Self Reflection to Improve Teaching Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Self Reflection to Improve Teaching - Assignment Example Indeed, conducting regular staff evaluation through the learners means that teaching effectiveness is highly valued. As a diabetic instructor, the feedback that I may obtain from students would be vital in providing information on areas that I need to improve on, and the best teaching practice that can provide students with the best learning experiences. Notably, teaching methods and the desired outcome plays a significant role in improving the learning and teaching climate. More so, I believe that the rating given by the students should also be of much importance to the faculty, since it can form the basis of making significant changes. According to cashin (1990), â€Å"Student evaluation forms the beginning of instructor’s journey toward improvement and not the end† (p. 29). This is because student rating do not provide complete solutions, as it raises some questions regarding its effectiveness. As a diabetic class instructor, I should reflect on the process of learni ng to establish the best subject matter to administer as well as what is necessary to teach, which could significantly improve my class teaching. Having established what to offer student in terms of topic on diabetes, I should also plan my class by creating a conceptual bridge that tries to narrow the gap between the student and the instructors’ levels of comprehension regarding the topic. As observed by Way (n.d.), student evaluation to improve on teaching should lead to the establishment of the subject matter that is being taught, as well as what is necessary to teach. Nonetheless, as an instructor, I should consider reflecting on the goals that I would like to achieve by asking myself the following questions: 1. What do I expect to accomplish in this diabetic class? 2. How well can I accomplish the goal set out for this class? Such questions will help find a solution to students’ comments. However, both instructor’s goals and students’ observations sho uld be conceptualized to achieve harmony in what each of them is seeking to achieve in a diabetic class. Part 2: Steps to ensure I am a reflective educator As a reflective educator, I believe that I need to put emphasis on the following issues, which if tackled perfectly will help meet my teaching goals. 1. Establish my previous failures- This will help to avoid repeating mistakes by carrying out investigations on how best to do things the right way, in the future 2. Setting up the teaching goals- As a diabetic class teacher, I should establish what my students need to know and then plan on how to administer the course content in a more understandable way. 3. Being proactive- I should be overly proactive when administering the course through consistent research in order to obtain the most current research findings, which could be of much help to the class participants. 4. I should understand the varying needs of my students- This means that I should establish the students who need m ore attention so that more time can be dedicated to them to ensure they understand the course content in a better way. 5. Evaluate myself from time to time- I should keep on comparing my performance with that of my fellow instructors to find out how best I do compare to them. 6. Embrace change- I should ensure that I am welcoming to change especially on research since through invention of more advanced research methodologies; one can be

Native Americans Essay Example for Free

Native Americans Essay Native Americans were the first people living in the United States until Europeans arrived, sought to colonize and take over. During this time, Native Americans were subjugated to warfare, new government and losing their lands. Forced to submit to White settlers, many Native Americans have had to choose between assimilating into a White culture or preserving their heritage and ancestry. This essay will discuss public policy regarding Native Americans and provide some examples pertaining to ethnocentrism and cultural relativity. Public Policy and Ethnocentrism. From early on, Native American culture has been on a collision with White society. During the colonial period, the government did not want to have any issues with settlers and Native Americans. Schaefer mentions that Whites were to take precedence regardless of the needs or interference by tribes (150). The secretary of war was put in charge of the Native Americans with regard to any Federal communications. Later in 1824 the Bureau of Indian Affairs was created as an intermediary between the Native Americans and the government (Schaefer 150). As White settlers started to move west, they had felt that Native Americans were blocking their progress. This led to the Indian Removal Act that was passed in 1824 which forced several tribes to leave their ancestral lands. Schaefer also mentions, â€Å"the federal 2 government enacted legislation that affected them with minimal consultation† (151). The government’s goal was to weaken tribal institutions so that Native Americans would assimilate. The government still tried to make Native Americans become more like White homesteaders. In 1887 the government passed the Allotment Act which would turn tribal members into land owners. While each family was given 160 acres, there were some stipulations. Schaefer mentions that â€Å"the act prohibited Native Americans from selling the land for 25 years† (153). The other issue was with the Native Americans not knowing how to farm or utilize the land. They also did not receive assistance or training from the government and as a result, did not do well with homesteading. Since the land could not be legally sold, the Bureau of Indian Affairs ended up leasing the land to White landowners (Schaefer 153). During this time, it was believed that Native Americans should put aside tribal identities and assimilate into White culture. As time progressed, the Indian Reorganization Act which was also known as the Wheeler-Howard Act was passed in 1934 (Schaefer 153). This act was supposed to recognize tribal identity but still pushed for assimilation. Tribes would be allowed to create a constitution and elect leaders within reservations. The Reorganization Act did allow Native Americans to have more control over actions taken on their behalf. Schaefer mentions that this act had tried to unite government agencies with tribal dealings by immersing Native Americans in procedures common to White society (153). However, the act still allowed for non-Native Americans to control issues regarding reservations. Schaefer states that, â€Å"The Reorganization Act sought to assimilate Native Americans into the dominant society on the dominant group’s terms† (153). Moving Towards Cultural Relativity 3 After years of the United States government trying to force Native Americans to Assimilate, they have started to realize that their efforts were not facilitating pluralism. Schaefer mentions the Termination Act of 1953 â€Å"which was considered a controversial government policy towards Native Americans† (156). This act cancelled federal services such as medical care, schools, and road equipment that took effect immediately. There was no coordination between tribes or government agencies which affected the tribes in a disastrous manner. They were not able to perform some basic services such as road repair or fire protection without the government. While this policy was supposed to give Native Americans the ability to self-govern it was viewed as a way to reduce services and save money. With life on an Indian reservation being economically depressed, the government decided to try to lure Native Americans away from the reservations. In 1952 the Bureau of Indian Affairs had started programs to relocate Native Americans to urban areas. In 1962 one of the programs was called the Employment Assistance Program. Schaefer states, â€Å"the purpose was to relocate individuals or families at the government’s expense to urban areas where the job opportunities were† (157). This program was not successful as many Native Americans returned back to their reservations. Schaefer also mentions that this program had some unintended consequences where the Native Americans who left were better educated and created a brain-drain (157). This also caused many of them to understand the predicament that they were faced with in both the city and federal reservations. Through all that they have been through, Native Americans have managed to work collectively through Pan-Indianism intertribal social movements. It has caused them to unite within a common identity because of political goals. In 1944 The National Congress of 4 American Indians was formed in Denver, Colorado and registered itself as a lobby in Washington, D. C. (Schaefer 157). Their goal was to raise issues with regard to the Native. American perspective as it operated similar to the NAACP. This group was able to create the Indian Claims Commission and force the Bureau of Indian Affairs to stop the practice of termination. In 1968 the American Indian Movement was created to monitor police actions and document charges of police brutality (Schaefer 157). Schaefer states that â€Å"sovereignty which refers to tribal self-rule is supported by every U. S. president since the 1960’s† (160). This is a very complex legal relationship since there are numerous legal cases where the Supreme Court has to rule which tribes may rule themselves and where they might be subject to state and federal laws. Tribal members pay federal income, social security, unemployment and property taxes but do not pay state income tax if they live and work on reservations (Schaefer 160). Sovereignty links the actions of the federal government with individual American Indians. Schaefer argues that the government acts as a gatekeeper in determining which tribes are recognized (161). In 1978 the Department of the Interior established the â€Å"acknowledgement process† to decide if more tribes could qualify for a government to government relationship. Conclusion With all that the Native Americans have been through over the years it would seem that many of the early policies were not effective because they did not produce the desired results of forced and immediate assimilation. The only thing that the government was able to do was drive these people off their lands, relocate them and create a sense of distrust. I do feel that the 5 Employment Assistance program did contribute to having some Native Americans move out of their comfort zone and seek out other opportunities. It did cause many Native Americans to take collective action and form groups to lobby for their rights. With regard to sovereignty, it seems that Native Americans are trying to assimilate themselves by working with the government to gain recognition and reap the economic benefits. Today it seems that Native Americans are slowly assimilating into White society because of their involvement in protests, lobbying, politics and business. While Native Americans might not have achieved complete pluralism, they are still trying to adapt to contemporary society. References 6 Schaefer, R. (2012). Native Americans: The First Americans (13th ed), Chapter 6 (pp. 147- 171). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson.

Matrix Review :: essays research papers

The Matrix Action / Sci-Fi (US); 1999; Rated R; 135 Minutes Cast Keanu Reeves: Thomas "Neo" Anderson Laurence Fishburne: Morpheus Carrie-Anne Moss: Trinity Joe Pantoliano: Cypher Hugo Weaving: Agent Smith Produced by Bruce Berman, Dan Cracchiolo, Andrew Mason, Barrie M. Osborne, Joel Silver, Erwin Stoff, Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski Directed and directed by Andy and Larry Wachowski Keanu Reeves as a martial-arts master and savior of the earth? Laurence Fishburne as his mentor? The world as we know it does not even exist? Surely, you can't be serious. Welcome to the fascinating and confusing world of "The Matrix." In this sci-fi thriller, Reeves stars as Neo, a computer programmer by day and cyber-hacker by night. Out of nowhere, he is contacted by a group of super hackers who tell him that his life is in danger and his only hope is to trust them. The group's leader, a quiet but confident man known as Morpheus (Fishburne) tells Neo that he is the one chosen to save the world and that the "Matrix is the wool that has pulled over your eyes - that you are a slave." Neo is the world's only hope. In a nutshell, Morpheus explains that computers developed on their own and won a brutal war against man. So the computers made a program to put all of the slaves back in the past, which is our present day. He tells Neo that he can chose either to live now or to see what the world is truly like. Neo chooses the latter, and the trip down the rabbit hole begins as does the fight for the salvation of humanity. But the battle must be fought out in â€Å"The Matrix†, not the real world, where computer sentinels are seemingly invincible and where the laws of physics can not only be bent, they can be tossed right out the window. With that kind of freedom, characters can run up the sides of walls, leap incredible distances, dodge bullets, and with the help of Hong Kong stunt specialist Yuen Wo Ping, pull off some of the most impressive kung fu fight sequences ever filmed. Slow-motion film sequences, some shot at the rate of 12,000 frames per second, allow the filmmakers to manipulate the on-screen action much like in the Gap commercials where the dancers are frozen and the camera angle shifts around them. Andrew Mason lends the film the same look he gave Dark City, only this time the good guys wear black and everyone else is either a sentinel or prime fodder for target practice.

Genetically Modified Food Essay

Did you know that 62 countries have strict laws against genetically modified foods? 30 of those 62 have eliminated or almost completely banned genetically modified foods from their market (Partovi). All of Europe has almost completely done away with these altered forms of comestibles and requires labeling for anything with even a trace of modified content. GMOs (genetically modified organisms) are in nearly 80 percent of the United States processed foods (Lowery). These genetically modified foods have been linked to several serious health conditions. Among these threats are: obesity, ADHD, and cancer. These foods should be restricted from our American markets. Obesity now kills more people than starvation and malnutrition (Barrow). In America, 63 percent of Americans are overweight (Fox). In places such as Europe, where GMO foods are highly restricted, there are lower rates. America has the highest number of obese people in the world (Fox). Places where GMOs are not present or are harder to find and labeled, there is a lower percentage of overweight people. Monsanto, the world’s largest GMO producer, conducted 3 separate studies of GMO foods affect on animals (Tencer). These findings were published in the International Journal of Biological Sciences. Their test concluded overall increases in the animal’s body weight as compared to the animals starting weight, and the control group. It also showed that â€Å"GM maize varieties induce a state of hepatorenal [i. e. kidney and liver] toxicity. † († Does Genetically Modified (GM) Food Increase the Incidence of Obesity, 2012). Another link to GMO foods has been ADD, and ADHD. I myself have ADD and have done very extensive research on it. I do my best to eat natural foods and do not touch fast foods or soda and a majority of most sweets and junk foods. In animals fed GMO foods, studies have shown that there are similar patterns of behavior and similar physiological issues that plague people with ADD and ADHD. These problems are signs that exhibit quick irritation, aggressiveness and hyperactivity (Daniels). One scientist commented on this study and said, â€Å"They have all of the severe allergy responses, the inflammation and the reddening†¦ the intestinal lining is deteriorating. † (Daniels). This is reflected in people with autism, a mental disability that many psychologists believe umbrellas the ADD and ADHD disability. Another factor driving more children to develop ADD and ADHD are the pesticides used on GMO foods. A study discovered that pesticide by-products were found in the urine of the 1,140 children sampled. â€Å"Children with substantially higher levels of a breakdown product of neurotoxic organophosphate pesticides were twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. † (Zerbe). These pesticides are designed to attack the neurological system of pest, but have been linked to harming humans as well. One of GMO foods worst problems is its link to cancer. In a 2 year study done with rats (yes, done with more animals), the results of GMO foods were shocking. The control group was fed only clean foods, while the test group was fed only GMOs. The test showed that 50 percent more of the test rats died prematurely and 50 percent more of the females developed large tumors and cancer. The tumors in the test group were two to three times larger than the control group and developed in half the time it took the control group (Poulter). Quite of few GMO foods have been linked to cancer through carcinogens. These foods contain small trace amounts of carcinogens. Milk containing rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormone) is the more notable of these foods; containing higher amounts of carcinogens than most other GMO foods (Collier). Very few studies of the long term effects of GMO foods have been done in America. Short term studies show GMO foods don’t harm us in anyway because they only contain slight amounts of pesticide, poisons, toxins, or carcinogens. 62 countries have strictly regulated or banned these foods because of the possible effects and long term studies of GMO foods. The problems and medical conditions these foods have been linked to are very serious and affect our entire nation. Most of our food has some sort of genetically modified content. Monsanto itself has concluded that GMO foods are harmful to animals, yet they continue to produce and distribute the genetically modified foods anyway. In fact, the Monsanto Protection Act (officially named Section 735) actually â€Å"effectively bars federal courts from being able to halt the sale or planting of controversial genetically modified (aka GMO) or genetically engineered (GE) seeds, no matter what health issues may arise concerning†¦. † (Connor). This basically means we can be fed poison and our own government could not stop them. We should stop the process of all GMO foods until we have researched enough about them to develop safe, poison free foods. Partovi, Ali. â€Å"Are Un-Labeled Genetically Modified Foods Already in Circulation? † The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost. com, 08 Jan. 2013. Web. 28 Apr. 2013. Lowery, Kate. â€Å"Studies Show GMOs in Majority of U. S. Processed Foods, 58 Percent of Americans Unaware of Issue. † Studies Show GMOs in Majority of U. S. Processed Foods, 58 Percent of Americans†¦ Whole Foods Market, 07 Oct. 2012. Web. 26 Apr. 2013. Barrow, Martin. â€Å"Obesity Kills More than Hunger in March of ‘progress'† The Times. The Times, 14 Dec. 2012. Web. 26 Apr. 2013. Fox, Elizabeth. â€Å"Obesity in America Compared to Europe. † LIVESTRONG. COM. Live Strong, 21 Dec. 2010. Web. 26 Apr. 2013. Tencer, Daniel. â€Å"Monsanto, World’s Largest Genetically Modified Food Producer, To Be Charged With Biopiracy In India (VIDEO). † The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post, 10 Mar. 2011. Web. 26 Apr. 2013. â€Å"Global Research. † Does Genetically Modified (GM) Food Increase the Incidence of Obesity? Washingtons Blog, 20 Mar. 2012. Web. 26 Apr. 2013. Daniels, Diane. â€Å"Are Genetically Modified Foods Contributing to the Rise in Autism? † Brain Works. Brain Worls, 14 May 2012. Web. 26 Apr. 2013. Zerbe, Leah. â€Å"Pesticides in food linked to ADHD in kids† Msnbc. com. Rodale, 09 Nov. 2011. Web. 27 Apr. 2013. Poulter, Sean. â€Å"Cancer Row over GM Foods as Study Says It Did THIS to Rats†¦and Can Cause Organ Damage and Early Death in Humans. † Mail Online. Daily Mail UK, 19 Sept. 2012. Web. 27 Apr. 2013. Collier, Richard. â€Å"Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH)/Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin (rBST). † Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH)/Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin (rBST). Breast Cancer Fund, n. d. Web. 28 Apr. 2013. Sheets, Connor. â€Å"‘Monsanto Protection Act’: 5 Terrifying Things To Know About The HR 933 Provision. † International Business Times. International Business Times, 27 Mar. 2013. Web. 28 Apr. 2013.

Delegated Legislation Essay

Delegated legislation in its various forms is a necessary source of law in a progressive society. Parliament simply cannot keep up with the need for law reform demanded by society. The government formed within Parliament has to fulfill the promised reforms (among other agenda) and there is definite pressure to see that these reforms are passed within the particular session. The lack of specialized knowledge among MPs’ make DL a necessary avenue to ensure reasonable and effective content of the law. It would be unreasonable to expect MPs’ to have specialised knowledge nd understanding on a wide variety of areas. Delegated power is also necessary to enable a particular minister or body of people to issue laws to deal with emergencies and unforseen contingencies. Passing an Act of Parliament is a particularly lengthy process and therefore unsuitable to deal with emergencies. There are numerous concerns over the contribution of delegated/ secondary/ subordinate legislation as a source of law in the I-JK. The bulk of reform via DL is alarming eg 100 Acts to 3000 pieces of DL and the concerns are Justified. Delegated egislation(DL) is a generic term for legislation which is passed by a subordinate body to whom Parliament has delegated law making powers. At a higher level, DL passed by the Pri’vy Council or cabinet ministers or ministers are called Orders in Council , Statutory Instruments and Ministerial Regulations whereas DL issued by Local Councils are called ‘by laws’ . Undeniably, these laws are not passed by Members of Parliament as the peoples’ legislative representatives but by bodies controlled by the executive due to their unique position as a power within Parliament and having a degree of control ver Parliament. This threat is compounded by the practice of sub delegation within the ministry. The first part of the statement above is therefore valid as the idea of democracy is based on a nation governed by laws passed by popularly elected representatives rather than the executive. The making of DL by executive ministers/ bodies is also contrary to the ideals of the Doctrine of Separation of Powers which is practiced in most democratic nations. The latter part of the statement is therefore arguably Justified in that the practice of L is a very high price to pay as a source of law today. Despite this concern it is undeniable that DL is a necessary practice to ensure smooth governance of a nation. These concerns have however been addressed by the various forms of parliamentary, Judicial and political controls operating to ensure that the threat is contained or reduced. The Parent Act itself provides boundaries to the exercise of power by the subordinate body and also provides guidelines eg the requirement to consult, and method of approving the delegated laws. The Joint Select Committee on Statutory Instruments has the function of scrutiny and review of such laws to ensure

The protagonists attainment of self-knowledge shines through the darkness in Nino Riccis Lives of the Saints and Shakespeares King Lear.

The protagonists attainment of self-knowledge shines through the darkness in Nino Riccis Lives of the Saints and Shakespeares King Lear. Tragedies, be they modern or renaissance, rarely manifest a positive nature that transcends the bleakness of their character. The protagonist‚s attainment of self-knowledge shines through the darkness in Nino Ricci‚s Lives of the Saints and Shakespeare‚s King Lear. The tragedy evolves from the beginning and reaches its apex, resulting in the protagonist‚s acquisition of self-recognition and consequently outshines the catatonia of the story. Both main characters are more sinned against than sinning yet their suffering is necessary because it allows them to gain knowledge that they would not have otherwise obtained.From the very first scene, the reader sees the darkness manifest in King Lear. Lear, a proud monarch used to getting his own way, decides to make a show of dividing his kingdom between his three daughters. To his misfortune, he commits three fatal sins that eventually lead to his despair. First, in a shocking display of rage, he disowns his honorable daughter , Cordelia, when she tries to be sincere towards him.18th-century depiction of King Lear mourning over ...He responds with, ‚“Better thou/Hadst not been born than not to have pleased me better‚” (1.1.67). In a similar blunder, he banishes his faithful servant, Kent. Finally, as he divides his land between his two evil daughters, Goneril and Regan, his fate is sealed and the process of this bleak tragedy is set into motion.The darkness in Lives of the Saints is established later in the novel, beginning with Vittorio witnessing a blue-eyed stranger fleeing the shed where Cristina, Vittorio‚s mother, has been bitten by a snake. It‚s downhill for Vittorio from here as, though she survives the snakebite, his mother‚s illicit affair with the blue-eyed stranger is somehow made public to the entire town, who respond in a superstitious and unfriendly manner. New to all these dark facets of human nature, Vittorio is...

Offering Help in English for ESL Learners

Offering Help in English for ESL Learners There are a number of formulas used when offering help in English. Here are some of the most common: May I help you?Can I help you?Are you looking for something?Would you like some help?Do you need some help?What can I do for you today? After you study these constructions, take the offering help quiz to check your understanding. Construction Formula Verb Form May I help you? Use May I or Can I the base form of the verb in a statement. Are you looking for something? Use Are you looking for something OR anything in particular OR specific object Would you like some help? Use Would you like some help OR some advice OR a recommendation Do you need some help? Use Do you need some help OR some advice OR a recommendation What can I do for you today? Use What can I do for you, her, him, etc. today OR this morning, this afternoon, this evening

Verb Agreement with Number

Noun/Verb Agreement with Number Noun/Verb Agreement with â€Å"Number† Noun/Verb Agreement with â€Å"Number† By Mark Nichol When a sentence begins with â€Å"A number of,† should the verb that follows be singular, or plural? For example, when a sentence refers to a number of objections being raised, is was correct, or should you use were? In this case, number stands in as a vague reference to the quantity of objections, but the objections themselves are the focus of the sentence: â€Å"A number of objections were raised.† (This last sentence is passive; it might be better to construct the sentence more actively by identifying and emphasizing those who objected: â€Å"Community members raised a number of objections during the public-comments period.† Occasionally, though, the identity of the actor or actors is irrelevant, or the writer wishes to deemphasize or disguise their identity. That’s why passive construction isn’t categorically wrong it’s merely less direct.) However, when the sentence begins with â€Å"The number of,† the verb that follows should be singular: â€Å"The number of chairs available is 500,† for example, is correct, because the subject of the sentence is number, not chairs, and number is a singular noun. (Of course, â€Å"Five hundred chairs are available† avoid starting a sentence with a numeral is more direct and concise, but, again, sometimes a more relaxed syntax is desirable.) The difference may seem negligible, but consider that in an â€Å"a number of† construction, though the plurality of phenomena in the sentence is important, the identity of the phenomena objections, in the first example above is the essential information. Likewise, in the second example, the reader needs to know what objects the stated quantity refers to, but the point of the sentence is the quantity; hence, number is the key word. The same principle applies when the sentence begins with the expletive there or here, followed by a verb: â€Å"There are a number of objections† and â€Å"Here is the number of chairs you requested.† Again, these sentences are not necessarily ideally constructed, but when you need to write in such a syntactical style, remember, â€Å"A number . . . are† and â€Å"The number . . . is.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:5 Uses of Infinitives50 Idioms About Fruits and Vegetables48 Writing Prompts for Middle School Kids

Mary Shelley Frankenstein Examine the novel and compare and contrast Essay

Mary Shelley Frankenstein Examine the novel and compare and contrast the education of the Creature with the education Victor r - Essay Example So, with that in mind Victor and the Creatures education will be examined, comparing and contrasting their experiences good and bad, as the world around them fosters and hinders their educational goals. Victor as a child showed a keen interest in learning, â€Å"it was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn,† (23) at that young age, he displays an interest in the creation of life. Victor studies the philosophical work of Cornelius Agrippa, and later reads Paracelsus and Albertus Magnus. Victor states that despite schooling in Geneva, he was â€Å"self-taught with regard to my favourite studies.† (24-25) His father was not able to pass on scientific knowledge to him, so Victor found his own books to study, becoming interested in renewing human life, ridding it of illness and disease. Victor’s educational goals are fostered by the natural world around him. Upon seeing a tree struck by lightening and destroyed, he focuses his studies on science: â⠂¬Å"this almost miraculous change of inclination and will was the immediate suggestion of the guardian angel of my life† (26). At 17 yrs old Victor attends University at Ingolstadt. He’s advised by one professor that the books he’s been studying are irrelevant, and that he must learning afresh. Victor accepts this hindrance of his educational goals due to his â€Å"extreme youth, and my want of a guide on such matters† (29). However Professor M. ... The creature initially â€Å"knew, and could distinguish, nothing† (72). With time and experience the creature learns about food and the animals surrounding him. He also learns too about dangers such as fire, â€Å"I thrust my hand into the live embers, but quickly drew it out again with a cry of pain†(73). The creature learns survival skills of fire, shelter, food, drink and danger from humans as he is attacked and later shot at. By watching the De Lacey family and their interaction with one another, this fosters the creatures’ educational experience, and he learns about love â€Å"sensations of a peculiar and overpowering nature: they were a mixture of pain and pleasure, such as I had never before experienced† (76). From continued observations of the family he learns speech, empathy, compassion, he learns to read, in a Lacanian instance he learns to recognize himself, not in a mirror, but he views his reflection â€Å"in a transparent pool!† (80). He gains knowledge of history and civilization from listening to the family teach Safie, and from books he finds in the forest. With time and disastrous attempts to join in civilization which hinder the creature, he learns to both kill and to â€Å"work mischief† (103) by allowing Justine to take responsibility for his crime. The key differences between Victor and the Creatures education, are that with Victor’s learning, whilst still self-educated (like the creature), Victor had the experience of growing from a child to an adult in a family, with formal schooling and University experience, with professors who were able to recommend texts. The more knowledge Victor gains, the more he is respected and gains acclaim at the

Compare and contrast the British and American political systems Essay

Compare and contrast the British and American political systems - Essay Example The best ways are by comparing different political systems of societies from different geographical locations. Since the traditional and cultural values of each society are different, the thinking and the way of life would be very different if compared to one another. (Rabb, 2003, 45-57) Therefore, a political system to one society is likely to be different if compared to another. At the same time, western society might be unfamiliar to the ways of the eastern society and vice-versa. Sometimes as time passes, there develops new theories of new political systems by great thinkers. So we see one political system being changed to another. (Harman, 2003, 99-105) This proves that it's impossible to take just one time frame as different political systems developed at different time lines. In each society they have adopted to a mutual understanding of what's right and what's wrong. (Rabb, 2003, 45-57) For example: Howard Becker suggests "social groups create deviance by making the rules whose infraction constitutes deviance, and by applying those rules to particular people and labelling them as outsiders." (Harman, 2003, 99-102) Therefore at times, we see revolutions that bring about a whole new political system, even though sometimes althea promises that was to come with the new system vanishes somewhere. Politics cannot be pinned down to a single aspect of life, it occurs throughout society, it involves every aspect of our lives, but it is especially concentrated in the modern nation state. It is the nation state that "establishes sovereign jurisdiction within defined boundaries...the state commands ultimate power in that it stands above all other associations and groups in society; it's laws demand the compliance of all those who live within its boundaries." (McWhi rter, 1994, 36-42) In politics there is a phrase that says, power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely'. What it means is that everyone who comes by political power becomes corrupted morally from the opportunities that this power brings with it. This really applies to most people since they shape their morality in line with social pressure. In other words, at first they are scared of society's disapproval and punishment and therefore avoid immorality, however, when power makes them strong, it decreases social pressure and as a result they become corrupted. (Rabb, 2003, 45-57) Religion is undoubtfully a big influence in society but it has declined in countries like the US and UK in the past century. Capitalism is thought to be behind the reason for the decline in organised religion in the US and UK. Each of the three political systems noted above is a type of democracy. The exact nature of that democracy can vary considerably however. In 1996 an estimated 117 countries were on record as being democracies (Sussman 1996, 118-125). Even in countries as similar as the United States and Great Britain this is often the case. The way the United States views representative democracy varies in some ways from the way this concept is viewed in the United Kingdom. This variance is obvious in numerous aspects of government, especially in terms of overall governmental structure. Democracy is indeed a grand and glorious concept,

Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Finance - Essay Example Moreover, an increase in EPS is also increasing dividend paid to NEXT plc shareholders, thus satisfying more the shareholders. This increase in EPS is also tested for quality based on the information from cash flows. Increase in EPS is strengthening positive operating cash flows; as increase in EPS is sometimes shown only on income statement and cash flow statement provides real picture with negative cash flows for operations (Next Plc, 2012).. This increase in EPS in line directors stated objective to provide sustainable long term growth in EPS. For this purpose, NEXT has adopted two strategies; one to increase the sales of the company by increasing the product quality and new stores along with increased cost control. The second strategy is buying back of outstanding shares. Buy backed shares reduces the number of shares outstanding in the market and hence, allows greater proportion of net income to individual share, thus it will lead to same earnings with less outstanding shares, t herefore lower EPS. EPS increase also puts positive impact in share price (though not always) and has also benefitted NEXT plc. CORPORATE BONDS FROM BALANCE SHEET For year 2012 NEXT plc has increased corporate bonds liability amounting to 652.1 million as compare to 471.2 million in year 2011. In the current year firm has issued 10 year 325m bond. Increase in corporate bonds has increased interest expense to 28m (Next Plc, 2012). Increase corporate bonds indicate that firm is extending its debt source of financing as against equity financing to take tax benefit. Equity financing is the most expensive source of financing; therefore, firms are more inclined to debt financing that is relatively cheaper as per Pecking theory (Zhao, Katchova, and Barry, 2004). Moreover, increase in debt facilitates firms firm with cash flows without giving any rights of decision making. Since in difficult economic situation firms have to make tough decisions therefore, management is interested to maintai n decision making more in their own hands. In addition to this, increase in debt gives the opportunity to firms to take advantage of the leverage concept which in return increases its Return on Equity (ROE) (Booth, Aivazian, Demirgue-Kunt and Maksimovic, 2001). This makes the firm more attractive for investors against competitors and it gives a positive signal to the investors according to Signal Theory. Benefit of this strategy has started to be reflecting as NEXT plc share has been ranked as the second best performing firms on FTSE-100 companies and has led its earnings per share increased by compound rate of 18 percent. NEXT Plc has been increasing its debt source of financing to facilitate two objectives; first, to tender cash flows for operations and capital investment. And second to gain the sustainable long term growth in EPS. To continue growth strategy in terms of location, product and sales firm and also EPS, NEXT plc has planned to increase the debt further and has also i ncreased its bank facility by 300 million for 5 years. Moreover, NEXT plc has planned to increase debt max by 700m in order to support the share buyback strategy. REPURCHASE OF OWN SHARES FROM STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS NEXT plc has been following to continue share buy back from on market and off market. In year 2012 firm conducted in investment activity of buying back its own shares

The ways in which work can have an influence on an individual's Essay

The ways in which work can have an influence on an individual's motivation - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that employees are the most important part of an organizational structure since they shape the performance levels of an organization. In order to perform to their level best employees need to be properly motivated towards achieving the goals and vision of an organization. Employees are motivated by different factors at the workplace that may drive them to work more and push for their different motivation aspects at the workplace that is understandable through understanding the psychological factors that influence an employee. Motivation is psychological as it is an aspect of an employee that is not tangible and therefore cannot be quantified and as a result, it is important to come up with proper motivation structures at the workplace that may help the employees. The first psychological aspect of motivation at the workplace is intensity which is the amount of effort that an employee puts to push for their goals. Desire is also an aspect tha t is psychologically motivated since it is the amount of conviction and dedication that an employee has towards a specific goal. In addition, there is arousal that is usually the initial instinct or the trigger that is critical to individual performance and motivation at the workplace. Workplace motivators are important for the employee since they are able to focus on achieving their specific goals and as a result, they do not deviate from the set structures and behaviors that help them to achieve their goals.

Reaction paper on David Cole Interviews Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reaction paper on David Cole Interviews - Essay Example I tried to remain objective while listening to the interview because ideas in my head were contradicting the facts presented by Mr. Cole. Over-all, the investigation presents a very strong argument and Cole has definitely created a big question in the minds of people like me. I asked the question to myself† What would I be telling my children about the Holocaust one day?† If pesticides were cyanide, then it could be unethical for argument sake but not entirely homicidal on the part of the Germans. I am completely perplexed about what happened during the Holocaust. Nevertheless, I would still recommend to fellow students to listen to this controversial interview. In a way, a person would learn how to think critically about the issue and make sensible judgment about the issue. One thing to remember though, make sure emotions are kept at bay. In short, I liked the interview because this is the most sensible thing I have ever watched.

Extraordinary Rendition Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Extraordinary Rendition - Research Paper Example and its conspiratorial partners. Although clearly illegal under international law, both Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush used kidnapping where normal extradition was unavailable to bring fugitives to trial. â€Å"The Supreme Court upheld the government's power to prosecute people who were seized in these abductions and kidnappings irrespective of their legality under international law in the 1992 case of United States v. Alvarez-Machain.† (Lobel 1). Not until 911, however, under President George W. Bush, did the process shift from law enforcement to a â€Å"preventative† measure, and the new policy of extraordinary rendition sent â€Å"individuals to countries not for the purpose of trial, but rather to gather intelligence about future wrongdoing through unlawful detentions and coercive interrogation† (Lobel 1). The estimated number of incidents has been assessed by the CIA as in the â€Å"mid-range two figures.† Based on facts stated by Grey o n Frontline in 2011, this number is probably an underestimate considering â€Å"Many renditions organized by the CIA involved the help not only of other U.S. agencies, such as the Pentagon, but the practical assistance of other countries, such as Egypt and Syria† (Grey no. 6). It is safe then to assume that rendition is not an operation of the CIA alone. Information gathered suggests it is operated through a series of interconnected governmental agencies, private operatives, such as now famous Blackwater, and private companies including Boeing Aircraft, which, through a subsidiary, â€Å"’offers everything needed for efficient’ spanning the globe† (Mayer par 1). The U.S. program prompted several official investigations in Europe into alleged secret detentions and unlawful inter-state transfers involving Council of Europe member states. Charges were filed against such actions based on article 3 of the United Nations Convention Against Torture cites the COE ’s responsibility as â€Å"guardian for human rights, democracy and respect for the rule of law in Europe,† citing its â€Å"†¦.numerous and systematic human rights abuses committed in the pursuit of the so-called â€Å"war on terrorism† (UN Resolution 1507 par. 1 & 3). British collusion in the process is clear in the case of a Pakistani rice merchant held for over six years at Bagram airbase, infamously known to human rights campaigners as â€Å"Guantanamo's evil twin†(Rose par 9). As Rose in his December 9, 2009 article in the Mail reports, a rice merchant was held without charges for six years after disappearing on a business trip to Iran. Crossing into Iraq he was captured by the British who handed him over to the Americans, countering British insistence that it does not take part in such activities. Additional evidence is suggested by a cable from the British requesting specific information on all intelligence flights to determine whether they â€Å"might put the UK at risk of being complicit in unlawful acts (i.e. the ferrying of prisoners through British territories)† (U.S. Embassy Cables par 1). Beyond the immediate EU member states, a web of collusion is also suggested, as one Pakistani prisoner subjected to torture by his Egyptian captors states that the â€Å"chief of Egyptian security informed him that Egypt receives $10

Reaction paper on David Cole Interviews Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reaction paper on David Cole Interviews - Essay Example I tried to remain objective while listening to the interview because ideas in my head were contradicting the facts presented by Mr. Cole. Over-all, the investigation presents a very strong argument and Cole has definitely created a big question in the minds of people like me. I asked the question to myself† What would I be telling my children about the Holocaust one day?† If pesticides were cyanide, then it could be unethical for argument sake but not entirely homicidal on the part of the Germans. I am completely perplexed about what happened during the Holocaust. Nevertheless, I would still recommend to fellow students to listen to this controversial interview. In a way, a person would learn how to think critically about the issue and make sensible judgment about the issue. One thing to remember though, make sure emotions are kept at bay. In short, I liked the interview because this is the most sensible thing I have ever watched.

Hewlett-Packard Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hewlett-Packard - Research Paper Example The company intends to follow an evolutionary trend for growth under the guidance of Apotheker, primarily focusing on the digital entertainment technology, portability and the expected increase in mobile computing. The new CEO has stressed upon the increasing awareness within the company about sustainability of operations and compliance of its products with the current stress on keeping the earth green and pollution free. The company intends and has already taken steps to develop product lines in coherence with these objectives. Apotheker intends to stabilize and retain the reputation of HP as the world’s largest technology company after the recent setbacks when the Directors’ had to sack the previous CEO Mark Hurd on disciplinary grounds and a downward slump in HP’s performance in the First Quarter of the year 2011 (Worthen & Sherr, 2011). Apotheker intends to promote ‘cloud computing’ from its own resources as well as in collaboration with other ma jor players’ in the field.

Neglecting the Complexities Essay Example for Free

Neglecting the Complexities Essay Global warming is the heating up of the earth’s surface which causes such an increase in the average temperature that sums up to the change in the earth’s climate. This can be attributed to the man-made greenhouse gas concentrations as in the greenhouse effect. The Earths climate changes in response to external forcing, including variations in its orbit around the Sun (orbital forcing), changes in solar luminosity, volcanic eruptions, and atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. The detailed causes of the recent warming remain an active field of research, but the scientific consensus is that the increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases due to human activity caused most of the warming observed since the start of the industrial era. This attribution is clearest for the most recent 50 years, for which the most detailed data are available. Some other hypotheses departing from the consensus view have been suggested to explain most of the temperature increase. One such hypothesis proposes that warming may be the result of variations in solar activity. We can just imagine how much of this heat would come from the environmental pollution as the toxic wastes emitted by factory chimneys, production of plastics, chemicals from hairsprays and the like. These innovations that are both detrimental to human health and environment, especially in times where we have denuded green fields and lack of the maintaining and sustaining of the forestry. The current times would show much indifference from the human population who as learned to embrace the short term aesthetic beauty and comfort that this modernism offers to the industry. This apathy should then be addressed immediately especially at these times when the grave effects and destructions of the global warming are so imminent not only in the human health but most especially with the dwindling of natural resources. Despite the notable efforts of some groups and organizations, one cannot help the passive undertaking of such a serious matter by the higher percentage of the human population. One should realize the horrendous effects that could follow with further negligence to such an alarming state of nature. The anticipated shift of climate because of global warming has the biggest possibility of having irreversible effects at both the continental and global scales which prove to be truly devastating. Though the actual materialization of such projected effects remain controversial, the foreseen outcomes include the impeded ocean circulation which is responsible for the transportation of the warm water to the North Atlantic, The wiping out of Greenland and West Antarctic Ice Sheets, intensification of droughts, the wildfires out of heatwaves, severing storms, the speeding up of global warming brought about by the carbon cycle feedbacks in the terrestrial biosphere, and the exhaust of the terrestrial carbon from permafrost regions and methane from hydrates in coastal sediments. The United States National Academy of Sciences has warned, Greenhouse warming and other human alterations of the earth system may increase the possibility of large, abrupt, and unwelcome regional or global climatic events. . . . Future abrupt changes cannot be predicted with confidence, and climate surprises are to be expected. It was stated that most of the consequences of global warming would result from one of three physical changes: sea level rise, higher local temperatures, and changes in rainfall patterns. Sea level is generally expected to rise 18 to 59 cm (7. 1 to 23. 2 inches) by the end of the century. The extreme weather caused by global warming could lead to effects as that of Extratropical storms which is partly dependent on the temperature gradient that is predicted to weaken in the northern hemisphere as the polar region warms more than the rest of the hemisphere. Because of the warm climate there would be an increase in the evaporation which will then cause heavier rainfall as our world is a closed system, which further leads to erosion. This is very detrimental to tropical areas which may lead to desertification due to deforestation. It was then predicted to have an average of 2. 8% catastrophic storms in every 1% increase in annual precipitation. RESOLUTION Because of this awareness on the projected negative effects of global warming it has brought much concern to the human population which brought certain political advocacies into the proposition of ways to eradicate and alleviate the status of our ecosystem as greatly affected by the global warming. They are now promoting extensive means and way into advocating the social awareness of such horrendous effects to our world. The effects and consequences of present acts my not be super visible or flatly exposed to the human eye, but the projected image of how bad things can turn out to be is now shown through studies such as that of one as reported to UN by Stephen Mwakifwamba, national coordinator of the Centre for Energy, Environment, Science and Technology with regard to the Tanzanian government’s climate change. In the past, we had a drought about every 10 years, he says. Now we just dont know when they will come. They are more frequent, but then so are floods. The climate is far less predictable. We might have floods in May or droughts every three years. Upland areas, which were never affected by mosquitoes, now are. Water levels are decreasing every day. The rains come at the wrong time for farmers and it is leading to many problems. Greg Holland, director of the Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology Division at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, said on April 24, 2006, The hurricanes we are seeing are indeed a direct result of climate change, and that the wind and warmer water conditions that fuel storms when they form in the Caribbean are, increasingly due to greenhouse gases. There seems to be no other conclusion you can logically draw. Holland said, The large bulk of the scientific community say what we are seeing now is linked directly to greenhouse gases. The Association of British Insurers has stated that limiting carbon emissions would avoid 80% of the projected additional annual cost of tropical cyclones by the 2080s. The cost is also increasing partly because of building in exposed areas such as coasts and floodplains. The ABI claims that reduction of the vulnerability to some inevitable effects of climate change, for example through more resilient buildings and improved flood defenses, could also result in considerable cost-savings in the long term. Most national governments have signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but there is ongoing political and public debate worldwide regarding what, if any, action should be taken to reduce or reverse future warming or to adapt to its expected consequences. All of these warnings and plans can only be fully realized once each and every individual take a serious look at this alarming earth condition; then personally taking the initiative to involve them selves and act in ways to the promotion of lessening all these harmful sources of global heat. We can take a start from the use of earth-friendly materials such as the recycling method or even the use of healthy vehicular fuels. There are numerous ways to make use of the available alternatives or probably to explore new and better ways of catering materials for human services left to be seen. References Association of British Insurers. (2005). Financial risks of climate change. Brian S. and Gabriel V. (2007). IPCC Projections and Hurricanes. Geophysical Fluids Dynamic Global Warming blog. Global warming behind record 2005 storms: experts. Retrieved on Decmeber 12, 2006, from Reuters. Hoyos, Carlos D. ; Paula A. Agudelo, Peter J.Webster, Judith A. Curry (2006). Deconvolution of the Factors Contributing to the Increase in Global Hurricane Intensity. Science Express. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007, February 05). Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Retrieved February 02, 2007, from http://www. ipcc. ch/ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Retrieved December 12, 2007. Houghton, J. T. ,Y. Ding, D. J.

Gender and Religious Discrimination in Islamic Countries

Gender and Religious Discrimination in Islamic Countries ANTHROPOLOGY: CONFLICT AND CULTURE Introduction Some of the vices of the society that were supposed to have been done away with ages ago are still so pronounced in the society today. There are some controversial cultural practices that continue to thrive even in this 21st century though have been passed by time: such includes the discrimination of the minority in the society. Its expected that with the development emanating form advanced science and technology, men should have developed parallel with technological advance hence overlook some destructive cultural practices based on myths proven scientifically to be wrong. This is not the case as religious and gender discriminations continue to deepen its roots in many cultures especially among the Muslims. This paper endeavors to unveil the evils of minority discrimination based on religious laws. The minority discussed in this paper are the religious and gender based in Islamic nations using a case study of Saudi Arabia. This study is based on a thesis statement that discriminatio n based on Religion and gender is pronounced and in continuity in Islamic based nations. The religious cultures are the sources of the controversies and minority discriminations. Discrimination The concept of discrimination has triggered much reaction in the society we live today because the adverse effects it has on the victims. Discrimination is the treatment taken against an individual or a group of people and based on category or class (Benton, 2007). According to the United Nations, discriminatory behaviors may take a variety of forms but all having a common factor: they include some form of rejection or exclusion. Any action that treats a group of people in an unfair manner because of their membership to a particular social group is discrimination (United Nations Cyber School-Bus, 2010). Minorities and Discrimination The minorities in the society are a group of people who do not constitute formulate the dominant majority of the total population in a given society. Minority group does not necessarily mean numerical majority, rather may include any group of people considered subnormal in relation to the dominant group of people in terms of wealth, employment, class, political power, education and social status (Traiman, 2006). The minority may also be referred to as the ‘subordinate group while the majority group may be referred as the ‘dominant group instead of minority and majority respectively. The term minority group is mostly used in reference of an ethnic group which may include: nationality, language, religion, gender and culture. Some other minority groups may include: The working minorities (unemployed and working poor, people with disabilities, age minorities who are older or younger than the typical working class and the sexual minorities (Lovelace, 2006). The commonality of the term ‘minority group is manifest alongside the discourse of collective rights and civil rights gaining prominence from the 20th century. Those who fall under the category of the minority group frequently fall prey to different treatments in the societies and the countries where they reside. The discrimination can be based on the individuals perception as belonging to the minority group failing to notice an individuals personal successes or occur indirectly based on the social structures that do not offer equal opportunities to the entire subject. Those who belong to the categories of the minority groups are often identifiable while tabling of complains of maltreatments and demanding for equal rights (Lovelace, 2006). Religious Discrimination: Saudi Arabia case study The focus of this paper is to look into the minority groups in the Islamic nations and how they are discriminated by the society and the governing laws within their nations. The two major categories of minority groups within the Islamic culture are the religious minority and gender minority: women. One of the most established Islamic states of the world is Saudi Arabia; though our focus is the Islamic culture in general most of the examples shall be obtained from the monarchy of Saudi Arabia. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is governed by Sharia laws that are derived from the Holy Quran. The kingdom has no legal protection in relation to freedom of religion hence no authority offers such protection to the minority groups: those who do not profess the Islamic religion such as the Christians and the Buddhists. The requirement of the Sharia law is that all people should be Muslims. The government does not condone a public practice of non-Muslim religions, in fact its illegal. The non-Muslims are only allowed to conduct their worship in private. Nevertheless those limited rights are not always respected and contravention does not necessarily carry a lot of weight (International Labor Office, 2007). The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a population of about seventeen million with about seven million foreigners. The foreign population includes about 36,000 Americans, 40,000 Eritreans, 130,000 Sri Lankans, 150,000 Lebanese, 250,000 Palestinians, 800,000 Filipinos, 800,000 Egyptians, 900,000 Pakistanis, 1 million Bangladeshis, and 1.5 million Indians. Of the entire population in the Saudi society, the majority are Muslims with minority Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, and Jews. There are very few of the foreigners who are Muslims. There is a high degree of cultural homogeneity as well as high social stratification (Federal Research Division, 2004). The freedom of religion does not exist, Islamism being the official religion; all the citizens are required to be Muslims. The government is an Islamic monarchy declaring Prophet Muhammads Sunna traditions to be the governing constitution. The government is fully conservative observing the precepts of the Quran to govern the country. The government as well as the society do not allow for any separation between the government and religion. The Muslims societies are allowed to adjudicate their legal issues using the Shia Muslims traditions. This is at the expense of the minority groups who are not Muslims since they are judged according to the Muslims laws: this becomes unfair since the non Muslims are not versed with the basic knowledge hence may contravene the laws out of ignorance. On the same note the non Muslims do not enjoy the Christian festivals and holidays since the only permissible public holiday is Eids, Eid Al-Fitr done as a wrapping up of Hajj (International Labor Office, 2007). The religious minority suffers in that the system of education is based on the Islamic laws. Some other religious teachings such as Christian religious Education are not provided for, the parents and guardians have to organize for tutorial classes to teach their children the basics of their religions. Those who have attempted to advocate for some forms of democratic systems or criticized or written opposed the Islamic administration have faced the Sharia law some being imprisoned while others have faced reprisals. The minority groups pay the revenues to the government which is used in the establishment of Mosques. The government also uses collected revenues to pay the Imams who are the prayer leaders and the other mosque employees though it does not permit the establishment of churches (Abir, 1993). The jurisdiction in the legal system treats the majority, Muslims, unequally to the minority: other religions. For example the retribution sort for blood money varies from that of a Muslim man from that of a member of the other religions. The blood money payable to a Christian man is half that of a Muslim man. The members of the other religions are valued 1/16th of a Muslim man (Saudi Arabian Government and Law). Gender Discrimination The acuity of the womenfolk as a minority group facing discrimination has been publicly debated from time immemorial. The concept of gender discrimination is based on belief that women are a lesser sex in the society. Its generally propagated by attitudes and beliefs concerning the gender of a person. The attitudes and beliefs are social nature normally not carrying legal consequences. The treatment of women varies from one society to another and from institution to another (Tofilon, 2005. The advance in development continues to provide for more opportunities for women. Though not many societies have managed to achieve a level of equal rights for all people despite of their gender, the Islamic based countries do not even make the initiative to provide equal opportunities for all. Gender discrimination can arise in different settings. The discrimination may involve an employee being asked some discriminatory questions in job interviews or while working: if a woman presents herself as a Chief Executive Officer of a given company others may doubt her ability to run such a position based on cultural beliefs that a woman ought to take less task positions not such which involves the control off the entire company. Such cultural beliefs have been impacted on women to an extent that some have accepted the position as a reality of life. Unfair discrimination of women follows gender stereotypes that are held by the society (Hyde, 2005). Gender Discrimination in Saudi Arabia The discrimination of women as the ‘minority group is most pronounced among the practitioners of Islamic religion though also very evident in other societies such as in America: it was identified that more than half of the masters degree programs are offered to women though this is not reflected in the management of organizations; over 95% of senior management positions in organizations remain occupied by men (U.S. Glass Ceiling Commission, 1995). In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia gender discrimination is so pronounced in almost all circles. The greatest challenge in pursuit of gender equality in this monarchy is faced owing to the fact that not many including the womenfolk are willing to see change; many are contented with the status quo. This is chiefly because the discriminations are not perceived by the women since its based on the laws of God: Sharia from the Holy Quran, to them God ordained men to rule as women serve the men (Kline, 2005). Despite the fact that about seventy percent of those enrolled in universities are women only five percent of the workforce is composed of women, 95% of workers are men. This ratio is the most unusual in the world. Any attempt to increase womens opportunities in the working force has faced pronounced resistance from without the government (men citizenly and religious police) and within the labor ministry. The position of a woman is at home according to the Saudi peoples cultures and Islamic religion. Most of these cultures state that a woman was created to take care of her husband and family. The segregation for this minority group is continued even to the home settings where there are some special doors that are set mens usage. In Saudi Arabia women are prohibited even from driving cars and those who drive do it out of contravention of the law, they are very few for not many husbands would allow their wives to drive. They are allowed to fly aircrafts but have to be chauffer driven to the airstrips (Kline, 2005). Women in Saudi Arabia are not even allowed to contend for political positions. They are just allowed to vote. The discrimination of women among the Islamic nations is not only manifest in Saudi Arabia, in Iran there is no much difference; there are so many rights that women are denied from accessing based on the Islamic religion. If a Muslim man commits adultery with a Muslim woman he receives a penalty of 100 lashes, but if with a non Muslim woman there is no provision of the punishment involved. If a non-Muslim man commits adultery with a Muslim woman the penalty is death sentence. Iran law allows a Muslim man to marry a Muslim woman but a Muslim woman can never be married to a none-Muslim man (FIDH report, 2003). Conclusion The discrimination of people in todays society based on beliefs and practices that can not be proven has received vast criticism from many circles. With the current advance in scientific and technological advance its expected that most of the cultural myths that continue to thrive in the society should have been done away with along time ago, but this is not the case. Minority discriminations based of cultural beliefs are so evident in many circles of life especially in the Islamic religious societies. Religious decimation against the minority and gender discrimination are so pronounced in Muslim societies. The minority groups continue to encounter massive challenges in an attempt to fit in these societies. The Saudi Arabia Kingdom which is our case study is a monarchy run in accordance with Islamic religious ethics. The constitution of this monarchy is based on Sharia form the Quran. The greatest percentage of Saudis citizens is Muslims hence all the rest fall under the category of minority group subject to various minority discriminations. Women in the society from time immemorial receive a different perception and treatment by the society. This is based on the belief that they are a weaker sex; the Islamic nations have not been left behind in unequal treatment of women. The paper has outlined the various religious and gender discriminations especially in Islamic based states using the case study of Saudi Arabia. References Abir, M. (1993). Saudi Arabia: government, society, and the Gulf crisis. New York, NY: Routledge. Benton, A. J. (2007). Are Your Genes Protected: Federal Legislation and Genetic Discrimination: The Journal of Gender, Race, and Justice, Iowa City, 10(2), 285-311. Federal Research Division. (2004). Saudi Arabia A Country Study. Montana: Kessinger Publishing. FIDH and the Ligue de Dà ©fense des Droits de lHomme en Iran. (2003). Discrimination against religious minorities in Iran, Paris – France. Retrieved on January 23, 2010 from: http://www.fidh.org/IMG/pdf/ir0108a.pdf Hyde, J. S. (2005) â€Å"The Gender Similarities Hypothesis†, American Psychologist, (International Labor Conference); 96th session, I (B). Publisher International Labor Organization. International Labor Office, (2007), Equality at work: tackling the challenges: global report under the follow-up to the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work International Labor Office Series Volume 91; Volume 96 of Report (International Labor Conference) Report. Publisher International Labor Organization. Kline, J. (2005). Ethics for international business: decision making in a global political economy. New York, NY: Routledge. Saudi Arabian Government and Law. Retrieved on January 23, 2010 from: http://www.jeansasson.com/law_and_government.htm Tofilon, L. (2005). Masters of Discrimination: Augusta National Golf Club, Freedom of Association, and Gender Equality in Golf. The Journal of Gender, Race, and Justice. Iowa City: Fall, 9(1), 189-20. Traiman, L. (2006). Guidelines but No Guidance: GaySpermBank.com vs. FDA. The Journal of Gender, Race, and Justice. Iowa City: Spring, 9(3), 613-623. U.S. Glass Ceiling Commission. (1995). â€Å"Glass Ceiling Commission A Solid Investment: Making Full Use of the Nations Human Capital A Solid Investment:† Making Full Use of the Nations Human Capital. Retrieved on January 23, 2010 from: http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1117context=key_workplace United Nations Cyber School-Bus. (2010). What is discrimination? Retrieved on January 23, 2010 from: http://cyberschoolbus.un.org/discrim/id_8_ud_print.asp

How Much Does It Cost to Save? Essay -- Economics Employment Jobs Essa

How Much Does It Cost to Save? The impact of software development offshore outsourcing has many economic and social impacts. Economically, India is thriving with GDP growth accelerating exponentially including having the potential to achieve double-digit growth.1 Meanwhile, in the United States, the numbers relating to developer jobs are quite the opposite. Most figures suggest that by 2015, roughly 3.3 million business-processing jobs will have moved abroad. As of July 2003, around 400,000 jobs already had.2 Socially, job loss has many strong emotional implications. Job loss due to cost cutting measures coupled with the dot-com layoffs in Silicon Valley conveys an outlook for finding a technical position quite bleak. In addition, changing jobs is stressful, let alone moving into a project management position that now appears to be a position a US engineer must look into. In India, although there is significant momentum to put their trained technical skills to use, the temporal logistics of the situation force many Indian engineers to work during the night time. The economic benefits are seen, but at what cost on a personal basis? With such facts, one can argue for both sides of the economics and social impacts of outsourcing. The context must apply internationally, particularly in the United States and India. When viewed at this level, the economics suggest that the outsourcing moves are indeed overall beneficial. The social impact, however, is not so supportive and an ethical analysis shows that when these factors are taken into account, the suggestion that the economic benefits outweigh all the costs is not necessarily the case. Economics The immediate negative economic impacts in the United States about o... ..., 2002 (back) CNet News, M.B.A.s scout for scarce tech jobs, 2003, CNC, 8 Jan., 2003, http://news.com.com/2100-1017_3-979734.html?tag=st_rn (back) Techs Unite, Washington Could Be First State to Ban Offshoring, 2004, TUC, 3 Feb. 2004 http://www.techsunite.org/news/040203_ban.cfm (back) TUC, Washington Could Be First State to Ban Offshoring, 2004 (back) Wired News, Tech Chiefs Defend Overseas Jobs, 2004, WNC, 7 Jan. 2004 http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,61825,00.html (back) Call Centers India, Call Centers in India, , CCI, date unknown http://www.callcentersindia.com/displaynews.php?idnews=4 (back) Stanford University, Rethinking Migration, 2001, SU, 1 Jan. 2001 http://www.stanford.edu/~aneesh/NewFiles/Rethinking%20Migration.pdf (back) SU, Rethinking Migration, 2001 (back) RAJ, India Winning Higher-Status Jobs in U.S., 2003 (back)

Ignou solved assignment 2014 Essay

Describe the evolutionary process of organization design and different perspectives of organization design and their relevance. Q. Explain the meaning and purpose of Job design and briefly discuss the impact technology has on Job design. Q. Discuss the purpose of organizational analysis and briefly describe the tools which could be used for organizational analysis and their effectiveness. Q. Identify different kinds of change which take place in organization and strategies which are used for change and their effectiveness. Discuss how resistance to change can be handled before implementing it. Give examples. Q. Discuss the process of institution building and the role of chief executive in institution building with an example. 1. Organization design-A process for improving the probability that an organization will be successful. More specifically, Organization Design is a formal, guided process for integrating the people, information and technology of an organization. It is used to match the form of the organization as closely as possible to the purpose(s) the organization seeks to achieve. Through the design process, organizations act to improve the probability that the collective efforts of members will be successful. Typically, design is approached as an internal change under the guidance of an external facilitator. Managers and members work together to define the needs of the organization then create systems to meet those needs most effectively. The facilitator assures that a systematic process is followed and encourages creative thinking. Hierarchical Systems Western organizations have been heavily influenced by the command and control structure of ancient military organizations, and by the turn of the century introduction of Scientific Management. Most organizations today are designed as a bureaucracy in which authority and responsibility are arranged in a hierarchy. Within the hierarchy rules, policies, and procedures are uniformly and impersonally applied to exert control over member behaviors. Activity is organized within sub-units (bureaus, or departments) in which people perform specialized functions such as manufacturing, sales, or accounting. People who perform similar tasks are clustered together. The same basic organizational form is assumed to be appropriate for any organization, be it a government, school, business, church, or fraternity. It is familiar, predictable, and rational. It is what comes immediately to mind when we discover that †¦ we really have to get organized! As familiar and rational as the functional hierarchy may be, there are distinct disadvantages to blindly applying the same form of organization to all purposeful groups. To understand the problem, begin by observing that different groups wish to achieve different outcomes. Second, observe that different groups have different members, and that each group possesses a different culture. These differences in desired outcomes, and in people, should alert us to the danger of assuming there is any single best way of organizing. To be complete, however, also observe that different groups will likely choose different methods through which they will achieve their purpose. Service groups will choose different methods than manufacturing groups, and both will choose different methods than groups whose purpose is primarily social. One structure cannot possibly fit all. , the form of organization must be matched to the purpose it seeks to achieve. The Design Process Organization design begins with the creation of a strategy — a set of decision guidelines by which members will choose appropriate actions. The strategy is derived from clear, concise statements of purpose, and vision, and from the organization’s basic philosophy. Strategy unifies the intent of the organization and focuses members toward actions designed to accomplish desired outcomes. The strategy encourages actions that support the purpose and discourages those that do not. Creating a strategy is planning, not organizing. To organize we must connect people with each other in meaningful and purposeful ways. Further, we must connect people with the information and technology necessary for them to be successful. Organization structure defines the formal relationships among people and specifies both their roles and their responsibilities. Administrative systems govern the organization through guidelines, procedures and policies. Information and technology define the process(es) through which members achieve outcomes. Each element must support each of the others and together they must support the organization’s purpose. Exercising Choice Organizations are an invention of man. They are contrived social systems through which groups seek to exert influence or achieve a stated purpose. People choose to organize when they recognize that by acting alone they are limited in their ability to achieve. We sense that by acting in concert we may overcome our individual limitations. When we organize we seek to direct, or pattern, the activities of a group of people toward a common outcome. How this pattern is designed and implemented greatly influences effectiveness. Patterns of activity that are complementary and interdependent are more likely to result in the achievement of intended outcomes. In contrast, activity patterns that are unrelated and independent are more likely to produce unpredictable, and often unintended results. The process of organization design matches people, information, and technology to the purpose, vision, and strategy of the organization. Structure is designed to enhance communication and information flow among people. Systems are designed to encourage individual responsibility and decision making. Technology is used to enhance human capabilities to accomplish meaningful work. The end product is an integrated system of people and resources, tailored to the specific direction of the organization. 2. Job design refers to the way that a set of tasks, or an entire job, is organized. Job design helps to determine: †¢ What tasks are done? †¢ How the tasks are done, †¢ how many tasks are done, and †¢ in what order the tasks are done. It takes into account all factors which affect the work, and organizes the content and tasks so that the whole job is less likely to be a risk to the employee. Job design involves administrative areas such as: †¢ job rotation, †¢ job enlargement, †¢ task/machine pacing, †¢ work breaks, and †¢ Working hours. A well designed job will encourage a variety of ‘good’ body positions, have reasonable strength requirements, require a reasonable amount of mental activity, and help foster feelings of achievement and self-esteem. 3. Organizational analysis may be done for different purposes. These include: 1) Enhancing the general understanding of the functioning of Organizations (i. e. educational or research purposes. ) (The direct beneficiary is the researcher or the analyst rather than the Organization). Such a study may aim at enhancing the understanding of human behaviour through a study of it in organisation, or to enhance the understanding of the society as reflected in organisational life. 2) Planning for growth and diversification An analysis or a diagostic study may be necessary for planning growth, diversification, expansion etc. Organisational analysis may reveal the strengths that could be used for growth and diversification, weak spots that need to be removed in the new plans, the precautions to be taken, structural dimensions to be kept in mind etc. Several insights may be provided on structure, people, systems, styles, technology etc. that have implications for growth. 3) Improving Organisational Effectiveness or Planning General Improvements Organisational Analysis may be used also for improving the general efficiency of an organisation. On the basis of a diagnosis made out of the analysis action steps could be initiated in terms of toning up administration, introducing new management systems and processes, reduction of wasteful expenditure, introduction of time savers, change of personnel policies to enhance employee motivation, restructuring of some parts, training, elimination of unwanted structures and teasers, improvements in general health of the organisation etc. 4) Organisational Problem Solving Whenever some subsystems departments, units etc.fall sick or start creating problems a diagnosis may be undertaken with a view to identify the source of the problem and take corrective action. A sick unit, a bottleneck, a communication block, a poor performing department, frequently occurring conflict between two departments, repeated failures of a management system or an organisational process, a frequent violation of an organisational norm, fall in discipline, reduction in output absenteeism, increase in conflicts e tc. can all lead to the need for an organisational diagnosis of a part of the organisatioin or the entire organisation. tools of organisational analysis Observation represents the careful and planned method of recording certain phenomena, objects, events in conjunction with a given situation. Constantinescu, etc. (2008) considers it necessary, within the organisation, to focus on observing the interaction between employees, in order to find answers to questions such as: What is the working pace of the employees – slow, methodical, alert, spontaneous? What rituals do you notice in the enterprise? What are the values disseminated? Do the meetings generally provide revealing information? Who participates in these meetings? Who speaks? Whom do these people speak to? To what extent is sincerity situated in these meetings? How much time is devoted to different topics? The topics which often recur and which are discussed in depth frequently represent indications of the organisational culture values. Observations are used for gathering data on the symbols which are analyzed by the qualitative analysis methods. Observations include mostly behavioural material, but also semantic symbols. Observations of behavioural symbols include monitoring and recording the organizational rituals, such as, for example, the celebration of company day as a ritual of integration. There will also be careful attention focused on the state and architecture of the buildings, decor, billboards, staff dress code, behaviour and habits, working environment, the way in which everyone fulfils their role, employee behaviour in conflict situations. The analysis of these aspects allows knowing the reality, the working environment, both the organisation’s physical components and the emotional, psychological elements, harder to decipher at first glance. The opinion interview technique always involves oral information, having the advantage of flexibility, of the ability to get specific answers to each question. Along with the use of the questionnaire, it is one of the techniques most often used in qualitative research. The interview is, however, a complex technique that requires certain abilities and skills from the researcher, especially social, communication and self-reflection skills. The interview is used in the study of organisational culture to collect qualitative data about the cognitive elements of the culture, such as assumptions, values, norms and attitudes. Interviews may also serve to identify symbols, certain expressions, stories, anecdotes specific to the organisation. â€Å"To successfully use the interview in organisational culture research, it is important to determine the persons that will be interviewed, when, where and how the interview will be conducted, the set of questions that will be used and the method of recording it† (Janicijevic, 2011 , p 85). Interviews help us perceive the consistency between what the interviewees say and the facts recorded from other sources. † These perceptions are generally useful for:  · defining an updated vision of the history, the important events and its impact on the functioning of the organisation;

Accounts receivable management

The brand opened up a new facet of beauty care services that was associated more with market and state-of-the-art hospitals, where customers opted for these services under the supervision of doctors who had specialized in cosmetic surgeries/interventions. Would the differentiation between the first-time users of a beauty parlor and the loyal customers of a parlor offer insights that Kayak would find useful? Issues related to services management as well as customer value and customer loyalty were relevant to Kayak's competitive strategies.Although the customers of a beauty parlor could be demographically efferent from Kayak's customers, the commonality of the benefits related to the beauty services offered were the same. The challenge for Kayak was to use the insights from the customers in a related category of beauty parlor services in developing its category that did not face direct competition. etc Traditionally, beauty care products in India had been limited to herbs and homemade products. Only soaps, hair oil, shampoos, and talcum powder from the organized industry had been able to penetrate the Indian market.However, with a teddy increase in the awareness of hygiene and personal grooming across urban and rural India, several beauty and personal care categories gained momentum. In India, marketing activities generally involved popular celebrities, and traditionally highlighted aspects such as elimination of body odor and dandruff, improved oral health, and the prevention of infection. This further boosted the demand for beauty and personal care products. No The Indian beauty care industry grew rapidly in a few years with the penetration of premium beauty care products and services.The rising disposable income and the hanging lifestyles of Indians led to a boom in the beauty and personal care industries. The India skin care industry, for instance, was forecast to grow at 9% compounded annual growth rate (CARR) during 2009-2014. 1 Major fast-moving consumer g oods brands such as Hindustan Milliner Limited (HULL) and Procter and Gamble (P&G) aggressively expanded their product portfolios, distribution networks, and marketing activities in this segment. With the proliferation of beauty and personal care categories and brands, customer awareness of the different types of products and brands increased.The consumption of beauty products and services mimed to have experienced significant growth. 2 The emergence of brands such as Marco's Kayak Skin Clinic, Lake Beauty Salon, BLOC, Shania Hussein Herbals, Covariance's Limited, Green Trends, Keen, and Jawed Habit Hair & Beauty POOH) could be attributed to this trend. The boom was evident: HULL was opening up a new Lake salon almost every week, and GHB had grown from 37 parlors in Staying ahead of the game: How companies are adapting to the changing face of beauty, Euro monitor, November 2010, http://www. Remuneration. Mom/staying-ahead- of-the-game-how-companies-are-adapting-to-the-changing-face- of-beauty/report, accessed October 3, 2011. 2 Beauty business set to boom, http://economists. Initiatives. Com/news/news-by- industry/cons-products/fashion-/-cosmetics-/]leery/beauty-business-set-to-boom/ artilleries/8921457. SMS, accessed on July 1 2, 2011. S. Rammers Kumar, Anode Deja and Seed Hussein prepared this case for class discussion. This case is not intended to serve as an endorsement, source of primary data, or to show effective or inefficient handling of decision or business processes.Copyright 2012 by the Indian Institute of Management Bangor. No part of the publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise (including internet) – without the permission of Indian Institute of Management Bangor. This document is authorized for use only by SANDY SANDWICH at MDI Management Development until November 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protect ed] Harvard. Deed or 617. 783. 7860. Exploring Category Benefits for Brand Building: Kayak and the Beauty Care Market Page 2 of 9 2006 to 225 by the end of 2010.The boom in the Indian beauty market was also able to attract large multinationals, such as Jean-Claude Beguine with annual revenues of ever 150 million Euros, to set up parlors in India. 3 The predominantly unrecognized, locally run beauty parlor market was being replaced by branded chains such as Lake, which was changing the face of this industry in the country. These branded beauty parlors were the leaders in a new era of trained parlor personnel. They offered services based on global insights and professional products that incorporated the latest international technologies.KAYAK SKIN CLINIC The approximately INNER 7,000-core (1 core = 10 million) organized and unrecognized hair and beauty industry was growing at a CARR of 35%. The industry was estimated to reach a potential business of INNER 30,000 core by 2015. Personal hygiene products (soaps and shower products), hair care and skin care products, color cosmetics, and fragrances were the key segments in the Indian beauty care industry (Exhibit 1). The skin care segment was relatively smaller than the personal care segment. The anti- aging cream segment alone, which was only 2% of the skin care market, had been growing at a rate of 90%.The increasing number of educated and working women in the corporate world was a major driver for this rapid growth. What made this industry even more fascinating was that even with the high growth rate, the Indian market was largely untapped, compared to other developing markets. In comparison, a developing country such as China spent ten times more on skin care, six times more on cosmetics, and twice more on hair care on a per capita basis (Exhibit 1). It is also worth noting that India had the highest percentage of women in the age group of 25-44 years, which was the key segment for the beauty industry. These fig ures and facts indicate the huge unrealized potential of the Indian market. Given the vast attention of beauty care services in the country, customer perception about the value related to the delivery of services, customer loyalty, and brand perception were important from the perspective of any branded or unbranded offering in this category. In December 2002, after conducting extensive research, Marino identified an emerging need in the market that translated to an aspiration to look and feel good.On furthering this understanding with the customers, a more focused need that was still untapped was identified: that of having flawless skin that looked good naturally. Thus, the first Kayak Skin Clinic was launched with the single-minded objective of delivering flawless skin solutions customized to Indian skin using the latest technology. In 2011, Kayak had opened 81 clinics spread across 26 cities in India, 18 highly successful clinics in the Middle East, and 2 clinics at Dacha in Bangl adesh. In May 2010, Kayak acquired the aesthetics business of the Singapore-based Dermal Ark Asia Pacific Pete.Ltd. (Dermal Ark). The company expanded its portfolio with the launch of more services such as lip enhancement as well as fairness and hair removal services. Kayak Skin Clinic had a number of services and solutions such as skin beauty, skin concerns, laser hair reduction, and anti-aging. Their product range included over 40 skin, hair, and body products for women and men. Kayak offered 360 degree skin care solutions that included advice on proper diet and exercise regimens. All the services offered at Kayak Skin Clinic were designed and supervised by a team of over 250 dermatologists.The services were carried out by certified skin practitioners who had undergone more than 300 hours of training. The services were US FDA-approved and tested in-house, and conformed to the highest international quality standards. All the services were competitively priced, starting from INNER 1 ,250. Kayak had over 600,000 satisfied customers. Kayak conducted frequent in-house training programs for its skin practitioners and dermatologists. Once in six months, Kayak held training-UCM-refresher courses for its staff to keep them up-to-date with the latest skin care techniques that were available internationally.Its team of dermatologists also participated in the in-house Continuing Medical Education (CAME) program, where international doctors met to discuss various trends in the field of skin care. Beauty bet: JOB plans to set up shop in India, http://economists. Initiatives. Com/ beauty-bet-]CB-plans-to-set-up-shop-India/artilleries/1773980. SMS, accessed on July 122011. 4 Outlook personal care industry: An Indian perspective, Data Strategic Management Group, http://www. Test. Com/download/article/Personal_Care_Chemicals. UDF, accessed on September 12, 2011. Page 3 of 9 PHILOSOPHY OF KAYAK 5 Kayak was divided into six service verticals, namely, Skin beauty, Skin concerns, Hair- free, Anti-aging, Bridal, and Kayak Men. Unlike other retailers, Kayak had not adopted the franchisee model. The company owned each of its clinics, because Kayak Skin Clinic believed in providing consistent services across the country. The philosophy at Kayak was governed by the single value of placing the customer first at all times. The word â€Å"Kayak† in Sanskrit meant â€Å"body. Kayak was all about personal confidence through expert skin care that seamlessly blended looking good with feeling good about one's inner and outer selves at all times. The emphasis, therefore, was on highly customized and personalized services that were best suited for the Indian skin. The services were provided in a state-of-the-art clinic with a Zen-like ambiance. The core values of Kayak Skin Clinic were: Customer First: Spirit of Partnership: Keeping the customer in focus and partnering to deliver skin care solutions.Doing what was in the best interests of the customer; business in terests would follow. Openness: Allowing diversity of opinion by listening to members without bias. Sharing information both good and bad, and having a sense of trust and respect for each other. Ownership: Having a â€Å"my Kayak† mind-set. What would I do if I were the owner of the business? Displaying seamless behavior across the organization when necessary, rather than drawing boundaries of unction's/grades in the interest of the organization. Exhibit 3 presents some of Kayak's print advertisements.They give an idea of how Kayak tried to differentiate itself from regular beauty parlors by consistently emphasizing its technology, the expertise of its dermatologists and skin experts, and so on. Kayak Skin Clinic could be called a chain of cosmetic dermatology clinics. It was a pioneer and thought leader in the skin care services space in the country. It offered its clients tailor-made, result-oriented, safe, non-surgical skin solutions, with the latest and most suitable tech nology available in the world. These services were impolitely administered by dermatologists.Any beauty or skin care brand/service could be considered as competition for Kayak. One of their biggest competitors would be individual doctors and dermatologists who offered one or two specialized services. It was in this context that Kayak needed to use the commonality of the category benefits to develop its brand, especially among loyal customers. KAYAK'S APPROACH TO OBTAIN INSIGHTS ABOUT THE CATEGORY BENEFITS In an emerging market such as India, personal and beauty care has attracted the attention of consumers in several ways. There have been several products and services in this sphere.One recent addition to this category is the services of Kayak that is medically anchored. It is interesting to find that in several markets and product/service categories, consumers prefer a range of offerings or delivery mechanisms to obtain the benefits of the category. For example, for urban transport , there are two-wheelers and four-wheelers; for hair care, there are hair oils and creams; for knowing the time, there are both watches and mobile phones; and for skin care there are creams, lotions, soaps and gels, and cosmetic surgeries.Beauty care has evolved in India from making use of homemade products to obtaining the revives of well-known brands. Although socioeconomic status and chirography's of consumer groups may influence the type of offering/delivery mechanism, the case is written from the viewpoint of the marketer who would like to learn about consumer loyalty through a substitute in the category. Kayak's services and beauty parlor services are meant for different types of consumer segments.Kayak, being at a stage in the market where it does not face much of direct competition owing to the emerging nature of the category, the brand would like to know if there can be lessons earn from a service that is related to its services. For example, the hospitality aspects, ambian ce, response of the service providers to the needs of the consumer (in this instance, consumers in the beauty care segment) and what differentiates a loyal consumer from a new consumer are dimensions that are common to both Kayak's services and beauty parlors: they may vary in their styles and approaches. Kayak Culture, Kayak Philosophy, www. Clinician. Com, accessed on September 13, 2011. Note: Additional information about Kayak Skin Clinic was provided by Grammar Sahara and. Audit Chad of Kayak Skin Clinic. Page 4 of 9 What should a â€Å"self-concept†-centered service category in a market do to obtain inputs in a category that has evolved little? The case's survey was triggered by such a question and beauty parlor services were selected for the purpose. This point can be illustrated as follows.Benefits of beauty care Self-concept of the customer Self-concept of the consumer Beauty-based services Dimensions of customer loyalty Beauty parlors Kayak's services (new offerings forming a subcategory) Differentiation between new and loyal consumers Dimensions of loyalty Insights Differentiation between new for Kayak ND loyal customers METHODOLOGY OF STUDY The objective of the study was to compare the value perception of first-time customers and loyal customers of beauty parlors in order to obtain category insights that Kayak could use.We were interested in finding out how an emerging category (technology-based beauty care in the consumer market and not in the conventional medical market) in an emerging market without direct competition can obtain insights from a related category (beauty parlors) that offers the same core benefit of beauty care. This context (emerging category, related category with the same core infinite as the emerging category and the emerging market in the Indian context) was a unique one and the case focused on a learning that would be useful to Kayak in terms of understanding the behavior of â€Å"first-time† consumers and loyal consumers.The value perception needs to be built around the customers' experiences of the service at the service provider's premises. The questionnaire had a scale related to several components of the service experience as shown in the three sections of Exhibit 2. Responses were collected from the residents of three Indian cities, namely, Bangor, Hydrated, and Delhi. The data collection was done in June and July 2011. Data from 50 first-time customers and 50 loyal customers of beauty services were collected.