Best Practices and the SDLC

It has long been accepted that constant change is fundamental to IT. While most IT managers understand that change is part of the norm, the organizations that employ them often resist it. Successful IT development calls for having a clear blueprint for proper IT direction of an organization. By using a System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) model and sound best practice methods, an IT manager can define that blueprint and make the best possible IT decisions. According to http://www. bigpedia. comthe SDLC relates to models or methodologies that people use to develop systems, generally computer systems.A number of SDLC models have been created: waterfall, fountain, spiral, build and fix, and rapid prototyping. There is not a definitive correct model, but most models will include the following steps or at least a variation. The first step is the projects planning stage, in this stage the project manager (PM) decides which SDLC model to use. The PM will also survey and gather information i n regards to the current team’s skill and experience, any concerns or issues perceived by upper management, such as cost, and a process for following up the work agreement. The next step is the analysis of the system.During the system analysis the PM breaks down the entire project in to small pieces and assigns each department their applicable tasks. This step is where the plan is finalized and the PM begins to move onto the systems design. Understanding the systems design is essential to developing the system. At this step, each department head devises a plan on how their section can help develop the system. In the third step, the architectural design, these individual plans are spliced together to form the completed plan. Also during this step the work of building the system takes place.The PM’s focus shifts from planning the project to managing the development of the project. During the next step, the testing of the system takes place. This will ensure that all the bugs and flaws are removed before the deployment of the system. During the deployment step the system is used for its intended purpose. As with all systems the final step, is the maintenance of the system, which last for as long as the system is used. During this step, routine maintenance is performed to include updates. Either during or after the development of a system, certain methods or techniques are discovered to be better than other nes. In the IT industry, these ideas are sometimes called best practices. In a book titled â€Å"Electronic Government† by Jack Rabin best practices are described as an idea that suggests that there is a technique, method, or process that is more effective at delivering a desired outcome. The idea is that with proper processes, procedures, and testing, a desired outcome can be delivered with fewer problems. Best practices can also be defined as the most proficient and effective way of accomplishing a task, based on principles used repeatedl y by numerous people.Best practices are a way for a company to create standardization within their operating procedures. A great example of a best practice was displayed by Sprint recently. In August of 2008, Sprint created a guide to the infrastructure management layer to automate and speed the production of resources from within their data centers. By creating this guide, they were able to quickly manage, back up, and produce their data sets associated with each test environment build. As a result, Sprint has improved customer satisfaction, reducing the time it takes to fill requests.Another example of a best practice was in 2004 the Air Force decided that it need it network administrators (admins) to pass quality checks before allowing them to operate on Air Force domains. Each Air Force base decided to test their network admins differently. This created a lot of confusion and large amounts of money for each Air Force base because they acted independently. Therefore, the Air Forc e decided to open a best practice suggestion program, which allowed each Air Force base to submit their procedures for quality checking their network admins.Less than six months after the process started, the best practice tag was awarded to Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, Fl. They were allowed to implement their procedures Air Force wide. In the end, Eglin saved the Air Force six million dollars with its best practice procedures. As the term best practice has become more popular, some organizations have begun using best practices to refer to what are in fact rules, causing creativity to hamper. This will never be the case with Google.Google believes that giving their employees freedom to move about the company without middle management following them around has actually prompted creativity. In a interview with CBS News Sunday Morning, Google CEO Sergey Brin explained that Google provides free gourmet breakfast, lunch and dinner—all prepared by gourmet chefs. They get free medical care, daycare, and there is even a massage chair in the lobby. All of these benefits spur creativity, which has made Google one of the World Wide Web pioneers.Google does not use best practice because they are too rigid and do not allow employees to â€Å"think outside the box†. Some best practices are needed though. This was the case with Microsoft and Netscape. They used a synchronize and stabilize method created by David Yoffie and Michael Cusumano to orchestrate a massive overseeing and managing of source code. This method allowed the two corporations to work efficiently in a parallel. During their research, they found that both companies were doing very similar tasks nightly.By creating a best practice model both companies could use they reduced production time by 15 %. Best practices along with the SDLC can help lay a great foundation for IT development. There are no set rules or guidelines for IT development. However, there is a certain structure that most successful IT projects have in common. The first step to planning a good IT project is the project selection. During this process the PM must analyze if there is a need for the system. Does someone already have a system similar that the team could use or buy?After this step if the justification for the system is still necessary, then the team must move onto the next step, which is the planning of project controls. According to the paper Indentifying Best Practices in Information Technology Project Management, project controls are defined as an estimate, estimating, and budgeting. The estimate considers how many resources are needed to accomplish this project, the act of estimating is combining the results of post project reviews, metrics, consultation, and informed assessment to arrive at time and resource requirements for an activity, and budgeting is the total cost of the project.Following this evaluation, you should assemble the team. It is important to compile a team that w ill be effective to the specific project. The team must understand the project goals and expectations. The next step is accessing the stakeholder’s involvement in the project. The stakeholder can be anyone from the management of the company to an actual customer. Some stakeholders will want as much control as the PM while other, will be hands off allowing the PM to make all the decisions.These guidelines are not all inclusive but they are a start to developing a successful IT project. Designing a good IT development project takes time and an excellent PM. There are many good models to follow, like the Arkansas best practices model. These models give a small or unorganized company the structure it needs to develop a good plan. If you follows these models along with a good SDLC you will be well on your way to creating a solid project. These two models can lay the foundation you need for a successful blueprint.

Legal Compliance Paper Essay

In order for a business to succeed, management needs to identify and comply with the laws and regulations in their area. Management needs to keep in mind that laws vary from state to state. Additionally, as laws are constantly changing, management needs to regularly update their company standards in order to comply with these ever changing laws. In the case of Baderman Island, the company first began its renovations in 1988 (Virtual Organizations Portal, 2012) the lighthouse was purchased in 1932. Since 1988, the company had to modify or change their business procedures in order to comply with laws and regulations. Legal compliance challenges that Baderman Island and other companies may have faced include employment laws, tax laws and regulations, property laws, finance laws and environmental laws. If a company does not comply with the laws and regulations in place, a company risks lawsuits, fines and possible company closure. Therefore it is imperative for a company such as Baderman Island to acknowledge the possible compliance challenges and reduce the liability of those compliances challenges. Legal Compliance Challenges Baderman Island Resort, will be expanding its operations and we believe as a team that some of the legal compliance challenges the organization will encounter are linked to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Opportunity Act (Affirmative Action Act). The organization has to ensure the selection process and promotion process, the designing of the training and implementation of the training for the employees are taken into consideration to mitigate risk (Jackson & Mathis, 2008, Chapter 9, Training  Human Resources). In addition to the selection, promotion and design of the training; Baderman Island Resort has to ensure that the 80% Rule is followed and that an environment of disparate impact and treatment is not created to reduce risk (Moran, 2008, Chapter 2, Selection). Baderman has also advised its employees and the public, that they will be hiring and training employees to speak Spanish and French to develop a better relationship with their international clientele (University of Phoenix, 2014). A blog is being used as customer relationship management tool to identify areas of concerns and opportunities. The HR department and executive management team need to review what a bona fide occupational qualification means, in the areas that they are planning to expand and mitigate risk. The organization operates in the hotel and resort industry environment in order to have sustained growth; legal compliance challenges have to be understood, researched and communicated. The legal compliance challenges can have a direct impact on their cash flow, for example, if Baderman Island Resort was found guilty of race discrimination of Title VII Civil Rights Act of 1964, in 2006, the organization would be liable for paying $27,000 (Moran, 2008, Chapter 2, Selection). Discrimination and other non-compliance issues always present a possibility for legal ramifications, therefore management must constantly be aware of different methods to reduce liability. Options to reduce liability With the expansion of operations that Baderman Island Resort will be making, there will be a few different challenges that will take place and options that will help to reduce the liability of the company. Thorough and accurate training is one of Baderman Island’s primary concerns. Knowledgeable and impartial trainers not only help pave the way for new employees and continuous training, but they also represent the company and its values. Proper training perpetuates good employees with a good grasps of key concepts and knowledge. Improper training could lead to mistakes, production loss, liabilities, and possibly injuries. Hiring and training multi-lingual employees that speak Spanish and French is a great idea, to help broaden the company’s customer base. Management would need to ensure that all shifts maintain an appropriate number of multi-lingual employees, dependent upon business and shift requirements. If the resort finds that additional  languages become a majority including addition multi-lingual employees would be recommended for customer satisfaction and fairness. Customer satisfaction is always the ultimate goal of Baderman Island Resort; therefore feedback plays a critical role in implementing beneficial changes. Allowing employees to provide feedback for management review helps employees feel important and valued. Customer feedback provides an opportunity for management to spot possible weaknesses and areas in need of improvement. With three different methods of feedback and review: management, employee feedback and customer feedback management increase the opportunity for positive changes and increased repeat business and increased revenue. How employment practice compliance systems could assist liability reduction By not only creating equal opportunity employment, but creating an environment in which every guest feels as they are special, Baderman Island Resort, desires to achieve harmony within the resort. We at Baderman Island Resort take great pride in our training system. This system of training allows us to ensure every employee is trained on how to treat others, better yet, how to react when situations arise. Our trainers have all been through rigorous standardized training to ensure every employee is equally proficient with our expectations. This training helps ensure compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Training every employee with the same standardized system will help ensure everyone within the workforce is treated equally, regardless of race, sex, color, or national origin. This also includes the hiring process. By providing continuing training, Baderman Island Resort can help ensure hiring practices are also followed. Each of our employees that are fluent in another language receives a bonus due to the additional assistance they can provide our guests. Those who currently employed or in the process of being hired are offered free language classes, which will result in Baderman Island Resort keeping a multi-cultural workforce. These employees will also receive the bonus once they have become fluent in the chosen language. Continuing to educate our employees and hire the most qualified individuals will in a more responsible and caring workforce. A vast portion of Baderman Island’s success and lifespan is a direct result from complying with the laws and regulations in their area. The fact that Baderman Island has expanded since first opening its doors in 1988 and it has plans to continue to expand, reflects the constant attention to the  changing laws and regulations. Baderman Island will continue to be successful if management continues to analyze and reduce compliance challenges. References Jackson, J.H., & Mathis, R.L. (2008). Home Resource Management (12th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection. Moran, J.J. (2008). Employment Law. Employment Challenges in the Business Environment (4th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection. University of Phoenix. (2014). Baderman Island Resort [Multimedia]. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, HRM420 website. Virtual Organizations Portal., Apollo Group, Inc., & Baderman Island. (2012). eCampus: Login. Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/CIST/VOP/Business/BadermanIsland/internet/index.asp

Anne Sexton’s Twisted Version of Sleeping Beauty

Anne Sexton’s Twisted Version of Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty’s Sexual Scars in Anne Sexton’s â€Å"Briar Rose† Parents often use fairytales as bedtime stories for their children. Anne Sexton takes these often light-hearted and whimsical tales and spins them into a creation of her own. According to Diana Hume George in â€Å"An Overview of Sexton’s Canon,† Sexton, â€Å"updated their contexts and language to point out their applications to and parallels with modern life, and she exposed the dark psychic core of each tale in ways that inverted or even reversed their normative meanings.† The poem â€Å"Briar Rose (Sleeping Beauty),† begins with a girl in a hypnotic state, sitting on her father’s lap. The stanza is ominous and uncomfortable to read, setting the tone for the rest of the poem. In the following stanzas, the traditional fairytale plays out but as it continues, Briar Rose’s happy ending is nowhere to be seen. Sexton focuses on pivotal events in the story and twists them in a way that recreates the original fairytale and exposes its darker unde rtones that are otherwise overlooked in the original story. Sexton begins the first stanza in third person and describes a girl in a hypnotic trance in order to establish the unsettling tone for the rest of the poem. The speaker states that, â€Å"She is stuck in the time machine, / suddenly two years old sucking her thumb† (l. 7-8). The girl regresses to a younger age, making her more childlike and vulnerable. The speaker goes on to state that the girl struggles to find her mother but instead, her father is the one to hold her. Whilst on his lap, he tells her, â€Å"Come be my snooky / and I will give you a root† (l. 21-22). Snooky is slang for ones romantic partner and a root is phallic in shape. For the father to tell his daughter this immediately signals the incestual undertones that will be present later on. Over the course of the poem, Briar Rose’s life is marked by unfortunate events. The first one occurs when she is only a baby. Her father held a christening for her but he only owned twelve gold plates and therefore only invited twelve fairies. The thirteenth fairy, feeling spurned, prophesizes that â€Å"The princess shall prick herself on a spinning wheel in her fifteenth year and then fall down dead. Kaputt!† (l. 37-40). The use of a silly phrase such as â€Å"Kaputt!† contrasts greatly to the grave tone of the situation. It highlights the intended lethalness of the curse, which is otherwise glossed over in the watered-down, bedtime version of the fairytale. In response to the curse, the king becomes overbearing in his need to protect his daughter. He orders every spindle in the kingdom to be destroyed. This makes sense in regards to the prophecy but the king’s orders eventually become more extreme. The speaker states that, â€Å"He forced every male in the court / to scour his tongue with Bab-o / lest they poison the air she dwelt in† (l. 60-62) By having the men clean themselves with a modern-day product containing bleach, it is as if the king wants the men to purify themselves so that they will not corrupt his daughter. The curse said nothing of specifically men doing harm to Briar Rose though, so the king’s need to protect her becomes obsession-like. The king’s obsession over his own daughter’s purity is the beginning of the incestual undertones that subverts the original tale’s message of sefless love. Try as he might, the king’s precautions to keep Briar Rose safe from both men and the curse are thwarted, resulting in the second pivotal moment within the story. Inevitably, Briar rose pricks her finger on a spinning wheel, sending both her and the inhabitants of the kingdom into a deep slumber. The speaker describes the sleeping inhabitants in terms of modern-day parallels, such as comparing the frogs to zombies and the trees to metal. By doing so, the slumbering kingdom’s fate becomes more sinister, as if the inhabitants are petrified instead of simply sleeping. Over the years, many princes try to break the curse but they, â€Å"had not scoured their tongues / so they were held by the thorns / and thus were crucified† (l. 86-88). The princes dying show the king’s control over Briar Rose, even while she sleeps. Ultimately, they cannot rescue her because they had not scoured their tongues as the men of the court had done and thus were deemed unfit in the father’s eyes. A hundred years pass and a prince finally breaks the curse, although everything is not what it seems. In the third pivotal event, when the prince kisses Briar Rose awake, she cries, â€Å"Daddy! Daddy!† (l. 96). After being awakened after such a frightful occurrence, it would only make sense for a girl to cry out for her father, but Briar Rose was specifically awakened by a kiss. This implicates that the father has kissed Briar Rose as well, giving the reader a glimpse of the sexual abuse she suffered as a child. At this point, the original fairytale ends with Briar Rose living happily ever after with her prince. In Sexton’s version of the story, Briar Rose awakening marks the beginning of her downward spiral. Although Briar Rose marries the prince, she becomes an insomniac, still haunted by the memories of her father’s sexual abuse. She becomes dependent on drugs and cannot sleep, â€Å"without the court chemist / mixing her some knock-out drops / and never in the prince’s presence† (l. 106-108). Briar Rose becomes more and more disturbed by the memories her father’s sexual abuse but refuses to let her spouse know. Briar Rose’s sexual abuse at the hands of her father results in the overall deterioration of both her mental and physical health. Briar Rose’s health steadily worsens until she descends into a state of delirium. The speaker switches from that of third person to first and says, â€Å"I must not sleep / for while asleep I’m ninety / and think I’m dying† (l. 120-122). Briar Rose goes back and forth between different points of her life, from when she was a small child at the hands of her father to when she was in the hundred-year slumber. Because of this, Briar Rose becomes even more dependent on drugs, similarly to how real-life victims of sexual abuse can fall victim to drug usage in order to cope with their past. In the following stanza, it becomes evident that the girl in the beginning of the poem is the modern-day parallel to Sexton’s recreated version of Sleeping Beauty. In the first stanza, the little girl is just â€Å"learning to talk again† (l. 10). She lost her will to talk after being sexually abused but slowly starts to come forth with what happened, just as Briar Rose begins to do. The speaker says, â€Å"I was forced backward. / I was forced forward† (l. 145-146). The movements mimic the sexual positions that her father forced her into when she was younger. Although older and now married, Briar Rose still feels like a prisoner to her father. This directly subverts the wholesome image of the king in the original tale. In Anne Sexton’s version of Sleeping Beauty’s, the king is the true villain of the story because of what he did to his daughter. By raping her as a child, he ensures a lifetime of unhappiness to follow. In the traditional fairytale, a prince eventually thwarts the thirteenth fairy’s curse and awakens the princess with true love’s kiss. It embodies a wholesome message of good conquering evil. Sexton twisted the fairytale and utilized specific themes within it – such as a father’s love – in order to give voice to victims of incest and sexual abuse. In reality, many victims do not lead a happy life because of the memories of abuse that stay with them, long after it ends. By doing the same to Briar Rose, Sexton shows that not everyone can live a happily ever after.

Edward abbey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Edward abbey - Essay Example Abbey attended University of Mexico in 1951, where he did B.A. in Philosophy and English and also completed his masters in Philosophy. Abbey’s writings are inspired from his life experiences. Desert Solitaire, published in 1968, which is considered one of the best narratives in nature writing, tells about Abbey’s experience in Utah where he worked as a ranger. Abbey’s writings are not only engaging and entertaining but they also serve as a wake-up call for the conservation of nature. Abbey’s long list of essays and books include Jonathon Troy, Fire on the Mountain, Black sun but the book that earned him the greatest acclaim was ‘The Monkey Wrench Gang’ which was published in 1975. The book coined the word ‘monkey wrenching’ which meant to sabotage for the defense of environment. It is also speculated that the book inspired the formation of the militant group ‘Earth First’ (Cahalan). His orneriness over environmental i ssues made Abbey a hero among the activists of his time. This protagonist of radical environmentalism died at the age of 62 and was buried in the state of Arizona. Works Cited Cahalan, James M. Edward Abbey: A Life . University of Arizona Press; , 2001. Print

Role of Shareholders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Role of Shareholders - Essay Example However, state laws and company bylaws determine the areas in which shareholders are entitled to vote Shareholder powers One of the main areas where shareholders are generally entitled to use their power is the election of the board members who are the â€Å"agents† of the corporation. The board of directors â€Å"acts on behalf of the shareholders† and is responsible for the maximization of shareholder value by incorporating appropriate policies through the managers they select for corporate operations (Reference for Business 2012). Any fundamental change which the organization plans to incorporate needs to be approved by the shareholders before implementation (Miller 2012). This implies that they have the power to approve a merger, change or amend the articles of incorporation of a firm, affect the sale of all or part of the company’s assets or even approve the dissolution of the corporation (Ronen and Yaari 2007). However, in many of such decisions prior board approval is required. They not only have the power to choose the members of the board of Directors but also to vote against them if found to be inefficient and remove them from the board. Generally a director is removed if there is sufficient cause for voting him out. However, certain state statutes and corporate articles allow their removal without any cause (Miller 2012). This means that if majority of shareholders feel that a particular director is not required, they can vote him /her out of office without giving any justification for their action. Shareholders can impact a company policy by proposing their own ideas for shareholder vote. However, for this they need to present their idea to the board of directors and ask them to distribute it to all the shareholders before the shareholder meeting by including it in the proxy papers sent to them (Miller 2012). However, this power is limited by the fact that SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) has set a limit to who can forwa rd these proposals. As per SEC, only those shareholders who have stocks worth at least $1000 can submit such proposals (Miller 2012). This submission is also limited by the fact that the proposal should be related to some noteworthy policy concern and not any ordination day to day operational consideration (Ronen and Yaari 2007). Thus, we can see that though the shareholders have the powers to affect change, they are limited in their use of power. In general, each shareholder has voting rights in proportion to the number of shares held by him/ her. However, the company can limit the voting rights of certain categories of shareholders (Miller 2012). For example, most organizations do not give voting rights to preferred shareholders. The companies can do this by incorporating the same in the articles of incorporation. However, if the laws of the State of operation do not allow such provisions, then the organization has to abide by the law. Some times preemptive rights are granted to s hareholders. This gives them the right to subscribe to the â€Å"same percentage of new shares being issued as they already hold in the company† (Miller 2012). This helps them to maintain their â€Å"proportionate control† over the organization in terms of voting power and financial interest (Miller 2012). The implication of this right is significant when the organizati

Parental Invovlement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Parental Invovlement - Essay Example This not only assures teachers that the child’s parents are taking responsibility for their growth but also make children develop confidence in themselves and help them to get a positive boost in performing. The survey was divided in three parts i.e. 1) Parental involvement at home, 2) Parental involvement in school and 3) barriers to parent involvement. The number of parents who responded to the questionnaire was fourteen. The total number of questions in all the three sections was twenty one. No question was left unanswered. Following is the analysis of the survey that was taken. The set of questions in this section was created to see what parents think about the importance of their involvement in their children’s school activities at home. All the parents (100%) agreed to the fact that their involvement in the school is important for the healthy development of their children. 92.9% of parents also said that they knew what ‘parental involvement’ means and also agreed that they want to spend more time with their children so that their children perform to the best of their ability and get all the resources available. 100% parents agreed that they are responsible to get their children motivated to complete their home work and their assignments. This shows that parents do understand and agree to the fact that their children’s behaviour and interest in school can be controlled by their involvement with their children’s school activities at home. However when the question turned to the communication between teachers and parents, a drop was seen in the agreement response. Only 85.7% parents said that they communicate with their child’s teacher when necessary. This shows that there is a communication

Managing in the service environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managing in the service environment - Essay Example After some years as a partner, Schultz bought Starbuck from the original owners. Immediately after taking over, he continued selling coffee beans, cheap coffee beverages by cup and he employed well educated staff to run the stores and he managed to compete successfully with other coffee chains. In 1992, Shultz take the company to the public and many people laugh at him since few people in America take coffee. He went ahead and raised $25million in the offer, this enabled him to open more stores across the country. By the end o f 2002, Starbuck was the dominant coffee seller in North America. Since the company went public, the growth increased by 40%. The company was offering services to more than 21 million across the continent with over 5000 stores that are well established. 2. How the customer services are delivered at Starbucks The company has a policy called â€Å"Just Say Yes† which has empowered the company to give the best services to their clients even if it means goin g beyond the required rules and procedures. For example if the drinks spill and the client request to be refilled, it will be refilled. If the client doesn’t have cash and he wants to pay with a Check, he will be provided with a sample drink for free since the Checks are not acceptable (Moon and Quelch 2006). The company management believes that employee satisfaction leads to customer satisfaction. For better services, when a staff member is employed, he will have to undergo two types of training. The first training will focus on hard skills such as using cash register or mixing drinks. The company beverages are crafted by hand through a certain process to ensure that what is being produced is of high quality. The other training deal with soft skills, in this the employees are taught how to deal with the customers, for example having an eye contact with them, remembering their names, and welcoming them happily to the shops. The employees are provided with health insurance and stock options to even new employees (Moon and Quelch 2006). The company is also one of the well paying food chain in America. The company has the lowest employee turn over rates as compared to other food companies. The manager stability is also paramount since it reduces partner turnover and it enables the shops to perform better by recognizing regular consumers and giving personal services. 3. Customer’s satisfaction at Starbucks and how to improve its customer satisfaction. Starbuck customer satisfaction is commendable since it provide high satisfaction to customers. Customers get the best coffee coming from different parts of the world like Africa, Asia pacific and American regions. The employees has been trained on soft skills that will help them handle customers better, this make the customers have the best time in the shops since they are highly welcomed and employees talk to them to ensure that they are satisfied. In the shops if they encounter any problem in the mode of payment, they are given sample beverages for free. Starbucks can improve customers’ satisfaction in different ways, one is consistency. The company should guarantee consistence in product taste and quality. This consistency should be driven by very high efficient coffee processing machines which are in a position of producing blended coffee without disturbing customers with noise. Secondly,

To What Extent Can We Attribute the Conditions of the Late Republic to Essay

To What Extent Can We Attribute the Conditions of the Late Republic to the Actions of Single Individuals - Essay Example Still, one of the most predominant means of scholarly analysis remains the conditions of the late Republic. Varying perspectives have considered the actions during this period in relation to a number of contextual criteria. The main modes of investigative inquiry situate the late Republic as either attributable to the actions of specific individuals, or the actions of these individuals merely attempts at restoring order. Analysis Sallust provides a broad ranging historical account of Rome. Rather than merely recounting historical events, Sallust works to diagnose the city in terms of psychic qualms. He first establishes Rome as a city of great courage and valor that later gives way to avarice and desire for power. He states, â€Å"At first these vices grew slowly, from time to time they were punished; finally, when the disease had spread like a deadly plague, the state was changed and a government second to none in equity and excellence became cruel and intolerable.†1 While Sa llust does not refer to a specific period of the Roman republic where such a situation emerged, there is the general qualitative recognition of Rome as not simply beholden to individuals, but rather, an entire state that had lost its way. To a large extent, the aforementioned psychic criticisms of the state are presented as a crumbling tapestry that gives way to conspiracies against the government. For instance, Sallust articulates Gnaeus Piso’s effort to overthrow the government. While, strictly speaking, this is the effort of an individual, within the epistemological context of the text, it appears to be the result of both general political strife, as well as the reduced values that overtook the late Republic. This, then, is the further recognition as the actions of the late Roman republic as occurring to restore order, rather than to respond to the ill-will of specific individuals. While Sallust articulates a late Roman republic that had experienced a widespread abandonmen t of proper values, he balances this depiction with criticism levied specifically at Lucius Sulla. Sallust states, â€Å"After Lucius Sulla, having gained control of the state by arms, brought everything to a bad end from a good beginning, all men began to rob and pillage. One coveted a house, another lands; the victors showed neither moderation nor restraint, but shamefully and cruelly wronged their fellow citizens.†2 Sallust extends these considerations of Lucius through recourse to specific historical events, as he indicates that Lucius permitted the army great liberties. The army, then, contributed to the sordid state of Roman society. This is the presentation of the late Roman republic as falling into squalor directly through the influence of an individual, Lucius Sulla. Another major area of consideration area issues related to Lucius Catiline. Sallust establishes a late Roman republic that, partly through the influence of Lucius Sulla, had collectively abandoned its va lues and given way to avarice. Sallust portrays Catiline as taking advantage of this social squalor. As Catiline emerges in Sallust text, there are conflicting accounts of his virtue and intentions. At one instant, Sallust portrays him as an opportunist, taking advantage of the youth and ill-social climate to achieve his aims. In another portrayal, Catiline is depicted as rebelling against a corrupt political order in a sort of Robin Hood-like way. In Catiline’

Hardware Systems & Design Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hardware Systems & Design - Assignment Example Direct Input and Output mechanism is still a requirement during the process of interfacing the measurement devices to the computer, which consist of an indicator light, buttons the binary sensing unit and the switches. A typical SRF05 ultrasonic ranger is shown below. The program is implemented as a C language program and its execution takes place in Altera Nios 2 IDE. This requires the terminal closed for a start of a new one to change the register (Null and Lobur 2006, p53). The Altera development environment is then started as shown in figure 2 below. The next step is to import the code into the workspace, by browsing to find the directory. The Projects window is now able to show the selected program code as well as all the header files as shown in figure 3 below. By clicking on the arrow next to the name of the code inside the project explorer and double clicking the program name of the C program source code. The C file opens inside the code editor as shown below. The requisite step is to ensure that the DE0 board and the USB port are connected on the computer and the power is turned on through the big red button. After powering, the NIOS board show NIOS on the 7 segment display. The lit LED will be on and off at intervals. In the eighth line 8: the LED value is set to 0x4, which essentially lights one LED. Lines 16 and 19: tests for the LED value, but does not alter it. In this case, the LED value needs to be reset to 0x2AA, whose binary equivalent is (0000-0010-1010-1010). The next step is to click on the â€Å"Run† command to compile and download the program to the DE0 board. The change in delay is created by modifying the while loop and altering the value 200000 to 2000. The speed at which the light flashes on the LED increased upon saving and running the program with the updates. The results of the program are displayed in the 7

Reasearch Methods r Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Reasearch Methods r - Essay Example For questionnaires to result in the collection of accurate, large volumes of data, planning and developing an effective questionnaire is very essential. The survey carried out for the research project in hand may turn out to be useless if sufficient time and thought are not spent in questionnaire construction. Mistakes such as irrelevant questions, wrong wording of questions, bad format, biased questions etc. can destroy the purpose to be accomplished. Therefore, whenever we are using questionnaires as a method to collect data for our research projects, we must ensure that we have developed an effective questionnaire that meets all the needs of our project and would ultimately result in the gathering of all intended information we seek to obtain. Only then can we proceed ahead with the distribution of the questionnaires and finally the tabulation and reporting of results. Developing a good questionnaire is not an easy task and requires significant skills. A specific procedure is to be followed when developing one. Before you start with anything, you first need to determine exactly what problem or need you are trying to address through this research project and how it will be done using the information obtained from the questionnaires This will help you develop relevant questions that in turn help you to obtain accurate information. Then you need to determine your audience, i.e., from whom you need to obtain the required data and also How If your audience is very large, it is better to first give out the questionnaires to a smaller randomly selected group to ensure that the questionnaire is achieving the purpose for which it is developed. Next, you need to decide on the format of your questionnaire. Would you use a free format or a fixed format questionnaire These types are discussed in the later section. Usually, a combination of these two is used. H aving decided upon the format, the next task is to write the questions. As you write them, check them for any construction errors. Also ensure that they are properly worded and do not result in any misinterpretations on the respondents part. The questions should also be free of any personal bias. It is also important to identify yourself at the beginning. Moreover, questions framed should arouse the respondents' interest. Care should also be taken to ensure that you slowly move from general to more specific questions. Specific questions should not be asked directly. If any mistakes are found, edit the questions. Types of Questionnaires: Questionnaires can broadly be classified into fixed format and free format questionnaires. A fixed format questionnaire is one that contains questions that require the respondent to only select from the choices already provided. In other words, it provides little freedom to the respondent and uses closed ended questions. In contrast, a free format questionnaire provides a lot of latitude to the respondent by allowing the respondent to write the answer in his own words rather than merely selecting it. It makes use of open ended questions. Types of Questions: As mentioned above, there are two main types of questions: closed ended or open ended.2 Closed ended questions are those that restrict the user by providing him with options to choose from. Example: Do you smoke Yes No In contrast, open ended questi

Promote The Human Rights Essay Example for Free

Promote The Human Rights Essay Identify legislation and policies that are designed to promote the human rights, inclusion equal life chances and citizenship of individuals with learning disabilities. Legislation and policies are implemented to support and protect the human rights and inclusion of individuals with learning disabilities Some of these Acts and policies include: The Human Rights Act 1998 The Human Rights Act in the United Kingdom came into force on the 2nd October 2000 and underpins many of the core values which we in the care industry must adopt. It ensures the rights of individuals and means that they are entitled to seek help from the courts if they believe that their human rights have been infringed. The Human Rights Act â€Å"guarantees† basic human rights: the right to life; the right to liberty and security of person; the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; the right to marry and found a family etc. The care sector has the responsibility to promote and respect human rights as a core part of their day-to-day work, from drafting policies regulations and rules, through internal staff and policy issues, administration, decision making, to implementing policy and working with members of the public. The basic human rights which the care sector has the responsibility to promote are: †¢The right to life (relevant to protection of clients’ physical and mental wellbeing) †¢The right to freedom from torture and inhuman or degrading treatment †¢The right of respect for private and family life, home and correspondence (relevant to confidentiality) †¢The right to freedom of thought, conscience or religion (relevant to respecting equality and diversity) †¢The right of protection from discrimination †¢The right to marry and found a family †¢The right to education †¢Free elections by secret ballot The Equality Act 2010 Brought in to replace the previous anti-discriminatory laws. It identifies nine protected characteristics; age, disability, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion/belief, gender, sexual orientation and gender reassignment. The Care Standards Act 2000 The Care Standards Act 2000 reforms the regulatory system for care services in England and Wales. It replaces the Registered Homes Act 1984, and associated regulations, which is intended to be repealed from 1 April 2002. The National Minimum Standards for registered care services are issued by the Department of Health as part of the implementation of the Care Standards Act 2000. These standards include requirements about the competence of the work force including their suitability, experience and qualifications. The Care Standards Act sets out a broad range of regulation making powers covering, amongst other matters, the management, staff, premises and conduct of social care and independent healthcare establishments and agencies. The aim is to ensure that the care of vulnerable people, in differing types of supported housing is properly regulated, to improve care standards and introduce consistency in the regulation of services provided. The Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA)/Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults (SVA) scheme will act as a workforce ban on those professionals who have harmed vulnerable adults in their care. It will add an extra layer of protection to the pre-employment processes, including Criminal Records Bureau checks, which already take place and prevent known abusers from entering the care workforce. This Care Act 2000 was replaced by the Health Social Care Act 2008 with the aim to primary focus of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 was to create a new regulator whose purpose was to provide registration and inspection of health and adult social care services together for the first time, with the aim of ensuring safety and quality of care for service users. Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Group Act 2006 The purpose of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 is to restrict contact between children and vulnerable adults and those who might do them harm. The Mental Health Act 2007 The law which governs the compulsory treatment of certain people who have a mental disorder is the Mental Health Act 1983. The main purpose of the Mental Health Act 2007 is to amend the 1983 Act. It is also being used to introduce â€Å"deprivation of liberty safeguards† through amending the Mental Capacity Act 2005; and to extend the rights of victims by amending the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. Mental Capacity Act 2005 The Mental Capacity Act 2005 provides a comprehensive framework for decision making on behalf of adults aged 16 and over who lack capacity to make decisions on their own behalf. The Act applies to England and Wales. Scotland has its own legislation. The Act sets out a number of basic principles that must govern all decisions made and actions taken under its powers. These are rooted in best practice and the common law and are designed to be fully compliant with the relevant sections of the Human Rights Act. Where confusion arises about how aspects of the Act should be implemented, it can be extremely helpful to refer back to them. Actions or decisions that clearly conflict with them are unlikely to be lawful, although there may be occasions on which they are in tension with each other and some balancing will be required. Valuing People Now Valuing People Now is an opportunity to help get better lives for all people with learning disabilities and their families, including those with complex needs, and from black and minority ethnic communities. Valuing People Now says people with a learning disability have the same human rights as everyone else Putting People First Putting People First (PPF) sets out the direction for adult social care. It is a shared commitment by the Government, local councils and service providers to ensuring that people who need care and support have choice, flexibility and control to live their lives the way they wish.

Extra Curriculum Activities Essay Example for Free

Extra Curriculum Activities Essay An ideal school need more subject options such as drama, art and music—to excel at all levels. The school works provided to students by teachers have their own academic importance, Nevertheless that alone does not fulfil the schooling and learning requirements and standards. In some schools, the educational systems are only based upon fixed set of courses that excludes extra curriculum activities, causing insufficient or restrictiveness for the student’s comprehension skills and imaginations. Although it is believed that today’s schools have the best education system including extra curriculum activities, it is yet underestimated in many schools. These activities will bring many benefits to students. Involving students to participate in extra curriculum activities is very important in helping them to develop many skills such as working and social skills. Of course, while there are definitely a large amount of benefits to extra curriculum activities for students, there needs to be a balance between that and school work. Getting involved in a few different activities is a great choice to improve various skills and attitudes, and is definitely beneficial in all aspects, but too many activities can result in students having academic problems and more. Therefore, it is important for students to set some limits in being involved in extra curriculum activities. Also not every student is a mad scientist or a mathematician, so these extra subject choices give students a chance to develop skills in particular areas they are well in. Students learn about long term commitments when they are involved in extracurricular activities as well, which is another excellent benefit. When they join one of the activities or clubs, they commit themselves to that activity for a period of time. Learning to take on commitments is important, and these activities can teach students this important lesson. Many times, being involved in extracurricular activities helps to raise the self esteem of teens. There are many teens that feel worthless or that there is nothing they are good at. Teens struggle with self esteem, and these activities are a way that they can build self esteem. Everyone wants to find something that they are really good at, and extracurricular activities provide them with a way that they can get involved in something and really shine, giving their self esteem a boost. Getting involved in extracurricular activities also allows students to get involved in various interests. It is important for students to be very diverse in their interests. These activities allow them to explore a range of interests that they may have. Students should be allowed to take another step forward and be able to explore the world of art and music and to be able to nurture their talent and explore their own potential in other areas. There are numerous advantages for students to participate in extra curriculum activities. Therefore schools should be encouraged to involve students in these activities that increase the students’ self-worth, ability to think creatively, emotional understanding, social networks and overall increase their academic performances. With so many benefits and advantages, how can schools exclude extra Curriculum Activities?

Marketing analysis of Taylors Education Group

Marketing analysis of Taylors Education Group Taylors Education Group has been a household name in Malaysia for four decades known for producing all-rounded graduates with on-hand work experience which will enable them to be competitive and assertive in the working environment. Taylors has contributed much to Malaysias economic prosperity seeing as Taylors is expanding not only domestically but also internationally. Taylors started with humble beginnings, with only a small block in Jalan Pantai, Kuala Lumpur offering only one program. Today, Taylors has 5 campuses including the very recently established Taylors Lakeside Campus which offers a multitude of courses which comprises of diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate studies. Apart from that, Taylors 10 year mission is to become a university of 20,000 students renowned for its teaching excellence and the distinctive quality of its graduates. At the rate Taylors is growing, there is no doubt that mission can be accomplished in 5 years let alone 10 years. Taylors effective miss ion statement, Wisdom. Integrity. Excellence is undoubtedly one of the reasons why many students are attracted to this educational institution. Taylors mission statement positions students to think of Taylors as a premium and exclusive educational institution that offers excellent education quality while inculcating discipline at the same time. Taylors core purpose to educate the youth of the world to take their productive places as leaders in the global community also plays an important role in drawing students into the educational institution. In addition to that, Taylors also promises 5 core values in all of their programs. Firstly, Taylors believes in Respecting and caring for each other. Taylors promises to create an environment where everyone is appreciated disregarding personal, cultural, racial or religion differences. Taylors does this by providing a safe place to express your opinions. Besides that, exercising responsibility will also be encouraged. The efforts of individu als and groups will also be recognized and respected. Secondly, Taylors also believes in Being dedicated to a culture of excellence. Taylors will systematically and purposefully do the best they can to achieve their organizational goals. Thus, Taylors will continually look for methods to improve themselves through continual learning and adopting methods which will contribute to Taylors long term objectives and goals. Thirdly, Taylors also believes in Openness in communication. Taylors promotes being honest in daily exchanges, and if this is done in a kind and respectful manner, trust and understanding will be developed. Fourthly, Taylors believes in Acting with integrity. Taylors will obey the codes of conduct and be ethical in their daily processes to build a culture of openness within the organization and society at large. Fifthly, Taylors also believe in Being passionate in what we do. Taylors believes by doing things passionately, it will inspire others to want to do better. Las tly, Taylors believes in Creating enjoyable environments. This assignment is mainly to study the Taylors education group, in terms of how they market their programs and education. The main focus in this assignment is the newly built Taylors Lakeside Campus. From here, well analyze how the Taylors education group has successfully turned this project into a great profit making campus. This assignment will study their marketing strategies by analyzing the companys strengths, weaknesses, opportunities threats (SWOT Analysis), the companys segmentation and positioning strategy and the companys marketing mix. Well also provide recommendations to improve their marketing strategies at the Taylors Lakeside Campus towards the end of this assignment. SWOT Analysis The two types of internal factors that affect the company to reach its objective are strengths and weaknesses. Firstly, the strength of Taylors college is it has a strong background and a history of 42 years. The forty two years of history include proven experience in university level education and training with growing emphasis on research to further enhance the quality of the university. This can be proven by the recognition from Ministry of Higher Education with the prestigious Excellence in Research and Development award 2005/06. Taylors University had developed a strong brand name and causes an increase in market share and brand equity. It has a famous slogan that is Wisdom, Integrity, Excellence. Taylors Universitys drive for wisdom, quest for integrity and thirst for excellence made it become a famous academic institution and is able to deliver a high quality education. Besides that, the strength of Taylors university is it offers a variety of high value and quality national r ecognized programs. The university offers architecture, design, biosciences, business, communication, IT, engineering, hospitality, law and medicine program. The academic activities adapted to the more recent socio-economic trends resulting in the development of a broad range of courses. The variety program that Taylors University provided proven that it is a powerful one stop education organization. The linking arrangement with foreign universities ensures the quality assurance of the courses and examinations. Moreover, the high development in teaching and learning skills are the strength of Taylors university. The establishment of Integrated Teaching and Life-long Learning Center at Taylors (InTeLLeCT) is to ensure the provision of relevant, innovative, and excellent learning experiences at Taylors. It creates learning experience through excellent teaching, outstanding academic student support initiatives, and an innovative and technology-driven learning environment. (Taylors Univ ersity 2011) By investing in InTeLLect, it ensures the continuous improvement of human resources by creating an experienced academic and support staff to educate more quality students. The high quality lecturers can be proved by one of the lecturers from the School of Engineering Dr TVN Padmesh for being awarded with the Young Scientist Paper Award 5th International Conference of Environmental Science and Technology 2010 in Texas, USA from July 12-16. In addition, geographical location and comfortable campus environment also adds to the strength of Taylors University. Taylors University is located at Subang Jaya and there are high amount of population and fast rising developments. It is well connected to the cities of Kuala Lumpur, Shah Alam and the townships of Petaling Jaya therefore it is a good location. Taylors university offers the best campus environment and provide the best facilities among the competitors. The facilities provided are new and comprehensive, an example of fac ilities that is provided is the library, sports and recreation centre, hostel, lecture theatres, student central, sick bay, experiment labs and food court. (Taylors 2011) On the other hand, the weakness of Taylors University is it is charging a higher price than others competitor in the education market. For example, Taylors university is charging double the price of Help University College for the business program. The higher price charge sometimes will affect the consumer decision to choose Taylors university and unsatisfied consumers may end up going to other universities. Taylors university must ensure that the price charged should create superior value and provide value-added services to the consumer. Besides that, the weakness of the university is the choices of twinning program that it offers are limited. For example, Help University College is the biggest competitor at this point because it offers more university choices and has better partner universities. Taylors university should improve the choices for partner universities to gain its market share. The two types of external factors that affect the company to reach its objective are opportunities and threats. The opportunity of Taylors university is there is an increase in the awareness of the importance in attaining tertiary education. Nowadays, most organisations are hiring employees with either a diploma or a bachelors degree. Therefore, this encourages Malaysian parents to finance their childrens education to get at least a Bachelors degree for a better career. Besides that, Malaysia acts as one of the world excellence centre for education had created an opportunities for the university by an increases in international student. It is estimated that there are about 70,000 international students from more than 100 countries currently studying in public and private higher education institutions in Malaysia. (Study in Malaysia Handbook 2011) Malaysia is a diverse country with rapid economic development, stable politic, disaster free and it offers an affordable cost to the intern ational student for higher education opportunities will attract more international student in the future. Taylors university can consider providing more choices for world best partner university to increase its opportunity by increase competitiveness and grow its market share. The threat of Taylors university is it facing the increasing size of its competitor. For example, to cope with the increasing demand for quality education in the region, HELP University College will be opening a new state of the art Green Technology Campus in Subang 2 The campus is 600,000 sq ft and it is strategically located between Kota Damansara, Subang, Sungai Buloh, and Shah Alam. Due to the increase awareness of public to prevent and preserve the environment, HELP University College new campus will attract more attention from the public. By improving the facilities of Help University College in the new campus, providing a better partner university choice and offer a lower prising education, Taylors university will faces a higher competition. (HELP International Corporation 2008) Direct competitors are firms that offer products and services that are functionally the same. The direct competitors of Taylors university are those private university college and college for example HELP University College, INTI University College, Sunway University College, and KDU College. Those University and college offer the similar courses and the differences between them is the brand familiarity and the quality of education provided. Taylors University branding themselves by providing quality education, good campus environment and good facilities have made differences between itself with other brands. The extra value that Taylors provide causes a higher price charge for the program. Taylors university have to ensure that they will deliver what they had promised the consumer to gain market share and create customer satisfaction for building customer relationship. An indirect competitor is the businesses that are offering close substitutes products and services. These competitors are probably targeting the markets with a same or similar value proposition, but delivering a different product. The indirect competitors of Taylors university are the governments higher education institutions such as polytechnics, teacher training colleges, community colleges, Public college and Public universities. Some examples of these institutions are TAR College, University Malaya, and Politeknik Port Dickson(PPD). The public system has become competitor because the number of public universities and community colleges is increasing. The cost of studying in a public university is cheaper because 90% of the public universities funding came from Malaysian Government and the balance 10% is from student fees. (MoHE 2008) Segmentation Positioning Strategy Pie Chart 1.1 The pie chart shows the Malaysian household monthly income distribution. The information is sourced from MP Amirshams reply to Dr Michael J Devarajs question during a parliament assembly in July 2008. Demographic factors are the most popular bases for segmenting customer groups. One reason is that customer usage rates, needs and wants always very closely with demographic variables. Besides, demographic variables are easier to measure than other types of variables. Therefore, demographic segmentation is used in this assignment which divides the market into groups based on income for education in Taylor University Lakeside. The three market segments which relevant are low-income, medium-income and high-income. INCOME SEGMENTATION Low-income segment (households monthly income RM4-5k) Medium-income segment (households monthly income RM5-10k) High-income segment (households monthly income >RM10k) Firstly, low-income segment indicates the households monthly income between RM4000 and RM5000. The people from this segment only able to pursue the education provided by national university or governments subsidy universities. Their families cannot afford the expensive tuition fees because they have to spend the money in their daily expenses. Secondly, medium-income segment indicates households monthly income between RM5000 and RM10000. The people from this segment able to pursue the education provided by private universities in the country such as Taylor University and Sunway University. The standard of living is higher, so they willing to spend more money in education. Thirdly, high-income segment indicates the households monthly income more than RM10000. The people from this segment normally will send their children to foreign country for world-class education in United Kingdom or Australia. They totally have to power to cover the expensive living costs and tuition fees of their c hildren at overseas. Taylors Education Group targets affluence customers which are under medium-income segment with high quality facilities and services. This is because customers from medium-income segment have the right size and growth characteristics. Generally, the customers from this segment plan to study locally. With the approximately RM96000 of households annually income, people will choose to study at private college in the country. Local private colleges and universities find it easy to choose a differentiation and positioning strategy. In several cases, two or more competitors will go after the same position. Therefore, each of them will have to find its ways to set itself apart. For instance, Taylor University, Sunway University and Help University put in a lot of effort to decide on a value proposition. Therefore, Taylors Education Group well known for quality in certain segments differentiates itself by the outstanding image, service and slogan. The slogan had successfully been used to communicate with the consumers by sending the message of value and promises that the university will deliver. The slogan of Taylors university had effectively create differentiation between its competitor and position itself as providing superior customer value and leads to the gain of competitive advantage. Furthermore, Taylor goes for more for more positioning strategy. More for more positioning involves providing the most classy services, products and changing a higher price to balance the higher costs. Taylors Education Group differentiates its offer by invested at least RM450 million to build a unique lakeside campus that appeal to people from the medium-income segment. Taylors study environment and facilities are way better than its competitors. Taylors Lakeside Campus is a state-of-the-art modern tropical university campus, designed to meet the needs of students and in line with the nations goal of becoming a local centre of education excellence. The campus is surrounded by a revived 5.5 acre human-made lake and its landscape made up of trees, groundcovers, flowering shrubs, and water plants, which provide a stimulating and rich natural environment. In contrast, compared to Help University College, who using the same for less positioning strategy just to offer a great deal to everyone. By offering this positioning strategy, customers will tend to join Help University College due to the affordable tuition fee. However, the low-prices brand in an effort to lure customers away from market leader. Because of the low cost operations, the buildings and campuses separated and students have to take the shuttle bus to reach specific building for classes. This action brings a lot of inconvenient to customers and triggers them from joining. Customers from medium-income segment normally will chase for the university that fulfil a minimum requirements such as everything in one campus and safety. Besides, high quality study environment and facilities will also make customers chase for it. By offering high quality education and services, Taylors Education Group hopes for higher sales and stronger position within targeted market segment. The lakeside campus successfully developed a stronger position and creates more total sales than its competitors. Although its overall tuition fee above RM18000 per year, compare to other colleges is much more expensive, but customers are still willing to study in this university. As a result, Taylor Lakeside Campus gets a more stable, much greater market share than other college could. Taylors Education Group planned positions that give their services the greatest advantage in selected target markets, served the preferences and needs of well-defined targets markets and yet succeeds because it just meet the right value proposition. Taylor provided impressive and comfortable 4-storey library, retail Podium, Experimental Theatre, 600-pax Auditorium, 300-pax Lecture Theatre and outdoor Amphitheatre. The 4-storey library is so amazing, packed with different computers, facilities and resources. There are also different types of closed study room and discussion rooms in the library which allows students to have discussions among their friends without interrupting other students in the library. Besides, the Retail Podium is where inter-connecting streets lead to banks, cafes, convenience stores, shops and an array of service amenities. Everything of this made Taylor Lakeside campus so outstanding compared to others. In conclusion, the More for More positioning strategy totally more successful compared to The Same for Less. Marketing Mix (4Ps) Analysis Product The main product that Taylors University offers is in a form of service in which they provide education in return for tuition fees. However, there are also other products that the Taylors education group offers which include accommodation and basic necessities such as food and drinks which is provided by the campuss cafeteria and restaurants around the campus. The product that the Taylors education group provides is one of the reasons to the new Taylors Lakeside campuss success. Firstly, Taylors University has provided potential students with many choices of programs which include a variety of pre-university programs, a range of bachelors degree programs and also a PhD program in business administration. With a mixture of so many different courses, students who are seeking a tertiary education would find Taylors as a potential institution to further their studies. It is also important that we recognize the programs Taylors University offers are programs which are popular among todays students and also in demand among parents. With a combination of providing a wide-range of education programs along with programs which are popular, Taylors have found the perfect product that it can offer to the education market. Another type of product that Taylors University offers is the accommodation and dining service. With the presence of a student hostel located next to its main campus, students who are from overseas or a different state need not worry for a place to stay, or for transportation as the campus is only a walking distance away. Not to forget, the many different restaurants and also the cafeteria that is located right at the student hostel. This is one of the advantages the Taylors Lakeside campus has over its competitors, students who study at Taylors need not go a long distance in order to search for good and quality food. With the convenience that is provided by Taylors University, many students find themselves attracted to its product. The campuss structural design has also gained much attention from both prospective students and also parents. Investments made for its attractive architecture has definitely made an impact on the success of this campus. In a survey our group did, we have found that 50 percent of students were initially attracted to study at this new campus due to its attractive design. Price On average, to complete a bachelors degree at Taylors University could cost up to RM80, 000. This price of course varies depending on the course the student engaged in. Here, we will concentrate on the pricing strategies that Taylors University had used for a bachelor of business degree. At Taylors University, to complete a 3 year bachelor of business program would cost an average of RM80, 000. This fee is arguably rather high for a university in Malaysia. When compared to HELP University College, the price to complete a 3 year bachelor of business program is two times higher of that of HELPs. It only cost up to RM40, 000 in order to obtain a business degree at HELP University College. So why is it that Taylors University is making much higher profits compared to HELP University College? The answer is simple, the target market are of those among the medium income segment. From pie chart 1.1, it can be seen that 20.7 % of Malaysians are either in the medium-income segment or the high- income segment. For parents or guardians earning more than RM5, 000 a month, it would not be much of a problem to afford to send their child to complete their studies at Taylors University, provided that they have proper financial management. However, people may question to why parents send their child to Taylors University when they can save the money and send their child to a different university. The answer again is simple; parents want their best for their children. Most parents who are in between the medium-income segment and the high-income segment would not hesitate to send their child to a more renowned University provided that it has quality education, a superior campus and also a convenient location. Place Taylors main campus is located in a location that is accessible to target market. It is strategically located in the urban areas of Subang Jaya which is well known as a student hub consistent of all types of household such as average and above average income household. It is also well linked with other township such as Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam, and Klang making it a easily accessible educational institution for students to pursue their studies. On the other hand it is located thirty minutes away from Kuala Lumpur which is the capital city of Malaysia. In addition Subang Jaya is linked by highways for example Lebuhraya Damansara Puchong and Federal Highway allowing students who does not live in Subang Jaya reaching the campus much easier. Promotion Taylors uses several promotion tools to persuasively communicate customer value and build customer relationship. One of the tools is advertising. Taylors does their promotion through major media types such as television, newspaper, direct mail magazines, radio and the internet through websites such as facebook twitter, youtube and their very own Taylors website. Another promotion tool that Taylors uses is sales promotion. Taylors encourages purchases of their product by offering discounts such as early birds discount for consumers who register early or pay their fees early. Another discount is children and siblings discount for those who have other siblings studying in the same institution. Other incentives are scholarship such as top achiever scholarship which is based on SPM results. Another promotion tool used is building good public relations. Taylors sponsors events such as sports competition, charity events to build their image in the public. Other than that Taylors uses other public relation tools such as news and written materials to promote their product, facilities and so on. For example Taylors promote the beauty of their new lakeside campus and the facility it provides in a magazine. The last promotion tool that Taylors use is personal selling. Taylors uses sales person such as consultants and counselors to promote their product and build customer relationship through personal interaction. Taylors present their sales by giving a presentation of the products offered at Taylors in events such as career day and Taylors open day. Another example is Taylors sending some sales people to high schools to promote their product and to build long term customer relationship with students who are soon taking their SPM and to those who havent decided what they want to do after they finish their secondary school education. Recommendations Product One way to improve the product Taylors University provides to students is to provide more parking spaces for students who drive to the campus. Based on our observation and research, we have found that many students are unhappy with the parking system and lack of parking spaces imposed by Taylors University. Some have even threatened to leave if a solution is not found. To avoid a bad reputation and a loss of consumer confidence, it is important that they construct more parking lots or change their parking systems. However, a cheaper and more convenient way for the company is to adjust students timetables in order to make the campus less crowded at certain times. For example, the management at Taylors University can move more morning classes into the afternoon in order to avoid over-packed parking slots during the morning. Price A pricing strategy that we would recommend is to provide more student aid for programs which are less popular among students and parents. The student aid would be for those who are not able to afford the entire tuition fees imposed by Taylors University. This way, the company will also benefit from less popular programs as parents from lower-income segments will also be able to afford to send their children for these less popular programs.. From the way we see it, the Taylors Lakeside campus has been profiting huge amounts of money from student fees due to the crowded campus, therefore, we would not recommend a change in price of student fees in order to avoid a congested campus which may deteriorate its quality. An increase in price of student fees may well cause Taylors University to lose its main target segment which are the medium-income earners as for most of them, the price is just right. It may however not have much effect on the high-income earners as it is still affordable f or most of them. Also, reducing the price by a fair amount may cause more low-income earners to send their children to Taylors University to further their education. This would cause the campus to be overcrowded which may in turn decline the campuss quality. Therefore, the only recommendation we have is for Taylors University to provide more student aid for programs which are less popular among students and parents. However, Taylors Education Group is a private limited company which therefore inhibits us from viewing their financial statements which may prove our judgements wrong. Place In order to improve its placing Taylors would need to built more campuses in much more strategic locations in order to make its product easily accessible. Kota Damansara and Puchong are some of the examples of strategic locations. Other than building more campuses, Taylors can build more campuses that offers tertiary educations. Right now the only place students can undergo their tertiary education is at Taylors main campus. To have more campuses that offers the same tertiary education would improve its placing. Promotion On the other hand, to improve its promotion, Taylors can increase its outside sales force. Taylors can do house to house personal selling by sending sales consultants to houses. Instead of the customers come to Taylors, Taylors can go to their potential customers. This introduces a much more personal interaction between the two or more people. Customers will feel much more relax to express their need since they are in their own house. Consultants will be able to observe and make quick adjustments to solve customer problems. Another advantage of doing this house to house personal selling is it can build a much better customer relationship. Another Taylors can do is to improve its promotion is by providing much stronger incentives by offering promotional tools such as premiums or patronage rewards. For example Taylors offered Ali cash reward for being a loyal consumer by studying in their institution for three years. Conclusion The Taylors Lakeside Campus is currently becoming more and more popular. Due to the rising competition from other educational institutions such as HELP University College and Sunway University College, Taylors Lakeside Campus has to constantly strive to distinguish themselves from other educational institutions. Taylors being a well-known educational institution for over four decades certainly has its advantages. This gives a perception to people that Taylors is a well-established educational institution on the basis of the amount of years it has been running. Thus, Taylors is able to use this opportunity to charge a higher price compared to other local universities. However, Taylors must deliver the peoples moneys worth through academic excellence and by providing a conducive environment. Take for instance Taylors Lakeside Campus. Taylors Lakeside Campus still manages to draw many students despite the expensive cost of education because of its past records of academic excellence and also the very peaceful and relaxing environment at Taylors Lakeside Campus. Taylors Lakeside Campus managed to combine both elements of work and play which is very much commendable. Taylors Lakeside Campus targets the high-income segment. This is very much evident in the cost of education of Taylors which is comparably higher than its competitors. Taylors Lakeside Campus is very appealing as it practices the More for More positioning strategy. This strategy requires Taylors to provide outstanding facilities and environment. In return, Taylors will earn a higher brand positioning in the minds of the people. This will then attract them to enrol in Taylors. Taylors Lakeside Campus is a force to be reckoned with in the education industry. From strategic locations to academic excellence, Taylors Education Group is certainly making a tremendous effort up till now for it to be able to withstand the adversities of time. In short, no educational institution is perfect. However, one can stri ve to deliver the best value it can to satisfy customers. Taylors Lakeside Campus can indeed be classified into that category as the epitome of educational institutions.

Essay --

Over one billion people do not have access to clean water and less than 10% of the world’s population receive a treated water supply. I find this intriguing; as well as being essential to preserving life, water contributes to our lifestyle in so many ways, from the generation of steam for industrial use and electricity generation to the foods we eat. Today chemical engineers face the challenge of ensuring water is purified as well as finding solutions to the wasting of this precious resource. I am particularly interested in the process of water purification from subsurface aquifers and surface sources, such as lakes and rivers, to produce portable drinking water. The reason that this sector has sparked a significant interest is because I come from Somalia, a country where clean water is so difficult to obtain. Chemical engineering consolidates maths and chemistry, which is one of the main reasons I was first attracted to studying it. Mathematics has helped me approach problems in an analytical and rigorous way, formulating theories and applying them to solve problems. I particularly...

Occupational Stress and Health Essay example -- Business Management St

Occupational Stress and Health Introduction In recent years, occupational stress and health have gained considerable importance to people in all forms life. Keeping in mind, the excessive work load, amount of time spent at work and the recent changes that are affecting the nature of work, it is not surprising that work stress today is increasing (Szymanski, 1999). Stress can be caused due to a number of reasons and in many ways and those things are known as stressors which may vary from person to person. According to the United States National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (1999), job stress can be defined as the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker. It can also lead to poor health and even injury. http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/stress/whatis.htm People should be made more aware about the symptoms of stress and try to precautionary measures before it affect their lives. Stress at work can affect people both mentally and physically. Excessively high levels of stress need to be controlled in order to avoid these health related problems. A number of things can be done by employees and employers to prevent workplace stress. Also, there are a number of stress management techniques that can be used by people to ensure that they lead a stress free life. Job related stressors should be identified and dealt with so that an organisation and its employees can operate efficiently and effectively. Identifying stressors at work The list of potential stressors is limitless. There may be times when these are actually of use to us, creating simply a pressure s... ...herwise, when unplanned things happen, it’ll cause you just as much stress as trying to work without a plan. References & Bibliography International labour organisation – safe work program http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/stress/whatis.htm Kendall, E., Murphee, P., O’Neill, V. & Bursnall, S. (2000). A report to the workers’ compensation and rehabilitation commission (Western Australia).Occupational Stress: Factors that contribute to its occurrence and effective management. Centre for Human services (Griffith University). http://www.workcover.wa.gov.au National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/stresswk.html Szymanski, E. M. (1999). Disability, job stress, the changing nature of careers, and the career resilience portfolio. Rehabilitation Counselling Bulletin. 42, pp 279-284.

Compare And Contrast The Way Plath Presents The Speaker’s Fears In Thre

Compare And Contrast The Way Plath Presents The Speaker’s Fears In Three Of The Poems That You Have Studied Sylvia Plath writes poems that are thoughtful and intriguing. They have clever and subtle suggestions that leave her poems open for interpretation by the reader. Her poems mainly have themes with either an odd or disturbing nature. The three poems I have chosen to compare and contrast are; â€Å"Mirror,† â€Å"Bluebeard† and â€Å"The Arrival of The Bee Box.† In the three poems there are several different moods that are shown throughout. In â€Å"Bluebeard† the speaker remains in control all the time, she is defiant and makes her own choices in stating, â€Å"I am sending back the key;† she is rejecting him and it is always her option whether or not to. However throughout â€Å"Bluebeard† the speaker’s tone remains constant and never changes unlike in â€Å"The Arrival of The Bee Box† in which her disposition changes constantly. At the beginning of the poem the poem begins with the speaker describing the box calmly â€Å"I ordered this, clean wood box† this creates a pleasant image even though it is a â€Å"box of maniacs.† The box is full of something very dangerous. If the box were to be opened then the speaker would be unleashing hundreds of bees and yet she describes the box as being something pleasant instead of ominous and foreboding. Then as the poem progresses the speaker becomes obsessed and fascinated with the box and is unable to leave it, absorbed by the power that she possesses over the bees. â€Å"It’s like a Roman mob,† could be referring to the fact that the emperor in ancient Rome had complete control over the lives of the many people and she now could similarly let all the bees, â€Å"die, I need feed them nothing, I am the owner.†... ...oughts in the poems, it is definitive and final. The many stanzas allow Sylvia Plath to change the speaker’s mood and thoughts in each stanza. This, along with the language used which is awkward and difficult to read, has the desired effect of reflecting her feelings of confusion. She seems to be trapped between her feelings of obsession and fear of the box she knows she can not open. This is similar to the myth of Pandora’s Box where the woman knows she can’t open the box as there is danger in it and yet is somehow strangely drawn to it In general Sylvia Plath is successful in her endeavour to portray the fears of others in her poems. She is very skilful at writing about real feeling and involving her life in her poems to help incorporate real life situations into them. And by involving her fears into the poems this helps many people to relate to them.

Concepts, Control and Choice Between the Matrix Trilogy and Plato’s Allegory of the Cave

The human mind may be seen as a sophisticated computing machine which has for its object of thought that which we call reality. In a certain sense, scientific knowledge and technological developments continuously define and redefine our sense of what is real. Questions concerning reality are questions that are paradigmatically philosophical. A paradigmatically philosophical question is a question that is both familiar and strange. This familiarity and strangeness of reality manifests itself when we try to ask ourselves the question: What is reality? On a preliminary note, both The Matrix Trilogy and Plato’s Allegory of the Cave present us with fundamental questions concerning reality and knowledge. Moreover, both The Matrix and Plato present us with questions concerning a very important characterization of the human being: our capacity for choice which is built upon the concepts of rationality and autonomy. As rational and autonomous beings, we are responsible for the choices that we make. In 514a of Plato’s work called Republic, he offers the Allegory of the Cave as an analogy for the educational progress or enlightenment of the soul. In Plato’s theory of the Divided Line, he uses the sun as a metaphor for the Form of the Good, which for him, is the proper object of thought. It is important to note that Plato assigns an ontological status to the Forms. The Forms are real, so to speak. In the allegory of the cave, he uses a surrogate metaphor for the sun: the fire within the cave. The main thrust of the Allegory of the Cave is to contrast life within the cave with the life outside of it. The cave, in Plato’s work, is a prison wherein the individuals dwell in the world of semblances. Inside the cave, the prisoners only see shadows of objects produced by the light coming from the fire. Plato uses the object-image metaphor to illustrate this point. What we may thus infer is that knowledge and reality, in Plato’s account of them in the Allegory of the Cave, comes in degrees. Regarding this particular differentiation between object and image and the real from a mere semblance or copy, Cornford writes that Plato views â€Å"†¦a world of intelligible Forms separate from the things our senses perceive† (2). In effect, Plato envisions reality as that which is absolute and accessible only through thought in contrast with mere semblances or copies that we find in the sensible world. Whereas Plato considers reality as absolute, the Matrix Trilogy depicts not just a reality but ‘realities’ which overlap each other. Morpheus presents Neo with a dilemma when the latter has to make a choice between which pill to take. The evidence of the aforementioned necessity to choose is evident as Morpheus states that â€Å"no one can be told what the Matrix is (since its existence is something that one ought) to see for one’s self†. In this sense, the discovery of reality is to be understood as an act which involves the reacquisition of a new perspective in which one may understand reality per se. According to Irwin, the similitude of Plato’s conception of the Forms in relation to the conception of reality as presented within the aforementioned text is evident if one considers that â€Å"as with the Forms, it is not a literal ‘seeing’ (which is involved) but a direct knowing that brings understanding of the Matrix† (14). In the movie, the red pill stands for ‘truth’ which eventually allows Neo to see behind the deceiving reality produced by the matrix. In very important respects, the red pill also stands for the biblical interpretation associated with the Tree of Knowledge from the Garden of Eden. In the film, the red pill induced the discovery that the world in which Neo lives is not real but a mere virtual reality (Lloyd 32). The fact of the matter is that Neo’s body is stored in a body farm with his mind plugged into the matrix. It is not difficult to see the apparent similarity with this state of affairs with Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. In effect, we may say that Neo and the prisoners in the cave are in a state of illusion. Both Neo and the prisoners in the cave are presented with two options: to remain in the state of illusion or to liberate themselves from the virtual reality of the matrix or the shadows in the cave. The meaning of human life then, its purpose and moral integrity in a physical or bodily existence in the context of The Matrix is to be found in human beings’ opposition to the illusions produced by the Matrix or in a more academic terminology, ‘technological modernity’ and by restoring the natural world. In today’s world, there is a clamor for a paradigm shift in terms of adapting to the demands of modernity. Such a shift is considered by Beck as necessary when he writes that: A new kind of capitalism, a new kind of economy, a new kind of global order, a new kind of politics and law, a new kind of society and personal life are in the making which both separately and in context are clearly distinct from earlier phases of social evolution (81). In line with this, it is important to note Agent Smith’s initial explanation as to the creation of the Matrix. According to Agent Smith, the Matrix was â€Å"designed to be a perfect human world where none suffered†. The result of the design, however, remained as an ideal. Agent Smith noted that the reason for this lies in the imperfection of the programming language used to depict that perfect world. He notes, â€Å"I believe that as species human beings define their reality through misery and suffering. The perfect world was a dream that your primitive cerebrum kept trying to wake up from†. Questions concerning the meaning and purpose of human life are further explored on Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolution. They provide more complicated and dialectical approach of what it means for a human being to live in a technological world. The aforementioned complexity may be inferred from comparing the possibilities that are evident in the presentation of the worlds in the three movies. It is important to note that in the first movie, the matrix and the machine from which it gets its sustenance only seems to provide less complicated and normative possibilities evident in its ‘either-or’ presentation. It is at this particular aspect point where one may say that Reloaded and Revolution provide a more appropriate construal of the human condition. These two were able to explore not only the diametrically opposing views on technology and human society but also their complex interdependence. It is not difficult to see that the moral dilemma posed by Reloaded and Revolution then, is not simply to escape from our technological milieu, but to discover and rediscover what it is that enables us to be and to remain ‘human’ within such a world. Furthermore, the narrative suggests that the threat of a nihilistic instrumentalism is to be found, not simply in the external world of technological devices and systems prima facie, but in that moral and metaphysical trajectory underlying a mechanistic technoscience. The urgent task that it points to is thus to contest the nihilism of the Baconian dream and to recover those deeper sources that can sustain moral and spiritual experience and relationship even within a highly technologically advanced world. Another important aspect that ought to be given emphasis is the ‘divide’ existing behind those who know the truth [or reality] and those who do not know. Zion, the last bastion of humanity, represents that which is real. Why is it important to point out the so called divide? The answer is rather obvious. This particular aspect further generates systems of power and power relations. In a certain sense, it maintains political power. Whoever creates the divide, the fake choice, is placed at the point of authority and ultimate control. Withholding the knowledge of one world from another is simply a tool of this control – and the Plato’s Cave, so often referred to in discussions on The Matrix, does not necessarily have to refer to Zion alone. It represents any society where the knowledge is withheld from both sides of the divide, and where the self-examination of each group is discouraged of stepping over into examination of the whole system. Mindful of the points of convergence between the Matrix Trilogy and Plato’s Allegory of the Cave in terms of their themes and philosophical underpinnings, we may safely add that both of them employed, in one way or another, the use of myths and metaphors in terms accounting for the concept of reality. If we are to characterize the ancient mind, we may say that it thinks in terms of metaphors. Metaphorical thinking is still one of the ways in and through which we try to explain and appropriate for ourselves various phenomena. One may take the time to consider how, for instance, we used to explain to ourselves that ‘the universe is a machine’. This was the metaphor during the time of Leibniz which continued to flourish in the advent of scientific reductionism. There remains, however, a significant difference in the Matrix Trilogy and Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. Whereas, the path to Zion, the representation of that which is real requires Neo and the others to rebel against the matrix for them to be able to liberate themselves, the path to Plato’s Form of the Good, that which is real, requires introspection and a life of contemplation. This is because Plato is primarily concerned with questions of ontology than questions of politics or even ethics. In the case of the Allegory of the Cave, Plato seeks to explain the nature of reality and knowledge. He is concerned with the liberation of the mind from ignorance and dogmatism. Human beings’ capacity for reason is what distinguishes them from other forms of life in the universe. Rationality is an excellence of the noble soul.