Human Resources in Probank Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

Human Resources in Probank - Case Study Example Granted this is conducted in a fashion that suits the conventional research methodology, it becomes relatively easier to assign a research method that generates evidence for the research findings (Sato, 2000). At this juncture the findings and outcomes triggers the development of an obvious logic essential to make my hypothesis worth the expected consideration. Probank, a medium-sized Greek bank which started operations in 2001, has been growing at a remarkably fast pace, and is on track to get listed on the Athens Stock Exchange within 2008. The bank's Human Resources strategy is notable by its absence, but this could be viewed as not very surprising, insofar as the rise of the bank has been meteoric, the whole sector has been growing and operational issues were higher up on the agenda. As the organisation is maturing, this report will attempt to understand the mechanics of HR within Probank, including the obligatory devolution of personnel activities to line/branch managers, and evaluate the bank's performance in a number of key HR areas, namely knowledge management, performance management, employee satisfaction/retention, and the recruitment and development of managers/executives. Even though Probank do have a personnel department, it is very small (3 employees) and distinctively non-strategic, almost confining itself to purely administ rative matters. While there has been a lot of discussion about the devolution of HR to line management, there remains a very clearly identifiable gap in the published academic literature in that only Thornhill and Saunders (1998) have attempted to analyse a sizable organisation lacking a human resources department. On the strength of the (relatively) tiny size of the department and the impression conveyed by Probank managers during our conversations at the start of this project, it is felt that the "absentee specialist" paradigm effectively holds true for Probank, and, where applicable, parallels will be attempted with the Thornhill and Saunders (1998) study, in an attempt to evaluate the personnel situation at the bank, identify strong points in the current policy as well as its weaknesses, highlight areas for improvement and suggest ways for it to take place, considering both the "absentee specialist" scenario as well as one of more formal HR involvement. Cardinal to this report is the desire to identify a reconciling gap that will fill the existent void between academic literature and direct policy inclusions that have an intricate bearing on the justification, either covertly or overtly on the backseat role assigned to conventional human resource practice. It should be noted that, the depth of research carried out on this topic is very limited and where it is available is very scanty and vague. In this report, the practicality of the policy is explored from all angles using Probank as the main case in point. Suffice to explicitly state at this point that my report seeks to highlight and answer a number of pertinent questions that are directly related to the research goal. Measured by the overall performance of the bank since its inception, it should be asked

Risk management Failure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Risk management Failure - Essay Example The overall discharge of the spill was estimated at 4.9 million barrels, which covered an area of 780,000 cubic metres (Jervis and Levin 2010). The disaster was followed by major attempts to protect the estuaries and wetlands of the region, from the spreading oil. The impacts of the spill included the destruction of wildlife and marine habitats in the area; the stagnation of the tourism and the fishing industry of the region, as well as the human health issues that continued to be felt until year 2012 (Robertson and Krauss 2010). Following investigations, the causes of the disaster included the use of defective cement; the ineffectiveness of the operations of Halliburton and Transocean, as well as the lack of effective risk assessment by BP (NOAA 2011). This paper will explore the impact of BP’s failure to manage risks, which resulted in the BP disaster. The risk management failures of BP that led to the disaster Risk management failures were among the core factors that led to the 2010 BP disaster at the Gulf of Mexico (Zolkos and Bradford 2011). ... However, the contributory roles of the two secondary companies blamed for the disaster could have been mitigated through an effective investigation and the management of the risks facing the project. For example, the report from the investigation showed that the cement used during the construction was defective. Through effective risk assessment and management, BP would have discovered that the cement supplied was defective, therefore would outsource good cement for the project (Ingersoll, Richard and Reavis 2013). The Macondo blowout of 20th April 2010 was caused by a string of company decisions by BP, which increased the risk levels of the project. The company, also failed to assess different areas that would help it mitigate the risks of the project. These risk management failings include that BP did not carry out an official risk assessment of the critical operational choices made during the days prior to the disaster. For example, through administering an effective risk assessme nt process, the company would have discovered the risky operations planned during the execution of the project. Through the assessment, the BP Company would have exposed any organizational issues that were likely to affect the credibility of the decision-making process. Through exposing the different areas of risk – whether in the areas of planning or implementation – the company would have averted the incidence of the disaster. Therefore, the company’s failure to assess the risks that contributed to the disaster was a contributing factor. Through effective risk management prior to the disaster, the company would have detected the engineering weaknesses in the plant, therefore would have recommended some precautions to the issue (Zolkos and

Cost Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cost Accounting - Essay Example The stainless steel is manufactured in five main processes. These processes are melting, hot rolling, annealing and pickling, cold rolling and finishing. All the processes are done in different departments. The process of steel manufacturing starts with melting in the melt shop. In this department the scrap is melted. The scrap acts as the raw material of the stainless steel. Once the scrap is melted in the melting the output is transferred to the hot rolling mill for further processing. In this rolling department the meted scrap is rolled two meter wide. Once the hot rolling department is done with its work then the output is transferred to the annealing and pickling department for further processing. In this department fine coil of thickness varying from 1.2 mm to 13 mm is produced. The mechanical properties of the stainless steel are regained in this process. Some of these coils are sold to the industries the remaining ones are transferred to the fourth process of cold rolling. He nce the cost is allocated after considering the products which is sold to the industries. In cold rolling and annealing department the thickness of the coil is again reduced to 0.3mm in order to meet up the customers’ needs. In this process the coil is rolled into a flat surface to give the stainless steel flatness. Once this is done the output from this department is transferred to the metal finishing department. In this department the flat stainless steel is cut into different shapes and sizes which will be ultimately sold to the market (ArcelorMittal-c, n.d). As the manufacturing is done in a series of processes therefore the costing of the outputs must be done as per the process costing. While manufacturing any product many costs are incurred. Some of these costs can be identified form the products and some cannot. The costs which can be traced form the product are directly

Domestic Violence and Ethical Dilemma Worksheet Essay Example for Free

Domestic Violence and Ethical Dilemma Worksheet Essay 1.What is the ethical issue or problem? Identify the issue succinctly. The ethical issue that the police officers did not visibly see the husband drive his car they only suspect that he did so therefor they cannot arrest him on a DUI 2.What are the most important facts? Which facts have the most bearing on the ethical decision presented? Include any important potential economic, social, or political pressures, and exclude inconsequential facts. The most important facts would be what the police officers observed. The husband staggering up to the door him also is fumbling with his keys the hood of the car being warm. In addition to the husband being visible intoxicated with slurred speech and failing a sobriety test. However the most important factor is officer Nixon’s experience and him being able to provide probable cause for an arrest. 3.Identify each claimant (key actor) who has an interest in the outcome of this ethical issue. From the perspective of the moral agent—the individual contemplating an ethical course of action—what obligation is owed to the claimant? Why? Claimant (key actor)Obligation (owed to the claimant)Perspective (What does the claimant hope will happen?) HusbandJusticesThe husband will try to avoid being arrested and possible prosecuted for domestic violence and driving under the influence. Wife Fidelity May not want her husband being arrested however she would like to feel safe in her own home. In addition, she does not want her husband to hurt someone or kill them while he is driving drunk. Officer NixonFidelity Wants to be able to protect the wife from her abusive husband and the citizens. However in his oath he took he needs to follow the law. Officer RookBeneficenceWould be the same as officer Nixon however with him being new on the job his decision in this situation could affect his future decisions. Citizens of the communityFidelityCitizens want to feel safe in their community.

Peer Grading Does Not Violate the Privacy Law in Schools Essay

Peer Grading Does Not Violate the Privacy Law in Schools In 1998 in Owasso, Oklahoma, mother Kristja Falvo sued the Owasso Independent School District because she claimed that her children were ridiculed when their grades were read out loud in class by classmates. Falvo says that when teachers have students grade each other's papers, the 1974 federal law protecting the privacy of educational records is violated. This is such a controversial subject that it has not been resolved as of today. This paper argues that peer grading does not violate the privacy law. One argument in favor of peer grading is that it offers a student feedback on minor lessons, and it allows teachers to focus on curriculum, creativity, and grading major tests and papers (Grading). However, some psychologists view the practice of grading work in class as potentially damaging to students' self-esteem. Some students may be teased for getting good grades, or those who struggle in class work may also be ridiculed (Grading). Regardless of the grading practice, students are going to be teased by their peers. ...

Networking sites boon to the youth

Face book is social networking site from which we can get a plenty of knowledge. We can say that it s a treasure of knowledge. One can get a plenty ot information from it. One can enhance his or her knowledge by coming in contact with Intellectual around the world. One can clear the doubts and queries about any subject from the scholars that are available on the Social networking sites. He can get the best tips for any subject from the people who re present around the world.Some social networking sites are also useful in the job opportunities. One can easily get the job of their requirement. Social networking is particularly vital for entrepreneurs. Selfemployed can find contacts via professional groups on LinkedIn and Twitter. while business owners can use Face book and Twitter to market their products and services. Face book has a range of services designed for businesses marketing themselves more effectively, Social networking sites are the best means of entertainment, We can also watch videos of our interest n social networking sites.Social networking sites are the best means to propagate our religion and culture. We can share our views on our religion. We can get the knowledge from religious scholars present around the world, We can also make people aware Of environmental issues that are happening around the world which iS very important in todays life and We can protect Our environment by increasing awareness among the people. At last would like to say that social Sites are a boon to the young generations and can add morals to their life if used in a proper manner _

Airbus Case Study

Airbus A3XX case study Group E10, MBA 2011 Airbus A3XX case study, Group E10 Airbus objectives Both Airbus and Boeing, as well as industry experts expected worldwide passenger traffic to grow at an average annual growth rate of 4. 8-4. 9% for the next 20 years (up until 2019). Given that the traffic was expected to almost triple in volume, both manufacturers expected a significant increase in aircraft sales, although their views on the market structure were different. Airbus expected hub-to-hub routes to become the dominant type of transportation in key regions (transatlantic and transpacific), opposing Boeing’s preference for point-topoint routes. Therefore, Airbus forecasted high growth rates in very large aircraft (VLA) segment, that was expected to reach 1,235 aircraft by 2019. Although Airbus had considerably increased its market share by 1999, it still did not have a product to compete with Boeing’s 747 in the highly-promising VLA market segment. Introduction of A3XX could help Airbus capture more than a half of this segment, and given the segment’s very positive prospects, it could position Airbus as the commercial aviation industry leader. FCF model The model estimates Airbus free cash flows associated with the potential implementation of A3XX project in 2001-2020. All calculations are performed in US dollars, net present value is calculated as of December 31, 2000. Given the uncertainty of model assumptions and the long-term nature of the model itself, additional sensitivity analysis was performed in respect of (a) operating margins, (b) discount rate, (c) inflation rate, (d) aircraft sales, (e) investment expenditure, and (f) sale price. Key assumptions Sales & production †¢ Sale price: $216m as of 2006, rising afterwards at the inflation rate. Although some of the first contracts are expected to be executed with a significant discount, this is not factored into the model due to low data availability. Operating margin: 15%, learning curve effect was ignored due to insufficient data (assuming lower margin in early years and higher margin at later stages — averaging at 15% over the forecasted period). †¢ Sales ramp-up: based on the assumptions used in Lehman Brothers equity research reports (25% of ‘steady state’ capacity in 1st year, 75% in the second year). †¢ Production capacity: 53 aircraft annually in â₠¬Ëœsteady state’ (based on a total sales estimate of 730-750 aircraft in 2001-2020). Pre-payments: although a fraction of the sale price is usually paid in advance, this factor was ignored due to insufficient data (all costs and payments are assumed to occur in the year when aircraft is delivered). -1- Airbus A3XX case study, Group E10 Funding & investments †¢ Funding: $11. 9b of quasi-equity, debt is not used in the project. †¢ Launch costs: $11. 0b for research & development, $1. 0 for capital expenditures, $1. 0b for additional working capital (as per Dresdner Kleinwort report). †¢ Additional capital expenditures: assumed at zero after the investment stage (20012008) is over †¢ Discount rate: 11. % as cost of equity (CAPM = 6. 0% risk-free rate + 0. 84 commercial aviation beta * 6% market risk premium). †¢ Depreciation: straight line over 10 years, starts immediately after corresponding capital expenditures are performed. †¢ R&D expenses are n ot capitalised. Other †¢ Inflation: constant at 2. 0%. †¢ Tax rate: 38. 0% (standard French rate). †¢ Terminal value: growing perpetuity where growth is set at the rate of inflation. †¢ Boeing’s response to A3XX launch is not explicitly modelled (assuming this factor is already taken into account through unit sales and margins). Although the market demonstrates considerable cyclicality, this factor was ignored for the sake of simplicity. Modelling results Net present value of the A3XX project is estimated at $528m, consisting of ($1,447m) NPV of 2001-2020 cash flows and $1,975m of terminal value. The break-even number of planes after the investment stage (in 2009 and beyond) is estimated at 48 per year. In this case the NPV of growing perpetuity is expected at $4,702m (annual inflows of $1,061 growing at 2% with 11% discount rate), while the NPV of cash flows in 2001-2009 is estimated at ($4,552). Sensitivity analysis The following tables present bi-dimensional sensitivity analysis of the resulting NPV for model variables that have significant predictability issues and / or likely to cause huge changes in the resulting NPV: -2- Airbus A3XX case study, Group E10 Project launch considerations Implementation of the A3XX project definitely has a very high risk profile. Although the resulting NPV figure is positive under the base scenario, sensitivity analysis indicates that returns on this project are extremely sensitive to the underlying model assumptions (e. g. a drop in operating margin by just 2 percentage points results in negative NPV). Therefore, there is a high risk of negative returns on this project. The project’s profitability may also be undermined by external market factors. The most crucial ones being (a) the response of Boeing to A3XX project launch, (b) growth rate of the VLA market. However, this project is strategically important for Airbus. Over the last several decades, since the introduction of Boeing 747 the share of VLA segment has expanded significantly. Additionally, analysts estimate VLA manufacturing has the highest operating margins — that is commonly used to subsidise production of smaller aircraft. However Airbus is not present in this segment at this time. Therefore, despite a very high-risk profile of the project, Airbus has good reasons to proceed with this industrial launch. It it difficult to estimate the number of firm orders Airbus needs to have before committing to the project. The financial model suggests it needs to sell 300+ aircraft before cumulative non-discounted project cash flow becomes positive. However, taking into account the fact that airlines do not place orders with delivery time exceeding 5-6 years, it is highly unlikely that Airbus secures orders for 300+ planes before project launch. A significant amount of orders (e. g. 50+) is likely to be enough to test Airbus demand forecasts. Potential Boeing response Although Boeing’s estimations of the VLA market are not so optimistic as Airbus’, it should definitely take some actions to defend its dominant position on this market. Boeing is unlikely to undertake a similar development project (i. e. develop a new plane for the VLA segment), since it would be a lose-lose strategy for both companies given limited size of this market segment. Therefore, the most obvious decision for Boeing would be to invest in the ‘stretch’ version of its 747 model. This is likely to take significant amount of orders away from Airbus while keeping the investment costs low. In case Airbus decides not to go ahead with its A3XX project, Boeing has no incentive to incur any investment costs whatsoever, since it already has established presence in the VLA segment with its 747 aircraft. -3- Airbus A3XX case study, Group E10 Financial projections (in US$ mln) 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Revenue Operating pro? t R&D expenses Depreciation EBIT Taxes EBIAT – – – – – 2,808 421 -880 -100 -559 212 -771 8,813 11,910 12,149 12,392 12,640 12,892 13,150 13,413 13,681 13,955 14,234 14,519 14,809 15,105 1,322 -660 -100 562 -214 775 1,787 -440 -100 1,247 -474 1,720 1,822 -100 1,722 -654 2,377 1,859 -100 1,759 -668 2,427 1,896 -100 1,796 -682 2,478 1,934 -75 1,859 -706 2,565 1,973 -40 1,933 -734 2,667 2,012 -5 2,007 -763 2,770 2,052 2,052 -780 2,832 2,093 2,093 -795 2,889 2,135 2,135 -811 2,946 2,178 2,178 -828 3,005 2,221 2,221 -844 3,066 2,266 2,266 -861 3,127 1,100 -2,200 -2,200 -2,200 -1,320 -25 -60 -95 -100 -1,100 -2,225 -2,260 -2,295 -1,420 418 846 859 872 540 -1,518 -3,071 -3,119 -3,167 -1,960 R&D expenses Capital expenditure Net working capital Operating pro? t Taxes Free cash ? ow Discounted FCF -1,100 -2,200 -2,200 -2,200 -1,320 418 -250 -150 846 -350 -300 859 -350 -300 872 -50 -200 540 -880 -50 421 212 -296 -158 -660 1,322 -214 448 21 6 -440 1,787 -474 873 379 1,822 -654 1,168 457 ,859 -668 1,190 419 1,896 -682 1,213 385 1,934 -706 1,227 351 1,973 -734 1,238 319 2,012 -763 1,249 290 2,052 -780 1,272 266 2,093 -795 1,298 244 2,135 -811 1,324 225 2,178 -828 1,350 206 2,221 -844 1,377 190 2,266 -861 1,405 174 -682 -1,755 -1,991 -1,978 -1,030 -614 -1,424 -1,456 -1,303 -611 Aircraft sale price Aircraft sold 216 13 220 40 225 53 229 53 234 53 238 53 243 53 248 53 253 53 258 53 263 53 269 53 274 53 279 53 285 53 -4-

Piano Teaching Method essays

Piano Teaching Method essays There is lots of piano teaching method and each one has its strengths and weaknesses. Now, I am going to inform you about the most common three methods for children Alfred, Suzuki, Amadeus. First of all, the Alfred method uses visual things such as colored pictures and graphics using software, compact discs, andor cassettes is the newest updated one in this method (Piano Teaching Method 1). As you know, a picture is the greatest friend to children and it helps them, even adults like us, to understand something a lot easier. Additionally, it could grab childrens attention more easily and quickly than a verbal explanation. For example, you can make a little card to show the scale or the relationship between notes. It is going to be helpful because students can look at it over and over. If you add colors or some pictures to that, it also would be helpful to get students interest. This method gives students strength in reading intervals and seeing the intervalic relationship between notes (Piano Teaching Method 1). However, it might cause students to play by totally relying on position playing instead learning how to read the notes because it uses the concept of position playing (Piano Teaching Method 1). In other words, students memorize the hand position fingering but not read the notes. And some people point out that the major composers should be presented to the students at a much earlier stage than is typical in this method (Piano Teaching Method 2). This method is recommended for very beginning teachers who need a certain prepared lesson plan to follow and once the teachers become more comfortable and get to know about different methods, they are urged to expand from this method (Piano Teaching Method 2). ...

Inventory Policy Example

Inventory Policy Example Inventory Policy – Essay Example Inventory policy Task: Wal-Mart seeks to provide its clientele with products at reduced prices. This means that the entity has to reduce its cost. Thus, enabling the entity to provide its consumers with merchandise at lower prices and maintain its profitability margin since the entity is profit motivated. Wal-Mart stores replicate the inventory policy provided by the central management. This has ensured consistency in the operations of the entity. Wal-Mart is the top retailing body internationally. Consequently, this write up will refer to one of its stores in California. Wal-Mart sells diverse goods. Therefore, the entity’s inventory policy varies depending on the nature of the merchandise, accessibility of warehouses and the accord with the supplier (SAS Publishing, 2006). Wal-Mart supercenter 7011 Main Street is the reference retail store that this write-up will utilize to tackle inventory policy. This store sells an enormous quantity of goods. From their data, it is tricky to determine the various stock levels. However, what is evident is that the purchasing rate and the nature of commodity have central implications on the inventory policy of Wal-Mart supercentre. For a commodity that is in demand, the store maintains a relatively higher stock level. This prevents rampant incidences of stock-out that would have negative implications on Wal-Mart supercentre. If the commodity is perishable, the entity will take a cautious approach in making purchases since the entity seeks to eliminate any losses that result from purchases. This means that such a product will have a low stock level. Additionally, such a commodity would have minimal safety stock. Conversely, commodities that are first moving have considerably greater safety stocks. This eliminates any c hances of stock-out (Wu, 2008). It is worth noting that Wal-Mart operates on an exceedingly strict inventory policy. As such, the entity fines any supplier that delivers goods earlier or past the delivery period stated in the supply agreement. The strict policy ensures that stores such as Wal-Mart supercenter do not incur needless expenses. A Wal-Mart supercenter manager reveals that the inventory policy is critical as the outlet receives an enormous volume of supplies. As such, it is crucial to guarantee that the store receives the right quantity of purchases at the appropriate time. Furthermore, Wal-Mart supercenter’s inventory policy has enabled the entity to manage its holding space. Stores incur holding cost for stock held. Therefore, Wal-Mart supercenter inventory policy enables the entity to manage its holding cost by establishing appropriate re-order levels for each commodity. Establishing a re-order level will require Wal-Mart supercenter to consider the lead-time, which is the time that the supplie r requires to make a delivery. Consideration of lead-time is critical as it ensures that the store does not suffer stock-out before arrival of suppliers (Ahiska, 2008). Wal-Mart supercenter’s inventory policy is complex since the entity deals in diverse products. Thus, it is challenging to state all the stock levels of the goods in the entity. However, this write-up elaborates the assorted factors that determine the inventory policy. Such factors include the nature of commodity, lead-time, the rate at which consumer purchase the product and the purchase agreements. Wal-Mart Supercenter has integrated applications that manage its inventory based on the above factors. References Ahiska, S. (2008). Inventory optimization in a one product recoverable manufacturing system. North Carolina, NA: North Carolina State University Press. SAS Publishing, (2006). SAS(R) Inventory Optimization 1.3: Users Guide. Cary, NC: SAS Publishing. Xinmin, W. (2008). Inventory Policies under Uncertain Supply Chain Environment. North Carolina, NA: North Carolina State University Press.

One Size Does Not Fit All

One Size Does Not Fit All One Size Does Not Fit All One Size Does Not Fit All By Maeve Maddox Creating a piece of writing can be compared to building a house. Both activities involve practical and aesthetic considerations. A builder needs to know what is to be built and who will be using it. A writer must have a clear purpose and an intended audience. A builder who specializes in building houses probably would not have the tools or experience necessary to build a cathedral, and might even consider some of the tools or materials required to build such an edifice unnecessary, time-wasting, or elitist. A writer must first consider what is to be written. Is it an advertising flyer or a paper for a scientific journal? Is it a reference book for astronomers, or a popular guide to the stars? Is it Wind in the Willows, or Gone With the Wind? Whatever the writers purpose, the basic tool kit is the same: a reasonable grasp of English grammar, vocabulary, orthography, and idiomatic expression. Writers acquire this basic writing kit from elementary and secondary education and from general reading. As adults they refresh their memories by consulting dictionaries and style guides like Elements of Style and Zinssers On Writing Well. This basic tool kit serves well for most kinds of no frills writing. Non-fiction writers add to the basic equipment by reading widely in their areas of specialization. They may study the style of scientists who write well, such as Peter Farb (Face of North America: The Natural History of A Continent). Fiction writers increase the furnishings of their minds and find their own voices by reading fiction and nonfiction in many genres and from various historical periods. All writers operate from the basic tool kit, and, like builders, have the option of using the tools that suit the project in hand. They may not need every gadget in the box, and they may use some of the tools in unorthodox ways. Screw drivers and putty knives can be used for tasks other than the ones theyre designed for. And while older tools like magnetic stud finders may be superseded by electronic ones, they can still do the job. The writer, like any other craftsman, will think carefully about which tool is needed for a particular job. Once upon a time there was a dear little girl who was loved by every one who looked at her, but most of all by her grandmother, and there was nothing that she would not have given to the child. We could edit this first sentence of Grimms tale of Little Red-Cap according to what we learn from White and Zinsser: Everybody loved a little girl, especially her grandmother. The result is shorter and gets to the point faster. Perhaps a modern story teller would begin that way, but the revision destroys the fairy tale magic. While crisp, no-nonsense prose may be exactly what we want most of the time, sometimes we may wish to slow our writing for effect. Once upon a time there was is a way of saying to the reader Dont worry about going anywhere. Settle back and give yourself up to this fictional world for awhile. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 English Grammar Rules You Should KnowHow to Play HQ Words: Cheats, Tips and TricksPeople vs. Persons

Recommendations for Data Warehouse Concept Speech or Presentation

Recommendations for Data Warehouse Concept - Speech or Presentation Example In the process of using these technologies, these organizations will have the opportunity to increase the rate of production and quality products, hence, better services to their clients. In the process of using various techniques of information technology, organizations should make sure that they define problems on the ground by identifying some of the impacts of the situation to the organization. The organization should also make sure that they allocate funds for the development of the project in the process of system development and implementations are completed in time. In addition, organizations should make sure that they involve various members of the organization in system development and implementation in order for the organization to avoid the rejection of the system during the testing process by the users. Therefore, it is good for organizations to make use of this technological advancement in order to produce better services to their customers. Introduction Following the i ntroduction of information technology in the business market, it has resulted to various impacts in business organizations in relations to various activities of the organization. ... ses communication in various organizations because through the technology advancement, these organizations are able to coordinate by having easy communication among them. These communications are kept easy because they are in the position of having easy, faster and low cost communications, especially through the internet as compared to the manual system of communications such as postal services that were expensive and were not good for instance decision making as they took time to pass information from one location to another. Moreover, through the use of information technology, business organization information is kept safely as the information access are controlled through a database system with governs by rules and regulations that controls access to the information. Description of Data Warehouse There are various activities that take place in every organization in order for the processing of services to be completed. Therefore, there is the need for data collection, data analysis , and process and data storage in regards to the organization. Not all the available data are public, therefore, there are some of the data that are private and need to be kept safely from un-authorize users. In order for any organization to be in the position of keeping their information safely, there is a need for the introduction of the data warehouse (Haggerty & Meister, 2003). Data Warehouse is a form of database system that help various organizations in the collection of data, data analysis, data reporting and storage of data safely so that they stored data can only be available to genuine users. Therefore, this is the central position that helps users to integrate data from various sources for them to be analyzed for the accurate outputs to be generated. Data analysis involves

Communication Behaviors and Organizational Culture Research Paper

Communication Behaviors and Organizational Culture - Research Paper Example The two factors can apply individually or intertwine in an organization. In this context, organizational performance may refer to levels of customer satisfaction, quality, and quantity in production, sustainability, motivation, and compliance to set standards. Moreover, communication in the workplace is very fundamental since it defines how different stakeholders relate to an organization. On the other hand, organizational culture derives a lot of significance in an organization in that it defines the uniqueness of operations in the workplace. Notably, there can be an interface between communication behaviors and organizational culture since the design and implementation of organizational culture is the mandate of the same management. At the same time, the interface of communication behaviors among the managers and organizational culture can have subtle effects on the organization and its performance. This leads us to the research question, which seeks to establish how communication behaviors, organization culture, and their interface affect organizational performance. ... Organizational communication measures the levels of transmitting information about the organization from the organization to the stakeholders. It has the direct and indirect influence on organizational performance (Garnett et al, 2008). Notably, communication applies to all stakeholders in an organization. Indeed, there are two types of communication in an organization, which includes internal organizational communication and external organizational communication (Rho, 2009). Specifically, internal organizational communication may be horizontal, downward, or upward depending on the source and recipient of information. Downward communication is the most dominant and it involves the flow of information from the management to the subordinates. The information in this communication relates to job instruction, orders, job description, organizational goals, and company policies (Rho, 2009). Effective downward communication ensures that employees understand and adhere to the objectives, mis sion, and overall strategy of an organization thus improving its performance. Indeed, employees will seek to perform to the organization directives thus ensuring productivity that will reflect the organization’s aims, which will guarantee customer satisfaction and increased returns. On the other hand, upward communication refers to the flow of information from the subordinates to the management. Such information relates to work progress, challenges, opportunities, recommendations, aspects of other competitors, and feelings about the organization and the management (Rho, 2009).  Ã‚  

Aspects of Communication & Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Aspects of Communication & Culture - Essay Example 63). Other people such as Stahl (2011, p. 1) and Goldkuhl (2003), among others, have different theories. This essay is an analysis of a telephone conversation between Michael and Prinze, based on communication analysis’ theoretical concepts and features of communication. Michael and Prinze’s Profile and their Background This is a telephone conversation between two close friends; Michael in his early fifties and Prinze in his late forties. One of the participants (Prinze) was observed throughout the recording for body language and gestures. These two interlocutors have known each other for more than ten years and share similar back grounds and interests. Also both interlocutors were born and have spent most of their lives in East London although their cultural and ethnic backgrounds are very different; Prinze is an English speaking cockney born and raised in London with a Pakistani parentage, whilst Michael is a native English speaking cockney. Each conversant is calling from the comfort of their home and from different towns; Mohammed lives in Luton and Michael in East London. Michael is recovering after a shoulder operation, whilst Prinze has just got home after a walk in the park. Both the interlocutors had not spoken or seen each other for more than a couple of months, but there had been regular communication between them by text messaging (SMS). The purpose of the call from Prinze to Michael was to get an update on how Michael was doing and also to discover if he had received the forwarded mail Prinze had sent him earlier. A transcription of the conversation between the two is given in the Appendix. Analysis Based On Theories and Main Communication Features Theories There are different theories of communication and theoretical concepts used in communication analysis. Just as noted Different authors have different views about these theories. Stahl has described nine categories of communication theories as listed by Little John (1999); cyberneti cs, semiotics, conversational analysis, message reception, socio-cultural approach, message production, symbolic interaction, phenomenological hermeneutics and critical theory (2011, p. 1). Littlejohn and Foss have eight theories; all described in the introduction (2007, p. 63). Goldkuhl (2003), on the other hand, considers the theories in the Language Action Perspective. The author notes that there are two theoretical concepts of communication representation approaches that are within the named perspective. These are; that there are predefined patterns in which communication is always organized as found in conversational analysis, and that language use can be considered as action as found in speech act theory (Goldkuhl, 2003, p. 51). In this case, two of the theoretical concepts will be explained with reference to Prinze and Michael’s conversation. These are; conversational analysis and speech act theory. Conversational Analysis It is the systemic analysis of human talk-in-i nteractions (Hutchby & Wooffitt, 2008). Conversational analysis’ theoretical concept is based on the view that conversations have predesigned structures. According to Psathas, telephone conversations open with a caller, who in this case, knows whoever he/she is calling. This is then followed by a response from the recipient who may know the caller or not. If the recipient does not know the caller, the next response will be

Citizen Kane Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Citizen Kane - Essay Example Citizen Kane, the movie employs a number of production features and elements thereby achieving effectiveness of communication as envisioned by the director. The director of the employs such elements as light, costume and characterization among others effectively thereby developing an appropriate context that best represents the society at the time. Produced in 1948 soon after the second world war, the film addresses themes relevant not only to the primary audience but also to other subsequent audiences including the communication 240 class, a feature that portrays the ability of the director to develop and communicate concepts effectively.Citizen Kane is yet another masterpiece in which the director employs different special film effects to earn effective communication. The director employs appropriate transitions from one scene to another thereby developing effective links through the different themes. Additionally, the director employs different camera angles and shots to reveal re lative details of the scenes, as he deems necessary. He does not use light only to illuminate his scenes but also to communicate, different aspects of the scene are lit differently with shadow balancing in order to achieve efficiency of communication. Such camera movements as tilting and panning help reveal detail in the different scenes. Italian neorealism refers to a movement in the film production characterized by using nonprofessional actors and setting the film contexts in poor neighborhoods. The bicycle film exhibits this throughout the story line as a poor father searching for his bicycle in a post war Rome.Relative film appeal arises from the level of professionalism that director employs in the development of the film and the issues that the film addresses. A film like Bicycle thieves may have limited appeal since it does not employ professionalism and addresses themes unfamiliar to the contemporary film audience unlike citizen Kane that the director strives to incorporate as many film production elements and professionalism as possible.The Birth of a Nation addresses realistic themes professionally; the director employs such features as dramatization and enabling characterization to help depict the ideas in the storyline. The effective creation of the film lies on the director’s ability to employ suc h elements as transitions, camera movement, shots, and angles to help provide detail (Mamer 33).The two films by Martin McDonagh appeared repetitive as the director employs the same stylistic features of production similarly. The lack of originality in the creation of the film thus denies them efficacy.Quentin Tarantino is a great producer who understood the business in film; he addresses themes that sell and does so effectively. His ability to infuse the violence in systematic storyline is artistic; furthermore, he uses diverse film production techniques to result in original masterpieces.

'New' or 'Compositionally Altered' grocery store products Essay

'New' or 'Compositionally Altered' grocery store products - Essay Example The researcher of this essay aims to pay special attention on some kinds of compositionally altered foods. Consider as an example, low calorie yoghurt. The manufacturer of this product uses a special process to produce this food item. Low calorie yoghurt is essentially low in sugar (achieved by substituting a low calorie sweetener like aspartame or saccharin instead of sugar), and it is almost lactose free. By reducing lactose to less than 1% through ultra-filtration and enzymatic hydrolysis, the manufacturer is able to reduce 60 to 70 calories from the product. The target consumer includes dieters and because of almost nil lactose in the finished product, lactose intolerant people as well. When stored under recommended temperatures and under conventional refrigeration, the product has a shelf life of about 30 days which is about the same as regular yoghurt. Low calorie yoghurts can be manufactured in the traditional style, the Swiss style or even with fruit mixed in. Artificial crea m is another compositionally altered food. It is merely imitation cream and is made entirely from non-dairy fats like vegetable oil and not butter fat although it contains emulsifiers like glycerides and phosphatides, and thickening agents like gum and starch. It contains no butyric acid but sweeteners or sugar could be added to sweeten the whip. This kind of cream has generally been accepted well by the average consumer because it is cheaper than real cream, has no dairy fat and most importantly has a longer shelf life as compared to real cream. Dieters love it. It appeases my conscience to use this versus full fat cream, although I am uncomfortable with the vegetable oil. Also, artificial cream is not a good replacement for real cream in all cases; it can become runny and quite unfit as a topping. A low fat cheese product, another example of altered food, is made by mixing milk with non-fat dry milk solids, a stabilizer like carrageenan and a lactic acid provider. This creates a cheese formulation solution to which a clotting enzyme like rennet is added. The solution is then coagulated to form a curd in a whey solution. The curd is then separated from the whey and ripened to form a low fat cheese product. The product is suitable for dieters and in some cases even for convalescing patients. It has a long shelf life - longer than standard cheese and to me tastes rather nice. Decaffeinated coffee is a favorite of a large segment of the population, especially those that drink multiple cups of coffee a day and believe that caffeine is harmful to their health. People with hypertension who have been advised to avoid caffeine also typically opt for this kind of coffee versus the regular one. Coffee can be decaffeinated in many ways but the steps are the same in all of them. The beans are first soaked in water to dissolve the caffeine. Next, the caffeine is extracted using a solvent or activated carbon like methylene chloride or ethyl acetate both of which have low boiling points.Finally the beans are re-soaked in the decaffeinated water so that they can reabsorb the flavor that was lost in the initial extraction.I am not fond of decaffeinated coffee at all and prefer to sip the regular one. The flavor of decaf coffee tastes poor to me and it is a fact that the decaffeination process alters both the flavor and aroma of the coffee beans. The shelf life of vacuum -packed roasted and ground coffee is

Citizen Kane Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Citizen Kane - Essay Example Citizen Kane, the movie employs a number of production features and elements thereby achieving effectiveness of communication as envisioned by the director. The director of the employs such elements as light, costume and characterization among others effectively thereby developing an appropriate context that best represents the society at the time. Produced in 1948 soon after the second world war, the film addresses themes relevant not only to the primary audience but also to other subsequent audiences including the communication 240 class, a feature that portrays the ability of the director to develop and communicate concepts effectively.Citizen Kane is yet another masterpiece in which the director employs different special film effects to earn effective communication. The director employs appropriate transitions from one scene to another thereby developing effective links through the different themes. Additionally, the director employs different camera angles and shots to reveal re lative details of the scenes, as he deems necessary. He does not use light only to illuminate his scenes but also to communicate, different aspects of the scene are lit differently with shadow balancing in order to achieve efficiency of communication. Such camera movements as tilting and panning help reveal detail in the different scenes. Italian neorealism refers to a movement in the film production characterized by using nonprofessional actors and setting the film contexts in poor neighborhoods. The bicycle film exhibits this throughout the story line as a poor father searching for his bicycle in a post war Rome.Relative film appeal arises from the level of professionalism that director employs in the development of the film and the issues that the film addresses. A film like Bicycle thieves may have limited appeal since it does not employ professionalism and addresses themes unfamiliar to the contemporary film audience unlike citizen Kane that the director strives to incorporate as many film production elements and professionalism as possible.The Birth of a Nation addresses realistic themes professionally; the director employs such features as dramatization and enabling characterization to help depict the ideas in the storyline. The effective creation of the film lies on the director’s ability to employ suc h elements as transitions, camera movement, shots, and angles to help provide detail (Mamer 33).The two films by Martin McDonagh appeared repetitive as the director employs the same stylistic features of production similarly. The lack of originality in the creation of the film thus denies them efficacy.Quentin Tarantino is a great producer who understood the business in film; he addresses themes that sell and does so effectively. His ability to infuse the violence in systematic storyline is artistic; furthermore, he uses diverse film production techniques to result in original masterpieces.

Contemporary HRM perspective Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Contemporary HRM perspective - Essay Example I am focusing on management’s role in initiating a change through communication. I will also identify issues faced by employees during change, which can be minimized, and in some cases be eradicated by connecting with employees by creating business intimacies and interpersonal relationships (Paton, 2008). Theoretical Overview I found an article, ‘Strategically Communicating Organizational Change’ by Phillip G. Clampitt and Laurey R. Berk, very interesting and informative. In this article, we get to know how a change can be initiated through communication by a series of plan; Contextual Analysis which identifies reasons for change, Audience Analysis on how employees perceive these changes, and Strategies and tactics to be used by managers in order to introduce a change in an organization (Clampitt & Berk, 1996). In this article, I learnt how important it is that we empower our workforce through effective communication, but I believe the role of Human Resource Depar tment is essential in every organizational setting to determine these communication gaps. The main role of Human Resource Department is to manage the manpower in the organization. ... While going through various studies I have come to notice that, if these employees are showing resistance to change then it will affect the working procedures of the organization and also have a negative influence on meeting their targets or goals. There can be many reasons for this ambivalent attitude. They maybe short of understanding the need for change; they might believe that change could violate organizational goal or working procedures. There could be a lack of trust that change would benefit the individual or organization. This may be due to the fact that most of managers are not very focused on the employee’s reaction towards a change (Burke, 2011). Hence, these fears need to be confronted to the management (Bell & Smith, 2010). Analysis of discussion from experience It is a truth that most organizations only work for their own interests without taking consideration of the behaviors of employees or taking their input or ideas into initiating a change. I believe manage rs should listen to employee grievances. The management needs to be communicative with their employees, especially if any change has to be implemented so that the ambivalent attitudes can be minimized and both parties can work together for better results (Paton, 2008). Even though, while initiating a change, a ground work needs to be done like determining the reasons of the change, the impact of it and other theoretical frameworks that determine a reaction to change but, for me, the most important aspect is being directly involved with the individuals, building a strategy through which both, the management and the employee can attain their maximum potential (Clampitt & Berk,

Lease versus Buy Essay Example for Free

Lease versus Buy Essay When an individual is trying to decide whether or not to lease or buy, he or she needs to know the purchase cost, the lease cost, as well as the interest rate of a loan that will be used to purchase the item. The residual value of the item also must be known up front to help determine if leasing is the better option. When determining whether to lease or buy, the cash flow for both should be compared so the best decision can be made. Below is a chart on lease vs buy. (www.smartcomputing.com; Retrieved November 6, 2006) Lease/Buy Cash Flow Usually better from a short-term cash flow perspective. Frees up cash for other purposes while you generate income to pay the leases. You pay less overall but need to have available cash. Financing as an alternative costs more than a lease. Tax Treatment If properly structured, a lease may give your company a larger expense write-off than a purchase. Consult your tax advisor. Depreciation write-off is based on IRS rules for the type of equipment that you are buying. Consult your tax advisor. Upgrades- Many lease companies let you upgrade to newer equipment during the term of the lease without renegotiating. If you need newer equipment, you are on your own. However, simple upgrades (RAM, hard drive, etc.) cost you only whatever the upgrade is. Equity- At the end of a lease, you dont own the property, and you will need to replace it or buy it from the lease company.You own the equipment and can do with it whatever the needs of your business dictate. Disposal The lessor is responsible for whatever it costs to dispose of the equipment. You are on to your next set of computers. You can use the equipment for a different purpose within your company, sell it, or pay someone to recycle it for you, but disposal is up to the owner of the equipment. The first scenario is an organization called Bonnesante Research based out of Irvine, California. Bonnesante is set up with Venture Capitalist (VC) Funding. Bonnesante major focus is asset acquisition, which is why the Chief Financial Officer has to weigh the pros and cons of leasing vs buying. Bonnesantes is trying to determine if purchasing or leasing is the better option for a mainframe computer. I chose to lease the mainframe computer because the loan options have a higher outflow whereas the lease option of 18 months with no down payment has the lowest present value of cash outflows. Because the Mainframe would not be used through its entire economic life, it was better for the organization to lease the mainframe. If a loan was acquired to purchase the mainframe, the organization would have to record the purchase on the balance sheet and the depreciation and the interest payments would be recorded as expenses. If the organization was taxed then purchasing the mainframe would be beneficial because the depreciation and the interest payment would lower the outflows. In the second scenario Bonnesante Research is tasked with finding the best option to acquire a spectrometer. The options Bonnesante Research is faced with are: Operating Lease Capital Lease Loan After evaluating all the information, buying the spectrometer would be the best option for Bonnesante. Buying the spectrometer is beneficial because it is considered to be a long term asset with no threat of becoming obsolete. The spectrometer can be used for its entire economic life. An operating lease would not be beneficial because an operating lease is considered when equipment is to be acquired on a short term basis. The capital lease was another option but was not chosen because the 60 month capital lease would have cost more in present value terms than what the loan amount would have  been to purchase the spectrometer. If the organization had cash flow issues, then the capital lease might have been a better option. Whether the company pursued a capital lease or received a loan to purchase the spectrometer, both options can be recorded on the balance sheet so the organization can reap the benefits of depreciation. The final scenario is Bonnesante Research has been in operation for 6 years and wants to acquire a manufacturing facility. Bonnesante Research already has a facility in mind but that facility will require an upgrade. Bonnesante Research has the options of a capital lease or Bonnesante can purchase the facility by obtaining a loan. Also, Bonnesante Research has to keep in mind the organization is having a cash flow crisis that needs to be resolved. The challenge Bonnesante was faced with was to acquire the facility at the lowest cost possible and to resolve the cash flow shortage. Although the buy option was more expensive than the lease option, it gave Bonnesante more flexibility to upgrade the facility and to carry out a sale and leaseback transaction. Due to the leaseback transaction, Bonnesante was able to resolve the cash flow crisis. The leaseback option was more beneficial to Bonnesante rather than the bridge loan. The bridge loan is a short-term loan with a higher interest rate compared to long term borrowing. A bridge loan would have been more costly to Bonnesante Research and the organization could not afford to go with this type of loan. A sale and leaseback is beneficial to any organization that has a cash flow shortage. Selling the asset can bring forth a large amount of cash and the organization can retain use of the asset by leasing it back hence the name sale and leaseback. The risks involved with lease vs buying depends on an organizations financial status. Whether or not an organization decides to lease or buy is determined by what option is more beneficial to the organization. An organizations attitude toward acquiring assets and financial strength all affect the decision on leasing vs buying. Whether an organization leases or buys, the organization needs to make sure the asset that is being acquired will add value to the organizations capital budget. The advantage of computing present value considers all factors such as  inflation and forgone interest on money. That is, account must be taken of the fact that utilizing capital in investing in equipment could result in the loss of income that would have been earned if it were invested elsewhere. To properly evaluate the alternative cash flows, it is necessary to discount them and express them in terms of their present values, to determine their net present values. In summary the Net Present Value calculation determines todays value of future cash flows. (www.pngbd.com Retrieved November 6, 2006). When determining when to lease vs buy, an organization should take into account the financial and non-financial issues. When considering the financial aspect, it should include the cost to acquire an asset; if there will be a tax advantage, cash flow, and the benefits to the organizations balance sheet. The non-financial issues that should be considered are asset-management and the cost to dispose of obsolete equipment. In conclusion, under certain circumstance leasing is the better way to go rather than purchasing a capital item outright and vice versa. By leasing, it gives an organization a way to acquire up-to-date equipment while maintaining cash flow. By maintaining cash flow through leasing, an organization can use the cash flow for more pertinent renovations such as office expansion or research and development. Leasing has less of an impact on an organizations budget whereas purchasing an item outright has more of an impact on an organizations budget. Overall, leasing is a way for an organization to recognize operational savings and production improvements in a timely manner. Reference: Smart Computing; Lease vs Buy; Executive Decisions; March 2004, Vol. 8 Issue 2 Page(s) 55-57. (www.smartcomputing.com) Papua New Guinea Business Tourism; Making Capital Expenditure Decisions-Leasing vs Buying vs Borrowing; (www.pngbd.com Retrieved November 6, 2006).

The Skills Of An Executive Assistant

The Skills Of An Executive Assistant Many years over, executive assistants roles, responsibilities and skills may have varied with changing time and the rapid upgrades of technology. According to Wise geek, defines executive assistants as professionals who functions as aides to corporate executives while the responsibilities associated with work as an assistant of this type will vary depending on the corporate culture that prevails within a given company. Executive assistants work for a company officer and possess the authority to make crucial decisions affecting such organizations, and are therefore a resource in decision making and policy setting. The executive assistant performs the usual roles of managing correspondence, preparing research, and communication while also acting as the gate keeper, understanding in varying degrees, the requirements of the executive and with an ability to decide upon the most important scheduled meetings and events. They may also represent executive at meetings. Executive assistants sho uld be able to motivate and influence people and mange projects. IAM study guide 2011 by Kathleen Stalker In some cases, the executive assistant delegates work to the administrative assistant based on competence, experience, and knowledge of the context, confidentiality, priority, urgency and availability according to www.trisatatedomestic.net. There may also be drawbacks or problems that will associate themselves with executive assistances. Examples for this assessment will be drawn from the Ministry of Finance of Trinidad and Tobago. It is an organization that prepares annual budgets and carries out the governments financial transactions. I have been employed under this Ministry for the past two years. The skills of an Executive Assistant: Executive assistants in todays world demands are huge. They must possess outstanding skills that every executive wants for the success of their business. As an executive assistant at the Ministry of Finance, the skills that I pose make me unique. These skills are: planning, directing, coordinating, organizing, budgeting, having a wide range of technical, analytical and assertiveness skills, conflict management skills, leadership skills, being an outstanding problem solver, efficient and effective decision maker, excellent communication skills, interpersonal and negotiation skills whilst at the same time knowing the culture of the organization and the business strategy. At the Ministry of Finance, I use all these skills on a day to day basis when bombarded with the challenges faced. For example, being able to analyze a given situation and make the right decision that will ensure it is contributing to the overall success of the Ministry. With this type of situation your communication skills are in use in transmitting information to stakeholders, leadership skills are pivotal so that the staff does not see fear, this way you can motivate them to move forward. Problem solving skills are imperative for situations that pose serious threat to the organization. I also possess skills such as being able to coach e.g. training, allowing for development of staff, and having a skill to discipline when necessary. One major skill that I have is the ability cope with different personalities in the work place. This was shown through the handling of three executives work amongst other employees at the same time. This in turn brought with it different styles of management that I had to adopt myself to. Another skill that stood out for me as an executive assistant is my ability to undergo continuous professional development. This in turn assists me in managing the challenges faced. As an executive assistant there are many responsibilities that are associated with its portfolio. These include: Roles and Responsibilities of Executive Assistant There are many roles and responsibilities that are associated with the executive assistant. At the Ministry of Finance, as the Executive Assistant, I must be able to assist the Chief Executive Officer efficiently and effectively. The major responsibilities that apply for most executive assistants and myself are, scheduling, which will be fully, discussed later down in diary management, travel arrangements, an integral responsibility that executive assistant must keep up to date with. At the Finance Ministry, our Chief Executive Officer always on board meetings in and around the Caribbean, therefore, his travel plans is always updated. Administration, that is, keeping an excellent track record of all documents at the ministry, liaisoning and communicating with other executives in the building. There are also the need for taking dictation and managing his day to day correspondence. I also prepare Management Information Systems- answering mails both electronically and via postal, prepare, edit and distribute itineraries, letters, memos and meeting minutes and keep track of for events and meetings making sure that things are not overlooked. (See Appendix for full job description of Executive Assistants- inclusive of roles and responsibilities) Executive Assistant in Supporting Systems and Processes A system is a group of related functions, elements and procedure which work together to ensure that tasks are accomplished and objectives met. Processes are procedures that convert resources into results which have a valuable for the organization, customer and stakeholders IAM study guide 2011 There are many skills that are engineered for me, the executive assistant in supporting systems and processes, these include; being able to adapt to changing technology example, computer literate, Information Communication Technology, excellent communication skills, being able to lead and motivate staff, handling huge amounts of files at a single time with its processes, good filing techniques, control, planning, organizing, coordinating, motivating etc. It is my duty to ensure that everything is secure because of the vast valuable information that is prevalent. At the Ministry of Finance, as an executive assistant, I still use the paper base or hard copy filing system. Filing in every organization is important and it serves as a track record for the organization. At the Finance Ministry, the filing system is functional and easy to use. The files are simple and quick to retrieve. It is done in an alphabetical order and executive assistants has a more efficient and effective use of this system. However, there is a variable drawback to this Ministry with regards to its security. Its safe but if a natural disaster to have strike, for example, a fire, then the problem may arise of loss of all hard copy information. There is also room for improvements within our system, for example the introduction of technology-computerized systems. This way paper would be saved. The executive assistants have many roles and responsibilities. When support ing a process, my job is dependent upon the structure of the organization. If the organization has a specific department for example Human Resources, then the executive assistant task would be limited. However, in an instant where the organization needs to employ Managers, Chief Executive Officers for the strategic level, then it will be assisted by the executive assistant for the executive manager. In this case I will be recruiting and advertising of the vacant post, short listing and acknowledging of the selected candidates of the date and time of their interviews and keeping of the personnel records of the staff. Executive Assistants and the Office Environment The environment is the physical layout of an office or its space, building structure and its contents within its structure. There are many skills that are needed for the executive assistant such as; should be aware of the Health and Safety Legislation, be able to budget and costing, there Human Resource and there comfort, risk assessment, reporting etc. I have a responsibility on advising my line managers on how appropriately they should develop an office environment to ensure that staff is satisfied and comfortable for work. Before any recommendations can be made, I must be able to distinguish the type of building that is present and then assess my work force. Employees want a safe and healthy work environment, so I need to take those factors into consideration when choosing an office environment. Normally, at a new age building, I would recommend with the new technology steel columns and trusses and reinforced concrete frames have liberated space which can be , if necessary be partitioned but lend themselves to open plan office layouts. However, at my office at the Ministry of Finance, our department is one of an open plan, where everyone work in one huge open space regardless of status and grouped together in logical work groups. At the Ministry of Finance, being an open plan, it brings everyone together, communication and decision making is improved. Teams absorbs knowledge across the area, music is played making work comfortable and enjoyable. It is very cost effective for the Ministry and all noisy equipment are placed at one corner of the department, example photocopiers, faxes etc. However, the disadvantages to this type of work environment is the traffic flow, people like their own space to personalize, there is the thought of no privacy and the lighting or heating they have no control over. An executive assistant needs to look at this to ensure that they create the right environment for their employees. Executive Assistant Managing Meetings and Events An executive assistant has one of their many duties, the role of organizing meetings of all kinds for their executive manager(s).A meeting is an event involving a group of people getting together to discuss and or decide, an event is a planned happening that occurs in a certain place, at a certain time and date IAM study guide 2011. The meeting will vary in size, but for its success or not, it will depend upon the efficiency and effectiveness of the executive assistant. A significant amount of skills I would need when comes to managing meetings and events are my strong planning, implementing, monitoring, evaluating with leadership skills. There are many different meetings that can occur within the organization. It is the executive assistant role to identify which one is most important with regards to the situation at hand, For example, there are board meetings, annual general meeting, inaugural meetings etc. The executive assistant at the Ministry of Finance ensures that the following qualities or attributes are present at all events or meetings. A budget Who will be attending the eventmeeting An agenda What documents will be needed The venue How many attendees What equipment will be needed This type is done internally and externally within the organization. This way the executive assistant job role has been expanded, leaving no room for errors. Executive Assistant Project Management In order for me to support my line manger in the planning and conduction of projects independently, they must first understand what a project is? It is a temporary undertaking to produce a unique product, service or result IAM study guide 201l. There are many skills that are associated with executive assistant that will be required to perform their jobs. These skills include; clear objectives, able to cope with risk, excellent planning, good training and an astonishing team, clear scope and objectives, good communication skills, and good control of time and budgeting. All projects have four stages for its lifespan which include; starting the project, organizing and preparing, carrying out the work and closing the project. Projects have four controls that I know when designing, implementing and coordinating projects. These include, time, cost, scope and equipment. The time is when the project will deliver, the scope is what the project is expected to deliver with a description, and the cost is the amount of money needed to complete the project. For example at the Ministry of Finance, I have projects such as coordinating sports days, conventions, creating accounts for the yearly fiscal budgets with teams, and doing small external projects such as fixing the pavements in front of and around the building. Its my duty to develop and allocate its time; cost and what will be delivered in its respected amounts. Few projects may have failed due to the lack of clear objectives, the lack of risk management and senior management, no team building, understated scope, unrealistic resources, no change control, poor planning, no training and most of the times because of poor communication. This is prevalent within organizations and most times with the executive assistants. The executive assistant must keep those aforementioned risks in consideration always for the prevention of project failure. Executive Assistants Managing Diaries and Events According to Sue France 2009 Executive assistants support their executive manager by not only managing and organizing their own time but that of their bosses. Maintaining diaries is very useful for an executive manager and it is essential that the executive assistant does this. Diaries can be hard copy or the normal old fashioned style or more modern day style of electronic diaries. Electronic diaries have many advantages that are associated with it that will allow executive managers and there assistants work more efficient and effective. I can access electronic diaries with Microsoft Outlook which makes the handling of multiple entries easier and shared with executive managers and other staff. Advantages associated with electronic diaries include; the accessibility from any computer or mobile device, sends reminders of meetings, be easily edited, once involved in any project can track the project status, entries can be shared, information can be integrated with other data proportion. However, at the office that I am presently employed, the Ministry of Finance, I currently use the hard copy diaries that are on their desks. It is my responsibility to ensure that my line manager attend all his meetings on time as scheduled. Throughout projects, for example, scheduling dates for manager to attend budgets planning, to ensure that the executive gets there with all the necessary paper work up to date and on the specified date and time. Executive Assistants and Communication Although there are all the aforementioned roles, responsibilities one of the major skills of an executive assistant is their ability to communicate effectively. I communicate via telephone, internet or even face to face. According to Sue France, she says that an essential criterion of executive assistant with regards to communication is their ability to network. She describes networking as about listening and strong knowledge and helping each other achieve their respective goals. Executive assistants should be able to evaluate the most appropriate communication channel or tool to ensure the effective passing on of information. At the Ministry of Finance I am able to communicate effectively and efficiently in order to get the job done. If communication is not done properly, then the work will not be up to standard for the achievement of the organizational goals. In order for this to happen, I am able to identify qualities such as, body language, how people interpret information, writing correct style of emails, use of Information Communication Technology and adapting to different cultures. Skills will also be needed from the executive assistant for the use of telephone etiquette, being able to listen, and being able to communicate throughout the organization form strategic level through to the operational level both horizontally, vertically and diagonally. Poor communication can shatter or bring down a business to a loss, for example, with the case from the IAM study guide entitled Communicating with stakeholders Bernard Mathews did not speak up to defend his turkey producing industry against the bird flu disease. Thus, resulting him and his company to lose sales by 35% and went into a loss position. Since then in 2008 the company went into a turnaround communication perspective that gives the consumer more attention. Conclusion In conclusion, Executive Assistants roles and responsibilities go a long way in nurturing the success of the business. It is not only supporting systems and processes, maintaining an appropriate office environment, organizing meeting and events, project planning or managing diaries and communication. It is all of the above and many more associated with this portfolio of the executive assistant that the selected incumbent must possess. Now that the role, responsibilities and skills of an executive assistant have been examined, it shows what attributes are required for an efficient and effective executive assistant. For the individual to be able to cope with all challenges faced within the organization he or she must adapt to change and allow room for continuous professional development. In this way the executive assistant would learn new and improve techniques to cope with situations. Bibliography IAM Level 4 Diploma in Business and Administrative Management Qualification Handbook (2011 Edition) Administration for Executive Assistants Written By- Kathleen Stalker France S (2009) The definitive Personal assistant and Secretarial Handbook Published by- Kogan Page Ltd Mullins, L.J. (2007) Management and Organizational Behaviour 8th Edition Harlow, Financial Times Prentice Hall www.wikipedia.com Internet Service Definitions and other sources of materials that were needed www.wisegeek.com Definitions and other sources of materials that were needed www.hewlett.org For the copy of the Executive Assistants Job Description and Specification

Nurture and Nature :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Nurture and Nature The classic debated topic of nurture versus nature has been, and always will be an argumentative subject in the scientific world. Some psychologists and scientists share the view that our behavioral aspects originate only from the environmental factors of our upbringing. While other opposing specialists argue the outlook in science that agrees with the naturalist idea. This concept of naturalistic ideas supports the hereditary genetic framework, inherited from our parents, is the sole determining factor in our behavioral characteristics. These two opposing viewpoints have produced a multitude of ideas, theories, and arguments in the history of psychology. John Broadus Watson, the father of American behaviorism, greatly reinforced the source of nurture by studying learned and adaptive behavior patterns in our environmental surroundings (Rathus p.13). During this same time of revolutionary ideas in psychology, American psychologist, Arnold Gesell supported the opposite views of Watson. Gesell theorized that "physical and motor growth and development is monitored and regulated by an automatic natural process"(Rathus p.13). Each of these ideas has persisted strongly in the world of psychology from the nineteenth century on into the twentieth, but now a new and united psychology world acknowledges both theories equally. It is imagined, today, that the explanation of our behavioral characteristics originates from both our heredity, and the environment in which we were raised. This report supports the theory that both aspects of nurture, with the addition of nature are involved in and explain our complete behaviors. Many studies and experiments have been conducted in recent years of psychology to give this combined idea its appealing thesis. A great deal of research and experimentation has been conducted in order to solve the puzzling results that derive from situational differences in being raised. The different causes and effects of various situations, focus on the actual importance, and necessity of proper nurturing in childhood development (Turecki). Studies on the early developing years in children show how effects of various environmental situations can cause mixed attitudes, personalities, beliefs, sexual preference, and other behavioral patterns in children (Turecki & Adams). For example, studies have been conducted on whether children that have been raised by single parents are going to develop differently than if both Nurture and Nature :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers Nurture and Nature The classic debated topic of nurture versus nature has been, and always will be an argumentative subject in the scientific world. Some psychologists and scientists share the view that our behavioral aspects originate only from the environmental factors of our upbringing. While other opposing specialists argue the outlook in science that agrees with the naturalist idea. This concept of naturalistic ideas supports the hereditary genetic framework, inherited from our parents, is the sole determining factor in our behavioral characteristics. These two opposing viewpoints have produced a multitude of ideas, theories, and arguments in the history of psychology. John Broadus Watson, the father of American behaviorism, greatly reinforced the source of nurture by studying learned and adaptive behavior patterns in our environmental surroundings (Rathus p.13). During this same time of revolutionary ideas in psychology, American psychologist, Arnold Gesell supported the opposite views of Watson. Gesell theorized that "physical and motor growth and development is monitored and regulated by an automatic natural process"(Rathus p.13). Each of these ideas has persisted strongly in the world of psychology from the nineteenth century on into the twentieth, but now a new and united psychology world acknowledges both theories equally. It is imagined, today, that the explanation of our behavioral characteristics originates from both our heredity, and the environment in which we were raised. This report supports the theory that both aspects of nurture, with the addition of nature are involved in and explain our complete behaviors. Many studies and experiments have been conducted in recent years of psychology to give this combined idea its appealing thesis. A great deal of research and experimentation has been conducted in order to solve the puzzling results that derive from situational differences in being raised. The different causes and effects of various situations, focus on the actual importance, and necessity of proper nurturing in childhood development (Turecki). Studies on the early developing years in children show how effects of various environmental situations can cause mixed attitudes, personalities, beliefs, sexual preference, and other behavioral patterns in children (Turecki & Adams). For example, studies have been conducted on whether children that have been raised by single parents are going to develop differently than if both

Edward Jenner and Smallpox

Despite all of the controversy around vaccinations, vaccines have been around for nearly 200 years and are known to have saved millions of lives by preventing a person from infectious diseases through inoculation. The world’s first vaccine, the vaccination for smallpox was developed in 1796 by Edward Jenner, a doctor from England. Smallpox, which dates back to 1350 B. C. , is an infectious and contagious disease that plagued much of Europe and North American colonies during the 17th and 18th century. Smallpox claimed more than million deaths in Europe and Mexico before development of the vaccination. Dr. Jenner’s scientific research and observations led to the eradication of smallpox in 1979. The purpose of this paper is to examine one of the greatest achievements in public health, the smallpox vaccination and the man responsible for it, Dr. Edward Jenner. This paper will also focus on the effects that the smallpox vaccination has had on public and community health and how the process of immunization from infectious diseases has saved millions of lives today. What is Smallpox Smallpox is an infectious and contagious disease, which is caused by the variola virus. The virus, which has two forms, variola major and variola minor, was referred to as the speckled monster because of red, pustule, raised lesions that appeared on a person’s skin. Aside from the skin lesions, smallpox is characterized by typical flu symptoms such as fever, fatigue, muscle aches, malaise, and headache. Smallpox is an airborne transmitted infection, which multiplies itself in the lymph nodes while moving from cell to cell. A person is said to be contagious until the last lesion scab falls off. Whereas a cure for smallpox does not exist, the only form of prevention is vaccination (Barquet & Domingo, 1997). Edward Jenner and His Developments Edward Jenner, who was born on May 17, 1749 in England, developed an interest in science and nature during his early years. He worked as an apprentice under George Harwicke, in which he developed the interest in cowpox. Jenner went to London at the age of 21 to become a student of John Hunter, the most prestigious surgeon in England, Here, Jenner learned that if a person had cowpox he or she could not contract smallpox (Stern, 2005). Through Jenner’s apprenticeship with Hunter, he began learning surgical techniques and the use of scientific methods and observation. After publishing several scientific studies and learning through observations, Jenner's interest in smallpox grew and it was at this point in which he developed his hypothesis; â€Å"Cowpox protected a person from the human disease smallpox† (Barquet & Domingo, 1997, p. 639). Developing the Smallpox Vaccine Sparked by the interest in his hypothesis and the overwhelming plague of smallpox, Jenner decided to perform an experiment to test his hypothesis. Jenner came into contact with Sarah Nelms, a dairymaid who had contracted cowpox through an infected cow. To test his hypothesis, â€Å"Jenner extracted fluid from the pustules on Nelm’s hand and used that same fluid to inoculate an 8-year-old boy through two inch incisions on the boy’s arm† (Barquet & Domingo, 1997, p. 639). A few weeks later, Jenner injected fluid from a smallpox lesion into the arm of the same boy. This is known as variolation. The variolation did not produce a reaction and Jenner confirmed that the boy was protected against smallpox. As a result of Jenner’s studies, research, and observations, the smallpox vaccine was developed (Stefan, 2005). The Effect of the Smallpox Vaccine on Public and Community Health Upon the publication of Jenner’s inquiry, skepticism arose as Jenner began a nationwide survey to support his findings. Other physicians began vaccinating through Jenner’s method and the theory was confirmed. Those who were previously infected with cowpox and received variolation did not find themselves stricken by smallpox. The vaccination era had begun as news of the inquiry spread to the United States where the method was tried and confirmed once again by Benjamin Waterhouse, a Harvard Medical School professor (Barquet & Domingo, 1997). According to Barquet and Domingo (2005), â€Å"President Thomas Jefferson had 18 members of his family vaccinated and supported the theory that the vaccine preserves individuals from smallpox† (p. 640). President Jefferson later appointed Waterhouse as the â€Å"vaccine agent in the National Vaccine Institute, an organization to establish vaccination in the United States† (Barquet & Domingo, 1997, p. 640). Public and Community Health Today Several years after Jenner’s discovery, scientists had begun to develop new vaccines. Protesting began as antivaccinationists believed that vaccinating violated a person’s privacy. In 1905, the United States Supreme court ruled that â€Å"The need to protect the public health through compulsory smallpox vaccination outweighed the individual’s right to privacy† (Stern & Markel, 2005, p. 617). The World Health Organization (WHO) certified the eradication of smallpox in 1979. As other vaccinations emerged, such as vaccines for polio, diphtheria, measles, mumps, and rubella, people commonly worried about the safety and efficacy of these vaccinations. Today, many parents are under the impression that autism is linked to a preservative called thimerosal, which was used in many vaccinations such as DTP and Hepatitis B vaccines. Upon scientific studies, no connection was found. However, in 1999 the United States Food and Drug Administration stopped licensing vaccines that contained thimerosal (Stern & Markel, 2005). Conclusion The development of the smallpox vaccine and other immunizations are considered to be one of the greatest achievements in public health. Disease prevention is a major necessity of public and community health. Through extensive research, scientific studies, and observation, Edward Jenner paved the way for the evolution of public health. To date, vaccinations have saved millions of lives by protecting people against polio, diphtheria, measles, mumps, rubella, and smallpox. Although many people are skeptical about the safety and efficacy of immunizations, choosing not to be immunized puts not only the individual at risk but also other people at risk of contracting an infectious disease.

Charles Dickens most famous Bildungsroman novel Essay

How Does Dickens’ Presentation of Pip as a young boy contrast to Pip as an Adult?  Great Expectations is one of Charles Dickens most famous Bildungsroman novel. This story is serialised in journals from 1860 – 1861. It was published chapter at a time therefore would leave every chapter at a cliff-hanger.  Due to this novel being published in journals it made this semi-autobiographical narrative available to the mass of people; soaring its popularity.  The main theme of this novel is associated with the main factors of Victorian era; Being Gentlemen; Education and Crime and Punishment. Dickens was a social observer and would therefore base his narratives on his concerns for the social laws. Great Expectations was an example of this. This story is based on Pip, the main character, and how his life changes as he comes into possession of a lot of money from an unknown benefactor breaking the wall of social mobility on his way to become a Gentleman. The whole essay shows the retrospective view of Pip looking back on his life. Furthermore most of the events experience by Pip could also be his past experiences. This is why ‘Great Expectations’ is Charles Dickens most semi-autobiographical piece of writing. This general aim of this essay is to describe the way Pip was presented as a young boy and later on in his life by this worldwide known author, Charles Dickens.  The key scenes in this novel which will be analysed in detail. The chosen key scenes are; chapters 1-8 where Pip is growing up as a young kid and ahs his first encounter with the convict. The significance of these chapters is that it shows Pip’s childhood and also describes his first meeting with Magwitch, who plays a huge role in this novel. The central point of this report will be focused on chapter 27-38. This shows Pip as a young gentleman. This is very vital as it shows the way Pip has changed from his childhood ways. In these chapters it shows when Pip is reunited with his benefactor.  The Last key scenes will be chapter 57 and 58. This is when Pip is comes together with Joe hoping to propose to Biddy. The significance of this is that Joe is going to get married to Biddy; therefore Pips reaction to this news is very interesting. Pip was bought up an orphan. The only living family member of Pip was his sister Mrs Joe Gargery. â€Å"My first fancies regarding what they were like were unreasonably derived from their tombstones† This quotation emphasis the fact that Pip was an orphan who had never seen his parents and is an example of dual narrative as it is quite humorous but also sad at the same time. At the beginning of the play Dickens makes the readers fell sympathetic towards Pip. This makes the readers like Pip throughout the story no matter what he does. In the Victorian Era being an orphan was very common. It meant they had no prospects for the future, would be illiterate and would therefore lead a very poor life. They would usually be homeless or taken in by gentlemen’s to be their slaves. â€Å"I was at that time undersized for years and not very strong†. This quotation shows that Pip had a lack of prospects which emphasised he came from a poor background. The term undersized could be used for physical terms but also could be used that he had no say in the community as he was a child and he had no say generally as him and his family were very poor. Charles Dickens reversed these points about a poor person and made social mobility possible for Pip.  At the beginning of the narrative Pip is a naive young boy who has no knowing of the outside world. Most of this is due to being brought up without education. Education in that era was very important as only the rich could afford it. This immediately brought up the aspect of class issues in this novel. Education led to people being in a higher social group to those who weren’t educated and possibly shaped their future. Pip suffered abuse from many people. He was bought up ‘by hand’ by his sister Mrs Joe. She had a reputation for this. This showed that Pip was brought with discipline and wouldn’t dare to do a thing wrong as he would get punished for this. Another quotation that explains that Mrs Joe beats Pip to teach him manners and discipline is â€Å"Be grateful boy to them which bought you up by hand†. â€Å"What’s worse she’s got the tickler with her†, this quotation shows how much Pip feared the tickler and getting beaten by Mrs Joe. As well as receiving physical abuse from Mrs Joe he received verbal abuse from many family friends such as Mr Pumblechook and also Estella. It was from the Victorian times that the saying ‘Children should be seen but not heard’ was created. This saying applied to Pip. Many guttural sounds were used to describe the abuse that was inflicted upon Pip such as â€Å"rampage†. This emphasises the un-human like behaviour of Mrs Joe towards Pip.

Microeconomics Project Essay

An overview Facebook was realized on February 4, 2004 by an American computer programmer and Internet entrepreneur- Mark Elliot Zuckerberg. Facebook has said it will be valued at up to $96bn ( £59bn) when it sells shares to investors this month in a record-breaking flotation. The first investment from Peter Thiel was $500,000 into Facebook. Facebook has minted four billionaires: Mark Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin and Sean Parker. The 27-year-old Zuckerberg’s net worth was estimated at $17.5bn on the 2011 Forbes list of the wealthiest Americans. Moskovitz had a net worth of $3.5bn but pipped Zuckerberg for the title of world’s youngest billionaire, being eight days younger. The Brazilian-born Saverin, who left Facebook early on after a falling-out with Zuckerberg, had a net worth of $2bn. Parker, the Napster co-founder who briefly served as Facebook’s president, had a net worth of $2.1bn On November 15, 2010, Facebook announced it had acquired the domain name fb.com from the American Farm Bureau Federation for an undisclosed amount. On January 11, 2011, the Farm Bureau disclosed $8.5 million in â€Å"domain sales income†, making the acquisition of FB.com one of the ten highest domain sales in history Nowadays, 1 in every 13 people on earth uses Facebook, more than 900m active users, with over 250 million of them who log in every day. The average user has about 130 friends, but that has expanded in. The core 18-24 year old segment is now growing the fastest at 74% year on year. Almost 72% of all US internet users are on now Facebook, while 70% of the entire user base is located outside of the US. (Source: Facebook) At the beginning, Facebook has 1 million users. In 2008, it increased to 100 million. In 2010 the number of users reached 400 million and up to 500 million within 5 months. Google- a web search engine, it is the company’s most popular service. It began in January 1996 as a research project by Larry Page and Sergey Brin when they were both PhD students at Stanford University in California. Technology is enhancing us as human beings and the integrating of artificial intelligence is slowly being weaved and embedded into our activities and habits almost without us noticing. This reliance that is permeating our day to day existence even extends to a reported 60% plus of all buying decisions now starting with a Google search as we start our research online rather than walk the shop aisles and asking sales attendants questions. The first funding of $100,000 for Google was provided by Andy Bechtolsheim the co-founder of Sun Microsystems. Google’s initial public offering (IPO) took place five years later on August 19, 2004. The stock’s performance after the IPO went well, with shares hitting $700 for the first time on October 31, 2007. primarily because of strong sales and earnings in the online advertising market. In 2004: Gmail launched, Google IPO 8 billion pages indexed. They acquired YouTube in 2006 for $1.65 billion. Android was announced in 2007 and Google Chrome was launched in 2008. The 3 charts show the Revenue, Income and number of Employee in two companies. RIVAL PRODUCTION The big question is given, why a search engine like Google to be afraid of Facebook, a social network when the field of activities of these two different companies as far as they seem completely can live peacefully. Google is famous for its searching services, the key point lead to the huge success of Google. It links to billions of Web pages, so users can easily obtain the information they want through the keywords and the operators. Google also uses its search technology for many other search services, including Image Search (photos), Google News, interactive community Google Groups, Google Maps. They also launched variety kinds of services such as Gmail, Google Earth, Google Docs, Picasa, Google Desktop, Google talk, Google Chrome, Google Translate and Android. Facebook is a social networking website for free access with more than 600 million members worldwide with hundreds of millions of activities that occur every day. The amount of data produced in a day of Facebook occupies a huge part of Internet data. Users can communicate with others, make friends, send messages and update their personal profile. Facebook has several features that users can interact such as Wall, Pokes, Photos, Status, Tag (feature of imaging applications), Facebook Notes, Facebook Username, Facebook Messages, Voice Calls, Video Calling, Facebook Subscribe. Looking closely, using the Internet for social purpose has been increasing over the years. More and more people spend longer hours of socializing than browsing so the use of the internet had tilted more on the social side. Facebook has a strong impact to our society. The social circle will suggest what to read, what to check out, where to go to and what to see. These matters may seem not important, but for the business this is such a big deal. As a result, a vast number of companies had recently shifted their focus on socializing, this led to the competition Google versus F acebook. Google is stepping into the Facebook market. Google also has promoted the search function in social network (Social Search) combined between Facebook and search engine Bing with support in 19 languages. Google Social Search helps users to find the appropriate content from the online link on their social network such as websites, blogs, articles and other content created or shared by their friends. Moreover, through many failures of Orkut (social networking and discussion), Google Buzz and Google Wave, in 2010 Google also revealed their plan about new social networking called Google Me to compete Facebook. Google Me combines best features of these social networks having failed before such as allow users check how many visitors clicked, watched, or your missed updates, provide variety kinds of games and application, control the amount of friends who have connected with your friends, stop spreading wide for what was posted. Example, both Orkut and Facebook allow users to delete the share, but this feature of Orkut is much better. This means that if you share a picture for yourself, then you want to delete them, you are allowed to erase that image on your home page, and on top of all other friends.Facebook does not do this,so Google Me is expected as a more attractive version of social networking. In 2011, Google has officially announced the Google+project, a social networking service has the functionality looks very similar to Facebook such as update status, share links and upload photos. Google+allow users to communicate separately for each group. Instead of posting a content update for everyone, Google+ allows users to display that content to the particular group (called a circle), such as classmates, colleagues, family members. Recently, Facebook is actively improving its own search engine. Old founder of the Google Wave, Lars Rasmussen, has joined Facebook, is developing a version of the search engines social networking to develop a new version called â€Å"search engines social networking†. This system will be expected to compete with the search engine of Giant Google in the future. The main purpose of the project is to develop a better search engine that can help brows through the huge amount of content created by users on social networks, as the status updates, articles, video clips and other information. Facebook expects a new email service will help them overtake Google and dominate the social networking world. In 2010, Facebook unveiled the project Titan to compete with Gmail from text messages (SMS), instant messaging (IM), email to Facebook messages. The system will combine messaging via mobile phones, email and chat messages to send to the recipients and they can reply to messages in any way. Facebook uses this project likea special strategy for competition generally on the Internet and particularly on social network. This time, there is notjust the war on email. Facebook seems want to dominate in every field. Facebook is a best place to share photos, surpassing all other services from Flickr, Picasa to Twitter even though its image quality is not high. Facebook members posted 250 million photos per day and this is the function most users use in the social network. Therefore, the Facebook pay billions for the application only works on iPhone and Android also is understandable. Moreover, they also developed a tool Facebook camera similar to Instagram. BUSINESS MODEL To understand why Google and Facebook abominate each other, it is necessary to study their business model. Facebook is now one of the largest social networks while Google is believed as the most powerful searching engine. Each tech titans have been reaping significant success in their domain. However, they both seem have the same main source of revenue is advertising. â€Å"Facebook has 901 million monthly active users (MAUs) as of March 31, 2012, an increase of 33% as compared to 680 million MAUs as of March 31, 2011. And 488 million MAUs used Facebook mobile products in March 2012†-Facebook Amended S1. With great numbers of users, people are deeply impressed by Facebook’s growth. Nevertheless, Google has crossed the 1 billion user mark, while Facebook is not far behind at 900 million — however, users spend a far greater amount of time on Facebook per day, approximately 7 times higher. Top 10 Web Brand for August 2011 (U.S., Total) Rank| Brand| Total Internet Audience(thousand)| Time per Person (hh:mm:ss)| 1| Google | 176,235| 1:47:42| 2| Facebook| 163,163| 7:45:49*| 3| Yahoo| 149,072| 2:12:08| 4| MSN/WindowsLive/Bing| 134,410| 1:43:45| Read as: During August 2011, 176.2 million unique U.S. people visited Google’s websites(Source: Nielsen) In the term of valuation, after the most crucial event of Facebook’s timeline- IPO, going public, Facebook is known being in the position of Google’s 2003. The table below indicates the comparison between Google (GOOG) and Facebook (FB) in different categories such as revenue, revenue growth, operating income and gross margin as they are in the public day. That means for Google, its first quarter is when they were in Q3, while Facebook’s would be Q1 2010 As the table shows, the growth of both companies over the time is almost equivalent as Google 19% and Facebook 16%. If taking into the specific, Google growth rate is arguably more stable than its counterpart social network. The primary reason causing such deviation is that Google was well-established. The following chart will present that point more clearly Source: GOOG data – YCHARTS In comparison, Facebook had a dramatic variable number and especially it was negative in the last quarter, Q9 with -6%.Probably, the company has not decided which its business model is yet (Husky Financial, Facebook vs Google: what you need to know post-IPO). Besides, the other factor affects a volatile Facebook’s development is the dependence in Zynga. There is 15% of Facebook revenue from Zynga (Forbes, By the numbers: Facebook investor checklist). According to the S1, â€Å"If Zynga does not maintain its level of engagement with our users or if we are unable to successfully maintain our relationship with Zynga, our financial results could be harmed†. The crucial income of two companies is generated from advertising. Google have recently proved their Google Adwords comes off well. Thousands of business could buy ads on Google and leads or sales with a proven positive ROI, return on investment. Advertising on Facebook shows much less convincing at this position. The stop in using Facebook’s ads is the forceful example. General Motors Co said on Tuesday (June 22) it will stop advertising on Facebook, even as the social networking website prepares to go public, with a source familiar with the matter saying the automaker had decided Facebook’s ads had little impact on consumers (Reuters). When going to public in 2004, raising just under $2 billion with an initial market cap of le than $25 billion, less than a decade, Google is worth close to 10 times. The IPO gave needed capital to expand their business. This scenario maybe not actually happen to Facebook, according to the previously mention. CONCLUSION A famous Chinese quote â€Å"One mountain cannot have two tigers†. Thus, a social media site or a search engine site will gain a victory? It has not exactly answered yet. However, according to several surveys and analysis in previous parts, Google has more strengthened than Facebook for some reasons: 1. We have many reasons to access Google but only a few reasons to login in Facebook. Most of us go Facebook for chatting , sharing your thoughts , seeing new update , seeing who liked our status, and sharing from our friend or using some applications and playing games . We are busy at looking the updates rather than ads on Facebook. Nobody logins in Facebook to check or to search when they can buy a cheap T shirt or which books are famous, so on. On the other hand, Google is more useful than Facebook. We can search to know any information that we need such as which college is the best or which food is good for health. When we all open up Google for the above mentioned purposes we click on various ads and indirectly generate revenue for Google. The more we search information the more revenue we will generate for Google. 2. People use Facebook less than they used to be A recent survey showed that 34% of users spend less time for Facebook over half a year ago. They assumed that Facebook is boring, not useful, not related and not safe to keep personal information. 20% users spend more time for Facebook, 1/3 users now do not login in Facebook, and nearly 50% of users login in Facebook that stay the same. In addition, a survey from 31/5 to 4/6 /2012 with 1.036 people in America by Reuters and market research company Ipsos presented that most of 80% users never buy product or service on Facebook. As a result, many advertising companies are disappointed and do not want to advertise on facebook anymore. For example: Early 2011, Facebook earned $3.7 billion through advertising. In 2012, this revenue is slowing. In fact, General Motors has recently regained about 10 million investments for advertising on Facebook because it was not effective. 3. Facebook will be forgotten Eric Jackson, founder of Ironfire Capital, said that in 5 to 8 years, â€Å"Facebook would disappear the same way Yahoo now.† Although Yahoo is still making money, still profitable, still has 13 thousand employees, but Yahoo is just 10% in value compared with their peak in 2000. Basically, Yahoo! has been considered as disappeared. † Whether Google or Facebook win, users also have benefit. Both companies are fighting to capture the heart of users worldwide. The competition gets its benefit because it can prevent monopoly situation. As long as the two companies keep on fighting, users will continue to gain benefits because the two companies will continue to improve, change, and figure out new features to attract users. For example: Currently, Google has extra the Google Plus to attract users and many other existent features such as YouTube, Feedburner, Chat, Analytics, and Docs. Facebook has the latest new Facebook Timeline feature. The competition between Google and Facebook is just at the beginning stage. We will be seeing more actions and tricks from both sides in future. As the main goal is to gather as many users as possible, both parties will take any necessary steps to capture users’ attention. In the future, users can get more benefit such as gifts, discounts, coupons, competition prize, lucky draws and many other events by just participating. Works Cited â€Å"August 2011 – Top US Web Brands.† August 2011, Top US Web Brands. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2012. . â€Å"Facebook.† Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 19 June 2012. Web. 20 June 2012. . â€Å"Google Se Tao Ra Mang Xa Hoi Tot Hon Facebook.† Http://www.pcworld.com.vn/articles/tin-tuc/tin-quoc-te/2010/08/1220500/google-se-tao-ra-mang-xa-hoi-tot-hon-facebook/. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2012. . â€Å"Google vs. Facebook.† Netchunks. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2012. . â€Å"PGDE Scrapbook.† Enter Website Address or Keywords to Cite. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2012. . â€Å"Và ¬ Sao Google Lai Ghet Va so Facebook.† TG&DT. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2012. . â€Å" 1/3 ngÆ °Ã¡ » i dung Ä‘Ã £ â€Å"ngá º ¥y â€Å" Facebook†.vietnamnet.9 June 2012. Web . 14 June 2012. â€Å"Google vs. Facebook†. netchunks.18 May 2012. Web. 14 June 2012 . â€Å"The Competition Between Facebook and Google Which Might Benefits Users†. toasteggme.24 September 2011. Web. 14 June 2012. â€Å"Why Facebook still not equipped enough to compete with Google†.aryaninfo.n.d.Web. 14 June 2012. Husky Financial. â€Å"Facebook Vs. Google: What You Need To Know Post-IPO – Seeking Alpha.† Facebook Vs. Google: What You Need To Know Post-IPO – Seeking Alpha. Seeking Alpha, 17 May 2012. Web. 4 June 2012. . Klayman, Ben, and Alexei Oreskovic. â€Å"GM to Drop Facebook Ads Due to Low Consumer Impact.† Reuters. Thomson Reuters, 15 May 2012. Web. 4 June 2012. . Nielsenwire. â€Å"August 2011- Top US Web Brands.† August 2011 – Top US Web Brands. N.p., 30 Sept. 2011. Web. 20 June 2012. . YChart. â€Å"Google Price: 581.53.† Google Price (GOOG). N.p., n.d. Web. 4 June 2012. . YCharts. â€Å"By The Numbers:Facebook Investor Checklist.† Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 18