Describe and evaluate its role in understanding the psychology of Essay

Describe and evaluate its role in understanding the psychology of adult learning of Personality - Essay Example a greater understanding of the psychology of learning and development, as applied to educational contexts. Adult education promotes the development of adults in a variety of domains--cognitive and intellectual, social and emotional. Psychology has an important role in the field of adult education. The word Psychology originated from the two Greek words ‘psyche’ and ‘logos’ which means soul and science respectively. Psychology was the study of soul earlier. Then it was modified as study of mind and now it is the study of behavioral changes. According to the modern psychologists, behavior includes all those activities of an individual which can be observed by any person with or without the aid of an instrument. Psychology has several branches of study. General psychology, abnormal psychology, Industrial psychology, Development psychology, Child psychology, Adult psychology, Clinical psychology, Educational psychology are some of them. It is interesting to note that adult educators have, traditionally, been interested in understanding the different â€Å"styles† or modes of learning that adults demonstrate much more so than they have been in understanding or assessing cognitive and intellectual abilities. This has taken place despite the fact that the psychological research fails to find compelling evidence for quantitative as opposed to qualitative differences in these learning styles. There is no evidence to support some adult educators’ claims that instruction which is designed to capitalize upon an individual’s preferred manner of learning. Still, as adult educators have often pointed out, psychologists have generally been more concerned with understanding the â€Å"average† or â€Å"typical† performance of a group of learners rather than focusing on the phenomenological experience of the individual learner. And, historically, psychologists have

Critically discussed the ethical, legal, and social issues arising Essay

Critically discussed the ethical, legal, and social issues arising from the use of assistef reproductive technologies - Essay Example ough fertile couples can also undergo the processes due to genetic, sex selection or health considerations such as risk of infecting the child with AIDS. Methods used in ART include Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), which involves engaging a males sperm into a womans uterus via a tube. In Vitro Fertilization is another process in ART where sperm and eggs from the couple are taken and incubated to form an embryo with steps such as stimulation of egg maturation, egg recovery, fertilization and embryo transfer with assistance from a physician. There is also the third party assisted ART such as the use of a sperm donor, egg Donor, surrogates and gestational carriers. Even as these methods have been effective in enabling many couples achieve the dream of being parents, there have been debate over the ethical legal, social and ethical issues surrounding processes used to achieve this goal. This research paper highlights some of the ethical, legal and social arguments presented in support or opposition to ART. Ethical issues in ART surround the practice of implanting multiple embryos at one time to cut on expenses for couples since there is no insurance coverage to support this form of treatment. For the process to be successful at a lower cost even when more than one attempt is undertaken couples are encouraged to fertilize many eggs at once and implanting multiple embryos while hoping one among them will be carried to term. Success rate in ART also depends on the years of women involved in the process (see the graph below). Multiple fertilization of these eggs leads to the problem of multiple pregnancies with parents facing the prospect of giving birth to more than one baby. When this happens, couples especially mother and their offspring face increased social, psychological and medical problems. Research has indicated that multiple pregnancies results in a number of health complications especially those related to obstetric complications, prenatal morbidity,

Effect of New Labour on Social Policy for Children

Effect of New Labour on Social Policy for Children The Preventive State. How far has New Labour changed the direction and scope of social policy for children and families? New Labour has reformed the scope and direction of social policy in the United Kingdom indelibly. These changes have permeated every level and shade of social policy related to children and families. The tax credits system, and in particular the Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit system has been introduced; fathers have gained more extensive paternity rights; parents with young children and parents with disabled children now enjoy the right to ask employers for more flexible working hours and a minimum wage has been introduced. This essay will explain the various social policy initiatives which have been formulated by New Labour and will attempt to explain the impact these have had upon children and families. An examination of how far New Labour has changed the direction and scope of social policy for children and families necessitates an examination of how the Labour Party traditionally dealt with policy in this area, and inevitably the transition from Old Labour to New Labour will have to be looked at since this has probably represented the single biggest catalyst for political change relating to social policy. In this way the question of how far New Labour have changed the direction and scope of social policy for children and young families will be evaluated and answered. Also, the question of whether the social policy objectives of New Labour allow one to characterise New Labour as the ‘Preventive State’ will be addressed throughout the essay. What is ‘New Labour’? New Labour was the name given to the Labour Party under the leadership of Tony Blair. New Labour swept to power with a landslide victory over the Conservatives in 1997. Prior to 1997, Labour had not been in power since James Callaghan’s Labour party lost power to Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative Party in 1979. Historically, the Labour Party in Britain has been the main left wing political party, and was built upon strong association with the trade union movement (Minkin, (1991))[1]. The historical concerns and ideology of the Labour Party, before the transition to New Labour has been set in context by Bevir (2005): ‘The leading figures in the early Labour Party Keir Hardie, Philip Snowden, and Ramsay MacDonald condemned capitalism in much the same terms as had the ethical socialists. Snowden condemned the competitive market for bringing out our animal instincts not our moral ones; it makes men hard, cruel, selfish, acquisitive economic machines†¦..Snowden followed Webbs theory of interest as analogous to land rent, arguing that just as the landlord gets an unearned income from the increase in the value of land, so the capitalist gets an unearned increment from improvements in productive methods and in other ways not the result of his own efforts or abilities. MacDonald followed the Webbss denunciation of the uncoordinated nature of the market, arguing that whereas capitalism relied on a haphazard and chaotic clash of individual interests, socialism would eliminate waste by organising economic life on a scientific basis†¦[2]’. Tony Blair became leader of the Labour Party in 1994, after the death of John Smith, and gradually came to realise that ideological reform of the foundations of the party, as expressed above were necessary if Labour were to be regarded as a credible party in the eyes of voters. Therefore, ‘New Labour’ came to represent this ideological shift which rejected the old democratic socialist underpinnings of the Labour Party in favour of neo-liberal policies, which had proven so popular under the premiership of Margaret Thatcher. This ideological shift drew the Labour Party further to the centre-right, and led to much division among the ranks of Labour Party members who saw this development as positive and progressive and those who regarded it as incongruous with the traditional function of the Labour Party. Therefore, Labour, as a party has undergone considerable change in the last two decades, and this process of change can mainly be attributed to the transition from Old Labour, with its focus on traditional socialist values, to New Labour, a party whose ideologies had shifted towards the centre-right and which seem to be driven more by political pragmatism than by any particular allegiance to ideology. The writings of Denver et al. (1998) give us more guidance on the rationale and impetus for this transition to New Labour: ‘†¦After private polling immediately following the 1992 general election and again at the end of that same year revealed that, among wavering Conservative voters, the Labour Party was regarded as too old fashioned, too tied to the past, too linked to minorities rather than majorities, and too associated with old images of the trades unions, Hill wrote that the party lacked clear identity and was the party of the past.†¦.The view that, notwithstanding any opinion poll leads Labour might gain, the party would not win an election unless it reassessed itself in a fundamental manner was held among a group of party modernisers, including Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Harriet Harman, Peter Mandelson, and Philip Gould. The 1992 defeat confirmed these modernisers view that fundamental changes were necessary†¦.Their target included both the left and the right of the party. Harold Wilson, James Callaghan, Tony Crosland, and Tony Benn were all equally identified with the flawed politics of old Labour. In Blairs view, â€Å"Labour needed a quantum leap to become a serious party of government again.†¦.His project, as first publicly articulated in his 1995 party conference speech, was to eradicate all aspects of party doctrine and ethos, of policies and strategies, that were of the past†¦.[3]’. The changes to the ideological foundations of the Labour Party, brought about principally by Blair, have in turn precipitated wide reaching change to the social policy which is now espoused by the Labour Party, and these changes have arguably impacted upon families and children more sharply than they have impacted upon any other groups or sectors. The next sections will chart these changes to the social policy perspective of the Labour Party under Blair and will attempt to relate this discussion to the situation of families and children. In a wider sense, this discussion will address the issue of whether New Labour can be regarded as a ‘preventive state’. New Labour in Power New Labour has changed the face of social policy which can be seen to have a direct effect upon the family and children. The introduction of the minimum wage in 1999; the revolutionary idea of allowing fathers paternity rights and the ideas about flexible working arrangements for women, parents with children and disabled people have all had the effect of bringing the institution of the family in the UK into the modern era. Labour have worked to reduce poverty and to improve working arrangements for those with families, partly as an expression of commitments to ‘popular’ politics, but also as a necessary series of measures to ensure that the UK complies with the requirements of European Union. This section will examine these measures, how they have come about and how effective they have been at changing the direction and scope of social policy within the UK. When Labour took power in the 1997 General Election, they promised to radically reform government policy to make it appeal more to the average voter, they promised to eliminate ‘sleaze’ which had been a central flaw in the previous Conservative administration, and they also promised to radically reform their own party, not just ideologically but in terms of a general democratic function, which they argued had put too wide a distance between Government and groups including families and children[4]. Therefore Labour was committed to make the party more geared towards the concerns of contemporary voters who saw issues relating to family and children as important. These were all rhetorical promises, of course, yet nonetheless they can be regarded as being of particular significance to the core social policies which were to emerge following the election of the fledgling Labour Government in 1997. The appointment of Frank Field in 1997, as Welfare Reform Minister communicated the first message that the object of this radical rhetoric was to be social policy, in particular. Field identified flaws in the social policy system which had been inherited from the Conservatives, and these problems, according to Field emanated from the antiquated system of means testing for benefits. Mainly, Field objected to the fact that the social security system, in particular the system of means testing seemed to create disincentives for those returning to work, after a period of dependency on benefits. This flaw, in particular, affected children and families because many families with young children faced the decision either to return to work, or to remain on benefits with an adult in the home to look after the child or children. However, Field’s rationale in regards to means testing did not find favour with the Government. However, Field’s proposals for reform of the youth employme nt policies fared a little better. The New Deal for eighteen to twenty four year olds was introduced as a way of addressing wider social concerns about youth unemployment and a link between crime or ‘anti-social’ behaviour and young people leaving education with few qualifications or prospects. This policy was arguably the main social policy reform introduced during the tenure of Frank Field[5]. The New Deal was first publicised in October 1997, as part of the Government’s ‘Welfare to Work’ strategy, and was a policy directed at providing work opportunities for young people leaving school at eighteen, and was also intended to indirectly benefit those families who had young people living in the family home just after that young person had left education. The New Deal was not a new conception. As a policy, it was first introduced by F. D. Roosevelt to deal with the consequences of the depression in America, in the early 1930s. However, the Labour Government of 1997 adopted the ‘New Deal’ brand to communicate a policy which was targeted towards young people, and was intended to operationalise New Labour’s social policy objective of encouraging young people aged 18-24 to enter the UK workforce. In this sense, the social policy initiatives which were products of the tenure of Frank Field can be regarded as ‘preventive’ since they recognised the problems which disillusioned youths might pose to society if they were not encouraged to follow a smooth transition from schooling to the world of work. However, Field’s tenure as Minister for Welfare Reform was thwarted by Cabinet feuds and grassroots suspicions (in particular from backbenchers) that a radical reform of the social security system would disenfranchise those within the Labour Party who remained loyal to socialist ideology[6]. Therefore, although it is true that Frank Field did not precipitate radical reform of the social security system or wider social policy, he did lay the foundations for Labour’s social security policy focus which was pivoted upon encouraging individual self sufficiency and recognition that working was more beneficial than reliance upon the support of the social security system. Ironically therefore, although Field’s title as Minister for Welfare Reform would have suggested otherwise, Field’s ideas were regarded as too revolutionary, and even as subversive by some. The translation of Field’s reform ethos was arguably stunted while he was in power, for many reasons , but principally because, during this time New Labour struggled to repudiate old socialist ideological ideas, which traditionally and historically were central to the Labour Party. The reform of means testing became government policy in 1998[7], and the conception of welfare rights coupled with ‘responsibility’ reflected a wider rationale which encouraged people on welfare to regard state support as a mechanism which might be relied upon where an option to support oneself was impossible as opposed to undesirable. We have seen this rationale continue into 2006, with the recent reform of Incapacity Benefit, which is now more difficult to claim. These reforms of the social security system, although some have not been specifically targeted at children and families, have indirectly benefited children and families in significant ways. However, if one looks to the reform of the tax credit system, New Labour’s direct concern to change the circumstances of families and children, by implementing the rationales which have been explained above can be seen more sharply. The Child Tax and Working Tax Credit System The 2000 Budget communicated the Government’s plans to revise the benefits system, and this process resulted in the creation of the tax credits system, which was intended to be a singular system which would provide social welfare support to families, disabled people, low income employees and children which had previously been available through a plethora of complex individual benefit schemes. In particular, the system replaced the WFTC (Working Family Tax Credit) and the DPTC (Disabled Person Tax Credit) systems. The tax credit system was aimed at operationalising New Labour’s commitment to eradicating poverty and social exclusion, especially poverty among children and families. Tax credits were also intended to target relief towards those who were in need of it the most, and financially reward families for choosing to work. A special tax credit was also introduced and this was aimed at assisting families with young children with childcare costs, which arose because a parent needed to work. The tax credit system was seen by many as the Government’s response to the criticism that families who worked were not much better off financially than families who did not work and sought financial support from the social security system. The system of tax credits was also seen as a way to eliminate the problem with the previous means testing approach to welfare calculation which tended to heavily penalise those families and individuals who had savings. The tax credit system was operationalised alongside targets to reduce child poverty rates and specifically to deal with the fact that Britain was criticised as having one of the highest child poverty rates in Europe. However, the tax credit system is a transitional policy initiative and has suffered from various criticisms which have resulted directly from the transitional nature of the system. Current criticisms of the tax credit system point to the persistent problem of over payments which have to be recovered from low income families. The bureaucracy of the system has also encountered heavy criticism, in much the same way as the Child Support Agency has under New Labour. Also, under New Labour the Housing Benefit and Council tax systems have remained largely untouched, and this can arguably be criticised as an inconsistent social welfare policy approach. The rationale for this particular critique is that the problems which prompted reform of the social welfare system and the resultant introduction of the tax credit system still exist, albeit in different niches within the social welfare system, giving rise to an inconsistent and inadequate reform focus. Children and Anti-Social Behaviour New Labour has also been radical in dealing with concerns about anti-social behaviour in children. Their approach has arguably been to impose a more paternalistic and authoritarian culture upon young children, while at the same time increasing the responsibilities and duties which parents owe to their children, and those children in their care. These trends have taken shape in the form of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, which has classified littering, causing criminal damage, vandalism, noise, hoax calls and street drinking amongst other things as anti-social behaviour. New Labour: The Preventive State? New Labour can be seen to have assumed the mantle of the ‘preventive state’ given the focus it has directed towards, dealing with the ‘causes[8]’ of crime and dysfunction in the youth sector and in relation to the family. This focus, coupled with New Labour’s focus on trying to eradicate poverty through the welfare initiatives which have been explained above, and the attempts which have been made to make youth transition from the end of education to the beginning of employment more smooth (i.e. the New Deal initiative) has cast Labour as being concerned with preventing problems associated with the family and children before they arise. In this sense, New Labour can certainly be seen as a ‘preventive’ state. Their concerns are paternalistic in the context. However, one only has to turn to the provision of social services within the UK to see the converse of new Labour’s role as a preventive state. In particular, the death of Victoria Climbie provoked criticism that the social services system, under the supervision of the Blair administration was grossly inadequate and fraught with flaws which undermined the institution of the family and endangered to position of children by failing those vulnerable individuals who either need assistance from the state to help them support children, or those individuals who are children and indirectly need to state to provide this support to those caring for them. The next section of the essay will examine this critique of the New Labour Government. Children and Social Services in the UK New Labour has implemented a series of legislative initiatives aimed at protecting the situation of the child in the UK. A Children’s Minister (currently Beverley Hughes) has been appointed to oversee the needs of children. The Children’s Act 2004 and the Every Child Matters agenda were aimed to improve and modernise the protections available to children within the UK, a system which had been highlighted as containing serious flaws, particularly in the aftermath of the death of Victoria Climbie, an eight year old child who died following systematic abuse inflicted by her carers, which was not identified by the social services whose ultimate role it had been to oversee Victoria Climbie’s care. These initiatives were aimed at bolstering the protections offered by The Children Act 1989 and responding to a climate of deep unhappiness about New Labour’s handling of the social support mechanisms available to children and families of children who needed to avail of such support. The area of the social services and how these actors assisted families and children was a policy concern largely ignored by the Labour administration when it assumed power. Labour’s concerns, as has been explained above were mainly ideological in focus and concerned ‘bigger picture’ issues which included education, crime, social exclusion, poverty, employment, welfare and other such issues which existed as inter-related and intersecting socio-legal and socio-political policy concerns. It is possible to make an argument therefore that New Labour’s concern for these ‘bigger picture’ issues has resulted in relative neglect of issues which concern policy niches, and policy concerns which exist at a more micro, but nonetheless critical level. Among these niche issues are the services provided to children and families through the social services. Lord Laming’s enquiry into the needs of children in care was established after the death of Victoria Climbie in 2000. Laming published his report in January 2003, and it heavily criticised the government for not having enough communication channels open between agencies working within the social services sector separately, while at the same time serving a singular function to provide support to children and families in need to state support. Therefore, one of Laming’s main recommendations was the formulation of a national database where social services actors would be able to access information about children, nationally. Commenting on Lord Laming’s report, the Children Minister, Barbara Hughes has made the following statement, acknowledging the accuracy of Laming’s criticisms: We have seen the tragic consequences that the failure to intervene early can have, as identified in Lord Lamings report on Victoria Climbie. But even in less extreme circumstances, all too often children who need additional help are faced with services which are not joined up. We need to ensure that professionals work together across service boundaries for the benefit of children†¦..These proposals balance the need to do everything we can to improve childrens life chances whilst ensuring strong safeguards to make sure information stored is minimal, secure and used appropriately. Parents and young people will be able to ask to see their data†¦[9]’. It is clear therefore that New Labour has taken Laming’s concerns seriously and the policy response that New Labour has delivered has been open, direct and speedy. However, this does not absolve the Government of the responsibility for failing to foresee the problems that eventually did arise for families and children because the social services sector had been sidelined while the Government dealt with ‘bigger picture’ issues. Perhaps it is arguable therefore that the Labour Government have changed the direction and scope of social policy ideologically, while failing to understand that grassroots issues such as social services provisions, needed ‘on the ground’ were under resourced and outdated. This rationale can account the apparent contraction in terms which emanates from a vision of the Labour Party as a modernising party who changed the face of social policy indelibly and undoubtedly in positive ways, while simultaneously failing in their responsibility to effectively oversee the operation of services on a more micro level. In this sense, the Labour Party can be critiqued as thinking preventively about ideological and holistic policy concerns while only thinking and behaving reactively to grassroots level services for the family and children. It is clear, however, that lessons have been learned from policy failures and policy ‘gaps’, and while these critiques are certainly serious they are ameliorated through the Labour Party’s willingness to accept criticisms, such as those delivered by Laming and to implement far reaching changes as a response to these. Conclusion In conclusion therefore, the New Labour Government, which has been continuously been in power since 1997 has implemented far reaching change within the area of social policy relating to children and the family. These social policy developments have been explained throughout this essay, and an argument has been made that in many ways, New Labour has drastically changed the direction and scope of social policy within the UK. However, as has been one of the central arguments of this essay; this far reaching change has been manifested more at an ideological than at a grassroots level. In this sense, New Labour can be regarded as being a ‘preventive state’ more at an ideological than at a grassroots level. Grassroots services and social policy concerns relating to the family have recently been highlighted as seriously deficient, but as has been another central argument within this essay, these failures have been offset to an extent by willingness on the part of New Labour to accept and respond constructively to political criticism. Bibliography Books Bevir, M. (2005). New Labour: A Critique. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: London. Denver, D., King, A., McLean, I., Norris, P., Norton, P., Sanders, D. and Seyd, P. (1998) New Labour Triumphs: Britain at the Polls. Publisher: Chatham House Publishers. Place of Publication: Chatham, NJ. Minkin, L. (1991). The Contentious Alliance: Trade Unions and the Labour Party. Publisher: Edinburgh University Press. Place of Publication: Edinburgh. Articles Hayton, A. and Leathwood, C. (2002) Educational Inequalities in the United Kingdom: A Critical Analysis of the Discourses and Policies of New Labour. Title: Australian Journal of Education. Volume: 46. Issue: 2. Anonymous. (2005) Better Services for Children as Government acts on Lord Laming Recommendation. Available at: http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/3938 >>. 1 Footnotes [1] P192. Minkin, L. (1991). The Contentious Alliance: Trade Unions and the Labour Party. Publisher: Edinburgh University Press. Place of Publication: Edinburgh. [2] P133. Bevir, M. (2005). New Labour: A Critique. Publisher: Routledge. Place of Publication: London. [3] P51. Denver, D., King, A., McLean, I., Norris, P., Norton, P., Sanders, D. and Seyd, P. (1998) New Labour Triumphs: Britain at the Polls. Publisher: Chatham House Publishers. Place of Publication: Chatham, NJ. [4] P138+. Hayton, A. and Leathwood, C. (2002) Educational Inequalities in the United Kingdom: A Critical Analysis of the Discourses and Policies of New Labour. Title: Australian Journal of Education. Volume: 46. Issue: 2. [5] See Hayton, A. and Leathwood, C. ((2002) P138+). [6] See Denver et al. ((1998) P201). [7] Under the supervision of Alistair Darling who had succeeded Frank Field as Secretary of State at the Department of Social Security in 1998. [8] As Blair famously remarked in the 1990s. [9] Anonymous. (2005) Better Services for Children as Government acts on Lord Laming Recommendation. Available at: http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/3938 >>.

Rudyard Kiplings The Light Yhat Failed :: Essays Papers

Rudyard Kiplings The Light Yhat Failed Rudyard Kipling is remembered today mostly as a children's author. Kipling's poetry and adult fiction are both worth serious examination; â€Å"The Light That Failed† is probably the most important of his adult novels, in which he apparently makes the clearest statements of his beliefs about art and the purpose of life. It's a pretty bleak picture he paints, cloaked in finery and delight but at the core full of stoic acceptance of misery, hardship and death. While there is a good deal of this that Kipling probably believed, even a casual examination of his own life suggests that this book is more of a bare-bones explication of the fundamental issues than a fully fleshed out portrait of how an artist ought to live. It's particularly telling in light of this that â€Å"The Light That Failed† is dedicated to his mother. How is someone with an artist's soul to live in a world where, despite all protestations to the contrary, not even the love of a mother -- much less that of any other woman -- can be relied upon? Dick Heldar is an orphan, a young savage who is not civilized by the beatings he gets from Mrs. Jennet, his foster-mother, nor by the contempt he receives from his school-fellows for his cheap and shoddy clothing. Coming out of his childhood, he goes off to wander the world, learns to paint, and finds he can see things that others can't, and capture them on canvas. His childhood companion, Massie, who is aptly described as "an atom" -- indivisible and impenetrable -- also learns to draw, but with considerably less success than Dick as she fails to give her whole life and soul to the work. Dick's career is given its first great boost by a chance meeting with Torpenhow, a Special Correspondent for a news syndicate sent to the Sudan to cover the ultimately unsuccessful expedition to relieve Gordon. Torpenhow sees Dick's talents and immediately signs him up to supply drawings for his syndicate at a pittance. In this world of manly men, it's assumed that the strong will struggle forward on the thinest of chances, and the weak will be swept away. Dick and Torpenhow become close friends in the course of the campaign, but in the midst of a battle Dick is wounded on the head and has a moment's flashback to the world of his childhood and Massie, whom he fell in love with shortly before they last parted.

Molson Coors Case Study

A. Major classifications of an income statement are: †¢Income from continuing operations before tax †¢Discontinued operations (net of tax) †¢Net income from continuing operations †¢Other revenues and expenses †¢Operating income †¢Extraordinary items (net of tax) †¢Net income before extraordinary items †¢Net income †¢Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle (net of tax) B. Companies various activities and transactions differ in stability and risks thereby indicating a need for information about various components of earnings.The requirement to provide classified income statements help users better assess the persistence of earnings and the risk related to various components of net income. Income statements may include non recurring items which should be considered in determining future earnings and or cash flows, moreover GAAP require separate disclosure of a number of these items, for instance discontinued operations, thereby gi ving a better picture of financial statements. C. In accounting, current income statements do not reflect future expectations.Part of the roles of accounting information is for evaluation and valuation. Persistent income of a company will affect the assumptions of future earnings and or cash flows, which will help to better project a company’s valuation. D. (INSERT ANSWER HERE) E. (INSERT ANSWER HERE) F. (INSERT ANSWER HERE) G. (INSERT ANSWER HERE) H. (INSERT ANSWER HERE) I. (INSERT ANSWER HERE) J. i. Non-operating items are the following: Interest expense-it is related to non-operating liabilities and Interest income- it is related to long-term loans. Debt extinguishment costs.Minority interest: the part of the net income destined to the minority owners is considered as non-operating. Discontinued operations. ii. 20072006 Interest expense(126462)(143070) Interest income2658716289 Debt extinguishment costs (24478) 0 Other income1766217736 Non-operating items (106691)(109045) Tax 28%(29873)(30533) Non-operating items after tax (76818)(78512) Discontinued operations (17682)(12525) Minority interest (15318)(16089) Total non-operating items (109818)(107126) iii. 20072006 Net income497192361031 Net expense 109818107126 NOPAT607010468157 K.Non-operating assets: current notes receivable Notes receivable Noncurrent assets of discontinued operations Non-operating liabilities: short term borrowing Current portion long-term debt Current liabilities of discontinued operations Long-term debt Derivative hedging instruments Long-term liabilities of discontinued operations k. ii. 20072006 Total assets 1345156611603413 Non-operating assets -194503229290 Operating assets 1325706311374123 Total liabilities 62854245739275 Non-operating liabilities -2907976-2523472 Operating liabilities33504483215803 Net operating assets 99066158158320L. (2007) : 607010/9906615 = 6. 13% (2006): 468157/8158320 = 5. 75% RNOA has increased from 2006 to 2007 but is is low compared to industry. m. Operating profit margin (2007) 607010/ 6190592= 9. 81% (2006) 468157/ 5844985 = 8. 01% Net operating asset turnover components (2007) 6190592/ 9906615 = 0. 625 (2006) 5844985/ 8158320 = 0. 716 The operating profit margin =9. 81 % that means that the company realized 9. 8 cents of operating profit this indicator have increased from 2006 to 2007even if the operating asset turnover has decreased. n. Non-persistent items:Debt extinguishment costs Other income (expenses) Loss from discontinued operations Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle o- i The effective tax rate is 0. 8% = 4186/534378 p. The following income statement shows persistent earnings. 2007 as reported Presistent Net sales $6,190,592 $6,190,592 Cost of goods sold (3,702,921) (3,702,921) Gross profit 2,487,671 2,487,671 Marketing, general and admin. (1,734,408) (1,734,408) Special items, net (112,194) (111,663) Operating income 641,069 641,600 Interest expense (126,462) (126,462)Interest income 26,587 26,5 87 Debt extinguishment costs (24,478) 0 Other income (expense), net 17,662 7,384 Total other expense (106,691) (92,491) Income before tax 534,378 549,109 Income tax expense (4,186) (153,751) Minority interests (15,318) (15,318) Income from continuing operations 514,874 380,040 Loss from discontinued operations (17,682) 0 Net income $497,192 $380,040 q. Persistent Interest expense $(126,462) Interest income 26,587 Other income / (expense) 7,384 Nonoperating items reported on a before-tax basis (92,491) Tax at marginal rate of 28% (25,897)Minority interest (15,316) Total nonoperating items $ (81,912) Persistent Net operating profit after tax $461,952 Net income Persistent income Return on net operating assets 6. 13% 4. 66%1 Net operating profit margin 9. 81% 7. 46%2 Net operating asset turnover 0. 625 0. 625 These numbers are mainly informative about the company’s future profitability. To use the numbers to evaluate management’s performance, we may include these one-time charges. But to use the number to value the firm, the persistent numbers are better predictors of future, expected profits.

Starbucks – Supply Chain

Starbucks Expectations of Starbucks’ customers in terms of Starbucks’ coffee beverages The expectations of Starbucks’ customers regarding coffee beverages would be to receive a perfectly made coffee, which is also recognized by the Starbucks’ mission statement. The notion of perfectly made coffee at Starbucks will include freshness and richness of taste, choice (varieties by origin, type and flavor), consistency of taste, image of â€Å"premium coffee†, some exotic experience, gourmet beverage, unique blends, same consistent quality and same price at every location and every day. The idea is to help â€Å"customers find a beverage that’s right for them from over 19,000 choices, by giving them an opportunity to try new things they didn’t know about and find a new beverage. † The primary goals of Starbucks’ coffee bean supply chain as being a customer focused organization The primary goals of the coffee bean supply chain will be to provide total customer satisfaction by ensuring the coffee is available in all varieties, at reasonably affordable prices, and the coffee meets and exceeds customers’ expectations, along with providing the unique experience (as described above), while keeping costs possibly low throughout the whole chain from supplier(s) to end customer(s). How purchasing helps Starbuck achieve their supply chain goals Being an integral part and the core activity of the supply chain, purchasing is also a key strategic process of the business. At Starbucks, purchasing is ensuring an interrupted flow of coffee at optimal cost and of consistent quality. This is achieved by 1) searching varieties and sources that would meet SB standards in terms of supreme and sustainable quality, and careful selection of coffee and contracting reliable suppliers (Coffee Sourcing Guidelines, Preferred Supplier Status Program); 2) building ong-lasting relationships with coffee growers and exporters, including co-ops and individual farmers; 3) hands-on checking on agricultural conditions and crop yields, â€Å"audit from crop to cup†; 4) paying premium prices to coffee growers, along with using fixed-price contracts and future contracts; 5) Green and social initiatives promoted by SB. How the operations elements of Starbucks’ supply chain support them at achieving their goals. Objectives of these elements Objectives of operations elements will be to ensure the next step in the supply chain meets strategic and tactical goals and provides for compliance with SB’s standards, while constantly minimizing costs by controlling and managing inventories. That is the right quantity of the product has to be forecasted, planned, scheduled, delivered, processed, and distributed in order to secure smooth operations of every SB outlet and distribution channel. A set of tools is being used to this end: RFID for â€Å"dark deliveries† by suppliers, and for shipping containers (Operation Safe Commerce), Integrated Supply Chain Operating systems, Lean operations, Inventory control and forecasting accuracy to SKU level, High-tech roasting and grinding equipment, automated POS systems, DRP (distribution resource planning), TRP (transportation requirement planning), ERP systems. How distribution and warehousing support the supply chain goals of Starbucks. Objectives of the Starbucks’ distribution and warehousing functions. Distribution and warehousing functions will be the final steps in delivering the product to the end customer, along with ensuring ultimate satisfaction. Again, minimizing costs and maximizing profits. Long-term agreements with logistics providers and foodservice distributors (Sysco, HAVI) complement the Company-operated retail stores and the network of distribution channels, which include retail and grocery store licensing agreements, wholesale club accounts, joint ventures and direct-to-consumer channels, via mail orders and online. Convenience stores, department stores, movie theatres, businesses, airports, schools and medical facilities are other examples of the network. Why effective integration of activities is required for Starbucks to achieve their goals. Activities Integration plays a crucial role in the whole SB supply chain, as poor performance or failure at any step or activity of the supply chain will jeopardize the whole venture. Activities and elements involved into integration include building long-term relations with reliable partners, elimination of obstacles in the way of cooperation, working out common goals and tools for such cooperation along with strategies and tactics, effective communication and introduction of modern integrated systems, prompt collection, analysis and sharing of information by all supply chain participants, supply chain performance measurements and monitoring. Some examples of such activities at the very beginning of the chain will be: common work with coffee growers on cultivation practices in order to improve coffee quality and provide consistency and continuity, which will better match the roasting process, paying premium prices to growers which will contribute to creating sustainable sources of coffee beans, CAFE practices, etc.

The Color Blue essays

The Color Blue essays Since the beginning of the universe, mankind has experienced more or less the power of colors, their relation to nature, their attribute and significance. Not only do colors characterize a society; they more importantly are at the essence of every thing. Color is a perception (from our eyes) that result from the complex characteristic of the light. Color is a significant element of our society but appears a complex notion to define because it is complicated to distinguish an object from its color and vice versa. The reason for which must be our poor knowledge in color terminology. Indeed, most of the early civilizations could not discern the lexical differences between an object and the color it was representing (This lexical issue drove some historians to wonder if certain civilizations were blind to specific colors). At the arising of the third millennium, both the perception and the definition of color seem an arduous task. Yet blue, as one of the primary color, illustrates from its history and its art representation how one color could be both so complex and meaningful. Blue is the color of fear for the painter Jacques Monory, the color of the coat of The Virgin Maria, the Levi-Strauss jean, the satellite images of earth. It is also the favorite color of European population. Blue embodies divers connotation in history. The history of the color Blue is very absorbing due to both its late beginning and its difficulty to master though it was very present in the nature (sky, sea, some flowers and animals). Some early civilizations did not have a name for the color blue but for an association of colors, which was including the color blue, that emphasizes the modest place blue took during the first centuries in most of the civilizations. For instance, numbers of philologers wonders if the Greek and the Romans could see the color blue because they did not have a word for it, they did not qualify the sea or the sky...

Philippine Culture Essays - Filipino People, Maritime Southeast Asia

Philippine Culture Essays - Filipino People, Maritime Southeast Asia The main language that business attained in the Philippines was English. This is a result of the American influenced era, which began in 1898. One should not assume that just because English is the most commonly used language that both verbal and nonverbal forms of communication are conducted the same way that they are in America. The Philippines business environment is known to be highly personalized. The communication style of the Philippines has also been perceived as difficult to comprehend due to its diplomatic and complex language which is derived from its Asian roots. (worldbusinessculture.com/Filipino-Business-Communication- Style.html) In most Asian countries as well as the Philippines is that individuals seem to have an awfully hard time saying no all because they have a tendency to try and avoid hurting another persons feelings. Basically saying no to a person, can be considered by others as not being so friendly or even disrespectful. Filipinos would rather agree and say yes, even though they really mean to say no. Many Filipinos are dialogue oriented but in some cases it somewhat resembles and has a relation to Spanish. As a sign of respect, they usually do simple things that people tend to find a little strange but they usually address people by their title. After awhile from time to time, as well as a relationship being established, they address business associates by their nickname or title. Knowing the Filipino culture, there are also ways that they communicate. For an example they might have made a gesture, which means something. A smile can easily be understood as an agreement or conformation in a discussion that may have recently occurred. It is common in the Philippines, as well as most Asian countries, for people to have an extremely difficult time saying no because they tend to try to avoid hurting others feelings. Saying no to someone can also be viewed by others as aggressive and unfriendly. Because of this Filipino's would rather say 'yes' even if they mean no.' (worldbusinessculture.com/Filipino-Business-Communication-Style.html)Filipinos dialogue-oriented, rather emotional communication somewhat resembles Spanish, but is less forceful and exuberant. As a show of respect, Filipinos usually address people by their titles (e.g., Architect Cruz, Attorney Jose, Dr. Romero). Over time, and after a relationship is established, they may address business associate by their informal title or nickname. (telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/4205562/National-Cultural-Profiles-Philippines.html) In the Filipino culture a pervasive smile can easily be interpreted as agreement or affirmation in what has just been discussed. That same smile can easily be used to hide embarrassment, aggravation on disagreement. Nonverbal signs of affirmation include the raising of an eyebrow and the jerking of the head upward. A common sign for no include the jerk of the head down. For example, if an individual says yes while pointing their head downward you can be fairly certain that they feel negatively about what you have been discussing.(telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/4205562/National-Cultural-Profiles-Philippines.html) Although in most cultures it is common for both men and women to shake hands with one another when they are first introduced or when greeting each other, that is not the case in the Filipino culture. Any form of touching, especially men touching women is frowned upon by Filipinos. (intercultures.ca/cil-cai/ci-ic-eng.asp?iso=ph#cn- 2) The Philippines are split into three different regions called, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Gender roles in the Philippines are found in school systems, dating, marriage, and especially their families. When Filipinos are born they assume their gender role by their sex. Males get more respect for the most part because females to take after their mothersand elder women to take less dominating roles, also being more feminine in the jobs they choose to hold. Men are categorized into the more dominating roles in society. Men are brought up to take after their fathers or the elder man in their life. They are defined as being more confident, accomplished, and well-rounded individuals. School systems are strict on students, making them look presentable, especially males. Males are required to have short hair and females must wear skirts down to their shins. Dressing inappropriately is not tolerated. Males and females got to the same school but they divide them into two separate parts of the school. Attending a college or university for the average person is highly unlikely because there is no financial aid available so

Carbon Monoxide Detectors and How They Work

Carbon Monoxide Detectors and How They Work According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, carbon monoxide poisoning is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in America. Carbon monoxide detectors are available, but you need to understand how they work and what their limitations are in order to decide whether or not you need a detector and, if you purchase a detector, how to use it to get the best protection. What is Carbon Monoxide? Carbon monoxide is an odorless, tasteless, invisible gas. Each carbon monoxide molecule is composed of a single carbon atom bonded to a single oxygen atom. Carbon monoxide results from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, such as wood, kerosene, gasoline, charcoal, propane, natural gas, and oil. Where is Carbon Monoxide Found? Carbon monoxide is present in low levels in the air. In the home, it is formed from incomplete combustion from any flame-fueled (i.e., not electric) device, including ranges, ovens, clothes dryers, furnaces, fireplaces, grills, space heaters, vehicles, and water heaters. Furnaces and water heaters may be sources of carbon monoxide, but if they are vented properly the carbon monoxide will escape to the outside. Open flames, such as from ovens and ranges, are the most common source of carbon monoxide. Vehicles are the most common cause of carbon monoxide poisoning. How Do Carbon Monoxide Detectors Work? Carbon monoxide detectors trigger an alarm based on an accumulation of carbon monoxide over time. Detectors may be based on a chemical reaction causing a color change, an electrochemical reaction that produces current to trigger an alarm or a semiconductor sensor that changes its electrical resistance in the presence of CO. Most carbon monoxide detectors require a continuous power supply, so if the power cuts off then the alarm becomes ineffective. Models are available that offer back-up battery power. Carbon monoxide can harm you if you are exposed to high levels of carbon monoxide in a short period of time, or to lower levels of carbon monoxide over a long period of time, so there are different types of detectors depending on how the level of carbon monoxide is measured. Why is Carbon Monoxide Dangerous? When carbon monoxide is inhaled, it passes from the lungs into the hemoglobin molecules of red blood cells. Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin at the same site as and preferentially to oxygen, forming carboxyhemoglobin. Carboxyhemoglobin interferes with the oxygen transport and gas exchange abilities of red blood cells. The result is that the body becomes oxygen-starved, which can result in tissue damage and death. Low levels of carbon monoxide poisoning cause symptoms similar to those of the flu or a cold, including shortness of breath on mild exertion, mild headaches, and nausea. Higher levels of poisoning lead to dizziness, mental confusion, severe headaches, nausea, and fainting on mild exertion. Ultimately, carbon monoxide poisoning can result in unconsciousness, permanent brain damage, and death. Carbon monoxide detectors are set to sound an alarm before the exposure to carbon monoxide would present a hazard to a healthy adult. Babies, children, pregnant women, people with cir culatory or respiratory ailments, and the elderly are more sensitive to carbon monoxide than healthy adults. Where Should I Place a Carbon Monoxide Detector? Because carbon monoxide is slightly lighter than air and also because it may be found with warm, rising air, detectors should be placed on a wall about 5 feet above the floor. The detector may be placed on the ceiling. Do not place the detector right next to or over a fireplace or flame-producing appliance. Keep the detector out of the way of pets and children. Each floor needs a separate detector. If you are getting a single carbon monoxide detector, place it near the sleeping area and make certain the alarm is loud enough to wake you up. What Do I Do if the Alarm Sounds? Dont ignore the alarm! It is intended to go off before you are experiencing symptoms. Silence the alarm, get all members of the household to fresh air, and ask whether anyone is experiencing any of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. If anyone is experiencing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, call 911. If no one has symptoms, ventilate the building, identify and remedy the source of the carbon monoxide before returning inside, and have appliances or chimneys checked by a professional as soon as possible. Additional Carbon Monoxide Concerns and Information Dont automatically assume that you need or dont need a carbon monoxide detector. Also, dont assume that you are safe from carbon monoxide poisoning just because you have a detector installed. Carbon monoxide detectors are intended to protect healthy adults, so take the ages and health of family members into account when assessing the effectiveness of a detector. Also, be aware that the average life span of many carbon monoxide detectors is about 2 years. The test feature on many detectors checks the functioning of the alarm and not the status of the detector. There are detectors that last longer, indicate when they need to be replaced, and have power supply backups you need to check to see whether a particular model has the features you require. When deciding whether or not to purchase a carbon monoxide detector, you need to consider not only the number and type of carbon monoxide sources but also the construction of the building. A newer building may have more airtight construction and may be better insulated, which make it easier for carbon monoxide to accumulate.

Multicast routing in mobile networking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Multicast routing in mobile networking - Essay Example MAODV is the best in communicating from the sender to the receiver nodes. Packet delivery ratio for MAODV and AODV This is the ratio between the packet of data that are actually delivered and those sent by the source.AODV been a multicast routing protocol it performs slightly better than MAODV in terms of packet delivery ratio. The ratio increase as the number of receivers decreases. These are very shocking a result since MAODV is designed to handle multiple receivers. Magld (2007) This is a ratio measured against the pause time. It also used in measuring mobility. The results are expected because this is the testing a mobile ad hoc network environment.MAODV is seen to deliver more packets as long as time is not increased .It works better than AODV and FDQA. AODV and FDQA vary slightly overtime but they are much lower in terms of success rather than MAODV. Magld (2007) FDQA is designed to deal with one QoS requirement delay .FDQA has high end-to-end delay over time. In comparison to MAODV and AODV, which has lower latency in short, term .FDQA algorithm, this is based on Fanos algorithm. The simulation I have conducted is testing the effect change in the node delay that has the success ratio. I have also tested the node delay effect on the average message overhead. The result shows the node delay positively affects both FDQA and A0DV success ratios and it has much of an effect on average message overheads for FDQA. MAODV and AODV are compared in relation to three parameters namely; Throughput, latency and packet delivery ratio.MAODV has performed slightly better but not in all of them. It has generally works better in a multicast ad hoc network environment than AODV does despite having same similarities. In comparing MAODV, AODV and FDQA I have found that MAODV has a higher performance that FDQA in relation to packet delivery ratio.FDQA algorithm has been designed to address

Computations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Computations - Assignment Example The actual vehicle operating cost for the month was $6,330. The vehicle operating cost in the planning budget for December would be closest to: 14: Ofarrell Snow Removal’s cost formula for its vehicle operating cost is $1,840 per month plus $377 per snow-day. For the month of November, the company planned for activity of 14 snow-days, but the actual level of activity was 19 snow-days. The actual vehicle operating cost for the month was $9,280. The vehicle operating cost in the flexible budget for November would be closest to: 15: Raymond Electronics Corporation has a standard cost system in which it applies manufacturing overhead to products on the basis of standard machine-hours (MHs). The company had budgeted its fixed manufacturing overhead cost at $42,700 for the month and its level of activity at 2,000 MHs. The actual total fixed manufacturing overhead was $44,100 for the month and the actual level of activity was 1,800 MHs. What was the fixed manufacturing overhead budget variance for the month to the nearest dollar? 21: Glassett Corporation is considering a project that would require an investment of $62,000. No other cash outflows would be involved. The present value of the cash inflows would be $70,060. The profitability index of the project is closest

Transmission of ebola virus Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Transmission of ebola virus - Research Paper Example The analysis therefore involves looking at the article and analyzing it. The researchers, subjects, methods and the results and conclusion of the research are all discussed in this paper. The study was carried due to the prevalence of the Ebola disease in the countries the West Africa. There was a total of 4507 of confirmed Ebola cases together with 2296 death caused by the virus. These statistics had been reported from five countries including: Nigeria, Senegal, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone (Team, 2014). The recent epidemic however had been reported to be high as compared to the past ones in terms of mortality and morbidity. There had been reports of symptomatic individuals escaping treatment and diagnosis of laboratory diagnosis provided in the national databases. Several persons have been suspected buried from the disease before the diagnosis was carried out. The largest past outbreak was seen in districts of Mbarara, Masindi and Gulu in Uganda. There were about 425 cases over a three month course from October 2000 to January 2001. This outbreak was being controlled through meticulous application of intervention to reduce further transmission. This was deliver ed by way of care system at the local health level with support provided by the international partners (Gire et al. 2014) . The research was carried out by WHO when they were alerted of the high rates of evolving EVD outbreak in the 23rd of March, 2014. The epidemic was pronounced to be an international concern public health emergency. In between September, nine months later after the occurrence of the first phase, there were still high growths of the numbers of deaths and cases resulting from the disease on weekly basis in spite of efforts of multisectoral and multinational to bring the disease spread under control. The epidemic has grown to the extent of causing huge challenges in control measures implementation to the level expected to prevent transmission and give clinical

Statistics for Managers Class Discussion wk5 Essay

Statistics for Managers Class Discussion wk5 - Essay Example In business the population mean can be applied on a study using a focus group as a parameter of the whole population. He focus group can be used to sample new products and get reactions from the consumers. The population mean represents the true opinion of the entire population. During elections most opinion poll the voters predict the winning candidate this has been done for the major media houses to make consumers glued to their channels during heated campaign periods. Thus during the period the media houses make their money on adverts as the candidates use the polls advertise themselves on the weaker area of electorate. Most drug and pharmaceuticals company test their drugs on a certain focus group to test the curative and side effects of vaccine, cure drugs and cosmetics. Most recently GlaxoSmithKline and NewLinkGenetics were conducting focus group trials on Ebola virus; as a result of outbreak in West Africa (Daniel Flynn, 2014). Most consumer goods have a warranty, the risk of return of the product is calculated from the margin of error of producing a defective product. Daniel Flynn, R.-J. B. (2014, November 14). Exclusive: MSF should have called for Ebola vaccine earlier. Retrieved from Reuters:

Absenteeism in the Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Absenteeism in the Workplace - Essay Example This is a global phenomenon; however there is no consistent definition for absenteeism. In a general context absenteeism covers non-attendance at work where work attendance is scheduled. This includes sickness absence leave; various special leaves, such as bereavement leave; and may also include time lost through industrial disputes. Workplace attendance and absenteeism are crucial to the industry oriented society. There is loss not only in terms of productivity and economy, but also in terms of credibility and confidence of the employees. Excessive absenteeism also places additional pressure on employers and workers especially at critically important times. The causes for absenteeism are varied and are much dependent on the person taking leave. They can vary from taking off for illness when in reality they are not ill at all to excuses like friend’s accident, death in family etc. There have been incidents where doctors have not only been pleaded with, but also abused and threatened to sign false medical certificates.

Hip-Hop as Black Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hip-Hop as Black Music - Essay Example The first few chapters of the book dig out the exact origin of hip-hop which is an amalgamation of rap music, break-dancing and graffiti art. The social condition of New York in the 1970’s played a crucial role in hip-hop’s origination. According to Jeff Chang, the building of the Cross-Bronx road laid grounds for the birth of hip-hop music. The building of this road forced almost 60,000 people to relocate to other neighborhoods. Thus, while the white people moved to better places like the Westchester Country, the black and brown communities retreated to South Bronx which was annihilated economically. â€Å"Where once apartment buildings or private homes had stood were now hills of rubble, decorated with ripped-open bags of rotting garbage that had been flung atop them† and though there was an increase in social housing in the area, there were barely any jobs. Almost 80% of the youth were left jobless. Thus, gangs were formed by the American-African and Afro-Cari bbean mostly to revolt against the â€Å"white-gangs† who were already present in the neighborhood. Thus from Chang’s presentation of the historical settings it is evident that origin of this art form was in the impoverished South Bronx areas where â€Å"where a complex maelstrom of social and political forces at play in the 1950s, 60s, and early 70s left the African-American and Hispanic communities searching for a way out of a lives of poverty, gang-dominated crime, and drugs†.... One of the bases of the music is racism. Discrimination, loss of jobs, fake promises and deindustrialization paved the way for the â€Å"gang-culture†. Gangs like Black Panthers safeguarded the interests of the blacks and rebelled against the whites. Similarly, several other gangs came into existence. Puerto Rican revolutionaries and Bronx gangs joined hands with drug dealers and other illicit groups against the government. Thus, gradually and eventually a firm footed unity enveloped between the gangs. Chang also talks about some of the well-known pioneers and inventors of hip-hop music who started making their name in these gangs. DJ Kool herc was the inventor of hip-hop music and the best known DJ in the whole of New York City and was an immigrant from Kingston (Chang, pg-69). He created a new way of playing music, inspired by Jamaican sound culture, and became a renowned DJ. Along the same lines, Chang has also written about the emergence of another famous DJ- Afrika Bambaa taa who previously led a gang called Black Spade. Here we are able to understand that the impoverished areas hosted a lot of parties where. The parties were held as an alternative to gang life. Herc created his own music and recited words according to beats, thereby becoming laying grounds for rapping. Thus, hip-hop slowly emerged as a party movement where most people presented new music forms. These youth who were jobless and impoverished slowly developed an identity and brought in hip-hop music. In the next section, Chang describes the politics associated with hip-hop music. The political atmosphere caused a transformation of hip-hop music from a party music to a more politically inclined art form. The music form was implicitly political in the sense that youth from diverse national backgrounds

Absenteeism in the Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Absenteeism in the Workplace - Essay Example This is a global phenomenon; however there is no consistent definition for absenteeism. In a general context absenteeism covers non-attendance at work where work attendance is scheduled. This includes sickness absence leave; various special leaves, such as bereavement leave; and may also include time lost through industrial disputes. Workplace attendance and absenteeism are crucial to the industry oriented society. There is loss not only in terms of productivity and economy, but also in terms of credibility and confidence of the employees. Excessive absenteeism also places additional pressure on employers and workers especially at critically important times. The causes for absenteeism are varied and are much dependent on the person taking leave. They can vary from taking off for illness when in reality they are not ill at all to excuses like friend’s accident, death in family etc. There have been incidents where doctors have not only been pleaded with, but also abused and threatened to sign false medical certificates.

Leadership & Change Management Essay Example for Free

Leadership Change Management Essay Transactional leadership styles are more concerned with maintaining the normal flow of operations. Transactional leadership can be described as keeping the ship afloat. Transactional leaders use disciplinary power and an array of incentives to motivate employees to perform at their best. The term transactional refers to the fact that this type of leader essentially motivates subordinates by exchanging rewards for performance. A transactional leader generally does not look ahead in strategically guiding an organization to a position of market leadership; instead, these managers are solely concerned with making sure everything flows smoothly today. Transactional leadership motivates followers by setting up social or financial transactions that persuade them to act. For example, a transactional leader might offer bonuses to her sales staff for exceeding quotas. The bonus is a form of financial transaction. Transactional leadership often is set in opposition to transformational leadership, which is a leadership style that relies on convincing followers that a particular vision of what the organization can achieve is worth working toward. Transformational leadership A transformational leader goes beyond managing day-to-day operations and crafts strategies for taking his company, department or work team to the next level of performance and success. Transformational leadership styles focus on team-building, motivation and collaboration with employees at different levels of an organization to accomplish change for the better. Transformational leaders set goals and incentives to push their subordinates to higher performance levels, while providing opportunities for personal and professional growth for each employee. Transformational leadership might sound preferable because the leader doesn’t cynically harness the self-interest of her followers, as the transactional leader does. But there’s a problem. A transformational leader might not be forthright with her followers. For example, a business owner might motivate her workforce with stirring speeches about the nobility of hard work, while her real aim is to increase production for personal gain. This type of transformational leader might be called inauthentic. Advantages Both leadership styles are needed for guiding an organization to success. Transactional leaders provide distinct advantages through their abilities to address small operational details quickly. Transactional leaders handle all the details that come together to build a strong reputation in the marketplace, while keeping employees productive on the front line. Transformational leadership styles are crucial to the strategic development of a small business. Small businesses with transformational leaders at the helm shoot for ambitious goals, and can they achieve rapid success through the vision and team-building skills of the leader. Applications Different management styles are best suited to different situations. When it comes to front-line supervisors of minimum-wage employees, for example a transactional leadership style can be more effective. Shift supervisors at a fast food restaurant will be much more effective if they are concerned with ensuring all of the various stations run smoothly, rather than spending their time thinking up better ways to serve hamburgers. On the other hand, CEOs or sales managers can be more effective if they are transformational leaders. Executive managers need the ability to design and communicate grand strategic missions, passing the missions down to transactional leaders for implementation of the details. Organizations emphasize the concept of leadership in training managers or group leaders to propel a team or the organization forward. Within leadership, the effectiveness of the transformational versus transactional leader is often debated. Transactional leadership relies more on a give and take understanding, whereby subordinates have a sense of duty to the leader in exchange for some reward. Transformational leadership, on the other hand, involves a committed relationship between the leader and his followers. In 1985, industrial psychologist Bernard Bass identified and wrote about four basic elements that underlie transformational leadership. Idealized Influence Transformational leaders act as role models and display a charismatic personality that influences others to want to become more like the leader. Idealized influence can be most expressed through a transformational leaders willingness to take risks and follow a core set of values, convictions and ethical principles in the actions he takes. It is through this concept of idealized influence that the leader builds trust with his followers and the followers, in turn, develop confidence in their leader. Inspirational Motivation Inspirational motivation refers to the leaders ability to inspire confidence, motivation and a sense of purpose in his followers. The transformational leader must articulate a clear vision for the future, communicate expectations of the group and demonstrate a commitment to the goals that have been laid out. This aspect of transformational leadership requires superb communication skills as the leader must convey his messages with precision, power and a sense of authority. Other important behaviors of the leader include his continued optimism, enthusiasm and ability to point out the positive. Intellectual Stimulation Transformational leadership values creativity and autonomy among the leaders followers. The leader supports his followers by involving them in the decision-making process and stimulating their efforts to be as creative and innovative as possible to identify solutions. To this end, the transformational leader challenges assumptions and solicits ideas from followers without criticizing. She helps change the way followers think about and frame problems and obstacles. The vision the leader conveys helps followers see the big picture and succeed in their efforts. Individualized Consideration Each follower or group member has specific needs and desires. For example, some are motivated by money while others by change and excitement. The individualized consideration element of transformational leadership recognizes these needs. The leader must be able to recognize or determine through eavesdropping or observation   what motivates each individual. Through one-on-one coaching and mentoring, the transformational leader provides opportunities for customized training sessions for each team member. These activities allow team members to grow and become fulfilled in their positions. The Benefits of Transformational Leadership Motivation A transformational leader uses her belief in the vision of the company to inspire the staff to be more productive and work towards company goals. The drive behind a transformational leader is to find ways in which she can get the entire staff on board with corporate strategy and planning. When the entire company is on the same page with the corporate vision, it can make achieving that vision easier. Planning Inspirational managers do not focus their energy solely on motivating the staff. A good transformational leader has broad visions for the companys future, and those visions can become instrumental in company planning. Whether it is refining the overall business plan or affecting individual marketing programs, the transformational manager has ideas and visions for the future of the company that he wants to share with the management team and work to turn those plans into reality. Retention The idea of transformational leadership is to reach out to each employee and bring out the best in them. An inspirational manager spends time with each employee discussing ways to make the employees job easier, and helping to create plans for developing the employees career. This individual attention that is offered by transformational leaders helps to create a strong bond between the manager and his employees that will reduce employee turnover. Growth  A manager that is not intimately involved in the growth of the company and the development of her staff can start to struggle with managing her department as the company grows. A transformational leader is constantly involved with the growth of the company and the ongoing development of employees. As the company grows, the transformational leader maintains that close contact to the company and employees and can make the process of growing a more involved experience for new and veteran employees.

Trends in Psychology and Psychologists

Trends in Psychology and Psychologists There are some cases where people think that the best way to deal with their mental issues is to keep it within themselves. However, that is not the best solution for all cases. It is a fact that bottling up your emotions could increase the risk of getting a heart disease or some forms of cancer and have serious negative effects oh your health (Chapman, Fiscella, Kawachi, Duberstein, Muennig, 2013). For everyones mental and physical health, people should take their feelings and emotions out through talking to someone or seeking help. This is where Psychologists are needed. Psychologists conduct research, experiment about the human mind and behavior, and provide counseling to promote the well-being of people and improve mental health. Psychologists are essential because we are complex beings, no other animal brain is capable of functioning with high consciousness as we do, and its not easy to understand and express ourselves. The study and practice that they do help people become mor e aware of their mind and conscious for mental prosperity. Psychology occupation is relatively large in size because there are many fields in psychology that people can specialize and work in. The employment of psychologists was 21,600, and the total employees were 10,700 in 2014 with the average retirement age being 63. Clinical psychology is one of the most popular specialty areas. They are in charge of evaluating and treating mental illnesses and work in hospital or health center to assess conditions of individuals or families. Another popular area in this occupation is experimental psychology. Psychologists in this field area are interested in conducting research about the behavior of humans and animals. Other areas include forensic psychology, developmental psychology, industrial psychology, and so on. Psychologist choosing to work in private practice is continuing to increase over time. In 2010, the percentage of the psychologist who stated that private practice is their primary job was 41%, which is a dramatic increase from 1960, when the percentage was just 17% (Norcross Karpiak, 2012). This career is part of a larger group called Social and community service professionals (NOC 415). According to the labor force survey (2015), in Canada, union rate for this group is 52% Psychologists are responsible for advocating mental well-being by working directly with their patients or clients and treating people with mental or emotional disorders. Considering this, it is understandable that effective education and training is important for people who want to work in this career. The requirement and license process vary from province to province. Some provinces require PhDs for a license to work independently while in others a masters degree is sufficient. Due to the many different areas psychologist works in, their earnings are wide in variation. The average starting salaries for psychologists range from about $35,000, particularly for those who are self-employed and just starting out, to more than $120,000 a year. The typical working hours for this occupation depends on their job and the level of responsibility. Some have about 40-hours, and others have more than 50 to 60-hours a week. Psychologists have a high level of stress because treating patients can be extremely rewarding but also emotionally draining. They have heavy workloads and tight schedules. They sometimes have to deal with violent and uncomfortable behaviors. However, no matter how much years psychologists spend to satisfy the requirements and how much stress they get from treating patients, job satisfaction has remained constantly high across the 50 years. No less than 85% of psychologists do not regret going through the process and hardships because of their satisfaction in the career (Norcross Karpiak, 2012). Psychologists could have their jobs for life, but the periods of government cutbacks in the past has made it harder for psychologists to secure the job. However, they can still count on having their job for at least 5 to 8 years. This occupational group is predicted to encounter a shortage of workers in the future because of the substantially higher number of job openings available compared to the recent years. According to Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS), new job openings for psychologists are expected to total 10,00 while only 8,800 new job seekers are expected to fill them over the period 2015-2024. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has asked 649 company owners how the labor shortage affected the business. More than 50 percent of owners has said that themselves are working more hours and that they were receiving lower quality applicants. 45% of owners has also stated that they had to raise labor costs. Looking at the job predictions of psycholog ists, we can expect that the worker shortage may have a serious negative impact on businesses. Many trends in society have affected jobs in the field of psychology. This fields expected growth is about 12 percent over the next ten years. One of the reasons why the predicted job growth is relatively high might be because future impact of mental illness on Canadians is expected to increase by 31% over the next 30 years, resulting in more than 8.9 million people living with a mental illness (Smetanin, Stiff, Briante, Adair, Ahmad, Khan, 2011). Anxiety, depression and other mental disorders growth can be explained by the continuous development of technology. 95% of teens are continuously using the internet. Smartphone ownership in teens ages 12-17 is continuously growing, from 23% to 37% from 2011 to 2013 (Madden, Lenhart, Duggan, Cortesi, Gasser, 2013). It is proven that social media sites make people compare their life with others. People suffer from increased anxiety because of their failure to meet the expectations and demands that are forced on mood them (Lidbetter, 2012). In Salford Business School at the University of Salford, 298 people were surveyed for the charity Anxiety UK and it was found out that 53% of people think social media changed their behavior; 51% of the people said that it was negative behavior because of their confidence declining due to comparisons to others. This would mean that many teenagers would experience an increase in anxiety and depression leading to needing more support and treatment to overcome the emotional issue. Increased use of social media also affects teenagers drug usage. A study by National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XVI: Teens and Parents, the 16th annual back-to-school conducted by CASAColumbia at Columbia University (CASAColumbiaTM) showed that teenager from 12-17 who use social media on a daily basis are five times more likely to use tobacco, three times more likely to use alcohol, and twice as likely to use marijuana. In addition, 40% admitted they had been exposed to pictures of people under the influence via social media, suggesting a correlation between the two factors. The most addictive substance, tobacco, causes premature mortality in Canada. It is responsible for almost 17% of all deaths (Whiteford, 2013). The serious negative impact caused by addiction to drug and alcohol increases the need for psychologists for a treatment of the addiction. Another reason why the field is expected to grow may be because the stigma surrounding mental health declined (Bell Canada, 2015). In a survey done by National Harris/Decima in 2015, it was found out that 57% of people believed that the stigma surrounding mental illness reduced compared to 5 years ago. Also, 81% has admitted that they were more aware of issues involving mental health than they were five years ago. Lastly, 70 % has said that they believe peoples belief and thought regarding mental illness has changed to a positive attitude. Thanks to this, many people with emotional and mental issues are becoming more comfortable in speaking up about their problem with their family and friends thus resulting to more people seeking help. This is important because the stigma is one of the main reason why people with mental illness do not seek help. Through removing the stigma regarding mental illness, people would be able to speak openly without fear of getting judged. With more people asking for help, the need for psychologists would continue to increase. Not only did the development in technology affect the field of psychology to grow, but it also improved and changed how the psychologists treat patients. Though out the history, treatment has been carried out with the patient and the psychologists in the same room. However, technology has developed to the point that this can be achieved without actually being together at one place. Telehealth, which is about using technology such as video calling to virtually have a conference and deliver treatment services to the clients, is continuously growing in usage among psychologists (Nickelson, Magallettaa, Ax, 1998). Online therapy is similar in concept. It is about performing therapy through real-time type communication between the psychologist and the patient. Although there is a clear benefit, it makes it easier for people to get therapy without transportation, it also raises a lot of questions on the ethical and practical issues, such as, the effect of therapy when the patient is on a video monitor and not in the room or the problem of security when virtually communicating with the patient. Other issues involve the hardship in understanding the client accurately and forming a relationship through communication in a text. There is no definite answer to these problems, and the issue is still being reviewed by psychologists. I believe that for a person to become a psychologist, one should be able to come up with new and better solutions, suggestions, and techniques to improve clients well-being and ask insightful questions to help different clients in need. I feel that Bibliography Bell Canada (2015). Bell Lets Talk: The first 5 years (2010-2015). Retrieved from http://letstalk.bell.ca/letstalkprogressreport Campbell, L. F., Freedheim, D. K., Norcross, J. C., VandenBos, G. R. (2016). APA handbook of clinical psychology (1 st ed., Vol 5. ). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Government of Canada. (2015). Psychology. Retrieved from http://www.publichealth.gc.ca Jessica L. Kohout and William E. Pate, Employment and trends in psychology, pp. 343-361, Springer New York, New York, NY, 2013 Madden, M., Lenhart, A., Duggan, M., Cortesi, S., Gasser, U., (2013) Teens and technology, 2013.: Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/03/13/teens-and-technology-2013/ Morgan, R. D., Kuther, T. L., Habben, C. J. (Eds.). (2012). Life After Graduate School in Psychology : Insiders Advice from New Psychologists (1). Hove, US: Psychology Press. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com Psychologist. (n.d.). Career Cruising. Retrieved January 21, 2017, from http://www.careercruising.com Smetanin, P., Stiff, D., Briante, C., Adair, C.E., Ahmad, S. and Khan, M. The Life and Economic Impact of Major Mental Illnesses in Canada: 2011 to 2041. RiskAnalytica, on behalf of the Mental Health Commission of Canada 2011. The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. (2011). National survey of american attitudes on substance abuse xvi: teens and parents. Retrieved from http://www.centeronaddiction.org/addiction-research/reports/national-survey-american-attitudes-substance-abuse-teens-parents-2011 Whiteford et al. (2013). Global burden of disease attributable to mental and substance use disorders: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. Lancet, 382: 1575-86. Chapman, B.P.; Fiscella, K.; Kawachi, I.; Duberstein, P.; Muennig, P. Emotion suppression and mortality risk over a 12-year follow-up. J. Psychosom. Res. 2013, 75, 381-385.

A Phoney in The Fifty Dollar Bill :: The Fifty Dollar Bill

A Phoney in The Fifty Dollar Bill  Ã‚        Ã‚  In "The Fifty Dollar Bill" written by Donald Hall, the narrator of the story seems to be an honest man, but is he really? I believe for the most part he is very honest—except for when he did not want to be drafted so he bribed his congressman. He had several reasons for wanting to be exempt from the draft. He was always honest, until he realized he had something important that could be lost. The very beginning of the story starts with the narrator talking to us (the readers) about how honest he is. He tells about how he is well respected both in his profession and in the community where respect "is not accorded easily" (Hall 957). He is saying since he is a lawyer, respect is hard to earn. He tells us all the things he has never done: "I have never asked the judge who is my best friend to fix a ticket for the son of my liquor dealer. I have never promised a favor to a detective in order to hide evidence unfavorable to my client" (957). He is making it a point for us to believe he is honest. When he talks about other lawyers, he says they "live on intimate terms with dishonesty" (957). This statement implies that he could not handle being dishonest, or that at least he does not "live on intimate terms" with dishonesty. However, the final statement of the first paragraph, "I call myself an honest man," does not really sound like he means what he is saying. He says, "I call myself an honest man," not "I am an honest man." If the narrator was so worried about being honest, what reasons could he have had to try to bribe the congressman? He had a lot to deal with when the rumors of the draft came around. The narrator was a third-year law student. He only had one more year to complete before he got his degree. His wife was pregnant and about to have their first child. Those two things were very important to him, and he could not take the chance of losing them. Not only this, but he feared his own death. He had a "repeated sequence in his mind’s eye" in which he kept seeing his own death. The dream not only took place while be was asleep, he also saw his death while he was awake.

Sir Gawain And The Green Knight: The Role Of Women :: essays research papers

In the fourteenth century, chivalry was in decline due to drastic social and economic changes. Although feudalism-along with chivalry-would eventually fall for other reasons, including a decrease in cheap human resources due to a drop in population caused by plague epidemics and the emergence of a mercantile middle class, the Gawain author perceived a loss of religious values as the cause of its decline. Gawain and the Green Knight presents both a support of the old feudal hierarchies and an implicit criticism of changes by recalling chivalry in its idealized state in the court of King Arthur. The women in the story are the poet's primary instruments in this critique and reinforcement of feudalism. The poet uses the contrast between the Virgin Mary with Lady Bertilak's wife to point out the conflict between courtly and spiritual love that he felt had weakened the religious values behind chivalry. The poem warns that a loss of the religious values behind chivalry would lead to its ul timate destruction. Although superficially Sir Gawain and the Green Knight appears to be a romantic celebration of chivalry, it contains wide-ranging serious criticism of the system. The poet is showing Gawain's reliance on chivalry's outside form and substance at the expense of the original values of the Christian religion from which it sprang. The first knights were monastic ones, vowing chastity, poverty and service to God, and undertaking crusades for the good of their faith. The divergence between this early model and the fourteenth century knight came with the rise of courtly love in which the knights were led to their great deeds by devotion to a mistress rather than God. The discrepancy between this and the church's mistrust of women and desires of the flesh is obvious, and the poet uses women in the story to deliver this message. In contrast to reality at the time, women in the story are given great power: Mary, when properly worshiped, gives Gawain his power, Lady Bertilak operates alone in th e bedroom and singlehandedly taints the chevalier, and Morgan the Fay instigates the entire plot, wielding enough power. The author is using them as a metaphor for other anti-social forces and dangers outside the control of feudalism and chivalry, drawing upon biblical and classical examples in his audience's minds of where femininity is linked with subversiveness. Lady Bertilak is clearly seen in the Biblical role of the temptress, the Eve who led Adam astray--in Gawain, she represents the traditional female archetypes of courtly love, disobedience, lust and death. Sir Gawain And The Green Knight: The Role Of Women :: essays research papers In the fourteenth century, chivalry was in decline due to drastic social and economic changes. Although feudalism-along with chivalry-would eventually fall for other reasons, including a decrease in cheap human resources due to a drop in population caused by plague epidemics and the emergence of a mercantile middle class, the Gawain author perceived a loss of religious values as the cause of its decline. Gawain and the Green Knight presents both a support of the old feudal hierarchies and an implicit criticism of changes by recalling chivalry in its idealized state in the court of King Arthur. The women in the story are the poet's primary instruments in this critique and reinforcement of feudalism. The poet uses the contrast between the Virgin Mary with Lady Bertilak's wife to point out the conflict between courtly and spiritual love that he felt had weakened the religious values behind chivalry. The poem warns that a loss of the religious values behind chivalry would lead to its ul timate destruction. Although superficially Sir Gawain and the Green Knight appears to be a romantic celebration of chivalry, it contains wide-ranging serious criticism of the system. The poet is showing Gawain's reliance on chivalry's outside form and substance at the expense of the original values of the Christian religion from which it sprang. The first knights were monastic ones, vowing chastity, poverty and service to God, and undertaking crusades for the good of their faith. The divergence between this early model and the fourteenth century knight came with the rise of courtly love in which the knights were led to their great deeds by devotion to a mistress rather than God. The discrepancy between this and the church's mistrust of women and desires of the flesh is obvious, and the poet uses women in the story to deliver this message. In contrast to reality at the time, women in the story are given great power: Mary, when properly worshiped, gives Gawain his power, Lady Bertilak operates alone in th e bedroom and singlehandedly taints the chevalier, and Morgan the Fay instigates the entire plot, wielding enough power. The author is using them as a metaphor for other anti-social forces and dangers outside the control of feudalism and chivalry, drawing upon biblical and classical examples in his audience's minds of where femininity is linked with subversiveness. Lady Bertilak is clearly seen in the Biblical role of the temptress, the Eve who led Adam astray--in Gawain, she represents the traditional female archetypes of courtly love, disobedience, lust and death.

Business Research Methods Essay

Organizational Dilemma Starbucks grew as it attracted many people, leading to tripling its stores worldwide. It became part of every neighborhood, appearing on every street, in airports, supermarkets, and roadside rest stops all over America. This is when complaints began to surface that Starbucks is transforming into a fast-food restaurant and not a coffee house. The coffee industry was no longer dominated by Starbucks, for competitors began to put pressure on the business. In addition, the biggest dilemma to hit Starbucks was the 2008 economic crisis. This took a toll on the consumer who saw Starbucks as a luxury and searched for more affordable alternatives. As a result, Starbucks’ management was faced with the need to generate the right management question that would be the thread to making the best decision through its research design. An organizational dilemma can spark a research question. Once an organization determines a situation exists, research methods start to devise and eventually sample designs are implemented. When people think of Starbucks, do they think of great customer service, quality products, clean store, or great coffee? The organizational dilemma is: how should Starbucks go about keeping loyal customers while overcoming the old perceptions and changing with the times. According to Howard Schultz, â€Å"We are not in the coffee business serving people; we are in the people business serving coffee† (Starbucks Board of Directors, 2008). Research Design Marius Pretorius (2008) research infers Starbuck’s organizational dilemma, whether strategic or operational is not diminished when using Michael Porter’s (1985) generic strategies for competitive advantage. Declining sales require a turnaround solution that address strategic causes and cost relationship pressures that govern demand determinants. Which are â€Å"highly susceptible to external influences that are not clearly visible to the decision-makers† (Pretorius, 2008, pg. 21). Designing a two-stage exploratory study to identify the basis of distress and the key determinants is essential to a turnaround strategic plan. An exploratory study provides sufficient flexibility to address research costs, timelines, and development of clear constructs to address priorities and operational definitions (Cooper & Schindler, 2011). The first stage of the study will look to ascertain the causation of the organizational dilemma and postulate the asymmetrical relationships in declining sales by examining both internal and external independent and dependent variables. This research will categorize findings into four relationship types as stimulus-response, property-disposition, disposition-behavior, or property-behavior. This will refine the second stage of research and explore influencing factors in depth. Characteristics and Operational Definitions The research design will produce casual inferences upon which a complementary strategy will result. â€Å"Although they may be neither permanent nor universal, these inferences allow us to build knowledge of presumed causes over time† (Cooper & Schindler, 2011, pg. 154). Therefore, it is important to identify moderating or interactive variable dependencies. To ensure data validity operational definitions will challenge data to meet specific standards. These definitions may not exhibit the organization’s use but will establish a means to classify clearly an event. The main concern is to establish actionable information in which contributory or contingent effects on the original independent to dependent variable (IV–DV) relationship will provide empirical conclusions. References Cooper, D.R. & Schindler, P.S. (2011). Business research methods (11th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Porter, M.E., (1985). Competitive advantage: Creating and sustaining superior performance. New York, NY: The Free Press Pretorius, M., (2008). When Porter’s generic strategies are not enough: Complementary strategies for turnaround situations. Journal of Business Strategy 29(6): 19–28. Starbucks Board of Directors. (2008). Retrieved 2 2013, February, from Starbucks.com: www.starbucks.com/aboutus/environment.asp Starbucks, (2011) Our Company: Mission Statement. Retrieved from http://www.starbucks.com