Interim Report Example - 2806 Words

Introduction: This document contains the interim report of - This report will tell what has been achieved, what still needs to be done in every department in the organization and in which timeframe. The employees of the RB company have been working greatly and putting a lot of effort to be a stable company and ultimately grow into a successful company. This report will show the companies past activities and if they have been completed successfully. Moreover, this report will also include our future goals and perspectives. - Chief Executive Officer Rainy Business Marketing Overview Review Rainy Business was established in last semester and experienced a whole new process of running a business. The†¦show more content†¦The production department was also responsible for holding the stock. What we achieved with the research process The ultimate test was when we found out that there were two companies who are also selling rain poncho’s. We had to make sure to make our product more recognizable and unique. And with secretly approaching our competitors we were capable of screening their product, so we were aware and strong enough to compete with our competitors. We achieved a bigger market share when we came to the conclusion to sell different kinds of products. Instead of one kind of raincoats we have four variants. Our customers can choose from different rain ponchos and feel free to compare them, when it comes to the quality and the prices. The production department worked together closely together with all the departments in the Rainy Business but especially with the marketing department. This made both departments became more effective and efficient to get to understand how the customers would like their rain ponchos. This information is important to keep updated of the wants of our targeted customers. The production department can respond to them with the rain poncho’s who are the closest to their desire to keep their satisfaction on a high level as we try to make profit in such a short term. This gives us space toShow MoreRelatedNeither Gaap Nor Ifrs Require Companies To Prepare Interim1617 Words   |  7 PagesNeither GAAP nor IFRS require companies to prepare interim financial statements. However, the Securities and Exchange Commission requires all publicly traded companies to file interim financial statements quarterly, in addition to their audited annual financial statements (Hoyle, J., Schaefer, T., D oupnik, T., 2015). The statements do not require an audit and can be presented in a condensed form. Both FASB and IFRS present direction in this matter via ASC 270 and IAS 34 respectively. AccordingRead MoreThe Term Assessment Of An English Class895 Words   |  4 Pagesin multiple ways. The results can be viewed as interim, summative or formative in nature. A balanced interim assessment scheme has three key constituents: 1. End-of-year summative assessments intended for accountability reasons; 2. A collection of mechanisms and resources that drive classroom-centered formative assessment procedures; 3. Interim assessments devised to help educators and students during the school year. The elements of the interim assessments are formed under the same practicesRead MoreGoodwill Impairment Essay1276 Words   |  6 PagesGoodwill Impairment Testing Should management have performed an interim goodwill impairment test as of September 30, 2010? Galaxy Sports Inc. (Galaxy) is a U.S. based manufacturer of sports equipment. It is an SEC registrant with one operating segment with three separate reporting units: fitness, golf and hockey. The fitness is the largest division of Galaxy with allocated goodwill of $200 million. The golf division reports $130 million of goodwill and the hockey has $30 million of goodwillRead MoreControl Accounts Act : Mini Trial Balances1645 Words   |  7 Pagesconstruction of the trial balance than having to balance off each individual personal account in the sales and purchases ledgers which is quite time saving. ANSWER 1 (B) A control account is so called because it controls a section of the ledger. For example, a sales ledger control account controls the sales ledger; a purchase ledger controls the purchase ledger. The closing balances on the sales ledger control accounts should be equivalent to the total of the closing balances on the individual debtorRead MoreA Report On Information About Operating Segments1091 Words   |  5 PagesChun Ma-ACCT501-Segment Reporting Segment Reporting-Overall Overview and background 280-10-05-02 This Subtopic provides guidance to public entities on how to report certain information about operating segments in complete sets of financial statements of the public entity and in condensed financial statements of interim periods issued to shareholders. (FASB, ASC 280-10-05-02) ASC topic 280 sets forth-financial reporting standards for segment reporting, the disclosure of information about differentRead MoreSustainable Supply Chain986 Words   |  4 PagesManufacturing Strategy | AbstractIn this interim report, motive for doing this topic has been discussed and further, the methodology which will be used to reach the conclusion is also been mentioned. Finally, expected takeaway are also been highlighted. Kuldeep Jain - 1401083 Term Paper – Interim Report | Role of reverse logistics and closed-loop supply chain in sustainability Implementation Manufacturing Strategy | AbstractIn this interim report, motive for doing this topic has been discussedRead MoreOrganizational Leadership Is Define As The Management Staff1563 Words   |  7 Pagesdean was straight forward and made clear the yearly goals in the beginning of each admissions cycle. He would then request the three levels of Admissions work together to implement a yearly strategic plan. This included reports on past yield and success rates, statistical reports on enrollment trends, and a recruitment strategy. The dean’s expectation was for the work to be divided evenly, and with his assistance, motivation and innovation, to put the plan into action. According to Rosenfeld’s, thisRead MoreLeasing And The International Accounting Standards Board1152 Words   |  5 PagesSome of the issued addressed in this letter are †¢ Recognition measurement and presentation of cash flow-Lessee statement of financial position and cash flow presentation. †¢ Lessee interim and annual disclosure- Whether the interim reporting standard should be amended to require lease disclosures in a lessee or lessor’s interim financial statement. †¢ Lessor receivable and residual- Lessor or lessee measurement of the underlying asset when a lease terminates early. This applies when lessee consumes moreRead MoreFinancial Analysis : Intel Corporation1059 Words   |  5 PagesCorporation. A talk about the money related strength of Intel has a definitive objective of making suggestions to different speculators. Level examination encourages the required information for ascertaining certain proportions. Also, this paper reports the negative and positive patterns found in Intel s budgetary history and additionally ascertains the present proportion, fast proportion and money to current liabilities proportion. (streetofwalls) Company overview- Intel Corporation, situated inRead MoreLeadership Characteristics Of A Good Leader859 Words   |  4 Pagesthe term â€Å"be the example.† It is my experience that if a leader leads by example, the people will become interested and attentive, and be called to share their gift with others. If they believe in the work and the leader, the organization will succeed in obtaining the goal. Therefore, if the people trust their leader, then all the other attributes will go unnoticed. Leaders are naturally scrutinized, and for good reason. I also believe many of these qualities overlap. For example, one who empowers

The Effects Of Physical Child Abuse On Children Essay

Abstract Physical child abuse is a major social problem which can have an effect on children in numerous ways depending on the extent of the abuse, the child, and the abuser. Physical child abuse can impact children negatively and lead them to delinquent acts as well as them carrying on these behaviors into adulthood. Previous research was gathered and revised of researches done in question of this topic. The paper focuses on what the effects are of physical child abuse and how they can result to crime and delinquent acts. Theoretically juvenile delinquency can be a result of being physically abused, especially if it’s by a parent or guardian is cohesive to theories such as the social learning theory. There are numerous cases of physical child abuse; crime is the worst outcome of abused children. Introduction Many children are faced daily with violence because they are raised in abusive homes. Physical child abuse is the non-accidental trauma or physical injury caused by punching, beating, kicking, biting, burning or otherwise harming a child, physical abuse is the most visible form of child maltreatment American Humane Association (2013). Physical child abuse has many effects, not just physically, as a result of these effects children can end up becoming delinquents. Bartollas Schmalleger (2014) defines juvenile delinquency is an act committed by a minor that violates the penal code of the government with authority over the area in which the act occurs. This paperShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Physical Child Abuse On Children1298 Words   |  6 PagesEffects of Physical Child Abuse Why do folks abuse their child or children? Child abuse includes physical mistreatment and neglect, and happens everywhere throughout the world. These poor little kids are being hit, kicked, poisoned, burned, slapped, or having objects thrown at them. At the point when a child encounters physical child abuse, the wounds runs genuinely deep. Abusing children is the last thing an adult should do to a child because they can either become broken, bitter, or hollow. AuthorizedRead MoreThe Effects Of Physical Child Abuse On Children Essay1865 Words   |  8 PagesPhysical child abuse can cause harmful everlasting effects that many people might not realize. What an abuser may fail to think about is that physical harm to a child’s body not only hurts their exterior but can also lead to extreme mental health issues like depression, uncontrollable anger, as well as anxiety. Children who suffer from physical abuse who never receive any treatment or healthcare during this time may not h ave as much control over their emotions and impulses compared to non-abusedRead More Child Abuse and Neglect Essay1480 Words   |  6 PagesWhen thinking about statistics on child abuse, it’s very helpful to know that the idea of â€Å"child abuse† is very controversial. Recently, in particular homes and cultures, child abuse has come to be seen as a major social problem and a main cause of many people’s suffering and personal problems. Some believe that we are beginning to face the true prevalence and significance of child abuse. There is more to child abuse than just the physical scars; children are affected socially, mentally, and emotionallyRead More Child Abuse and Neglect Essay1139 Words   |  5 PagesChild Abuse is a very serious issue all throughout the world, in all different countries, cultures, and communities. The four main types of abuse are emotional abuse, physical abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse, and although emotional abuse and neglect are often overlooked, each has just as severe effects on children as sexual and physical abuse (Saisan et al.). The many causes of all kinds of the abuse of children have devastating effects on the child’s life presently and later on in life. ThereRead MoreEssay on Child Abuse and Neglect1710 Words   |  7 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Maltreatment of children is not a new phenomenon. It dates back far into history, even back to biblical times. During recent years child maltreatment has had an increase in the publics eye. There are many factors to child maltreatment. There are four general categories of child maltreatment now recognized. They are physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and emotional maltreatment. Each category, in turn, covers a range of behavior. The maltreatment of children not only affects the children themselvesRead MoreDescribe That Possible Signs, Symptoms, Indicators and Behaviours That May Cause Concern in the Context of Safeguarding.1486 Words   |  6 PagesDEFINITION OF CHILD ABUSE An abused child is any child, up to the age of 18, who has suffered from, or is believed likely to be at risk of, physical injury, neglect, emotional abuse, sexual abuse or verbal abuse. (Source: www.yesican.org) It is recognised that that it is abuse when someone inflicts harm or fails to prevent it. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting, by those known to them or by a stranger, for example, via the internet. Child abuse can have majorRead MoreHistory of Child Abuse1113 Words   |  5 PagesHistory of child abuse BSHS/408 February 15 2016 Chiffone N Shelton Abstract In order to discuss child abuse and neglect it is important to have a clear understanding of what child abuse and neglect is and the different form of child abuse. How the various types of child abuse and neglect are different from one another, ill-treatment of children comes in many forms, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional ill-treatment, and child neglect. Child neglect comes in many forms and occurs whenRead MoreEffect of Child Abuse in Our Society1405 Words   |  6 Pages EFFECT OF CHILD ABUSE IN OUR SOCIETY INTRODUCTION Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional abandonment and/or maltreatment of a child. Child abuse is a latent function of some families that is not intended but happens anyway. Child abuse is often seen differently, depending on various cultures, societies, and groups. We as a society cannot really understand the effect of â€Å"Child Abuse in Our Society† unless we have the grasp knowledge of what child abuse actually is. ThisRead MoreChild Sexual Abuse And Children1301 Words   |  6 PagesChild sexual abuse effects tens of thousands of children, and young teens every year. With the rate of this issues, parents and other adults are not prepared nor willing to deal with problems of their children or family members been sexual abused. Child sexual abuse can take many forms, but it’s always a violation of a young person’s rights, and it increases the risk of many adverse physical and mental health conditions. Furthermore, child sexual abuse is defined as di rect genital contact and indirectRead MoreChild Abuse : Developmental Effects For Adolescents1653 Words   |  7 PagesChild Abuse: Developmental Effects for Adolescents Taylor Gowen Psych 210 Human Growth and Development Professor Lou Bacon Great Bay Community College Introduction - Adolescence is defined as the bridge between childhood and adulthood, which begins at the age of 12 and ends around the age of 18 (Scannapieco Connell-Carrick, 2005). Adolescence is a time where a lot of changing and transformation occurs throughout the body. At this time, adolescence experience physical, emotional

Thtr 100 Free Essays

1. __________ argued for light as the guiding principle of all design and defined the role of the modern lighting designer. Adolphe Appia 2. We will write a custom essay sample on Thtr 100 or any similar topic only for you Order Now A member of the audience may see a play from five different critical and dramaturgical perspectives. What are five perspectives? social, personal, artistic, theatrical, and entertainment value 3. All plays and play productions can be usefully analyzed and evaluated on the way they use the theatrical format to the best advantage and make us rethink the nature of theatrical production. true 4. Avant-garde means, literally, â€Å"the major assault† or â€Å"shock troops. † true 5. Dramatic criticism usually appears in all the following forms EXCEPT annotated versions of a playscript used in production. 6. Dramaturgy is essentially a subset of directorial responsibilities false 7. Eschewing realism, romanticism, and rationality to create relentlessly unenlightening plays, which playwright said, â€Å"Art has nothing to do with clarity, does not dabble in the clear, and does not make clear? Samuel Beckett 8. Flashbacks that are not clearly framed as such, shuttling instead between time zones without narrative warning, are examples of nonlinear theater 9. Founded by Luis Valdez in 1965, which contemporary Chicano theatre was created to dramatize the farm workers’ situation in California through didactic actos? Teatro Campesino 10. Generally the playwright is more intelligent and better informed than the members of the audience. false 11. How did Stanislavsky contribute to realist theatre? He brought realist acting to realist plots 12. If you were to join a discussion about macaronic drama, you would be chatting about plays that include speeches in different languages. 13. In describing dramatic space as â€Å"psycho-plastic,† which â€Å"scenographer† (Europe’s most celebrated in the 20thcentury) said â€Å"The goal of a designer can no longer be a description of a copy of actuality, but the creation of its multidimensional model? Joseph Svoboda 14. Opera bouffe is a type of lightweight, sentimental musical. false 15. Plays that deal with theatrical matter not simply as a vehicle but as a theme are called metadrama or metatheatre. 16. Postmodern playwrights and directors are mainly concerned with the discontinuity meaning 17. Postmodernism relates to previous artistic movements in all the following ways EXCEPT postmodern theatre attempts to illuminate the received truths of How to cite Thtr 100, Papers

Recruiting Case application free essay sample

The opening vignette for Chapter 6 is about the Container Store’s recruiting approach. The company combines an employee referral and customer contact strategy with a focus on retention. Turnover is low and the company does not need to use traditional recruiting often, such as advertisements. This vignette complements the chapter’s overview of recruitment methods used for internal, external and international recruitment. This includes some non-traditional sources of workers, such as temporary employees and employee leasing. Finally, students are given guidance on how to apply for a job. Additional Features of This Chapter â€Å"Did You Know: Something for Everyone† discusses what members of different generations look for in the job search. â€Å"Diversity and HRM† discusses the importance of assuring that job ads are not discriminatory. Exhibit 6-1 is a general job advertisement for an HR Generalist-Recruiter. Exhibit 6-2 is a more specific advertisement. A â€Å"Workplace Issues† segment provides a listing of EEOC recognized best practices in recruitment and hiring. The â€Å"Technology Corner† provides information on sources of software to help prepare a resume. Exhibit 6-4 is a sample resume. ADDITIONAL LECTURE OR ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS Recruitment/Selection examples: Have students share their own experiences with recruitment and selection. Try to place their experiences along a continuum of HR sophistication; e. g. , some employers put out a sign, while others may have an elaborate process to attract and screen employees. Discuss the costs, benefits and effectiveness of the different approaches. Discuss student examples of bad hiring decisions and why they may have occurred. Assign students to research jobs they are interested in on the Internet. They should bring copies of postings that interest them to class where they can share what they’ve found in small groups. Encourage them to compare what they found to the text’s coverage of recruitment marketing, job advertisements, etc. You can adapt this activity by focusing the search on open HR jobs. Invite a representative from the campus career center to provide an overview of the resources and lead a â€Å"mini-workshop† on resumes. CHAPTER OUTLINE AND LECTURE SUGGESTIONS 1. Introduction A. Once an organization identifies its human resource needs through employment planning, it can begin the process of recruiting potential candidates for actual or anticipated organizational vacancies. B. Recruiting brings together those with jobs to fill and those seeking jobs. 2. Recruiting Goals A. Goals: To provide information that will attract a significant pool of qualified candidates and discourage unqualified ones from applying. B. Factors that affect recruiting efforts 1. Organizational size 2. Employment conditions in the area 3. Working conditions, salary and benefits offered 4. Organizational growth or decline C. Constraints on recruiting efforts are factors that limit managers’ freedom to recruit and select candidates of their choice. These include: 1. Organization image 2. Job attractiveness 3. Internal organizational policies, such as those encouraging promotion from within 4. Government influence, such as discrimination laws 5. Recruiting costs 6. â€Å"Did You Know: Something for Everyone† discusses how generational differences affect recruiting. 3. Recruiting: A Global Perspective A. For some positions, the whole world is a relevant labor market. B. Home-country nationals are recruited when an organization is searching for someone with extensive company experience to launch a very technical product in a country where it has never sold before. C. Host-country nationals (HCNs) are targeted as recruits when companies want each foreign subsidiary to have its own distinct national identity. In some countries, laws control how many expatriates a corporation can send. HCNs minimize potential problems with language, family adjustment and hostile political environments. D. Expatriates live and work in a country of which he/she is not a citizen. E. International recruiting for executives, regardless of nationality, may develop an executive cadre with a truly global perspective. 4. Recruiting Sources A. Sources should match the position to be filled. B. Additionally, the Internet is providing many new opportunities to recruit and causing companies to revisit past recruiting practices. C. Internal searches 1. Organizations that promote from within identify current employees for job openings by having individuals bid for jobs, by using their HR management system or by utilizing employee referrals. 2. Advantages of promoting from within include good public relations, morale building, encouragement of ambitious employees and members of protected groups, availability of information on existing employee performance, cost-savings, internal candidates’ knowledge of the organization, and the opportunity to develop mid- and top-level managers. 3. Disadvantages include possible inferiority of internal candidates, infighting and morale problems, and potential inbreeding. D. Employee referrals/recommendations: Current employees can be asked to recommend recruits. 1. Advantages include the employee’s motivation to make a good recommendation and the availability of accurate job information for the recruit. Employee referrals tend to be more acceptable applicants, to be more likely to accept an offer and to have a higher survival rate. 2. Disadvantages include the possibility of friendship being confused with job performance, the potential for nepotism, and the potential for adverse impact. 3. Refer to opening vignette – the Container Store. E. External searches 1. Advertisements: a. Must decide type and location of ad, depending on job; decide whether to focus on job (job description) or on applicant (job specification). b. Three factors influence the response rate: identification of the organization, labor market conditions, and the degree to which specific requirements are listed. c. The job analysis is the basic source of information for the ad. d. Blind box ads don’t identify the organization. e. See Exhibits 6-1 and 6-2. 2. Employment agencies a. Public or state employment services traditionally have focused on helping unemployed individuals with lower skill levels to find jobs. b. Private employment agencies may provide more comprehensive services and are perceived to offer positions and applicants of a higher caliber. Fees may be paid by employer, employee or both. c. Management consulting, executive search or headhunter firms specialize in executive placement and hard-to-fill positions. They charge employers up to 35% of the first year salary, have nationwide contacts, and do thorough investigations of candidates. 3. Schools, colleges, and universities may provide entry-level or experienced workers through their placement services. May also help companies establish cooperative education assignments and internships. 4. Professional organizations: Publish rosters of vacancies, placement services at meetings, and may control the supply of prospective applicants. Professional organizations also include labor unions. 5. Unsolicited applicants (Walk-ins): May provide a stockpile of prospective applicants if there are no current openings. 6. Cyberspace Recruiting: Most companies use the Internet to recruit employees. Commercial job-posting services continue to grow. An estimated 80% of resumes submitted electronically are inappropriate for the position, but employers can use technology to sort through the submissions. 7. Recruitment alternatives: More and more companies today are looking at hiring temporary help. a. Temporary help services. Temporary employees help organizations meet short-term fluctuations in HRM needs. Older workers can also provide high quality temporary help. b. Employee leasing. Trained workers are employed by a leasing company, which provides them to employers when needed for a flat fee. They typically remain with an organization for longer periods of time. c. Independent contractors do specific work either on or off the company’s premises. Costs of regular employees (i. e. taxes and benefits costs) are not incurred. 5. Meeting the Organization: View getting a job as your job at the moment. A. Preparing Your Resume 1. Use quality paper and easy to read type. 2. Proofread carefully. 3. Include volunteer experience. 4. Use typical job description phraseology. 5. Use a cover letter to highlight your greatest strengths. 6. Don’t forget about networking as an excellent way of gaining access to an organization. 7. Exhibit 6-4 is a sample resume. DEMONSTRATING COMPREHENSION: Questions for Review 1. What is the dual objective of recruitment? The two goals of recruiting are to generate a large pool of applicants from which to choose while simultaneously providing enough information for individuals to self-select out of the process. 2. Identify and describe what factors influence the degree to which an organization will engage in recruiting. Influences that constrain Human Resources Management in determining recruiting sources include image of the organization, attractiveness and nature of the job, internal policies, government requirements, and the re ­cruiting budget. 3. What specific constraints might prevent an HR manager from hiring the best candidate? As discussed in the previous question, the best candidate might not be attracted to the organization. Company policies that prohibit hiring from the outside and promote from within might exclude the best candidate. The recruiting budget might limit the size of the applicant pool and omit the best candidate. The organization’s pay scale may not be sufficient enough to be acceptable to the best candidate. 4. Present the advantages and disadvantages of recruiting through an internal search. Advantages of an internal search are that the person already knows the culture and the organization. If the candidate is selected, he or she probably will accept the job. Background investigations and other external hurdles have already been cleared by internal applicants, so the recruiting process is a simpler one. Costs are less than recruiting on the outside. Disadvantages of an internal search are that the pool will be restricted to attitudes, skills and abilities already in the organization. 5. What are the pros and cons of using employee referrals for recruiting workers? Pros. Employee referrals have several advantages. The candidate probably already has a realistic sense of the organization from the employee and he or she probably will accept the job. The employee can serve as a reference, thus somewhat potentially simplifying security and background investigation measures. Cons. Disadvantages are tied to the nature of the employee who recommended the applicant. If that employee is not a good employee, chances are that he or she has not recruited a good employee. The applicant pool is restricted to acquaintances of current workers thus potentially limiting diversity. The limitations are not as severe as an internal search, but are similar in kind. 6. Describe the differences one may encounter when recruiting globally. First, companies need to define the target labor market. It may, indeed, be completely global. Companies need to explore how they will approach host-county nationals, expatriates, home-country nationals. Local labor laws may affect who the company can and cannot hire, such as in the textbook example about African nations. Compensation packages will be more complex for international hires. Hiring in some locations will require the company to consider political turmoil and possible terrorism. These issues may affect the company’s decision to send an expatriate or to hire locally. Overall, however, global recruiting can result in executives and managers with a broad understanding of the business and global economy. 7. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a â€Å"websume†? Advantages. Applicants who have their own web page have the opportunity to showcase themselves in more creative ways than just submitting a resume. In addition to their resume, they can provide supporting documentation, letters of reference, a video of themselves and anything else they think could make them appeal to prospective employers. Disadvantages. Some recruiters may prefer to have a standard resume before them. Others may not want to have to visit the applicant’s website to obtain information. And, what if the website has technical problems and goes down? How will a prospective employer access the information? LINKING CONCEPTS TO PRACTICE: Discussion Questions 1. â€Å"A job advertisement that generates 1,000 responses is always better than one that gets 20 responses. † Build an argument supporting this statement and an argument against this statement. Pro. Even though large applicant pools may be cumbersome, they offer the greatest opportunity to find applicants, increase diversity, and bring new ideas to the company. Con. Companies have limited resources that must be used judiciously. Using well-constructed ads allows individuals to self-select out so that those who are left should be truly viable candidates. 2. An organization should follow a promote-from-within policy. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Explain. Agree. Promotion from within encourages current employees to do well in their present jobs with the hope of reward in terms of advancement within the firm. This prospect builds morale, helps define purpose and meaning at work. Corporate values and culture are more defined and upheld in promote–from–within organizations. As long as the firm is developing the skills and abilities it needs, this arrangement is a desirable one. Disagree. Organizations who only promote from within are getting new ideas and new blood only at the entry level, the lowest level of the organization. Stagnation and complacency can result in the strategic planning function as a result. If innovation and adaptability to external circumstances are desirable, then promote– from–within is not good. If the current workforce is not diverse, organizational efforts to increase diversity will be hampered. 3. When you go looking for a job after graduation, what sources do you expect to use? Why? The discussion will vary depending on the institution, its location, career goals and the experience levels of the students. A good way to manage the discussion is to start a chart on the blackboard with rows identified as Placement Center Want Ads Professional Organizations Private Employment Agencies Public Employment Agencies Parents, friends Company Web sites Internet recruiting firms and to let the students relate positive and negative anecdotes about such resources. Another approach is to identify a particular job, HR Generalist for a small firm, Compensation analyst, or Anything entry level in HR. Then, build a specific list for that job. Finally, summarize an approach to using these resources effectively. Students will enjoy this activity if you let them identify the job you will explore, especially if the focus is their target job post-graduation. 4. The emphasis on leased and temporary employees in an organization will only lead to a decrease in employee morale. These employees come in, do their jobs, and then leave it up to the full-timers to handle the details. Build an argument supporting this statement, and an argument against this statement. Agree. Temporary and leased employees do not have loyalty to the organization, and do leave to go elsewhere. Therefore, they may not fix problems as conscientiously as an employee who has to live with the solution. Also, temporary and leased employees do not have the experience or cultural sensitization to know the probable approaches to situations that an insider would have. If they leave unsolved problems, morale for survivors may suffer. Disagree. Temporary and leased employees are valuable to the firm for many reasons. They can be morale builders to other employees by doing jobs that no full-time person wants to do, or finds too stressful to do. They can take over seasonal overloads and help full-time employees manage the workload. They can be used to aid in technology transitions or conversions, bringing needed skills with them while full-time staff learn new skills. Temporary employment also affords the firm a chance to evaluate new employees before permanent hiring decisions are made. Thus, new full-time employees are better fits, increasing morale. It is the responsibility of management and HRM in terms of job design to make sure that temporary employees are not placed in positions that will encourage someone to walk away from problems, leaving them for full–timers to handle. CASE APPLICATION 6-A: PRIORITY STAFFING CASE SUMMARY Priority Staffing Solutions, New York, NY, is a temporary staffing agency specializing in multilingual temporary workers. This niche organization provides a service that helps her clients manage their costs and adapt to changing staffing needs. 1. What role does a temporary staffing agency like Priority Staffing Solutions play in the recruiting efforts of an organization? This particular agency provides staffing support for unique positions that require multilingual employees. Since the requirements for the positions vary based on the current need, the HR department can rely upon Priority Staffing Solutions to â€Å"do the work† when needed – and to supply much needed help in niche positions. 2. Does a surplus or a shortage of workers play a role in how organizations recruit? When there is a shortage of workers, companies are more aggressive and creative in their recruiting techniques. When there is a surplus of workers, companies can be less aggressive and more selective in their hiring. A surplus of workers who are qualified and interested reduces the need of the employer to actively recruit. When competition is higher, more resources are required to locate, interview and â€Å"sell† the potential employee on the open position. An organization like Priority Staffing Solutions specializes in an area likely to have many â€Å"shortages†. 3. How does an organization like Priority Staffing Solutions assist in filling â€Å"hard to recruit† jobs? Explain. As mentioned in previous questions, Priority Staffing Solutions specializes in multilingual temporary workers. This specialty allows the organization to â€Å"keep tabs† on the labor market, then use its knowledge to match the available workforce with open positions in the clients’ companies. 4. What effect on an organization’s image do you believe there is from using a firm like Priority Staffing Solutions? Defend your position. Student responses will be varied. CASE APPLICATION 6-B: TEAM FUN! CASE SUMMARY Kenny and Norton, the owners, have decided to open a new store. They expect to hire 20-30 new people and feel Tony, the HRM director, should be able to do it by September, three months away. From Kenny and Norton’s remarks, they think the hiring process hasn’t changes from when they were a small company of 25. You are Tony’s intern. 1. Make a recruiting plan for TEAM FUN! Identify at least four principal recruiting sources for the new store. Be sure to discuss the pros and cons of each of your suggestions. You have been told the company needs to hire 20-30 people from the Fort Myers area to staff the new store. The first thing this information does is identify the relevant labor market. This helps in selecting what recruiting methods to use. Additionally, since the store is new, internal searches and employee referrals/recommendations are not options. Newspaper ads in the local paper will probably be one of the most effective recruiting tools. How successful it will be in attracting qualified applicants who will fit well in the TEAM FUN! environment will depend on how well the ads describe the individual qualifications needed and the work environment. Local public and private employment agencies are also a recruiting resource and can provide some effective pre-screening, particularly since this is a new store location. Local schools, colleges, and universities may have recent graduates who are interested in employment or current students who might want to work. Lastly, but not least, TEAM FUN! could put information about the new store on its web site and encourage individuals to apply for the new positions. The web offers an opportunity to put expanded information about the store, the work environment, employee benefits, etc. 2. Recommend to Tony which of the four sources should get top priority. Defend your decision. Newspaper ads in the local papers will probably be most effective and reach the largest pool of potential applicants. Homemakers, students, the currently unemployed, those wanting to make a job change, usually check the employment opportunities in the paper. The company’s web site could be listed in the ad and could provide more information about the company, benefits, working conditions, etc. WORKING WITH A TEAM: A QUESTION OF EFFECTIVE RECRUITING OVERVIEW A description is given of an entrepreneur, Tommy Ford, who wants employees who are aggressive, highly creative, skilled, focused team players, flexible, change driven, informed, cutting-edge professionals, and diverse who are extremely committed and willing to work long hours. Ask students whether or not they would be interested in working for the company. Have them compare answers with their work teams and discuss why they were or were not interested. Directions for this exercise are also in the text. QUESTIONS/ANSWERS 1. What web sites would you use if you were interested in an international job? You could try the following: Search for sites of universities and technical schools abroad. Find the sites for international professional associations; e. g. , those representing software engineers and other technical specialties. Check out consulting and recruitment firms that specialize in international recruitment, for example: International Career Information, Inc www. intercareer. com. This firm specializes in identifying bilingual international business professionals for positions in the U. S. , Japan, and other Asian countries. Their services include a Pan-Asian Job Fair. Pacific Bridge, Inc. at www. pacificbridge. com. This is a recruiting and human resources consulting firm that assists international companies with staffing their operations in Asia. 2. Would you consider being an expatriate? Why or why not? There is no general right or wrong answer here. Individual circumstances must be considered in making a decision. First, students should answer the question, How much do you know about being an expatriate? Living and studying abroad, reading about international experiences, talking to individuals who have worked abroad are all good ways to find out. Once students have some information about what its like to be an expatriate, they need to evaluate their motivation and skills, including such aspects as: language abilities flexibility and ability to adjust to new situations ability to arrange personal life to spend time abroad safety factors family issues

Mne Challenges in Emerging Markets free essay sample

International business and global innovation Individual report 1. Please discuss MNEs challenges in emerging markets? How can MNEs solve these? First of all, I would like to mention that It would be hard to describe challenges in emerging markets of the whole world, because question either can be roughly generalized or otherwise requires deep and wide research which is not the case right now. That’s why in my discussion I would like to stop on one country – Russia. The Russian economy is growing by 7. 7 per cent per year, supported by the soaring price of oil.But with stories about government corruption and mobsters, how attractive is the country for the more entrepreneurial-sized business? I would like to discuss some of the challenges most companies face while entering this emerging market. I would like not to talk in details about common problems and stereotypes which are often mentioned about Russia, amongst those I already noticed are high level of corruption, gangsters and seemed political instability. We will write a custom essay sample on Mne Challenges in Emerging Markets or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page And one thing I would like to mention first is a labor problem.Management in Russia is faced presently with two major issues in the labor force: the battle for highly qualified specialists and the cost-to-productivity ratio. The battle for top specialists has become extremely rough in the recent time. Recruiting companies are very busy these days with headhunting. Professionals already receiving top salaries at multinational corporations are being stolen away, often by Russian majors, attracted by dramatic salary increases. It used to be that the professional would look at these offers with skepticism, questioning the reputation or stability of most Russian companies.Nowadays, these people do not worry as much and instead look at the cost-of-living, which is also rising dramatically, especially in major cities among which are Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and many others. The situation has gotten so bad that many companies are afraid to let their specialists be quoted in articles or to send them to conferences or other events where headhunters or competitors may be looking around in search for their next pray. It would be impossible for me not to notice the other side of this process which is the fact that labor market has become spoiled. Salaries are steadily increasing but productivity levels are not. At the current salary levels, business owners and management are becoming increasingly sensitive to productivity levels and attempting to demand more work ethic and more productivity from their highly paid employees. At the same time, there is very little choice in the current market. More and more foreign-owned companies in particular seem to be looking more closely at hiring and importing foreigners, now that Russian salaries are roughly on par with those of foreigners in many sectors.Foreigners coming from countries known for higher productivity levels and initiative are especially attractive – minimally in the hopes that they can set an example. Young foreigners eager to gain experience in Russias developing market, are finding work – particularly in sales, client relations, business development, and marketing. So, generally it can be summed up that finding qualified local partners and employees is a difficult process. The pool of managers who understand Western accounting and business practices remains limited, as well as the pool of qualified, experienced Russians proficient in English.Another big challenge and â€Å"nightmare† for most foreign-owned companies operating in Russia is lease rates for commercial real-estate. It’s avoided by most foreign-operated Class A properties, but the situation is quiet bad in most of it’s sector lower. It is the rare landlord who fulfills most of his side of the contract. Moreover, rental contracts in Russia are usually biased toward the landlord. As a result foreign companies often find themselves looking for a new place. However, finding a better situation can be extremely difficult in Russias current real estate market. Centrally located, Class A property can run $USD 2000 and more per square meter per year. Bidding wars are not unusual and most other classes of property are seeing equal pressure. These are two challenges which I would like to point out, apart from that I’d like to briefly mention other challenges: * Government bureaucracy, poorly established rule of law and corruption affect such areas as establishing a business, tax collection, dispute settlement, property rights, product certification and standards, as well as Russian Customs clearance. Adequate financial resources for Russian buyers still remain a problem, but it is not as acute as it was in years past. There are more foreign banks operating in Russia and more cash circulating within the economy due to the Russian oil and gas boom. * The Russian government continues to use its oil and gas resources to increase the states’ ownership in certain strategic industries and companies. So it is not completely clear to foreign companies which sectors are open to them for investment without Russian majority partners. The Russian Government continues its work on defining what are Russia’s strategic sectors.And after I stated challenges I must answer the second part of the question which is how to overcome these challenges. And in my view, a fundamental consideration must be there as a major phase of preparation if someone is going to go into Russia. This preparation involves surrounding company’s branch with reliable people, having an adequate concept of what is to be done and a well-defined strategy plan. You also need the necessary investment capacity and time arranged to follow this way. 2. You are expatriated to work in an emerging market (e. India or Brazil) What capabilities do you need? What and how can firm provide you for the expatriation in emerging markets? (Maybe take one country as example) I think generally company must have an on-going business processes with the country, otherwise the necessity of having employees overseas is indistinct. There can be several cases when headquarters would need their employee to be expatriated to the subsidiary or partner company, for example: * Company knowledge and experience diffusion or sharing; * Leader position in one of the overseas branches; Emerging market opportunities opened etc. Brazil is a great example of an emerging market. And if life will propose the opportunity for me to work there, I think I’d take it with great pleasure. Of course, there’re certain capabilities I must possess to take this kind of job opportunity: * Particularity of doing business in Brazil is that a potential Brazilian partner is essentially looking for two things: someone they like and trust as well as someone who is competent in business.The most important of these is to build a strong relationship first which will then naturally lead to trust. Time must be invested in getting to know people on a personal level in order to allow for open and honest discussions in business. So, naturally, the environment will require from me to be a trustworthy, sophisticated person with a clear understanding of benefits and goals. * Another point Brazilians usually comment on is the tendency of European and American business people to â€Å"get straight down to business†.This can be seen as offensive and even aggressive. It is good practice to indulge in small talk whether it is asking about their children or chatting about the latest news or football (soccer) results. This interesting feature of business ethics will require from me a positive, easygoing attitude at all times. * Despite Brazil poses as an emerging, fast-growing market English proficiency still remains low levels especially in the social sector and in the matter of daily life.So in my understanding extradition to Brazil will be more effective with readiness to learn Portuguese at least until the level which will allow me to be independent on the matter of daily life, e. g. survival level of it. * Apart from all of that, I should have a clear view of business ethics and interpersonal relationship customs in Brazil. One of the important things is that I will have to be ready for a total change of values and concepts in any part of business and social life. In fact, that rule can be applied to all of cultures. In Rome act like a Roman.

Who governs the schools

Who governs the schools Introduction Education is closely linked to politics because its roots are wide and it affects every facet of the society. Academic freedom has not been defined by the U.S. constitution. However, the federal and the state courts have addressed this issue, and it is strongly protected (Wilson, DiIulio and Bose 4).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Who governs the schools? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Formal education cannot be compared with any other factor in governance because it experiences minimal changes regardless of whether it is in private or public institutions. It acts as an instrument in the establishing the broader social order for those people who wish to experience change or even safeguard their status quo. In the United States, formal education has been changing over the last decades and the current education system is different from the one that was practiced early in the 20th century. K-12 operates in about fifty states, with five million employees and students exceeding 48 million. This system is very costly and takes close to 2 billion dollars daily. This is not standardized because it is very reliable on the political dynamics. Thus, it is bound to change very often. Schools and colleges are subjects of the increased politicization, glacial pace to change, and these institutions change and the changes are expected even in the future (Guthrie 1-2). Attention has also shifted to the post-secondary educational institutions to use these institutions as significant features in the political landscape. A lot of research has been done to establish how the economy can be preserved while offering quality education. Student financial aid is one of the tools that have been used in this process. There are concerns as to whether the lower schools have received adequate attention (Guthrie 3). This paper discusses about the governance of schools and the politics that accompany this proces s. Dynamics experienced in politics are significant in the quality of education offered in the society. The federal and State governments have overpowered the traditional, local system of school governance. Education efficiency In the U.S., education is an individual states responsibility. States have focused their attention on the outcome that they are likely to gain from the education systems that they establish (Adams and Rick, 2-5). The states embrace the outcomes to provide favorable processes to each district.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The school managers, teachers, as well as students are involved in the process of making the procedures to ensure that the standards are followed. Each state balances its own local judgments with those of the state. This has prompted the authorities into taking this as an opportunity to introduce reforms and transformation s. Challenges are experienced in establishing whether the resources employed are utilized to the maximum. Policy makers have a keen interest in the assessment of educational systems efficiency. In the current systems, the spending levels have been expressed as per each pupils expense. This system is inefficient because it keeps rising as there is no proper, direct measure of what schools accomplish as defined by the outcomes achieved. It does not offer solutions as to how schools can change their mode of operation over time to meet the desired outcomes. Lack of proper planning for the gradual changes has made it difficult to establish policies that would provide for clear gains in the education system. Other key social goals have been undermined in the process. They include fairness and the freedom to choose the best system by institutions. Transformation is influenced by the dynamic political structures, and this should not be the case. The change should be initiated based on the o utcomes achieved and the expected results (Adams and Rick, 7). Each decade holds a unique plan, and this is determined by the leaders in power during a given period. For instance, George W. Bushs election victory was attributed to his education plan. However, any negative changes that may arise as a result of this plan may not be blamed on the president. The public can only complain about the issues arising like the meddling by the federal government and insufficient funding. In such a scenario, feedback and change implementation cannot be effectively assigned to ensure that an improvement is made (Epstein 3). Criticism of schools and blame will continue to persist as long as new governors and presidents develop new varying resolutions every decade. Such proposals can only last for the duration that they are in power. With this arrangement, planning for the education system has become political. It triggers applause and is a tool for winning votes.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Who governs the schools? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the end, there is no risk attached to the planned resolutions if they fail because the governors and presidents do not have direct control over the implementation of the policies. The chief state school officers run the state education departments. They report to the state boards of education, and not the governors. This has led to the confusion and poor accountability that has been experienced in the education system. Making the political figures fully in charge of these systems can be a positive move towards an efficient education system. A separate education government is not effective if these figures are not held accountable for the outcome experienced from the resolutions that they establish. The challenges experienced are as a result of dominance by the political figures in the education system. The irony is that they dominate the education policies a nd leave the accountability to everyone else (Epstein 4-5). Direct political control promises greater visibility and accountability that will see the academic results improve. The management of programs that come before and after schools will also be effective. Challenges experienced in the school environment like teenage pregnancies among other social ills can be controlled effectively. Thus, the education system improves with the effective implementation of the policies. However, the main challenge is holding the mayors, governors, and the presidents accountable for the results achieved. Although the policies can be enacted and implemented in one term of office, the probability of evaluating the policies in the same term is nil. Thus, it is impossible to determine the efficiency of the policies given that there is no guarantee for another term in office (Epstein 5). Inadequate knowledge and technical properties do not mean that the education system is unpredictable or unmanageable . It only calls for great care in the implementation and exercise of these efforts to ensure that the current educational systems are efficient. The data and feedback assessed should be assessed and analyzed to determine the changes that can be established despite the accountability challenges that exist (Monk 22). The role of Political leaders in the educational systems The issue of accountability has triggered a new interest in the education systems as education politics have become a new reality (Sunderman 226). For the Mayors, there has been an increasing need to link the schools with other city services such as health and housing.Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This would make the mayors realize and plan for the future of their cities with education in mind. Since the education system is not an independent concept, other factors can be used to determine the faith of the public in the educational plans. The mayors can play major roles in the back office roles of the education system, support charter schools by proposing for new ones, or convert the public schools that have a record of failure. They can also facilitate the use of schools to reach the community for other services like health and day care among other community activities. This is a way of maximizing resources all year round, and the mayors also get a chance to add value to urban real estate. Such involvement by mayors gives the parents confidence in public schools and may save them the expenses associated with the private institutions (Cooper, James and Lance 24). The education system goals can be narrowed down to reach each student and widen the coverage in the society. The N o Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) that was re authorized in 2007 is an example of efforts by the government to promote a fair distribution of resources. Funding decisions are associated with a lot of controversy, and there is a need to reconsider some of the policy options. For instance, states that failed to focus on the fiscal side did not succeed in reducing the resource gap between the neediest districts and their affluent counterparts. This raised the issue of whether the federal government can clear the resource gap or not. This is only possible if a systematic examination is adopted within the country to meet its 2014 goal of educating every child. Politics that are based on accountability have been facilitated by the expansion issue in education. In this program, the political leaders such as the governors and the mayors are the key players. The high courts are also part of this plan that works at ensuring that leaders are accountable for the plans and policies that they put in place. Increasing accountability among the political leaders helps in addressing the issue of income and racial disparity. It also solves the tension that exists between social redistribution and the decentralized governance. Accountability discourages the political figures from establishing risky policies. It also builds a commitment towards the inter-governmental system (Cooper, James and Lance 28). Political Dynamics Evident in the Education system Dating back to the mid-1980s, the education policy has experienced many dynamics. With the K-12 education system, there has been changes in curriculum and the standards of performance. There have been new assessment and accountability regimes adopted, as well as new and attractive programs for teachers in terms of performance and pay. These have contributed to the rise and fall of numerous, systematic reform efforts. The same dynamics have also been experienced in higher education in terms of financing. There has been a decline in the public investment, as far as higher education is concerned. This has played a role in the performance and accountability reforms. The focus is not only on the inputs, but also the outcomes achieved. However, concerns have been raised as to why states have embarked on policy changes. The education policy change significance in the US may have been contributed by social, economical, and political differences that exist. However, this is not well linked to the assessment of the input and output assessment that has been done. External factors seem to play a bigger role in the education system. It poses a risk that this trend will continue in the future if a systematic approach is not adopted (Cooper, James and Lance 30). A continuous evaluation program involving political leaders has to be implemented for proper governance. Micro level systems, which are influenced by the existing political powers, should be dropped to adopt a systematic approach that involves all the stakeholders in d ecision makers. This will serve the interests of the general public, as well as the governments interests (Cooper, James and Lance 31). Good governance should involve maximum state, and local discretion to promote investment by educators and systems that offer support in return. Lack of this exercise constrains the government in terms of enforcement or promotion of enhanced educational practice with positive results. Another requirement for meeting the NLCB goal is the need for highly qualified teachers. While the governments argue that there is enough supply of qualified teachers, low income schools have suffered high teacher turnover rates. This puts the low income schools in a disadvantaged position when compared to the affluent schools. If the states could focus on the neediest districts in fund allocation, then there is a probability that the teachers would be attracted to stay in the neediest schools through the provision of incentives and other attractive packages. Such a str ategy would help in closing the resource and the achievement gap that exists between these districts (Epstein 9-10). Finance equalization has not been achieved in most of the states as a result of the poor approach given by the federal policy makers. The neediest students have not gotten the chance to access the much needed access to quality education. Most of the funds end up in the schools where students are already doing well, and this keeps them ahead of the needy students. The federal government should give an approach whereby funds are allocated according to each districts needs. Funds have also been allocated to public schools to cater for students who fail to progress academically for two consecutive years. There is also a prospect that the same should be applied in the private schools. However, this should be used as a strategy to help public schools gain preference. The choice between the private and public schools has been promoted by supporting the public schools. It pro vides competition that is meant to increase the efficiency in schools. This has resulted in conformity rather than choice because rewards and punishments only attract students because of the financial support and not a choice (Espain 11). School boards have lost power over the governance of schools to the federal government. In the past, American education was rooted in the local policy, management and financial control that are traditions, which are closely linked to the political culture. This has changed since 2000, and a majority of the Americans wants Washington to reduce its influence over the education system. It is feared that the NCLB program will change that and expand the federal power. The country is struggling with which way to go. This is about whether the country should be centralized or whether federal control should reign with reduced discretion by the policy makers. The current democratically governed education system is slowly overpowering the traditional, local s ystems. This is evident in the way higher authorities have lost confidence in the local decision makers. There is also a strong rivalry among states as governors want to use education just like tax breaks and other lures in an effort to attract business and employment. They use school funding to enhance equity and minimize property tax spending. The federal government is also focusing on centralizing more authority than it decentralizes (Epstein 15-16). The federal government could concentrate on civil rights and financing while the local political focus on the redistribution of these resources. This way, the educational needs of the society would be met efficiently (Sunderman 226-228). Conclusion The political dynamics experienced in the recent past have contributed to the increased federal power over the traditional, local school governance. The educational resolutions have been used by the political figures as a means to gain political preference. This has moved power from the ed ucational school boards to the federal and state governments who cannot account for policies that they put in place. It has resulted in unequal distribution of resources especially in the needy districts. To ensure that the current trend benefits the American society academically, accountability among the political leaders should be increased. This will ensure that once policies are enacted, they are assessed and evaluated to gain the desired results. This can also be used as a means to establish changes that need to be established to improve the education system. Since politics have a lot of influence on the educational systems, the federal governments should work closely with the school boards in order to have direct control over the policies introduced. This will promote efficiency and a quality education system. Adams, Jacob E. and Ginsberg Rick. Education Reform Overview, Reports of Historical Significance. 2012. Web. Cooper, Bruce S., C.G. James and D.F. Lance. Handbook of E ducation Politics and Policy. New York: Taylor and Francis, 2008. Print. Epstein, Noel. Whos in Charge Here?: The Tangled Web of School Governance and Policy. Washington. Brookings institution press, 2004. Print. Guthrie, James W. United States Educational Policy The Basics of Educational Policy, The Pressure for Reform in American Education, Defining Policy. 2012. Web. Monk, David H. Efficiency in Education The Choice of Outcomes, The Choice of Inputs, The Transformation Process and Implications for Policy. 2012. Web. Sunderman, Gail L. â€Å" Evidence of the Impact of School Reform on Systems Governance and Educational Beureaucrcies in the United States.† Review of Research in Education 34.1 (2006): 226-253. Print. Wilson, James Q, John J. DiIulio, and Meenekshi Bose. American Government: Institutions Policies. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2013. Print.

SUNDAY communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

SUNDAY communication - Essay Example Before going to the main discussion the study will define the background and business context of the problems faced by to SUNDAY Communications Ltd in recent times in order to provide logical background of this consultancy proposal. Background Information & Literature Review Choi, Lee and Wong (2001) presented the case study named as â€Å"Sunday communications ltd: A marketing strategy for the wireless future† in order to highlight existing challenges faced by the telecommunication company and challenges regarding future plan of the company. In such context, consideration of the research works of Langlois (2003) reveals the fact that it is very difficult to establish identifiable position in a small market place which is pretty much saturated due to presence of competitors. Same is the condition for Sunday communications ltd which was founded in the year 1994 when the Hong Kong telecom market was already dominated by large telecom players like PCCW-HKT, SmarTone Telecommunica tion Holdings Ltd, Hutchison Telecom (HK) Ltd, New World Telephone and Peoples Phone. There is no doubt that Sunday communications ltd was new entrant and none of existing competitors was ready to give free space to the new entrant. . Garbarino and Strahilevitz (2004) and Harris, Jenkins and Glaser (2006) stated that new entrants need to adopt product differentiation strategy in order to establish distinctive brand image in the mind of customers of a small saturated market. Kotler (2000) pointed out that marketers should increase engagement level of customers while offering low engagement products because customers do no spend much time in making purchase decision for low involvement products like telecom network connections, FMCG goods. Therefore, Sunday communications ltd had two challenges, 1- to establish distinctive brand positioning in the mind of customers of Hong Kong and 2- to compete with existing telecom players in the market with the help of product diversification. Comp etitive pressure on Sunday communications ltd has further increased after Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) launched Mobile Number Portability (MNP) during 1999. After launching MNP, existing six telecom operators in Hong Kong started competing on price because in newly launched system, subscribers can switch to other network provider without altering the mobile number. Competitors like PCCW-HKT, SmarTone Telecommunication Holdings Ltd, Hutchison Telecom (HK) Ltd, New World Telephone and Peoples Phone not only stopped in reducing the subscription price to attract customers but they even started offering handsets at minimal price to customers. There is story behind the brand name â€Å"Sunday† which was created by the company in order to portray relaxed and easygoing attitude. Another thing is that the company had the plan to launch the brand internationally therefore they thought that using a universal name would help global customers to connect easily (Choi, Lee and Wong, 2001). Sunday communications ltd used product diversification strategy in order to establish distinctive market positioning. Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) service (through mobile Intelligent Network) was speciality of the company while Sunday communications ltd also started offering services like Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), IDD, ISP & portal etc to customers. The company also used aggressive pricing strategy like 24-hour flat subscription rate in order to win the completion. Even, Sunday communications ltd launched SO WAP and ISP (narrow-band dial-up service) which gave users opportunity to access

CEO OF ABC FIRM Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CEO OF ABC FIRM - Coursework Example Value exploration, creation and delivery shall be the most powerful tools of transformation that I am going to employ in the company. Value exploration shall majors its concern on the customer’s cognitive space about the products of the company. This investigative effort aims at discovering the trend of customers demand in the market in order to avoid delivering a product in the market that does not exist in the shopping list of the customers. Knowing the customers’ needs is vital for designing a product that shall be the only option in the market. This shall the company in producing items that are vibrant in the market. Value addition entails identifying new customers and getting their views concerning the products of the company. This will ensure that, the company invests in producing items that the customers think about, want, does and require in order to capitalize over them as a way of winning their trust in the company (Ulrich 2013, p. 62). Value delivery is the most important step among the transformative efforts that shall be part of my plan. The mode of delivering the product to the market should ensure that, there is no hoarding in the market concerning the company’s’ products. The company shall invest in the infrastructure as a way ensuring proficiency of the company in the market arena. In so doing, the harmonious relationship that will crop up between the management and the customers will initiate a lasting relationship. Among the changes that my office will effect are the old managerial methods being used in the company (Ulrich 2013, p. 91). The company heavily relying on traditional management methods will see a paradigm shift that will see the modern management and leadership methods put in place. Starting with the CEO of the company to the supervisors, I will ensure that changes on methods of running the company with modern scientific methods take place. The

Research Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Analysis - Assignment Example st establish those patients who lack self-care confidence and then direct more effort towards building self-care confidence in them using specific education interventions. The introduction/background section provided by Britz and Dunn (2010) does not formally introduce the research question. However, after carefully exploring the introduction, this paper was able to establish the research question, which is: In this article, Britz and Dunn (2010) formally presented the hypothesis. The author asserts that those patients with heart failure and who demonstrates self-care ability are expected to improve their healthcare outcomes. This hypothesis emanates from both previous studies as well as the model used in this study. Since it is a qualitative research, the researcher developed the hypothesis using grounded theory. The use of qualitative approaches provided a platform that researchers in various disciplines borrowed to complete work effectively. Qualitative approaches identify research issues without subjectivity. For instance, using such techniques, a case is looked at individually and therefore, it is possible to make accurate conclusions. Understanding of complex human systems such as the family and communities has grown due to the benefits accrued from qualitative methods. Certain patterns of behavior have been described and based upon these patterns of behavior, action could be take n. Grounded theory refers to a theory routed in data. The researcher interprets the raw data and then, through systematic analysis creates a theory. Grounded theory is derived from four central criteria: fit, understanding, generality and control. Fit occurs when the theory fits the substantive data. In other words, the theory must be based upon the presence of valid data. Understanding occurs when the theory is comprehensible by all researchers involved in the study. Generality occurs when the presented theory is applicable within a variety of contexts. Control entails the

American Intelligence In The Cuban Missile Crisis History Essay

American Intelligence In The Cuban Missile Crisis History Essay The Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 brought the world close to a nuclear confrontation between the United States, Cuba, and the Soviet Union. The Cuban missile crisis was triggered by the Soviet deployment to Cuba of medium-range and intermediate-range ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. It was the result of a variety of things: the Cuban Revolution, the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion, US anti-communism, the insecurity of the Soviet Union, and Cubas fear of invasion. From the start of the crisis, American intelligence monitored the islands development and was able to collect and analyze information, but it miscalculated the Soviet Unions intentions and motivation for placing nuclear missiles in Cuba. American intelligence, through human intelligence gathering methods, aerial photoreconnaissance, and signal interceptions, was able to discover Soviet missiles in Cuba, and thwart the possibility of a nuclear war. This intelligence provided the U.S with a great deal of in formation about its enemies military units, missiles, weapons and strength. The events of the Cuban Missile Crisis revealed the sophistication of the U.S. intelligence community, especially in its ability to collect and analyze information. Human Intelligence (HUMIT) obtained inside information concerning Cuba from Refugees, and important secrets transferred to U.S. Government by Soviet Colonel Oleg Penkovsky. Photographic intelligence (PHOTINT) played an exceedingly important part (the U-2 reconnaissance spy-plane) in taking internal terrestrial images of the Island. Signals intelligence (SIGINT) was used to block communication between Soviet Union and Cubans during the crisis to the advantage of the Americans. Cuban Missile Crisis Background Fidel Castro came to power after the Cuban Revolution. At first the U.S. supported Castro, but when he embraced communism, the U.S. attempted to overthrow Castros rule in Cuba. In April 1961, Americans used CIA-trained and armed Cuban exiles (La Brigada) in the Bay of Pigs invasion but failed. After the failed invasion of the Bay of Pigs, it was evident to the Castro that the U.S. would attack again, causing him to make concessions with the Soviet Union in order to defend Cuba. Consequently, Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev eagerly extended an offer of assistance to the desperate Castro and saw an opportunity to gain a strategic foothold in Americas backyard. Castro allowed the Soviet Union to place military bases on the island of Cuba, in exchange for protection against any U.S. invasion attempts. After Castros approval, Khrushchev quickly and secretly built ballistic missile installations in Cuba in the summer of 1962. When the U.S discovered ballistic missiles presence in Cuba, it elevated tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. When the missiles installation were discovered by intelligence, President John F. Kennedy ordered a naval quarantine (blockade) of Cuba and threatened to invade Cuba; as a result, the Soviet Union pledged to withdraw from Cuba if the U.S. did not invade and finally the Cuban Missile Crisis was resolved. The American Intelligence Role in the Pre-Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban missile crisis started in a series of American intelligence blunders that started under the Dwight Eisenhower administration and continued into the John F. Kennedy administration. The American intelligence agency devised Operation Mongoose, which was aimed to expel the powerful Castro and his regime. The Operation Mongoose plot included economic and political destabilization, propaganda, manipulation, sabotage, assignation plots and direct assistance to anti-Castro Cubans in military training. During the Cold war, Cuban refugees provided inaccurate inside information about Cuba and Castro, and such information was able to convince the Americas Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to initiate the covert Bay of Pigs operation on April 17th, 1961 to overthrow the Castro communist regime. Cuban exiles, trained by the CIA, staged a botched invasion at Cubas Bay of Pigs, but the CIAs planned invasion ended in complete failure due to miscalculations by the CIA and a lack of resources and support from the American military. U.S. intelligence misunderstood the nature of Fidel Castros insurgency and miscalculated the likelihood of his victory. Operation Mongoose (Bay of Pigs invasion in Cuba is a part of this operation) is also partially responsible for initiating the Cuban Missile Crisis as Cuban intelligence was able to discover that America planned to assassinate Castro through Operation Mongoose. Castro was worried about Cubas safety; on the other side, the Soviet Union was also worried about losing a valuable ally in Cuba. Moreover, the Soviets had the intention to compensate for Soviet inferiority in ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missile) and liked to reply to the Americans with a nuclear version of tit-for-tat as noted by Khrushchevs advisor Fyodor Burlatsky: Khrushchev and Soviet Defence Minister R. Malinovsky à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ were strolling along the Black Sea coast. Malinovsky pointed out to sea and said that on the other shore in Turkey there was an American nuclear missile base. In a matter of six or seven minutes missiles launched from that base could devastate major centres in the Ukraine and southern Russ ia. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Khrushchev asked Malinovsky why the Soviet Union should not have the right to do the same as America. Why, for example, should it not deploy missiles in Cuba? However, from the American perspective, installing nuclear-armed Jupiter intermediate range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) in Turkey helped secure NATOs southern flank, which also helped cement relations with Turkey, and enhanced their nuclear deterrent with the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union viewed these missiles and their threat very differently. Nevertheless, U.S. covert attempts to depose the Cuban regime seemed to provoke Cuban and Soviet defences and directly led to the deployment of the Soviet ballistic missiles in Cuba. It is true that American intelligence played a role in causing the Cuban Missile Crisis, and to a certain extent failed to estimate that Soviet leadership would deploy strategic missiles in Cuba. Furthermore, CIA agents in Cuba or the Soviet Union were incapable to provide solid indication of the Soviet missiles deployment. Some information was received from other Western intelligence organizations, CIA agents on the island and refugees, but little attention was given to the discovery of the missiles. The US military intelligence agencies with some support from Western allies tracked the Soviet arms shipping to Cuba. In July 1962, SlGlNT collectors listened to the radio messages to and from the Soviet vessels on their way to Cuba. These messages are interpreted and provided some indication about how Soviet vessels calling on Cuban ports were making false port declarations and declaring less than the known cargo-carrying capacity (Carrying heavy military weapons) , but no real conside ration is given due to insufficient evident. Satellite photographic reconnaissance was not directed against Cuba in 1962. On August 29th a U-2 spy-plane on reconnaissance over Cuba, brought back evidence that SA-2 surface-to-air (SAM) missiles has been installed around San Cristobal, but Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin advised President Kennedys closest advisor, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, that the installations were entirely defensive in nature. American intelligence (COMOR-The interagency Committee on Overhead Reconnaissance) decided to send another U-2 spy-plane to take a closer look, but bad weather delayed the fight until October 14th. On September 19th, 1962 American estimators issued Special National Intelligence Estimate (SNIE 85-3-62) on The Military Build-up in Cuba but failed to estimate what the Soviet Union would do, based on insufficient evidence, Soviet intentions, and the past Soviet behaviour. In fact, Soviet intelligence performed better in the pre-crisi s period, and they were able to transport nearly 50,000 Soviet troops, 100 tactical nuclear weapons, possibly four to six nuclear naval mines and 60 nuclear warheads for the surface-to-surface missile sites in Cuba via covert action. The American Intelligence Role during the Cuban Missile Crisis For the United States, the crisis began on October 15, 1962, when photographs from a U-2 reconnaissance aircraft revealed several SS-4 nuclear missiles at San Cristobal, Cuba. The early morning of October 16th, President John Kennedy was informed of the missile installations. Kennedy immediately convened his Executive Committee (EX-COMM), a group of his twelve most important advisors (Such as CIA Director John McCone, Secretary of Defence Robert S. McNamara, National Security Adviser McGeorge Bundy) to handle the unfolding crisis. During the crisis, US intelligence was able to accurately identify the location, operational status of the missile deployment, provision of MiG-21 fighters, SA-2 antiaircraft missile systems, 11-28 light bombers, missile torpedo boats, and coastal defence cruise missiles, and the numbers of these systems. Furthermore, low level reconnaissance allowed discovering the additional military forces, in particular four Soviet augmented ground force regiments, each with 31 tanks, and with six to eight Luna rocket artillery launchers It can be seen that PHOTOINT (currently called Imint- Imaging Intelligence) or aerial reconnaissance really played a vital role in Cuban Missile Crisis. Photoreconnaissance Intelligence had done an incredible job by providing credible evidence of offensive missiles in Cuba (see pictures 1 to 3 on last page of this document, taken from U-2 spy-plane during Cuban Missile Crisis) and helped policy makers and their advisors to make decisions based on solid photograph ic evidence. As McCone indicated, aerial photography was our best means of establishing hard [firm] intelligence HUMIT was also used by interviewing refugees, collecting reports from CIA agents on island, and Soviet secret from Soviet Officer Oleg Penkovsky. American military personnel interrogated unverified refugees from Cuba on American soil, who revealed that they had personally seen a convoy of SS-4 missiles near Havana. But this was not itself sufficient due to the mass of other invalid reports during or before the crisis period. Many reports are provided from agents on the Island about suspicious military movement, possible missiles and other defensive activities in Cuba. Colonel Oleg Penkovsky, a Soviet Military Intelligence officer, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and British intelligence (MI-6), all suggested that the Soviets were attempting to put missiles into Cuba but this information was not given credibility until it was subsequently confirmed through aerial reconnaissance. Oleg Penkovsky supplied 111 exposed rolls of film, 99 percent of which were legible. An estimated 10, 000 pages of intelligence reports were produced from his information, which included the top secret operating manuals for the SS-4 and SS-5 missiles. Information from Penkovsky-provided documents was compared with the U-2 photography, and analysts were able to identify positively the specific missiles being placed in Cuba and determine on a daily basis the stage of construction of each missile site. This information was critical in enabling the President to know how much time he had to determine and apply a policy of diplomatic and military pressure against Khrushchev before having to take direct military action. Colonel Oleg Penkovskys role in the Cuban missile crisis has been portrayed as of pre-eminent importance to the outcome, and described as Humints best source of information during the crisis. It is true that SIGINT provided no warning of the presence of Soviet nuclear-armed intermediate and medium-range ballistic missiles in Cuba prior to their discovery by U-2 reconnaissance aircraft. The Oxford, officially known as a Technical Research Ship (TRS), proved to be the largest producer of SIGINT during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The collected communications from SIGINT provided a great quantity of information which, when combined with the photographs from the U2 over-flights, provided a very good picture of what was happening in Cuba. SIGINT also helped during the midst of the crisis, to intercept and triangulate messages and sent to the Command Centre for interpretation, then used by the US government to make further decision and predict future actions of the Soviet Union and Cuba. Another type of intelligence that was used for the first time was the SOSUS (underwater sound surveillance system). SOSUS plus patrol aircraft was extensively and successfully used during the Cuban Missile Crisis and proved to be an important aspect of U.S intelligence in detecting any possible Soviet submarine movement (especially Soviet Foxtrot class submarines). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ªAfter analyzing all the evidence from different sources of the intelligence and having an intense policy debate with the Executive Committee group members, Kennedy imposed a naval quarantine around Cuba. On October 22, Kennedy publicly announced the discovery of the ballistic missile installations and his decision to quarantine (blockade) the island to prevent Soviet ships from carrying further missile equipment to the island. He also proclaimed that any nuclear missile launched from Cuba would be regarded as an attack on the United States by the Soviet Union and demanded that the Soviets remove all of their offensive weapons from Cuba. Later, on the 26th EX-COMM heard from Khrushchev that the Soviets agreed to remove the ballistic missiles from Cuba, if the U.S. would guarantee not to invade Cuba. On October 27th, tension increased when a U-2 was shot down over Cuba and Khrushchev demanded the removal of U.S. missiles in Turkey in exchange for Soviet missiles in Cuba. But Attorney General Robert Kennedy suggested ignoring the second letter and contacted Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin to tell him of the U.S. agreement with the first (not to invade Cuba). Finally, on October 28th, Khrushchev announced that he would dismantle the installations and return the missiles to the Soviet Union. Further negotiations were held to implement the October 28 agreement and it continued in November. Again American intelligence helped to provide evidence to the American government that the Soviets turned their ships back, a fact first learned from SIGINT from radio messages, and soon the Soviets dismantled and withdrew the missil es. The U.S. Navy also played a pivotal role in this crisis, demonstrating the critical importance of naval forces to national defence. Surface and submarine units moved into place to attack any ship crossing the declared line in the quarantine operation. A week of intensive face-off and direct communications between President Kennedy and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev finally made it possible to alleviate the crisis. The American government and the Communist Bloc both considered the crisis over. Conclusion In summary, Espionage has been, and always be a central source of information to support national defense. The performance of US intelligence in the Cuban Missile Crisis was generally good, in some respects outstanding, albeit with a few shortcomings. From the beginning, American Intelligence made all possible efforts to collect, analyze and monitor the Soviet activities and arms build-up in Cuba, but erroneously underestimated the Soviet leaders intention to station nuclear weapons in Cuba. Moreover, the use of U-2 aircraft for aerial photoreconnaissance over the interior of Cuba, Cuban refugee interrogations, and Soviet secrets (manuals for the SS-4 and SS-5 missiles) provided by Penkovskys espionage, gave the U.S. excellent intelligence coverage of the status of missile site construction and readiness. American intelligence community worked well during the crisis, and helped policy makers, senior intelligence estimators and analyst to make better decisions and evaluate Soviet reac tions based on intelligence-provided evidence. The CIA played a leading role in backing up the EXComm. Intelligence organizations of the army, navy, and air force provided backup to the military planners. Overall, American Intelligence role in Cuban Missile Crisis was good and helped government to resolve crisis.

Human Gene Therapy :: Biology Genetics Essays

Human Gene Therapy Everybody carries about half a dozen defective genes. Many don't know this, unless someone they know is affected by a genetic disorder.(1) The genetics of many diseases are passed from one generation to the next by inheriting a single gene, such as Huntington's disease. Many other diseases and traits are influenced by a collection of genes.(4) About one in ten people has, or will develop, an inherited genetic disorder. Approximately 2,800 specific conditions are known to be caused by defects, or mutations, in just one gene. Most of us don't suffer any harmful effects from our defective genes because we carry two copies of nearly all genes. In most cases one normal gene is enough to avoid all the symptoms of disease. If the affected gene is recessive, and we inherit two copies of the gene, the disease will develop. If the affected gene is dominant, only one copy is enough produce the disease. There are also X-chromsome linked genetic diseases.(1) A potential approach to the treatment of genetic disorders in humans is gene therapy. Gene therapy is the delivery of a correct version of a mutated gene to a cell, where its expression will produce the normal protein and restore normal cellular function. The mutated gene must be delivered to the nucleus of the cell.(2) There are essentially two forms of gene therapy, somatic gene therapy and germline gene therapy. Somatic gene therapy involves the manipulation of gene expression in cells that will be corrective to the patient but not inherited by the next generation.(4) Germline gene therapy involves the replacement of defective genes in the germline cells, which contribute to the genetic heritage of the offspring. It has the potential to affect not only the individual being treated, but also his or her children. Germline therapy would change the genetic pool of the entire human species, and future generations would have to live with that change. It is not likely germline therapy will be tried on humans in the near future due to ethical problems and technical difficulties.(1) In vivo gene transfer is the introduction of genes to cells at the site at which they are found in the body. Ex vivo gene transfer is the transfer of genes into viable cells that have been temporarily removed from the patient and are then returned following treatment.(6) Foreign DNA can be injected into the cell, or its entry can be facilitated by various chemical or electronic ways, but these methods aren't very efficient.

Farenheit 451 Essay

There is a novel published in the 1950s with a title of Fahrenheit 451. The book was published by Ray Bradbury and involves a futuristic plot where most of the things in the society are in chaotic state. This novel was a success in the contemporary times of the 50Ð ²Ãâ€šÃ¢â€ž ¢s and now, you could write a Fahrenheit 451 essay as a school paper requirement. Before you begin writing such an essay, it is important that you first read the novel. This is the case for all types of essays that need to tackle a certain material. Much like writing a Macbeth essay or a Romeo and Juliet essay, a Fahrenheit 451 essay is written only after the writer has completed reading the book. So what are the possible types of essays that we can write for Fahrenheit 451 essay? One can talk about a novel by using different approaches in writing an essay. One good example is a narrative essay. You can re-tell the story in the novel and summarize the whole thing for your readers to have an idea about it. A narrative essay is not all about fictional story from the writer. It may also involve any types of stories that may even come from an actual source. Be careful when you summarize the story in Fahrenheit 451 because you only need to compress the details of the book into your paper. You can write an argumentative essay that will talk about a specific notion or idea in Fahrenheit 451. For example, you may argue that the book projects an idea of chaos and disturbing scenarios to the readers. These factors may contribute to the feeling of doubt among the readers that could make them uncomfortable in a psychological perspective. Of course, there is another side of an argument where the story could be a well-done preparation for the readers on what they should expect of the future. A Fahrenheit 451 essay can also be in the form of a character analysis essay. You can talk about the major persona in the novel and discuss how each one contributed to the success of the story. You may also write about the central character and analyze who that character is in our present society. Start with the central character by the name of Guy Montag who happens to be a firefighter. Analyze his character and discuss his main role in the plot of the novel. One more essay type for a Fahrenheit 451 essay can be in the form of a critical analysis essay. Write about the story in a way that you tend to dig much deeper into the realms of the authorÐ ²Ãâ€šÃ¢â€ž ¢s imagination. Discover new things about the central message of the whole story and what lessons we can learn from it.

Endagerment of the grizzlies

Endagerment of the grizzlies With all the new and advanced technology that is accessible today, who has time to enjoy or care about the great outdoors? Unfortunately, much of the wilderness and the animals within it are gradually fading away. There are many animals that have already been extinct and many more will soon be put on the list of extinction. In the second issue of Target Earth, Tim Stevens found in 1975, the grizzly bear was listed as a threatened species, under the Endangered Species Act. Stevens also stated, Today, the grizzly bear hangs on in the last remnants of wild places left in the U.S.places like the Greater Yellowstone, Glacier Park, and Shelkirk Mountains of Northern Idaho. The survival of the grizzly bear depends on several factors such as: amount of food they need and amount of space they need to live.Grizzly bears have tremendous food requirements in order to surviveadult females average 300 pounds, and males around 450 pounds, stated Stevens.The two Grizzly bears in the Bear Country sec tion ...Furthermore, grizzly bears are opportunistic feeders thriving on roots, berries, pine nuts, insects, herbaceous vegetation, fish, small mammals, and occasionally wild ungulates and their young. With grizzly bears wide variety of provisions, they need a large area to sustain themselves. Stevens stated, a male grizzly bear will use up to a 500 square mile "home range" throughout its life. Glover and Johnson stated, a female grizzly bear will use up 11-490 square miles throughout its life. Being that the grizzly bear is a wide-ranging, slow breeding species, and as such, are very good indicators of the overall health of the ecosystems they depend upon. If the habitat is in good shape, one could assume the bear is doing rather well(Stevens, Target Earth).However, conservation biologist states, none of the current grizzly populations is large enough to sustain itself over...

Free Essays on Odessey Women

Many people regard Homer’s epics as war stories- stories about men; those people often overlook the important roles that women play in the Odyssey. While there are not many female characters in the Odyssey, the few that there are, play critical roles in the story and one can gain a lot of insight by studying how those women are portrayed. Homer portrays the females in conflicting ways: the character of Athena is given a strong, admirable role, while the Sirens are depicted in a much more negative way. Penelope- the central female character- is given both negative and positive attributes. Athena, the goddess of wisdom and battle, has a soft spot for Odysseus, the main male character, and Telemachus, Odysseus' son. The action begins with a meeting of the gods, where Athena makes a plea on behalf of Odysseus, asking her father, â€Å"O Zeus, what do you hold against him now?† (I, 81). This action, paired with another intervention into a meeting of the gods, shows Athena’s initiative and nerve. Athena shows cleverness and ingenuity when she disguises herself and others on several occasions: The goddess first appears as Mentes, and then later as Mentor, Telemachus himself, Penelope’s sister, a friend of Nausikaa’s, and various servants. Not only is Athena a master of disguises, but she also has an incredible sense of when it is necessary to appear as someone else in order to achieve her goals. While possibly just a product of Athena’s goddess status, her ability to view the â€Å"big picture† is quite a highly regarded trait. Athe na also has the virtue of restraint, which she demonstrates when she does not take part in the final battle between Odysseus and Telemachus, and the suitors. Another portrayal of women in The Odyssey is the Sirens. This is a group of women whose seductive song lures sailors to their death (XII, 173-4). While Odysseus is able to avoid the Sirens, they symbolize temptation, another non-virtue, which is th... Free Essays on Odessey Women Free Essays on Odessey Women Many people regard Homer’s epics as war stories- stories about men; those people often overlook the important roles that women play in the Odyssey. While there are not many female characters in the Odyssey, the few that there are, play critical roles in the story and one can gain a lot of insight by studying how those women are portrayed. Homer portrays the females in conflicting ways: the character of Athena is given a strong, admirable role, while the Sirens are depicted in a much more negative way. Penelope- the central female character- is given both negative and positive attributes. Athena, the goddess of wisdom and battle, has a soft spot for Odysseus, the main male character, and Telemachus, Odysseus' son. The action begins with a meeting of the gods, where Athena makes a plea on behalf of Odysseus, asking her father, â€Å"O Zeus, what do you hold against him now?† (I, 81). This action, paired with another intervention into a meeting of the gods, shows Athena’s initiative and nerve. Athena shows cleverness and ingenuity when she disguises herself and others on several occasions: The goddess first appears as Mentes, and then later as Mentor, Telemachus himself, Penelope’s sister, a friend of Nausikaa’s, and various servants. Not only is Athena a master of disguises, but she also has an incredible sense of when it is necessary to appear as someone else in order to achieve her goals. While possibly just a product of Athena’s goddess status, her ability to view the â€Å"big picture† is quite a highly regarded trait. Athe na also has the virtue of restraint, which she demonstrates when she does not take part in the final battle between Odysseus and Telemachus, and the suitors. Another portrayal of women in The Odyssey is the Sirens. This is a group of women whose seductive song lures sailors to their death (XII, 173-4). While Odysseus is able to avoid the Sirens, they symbolize temptation, another non-virtue, which is th...