Project Planning And Time Management - 1389 Words

Project Plan 1. Introduction Among the major factors involved in the successful completion of a PhD programme are project planning and time management. Therefore, defining and clarifying the scope and objectives of a project and breaking down the work into tasks and subtasks are crucial in order to achieve the set objectives, assess the projected timing and duration and prioritise key tasks with regard to importance and urgency. Frequent monitoring of progress against the plan constitute an essential part of the project review (assessment) process and are essential in order to ensure that the project is progressing successfully [1]. The attached Excel Gantt chart spreadsheet (the template sourced from [2]) represents the project plan for the first year of my PhD programme in the Computer Science department at Aston University, which began in May 2014. The plan was constructed based on the principles of project management (planning, performing of tasks, monitoring, and completion). The following sections present a synopsis of the research project and a discussion of how the specified tasks and subtasks can be achieved. 2. Synopsis of Research Project and Overall Aims The research project aims to produce a Decision Support System (DSS) for predicting potential outcomes using fuzzy methods. The system will be tested on the domain of predicting water pipe condition, which uses input data that comes mostly from measurements. The overall goal is to explore how differentShow MoreRelatedEssay on Construction Project Management and Business Management925 Words   |  4 PagesConstruction Project Management and Business Management Over the past few years, the construction industry has been changing dramatically. One of the most important stages in the construction management and business management is the planning phase. They share similar two main levels of planning which are the strategic and operational planning. However, business management planning to decide in advance what should be done, and how to do it, when you do and you are done. On the other hand, ConstructionRead MoreOrganization Planning, Project Management, and Information Technology1319 Words   |  6 PagesApplication: Organization Planning, Project Management, and Information Technology The successful implementation and subsequent meaningful use of information technology solutions within a health care organization is a challenging and iterative process. The organization must engage in careful and ongoing strategic and tactical planning to ensure that the implemented technology will ultimately be effective and beneficial for its practitioners, staff, and patients. To prepare for this ApplicationRead MoreThe Importance Of A Project Manager On A Construction Site1052 Words   |  5 PagesPart 1. Investigation A project is one which has a start and end to it but for a project to start there is lot of planning is done much before the actual project is started, the project manager is the one who has everything on his shoulders from start to end and even after the end if further assistance is required to the client. There are basically ten things that a project manager on a construction site has to take care of, planning the work, hiring and firing of employers, supervising the workRead MoreProject Management And The Major Areas Of Projects Management1619 Words   |  7 Pagesthe Project Management and the major areas of project management, let see actually what is a project? A project is defined as â€Å"â€Å"a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result† (Schwalbe, 2014). Projects involve different operations like the project is terminated when the scope and objective of the project are met. According to an IT project or any kind of project it involves number of persons or a team or an individual in order to complete the mission. A project canRead MoreProject Management Tools And Techniques1203 Words   |  5 Pages Project Management Tools and Techniques Stephanie Czechowicz MSc Project Managment Anglia Ruskin University 05/01/2016 Project Management Tools and Techniques A number of techniques are used by the project managers for the success of a project. Any activity or a task that needs some preparation for achieving goals can be done better by the use of methods of project management (chapman, 2002). These methods can help the managers in planning and management of different sort of tasks, especiallyRead MoreEssay: the Importance of Planning Project Boundaries1707 Words   |  7 PagesEssay: The Importance of Planning Project Boundaries By: Camila Ferrari - 09175130 1 - Introduction: â€Å"Project management is a series of activities embodied in a process of getting things done† (Cleland, 2007, p.51). What stages would be involved on defining the ‘series of activities’ and what needs to be ‘done’? Would a complete definition of the project and its boundaries be directly linked to the project success? This essay will critically analyze the following statement: â€Å"The FirstRead MoreSoftware Project Management Quiz Questions1182 Words   |  5 Pages | ____ 2. ____ processes include defining and authorizing a project or project phase. |a. |Monitoring and controlling |c. |Executing | |b. |Planning |d. |Initiating | ____ 3. The Project Communications Management knowledge area maps to the ____ process group through the activity of information distributionRead MoreProject Management Life Cycle Description Essay1295 Words   |  6 Pagesthe project team will utilize the project management life cycle to ensure the projects forward movement. This cycle promotes an organized manner in which to keep the project within the time scope, budget scopes, and facilitates fluid processes to harness risks and make appropriate decisions based on research, analysis, and proper process usage. This cycle includes five phases: initiating the project, planning the project, executing the plan, monitoring and controlling aspects of the project, andRead MoreProject Management : Project Planning Fundamentals1213 Words   |  5 PagesThese have brought very effective changes to project management.project management includes implementing,controlling,goals and identifying tasks which are to be achieved.the concept of the project and project management involves project evaluation,project selection,project planning fundamentals.project cost control and scheduling of a project in critical methom(cpm) which are crucial to technology-intensive organizations which have been discussed.a project is a sequence structure that are connectedRead MoreProject Management Principles Of A Project Manager Essay1319 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Construction projects have always been a very important part of human civilisation. For handling a construction project there need men, money, machinery, material and management. The project would be successful when the project manager has these five variables under control. The key to project success is to pick the right project manager. A right project manager is the person who manages the triple constraints (cost, quality and time), scope and safety for the project to be planned in a correct

The Cost Of Higher Education Essay - 1296 Words

Karla Fiscal-Zatarain Communications M01 Ben Bates 28 July 2015 The Cost of Higher Education General Purpose: To persuade. Specific Purpose: To persuade the audience that the cost of a higher education is too high and should be lowered to a much reasonable price. Central Idea: The cost to attend universities has skyrocketed over the past few decades and because of this, many students have chosen to skip out or put it off because they simply can’t afford it. Introduction: Attention Getter: On November 18, 2011, students from the University of California, Davis gathered around in silent protest in the universities’ quad. They were peaceful. Yes they broke a few rules - nothing big though. Yet police wouldn t have it and they wanted them out. After refusing the police s requests to remove themselves from the quad, the students were pepper sprayed in front of everybody for everyone to watch and record. Videos like the one I just showed you surfaced across the web and on news broadcasts around the country. What exactly were these students protesting? The increase of tuition in universities nationwide. Introduce Topic: It seems that dream of continuing on to a higher education is getting harder and harder to achieve right after high school because it s getting much more difficult to afford. With an average cost of about $19,000 - $23,000 - per year - according to Trends in Higher Education published onto College Board, last updated in 2015, students find themselves takingShow MoreRelatedThe Cost of Higher Education754 Words   |  3 Pages For most high school seniors the cost of higher education may be a daily or at least. It is an even a concern in that a group of students, who all share a common, concern, around the same age, but with no reliable income. Each one is making a huge investment in their future, but in majority of cases adding more and more debt to their lifestyles. Though majority of students receive financial aid, the amount of debt which tuition builds is beyond stressing. For some students relying on their familyRead MoreThe Cost Of A Higher Education958 Words   |  4 PagesAll through life, most children are told that getting a higher education is the only way to have a successful life. Each year the cost of college rises, with that the total student debt rises as more students take out loans to help pay for his or her education. An astounding 1.2 trillion dollars is the United States student debt amount, and every year it continues to grow. (Investor’s Business, 2015, p. A14). According t o new reports, 27.3% of student loans are delinquent and that on average a student’sRead MoreThe Cost Of Higher Education1100 Words   |  5 PagesOver the past four decades, the costs of higher education has risen at a rate that surpasses the rate on inflation. Students, parents, and policymakers are concern about the rapid increase. The literature supports that there are multiple trends such as a decline in federal and state support as well as outdated policies and practices that have contributed to continued rise. Thelin (2015) analyzed Edwin Slosson’s 1910 anthology on Great American Universities, which provided data on fourteen prominentRead MoreThe Cost Of Higher Education898 Words   |  4 PagesThe cost of higher education College institutions offer a wide range of degrees and certificates, ranging from associate degrees to post-doctorates. A bachelors degree is another name for a 4-year degree, and such can be given in a wide variety of fields of study. According to the Digest of Education Statistics, during 2012 and 2013 more than 1,8 million bachelor degrees were conferred to college students in 34 different fields of study. So, prior to defining the cost of education, there is a needRead MoreHigher Education Costs And Education983 Words   |  4 Pages Higher Education Costs Education, there should be no class distinction. Education should be provided to all, irrespective of their economic, social or religious backgrounds. Education is defined as gaining knowledge which is funded by the government or charity organizations for awareness, charity, religious, or any other motives. It’s like an investment which helps to build the economy in the long run rather than a way of getting short-term inceptives from students.Read MoreThe Cost Of Higher Education2006 Words   |  9 PagesThe Cost of Higher Education Has Resulted in Extreme Student Loan Debt, How Do We Reverse This Cycle? During high school we are often told that higher education is essentially a precursor to achieving success in the workforce, meaning that your success is dependent upon earning a degree. We are also told that higher education is the key to â€Å"happiness† because it is clear that both a fulfilling and lucrative career is a direct representation of success. Sometimes parents, teachers, and guidance counselorsRead MoreThe Cost Of Higher Education Essay2074 Words   |  9 PagesHow to Combat the Cost of Rising Higher Education The cost of higher education is on the rise in the United States of America (USA). â€Å"Technology tends to unbundle stuff. Look how it’s unbundling television, or how it unbundled the music album. The college degree is a bundle that doesn’t work for everybody and creates unnatural market conditions, which is why college costs consistently rise faster than inflation.† (Newsweek) The cost of higher education tuition is skyrocketing throughout the USARead MoreThe Cost Of Higher Education Essay2115 Words   |  9 PagesThe cost of higher education is on the rise in the United States of America (USA). â€Å"Technology tends to unbundle stuff. Look how it’s unbundling television, or how it unbundled the music album. The college degree is a bundle that doesn’t work for everybody and creates unnatural market conditions, which is why college costs consistently rise faster than inflation.† (Newsweek) The cost of higher education tuition is skyrocke ting throughout the USA. Imagine being a lower class family, both you and yourRead MoreThe Cost Of Higher Education3697 Words   |  15 PagesThe cost of higher education is constantly rising and does not look to be stopping anytime soon. However, many individuals are concerned about the increasing cost and have little understanding as to why these costs are increasing despite the increasing revenue stream of many colleges and universities. Additionally, taking in consideration the current cost compared to the past 5 to 10 years is very important when addressing this issue. As the cost of a college degree increases it is becoming harderRead MoreRising Cost Of Higher Education1345 Words   |  6 PagesI have selected to write about the rising cost of higher education in the United States. In mass media we see discussions of how expensive it is for students to afford admission to a four-year college, student debt being higher than it ever has in previous years, and how these consequ ences make it difficult for graduating students to attain social mobility. As a student, it is within my best interest to discover the social factors that influence the cost of attaining a college degree. Many of my

Briefing note performance management free essay sample

Two purposes of performance management and their relationship to business objectives: Performance management drives employee behaviour to align with business goals and objectives. This alignment happens because job responsibilities and expectations are clear, resulting in increased individual and group productivity; and also better information is available to use for promotion decisions. Having a Performance management system in place will serve the following purposes; †¢Employee decision-making Appraisal information is used as a basis for pay increases, promotions, transfers etc. †¢Employee development Appraisal information is used to guide training, job experiences, mentoring and other developmental activities. Three components of performance management systems: There are several components of a successful performance management system. An effective performance management system is not a one-size-fits-all approach but will generally include the following components: Plan: Setting clear objectives and goals and establish performance standards. Monitor: Identifying key performance indicators and conducting accurate and regular performance appraisals/ reviews and rewarding performance effectively. Review: Regular and honest feedback through performance planning conversations and career development initiatives. The Relationship between motivation and performance management On a basic level people are motivated towards desired outcome such as congratulations from the manager for a job well done or to avoid an undesired outcome such as an argument with the boss about targets not been hit. ?There are extrinsic and intrinsic factors to how we as individuals channel our motivational energy. ?Getting people to ‘opt in’ as oppose to ‘opt out’ is an important part of communication in business. The ideas of Abraham Maslow have had considerable influence on management thinking since the late 1940’s. Maslow has a positive view of human nature; a belief in the individual’s potential for personal growth – what he called self-actualisation which is displayed in his pyramid of Hierarchy of Needs. Maslow suggested that needs only motivate people when they are unsatisfied. When applied to his hierarchy lower-order needs (basic physical needs, comfort, safety and security) have to be satisfied before higher order needs (self-esteem and personal growth) assert themselves. To apply these theories into the workplace you should make sure your workforce is getting its basic physical and safety needs (reasonable working conditions, job security etc. ) Applying Maslow’s model will mean employees are more likely to work towards company goals only when there is harmony with their own personal goals. MaslowHerzberg Fred Herzberg’s two factor theory is based on looking at the main factors which result in either satisfying or dissatisfying experiences at work. The assumption is that if the individual is satisfied in their work, this will mean good performance, or, at the very least a willingness to stay on the job. Factors leading to dissatisfaction were found to do with conditions of work – company policy and administration, technical supervision, salary, interpersonal relations and physical working conditions. Herzberg called these the hygiene or maintenance factors. These are necessary minimum for a healthy workplace – they make people come into work and stay there but, they don’t necessarily encourage people to be productive. It is the other factors, the ‘satisfiers’ or ‘motivators’ such as achievement, recognition, the work itself, responsibility, advancement, that encourage people to work harder. The link between motivation and performance seems to be an obvious one. If individuals are highly motivated, they will perform better. In turn better performance may well lead to a sense of achievement and result in greater motivation. Thus relationship between motivation and performance can be a mutually reinforcing one. Factors to be considered when managing different levels of performance: Many managers mistakenly spend most of their effort on trying to improve their low performing employees, believing that their high performers are low maintenance. The low maintenance belief is prolonged because high performing  employees are self-motivated individuals that need very little daily work direction. However the fact is that high performing employees do need a lot of attention to sustain their high level of performance. They need praise, recognition and collaboration. High performing employees are very skilled at working independently and will become frustrated if their manager give s them too much direction. These employees will seek guidance form their managers when they need assistance, they take ownership and pride, seek challenges and are bored quickly with mundane tasks; they need to feel valued by their manager and the company. As a manager you must make them feel like a business partner, not just an employee. Get them involved in goal setting, seek their advice from their area of expertise, give them exposure to higher management and other executives – all these things will show you value and trust them – in turn they will give you their loyalty. Plateaued Performers have the mind set of either not preparing or wanting to progress any further, they have petered out or are ready and willing to progress but are stuck in their current role due to other factors surrounding them. They are likely to be less enthusiastic, in a sales role they are likely to rely on existing relationships to drive sales, and they will appear to be ‘going through the motions’ with a sense of disengagement. Plateaued performers are experienced, valued employees who once, often recently performed at a higher level. However due to some unseen issue or closely held mind set, they are no longer reaching their potential. The likely outcome, if the problem goes untreated is that a once solid performer will find themselves plateaued stagnated in bit performance and professional development. Managing poor performance, whether related to capability or attendance, raises a number of different issues for employers and their HR professionals. Failure to perform or attend may be related to the following factors, which may or may not be connected and which may not be readily apparent such as lack of application or misconduct on behalf of the employee; lack of the required skills; and/or illness or disability. If poor performance is due to lack of application (unconnected to an underlying medical condition) or following the falsification of qualifications and  experience for the position that the employee holds or simply by a plain refusal to obey lawful orders, then it is appropriate to deal with the matter under normal disciplinary procedures for misconduct. However, the disciplinary procedure may not be appropriate when dealing with employees who are failing through no fault of their own. Where the failure to perform is due to a lack of the required skills, following say a reorganisation or where an employee has been prematurely promoted, then the employee should be assisted, wherever practicable, with further training or coaching and given a reasonable period to reach the required standard. Some employers therefore prefer to operate a gentler capability procedure referring to cautions rather than warnings and greater flexibility with regard to timescales The main purposes of reward within a performance management system are to retain, motivate key employees and to reduce turnover. It’s a known fact that people are the most important asset in the organisation. The Forum for People Performance Management and Measurement also believes that staff rewards have a valid purpose in this process. The groups Leadership and the Performance of People in Organisations: Enriching Employees and Connecting People study pointed out that many companies are using their performance management processes to encourage employees to work towards personal goals such as training and skills development. Claiming that such an approach can result in improved financial performance as well as being beneficial to the individual, the research said: Reward systems need to be adapted to reflect a leadership approach that ultimately satisfies peoples basic needs for achievement, a feeling of control over ones life and a sense of belonging.   Identify at least 3 components of a total reward scheme: The total reward system is a multitude of tools that the employer has in its hand and may be used to attract, motivate and retain employees. From the employee point of view the total rewards represent everything that he/she perceives to be of value resulting from the employment relationship. The reward conce pt covers both financial and non-financial pay. The components of a total reward system are: Compensation – is a critical component of the reward system that includes: basic pay system (annual or monthly salary rate) and variable or incentive pay systems (sales commissions, appraisal/performance-related pay, skills-base pay, etc. ) Benefits – are used to supplement the cash compensation that the employees receive and are designed to protect the employees and the family from financial risks. These can be life insurance, medical insurance, dental, retirement plan, savings scheme, uniform, gym membership, company car, breaks, company holidays, extra annual days, personal days, etc. Work life in this category is included the followings: workplace flexibility, paid and unpaid time off, health and well-being, caring for dependents, financial support, community involvement, and management involvement/culture change intervention. Performance and recognition Performance is a key component of the organisational objectives and involves the alignment of organisational, team and individual effort towards the achievement of business goals and organisational success. The recognition acknowledges and gives special attention to employee’s action, efforts, behaviour or performance. Recognition programs acknowledge the employee contribution immediately after the task has been completed. This type of recognition award can be financial or non-financial (e. g. , verbal recognition, certificates, trophies, tickets, dinners, etc. ) Development and career opportunity – includes learning opportunities (e. g. on the job learning, tuition, seminars and conferences attendance, corporate universities, self-development tools and techniques, new technology training, etc. );coaching/mentoring(e. g.  , leadership training, formal and informal mentoring programs, association memberships, exposure to resident experts, etc. ) and advancement opportunities (e. g. , internal job openings, promotions, overseas assignments, internships, succession planning, career pathways, etc. ) 2 sources of data required by individual involved in performance and reward management processes: Gathering performance information from a variety of sources increases objectivity and ensures all f actors impacting performance are considered. This information should include objective data like sales reports, call records or deadline reports. Other valuable information includes: feedback from others, results of personal observation, documentation of on-going dialogue, records of any external or environmental factors impacting performance many reviews also include an employee self-evaluation. Other documents that help define performance objectives include: past performance appraisals, current departmental and organisational objectives and documented standards related to career goals. In order to gather feedback from other employees, organisations will often use a 360 ° feedback process. Along with the completion of a self-assessment, selected peers, assistants, and managers are asked to contribute feedback around pre-identified areas. The feedback is based upon specifically identified skills or competencies and the final results are compared against the employees self-assessment this type of feedback increases self-awareness and in some cases is used to support the performance evaluation process

White on Black Review Essay Example

White on Black Review Paper Essay on White on Black I do not want to write what is gigantic reviews and sing brovady. Let me just say that the book is made valid impressions going. But in this brief essay I would not want to lay it on the shelves and try to analyze how a general, I believe that each of these works is to take something for themselves. And thats what I podcherpnul for sebya.Galego not crying and trying to pull us to the heart, he says that life, such as it is. That he came into this world, so it is necessary. And he was pleased with his body, because as the choice he does not, then its a good body. but most importantly, I realized that all people can be divided into four categories: those who can, and change their own destiny; those who have no opportunity to change something, and just goes with the flow; those who have the ability but do not change anything and just drift, and those who have a one in a million Shas and sometimes is used it to 200% and Gallego is from the fourth group. But if you possess them as toupory adochev the strength of the inner world that this is the last group out on the first step, they actu heard by their fate. A real, crippled the world are drifting through life fragments of people who do not want to finger and move, even for themselves, but because they have everything to prosper. Of course ideas are many, but Ill leave the rest for himself, so as not to pollute the minds of those who will read this review. In late just want to cause arguments Gallego, who beheld one of the sites where he publishes his thoughts and brief article, so that the reader understand the authors line of thought. As I have read the thoughts of Ruben talking about human values, and as a metaphor selected is monetary value, and what he says: if we evaluate a person for physical data, then Im probably not a lot, I do not have the growth I have the length of my body but still the same as a stand, and yet I have a soul, and she, too, seems to me to be worth at least not much, but I am a person mean s, in November or when you do not understand what healthy people platat money prostitutes because if they pay money of kindness to them, then they deduct them from his personal value and soon nothing will stand, and if a person is not something you should not, whether he is a man? , of course, prostitution here as an example of, well, the train of thought I think is clear.

Is the Banana Republic Credit Card Right For You Full Review

Is the Banana Republic Credit Card Right For You Full Review SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The Banana Republic credit card is a solid option for frequent shoppers looking to earn points, but like many store brand cards, it’s not without it’s pitfalls. You may be wondering: what are the pros and cons of the Banana Republic credit card? Do I have to be a frequent shopper at Banana Republic to reap any benefits? What do users say about this card, and how does it stack up against similar cards? Is this card right for me? In this post, we’ll answer all these questions and more, doing an in-depth review of the Banana Republic credit card so you can make a fully informed decision about whether or not to apply. What Is the Banana Republic Credit Card? First, let’s discuss the basics. Banana Republic is one of the brands under the Gap, Inc. umbrella, which also includes The Gap, Old Navy, and Athleta. There are technically two Banana Republic cards: the Bananacard and the Banana Republic Visa Card. When you sign up, depending on your credit, you'll be given one of them. If you have poor to limited credit, you’ll be given the Bananacard. The Bananacard is a basic store card. A store card works like a credit card except it can only be used at the brand or umbrella brands that issues it. It won’t work if you try to use it to purchase anything anywhere else. So the Bananacard can only be used in-store or at any of the other Gap Inc. brands. If you have good credit, you’ll be given the the Banana Republic card. The Banana Republic card is an actual Visa credit card, so it can be used at any of those stores but also be anywhere else Visa is accepted. It’s a chip card with standard fraud protection services, and the primary cardholder can add an authorized user. Regardless of the card you get, you will receive 20% off your first purchase at any Gap, Inc. store by signing up. In this post, we will focus on the Banana Republic Visa card and its upgrade, the Banana Republic Luxe card. If you love to shop at BR, this could be a great card for you- but there are a few caveats! What Are the Banana Republic Credit Card Features and Rewards? As stated above, when you open a Banana Republic Visa credit card, you will receive a 20% discount off the first purchase made with that card at a Gap-branded store. Beyond that, each purchase made by the credit card earns points. Cardholders receive: 3,000 bonus points (worth $30) when you make your first purchase outside the Gap, Inc. brands five points for every $1 spent at any Gap, Inc. brand, and one point for every $1 spent elsewhere. no annual fee for the card These points can be used on purchases made both online and in person. If you don’t use the points during the billing cycle you earn them in, they are rolled over into the next cycle for up to two years before they expire. In addition to points, cardholders also receive: access to exclusive sales and events throughout the year at Banana Republic and their factory stores birthday coupons every Tuesday, 10% off at every affiliated store except Banana Republic Signing up for email account updates will get you 500 bonus points, and opting in for paperless statements gets you another 500, for a fairly easy $10 back. One big benefit of the Banana Republic Visa card is the lack of an annual fee. The Banana Republic Luxe Upgrade If the cardholder meets certain criteria, they can upgrade to the Banana Republic Luxe card. These criteria are that the cardholder: must earn 5,000 reward points annually, ie, spend $1,000 or more with it per year, must keep the account in good standing, and must make the minimum payments due. Luxe Upgrade Benefits The Luxe card offers some additional benefits that the regular visa doesn’t, including: a quarterly bonus of 20% of the points earned that quarter (a three-month period, so four times a year), once per quarter, a choose-your-own-sale day in which triple the regular points (15 points per dollar spent or 15% back) are awarded, free three-to-five-day shipping of online purchases at any of the Gap, Inc. brands, and unlimited alterations of Banana Republic merchandise. You have to use your Banana Republic Luxe card at least once per year at a Gap, Inc. store to maintain Luxe status. There is no annual fee on the Luxe card either. Free shipping is a great perk of the Luxe card for online shoppers! What are the Downsides of the Banana Republic Visa Card? The Banana Republic Visa card does have several drawbacks. The biggest downside is that, like most store credit cards, there is a very high interest rate charged on Banana Republic Visa cards, and there’s no reduced rates initially. They have a 25.24% APR, which is actually even higher than the 23.88% average for store credit cards. This means that you absolutely shouldn’t hold a balance from month to month: you should pay off your balance in full each month to avoid very high fees. Secondly, it should be noted that the points do expire after twenty-four months. You also can’t redeem more than 25,000 points (up to $250) in a single billing period or more than three rewards earnings on any one purchase. Together, these limitations make it necessary to redeem your points very regularly in the small amounts allowed in order to maximize your benefits. They do this because this encourages more frequent shopping on your part! Moreover, there is a 3% foreign transaction fee, so this card would not be a good choice to use abroad. Another thing to consider is that some of the promotions and coupons that cardholders receive get â€Å"leaked† online, so you can search for, find, and use the codes pretty easily via sites like Retailmenot. Finally, the card is issued by Synchrony Financial, and customer reviews for Synchrony aren’t that great. Many cardholders report confusing contract terms, slow response times when fixing statement inaccuracies, and bad customer service. However, it’s hard to find good reviews of any consumer financial services company, so take this with a grain of salt. Lots of people open store cards around the holidays to try and save money on gifts! The Bottom Line: Is the Banana Republic Card For Me? If you are a frequent or even a semi-frequent shopper at Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy, Athleta, or any of the Gap, Inc. brands, this card has a very competitive rewards structure and would be a good choice for you. The 5% cash-back on all of their many brands combined with the lack of annual fee make it good for shoppers looking to save money. Plus, the free shipping and alterations for Luxe cardholders are an excellent perk. Families with children and parents who frequently the many Gap, Inc. brands will find this card especially helpful. However, you need to be able to pay the full balance on the statement every month. Otherwise, with its extremely high APR, it will become more expensive than it’s worth. If you rarely shop at Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy, Athleta, or any of the Gap, Inc. brands, this card isn’t for you. The 1% points deal on all other purchases is only about average for a credit card, and you should be able to get better deals depending on where your money does go. Note that most retailer cards also have a high interest rate and no annual fee, so these perks won’t help you decide between store cards. But if you don’t shop at Gap, Inc. brands or any other one store or company that often, it’s a better idea to go for a more general credit card anyway, which often offer better financing options for those who need to carry a balance- especially considering that the "point" reward system will not be useful to you, since it's different from cash back. If you're thinking about getting the Gap visa card instead, note that the two cards are almost identical in terms of costs and benefits (very literally- the Gap card has the exact same rewards structure and it also applies to all Gap, Inc. brands). The only exception being on the first Tuesday of every month, Gap cardholders get 10% off at Gap.com and in Gap stores.

19 Top Scholarships for High School Seniors

19 Top Scholarships for High School Seniors SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Aside from grants and loans, private scholarships are some of the best ways to help fund your college education. There are thousands of scholarships out there for high school seniors, all with different eligibility requirements, deadlines, and award amounts, so it's definitely worth your time to do some research. Senior year is prime crunch time when it comes to your college scholarship search. If you’re just starting the search process and need a little help getting off on the right foot, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve compiled a list of some of the best college scholarships for high school seniors based on availability and award amounts. These scholarships are generally flexible (so you’ll be able to use them at any accredited college you attend), and they also don’t have any geographical restrictions (so you’re eligible to apply no matter where you live in the US). The list is broken down into four sub-lists: scholarship competitions, merit-based scholarships, need-based scholarships, and specialty awards. Don't forget to check out the end of the article for strategies on getting the most scholarship money possible! All scholarships are competitions- to win the following scholarships, though, you'll have to go head-to-head with other students. Scholarship Competitions The following scholarships are awarded based on performance in some sort of contest. These types of scholarships can be pretty intensive, so give yourself extra time to effectively prepare if you plan on pursuing one of them. Voice of Democracy Scholarship Competition Students compete for this award by writing and recording an audio essay on a patriotic theme. The theme for the 2019-20 contest is "What Makes America Great." The first-place winner gets a grand prize of $30,000 as well as an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC. The program gives out a total of $2.1 million in awards and incentives each year. Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12 Deadline: October 31, 2019 The Fountainhead Essay Contest Students compete for this award by writing an essay on one of three topics related to Ayn Rand's book The Fountainhead. The first-place winner will receive a grand prize of $10,000. Runners-up also receive awards. Each year a total of $22,500 is given out in prize money. Eligibility: Students in grades -12 Deadline: Likely late April, 2020 Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest Students compete for this award by writing an essay on one of three topics related to Ayn Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged. The first-place winner will receive a $25,000 prize. Runners-up also win prizes, and a whopping $40,000 in scholarship money is awarded annually. Eligibility: High school seniors, college students, and graduate students Deadline: September 19, 2019 American Legion National High School Oratorical Contest Are you a good public speaker, or do you just want an excuse to hone your public-speaking skills? Then this competition would be a good fit for you. Students compete for this award by preparing and performing a three- to five-minute oration on some aspect of the US Constitution. You can view this year's topics here. The first-place winner receives $18,000, second place receives $16,000, and third place receives $14,000. There are also smaller awards for state winners. In total, annual award amounts can exceed $138,000. Eligibility: US high school students under 20 years of age Deadline: Varies by state, as contests are arranged by local American Legion departments. Get more information for your state here. Create-a-Greeting Card Scholarship Contest (Gallery Collection Scholarship) This scholarship is pretty unique- and it's great for students with some untapped artistic talents! Students compete for this award by submitting a photo, piece of artwork, or computer graphic to be used on the front of a greeting card. The winner will receive $10,000, and the winner's school will also get $1,000. Eligibility: High school and college students, aged 14 or older Deadline: March 2nd, 2020 To win these scholarships, you have to show that you're tough- or at least that your brain is tough. Scholarships Based on Academic Strength The following scholarships are generally awarded based on students' academic performance in conjunction with a few other factors, such as leadership skills and commitment to community service. As a result, the most competitive applicants will be dedicated, high-achieving students who are also invested in their communities. Coca-Cola Scholars Program Coca-Cola Scholars are judged primarily on their academic performance, extracurricular activities, leadership experience, and community service. This scholarship program is fairly big: 150 awards of $20,000 each are given out every year. You can learn more about the Coca-Cola Scholarship by reading our guide to winning the award. Eligibility: Current US high school seniors who are not children or grandchildren of Coca-Cola employees Deadline: 5pm EST Thursday, October 31, 2019 Burger King Scholars Program Applicants to this scholarship are judged on their GPA, work experience, extracurricular activities, and community service. Award amounts range from those as small as $1,000 to those as large as $50,000. Eligibility: employees and their spouses/partners/children, US high school seniors Deadline: October 15-December 15, 2019 Ronald McDonald House Charities Scholarships For these, award eligibility requirements will vary based on your local Ronald McDonald House Charity chapter. For example, some have ethnic eligibility requirements. Deadlines and award amounts will also vary by location, but some of the bigger national awards can be as large as $100,000! Check out our how-to guide to learn more about getting an RMHC scholarship. Eligibility: High school seniors, but other requirements may apply depending on scholarship Deadline: Varies depending on scholarship but likely January 2020 If your family income isn't enough to cover college expenses, need-based scholarships might be a great option for you. Scholarships Based on Financial Need The following scholarships take financial need into account when choosing award recipients. For many of these programs, though, financial need is just one of many criteria considered. In other words, strong applicants will also be successful students, leaders, or community activists. For most of these applications, you'll likely have to submit documentation about your family income. Horatio Alger Scholarship Award This generous need-based scholarship is geared toward students who have faced and overcome great obstacles. To be considered eligible, your gross adjusted family income must be at or below $55,000. At the national level, there are 106 $25,000 awards; at the state level, there are scholarships for all 50 states plus the District of Columbia of $10,000 each. This one scholarship application will get you considered for many other national, state, and specialized scholarships, which means less work for you and more opportunities for scholarship funding! Eligibility: US high school seniors who plan on getting a bachelor's degree Deadline: October 25, 2019 Jackie Robinson's Foundation Scholarship Program Applicants to this need-based scholarship are judged on theirleadership skills and commitment to community service. To be considered eligible, you must identify as a minority student. As many as 60 new scholarships are awarded annually. The scholarships are four-year awards, and recipients can receive as much as $30,000 over four years. Eligibility: US minority high school seniors who plan on getting a bachelor's degree in the US Deadline: Likely February 2020 Engebretson Foundation Scholarship This need-based scholarship is pretty straightforward: it's awarded to one student each year who demonstrates not only financial need but also impressive academic performance and leadership ability. The annual award winner receives $5,000 per semester of college. Eligibility: High school seniors with financial need who plan to attend a four-year college Deadline: March 1, 2020 (note that applications must be submitted via mail) Jack Kent Cooke Foundation College Scholarship Program In addition to providing funding for college, this scholarship program offers personal advising on selecting a college, navigating the financial aid process, and transitioning from high school to college. Applicants are judged on academic ability and achievement, financial need, persistence, desire to help others, and leadership skills. Awards are given to students each year, and can be as high as $40,000 per academic year. In 2019, 121 students were accepted into the program. Eligibility: High school seniors with financial need who plan to attend a four-year college Deadline: November 13, 2019 Elk's National Foundation Most Valuable Student Competition Applicants to this need-based scholarship are judged on their scholarship and leadership abilities. In total, 500 scholarships are awarded across the country totally $2.44 million, and award amounts (over four years) range from $4,000 to $50,000. Applications must be submitted to the Elk Lodge closest to your home address, so make sure to research the Elk Lodges in your area before you apply. Eligibility: US high school seniors who plan to attend a four-year US college Deadline: November 5, 2019 at :59 PM Gates Scholarship The Gates Scholarship aims to help scholastically-outstanding minority high school seniors reach their full potential. 300 students each year receive a scholarship covering the full cost of attendance (including tuition, fees, room, board, books, and transportation) that is not already covered by other financial aid and expected family contribution. Read more about the Gates Scholarship and how to win it here. Eligibility: US minority high school seniors who are Pell-eligible (Pelligible?) and have a minimum cumulative weighted GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) Deadline: September 15, 2019 These next scholarships are unique- just like every student applicant! Specialty Scholarships The following scholarship programs are national awards that target students who have specific or unique interests or achievements. Whether you're the next president of the SPCA or even the USA, you should be able to find a specialty scholarship that's perfect for you! CIA Undergraduate Scholars Program This program offers more than just a scholarship- if you're selected as a winner, you'll become a part of a pretty unique internship program. Interns work at the CIA during summer breaks and also get an annual salary (with benefits) and an annual scholarship award of up to $18,000. You must demonstrate financial need to qualify. Income eligibility ceilings are $70,000 for a family of four or fewer, and $80,000 for a family of five or more. Eligibility: High school seniors Deadline: Likely spring 2020, with applications opening in early 2020 Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarship Are you a proud vegetarian? This might seem like a niche award, but the scholarship is very real! Applicants are judged on their "compassion, courage, and a strong commitment to promoting a peaceful world through a vegetarian diet/lifestyle." If you've promoted vegetarianism at school or in your community, you'll likely be a strong candidate for this scholarship. The first-place winner receives $10,000, and two runners-up each receive $5,000. Eligibility: Graduating high schoolseniors Deadline: February 20, 2020 Davidson Fellowship Scholarships Do you have an extraordinary achievement you're particularly proud of? This scholarship is for students who have completed an impressive piece of work in the fields ofscience, technology, engineering, math, literature, music, or philosophy. Scholarship requirements differ based on the type of project, with awards ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. Eligibility: US citizens or permanent residents 18 years of age and under Deadline: Likely February, 2020 AXA Achievement Scholarship This scholarship targets students who have empowered society through achievements that mitigate risk. This idea can be interpreted pretty broadly, so spend some time figuring out what risk means to you and whether you've participated in making the world a safer place through any of your activities. In 2018, more than 300 students representing all 50 states; Washington, DC; and Puerto Rico received one-time scholarships in increments of $2,500, $10,000, or $25,000, and the winners' schools will also receive $1,000 for every student who wins a scholarship. Eligibility: High school seniors who will attend college in 2020-21 Deadline: Likely late 2019 William Randolph Hearst Foundations US Senate Youth Program If you're passionate about public service, this is the scholarship for you. The Senate Youth Program targets students who participate in their high school student government and plan to study history or political science in college. Applicants are judged on their leadership skills, academic performance, community involvement, and extracurricular activities. Each winner will receive a $10,000 award in addition to an all-expenses-paid educational week in Washington, DC, in March 2020. Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors Deadline: Varies depending on state but is typically in October Higher education costs in the United States have been skyrocketing for the last 20 years, but it's still possible to get a great education without breaking the bank. Learn how you can maximize the quality of your college education while minimizing costs with our six-hour online course. Tips here, get your tips here! Making the Most of Your Scholarship Applications: 3 Key Tips If you're going to go through all the work of submitting a scholarship application, then you want to make sure you have the best chances possible of winning awards. The following three tips will help you submit the greatest number of successful scholarship applications possible. #1: Do Your Own Research As you've probably noticed, many of the above scholarships are fairly generous national awards that'll likely be quite competitive. Unfortunately, you could be a strong applicant for many of these scholarships and still not win a big award. So what's a student to do? The reality is that there are countless scholarship programs out there that might be really good fits for your interests, location, background, identity, etc. The more niche a scholarship program is, the better chances you'll have of winning an award (if you're a qualified applicant, that is). So do some research on scholarships programs that operate in your area or are offered to students with your particular interests, experiences, skills, or passions. The Ronald McDonald House Charities scholarships are a good place to start. You can also pay a visit to your guidance counselor who should have more information on local scholarships. In addition, you could branch out on your own by searching online for scholarships in your area. If you have a particular talent, skill, or interest, look for scholarships that are offered to students based on those criteria. #2: Apply Broadly Applying for scholarships- like applying to colleges- is, in part, a numbers game. You wouldn't apply to just one school if you wanted to optimize your chances of getting into a great college, would you? Many scholarship applications ask similar questions and require similar information, so if you apply to one program, you might as well apply to a bunch. It's free to apply for most scholarships anyway- all it takes is a few hours of your time. Finally, take advantage of applications that submit you for consideration for many scholarship awards, such as the Horatio Alger Scholarship mentioned above. #3: Make Note of Deadlines Scholarship applications are all over the place- there's no defined "scholarship season" for submission deadlines, but many are due before college application deadlines. As such, it's better to start your scholarship search sooner rather than later so you don't miss out on any great opportunities. The summer before your senior year is a good time to start making note of programs that you're interested in. Keep track of application deadlines by maintaining a spreadsheet that you update regularly. This is especially helpful if applications require you to ask for letters of recommendation; you can make sure to give teachers and mentors plenty of advance notice to write you a letter. What's Next? Want to get a head start on scoping out scholarships? Then check out our comprehensive guides to winning some of the most competitive national scholarships available, including the Gates Scholarship, the Coca-Cola Scholarship, the Walmart Scholarships, and the McDonald's Scholarships. Looking for scholarships with low-hassle applications? Our article on the easiest scholarships to apply for will give you a great starting list. Wondering if you can get a scholarship for something like being left-handed? Learn more about the weirdest scholarships you can win here. Need more help with your scholarship search? Read our expert guide on how to find college scholarships and the best scholarship search websites. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Leadership and Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leadership and Communication - Essay Example Leadership and Communication This belief gets my approval for one reason. Most leaders of today communicate with their employees the way this generation communicates to each other. This is reflected in every organization allowing subordinates to express their ideas whether it is acceptable or not. On the other hand, traditional leaders communicate with their subordinates maintaining the â€Å"I am in charge† status. As a result, openness is not acceptable. Employees who are vocal with their ideas are considered not respectful of the leader. Leaders should be flexible with any generation they lead so that they will fit with the requirement of the changes. Leadership and communication in my generation is characterized by giving too much respect and obedience to leaders to the expense of sacrificing personal time. As a result, long hours of works are given without compensation. For instance, even if the required number of hours in a day for an employee is eight, employees can stay in the office beyond the ti me if ask by the leader to finish or rush work. This is so because leaders have the thinking that you have to â€Å"pay your dues† to the company giving extra hours. Leadership does not consider balancing work and life which is evident in not giving vacation to employees who had work hard for the previous years. Leadership style is serving more the company and the leaders. After answering the question, I started writing the introduction based on the body or the answers of the questions.

Report on operations management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Report on operations management - Essay Example The first floor also has a big supermarket where people can shop for groceries as well as other types of goods. The second floor has a variety of shops ranging from restaurants, electronics shops sports shops etc. The third floor also features the same types of shops. It also contains a banking lobby and the other peculiar shops offering special products. There is an electronic massage parlor located in a public place (not enclosed). The shopping mall has two wings, with an expansive area between the wings. In this area are the elevators and lifts that can be used to reach the various floors. The users also have an option to use the stairs. Every floor has modern toilets. With regard to operations management, volume refers to the volume of productivity in relation to the amount of resources such as labor that are needed for the production. High volume refers to a high ratio of production versus resources needed. Supermarkets such as Tesco have high volume of operation throughput due to use of automation. In the Mall, there are various factors that have made it possible to increase the volume in its operations management. The factors have to look at the following; The shopping mall has to be able to allow for a smooth flow of people in and out of the shopping mall twenty 24 of the day. The guards at the entrance of the mall have to know how to enforce security to deal with any insecurity threat that may be coming into mall and at the same time be able to allow for the smooth flow of human traffic. The supermarket in the mall is not just a small grocery store but is a fully fledged supermarket selling all types of merchandise. The supermarket needs to bring in merchandise into the mall and at the same time, be able to release merchandise after customers have bought the merchandise. The submarket has its own loading area and therefore does not interfere with the traffic flowing into the mall. The

Fake Analysis of Bridge to Terabithia Essay Example for Free

Fake Analysis of Bridge to Terabithia Essay In â€Å"Bridge To Terabithia,† written by Katherine Paterson, great friendships blossom from impertinent first impressions. Great friendship such as Leslie’s brings new experiences. Great friendships may come from unpromising first encounters and lead to new experiences. Leslie’s friendship came with the promise of a new beginning; reword this sentence Leslie opens a new world up to Jess full of creativity and imagination which â€Å"Leslie name[s] their secret land â€Å"’Terabithia†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(50). Don’t end with a quote! Jess and Leslie create this secret world to escape the harsh reality of adolescence. The reason Jess and Leslie create this secret world is it allows them to escape the harsh reality of adolescence. Jess and Leslie agree to create a whole new imaginary country, eliminate that that â€Å"’We need a place’†¦ ‘It might be a whole secret country’†¦ ‘and you and I would be the rulers of it. ’†(50). Reword theres something off about this; Because Jess craves the attention of his hardworking father he in particular needs the escape that Terabithia provides. Jess in particular needs the escape since he craves the attention of his hardworking father â€Å"maybe’†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢he’d forget all about how tired he was from the long drive back and forth to Washington and the digging and hauling all day†(5). Make the quote relevant to him what is this quote supposed to say? Don’t end with a quote! Great friendships may come from unpromising first encounters and lead to new experiences. Change around, It is an idea that relates to life today since everyone has a friend and everyone must be open to new experiences they bring in a friendship. For example, you can never judge a book by its cover or by when you meet someone for the first time. Doesn’t make sense Another illustration is, to take the new experiences a new friendship has to offer and enjoying them. The human condition affects us still today because people take having a friend for granted until they are gone. What I have learned for reading â€Å"Bridge To Terabithia† is take out that that to open myself up to new friendships and take out new new experiences. I learned to enjoy the memories mad with the friends I have because at any given moment something could happen. Also, to enjoy the moments I have with my friends because you never know when something could happen at a moments notice. My viewpoint has been deeply enriched by this book because of then realistic human condition.

Distributed File Sytsem :: Essays Papers

Distributed File Sytsem Intro CODA is an experimental distributed file system being developed at Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. M. Satyanarayanan heads this group whose purpose is to design and implement a distributed file system that allows for transparent mobile computing in a client server environment. The goals set forth for CODA include disconnected operation for mobile clients, failure resistance, performance, scalability and security. Architecture Most of the aspects of CODA’s basic architecture are inherited from its predecessor AFS (Andrew File System). Like AFS, CODA makes a distinction between servers and clients. The CODA workstation servers consist of partitions available to the file server. The partitions are made up of volumes that contain files. The volumes are set up like a directory structure, a root directory and the tree below it. A typical server would have hundreds of volumes of around 10MB each. The use of volumes helps to make large amounts of data more manageable and flexible. CODA stores volume and directory information along with access control lists and file attributes in raw partitions. These partitions are accessed through a log based recoverable virtual memory package (RVM). Only the file data is stored in the server partition files. Each of the volumes has a name and an ID. Volumes can be mounted anywhere in /coda except for under existing directories. A new directory will be created as part of the mount process (the volume name cannot conflict with existing directories in order to eliminate confusion). CODA makes the mounting points invisible to the user; they appear as regular directories. Files in CODA are identified by a FID (File identifier). The Fid consists of three 32 bit integers: the VolumeId, a VnodeId and an Uniquifier. The VolumeId identifies the volume the file resides in, the VnodeId is the inode number of the file and the Uniquifier guarantees no FID is ever used more than once. CODA stores replicated copies of volumes on a group of servers for higher availability and reliability. The list of the servers that hold a copy of the replicated volume is the VSG or Volume Storage Group. Each replicated volume’s VolumeId is also replicated. The replicated VolumeIds keep the VSG and the local volumes of each member together. Connected Operation The inner workings of a file system operation in CODA begin in much the same way they would in many other file systems.

The Burke-Litwin Casual model

Burke-Litwin Casual model is a model used by organizations to monitor organizational operations in terms of change and performance levels. The founders of the model were Litwin and some other people. In the 1980s Burke made the model more refined than they did (Burke & Litwin, 1992). Burke added some variables that make the model different from other models that had been in use. Burke-Litwin casual model is the latest model, more useful to organizations. The model has defined various variables that organizations should use for assessing their performances and changes. AT & T Structure.According to Burke-Litwin model, firms should have sound infrastructure systems such as duties and responsibilities, reports and authorities, communication and socialization that are geared towards meeting the organizations goals, strategies and missions. AT & T Corporation is a company that was established in the 1885. The company mission is to provide telecommunication services locally and internation ally. Their business strategy is to be efficient, affordable and competitive in the telecommunication sector as they maximize customer satisfaction. (Horton & Dorman, 2005).The company has been a provider of quality and highly reliable communication services for centuries. AT & T is well known for its wide range internet and multimedia services to both consumers and businesses worldwide. AT & T has more than two million customers in both private and governmental organizations, and in the domestic and international markets. AT&T applies departments and mechanistic style of management. The company is highly reputable in long distance communication services for both businesses and consumers all over the world. The structure of AT&T fits well with the Burke-Litwin model. (Horton & Dorman, 2005). Tasks and SkillsAccording to Burke & Litwin model, there are specific qualities and capabilities required for a person to fit in a given position (Burke & Litwin, 1992). An organization in busin ess should therefore check on that when recruiting members. AT & T emphasizes on high skilled staff to provide quality services to the customer. The company has highly invested on technology, innovations, high skills and dedicated customer care. These are the core competence factors. Dedicated customer care has attracted an increased number of customers and integrated network as a technology use has made AT & T to improve on communication services (Horton & Dorman).These factors makes AT & T fit the Burke & Litwin model Management practices According to Burke & Litwin (1992), organizations should assess how the managers deal with the other workers. For a success the employees should be given a chance to participate fully in developing an organization. In AT &T employees are allowed to take part in the production processes depending on which area they are specialized in. The organization calls for a teamwork and dedication. The management has always believed on partnerships to make t hem achieve their goals (Horton & Dorman, 2005).For instance they partnered with CBS hence a participatory management. This fits with the Burke & Litwin model. Systems and Policies Systems are the policies and mechanisms used in an organization as standards to facilitate quality improvements. These may include communication, sales and marketing, production methods (Burke & Litwin, 2005). According to Horton & Dorman (2005), AT & T believes on quality productions to satisfy the customers, hence the need for employing high skilled people. Sales and marketing is done by the sales and marketing team to sell the products.AT & T has specific charges for the customer services and also offer customized or personalized services to earn revenue. This is according to the Burke & Litwin model. Work unit climate This is the impression given by the members of an organization towards the organizational performance. This will in return influence their interrelationship (Burke & Litwin, 2005). AT & T Company has no specific social structures. AT & T has always considered employing domestic workers in large numbers as compared to the international.The company always outsourced rather than train the workers for such services (Horton & Dorman, 2005). This will make the employees feel a sense of belonging and be committed to their work. This doesn’t fit with the Burke & Litwin model. Motivation According to Burke & Litwin (2005), this is an inward driving force that makes one take the recommended actions to achieve a required goal. Howard (1994), employees’ satisfaction will directly affect customer satisfaction. AT & T has no plans in place to ensure the employees are well catered for. The employees are not recognized to be rewarded for good performances.This may make some of them loss focus on their responsibilities (Horton & Dorman, 2005). This doesn’t fit with the Burke & Litwin model. Conclusion. AT & T has a functional or product departmentation structur e. This is because the company has its departments arranged according to the functions they offer like sales and marketing. The departments are also arranged depending products they produce for instance consumer products in consumer services department or segment (Horton & Dorman, 2005). AT & T has a culture for their operations to meet customer satisfaction and always work in partnership for quality.Through quality products, AT & T improved on the revenue (Denison, 1990). Reference: Burke, W. W. & Litwin, G. H. (1992), A causal model of organizational performance and change. Journal of Management, 18 (3), pp. 523-545. Denison, D. R. (1990), Corporate culture and organizational effectiveness. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Horton, W. T. and Dorman, D. W. (2005), AT & T Corporation. Securities and Exchange Commission Washington, DC 20549. From 10-K/A. Howard, A. (Ed. ) (1994), Diagnosis for organizational change: Methods and models. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Phonic Instruction

Reading and writing are the fundamental skills of learning. Our formal education is anchored to these basic learning steps. It is crucial for children to learn how to read and write at an early age in order to become capable and competent in their education. Kids acquire and learn the language through exposure, like how children copy words based from what they hear around their environment. Schools developed various methods and modes of instruction on how to teach children to read and write effectively.This teaching method is often referred to as phonic instruction which is a way of teaching children how to read, which emphasizes the acquisition of sounds, corresponding letter and its use in reading and writing (National Reading Panel, 2000). The phonic instruction shows the children the relationship between the written and spoken language by associating sounds to letters (National Institute for Literacy, 2009). The phonic instruction is not a standard device used for beginning reade rs but many teachers are utilizing such program to aid them with their instruction.The phonics that the teachers teach is not relatively important, but rather what students actually learn and use in decoding a new word whether reading or writing them is more necessary (Cunningham, 2005). As such, the aim of phonic instruction is for children to learn how to read and write effectively. Phonic instruction affects the whole process of children’s learning process of reading. It helps students understand how it can be successfully integrated into an effective classroom reading program (Savage, 2007).I personally agree that phonic instructions develop the ability to read and write. It does not matter what modes and methods of learning is integrated in the phonics instruction but how children may be able to learn how to read and write effectively. Teachers should develop balanced reading programs which incorporate a wide array of learning strategies in order to prepare children in h igher levels of education which require such skills. References Cuningham, P. M. (2005).Phonics they Use: Words for Reading and Writing, 4th edition. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. National Institute for Literacy. (2009, January 9). Phonics Instruction. Retrieved February 11, 2009, from http://www. nifl. gov/partnershipforreading/publications/reading_first1phonics. html. National Reading Panel. (2000). Phonics Instructions. Reading Rockets. Retrieved February 11, 2009, from http://www. readingrockets. org/article/254. Savage, J. (2007). Sound It Out! Phonics in a Comprehensive Reading System. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Telecommunication Act of 1996 essays

Telecommunication Act of 1996 essays In February of 1996, the U.S. Congress enacted the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The Act was one of the most substantial changes in the regulation of any industry in recent history. The Act replaced all current laws, FCC regulations, and the consent degree and subsequent court rulings under which AT The primary goal of the Act was to promote competition for local telephone services, long distance telephone services, and cable TV services. Inter-exchange carriers (IXC) (such as AT I believe that the Act made the most impact on Local telephone service. Local telephone service had been a regul...

Writing for accountants - Emphasis

Writing for accountants Writing for accountants Finance is a murky place for many people. Money comes into the bank account and it goes out again. And the process in between is something of a mystery. But even if your clients are financially savvy, it can still be difficult to explain money matters. Accounting has its own language and is often riddled with jargon that even experienced business people can sometimes find difficult to understand. (I know: Im one of them.) Writing financial information in accountingese can waste time and money. If your clients are unclear about what your figures mean, theyll ask for further clarification. A single document could lead to several hours of unnecessary (and frustrating) follow-up phone calls. Thats one reason why the tide is turning in the financial industry. Leading firms such as Deloitte, Ernst Young and Grant Thornton have commissioned specialist writing training programmes. And more accounting firms are following suit, adopting plain English in all their written communications. Another reason is that the Financial Services Authority keeps a watchful eye on adverts for financial products and services that are misleading. So as a finance professional, you have to make sure your writing is not just legal, but effective too. Follow our six steps to clear client communication and you cant go wrong. 1. Put your reader first Many accountants overestimate the knowledge their clients have. Even if you have been working with a client for many years, theres no guarantee they really understand the nuances of finance. Get back to basics by asking yourself the following questions: What is the document about? Who will read it? How much do they already know about the subject? What do they absolutely need to know? How important is the subject to them? How interested are they in the subject? Use the answers as a guideline for the amount of detail that you need to include in your document. 2. Avoid a mind-dump of ideas Whether youre writing an email, contract or report, do plenty of groundwork before putting pen to paper. Brainstorm all your ideas using a mind map and then put your points in order of importance. If youre having trouble getting started, ask yourself the questions: Who? What? Where? When? And Why? Becoming clear in your thinking helps you to create clearly structured documents that are easy to follow. 3. Put technical terms in plain English Financial abbreviations and other technical terms can be useful when communicating with colleagues but they can confuse clients. For example, the term accrual rate may seem simple but it still needs to be accompanied by an explanation of how the interest is built up. Similarly, never assume that your clients will understand terms such as smoothing, arbitration and cap-and-collar rate. You dont need to dumb down your writing, just make sure you provide clear, concise explanations. 4. Avoid verbosity Often, though, its the words in between the jargon that cause the problem. Never add redundant words into your writing. For example, I herein enclose details of your asset classes for the aforesaid investment, as requested sounds complicated, archaic and stilted. A much simpler way of writing it is, I enclose details of your investments, as requested. 5. Opt for verbs instead of nouns Verbs help to give sentences movement and life. So write, We will decide on our next steps on Monday, rather than, A decision will be made on our next steps on Monday. The word decide is more powerful than decision. And the first sentence is also written in the active voice, so it is punchier. 6. Keep sentences short and sweet Aim for your sentences to be a maximum of 20 words. If you make your sentences longer, its likely your readers will have trouble making sense of what you mean. Remember, clear language makes sound business sense. It sends out the message that you have nothing to hide and that your words are as transparent as your financial dealings.

Management Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Management Accounting - Assignment Example At this moment, the strategies that are to be applied in this case are related to the performance of the company are no longer connected to the profitability of the company (Shaffer, 23). Thus, as the strategy to compare overhead costs and overall productivity of the company, it is clear that the company is operating at net loss and strategies should aim at reducing the burden on operating losses. Thus, a strategy to increase performance would consider cutting back on losses an improvement plan. Following the calculations below, the performance of the company depends on the use of available resources in the production of pipes. Based on the cost of raw material and the units produced it is clear that non-overhead costs remained the same at $0.15 considering 10,000,000 feet of pipe costing $1,500,000 and/or 6,000,000 feet costing $900,000. If the company is to trade the new batch of pipes at $0.35, then the company would be gaining $0.1 as profit for every foot of pipe sold. Based on the table below, decreasing the price of the pipes would be the best decision for the company to cut back on losses and acquire an economies of scale strategy. There are various levels of costs involved in the case of Riverside Hotel. These involve fixed, variable, and sunk costs. In terms of the fixed costs, all overhead costs are fixed and include the cost of acquiring the equipment for preparing meals, the premises, power, and heat. Specifically, one of the fixed overhead costs include the price of the oven which is priced at $20,000. On the other hand, non-overhead costs include the price of the salad which is $1 and the prime rib which costs $7. The fixed price of the prime rib and the salad make up the cost of materials. However, for every meal made, the used ingredients add up to the final price. In this case, the price of making dinner using the prime rib and salad is fixed at $8 assuming that there is no labor, equipment, and power

205 Finals Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

205 Finals - Coursework Example authorizes a roving wiretap he/she should have some assurance that an innocent witness sensitive communications are protected and that the court order is not an effective general warrant to be filled in later. The issue presented by the article is about the potential of the Patriot Act to prevent acts of terrorism. The article states that if the Act was available before 9/11, it could have prevented a potential attack against the United States from the terrorists. There is no bias in the article. The information is well presented and there are sufficient information and evidence provided by the author to prove that the Patriot Act was very crucial in the prevention of a possible attack. Although the article states that the terrorists left an electronic mail, some of the conversations provided are vague because they cannot ascertain who was being mentioned. The names included in the conversations are based on assumptions that those individuals were the one being targeted. It is imperative to note that the electronic mails did not give much of the information on the individuals put in parenthesis. The first paragraph of the article uses figurative language to describe the United States as viewed by Jeffrey Leon Battle, a terrorist. The paragraph states â€Å"Homegrown terrorist Jeffery Leon Battle considered America the â€Å"land of the kaffirs,’ or unbelievers, and the American people ‘pigs’† (Jeffrey, 2008). The author asserts that the Patriot Act was crucial in the prevention of a potential attack in the United States by the terrorists. â€Å"The Patriot Act was crucial †¦ to prevent a potential attack within the United States †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Jeffrey, 2008, p1). There are contradicting statements within the article such as; an individual is allowed to own a gun but it has to stay unloaded and with a trigger lock and this defeats the purpose of the gun as a means of self-defense. There are sections that need further clarification; the Second Amendment needs to

Maya Angelou Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Maya Angelou - Essay Example This paper will discuss her style of writing and highlight how she manages to inspire people with her works. Getting a basic understanding of Angelou’s life is essential in order to understand her poetry. She has explored the world of literature widely and is a writer, poet, actress, dancer, and producer. Due to her insurmountable experience in literature of different genres, she excels in presenting unique poetry (Kuhlman 12). From her autobiography, it is evident that Angelou managed to exhibit resilience despite the challenges she faced as a black woman. Her poetry highlights some aspects of her life. Background information on her life indicates that she spent her early childhood with her grandmother after her parents divorced. In her teen age, she lived with her mother. Other challenges in her life included rape and teenage pregnancy. Her life experiences ands the strength she manages to gather from the circumstances in her life inspire her poetry. Maya Angelou has an incredible style of writing that makes her stand out among many poets. Her poetry exhibits a constant use of strong language. She brings out power in her arrangement of power and ideas making her poetry highly inspirational. Angelou explores several themes in poetry, and manages to utilize the power of language in communicating with her audience. It is evident that her good command and use of language makes her poetry much more interesting. For example, in her poem ‘still rise’, there is evidence of her expertise in language use. An analysis of Angelou’s style in this poem will serve as a benchmark in getting highlights about its uniqueness. In this poem, she makes use of the usual English words to bring out an intense theme. In addition, she augments her good command of language with numerous literary devices. Angelou uses both short and long lines in her stanzas. However, she creates a rhythmic version in her

An Aspects Of Discharge Planning Nursing Essay

An Aspects Of Discharge Planning Nursing Essay This assignment looks at the communication strategies to support and empower the patient living with COPD, a Long Term Condition and their Significant Others when planning their discharge from hospital. This is based on Mr Smiths scenario, a 78 years old man who suffers from advanced chronic obstructive airways disease. It will open with the definition of the keywords of the assignment. It will examine the characteristics of COPD at end of stage in the first section, because this is what Mr Smith suffers from and will therefore determine the discharge package of care to be used for him. The second section will look at the discharge plan and the team to be involved in the discharge process and their role. Finally it will look at the importance of communication when planning discharge and the communication strategies to be utilised for Mr Smith. As a matter of fact, Mr Smith suffers from COPD, which describes the obstruction of airflow caused by chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both. It is called chronic because it is persistent, and pulmonary because it affects lungs. Bronchitisis about the inflammation of the airways of the lung, while emphysema is the damage which affects the smaller airways and air sacs of the lungs. He has suffered from serious exacerbations as his conditions has been worsening beyond normal day-to-day variations and is acute, with symptoms such as worsening breathlessness,  cough, increased sputum coloured production. He is now classed as having end of stage COPD. Even though there is no accepted definition for end of stage COPD (Siafakas, 2006), the term end of stage gives the idea of the last step in the course of a progressive disease. NICE (2010) classifies COPD into four stages, Mild (stage I), moderate (stage 2), severe (stage 3) and very severe (stage 4). According to Leader (2012), end stage COPD refers to last stages of the disease. According to Global Initiative for Chronic  Obstructive Lung Disease  (2010), very severe COPD would have the following chronic symptoms: cough with a lot of mucus, severe breathlessness, loss of weight, skin colour becoming blue, edema attacking the legs and feet, Life-threatening COPD flare-ups and Lung malfunction. At this point, it should be kept in mind that Mr Smith is the first person to be involved in this discharge planning as his preferences must be considered in the process. He has to be empowered to take responsibility of his own care. It is part of the NMC (2008) policy that nurses have to listen to people in their care and respond to their needs and preferences, and get informed consent if required. Mr Smiths family members should also be involved as they are the ones to be with him at home. They can inform the discharger of their availability, willingness, strength and limitations. Involving patients and carers in the discharge planning process is actually one of the requirements of the Department of Health (2010). The discharge planning will therefore start with an assessment through spirometry tests of Mr Smiths condition looking into his complete medical history. The care providers should find out how much air Mr Smiths lungs can blow in and out. It is known that Mr Smith was previously admitted to the hospital for exacerbations. This means that a serious assessment of his respiration system should be done; with a look at the level of dyspnea. The discharge is based on his request, which means that he should be involved in the process. The condition of Mr Smiths daily activity can be thought to be difficult, because his medical history shows that his condition worsened and his house had to be amended to accommodate his needs, and that he now lives in his front room downstairs and has access to the toilet down stairs as well his kitchen/dining area. This means that Mr Smiths coping skills are very limited. Mr Smith should also be assessed for cardio vascular and other chest diseases and psychological effects caused by COPD. Mr Smith therefore appears to have functional problems as his exertion is very limited which affects his activity of daily living. So his discharge planning should include assessment of functional abilities to determine his ability to be independent in the future and the possibility of exercising. This assessment will help to determine whether he needs treatment for pulmonary rehabilitation and how strong and flexible he can be. This helps to assign the right job to physiotherapists. Several interventions have to be done in order to reduce risk factors (NICE, 2010). Donna and Goodridge (2006) has described a number of symptom burden for end of stage COPD patients: dyspnea, breathlessness with discomfort; burden of fatigue and sleep disturbances, which has impact on functional limitations of daily activities such as self care, household chores, and leisure activities. (Elkington et al 2005); feeling of social isolation and loneliness, depression and anxiety, (Lacasse, 2001), panic, fear, and frustration. Tranmer et al (2004) goes a step further to add feelings of worry, sadness, nervousness, irritability, and concentration difficulty. Finally the needs of the patients family should be taken into consideration, because they are the people to stay with the patient at home, and are therefore the patients advocates, companions, personal caregivers, and surrogate decision-makers (Selecky, 2005) Given the services to be involved in Mr Smiths discharge planning, one can correctly identify the process as a complex discharge planning as it involves multidisciplinary care planning and ongoing care. Actually, this discharge plan calls for a multidisciplinary team of professionals as suggested in NICE (2007). Even though the patient remains under the care of the hospital consultants while making the GP aware of the home care, this team of professionals will work with referrals coming from secondary care in order to care for Mr Smith at home. A respiratory nurse specialist will set and implement the care in order to improve Mr Smiths respiration. This will help to reduce any anxiety and fear. The in-reach nurse will educate, support and advise the different parties mainly patients, his relatives and staff and assess the various devices to be used as well as organise the followup and other referrals to competent departments and services (spirometry, chest checkup à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). Physiotherapists will help with exacerbation at home to clear secretions and provide chest physiotherapy at home as well as advise the patient on breathing pattern and exercises that might help Mr Smiths mobility problems. However a proper training is required for nurses, because there appears to be a limitation in their knowledge and the way to deal with end of stage COPD patients. (Disler and Jones, 2010) The palliative care for Mr Smith should be based on the above symptoms associated with advanced COPD. Oxygen therapy will be needed, because COPD patients usually become hypoxaemia with the progression of the diseases. This is not a curative treatment, but it helps relieve the symptoms of breathlessness. However it has been observed that caution should be taken for the respiratory drive not to be suppressed by a lack of control. Here one has to distinguish between long term oxygen therapy which takes around 15 hours a day and short term therapy for other patients.   Given that Mr Smith has suffered from serious exacerbation, there is a need for Oxygen therapy, and a respiratory specialist should be assigned to control the use of oxygen. Since Mr Smith will be going home, and his need of oxygen is great an oxygen concentrator with a back up supply of oxygen cylinder could be a better alternative. A proper training for its use must be given to his careers. There would also be a need to include steroid tablets such as prednisolone in his treatment in order to reduce the extra inflammation in the airways. This can be taken once a day for 5 to 14 days. Dyspnea can be treated with the use of opioids which improves breathlessness. (Jennings et al, 2002) A 20mg dose of oral morphine a day also would be helpful (Abernethy et al, 2003). Airway Clearance Devices can also be prescribed in case Mr Smith has problems to clear secretions and mucus. High-frequency chest wall oscillation, or a  ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡utter valve can be used with a positive expiratory pressure of about 6-20 cm H2 O (Ambrosino et al, 1995). Mr Smith should also be considered to receive treatment for psychological effects, as these have been observed in patients with advanced COPD because of the poor quality of life. Patients suffers from anxiety and depression due to dyspnoea (Bailey 2004), and this is said to be in the proportion of up to 90 %. (Kunik et al 2005; Norwood 2006). In this case, consideration would be given to antidepressants such as benzodiazepines, paroxetine and sertraline which have proven effective for anxiety and depression (Lacasse et al 2004). As NICE (2010) recommends, this treatment should be supplemented by spending time with the patient to explain why all this is happening and how it can be treated. This calls for the importance of good communication. A check up is also necessary to find out if Mr Smith is coughing, in which case Morphine and codeine could be prescribed. COPD patients also feel pain in the chest, which can have a musculoskeletal or pleuropulmonary origin (Leach 2005), in which case some analgesic drugs proposed by the WHO, can be used, mainly non opioids such as paracetamol and NSAIDs; weak opioids such as codeine and tramadol and strong opioids. But in case of infections, consideration should be given to antibiotics. At this point, Mr Smith and his family should be educated in the way medications should be taken to avoid nonadherence to the medical plan. By Adherence, one should understand an active, voluntary, and collaborative involvement of the patient in a mutually acceptable course of behavior to produce a therapeutic result. (Delamater, 2006). This calls for a clear understanding by Mr Smith of his condition (Johnson G, et al, 2005) and fitting the medication regime to his daily routine (Ryan and Wagner, 2003). This can be done if there is good communication. Communication should be understood as a process of conveying information and thoughts between different people, using written or spoken language and body language. Several scholars have found that communication is paramount to deliver good healthcare (Buckley, 2008), because both the patient and the healthcare provider enter into an emotional relationship. (Wittenberg-Lyles et al., 2008). It has also been observed that patients have a great need of information about their condition and that inadequacy of communication in healthcare would prevent good provision of care for people at the end of life. (Curtis et al, 2005). Actually while planning for communication, one can also include Advance Directives in the form of living will or proxy while Mr Smith is still stable in order for him to have a voice in his last wishes. Communication should be part of all those concerned with the discharge planning for a better understanding of who would be doing what, and this meets the NMC (2008) requirement to share information with colleagues so working as a team The nurse has therefore to avoid to create a communication gap with the patient, and other professionals, or say any misunderstanding in what they are talking about. It should be kept in mind that open communication is likely to empower the patient to have more hope and so dispel any fear they have (Davidson and Simpson, 2006). With such a view in mind, communication with the patient would help to share hope and prepare for death, or in Back et al (2003)s terms to hope for the best and prepare for the worst, and discussion of questions related to worries, concerns for the future, hope (Braun et al 2007) as well as information related to the outcomes of different treatments with survival chances given with honesty (Fried et al 2002) Empathy should be among the strategies while interacting with the patient, and the nurse has to devote more time to listen to the patient. (Edwards et al, 2006). Actually nurses need more training in the field of communication for patients at end of stage as correctly mentioned by Davidson et al, 2002. To conclude, it can be said that Mr Smiths discharge plan is a complex plan with a multidisciplinary professionals involved. The plan starts with an assessment of Mr Smith condition and moves to focus on providing education and reinforcement of the medical plan. The medical plan includes pharmacological details describing medications intended to alleviate Mr Smiths symptoms of severe COPD, as well as non- pharmacological ones related to the devices to use and control of adherence and coping skills of Mr Smith. The pharmacological part should include medication to do with COPD and the psychological effects produced. A nutritional assessment is also necessary. Among the treatment, aspects of pulmonary rehabilitation, exercising, community resources should be included. Communication should be a key issue not only between the professionals and mr Smith, but also between the professionals themselves for the good of the patient. All these aspects call for a better training for nurses, as a t present literature reveals that nurses express limited confidence in their knowledge and how to deal with aptients at end of stage COPD.

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla: Bram Stoker’s Inspiration for Dracu

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla: Bram Stoker’s Inspiration for Dracula â€Å"3 May. Bistritz. Left Munich at 8:35 p.m.† Abraham Stoker in this unassuming way begins his Gothic masterpiece, Dracula (The Annotated Dracula 1). Dracula has been called ‘imaginative’ and ‘original.’ , and Harry Ludlam calls it â€Å"the product of his own vivid imagination and imaginative research† (Senf 41). However, the originality of Stoker's Dracula is in doubt. By a similarity in the setting, characters and plot, in Bram Stoker’s Gothic work Dracula and the posthumously published short story â€Å"Dracula’s Guest,† Stoker is shown to have used Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu’s classic, Gothic, short story, â€Å"Carmilla†, as the basis and inspiration for Bram Stoker’s vampiric masterpiece, Dracula. In 1897, Abraham Stoker published Dracula, a classic Gothic novel which continues to capture the hearts and imaginations of readers after nearly a century. The novel is written as a collection of journals, which are kept in a wide array of methods, letters and newspaper clippings. Dracula opens in Eastern Europe with a young solisitor named Jonathan Harker traveling to Transylvanian castle. The castle’s owner, Count Dracula, is cruel in the manner of great evil, and uses Harker to have himself safely ferried to England and its fertile hunting ground of London. Dracula soon becomes embroiled in the lives of a small group of friends who see him for the fiend that he is. These young people, aided by the aging Dr. Van Helsing vow to see Dracula destroyed, and they succeed in driving him out of England and back to his homeland. They follow hard upon and catch him just before he reaches the safety of his castle. Within sight of safety, Jonathan Harker and Quency Morris behea... ...cula: The Vampire and the Critics. Ed. Margaret L. Carter. Studies in Speculative Fiction 19. Ann Arbor: UMI, 1988. 231-45. Leatherdale, Clive. Dracula: The Novel and The Legend. Wellingborough: Aquarian, 1985. Le Fanu, James Sheridan. â€Å"Carmilla.† Vampires: Two Centuries of Great Vampire Stories. Ed. Alan Ryan. Garden City: Doubleday, 1987. Melton, J. Gordon. The Vampire Book: The Encyclopedia of the Undead. Detroit: Visible Ink, 1994. Senf, Carol A. Introduction. The Critical Response to Bram Stoker. Ed. Carol A. Senf. Westport: Greenwood, 1993. 1-41. Stoker, Bram. The Annotated Dracula. Ed. Leonard Wolf. New York: Ballantine, 1975. ---. â€Å"Dracula’s Guest.† Vampires: Two Centuries of Great Vampire Stories. Ed. Alan Ryan. Garden City: Doubleday, 1987. Roth, Phyllis A. Bram Stoker. Twayne’s English Authors Series 343. Boston: Twayne, 1982.