Free Essays on Evaluation Veggie Tales

The episode in the unique, funny Veggie Tales series includes two separate stories to present the lesson of the good Samaritan. Parts of it are told in a â€Å"Dr. Seuss† style narration, with the occasional song tossed in. The first is a zany tale of two towns where the citizens of town one, who wear shoes on their head, are rude to town two, who wear pots, and vis versa. The Biblical lesson portrayed here is to love your neighbor. This means that you lend a hand if one is needed. Also if you feel that you would want that person to help you if you were in their situation, then that person is your neighbor. Poor green Larry the cucumber ends up being robbed and tossed head first in a hole by some crooks. To add insult to injury, two citizens from his home town of Flibber-o-loo, the mayor and doctor, do not help him out of his predicament. Instead a fellow from the other town, who the Fliberians do not get a long with, helps out distressed Larry. A very interesting ins ight for us â€Å"older children† is how the mayor and the doctor pass Larry by and do not lend a hand. Their excuse is that they have important things to do and are too busy. This is a sad testament to many Christians and their approach to serving God. In the midst of our activities to serve God, we often miss God’s message. Then there is â€Å"The Hairbrush Song,† a mini-opera about the loss of Larry’s hairbrush. It turns out that Bob gave it to the peach, because Larry does not have any hair; Larry’s a cucumber after all. This section is highly amusing. The second story is called â€Å"The Gourd Must Be Crazy.† The story has Junior making a list of friends to invite to his birthday party. His father asks about Fernando, a new kid in the neighborhood from a different country. Junior is not too sure about Fernando, because he thinks he is weird and funny looking. However, Junior’s father points out that Fernando is just different. Later instead o... Free Essays on Evaluation Veggie Tales Free Essays on Evaluation Veggie Tales The episode in the unique, funny Veggie Tales series includes two separate stories to present the lesson of the good Samaritan. Parts of it are told in a â€Å"Dr. Seuss† style narration, with the occasional song tossed in. The first is a zany tale of two towns where the citizens of town one, who wear shoes on their head, are rude to town two, who wear pots, and vis versa. The Biblical lesson portrayed here is to love your neighbor. This means that you lend a hand if one is needed. Also if you feel that you would want that person to help you if you were in their situation, then that person is your neighbor. Poor green Larry the cucumber ends up being robbed and tossed head first in a hole by some crooks. To add insult to injury, two citizens from his home town of Flibber-o-loo, the mayor and doctor, do not help him out of his predicament. Instead a fellow from the other town, who the Fliberians do not get a long with, helps out distressed Larry. A very interesting ins ight for us â€Å"older children† is how the mayor and the doctor pass Larry by and do not lend a hand. Their excuse is that they have important things to do and are too busy. This is a sad testament to many Christians and their approach to serving God. In the midst of our activities to serve God, we often miss God’s message. Then there is â€Å"The Hairbrush Song,† a mini-opera about the loss of Larry’s hairbrush. It turns out that Bob gave it to the peach, because Larry does not have any hair; Larry’s a cucumber after all. This section is highly amusing. The second story is called â€Å"The Gourd Must Be Crazy.† The story has Junior making a list of friends to invite to his birthday party. His father asks about Fernando, a new kid in the neighborhood from a different country. Junior is not too sure about Fernando, because he thinks he is weird and funny looking. However, Junior’s father points out that Fernando is just different. Later instead o...

DuBois v. Washington essays

DuBois v. Washington essays During the Gilded Age, many laws designed to oppress African-Americans were enacted throughout the South. These laws, called the Jim Crow laws, forced poll taxes and literacy tests in order to vote. In 1896, the Supreme Court in Plessy v. Ferguson ruled that racial segregation was legal as long as both facilities were equal. In response to black discrimination, Booker T. Washington and W.E.B DuBois stepped to the front lines of the Civil Rights Movement. Until the start of the twentieth century, both men had similar viewpoints. They believed that by providing industrial training to blacks, whites would create jobs for them. Once whites became dependent on black labor, the blacks could negotiate for more rights. At the start of the twentieth century, DuBois transformed his philosophy to one of immediate equality instead of Washington s belief of gradual equality. The Civil Rights strategy of Booker T. Washington was more practical than the method proposed by W.E.B. DuBois. Fi rst, Washington was able to relate to the economic and social conditions and needs of most black Americans while DuBois understood the needs of the elite blacks. Then, Washington gained the respect of whites while DuBois constantly harassed their moral views. Finally, Washington understood that blacks would need to earn respect from whites while DuBois wanted blacks to be given unconditional respect regardless of their accomplishments. Washington related to the economic and social conditions and needs of most black Americans while DuBois understood the talented tenth. Washington was born a slave on a Virginia plantation in 1856. He grew up in an environment typical to the majority of African-Americans during the Gilded Age. Having received an education, he became the leader at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. The goal of the Tuskegee Institute was to give blacks industrial training. The enrollment of black children in schools ...

Your change story Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Your change story - Assignment Example In that sense, it must express its direction, purpose and core values. UMass Dartmouth University’s vision statement explicitly expresses these three concepts. The purpose and core values will inevitably remain constant while all other features may be modified, which ensures that a vision is always dynamic, inclusive and comprehensive (McKeon, 2012). In comparison to Harley Davidson’s visioning, UMass Dartmouth University’s similarly reflects the relationships, culture, markets and organization aspects of a business. For an institution of higher learning, this vision statement actually gives it an outlook that is not entirely focused on the business or profit aspect of its operations; rather, it makes it appear more of an institution keen on mutually beneficial relations. This is best manifested by their commitment to not only deliver academic education, but nurture individual skills and civic responsibility with the objective of producing successful professional s. This is synonymous to Harley Davidson’s in the sense that a business enterprise need not only concentrate on building a customer base, but also be keen on the quality of service and relations they keep with those they already

Systemic Lupus Erethematotus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Systemic Lupus Erethematotus - Essay Example SLE is a chronic, inflammatory, prototypic, systemic autoimmune disease affecting connective tissues such as skin, joints along with kidney and serosal membranes. Researches available indicate an environmental cause, which leads to development of the disease in individuals genetically predisposed and therefore vulnerable to it. However, the disease epidemiology is incompletely understood (Rahman & Isenberg, 2008). The disease involves the production of IgG autoantibodies that are specific for self antigens including DNA, nuclear proteins as well as cytoplasmic components. The disease therefore is characterized by inflammation, vasuclitis, vasculopathy. Further, a deposition of the immune complex especially in the renal glomeruli leads to a systemic inflammatory response through activation of complement (C5), or of Fc{gamma}R-mediated neutrophil and macrophages. While the activation of former leads to formation of membrane attack complexes (C5b-9) or anaphylatoxin and cell activator C5a; that of latter causes release of oxidants and proteases; both leading to injury (KEGG, 2009). The mechanism of the disease development has been proposed to involve an abnormal apoptosis followed by elevated levels of cell death and immune intolerance. Cellular antigen redistribution to the cell surface coupled with lymphocytes targeting them leads to injury and inflammation (Andrade et al., 2000). Diagnosis of SLE is based on the detection of high levels of antinuclear and other antibodies in the blood along with symptoms of SLE. The techniques used for the detection include urinalysis, CBC, ESR, complement levels, ANA (antinuclear antibody test) and other antibody tests, skin and kidney biopsy along with quarterly follow ups. The treatment involves control of disease symptoms and is determined by the severity of the symptoms. Acute SLE involving CNS,

Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Essay Example for Free

Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Essay 1) How have changes relating to management and organisational structural affected a global organisation of your choice, over the last 75 years. Relate your findings to growth, distribution, and various external influences and strategies. 2) Undertake a SWOT analysis and explain its relevance in relation to your company and/or its sector Word Count 1250. Harvard Style Referencing. Bibliography Required. Global organisation Laura Ashley Holdings Plc has suffered differing fortunes since Bernard and Laura Ashley founded it in the 1950s. It has been involved in the designing, manufacturing, distribution and selling of garments, accessories, perfume, gift items, fabric, wall coverings, bedding, lighting, and furniture. Famed for its floral prints, the chain was highly successful during the early and mid 1980s but things changed in the early 1990s when various management and structural problems as well as those relating to growth, distribution, and various external influences such as global recession surfaced Laura Ashley herself died in 1985. There is a notable difference in the organisation up to and after this year. Up to 1985, it was a simply structured, steadily expanding organisation operating in a non-complex environment (complexity arises when there are numerous complicated environmental influences [Johnson and Scholes, 1989]). In the months and years after, many changes took place. Laura Ashley went public in flotation, acquired other companies involved in areas such as knitwear and perfume, made heavier investments in manufacturing and information technology (IT), moved towards segmentation with Mother and Child shops, exclusively home furnishing shops and unit shops (franchise operations). The organisation moved gradually away from vertical integration (it had always manufactured and delivered all goods itself) The Guardian reported that Laura Ashley was withdrawing from manufacturing by the end of the year in 1998. In order to facilitate growth, there was a shift from the simple functional organisational structure to a more complex divisional structure (which was  re-organised with every change of leadership). The most notable chief executives of Laura Ashley who were in place whilst and after problems developed were Jim Maxmin (1991-1994) and Ann Iverson (1995-1997). Each of these people were responsible for major overhauls within the organisation. Vora (1998) states, Laura Ashley has undergone various restructuring strategies and umpteen management upheavals, all to no avail, and all of which have decimated shareholder value and abused the brand name. As highlighted above, the major problems of Laura Ashley began to manifest in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The first fall of profits were reported in the year to January 1989. It is important, then, to look at its success before this from its beginnings in the 1950s to 1985. One area to naturally consider is the key success factors of the organisation for this period i.e. what specifically can its success is attributed to. Key success factors are what an organisation must do well in order to be successful, be an effective competitor and satisfy stakeholder requirements (Thompson, 1997). Bearing this in mind, the key success factors of Laura Ashley up to 1985 are identified as high quality production, innovative designs, good brand management (the Laura Ashley name was and is strong), well placing of stores, creation of good atmospheres in stores, general design and creative competencies, staff training, creation of a vertically integrated structure and operation within a simplist ic organisational structure in general. Also, the Groups IT capabilities factored into the success as it was a source of competitive advantage e.g. they were an early adopter of electronic point of sale (Heath, 1996 as cited by Johnson and Scholes, 1999). These factors may also be interpreted as strategic excellence positions (SEPs), which can be described as the capabilities, which allow an organisation to produce better than average results in comparison with competitors (PUmpin, 1987). Thompson (1997) presents a particularly useful model that can be helpful in explaining the success of Laura Ashley up to 1985. The EVR congruence model, by Thompson, considers if an organisation is being managed effectively with regards to strategy. It represents the matching of an organisations resources (for Laura Ashley these would include plants, vehicles, IT systems  and locations) to the key success factors dictated by the environment (external factors such as opportunities and threats, stakeholders, competition etc). A determinant in matching these is the values of the organisation (again, in the case of Laura Ashley, these would include the lifestyle they promote/project, shop designs and atmospheres, product designs, the brand, staff training policy and the family culture). If the congruence (fit) between these three areas is great, then this indicates effective management of resources (Hamel and Prahalad [1993] comment that it is important for organisations to manage reso urces well in order to achieve objectives), strategy formulation and all-round success. It can be argued that the success of Laura Ashley up to 1985 can be attributed to greater EVR congruence. That is such things as the number of shops and plants, distribution systems, stakeholders, threats (including competition), products, level of vertical integration and so on fit together well in relation to the size, structure, culture and speed of growth of the organisation then. The key success factors are also indicative of this congruence. So that they can be developed to help ensure both present and future success, it is important key success factors are recognised and understood. One particular way Laura Ashley could do this is through a SWOT analysis. This reviews an organisations internal strengths and weaknesses and opportunities and threats in the external environment (Cole, 1996). This may be done for a particular moment in time or as an overview encompassing the past and present. As made clear, Laura Ashley has faced much change during its existence. Opportunities and threats come about as a result of constant change and the SWOT analysis can help to identify these and internal strengths and weaknesses relevant when dealing with change (Johnson and Scholes, 1989). This SWOT analysis can be used in relation to analysing the problems faced by Laura Ashley in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. They can be greatly attributed to the weaknesses and threats identified. For example, fluctuations in the economy had a knock-on effect on the sale of property and hence on the sale of household furnishings. Also, high borrowing, wastage and forced discounting meant that, despite sales increases, shops were making a loss. The reorganisations in 1988, 1991 and twice in 1995 had their effect too they were costly and highlighted inefficiency. Chandler (1977) states that structures are not adapted until pressure of inefficiency forces the change and that this change process is usually a painful one often carried out by a different chief executive each time. Upon and after his appointment in 1991, Jim Maxmin found that the organisation lacked a core identity, clear strategies, empowered staff, thorough market research, efficient logistics, and many probl ems in the US such as limited growth, poor management and delivery problems. He responded with his Simplify, Focus and Act programme. This included reorganisation, institution of a Global Operations Executive (GOE) and Global Collection Development (GCD) which aided globalisation and marketing, encouragement to empower staff, an alliance with Federal Express Business Logistics to improve delivery and distribution systems, sourcing half of the organisations manufacturing to  the Far East (rather than in-house in Britain) and management replacement in the US. Before leaving Laura Ashley in 1994, Jim Maxmin commented that throughout the entire organisation, people has embraced the principles of the Simplify, Focus and Act programme and set about sorting out the operational problems which have plagued Laura Ashley (Maxmin, 1993 as cited by Warnaby, 1994). Ann Iverson was appointed chief executive of Laura Ashley in 1995. She was to spearhead the rush into the US and revamp the product range (Teather, 1999). Her observations found various problems all of which can again be attributed to identified weaknesses. It was found that the product range was too broad, there was no unified look to match globalisation, the supply chain was inefficient and problems continued in the US. Ann Iversons response included strengthening the alliance with Federal Express Business Logistics, opening larger stores in the US and reviewing marketing and sales. These changes were considered to be good as Laura Ashley restored dividend payments in 1996 for the first time since 1989. Ann Iverson was dismissed in 1997, however, mainly due to continuing problems in the US and the organisations image (Keynotes, 1997). Each of the changes mentioned came about from the organisations particular strengths (as identified) at the time. For example, whilst such things as restructuring and shop closures were happening, the strong name of Laura Ashley and strong customer loyalty were greatly relied upon. Bowman and Asch (1987) comment that the strengths of an organisation are a if not the determinant in how it handles weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Opportunities open to the organisation in dealing with its various problems can be identified as the opportunities in the SWOT analysis. Opportunities change and differ over time. For example, the alliance with Federal Express Business Logistics resulted from available opportunities at the time. A possible opportunity in the early 1990s would have been a speedier move away from vertical integration for example. Laura Ashley became totally vertically integrated in the 1970s and continued  to be so though gradually moved away from this in the 1990s completely in 1998. Vertical integration can be backwards e.g. manufacturer purchasing/owning supplier and forwards e.g. manufacturer purchasing/owning retailer Laura Ashley was both backwardly and forwardly vertically integrated everything from the supplying of materials and manufacturing to distribution and retail. The main benefits of this throughout the organisations development included greater control, greater ability to differentiate, the opportunity to achieve economies of scale (higher margins), assurance of supply and greater synergy. Despite this, there were numerous disadvantages particularly that it was costly and greatly increased operational leverage as well as the need to keep up with technological change. This tied up capital having long-term affects. It meant that there was not full concentration of key strengths (design and retail) on which key success factors are dependent (Thompson, 1997). Furthermore, vertical integration was inflexible (cheaper manufacturers could not be sourced) and sensitivity to decreases in sales increased. It was the cost aspect that had the greatest impact particularly in the face of costly expansion (especially in the US). Warnaby (1994) comments that vertical integration was responsible for financial problems in the early 1990s. The costs of vertical integration had an impact on the organisations ability to successfully expand internationally. Perhaps with the exception of a distinctive product look and the adoption of a divisional structure, Laura Ashley did not expand internationally applying Treadgolds keys/strategies each was applied/introduced incrementally as problems arose to highlight the need e.g. it was not until 1995 when Ann Iverson felt the need for a unified product look. This is indicative that the organisation was not particularly capable of embarking on such ambitious international expansion as it did. This is highlighted by the numerous problems faced by the organisation e.g. poor marketing/marketing strategy, inefficient logistics and lack of direction and clear strategy. Additionally, the paternalistic management style was not suited to rapid expansion and this coupled with high finance demands from vertical integration, reorganisation and early acquisitions further indicate poor planning in terms of development Laura Ashley has faced so many problems throughout its existence. Problems owing to management, organisational structure, logistics and rapid international expansion continuously came and went. In 1998 bankruptcy looked imminent but an injection of ?44 million in equity capital by Malaysian businessman Dr Kay Peng Khoo (giving his MUI property company 47.5% share ownership whilst the Ashley family retained just 9% [Gibbs, 1999]). He installed Ng Kwan Cheong as chief executive who made changes including the disposal of the problematic North American franchise (retail operations were sold to a management buyout team for $1 at the end of July, 1999 [Gibbs, 1999]), targeting of younger markets and investment in e-commerce (Abdullah, 2000). However, all of these changes looked to have no major impact in the Groups success with sales steadily decreasing from 1998. Whether or not Laura Ashley manages to achieve the sort of success it enjoyed in the early 1980s under its new management remains to be seen as does its survival. Chief Executive Ng Kwan Cheong refrained from placing false hopes, commenting in March of 2000 We have a lot of things to do. All I can say is we are moving in the right direction and things are changing (Cheong, 2000 as cited by Abdullah, 2000). REFERENCES Texts  · Bowman, C. and Asch, C. (1987). Strategic Management. Macmillan Education.  · Chandler, A.D. (1997). The Visible Hand: The Managerial Revolution in American Business. Harvard University Press.  · Cole, G.A. (1996). Management Theory and Practice (5th Edition). Letts Educational.  · Johnson, G. and Scholes, K. (1989). Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases. Prentice Hall.  · Johnson, G. and Scholes, K. (1999). Exploring Corporate Strategy: Text and Cases (5th Edition). Prentice Hall.  · PUmpin, C. (1987). The Essence of Corporate Strategy. Gower.  · Thompson, J.L. (1997). Strategic Management: Awareness and Change. International Thomson Business Press. Journals and Publications  · Hamel, G. and Prahalad, C.K. (1993). Strategy as stretch and leverage. Harvard Business Review, 71, March-April, pp75-84.  · Keynotes (1997), Keynote Market Report Clothing Retailing, 1997 Reports, p23.  · Treadgold, A. (1991) Dixons and Laura Ashley: Different Routes to International Growth. International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management. Vol. 19(4), pp13-19.  · Warnaby, G. (1994). Laura Ashley An International Retail Brand. Management Decision, Volume 32 (3). Other  · Abdullah, S.A. Turning around Laura Ashley. http://adtimes.nstp.com.my/archive/mar3.htm (09 December 2000).  · Gibbs, G. (1999) Laura Ashley bids farewell The Guardian Unlimited Archive. http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3904775,00.html (18 December 2000).  · Teather, D. (1999) Banks push Laura Ashley to quit US The Guardian Unlimited Archive. http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,3855892,00.html (18 December 2000).  · Vora, K. (1998) Lessons from Laura Ashley. The Motley Fool: The Daily Fool, Evening Fool Tuesday, 03 March 1998, (online) (cited 04 January 2001). http://www.fool.co.uk/DailyFool/1998/DailyFool980303.htm . BIBLIOGRAPHY Texts  · Cole, G.A. (1997). Strategic Management (2nd Edition). Continuum.  · De Wit, B. and Meyer, R. (1994) Strategy Process, Content, Context: An International Perspective. West Publishing.  · Hatch, M.J. (1997). Organization Theory. Oxford.  · Palmer, A. and Hartley, B. (1996). The Business and Marketing Environment (2nd Edition). McGraw-Hill.  · Palmer, A. (2000). Principles of Marketing. Oxford.  · Porter, M.E. (1980) Competitive Strategy Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competition. The Free Press.  · Porter, M.E. (1985) Competitive Advantage Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. The Free Press.  · Wild, R. (1994) How to Manage (2nd Edition). BCA. Other  · Framed-Art Wholesale. Laura Ashley The History http://www.framedartwholesale.com/aboutLA.htm (20 December 2000).  · Herzog, J. (1997) Laura Ashley closure a strategic decision. Daily Yale News Online Friday, 12 September 1997, (online) (cited 20 December 2000). http://www.yale.edu/ydn/paper/9.12.97/I-1lauraashley.html .  · Hoovers Online. Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Company Capsule Companies and Industries http://www.hoovers.co.uk/uk?capsule/5/0,3042,90245,00.html?referer= (20 December 2000).  · Wetfeet. Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Company Profiles. http://www.wetfeet.com/asp/companyprofiles.asp (18 December 2000).  · Wright Investors Service. Research Report: Laura Ashley Holdings Plc Corporate Information http://profiles.wisi.com/profiles/scripts/corpinfo2.asp?cusip=C826EG930 (18 December 2000).

The Analysis of Autism Facilitates Neuroanatomical Investigations :: Biology Essays Research Papers

The Analysis of Autism Facilitates Neuroanatomical Investigations Studying the functions of the various structures of the brain is best carried out through analysis of brain defects. For example, individuals with autism exhibit particular behaviors that are not considered normal. Assuming that behavior originates from the brain, then it becomes clear that in order to discover the causes of the abnormal behavior a comparison must be made between and healthy brain and the brain of an autistic person. By finding structural differences such as size and composition, the role that the structures play in the behavior of the autistic can be inferred while also investigating the normal functions of brain structures. There are several differences between a healthy brain and the brain of an autistic person. Dr. Joseph Piven from the University of Iowa noticed a size difference . In the autistic brain, the cerebellum is larger and the corpus callosum is smaller. Another study showed that the amygdala and the hippocampus are different in an autistic brain. In an autistic these structures have densely packed neurons and the neurons are smaller than those in a healthy brain. Also, in the cerebellum there is a noticeable reduction in the number of Purkinje cells. Structure and function can not be separated from one another and changes in one indicate alterations in the other. Because an autistic person has brain defects, a reasonable assumption is made that changes in structure will alter the behavior. An autistic person is characterized by having impaired social interaction, difficulty with communication both verbal and nonverbal, trouble with imagination, and limited activities and interests. By analyzing the abnormal behaviors of the autistic person, the roles that the cerebellum, the corpus callosum, the amygdala, and the hippocampus play in the disease can be inferred. The cerebellum is usually associated with motor movements. Concerning this topic it is interesting to note the research of Dr. Eric Courchesne. He found that the VI and VII lobes of the cerebellum were smaller in autistics than those of a normal brain. This condition is called hypoplasia. The reverse condition, which is what Piven encountered, is called hyperplasia. Courchesne linked the cerebellum with attention shifting . He proposed that the autistic takes longer time to change the focus of his attention. He believed that this condition was caused by lack of development of the cerebellum in utero caused by perhaps oxygen deprivation, infection, toxic exposure, or genetically.

Citibank: Performance Evaluation Essay

In 1996, Citibank was an emergent banking institution attempting to increase its market share in the competitive Los Angeles area. In order to do so, the bank’s strategy was to focus slightly less on their financial growth, and much more on providing â€Å"a high level of service to its customers†. Management viewed this paradigm shift as â€Å"critical to the long term success of the franchise†. To implement these changes, a new Citibank employee performance assessment scorecard was created, briefly tested and quickly implemented. Though I believe it was a much improved and broader way to gauge individual performance, there was certainly room for improvement. The scorecard was composed of financial, strategy implementation and control goals which had the advantage of clearly, objectively and transparently measure a manager’s work. These measures were readily accessible though the general accounting system, and left little (if any) room to argue over a manager’s performance. However, all three measures focused primarily on the upcoming quarter(s) and how those numbers compared quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year, making them a short-term or â€Å"lagging† indicator of success. The remaining measures on the assessment scorecard (customer satisfaction, people, and standards) were all noticeably subjective, yet viewed as sound long-term indicators and therefore crucial in evaluating the foundation of the future success of the organization. Obviously, the customer is (and will always be) the most important part of the equation, as it is customer business that allows banks to conduct theirs. People and standards measures are both especially significant measures, as they address the character, personality and perceived image of individuals, management and the organization as a whole. A more specific analysis of the assessment scorecard is as follows: Financial Measures Financial goals are clearly and understandably the most important measure in the assessment scorecard. In this particular case, the yearly financial targets are the result of a division-wide process that includes the division President himself, all the area managers and respective branch managers. For any financial institution, I believe this to be the most objective measure of a manager’s short-term performance. However, discrete short-term accomplishment measures rarely shed light on the bigger picture and, therefore, on the future direction of an organization. This is easily correlated to many other businesses and organizations including my own. I manage an orthopedic research laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh, and one of the items on our yearly evaluation form is the total dollar amount of our grants. Being awarded n number of grants for x million dollars in any given year provides little information about future funding opportunities. I have been at the University for over 4 years and have seen several PhD’s have to close their laboratories unexpectedly after failing to attain the necessary funds to maintain their staff and continue their research. Having various items on a performance assessment scorecard can certainly help avoid situations like those. Strategy Implementation This is another objective, transparent, easily quantifiable financial measure. As it stands on the Citibank performance scorecard, this measure focuses exclusively on financial achievement. However, I believe Citibank management should change its strategy implementation goals to include some of the customer satisfaction goals as well. If â€Å"Citibank’s strategy in California† is, truly, to provide â€Å"a high level of service to its customers†, I would add relevant questions from the independently conducted telephone interviews to customers who visited the branches during the past month to this measure, as it is an essential component of the organization’s strategy, and certainly influenced by the actions and leadership approach of the respective branch managers. Internal Control Processes This measure is an added form of financial evaluation done by the internal auditing team that follows in line with the two previously discussed. For Citibank this measure was helpful in assessing the level of awareness and involvement of the managers with compliance problems. Customer Satisfaction The most ambiguous and subjective measure on the scorecard, happens to be highly regarded by Citibank leadership as a vital gauge of the long term success of the organization. I look at this measure as having 2 very distinct elements. In the telephone survey previously mentioned, there were questions regarding services provided at the actual branch, and questions oncerning other Citibank services such as 24 hours phone banking and ATM services. I believe questions pertaining services offered at the branch belong with the Strategy Implementation measures, as management clearly stated customer service as a top priority and the branch managers’ actions should be closely linked to services provided at their own local office. All other questions, ones related to additional Citibank services and seemingly out of a branch managerâ⠂¬â„¢s control, should be eliminated from their performance scorecard. Under the current format, there is information that I deem crucial to making this decision that is not provided with the case study. Being that this Customer Satisfaction measure is new in the assessment scorecard (which was only briefly tested before being implemented) I would like to know more about the performance of other/all branch managers. That way I would be able to compare Mr. McGaran’s performance to that of the other managers. I find it somewhat unusual that someone as highly regarded as Mr.  McGaran seems to be, with so much banking experience, scored so poorly in Customer Satisfaction, yet performed so strongly in all other areas of his yearly assessment for four consecutive years, all while managing the most important and most competitive Citibank branch in the Los Angeles division. People and Standards The final two measures on the yearly assessment scorecard go hand in hand, as they concern the way branch managers value their own career advancement opportunities as well as their growth as leaders and role-models not only for employees, but also within the communities which they serve. As subjective as these measures might be, they are essential for any organization, and could have a tremendous impact on an individual’s career. In this particular case, Ms. Johnson used these sections to describe Mr. McGaran as â€Å"an excellent people manager (†¦), a team-builder that motivates his people to go above and beyond. † She enthusiastically referenced his involvement within the community, his focus, discipline, availability, effectiveness and drive among many other things. These are all intangibles that are difficult to assess otherwise (i. . financial measures), but could make a significant difference for the organization as well as the individual. In our laboratory we work with many medical students and young residents. Once they complete their projects in the lab, this is the type of subjective assessment I am responsible for presenting to the attending physicians. How do students/residents perform when the attending physicians are not around? How do they deal with this new environment and how do they perform outside of their comfort zone? How well do they interact with the staff? Do they attempt to take on leadership roles even in the limited time they have at the lab, or are they comfortable just going along? I have been doing such evaluations for about 3 years and, as students start getting into residency programs and residents move onto fellowship programs, it’s staggering how some of the answers to such simple questions seem to strongly correlate with their future expectations and opportunities. After carefully analyzing all 6 assessment measures, with the information available, and if I were asked to make a recommendation on Mr. McGaran’s overall performance, I would have to give him a â€Å"par† rating. The instructions regarding overall year-end performance scores were very clear – â€Å"without â€Å"par† ratings in all the components of the Scorecard, a manager could not get an â€Å"above par† rating†. Citibank management, in particular the California Division, had been strongly emphasizing the importance of customer satisfaction for quite some time, even going as far as changing the performance assessment scorecard to reflect this. Mr.  McGaran is the manager of the most important and most competitive Citibank branch, and he is a role model and a reference to many other branch managers. What credibility would we have as management, if we deviated from the rules regarding that very specific measure in the first year of its implementation? Mr. McGaran was an outstanding employee, and I would do everything within my power to let him know that his incredibly strong overall performance had been noted and that we, as management, were aware of his concerns regarding the validity of the telephone survey. I would let him know that the year-end performance evaluation team is always looking for ways to enhance and improve the assessment scorecard, but in accordance with the one currently in place, he could disagree, but had to accept his rating, and continue to improve his customer satisfaction numbers just as he did during the last quarter. Obviously, such evaluation process serves not only to assess employees but also the system in place to do so. With that in mind, I would propose some changes to the year-end assessment scorecard, starting with an evaluation to the content of the telephone survey and its soundness in assessing a branch manager’s performance. I would also suggest that the rating system be adjusted, so that instead of 3 categories, there were 5. Hopefully, these changes would create a more flexible assessment scorecard, and a yearly performance such as that of Mr. McGaran would be properly distinguished and rewarded.

The Social Construction of the Amish Community

Sociology 1101 The Amish Community, an Example of Social Construction The Amish culture qualifies as an example of social construction because it is a belief that has important consequences for a large group of people. The people of the Amish community have specific rules they must follow. They believe that the outside culture has a morally polluting effect and that it promotes pride, greed, immorality and materialism. Some of the Amish beliefs include the concept that God will judge them on how well they have obeyed the church rules during their lifetime and that contact with the â€Å"outside world† makes it harder to obey their rules.This is the reason for their extreme isolation. Even though the Amish culture believes that the â€Å"outside world† has a polluting effect on them and their children, there is a time within the Amish community that the parents throughout the community allow their children to participate in events and activities that they usually wouldnà ¢â‚¬â„¢t be allowed to participate in. This time is referred to as Rumspringa. Rumspringa is also referred to as â€Å"running around† This is the term used to describe the period of adolescence Amish experience starting at around the age of sixteen.The parents of the children who choose to participate in this opportunity feel that their children cannot be shunned from the Amish community because they are not yet baptized and they are not yet under the authority of the church. Rumspringa helps the young adults to choose whether they want to join the church or not. The young adults can choose to join a youth group on the weekends usually. These different youth groups have different activities or events they participate in. There are two main groups; one considered the slower or plainer group and the other considered the faster group.The slower groups participates in activities such as volleyball games, and singing groups and are even sometimes supervised by adults while the fa ster group participates in parties and other activities considered less conservative. Although most people seem to think that the youth who participate in these groups are participating in heavy partying, drug use, premarital sex or other extreme behaviors this is usually not the case although these are not unheard of throughout the faster youth groups. The Amish community serves as an example of social construction because the ideas of this culture are passed along by xplaining each aspect of the community through personal interactions and friendships, people begin to believe these strict aspects are what are to be expected because so many other people of the Amish community are believing them and practicing them. Then the strict aspects of the Amish culture are eventually accepted and passed down from generation to generation. â€Å"The Amish people are direct descendants of the Anabaptists of the sixteenth century Europe. Anabaptism is the religion that came about during the ref ormation era.The term Anabaptist first started out as a nickname that meant re-baptizer, because this group rejected the idea of infant baptism, since an infant doesn’t yet have the knowledge of good and evil. The Anabaptists were seen as a threat to Europe’s religious and social institutions and were therefore persecuted. † The idea of Rumspringa first begins because of this specific aspect of the Amish culture, the belief that their children cannot be shunned by the Amish community because they are not old enough to know the difference between good and evil.This then allows the people of the Amish community to consider what the specific age of knowing good from evil is and then they present the specific idea of Rumspringa to the Amish culture. The Amish community passed through the three phases of Berger and Luckmann’s analysis by first; externalizing the ideas of the culture by putting an explanation of the ideas â€Å"out there† The Amish commun ity first presented the idea of Rumspringa to the entire community when they felt that their young adults should have a choice whether or not they wanted to continue to practice the Amish believes and pass them down to their children.Although it may seem that this act of Rumspringa is going completely against what the Amish community believes, the Amish parents do not encourage their youth to leave home and participate in sinful behaviors but they feel there must be at least some room for free choice in the decision to become Amish. Rumspringa was also explained as the time the Amish community allowed their young adult children to participate in youth groups that would lead them to finding a spouse and if this happened and the two young adults decided to get married their time of Rumspringa was over and they were now to be baptized.The second phase they passed their belief through is objectivation. This is the most crucial phase of construction. The strict rules of the Amish communi ty led the people of the Amish community to believe that being exposed to the outside world would pollute their minds. But, when the idea of Rumspringa was first put out there for people to consider, it showed that this would allow their children to participate in activities and groups that they were not usually allowing them too.At first the people of the Amish community felt this idea was crazy, but after it was explained that their children would not be shunned from the community because they had not yet been baptized and were not yet under the authority of the church and that their young adult children needed free choice in whether or not to continue the practices of the Amish culture, people began to really consider this idea. Many Amish families decided this was a good idea and began to practice this new belief.They felt this could actually help their family continue from generation to generation. The third phase of Berger and Luckmann is the phase of internalization. This new ly introduced belief of the Amish community was spreading quickly and more and more people began practicing this belief. More people of the Amish community began to involve this belief into their everyday lives because they felt this could lead their children to marriage and then they would soon be baptized and be considered under the authority of the church.People of the Amish community had children and has these children grew up they were introduced to the idea of Rumspringa and as these children grew into adults and had their own children they passed down the belief to their children and eventually the belief of Rumspringa throughout the Amish culture was now passed down from generation to generation religiously. Even though the idea of Rumspringa was doubted when it was first presented to the Amish community, the people of the Amish community began to actually consider the aspects of this new idea and realize this could help their children and even their families for generations .This is how the beliefs of the Amish community passed through the third phase of Berger and Luckmanns reality of construction. I believe that the beliefs of the Amish community could either be effectively challenged or accepted depending on the person who is examining and judging the culture. The Amish culture thoroughly explains each aspect of their culture and why they participate in each aspect. They have specific background information on why they now accept the idea of Rumspringa.I feel he Amish culture could also be effectively challenged because, even though the Amish culture presents their ideas of Rumspringa and explains that they feel this certain period of time in their children’s lives could effectively alter their lives for the better, this time doesn’t actually let their children move outside the community or even the home. The young adults of the Amish community don’t actually get to experience what it is like to live in a house where there is te levision or dress differently or even eat food they have never tried before.I feel the period of Rumspringa should be widened completely. The young adults should be able to spend six months to year physically living and working in a whole different world and this would actually allow them to make a completely honest choice about whether to join the Amish community church without the heavy influence of their parents. I feel this would effectively allow the young adults experience Rumspringa.

An Overview of The Treaty of Versailles

An Overview of The Treaty of Versailles Signed on June 28, 1919, as an end to the First World War, The Treaty of Versailles was supposed to ensure a lasting peace by punishing Germany and setting up a League of Nations to solve diplomatic problems. Instead, it left a legacy of political and geographical difficulties that have often been blamed, sometimes solely, for starting the Second World War. Background World War I had been fought for four years when, on November 11, 1918, Germany and the Allies signed an armistice. The Allies soon gathered to discuss the peace treaty they would sign, but Germany and Austria-Hungary werent invited; instead, they were allowed only to present a response to the treaty, a response that was largely ignored. Instead, terms were drawn up mainly by the so-called Big Three: British Prime Minister Lloyd George, French Prime Minister Frances Clemenceau, and U.S. President Woodrow Wilson. The Big Three Each government represented by the men in the the Big Three had different desires: Woodrow Wilson wanted a fair and lasting peace and had written a plan- the Fourteen Points- to achieve this. He wanted the armed forces of all nations reduced, not just the losers, and a League of Nations created to ensure peace.Frances Clemenceau wanted Germany to pay dearly for the war, including being stripped of land, industry, and its armed forces. He also wanted heavy reparations.Lloyd George was affected by public opinion in Britain, which agreed with Clemenceau, though he personally agreed with Wilson. The result was a treaty that tried to compromise, and many of the details were passed down to uncoordinated subcommittees to work out, who thought they were drafting a starting point rather than the final wording. It was an almost impossible task. They were asking for the ability to pay off loans and debts with German cash and goods but also to restore the pan-European economy. The treaty needed to state territorial demands- many of which were included in secret treaties- but also to allow self-determination and deal with growing nationalism. It also needed to remove the German threat but not humiliate the nation and breed a generation intent on revenge- all while mollifying voters.   Selected Terms of the Treaty of Versailles Here are some of the terms of the Versailles Treaty, in several main categories. Territory Alsace-Lorraine, captured by Germany in 1870 and the war aim of the attacking French forces in 1914, was returned to France.The Saar, an important German coalfield, was to be given to France for 15 years, after which a plebiscite would decide ownership.Poland became an independent country with a route to the sea, a corridor of land cutting Germany in two.Danzig, a major port in East Prussia (Germany) was to be under international rule.All German and Turkish colonies were taken away and put under Allied control.Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Czechoslovakia were made independent.Austria-Hungary was split up, and Yugoslavia was created. Arms The left bank of the Rhine was to be occupied by Allied forces and the right bank demilitarized.The German army was cut to 100,000 men.Wartime weapons were to be scrapped.The German Navy was cut to 36 ships and no submarines.Germany was banned from having an Air Force.An Anschluss (union) between Germany and Austria was banned. Reparations and Guilt In the war guilt clause, Germany has to accept total blame for the war.Germany had to pay  £6,600 million in compensation. The League of Nations A League of Nations was to be created to prevent further world conflict. Results Germany lost 13 percent of its land, 12 percent of its people, 48 percent of its iron resources, 15 percent of its agricultural production, and 10 percent of its coal. Perhaps understandably, German public opinion soon swung against this diktat (dictated peace), while the Germans who signed it were called the November Criminals. Britain and France felt the treaty was fair- they actually wanted harsher terms imposed on the Germans- but the United States refused to ratify it because it didnt want to be part of the League of Nations. Other results include: The map of Europe was redrawn with consequences which, especially in the Balkans, remain to the modern day.Numerous countries were left with large minority groups: There were three and a half million Germans in Czechoslovakia alone.The League of Nations was fatally weakened without the United States and its army to enforce decisions.Many Germans felt unfairly treated. After all, they had just signed an armistice, not a unilateral surrender, and the Allies hadnt occupied deeply into Germany. Modern Thoughts Modern historians sometimes conclude that the treaty was more lenient than might have been expected and not really unfair. They argue that, although the treaty didnt stop another war, this was more due to massive fault lines in Europe that WWI failed to solve, and they argue that the treaty would have worked had the Allied nations enforced it, instead of falling out and being played off one another. This remains a controversial view. You rarely find a modern historian agreeing that the treaty solely caused World War II, although clearly, it failed in its aim to prevent another major war. What is certain is that Adolf Hitler was able to use the treaty perfectly to rally support behind him: appealing to soldiers who felt conned and wielding the anger at the November Criminals to damn other socialists, promise to overcome Versailles, and make headway in doing so. However, supporters of Versailles like to look at the peace treaty Germany imposed on Soviet Russia, which took vast areas of land, population, and wealth, and point out that country was no less keen to grab things. Whether one wrong justifies another is, of course, down to the perspective of the reader.

Dying vs. Dyeing

Dying vs. Dyeing Dying vs. Dyeing Dying vs. Dyeing By Maeve Maddox A reader sent me this example of the incorrect use of dying for dyeing: This term [technicolor] was coined by the company of the same name, and the trademarked term described the company’s process of dying film to create a color print from black-and-white originals, replacing the time-consuming hand-coloring method. Mixing up the verbs dye and die and their participles dyeing and dying in modern English is comical, but before the nineteenth century, the spelling distinctions were not always observed. For example, in his dictionary (1755), Dr. Johnson (1709-1784) spelled the words for both meanings as die. Joseph Addison (1672-1719), on the other hand, rendered both words as dye. Nowadays, however, the spellings die and dying are reserved for the sense of â€Å"cease/ceasing to live,† while dye and dyeing have to do with coloring or staining something. The words are often the source of punning. For example, the headline, â€Å"Dyeing to Succeed† refers to dyeing one’s hair in the attempt to overcome age discrimination in the workplace. A common expression with the word dye is â€Å"dyed-in-the-wool,† meaning â€Å"unchangeable in one’s feelings or beliefs,† for example, Never ever get involved with a dyed-in-the-wool feminist. Fran Klein, a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, voted for Barack Obama in 2008. Frederick Douglass [said] â€Å"I am a  Republican, a black, dyed-in-the-wool  Republican† I am a dyed-in-the-wool, diehard, 1000-percent Trekkie, and I say Trekkie, not Trekker, and I don’t care what the nomenclature has become. Akiva Goldsman The expression comes from the fact that when dye is applied to a substance in its raw state, such as wool before it is spun, the resulting color is deeper and more lasting. The dyeing process produced another expression, more commonly heard in earlier times, but not entirely defunct: â€Å"scoundrel of the deepest dye,† meaning, â€Å"an out-and-out rogue.† You have proved yourself a scoundrel of the deepest dye, by maliciously interfering in matters which do not in the least concern you, to the detriment of some of our citizens.† from a letter addressed to Hamilton Wilcox Pierson (1817-1888) The man with the good personality may be a scoundrel of deepest dye, and the one with no personality may have the strongest character of the lot. from a handbook for Christian missionaries (1954) At other times, when he [Rudolph Valentino] portrayed a scoundrel of the deepest dye, he was made up to look quite repellent from a 2003 feature in The Guardian The distinction between die/dying and dye/dyeing is firmly established in modern usage, so you will want to avoid such gaffes as, â€Å"When did Eminem die his hair black?† 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 Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Synonyms for â€Å"Leader†What is Dative Case?Confusion of Subjective and Objective Pronouns

Event Planning in Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Event Planning in Tourism - Essay Example Event planning for any organization requires individuals who are competent and knowledgeable in the field of event planning. This is so much so in the field of tourism where the organization aims to package itself as a tourist destination of sorts. They seek to attract tourists to their tourist destinations. The tourism sector is linked to virtually all the other sectors of a country’s economy. This makes the tourism sector the most important sector of a government’s planning. With this knowledge in mind, the individuals brought in to plan for a tourism-related event should possess skills that are relevant to the field (Kelly, 1990). Â  This paper sets out to investigate the field of event planning while looking at the tourism sector. It seeks to identify the process involved in planning for tourism as an event and set out the steps which should be included when planning for the same. Â  An event is defined as a temporary occurrence that possesses a fixed length of time. An event can be of different types, i.e. planned and unplanned, and the ones that are planned are usually publicized to ensure they get maximum exposure towards the targeted audience. Every event is unique in itself as it involves the blending of different setting, duration, management, and people who facilitate it (Getz, 2007). In the field of tourism, the organizer has to plan for every event because of the nature of the events that are being thought of. Â  Successful planning of any event is important because it ensures that the organization remains competitive in the related market.

Learning theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Learning theories - Essay Example Behaviourism theory as mentioned are mostly two the classical and operant. Operant conditioning is associated with B. F Skinner while classical conditioning is associated with Pavlov. Cognitivism is associated with Chomsky while constructivism is associated with John Dewey among others (Taylor and MacKenney, 2008). The reflection will be based on the behaviourist theory by Ivan Pavlov. This theory examines learning through conditioning of children in the way of pairing the undesired with the desired. This would be very effective especially for a teacher who has a new class and would like them to follow a specific pattern of behaviour in learning. The new learning pattern of behaviour would be used in conjunction with the old behaviour of learning which did not seem to be yielding any positive results in the long run. Since there was the behaviour the students were used to and the results were negative and the new behaviour which the teacher wants them to learn which elicits no response, the two learning behaviours should be paired together over a period of time in order to yield positive results. With time, the new behaviour being used alone will elicit positive results and at this juncture the old and non-productive behaviour will completely be