Incremental profit Essay

Distinguish between the following: a) Industry demand and Firm (Company) demand, b) Short-run demand and Long run demand, and c) Durable goods’ demand and Non-durable goods demand. 2 . What are the problems faced in determining the demand for a durable good? Illustrate with example of demand for households refrigerator or television set. 3 . Analyze the method by which a firm can allocate the given advertising budget between different media of advertisement. 4 . What kind of relationship would you postulate between short-run and long-run average cost curves when these are not U-shaped as suggested by the modern theories? 5 . How do demand forecasting methods for new products vary from those for established products? 6 . What are the different methods of measuring national income? Which methods have been followed in India? 7 . What do you understand by the investment multiplier? In what way does it defend the policy of public works on the part of the state during business depression? 8 . Discuss the various phases of business cycle: a. Are cyclical fluctuations necessary for economic growth? b. Suggest appropriate fiscal and monetary policies for depression Assignment B: all Case Study Electron Control, Inc., sells voltage regulators to other manufacturers, who then customize and distribute the products to quality assurance labs for their sensitive test equipment. The yearly volume of output is 15,000 units. The selling price and cost per unit are shown below:Â  Selling price $200 Costs: Direct material $35 Direct labor 50 Variable overhead 25 Variable selling expenses 25 Fixed selling expenses 15 150 Unit profit before tax $ 50 Management is evaluating the alternative of performing the necessary customizing to allow Electron Control to sell its output directly to Q/A labs for $275 per unit. Although no added investment is required in productive facilities, additional processing costs are estimated as: Direct labor $25 per unit Variable overhead $15 per unit Variable selling expenses $10 per unit Fixed selling expenses $100,000 per year Calculate the incremental profit Electron Control would earn by customizing its instruments and marketing directly to end users.

Examine Marxist views of the role of the family Essay

Marxist is a perspective view that society is built as class conflict between the Capitalist who own the means of production and the working class. Capitalists believe that there is are three functions of the family: Inheritance of property; ideology functions and unit of consumptions. Marxists say that the family benefits capitalist. Marxists say that one role or functions of the family is inheritance of property. The Bourgeoisie own the means of production whereas the working class just work for the capitalist and own no means of production. The Capitalist want to keep control of the means of production and the only way they can do this is by inheritance of property, which means that all the property is handed down to the first son. A Marxist sociologist, Engles, says this explains the rise in monogamist marriages as marriage makes sure there is a legitimate heir. This is why families are important as it helps maintain a capitalist society. Another role or function the family has i s an ideology function. Ideology function means a set of beliefs and ideas that the capital is a dominant class and that the equality is right and just. The family helps keep this idea by primary socialisation of the young and children being brought up learning these ideas that Capitalism is right. This helps maintain capitalism because children will eventually become the next labour force for capitalists. The last role of the family is that it is a unit of consumption which means that Capitalist own the production and the working class are wanting for Capitalist as well as buying from them. This helps maintain capitalism, which is a family’s main role or function, because they are buying from capitalism and they would benefit. Feminist would criticise Marxist by saying that the family benefit men and men only, causing aoppression for women. Functionalist would criticise the Marxist view that the family benefits Capitalist. They believe that society is based or a value consensus. And that the family benefits society as well as its individual members.

Alan Mulally Ford Motor Company

The content of this paper is to outline the roles of leadership and how it affects organizational performance. It then discusses the role of Allan Mulally’s, CEO of Ford Motor Company, leadership style. The paper also presents how Mulally’s decision to set a goal increased the company’s performance and mentioning how Allan Mulally’s openness has gained him trust and helped him to reach his goal. Finally, my point of view on the impact of Mulally’s leadership style and how it effects the organization. Leadership is guiding people toward productive results to achieve the goals of the organization. An effective leader has the ability to motivate and influence others. Leadership influences organizational performance depending on the level to which the leader enables managers and team leaders to plan, organize, control, and act effectively. By accepting authority, responsibility, and accountability, managers can confidently face though situations that require decisions made. Faced with an overwhelmingly complex situation, Alan Mulally has been brought in as Ford Motor Company's new president and CEO. As diverse global dynamics confront the company and competitive pressures continue to build, he has the challenging task of improving Ford's brand image and returning the company to profitability. Mulally has invited your consulting firm to advise his management team on restoring the company's reputation and viability. Leaders significantly influence organization’s success, they must have the ability to develop new ideas, use that idea to set goals, and develop ways to achieve those goals. They must have aspiration to build vision, values, and goals, in order to accomplish great performance. Leaders have the talent to influence other people in order to have them follow him or her and have the ability to motivate the employees. They need to be able to be flexible to changes in its environment like demands, expectations, and pressure. A good leader builds trust, develop opportunities for the employees grow, get them encouraged, listen to employees, and bring up the best of them. By valuing and respecting cultural differences at work, leaders may avoid the negative stereotypes that can affect the company’s success. Leaders need to address the importance of open communications within the organization. Active listening, questioning, and placing emphasis on verbal and written communications between management and subordinates guarantees the company stays on track with the organization’s goal. Recognizing individuals and team differences will help the leader achieve a successful career with the organization. To build trust, the person in charge should be open to communication, be honest and hold integrity, be a risk taker, problem solver, and be able to face reality. Also, another factor that can be included in being a good leader can be the willingness to be open to diversity and a one that sets good ethical competency. It is the leader that will guide an organization to success. â€Å"Allan’s style is pretty relentless,† said the chief financial officer Lewis Booth His look is confident, disciplined, have the desire to succeed and very determined (Hellriegel & Scolum, 2011). He filled five binders with information he collected from interviewing to set plan for Ford Motor. Communication is the key aspect for him, he wants everyone in the company to know what is going on, what the company goal is, how to reach that goal, the position that the company is in, and the fields that need specific awareness. Because of his openness, Mulally gained many support from his employees and built trust. Mulally created cards that were written the four goals on one side and the meaning of the company on the other side to let everyone know what his intentions were. Allan Mulally is a very hands on leader, he expects weekly or sometimes daily updates of all the components of the company. Ford needed someone to point out what needed to be done and how it could be done. Alan Mulally set a goal to increase the sales by 2011 and he developed ways to accomplish that goal. One of his goals was to have Ford sustain its independence and not be taken over by the government. His target was small cars that were fuel efficient and electric cars rather than big trucks, bring up brand new Taurus to build brand, differentiate itself from it competitors, and take the company globally. He made sure that everyone in the firm knew these goals and how to reach the goals. Ford has picked up sales by 25% and is 1. 4 points on market share, where the two of its competitors lost. Allan Mulally made sure that everyone was involved in every operation that was taking place in the organization and that everyone understood the goals. He built trust by communicating with his employees and by being open. There were no secrets at Ford, everyone knew the plan. At Ford, the 12 functional departments and Mulally himself held meetings on every Thursday. In the meeting Mulally wants to know everything and he involves everyone from manufacturing to human resource to participate. His intentions were to communicate and be able to open about the problems that had occurred and find ways to work on it. I think Allan Mulally’s leadership style is very effective because I believe in communication and the involvement of everyone from every field of a company. By being open and communicating with his employees, he built trust, respect, and motivated his employees. He’s also a risk taker, passionate or very driven and a strong person. He set goals to achieve and he managed to find ways achieve those goals. I think, he definitely should continue with his style of leadership.

Saudi Dairy & Foodstuff Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Saudi Dairy & Foodstuff Company - Case Study Example The company has been very successful in its operations because it employed the best strategies ever especially merging with Tetra Park, which led it to introduce more products to its normal production. This paper provides a clear picture of how the company was established, how it began operations, how it came to merge with Tetra Park the best strategies it employed in order to become the best in Saudi Arabia and how it is performing so far. The paper also describes the companies SWOT Analysis where it provides the company’s Strengths and Opportunities and Threats and Weakness. The company’s major threats include stiff competition from competitors, instability of economy, importation of similar products, unstable management, and incompetent staff. This paper mentions two main recommendations for these challenges. These are ensuring proper management, which leads to quality production, and proper marketing techniques, which include media advertisement. Therefore, it is ab le to give the viewer a clear depiction of the entire analysis of SADAFCO Company. Company Analysis Saudi Dairy & Foodstuff Company Introduction Saudi Dairy and Foodstuff Company (SADAFCO) was developed in 1746, with it’s headquarter centered in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The company’s production began in a year later with main concentration being on dairy products. Several other attainments were put in place in following years. ears. As from 1991, on top of milk-associated products engrossing ice cream, the firm has enlarged the product variety with the introduction of tomato paste, cheese (via the combination venture with Saudi New Zealand Milk Products (SNZMP) Saudi Arabia, snacks and hummus (through the attainment of Sara Snack Foods Factory in 1995). 1SADAFCO Company went public in 2005 and is recorded on the Stock Exchange of Saudi Arabia (Arnold 2009). The company has more than 100, 000 shareholders and is one of the top companies in production of foodstuff and milk products in Saudi Arabia. Despite going through a number of challenges, SADAFCO has never taken the content easy with having conq uered the technical challenges of the dairy industry in the Asian continent. Despite the fact that they have been substantial, they have also long been one of the top thinkers in local marketing firms, because they are familiar with the significance of band building (Al Fawzan & Al Sadhan 19). The ultimate aim of this context is to give a clear outline of SADAFCO Company in Saudi Arabia beginning with its external environment and general environment and winding up with the internal environment as well as issuing recommendations and conclusion. The external environment entails PEST-NED tools which are the functional units of SADAFCO. The internal environment entails vision, mission and objectives of the Company as well as strategies and tactics employed by the company in the market field. It also contains SWOT analysis which summarizes the operation of the company. External Environment General Environment This part discusses the different tools majorly

Cancer Care Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cancer Care - Coursework Example On the contrary, vinyl chlorides facilitate the development of liver sarcomas. The purpose of cancer epidemiology helps in pointing out the areas of distribution of cancer and uncovering the main risk factor that causes and amplifies the cancer cases. Epidemiologic study or research provides a descriptive, cross-sectional, environmental, and methodical studies that attach on the case-control and highly entailed intervention process in managing of the cancer cases. The past 56 years has been described by an intensive research in the cancer field to expose the real nature of cancer and thus provide light on the nature of the risk factor on cancer (Kelvin & Tyson, 2011, p78). Incidence refers to a number of new cases reported in a fixed period of time divided by the number of people who are exposed at risk. Practically the time duration of study is normally chosen to be a year and is referred to as an annual incidence (Fleishman, 2012, p34). The importance of primary epidemiology in the prevention of cancer outlines the sets of entailed interventions that steadily shuns the development of the cancerous process. This groups of the process include health counselling and entailed education, keeping of product safety, ensuring of environmental controls. The primary attempts aim at controlling what may cause the development of the cancerous cells but secondary controls mainly deals with the treatment or reduction of cancer growth after detection or diagnosis. Product safety is a strong section of primary prevention since most of the chemicals are the sole cause and inducing factor of cancer. The prevention of cancer, at the primary level, basically invests in planning, evaluation and implementation of the preventions procedures entailed in the improvement of the comprehension concepts that essential on controlling of cancer (Wallace & Kelnar, 2009, p56). The primary prevention is normally designed for the prevention of cancer

Principal institutions of European Union Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Principal institutions of European Union - Essay Example Britain joined the European Economic Community in 1973 and since then, European law has become a significant part of the laws of the UK (Adams, 2013). The Maastricht Treaty which came to force in 1993 officially changed the name of the EEC to the European Union and integrated the three main wings of the European communal cooperations into the European Union. The European Communities Act of 1972 integrated European Union Law into UK Law (Adams, 2013). This implies that the UK is a signatory to the European Union and it has to adhere to rules, regulations and directives. The various institutions of the European Union therefore engage in laws that are directly or indirectly applicable to the UK. The main institutions of the EU are hereby discussed below alongside their impact on the making of European Union laws. The European Council of Ministers is the main legislative arm of the European Union (Gerven, 2010). The Council of Ministers was set up by the Treaty of Nice that all the member states of the European Union signed. Article 203 of the Treaty of Nice states that "a representative of each member state at ministerial level authorised to commit the government of the Member State". This means that the Council of Ministers, popularly known as Council of Europe is constituted of a minister of state who is recognised under international law. Such ministers come together to make laws and rules for the Union. The Council of Ministers varies according to the matter or subject under discussion. Thus, if the matter in question is about Agriculture, the Agricultural Ministers of each member state would have to be present at the council meeting and when they make laws, it is authorised and approved by the states through their ministers (Richardson, 2012). The primary function of the Council of Ministers is to coordinate and make policies that are binding on the institutions and

Essay For Bursary Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

For Bursary - Essay Example I will also articulate the core reason I think that I am eligible and deserve to receive this bursary award to attain my education goals and objectives. Due to discrepancy with my personal income, accessing OSAP assistance has remained a challenge. In addition, lack of compatibility and inconsistency in my income has proved to be an obstacle to be eligible for OSAP initiative. Moreover, having no stable income has been a provocation for in being a beneficiary of the OSAP initiative as other students. Besides the aforementioned obstacles, attending classes without learning materials remains as the most discouraging in my education life. As a major factor for comprehensive learning, it is a challenge to keep up with the pace of teachers and other students when lacking essential learning materials. Lack of adequate learning stationeries has disadvantaged me in effectively doing homework, assignments and preparations of my exams. Due to lack of adequate support to fund my post-secondary education, I established several income generating activities to help meet my educational and personal needs. For instance, I work every day during my free time to enable me raise enough tuition fees and money for personal needs. Consequently, I have lost concentration and performance ability due to inability to have adequate studies time. My class performance has continually worsened over the years mainly because I always prefer to concentrate on accomplishing employment tasks. Normally, having excellent performance at work has enhanced my job security and continued income. However, excellent employment performance has existed at the expense of my educational brilliance. Obtaining the bursary would enable me to pay my tuition fees and adequately find more time to concentrate on studies. I believe in my potential to perform brilliantly if I pay my school fees in time and have adequate studies time. In addition, I would have e nough

The Nurses Role in Tackling Coronary Heart Disease Essay

The Nurses Role in Tackling Coronary Heart Disease - Essay Example There are about 17 million who die from cardiovascular diseases on a yearly basis (WHO, 2011). Most of these deaths are attributed to coronary heart disease and cerebrovascular diseases. Physical inactivity, unhealthy eating habits, and smoking are just some of the causes of these diseases. In 2009, about 5000 died from coronary heart disease in Wales with about 118,000 people having had a heart attack at some point and about 120,000 more suffering from angina. This disease also cost the NHS about 3.2 billion pounds with about 9 billion pounds cost to the entire UK economy (BHF, 2011, p. 2). The trends in the incidence of CHD are largely based on social patterns with mortality rates higher for the deprived areas, as compared to the least deprived areas. The rates of CHD in Wales are slightly higher as compared to the rest of England with male incidence rates higher than 10% as compared to the rest of England. Behaviours commonly attributed as causes for CHD include smoking, unhealthy eating, physical inactivity, and heavy intake of alcohol (BHF, 2011, p. 2). Obesity, increased cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes are considered risk factors for the development of coronary heart disease. Coronary heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease is said to affect about 14 million men and women in the US (Singh, 2010). It develops when fatty materials, calcium, and scar tissue accumulates in the arteries supplying the heart with blood. These arteries are arteries crucial to the efficient functioning of the heart with such heart muscles being supplied with oxygen and nutrients to enable heart functions (Singh, 2010). This plaque narrows the arteries and as a result, the heart does not get an adequate supply of oxygen-filled blood. With narrowed blood vessels, the blood flow to the heart becomes slower and causes chest pain or angina (Singh, 2010). With continued plaque formation, complete blockage of arteries may result, causing a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or disturbance in heart rhythms leading to sudden cardiac arrest. From years of its earliest development, the inner linings of the coronary arteries are very smooth and this allows the smooth and easy p assage of blood through the different systems of the body. As a person gets older, the cholesterol and calcium content in the arterial walls accumulate, making them thicker (Singh, 2010). The plaque formation on the arterial walls is primarily caused by unhealthy diets, including one which is high in fats and cholesterol. Smoking and limited activity or exercise can increase the plaque formation. This process is known as atherosclerosis or the hardening of the arteries (Singh, 2010). This plaque forms like a firm shell, but has a soft inner core where cholesterol is stored. When blood hits such plaque

Stem cells and society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Stem cells and society - Essay Example The lost cells and tissues by the repeated chemotherapy and radiations can be easily replaced in cancer patients. It helps in the better understanding of genetic diseases too.  Ã‚  Ã‚   The clinical application of this property has had much interest to the biomedical researchers in the recent years. There had been a number of researches confirming the clinical application of cloning.   Stojanoski et al, (2009, 71-84) has opined that stem cells that are taken from the peripheral blood, bone marrow and umbilical cord can be cloned to treat heametological malignancies. The same study has also revealed the possibility of utilizing stem cell clones in the treatment of non heametological diseases, heart problems, diseases pertaining to the immune system and degenerative disorders (Stojanoski et al, 2009, 71-84). Thus the study confirms the role of cloning in evolving with potential solutions to a number of detrimental diseases. Thus the importance of cloning in relation to its clinical application can be considered of due relevance. Stojanoski et al, (2009, 71-84) has further confirmed this point by citing examples from the successful case studies done at the Hematology Department, Skopje and the Skopje Cardiology clinic. Acute Myocardial infraction has been reported by the study as treated effectively using clones of stem cells from bone marrow Stojanoski et al, (2009, 71-84) The study has urged further research in the area so that it can be developed as a confirmed therapeutic solution.

Introduction to Microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Introduction to Microeconomics - Essay Example Table 3 shows the trend in oil supply. Generally, oil supply shows an increasing trend just like price and demand, albeit at a slower pace. Supply grew by only 13.38 during the period. It should also be noted that dips in oil prices are matched by corresponding shrinks in the total supply. Oil supply also dropped during 1998, 2001, and 2002. The law of demand states that "All else equal, as price falls, the quantity of demanded rises, as price rises, the quantity demanded falls" (McConnel and Brue 2002, pp. 41). This declares that there is an inverse or negative relationship between price and demand. Tables 1 and 2 above shows the generally increasing trend in oil prices as well as oil demand which clearly violate the law of demand. In a situation where the oil price is rising, we must expect that the quantity demanded to fall as it discourages the purchases of higher priced commodities. However, the mounting demand notwithstanding the rise in prices can be explained by the factors which are exogenous or are outside the price-demand model. During the past years, there has been a boom in the automobile industry due to the increased purchases of cars and other transportation systems. The airline industry is also showing slight recovery with the proliferation of low cost carriers and the strong activity in the tourism sector. This trends and developments in the global market become the key drivers of oil demand. As the nation and the world as a whole, are becoming more and more industrialized, we also became more dependent on oil to fuel our technologically more advanced equipments. Nowadays, the importance of the oil industry can never be overstated. International demand for oil has also been increasing in order to support the growing economies of the prospective giants like China (Some factors 2005). Insufficiency in this resource will surely facilitate the spillover of negative externalities in the entire economy. Oil has become a necessity. Higher prices have not strongly hindered customers from purchasing their much needed fuel to facilitate the efficiency of their everyday activities. On the other hand, the law of supply can be stated as follows: "As price rises, the quantity supplied rises, as price falls, the quantity supplied also falls" (McConnel and Brue 2002, pp.47). This gives price and quantity supplied a positive or direct relationship. Tables 1 and 3 shows that both oil price and quantity supplied is generally in a upward trend with corresponding dips in 1998, 2001, and 2002. This shows a close positive relationship between the two variables as well as the responsiveness of quantity supplied to oil prices. The empirical evidence shows that the oil industry follows the law of supply. The oil industry has been adjusting to the higher global demand by increasing its production. Oil companies have been very keen in taking the opportunity of producing higher oil quantity in order to accommodate the expected mount in global demand. Although economies of scale must have

The Reading Process Essay Example for Free

The Reading Process Essay When a child is speaking many words and using them as an integral part of his personality, he is ready to read them. In teaching reading to young children, word selection is often the first place where we go wrong. We pull words from thin air and try to put them into the child. Often we make matters worse by putting these strange words into printed context outside the realm of the childs experience and expecting him to readand he cannot. Children can learn to read any word they speak. One of the greatest hoaxes in all of educational pedagogy is that which says that reading vocabulary must be developed in a predeter ¬mined logical sequence. This simply is not the case. Linguists tell us that when a child comes to school he has all the language gear he needs in order to learn reading and all the other skills of lan ¬guage. The trouble is that we do not use his gear. We manufacture artificial systems of language development and methods of teaching reading, and we impose them on children. It is almost as though the child has to learn two languages in order to be able to read-one for communication and one to get through his reading books. More study has been done in the area of reading than in any other area of the elementary school curriculum. This is justifiable because reading is an important skill needed for learning. But it is not the most important method of communication. It is important only to the degree that it communicates. Much confusion exists about this research. It is the sec ¬ond place where we go wrong. We have built up a vast store ¬house of knowledge about reading, but all the needed knowledge is not yet known. And, because there are great gaps in that knowledge, we have turned to the next best source-the opinion of the experts in the reading field. Many experts have advocated their systems of teaching reading, basing them on known truths but filling in the gaps with their own ideas. When gaps in knowledge are filled in with opinions, we often confuse the two. As a result, schools have often adopted a reading system so wholeheartedly that teachers are not permitted to skip one page of a basal reading book or omit one single exercise in the reading manual that accompanies the text. Many teachers have simply become intermediaries, transmitting the ideas of the authors of a basal series to the children and not daring to use their own ideas to teach reading as a communication skill. This course of action takes all the sense out of language skill development and reduces the role of the teacher to that of a pawn. Undoubtedly, no imagination can break through such rigid orthodoxy. Teachers are teaching experts. Their training has made them this. Reading experts can help with a multitude of ideas, but they cannot possibly know the problems of any one teacher with any one group of children. Basal readers and teachers manuals work only if they are tailored to the group of children using them; they can be invaluable when used this way but are almost useless when they are not. Teachers should endeavor to do activities, which relate to the experiential background of the children they are teaching. In fact, doing activities that are foreign to the child’s background is like teaching another language in order to get them to read. Every reading programme needs to take first into account the particular group of children and each child within that group. If this is not the case then the approach is pseudoscientific. Only a teacher can know and understand the needs of the children he or she teaches. If any significant progress is to be made in any reading programme, then the teacher indeed must know his or her children. Reading is most effectively taught when the teacher becomes the source of the plan of the teaching and when he or she is able to make use of the experts books, resources, learning aids, procedures, and ideas to help her devise her own plan for her own particular group of children. Since teaching is a creative role, the teaching of reading must be a creative process. Linguistic research over the past forty years has given us greater insights as to how reading should be taught. Reading is the active process of constructing meaning from words that have been coded in print. Printed and spoken words are meaningful to the young child only to the extent where his field of experience overlaps that of the author of the printed text. The reader learns from a book only if he is able to comprehend the printed symbols and rearrange them into vivid experiences in his mind. A child’s ability to think, to rationalize, and to conceptualize makes it possible for him or her to accept new ideas from a printed page without actually experienc ¬ing the new idea. He or she must however, possess the knowledge of each symbol that helps make up the new idea. Ideally, the teacher would show a picture of an object and, through discus ¬sion, build the understandings necessary to give children a correct visual image of the object. Because of the unusual shape of some words (e. g. kangaroo) chil ¬dren memorized them quickly, but nothing is usually learned until the words take on meaning. The teacher should give the words meaning by using the childrens experiences. Experience combined with the power of imagery will make it possible for children to acquire new understandings, concepts, and learn ¬ings from their reading of each new word. Reading is not word calling; it is getting the meaning of the printed word from the page. The teaching of reading means assisting children to obtain those skills needed to get the meaning of the word from the printed page. However, the gaining of all the skills is of little or no worth without the experience with the words to make them meaningful. This is a basic component to all reading. It should now be clear why young children, before they can really learn to read, must have a wide range of expe ¬riences to which they have attached a multitude of oral symbols. It should be clearly understood too, why the primary program in reading must be loaded with experiences to which children and teachers apply symbolic expression. This will permit the children to be constantly building up new words in their oral vocabulary so that they will be able to read them. The children’s ability to read is a skill or tool that makes it possible for an author to communicate with them. Children read because they are curious about what is on the page. The reading process itself is not sacred. It is what the reading communicates to the child that is crucial. Reading is not the only important means of communication nor is it the best. To assure the successful development of a good primary literacy program, children must have a large background of experiences, the ability to listen well, and a good oral vocabulary that labels their experiences meaningfully. With this background, almost every child can be taught to read, provided, of course, he also has the required intelligence and has no serious physical, so ¬cial, or emotional problem. Teaching reading as a subject rather than a means for communication can be boring and tedious for children. No one reads reading. The child reads something, be they letters, books, poems, stories, newspapers — and he reads with intent. Each reading experience with chil ¬dren should have meaningful content, obvious purpose, and pleas ¬ant associations. The wide socioeconomic and experiential backgrounds of children, combined with their physical development and intellectual ability, will determine the points at which children are able to begin the formal reading process effectively. The teacher is responsible for the continued development of the child as a whole, and to deprive him of a rich variety of experiences so that he may spend time reading from books is the quickest way to insure reading difficulty among children, in both ability and attitude. When a first-grade teacher sees the teaching of reading as her most important objective and allocates a major part of the childs day to reading, she is capitalizing on the exceptional experiences the home and the kindergarten have provided for the child. For, after all, these give meaning to his reading stories, which, at the first grade level, are based on his first-hand home and school ex ¬periences. She may flatter herself on the excellent reading ability of her children and be smug in her knowledge that she can teach any child to read! What she fails to realize is that unless she continues to provide suitable additional experiences in social studies, community contacts, literature, music, and so forth, she is depriving succeeding teachers of their privilege of doing a good job in teaching reading. This explains why, too often, children start out as good readers but experience reading difficulty by the time they reach third grade. They lose meaning in their reading because planned background experience stops when formal read ¬ing begins. Their real first interest in reading lies in their joy at dis ¬covering they can read. To exploit this joy, and to use it for need ¬less repetition, means to soon destroy the only motivation children have.

Nike Responses Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example for Free

Nike Responses Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Background: Nike is the leading company in sports and fitness fields and located near Beaverton, Oregon (CSRwire, 2012). In 1998, The New York Times exposed that Nike paid workers in China and Vietnam less than two American dollars a day. The aim of this report is to search how Nike response Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Theory: There are five dimensions of corporate social responsibility: physical environment, social (community), consumer, supply chain, and employee relation. ‘Corporate social responsibility is encompasses not only what company do with their profits but also how they make them. It goes beyond philanthropy and compliance and addresses how companies manage their economic, social, and environmental impacts, as well as their relationships in all key spheres of influence: the workplace, the marketplace, the supply chain, the community, and the public policy realm. ’(HARVARD Kennedy School, 2008) Corporate social responsibility Physical environment The chart from Nike Corporate Responsibility Report in 2012 showed the total emission volume of CO2 (Million Tonnes), which is the major element that causes the global warming. As can be seen from this table, the emission of CO2 from 2003 to 2009 is significantly lower than it of year 1997-98. To create a sustainable market, Nike’ fabric suppliers produce jerseys based on used plastic bottles from landfill sites in Japan and Taiwan and a design tool which cost Nike seven years and six million dollars to help designers to reduce the impact on environment. In 2011, Nike doubled its use on recycled plastic bottles, which were 82 million bottles. (CSRwire, 2012) Community The table shows that total community investment increased dramatically from 2004 to 2009 and in 2007, Nike estimated that it would support 315million dollar to the community (Nike corporate responsibility report, 2009). In 2007, Nike awarded 1million dollar to help schools, which were in finance problem and a Jordan Fundamental Program was set up to give finance support to the educators who have a significant achievement (CSRwire, 2012). In 1999, Jordan Fundamental Program aid more than eight million dollars on lunch program in public secondary school for teachers. (CSRwire, 2012). In 2007, Nike joined the United Nation Refugee Agency and raised 2 million dollar in the first year to support refugee youth education and sports. Nike also sold T-shirt associated with refugee to raise global awareness and capital. (CSRwire, 2012). Nike also had a Partnership with the Lance Armstrong Foundation that aim to encourage people who suffered cancer. (CSRwire, 2012) Consumer Nike issued the Privacy Policy, which include how they collect and use information through different kind of digital devices and what kind of information they will gather. For instance, If a person use a computer and access the Nike website to purchase Nike product or register personal information, the Privacy Policy will protect this customer. And it also help parent to supervise their children, such as parental control tools. (Privacy Policy) According to the news on FOX 59 WXIN, Nike delayed the release of Foamposite Galaxy shoes because of the safety problem of this pair of new shoes. Supply chain ‘The contractor does not use forced labor, including prison labor†¦Employees are age16 or older†¦Contractor’s employees are not subject to discrimination in employment†¦Contractor’s employees are timely paid at least minimum wage required by country law. Working hours are not excessive. Working place is healthy and safe†¦ the Code is fully implemented’ In 2005, Nike was the first company that listed the location of more than 800 contractors publicly, and the location can be seen from the Manufacturing Map on Nike official website. Employee relation In terms of sexual discrimination, the table indicates that 40-percent female and 60-percent male administrators are in Nike in 2009. From 2007 to 2009, the difference between male and female declined steadily. In 2009, Nike hired more women than men in Europe, the Middle East, and in the U.S. (Nike corporate responsibility report, 2009). According to the survey done by CNNMoney, paid vacation, onsite childcare, job sharing program and telecommuting are provided to employees by Nike. Conclusion Nike reduce the emission of greenhouse gas and use recycled plastic to produce products, support community to help schools and refugees, issue Privacy Policy and Code of Conduct to protect consumers and set standard to its supply chain and decline gender discrimination and promote working condition for employees.

Impact Made By Human Resource Management Practices Commerce Essay

Impact Made By Human Resource Management Practices Commerce Essay The best human resource practices are always concentrated on knowledge management. In recent years, Knowledge Management has emerged as one of the prime concerns of human resource Management Performance of organizations is the focus of intensive research efforts. How well an organization performs its mission and accomplishes its goals of program service delivery is the measure of all things. Administrative capacity is a major component of this performance. Administrative capacity, which is, a resource-based view of an organization, focuses on factors that are actually within the power of the organization to change. Improving administrative capacity and, especially, improving those aspects of capacity that deal with human capital, offer the most promise for peak performance. The importance of HRM has increased these days as the organizations objectives can only be achieved with the co-operation of the people working in the organization. Human Resource Management is the heart and essence of being a HR manager, the nearest analogy to the human body. HRM is not the brain, the controller, nor only just a limb, a member, nor yet the bloodstream the energizing force. It is the nervous system the line channel, inherent in the whole body and intimately connected with every movement. The human resource department should arrange for training not only of new employees but also of old employees to update their knowledge in the use of latest techniques of production. Training is also provided to the existing employees to prepare them for promotion to higher posts. Training and development of personnel is a follow up of selection. It is the duty of management to train each employee properly to develop technical skills for the job for which he has been employed and also to develop him for the higher jobs in the organization which will also lead to achieve organizations long term goals and objectives. 2.0 A BRIEF REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1 Selection and organisation effectives There has been a growing interest in establishing that selection procedure and the human capital attracted by an organisation have an impact on organisation level out come such as profitability and productivity studies have also attempted to so what combinations of human resource intervention, as well as other organizational input have such impact .early approaches that examined the impact of selection decision practices at the organizational level did so in isolation of other human resource (HR) functions (eg:- Terpstra and Rozell 1993) these studies were soon replaced by studies looking at the effect of multiple HR functions (Huseild 1995)and specific combinations of functions, sometimes thought to represent high -performance work system'(Becker and huselid) (I) it is not productive to consider HR functions or human capital in other aspect of the organization or even of the society in which the organization function. Most representative of this position is the work of (Lepak and Snell 2002)who describe configuration of HR activities that are most often associated with particular types employment modes (i.e. Knowledge-based, Job-based, contract work, and alliance or partnership) (II) Successful organisation or system must have human capital (knowledge, skills, and abilities) the social capital (process, technology, and databases) to be successful. Firm must have developed practice that motivates people. This resource-based view (wright et al.2001 a) and a more theoretical view of firm performance, strategy, and the role of human resources appear to be the direction in which this area of the study is now headed. Finally,(wright et al 2005) show that HR practice are strongly related to future performance assumption that HR practice cause organisation performance rather then the reverse, or that both are caused by some external variable. (The oxford handbook of HRM Peter Boxall, John Purcell, Patrick Wright; page303) 2.2 Tanning and organisation effectives The training is seen as a key instrument in the implementation of HRM policies and practices, particularly those involving culture change and the necessity of introducing new working practice. Of equal importance in the training process is the recognition of individual needs. These may, however, clash with organisation needs, and it is crucial to harmonise these demands, to the mutual benefit of both parties. The first most vital step in a Human resource development plan is to analyse the training needs of the organisation in relation to its strategy. And equal these with the needs of the individuals within it. Proposals were then made as to how this might be effected, including the use of various forms of analysis job requirements and personal performance. A choice of methods was then outlined, which fell into the basic categories of on- the -job and off-the-job training, followed by the equally important consideration of who was to deliver the training. . (Ian Beardwell Holden HRM contemporary approach page: 326 chapters 8) Example 3 British companies seemed to be taking training more seriously (saggers 1994).the price water house cranfield project surveys indicate that training and staff development is the leading issue for most personal department across Europe, including the uk (Brewster and Hegewisch, 1993). This growing awareness of the importance of training over the past decade was also supported by reports that employers were spending more in aggregate terms on training activities (Training Agency, 1989) however, the measurement of training expenditure is still controversial, and those figures that do exist are open to question, interpretation and political manipulation (Finegoal, 1991; Ryan, 1991) Theories of training are based on theories of learning since training effectiveness is measured by the extent to which the individuals concerned learn what they need to know, can do what they need to do ,and adopt the behaviours intended; i.e. the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Cognitive learning, related to the understanding and use of new concepts (knowledge), may be contrasted with behavioural learning related to the physical ability to act (skill). welford (1968:12-13)who defined skill as combination of factors resulting in competent, expert, rapid and accurate performance, regarded this is equally applicable to manual operations and mental activities.welfords (1968,1976)work demonstrates how actions are selected and coordinated at different levels of skilled performance and the conditions of practice and training that facilities the acquisition and the involving (1) A cognitive phase of understanding the nature of the task and how it should be Performed (2) An associative phase involving in puts linked more directly to appropriate actions And reduced interference from outside demands: and finally (3) An autonomous phase when actions are automatic requiring no conscious Control. (The oxford handbook of HRM Peter Boxall, John Purcell, Patrick Wright; page329) Organization functioning consists of 3 broad identified events inputs transformational process outputs. How are inputs converted to outputs depends on the functioning of the organization. The core finding of organization goal-setting is that under certain conditions, specific, difficult goals lead to higher levels of performance than easy goals or vague goals (Locke and Latham, 1990). One of the most frequently cited conditions necessary for the goal-performance relationship is that employee must possess the requisite commitment to achieving the organizations goal. In short, no motivational effects will occur from goal-setting, if there is no commitment to the goal. Example 1 Human resource management practices of Bangladesh Orion infusion limited (Oil). oil is a highly professionally managed organizations .a team of skilled professionals has been dedicating their efforts in order to achieve the corporate Objectives. (Annual report Orion infusion lid financial year 2005-2006) Goal commitment represents an employees attachment to or determination to reach a goal (Locke, Latham, and Erez, 1988), embodying both the strength of ones intention to zzreach a goal and the unwillingness to abandon or lower a goal over time. Two reviews (Hollenbeck and Klein, 1987; Locke, Latham, and Erez, 1989) highlight the central importance of goal commitment in the goal-setting process. (Locke and Latham 1990) point out that organization goal commitments impact on the goal-setting process is reduced when goal conflict is present. However, the few research studies dealing with goal conflict have evidenced consistent results. In addition only one study (Locke, Smith, Erez, Chah, and Schaffer, 1994) directly measured organizations goal conflict among employees. Example 2 IBM starts by understanding key workforce performance challenges identifying the Leading human resources practices used to overcome these challenges and helping Companies improve their own human capital management (IBM.com/bcs/Human capital) ANALYSIS Yes, HRM practices such as staff selectivity and training can have a positive impact on firms performance and use of effective HRM policies will lead to organizations goals and objectives. The main objective of staff selection is to attract people with multidimensional skills and experience that suits the present and future org strategies with a new prospective to lead the company where it will infuse fresh blood at all levels and to develop an org culture that attracts competent people to the company and to search or head hunt people whose skills fit the companies values Erik Vettor, A process by which an organisation ensures hat it has the right number and kinds of people at the right place, at the right time, capable of effectively and efficiently completing those tasks that will aid the organization in achieving its overall objectives (Employee Resourcing Stephen Taylor 1998) Example 4 Intel Technologies India conveys thatat Intel, a managers main job is to take care of his employees career development Selection process is the system of functions and devices adopted to ascertain whether the candidates specifications are matching with the job requirement. It is the process of identifying right employee at the right time. Selection involves three distinct but not mutually exclusive stages recruitment, selection and placement Hiring process can be successful if someone should have the authority to hire with high standards of the personnel should be established against which a candidate can be compared e.g Job description or job specifications also sufficient number of applicants from who required number of employees can be selected. Example 5 Infosys company technologies it is role based organisation, i.e. every position is defined in terms of skills attitude based competencies. Combining human resource practices with a focus on the achievement of organizational goals and objectives can have a substantial effect on the ultimate success of the organization. Resource-based theory posits that competitive advantage and the implementation of plans is highly dependent upon an organizations basic inputs, including its human capital (Wernerfelt, 1984; Barney, 1991; Boxall, 1996). Research on strategic human resource management (SHRM) offers empirical support that this relationship enhances productivity (Fitz-Enz, 1994; Delery and Doty, 1996; Ulrich, 1997). Example 6 Microsoft company how the businesses that are run with common goods and vision make money for their investors and employees. Microsoft has done for its employees. And how well the HRM have been able to align the work culture to the business strategy to achieve goals and objective. Impact of human resource management practices on nursing home performance by (Kent V. Rondeau and Terry H. Wager) reports on empirical findings from research that examines the relationship between HRM practices, workplace climate and perceptions of organizational performance, in a large sample of Canadian nursing homes. In the healthcare industry, as in most other service industries, the interaction between patients and healthcare service providers (professionals and other employees) is an integral part of the service process (Conway Willcocks 1997, Benbassat Taragin 1998). HCOs should be encouraged to take the role of the patient into consideration in the healthcare service process, and in order to achieve high quality service (White 1999) respond to patients needs and expectations. Another issue that is likely to challenge HCO management is the central role played by employees in SQ achievement. White (1995) reported cooperation between employees and managers as the key to providing high quality care, because it can compensate for the constraints imposed by cost containment and managed care. In pursuit of this objective, management might seek to implement progressive HRM practices that encourage service oriented behaviour and show concern for employees organisational and personal needs. Furthermore, knowing how employees perceive HRM practices may shed light on how customers service process (Schneider Bowen 1985). Indeed, a study (Mallak, Lyth, Olson, Ulshafer Sardone 2003) that was undertaken in two hospitals (a main hospital and a satellite hospital in the USA) showed a positive and significant correlation between employee job satisfaction and patient satisfaction. Service oriented logic is demonstrated by alignment between the service concept and employee perception. In contemporary progressive institutions this can be done by shaping practices in a way that emphasises service orientation and creates a climate for service (Schneider Chung 1996) as well as adopting HRM practices that employees perceive as positive and considerate (Schneider Bowen 1993, Gilson, Palmer Schneider 2005). It is likely that such institutions will be reflected in employees attitudes and behaviour, which will be demonstrated in the way employees serve their customers. This potential added value of HRM practices lies in their ability to create a foundation for a work environment that encourages SQ in service organisations, given that quality and productivity in such organisations depend, to a great extent, on employee behaviour (Zerbe, Dobni Harel 1998). Example 7 Across 590 firms in the us progressive HRM practice, including selectivity in Staffing, training and incentive compensation are positively related to perceptual measures of organization performance, these effects were similar in profit and none profit organizations. Some studies that were conducted in service organisations corroborated the proposition of a positive relationship between employees perceptions of HRM practices and customers rating of organisational effectiveness (Schneider Bowen 1993, Schneider Chung 1996). The HRM practices that were chosen to be examined in this study are: leadership and supervision; training; compensation; promotion and career development; and feedback and recognition. These practices were chosen for three main reasons. First, these HRM practices are consistent with the universalistic view (e.g., Pfeffer 1994). Because they are approach oriented, some High Performance Work Practices (HPWP) enhances organisational performance and is appropriate for all firms (Tzafrir 2006). And according to the universalistic perspective, organisations from different sectors, across industries, and through different time periods are likely to benefit by using these HPWP (Delery Doty 1996). Second, these practices could be valu able in achieving SQ for two reasons: (1) by providing the required knowledge for high quality service provision, and (2) through enhancing employee motivation to provide customers with high quality service. Last, the chosen HRM practices are related to the dimension of employees trust in their managers (Mayer, Davis Schoorman 1995). Employees in organisations that are characterised by high levels of service view the organisational leadership as putting a strong emphasis on meeting customer needs and delivering excellence in service through clearly stated goals and objectives (Pugh, et al. 2002). Leadership and supervision may contribute to SQ in two ways. Initially, from the knowledge based aspect, managers, by being responsive to employees questions and concerns and providing them with the information necessary to promote high quality service, can enhance the quality of service given by employees (Schneider Bowen 1985, Boselie van der Wiele 2002). And secondly, from the motivational based aspect, the way managers treat staff affects employees feelings of being valued, thereby affecting their morale and motivation to act according to the managers expectations. Training is also a recognised essential component of high performance work systems. From the knowledge perspective, such service workers should be trained to identify and resolve problems, to promote changes in work methods and to take responsibility for quality. Adequate training enables the generation of a work force that is multi skilled, adaptable to rapid changes and has wide conceptual knowledge of the production system (Pfeffer 1998). From the motivational perspective, it is reasonable that employees would feel valued by the organisation that chooses to invest in their professional development. Positive perceptions of training are associated with employees perceptions of the organisation as having a strong service orientation (Schneider Bowen 1993). Example 8 NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Services Companies), the Indian IT corporate training market is expected to yield approximately  £80 million within the year of 2010 (Naukhri, 2007). Nevertheless, Singh, (2004), argues that many organisations in India still view Training and Development as only a need-based activity and treat as an expensive activity to frequently invest in. Hence, views about Training and Development activities are thus divided in Indian organisations which indicate both differences and similarity of perceptions of Indian and UK firms towards such activities. Compensation is another important facet of organisational success. First, it is a concern of equity and fairness. Employees whom expend more efforts and creativity in doing their job and see that their results benefit the employer will expect remuneration in exchange for their efforts. If employees do not receive any appreciable return, it is reasonable to expect that they will stop trying. Second, contingent compensation serves as a motivational tool, because employees know that they will share in the results of their work (Pfeffer 1998). Therefore, a compensation system based on excellence will result in increased employee performance (Boselie van der Wiele 2002). Internal equity of compensation was found to be related to employees perceptions of the organisation as having a strong service orientation (Schneider Bowen 1993). More recent empirical study on HRM practices (Lee Lee, 2007) business performance, namely training and development, teamwork, compensation/incentives, HR planning, performance appraisal, and employee security help improve firms business performance including employees productivity, product quality and firms flexibility. This study reveals that three items of HRM practices influence business performance: training and development, compensation/incentives, and HR planning. However, some other researches also show that certain HRM practices have significant relationship with operational (employees productivity and firms flexibility) and quality performance outcomes (Chang and Chen, 2002; Ahmad and Schroeder, 2003; Kuo, 2004 Sang, 2005). These research evidence shows that effective HRM practices can have positive impact on business performance. Using data from 197 Taiwanese high-tech firms Chang and Chen (2002) conducted a comprehensive study to evaluate the links between HRM practices and firm performance. This study reveals that HRM practices including training and development, teamwork, benefits, human resource planning, and performance appraisal have significant effect on employee productivity. This study also found benefits and human resource planning have negative relationship with Employee turnover. To generalize the efficacy of seven HRM practices by Pfeffer (1998) Ahmad and Schroeders (2003) found the seven HRM practices such as employment security, selective hiring, use of teams and decentralization, Compensation/incentive contingent on performance; extensive training, status difference and sharing information have significant relationship with operational performance. Kuo (2004) adopted 11 HRM practices found that employment Security, team working and incentive compensation are regarded as three of the main practices for impacting hospital performance. Example 9 Malaysian private business organization really not practicing HRM into their business (Chew, 2005). It is unclear on how to change the mindset of the Malaysian business organization practicing HRM into their businesses. In order to understand what influence business performance as well we must first find out the HRM practices that are (International Journal of Business and Management June, 2009) Influencing business performance. Therefore, it is replicated with references to the HRM practices related research in developed countries. In this study six factors have identified and they are training and development, teamwork, compensation/incentives, HR planning, performance appraisal, and employee security. HRM as a means of achieving management objectives at least in enterprises which have recognized, or have been compelled to recognize, the utilization of the human resource in achieving competitive edge becomes clear from an examination of four important goals of effective HRM. HRM is closely linked to motivation, leadership and work behaviour. An enterprises policies and practices in these areas have an impact on whether HRM contributes to achieving management goals. The second is the goal of commitment, which involves identification of the type of Commitment sought e.g. attitudinal, behavioural. Commitment could be to the organization, to the job, to career advancement. Commitment could be seen as acceptance of enterprise values and goals, and could be reflected in behaviour which seeks to further these goals. Thus: The theoretical proposition is therefore that organizational commitment, Combined with job related behavioural commitment will result in high employee Satisfaction, high performance. The third is the goal of flexibility and adaptability, which in essence means the ability to manage change and innovation and to respond rapidly to market demands and changes. Employees at all levels display high organizational commitment, high trust and high levels of intrinsic motivation. Measures to achieve flexibility would include training, work organization, multi-skilling and removal of narrow job classifications. The fourth goal of HRM is the goal of quality. This assumes the existence of policies and practices to recruit develop and retain skilled and adaptable staff, and the formulation of agreed performance goals and performance measures. To these goals could be added two broader goals building a unified organizational culture and achieving competitive advantage through the productive use of human resources. Example 10 Performance measurement systems help underperforming companies improve performance. The utility company Arizona Public Service used a performance measurement system to rebound from dismal financial results.   Example 11 HRM of organisations turns around of Selfridges Selfridgess story is one when human resource management has played a vital rule Delivering high performance enabling the company to emerge in the late 1990s as An expanding and very successful up market retail department store. (Sue Hutchinson by tom Redman, Adrian Wilkinson) Example 12 North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to assess the effectiveness of the support provided by the state of North Carolina (NC) to county departments. Since prior research tended to focus on high performance, benchmark organizations, and private sector businesses (the 1996 Delery and Dory survey replicated here was administered to bankers), this study tests for the presence of strategic human resource practices in an ordinary, public organization setting. Example 13 This study comprehensively evaluated the links between human resource management (HRM) practices and firm performance of Taiwans high-tech firms. Using data from Hsinchu science-based industrial park, the study found that HRM practices such as training development, teamwork, benefits, human resource planning and performance appraisal have significant effect on employee productivity. In addition, benefits and human resource planning are negatively related to employee turnover this study also shows that competitive strategies, such as cost strategy and differentiation strategy, have revealed moderating effects on the relationship between HRM practices and firm performance.(Ian Beardwell Holden HRM contemporary approach ) 6.0 CONCLUSION Management scholars and practitioners alike have become increasingly interested in learning more about the ability of certain progressive or high-performance human resource management (HRM) practices to enhance organizational effectiveness. There is growing evidence to suggest that the contribution of various HRM practices to impact firm performance may be synergistic in effect yet contingent on a number of contextual factors, including workplace climate. A contingency theory perspective suggests that in order to be effective, HMR policies and practices must be consistent with other aspects of the organization, including its environment to achieve its best performance. For motivation and incentives to work, they first must be tied to a goal. An organization must employ needs assessment and human resource development strategies in pursuit of its vision or mission. Needs assessment (of where an organization wants to go) and human resources development (of those who are to get it there) focus on the specific organizational and individual needs whose satisfaction will lead to enhanced productivity? The vision and path for fulfilling these tasks are derived from strategic planning and put into practical perspective through the use of macro-tools such as Total Quality Management (at the group-level) and management by objectives at the individual-level which will lead to achieving organization goals. Based on the above analysis would like to conclude with confirming that an effective HRM practice which includes a proper training, staffing can improve the organizations work force quality to take the organization to the next level which will make the organization achieve its goals.

Faith Vs. Temptation :: essays research papers

Faith vs. Temptation Temptation, at one time or another, has touched all of our lives. What made us choose one path over the other? Was it your faith in God, your knowing of what was right and wrong, or was it the influences of the loved ones you not only surround yourself with, but the one you have trusted to lead down the straight and narrow. All of these questions come to light in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown. Hawthorne’s tale is of a young, newly wedded man, and his internal struggle between faith and temptation. Set in Salem, at the times of the witch trials, Young Goodman Brown begins to question his own faith as the devil himself sheds new light on Brown’s strong beliefs. “With heaven above, and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against the Devil!';… Or will he? Young Goodman Brown prepares to leave on his lonely, life-changing journey, by first saying good bye to his wife of three months. Faith as his wife is called, for symbolic reasons I’m sure, fears for her husband and wishes him to stay. This good bye is Brown’s chance to choose faith over temptation. “Poor little faith, thought he, for his heart smote him. What a wretch am I to leave her on such an errand!'; Brown gives in to temptation. This won’t be the last time. Being scared and alone on his journey, Brown talking to himself says, “What if the devil himself should be at my elbow!'; A few more steps and Brown now has a companion; coincidence? I think not. “The only thing about him that could be fixed upon as remarkable as his staff, which bore the likeliness of a great black snake...like a living serpent."'; It was after this initial greeting and Brown noticing his companion’s walking stick that Brown once again was torn between his faith and the temptation of the errand he was on. Goodman Brown tries to convince himself he is doing wrong and turn back. “Having kept covenant by meeting thee here, it is my purpose now to return whence I came. I have scruples touching the matter thou wot’st of.'; The devil tempts Brown in to continuing. “Let us walk on, reasoning as we go; and if I convince thee not thou shalt turn back.'; Again Brown gives in to temptation. “Too far! Too far! Exclaimed the goodman, unconsciously resuming his walk.

Harriet Tubman Essay -- essays research papers

Early Years Her real name was Harriet Beecher Stowe. Born as a salve on June 14, 1820 on a plantation in Maryland. There were 8 children in her family and she was the sixth. When she was five, her Mother died. Her Father remarried one year later and in time had three more children. Her Father always wanted her to be a boy. When Harriet was only 13 years old, she tried to stop a person from being whipped and went between the two people. The white man hit her in the head with a shovel and she blacked out. From then on she had awful migraines and would sometimes just collapse on the ground while she was working. She served as a field hand and house servant on a Maryland plantation. In 1844 she married John Tubman, who was a free black. In 1849 she escaped to the North, where slaves could be free before the outbreak of the American Civil war. In 1861 she made 19 trips back to help lead other slaves. She led them to freedom along the clandestine route known as the Underground Railroad. She also led a n estimated 300 slaves to freedom including her mother and father and six of her 11 brothers and sisters. Adult Years Harriet ¡Ã‚ ¦s first rescue was in Baltimore, where she led her sister, Mary Ann Bowlet and her two children to the North. In 1849, Harriet was to be sold to a slave trader. She was taken from her husband and didn ¡Ã‚ ¦t know where she was going to end up. She escaped that night. She traveled only when it was dark and slept during the day. She would hide in haystacks, barns, and houses. Harriet would always carry a revolver during her many trips to the South because a slave who returned to slavery could reveal people who facilitated the passages of escapees by offering them food ad shelter. Harriet would threaten to shoot anyone who out of fear of being caught decided to return during the trip north. Slave owners offer a $40,000 reward to release the free slaves. Harriet was a legendary figure. The black children would call her  ¡Ã‚ §Aunt Harriet ¡Ã‚ ¨. Harriet got a letter from Queen Victoria in the mail. She was the Queen of England. She invited Harriet to her birthday and also sent her 2 boxes filled with a black silk shawl, and a medal which showed the queen ¡Ã‚ ¦s family. It was her Diamond Jubilee Medal. Towards the end of the war Harriet went to the hospital at Fort Monroe. She cleaned up the hospital... ...ar. She made claims against the government for black soldiers pay and/or pension. „h Harriet was sold and separated from her family, so she ran away at age twenty-eight and found her way to freedom on the  ¡Ã‚ §Underground Railroad. ¡Ã‚ ¨ There she led slaves out of the South to freedom in the North or Canada. These fearless blacks were called  ¡Ã‚ §Conductors ¡Ã‚ ¨ on the Underground Railroad. Blacks called her  ¡Ã‚ §Moses ¡Ã‚ ¨ because she led her people to freedom. „h Harriet appeared as a guest speaker with Elizabeth Cody Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, pronouncing the rights of women ¡Ã‚ ¦s suffrage and control of property and wages. „h Harriet made over nineteen trips to the South in which she led over three hundred slaves to freedom. She never lost one person and was never captured. „h After the Civil War Harriet continued to devote her life to others and spoke for the rights of women as well as the newly freed blacks. She opened a home for the elderly and needy blacks. In conclusion, Harriet Tubman was an influence on everyone because of her courage, strength, and efforts. Harriet ¡Ã‚ ¦s wits, brains, and strength helped her live as long as she did and survive through the cold, dark world for blacks.

Interpersonal Communication Essay -- essays research papers

Although there are several problems that can diminish the effectiveness of interpersonal communication, some tactics can be used in order to minimize these failures in communication. A recent visit to a hotel sparked a perfect example of this communication opportunity between a patron and the hotel's front desk employee. First of all, the history of the confrontation between the patron and the hotel's front desk employee was clouded with expectations and assumptions. For example, the patron made a reservation for a room by using the hotel chain's national reservation center. This center, in turn, is obligated to give the information to the individual hotels so that the hotels can then honor the reservations accordingly. Unfortunately in this example, the patron's request and approval for a king bed was not relayed from the reservation center to the hotel. As a result, the hotel employee did not have the information that the patron assumed he had received. This assumption resulted in a breakdown in communication between the hotel employee and the patron, which then created hostility on the part of the patron and defensiveness on the part of the employee. The hostility felt by the patron was partly due to past experiences with hotel employees and the negative outcomes of those experiences (Pfeiffe r 12). These past experiences created a situation where the patron did not really listen to what the employee was saying (Pfeiffer 13). Instead, he only heard that there was a problem ("just like there was last time"). The employee's defensiveness was due to his assumption that this particular patron has the same problem that past patrons have had: The patron simply made a mistake with the reservation (DeVito 9). The employee also became defensive because of his rank in the situation and the status differences between a guest of a high-end hotel and a hotel employee (Pfeiffer 14). He knew that he needed to be absolutely correct or else the patron would be awarded a favorable outcome ("the customer is always right"), and this defensiveness did not allow him to fully and effectively listen (Pfeiffer 14). On the other hand, the patron's assumption that the employee had received the information created unclear information. Had the patron clarified and qualified the c orrect information, the message would have been clear an... ...ployee became negative influences on each other that day (Boyle IX). By avoiding the problems associated with miscommunication and adhering to the rules of effective communication, the patron and the employee could have avoided a very negative situation and resolved a problem in a fraction of the time. Although "absolutely clear communication" (DeVito 15) may be impossible to achieve, absolutely efficient communication should be a realistic goal...if for no other reason than to get to a vacation that much quicker! References Bolton, Robert (1979), People Skills, Simon & Schuster, New York. Boyle, Dr. William (1999), Getting Connected: How To Improve All Your Relationships, William Boyle and Associates, Illinois. DeVito, Joseph A. (2002), The Interpersonal Communication Reader, Allyn & Bacon: A Pearson Education Company, New York. Pfeiffer, J.W. (1973), Conditions Which Hinder Effective Communication excerpt from The 1973 Annual Handbook for Group Facilitators, Pfeiffer and Company, California.

How to stop domestic violence Essay

Domestic violence in the family can be stopped. For it to stop, focus on possible help should be on the perpetrator and not on all the members of the family. I therefore refute this statement that for violence to stop, all members of the family must change. Instead, the perpetrator of violence in the family should change. I say this because there is no plausible reason for anyone to batter a loved one. Domestic violence is a crime and it should be treated as such. To insinuate that the victims violence are in any way the cause of their battery is akin to saying that you are responsible when your house is broken into. Of course that is nonsense, you are victim of burglary. So is the case with domestic violence. There is a perpetrator and the victims. It is true that some dynamics in the family may instigate violence, but that is no reason to abuse anyone. There are ways of amicably solving differences. There are several reasons that explain why some people abuse their partners. This include: substance abuse, economic hardships, poor communication skills, provocation, stress, family dysfunction as well as lack of spirituality.

Tma B322

Question 1 A) Innovation is about finding new or better method of making something, a product or a service. Innovations are born due to several reasons . Peter Drucker has outlined seven sources of innovative chances or opportunities . I am going to identify them below. 1. Unexpected happenings, as a sudden event that can be a indication of a distinctive chance for innovating or entrepreneurship. 2. Incongruity, as the divergence between what everyone think of a thing and the reality of it , this difference can create an innovation. 3. Innovation born when a new process is needed is a chance to fill the gap and create something new. . Changes happened to the industry structure can be a possibility for an innovative product to pop out 5. Demographics change such as population size, employment level and income ranges. 6. Perception variation along with mood and meaning of general assumptions can form an innovation. 7. New knowledge acquired based on fresh advances in scientific and tec hnological fields can produce new goods to the market. [Tetteh,2008] Gary was a risk taker, his innovations were the result of unexpected happenings that combined with his great mind generated new and interesting products.It is said that his first step of being innovative and risky was an end result after reading a newspaper ad about the availability of large quantities of powder soap. He evaluate the news as a great one since the countries was just getting out of a war state and people will find this product pretty attiring. This unexpected happening has made Gary a deal that created a tiny wealth of a 30,000$ at that time when he contacted the right people and informed them about his product and made the sale from scratch. Word count: 288? B)According to Schumpeter, innovation is the process of introducing new products in addition to techniques to the market. These products need to be new or radically improved. Schumpeter identified five types of possible innovation: 1. Producing new kinds of goods or modifying the of attributes of the existing ones. 2. Introducing new way of production which might be based on innovative technical and scientific findings. 3. opening new market 4. Using new resources and raw materials in the inputs. 5. new organization of production and industry .What Gary has done is finding products and making them more attractive by adding some options or features to them, what he said about his products is that there are normal products with a twist. This twist can be new look or design or new attributes added to them. We can see that Gary’s type of innovation is product innovation, which consists of changing a feature or a look of an available product. Furthermore, Gary as an adventurer has introduced new products from toys and other amusing stuff to the market.For example: the plastic farm of ants , the spud gun and the fly cake which have made great successes and rewards. For instance, he released balloons that were designed as giant animals , this change in the look of the balloons attracted people and made them buy them in huge quantities . Mixing his original ideas with the product that is presented have resulted in new product that is a real money maker. Word count: 251? Question 2 A) Gary as shown in the case is a very successful entrepreneur.He combined great traits of successful and honored men in the business world. Gary was a normal person who hasn’t a degree in business but what he has is the idea and the initiative to take this idea to the last level and making it worthwhile. He has marketing skills, he knew what attract customers and also he knew how to convince people to buy his products that were not ordinary products, but with his skills and creativity he changed the actual product and made it more appealing in the addition of the fun part for ex: animal look balloons and plastic ant farm.Gary forever looked for high accomplishments and wanted to achieve his dream to be a millionaire from the beginning and he reached his goal. [Davison,2008] Being an ambitious person who is to a great extent motivated towards success, knew how stay focused and identify the opportunity when he sees it as he did when reading the soap powder availability in the market and took risk to make his first great sale, that showed how clever he was by perceiving this opportunity and evaluating it to decide that it will be a great offer for people after the war.Having the mental ability to think in an intelligent and creative way for doing all kinds of business while keeping his eyes on the objective and not losing the energy however remaining persistent to take risks and new challenges by introducing high number of innovative products to the market without fear of failure are the reason behind the enormous success of this inspirational entrepreneur. Word count: 276 ? B) An entrepreneur is a person who has the potential to do something different.Being an entrepreneur is about having the rig ht skills and the right idea along with the right experience and in the end being able to generate a totally unique innovation Gary as an entrepreneur is a risk taking individual who enjoys taking the chances and entering uncertain situations to do business. Many characteristics that he owned helped him be the entrepreneur he is now. The many experiences he has from his childhood, in hi father grocery’s store and the experience he gained in the army and combining them all together taught him that being risky can be quite fun and very profitable.Furthermore, having an idea and staying focused on the goal of making that idea an innovative creation next to realizing good opportunities and chances for a fresh venture were strengths for Gary and reason behind his success. Having the potential is about generating ventures and succeeding from scratch, the entrepreneur is innovative and inventive and knows how to develop his ideas and turn it into a success and money. Gary is self co nfident and multi-skilled, he didn’t focus on one field for business, and his interest was in marketing.He still remained confident when he faced of difficulties and failures and discouraging circumstances. Gary gathered in his personality the potential to be a successful entrepreneur. The risky trait, the experience, the intelligence, the initiative, the creativity, the know-how, the complete commitment and dedication to achieve his objectives. Word count: 252 ? Question 3 Innovation is spreading vey fast in the economic world.Innovation permits nations and countries to grow rapidly better than cultures that aren’t adopting innovation. Acquiring ideas of technological and innovation is actuality important for achieving organization’s competitive advantage. Everett roger has discussed the importance of customers adopting and using innovation, since customers are the most vital part of the business process. That is what the purchasing pathway network that include s several stages of introducing the products until the consumer purchase them .The purchasing network perspective got great interest from different business people, among managers, consultants, and decision makers are aiming to promote the innovative capability for organizations. Firstly innovators asses what is needed and wanted under the competitive pressure and the need to produce different products. After that it comes releasing the product, making the ads for it to attract new customers and position the image of the product in the mind of customers to make them move and buy the product. Mankin, E 2007] People are divided into several levels of innovation adoption , some of them are innovators who like to purchase the product first, and then comes the later adopters who wait for another people to try the product before them because they fear it will not satisfy them for example purchasing an iphone The purchasing pathway network is greatly advised for organization or firms when designing a project since the innovator need to know that people’s perception of the innovative product differ where there is a crucial need to identify different users adoption behavior.Word count: 255 Question 4 The six markets model illustrates the view of where the marketing of goods can be applied. The six domains appearing above are the ones that organizations direct their marketing strategies by. Those markets are: the referral market where the organization has good communication links with some experts and professionals in business world who can recommend others regarding purchasing products and other decisions. The supplier markets, recruitments markets, influence markets and internal markets or employees.For example The Word of mouth communication can be recognized as a valuable method in the marketing mix. Each of these interactions must be managed with a strategic plan. Gary’s marketing activities were shown firstly when he marketed the powder soap from the supplier market and offered them for people he already met (referral market) and he succeeding in making the deal . Then he used the mail-order business and published an ad in the newspaper, and customers saw the ad and were attracted by it (customer market). He introduced also new products in national trade fairs also considered as customers market.He has set up a billboard next to his house that declared the image and the marketing intelligence he had. Big companies and executives were attired by the billboard and became known among businessmen. Moreover, Gary has published two books that showed his knowing in promoting his experiences and stories to his students( internal markets). SO we can see that Gary has used the whole framework of the six markets in his business life. That helped him becoming successful and a winner in the entrepreneurship and marketing world.Word count: 263 ? References Davison, ED 2008, ‘Social Entrepreneurship', Social Entrepreneurship — Re search Starters Business, p. 1, Research Starters – Business, EBSCOhost, viewed 7 May 2012. Mankin, E 2007, ‘Measuring Innovation Performance', Research Technology Management, 50, 6, pp. 5-7, Research Starters – Business, EBSCOhost, viewed 7 May 2012. Tetteh, VA 2008, ‘Entrepreneurship & Business Planning', Entrepreneurship & Business Planning — Research Starters Business, p. 1, Research Starters – Business, EBSCOhost, viewed 7 May 2012.

“Paglilihi” or Pregnancy Cravings Essay

Many Filipinos, to this day, believe that what you eat and crave for during pregnancy has a direct influence on the physical attributes of the baby. However, scientific studies prove that there is no link between paglilihi and the unborn baby’s physical attributes. As Genetics tell us, our physical attributes are inherited from our parents’ and grandparents’ set of genes and not from food cravings. Reference: Lui B., â€Å"Five Health Myths Many Filipinos Believe†, Filipinonurses.org (http://filipinonurses.org/index.php/2012/03/five-shocking-health-myths-that-most-filipinos-believe/); â€Å"Pregnant Women†, Health Aspect (http://healthaspect.wordpress.com/tag/craving-paglilihi/). Myth #2: Post-labor Stomach Binding It is a common practice for Filipina women to bind their abdomen tightly after pregnancy, believing that this practice helps the uterus to retract and gets the stomach back into shape. However, scientific evidence suggests otherwise. Tying a cloth around one’s tummy can put pressure on the uterus, causing it to bleed. It can also lead to further complications, especially if you’ve experienced a C-section. Evidence also suggests that a combination of diet and mild exercise is the best way to get back into shape after pregnancy. Reference: â€Å"Cultural dimensions of pregnancy, birth and post-natal care†, Queensland Government (http://www.health.qld.gov.au/multicultural/health_workers/filipino-preg-prof.pdf); â€Å"Will using a corset or tying a cloth around my stomach help it regain its pre-pregnancy shape?†, Baby Center (http://www.babycenter.in/x1049750/will-using-a-corset-or-tying-a-cloth-around-my-stomach-help-it-regain-its-pre-pregnancy-shape). Myth #3: Eating twin bananas may lead to twins This myth has many variations, with some claiming that bananas lead to regular twins while others insist on Siamese twins, which is a serious condition wherein twins are born with part of their bodies joined together. However, this myth has no scientific basis, as twin development happens purely by chance or because of your genes (for non-identical twins). Reference: â€Å"Pregnancy Myths and Facts†, Huggies PH (http://www.huggies.com.ph/pregnancy-myths-facts.aspx). Myth #4: â€Å"Usog† or the Stranger’s Evil Eye Usog is an age-old Filipino superstition. The belief states that discomfort (fever, bloating, nausea/vomiting) is brought to the baby by a stranger or visitor who is said to have an evil eye. A simple greeting from the visitor is said to be enough to cause this curse. To counter the curse, the stranger would need to say â€Å"pwera usog† while licking his thumb and applying saliva while tracing a cross on the infant’s forehead. Despite having no scientific basis or proof regarding the occurrences of usog, many superstitious Filipinos believe in the practice to this date. However, this superstition lacks scientific proof. Reference: Ina Atutubo, MD, â€Å"Is â€Å"Usog† for Real?†, Smart Parenting (http://www.smartparenting.com.ph/kids/baby/is-usog-for-real/page/2); â€Å"Usog†, Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usog) Despite the fact that many Filipino superstitions and myths lack scientific explanation, many mothers-to-be still follow them by the letter for two reasons: the â€Å"better to be safe than sorry† mentality, and out of respect for the elders or tradition. Some of these superstitions are harmless, but do take extra care and always consult with your OB-gyne before subjecting yourself or your baby to any healing or cleansing rituals. Keeping a healthy balance between modern medicine and Filipino culture will ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy.

Maltese Village Cores

THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MALTESE VILLAGE CORE [pic] Name: Daniel Cossai Class: F4 Matteo Ricci Table of Contents: ? Introduction p. 3 ? A typical Maltese village core p. 4-6 ? How is the village core being protected nowadays? p. 7-8 ? An example of a Maltese village core – Attard p. 9-10 ? Conclusion p. 11 ? References p. 12 Introduction In the Maltese Islands one can find around 67 villages all around the island. Since Malta is quite populated some villages are close to each other, like the three villages of Attard, Balzan and Lija, and one might think that they are actually one village, while others are more isolated with surrounding rural areas. Villages vary from old and modern but they all have distinct features and characteristics and they are mainly built around the village core. In this project, the various characteristics of a typical Maltese village core are discussed followed by a detailed example of the old village of Attard. A typical Maltese village core A typical Maltese village core usually has several characteristics which can be seen in most of the older villages, which are much more common than the more modern ones. The parish church The main focal point of any old village is the parish church which is mainly of the baroque style and occupies a central position. It is a grand style and the village church contrasts strikingly with the flat roof tops of the nearby houses and other buildings. Attard Parish Church The majority of the Maltese people are Roman Catholic and the church has always played an important role in the villagers’ lives. In olden times when villagers worked in the nearby fields they would return home when the church clock struck 6 tolls of the ‘Ave Maria’. Nowadays after mass many people gather in the church parvis to talk about daily events. This is a typical scene in any village and shows the social aspect of the Maltese people. The village core comes to life during the feast of the patron saint. During this time the streets are decorated with flags, banners, garlands, flowers, multi-coloured lights and statues on wooden pedestals. There are kiosks selling traditional food, nougat and candy floss. Brass bands entertain the crowds, together with fireworks in the main square. The procession with the saint’s statue passes through the narrow streets of the village core. The narrow streets Another particular feature of the old part of a village is the narrow, winding streets which normally lead to the church. These are usually quite narrow as cars and buses did not exist in the time in which they were built. It is said that the streets were winding as a way of defense against enemy attacks. Most streets in the village core have alleys. A narrow street in Attard In these streets one can usually find several niches dedicated to saints. They were a form of beautiful and artistic decoration and showed the devotion which the Maltese had towards their religion. They also served as a point of easy reference to find a particular place in times when people were highly illiterate and could not read street names. An example of a niche in |ebbu[ The main buildings The buildings in the old village core are usually farmhouses or houses of character with a central courtyard, outer staircases and rubble-walled rooms. Many of these are being renovated by expert architects to restore their natural beauty. Since they are built after the baroque or neolithic style these buildings are quite big with large doors and windows. A particular feature is the different door knobs which one can find at every door. Another reason for such large houses was that noble people used to live in the village core. Also, most extended families used to live in one house. In the village core one can also find various shops, like the grocer, butcher, baker and vegetable vendor. The most important buildings are also found in every typical village. These may include the local council, the police station, the parish priest’s office, the parish hall, the cemetery, the school and the band and political clubs. Another characteristic feature is the village bar where men usually meet to have tea, eat ‘pastizzi’ or ‘]ob bi-ejt’, gossip or watch a football match. Other characteristics In the village core one can usually find several decorations including statues, fountains, street lamps and benches. Local activities are normally held in the village square. These are either held by the church or local council as an occasion for villagers to meet and have some fun. Bazaars and car washes are often held as fund raising activities. In recent years some villages are becoming more innovative and organize unique activities, such as a chocolate or strawberry fair, to attract outsiders and tourists. How is the village core being protected nowadays? As the name implies the village core is the most important part of any society. All of the important buildings can be found there and it is also the place where the majority of people meet and socialise. Therefore it goes without saying that the village core must be an attractive and safe place to attend. Local councils have the duty of ensuring a clean, safe environment and fight against vandalism to preserve the beauty of the village. A short interview with a representative of the Attard Local Council was held regarding the protection of the village. Interview: ? The village core is an important part of the village. Does this make it a main target for vandals? Yes, unfortunately, our village core has suffered from a lot of acts of vandalism. For example, the garden of Thomas Dingli, which can be found in the village square, has been vandalised several times. What does the council do the try and protect the village core from these acts of vandalism? Recently, we have asked the local police and wardens to increase their patrols, and to keep better watch over certain places especially the gardens and street decorations. We also do our best to repair any damage done as quickly as possible. ? Is the village core protected in any other way not related to vandalism? Yes, the village core i s a very important part of the village because most people often gather here. We are doing our best to keep the village core as Bring-In Sites – Attard Village Core clean as possible. For example, we have set up Bring-In Sites in the village core, so that people will recycle more for a cleaner environment, and at the same time avoid throwing away their litter outside. The Bulky Refuse removal truck comes around the village every day so that bulky items such as fridges do not end up thrown away in one of the gardens. Unfortunately, this has happened in the past. Street sweepers are also employed so that the environment is as clean as possible. ? What about traffic? The streets in the village core are quite narrow. Are there any special rules which help to avoid pollution and damage to streets and buildings? Yes, like you said the streets are quite narrow and this makes it hard for large trucks to pass. They could easily hit the buildings and cause damage, plus they cause congestion of traffic. Signs are put up so that heavy vehicles cannot pass through the village core unless they need to render a service to a particular street. The village core must not be used as a by-pass. This has also reduced the amount of pollution and hence we have a cleaner environment. An example of a Maltese village core – Attard The old village core of Attard is made up of the Church Square and several streets and alleys. These are Qormi Road, |ebbu[ Road, Valletta Road, Main Street, Church Street, Small Square Street, St. Dominic’s Street, St. Mary’s Street, and Thomas Dingli Street. The village core is the oldest part of Attard. It dates back to 3,000 years B. C. The Parish church dedicated to The Assumption was built between 1613 and 1616. It was designed by the architect Thomas Dingli. Adjacent to the church is the Parish Hall where social functions take place. Attard Parish Church The architect Thomas Dingli is still remembered in Attard, and in 1998 a new village square was built and named after him. In the square one can find a small garden used as a relaxation area. There is also a monument which mentions the names of all the residents of Attard who died during World War II. Thomas Dingli Square The Local Council is also found in the village core. It is in the same building as the local Police Station. On its wall, there is a mail box which dates back to the time of Queen Victoria. It is the only mail box remaining in Malta from the time of Queen Victoria. Attard Police Station Attard Local Council In front of the parish church one can find the parish priest’s office, where people go to get information relating to births and marriages, or talk to the parish priest. Nearby is the Stella Levantina Band Club. Club members and musicians meet here throughout the year either to practice the band’s music in preparation for the village feast and other occasions, or else simply to talk with each other. As the feast starts approaching, the club becomes more crowded. The parish priest’s office In St. Dominic’s Street, there is a museum about the train’s history. In olden times the train used to pass from Attard on its way to Mdina. Recently, the Council has decorated all the streets in the village core with decorative street lanterns. Conclusion The village core is a very important part of every village because it is the centre of all activity. It is vital for the local community and something which cannot be removed or easily changed, in fact certain old buildings cannot be modernized and have to keep their characteristics. This is ruled by the MEPA. As one can see from the characteristics mentioned in this project, living in the village core can be a different experience from living on the outskirts. Some people, especially the new generation, would prefer somewhere quieter and more modern buildings. In the future, every local council in the Maltese Islands should continue working on improving the situation of their village’s core. Most localities are already protecting the core, but there can always be more room for improvement. For example, cameras can be installed near places in the village core which suffer from vandalism frequently. References: Alfie Guillaumier (2002): Bliet u Ir]ula Maltin. Malta: Klabb Kotba Maltin Magazine: }’Attard Magazine: Malta this Month (July 2002) Magazine: Grip (Issue 4) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Attard http://www. attard. gov. mt/default. asp http://www. malteseislands. com/malteseislands. asp Attard Local Council