollutant stresses (e.g., acid precipitation, ozone, and acid-forming oxides of nitrogen and sulfur) and wildfire are usually included in the abiotic category but can significantly impact older trees. Biotic causes of eventual tree death can result from plant competition. Losing the competitive battle for light, nutrients or water will limit photosynthesis and result in tree starvation. Any defoliation, be it from insects, animals or disease can have the same long-term effect. Declines in the vigor of a tree from periods of starvation, insect and disease infestations and abiotic stresses can have a cumulative effect that eventually causes mortality.

Ollapse of the CTV building Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Ollapse of the CTV building - Assignment Example Along with this, it also includes a short analysis of the facts which are duly responsible for such a mishap. In addition, a small conclusion and summary are also included along with recommendations for future actions. One of the important areas of this study is to find out the key stakeholders and role players who were directly or indirectly associated with the collapse of the CTV building. Name and details of these role players and stakeholders have been discussed in Chapter 2. Decision making process of the organizational factors and key management associated with the incident before, during and after the actual massacre of CTV building. From the detailed analysis in this chapter, it has been found that there were high extend of inefficiency of the top management in terms of their key responsibilities and ethical work practice and their ineffectiveness decision making process. Negative impact of many external organizational factors have been discussed which were not forecast prior to the collapse. Major defaults that were the root cause behind the collapse of CTV building were also analysed in Chapter 3. Few of major defaults that have been found out are lack of proper monitoring of top management and higher authorities, construction of an irregular structure and use of poor quality raw materials and old equipment during the constructions of the building. Finally, it can be said that this study has open up a real picture of the insight of the collapse of CTV building. Table of Contents 1. Introduction 5 2. The key-role players and stakeholders that might be associated with the collapse of CTV building 5 3. Analysis of the Defaults, Resulting In CTV Building Collapse 6 3.1 Lack of Proper Monitoring Of the Higher Authorities 7 3.2 Use of Improper Materials 7 3.3 Construction of Irregular structures 9 4. Analyse and Evaluate the Decision-making process of Key Management and the Organisational Factors Associated before, during and after the Incident of CTV build ing collapse 9 4.1 The processes of the key management responsible before the occurrence of such an incident of CTV building: 10 4.2 The processes of the key management responsible during the occurrence of such an incident of CTV building 10 4.3 The processes of the key management responsible after the occurrence of such an incident of CTV building 11 4.4 The processes of the organizational factors responsible prior the occurrence of such an incident of CTV building 11 4.5 The processes of the organizational factors responsible during the occurrence of such an incident of CTV building 12 4.6 The processes of the organizational factors responsible after the occurrence of such an incident of CTV building 13 5. Summary and Conclusions 14 6. Recommendations 14 References 15 1. Introduction The Canterbury Television (CTV) Building that was located in Christchurch suddenly collapsed on 22nd February in the year 2011 due to massive earthquake. The earthquake was such a destructive one that it killed about 115 individuals present inside the building. The prime cause of such a disaster was the faulty construction designs prepared by the structural engineers. Due to it, the high intensity of force and after-shakes of earthquake would not be controlled by the beams and slabs of the building. Apart from this, the floor slabs, rectangular columns and stairwells are not at all developed in a detailed way as presented in the constructional blue-print design. The amount of thickness shown in the design was not seen in actual picture at the time of investigation of the shattered pieces of the CTV building (Preskil & Jones, 2009). 2. The key-role players and stakeholders that might be associated with the collapse of CTV building Preparation of any building is a very tough job as it includes