Thursday, October 31, 2019

How to become a lady to be admired and envied Essay

How to become a lady to be admired and envied - Essay Example None of the statements above includes level of college degree, level of career, financial wealth or marital status. This does not mean that they are not important. Certainly, they are to the same degree they are essential to an individual. Those accomplishments are as an outcome of goal setting and realization for those precise successes (Lowrey, 1). Being a woman is all about self-improvement and self-help. One should make a plan. Making a decision of the goal that one wants to accomplish in life and within a definite period is vital. Women should do something to be remembered when they are no more. For instance, you may want your children to recall the fact that that you were the cleanest or for the flower you grew. Again voicing your dream is an important goal regardless of where you are. Learn to tell the world who you want to be and what you want in life. When you tell others, it means committing. Ladies should always be aware of whom they are and what they want to become takes much approach. Look inside and find the things that you are proud of and this can be seen as self-aid or self-development. Before looking for her weakness, a woman needs to know what she does best. In addition, strength awareness builds character and confidence (Lowrey 3). In today’s society, it is very important to have a role model to whom one can look upon for guidance. The role model should be a positive influencer, one that we can trust, relate to our situations and share information that can help us reach our goals and help us to solve a problem. This role model lays an important part in our lives and they assist us in making sound decisions. They help us more in mental and growth development. Woman/a female in public eyes catch the attention of very many people. They watch the way in which a woman conducts herself, the way she speak and how she treats others. Women should live by the saying that ‘to whom much is given, much is expected'. They should understand the importance of representing themselves and the family in responsible and responsible manner. Skylar Diggins’, one of the basketball players is one of the role models among women and she tries to help young girls by volunteering. She hosts number of free clinics, coac hes many girls and speaks to them. She believes that this could help young girls realize their potential and set a higher bar for themselves (Diggings, 1). Most people in life have a role model who guides them. Reasons for these role models vary from one reason to another but the ideal they represent and the admiration they inspire is what makes them attractive. A role model should have the ability to give spiritual and moral values to an individual and stimulate a person to reach beyond one self. Today, the role models exposed to women are fashion related, interpersonal relationships, dating, marital as well as professional on careers. From Catholics’ point of view, blessed Virgin Mary remains the role model for all women at all times since they see her as an example of transcend and inclusive time and culture. Mary is seen as the perfect human being; in her, women of all walks of life can see what it means to be a woman in relationship with Christ. Women can learn fulfi llment of existence of feminine by not aspiring to become a copy of masculine since such thoughts always distort the mission and vision of a female (Sommers, 1). Successful Women and What They Do There are women who have really worked hard and they are

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Three information technology topics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Three information technology topics - Essay Example Three information technology topics When we remind ourselves that it is we who decide how to keep technology busy, we shall be better (Turkle, 2011, p.296).† The Turkle comments criticize the current situation where people cannot survive without technology. Children prefer staying indoors. While inside, the children prefer playing computer games, surfing the internet and online relationships. The children have discarded the prior setup where children prefer face to face games with their neighbors, classmates, and relatives. Turkle insists that people should use computers and other technology devices as tools for increasing face to face communication, relationships, and other physical activities like basketball, volleyball, baseball, chess, and the like. Its difference from her findings in the past. Comparing her findings in the past, Turkle preferred that man cannot survive without technology, especially robots. Sherry Turkle emphasized that her 1984 position was for authenticity. Thus, a person is a better analy st, calculator, decision maker, and creator, when compared to a computer. The computer only follows what its software instructs it to do. On the other hand, the human being can insert other alternative procedures to one question, predicament, or activity. Authenticity is, â€Å"what sex was to the Victorians – threat and obsession, taboo and fascination. I have lived with this idea for many years (Wilks, 2010; p.9†¦)†. Turkle was initially obsessed to come up with new technology that will reduce the individual’s physical exertion. ... During the good old days, people would go the nearest store to buy a pen, paper, and envelope. The person would scribble messages on the paper. Next, the person would seal the letter inside the mailing envelope. Consequently, the person would ride the bus or train to the nearest post office. Upon arriving, the person will line up a long queue of people mailing their envelopes. After the post office clerk receives the person’s envelope, the person returns home. The entire process may take two to four hours, depending upon the traffic situation and the distance between the person’s home and the post office. In addition, Turkle prefers that all persons email their messages. Emails reach their intended receiver with a split second. The entire encoding and emailing process may take less than ten minutes. During the entire email process, the person is hiding behind the closed doors. Similarly, the person can order goods and services online. The person can click the McDonaldâ €™s website, and the McDonald’s crew ill deliver the hamburgers to the person’s home. Consequently, the person reduces face to face encounters. This is the essence of Turkle’s prior stand. 2. WHO DID IT? (Isaacson) Steve Jobs, more than anyone else, is responsible for today's digitech culture. Steve jobs created Apple computers. Before his untimely death, Steve Jobs orchestrated the user friendly computer environment. Steve Jobs was the visionary of product perfection, paving the bright and widening path of computer world conquering. Steve jobs would burn the midnight oil crafting new computer technologies. With infighting brewing up, Steve Jobs left the company that he had founded, Apple. After several years, Apple was on the brink of financial destruction. Consequently, Steve

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Main factor Project management for successful completion of a project

Main factor Project management for successful completion of a project Project management is an important aspect of an organization a main factor for successful completion of a project. In todays changing times tools such as project management, if used properly can provide a useful way for organizations to manage that change effectively. Managing construction projects is a complex undertaking. The quality of a project is the result of many factors the quality of Project Manger is one such factor. Project manager make things happen on a project. A project needs a good planning, organization management which would bring out the maximum benefits for the organization and this can be only achieved by a good leader-Project manager. Another area which needs a lot of attention in an organization is conflicts disputes. Conflict is an inevitable aspect of an organization. It can be destructive as well as functional and it depends on the project manager to resolve the conflict in a manner so that it does not lead to the loss for an organization. There have been many past studies on project success factors affecting project success. These include Project managers competence, control systems responsibilities, selection of teams, politics, contracting solving of conflicts, proper allocation of resources etc. Effective project management begins with selecting and prioritizing projects that support the firms strategy and mission. Project managers have to plan and budget projects as well as orchestrate the contributions of others. Social-skills, decision making skills, problem handling skills, opportunities recognizing skills, and management of conflicts are certain personal attributes of a project manager affecting p roject success. The main aim of study is to find different attributes of a project manager which would help in overcoming all the challenges faced while working on a project as this marks the success of any organization. Project manager plays a very important role in a successful working of any organization and the aim of this study is to deeply study all those attributes which a project manager must have to become a good leader who can manage his team well extract maximum benefits out of them within the limits of time, money resources. Projects are inherently uncertain face unexpected events, from small changes to unforeseen changes like conflicts within organization, with the client, resource unavailability, etc. Project Manager forms a link between the top management the other employees so it is the responsibility of the project manager to maintain a good balance between both. The conflict can arise in top management as well as other employees. The aim of the study is to see how project manag ers respond to such events. As this forms a major reason for the success of any organization, the aim is to give an in depth study of these characteristics of a good project manager which is profitable for all the organizations draw a critical relationship between the Project Managers managerial attributes, the use of key project management principles, practices project performance. The study would also recommend some methodological processes, conceptual frameworks, experiments, experiences some conclusions drawn from various studies done in various companies compare contrast them with previous studies to attain a broad analysis for successful working of a project manager his role in successful completion of a project within the given constraints. Initially the study would examine what a project is, what project management is and what is the role of a project manager. Then the study would examine the causes, types effects of conflict followed by the ways they can be resolved the role of Project manager in conflict resolution. SEARCH STRATEGY The search strategy starts with an aim objective in mind. The aim the objective of present study are as follows: AIM: To study the roles responsibilities of an effective Project Manager analyze what attributes of a Project Manager are required to resolve different conflicts in an organization. OBJECTIVES: To define Project Project Management. To define the roles responsibilities of an effective quality Project Manager. To define conflict, examine its causes, types, core processes effects in an organization. To examine what attributes of a Project Manager are required to manage Conflict effectively. The key words used in the study include: Project, Project Management, Project Manager quality, Project manager roles, Unexpected events, Conflict, Conflict Management, work performance of Project Manager, Managerial attributes, Project Performance, Power, Politics, organizational politics, leadership, communication, motivation, managing project teams, project stakeholders, project life cycle. These words are relevant for the search because they cover the required objectives of the study. They help in finding the appropriate journal papers, links or other information regarding the different aspects of a project, project management, Project manager, conflict conflict management by a project manager. These words help in finding information that can describe the overall aim objectives of the study. The other sources of information include: Search engine used: Science direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, Engineering Village. Other sources: Project Management: the managerial process 4e by Gray Larson. Business Psychology Organizational Behavior by Eugene McKenna. Commercial Management of Projects defining the discipline by Dawid Lowe with Roine Leiringer. Industrial Organizational Psychology by John B. Miner. www.ogc.gov.uk www.apm.org.uk REVIEWS OF FOUR JOURNAL PAPERS: Project Quality project managers: This journal paper Project Quality Project managers- http://tinyurl.com/24d9ue8 emphasizes on the fact that a successful project requires sound project management practices and for any project management system to be effective, a project must be managed by a project manager who exhibits high quality managerial attributes. The research discussed in the paper is sponsored by the Construction Industry Institute. The main purpose of the paper is to confirm the critical relationship between the use of key project management principles, practices project performance. The paper emphasizes on the effective project management practices their use by project managers at all levels during a project life cycle. The paper argues that the relationship between a Project Managers managerial attributes project success is indirect. The project performance is affected by the effective application of project management principles by a project manager. Further the paper also argues that the high quality managerial attributes are an equally important contributor to project success and commensurate with high quality technical skills. The paper presents the key principles recommended practices such as strategic project organizing, design effectiveness, project control management of quality articulated by the Construction Industry Institute (CII) the Business Roundtables Construction Industry Cost Effectiveness (CICE) project. They are believed to have the strongest effect on project performance. The paper clearly defines the objectives scope of the research. The data does not only give theoretical results but also provides empirical support by acquiring data through detailed questionnaire developed to survey 400 construction companies where the respondents provide individual views based on their experiences on projects in the heavy engineering, building industrial construction sectors. This paper also provides strategies to improve project manager effectiveness. This helps in deeper understanding of the managers ability to consistently produce project success. However this paper considers only the aspect of project Manager as the factor for project success. Project success could be assessed not only on project management techniques but also on other external factors. The Project Manager must also allow the client to take equal responsibility of the project. It is important to determine the expectations importance of each customer in the project by the project manager as t his also marks one of the factors for successful running of project. [1,2] Along with leadership skills there is also a need of emotional competencies and as the project managers progress they need to enhance their leadership competencies particularly developing the emotional dimensions. [3] This paper also does not examine the working environment affecting the performance of project managers. This is important not only for determining the success of a project, but also in continual of the good performance of project managers. [4] The research done by CII CICE indicates that the critical factor to project success is the quality of a Project Manager. Managing construction projects is a complex undertaking requires many factors. The quality of Project Manger is one such factor. Project Manager needs to stress different attributes at different times over the life of a project to make the project successful. Many Project Managers are perceived to lack the requisite managerial skills so new strategies such as increased pre appointment training, mentor system, careful selection of potential project managers etc are suggested to improve the quality of an effective Project Manager. 2) Conflict its management: This journal article http://tinyurl.com/37skcfr presents a detailed analysis of conflict its management by disputants themselves or by third parties such as Project Managers, mediators etc. The paper first examines the causes, core processes effects of conflict subsequently probes into conflict escalation de-escalation, context conflict management. In the end the paper also concludes some suggestions for future research provides recommendations for practicing managers. The article highlights the issues by reviewing certain scholarly reviews of the conflict literature which have already been published. The major purpose of the article is to draw attention towards the inevitable unanticipated nature of conflict and how these can be managed by disputants or by third parties such as Project Managers who play an important role in conflict management. The article defines conflict as a process where one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party. It then goes onto explain the causes of conflict like individual characteristics, inter-personal factors, communication, behavior, etc. It explains the effects of conflicts on individuals organization subsequently determines the concept of conflict escalation de-escalation. It then unfolds the conflict context which has been approached from 4 different perspectives: (i) A description of the conflict setting, (ii) A reference to the independent variables, (iii) The environment in which the conflict is embedded (iv) The structural level or paradigm of the conflict. The article then explores the role of disputants in managing conflict such as Perspective (establish co-operative goals, note the alternatives etc), descriptive ( agree to symbols of defeat, compromise, convert the opponent etc) the role of third parties such as Project manager tactics (adopting appropriate leadership styles, group-discussions, encouraging negotiations etc), mediation, arbitration, conciliation recapitulation. The article helps in deeper understanding of all the phases of conflict, its inevitable nature, its effects causes. It not only explains the conflict phases , its management but also gives research managerial suggestions for future references. The suggestions provided though are beneficial for the practicing managers but should have been more detailed provide with examples to help in clear understanding of the point. It is important to identify five modes of conflict resolution such as confronting, compromising, smoothing, forcing avoiding. [5] This article does not mention any cognitive analysis. Cognitive analysis approach( identifying conflict domain, generation of conflict cases, exercise of judgment, analysis of result cognitive feedback) identifies cognitive difference between the parties as the main source of conflict which needs to be taken care by a Project manager.[6] An awareness of the potential approaches to conflict resolution and the understanding of their consequ ences can provide project managers with a invaluable set of tools to create an optimal work environment. The article concludes that a conflict is self-generating inevitable in an organization. The conflict process is dynamic, self-perpetuating constantly changing: like effects become causes; original causes may disappear; new causes arise; the number of parties change etc. This makes conflict management a difficult target. Project Manager plays an important role in recognizing conflicts managing them as and when required. Conflict is prevalent cannot be recognized at all times so its management requires a lot of efforts. The challenge for organizational leaders and project managers is to try to maintain the right balance and intensity of conflict in project management. By utilizing project management principles, understanding the dynamics of conflict, and learning approaches to conflict resolution, managers will be able to establish an environment in which creativity and innovation is encouraged and project goals are accomplished. [7] 3) The Titanic sunk, so what? Project manager response to unexpected events. The journal article http://tinyurl.com/364k9rb studies the responses of Project manager to unexpected events during a project life cycle. This paper stresses on the point that unanticipated events are inevitable in a project the project success depends on the responses of the project manager to such events. This paper explores the gap between the practice success by defining three elements namely: Event, Response the perceived success. The article compares contrasts the successful unsuccessful responses to draw attention on successful practices. As responding to unexpected events is a fundamental function in project management, an analysis of 44 unexpected events faced by 22 experienced Project Managers in defense defense related organizations was conducted in the given study. The participants were asked to think of significant unforeseeable events during the project which took them by surprise or were unknown or unpredicted their responses were recorded to such events. The research was designed using a grid to unfold the differences between successful unsuccessful responses to unexpected events from the perspective of a project manager. The results found that some participants had difficulty in identifying unknown-unknowns ( circumstances, events outcomes that were not identified in the first place) from known-unknowns ( circumstances, events or outcomes that have been identified as possibly existing, but do not know whether they will take place or not). The ability to identify possible risks reflects the experience of the participants. The main purpose of the paper is to draw the importance of unexpected events during a project which many times are just neglected by Managers to study their responses in such events. These unexpected events threaten the viability of a project. The study carried on groups organizations looked at the behavior of individuals during crisis like situation. An Adapted Repertory Grid (RepGrid) method was used to explore the unexpected events their responses. The data was collected in three steps namely: discussion on each event to derive an overview of what happened in each event, response monitoring finally evaluation of the internal validity of data. The study revealed that successful responses were organic based on three pillars: A responsive functioning structure at organizational level, good interpersonal relationships at group level competent people at the individual level. The study gives an idea of responses to unexpected events their evaluation as success or failure. Certain studies suggest that conflict develops not only in environmental circumstances but in the styles used by individuals when confronted with a conflict. The manner in which a person responds to organizational decision and uncertainty will influence the responses of others and the individuals work experience. [8] But this has again beeen contradicted by concluding that a Project managers previous experience has a minimal impact on the projects performance whereas the size of the previous managed project does affect the managers performance.[9]. However some researchers found no relationship between project success project size. [10] The results conclude that the successful responses to unexpected events lie within the three pillars: Responses functioning structure, Good interpersonal relations Competent people. Simple, responsible functioning structures are highlighted by the study participants as fundamental pillars of success. The analysis suggests that there is a need to refrain from merely adopting a process based approach to predict all possible events. It should be understood that the combination of structure, people, relationship are more likely to enable a successful response to an unanticipated event. The result emphasizes to focus on behavioral aspects of project management further draws attention on successful unsuccessful responses of project managers to such events. 4) Understanding the role of politics in successful project management: This journal paper http://tinyurl.com/2va3ass links the ability of project manager other key players in an organization to understand the importance of organizational politics which is one of the major factors of conflict as a sign towards successful project management. Politics is most often regarded as damaging but common experiences acknowledge that politics often one of the prime moving forces within any organization for better or worse. The main purpose of this paper is to draw attention towards the role of politics in successful project management identifying ways in which Project managers can use politics in a positive effective manner. It focuses on the point that Project Management politics are inextricably linked. Successful managers are those who understand that their job consists of more than simply being technically managerially competent. Power politics is rarely addressed in project management but it needs to be understood that their presence is ubiquitous their impact is significant. The paper points to three modes of power: Authority, Status influence illustrates that these are the key problems faced by Project Manager in attempting to develop their projects in organizations. The paper explains the implications of project politics stresses that a Project Manager needs to acknowledge politics as a fact of organizational project life. It focuses on the fact that it is important to learn to cultiv ate appropriate political tactics as they decide whether it is healthy or unhealthy give characteristics of political behavior like underlying attitudes, techniques etc. Politics if not handled on time may lead to conflicts within the organization so a Project manager needs to acknowledge politics and manage it accordingly. The article suggests some measures to be adopted by Project manager such as the need to employ certain tactics such as conduct performance appraisals on their project team subordinates as it helps in sending a clear message throughout the members that the projects are valuable project contributions among team members will be remembered rewarded. The Project Manager needs to learn the art of influencing by developing a reputation as an expert, and also suggests a Project Manager to develop good negotiating skills recognize that conflict is a natural side effect of project management. These tactics as suggested can help Project managers in dealing with politics hence would prevent conflict within the team. This article gives a good understanding of politics which generally is neglected by Project managers. Organizational politics is one of the important factors responsible for conflicts in an organization but this factor many times is neglected. Conflict if avoided can lead to difficult situations. . Managers at all levels of an organization should be attentive to enhancing employee perceptions of organizational justice in order to encourage the use of more cooperative styles for organizational conflict management.[10] There needs to be more emphasis on project team relationship as it can be one of the causes of politics and hence can lead to conflicts. Unwillingness to cooperate is one of the major reasons for failed teams leading to conflicts Hence, successful project completion depends to a large extent on members being able to work together effectively.[4] This article helps to draw attention towards the importance of politics provides effective project implementation techniques w hich may help in avoiding conflicts arising from politics. But it does not provide any empirical data proving the theories mentioned. The paper concludes that politics and project management are interlinked a project cannot be run without understanding politics. Politics is not necessarily evil but depends on how it is used that decides its effect. Managers do not understand the importance of politics many times but they need to understand that politics is ubiquitous; that is it operates across organizations functional boundaries.. Successful Project Managers are aware that politics, if used judiciously can have an extraordinary positive impact on the implementation of their projects.. SUMMARY: The journals provide a clear understanding of project, project management, roles responsibilities of a project manager, conflicts unexpected events in an organization the ways in which a Project manager could successfully manage them. All the journals focus on one point which is that a successful Project Manager requires a sound project management practices for any project management system to be effective, a project must be managed by a Project Manager who exhibits high quality managerial attributes knows to handle unanticipated situations in a project life-cycle. The research sponsored by the CII( Construction Industry Institute) in the first paper-Project Quality Project Manager highlights the importance of a quality Project Manager as one of the basic factors required for the success of a project. The paper specifies some suggestions to improve the Project manager effectiveness such as increased pre-appointment training, Establishing a mentor system, careful selection of potential Project Manager etc. The second journal article-Conflict its Management presents a broad analysis of conflict its management. This article stresses on the fact that conflict is inevitable in an organization can be handled by disputants themselves or by third parties such as Project Manager. Again this article stresses on the importance of the managerial qualities required in a Project Manager to handle conflict effectively. It provides suggestions for Project Managers to overcome conflict. These include: Project Manager should not always avoid conflict, should identify the issues carve them down to manageable set etc. Both the journal papers suggests that an effort needs to be made to identify develop key management skills that may be unique to the project management environment. The third journal -Project Managers response to unexpected events opines that projects can face unexpected events studies how Project Managers respond to such events. The article examines some events but found that human behavior issues predominantly led to failure while all other types of events could be managed either successfully or unsuccessfully. It identifies three pillars on which success response was dependent: Response functioning structure(high degree of freedom, rapid decision making implementation etc); good interpersonal relationship( Engagement with stakeholders, communication relationship between people involved) competent people( competence of leader team, behavior including self awareness ability to deal with stressful situations). The fourth journal paper- Understanding the role of politics in project management identifies organizational politics as one of the causes of conflict reveals that successful project management is linked to the ability of a Project Manager to understand its importance to make it work for project success. It states that project politics are interlinked it is up to what Project managers do depends on their ability to effectively manage not only the technical aspect of their job but also the behavioral side as well. It also focuses on the behavioral issues which need to be effectively handled by a Project Manger by understanding the dynamics of conflict process by learning to cultivate appropriate political tactics. It can be summarized that a project is an endeavor undertaken to meet specified goals objectives is usually constrained by time, scope budget. The discipline of planning, organizing managing resources to bring about the successful completion of such goals objectives during a project is known as Project management. A project manager is vital indispensable in any project. It is the Project manager who is accountable for accomplishing the objectives goals during a project life-cycle. The key project manger responsibilities include clear attainable project objectives, building the requisite environment, managing all the constraints of project, managing all unexpected events during a project such as conflicts etc. The quality of Project Manager is critical to achieving project success. Project Managers should emphasize different attributes at different stages of a project to be more effective. A project manager needs to understand that projects are inherently uncertain should be ready to manage them by understanding their importance make them work for project success. Proper skills in dealing with conflict can assist project managers and other organization members to handle and effectively resolve conflicts which can lead to a more productive organization as a whole. Using Project management principles and applying them gives the project manager the ability to establish success measures, incorporate quality principles, resolve conflicts and unexpected events, address future risk before becoming a problem, work within the scope of the project etc. The Project manager must have a combination of above average leadership human relations skills and administrative experience. Project performance is affected by the effective application of project management principles by a project manager. An effective Project manager should be capable of making decisions, communicate actions eliciting the commitment of team members. An effective Project Manager needs to diagnose conflict manage it by various methodologies such as improving communication, encourage joint responsibilities, create new alternatives, instill a co-operative, problem solving attitude between the conflicting groups. Successful project manager understand that project management skills if used judiciously can have an extra-ordinary impact on the successful implementation of their projects. Great successful organizations have always believed in idea generators executors for overall excellence. Project Manager is expected to have both qualities and the ability to handle all events during the course of a project. Effective instrumental leadership abilities initiatives have always lend a Midas touch to the organization. Since the aim of the study to be done is to analyze Project Managers roles and responsibilities and define attributes required in a Project Manager to prevent conflict during a project life cycle, these journals help in supporting the fact that Project Managers are one of the important factors required for project success. These journals define the various conflicts, its causes and explore the characteristics required in a Project manager to overcome unexpected events during a project. This would help in the further study of the current research and help in achieving the objectives of the research.

Friday, October 25, 2019

terrorism Essay -- essays research papers fc

Terrorism Imagine a clear blue, sunlit morning; the most beautiful day you can recall. Imagine waking up from an amazing dream of a clear horizon. Imagine putting on your new fresh suit, to start your new job. Imagine having that extra hop in your step as you leave your front door, your mind anxiously awaiting the adventure of a new beginning to an amazing day. Then, imagine not getting to where you needed to be. Not because you fell victim to a traffic jam or missed the bus, but because you were a victim of a terrorist act - an innocent victim, whose life was cut short by terrorism. Shattered dreams and lives are just some of the many effects that terrorism can bring about. Just how different is each human than another? Anatomically there are slight variations, but we are all part of the same world. To lash out on other innocent people due to the fact of different beliefs, is almost inhuman. Lack of composure and intelligence is one of the many flaws’ terrorists have built within thems elves. Throughout history, there have been many unprecedented terrorist attacks. Each attack is worse than the next. These attacks have been thought about since 431 B.C. when a Greek historian wrote the effectiveness on psychological warfare (â€Å"Terrorism†). Most terrorists share the belief that killing, kidnapping, extorting, robbing, and wreaking havoc to terrorize people are legitimate forms of political action. Terrorists are never one-person, a single political regime, nor a particular religion but terrorist attacks can be targeted to such groups (â€Å"Terrorism†). The most common attack in the act of terrorism is the suicide attack. The outcome of the war now under way between the Israelis and Palestinians is very important to the security of every American. Palestinians are testing out a whole new form of warfare, using suicide bombers to achieve their political aims. Israelis are terrified. And Palestinians feel a rising sense of empowerment. Palestinians have long had a tactical alternative to suicide: nonviolent resistance (Friedman A6). Palestinians have adopted suicide bombing as a strategic choice, not out of desperation. Two influential U.S. senators expressed their fear that the kind of suicide bombings we've seen in Israel might indeed spread to the United States. They both agree that if these suicide bombings in Israel don't stop soon,... ...rorism and its affects on a nation. Each person seems to have there own idea on how to stop such things from ever happening again. There are those who are anti-war, who think if we just talk about things peace can be achieved. Then, there are those who think if we as a nation scare everyone with our military power the problem will be resolved. Both groups are far from the truth in my opinion. Terrorist acts are derived and acted upon by pure hatred and brainwashing. The only time terrorism will ever truly disappear is when we as a human race disappear. Works Cited Blitzer, Wolf. "Suicide bombings in the United States?" CNN. 9 Apr. 2002. Friedman, Thomas L. "Suicidal Lies – On Suicide Bombers." New York Times 31 March 2002: A6. â€Å"Info War†. 2002. The Terrorism Research Center, Inc. 5 Oct. 2003. 18 Apr. 2004 . Parkinson, John. â€Å"The Consequences of Terrorism.† CIO Insight Jan. 2003: 43-46. Sowell, Thomas. "The Median and Purpose of Terror." New York Times 19 Nov. 2001: A10. â€Å"Terrorism.† The Encyclopedia Britannica. 2003 ed. The War on Terrorism. 2003. Central Intelligence Agency. 25 March 2004

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Portarait Painting

Portrait painting. Horatio once said: A picture is a poem without words . Really, a painting can speak loudly  than thousand words. A painting is the most effective exhibition of one’s  idea about a particular concept or material. A great painting enriches our experience of life, just as a great poem does, since great painters make us see and think a great deal more than the objects before us, they teach us to look at a scene through their eyes, their imagination. It  can explain a story which will take several pages if it is explained in  words. Today I’d like to draw your attention to portrait painting.At first, I’m to present the definition of this genre of painting, than I’m to speak on three artists William Hogarth, Mary Cassat and Valentin Serov as the representatives of three different movements in portrait painting. As Britannica says Portrait painting  is a  genre  of  painting, where the intent is to depict the visual appearance o f the subject. Beside human beings, animals, pets and even inanimate objects can be chosen as the subject for a portrait. Portraitists create their work by commission, or are inspired by admiration or affection for the subject.Historically, portrait paintings have primarily memorialized the rich and powerful. Today, the portrait painting is still commissioned by governments, corporations, groups, clubs, and individuals. As you can know there are a lot of movements in painting in general and in portrait painting in particular. They range from realism to pop-art, but I’m to single out realism, impressionism and modernism. The movement of realism is based on the exact reflection of human face and body. Clear and exact lines, realistic colours are typical of it. The representative of this movement is William Hogarth.He is considered even one of the founders of realistic movement in Britain. Hogarth emerged as an important  portraitist, producing several impressive small-scale i nformal group portraits of members of a family or friends and a number of sensitive portraits of individual sitters. The example of realistic style is expressed in the painting The Shrimp Girl. It was painted around 1740–45. The painting, a relatively late work by Hogarth, is one of several in which he experimented with a loose, almost  impressionistic style, nevertheless even in this portrait the painter tried to find the beauty in real life and its reflection.The painting depicts a woman selling shellfish on the streets of London, typically a job for the wives and daughters of fishmongers. One of the brightest movements of portrait painting is impressionism, characterized by loose and broad strokes, diffused lines and even the distortion of human body. The wonderful representative is Mary Cassatt. She was a wonderful American painter and her place in the history of American art is unique, because she responded in a very distinctive way to the mandate to portray modern lif e.Cassatt created a personal language out of the grammar of Impressionism. Most often, she portrayed women like herself, e. g. Miss Mary Ellison is the second of two portraits of Mary Ellison, which was created in 1880. Cassatt there concentrates on Miss Ellison's contemplative mood. In this painting, Cassatt’s brushwork is open and sketchy, colours are soft and even merge. The mirror behind Ellison is a device the artist used often; its presence allows the expansion of the composition's implied space to include areas that the viewer could not otherwise see.The last movement I’d like to mention is modernism. It appeared on the basis of impressionism, and even if strokes are broad and strong, lines are clear and human face and body are reflected almost exactly. In general, modernists embellish () the image. Valentin Serov is a famous representative if the movement. In fact, in his style of painting there was his classical technique when one precise stroke of brush was a pplied without further reworking. Serov is seen as the first Russian modernist, and his composition Girl with Peaches(1887) initiated the style of Russia.In the painting Serov pieces together fragments of the interior scene and still-life. The light pours in through the window and dissolves the contours of the objects. Serov uses warm tones for the girl which in some way contrasts with the colder tones of the space. The girl is painted almost exactly in clear lines and good proportions. To conclude the topic I’d like to say that different movements in portrait painting are the result of painters’ views on art, painting. Their style always reflects their epoch and predominant movements in other spheres. But paintings in any genre excite and impress.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

My mom is a wonderful woman

Have you ever had that one person that you have looked up to your whole life? Well i have, and that person is my mom. My mom is a wonderful woman. She puts up with my attitude and all of the annoying things i may put her through, and she is still there for me when i need her. My mom is someone that i love and that i can rely on if i need something. I know she will never let me down and that is why i can depend on her for anything. I can trust my mom and that is a problem i have with other people.I have never really been able to trust anybody. My mom has helped me a lot in life whether its figuring out how to do something, helping me achieve my goals, or telling me not to give up. I can ask my mom for advice and talk to her about anything. My mom is the main reason that i am doing sports in high school. I have always wanted to do sports but i have always been shy and scared to try new things. I didn't want to try out because i was afraid i wouldn't make the team. She encouraged me to try and and i made the team thanks to her.I can talk to my mom about anything. My mom was there for me when i switched schools and i didn't know anybody. I would talk to her and she would tell me just be your self and don't let anybody change you. She is someone i constantly go to when i have no one to talk to. We might play around a lot but I know when she is joking and i know when she is being serious with me. My mom is the best person in the world. My mom has always believed in me. She told me to always try my best.She told me that even if i feel like I'm going to fail to always try me hardest because i never know what could happen. She also told me to never give up. She told me that before i started doing sports that as long as i try my hardest she will supply me with everything i need to succeed. My mom has helped me make a lot of decisions. She helped me figure out that i wanted to join a sport, she helped me decide if i wanted to do an honors class or not, and she talked to m e about joining and advanced placement class.My mom is the main reason i am the person i have grown up to be. If she wasn't her for me i would have probably been a totally different person. Even though i get on my moms nerves all the time she still puts up with me and she still loves me. There is a couple of times were we have argued with each other, but we easily get over that. I look up to my mom and i hope that when I'm a mom my kids will look up to me like i look up to my mom.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

buy custom Literary Comparison of “The Hand” and “Love in L.A.”

buy custom Literary Comparison of â€Å"The Hand† and â€Å"Love in L.A.† Literary Comparison Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette and Dagoberto Gilb Abstract The stories The Hand by Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette and Love in L.A. by Dagoberto Gilb have numerous elements of symbolism. At first sight, it seems quite hard to compare such different stories. The first short story was written 69 years earlier than the second one. The similarity of the symbols in The Hand by Colette and Love in L.A. by Dagoberto Gilb is not obvious at first, but after careful analysis one can find a lot of similarities in the use of symbols in these stories. Colette in The Hand tells a story about a young woman that got married not long ago and is in love with her husband. However, one night she notices that the hand of her husband that she likes to kiss is not as perfect as it seemed to her. She understands that love and marriage are not so ideal and do not look like a dream; she realizes that marriage means also diplomacy and sometimes obedience. In the morning, despite her fear and disgust, the wife kisses her husbands hand.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Of Mice and Men Find the Quotation Essays

Of Mice and Men Find the Quotation Essays Of Mice and Men Find the Quotation Essay Of Mice and Men Find the Quotation Essay Of Mice and Men: Find the Quotation 1. p9 Lennie is being childish 2. p23 George is desperate for work 3. p31 Noises describing the ranch 4. p35 Slim described using religious language 5. p36 Description of Carlson 6. p42 George’s cruel past 7. p46 Candy’s closeness to his dog 8. p51 Tension as they wait for the dog’s execution 9. p62 Candy can make the dream a reality 10. p67 Lennie’s superhuman strength 11. p71 Description of Crooks 12. p85 Curley’s wife threatens Crooks 13. p89 A symbol of impending doom (things will go wrong) 14. p94 Curley’s wife’s deam 15. p98 Curley’s wife finds peace 6. p100 candy’s anger at the broken dream 17. p108 Lennie hallucinates 18. p112 George kills Lennie 19. p112 George is stunned after murder 20. p113 Slim is kind understanding Crooks 1. Page 102. Read the passage where Crooks talks of black families. Why is this relevant? 2. Page 103. ‘Crooks’ face lighted with pleasure in his torture’. Explain why Crooks is like this. 3. Page 104/105. How does Crooks explain his cruel behaviour? 4. Page 105. What does Crooks worry about regarding his own sanity? 5. Page 106. How does Crooks respond to the dream? 6. Page 109. How does the reader feel towards Crooks after reading the passage ending ‘I ain’t so crippled I can’t work like a son-of-a-bitch if I want to? ’ 7. Page 113. Read from ‘Crooks stood up from his bunk†¦to the top of Page 114 ‘‘Yes Ma’am’, and his voice was toneless. ’ How does this create sympathy for Crooks? 8. Page 116. Why does Crooks change his mind about the dream? 9. Page 116. Why does Steinbeck finish this chapter with Crooks repeating his actions that were described earlier in the chapter? 10. Select the quintessential quotation from chapter 4 that creates sympathy for Crooks.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Article of Marketing Strategies of Bajaj Auto

It is required to provide protection for men, machines, materials, products or even the companyaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s secrets. It has to serve as a part of the production facilities and as a factor to maximize economy and efficiency in plant operations. It should be such, as would offer a pleasant and comfortable working environment and project the managementaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s image and prestige. Besides, it involves considerable investment of capital. In a way, a factory building is to a plant what skin and bones are to a living being, the structure and appearance heighten the functioning as a whole of the body corporate, or of a living body. It is for these reasons that the factory building acquires great importance. The management of an existing factory may, on certain occasions, feel the need for raising a building. This may be an improvement on, or an addition to, the existing building for purpose of expansion or growth, or a new structure necessitated by product diversification or market considerations. A factory building may be rented, if available in the place, when the management decides that way. But, generally speaking, no large factory, or even a medium-sized factory, is housed in a rented accommodation. The reasons are that, in the first place, ready made factory buildings are not available to suit particular needs, except for small plants. In the second place, a rented building does not indicate prosperity and progressaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬ a fact which is important to a manufacturing concern in so far as its public image is concerned. Whether a building has to be constructed, or rented, or improved, or expanded, certain factors, which are of vital importance to every plant, should be borne in mind. These considerations relate to: 1. The design of the buildings. 2. The types of materials for construction; and 3. The types of buildings Every factory management enlists the services of architects, engineers and contractors to ensure that these considerations find their due place in the consideration of factory buildings. more at http://www. citeman. com/136-importance-of-factory-buildings-in-operations. html#ixzz2O9Gy3LP6 Article of Marketing Strategies of Bajaj Auto It is required to provide protection for men, machines, materials, products or even the companyaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s secrets. It has to serve as a part of the production facilities and as a factor to maximize economy and efficiency in plant operations. It should be such, as would offer a pleasant and comfortable working environment and project the managementaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s image and prestige. Besides, it involves considerable investment of capital. In a way, a factory building is to a plant what skin and bones are to a living being, the structure and appearance heighten the functioning as a whole of the body corporate, or of a living body. It is for these reasons that the factory building acquires great importance. The management of an existing factory may, on certain occasions, feel the need for raising a building. This may be an improvement on, or an addition to, the existing building for purpose of expansion or growth, or a new structure necessitated by product diversification or market considerations. A factory building may be rented, if available in the place, when the management decides that way. But, generally speaking, no large factory, or even a medium-sized factory, is housed in a rented accommodation. The reasons are that, in the first place, ready made factory buildings are not available to suit particular needs, except for small plants. In the second place, a rented building does not indicate prosperity and progressaâ‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬ a fact which is important to a manufacturing concern in so far as its public image is concerned. Whether a building has to be constructed, or rented, or improved, or expanded, certain factors, which are of vital importance to every plant, should be borne in mind. These considerations relate to: 1. The design of the buildings. 2. The types of materials for construction; and 3. The types of buildings Every factory management enlists the services of architects, engineers and contractors to ensure that these considerations find their due place in the consideration of factory buildings. more at http://www. citeman. com/136-importance-of-factory-buildings-in-operations. html#ixzz2O9Gy3LP6

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Swift's A Modest Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Swift's A Modest Proposal - Essay Example At the time of this pamphlet’s writing, Ireland was not an independent country and was much poorer than England. Ireland was a place which was wholly dependent upon England politically, economically and militarily. According to Swift, Ireland was an over populated and poor country full of beggars, lack of food storage, heavy taxes and with no right to handle their own country affairs as England uses to control the legislature of Ireland. Majority of the people who were born over there were Roman Catholics and they use to work as labors of agriculture or tenant farmers. The owners of the land known as landlords were paid at a rate which was not affordable by the workers from the lands production. These landlords were usually Protestants and were considered to be the ruling class. Majority of them were not the natives of Ireland by birth nor did they use to live over there permanently. If some labors lost the job they were doing, there position in a job was soon taken over by the other people who are poor living there. Ireland, at that time had the same level of starvation as it can be seen in today’s third world countries along with no social security system. Swift’s Modest Proposal’s beginning is based upon the real poverty of the people living in Ireland. Swift presented this pamphlet in a sympathetic manner but provided the facts and details which showed that there is a surplus that is an excessive number of children who cannot be fed. He mentioned about selling children for slavery as a possibility of living but is against this as nobody will ever buy children who are younger than twelve years of age rather than being against for this possibility due to its cruelty and wrongness. This gives the meaning that children cannot be fed for a long time period as their parents are too poor and children themselves are too weak and small for doing any work. Soon after this Swift went off the point and claimed

Friday, October 18, 2019

The Bridge on the River Kwai Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Bridge on the River Kwai - Movie Review Example The story speaks about living in dignity, being civilized and treating others in a human manner regardless of their condition and status in life. However, it also speaks about the realities of the possibilities that the good motives of dignified men, trained and educated to do service to other people, may well be mixed with personal intentions and objectives that is, to satisfy one’s ego and desires by being known throughout the world for ages because of their achievements. Colonel Nicholson presents a confusing character. He was stubborn in demanding his rights and for a viewer, it would be hard to understand why he would allow himself to suffer rather than just obey orders and be treated well. He is also an interesting character who stirs curiosity from the audience. The initial reasoning of the British colonel is highly commendable. He thought about the good of his officers, fighting for their rights. It is highly appreciated for an officer to keep to the rules and regulati ons even in the face of death. In defending his and the rights of his officers, colonel Nicholson endangered his life as well as his officers. Still, wanting to show his men the principles that he clings to, he defied the Japanese commander. When he was punished, caged in a box like an animal, he did not allow his situation to limit or even depreciate his beliefs rather he stood his ground that the British officers will have no part in the manual labor demanded by the Japanese as stated in the international law. This showed cultural issues, with the British showing diplomacy and the Japanese showing barbaric disciplines. In the course of time, when the Japanese commander was pressured by his deadlines, he eventually had to bend his rules against his will to the demands of the British officer if only to save his life from the dangers he faces if he was not able to meet his deadline for the construction of the bridge. Having regained his power and dignity in the presence of the Japane se soldiers, colonel Nicholson solicited the help of the British officers and soldiers to build the bridge they were ordered to do, the best thing that happened in the movie. The colonel had good intentions of showing how diplomatic the British could work with their enemies and let them appreciate the ‘civilized’ living they have, adhering to rules and respecting humanity, giving them the dignity of human beings. Instead of working against their enemies as initially intended, the British prisoners of war worked in their favor. The engineer revealed the mistakes in building the bridge on an unstable area and he collaborated with the other officers to plan to make a good bridge. The ideal of Nicholson were logical he could even convince any viewer with it. Build a bridge of good quality and show the Japanese what British soldiers could do, boost the morale of the soldiers and uphold their dignity and, to top his reasoning, the project would be for the good of the British government, were what the officer said. Building the bridge would be a diplomatic act in favor of the British government, he reasons. But was that really it? When the engineer told Colonel Nicholson that the bridge they were to build is similar to the medieval London Bridge that stood six hundred years of service, he became ecstatic, more driven and ambitious. He probably was

INTRODUCTION TO STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

INTRODUCTION TO STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT - Essay Example It also controls two other smaller regional airlines Cambrian Airways based in Cardiff and Northeast Airlines operating from Newcastle (Hatch 2003). The four airlines merged to form one British Airways, it started as a state own corporation until 1987 where it was sold as part of the government privatization plan. Since its privatization the company has expanded its operations acquiring British Caledonian, Gatwick airline carrier and Dan-Air. The company has the latest airbuses, airlines and Dream liner’s after making a major long-haul fleet replacement of its fleet (Evans2012). The bottom-line of its long-haul fleet is its purchases from its long-time customer Boeing with 52 examples in service. It is notable that it is only British Airways and operator which have this kind of flight and service worldwide. The company is also attributed to the founding of Oneworld airline alliance, Cathay Pacific, American airlines and Qantas. The parent company of British Airways Company, In ternational Airlines Group is also listed on the London stock exchange and also in the FTSE 100 Index. In 2009 British airways merged with Iberia and in 2010 it was approved by the European Commission under competition law. This allowed American Airlines cooperate with British Airways under International Airlines group on trans-Atlantic routes to various American destinations. With this merger International Airlines Group became the world third largest Airline and second largest in Europe in terms of annual revenue. In 2012 the company purchased British Midland International and it considers opening a new subsidiary to be based in London city airport operation Airbuses. British Airways being among the largest airlines holds United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority license which allows the airline to carry passengers, cargo and mail with 20 or more seats. It is notable that its key major rival is easyJet airlines because it is a low cost carrier (Evans2012). The company has various su bsidiaries and shareholdings where it has put much focus on the financial markets and leisure industry. In addition British Airways has a cargo branch which has worldwide global freight opportunities operating along its routes. British Airways is considered the largest shareholder in the airline transport industry in the world. The world carrier serves over 100 destinations globally as well as domestic flights (Hatch 2003). The carrier has also joined the few carriers that have its operations in all the continents. Strategic management process is the process which guides members and stakeholders of an organization to envision its future. This process is also essential for developing the necessary operations and procedures to achieve sustainable future for the achievement of both long-term and short-term goals and objectives. According to David Williamson (2012) the strategic management process can be viewed as a circular flow of action steps whereby the results from one step are use d to initiate an action in the next step (Williamson 2012). Therefore it can be argued that issues arising in an organization in a particular step help the strategic management teams to plan for the future of the organization making adjustments or additional work adopting the required strategies. To achieve the desired results the underlying stages can alter the flow of the stages to suit the particular needs of the

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Beowulf Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Beowulf - Research Paper Example That includes the possibility of becoming proud. In the end one can say that it was pride that led Beowulf to his death in that combat with the dragon. He had become old. As Hrothgar probably saw in advance, Beowulf’s pride kept him from seeing his limitations. This being so, he went to do battle with the dragon on his own at the end of his life, and in so doing got killed. Hrothgar’s words therefore ring true. At the height of Beowulf’s success he knew that Beowulf was vulnerable too. He was vulnerable to becoming proud just like all human beings are. As Hrothgar cautions: â€Å"Ban, then, such baleful thoughts, Beowulf dearest, best of men, and the better part choose, profit eternal; and temper thy pride, warrior famous!† (â€Å"Beowulf†). It is important to see that Hrothgar was speaking from the point of view of experience and great wisdom. He saw that Beowulf was truly remarkable. He was able to do what his best men could not. He was in despair because his peace was gone from Grendel’s attacks. He was powerless to do anything about the dragon. On the other hand Beowulf was able to slay the dragon and also his mother, with his own hands. He was able to do battle with Grendel without using any arms too. Such was his power and his abilities that he was able to do all of this. Moreover, Hrothgar saw that Beowulf was also very popular. His fame had spread very far. In the midst of all these Hrothgar knew that any mortal man would become proud. When he gave out the warning to Beowulf he was not trying to diminish Beowulf’s success. He was trying to protect him in a way from his own self. This self is the self of all men. Men can be blinded by their own success. In modern life we see this all the time. The g reat actor who is able to generate blockbuster movies often becomes proud and difficult to work with, for example. Rulers of countries become blinded and intoxicated by their own success.

The Learner's Log Book (LLB) for the Saudi Airlines Case Article

The Learner's Log Book (LLB) for the Saudi Airlines Case - Article Example The EFQM Excellence Model, developed by the European Foundation for Quality Management, enables organizations to analyze themselves systematically. All the necessary elements for organizational excellence (process quality, employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, leadership quality, etc.) are analyzed  The  EFQM Journey to Excellence (J2E) / Internal Excellence Assessor (IEA-EFQM) Training  gives you the skills to organize a self-assessment based of the EFQM Excellence Model, to act as an Internal Excellence Assessor, and to develop, after the self-assessment, a plan for  Striving for Excellence. Are you interested to learn how to use the EFQM Excellence Model to identify and drive improvements at your organization? Would you like to learn how to conduct a successful self-assessment based on the Excellence Model? Would you like to act as an Internal Excellence Assessor? Then this training is for you! EFQM excellence model is developed by the Saudi Arabian Airlines industry to evaluate them methodically. For this, the essential ingredients of organizational excellence such as workers satisfaction, quality process, consumer satisfaction, and leadership quality etc are evaluated. Followings are the key learning points in this article. Saudi Arabian Airlines industry adopts various quality management techniques to improve the overall functioning of the industry. In order to improve the quality, Saudi Arabian Airlines adopted the Self Assessment model in tandem with the European Foundation of Quality Management (EFQM) which is considered as an effective tool for empowering activities in the direction of business excellence.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 19

Finance - Essay Example The profit after corporate tax rate of 30% comes to $ 7245000. The Net Present Values of the project has been calculated by taking into account the initial investment and the cash flow streams at the end of every year and it comes to $ -28566432.13 (Kirkpatrick and Weiss, 1996, p. 15). This means that the company would not be able to break even at the end of 4 years and thus the new technology should be implemented for avoiding the expenditure burden for the company. In the scenario of adoption of the new technology, the company would be able to reduce the per unit production cost and as a result of which the profit for the company will increase at the same selling price of the product (Peterson and Fabozzi, 2004, p. 71). The company has to incur an initial investment of $55000000. The advantage for this project is that the company will get back a salvage value of the new machine at the end of four years and also some value from the resale of the old machine. The cash flows at the end of each year would also be more compared to the old machine. Thus after calculation of the NPV it is found that it is still negative but the figure is much better as compared to the old machine. The financing for the new Machine can be done by selling the old machine @ $ 1,20,00,000 and the remaining amount of $ 5,50,00,000 has to be taken as a loan from a bank with a rate of interest @ 9 % pa. Thus the interest has to be deducted from the Profit before calculating the NPV of the new project (Chapman and Ward, 2007, p. 47). Decision Tree Analysis: It is one of the commonly used techniques for evaluating the permeability of a project. In case of a decision tree, the projects various possible situations are calculated and their associated probabilities of occurrences are taken into consideration. Accordingly a diagram is plotted and that gives an idea of the situations that might happen due to the occurrence of a particular project and how much return it

The Learner's Log Book (LLB) for the Saudi Airlines Case Article

The Learner's Log Book (LLB) for the Saudi Airlines Case - Article Example The EFQM Excellence Model, developed by the European Foundation for Quality Management, enables organizations to analyze themselves systematically. All the necessary elements for organizational excellence (process quality, employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, leadership quality, etc.) are analyzed  The  EFQM Journey to Excellence (J2E) / Internal Excellence Assessor (IEA-EFQM) Training  gives you the skills to organize a self-assessment based of the EFQM Excellence Model, to act as an Internal Excellence Assessor, and to develop, after the self-assessment, a plan for  Striving for Excellence. Are you interested to learn how to use the EFQM Excellence Model to identify and drive improvements at your organization? Would you like to learn how to conduct a successful self-assessment based on the Excellence Model? Would you like to act as an Internal Excellence Assessor? Then this training is for you! EFQM excellence model is developed by the Saudi Arabian Airlines industry to evaluate them methodically. For this, the essential ingredients of organizational excellence such as workers satisfaction, quality process, consumer satisfaction, and leadership quality etc are evaluated. Followings are the key learning points in this article. Saudi Arabian Airlines industry adopts various quality management techniques to improve the overall functioning of the industry. In order to improve the quality, Saudi Arabian Airlines adopted the Self Assessment model in tandem with the European Foundation of Quality Management (EFQM) which is considered as an effective tool for empowering activities in the direction of business excellence.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Presidential Campaign Policy Essay Example for Free

Presidential Campaign Policy Essay The 2008 presidential campaign will be remembered for the stark contrasts between the two candidates and their respective policies. Other than the obvious contrasts of race and age, John McCain and Barack Obama represent two very different philosophies of government. Two examples of this contrast are the domestic policy area of taxes and the foreign policy issue of the war on terror. John McCain, the Republican candidate, has proposed lowering the corporate tax rate from 35% to 25% (The McCain Economic Plan 6). This proposal reflects the traditional Republican philosophy which believes that lower tax rates for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and corporations will result in more jobs for working Americans, increased productivity, and, ultimately, in greater tax revenues. In addition to reducing taxes for corporations, McCain has also proposed reducing individual income taxes. Under the McCain plan, families with an annual family income of more than $2. 87 million would receive a 4. 4% decrease in taxes, or about $269,000 less in income taxes per year (Obama and McCain Tax Proposals). This income bracket represents the top 0. 1% of incomes in the United States. The average annual income in the United States is slightly less than $42,000 (World Bank, 12). Under the McCain Plan, an American with an average income would have his taxes reduced by 0. 7%, or $319 per year (Obama and McCain Tax Proposals). McCain has not always favored giving larger tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans and less generous tax breaks to the middle class. In 2001, McCain was one of two Republican senators to vote against the Bush tax cuts (Weisman A01). At that time, McCain argued that the country could not afford to give such large tax cuts without corresponding reductions in spending. McCain also expressed concerns about the lopsided nature of the Bush tax cuts, which gave the greatest tax relief to the wealthiest taxpayers and offered little reductions in taxes to middle class or low-income wage earners. In 2002, McCain said that he would like to see much more of this tax cut shared by working Americans. . . . I think it still devotes too much of it to the wealthiest Americans (McCain, quoted by Weisman A01). McCain changed his position on taxing working Americans at some time before March of 2008, when he voted with other Senate Republicans to continue the Bush tax cuts. Barack Obamas tax plan increases the amount of income tax paid by the wealthiest Americans and reduces, if only slightly, the amount of income taxes that would be paid by middle class families. Under the Obama plan, Families making more than $250,000 will pay either the same or lower tax rates than they paid in the 1990s (Barack Obamas Comprehensive Tax Plan). Families earning more than $287 million, which received a tax reduction of 4. 4% under the McCain plan, would face a tax increase of 11. 5% or $701,885 a year under the Obama plan (Obama and McCain Tax Proposals). An individual with an income of $42,000 would have a tax reduction of 2. 4% or $1,042 per year under the Obama plan (Obama and McCain Tax Proposals). In the March 2008 vote, Senator Obama voted with other Democrats to reject the Bush tax cuts. McCain has argued that economic growth should come from the top down, while Obama has argued that economic stability comes from the bottom up. The recent collapse of Wall Street and the government bailout of several banks and investment firms reinforces Obamas argument and weakens McCains position. McCain and Obama also have different views about the war on terror. McCain contends that the United States was correct in its decision to pursue Al Qaeda into Iraq and that the United States military should stay in Iraq until the insurgency has been brought under control and the Iraqi government no longer needs the support of the United States military (Strategy for Victory in Iraq). Obama has argued that the war in Iraq is a dangerous distraction from the pursuit of Al Qaeda in Afghanistan (Obama calls Iraq war a dangerous distraction'). Obamas position on the war in Iraq is consistent with his initial criticism of the decision to go to war in Iraq in 2002. At one time, Obama argued that the United States should have a clear deadline for the withdrawal of all troops from Iraq. Since that time, Obama has somewhat modified his position. While he is still calling for a reduction in troops with a goal of an eventual withdrawal by the summer of 2010, he has also acknowledged the need for a residual force (to) remain in Iraq and in the region to conduct targeted counter-terrorism missions against al Qaeda in Iraq and to protect American diplomatic and civilian personnel (War in Iraq). Obama noted that we must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in (War in Iraq). Obama has also tried to calm fears that he might be reluctant to use military force if necessary to defend the United States. Democrats have historically been viewed as being weak on national defense, which has traditionally been a strong issue for Republicans. While Obama has been critical of the war in Iraq, he has also argued strongly for increased troops in Afghanistan. Obama has also stated that, if necessary, he would pursue Al Qaeda into neighboring Pakistan, which is where he believes Osama bin Laden and other Al Qaeda members are hiding (War in Iraq). In these remarks, Obama has been more hawkish than McCain, who has warned against threatening Pakistan. John McCain has argued that the American strategy in Iraq is an important part of the overall war on terror. McCain has been consistent in his views of the war, even when his position was unpopular and could have potential cost him the nomination of his party (Page). McCains status as a former POW gives him a great deal of credibility in the area of military defense. McCain has argued against any type of scheduled withdrawal from Iraq, warning that any such timetable would provide an advantage to the insurgents in Iraq and to Al Qaeda forces. McCain has also acknowledged that American military forces may have to stay in Iraq for several years to ensure the stability of the region and to protect American interests. Although McCain has argued for the need for military action in Iraq and Afghanistan, he has also warned against making threats to Pakistan and other countries. Obamas argument about the war is weakened by his lack of experience and knowledge in foreign affairs, a fact that McCain likes to point out as often as possible. Obamas choice of Joe Biden as a running mate was no doubt intended, in part, to address these concerns about foreign affairs. His logic about who military forces should be used, however, is strong. It makes little sense to fight a war in Iraq when it is clear that the enemy is hiding in Afghanistan and Pakistan. McCains strength is in his knowledge of foreign affairs, firsthand knowledge and understanding of war, and in his commitment to protecting American lives and American interests. McCains position of experience, however, was weakened by his choice of an inexperienced running mate who has no knowledge of foreign affairs or national security.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Research Philosophy Is A Belief Management Essay

Research Philosophy Is A Belief Management Essay The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the research philosophy, approach, strategy that is relevant to this business research. In addition, data collection method that is conducted to address the research problems as provided in chapter 2 is also included. The research methodology will be based on the research onion as introduced by Saunders et al. (2009) Figure 3.1. Selecting the appropriate methodology is essential for the effectiveness of any research (Buckley, 2006). The right choice of the approach will help to make a more informed decision about the research design and strategy that will be consistent with the research topic (Easterby-Smith et al., 1993). In this section, a questionnaire is to be designed to support data collection and further analysis on the research hypotheses. Besides, ethical issues of this research are also included in the end of this chapter. 3.2 Research philosophy Research philosophy is a belief about the way in which data about a phenomenon should be collected and analyzed (Levin, 1988). It is significant with particular reference to research methodology because: (i) it can help the researcher to refine and specify the research methods to be used in a study, that is, to clarify the overall research strategy to be used, (ii) knowledge of research philosophy will enable and assist the researcher to evaluate different methodologies and methods and avoid inappropriate use and unnecessary work by identifying the limitations of particular approaches at an early stage and (iii) it may help the researcher to be creative and innovative in either selection or adaptation of methods (Easterby-Smith et al., 1993). Figure 3.1 Research onion Source: Saunders et al. (2009) According to Saunders et al. (2009), there are four research philosophies in management research including positivism, realism, interpretivism and pragmatism. The choice of research philosophy will therefore influence the development of the research. And although each research philosophy has its strengths and weaknesses (Neville, 2005), the author chooses philosophy of positivism for this study because of the following reasons. The philosophy of positivism research is considered a source of knowledge closely associated with the physical and natural sciences (Alavi and Carlson, 1992). The special features of positivism are seen to be a philosophical ideology and movement, and it has a certain influence in human perception (Birger, 2005). By positing a reality in separation of subject and object, the positivist paradigm provides an objective reality against which researchers can compare their claims and ascertain truth (Popper, 1972). Positivism is largely concerned with the testing, confirmation and falsification, and predictive ability of generalizable theories about an objective, readily apprehended reality (Chua, 1986; Orlikowski and Baroudi, 1991). The objective of positivism is to provide a valid logical foundation for empirical research, and simultaneously restrict the scope of human rationality in scientific study to discovery the efficient means with its aim to achieve the end goal Friedman (1953). 3.3 Research approach In their 2009 work, Saunders et al. referred to the two broad methods of reasoning as the deductive and inductive approaches. Deductive reasoning works from the more general to the more specific, meaning that it starts with a theory, and then hypotheses are developed and a research strategy is designed to test the hypotheses. Meanwhile, inductive reasoning moves from specific observations to broader generalizations and theories, meaning that theories are developed as a result of data collection (Saunders et al., 2009). In this study, the author chooses deduction research approach due to the following reasons: It involves the development of a theory that is subjected to a rigorous test (Saunders et al., 2009). It is the dominant research approach in the natural sciences, where laws present the basis of explanation, allow the anticipation of phenomena, predict their occurrence and therefore permit them to be controlled (Collis and Hussey, 2003). Deductive reasoning is more narrow in nature and is concerned with testing or confirming hypotheses (Babbie, 2001) and therefore, more suitable with the context of this study. 3.4 Research strategy Saunders et al. (2009) stated that research strategy is important as it will help to answer particular research questions and meet research objectives, and that the choice of research strategy will be guided by the research questions and objectives, the extent of existing knowledge, the limit of time and other resources available. The strategies as indicated in the research onion (Saunders et al., 2009) are: experiment, survey, case study, action research, grounded theory, ethnography and archival research. In this study, the author thinks that case study strategy is most suitable and consistent with the research objectives, for the following reasons: It is a strategy for doing research which involves an empirical investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon within its real life context using multiple sources of evidence (Robson, 2002). It provides a better understanding and content theorization of the processes and context in which the practices of management control take place (Morris and Wood, 1991; Adams et al., 2006; Berry et al., 2009 cited in Simoes and Rodrigues, 2008). It can be a very worthwhile way of exploring and challenging existing theories and provide a source of new research questions (Saunders et al., 2009). It has considerable ability to generate answers to the questions Why, What and How (Saunders et al., 2009) that are raised in this study. According to Yin (1994), the case study methodology is the most suitable approach to answer the questions Why? and How? In this case, the questions we want to answer are: Why has the BSC been introduced as a performance measurement tool? and How is the BSC model evaluated via employees feedback? How is the relationship between those measures? The advantage of this approach lies in the possibility of achieving triangulation (Denzin, 1978) which is given by the possibility of using many data sources. 3.5 Research Method As indicated in the research onion by Saunders et al. (2009), mono method, multi-method or mixed methods can be used as the system of collecting data for research projects. In multi-method, quantitative and qualitative researches are used widely in business and management research to differentiate both data collection techniques and data analysis procedures (Saunders et al., 2009). Qualitative research method focuses on discovering and understanding the experiences, perspectives, and thoughts of participants-that is, qualitative research explores meaning, purpose, or reality (Hiatt, 1986). It is usually described as allowing a detailed exploration of a topic of interest in which information is collected by a researcher through case studies, ethnographic work, interviews, and so on (Harwell, 2011). Meanwhile, quantitative research method attempts to maximize objectivity, replicability, and generalizibility of findings, and is typically interested in prediction. Its key features are th e use of instruments such as tests or surveys to collect data, and reliance on probability theory to test statistical hypotheses that correspond to research questions of interest (Harwell, 2011). In supporting this studys objectives, the author chooses to use both qualitative and quantitative researches. It is hoped that the combination of these two methods will strongly support the development of this study in terms of data collection and analysis. Specifically, qualitative approach will be applied in this study via closed questions in questionnaires to obtain information with its aim to explain how the factors impacting BSC in current context of HSBC. Besides, data of research allows researchers to access and recognize population attitudes, perceptions, and ideas about particular social questions with a small sample, as well as practical knowledge (Swidorski, 1980). Accordingly, questionnaire surveys play an important role in helping researchers understand the principles of questionnaire design to explain results in an optimal and meaningful way (Slattery et al., 2011). 3.6 Methods of collecting data 3.6.1 Data source Data are facts, figures and other relevant materials, past and present, serving as bases for study and analysis (Dekeba, 2012). Therefore, data collection is an important aspect of any type of research study. Data gathered by different methods may provide different windows onto social world (Gilbert, 2008). On the other hand, inaccurate data collection can impact the results of a study and ultimately lead to invalid results (Afroze, 2010). Basically, data collection includes primary data and secondary data. Primary data is the data which is collected for the first time (Hair et al., 2011). Researchers discussed that the major advantage of primary data is that the information is specific, relevant, up-to-date and that they answer specific research questions that secondary data cannot. However, cost and time consuming are its main disadvantages (Onkvisit Shaw, 2008). Secondary data is the data which is not originally collected but rather obtained from published or unpublished sources (Jha Shah, 2009). Its advantage is that it can be quickly and cheaply obtained, however the most important limitation is that it may not be accurate and updated, therefore not meeting specific research needs (Saunders et al., 2009). In particular, both primary data and secondary data are used in the research with the purpose of providing an objective and multifaceted view on the topic. Secondary data retrieved from e-books, e-journals from the Universitys e-library, websites and HSBCs available internal sources and the banks internal and restricted reports on strategy, structure and procedures as inputs for chapter 1 and 2 and for designing questionnaires. Primary data is to be collected from a survey using questionnaires amongst HSBCs staff within the scope of this research. 3.6.2 Data collection method As mentioned by Saunders et al. (2009), three ways of primary data collection include Observation, Interview and Questionnaires. Observation involves the systematic observation, recording, description, analysis and interpretation of peoples behavior (Hodges Videto, 2011). The main advantage is that it allow researcher to witness behaviors, skills, record and reflect those in their research. However, it is possible that the researcher makes incorrect observations and interpretations (Kerlinger, 1988). Interview is defined by Kahn and Cannel (1965) as a purposeful discussion between two or more people. Interviews help researchers gather valid and reliable data that are relevant to their research questions and objectives but it is a costly method in term of time and money. The interviewer is also needed to be equipped with skills so that they do not interfere or mislead the interviewees with their questions (Saunders et al., 2009). Questionnaire is one of the most widely used data collection techniques widely in business and management research for descriptive or explanatory (Saunders et al., 2009). The term questionnaire is defined as a formalized set of questions with the purpose of obtaining information from respondents (Malhotra et al., 1996). According to Ackroyd and Hughes (1981), questionnaire has some limitations such as: (i) respondents can misinterpret the questions and therefore give incorrect answers, (ii) limited information can be retrieved due to formatted questions, (iii) low chance for the collector to come back and ask for clarification from respondents and (iv) respondents may not be willing to answer if they are not required. However, according to Afroze (2010), there are various factors influencing the choice of a data collection method, including research questions, resources available, scope of work, timeline, and so on. Further to this study, the author decides to choose collecting data using questionnaires rather than observation and interview approaches when considering all these factors and referring to the following advantages (Ackroyd and Hughes, 1981). Large number of responses can be collected from a large number of people in a short period of time and in a relatively cost effective way The results of the questionnaires can be quickly and easily quantified by the researcher or through the use of a software package It can be analyzed more scientifically and objectively than other forms of research When data has been quantified, it can be used to compare and contrast other research and may be used to measure change Positivists believe that quantitative data can be used to create new theories and/or test existing hypotheses Figure 3.2: Types of questionnaire Source: Saunders et al. (2009) As indicated by Saunders et al. (2009), there are two kinds of questionnaires including self-administered and interviewer-administered questionnaires. In this research, self-administered, delivery and collection questionnaire is used, due to the following rationales. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ It is more cost effective to administer than face-to-face interviews, convenient to respondents as they can complete it at a time and place that is convenient for them, reducing the possibility of interviewer bias, and is perceived to be less intrusive than telephone or face-to-face surveys and hence, respondents will more readily respond truthfully to sensitive questions (Eiselen et al., 2005). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The responses are gathered in a standardized way, so questionnaires are more objective than interviews, and information can be collected from a large portion of a group (Milne, 1999). It facilitates generalization but on the downside, could lead to false conclusions (Deem et al, 2010). According to OLeary (2004), a well-designed questionnaire should meet the research objectives. It should give accurate and relevant information to the research questions and be clearly organized and presented in a way that ensures respondents fully understand the questions and provide accurate, unbiased and complete information. Accordingly, the author was trying hard on building a questionnaire that works in practice and meets the research objectives as elaborated in Chapter 1. In this research, the questionnaire is divided into six sections of 28 questions as described in Figure 3.3 below. They are designed to collect information regarding employees comments and feedback during the implementation process of BSC in HSBC. Figure 3.3: Allocation of questions and research content Section Description Question Section 1 Balanced Scorecard weighting Q1-4 Section 2 Setting objectives Q5-14 Section 3 Financial Q15-18 Section 4 Customer Q19-21 Section 5 Internal processing Q22-24 Section 6 Learning and growth Q25-28 It is a combination of a 5-point Likert rating scale (Likert, 1932) (1=strongly disagree; 2=disagree; 3=neutral; 4=agree; 5=strongly agree) and open-ended statements Please explainà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ to collect both quantitative and qualitative information. In other words, questionnaires include both quantitative and qualitative questions with which participants can choose one of the five ratings and explain their choice. This ensures respondents have the option to add their own views and feelings (Fisher, 2007) and, on the other hand, providing more information and facts to the author in doing research. It may take 10-15 minutes to complete a self-administered questionnaire. In general, the research is more about what employee experience is with the BSC than about getting a correct answer (Waal et al., 2009). In addition, it is necessary to have a questionnaire cover letter written in order to shortly explain to the respondents of the questionnaire what the survey is all about and what is the purpose of asking the questions (Kiernan, 2005). Considering the nature of this research, it is also essential to let people know that their participation is voluntary and that their data are anonymous and confidential. In this survey, 28 questions are designed in an attempt to get answers to 7 hypotheses as mentioned in Chapter 2, following are the general descriptions: Q1 is to classify sales and non-sales position of participants at HSBC. Q2 is to classify the seniority of the participants at HSBC. Q3 4 are to explore the proportion of the four perspectives of HSBC BSC. Q5 is about the effectiveness of BSC at HSBC. Q6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16 19 are to explore positive effects of BSC at HSBC, in which Q6 is about strategy translation, Q8 about strategy link, Q9 about employee understanding, Q10 about tracking record, Q11 about clear communication, Q13 about feedback encouragement, Q14 about employee satisfaction, Q15 about long and short term link, Q16 19 about a clear focus on achieving targets. Q7, 8, 9 11 are more focused on employee understanding Q17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 are about potential relationships between four perspectives, in which Q17 18 are about relationships between financial and customer value and learning and growth, Q20 21 about relationship between learning and growth and customer, Q22 23 about relationship between customer and internal processing and Q24 about relationship between learning and internal processing. Q25, 26, 27 28 are more focused on learning and growth to figure out if it is the weakest point in HSBC BSC. All these questions are written in details in the Appendix 1 under a full questionnaire. 3.6.3 Sampling method Sample is a part of a population whose properties are studied to gain information about the whole (Webster, 1985). It is a process of selecting respondents form larger part for the purpose of a study. Sampling owns a lot of advantages. It saves time, costs and efforts, making data collection become more manageable as fewer people are involved, and the results will be available more quickly. And to ensure a sample is representative, it is suggested to obtain as high a response rate as possible. According to Saunders et al. (2009), sampling techniques help to reduce the amount of data needed to collect by considering only data from a sub-group rather than all possible cases or elements. Two types of sampling techniques are probability sampling and non-probability sampling. In probability sampling, sample units are selected randomly, whereas in non-probability sampling, they are selected based on the researchers judgment, convenience, or other non-random process (Blattberg et al., 2008). The choice of which technique is used in this research is made in favor of non-probability sampling. Due to the scope of work and the limitation of time, the survey is conducted amongst Premier Center staff only. Only 40 people are included in the survey, they are at different positions (teller, counter officer, service assistant, service manager, relationship officer, sales manager) and different levels of seniority (senior, junior, new joiner). And in this case, it is not necessary to launch a pilot test as recommended by Peterson (2000). There are two primary reasons. First, they are every day dealing with issues related to BSC systems, from setting objectives at the beginning to rating performance every mid-year or year-end. Their daily work and performance is directly subject to all measures of the BSC. Hence, a lot of opinions and feedback can be collected as a source of data collection. Second, they are all working in Premier Center that is the same workplace with the author, then the nature of working environment and the point of view can be quite identical and easier to approach. Moreover, response rate can be high and they are more willing to support the author in doing questionnaires with frank answers. It is believed by many observers that higher response rate will assure more accurate survey results (Rea and Parker 1997). 3.7 Framework of data analysis Figure 3.4 below provide a summary and connection between research objectives as mentioned in chapter 1 and related literature in chapter 2 and equivalent hypotheses as provided in regards to questions designed in chapter 3 to collect data and information for further analysis. Figure 3.4: Summary of chapter 1, 2 and 3 and relevance Objective O Literature Hypothesis H Question Q O1: To understand BSC as a performance measurement tool Performance Measurement and BSC H1: BSC and its perspectives act as an effective performance measurement tool Q5 O2: To identify positive and negative effects of BSC in HSBC Vietnam Positive and negative effects of BSC (9P3N: 9 positive 3 negative points) H2: There are relatively positive impacts of BSC in HSBC H4: There are relatively negative impacts of BSC in HSBC Q6-8-9-10-11-13-14-16-19 Q12 O3: To measure if HSBC BSC model is different compared to an ideal model What is an ideal model? (Norton, 2000) H6: The execution of BSC in a specific organization in practice is different with an ideal BSC Q3-4 O4: To evaluate the relationship between employee understanding of the organizations objectives with a well-performing organization What is a well performing organization? (Steward, 1999) H3: There is a positive relationship between a well performing organization and its employees understanding of its objectives Q7-8-9-11 O5: To analyze the causal relationships between 4 perspectives of BSC Relationship between four perspectives H7: There is a causal relationship between 4 perspectives of BSC in HSBC Q17-18-20-21-22-23-24 O6: To identify the weakest one of the four perspectives. H5: Of the four perspectives of HSBCs BSC, learning and growth is the weakest point. Q25-26-27-28 Due to the nature of this study and the limited timeframe, the author only uses simple formulas in excel 2007 to consolidate figures and analyze data. Analysis is based on quantitative and qualitative information collected from the survey as well as from the authors individual understanding of the subject. 3.8 Ethical issues Since people are the subject of research, it is very difficult to avoid falling into ethical issues (Monette et al., 2005). Therefore, approval has to be obtained from management to conduct this survey at Premier Centers, and a brief explanation of the purpose of the questionnaire is necessarily included in cover letter in order to have an appropriate approach and outlook from participants. In addition, the research topic is about Balanced Scorecard, which is in fact a relatively sensitive issue in terms of human resource management. It covers all employees and managers at all levels as well as issues concerning employees benefits, corporate governance, empowerment, motivation and retention policy and so on. As such, particular attention must be paid to the approach of gathering information from subjects in banking area which are considered to be sensitive, especially in HSBC where privacy and confidentiality is part of its code of conduct and execution. Being aware that disclosure of the banks information to third parties can put the bank at risk and result in operational and reputation loss, there are several points that need high commitment as follow. First, participation in this survey is entirely voluntary and the rights of respondents as human beings should be respected at all times (Cohen, Manion Morrison 2004). Second, for privacy concerns, no actual names of participants are to be revealed. Information provided by them remains confidential and will be reported in summary format only. Third, the content and results of this study are required to be kept private and confidential between the author and the professor only. As some restricted and highly restricted information has been used in this study, particularly highly sensitive and confidential performance data has been obtained, public access and reference are not allowed for any purposes. 3.9 Chapter summary This chapter on methodology enables the author to gain a rich understanding of the context of the research and the processes being enacted, therefore answering the why, what and how questions (Saunders et al., 2006). This section also provides a connection between itself with the research objectives in chapter 1, literature and hypotheses in chapter 2 by presenting research method and data collection via a list of questions to be worked on. Further in the next chapter, results and analysis on collected data will be discussed in details.