The monetary policies of the united states and other countries Research Paper

The monetary policies of the united states and other countries - Research Paper Example Furthermore, since the US is essentially the largest economy globally, its monetary policies also encompass substantial financial and economic effects locally and international. Monetary policies influence the performance of countries’ economies as indicated through factors such as economic output, employment rates and inflation. In the US, the Federal Reserve controls the country’s monetary policy. The US federal government uses the country’s monetary policy to control the economy. When money supply grows too fast, inflation rate also increases and conversely, when money supply is too low; economic growth also declines rather substantially. The US Federal Reserve uses the country’s monetary policies to establish inflation targets aimed at sustaining steady inflation rates of between 2 and 3 percent. The purpose of the US monetary policy is to dictate the performance of the economy as indicated through employment rates, inflation and other equivalent econo mic factors. Monetary policies work by influencing demand within the economy, particularly with regard to companies and people’s willingness to spend money on products and services (Havrilesky 73). This influence is one of the most positive effects of US monetary policies. Another notable consequence of the US monetary policies is to deterring inflation expectations from spiraling to high magnitudes. This is particularly because inflation expectations are an integral determinant of the prevailing inflation rates. Therefore, monetary policies aim at maintaining long term inflation expectations anchored. Stability in inflation expectations emanates from effective monetary policies. In essence, the populace’s belief that inflation will remain stable over the long term lies in its belief that the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy will effectively deliver stable and low inflation in the long term. In addition, monetary policies affect the national economy, especially with regard to financial markets (McConnell and Brue 303). Whenever the Federal Reserve increases monetary supply and enhances the availability of credit, interest rates, which influence the amount of money borrowers pay for loans, will decrease substantially. The US policy allows the Federal Reserve to regulate interest rates and maintain low rate to encourage businesses to borrow investment capital. Low interest rates also stimulate individuals to borrow money to buy goods such as real estate and automobiles. For instance, in the late 1970s, the US monetary policy provided loan interest rates of 8% and an inflation rate of at least 10%. This led in diminished borrowing as financial institutions reduced their lending. However, monetary policies produce adverse results when money and credit supply grows at a faster rate than production of products and services. This phenomenon pushes prices up and ultimately results in an increased inflation rate. Ineffective monetary policies caus e inflation, which is a serious issue, particularly for most Americans who live on fixed earning. This is because such people’s income remains constant while their capacities to purchase goods and services decreases (Everett 175). When banks anticipate high inflation, they increase interest rate to cushion themselves against losses. When money and credit supply grows rather slowly, interest rates are likely to rise, resulting in decreased spending on investments, as well as conventional, durable

Movie comment Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Comment - Movie Review Example Ethan is older, more aggressive, and ready to fix every problem by shooting everybody involved, including the poor victims who have been captured. Ethan is much younger, and while he is prepared to go looking for the native people involved in the raids, and use force against them if necessary, his main objective is to save the captives and restore them to their families. This difference is shown very clearly in the scene where Ethan finds Debbie, kills the man who captured her, and then aims his gun at her as well. Martin chases after Ethan, and it is clear that the struggle between the two men is unequal. Ethan is in a stronger position because he is on a horse, while Martin is on foot, like Debbie. When Martin places himself directly in front of the woman, protecting her from Ethan’s gun, even at the risk of his own life, he saves her. This heroic action highlights the extremism of Ethan’s position and makes the audience think about the cycle of violence that results when people are obsessed with the need for revenge. Martin’s concern for Debbie acts as a bridge between Ethan and Debbie, because Ethan recognises his own shameful attitudes and changes his position so that he eventually carries Debbie back to her family. Question 2: To a viewer seeing this film in 2011 The Searchers might come across under analysis as a contradiction.   It is a beautiful work of art, but reflects extreme racism towards Native peoples. Offer a critique expressing how these two elements were blended so that someone watching the film for the first time might understand and recognize the racism, fear of miscegenation, and justification for genocide without hating the film. It is very hard not to like The Searchers. One reason is the overwhelming talent of a mature John Wayne, playing his usual type of cranky hero. Another reason is the stunning cinematography of John Ford who recreates the white settlers’ folksy interiors against a stunning

The Information And Communication Revolution Education Essay

The Information And Communication Revolution Education Essay Introduction One the many challenges facing developing countries today are preparing their societies and governments for globalization and the information and communication revolution. Policy makers, business executives, NGO activists, academics, and ordinary citizens are increasingly concerned with the need to make their societies competitive in the emergent information economy. Globalization and technological change is a process that has accelerated in tandem over the past fifteen years and has created a new global economy powered by technology, fuelled by information and driven by knowledge. The emergence of this new global economy has serious implications for the nature and purpose of educational institutions. As the half-life of information continues to become and access to information continues to grow more rapid, schools cannot remain mere venues for the transmission of a prescribed set of information from teacher to student over a fixed period of time. Rather, schools must promote learnin g, in an example the acquisition of knowledge and skills that make possible continuous learning over the lifetime. Concerns over educational relevance and quality coexist with the imperative of expanding educational opportunities to those made most vulnerable by globalization as an example, developing countries in general, low-income groups, girls and women, and low-skilled workers in particular. Information and communication technologies which include radio and television, as well as newer digital technologies such as computers and the Internet, have been touted as potentially powerful enabling tools for educational change and reform. When used appropriately, different ICT are said to help expand access to education, strengthen the relevance of education to the increasingly digital workplace, and raise educational quality by, among others, helping make teaching and learning into an engaging, active process connected to real life. However, the experience of introducing different ICT in the classroom and other educational settings all over the world over the past several decades suggests that the full realization of the potential educational benefits of ICT is not automatic. The effective integration of ICT into the educational system is a complex, multifaceted process that involves not just technology but indeed, given enough initial capital, getting the technology is the eas iest part but also curriculum and pedagogy, institutional readiness, teacher competencies, and long-term financing, among others. CONTENTS ICT stand for information and communication technologies and are defined, for the purposes of this primer, as a diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communicate, and to create, disseminate, store, and manage information. These technologies include computers, the Internet, broadcasting technologies, radio, television and telephony. In recent years there has been a ground swell of interest in how computers and the Internet can best be harnessed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of education at all levels and in both formal and non-formal settings. But ICT are more than just these technologies, but older technologies such as the telephone, radio and television, although now given less attention, have a longer and richer history as instructional tools. For instance, radio and television have for over forty years been used for open and distance learning, although print remains the cheapest, most accessible and therefore most dominant delivery mechanism in bot h developed and developing countries. The use of computers and the Internet is still in its infancy in developing countries, if these are used at all, due to limited infrastructure and the attendant high costs of access. Technology changes rapidly and so do the specific tools available for education. As new technologies are introduced, it is critical that their cost and impact in various educational situations is thoroughly examined. While evidence shows that it is the actual application of the ICT tool that is the most important determinant of its effectiveness for educational purposes, the choice of tools is quite large, and each tool has its own advantages and disadvantages. Policy makers and donor groups are often bombarded with information and studies from vendors on the suitability of their particular products or services. As a result, there is a great need for independent research on the appropriateness of specific ICT tools to help meet educational goals. Radio and TV have been providing educational programming in some countries for many years. Many related new technologies, including satellite broadcasting and multi-channel learning, have the potential to greatly increase access to education. Today, the Internet is not widely available in most developing countries, but new Internet technologies and mobile Internet centres hold promise for connecting teachers, learners, and communities. Moreover, education has largely contributed to an increase in developing knowledge, providing an enabling environment for innovation and in building human capital required for a potential future knowledge economy. Global reforms in education and challenging ICT demands have made a remarkable shift in the structure of the enabling ICT environment and the utilization of ICT technologies in education. Such technologies have become the key driver of the digital network in an era of technology-driven education. More schools and communities now have access to ICT resources to join the global economy with knowledge workers who have 21st century skills and are inspired by life-long learning. ICT have great potential for knowledge dissemination, effective learning and the development of more efficient education services. Much effort has been made towards the advancement of education and multi-literacies. However, it is generally believed that ICT can empower teachers and learners, making sign ificant contributions to learning and achievement. Current research on the impacts of ICT on student achievement yields few conclusive statements, pro or con, about the use of ICTs in education. Studies have shown that even in the most advanced schools in industrialized countries, ICT are generally not considered central to the teaching and learning process. Moreover, there appears to be a mismatch between methods used to measure effects and the type of learning promoted. Standardized testing, for example, tends to measure the results of traditional teaching practices, rather than new knowledge and skills related to the use of ICT. It is clear that more research needs to be conducted to understand the complex links between ICT, learning, and achievement. Many of the issues and challenges associated with ICT in education initiatives are known by policy makers, donor staff, and educators. However, data on the nature and complexity of these issues remains limited because of the lack of good monitoring and evaluation tools and processes. Where evaluation data is available much of the work is seen to suffer from important biases. Another problem in this area is the lack of a common set of indicators for ICT in education. And, where data has been collected, it is often quantitative data related to infrastructure, for example, number of computers, rather than data that can help policy makers gauge the impact of ICT interventions on student learning. If ICT are to become effective and integral tools in education, and if accountability is to be demonstrated to donors and stakeholders, monitoring and evaluation must be a priority area of focus. It is clear that there are equity issues related to the uses of ICT in education. There is a real da nger that uses of ICT can further marginalize groups already excluded or on the edge of educational practices and innovations. On the other hand, with supportive policies and careful planning and monitoring, ICTs hold out the promise of facilitating greater inclusion of such groups. While there is much research on the impact of ICTs and marginalized groups in industrialized countries, there has been limited research into these issues in developing countries. There seems to be little questioning, however, that ICTs generally give preference to schools and learners in urban areas and in areas where existing infrastructure is the best. Research related to equity and ICT to date has focused primarily on access to particular technologies. Much less attention has been given to how specific types and uses of ICTs are related to equity issues. Besides than that, about the true costs of ICT in education, there have been few rigorous costs studies, particularly in developing countries. Given current budgetary and resource constraints, a widespread investment in ICT in education is probably not possible in most developing countries. It is, therefore, critically important to better understand the costs and benefits associated with ICT types and uses in various educational situations in order to effectively target scarce resources. There is some evidence, for instance, that computers may be most cost-effective when placed in common areas such as libraries and teacher-training institutes. One of the most cost effective uses of ICT in education may be their role in improving organizational and systemic efficiencies, including combating corruption. Distance education is often cited as a cost saving investment. Indeed, economics of scale are achievable in distance education, although such programs typically require large up-front i nvestments. Some of these costs may be shifted from the public sector to the individual users, but this in itself raises significant equity and access issues. Again, a thorough examination of the true costs and benefits of distance education is required. Financing mechanisms for ICT in education initiatives are quite varied. Due to the high up-front costs and large recurrent costs, countries and communities typically employ a great variety of financing and cost recovery mechanisms. Public private partnerships and user fees are important components of financing ICTs in education in many countries, although more research is needed to determine the impact and effectiveness of these mechanisms. Even the use of ICT in the classroom or in distance education does not diminish the role of the teacher; neither does it automatically change teaching practices. Experience has shown that a variety of support and enabling mechanisms must be implemented to optimize teacher use of ICT. While traditional teacher leadership skills and practices are still important, teachers must also have access to relevant, timely, and on-going professional development. They must have the time and resources to explore this new knowledge base and develop new skills. Support of school administrators and, in some cases, the community, is critical if ICTs are to be used effectively. In addition, teachers must have adequate access to functioning computers or other technologies and sufficient technical support. Accessing information is the main use of ICTs in education. While ICT, and the Internet in particular, provide access to a world of educational resources, those resources are rarely in a format that ma kes them easily accessible and relevant to most teachers and learners in developing countries. Simply importing educational content through ICT is fraught with difficulties, as well as questions of relevance to local needs. Experience shows that unless electronic educational resources are directly related to the curriculum, and to the assessment methods used to evaluate educational outcomes, ICT interventions may not have positive educational impacts. Furthermore, ICT can be important drivers for educational reform. They can help in anti-corruption efforts, aid in decentralization, and play a key role in data collection and analysis. Still, there are many policy questions around the use of ICTs in education, not the least of which revolves around which part of the government is responsible for such policies. Some of the key policy questions revolve around access, equity, finance, and best practices in scaling-up. As a relatively new field, there is no standard repository for existing ICTs in education-related national policies. And, it is clear that successful policy formulation requires consultation with a diverse group of stakeholders, many of which may be outside of the traditional educational system. Innovations in technology and new products are introduced in the global marketplace at a much faster pace than most educational systems are able to use them effectively. This issue of timing is an important one as educators and po licymakers operate with an eye to longer term educational goals. The advantages and disadvantages of ICT in education include a range of elements such as †¢ Giving to teacher chance to plan short, timed, tightly focused activities. †¢ Planning activities across a number of sessions to allow sufficient time for all pupils to take parts. †¢ Up to date and real world technologyprepares the children for the modern world! †¢ Helps pupils research topics they are studying using a wide range of sources other than just book from their school library, †¢ Aids the pupils to get an insight into technologies that they may later rely on in future life. †¢ Using word documents it gives the pupils a chance to present their work in a style that suits them. †¢ Word and publishing documents available for display work purposes. There is also a high advantage of ICT equipment aiding pupils with learning difficulties. By clicking on the word case study the following link will take you to a case study on podcasts and the advantages of working with children that have learning difficulties and also shown on the secondary education page. The following disadvantages give a list of objectives that staff and facilitators may be required to deal with should problems occur throughout using the ICT equipment. †¢ Cost †¢ Training †¢ Distractions †¢ Reliability †¢ Damage †¢ Safety †¢ Hacking †¢ Resources (or lack of) As you can see I have already listed disadvantages of ICT in education and all seem costly. The initial equipment even though would be an investment and learning aid is expensive. After the initial cost there is the fact of training the staff/ facilitators to use the equipment correctly as bad usage can cause incorrect teaching to pupils. Also coming under cost is damage, as, if the equipment gets damages then the damage repair fees are required to get the equipment back up and running. Distractions such as the internet, computer games and email are also a big disadvantage. Then we come onto safety and hacking that is discussed on the safety page. CONCLUSIONS In conclusions, the modern generation schoolchildren are growing up in an environment where information and communication technologies are encompassing almost all area of their lives. It is the responsibility of government to prepare students with the skills and knowledge they will need to take control of their digital futures. Therefore, it is of upmost importance for teachers to integrate ICT into the curriculum. This essay will discuss the great benefits ICT have on child learning and also explore the current direction in which teachers can integrate ICTs into the classroom. Using ICTs in education develops the needed skills a child needs to use computers and other technologies. However, ICT provide a teaching strategy that engages the learner. ICT can create an exciting way to present information to students and due to the fact that ICTs engages the learner it allows the student to learn more. Another great positive of using ICTs in primary schooling is that it addresses the fact that each student has different learning abilities. ICT allows students to excel in their area of ‘intelligence, for example a child who has spatial intelligence but has difficulty in written expression can show their learning process through sound and pictures. The use of ICT is also beneficial to a childs learning because it covers the four fundamental teaching areas which are active engagement, group, interaction and connection with the real world. As i mentioned earlier ICTs engage the learner, however, they can also involve extensive group work and interaction with b oth students and ICT equipment. ICTs play a central use in society; therefore, they give children a real world connection. This also gives students purpose in learner because they are using technologies that they will need to.

American Beauty Essay -- Film, Movie

American Beauty There continues to be an everyday struggle for us American’s to find out true identities. There are so many people in our society who feel the necessity to be someone they are not, in order to fit in. Only if they had a mirror; then they could look and see the fear and insecurity in their eyes. There are some situations where putting on a act twenty-four hours a day is a bit too much. For many, the suburban life is the America dream. For others, however, it can turn into a twisted nightmare of unfulfilled desires. American Beauty, nonetheless, is a movie that gives the viewers backstage passes to see how the most perfect family, living in the flawless suburbs can really turn out to be. It’s our typical family with both a working husband (Lester) and wife (Carolyn). They have a beautiful teenager by the name of Jane, who‘s friends with your typical high school gossip girl (Angela). There are many significant others to the movie like the new family that just moved next door, or the top real estate agent who calls himself â€Å"The King†. There were so many different conflicts and alterations between the characters that made this movie so interesting to the viewers. American Beauty was a movie that shows us how our American society portrays the all American family to have the perfect relationships with one another. Little do the outsiders know about what really goes on inside the walls of the perfect household, and how they act towards each other. American Beauty is about the masks we wear in our society. Each character seems to wear there own masks during the movie for their own reasons. Whether they are dealing with their work, family, or just life in general. The father/husband of the supposedly â€Å"All American Family† seems to be hiding under the infamous â€Å"maskâ€Å" throughout the movie. He lives a life where he is constantly overpowered by his wife and co-workers day by day. Lester wakes up everyday only to show the community that he cares about his wife Carolyn, but when he really knows his relationship has taken a turn for the worse. He makes the community think that he is this funny, caring, and entertaining husband when he sees no reason to be. A real estate party was being held at a hall for all the real estate agents of the community. Before the party Carolyn told him just to act like a normal, caring, and be a husband of interested. H... ...oulders. She was one step further to finding her true identity. Mother and daughter relationships are a bit different then father to daughter relationships. Carolyn has a more realistic relationship with Jane than Lester. Even though Carolyn tries to keep her unidirectional relationship with Lester out of Jane’s life. She wants Jane to think everything is just perfect between the three of them, when in reality it isn’t close to perfection. During a scene at the dinner table, Lester all of a sudden has an outburst of anger and throws the dinner plate across the room. He then starts arguing with Carolyn in front of their only child. Jane could not stand to see her parents like this so she left. Although Carolyn did feel bad that her daughter had to see that, she should not have tried to hide their feelings for each other from their little girl. By her trying to have Jane thinking everything was fine and having Jane see that sudden outburst was not right. It was her responsibility as a mother to keep Jane on task with her social lif e, school, friends and any family problems. She obviously failed to keep up with that task considering the conditions Jane has been put up against.

Fundamental Principles to Adult Education Essay

Adult education’s principal and fundamental principle is to harness and enhance adult individual’s skill and knowledge to be productive contributors to the society. Adult learners are provided then with programs and adult education movement for granting more opportunities for their advancement, as their success is regarded as the society’s growth as well. Adult learners should be educated not only for increase of knowledge but also for gaining more integral values as they were expected to give more of themselves and contribute in productivity of the society they belong. Fundamental Principles to Adult Education Being a teacher of a particular credit-based community college course is a very serious and tedious task. Since there would be a variety of 35 students’ whose age range vary from 17- 70 years old, this would certainly mean a† big challenge† for the instructor’s part, in order to teach and provide learning effectively. Malcolm S. Knowles, a prominent writer and instructor, advocated the theory of non-formal (informal) andragogy or adult education in the United States. He taught various principles and wrote numerous detailed accounts discussing on how to facilitate learning especially for the adults. Applying clinical Rogerian psychology in his writings and teaching; in result, he was able to train his students to acquire the attitude of being self-motivated. Furthermore, Knowles initiated the interest for implementation of informal adult education and he differentiated the advantages of the informal education, to the standard, traditional formal education. According to Knowles, formal education are mostly implemented and commonly used in secondary educational schools, commerce schools, and universities; whereas in informal adult education, students are just likely to complete credits on particular vocational or training courses and their classes are to be held on â€Å"community center unions, and other industries and even churches. Moreover, formal education requires that of being stable for completion of long term four-year course or more; when the latter (informal education) serves to be more temporary and flexible. However, it does not mean that informal education is not serious, the system just purports to be flexible enough to meet the needs of the adults who may be busy with their lives (job, family, religious and other activities). And these cases meet the demands of several adults who would want to re-educate themselves and to refresh their knowledge and learning from their vast experience, or to simply increase and gain more knowledge and training from their desires course of interest. In brief, Malcolm Knowles acknowledged the increasing demand and importance of adult education in the present 20th century. Knowles objective of real learning in adults, he emphasizes that an adult learner should acquire self-concept, readiness to learn, experience, orientation towards learning, and especially, the motivation to learn (Smith, 2002). On the other hand, a professor in New Zealand named, T. A. Hunter, also propounded the proliferation and development of an adult education movement. Hunter’s principle of education is grounded on his belief that education is depicted to the successful adjustment of a man to physical and social changes in one’s environment. His blueprint for adult education is the successful integration of biological, physiological, sociocultural, and cognitive knowledge derived from the informal training or education (Hunter, 1929). Adult education should mainly function to harness and enhance adult individual’s skill and knowledge. Adult learners at the same time should still be given the opportunity for advancement since their success is the society’s growth as well. Adult learners should be educated not only for increase of knowledge but also for gaining more integral values as they were expected to give more of themselves and contribute in productivity of the society they belong. In addition, this adult education is more of an inspiration among individuals who are in search for more adequate and applicable learning, and is regarded as an opportunity to success with one’s endeavors and purpose of serving the society (UNESCO, 1960). Fundamental principles of adult education then, should be grounded on the â€Å"realistic† and objective goal of learning. Education as embedded in the infinite realm of knowledge should be available to everyone regardless of age, sex, race, ethnicity, and culture. Adult education, as it plays a significant role and is the demand of most populace, should be taken seriously to address the learner’s need for proper, adequate, and effective learning. Moreover, there is a call for the government, to increase attention for the provision of the proper adult education. Increase of funding for the adult learners’ facilities, venues, and other learning tools is urgent to make this effective learning possible (UNESCO, 1960). References Hunter, T. A. (1929, July 1). Adult education. The New Zealand Railways Magazine, 4, 3. Retrieved from October 13, 2008, from http://www. nzetc. org/tm/scholarly/tei- Gov04_03Rail-t1-body-d7. html Smith, M. (2002) Malcolm Knowles, informal adult education, self-direction and Anadragogy. Tthe encyclopedia of informal Education. Retrieved October 13, 2008, from http://www. infed. org/thinkers/et-knowl. htm UNESCO. (1960). World conference on adult education. Retrieved October 13, 2008, from http://www. unesco. org/education/uie/confintea/montre_e. pdf

Customer Service and Order Processors

The Human Side of Management Assignment Repairing Jobs That Fail to Satisfy Learning Goals Companies often divide up work as a way to improve efficiency, but specialisation can lead to negative consequences. DrainFlow is a company that has effectively used specialisation to reduce costs relative to its competitors’ costs for years, but rising customer complaints suggest the firm’s strong position may be slipping. After reading the case, you will suggest some ways it can create more interesting work for employees.You will also tackle the problem of finding people who are qualified and ready to perform the multiple responsibilities required in these jobs. Major Topic Areas Job design Job satisfaction Personality Emotional labour The Scenario DrainFlow is a large residential and commercial plumbing  maintenance firm that operates around the United Kingdom. It has been a major player in residential plumbing  for decades, and its familiar rhyming motto, â€Å"When  Yo ur Drain Won’t Go, Call DrainFlow,† has been plastered  on billboards since the 1940s. Leigh Reynaldo has been a regional manager at DrainFlow for about 2 years.She used to work for a newer  competing chain, Lightning Plumber, that has been  drawing more and more customers from DrainFlow. Although  her job at DrainFlow pays more, Leigh is not happy  with the way things are going. She has noticed the work environment  is not as vital or energetic as the environment  she saw at Lightning. Leigh thinks the problem is that employees are not motivated  to provide the type of customer service Lightning  Plumber employees offer. She recently sent surveys  to customers to collect information about performance,  and the data confirmed her fears.Although 60 percent  of respondents said they were satisfied with their experience  and would use DrainFlow again, 40 percent felt  their experience was not good, and 30 percent said they  would use a competi tor the next time they had a plumbing problem. Leigh is wondering whether DrainFlow’s job design  might be contributing to its problems in retaining customers. DrainFlow has about 2,000 employees in four  basic job categories: plumbers, plumber’s assistants, order  processors, and billing representatives. This structure  is designed to keep costs as low as possible.Plumbers make very high wages, whereas plumber’s assistants  make about one-quarter of what a licensed  plumber makes. Using plumber’s assistants is therefore  a very cost-effective strategy that has enabled DrainFlow  to easily undercut the competition when it comes to  price. Order processors make even less than assistants  but about the same as billing processors. All work is very  specialised, but employees are often dependent on another  job category to perform at their most efficient  level. Like most plumbing companies, DrainFlow gets  business mostly from the Yellow Pages and the Internet.Customers either call in to describe a plumbing problem  or submit an online request for plumbing services,  receiving a return call with information within 24 hours. In either case, DrainFlow’s order processors listen to the  customer’s description of the problem to determine  whether a plumber or a plumber’s assistant should  make the service call. The job is then assigned accordingly,  and a service provider goes to the location. When  the job has been completed, via mobile phone, a billing representative  relays the fee to SHR034-6, 12-13 he service rep, who presents  a bill to the customer for payment. Billing representatives  can take customers’ credit card payments by phone  or e-mail an invoice for online payment. The Problem Although specialisation does cut costs significantly, Leigh  is worried about customer dissatisfaction. According to  her survey, about 25 percent of customer contactsà ‚  ended in no service call because customers were confused  by the diagnostic questions the order processors  asked and because the order processors did not have  sufficient knowledge or skill to explain the situation.That means fully one in four people who call DrainFlow  to hire a plumber are worse than dissatisfied: they  are not customers at all! The remaining 75 percent of calls that did end in a customer service encounter resulted  in other problems. The most frequent complaints Leigh found in the customer  surveys were about response time and cost, especially  when the wrong person was sent to a job. A  plumber’s assistant cannot complete a more technically  complicated job. The appointment has to be rescheduled,  and the customer’s time and the staff’s time have  been wasted.The resulting delay often caused customers  in these situations to decline further contact  with DrainFlow—many of them decided to go with  Ligh tning Plumber. â€Å"When I arrive at a job I can’t take care of,† says  plumber’s assistant Jim Larson, â€Å"the customer gets  annoyed. They thought they were getting a licensed  plumber, since they were calling for a plumber. Telling  them they have to have someone else come out doesn’t  go over well. †Ã‚   On the other hand, when a plumber responds to a  job easily handled by a plumber’s assistant, the customer  is still charged at the plumber’s higher pay rate.Licensed plumber Luis Berger also does not like being in  the position of giving customers bad news. â€Å"If I get  called out to do something like snake a drain, the customer  isn’t expecting a hefty bill. I’m caught in a difficult situation—I don’t set the rates or make the  appointments, but I’m the one who gets it from the customer. †Ã‚  Plumbers also resent being sent to do such simple  work. Obi Ani i s one of DrainFlow’s order processors. She is frustrated too when the wrong person is sent  to a job but feels she and the other order processors are  doing the best they can. We have a survey we’re supposed  to follow with the calls to find out what the problem  is and who needs to take the job,† she explains. â€Å"The  customers don’t know that we have a standard form, so  they think we can answer all their questions. Most of us  don’t know any more about plumbing than the caller. If  they don’t use the terms on the survey, we don’t understand  what they’re talking about. A plumber would, but  we’re not plumbers; we just take the calls. † Customer service issues also involve the billing representatives. They are the ones who have to keep contacting  customers about payment. It’s not my fault the  wrong guy was sent,† says Elisabeth King. â€Å"If two guys  went out, thatâ €™s two trips. If a plumber did the work, you  pay plumber rates. Some of these customers don’t get  that I didn’t take their first call, and so I get yelled at. †Ã‚  The billing representatives also complain that they see  only the tail end of the process, so they don’t know what  the original call entailed. The job is fairly impersonal,  and much of the work is recording customer complaints. Remember—40 percent of customers are not satisfied,  and it is the billing representatives who take the  brunt of their negative reactions on the phone.As you can probably tell, all employees have to engage  in emotional labour, as described in your textbook,  and many lack the skills or personality traits to complete  the customer interaction component of their jobs. They  are not trained to provide customer service, and they see  their work mostly in technical, or mechanical, terms. Quite a few are actually anxious about speaking directly  with customers. The office staff (order processors and  billing representatives) realise customer service is part  of their job, but they also find dealing with negative  feedback from customers and co-workers stressful.Two years ago, a management consulting  company was hired to survey DrainFlow worker attitudes. The results showed they were less satisfied than  workers in other comparable jobs. The following table  provides a breakdown of respondent satisfaction levels  across a number of categories:  Ã‚  Ã‚   SHR034-6, 12-13 DrainFlow Plumbers DrainFlow Plumber Assistants DrainFlow Office Workers Average Plumber Average Office Worker I am satisfied with the work I am asked to do. 3. 7 2. 5 2. 5 4. 3 3. 5 I am satisfied with my working conditions. 3. 8 2. 4 3. 7 4. 1 4. 2 I am satisfied with my interactions with o-workers. 3. 5 3. 2 2. 7 3. 8 3. 9 I am satisfied with my interactions with my supervisor 2. 5 2. 3 2. 2 3. 5 3. 4 The information about avera ge plumbers and average  office workers is taken from the management consulting  company’s records of other companies. They  are not exactly surprising, given some of the complaints DrainFlow employees have made. Top management is  worried about these results, but they have not been able  to formulate a solution. The traditional DrainFlow culture  has been focused on cost containment, and the  Ã¢â‚¬Å"soft areas† like employee satisfaction has not been a major  issue.The Proposed Solution The company is in trouble, and as revenues shrink and  the cost savings that were supposed to be achieved by  dividing up work fail to materialise, a change seems to  be in order. Leigh is proposing using cash rewards to improve performance  among employees. She thinks if employees  were paid based on work outcomes, they would work harder  to satisfy customers. Because it is not easy to measure  how satisfied people are with the initial call-in, Leigh  wo uld like to give the order processors a small reward  for every 20 calls successfully completed.For the hands-on  work, she would like to have each billing representative  collect information about customer satisfaction for each  completed call. If no complaints are made and the job  is handled promptly, a moderate cash reward would be  given to the plumber or plumber’s assistant. If the customer  indicates real satisfaction with the service, a  larger cash reward would be provided. Leigh also wants to find people who are a better fit with  the company’s new goals. Current hiring procedure relies  on unstructured interviews with each location’s general manager, and little consistency is found in the way  these managers choose employees.Most lack training in  customer service and organisational behaviour. Leigh thinks  it would be better if hiring methods were standardised  across all branches in her region to help managers identify  recruits who can actually succeed in the job. Your Assignment Your task is to prepare a persuasive report for Leigh on the potential  effectiveness of her cash reward and structured interview  programmes. Make certain it is in the form of a  professional business document that you would give  to an experienced manager at this level of a fairly large  corporation.Leigh is very smart when it comes to managing  finances and running a plumbing business, but she  will not necessarily know about the organisational behaviour  principles you are describing. As any new  proposals must be passed through top management,  you should also address their concerns about cost containment. You will need to make a strong evidence-based  financial case that changing the management style will  benefit the company. When you write, make sure you touch on the following  points:  Ã‚   SHR034-6, 12-13 1.Although it is clear employees are not especially satisfied  with their wor k, do you think this is a reason  for concern? Does research suggest satisfied workers  are actually better at their jobs? Are any other behavioural  outcomes associated with job satisfaction? 2. Using job characteristics theory, explain why the  present system of job design may be contributing to  employee dissatisfaction. Describe some ways you  could help employees feel more satisfied with their  work by redesigning their jobs. 3. Leigh has a somewhat vague idea about how to implement  the cash rewards system.Describe some of the  specific ways you would make the reward system  work better, based on the case. 4. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of using  financial incentives in a program of this nature. What, if any, potential problems might arise if people  are given money for achieving customer satisfaction  goals? What other types of incentives might  be considered? 5. Create a specific plan to assess whether the reward  system is working. What are the dependent variables  that should change if the system works? How will  you go about measuring success?

Eharmony Case Study Essay Essays

Eharmony Case Study Essay Essays Eharmony Case Study Essay Paper Eharmony Case Study Essay Paper Question 1:The first general environment that is most relevant to this instance is the demographic section. This section focuses on population size. age construction. geographic distribution. cultural mix. and income distribution. This section is relevant to eHarmony because there chief focal point is to fit their customer’s with possible spouses. They need to take in history the lucifers age. income. ethnicity. and income. In the instance. they discuss how they require clients to reply inquiries about how old they are. where they are from. where they are populating. where they work†¦ etc. They take all this information and lucifer it with another client. The 2nd general environment that is most relevant to this instance is the sociocultural section. This section focuses on the society’s attitude and cultural values. This section is relevant to eHarmony because when they match their customer’s. than they have to take an history what t heir cultural values are and what their attitudes are toward the societal norms. The United States is a runing pot of different civilizations. Some clients are high on civilization and some are non. Demographic section represents an chance for eHarmony because they can spread out their company to other states. The article â€Å"Are You Ignoring Tendencies That Could Shape Up Your Business† made an interesting point that â€Å"ignoring tendencies can give challengers the chance to transform the industry. † If eHarmony does non travel into international markets than they would give Match the advantage of acquiring more clients on their site. eHarmony wants to be on the top. and the lone manner they can make that is by come ining a new market. Sociocultural section represents an chance for eHarmony because clients want to hold spouses that work and have the same cultural values that they have. It is all about being compatible with your spouse. In the article. it talks about how societal tendencies can alter the manner people perceive the universe around them. By demoing clients different lucifers from different states but the same values. can open their eyes to their new life spouse. Question 2:When on-line personal houses entered the market in 1992. they didn’t do good because people thought the desperate usage it. Which caused the on-line personal market to turn really slow. Everything changed in 2005. because people’s mentality changed and found it acceptable to utilize on-line personal site to happen their spouses. Not merely immature people use the site but besides the in-between aged group usage this site. Harmonizing to the article. of the 2. 2 million matrimonies that took topographic point. about 120. 000 of them were because of on-line personals site. It took awhile for the market to accept this new industry to assist people hook up and happen a suited individual to get married. The strengths of the power of providers is that they can increase their monetary values of their merchandises so they can exercise their power over there rivals. Thats what eHarmony is making over their rivals. There are some drivers that drive the bargaining power of providers. which are: ( 1 ) there are few of them. ( 2 ) they purchase a big sum of entire end product from the industry. ( 3 ) merchandises or services they purchase are homogeneous and uniform. ( 4 ) shift costs from one merchandise or service to another are low. and ( 5 ) there is a realistic menace they could backward incorporate into the industry itself. eHarmony does hold service that no other company was able to copy good and be every bit successful as eHarmony. The strength of competition among bing competition is that when a company has a large challenger so they are determined to crush their competition. They would make anything to do certain that their company is on top. The biggest challenger that eHarmony has is Match. eHarmony attempts to give services to their clients that Match can non give. There are some drivers that drive the strength of competition among competition. which are: ( 1 ) there are many rivals of approximately equal size. ( 2 ) the industry has slow or no growing. ( 3 ) issue barriers are high. ( 3 ) existing houses are committed to remaining in the industry. and ( 3 ) there are few bases of competition beyond monetary value. Match and eHarmony are about equal into size and they intend to turn even more. Match is determined to crush eHarmony for the top place in the industry. The two chances that would reshape the industry construction are switching menace of permutation and new bases of competition. Switching menace of permutation is when a replacement becomes more or less baleful because of the progresss in engineering that creates new replacements. New Bases of competition is when amalgamations and acquisitions introduce new ways of viing. or engineering invention can reshape competition. Question 3: eHarmony competitory advantage is that it uses a scientific developed questionnaire based on Dr. Warren’s 29 dimensions. Another advantage is that they are the first online personals site centered around matrimony minded persons. The last advantage is that they are sole on who they allow to utilize the site. The competitory advantage is sustainable because they satisfy the four standards in prolonging competitory advantage. The first standard is valuable capablenesss and they satisfy this standard because the laminitis created this extended questionnaire that he uses to find which individual they are compatible with. The 2nd standards is rare capablenesss and they satisfy this standard because the laminitis has a PhD in psychological science and he did is pattern in matrimony and love. He was the 1 who created the questionnaire and he was the 1 who created the algorithm on how to fit the clients together. No other company was able to copy that. The 3rd standards is dearly-won to copy and they satisfy this standard because no other company was able to make the algorithm that the laminitis was able to make to fit their clients together. The last standard is non substitutable and they met this standard because there is nil that substitutes it. Question 4: I believe that eHarmony should take the last option. which is the rapid geographic enlargement. They should take this option because they want to crush their competition and acquire more clients. They have already got their topographic point in the US market. now its clip to spread out the concern and go planetary. In the instance. it says that in European Union states. online dating is really popular. eHarmony does non recognize that besides the US. there are other states where online dating is popular. The downside of spread outing is that they are non certain how these other states might respond with on-line dating. The states would either accept them or worsen them. They would free a batch of money. Another downside is that they are non certain if their questionnaire and there algorithm would work in other states. They would necessitate to believe about the societal and cultural norms of each state. I did non take the 3rd option. which was that eHarmony wanted to make sites that focused on cardinal life phases such as nuptials. pregnancy- birthrate attention. and elder attention. I feel that eHarmony is known for the lucifer doing topographic point and non known for making life phases. I feel that they should foremost get the hang one side of the company before they start leaping into new industries. Question 5: eHarmony has an effectual strategic leading because Greg Waldrof. the CEO has all the qualities of a degree 5 executive. Mr. Waldroff wanted to do certain that his company is the top company in the lucifer devising industry. He created a questionnaire and a expression on how to construe the consequences. He made certain his staff understood it and used it right. The 2nd ground why eHarmony has an effectual strategic leading is because the leaders of the house made certain that the organisation civilization was kept in tact. Their civilization was to make good lucifers for their clients. The leaders made certain everyone understood that. The last ground why eHarmony has an effectual strategic leading is because of their ethical patterns. In eHarmony. they screen their clients before they can make a profile and purchase the bundles. They don’t allow married clients on the site because they want their clients to experience that the people on this site are looking for matrimony.

Being True To Oneself In The Scarlet Letter essays

Being True To Oneself In The Scarlet Letter essays Being True To Oneself In The Scarlet Letter The Scarlet Letter, a novel that takes place in a New England colony, depicts a lady named Hester Prynne who is being punished for committing adultery by wearing a scarlet A on her chest. Hester and her daughter, Pearl, live with disgrace and mocking from the colonists. Reverend Dimmesdale, Pearls father, is also being tortured by his deceptive friend, Doctor Roger Chillingworth, who is Hesters husband. There are many instances of characters not being their true selves. Not being true to ones self causes unhappy consequences. Reverend Dimmesdale suffers for not being his true self. The governor chooses Reverend Dimmesdale to be the judge of Hester. This shows that the people think he is righteous enough to judge her, even though he is just as guilty. Hester takes the blame, but Dimmesdale does not because he is a coward. Reverend Dimmesdale stops being true to himself, and puts on a facade for the colonists so he will not ruin his reputation or lose his job. The only person that Reverend Dimmesdale can show his true self to is Hester. In the darkness of the forest or in the shadows of the night he can be his true self. In the light and brightness of the day he acts as the beloved, respected reverend. He hides his secret for so long that he goes crazy and starts to punish and torture himself. He even carves an A into his chest. He is very unhappy because he knows living a lie is wrong. When he finally reveals himself he dies of shame. Mr. Chillingworth gives up his happiness by hiding his true self. It starts when he decides to not let anyone know that he is Hesters husband. He lives a lie, which makes him unhappy. Chillingworth has to keep this secret and also make sure Hester keeps it a secret. Mr. Chillingworth devotes his life to getting revenge on Reverend Dimmesdale. Chillingworth ...

Banduras social learning theory Essay Example for Free

Banduras social learning theory Essay Learning theory (33) , Social learning theory (19) , Control theory (12) company About StudyMoose Contact Careers Help Center Donate a Paper Legal Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Complaints Our study is based on the theory of operant conditioning and Bandura’s social learning theory. Operant conditioning states that learning happens through association, and we believe that car advertises are trying to make their target population associate buying their car with a desired characteristic/traits/lifestyles e.g. having a lot of female attention. Skinner described the ABC model of operant conditioning, which includes an antecedent, behaviour and a consequence. Bandura for his theory stated that learning can only occur if the four criteria (attention, retention, reproduction and motivation) were met. From looking at YouTube adverts we found that smaller cars had a tendency to have more feminine themes whereas larger cars tended to have more masculine themes.  Aim  To whether there is a difference between gender and the size of cars they drive.  Alternative Hypothesis:  Males will have a higher tendency to drive large cars while females will have a higher tendency to drive smaller cars  Null Hypothesis:  There will be no difference in gender and the size of the car they drive, and any difference will be due to chance. METHOD:  Design:  This is an independent group design and a quasi experiment as each participant can only be in either the male or the female category. We will gather our data by tallying, as our study will only include nominal data. This is useful as tallying is easy to analyse and draw up conclusions from. We are only looking at the gender of the driver and the type/size of their cars, so our data is quantitative. This is a non-participant naturalistic overt observation. Seeing as our results are nominal, this is an independent group design and the hypothesis predicts a difference. We will try our best to operationalise our variables by tallying the cars for the same period of time and by collecting data in different locations throughout Maidstone. Our IV will be the gender and how dependent variable (DV) will be the size of the cars. To make it easier to see the driver or the car, we will be collecting our data by a set of traffic lights, and tallying in the correct sections.  Participants  All of our participants will be over 17, as this is the legal minimum driving age. We will be using opportunity sampling as only those driving at the time of the study will take part in the study. Apparatus  Pen, paper and clipboard   Procedure  1. A table was draw up to collect results in (a copy can be found in appendix)  2. Researchers decided time and place of when they will be getting results  3. Researches went to location, stood by the nearest traffic light and collect results  4. Next lesson, the results were pooled  5. Adjustments were made  6. Carried out inertial test using chi-squared test  Control:  Pilot study was not to include family and sports cars as they are marketed differently and tend to be gender neutral. We increased our ecological validity by carrying out the experiment in different places in Maidstone. We followed most of the ethical guidelines by: ensuring that no participants were harmed physically or psychology and that the results were anonymous. Participants were not given fully-informed consent and were not debriefed as this would be too time consuming, but if a participant was to ask about our study they would have been told the true aim of the study and having their results omitted if they want to.We will accept our null hypothesis and reject our alternative hypothesis because our observed value (1.34) of chi-squared is lower than the critical value(3.841) and this means our results aren’t significant. Therefore the probability of our results being due to chance equal p

Four forces of evolution Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Four forces of evolution - Assignment Example This genetic drift resulted in biological variation between species that had to survive. It was as a result of this drift that isolation of species took place; some species moved to new areas where they interbreed allowing the introduction of new alleles to the population. The introduction of new alleles from the nearby populations resulted in new genetic variation in the populations. Survival of the new populations however required the populations to adapt to their environment. This was made possible by the natural selection force; the force assisted the new formed populations to make beneficial adjustments to their environment, and as a result enhanced their survival. In tandem with this assertion, natural selection shaped genetic variation at the population level favoring some individuals over others. The changes in the genetic structure of the population then resulted in speciation (Haviland, McBride, Prins and Walrath 44). Due to variation in environmental conditions, the geneti c codes of the formed species started changing resulting in new variations. The random mutation of the species’ genetic codes led to genetic variation that resulted in the emergence of new populations. In connection with this, it is evident â€Å"mutation was the ultimate source of evolutionary change, responsible for the constant introduction of new genetic variations† (Haviland, McBride, Prins and Walrath 42). In conclusion, evolution process was enhanced by four forces; natural selection, mutation, gene drift, and gene flow. However, the complexity of human beings is as a result of the mutation process that takes place

High Turnover concerns Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

High Turnover concerns - Essay Example ve due to the fact that the customers are not willing to pay more money to for the guards and the company has to make a profit from each of them if it was to stay in business. High staff turnover is also another issue that may need to be addressed. Like most other guard companies, Omega Security Services is faced with high rates of staff turnover and this makes it more difficult for the firm to be able to provide good services. There are certain factors that have led to the high rate of staff turnover in Omega Security Services. To begin with is the problem of the fact that the jobs are low-paying and there are better paying jobs in the government is an issue. Most of the officers are likely to be looking for better pay elsewhere in the government or even in other private security firms. With regard to Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, more issues then come up such as the issue of the highs risk environment in that the guards have to work in a hospital where the issue of likely infection is a challenge. Insufficient training is also another issue that has increased high rates of staff turnover. There is also the problem of miscommunication between the staff (guards) and the management and this means that the Gerard’s dint feel that their issues are being taken care of. In a nutshell, overall job dissatisfaction is major cause of the high rates of staff turnover. As Lyma (1974) points out, the first short term cost that is imposed on the firm due to high rate of staff turnover is the selection and recruitment cost. Recruiting even for such low level jobs is always a hard task and it costs the firm not only money but also time (Jeanne & Pau, 1987). Every time there is an officer who needs to be replaced, this means that the firm will incur cost and this is not acceptable. There is also the issue of training cost increasing every time there is a new officer who needs to be trained. Although these officers who are recruited are already trained to be security

Reflective journal on management skills Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Reflective journal on management skills - Article Example fortunately the lead counselor personally requested that I hand the report directly to her instead of to the office manager and she was very disappointed when she read it. She conducted her own investigations and discovered that the entire report was my own work alone and that I had not involved the other staff in the creation of it. I felt so ashamed of my work that I avoided her for the next week. I was the topic of discussion in the office with all the other staff members talking about me and the report. The lead counselor forced me to repeat the entire project and report to her each day. I was also to bring her the recommendations of every person I interviewed and she would go and confirm these recommendations personally. I learnt a lesson that next time I would be given an opportunity like that, I would do my best. I will adhere strictly to what I need to do and make sure that I follow the instructions precisely. I am sure that if I follow the instructions to the letter, I will perform better. This is because whatever result I will produce will be compliant with the instructions and I will avoid a situation where I bring reports that are from my imagination. I ought to cultivate a sense of responsibility, which will help me respect my work. I have to respect my work and see it as an important responsibility that I must complete well. This will help me be an organized and responsible individual and will transform me into an asset for whatever organization I work with. This lesson ought to help me adapt and become a proper professional for my own good and the good of my professional

Contract Law. Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Contract Law. Case study - Essay Example A court of law usually enforces the contract as long the offeree proves that he posted the letter. A relevant case studied is that of:- For the case of Bella, the letter he posted on 25th September 2006, but arrived on 30th September 2006, the contract to purchase the text book became binding immediately he sent the letter of acceptance. It does not matter that the letter was delayed by the post office. On the issue that since the recommended textbook for the course has changed, and Bella does not wish to buy the textbook, this would not apply. Acceptance one made, it cannot be revoked. The moment Bella expressed his acceptance of an offer, that very moment the contract is concluded, and it does not matter whether the acceptance is by word of mouth or even by writing. Another relevant case studied is that of:- G, applied for the purchase of shares in the plaintiff's company. The offer was accepted promptly, and the company secretary made out a letter of allotment in favour of the defendant. It was held that the contract was complete on posting, and the defendant was liable for the shares. On On the case of Chu who accepted Arun's offer by telephone, his contract became complete when the acceptance was heard by Arun on 30th September 2006. According to the law of contract, there is an exception to the communication of acceptance. A contact is complete only when acceptance is actually communicated to the offeror. But a contract made by telephone is complete only when the acceptance is heard by the offeror. For this case, Chu should not revoke the acceptance on the basis that the book will not be useful since it is not recommended text book in his course. An acceptance once made, it cannot be revoked. On the case of Dilma, who accepted the offer by email sent on 27th September 2006 but read by Arun on 28th September 2006, the contract became binding immediately the email of

Marketing Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

Marketing Research - Essay Example This research method is flexible can easily adapt to the research settings (Newman, 1998, p.56). The aim of qualitative research is to get a clear understanding on how the participant’s develop an understanding of their surroundings, and how this understanding affects the participant’s behavior. The main method of collecting data in qualitative research is the use of observations (Goertz and Mahoney 2012, 78). Observation implies the collection and recording of the behaviors of the participants in their environment. This approach is useful in the generation of in-depth explanation of events or organizations; it is also practical in obtaining information that is not accessible and conducting research where other research methods are insufficient. The benefit of employing observation is that it reduces distortion between what is observed and the observer and can be produced by instruments such as questionnaires (Gray, 2007, p.126). The main features of qualitative researc h include the fact that they focus on natural settings and have a primary interest in real life situations. This method seeks to find out the meanings participants attach to behavior, their interpretations, and their perspectives on situations. Qualitative research also looks into the process involved and seeks to understand how things happen and how they develop. Additionally qualitative research follows an inductive analysis and seeks to generate a theory on an issue from the data (Martin, 2012, p.16). The advantages associated with using this method include the production of more detailed and comprehensive information. This method also seeks an extensive understanding of the situation by the use of subjective information and employs the observations of the participants in describing the situation (Singh, 2007, p.84). However, the disadvantages of using this method include complications in establishing reliability and validity of the methods and data due to the subjectivity of inq uiry. Researcher induced bias is also another challenge to the approach as it is difficult to either detect or prevent them. Furthermore, the scope of this process is restricted by the detailed and comprehensive approaches to data collection Punch 2005, 211. Quantitative research This research technique follows an objective, formal and systematic process in obtaining quantifiable information about a situation. The presentation of data on this technique uses a numerical form and employs statistics in analysis (MacDaniel,1998, p. 45). Quantitative research aims at providing descriptions and testing relationships. This technique also examines the cause and the effect of a relationship. The aim of the quantitative research aim is to elaborate how the independent variables relate to the dependent variables in a given situation. These research designs are either descriptive or experimental where the subjects are either measured once or before and after treatment. A descriptive approach es tablishes the associations between variables whereas an experimental approach establishes causality (Martin 2012, 16). Quantitative research methods take two approaches, which are experiments and surveys. In this, context experiments comprise real experiments with the unselective assignment of participants or subjects to research conditions and quasi experiments, which use designs that are nonrandomized (Vogt 2007, 120.)

Does money buy votes in congress outline the relationship between Research Paper

Does money buy votes in congress outline the relationship between campaign contributions and voting in congress - Research Paper Example Special interest contributions can flow to politicians who intrinsically value the same policy outcomes, but the contributions may have insignificant political behaviour once a politician is elected in office. One cornerstone of the argument presented in the various studies is the notion that campaign contributions are essentially concerned with affecting election outcomes and that donations are for the most part not meant to buy votes. However, donations are used by various groups in trying to influence ideological positions closer to congress regarding the ideal perception for the interest group (Bronars & Lott, 1995). According to Wawro (2001), efforts to reform campaign finance laws result from the belief that campaign contributions have pernicious effect on politician behaviour with a recent survey showing that 53% of individual believed campaign contributions influence policies of elected officials. ... Therefore, PAC (Political Action Committees) contribute to members of the congress in a way likely for the politicians to vote the way PACs favour even without contributions. PAC donation to friendly members may be construed as cause for the members to vote in a certain way when in fact the member would have voted the same way without the donation. The extensive research on the issues has not produced consistent results that indicate that campaign contributions influence congress members’ voting behaviour (Wawro, 2001). Despite the common knowledge that campaign contributions of interest groups have far less influence that commonly thought; systematic examination of literature reveals various studies that establish connection between monetary donations and votes. Findings from various studies indicate several significant qualifications to the common knowledge that monetary donations do in fact sway how elected representatives vote. The findings are however subject to variation s in model specification because there is less significant link in certain research model specifications such results are nevertheless common in better models. Clearly, monetary donations are linked with voting that favour the donor’s interests; nevertheless, any attempt to conclude autonomous sway on legislators has to fully account for the complexities of the relationships involved. That of great importance is the propensity for PACs to give money to affiliates who are disposed to favour their position; for instance, liberal groups back their own associates who come from liberal constituencies resulting in them voting generously while the opposite applies to conservatives (Roscoe & Jenkins, 2005; US Congress votes on trade, 2011). The pattern suggest that it is the

Marketing Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 2

Marketing Research - Essay Example This research method is flexible can easily adapt to the research settings (Newman, 1998, p.56). The aim of qualitative research is to get a clear understanding on how the participant’s develop an understanding of their surroundings, and how this understanding affects the participant’s behavior. The main method of collecting data in qualitative research is the use of observations (Goertz and Mahoney 2012, 78). Observation implies the collection and recording of the behaviors of the participants in their environment. This approach is useful in the generation of in-depth explanation of events or organizations; it is also practical in obtaining information that is not accessible and conducting research where other research methods are insufficient. The benefit of employing observation is that it reduces distortion between what is observed and the observer and can be produced by instruments such as questionnaires (Gray, 2007, p.126). The main features of qualitative researc h include the fact that they focus on natural settings and have a primary interest in real life situations. This method seeks to find out the meanings participants attach to behavior, their interpretations, and their perspectives on situations. Qualitative research also looks into the process involved and seeks to understand how things happen and how they develop. Additionally qualitative research follows an inductive analysis and seeks to generate a theory on an issue from the data (Martin, 2012, p.16). The advantages associated with using this method include the production of more detailed and comprehensive information. This method also seeks an extensive understanding of the situation by the use of subjective information and employs the observations of the participants in describing the situation (Singh, 2007, p.84). However, the disadvantages of using this method include complications in establishing reliability and validity of the methods and data due to the subjectivity of inq uiry. Researcher induced bias is also another challenge to the approach as it is difficult to either detect or prevent them. Furthermore, the scope of this process is restricted by the detailed and comprehensive approaches to data collection Punch 2005, 211. Quantitative research This research technique follows an objective, formal and systematic process in obtaining quantifiable information about a situation. The presentation of data on this technique uses a numerical form and employs statistics in analysis (MacDaniel,1998, p. 45). Quantitative research aims at providing descriptions and testing relationships. This technique also examines the cause and the effect of a relationship. The aim of the quantitative research aim is to elaborate how the independent variables relate to the dependent variables in a given situation. These research designs are either descriptive or experimental where the subjects are either measured once or before and after treatment. A descriptive approach es tablishes the associations between variables whereas an experimental approach establishes causality (Martin 2012, 16). Quantitative research methods take two approaches, which are experiments and surveys. In this, context experiments comprise real experiments with the unselective assignment of participants or subjects to research conditions and quasi experiments, which use designs that are nonrandomized (Vogt 2007, 120.)

The Great Depression Essay Example for Free

The Great Depression Essay A time of great hardship came to the people of Australia from 1929 to 1932. This time was known as the Great Depression were the economy of the state drops. Australia is not the only nation affected and many other nations as well. However, Australia is said to have been one of the most affect and hardest-hit country due to its high dependence on exports. â€Å"Australia’s dependence o n the world market left her extraordinarily vulnerable to world market fluctuations† (Spenceley, p. 14). Since the Great Depression was a time of crisis not only for Australia but for the whole world, Australia was affected greater than other nations. As a result, more and more people loss their jobs. By that time, even the women and youth tried to find ways to earn money. It was a time of hardship, hunger and conflict. Even before the time of the Great depression unemployment rate in Australia is high reaching around 10%. At the time the stock market crash at Wall Street in October 1929, the unemployment rate rocketed reaching 20%. The unemployment rate reaches its peak in the year 1932 were 32% Australians were jobless (culture.gov.au, n.d.). It is said that the fall on export prices, sales, overseas loans and residential construction lead to the Great Depression. Still, economist is debating on the ultimate cause that triggered the event. The Great Depression created a devastating effect on the Australian economy. This also led to many illegal or rather unusual ways of making money including gambling and prostitution. Even the minors, man or woman take part in making money. Mostly young men were involved in small gambling and young women in amateur prostitution. Education was also greatly affected since most children were forced to leave school at the age of thirteen or fourteen. The time of the Great Depression was hard particularly for working women since they are required to do the house chores with their exhausted body. Job was easier that time for young workers but it was short lived, until they reach the age of sixteen to twenty one. During those times, the abilities of the government were questioned by many Australian citizens and many organizations gained popularity through their acts showing their dissatisfaction to the government. In order to bring new investment, the country relied heavily on borrowing money from different countries and the monetary policy of the country was controlled by privately owned banks. The government also had to sell off gold reserves whenever the banks refuse to extend the overdrafts of the country. Still, unemployment continued to increase as the government instituted employment projects. Until now, many factors that triggered the Great Depression that is present. Thus, those hard times are not just in vain since we, the new generation, were able to learn from the past and incorporate the steps that our forefathers used during those hard times. Today, in cases of crisis and unemployment due to the fall of company’s we go back to the basic goal for working, just as in the time of the Great Depression, to provide food and necessities for our family. Reference   Spenceley, G.   (1981). The Depression Decade. Thomas Nelson, Australia. The Great Depression (n.d). Available online from culture.gov.au

Compare and contrast the theories

Compare and contrast the theories Part I 1. Compare and contrast the theories and basic treatment models of Albert Ellis and Aaron T. Beck. Include a discussion of the structure, theoretical/philosophical positions, therapist activity, demands on the client, and empirical support. Albert Elliss basic treatment model is rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). The theoretical basis of Elliss model is that individuals routinely cope with life issues by reconstructing their beliefs, affect, and behaviors in adaptation to the problem (Ellis, 2000). While this psychological process seems like a positive way to adapt in regards to an issue, many individuals inevitably construct poor beliefs and behave in a repetitive and maladaptive manner. Meaning, that not only does the problem still exist in one way or another, but that the behavior, or more specifically the schematic agenda, created by this poor cognitive process only adds to a schema that is poorly built. In this regard, the future result of the next problem will be dealt with poorly all over again due to a lack of introspection of the past consequences or possibly simply due to a lack of individual skills. Additionally, REBT considers that most individuals bring about problems for themselves by creating personal imperatives (Ellis, 2000). These personal imperatives involve internal statements that include: I will perform well to gain others approval, my life should be trouble-free and enjoyable, and everyone should treat me well (Ellis, 2005). In this manner, when these expectations (demands) are not met, individuals create their own affective misery. In response to this, therapists using REBT are expected to use a more directive manner than when using a psychodynamic approach, for example. Clients are shown how to acknowledge and then dispute within themselves their irrational beliefs. In addition, therapists not only give the clients unconditional acceptance, but the therapist must gives themself Unconditional Self-Acceptance (aka USA) (Ellis, 2005). Becks Cognitive therapy rests on the principle of collaborative empiricism (Hollon Beck, 2000). Cognitive therapy theorizes that clients have automatic thoughts and that these thoughts are incorrect beliefs, therefore, they create maladaptive behaviors (Wenzel, Brown, Beck, 2009). A cognitive therapist would teach their clients how to think more like a scientist by showing them that their beliefs are not necessarily facts. Meaning, client would collect data from their issues, their behaviors, and their consequences, and pseudo-empirically test their possibly irrational beliefs. Within this process, the hope is that the automatic thoughts will be addressed and corrected. Though, Becks Cog ­nitive therapy is somewhat different than Elliss Rational Emotive-Behavior Ther ­apy (REBT). While they both have their basis in the processes of cognition and how those thoughts motivate behavior, one could argue that REBT uses the influence of logic reasoning to change the clients schema (Hollon Beck, 2000). Also, Becks Cog ­nitive therapy differs from REBT because there is an emphasis in the testing of beliefs in-vivo from an empirical point of view. In either type of cognitive-based therapy, there are a large degree of empirical data that supports how effective CBT is. In fact, there are studies that suggest CBT is more effective than medication for depression (McGinn, 2000). 2. The First Wave was behavior therapy. The Second Wave was Cognitive and cognitive-behavioral therapy. The Third Wave includes the works of Hayes and Linehan. Is the Third Wave a wave, a tsunami, or just a gentle lapping at the shore? How are these waves different? The first wave, Behavior therapy, is based upon the theories of classical conditioning and operant conditioning developed by B.F. Skinner and Ivan Pavlov. Behavior-based therapy considers the behaviors antecedent and reaction, then viewing how the consequence is processed to influence the occurrence and the repetition of the same behavior (Skinner, 1969). The second wave involves the addition of the cognitive model. This model is based on how interpretations or misinterpretations are created and how they eventually relate to the individuals affective experiences and the behavior that is manifested. (Wenzel, Brown, Beck, 2009). The combination of behavioral and cognitive aspects in this wave is the use of reinforcers that are directly related to personal experiences. Meaning, that the exposure of thoughts, reinforcers, and behaviors to the client will help in the realization of negative thought patterns in relation to their situation. Thus, in the true essence of CBT, they will be ab le to scrutinize themselves, the world, and the future. The hope is that the client will work, with the therapist, towards beneficial life changes. The third wave is its own wave. This wave of Cognitive therapy was developed as a consequence of the restructuring process of the second wave of Cognitive Therapy. As described by Linehan Dimeff (2001), Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT) was created due to the failures of standard Cognitive and/or Behavioral therapy. It is suggested that too much emphasis was put on change the of individual which resulted in an invalidation of the client; an invalidation of the ability of the client to succeed when they have, in their perception, failed so much already. Therefore, a large conceptual part of DBT is skills training of emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, mindfulness, and distress tolerance (Linehan Dimeff, 2001, p. 1). DBT purposefully takes into account not only the change that needs to occur cognitively, but also the in the moment affect of the client. Concurrently with DBT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) was created by Steven Hayes as a psychological intervention that also uses mindfulness but has a spotlight on personal acceptance (Hayes, 2009). Hayes coins a term called psychological flexibility, in where an individual is able to fully connect to themselves in spite of the changing situations and personal mood. With this flexibility in mind, the third wave CBT and the mindfulness concept differs from traditional second wave CBT due to highly dynamic approach that is expected from the therapist towards the client. Maybe too simply put, 2nd wave CBT focuses highly on »Ã‚ ¿ cognition while DBT focuses more on behavior and skills (or lack of). Therefore, the central aspect of the new third wave CBT is helping clients review and accept their thoughts in order to alter the maladaptive automatic reactions they have been using to cope. CBT is not just how your cognitions effect your behavior, but an attempt to understand the complex interconnection of schemas that produce reactions in all areas of functioning including: affect, physiology, and behavior (Claessens, 2010). 3. From your reading and research what would be the main points of agreement and difference between: 1) CBT, 2) psychodynamic therapy, and 3) family systems therapy. While psychodynamic therapy and family systems therapy agree that human development is largely determined by significant interpersonal relationships, and that this understanding is crucial to treatment, CBT places greater emphasis on the individual. The main focus of CBT is placed only on the person in therapy, their schemas, automatic thoughts, and cognitive distortions (Freeman Eig, n.d.). Conversely, psychodynamic theory revolves around feelings and behavior being determined by interactions with others. Transference plays a key role in understanding present patterns of behavior which originated in previous attachment-based relationships (Leichsenring, Hiller, Weissberg, Leibing, 2006). Psychodynamic psychotherapy aims to identify problematic relationships from the past and to provide the client with a safe, therapeutic relationship, as well as helping them build additional positive relationships. While family systems therapy also works within the context of attachment-based rela tionships, the focus is on the relational dynamics taking place in the moment. Family and couples therapists work with all affected people, together and separately, in order to address intrapersonal and interpersonal dysfunction (Liddle, 2010). CBT and psychodynamic therapy both address the clients core beliefs, though how these beliefs were formed is not necessarily crucial to CBT based treatment. Family systems puts the focus on developing positive interactions between family members. Meanwhile, relationships in family systems therapy are already established and occurring in the present (Liddle, 2010). Psychodynamic therapy focuses on harmful relationships of the past and understanding them, but not always focusing on building positive relationships in the future. While both the CBT and Psychodynamic approach attempt to diminish psychopathological symptoms and grief, a very central difference between CBT and psychodynamic therapy is that psychodynamic therapy attempts to determine at why you feel or behave the way you do. Specifically, psychodynamic therapy concentrates on trying to uncover the deep and often unconscious motivations for feelings and behavior whereas CBT does not necessarily consider this a priority you cant see whats ahead of you when youre looking over your shoulder (Freeman, 1993, 2011). In practice, CBT attempts to lessen the clients suffering as quickly as possible training their mind to replace maladaptive thought patterns, perceptions, and conduct with helpful ones in order to modify behavior and affect. Part II 1. How is structure used in CBT? What is the purpose of structuring the sessions? What techniques would be used to achieve the structure for the therapy and for the sessions? Structure in therapy can have several meanings. Structure could mean the format of the therapy as a whole, whether it would be very brief, short-term, or long-term. Structure could mean the environment of where therapy takes place, such as in a hospital or in a private office. However, the most relevant and crucial meaning of structure within CBT is the structure of the session. 45-50 minutes a week is not a great length of time, so the structure of CBT in practice should be designed to be as efficient as possible. Each session should be a meaningful exchange between therapist and client. The therapists and clients collaborative goals should always be center stage, but the set agenda needs to take precedence. As Freeman, Pretzer, Fleming, Simon (1990) notes, spending a few minutes each session is an asset to the therapeutic milieu and is possibly the most valuable technique in creating a environment of progression instead of digression. A typical structure of a session as described by Freeman, Pretzer, Fleming, Simon (1990) involves: agenda setting, a review of clients current status, consideration of events of the past week, requesting feedback regarding previous session, review any homework from the previous session, a focus on main agenda issues, develop any new homework, and once again looking for feedback regarding current session (p.17). Taking into consideration how the client and therapist envision the sessions while creating a agenda allows redirection of the client when the discussion goes off the expect path, but also reduces the likelihood that the client will feel pushed around or invalidated (Freeman, Pretzer, Fleming, Simon, 1990). Additionally, a client who is defensive, aggressive, or always in crisis may make the progression of the weekly session unstable when a joint program is not set (Persons, Davidson, Tompkins 2001). Therefore, the collaboration between client and therapist when setting the main agenda is essential. If this teamwork does not occur, in where the therapist decides completely the topic of the session, the client may not effectively grasp the meaningfulness of the session due to a lack of motivation because they do not feel involved. Additionally, a lack of review of the agenda with the client may also put the inexperienced therapist unsure of where to go next in the session (Persons, Davidson, Tompkins 2001). The termination of a session should not be an unexpected and sudden event for the client. A therapist must bring some sort of closure in relation to goals of the session while allowing sufficient time to address the ending of therapy and any issues the client still has. (Joyce, Piper, Ogrodniczuk, Klein (2007). Therefore, even with an opportunity for feedback about the previous session toward the beginning of a session, there should be a set time for feedback about the curren t session at the end of the therapy. In both instances, this time allows for a discussion of problems that may have occurred, such as errors in communication, misunderstandings, or general feedback from the client (Freeman, Pretzer, Fleming, Simon, 1990). 4. How is Narcissistic Personality Disorder defined, assessed, conceptualized, and treated? How does a therapist deal with this resistant patient? Narcissistic Personality Disorder is defined by cognitive processes that involve selective attention of the meaning of events and dichotomous thinking (Freeman, n.d.). This dysfunctional internal thought arrangement is due to the postulation that the individual considers themselves as special, or just better than others. However, from a psychodynamic perspective, the definition of the disorder changes a bit. Ledermann (1982), describes the disorder as something of an opposite of an individual who considers themselves as special or has a proclivity to engage in self-worship, it is the inability to love oneself and hence the inability to love another personThey are fixated on an early defense structure which springs into being in infancy-when, for whatever reasons, there is a catastrophically bad fit between the baby and the mother, frequently compounded by the lack of an adequate father and by other inimical experiences in childhood. Babies, thus deprived, grow into persons who lack t rust in other peopleThey experience their lives as futile and empty, and their feelings as being frozen or split off (p.303). This psychodynamic perspective is a bit extremist and obviously over-analyzed. To say that the narcissistic individual is unable to love is akin to calling an individual with low self esteem a sociopath. On second thought, it has been noted that a narcissistic individuals is very similar to a sociopath due to a lack of empathy for others and no desire to do what is right (Freeman, Pretzer, Fleming, Simon, 1990). Regardless, one could argue that the narcissistic individual really does suffer from low esteem. That maybe they are grasping at the straws of the world looking for someone to approve of them. The more likely reality is that on a day by day, second to second process, the narcissistic individual is looking for aspects of their lives and environment that feed or fit into their own schema of how great they are. This could also entail an ignoring of any evidence that goes contrary to their belief structure. Therefore, the treatment and the goal of therapy for the narcissistic individual is not to necessarily expose the cognitive flaws and the interpersonal manipulations that have occurred. Doing so would go against the foundation of the narcissistic individuals schematic structure and probably prematurely end therapy (Freeman, Pretzer, Fleming, Simon, 1990). First, a realization of the difficulty that lies ahead must occur for the client and the therapist. There must be a observed equalization of power between the therapeutic alliance because preventing a power struggle is generally the first step that must be taken. Freeman, Pretzer, Fleming, Simon, (1990) allude to the idea that homework assignments may not be the best approach with these individuals due to the likelihood of noncompliance because of the patients belief that they are special. Instead the therapist must present the therapy to the client as something of great value to them instead of a type of humiliation (Freeman, n.d .). A resistant patient such as this is not only opposing to feedback or questioning, they see it as a fundamental aggressive criticism that attacks their very existence. Due to their innate response to invalidate a therapists statement or view, a therapist must be dynamic and hold an absolute positive regard towards the individual and appear to appreciate deeply what is stated by the client.

Market Opportunity Analysis :: essays research papers fc

Market Opportunity Analysis Ruonan Tan 0423688 Introduction In our modern society , lots of companies are surrounded by the numerous competition and dealt with many questions , for example , are your products consistent with your customers’ current and future needs? Do you have a flow of new products to meet the information needs of your market? Are the products you’re developing strategically significant? The answer is unkown , because the market opportunity analysis for every product is playing an important role in company ‘s philosophy . Jerry Y. Wind has argued that â€Å"Market opportunity analysis is key to the survival and growth of any firm including national and international companies , particularly in the competitive marketplace.† ( The Lauder Professor and professor of Marketing, The Wharton School, Trustee, The Philadelphia Museum of Art) . The ever-accelerated updating of economic and commercial brings about a great number of changes and challenges in modern society , especially in the expansion of marketplace and influence of market opportunity research and analysis for different firms . It seems that market opportunity is playing significant role .Recently Hi-Micro company was established and have identified that the on-going globalization of the world economy, its strategic location, and the existing market structure provide them with a potential opportunity to develop as an international high-tech computer market leader. In recognition of the risks involved, Hi-micro test the market of Innovators and Mercedes to examine the basis for the opportunity, assess how these two products measure up against competing other companies , such as Wellbox and KnLs , determine potential market niches, and develop a strategic marketing plan. This current report, the Hi-Micro Market Opportunity Analysis, represents the process of m arketing through the analyses of the following sections mainly for Hi-micro that are closely related to market opportunity analysis . The business environment and the forces What is an on demand Operating Environment? It is defined as â€Å" a set of integration and infrastructure management capabilities that customers and partners can utilize, in a modular and incremental fashion, to enable the transformation to e-business on demand. It is not: a single product, nor a brand, nor a platform, nor an architecture†. The design of an on demand operating environment must match the design of the business itself. In order for more and more flexibility and componentization to be achieved in the business design, the infrastructure must evolve from silos of complex, over-provisioned, proprietary hardware and software – to a standards-based infrastructure where capacity can be optimized across the entire organization.