The Data Breach At Opm - 1297 Words

The Data Breach at OPM The research paper will take an in-depth view of the current cyber threat and will explore the current efforts taken by the United States in combating the rapidly growing cyber threat. The research conducted will revolve around recent piece of legislation that are said to be the answer to combating cyber-crime. This paper will also look at past efforts and explore their failure and compare with the new piece of legislation to see if it will actually be effective. There are many cyber security techniques which have been implemented in the attempt to thwart the threat and have failed, what makes this approach different. The complexity of cyber-crime presents a major challenge because of the range of adversaries that are capable of executing an attack. Cyber-security has become one of the Nation’s leading concerns, President Obama identified this issue as one of the greatest challenges the nation faces. Though this might seem a little dramatic a report done by the Secret Service, who leads the Electronics Crimes Task Force reported a net loss of about $250 billion a year and rising (McAfee, 2009). Gen. Keith Alexander the director of the National Security Agency and oversees U.S. Cyber Command, who leads the efforts in combatting cybercrime stated cyberattacks are causing the greatest transfer of wealth in history. He also stated that cost of cybercrime has reached is $1 trillion, and urges congress to expand Americas efforts on Cyber defenseShow MoreRelatedData Breaches At The U.s. Office Of Personnel Management Essay1594 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction The data breaches at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) comprised of two likely connected and possibly coordinated incidents to obtain sensitive information of 4.2 million former and current government employees and security background information of 21.5 million individuals starting in July 2012 through 2015. This first report will provide information that describes the attack origin on how attackers gain access into the OPM infrastructure, the action performed, the assetsRead MoreInformation Security Management And Maintenance887 Words   |  4 PagesASSESSMENT OF BREACH There were a number of factors that contributed to the breach, which had they been addressed or had corresponding mitigation responses in place, would have reduced the likelihood that the breach would have taken place, or at a minimum reduce the impact of the attack. These items range from policy related issues, technology implementations, and security management and maintenance. Although I believe a number of these areas were in the process of being addressed, based onRead MoreData Breach At The U.s. Office Of Personnel Management Essay1600 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction The data breach at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) comprised of two likely connected and possibly coordinated incidents to obtain sensitive information of 4.2 million current and former government employees and security background information of 21.5 million individuals starting in July 2012 through 2015. This first report will provide information that describes the attack origin on how attackers gain access into the OPM infrastructure, the action performed, the assetsRead MoreFice Of Personnel Management Essay1715 Words   |  7 Pagesus. We read and see some organization somewhere had been breached and sensitive data stolen almost daily as the norm in this modern era. Well known big named organizations private and public alike have been hacked, violated and their priced information stolen in the virtual world. This paper examines the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)’s widely reported data breach and the mismanagement leading up to the breach. Explains how adhering to the fundamental principles of security practice: theRead MoreThe Federal Government1588 Words   |  7 PagesBy exposing important data and other information not only can put the United States as a whole in jeopardy, but the people who live in the United States would be affected as individuals too. Since such information is on file it is crucial that it be protected, in order to do so the best technology and employees are needed to ensure so. The Office of Personnel Management manages all polices that are created to support Federal human resources department (Gallagher). The OPM also oversees the classificationRead MoreThe United States Office Of Personnel Management1261 Words   |  6 PagesManagement (OPM) announced on June 4th, 2015 that hackers had intruded into its network to exfiltrate the personnel records of 4.2 million current and former government employees (Bisson). On June 23rd, FBI Director James Corney confirmed the OPM breach was much worse than originally thought, in total 21.5 million people were compromised. Information Security experts warn that this breach could threaten the United States’ national security for generations. It is important to study how the breach occurredRead MoreMy Support For Strong Encryption868 Words   |  4 Pagesinformation warehoused at the Office of Personal Management (OPM). The petition request that the government not erode the security of our personal devices, use hidden code within applications, pressure companies to keep and allow government access to data collected, mandate implementation of vulnerabilities or backdoors into products, or have disproportionate access to the keys to private data. This information is normally redirected back to the OPM and stored on their servers which could be hacked by individualsRead MoreProactive Incident Response : The Way Forward1348 Words   |  6 PagesProactive Incident Response: The Way Forward Any organization is critically dependent on data to perform its functions. Security breaches resulting from malicious code attacks, denial of service, employee negligence and theft, unauthorized access, policy violations, (ROCHA, 2012) and vendor leaks and mistakes, are on the ascendancy. Symantec reported a total of nine mega breaches in 2015, which indicated an alarming 429 million exposed identities (Cyber Security Incident Response: Shifting fromRead MoreA Documentary By Admiral Vern Essay1308 Words   |  6 PagesMission of the Office of Personnel Management The Office of Personnel Management also known as OPM, is an agency of the United States government that manages the civil service of the federal government. According to the website, they â€Å"conduct background checks, defend merits for the federal civil service, and they manage pension benefits for retired federal employees and their families† (OPM, 2016). OPM is an agency that delivers advantages to employ people with talent, and train them to achieve theirRead MoreSocial Security Case Study735 Words   |  3 Pagesof 1.1 million. The infringement of information would have a bearing on twenty-two million individuals that comprised confidential personal data which contained dates and places of birth, home addresses, and social security numbers. This for the government of the United States of America went down as one of the worst cyber-attacks ever (Lee, 2015). The OPM attack trail pointed to the country of China even though its government bureaucrats denied any participation in the conjunction associated with

Operations Management Improving McDonalds Burger...

Improving a Burger Assembly Process Slide 1 The process of assembling a toasted sandwich was assessed for McDonalds, using a paten they had sought to register. The process starts with the customer placing an order, the second stage being a check to see there are any heated bread products ready. The process has a number of short but simple stages following this, which need to be efficient in order for McDonalds to meet their operational targets serving customers in a rapid manner with good quality sandwiches. No process is ever likely to be perfect; therefore it is worth re-examination to identify potential improvements. Slide 2 When examining the current process to identify potential improvements, the first stage is to assess whether or not the employees are compliant with the existing system. If there is some non-compliance, then assess where it is occurring and why it is occurring (Slack et al., 2009). The noncompliance may give clues on where and how improvements may be made; it is even possible employees may have improved the system informally. The next stage is to look at how the process may be improved. This may include using a time and motion study to look at the way the different components or actions fit together and identifying any steps which are duplicated, redundant, create a waste (including wasted movement or labor) or may be improved (Slack et al., 2009). Slide 3 Examining the process, looking specifically at the preparation of a hamburger orShow MoreRelatedManaging Flows Of Mcdonald s Essay1541 Words   |  7 PagesManaging flows of McDonald’s The process in the back office can be seen as using ‘just-in-time’ system (JIT), which means all the foods are produced at exactly when they are needed with perfect quality and no waste (Slack at el., 2011). When orders are displayed on an electronic board, staffs begin to reprocess the processed foods like bread and beef to finished foods using specialized equipment and standard procedures immediately. This means maintaining quality while controlling the time in productionRead MoreMcdonald s : A Successful Organization1266 Words   |  6 PagesMcDonald’s is a prime example of a successful organization which has stood the test of time. The company was founded in 1955 by Ray Kroc and Richard McDonald (â€Å"Our History McDonald’s†) As a child I was drawn to McDonald’s due to the popular toys that came with a Happy Meal. Fast-forward to present day I now understand how the company has not only survived but remained successful and loved by milli ons. Visiting McDonald’s I was able to witness their day to day operations, structure and the processRead MoreA Visit At Mcdonald s An Interesting Assignment Essay1556 Words   |  7 PagesA visit to McDonald’s is an interesting assignment. McDonald’s organization is a clear example of mechanistic management, also is known as the Frederick Maslow Tylor Classical Perspective the mechanistic management. This perspective combines both Max Weber bureaucracy theory and hierarchical structure and Henri Fayol administrative principals. Mechanism refers to the way management and employees perform their duties. In an organization like McDonald’s, it is clear how this mechanism works. IfRead MoreEssay about Operations Management: McDonalds Competitive Advantage3016 Words   |  13 PagesAbout McDonald’s 4 Process of McDonalds 4 Operations management 5 Operations managers 5 Operation strategy of McDonald’s 5 Pricing strategies of McDonalds 6 Innovation at McDonalds to improve operations and services 7 Inventory management 8 The Just-in-Time (JIT) Approach 9 Just- in-Time (JIT) Approach in McDonald’s 9 Advantages and benefits of JIT approach 10 Capacity management 11 Capacity strategies 11 McDonalds capacity strategy 11 Quality management 12 Quality management strategiesRead MoreThe Importance Of Management At Mcdonald s And Google Essay1600 Words   |  7 PagesIn what ways are management of companies different or how are they similar to one another? And what is the importance of management in how a company runs nowadays? Many of us question about why knowing the history of management is important to Managers? According to (Samson et al, 2012, Page 53) â€Å"A historical perspective provides a broader way of thinking; a way of searching for patterns and determining whether they recur across time periods.† In the history of management, many trends have appearedRead MoreMcdonalds Market Structure5301 Words   |  22 Pagesexceptional performance. McDonalds brand mission is to be a customers favorite place and way to eat. McDonalds worldwide operations are aligned around a global strategy called the Plan to Win, which center on an exceptional customer experience – People, Products, Place, Price and Promotio n. They are committed to continuously improving theirs operations and enhancing customers experience. McDonalds place the customer experience at the core of all they do.  McDonald’s customers are the reason forRead MoreStrategic Planning of Mcdonalds5829 Words   |  24 Pagesthis journal is available at http://www.emerald-library.com/ft McDonalds: ``think global, act local  ± the marketing mix McDonalds: ``think global, act local Claudio Vignali Principal Lecturer, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK 97 Keywords Globalization, Marketing mix, Marketing management, Fast-food industry, Marketing, Franchising Abstract Focuses on the marketing mix of McDonalds. Highlights how the company combines internationalisation and globalisationRead MoreMcdonalds Value Chain Analysis5751 Words   |  24 Pages2010 Management Information System: McDonald’s case study Idris Sugiarto (21671532) McDonald’s is no doubt the world’s most powerful brand in quick service restaurant industry in terms of market share and brand value. Committed in quality, service, cleanliness, and value, McDonald’s must deliver its product to consumers with consistency and efficiency. This report will explore how McDonald’s corporation maintains its operational excellence through support from integration of sophisticated technologiesRead MoreEssay on Mcdonalds in Vietnam4753 Words   |  20 PagesMCDONALD’S IN VIETNAM By Ayodeji Akin Abiri Table of Contents Abstract 1.0 Introduction 3 1.1 Background note 4 1.2 Global Strategy 5 2.0 McDonald’s In Vietnam 8 2.1 Entry Strategy 9 2.2 PESTEL analysis of Vietnam 9 2.3 SWOT analysis of HCM city 11 2.4 Expansion strategy 12 2.5 Franchising in Vietnam 13 2.6 Drive-thru restaurants 13 2.7 LocalizationRead MoreOperations Managment14673 Words   |  59 PagesKey operations questions Chapter 1 Operations management âž ¤ What is operations management? âž ¤ Why is operations management important in all types of organization? âž ¤ What is the input–transformation– output process? âž ¤ What is the process hierarchy? âž ¤ How do operations processes have different characteristics? âž ¤ What are the activities of operations management? Chapter 2 Operations performance âž ¤ Why is operations performance important in any organization? âž ¤ How does the operations function incorporate

Where Do U See Yourself in the Future free essay sample

And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives Where were goanna be when we turn 25 I keep thinking times will never change Keep on thinking things will always be the same But when we leave this year we wont be coming back No more hanging out cause were on a different track And if you got something that you need to say You better say it right now cause you dont have another day Cause were moving on and we cant slow down These memories are playing like a film without sound And I keep thinking of that night in June I didnt know much of loveBut it came too soon And there was me and you And then we got real blue Stay at home talking on the telephone And we would get so excited and wed get so scared Laughing at ourselves thinking lifes not fair And this is how it feels As we go on We remember All the times we Had together And as our lives change Come whatever We will still be Friends Forever So if we get the big Jobs And we make the big money When we look back now Will our Jokes s till be funny? Will we still remember everything we learned In school? Still be trying to break every single ruleWill little brainy Bobby be the stockbroker man? Can Heather find a job that wont interfere with her tan? I keep, keep thinking that its not goodbye Keep on thinking its a time to fly La, la, la, la: Yeah, yeah, yeah We will still be friends forever Will we think about tomorrow like we think about now? Can we survive it out there? Can we make it somehow? I guess I thought that this would never end And suddenly its like were women and men Will the past be a shadow that will follow us around?

World War Ii Essays (688 words) - Chancellors Of Germany

World War Ii Before World War II broke out the world took a backseat ride during Hitler's rise to power. The entire world didn't think that he would become as influential as he became. Hitler achieved his power by relying on the navieness of the world to sit back and allow him to do as he pleased. The world was too concerned about political, economic and militant unrest to worry about a yelling German who thought we would rule the world. Before and during the war, the world was concerned about the economic system. Since ever since World War I, the world countries have been in and out of depressions, no one wanted another costly war. The United States, which was in the Greatest Depression of all, was deep engulfed in its isolationist policy. The US didn't want war, especially after the last one they fought with huge causalities and huge amounts of money spent. The citizens of the US didn't want another war because they knew that another war would cause another depression and that was something that the people didn't want. Even thought the war would create jobs, and put the economy back into a war boom, the American public didn't want to have to deal with the downsides of a war. The major downside being the huge economic toll it would take on the government, which would be fighting on two oceans on different sides of the world. It would become very costly to maintain war and win too. The world also had enormous political concerns. The US was in a period of isolationism and they wanted no part of anything else in the world, except the Western Hemisphere. With Germany's rise of Nazism, the world responded with fascist parties popping up in every nation across the world. Hitler has spread his beliefs into every county in the entire world, exactly what he wanted. These parties responded to every action that their leader took, they helped him scout out a specific country and infiltrate that country's government. These parties believe in Hitler and did whatever he told them to do, including in the United States. After the countries realized Hitler's power they all formed different alliances. The German's allied with Italy and Japan. The US allied with Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union. It seemed as though each day another country would sign up with either side. Sometimes, even, countries would agree not to fight each. The pre-war and during the war, militaries from all countries fought a war with superior equipment than in the last war. With the invention of the plane, tank, machine gun spread war supplies all over the globe and allowed each country to empower itself. The US prepared for war by passing a series of congressional acts that enabled the war budget to increase dramatically. These acts also allowed for the US to help other countries without actually engaging in the war. The US supplied Great Britain with supplies and ships without ever declaring war on Germany. Germany's invention of the Blitzkrieg they attacked nations and conquered them in single days. No nation had ever seen tactics like this before, and they worked for Hitler. Hitler's air force was the best in the world, he had the most planes with the best pilots. They were unstoppable. Japan's increase in military power proved itself with the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December. Japan showed off its massive air force that dominat ed and destroyed the majority of the United States Navy fleet. World War II was a war that brought the world together. There wasn't a place on the earth were this war wasn't fought. There wasn't a place on this earth were people didn't take sides, whether with the Allies or the Axis powers. The war brought countries like the United States and the Soviet Union together. However, the war did bring mass destruction the Europe and the massive demise of the people hated by the Nazi's. Hitler almost wiped out an entire race; however, he failed because the on dominance and perseverance of democracy upon the world. American History

Man Lives in a World of Meaning

Man Lives in a World of Meaning Introduction One of the most famous quotes in the works of George Herbert Mead is, â€Å"Man lives in a world of meaning†. This quote features in the works of Herbert where he tries to ascertain the validity of man in the natural environment.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Man Lives in a World of Meaning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper explores the quote. Of greater importance in the paper is expounding the quote as it relates to man and nature. The paper begins by giving an overview of the quote, followed by a discussion about the validity and applicability of the theory to the socialization aspects of human beings in the environment in which they dwell. Understanding the quote According to Mead, human beings live in a world of perpetual reality where they can see, sense, touch, and respond to changes in the environment. The reaction to what people see and hear is more important than just the asp ect of hearing, sensing, testing, and seeing. What makes man a real being is the fact that he can mediate between his senses and make some decisions concerning that which prevails in his environment. This means that man goes far behind the physical sense of existence. Unlike other beings, man responds to the stimuli and can project the possible future changes in the physical stimuli through a thoughtful analysis of the prevailing physical conditions in the environment. Moreover, the actions of man are critical to the exploration of the physical environment to their advantage (enjoyment) or to their disadvantage (disappointment). Man has to balance between the physical realities that are brought out in science and the inner intellect to build a world that is favorable for human existence and survival (Cain 7). The socialization of human beings It is important to begin with an observation that human beings are the most rational creatures. Moreover, human beings are endowed with the ca pacity and ability to shape the environment around them. The attribute of socialization within the human species can be traced far back in the theories of evolution. This means that the modern man is more social. Therefore, the interaction of man to man and man with the physical environment is an important aspect of socialization. One of the most important things in the socialization of man is the issue of developing capabilities for other people and enabling them to control the physical environment for their well being. In this sense, the cognitive ability of man is put to test when he comes across other people who are incapacitated.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The issue of philanthropy, thus, comes into the picture. Based on Mead’s observation, it means that the world does not have to make meaning to man, but man has to make a meaning in the world by inven ting solutions to the gaps of living between different people in the society. According to Coon (43), humanism is one of the key attributes of developing a world that is habitable for all human beings. Therefore, a lot of ethical principles have been developed by human beings as a basis on which the characters of human beings are molded to promote the well being of the environment. Cooperation at the global level is something that is given a lot of emphasis by man in the contemporary times, in spite of the prevalence of conflicts within the modern society. The ability of human beings to influence and shape the future state of the world comes from the fact that human beings are reasoning creatures and can learn from the past and present experiences. For instance, the effects of the Second World War have created a concern in the minds of human beings to an extent that peace is often given priority in most of the aspects of development and interaction (Coon 44). However, it is also cri tical to note that there are negative antecedents of socialization within human societies. Most of the vices that prevail in the society today, like conflicts, war, terrorism, corruption, and environmental degradation, emanate from the minds of men who seem to align their thoughts in a manner that is non-human. According to Henning, Renauer and Holdford (352), such tendencies depict heterogeneity in the cultural systems that have been developed in the world. The high level of variation in the characters of people comes from the fact that people keep exercising things differently. This may result in the adoption of certain characters that are not synonymous with the people. An example is the women who engage in hard violence. Situational variability within different cultural groupings in the world is the cause of vices. This, in turn, denies man the chance to derive and sustain joyful experiences from the environment. Value systems in the society are an important ingredient in the em brace of humanity. Humanity is an important virtue upon which the ethics and codes of standards that govern the interaction of human beings with other human beings and the interaction of human beings with the physical world are founded (Coon 44). The other perspective from which the nature of aesthetics can be looked at in the contemporary world is the direct interaction between human beings and the environment and how it depicts man as social beings. One of the discoveries that have been made by the social scientists who study human socialization with a focus on the natural environment and its value to the well being of all people is that most people act consciously with respect to the natural environment.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Man Lives in a World of Meaning specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This raises the question of how human consciousness plays out in the development of an open, supportive, and a sust ainable environment for all beings. Based on the ethical theories and concepts, it can be argued that human beings have the responsibility to shepherd the natural environment so that the environment can be supportive to the present generation, as well as the future generations. However, the freedom that has been developed from human socialization and human civilization is the main cause for the prevalence of thoughts and actions that are not consistent with the stewardship aspect when it comes to the relations between human beings and the natural environment. The industrial and post-industrial societies have embraced what can be referred to as selective value, where human beings choose actions that satisfy their needs without caring for the needs of other human beings. It can be argued that the selective value deprives of human beings the quality of socialization. Pro-environmental behaviors depict a higher sensitivity to nature and sensitivity to human life. However, the opposite o f this is also true (Dolnicar and Grà ¼n 694). Conclusion Human beings are rational beings. This puts them in a position to develop interactions in their environment. This position can either work for their well being or against. From the discussion presented in this paper, it can be concluded that the statement by Mead reflects how human beings develop and shape their behaviors and actions as they interact with the world. Cain, Rudolph Alexander Kofi. Alain Leroy Locke: Race, Culture, and the Education of African American Adults. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2003. Print. Coon, Carl. The Architecture of Ethics. Humanist 65.1 (2005): 43-44. Print. Dolnicar, Sara, and Bettina Grà ¼n. Environmentally Friendly Behavior: Can Heterogeneity Among Individuals And Contexts/Environments Be Harvested For Improved Sustainable Management? Environment Behavior 41.5 (2009): 693-714. Print.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Henning, Kris, Brian Renauer, and Robert Holdford. Victim or Offender? Heterogeneity Among Women Arrested for Intimate Partner Violence. Journal of Family Violence 21.6 (2006): 351-368. Print.

Top 3 Time Management Tools to Meet Deadlines for Your College Assignment

Top 3 Time Management Tools to Meet Deadlines for Your College Assignment Top 3 Time Management Tools to Meet Deadlines for Your College Assignment College life can be incredibly stressful for many students if they are not organized properly. Every individual is different while some live without noticing how time runs fast, others can’t realize how to succeed in performing all the task from a schedule. According to the study â€Å"The Impact of Time Management on the Students’ Academic Achievements†, time management is highly related to the student’s academic performance. So, the ability to effectively budget and manage time will have a positive impact on your student life and not only. The time management skill is especially important to ensure that you complete all your assignments in due time. How to Develop Time Management Skills? Being a student, you should understand that every assignment is important and failing to deliver a top-quality one on time can play a cruel joke with you. There is a big difference between focusing on schedule and being forced to finish the entire year of education. Furthermore, good skills at managing time can help you avoid unnecessary stress. You’ll be able to free up time for extracurricular activities. Granted, not everyone is good at efficient time management but there are ways to improve and make time for the studies and relax. 1.   Create a Schedule and Stick to It One of the easiest ways to ensure that you manage your time effectively is to create a daily schedule for yourself. While you are creating your schedule, you can determine what activities are a top priority and what activities are not so important. By doing so, you can ensure that you leave enough time on planning, research, writing and reviewing your assignments before the deadlines. For this purpose, use the following online app: Google Calendar. It is an online platform where you can create your schedule for the studies at university or college. Set time for particular tasks and this app will remind you what you should do in the nearest time. 2.   Use a Time Tracker Experienced the situation when you planned to spend 20 minutes on a task but finally spent an hour? It is a common practice among students. It’s one of the challenges to stick to schedule time. It happens only because of the lack of an instrument that you would use to measure time. You’re lucky to be focused on time with the help of: Tomighty. It is a timer that can help you be focused on a task and meet its deadline. Make an oath to finish, for example, in 30 minutes. Plunge into an assignment until the timer rings. It allows you to rest at the same time by taking little breaks as well. 3.   Block Yourself from Different Distractions Look around yourself to see what takes your attention. Is it a social media site that you check many times while working on an assignment? Thus, it‘s time to take control of your success by means of: Stay Focused. It is a block application that allows to reduce the daily usage of distracting websites. It is much better to keep focused on the brilliant academic performance than to waste time on social networking or messaging. Later, after you finish a task, feel free to communicate with pen-friends at your leisure. Identifying useful tools and resources can help you better manage your time, whether you are a part-time student or a full-time freshman. Avoid missing important deadlines. The most important tip to keep in mind is to always list your assignments in order of priority. The sooner you complete the task, the lower your stress levels will be. Learn not to put off your assignments until the last minute even if they are small. Even if you feel you don’t manage to submit a paper on time, don’t worry. Our certified specialists in custom assignment writing are able to boost your final score within the shortest deadline.

Accounting Theory DB Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Accounting Theory DB - Essay Example s of the dissenter’s decision, I too changed my opinion based on the fresh insights into the matter shown by the CFO and agreed with the dissenter’s decision of using the current rates as they would give a truer picture. The current value of the restructured debt would be more apparent using the dissenter’s method. SFAS 115 was also brought up immediately in which marketable equity securities were to be offered either at a fair or the current market value. My opinion on this was sought for its impact on objectivity and bias. I preferred using the market value and my response was acknowledged for its correctness. I was informed of a new standard which would only allow FIFO to be used as inventory and I was asked about its usefulness in terms of verifiability. I agreed with the new standard which was then explained by the CFO, Mr. Washington, as being more verifiable due to elimination of double calculation if both FIFO and LIFO were used. Majority of my suggestions in the exchange of emails in the activity were right. I had a tendency of going for the majority in the first problem but on reflection the dissenter’s decision seemed more appropriate as using the current discount rate would affect the financial position of the corporation in a positive way. My instinctive response was of using the current market value or a fair price of the securities on offer in the market was correct. Using FIFO for inventory as a sole criterion in the new standard was also an appropriate decision. Exposure to accounting theory does influence reasoning power as one can make a more appropriate choice as and when required during a corporation’s financial planning and implementation. Knowledge of the minimum standards set up by the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) and FASB (Financial Accounting Standards Board) helps in making pertinent decisions which can influence the success or failure of a corporation. These regulatory bodies ensure transparency and consistency in

Iraq and Kuwait relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Iraq and Kuwait relations - Essay Example Will Iraq open negotiations?  Will Iraq open negotiations?  The negotiation platform will only be opened by Iraq if there will be any war that may materialize.For now, I don’t see any war emerging.With the good leadership of Iraq, if there need be, negotiations can be open by Iraq.Question to be answered about the specific research question. According to my specific research questions, the type of study is predictive.b. The dependent variable is Iraq open negotiations with Kuwait. No.d. The case study to be investigated is the relationship between Iraq and Kuwait. It should be given the in-depth study to see whether there can be any conflict.e. Yes. Some of the obvious answers are; Iraq will open negotiations due to the good political will and leadership. Its obvious answer because Iraq has got new leadership now which is willing to negotiate.f. NoIt is my concern that Iraq still needs oil for economic superiority and Kuwait has got this oil.So there may need to invade Kuw ait by Iraq to have this oil. This may happen if the Kuwaiti government may be refused to settle the debt they have. What interest me in this research topic is that the human lives are at stake and the conflict should be avoided at all courses.  According to Beverley Milton-Edwards and Peter Hinchcliffe, political figures, particularly in the White House, understood well that â€Å"given the powerful influence of the Zionist (pro-Israel) lobby in US internal politics, it would be a bold or rash administration that took any action that might stimulate its ire.  Ã‚  

United States Declaration of Independence Essay Example for Free

United States Declaration of Independence Essay Declaring Our Independence The Declaration of Independence was approved by Congress on July 4th, 1776. It was written by Thomas Jefferson and published by John Dunlap. After it was written it was sent to General George Washington to be read to his troops in New York who were getting ready to fight off the British army (Library of Congress).The Declaration of Independence has been around for almost two hundred and fifty years, many things have changed in this country in that amount of time. Does the Declaration still hold the same values as it did back then, or has it evolved over time to have a different meaning? What was the purpose of the Declaration of Independence and why is it still looked upon so highly today? Was there more to the Declaration of Independence then just getting free from Britain or did it also lead the way to create America? All of these questions will be answered in the following paragraphs to have a better understanding of really how important one piece of paper can be to a nation. A good way to start to understand what the Declaration means is by looking at the first few lines. â€Å"When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve them with another to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to separation (US 1776).† This part of the Declaration of Independence is talking about how Britain became such a pain to the colonies with all of their taxes and their rules that the decision it was in their best interest to leave from the rule of Britain and form a new nation. Not only was this addressing those who called themselves Americans but all of mankind. They did this so that they could have more people able to assist them in the fighting of Britain (Library of Congress). Britain was deeply in debt. Mercantilism was orthodoxy, and as such, the thought was that the colonies should contribute more to the common security of the realm (Halvorson). Another thing that Britain did to make the colonial settlers upset was that British soldiers were allowed to stay in any of the houses in the 13 colonies with little or no reason to why. It made Britain look very evil in the eyes of these settlers and the first paragraph of the Declaration reinforces this idea. The second Paragraph of the Declaration of Independence might possibly have the single most important phrase in all of the united states. The first sentence contains the phrase â€Å"all men are created equal.† Now in 1776 this phrase was probably taken more literally meaning that all men would have rights and Jefferson wanted to exclude men and women. However, some argue that all men are talking about all of humanity. Numerous times thought out history important figures such Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King and Elizabeth Cady Stanton have referenced the Declaration of Independence when try to obtain equality for Women and African Americans. In 1857 Lincoln had mentioned that the assertion â€Å"all men are created equal† was of no practical use for separate from Great Britain and was placed in the Declaration for future use (Armitage 44). As well in the 19th century, the Declaration of sentiments played a key role in the women rights movement and almost mirrored the Declaration of Independence (Halvorson). Without those five small, but powerful words the United States would be a much different place then it is today. The meaning of the phrase has changed over time allowing even more than just men being equal. Today the United States of America tries to make everyone equal even if at times it might now seem that way. It didn’t have anything to do with trying to leave Britain, Jefferson put that phrase in there for the future of this country. The Declaration of Independence gave some insight on the Idea of Popular Sovereignty. Popular sovereignty is the doctrine that sovereign power is vested in the people and that those chosen to govern, as trustees of such power, must exercise it in conformity with the general will. Basically, it means that the people can come up with the government and make it, however, the people want it to be. The Declaration gives the power to the people and not to the system that is governing them. â€Å"Governments are instituted among Men deriving their powers from the consent of the governed†(US 1776) Without this we might have formed a new government in the United States but it could have very well ended up as a monarchy. Popular sovereignty is key to making a peoples government and the Deceleration of Independence clearly reinforces this. The Deceleration of Independence also informs the public of the Social Contract. The Social Contract is the agreement among individuals by which society becomes organized and invested with the right to secure mutual protection and welfare. Both the government and the citizens are part of this social contract. The people be a part of the decisions and if they disagree with the government then they can just change it. â€Å" That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends it is the Right of the people to alter or to abolish it and to institute new Government†(US 1776). It seems in this day and age that people are afraid to stand up to the government and fight for what they believe in. Currently, many congressmen and congresswomen are being bought out to vote in certain ways over the topic of Net neutrality. It would be the peoples job to step up and talk with their representatives and show them what they are interested in and not let corporation buy out th eir representatives. The term natural and Induvial Rights also comes up in the Declaration of Independence. These are rights that all people should have. These rights include life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. They share the values of freedom equality and justice. No one should be able to take these rights from people, and it is up to the government to make sure that the people’s rights are protected. Without the government to protect the rights of the people things would start to fall apart for society. â€Å"endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness†(US 1776). These are what are also known as the Universal truths and over the course of the next two decades, America would try to help other countries around the worlds come to have similar Universal truths as to what is stated in the Declaration of Independence. Not only was the Declaration important in assisting the start of this nation and help to fight for freedom of Brittan’s monarchy, it is also used today to influences modern American political culture. One way it has influenced political culture is it has caused us many reasons why America chooses to go to war with countries who might seem like the people are being oppressed in some way by the government. America looks on to the Declaration as a sort of moral compass when it comes to deciding whether or not it is right to go into other countries and try to abolish any oppression that is going on. As a continuing inspiration in the United States and throughout the world to end oppression and to make sure that all groups of people enjoy a self-government and representation of both their collective interests and their personal freedom (Pencak 234). Today more than ever you will see this power abused by people in America to try to gain more than just helping an oppressed people. If you look at wars today that the United States are involved in some of them are masked by the idea that these groups of people are not free and do not have access to the natural rights that the Declaration of Independence refers too. Instead, you have people who are fighting over others natural resources and land first and the rights of the people come second or don’t even come at all. The same ideologies that this country was built on are now being using selfishly into a power grab for land and money from other countries. The Declaration\s aspirational vision has had a remarkable influence on American notions of liberal equality, even in the days when only white males could formally participate in politics (Tsesis 698). It has also been referenced a lot in current social movements today. Groups such as Black Lives Matter and Arab spring and Tiananmen Square openly and repeatedly invoke in the Language and the ideals of the document (Halvorson). This shows how the Declaration can be used as a voice for the minority groups in America to help end the oppression that they might be facing. In conclusion, the Declaration of Independence is a lot more than some old piece of paper written by a bunch of old white guys. It is more than that, it is many things. It was a letter to the British telling them that they don’t wish to be a part of their empire anymore. It was a way to bring hope to the oppressed and way to make sure that one day everyone in the nation and even on the earth was treated equally. Over time it has been used for good by the majority of people and some have even used it to justify bad doings. Overall the Declaration was important in the forming of America and is important for what the country should form into of the course of time. It was tough for the founding fathers to frame what society would look like in the next couple of decades but they did a great job in laying the bricks for the path they wanted the country to become. Without the Declaration of Independence America could still be under the rule of the British. Women would not have as man y rights as they do now, slavery could very well be a thing in this country without this document. The world would be a much different place then what it is today. It is nowhere near perfect but it is the Declaration of Independence that pushed everyone in the world a little bit closer in the right direction towards freedom. Work Cited Armitage, David. â€Å"The Declaration of Independence and International Law.† Foundations of Modern International Thought, Jan. 2002, pp. 191–214., doi:10.1017/cbo9781139032940.017. Halvorson, Seth D. â€Å"Historical Context for the Declaration of Independence.† Columbia College, www.college.columbia.edu/core/content/american-revolution-and-founding-texts/context. Pencak, William. â€Å"The Declaration of Independence: Changing Interpretations and a New Hypothesis.† Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies, vol. 57, no. 3, 1 July 1990, pp. 225–235. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/27773386?ref=search-gateway:db0ae02fe1b84f163f034404f6687764. â€Å"Creating the United States Creating the Declaration of Independence.† All Men Are Created Equal Creating the Declaration of Independence Creating the United States | Exhibitions Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/exhibits/creating-the-united-states/interactives/declaration-of-independence/equal/index.html â€Å"Creating the United States Creating the Declaration of Independence.† Index of Documents for All Men Are Created Equal Creating the Declaration of Independence Creating the United States | Exhibitions Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/exhibits/creating-the-united-states/interactives/declaration-of-independence/equal/documents.html. The Declaration of Independence: Full Text.† Ushistory.org, Independence Hall Association, www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/. Tsesis, Alexander. â€Å"Self-Government and the Declaration of Independence†, 97 Cornell L. Rev. 693 (2012) http://scholarship.law.cornell.edu/clr/vol97/iss4/1

Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein is a story that explores issues of isolation

Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein is a story that explores issues of isolation, domestic affection and the many hardships of society Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein and domestic affection Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein is a story that explores issues of isolation, domestic affection and the many hardships of society, it was published in 1818. Mary shelly wrote the book two years before but had problems getting it published, as women did not have the power to publish novels, it was the males in society who had the power to publish novels at the time. During the time Mary shelly was writing the novel there had been a French revolution overseas in America and the Declaration of independence had been instated. Many of the characters in Frankenstein may portray the actions of the changes in the world at the time. Mary shelly explores the nature nurture debate through Victor the creature and the delaceys. The nature nurture argument addresses lots of different and conflicting views in the development of children. Many people believe that people are born evil and that there is nothing as parents they can do about it. But many believe this is laziness shown by the parents of that child and they believe that the child becomes good or evil, due to the amount of love and protective guidance given to the child from its Parents. Shelley teaches us all well the long-range effects of spoiling a child to the extreme in her novel Frankenstein. Set in the mid-19th century, the novel details the life of Victor Frankenstein, Justine, Elizabeth, the delaceys and the monster he created to tackle issues of isolation, domestic affection and the many hardships of society. However, it also serves as a model of the ultimate repercussi... ...t in if he wanted to have a family that loved him and nurtured him. He starts to realize that this is the end for his hopes of a normal life. The creature tries to be accepted into the family by speaking to the blind man, the blind man is oblivious to any faults the creature may have. Agatha fainted, and safie unable to attend his friend rushed out of the cottage. Felix darted forward and with a supernatural force tore me from his father, to whose knees I clung; in a transport of fury, he dashed me to the ground with a stick .I could have torn him limb form limb, as a lion rends the antelope. He now realizes that all hope is lost of ever finding a family that will love him and show him domestic affection and so wallows in self pity. He then burns down the delaceys house at it is a symbol of a nice warm family that he is not apart of so he destroys it.

Considerations for Funny Thing Happened

1. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a musical written by Stephen Sondheim, Burt Shevelove, and Larry Gelbart. The three collaborated on the work, which had a Broadway debut on May 8, 1962. It ran for a total of 964 performances and closed on August 29, 1964. 2. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is the title of this work. This leads us to believe the play will be a comedy and that many â€Å"funny things† will occur. As one will soon notice, the play parodies many aspects of Plautus’ work Pseudolus. 3. The cast list is enclosed with the play. . The play takes two hundred years before the Christian era, on a day in spring. The action occurs on a street in Rome, in front of the houses of Erronius, Senex, and Lycus and is continuous, with only one intermission. The theatregoer knows that the work will be a comedy; also, provided one has knowledge with Plautus’ play, he may have a general idea as of the plot of this parody. 5. The major c onflict is Pseudolus vs. Miles Gloriosus. Pseudolus, trying to gain his freedom from Hero, tries to thwart Miles’ purchase of Hero’s love interest, Philia.The inciting incident is when Hero informs Pseudolus that he can be free if he arranges them together. Without this happening, the rest of the events of the play would never have happened. Some complications arise when our protagonists learn of Philia’s impending sale to Miles. Also, Senex sees the opportunity for an affair with Philia because she thinks he is Miles; he thinks she is a maid. The climactic scene occurs when the watcher discovers that Philia and Miles are the long lost children of Erronius. Thus, Miles voids his purchase arrangement for Philia; Philia can marry Hero and Pseudolus gains his freedom. 6.The overall situation in this work is the fact that Hero wants to marry a beautiful virginal woman. If he did not have this desire, Pseudolous would not have managed to concoct such a great tale, an d win his freedom. The point-of-attack is rather early in the play as the conflict begins right away. 7. a. Pseudolus: He is a Roman slave, owned by Hero who wants to win his freedom by gaining the heart of Philia. Pseudolus is very witty and clever, although this wit just gets him into a deeper and deeper hole each time. b. Hero: He is in love with Philia and does not play an overly major role in the story; he is also Senex’s son. c.Philia: She is a virgin in the house of Marcus Lycus and is the object of Hero’s affection. She is very beautiful, but perhaps dimwitted, as she believes Senex is her owner. Her name means love in Greek. d. Miles Gloriosus- A captain in the Roman army, Miles has purchased Philia from Marcus and returns to Rome to pick her up. He soon is lead on a literal wild goose chase before he realizes she is actually his sister. e. Hysterium: The very name implies someone who is extremely anxious and over emotional. He is the chief slave to Senex and Domina, Hero’s parents. He pretends to be Philia when Pseudolus says she died from the plague. . The major theme is that everything is not always what it seems and that sometimes interventions happen for a reason. No one knew that Miles and Philia were related or that Erronius actually played an integral part to the story. At least when I read it, I cast Erronius aside as the crazy character who really had no role. If it would have not been for Pseudolus’ shenanigans their connection would never have been realized. 9. The mood of this play is definitely comic. The audience should come away from watching this play laughing and in improved spirits. The play ends happily and well, as all conflict has been resolved.

Koutons Retail India Limited Essay

The company went public in early 2006 and thereby became Koutons Retail India Limited (KRIL) with effect from June27, 2006. KRIL is primarily an integrated apparel manufacturing and retail company in India. They are in the business of designing, manufacturing and retailing under the brand names Koutons and Charlie Outlaw. Their main target customers are middle class consumers who are keen to trying out new fashions falling in the age group of 22 – 45 years. Find below a brief timeline of Koutons. 1991- Started as Charlie denim jeans showroom 1994 – Incorporated as Charlie Creations Pvt. Ltd 1997 – Diversified in non-denim apparel, awarded with Best Menswear Collection 1998 – Brand Koutons was launched 2002 – First exclusive brand outlet of Koutons opened 2006 – IPO. Name changed to Koutons Retail India ltd in June 27, 2006 2007 – Listed on BSE and NSE Koutons Financials Koutons has reported the fastest growth in its sales and profits among its listed and closest peers partly due to a smaller base. The Company’s restated total income and profit after tax were Rs 4036. 17 million and Rs 344. 87 million respectively as of and for the year ended March 31, 2007 compared to Rs 1583. 85 million and Rs 131. 8 million respectively as of and for the year ended March 31, 2006. (Exhibit 1). Koutons do not have any stock option scheme or stock purchase scheme for the employees of the company. Industry Overview The Indian retail sector, which is believed to be at an inflexion point, is valued at USD 270 billion (2006) with Food and Grocery being the dominant sector followed by clothing, textiles and fashion accessories which contributes nearly 9. 5%. The organized retail sector on the other hand has grown with a CAGR of 30% and stands at about USD 12. 4 billion (2006) which is only 4. 6% of the total retail market thus demonstrating its huge future otential. In the organized retail sector the major share is held by the clothing and accessories sector (39%) growing at a rate of 30. 3% during 2005-06, followed by food and grocery (11%). The Indian apparel retail industry(which mainly consists of sale of all menswear, womenswear and infantswear) grew by 12. 3% in 2006 to reach a value of $20 billion (INR 880. 9 billion); the CAGR growth for the period 2002-06 being 11%(Exhibit 2). The share of the organized apparel retail has grown steadily to reach 18. 9% in 2006. Considering an anticipated CAGR of 10%, the apparel retail industry in India is expected to reach USD 32. billion by end of 2011. Fuelled by strong economic growth, favorable demographics, easy availability of credits, availability of retail space, rising level of disposable income, rise in dual income families and shift of life style pattern, organized retail in India is expected to grow tremendously in the next few years. The emergence of the mall culture in India acts as catalyst in this growth story. By the end of 2007 approximately 68 million sqft of mall space is expected to come in India, majority being equally shared between North Zone (39%) and West Zone (33%). According to a 2005 KPMG retail survey report, the Specialty and Super Market format have the highest potential for growth (45%) followed by Hypermarkets(36%) and Discount Stores (27%). In terms of opening up of new retail outlets, the apparel retailers and brands attained a growth of 113% in 2006 compared to 84% in 2005. As on 2006, major share in the Indian apparel retail market is accounted for by Menswear (45%), followed by Womenswear (36. 1%), Infantswear (18. 8%). While the Menswear has witnessed a growth of 12% by value and 3. 9% by volume, Womenswear has grown 14. 9% by value and 5. 4% by volume. Almost comparable growth has also happened in the Infantswear sector (11. 5% by value and 3. 8% by volume). Competitive Landscape in Apparel Retail Porter’s Five Forces Model The competitive nature of the Indian apparel retail sector can be very well analyzed using the famous Five Forces Model as suggested by Michael Porter. Fig: Porter’s Five Force Model Bargaining Power of Buyers The bargaining power of buyers becomes weak because of three main reasons. First, majority of the buyers are individual consumers and hence has limited purchasing power. Second, the retailers can very easily differentiate their products. Third, only the retailers can provide the consumers with a wide variety of quality products. On the other hand, the fact that buyers have very low switching cost and retailers are obliged to act according to buyer needs provides the buyer with some bargaining power. Infact, it is believed that in Indian apparel retail, brand loyalty exists mostly for the brands and less for the retailers. Bargaining Power of Suppliers The sourcing happens mostly from the clothing manufacturers and the wholesalers. The manufacturing industry is highly fragmented in nature inducing a price war. Low product diversity on the part of the suppliers reduces the switching cost for the retailers. However, the only drawback of moving to a low cost supplier might be the threat of not being able to live up to the highly volatile trend of changing fashion. Entry Barrier Entry barrier is comparatively low, like any other retail sector. The industry itself is highly fragmented and requires low capital investment. The policy taken by the Government to open up the retail sector to foreign investments will definitely encourage entry of other foreign players. Threat of Substitutes We can identify three major threats to the apparel retail. First, with e-buying becoming popular with every passing day there may be an opportunity of buying directly from the manufacturers. Homemade apparels though can be a substitute has a very low threat mainly because of the ever changing fashion needs of the generation and the substantial increase in disposable income. The last and the biggest threat for substitute come from the sale of counterfeit apparels. Competitors The Indian apparel retail industry is highly fragmented in nature. Within the readymade segment there are both branded and unbranded players. There are many foreign brands that have established themselves successfully in the Indian apparel retail market using different channels. While brands like Allen Solly and Arrow have taken the licensing route, Benetton have entered the market through tie-up with domestic players. Again brands like Tommy Hilfliger, Mark’s and Spencers and Speedo have taken up the franchisee channel. On the other hand, Metro entered the market through cash and carry wholesale trading route. The private labels, by virtue of providing higher margins to the retailer and lower cost to the customers have also become extreme popular. Some of the well known private labels are John Miller, Bare and Stop. Although competition in the retail apparel segment is heating up, the inherent advantage of Koutons model – backward integration, positioning and first mover advantage – is not easy to replicate within a short period of time. On the back of the company? s aggressive rollout plan and diversification to high-margin segments, the company enjoys better valuations than its peers like Kewal Kiran and Zodiac Clothing, although not strictly comparable. There are approximately 23 major players in the branded apparel retail segment in India with Koutons coming next to Raymond Ltd. Exhibit 3 ; 4). Pentagon-Triangle Model Koutons mainly works on pentagon model. The key attributes of the pentagon model fit as follows: Place Size and Location: Out of 999 exclusive brand outlets (EBOs as Aug 20, 2007) 531 EBOs were present in northern region. West and east India has about 29 and 38 stores respectively. Koutons has o ver 1000 company managed stores and 18 manufacturing units. By August 2007 they owned 14 warehouse facilities spread around Gurgaon. They are present mainly in northern and north western region. By March 2006, there was no presence of Koutons in southern region. They have started slowly moving into southern region. Layout and Design: Koutons generally operate through a franchisee model. Traditionally, Koutons outlets used to store men? s apparel. But recently they have extended their product portfolio to include women? s and kid wear as well. Generally, the size of a Koutons outlet ranges from 1000 sq feet to 2000 sq feet; variations happening depending on the location, real estate rates and host of other factors as well. Their flagship stores have a size of 3000-5000 sqft. Koutons outlets may be single storied or multi storied. The outlets are generally spacious and display caters to need of middle class Indian customer segment. (Exhibit 5: Koutons EBO, Calicut). Product Style and Fashion: Go with latest fashion trends. Mainly target high fashion aspirants of the age group 22-45 years. If any type of fashion becomes obsolete, still Koutons tries to attract customers, but ultimately if situation does not improve they also stop keeping such fashioned garments and go with new trends and fashions. Assortment: Wide variety of men? s wear including shirts, trousers, jeans, jackets, T-shirts. Limited variety of kids and women? s wear. The assortment also depends on region. An EBO in north India might have little different assortment compared to one in south. Value Price: Low brand value. It sometimes offers 70% discounts which have diminished its brand value to a large extent causing a barrier in the way of moving up the value chain. Koutons follows a unique discounting policy wherein they claim to give a discount of x% + y% which is often criticized as a marketing gimmick and a way to mislead the customer. For example, a discount of 50%+40% often gives the customer the impression of availing a 90% discount – whereas effectively it means a 70% discount. Quality: Mixed conception among customers. Most people think its product quality goes down with increase in discounts. It has failed to maintain same quality of products throughout its EBOs across all regions. People Service: Koutons mainly deal with men? s apparels. But recently have started making garments for women also. Knowledge: For managerial position they mainly look for experienced people (at least 2-3 years of experience in apparel business). Climate: Koutons generally stocks apparel which are all-weather. Few varieties differ with region, e. g. sweaters are stocked in north EBOs but not in south. But most of the stock can be sold in all weathers. Communication Positional: Koutons have positioned themselves as „„value for money, but high on fashion†. They mainly target pro-fashion customers who are very much willing to try new fashion trends at nominal prices. They often offer attractive discount policies to attract middle class fashion minded customers. T heir target customers belong to age group 22 to 45 years. Promotional: Koutons mainly advertise through newspapers and they have a well designed website. They incur minimum advertising expense and rarely goes for any celebrity endorsement. Their presence in 450 cities of India is believed to have created an automatic brand visibility. Business Processes The two major business processes at Koutons are Manufacturing and Sales operations. The diagram below shows the processes involved in manufacturing. Some of the key differentiating factors involved in the business processes are : Procurement of raw materials: Procurement of raw material from India, China, Taiwan and Italy using third party suppliers. Third party manufacturers: To cater to the growing demand for outsourcing of manufacturing is also done. For this, the Company has executed 211 agreements with 211 fabricators. Manufacture of production sample: A product sample is produced in house according to the specifications provided for the range of products for a particular season. The first production report is prepared on the basis of this sample. All apparent and intricate corrections are made in the sample so as to make it error free. Accordingly, a detailed production plan is devised. Fabric cutting and stitching: A layout for cutting the respective products is done with the help of CAD plotter machines. Sales and distribution The company has a dedicated â€Å"Sales and Marketing† team which consists of 90 employees. Competitive Strengths The key strengths of Koutons are: ? Exclusive brand outlets ? Wide network of retail stores ? Low-cost sourcing capabilities (diminishing the cost of material as well as that of the final products hence resulting in low cost products) ? Proper brand positioning (identifying the proper target customer segment and meeting their requirements) ? Expertise in designing and merchandise (core competency) ? Efficient management ? Wide apparel range (customers can choose their required things from a well chosen stock) ? Efficient utilization of IT and making it a differentiating factor compared to other retailers. Koutons always follows proper strategic planning before taking any business decision. They are planning to increase their geographic penetration by increasing the number of brand outlets to distant areas, enhancing manufacturing capabilities, targeting new customer segments. Positioning the Koutons brand strongly (exporting apparels under the brand name), making potential mergers and acquisitions and most importantly constantly improving the cost structure. Some of the key differentiating strengths of Koutons are described in detail. Exclusive Brand Outlets: The majority of the apparel manufacturers cum retailers in India operate through a combination of retailing through exclusive outlets, national chain stores and multi brand outlets. This entails supplies being managed directly and through distribution agents. Koutons operate on a model of marketing apparel directly through a chain of exclusive brand outlets and thus are independent of external marketing pressures attributable to the national chain stores, multi brand outlets and other intermediaries. This enables them to focus quality maintenance and customer satisfaction without the interference of any external agency. This model also enhances the brand equity and recall as the shelf space on each of the exclusive brand outlets is controlled by company. In the process, Koutons has developed a greater brand visibility and an identity of its own and has thus reduced the chances of brand dilution. As of August, 2007, the â€Å"Koutons† brand was sold through 566 exclusive brand outlets and the â€Å"Charlie Outlaw† brand was sold through 433 exclusive brand outlets. The wide coverage of exclusive brand outlets from metros to tier II towns and through the various regions in India, allows them the flexibility to hedge against fashion changes given the general time lag in fashion trends between metro and tier II towns. The table below shows the growth in number of Koutons EBOs. The company? s brands are marketed through three outlet models ? Company owned / leased and company operated (COCO) ? Company owned / leased and franchisee operated (COFO) ? Franchisee owned / leased and franchisee operated (FOFO) The company had 17 outlets, 124 outlets and 858 outlets under COCO, COFO and FOFO models, respectively, on 20 August 2007. To accommodate all EBOs (Exclusive Brand Outlets) the company is also looking for spaces for extension. It has been allotted a manufacturing facility in Gurgaon at a total project cost of Rs 301. 85 million. Koutons has benefitted heavily by following a franchisee model as often large scale operation as theirs often becomes tough to be controlled by themselves alone. Also it helps Koutons in availing real estate easily. Besides, the franchisee owners bring in entreprenual energy to the business. This model has also helped Koutons in tackling to some extent the inherent attrition problem in the retail sector and cut down on loses happening due to staff related pilferage. Koutons, in the process, has also realized cost cutting by relieving themselves of the responsibility of bearing the social security liability of the employees. Koutons franchisee model is different from its peers as it offers its franchisee minimum guaranteed payments covering lease rentals, employee costs, and other establishment costs apart from incentivized sales. Products are consigned to the franchisees, who do not bear the inventory risk except for pilferage–the risk of unsold stock remains with Koutons. The company collects a security deposit (bearing nominal interest rate) from the franchisee towards the apparels that the latter stocks at the outlet. This model is highly attractive for franchisees who seek security and low investment, which is reflected in the rapid ramp up as well as the fact that franchisee churn rate has cumulatively been less than 1. 5 per cent since inception. Koutons has planned to expand their franchisee retail model to other products like home linen and furnishing and toys. Integrated player with low-cost sourcing capabilities: Koutons is an integrated apparel manufacturing and retail company with capabilities across the entire value chain of manufacturing and retailing. One of the major strengths includes in-house finishing facilities and rigid quality controls. Extensive logistics and supply chain management systems is put in place to maintain maximum flexibility, which enables them to meet needs in an efficient manner without relying on any one vendor, factory or country. The centralized purchasing system helps in achieving the standardization in quality control systems. Their involvement at every stage of the value chain has helped them successfully cut down on the intermediary costs. Unique brand positioning: Koutons positions itself as a „High Fashion Value for Money? brand. The â€Å"Koutons† brand is positioned in the middle to high fashion segment, offering a complete range of man? wardrobe (in the age group of 22 to 45 years). The â€Å"Charlie Outlaw† brand is a casual brand targeted at fashion conscious youngsters in the age group of 14 to 25 years. Foreign brands mostly target a niche market while Koutons cater to mass market. Koutons score over foreign brands in terms of fit and size they offer to Indian cons umers. Design and merchandising expertise, with a pulse on fashion: A team of designers and merchandisers who are supported by a staff of 40 professionals, including assistant designers and technical designers. Specialized design teams for each apparel categories are formed. Wide apparel range: A wide apparel portfolio which ranges from shirts, non denim trousers, denims, suits, blazers, T- shirts, cargos, capris, sweaters etc. It has also recently launched a range of apparel for women and children. IT Infrastructure: Until now Koutons has been using a specially developed computerized system (customized) to keep all records related to sales and inventories. To keep pace with the market competition and to make its operations more efficient, it has recently started using an enterprise resource planning system using advanced computer systems with the help of Ramco systems. This advanced system will help them to reduce inventory related problems (such as decreasing the inventory lead time, planning delivery schedules better), improving transparency and reducing redundancy. State of the art information flow system to maintain records relating to sales and inventory and integrate key work flows. In 2006 the company also installed a state of the art enterprise resource planning system. The company has been working on enhancing its IT capabilities for better management. This has helped it to bring down the average inventory days from 213 in FY07 to 202 in FY08. Huge sales per store due to hefty discounts offered by the stores. Weaknesses ? COFO model problems: Opening up manufacturing as well as retail outlets needs huge capital investments and hence limits the company? s ability to expand fast, as well as react to the changing market scenario. ? The company is not able to distribute from the multibrand shops and malls. This shuts it off from a major business opportunity and capitalizes on the retail revolution. ? Inventory problem: 340 days of inventory in an apparel industry where demand is seasonal. (Poor inventory turnover) ? Low Brand Value: Koutons stores only stock their own brands and perennial 70% discounts have completely eroded its brand value. This will prevent the company to move up the value chain. ? Concerns due to the nature of its business, Koutons finds large sum of money blocked up in the form of working capital. In FY08, working capital amounted to almost 68 per cent of annual sales which is on the higher side in retail sector. Acquisitions On January 2008, the Board of Directors decided to acquire 51% or more share in Touchwood International Pvt Ltd. , a Rs. 5 crore company and the owner of the brand „Upper Class?. The company has its presence in the ladies segments. „Upper Class? has its major presence in Delhi and has a strong foothold in the ladies garments segment. The brand specializes in casual bottom wear for women and has its presence in Multi brand outlets (MBOs) like Shoppers Stop, Pantaloons and Globus. Besides, it has its presence in the European market as well. Wh ile the acquisition will definitely give Koutons an exposure to the European market, it will help „Upper Class? gain a retail presence in the domestic retail market. Koutons has planned to open up 400 outlets of „Upper Class? by 2010. Expansion Koutons earlier was exporting Koutons and Charlie brand apparels to the Middle East. But it was halted in 2004 in 2004 as a part of the management strategy to focus more on the domestic market. But now that it has made its mark in the domestic market, it is actively trying to tap the exports market by 2008 with a view to target the Indian population in the Middle East region. It has initiated talks with large retail networks based in West Asia, whereby it plans to open 30 EBOs each of Koutons and Charlie brand by 2009. Koutons plans to enter the market through the route of Joint Venture wherein the majority stake will be retained by Koutons. While the designing, branding and production will be done by Koutons, their local partners will manage the supply chain and logistics. Koutons has already earmarked Rs 40 crores for rolling out the stores. Their first outlet is planned to come up in Dubai by 2008. The other cities under consideration are Abu Dhabi, Sarjah, Doha and Qatar. They also have plans to enter the Chinese market by 2008 and enter the European market very soon. All these would definitely provide the company with immense global visibility. Going Forward The company is aggressively rolling out its EBOs in southern India. Koutons would be enlarging its product portfolio in FY09 by adding categories like accessories and handbags for women along with belts for men and footwear collection for both men and kids by 2008. It is being done with a view to increase the footfalls in the outlets and thereby assist cross-selling and also to make it a one-stop-shop. The company has plans to introduce a new line of women? wear (Les Femme brand) and kids? wear. Koutons plans to open up 150 Koutons Junior and 200 Les Femme stores by 2009-10. To lessen the risk of stock obsolescence, the company has been deploying the strategy of shifting the unsold stock from metros to tier III towns to leverage the time lag in fashion trends between metros and tier III towns. For the year 2008-09, Koutons has planned to grow through the ladies wear and kids wear segments whi ch though being high margin segments are currently being dominated mostly by the regional players. Koutons plans to revolutionize these two segments by providing value for money products – which all throughout have been their core competency. The entry of foreign players in the Indian apparel market has one hand brought the threat the increased competition and on the other hand has increased the fashion awareness amongst the Indian population. However, which target mostly target the mass market can avoid direct confrontation with the foreign players who are more into niche segments. With the rising inflation and increasing cotton price, Koutons definitely has a challenge in their hands in the years to come.

Free Essays on The Emotion That Makes The World Go ‘Round

. Why do people spend their entire lives searching for love? What is so special about it that makes people do such foolish things? Love is the most indescribable emotion in the world. I am still yet to experience the actual feeling of love, but my perspective on the feeling is that love is something that is unspoken, and known. If you are truly in love with a person, their feelings come before yours, and you would give up absolutely anything so that that person never had to experience one ounce of pain. Everyone has a soul mate, that one person that they are destined to find, and are completely compatible with. Compatible not meaning that the two people are the same, because it is peoples differences that tend to make a relationship stronger. Love is a common experience amongst colleg... Free Essays on The Emotion That Makes The World Go ‘Round Free Essays on The Emotion That Makes The World Go ‘Round The Emotion that Makes the World Go ‘Round People spend their entire life searching for love, while most have no have no clue what love actually is. I have spent 18 years searching for love, and trying to figure out what love is. I have come up with two definite things in my search for love; one is that love does exist and two is that I have never been in it. I’m not talking about the love that a person has for their parents, but the love that you share with another human being, because you have made that connection on all levels, and cant picture your life without them A survey of Endicott College students have produced such answers as love is the complete infatuation and devotion to the happiness of another person and love is safe, love is something you believe in with all your heart- until it almost kills you, its not worrying about the future because you know that at least one thing in your life will be definite, and that that person will be there by your side. Love is one of the most intense of all human experie nces, and it can be found everywhere. What is love? Love is one of those emotions that is almost impossible to put into words. Why do people spend their entire lives searching for love? What is so special about it that makes people do such foolish things? Love is the most indescribable emotion in the world. I am still yet to experience the actual feeling of love, but my perspective on the feeling is that love is something that is unspoken, and known. If you are truly in love with a person, their feelings come before yours, and you would give up absolutely anything so that that person never had to experience one ounce of pain. Everyone has a soul mate, that one person that they are destined to find, and are completely compatible with. Compatible not meaning that the two people are the same, because it is peoples differences that tend to make a relationship stronger. Love is a common experience amongst colleg...

Making Discipline Decisions for Principals

Making Discipline Decisions for Principals A major facet of a school principal’s job is to make discipline decisions. A principal should not be dealing with every discipline issue in the school, but should instead be focused on dealing with the bigger problems. Most teachers should deal with smaller issues on their own. Handling discipline issues can be time-consuming. The bigger issues almost always take some investigation and research. Sometimes students are cooperative and sometimes they are not. There will be issues that are straight forward and easy, and there will be those that take several hours to handle. It is essential that you are always vigilant and thorough when collecting evidence. It is also crucial to understand that each discipline decision is unique and that many factors come into play. It is important that you take into account factors such as the grade level of the student, severity of the issue, history of the student, and how you have handled similar situations in the past. The following is a sample blueprint of how these issues could be handled. It is only intended to serve as a guide and to provoke thought and discussion. Each of the following problems is typically considered to be a serious offense, so the consequences should be pretty tough. The scenarios given are post-investigation giving you what was proved to have actually happened. Bullying Introduction: Bullying is probably the most dealt with discipline issue at a school. It is also one of the most looked at school problems in the national media due to the increase in teen suicides that have been traced back to bullying problems. Bullying can have a life long effect on victims. There are four basic types of bullying including physical, verbal, social, and cyber bullying. Scenario: A 5th-grade girl has reported that a boy in her class has been verbally bullying her for the past week. He has continuously called her fat, ugly, and other derogatory terms. He also mocks her in class when she asks questions, coughs, etc. The boy has admitted to this and says he did so because the girl annoyed him. Consequences: Start by contacting the boy’s parents and asking them to come in for a meeting. Next, require the boy to go through some bullying prevention training with the school counselor. Finally, suspend the boy for three days. Continuous Disrespect/Failure to Comply Introduction: This will likely be an issue that a teacher has tried to handle by themselves, but haven’t had success with what they’ve tried. The student hasn’t fixed their behavior and in some cases has gotten worse. The teacher is essentially asking the principal to step in and mediate the issue. Scenario: An 8th-grade student argues about everything with a teacher. The teacher has talked to the student, given the student detention, and contacted the parents for being disrespectful. This behavior has not improved. In fact, it has gotten to the point that the teacher is starting to see it affect other students’ behavior. Consequences: Set up a parent meeting and include the teacher. Attempt to get to the root of where the conflict lies. Give the student three days In School Placement (ISP). Continuous Failure to Complete Work Introduction: Many students across all grade levels do not complete work or do not turn it in at all. Students who continuously get away with this may have large academic gaps that after time almost becomes impossible to close. By the time a teacher asks for help on this from the principal, it is likely that it has become a serious issue. Scenario: A 6th-grade student has turned in eight incomplete assignments and hasn’t turned in another five assignments at all over the past three weeks. The teacher has contacted the student’s parents, and they have been cooperative. The teacher has also given the student detention each time they have had a missing or incomplete assignment. Consequences: Set up a parent meeting and include the teacher. Create an intervention program to hold the student more accountable. For example, require the student to attend a Saturday School if they have a combination of five missing or incomplete assignments. Finally, place the student in ISP until they have caught up on all work. This assures that they will have a fresh start when they return to class. Fighting Introduction: Fighting is dangerous and often leads to injury. The older the students involved in the fight are, the more dangerous the fight becomes. Fighting is an issue you want to create a strong policy with strong consequences to discourage such behavior. Fighting typically doesn’t resolve anything and will likely happen again if it isn’t dealt with appropriately. Scenario: Two eleventh grade male students got into a major fight during lunch over a female student. Both students had lacerations to their face and one student may have a broken nose. One of the students involved has been involved with another fight previously in the year. Consequences: Contact both students’ parents. Contact the local police asking them to cite both students for public disturbance and possibly assault and/or battery charges. Suspend the student who has had multiple issues with fighting for ten days and suspend the other student for five days. Possession of Alcohol or Drugs Introduction: This is one of the issues which schools have zero tolerance for. This is also one of the areas where the police will have to be involved in and will likely take lead in the investigation. Scenario: A student initially reported that a 9th-grade student is offering to sell other students some â€Å"weed†. The student reported that the student is showing other students the drug and is keeping it in a bag inside their sock. The student is searched, and the drug is found. The student informs you that they stole the drugs from their parents and then sold some to another student that morning. The student that bought the drugs is searched and nothing is found. However, when his locker is searched you find the drug wrapped up in a bag and tucked in his backpack. Consequences: Both students’ parents are contacted. Contact the local police, advise them of the situation, and turn the drugs over to them. Always make sure that parents are there when police talk to students or that they have given permission to the police for them to talk to them. State laws may vary as to what you are required to do in this situation. A possible consequence would be to suspend both students for the remainder of the semester. Possession of a Weapon Introduction: This is another issue which schools have zero tolerance for. Police undoubtedly would be involved in this issue. This issue will bring the harshest consequences for any student violating this policy. In the wake of recent history, many states have laws in place that drive how these situations are dealt with. Scenario: A 3rd-grade student took his Dad’s pistol and brought it to school because he wanted to show his friends. Luckily it was not loaded, and the clip was not brought. Consequences: Contact the student’s parents. Contact the local police, advise them of the situation, and turn the gun over to them. State laws may vary as to what you are required to do in this situation. A possible consequence would be to suspend the student for the remainder of the school year. Even though the student had no ill intent with the weapon, the fact remains that it is still a gun and must be dealt with severe consequences in accordance with law. Profanity/Obscene Material Introduction: Students of all ages mirror what they see and hear. This often drives the use of profanity at school. Older students especially use inappropriate words often to impress their friends. This situation can quickly get out of control and lead to larger issues. Obscene materials such as having pornography can also be detrimental for obvious reasons. Scenario: A 10th-grade student telling another student an obscene joke that contains the â€Å"F† word is overheard by a teacher in the hallway. This student has never been in trouble before. Consequences: Profanity issues can warrant a wide range of consequences. Context and history will likely dictate the decision you make. In this case, the student has never been in trouble before, and he was using the word in the context of a joke. A few days of detention would be appropriate for handling this situation.

Final exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 6

Final exam - Essay Example Virginia Woolf was a significant heroic figure in the literary world. She was also a figurehead in the Bloomsbury group as she was very influential. Some of her most famous books include Mrs. Dalloway, to the lighthouse and a room of one’s word. The most memorable quotes from her work entail that any woman with a passion for writing must have her place and money Even though, she suffered from severe mental problems throughout her life her heroic attributes remain unforgotten. She greatly suffered from bipolar disorder that encompasses the most common mental health problem worldwide. She mainly emphasized on equality between men and women in her work. During the literary journey, she was known as one of the most famous writers in the 20th century who utilized modernism. Innovation centers on a literary motion that enables the practitioners to discover better and new ways of relating the experiences of human beings in a time of history that seemed to lack hope. She was a very innovative writer and in most cases she would capture the untamed thoughts of her characters. Pablo Picasso was a modernistic legend who made a great impact in history. The Spanish painter, poet, sculptor and ceramicist among many talents was born in 1881 and died in 1973. Pablo lived in France and was always remarkable and excellent at his work. He created a platform for most modern day painters and playwrights. He was among the most influential, highly talented artist in the 19th and 20th century. Pablo Picasso together with Henri Matisse utilized great modernism in their work. Pablo founded the Cubist movement, invented the sculpture that got constructed and also employed a variety of remarkable styles in his work as an artist. The most notable works he created include the Guernica and Guernica bombing. The Guernica bombing piece of art portrayed the destruction that came about as a result of bombing Guernica. The bombing was done by the Italian and the German air

Development of Tourism in West London Assignment

Development of Tourism in West London - Assignment Example West London boasts many world class tourism assets and is a genuinely dynamic, vibrant and exciting place to visit. I believe this strategy will help West London to rise and meet the challenges ahead and I look forward to having the London Development Agency, West London Business, Visit London and the Boroughs work together to achieve the goals we have set here (London Development Authority, 2005). London's reputation as a world-class city is well-deserved. It is the place where the historic past and the vibrant present come alive. No other place in the world offers the range of sights, sounds and cultural diversity that London can boast. Visit London is passionate about London and we are committed to marketing all aspects of our great City. West London is a prime example of London's diversity. It is filled with a range of fascinating, multi cultural, enthralling destinations and products and it is this wide range of visitor experiences that will keep tourists coming back to London time and time again. The inception of this sub-regional tourism strategy is a positive step forward and we look forward to working in partnership with the London Development Agency and the sub-region to help to deliver the action plan (London Development Authority, 2005). West London - with a population of 1.4 million - is one of the most successful sub-regional economies in Europe with a 27 billion pound output. West London Business aims to sustain that success. A well established business-led organisation, West London Business is committed to supporting private and public sector interests in the sub-region and articulating their needs. The tourism and hospitality sectors make an important contribution to the West London economy and a dynamic tourism industry is an essential ingredient for continuing economic progress. West London offers a host of quality tourism and hospitality assets, which West London Business is keen to profile and promote. We are delighted, therefore, to be a key player in the implementation of this strategy. We look forward to working in partnership with the London Development Agency and Visit London to successfully deliver the actions that have been identified for the next two years (London Development Authority, 2005). Task 2 Question 2 Define a visioning (reference it) What is the vision outlined in this document 2-3 (sentences maximum) To develop London as an exemplary sustainable world city, based on interwoven themes: strong and diverse, long-term economic growth; social inclusion to give all Londoners the opportunity to share in London's future success; fundamental improvements in London's environment and use of resources. The following are the vision for the West London Tourism Development (London Development Authority, 2005): A Prosperous City , A City for People, An Accessible City, A Fair City and A Green City. Why is it necessary to vision It is necessary to have a vision because vision is the instrument in making a mission into a reality. Task 3 Question 3 What is the mission statement of the LDA (ONE sentence) The mission of

THE EFFECTS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BALANCED SCORECARD (BSC) ON Dissertation

THE EFFECTS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BALANCED SCORECARD (BSC) ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE IN A SAUDI COMPANY - Dissertation Example 3. Analysis of the industry Saudi Arabia is one of the most powerful economies worldwide – even if it is not yet fully developed; the country has been a member of the WTO since 2005 (Abdallah, 2007), a fact that has been proved quite important for its economy. In accordance with a recent report of KPMG, Saudi Arabia is considered as ‘the 13th best place to do business’ (Fozan 2009). One of the key characteristics of the country’s banking sector is its dependency on the principles of Islamic finance (Mena FN 2011), a fact that should be taken into consideration when evaluating the potential effects of the Balanced Scorecard Model on the financial performance of banks in the particular country. The performance of the country in regard to each particular industrial sector is presented below in Graph 1. It is clear that the financial services sector of the specific country is of key importance for the national economy; the identification of methods that could e nhance the performance of firms operating in this industry would be of significant value – in terms of the expected benefits for the country’s economy. ... 4. Research problem The use of Balanced Scorecard as a strategic tool for supporting the performance of firms in the banking sector has been often characterized by failures; for firms in the banking sector of Saudi Arabia could a different result be expected? 4.1 Issues addressed in the research The research developed for this study focuses on the examination of the following issues: a) the theoretical framework of the Balanced Scorecard, b) the practical aspects/ requirements of the Balanced Scorecard when is used as a strategic tool for supporting the financial performance of modern firms, c) the expected benefits and the potential drawbacks of the Balanced Scorecard both in the short and the long term; reference will be made particularly to the effects of the Balanced Scorecard on the financial performance of firms in the banking sector, d) the use of Balanced Scorecard as a strategic tool in the banking sector of Saudi Arabia – referring to the presentation of the level at which the Balanced Scorecard is used by firms in the banking industry of the particular country, e) the expected requirements of the Balanced Scorecard if its implementation is attempted in firms operating in the banking industry of Saudi Arabia, f) the effects that the implementation of the Balanced Scorecard would be expected to have on the financial performance of banks in Saudi Arabia. 4.2 Issues excluded from the research The following issues will not be included in the research: a) the potential use of other similar models for the support of the financial performance of banks in Saudi Arabia, b) the potential combination of Balanced Scorecard with other

Concept of Individualised Care: Geriatric Case Study

Concept of Individualised Care: Geriatric Case Study Explain what is meant by the term individualised care. Discuss, using examples from a second practice placement, how one individual patients /clients needs were met using this approach. An essay Introduction The traditional way of trying to assess if a particular treatment or the clinical condition of a patient has changed, is by running blood tests, clinical evaluation, and other laboratory tests. While these measures undeniably give us certain levels of information about a patient, they tell us virtually nothing about the disease process from a personal and social context. (Higginson et al 2001). No illness exists in a vacuum. This essay is a discussion of the concept of individualised care with particular reference to my recent placement on a geriatric ward. I am going to discuss the case of Mrs.J., a 83 yr. old lady. Mrs J has been on the ward for two weeks. She was originally admitted with a chest infection. She was very ill at the time of admission and it was not easy to get a history from her. We could only establish that she lived on her own and had been found by a neighbour who had called her General Practitioner who had then arranged her admission. Her chest infection was treated and she responded reasonably quickly. As she became more lucid, it became obvious that Mrs.J. had had a mild stroke leaving her with an expressive dysphasia. It was not possible to ascertain whether these changes had been present for a long time or had just come on, as she had not seen the General Practitioner for nine months prior to this admission. We also discovered that Mrs.J. had developed a mild form of Type II diabetes mellitus as she was putting out small but constant levels of sugar in her urine and her blood sugar levels were mildly elevated. In brief, her care plan called for her to mobilise with the physiotherapist, to receive speech therapy for her dysphasia, to see the dietician for advice regarding her dietary control of her Type II diabetes mellitus and to see the social work team for assessment for discharge as it was considered unlikely that she would actually be sufficiently self-caring to be able to discharge to her home. The nursing profession, almost by definition, is a very personal and interactive profession. (Yura et al 1998) In order to provide good individualised care there must be a number of interactions in place. The nurse must have a good understanding of the medical elements of the case and also have a good knowledge of the patient both as a person and of all their circumstances. (Meleis 1991) This helps to allow the formulation of good individualised care without making any inappropriate decisions that may be based on an incomplete understanding of the situation.(Holzemer et al. 1994) The case of Mrs.J. is complicated because of her expressive dysphasia. In a nursing context the â€Å"interpersonal processes† that are necessary to establish rapport and empathy were made very much more difficult. (Platt et al 1999). The verbal and motor cues that are a vital part of this essential process were not there by virtue of her cerebro-vascular accident, and it made proper and meaningful conversation very much more difficult. (Carpenito 1997). It was not helped by the fact that she did not appear to have any close relative that we could use to get information. It was not simply a matter therefore of deciding what was medically the best for her, but in order to try to engage with her on the level of empowerment and education, we had to try very hard to understand her feelings and situation in order to provide individualised care. (Woolhead et al 2004) If we try to apply the Roper Logan Tierney model of nursing care (Roper et al 1983) to Mrs.J.’s situation of needing dietary advice for her newly diagnosed Type II diabetes mellitus, the aim would be to try to provide individualised care and to take into account the degree to which the problems of her inability to communicate actually interferes with the other activities of daily living. (Howe et al. 2003). It is in this respect that the concept of individualised care becomes clearly apparent. For the average patient., it may simply be appropriate to fill out a dietetic referral slip and let the dietetic department do the rest. If we wish to fully implement the concept of individualised care, then we would need to establish that Mrs.J. needed and understood why she needed dietetic advice, that she could adequately understand what was being said, (Kuhse et al. 2001), and also make sure that the dieticians were fully aware of all aspects of the situation when they were able to visit her and give advice. (Newell et al 1992) This approach allows us to make an assessment of both the positive and negative aspects of the decision. We can also make an assessment of whether Mrs.J. would eventually be in a position to take responsibility for her own diabetic (or dietary) care in the long run. (Marks-Moran et al 1996) In individualised care, it is important to be as empathetic as possible to the patients needs. One must appreciate the fact that, in this particular case, the imposition of a diet may be seen by the patient as yet another (iatrogenic) restriction imposed upon an already severely restricted lifestyle. Generally speaking, concordance and explanation are better than dogma and enforced compliance (Marinker 1997). Another important aspect of individualised care, is the process of reflection (Gibbs 1998). It is generally comparatively easy to make clinical decisions, but the key to ensuring that they are actually the correct decisions for that individual patient, is to reflect upon them and consider all of the aspects of that particular patient’s case, which may not have actually been impinging upon the original decision making process. (Taylor 2000). For example, it is almost certainly the correct decision to invoke the help of the dietician to assist Mrs.J. in managing her Type II diabetes mellitus. It is however, possible that, upon reflection, Mrs.J. might not be able to adequately manage her diet because her motor problems now preclude her from going independently to the shops, and the person who buys her food for her may have absolutely no idea of the basic concepts behind the maintenance of a regular and restricted sugar intake. Conclusions and Discussion Mrs.J. ‘s case fortunately did have a comparatively happy ending. She accepted the dietician’s advice and proved to be remarkably adept at both managing and manipulating her dietary needs.(Carr et al 2001). It became apparent that part of her confusional state and her dysphasia, was actually due to her hyperglycaemia. As her hyperglycaemia improved and her blood sugar levels returned to more normal levels she rapidly became more communicative. The interpersonal interactions that we referred to earlier, then became both easier and certainly more meaningful. (Stowers et al. 1999). Mrs.J. improved to the point where she was well enough to allow discharge to warden assisted accommodation. Her warden came onto the ward to learn how to help manage the dietary considerations and was able to speak at length to the dietitian. I would like to think that the warden left the hospital as empowered and educated as Mrs.J. was. References Carpenito LJ. 1997 Nursing diagnosis. Application to clinical practice. 7th edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Company, 1997. Carr AJ, Higginson IJ. 2001 Are quality of life measures patient centred? BMJ Vol18 Issue 42 2001 Gibbs, G (1988) Learning by doing: A guide to Teaching and Learning methods EMU Oxford Brookes University, Oxford. 1988 Higginson and Carr 2001 Measuring quality of life: Using quality of life measures in the clinical setting BMJ, May 2001; 322: 1297 1300. Holzemer W, Tallberg M, et al, editors. 1994 Informatics: the infrastructure for quality assessment improvement in nursing. Proceedings of the 5th international nursing informatics symposium post-conference; 1994 June 24–25; Austin, Texas. San Francisco: UC Nursing Press, 1994. Howe and Anderson 2003 Involving patients in medical education BMJ, Aug 2003; 327: 326 328. Kuhse Singer 2001 A companion to bioethics ISBN: 063123019X Pub Date 05 July 2001 Marinker M.1997 From compliance to concordance: achieving shared goals in medicine taking. BMJ 1997;314:747–8. Marks-Moran Rose 1996 Reconstructing Nursing: Beyond Art and Science London: Balliere Tindall October, 1996 Meleis A. 1991 Theoretical thinking: development and progress. 2nd edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Company, 1991. Newell and Simon. 1992 Human Problem Solving. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs: 1992. Platt, FW Gordon GH 1999 Field Guide to the Difficult Patient Interview 1999 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, pp 250 ISBN 0 7817 2044 3 London: Macmillian Press 1999 Roper Logan Tierney 1983 Using a model for nursing Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone Stowers K, Hughes RA, Carr AJ.1999 Information exchange between patients and health professionals: consultation styles of rheumatologists and nurse practitioners. Arthritis Rheum 1999; 42(suppl): 388S. Taylor. B. J (2000) Reflective Practice: A Guide for Nurses and Midwives. Buckingham: Open University Press. Buckingham 2000 Woolhead G, Calnan M, Dieppe P, et al. 2004 Dignity in older age: what do older people in the United Kingdom think? Age Ageing 2004;33:165–70. Yura H, Walsh M. 1998 The nursing process. Assessing, planning, implementing, evaluating. 5th edition. Norwalk, CT: Appleton Lange, 1998. PDG Word count 1,562 Muhammad Rafiq Azam Architect: Case Study Muhammad Rafiq Azam Architect: Case Study Table of Contents (Jump to) Introduction Analysis Climatic condition Architectural theory Clients Culture Materials Discussion Conclusion References Book resources Internet resources Introduction: The purpose of indicting this particular essay is to understand architecture via language especially in term of vocabulary, grammatical structure; both physical and intellectual. Through certain arrangement, it carries message and communicates meanings. Rafiq Azam had been chosen as the target of analysis of self and architecture. Muhammad Rafiq Azam is an award-winning architect. He is also a globally acclaimed architect of vernacular architecture from Bangladesh. Shatotto is an architectural studio led by Rafiq Azam, which specialized in architectural aesthetics inspired by lush, riverine landscape of Bengal delta, and ancient architecture heritage of particular region. South Water Garden is a project by Shatotto which was being executed by Shatotto under the lead of Rafiq Azam. It was an apartment building project which located at United Nations Road, Baridhara diplomatic zone, Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is a region not much an exception in term of green. A lake and a narrow strip of green patch on the west of the plot is a fortune. The built area of particular project is about 33600 square feet and had been cost about 576000 US dollar. The particular project was owned by South Breeze Housing and had been completed in 2007. Analysis: In analyzing and theorizing the south water garden imbued architecture quality in term of climatic condition, architecture theory and factors of client, culture and material as well, the analysis depicted that: In term of climatic condition: Apparently, Dhaka undergoes a drastically scorching climate, which characterized as wet, hot and humid climate as it has been categorized under koppen climate classification. Dhaka has been determined as it possess of tropical savanna climate as well. Furthermore, the particular city also has a distinct monsoonal season. In order to design a responsive building, Rafiq Azam had to take account into Dhaka’s climatic conditions as premise. First and foremost, the orientation of building sun screening faà §ade in response to climatic condition of Dhaka is necessarily required in order to reach the standard thermal comfort level in accord to human comfort. Via the analyzing of South water Garden buildings’ plan orientation and building configuration as well, it was obviously to identified and figured out that Rafiq Azam’s intention on creating a parallel configuration. Via the particular array and permutations, the parallel respective building’s blocks tend to act as protective screen in against to direct exposure to summer solstice and winter solstice during the noon. Conclusively, the southern block aids to shade the northern block during the winter solstice, in contrary, the northern block aids to shelter southern block during summer solstice. The incorporation of two hundred square feet of green patch in front of the building on the east road and utilization of large tree and lake on the west as cooling device for the apartment buildings create a balanced interrelation with building configuration in opposing the unstable climatic conditions of Dhaka. Simple interior is connected to beautiful lake and large trees on the west, enabling the south east summer breeze flowing via the entire house. Apart from that, the intention of respective parallel blocks also enables itself to achieve optimal light density for residents’ daily activities. Therefore, sun path effects had been considered as primarily factor as it contributed much i nfluences on building’s comfortability to live. Tactics of Orifice consideration in response to prevailing wind and summer breeze is also a mean to achieve optimal cross ventilation in order to fulfill the human comfort level. The south east and east prevailing wind flow through the house, simultaneously drifting away the heat that gained inside the apartment aid to create a cozy atmosphere inside the apartment buildings. In term of architectural theory: South Water Garden is designed based on phenomenological architecture. Preliminary, looking deep into Dhaka geographical situation as the land characterized with tropical vegetation and moist soils in the primarily was currently being destructed as these all were replaced by construction of multi-storeys building and other real estate developments. Traffic congestion and industrial waste has drastically resulted the deteriorating of air and water pollution. Hence, the regional biodiversity was being demolished. The opposing current aspect of philosophy create trend of creating green in order to preserving extinction of it stimulates local architects to take step into phenomenological architecture especially Rafiq Azam. In response to the particular environment’s situation, an intention of retention among the green and originality of Dhaka’s elemental human experiences, natural features were incorporating into the South Water Garden design in order to create a building design which is concretely defined as â€Å"the place† Dhaka, as well as the South Water Garden residents’ experiences among Dhaka’s originality coincidentally take place in the building. In ground floor plan, Rafiq Azam arranged interior spaces in a simple functional way in order to emphasize on the connectivity between building interior and exterior. By achieving this, he’s skillfully utilizing natural elements such as lake and large trees on the west as transition space that gradually emanating to the surrounding. In contrary, this condition facilitated particular permutation and arrangements of design maneuvering away from abstractions of science and its neutral objectivity as well. In the orizing Rafiq’s architecture via analyzing of South Water Garden roof plan, the imbued intention of connectivity between roof and ground is being emphasized through the two roof tops design of South Water Garden. Incorporation of green living at roof tops is to respond natural elements of rear plot. The continuity of roof tops green to west ground natural features enhances the interrelation of both which then established a strong connectivity among them. Apart from that, the both roof tops of the apartment buildings were created in a way that evidently displays the quality of human experiences of green living as the community green of roof tops which encompassing lawns and bushes subtlety embracing the residents into a sense of Mother Nature. A small pavilion was located poetically at the midst of green community which formed a strong desire toward the nature. This scheme then transformed into a subtropical architectural vocabulary which addressing Rafiq Aza’s concern on shortage of green space in Dhaka. In term of clients Rafiq Azam had been assigned to work with an area of seven thousand five hundred square feet plot. This was a project that formed through the deal between landowner and developer. They both agreed to divide the land in an equal two pieces respectively to construct two six storied buildings of two thousand eight hundred square feet floor area each in order to share equally each. In looking deep into this particular condition, Rafiq Azam’s consideration on requirement that insisted by the clients also influenced much of the design. The clients insisted to put the design into a challenge in terms of creating open green space. In respond to client’s requirement, Rafiq Azam suggested to take forty square feet over seven thousand five hundred square feet from the plot impartially which placing along with eight feet gap of two building respectively, five feet road set back as per rule in order to create a two hundred square feet of green patch in front of the building on the e ast road. This is quite emphasizing of direct residents’ experience toward the buildings as well as the intimacy of natural elements with the users was being created. In term of culture: The richest heritage is formed in neighboring region and lesser developed civilization, as South Water Garden which is located at United Nations Road, Baridhara diplomatic zone. In response to this condition, the arrangement of South Water Garden with no boundary wall notion delivers a more friendly approach toward the local residents. Little pews are placed which delivered a token of respect for pedestrians and community living around. The creation of small pavilion on the roof tops enables gatherings and roof party to be occurred among the neighborhood, which cordially implement the building language co-relation to achieve a hormonal atmosphere amidst the environment. In term of materials: Major buildings in Dhaka, Bangladesh had used brick and concrete as construction materials as these are the most responsive materials to Dhaka’s subtropical climate. In response to surrounding context, exposed brick and concrete are majorly being utilized as construction materials in South Water Garden Apartment. Moreover, the utilization of exposed as cast structural beam and column exterior with terracotta brick in fill is also an approach to subtropical climate of Dhaka that being intended by Rafiq Azam. The selection of materials is quite responsive to human comfort level. Discussion: Rafiq Azam architecture is quite based on experience of space and sensory properties of building materials. This might due to his childhood experiences. By acknowledging that most of the architectural production in Dhaka are dominated on quantitative which driven by profitable motives, he realized that most architect’s keen of sensibility towards a social, ecological and conceptual content is minimized. Growing up in a city which is excessively illustrates segregation of individual architecture as a singular building in a schmooze of materials such as glass, metal, and concrete, there are probably no initiative in thinking much, especially ways of creating an urban which ensemble of various kinds of spaces, which from private to communal, and from hard to green conditions. It was no hard to imagine that with all types of buildings and spatial arrangements coming out of a calculus of market dynamics and borrowed style of architecture. This strictly constricted the architects un til only left with the privilege of addressing buildings with windows. Additionally, Bangladesh has a unique relationship with water, and their sensibilities to its bounty and destruction are a tangible part of the national psyche. The Bangla axiom paanir opor naam jion (water is another life) aptly demonstrate this psychological architecture and the determinative influences of the more than fifty trans-boundary rivers between India and Myanmar, with all their hydrological, social, economic, and political ramifications. With Azams strong impression towards all the impact in his childhood, little wonder then that water bodies are a constant architectural features for Rafiq Azam which is giving out the unrestricted and exposure kind of mood towards the whole city. And his desire to revitalize nostalgia is as ubiquitous in his designs as the water itself in Bangladesh. In his architectural theory, his building is not compendious as the locality, in contrary; it ought to be encompassing of local concretely characteristics or atmosphere which being illustrated via the use of material substances, shape, texture, and color. For instances, the use of cast structural beam and column exterior with terracotta brick in fill is simple way of approach toward subtropical climate of Dhaka as well as the materiality of intimate locality experiences. The consideration of human sensory experiences of building materials is obviously demonstrated through the human comfort responses’ design. In the means of creating spaces, Rafiq Azam allows certain spaces with identical functions to embody a different architectural quality in accord with the local unique characteristics in term of culture and environment conditions. For instances, the local gathering culture was being incorporated into South Water Garden’s roof tops design as the roof pavilion was being created for roof top party. Rafiq Azam attempts to implement his architecture return to things, somehow maneuvering away from abstractions of science and its neutral objectivity. By achieving this, he tries to make things priory happens to be conveys it unique conversations with its place the relevant topic. His design then becomes settlement of different scales in contrasting with surrounding other components. The paths between these subsequently create the Rafiq’s design become secondary defining characteristics of place. The distinction between these conditions offers him the step toward the phenomenological approach. For instances, the emphasis of connectivity inside and outside by Rafiq has been vividly proved via the South Water Garden’s design. Both of the roof tops were created as community green which forms a connection between roof and ground. Conclusion References Book resources Rosa M.F., Kazi K.A. Philip Goad. (2013). Rafiq Azam – Architecture for Green Living. Italy: Skira editore S.p.A. Internet Resources http://www.architecturenewsplus.com/projects/2218 http://archpresspk.com/new-version/Rafiq-azam-book.html http://www.worldarchitecture.org/main/winners.asp?winarchive=11thcyclecyc=11 http://archpresspk.com/new-version/architect-rafiq-azam-interview.html