One Act Play

There is a card table, folding chairs, newspapers, trade magazines. TERESA is sitting on a folding chair at the desk , talking to JAKE, who is consulting THE JOB FINDER'S GUIDE and taking notes in a notebook from his briefcase. DEBBIE enters, looks around. TERESA I wear an extra sweater and a hat. That's what my mother did when she was a girl, during the Depression. The kitchen stove was their heat. (notices DEBBIE) Can we be of help, dear? DEBBIE Group's supposed to be at 10:30, isn't it? TERESA Yes, but– DEBBIE I'll wait. ( DEBBIE sits, takes out newspaper, begins reading. ) TERESA (to JAKE) How is Janet doing?JAKE Better. Takes her a couple weeks to bounce back from chemotherapy. But she's up and around, now. Cleaning out the kitchen drawers. TERESA And your boy? JAKE I told Park School I was going to have to pull Jason out of there. (sits) They came up with a scholarship. TERESA (pats JAKE's shoulder) Well, now. That's good news. JAKE Is it? Jason's grades are dropping. He 's out too late, comes back with bullshit –sorry. You'd think that being out of work I'd have time to ride herd on him, but with hustling a job and taking care of Janet–. TERESA A boy that age can be a real pill. Especially at a time of crisis.JAKE You're telling me this is normal? TERESA I saw it my boys. There's stress, and a boy feels he ought to be pitching in to help. But there isn't much he can do, really, is there? JAKE He can at least not add to our worries! TERESA That's true, but at his age– . Probably the guilt is driving him wild. JAKE School's Jason's job. Seems to me it's that simple. DEBBIE Maybe your kid's just not the kind who can block out the real world. JAKE (rises, turns to DEBBIE) Seems to me a person can at least try! (pause. DEBBIE hides behind newspaper) TERESA ( brings JAKE back) It was a real shame about that position in Nashua.JAKE Yeah. I thought they'd–. But–. You know –I could never mention this to Janet, it'd kill her— but I wonder. Can a personnel office find out about cancer? Go though medical files? TERESA Doctors' records are confidential. DEBBIE (lowers paper) Ha! Sure. And Santa Claus lives at the North Pole. (pause) Sorry. S'none of my business. JAKE Maybe it's my age. I'm fit, but — do you think I should get a hairpiece? DEBBIE (laughs, loud. JAKE and TERESA look at her. She holds up the comic page) Dilbert. (they turn back) MERRIK (enters ) Good morning. JAKE (goes to Merrik) Hey, look, it's Merrik back!How's it going, big guy? MERRIK (shaking hands) Good. It's going good, praise the Lord. JAKE I thought you had a job. MERRIK I did. I mean, I do. Just taking longer than we figured. JAKE Georgia, wasn't it? MERRIK Right. Georgia for training, and then traveling between the territories. TERESA But your wife's career–. MERRIK Secretarial stuff. A woman can do that anywhere. DEBBIE Anywhere there's a job. MERRIK There's secretarial in Georgia. Alice says,  "At $5. 15 an hour? † But money goes farther down there. No oil bills, housing's less than half. †¦ JAKE I'd say, sell while you can!This market is so overpriced– MERRIK Alice says the company will fold: a job that can be done cheap in Georgia will be done even cheaper in Pakistan or Prague. JAKE Well, if you do put your house on the market, give me first shot at the listing, will you? (KIM enters, stands silently) MERRIK You're still part time at real estate? JAKE Me and everybody else who's run out their unemployment. KIM Is this Bright Horizons? DEBBIE That's what they call it. KIM I had trouble finding– TERESA Don't worry, you're not late. DEBBIE You are, but the Counselor's later. MERRIK What's going on? crosses to phone) When I called, the overnight message was still on the answering machine. (fusses w/ machine) TERESA Oh, dear. KIM What does that mean? TERESA People have had to give up their phones, sometimes, or they may even be homeless. Being able to use this answering service makes them– JAKE Seem normal. TERESA Employable. Able to return calls. MERRIK â€Å"Executive Offices†, it says. After ten, and nobody's here? ( DEBBIE laughs) TERESA Can we reset it? JAKE How hard can it be? Half the unemployed people here used to be in high tech. TERESA If you can't change the message, at least turn it off.DEBBIE (unplugs machine) Off with the bullshit! (to MERRIK) Your Georgia job — Did you get it through this office? MERRIK Not really- DEBBIE (goes back to her chair and paper) Now, how did I guess that? KIM How did you get it? MERRIK I heard about it from my cousin, a friend of his– DEBBIE My Dad ‘ s cousin got him work in construction, once. In Jersey. He'd only get home about every third weekend. Meant he and Mom never had time to work things out. All they did was fight. TERESA That sounds so like my mother's stories of the Depression. When my grandfather went looking for odd jobs, weeks at a time †¦..MERRIK The job's like auditing, but there's a sales aspect, too. First our team has to convince the company that we can save them money. JAKE Sales ability! Now, that doesn't surprise me, Merrik. I can see that in you. MERRIK You think so? I can do it, I have the– . JAKE 90% of any job is sales. KIM Is that really true? I'm terrible. Couldn't even sell girl scout cookies. JAKE Got to market your personality as well as your skills. MERRIK As soon as interest rates rise, real estate will be in the toilet– JAKE Depends on what market. I mean, it's not the class of people who can afford a couple million bucks who are hurting, is it?But those sales take time, those people are choosey– MERRIK The Georgia job, I don't get paid until the adjustments come in. It can take 6 months, 9 months– I tell my wife, have faith– TERESA If you can be sure– MERRIK My kids are all the time after me, they want stay here where their friends are, but I tell them have faith. The church down there's strong, s'got real spirit. They'd make new friends– KIM My brother was sent South for basic training. He said the people treated him like dirt. DEBBIE (reading, exclaims aloud) Jesus Christ! MERRIK Young lady! DEBBIE Sorry. I didn't mean — this story, did you see it?Unemployed postal worker in St. Louis, shot up his boss and three carriers and a cop. At his house, he'd already killed his wife and kids. MERRIK Let me see. (takes newspaper) TERESA I heard about that. On the radio. JAKE There were a rash of these things 10, 12 years ago. DEBBIE During the last round of lay offs. MERRIK The Post Office must be hiring straight out of the loony bin. TERESA Veterans get extra points on the exam, so there may be a lot who are trained in firearms. MERRIK Combat flash back, you think? JAKE Post traumatic. DEBBIE Postal traumatic. MERRIK Well, they'd better weed out the crazies, and fast.DEBBIE Oh, the crazies are being weeded out. Along w ith the alcoholic, lazy, and the ones who can't put in enough overtime. MERRIK About time! DEBBIE Good thing they didn't start weeding till my uncle Adam took the pension. He'd have been mad crazy enough to get down his shotgun. course, he drank, some, and he was certainly slow. But neither rain nor snow– MERRIK Four days, for a letter from my wife! If the mail went private– DEBBIE There'd be no mail on Saturday, carriers would be green carders getting $5. 15 an hour– KIM And no veteran's preference points? MERRIK What's your point?KIM My brother enlisted to get training for a good job. TERESA â€Å"Be all you can be†? KIM I've thought about enlisting too. But Buddy lost the fingers off his right hand: what's he going to do when he gets out? He can't go back to meat cutting. MERRIK Don't expect the VA. They're shutting down, one by one. TERESA This office could find him something, dear. Helen's a lifesaver. DEBBIE Something â€Å"Executive†? TERESA Education. Retraining. This is a really good program, at least for young people. Oldsters like me, nobody wants to hire us whatever we can do. KIM They'd better find Buddy something. Cause he's so angry, he might–MERRIK So it's OK to shoot people? If you lose your job? DEBBIE No, it's not OK. But I understand it. Don't you? At least a story like this one makes more sense to me than the crap that's in the business section: DOW up; GE announces more layoffs; the Technology Council wants more â€Å"flexibility† in the visa program, to meet the overseas competition Do they really think all these computer whizzes who used to make a hundred thou a year are going to go quietly into burger-flipping? KIM What else can they do? DEBBIE How many Luddites does it take to unscrew all the light bulbs? JAKE God knows there's a lot of frustration.MERRIK (to KIM) God knows, that's a true saying. If we cleanse our hearts, and trust Him, He answers our prayers. JAKE I've had bosses it wo uldn't break my heart to see bleed. But shoot his own kids? MERRIK Now, that makes sense, in a certain cock-eyed way. If a father's desperate enough to kill, but he loves his kids, how could he leave those kids to face it? I'm not saying he's thinking right, but– ! TERESA I wish Helen would get here. With two new clients– DEBBIE I'm not new. This is lay off number 5. Or maybe 25, depending on how you count it. TERESA Temp jobs? I don't think those count. KIM They'd count for me!I can't find anything at all. TERESA Substituting, temping, you know from the start it's not going to last. JAKE Nothing lasts, these days. You got to plan ahead. Train or re-train. KIM Sure, train. But for what? DEBBIE Train, they told me. So now I'm in debt up to my ears for what it cost me to learn programming. JAKE Programming used to be hot. DEBBIE And now it's not. JAKE Still. In a downturn, that's the recommendation. Retrain, add new skills to your resume. DEBBIE Keep paying tuition. Dang le that â€Å"good job† carrot, the old donkey keeps plodding along. TERESA Education is a person's best investment.DEBBIE Oh? Where's it got you, lady? You just here to write a book? TERESA I never seemed to be in the right place at the right time. If I hadn't left teaching to raise my boys, I'd be retired on a pension by now. But as a substitute, I– DEBBIE I started out in the tool shop, with my dad. $12. 50 an hour, 18 for overtime. After the 3rd layoff I took the Expert Advice. Went to college. Got my 2 year certificate. Officially qualified to do scut work for some creep in a suit at seven fifty an hour. Seven fifty! With which I'm supposed to buy all this fashion shit and â€Å"look professional† for Chrissake!But even in drag, all I could get was temp work. So then it's back to school for Programming†¦. KIM I can't even get part time Walmart! I thought anybody could get that. TERESA As soon as Helen gets here she'll help you. She has a comprehensive list: openings, training programs, subsidies, scholarships†¦.. (phone rings) JAKE Should we answer it? DEBBIE Well, they can't leave a message, we unplugged the machine. MERRIK (answers) Executive offices. KIM (to TERESA) I hope you're right. This feels like it may be my last chance. DEBBIE Everybody's last chance. JAKE You're young, you're healthy.It's not the end of the world. MERRIK Yeah. I'll tell people. (hangs up) This office is closed. TERESA Oh, my dear God. Are you sure? This office? KIM Should we go to some other one? MERRIK Nobody knows. They've all been laid off, here. Budget's gone, the governor vetoed the restoration. JAKE That was Helen? TERESA But what will we do? MERRIK Leave, she says. And lock the door behind us. THE END home | bio | resume | blog | contact GL Horton monologues | one-act plays | full-length plays reviews | essays | links | videos Made on an by . ————————————â €”—————————————–

Macro Environmental Factors Essay

Lancaster (2011) defines the macro environment as ’those global elements over which the organization has no control over but which affect the organization’s ability to serve its customers profitably.’ There are six major macro environment forces: cultural, demographic, economic, natural, political, and technological. The cultural environment includes institutions and other forces that affect the basic values, behaviours, and preferences of the society-all of which have an effect on consumer marketing decisions. The demographic environment includes the study of human populations in terms of size, density, location, age, sex, race, occupation, and other statistical information. The economic environment consists of all factors-such as salary levels, credit trends, and pricing patterns-that affect consumer spending habits and purchasing power. The (ecological) natural environment involves all the natural resources, such as raw materials or energy sources, needed by or affected by marketers and marketing activities. The political environment includes all laws, government agencies, and lobbying groups that influence or restrict individuals or organizations in the society. The technological environment consists of those forces that affect the technology and which can create new products, new markets, and new marketing opportunities. This is a way a country is governed, and they are usually more than one political party in a country thus bring in threats and opportunities to the businesses operating in such an environment. There two possible out comes from political environment are stability and changes in the ruling government. When a country has a multi-party system the environment is most likely to be associated with political instability as parties are battling for power. Political unrest is destructive to any business activity. In most cases these unrests results in loss of assets without compensation. The decision by the ruling party in Zimbabwe in 2000 was the land reform program which in principle was to redress the imbalance of land ownership between the black majority and white minority. The effect was a sharp decline in agricultural output as the white commercial farmers were mostly replaced by either politician or high ranking government officials most of whom were not really passionate about farming or by peasant farmers who had neither the technical knowledge nor resource to undertake farming at commercial level. For example, Delta as a result of poor agricultural season sorghum beer volumes declined with 8 percent as the supply of raw materials have been affected and the black majority in the farms could not cope up w this change in the season(The Sunday Mail Business ,page B7, 19 may 2013). Political instability is a favourable environment for an organization to operate in because they will be able to strategically plan and set objectives and they will be SMART. In Zimbabwe since the GNU the economy has stabilizes that firms such as delta could set themselves goals to achieve within a specific time frame and Delta has been pouring cash into re-tooling, re-capitalization and strategically positioning its business. Changes in government, as governments are formed by political parties. Government exert pressure on business through enactment and enforcement of legislation and formulation and implementation of government policies. For example government that might come onto power may cause threa ts to delta in the sense that it may be The social cultural factors are those factors which are considered to be socially acceptable in a society. These include the attitudes of the society to foreign goods and services, the dominant religion in that area, population structure-older generation wealth and pressure groups etc. as a firm it has to be aware of the dominant region in the area it is operating. For instance in Zimbabwe there are more than 60% Christians therefore it has to sell more of soft drinks to beer thereby affecting their decisions on what quantity to produce and their pricing strategies. It is unwise for DELTA to market its products in a market it is not aware of what’s being socially acceptable in that area, taking this scenario when DELTA tried to market its products like scud lion lager in the market of Mozambique. In Mozambique people prefer beer in small containers but with high alcoholic percentages, thus their products did not make t in the Mozambique cane market. Therefore a firm has to fir st consider the social cultural factors of the market it wants to operate in for there are the potential customers of tomorrow for their business. This is the application of scientific knowledge to convert resources of an economy into outputs. On the technological aspect will be looking at the entrance of better and effective +ways in terms of machinery and products etc. Technology is vital for competitive advantage, and is also a major driver of globalization. This involves the creation of new markets and opportunities were a firm can easily adopt a new innovative way of doing operation and this enables it to compete globally. The uses of better advanced technology have a greater impact on the processes and performance of a firm. Technology is vital for competitive advantage, and is a major driver of globalization. The Delta Beverages has moved into modern packaging like the light 300mml bottle which uses fewer materials in production. The bottle was 25% heavier than the new one. The new plant for the bottle reduces rejects and output was enhanced to 42000 per hour Let’s take for instance Delta it needs to switch from being labour intensive to capital intensive in order to produce more quality efficiently and effectively as new advanced machinery will be introduced in the market. It means that if there were twenty employees who were mixing the contents and filling containers of coke they are automatically going to be eliminated. Therefore their way of doing operations need to be reorganised .As a result of using modern communication Medias like video conferencing and Skype managers can now make decisions whilst on holiday and it also enables exchange of vital information among workers at different geographical location easily. Organisations are also affected by the ecological 3factors; these are environmental factors that affect the businesses. It involves factors that occur naturally like drought, tsunami, floods etc. These factors have a greater impact on the operations of a business. For example if Zimbabwe is being affected by drought this means that the agricultural sector will have little to produce and for Delta which rely on sorghum as raw materials to manufacture beer , it will have to export those resources from other countries .Therefore this will affect the decisions ,strategies ,processes and their performance . A worker who will be involved in production will absent themselves from working search of food to sustain their families. Floods have also a negative impact on the operations of businesses as they result in deaths, destruction of infrastructure or the premises of the organisations leading to closure of some business and deaths of personnel. And the legal factors can be classified as polices, laws, rules and regulations adopted by the Government ruling at that time. These factors may have a greater impact on the decisions and strategies to be adopted by a firm. The Government they may adopt pricing policies. For instance the Government may put a price ceiling say a king-size bottle of soft drinks should not go above $0,50c so as DELTA it has to abide to the laws of the Government for it to continue operate in the market of Zimbabwe. The pricing policies impose on the farm produce also had an impact on the performance of DELTA as a firm. Say sorghum is said that its price should not precede $2 per kilogram, these means that the farmers will not be willing to sell their produce to the market thus leading DELTA to import in order to operate at their expected production line and experience an increase in their cost of production. So we can safely say some of the policies adopted by the Government may lead to an increase in p rices or reduction in production causing shortages in the market. However there are some of the legal factors imposed by the Government to the economy which affect the performance, decisions, strategies and processes of DELTA as a firm. For example the ‘MURAMBATSVINA’ policy which resulted to an increase in unemployment meaning to say that it also lead to an decrease in the level of spending of people. So DELTA as a firm sell more like luxuries goods so people are likely to reduce their consumption of such like products, thus may result in the reduction of prices of the products in order to lure the customers to buy and maintain their market share. Be that it may, not all the policies, rules and regulations set by the Government and laws will have an effect on the operations of DELTA.

A Research Proposal of the Effects of Online Gaming

However, although many claim that educational potential lies within video games, they still have not been universally been regarded as a quality learning tool. Patricia Greenfield (Mind and Media) claimed in 1984 that with increasing technology and increased research that future video games would be a vital component to the educational process. David Sheff (Video Games: A Guide for Savvy Parents) said almost the exactly same thing in 1994. Thus, it seems as if the issue of using video games for educational purposes is still not fully accepted and their implementation brings forth many concerns.It is also seen that we have constantly regarded video games as having high potential and that their use in education will be vital in the near future. However, these visions have remained the same as time has passed and the foreseeable goal of implementation has still yet to be reached, for we keep pushing the time line further into the future. This brings forth the question of will this push back continue as years pass or will the educational potential of video games be reached in the near future?Video games are seen as a good learning tool because many think that they can teach children in ways that their teachers are failing by sparking their minds, stimulating their thinking, and inspiring their imagination. Addictions to Internet games, particularly massive multiplayer online role-play games (MMORPGS), have emerged as a threat to public health—a new epidemic. Although they pose no direct physical danger, they take a toll on the mental well being of players. This disease is as equally debilitating as an addiction to drugs or alcohol.Consequently, addictions to these games have ruined lives as they disrupt family life, distract students, and compromise jobs. Although some video games provide benefits to society, when used as a tool to engage children in the classroom, or train soldiers on urban warfare, the posit ive impact of these programs are negated as soon as one considers the potential damages. Proper use of games requires the responsibility of the gamers and the marketers. Software developers should reveal the potential dangers associated with the games, like how the games have a possible addictive nature.Perhaps these programs need to have labels that warn of possible health consequences. The labels would be similar to the labels that law requires tobacco companies to place on their cigarettes. Public awareness should encourage members of society to be aware of the personal consequences of excessive gaming Conceptual Framework: To conduct a research to test the in observing them of the effects of online gaming in students. Statement of the problem: This study aims to know the effects of online gaming to the students: Significance of the study:Although the addiction factor and gender issues still exist to the same extent in online games as they do in offline games, it looks as if online gaming has provided answers to the other negatives that have plagued video games. The first obvious positive that online gaming has brought to video games which was no t available to off-line games is interaction among numerous other people. Off-line games were mostly solitaire in nature and had zero social aspects associated with them. Online games have allowed for a reintroduction of socialization among games. And this socialization has no boundaries, for a very diverse Internet population exists.Playing over the web will help develop friendships, whereas playing off-line can lead to a decrease in friendships. Another positive that online games bring forth is a decreased amount of violence. Most of the violent games being played off-line are quick action games that require rapid button-pushing. However, because of latency and lag issues these games have had a difficult time being transformed into an online medium. Furthermore, when these type of games are successfully transformed into an online game the number of enemies is drastically decreased. One is no longer playing against a tremendous amount of monsters that have been implemented into the game but rather just a few enemies being played by other humans. This forces one to methodically formulate strategies on how to dominate and beat the other individuals instead of creating an atmosphere of just killing everything in sight. The final negative factor of video games that online gaming may alleviate is decreased intelligence. Much more constructive thinking is necessary to be successful in online games, mainly because human opponents are more unpredictable and tougher than the monsters in offline games.

Reasons behind the variations in primary commodity prices Essay

Reasons behind the variations in primary commodity prices - Essay Example As noted by Donald(5), although there has been a gradual downward trend in the prices of real commodity in the last decade, this has little policy concern since it is insignificant and ruled by the price variability. The volatility has had more effects; it has made a policy change to changes in primary commodities more complicated for both consumers and producers (Lichts. pp. 34). United States joined the league of ethanol producers in the year 2005. The ethanol production increased significantly. According to the Lichts (pp. 36) ethanol production in US was estimated to be 52.6 billion liters in 2011which was an increase from 49.2 billion liters in 2010 and up from 6.17 billion 2000. The statistics show how the US has grown to be a major producer of ethanol. In fact, United States and Brazil accounted for 87.1 % of the world ethanol production in 2011. The fact that ethanol meets renewable energy needs makes it a popular commodity in both countries (Association pp. 10). Ethanol production has been projected to continue to grow significantly over the subsequent years. This followed a policy by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 which required US to have at least 36 billion of renewable energy by 2022. There are two major sources of ethanol in US: the corn and the cellulosic feedstocks ranging at 15 % and 16 % respectively. Historically, most of the ethanol produced in the US has been produced from corn (Micola pp28). Despite the success of ethanol as alternative energy source, there has been a concern about its source that is mainly corn. In the effort to increase ethanol production, a large tract of arable land has been converted to corn farming denying other farming activities an opportunity. Besides, corn production has had a big impact on the production and supply of the grains affecting even international prices. According g to the statistics, the prices of primary commodities have verified over

Political Authority and Morality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Political Authority and Morality - Essay Example The leaders are accountable for their actions and behaviors, and usually do the right thing because otherwise they would have to present their case in front of the publics. Political authority seems justified when there are norms and procedures that take care of the political manifestations and when people are given what they deserve the most – democracy. In essence, it is always a good practice to make use of the political authority to understand the nuances of the Western liberal democracy. This has been demonstrated through the works of Plato, Locke and Mill. The political authority is therefore a very common concept within the political discourse as it encompasses of people from different strata of life. The political authority is a very dire requirement within the political obligations which have been questioned by the works of Plato and Aristotle, and which remain significant even in the time and age of today. It is also a fact that within democratic set ups in a number of countries around the world, there is a good amount of discussion regarding political authority in particular as its role cannot be denied its due right. Within United States, political authority has been given much emphasis because it gives freedom to the people from the domains of the government. Indeed morality is a social contract for our mutual benefit. The ethical domains need to be in line with the way people conduct their lives. This means that people should adhere to the moral righteousness and thus give in their very best with regards to the manifestation of their actions and behaviors. Morality asks of people to be fair and forthright about their dealings and be clean related with their thinking mechanisms. They must put the good of the whole society in retrospect more than their own good (Thiroux 2003). What this eventually does is to demonstrate a sense of goodwill within the society and thus the people generally look up to one another in times of help and distress. M orality is indeed a state of mind, which gets represented in a whole lot of ways. In essence, human beings are generally good natured souls, who care about one another in a very open and direct way. Yet there are some individuals who think of their own gains more than anything else. This mars the ultimate basis of stability and growth within the society and essentially hurts the cause of the society in the larger scheme of things. Thus the human beings are a combination of both good and the bad within any society. One must understand that living morally is indeed something that comes out as a very natural and clean process. It is not at all hard and strenuous by any stretch of imagination. The need is to have a proper mechanism under which morality could be represented in a variety of ways, by the people, for the people and to the people (Morgan 1983). One should take up the Kantian theory of ethics which speaks exclusively of the moral domains within any society of the world. Since Kantian theory focuses on the manifestation of ethical norms and procedures more than mere feelings and emotions of mortals, one would absolutely buy this theory on any given day. In essence personal belief systems revolve around the rationale presented by Immanuel Kant in his theory. One should believe that he has hit the nail on the head whilst referring to the details related with the moral representation of people’s dealings in day to day lives. Morality is important to the day to day situations since people view things very differently on a normal basis. If individuals start acting in a very ethical fashion, it would not be much distant when one views the entire society as a combination of good men and women within its folds. Indeed a moral system needs to be structured and very clear in its content so that people

Talk Talk Plc and its Service Marketing Literature review

Talk Talk Plc and its Service Marketing - Literature review Example ecided on maintaining market transparency and competition rather than resort to prescriptive regulation to protect consumers’ interests (Annual Report 2011, p. 11). 2.1.3 The UK government has made it a priority to support and fund the rollout of superfast broadband networks in rural communities. This should aid in the development of viable markets in places in the UK which were considered economically unfeasible (Annual Report 2011, p. 9). 2.2 Economic 2.2.1 The protracted recovery in the broad economy and the continued economic weakness in the European region will continue to influence the performance of UK business in general, including internet service providers (Annual Report 2011). 2.2.2 Competition is fierce such that if network services proved unreliable compared to the rival firms, this creates customer churn (turnover). The cost of switching among ISP services is low and therefore customers may easily abandon their service in favour of a rival firm (Annual Report 201 1). 2.3 Social 2.3.1 Social networking continues to gain momentum among internet users, aside from the growing dependence on the internet as a source of information for work and school. In addition, the continued popularity of television as a broadcast entertainment medium presents an opportunity for the convergence of television content with ISP services (Annual Report 2011). 2.4 Technological 2.4.1 Data security and integrity is a continuing concern in the digital telecommunications industry. Loss of customer data attributable to data protection breaches may damage the firm’s reputation and cause the imposition of fines (Annual Report 2011). 2.4.2 The development in fibre optic technology has begun to push demand for fibre access, precipitating the need for wholesale product development that... This essay discusses that TalkTalk is presently making a bid to gain higher quality service and thereby improve the profit margins, even at the expense of losing 43,000 or more customers who have chosen the company only on the basis of low prices. By doing so, the firm adopts a bolder strategy that accomplishes the twin purpose of (1) adjusting from weaknesses created by the recent demerger on the one hand, and (2) assuming a better position to address the increasingly competitive environment in the face of a challenging regulatory and economic environment. PESTEL shows that there are challenges as well as opportunities which face the entire industry. SWOT shows that TalkTalk is equipped with strengths in the form of technological innovations and strategic partnerships, and that its weaknesses are being remedied by adopting a revised strategic outlook and resolving its problems with service quality, customer billing problems, and lacklustre performance. TalkTalk is innovating in its service product, has the advantage of place and time, is rethinking its price strategy, and linking promotional efforts in a meaningful way to people’s economic realities. Process, physical evidence and people are seen to support the innovations being adopted in the product strategy. Finally, the firm is adopting more profitable service strategies as defined by Lovelock and Wirtz in building loyal ties based on quality, adopting greater transparency in handling complaints, and providing enhanced service quality and productivity.

Team Analysis Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Team Analysis Paper - Essay Example It was a new group and I think it was under a company’s program to hire university students during summer so that we will be enticed to join their company after graduation. There were only around three long time employees there and the rest were us, around 12 summer employees. Our team had a rough start. Mainly because we came from different background. There was an IT guy, an Accounting guy, african, asian, different university, etch.; basically the group is just very diverse that it was difficult to find a common ground for us to â€Å"break the ice† so to speak. We were dependent to Ahmed who graciously provided us the guidance and leadership we needed because the team were not talking to each other that much then. Our first project came and we were tasked to create a training module which will be recommended for approval. The first meeting was dreadful. Everybody was showing off that they are better than the next person. And I supposed that each of us felt slighted after that because each of our idea that was floated was countered, argued upon, no matter how sound it was. There was also a power struggle among us with most team members wanting to catch the attention of the manager as if they will be given a raise or promoted if they were able to do that. Ahmed, initially just let us do our thing and sensing that we are not going anywhere, took over and provided the direction. It was the only time that the team calmed down. Our succeding meetings are already calm albeit there are still subterfuge animosity among team members who do not like each other or felt better than the other. But as we go along, we were able to delineate expertise and identified whose idea mattered most depending on the subject matter. If its about networks, applications, then we refer it to our IT guy Mark. If it involves numbers, financial statements, our accounting guy Steve will take over. Our team’s animosity eventually subdued when we started going out on lunc hes together. Then the lunch meetings progressed to cafeshops and having fun through the weekend. There, we were able to know each member thoroughly and found that they are in fact interesting person. We spent hours and hours until early morning talking and did not even noticed it because we were so engrossed with our conversations. The team bonded and became really good friends. This new found friendship reflected in our work. Meetings which usually lasted for several hours due to arguments were cut short and we begin getting praises from our boss with the quality of our work. Also, we were enjoying ourselves at work that it was no longer a drag like our first two weeks. I believe that we were doing very well as a team because Ahmed, our manager had been getting praises from the upper management with our output. But sadly, we have to part ways. We already knew this from the first day we begun our work that once class has started, we have to go back to the university. The team membe rs were hugging each other as we bid our goodbye with some teary eyed and we cannot believe that we once hated each other during our first meetings. Analysing my experience with my previous team, I thought that the experience was only peculiar to us. But when I did research and stumbled on the work of Tuckman Model of team development, I found out that what happened to our

Piracy Off Coast of Somalia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Piracy Off Coast of Somalia - Essay Example The Northwestern region of Somalia declared themselves independent in 1991 and in 1998 the Northeastern region established the Puntland State of Somalia. (Ould-Abdallah, 2008). In 2002 local leaders in Baidoa also established a Southwestern State of Somalia. Background shows that before 1990 piracy was not a serious problem on the coast of Somalia. There were a few small incidents with fishing boats, leisure craft and ships, but nothing serious. However, in the 1990s a more organized form of piracy was seen in armed groups attacking vessels claiming to be Coast Guards protecting territorial waters of Somalia. This form of piracy expanded in 2000 to any seafaring vessels that came within or even close to Somalia’s territorial waters. The pirates boarded the vessels and held both ship and sailors hostage for ransom. (Ould-Abdallah, 2008). Interestingly, the pirates are not concerned with cargo or reuse of the ship; they are only concerned with obtaining the ransom. The ships are sailed to one of the bases where the pirates can obtain supplies while demands are being communicated. Since the pirates are armed, it is very difficult to attempt a rescue. The process is very open and they feel very secure that the ransom will be paid to bring the hostage situation to a safe conclusion. (Ould-Abdullah, 2008). The following research information deals with what is going on now, why we are involved, the costs, United States policies, and possible alternatives. Why Piracy in Somalia: Somalia is ravaged with social upheavals, human hardship and environmental challenges. Piracy has become a way to make quick money that is more appealing than any other means of income. There is some risk involved, but the benefits have shown to outweigh the risks. There have been few arrests and fewer injuries suffered by the pirates. (Ould-Abdullah, 2008). The country suffers from poverty, unemployment, environmental drawbacks, and low incomes. There have been lost resources due to dro ught and illegal fishing as well as security and political issues that allow piracy to continue in Somalia. Until someone comes up with a better solution for income generation and the pirates are dealt with more severely, it will continue. It is important to note that the pirates firmly believe they have every right to attack illegal vessels that are in their territorial waters. They feel that their fishing resources are being stolen daily by vessels from Europe and Asia. This has been going on for years; however, nothing has been done about it internationally. Therefore, the Somalia pirates believe their actions are warranted to control the injustice. (Ould-Abdullah, 2008). â€Å"Some pirates have claimed they act as a de facto coast guard, protecting Somalia from illegal fishing and dumping of toxic wastes.† (Minter; Volman, 2009). However, most will admit that they do it for the financial gain, even though some used to be fishermen. In the article by William Minter and Dan iel Volman in June 2009 they contend that piracy alone will not likely provoke U.S. intervention even if U.S. citizens are captured. Most of the captured hostages have been from the Philippines and other developing countries. The shipping companies see the ransom as minor expenses compared to the economic situation worldwide. (Minter; Volman, 2009). In an article by Mark Doyle in 2006 he states that the problem is generally off the long eastern coastline of

American college student Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American college student - Assignment Example This is a psychosocial theory that is developed on four pillars that include situation, self, strategy and support (Isaacson, 2008). This psychosocial theory helps individuals be able to address issues in their lives since they aid people to determine what and how they would love to live their lives thereafter. Collaborating with other institutions around the college that provide services relevant to the courses that the students are undertaking is also vital in training them how to work in their respective fields. This can be coupled with Kuh’s collaborative assignments and projects. Kuh (2008) says that they help students learn how to work as well as sharpen their ability to grasp things and work while incorporating other people’s ideas in order to produce fine-tuned results. Kuh (2008) states that this is done through ways like â€Å"study groups, assignments done in groups, and projects and research work done cooperatively†. This also helps cement the place o f the college within the community and among the stakeholders if the students come out better people, thus; the college reputation remains good for a long time. Question 2 Creating a program that will enable students to achieve at least two of Kuh’s high-impact educational practices, it is imperative to include all the students. Programs aimed at a more tenured faculty with a better faculty student interaction should be encouraged (Kuh, 2008). This is so to ensure that all the students from different, but related faculties can share ideas and learn how to work in two or more related fields towards a common goal. This also enables students to interact more with their faculty professors in an attempt to understand their course work better. Additionally, students obtain a platform to ask questions that are helpful in their course work and in building their careers. This ensures and helps students irrespective of who they are to achieve the common intellectual experience of Kuhâ €™s high-impact educational practices (Kuh, 2008). Faculties should also encourage students to get more involved in research work and courses to learn more, instead of dwelling mainly on theory. Students should be able to test the authenticity of whatever they are taught in class in order to ascertain the credibility of information received and even to learn how to perform outdoor functions (Jones & Abes, 2013). Students doing their own research learn self-independence and the art of referencing. Other skills that come with conducting research are also gained by all the students. Sharing these ideas in class will, in effect, help them compare notes on what the most effective methods to use are and how to employ them. This line of approach actually helps achieve Kuh’s other emphasis which is involvement in undergraduate research (Kuh, 2008). Intensive and thorough internship programs with grades attached to the time and effort placed by the students during their placement is another way of ensuring that all the students are involved in learning. Their assessment during the internship is done by the idustrial supervisor who will ensure that they master how to do their delegated duties in perfection. Kuh states that internship provides students with the professional coaching; thus, they can benefit from real work environment experience (Kuh, 2008). Question 1 Chickering’

Effective communication within my time at BP Essay Example for Free

Effective communication within my time at BP Essay While on my internship I wanted to show effective communication. This involved me communicating with my team, working well within my team and giving many presentations to them. At the end of my internship I got feedback from my manager who explained how I was able to show effective communication within my time at BP. Goal To improve my communication. 1. Introduce and talk to people who I don’t know. 2. Share ideas with colleagues. 3. Ask for help when needed. Feedback Being able to communicate effectively was an important part of her’ role, as she was dealing with numerous personnel for whom English was not their first language. In her first week she was tasked with composing an email to send to all the regionally based team members. She proved straight away that her written communications skills were good, although she was naturally looking for reassurance of her emails were as required. By the end of the internship, both her written and verbal communication could only be described as â€Å"excellent†. Goal To improve my ability to ask questions 1. List down any questions that come to mind during work or home. 2. Do some research on the questions before hand and find an answer. 3. If I cannot find an answer I will ask a college or supervisor. Feedback When she did have any questions she was happy to ask, and did so in a polite and concise manner. If she needed help on tasks or wanted extra elaboration on certain topics she was able to do so. Goal To improve team working with new people 1. Introduce myself to the new people in my team. 2. Think of questions and ideas to contribute to the team. 3. Contribute my ideas to them and ask questions. 4. Use the information gained and adapt it to my work. Feedback She fitted into the team from day one, she is reliable, punctual and always polite and courteous. Her attitude to work was excellent, she was always willing to give something ago, with minimal instruction. Goal – To improve my presentation skills 1. Plan a presentation and practice it. 2. Ask for feedback from colleagues. 3. Take the feedback into consideration and improve the presentation. 4. Invite colleagues, managers to listen to the presentation. The first time I met her, she highlighted that she wanted to improve her presentation skills during her time with us. So, on her first day I asked her to help me present the safety moment in our team meeting; and she did a great job! Over the next few weeks she had other opportunities to both help compile presentation material, and also present to others on her own. By the end on the internship when it was time to present to a room full of peers, parents and work colleagues, she was a professional! In conclusion, it’s always very important to show effective communication skills in the workplace as they are vital for teamwork and overall success. These skills were skills that I wanted to improve greatly as I know they will be beneficial in the future. The majority of the feedback from my line manager was very positive and I will take into account the comments for improvement.

Food Processing in Agricultural Regions

Food Processing in Agricultural Regions Agricultural regions in any country, including the United Kingdom, have historically been seen as poorer neighbours to the more industrialised areas of any particular country (Pierpont 1997). This position has been brought about mainly as a result of the fact that pay, employment opportunity and economic output tends to be lower than other areas of industry. The logistical problem in terms of transport and flexibility of workforce is also a contributory factor. Consequently, many agricultural regions have seen a significant decline in fortunes and employment during the course of the past three decades. In an effort to these problems, governments at local, national and regional levels have been seeking to produce a range of strategies that will support and regenerate agricultural, the results of which have met with mixed levels of success. Irrespective of the help afforded to them, many agricultural areas still remain relatively weak. Where improvements are achieved, often it is at the expense of the agricultural industry itself. For example, promotion of cultural tourism, whilst it may benefit some agricultural communities, does not address the core issues, namely improving the indigenous industry and food production chain. However, recent studies carried out have suggested that there may be another way to approach the issue. This research, as reported by Peter Pierpont (1997), suggests that if the development of food processing is encouraged within an agricultural area, it can result in an increased level of prosperity, producing subsequent improvements in employment, economic output and the GDP per head (Pierpont 1997). Aims and Objectives The aim of this paper is to evaluate the hypothesis set by Peter Pierpont (1997) and to ascertain if the development of food processing in agricultural areas can provide a route to prosperity. To assist with the analysis for this purpose the UK agricultural regions of Cornwall and Wales will be used as case studies, with other agricultural regions within the UK and Europe being used for comparative purposes. Concentrating on the UK in particular, to enable the goals of this research to be achieved it is intended to focus the paper upon the following objectives: Provide an analysis of the historical development of the agricultural industry, paying particular attention to this sector within the United Kingdom. To provide a detailed analysis of the two selected agricultural areas, which will include the past and present economic and employment positions. Analyse and evaluate the impact that the development of food processing has upon selected agricultural regions. Evaluate the synergy that is said to exist between the agricultural and food processing industries. Overview of the research Following this introduction, chapter two provides a brief background of the development of both the agricultural and food processing industries. This is followed by a critical literary review within chapter three. Chapter four provides details of the methods used for the research required for this paper, with the findings from resulted from the research are analysed and discussed in full in chapter five. The conclusion of this study, together with any recommendations that are considered appropriate, are outlined in chapter six. Chapter 2 Background Following the advances in technology over the course of the past three decades, there have been significant changes witnessed both within the agricultural and food processing, as they exist in the UK. UK Agricultural Industry Following WWII, the concentration upon the economic value of British agriculture came a poor last place to other industries as the UK sought to rebuild its economic position. Thus agriculture was basically left to fend for itself as it sought to compete with an increasing level of food products being imported from overseas markets (Greer 2005, p.86). In line with the general industry trends, in both of the selected areas there has been a decline in the agriculture economy during the course of the past three decades, despite the fact that the rural areas have historically relied upon this industry to maintain their local communities. In the UK the rural farming decline has been exacerbated by the concentration of farming methods undertaken by large corporations together with the increasing levels of imported produce, which can be purchased at prices that the UK farmers cannot compete. Similarly, the pressure from retailers for lower pricing has reduced the competitiveness of the local farms. Evidence of these events can be seen from the following (figure 1). This table shows how, during the past decade the agricultural industry contribution to the UK economy has fallen to nearly half of its 1996 value and the GDP by two thirds. Furthermore, whilst our exports in this area have remained relatively static, imports have increased by nearly 40%, which has affected the country’s self-sufficiency levels. Similarly, although net farm incomes have steadily increased since 1999, the total income from farming has halved, which indicates the size of the agricultural resources that have been lost since the turn of the century. The concentration of farming into bigger units has been more pronounced in the UK, with an average farm size of 66.7 hectares, than most other areas of Europe, as is evidenced from the following table(figure 2). Even in countries such as France and Germany farm sizes are significantly smaller. Figure 2 Farm Sizes At the same time as the above results were being witnessed, there was also a significant drop in employment within the industry. This was partially due to the economic position of Agriculture, but at the same time the historical tradition of offspring following their parents onto the farms was also being broken, with less enthusiasm being shown for taken over the role of farmers due to the long hours of work required for relatively low levels of return. Figure 2 shows how severe this decline was in the five years to 2000, with a loss of over sixty thousand employees in that period representing nearly ten present of the previous workforce. The loss of skilled workers resulting from persons leaving the industry served to exacerbated the economic problems that it was experiencing. Figure 3 Fall in workforce In the case of Cornwall, much of this decline has also been fuelled by the increasing concentration upon the tourism attraction of the area. For example, due to the economic benefits, many traditional farmers have transferred the usage of parts of their agricultural landform food production to activities that will capture a share of the tourist market, such as campsites and caravan parks. The position in Wales has become even more extreme than Cornwall. Central Wales is a more remote location than its Cornish counterpart, with a low internal level of infrastructure and a less developed transportation systems, which makes it less accessible for business and consumers alike. As a result, local businesses and services such as health care have closed or transferred their services to towns and cities, and much of the rural population has followed. This situation, together with the economic decline in agriculture as previously outlined, has led to many farms in the area becoming economically unviable. UK Food Processing Industry Food processing is defined as being any method or technique that issued to transform the raw product, being meat, vegetable, cereals another food products, to an edible dish for the average human. Without this part of the supply chain our diets would be more limited than they are today, with less variety to choose from and a more seasonal aspect to the food we purchase. Therefore any process, from the preparation of meat at the Butchers to the preparation of ready-made meals for consumer consumption on sale in supermarkets is a part of this process. Food processing also increases the durability of the product, increasing the shelf and use life, which has the effect of reducing waste whilst at the same time increasing the quantity of supply. Indeed, as the BNF (Factsheet 2000) rightly observe, â€Å"without food processing it would not be possible to sustain the needs of modern urban populations. Prior to the advent of new industrialisation methods, mass production and the new technology area, the majority of the food processing system was conducted at a local level. However, subsequent to these events, the food processing systems and organisations became centralised into the more industrialised areas of the country. The major contributory factors behind this evolution of the food processing industry away from local to a central location was partially dictated by the increased access to labour, which due to its proximity to the workplace was in plentiful supply at a lower cost, together with the advent of the mass production process. In addition, such areas of the country and region enjoyed easier access to the national and international transport network. All of these advantages meant that the businesses involved could reduce costs and increase the speed of the production process. The centralisation of the food-processing sector of the supply chain was also driven by changes in consumer demands and expectations. As supplies became more plentiful and the retail supermarket phenomena expanded throughout the country the consumer demanded lower prices in the food sector. To deliver this supermarkets needed to reduce their own costs, which could only be achieved by them having access to centralised purchasing outlets, rather than the previously diverse and expensive distribution network. One abnormality that has arisen from this development is that often products harvested locally are often transported out of their local area to be processed and then returned to the shops within the same locality for sale through stores. For example, the raw milk product could be collected from the dairy farmer, transported to a processing plant a distance away from that farm and then, once it has been processed into the carton that we see on supermarket shelves, re-transported back to the local supermarket in the same area. Chapter 3 Literature Review Agricultural industry Much has been written about the UK agricultural industry over the years and regarding the way it has developed, and there are a variety of views regarding the way it should develop in the future. Hector(1969) believes that in essence the industry has developed on the basis of an internal colony, with each area being a part of, but in essence operating as a separate unit from the whole. Indeed, if one looks at the UK just after the war, when â€Å"home gardens and allotments used to be vital sources of food† (Petty 2002, p.185), it is easy to see how this insular and separate attitude can develop. In the first half of the twentieth century the British people had a very independent manner and were set in their ways. This contributes to the reason why, despite advances that have been made in agriculture over the years, in earlier section of his research Petty (2002, p.72) discovered that, in the main, the processes used to produce food on modern farms is still very conventional. Despite the fact that the agricultural industry as an element of the National economy has become significantly less important over the years, there are still certain areas where it is considered to have an essential impact on the local community in terms of the revenue it contributes (Greer 2005, p.74 and p.77). These include such regions as Wales, with its unique hill farming industry, East Anglia for the cereal output and, to some extent, Cornwall for its wheat and grain. In Wales for example, over a wide area of the country agriculture is still the industry that is central to the regions community and economy. However, despite this fact the area has still witness a reduction in the number of people employed in agriculture (Jones 1999, p.185 andp.309). As has been noted earlier, most other agricultural regions, including Cornwall have experienced a similar decline in the employment base. Nevertheless, in terms of preserving the countryside and agricultural industry, there is still somewhere in the region of eighteen million hectares of land in the United Kingdom that is used for agricultural purpose (Petty 2002, p.30), for which an effective management strategy has needed to be developed over the years. Certainly, if the UK wishes to halt the decline in the levels of self-sufficiency However, as has been widely recorded, efforts to revitalise the industry have been thwarted by several events that have had an adverse effect upon the industry. For example, in early 2001, as noted by Agriculture (2007), the decline was exacerbated by a serious outbreak of foot and mouth within the animal population and this, followed by health risks from BSE and swine fever, severely curtailed the agricultural industry’s ability to expand within both the home and international market places. Following these events, and in an effort to reposition the importance of agriculture within the economy, the NFU , one of the most active representative bodies for the industry campaigned for the government and the EU to create an innovative plan in an effort â€Å"to restore public confidence in home produced food† (Greer 2005, p.40). Similarly, farmers in Wales in the late part of the last century engaged in a series of active protests, which were aimed mainly at reducing the effect that subsidised imports In response to these concerns and also as a result of the initiatives set in place by the European Union, DEFRA has produced and discussed a number of strategies over recent years. With the central focus of these being action required nationally to seek a restructure of the agricultural industry into a more efficient sector (Greer 2005, p.129),the organisation’s purpose is to restore the former prosperity of the regions. Whilst maintaining the unified approach, development plans have been set in place for â€Å"England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland† (Greer 2005, p.41). However, it has been recognised that to prosper, agriculture has to seek new and innovative ways to add value to its industry, which entailed a certain level of diversity from traditional methods and approaches if the industry was to achieve recovery and become competitive nationally and internationally. Initially some areas, such as Cornwall, have taken the â€Å"colonial â€Å"approach discussed within Hector (1969) and sought other ways of increasing their individual incomes and prosperity. As has already been mentioned, in this particular region, many turned to tourism for this result. However, with the advent of â€Å"cheap† flights and travel, even this opportunity is now in decline. Thus the industry needs to look for more sustainable options. To this end Peter Pierpont (1997) suggested research shows that combining the development of food processing within the agricultural regions may provide a positive option. Food Processing As with any are of industry, a range of supplementary operations has grown around agriculture. These indirectly include such organisations as financial institutions, equipment manufacturers and suppliers and the chemical and biotechnology organisations. However, the most directly linked ancillary industry to agriculture is food processing (Greer 2005, p.49). It is totally apparent that the two industries and inter-dependent. From the food producers to the processing and packaging operations and then on to the retailers, all of these areas are an integral part of the food supply chain. As has been previously noted, in the past the agricultural industry and regions have tended to remain separate from the rest of the food supply chain. The perceived advantage of this approach was seen to be that farmers felt comfortable and confident within their own business environment and, as long as they were producing the required levels of products, saw this as their main income generator. However, the disadvantage was that, as the retail industry became more organised and, with the development of supermarkets and other price conscious outlets, so they began to have more influence upon the agricultural industry, forcing down prices and demanding higher yields and quality, all of which added to the economic difficulties being experience within the agricultural regions. However, European Union regional data strongly suggests that agricultural regions that have taken it upon themselves to develop the food processing industry at a local level have seen increased value-added to the industry itself (Pierpont 1997) although, in his study he suggests that the structure of the French farming industry has given it an advantage in this area over their Cornish counterparts, despite the geographical and socio-economic similarities. Nevertheless, in Cornwall and other agricultural areas of the UK, those within the agricultural industry are beginning to take notice of the agro-food approach. For example, a group of growers and farmers from the southwest regions of Cornwall across to Hampshire have formed their own â€Å"organic marketing co-op,† (Petty 2002, p.112) which provides a better value basis for the sale of products to the retail market. Similarly, in Wales certain regions have created action plans for their agricultural industries which includes integrating more of the food processing and supply aspect of the food chain within their region, thus enabling them to benefit from the added-value of a resource that had previously not been available to them (Greer 2005, p.194). It is argued by researches that creating a more localised food processing sector within the agricultural regions, where farmers and producers can be more directly involved with other areas of the food chain, including preparation, distribution and marketing, will produce positive results in terms of the financial stability and growth within the farming and rural communities. Summary It is clear from the research that has been carried out into agriculture, that there is a need to address the decline within the industry, which as can be seen from figure 1 (page 7 of this report)has fallen by ten present in the last decade. The majority of this research shows that the last three decades have seen a consistent decline in the fortunes of the industry, both in terms of its economic value to the UK economy as a whole, and in relation to employment statistics. Some researchers see developing the food processing industry within the agricultural regions as the way forward and the route to prosperity. The question is whether this theory is supported by the facts within the areas being used as a case study in this paper. Chapter 4 Research Methodology Research objective Within the introduction section of this study, the four key objectives for the research were outlined. The research into how the agricultural industry has developed, particularly in relation to United Kingdom provides essential background information, which will assist in understanding why these areas have become of such concern to government and non-governmental organisations over recent decades. The choice of Cornwall and Wales for the case study is appropriate because in the case of the former, much attention over recent decades has been concentrated upon developing the tourism attraction, rather than agricultural needs of the area. Wales provides a much larger agricultural environment, which has to compete with small pockets of heavily industrialised regions, specifically on coastal areas. Food processing, up until the last decade, has been seen mainly as an industrial activity and therefore it is important to understand how the transfer of this activity to agricultural regions has both evolved and to what extent the case study areas have benefited from this latest development. Similarly, as an integral part of this area of research, the relevant synergies will provide a better understanding of the basis for accuracy of the hypothesis. Choice of research approach Due to the nature of the area being research, it is felt that the qualitative method or research, which uses primary data as its basis(Collis and Hussey 2003, p.53), would not have been appropriate. The questionnaire and research based approach, whilst useful, would not have provided the necessary detailed research information that is required for the purpose of adding to the understanding of the issue of food processing development in agricultural regions, apart from giving some indication as to how the various stakeholders, specifically those who operate within the respective industries, have reacted to this evolution. The significant level of research and statistical data required for this study led the author to believe that the quantitative research approach would be a more productive approach. In an endeavour to ensure the reliability of the data researched, a wide and diverse range of sources has been used for this study (Collis and Hussey 2003. p.71). This situation provided the author with the ability to cross-refer and check the accuracy, impartiality and validity of the information gathered, which enables the highest possible level of objectivity to be attached to the conclusions and recommendations reached. Industry Data With regards to the data relating to the agricultural and food processing industries, this has been acquired from a variety of sources, which includes UK and EU government departments and other industry associations and observers. Included within this data is the relevant statistical information from UK and EU surveys. Additional data was obtained from Internet sources, books, journals and other industry and economic sources. Wherever possible prime sources have been used for data gathering, particularly in relation to the strategies and policies that have been suggested and implemented by teak and EU governments. This data includes current and suggested policy documents. Selected areas case study In keeping with the advices given by researchers such as Collis and Hussey (2003), a substantial amount of time has been expended in digesting all of the material available in relation to the agriculture industry in Cornwall and Wales, to make sure that the chosen material was apposite to the objectives and questions being sought. Furthermore, data from organizations active within the two selected areas was also used. These sources, together with others, were used to obtain past and future strategic information as well as for outlining the current position of the agricultural and food processing industries in both of these regions of the country. To provide objectivity in regards to this data, industry reports and independent research carried out bother experts in the respective industries were also reviewed. The reason for the choice of these two areas is that, whilst there are similarities in terms of their agricultural heritage, they differ in terms of economic and political development and evolution. Politically Cornwall is still an integral part of the UK political structure, whereas Wales has a degree of devolved power. Economically Cornwall has attracted a wider diversity of activities and services, particularly within the tourism sector, whereas this has impacted upon Wales to lesser extent. In order to achieve a comparative benchmark for the case study, the areas selected have been assessed against similar regions within other member states of the European Union. In this instance, information from the EU itself and various sources within the selected nation states, have been used. Chapter 5 Findings, Analysis and Discussion To enable an analysis of the hypothesis that was set at the commencement of this paper, it was decided to use two distinct Agricultural regions, these being Cornwall and Wales for the reasons that have been outlined previously. Agricultural regions – Cornwall Cornwall is set in the South West of the UK. Although it is traditionally an agricultural region, it has perhaps become better known since the Second World War as a tourist area. Nevertheless, it still has a significant agricultural base within its economy, which is still seen as one of the primary industries for the county (Cornwall County Council 2007), with a growth in the number of holdings during the period from 1997 to 2001 (see figure 4), which compares favourably with the movement in England as a whole. However, the industry has seen significant reduction in the areas committed to the raising of cattle and sheep livestock, which reflects the overall difficulties that have been generally experienced in this area as a result of disease epidemics such as BSE and also the inroads being made by foreign imports. Despite recent declines, it is seen as one of the foundations for strong rural communities, but the industry can only retain this position by increasing employment, which through current agricultural methods and strategies is not happening. Figure 4 Farming in Cornwall However, despite the apparent improvement seen above, this has not translated itself into improvements on the employment issue. As can be seen from the following table (figure 5), the numbers of people employed within the agricultural industry are continuing to fall. Despite the fact that in comparison to England, Cornwall has suffered less, the Cornwall County Council (2007) do not see this downward trending their region being reversed in the immediate future, with the majority of the remaining workforce consisting of owners and tenants(Cornwall County Council 2007, 3.38). Figure 5 Agricultural employment Cornwall Agricultural regions – Wales Agriculture in Wales, because of the internal terrain, is most known for its Hill Farming element. It has a substantially higher level of holdings than Cornwall, spread over a greater land mass (see figure 6). Figure 6 Farms in Wales In terms of employment the region, like Cornwall, has seen a consistent decline in the numbers during the past decade, although as the following table shows, there was a slight improvement in the figures during 2004 (see figure 7). Figure 7 Agricultural employment in Wales Causes of Agricultural decline Some of the responsibility for the current position and trends has been levelled at the â€Å"cost-price squeeze† effect that is currently taking place within the food chain, with consumers consistently demanding lower retail prices. Whilst it is true that this has had significant impact on the industry, it is not the sole cause of the current position. Three other significant factors have also had an adverse effect. Æ’Â   Disease. The perceived lack of safety in British foods following the incidences of foot and mouth, BSE, swine fever and, more recently, outbreaks of avian flu (Haynes 2007) has also had a significant impact upon consumer’s and buyer’s both confidence in the UK and abroad. The fact that these have occurred within a relatively short period of each other has done little to improve the recovery position of the industry as a whole, the timescale of which has been extended as a result of these events. Æ’Â   Technology usage. Apart from the larger corporate farm holdings the use of modern technological advances within agriculture within the smaller holdings has not been taken advantage of to the extent that other industries have respond to this area of business to the same extent. This is presumably due to the older age demographics of the older owners and tenants, together with the time constraints that they experience as a result of low levels of employment. Based upon the lack of profitability of many small farms, another contributory factor tithe lack of new technology resources in use results from the limited financial resources available to purchase the equipment and training necessary for such innovations. Æ’Â   Finally, the local â€Å"colony† attitude as indicated by Hector (1969)is still in evidence in many rural and farming areas. The psychological position of a large element of the agricultural community is resistant to change, a situation that makes impr ovements for greater efficiency difficult to implement. National and Regional Strategies There have been a number of initiatives instigated with regard to the agricultural industry, particularly from the European Union, although these and those that have come from the UK authorities, have not been met with unanimous approval. In the case of the EU strategies there Isa body of opinion that this limits national action. As Alan Greer(2005) states in the introduction to his study on the agricultural industry, â€Å"there is a widespread assumption that the existence of a CAP across the European Union undermines the capacity of states to construct their own national policies.† To a certain extent the comment made by Greer is true. As will be seen within this section of the paper, a large proportion of the strategies and policies relating tithe UK agricultural industry have in fact come into existence as a result of EU discussions and directives. Irrespective of these comments, it is important to remember that the European Union as a whole commits in excess of forty-five billion dollars each year in support of farmers throughout the member states. Therefore it is fair to state, as Cardwell (2004, p.8) does that â€Å"Agriculture enjoys numerous advantages in the operation of the Legislative process and bureaucracy.† Whilst it may be true that the major part of these funds are utilised in the purchasing and storage of surplus products such as beef, wheat, milk and butter, before selling it to other nations, usually within the developing and third world(Gardner 1996, p.3), this still represents a significant level of state aid. The Common Agricultural Policy seeks to achieve fairness of competition within the EU, whilst at the same time providing aid. The potential drawbacks of this policy is that it still leaves farmers vulnerable to policy changes and increases in costs that are not fully reflected within the subsidies. For example in Wales, which benefits from CAP, the increases in prosperity that it has brought to the hill farmers in the area could disappear if policies change and the EU or local authorities felt that this was providing the area with an unfair advantage, or changed the conditions in relation to eligibility (Jones1999, p.320 and Cardwell 2004, p.227). In terms of cost increases, during the reform of the CAP system it has already been noted that these increases had an adverse effect upon the UK arable industry as awhile (Gardner 1996, p.148). Thus it would be true to say that such policies only remain appropriate should all other factors remain the same. In the UK in 2002, the government commissioned a report on the future of farming and food (Curry 2002) in an attempt to define strategy, which would led to a more sustainable for the future of agriculture and those who work within the industry. One of the main conclusions of this report (Curry 2002, p.109) was that farming had â€Å"become detached from the rest of the economy and the environment.† There port also suggests that this position has been reached partly as a result of the substantial subsidies, which its authors believed should be ended (Curry 2002, p.110). To address this position the report suggests that new research bodies, comprising of representatives from all the industry stakeholders, including the consumer, should be set, which will include within its remit, the setting up of â€Å"demonstration farms† to be used as models of economic success in farming. One comment within th

Comparison of Ancient Greek Pottery :: essays papers

Comparison of Ancient Greek Pottery Throughout the history of Ancient Greece thousands of great works of art were produced. Works were created in many different media, ranging from life-size statues to larger than life architectural structures. One type of art that can sometimes be overlooked, though, is pottery. There are many examples of great Greek pottery, but the two that will be used as a sample are Artemis Slaying Actaeon and Woman and Maid. By considering the backgrounds of these works, and comparing them directly we are able get a taste not only of the artistic styles of the time, but also a taste of ancient Greek culture. Artemis Slaying Actaeon and Woman and Maid share many common characteristics, due to the fact that they came from Greece, around the same time in history. Both works were produced between 480B.C.E.-320B.C.E. , the classical period of Greek art. The first, Artemis Slaying Actaeon was made circa 470B.C.E. in the early classical period, during the transition from the more stylized art of the Archaic period. The other came from around 450 B.C.E., during the high classical period when Greek art was most prominent and produced some of its most refined works. Despite the artistic beauty of the two vases, both were made for more than just decoration. The vase depicting Artemis is what was called a Bell Krater and was used for mixing the popular Greek drink of water and wine. The other, called a Lekythos was used to pour liquids during elaborate burial ceremonies to honor the wealthy. Another main function of pottery in many cases is to tell a story, which is exactly what Artemis Slaying Actaeon intends. The vase depicts the goddess of the hunt, Artemis, slaying a hunter Actaeon, whom accidentally intruded on her bathing while on a hunt. On the other hand, Woman and Maid is intended as a remembrance of a wealthy woman, and depicts an offering of a chest of valuables from a slave girl to the deceased. Just at first glance of these two vases, one can tell that they were crafted in very different styles, giving a distinct look to each. The contrast of light and dark on the two vessels are what stand out to make each piece unique. Anyone can notice that while Artemis Slaying Actaeon is mostly black, the Woman and Maid is very a luminous white.

Symbolism in Arthur Millers A View from the Bridge Essay -- essays re

In Arthur Miller’s tragic drama, ‘A View from the Bridge’, we see that the bridge itself is a symbol of the linking of two cultures, Italian (namely Sicilian) and American (namely New York), whereby the manifestation of these two cultures dwell in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Despite this, differences between the two are distinctly evident from page 17 to 18, and it is the purpose of this essay to discuss how Miller conveys these differences in the given pages. Miller uses language effectively in this play, his use of dialogue, of which makes up the bulk of the drama is his main tool in conveying the large cultural differentiation between Red Hook and Sicily. We know only of Sicily by the way in which Marco and Rodolpho describe it, similarly we do not get to see all of Red Hook (the composite set is all the audience sees) yet we know how it is by the way players talk about it and how they interact with each other within the community. Marco is the first of the two immigrants that enter the Carbone household to shed light on the differences between Sicily and Red Hook, when asked if he had...

World Economy :: Consumer Confidence

Matsusaka & Sbordone (1995) used quarterly data from 1953 to 1988 to empirically investigate the relationship between consumer confidence and Gross National Product in the United States. Using vector auto regressions Matsusaka ( 1995) & Afshar, Arabian, Zomorrodian (2007) examined the effect of pure confidence on GNP by implementing control variables such as the Index of leading indicators & Consumer price index respectively; finding that confidence granger caused GNP for 1, 2, 3 & 4 quarter lag models. Through forecast error variance decompositions they concluded that 12%-26% & 8-23% of the variation in GNP can be attributed to consumer confidence. The slight variations in the decompositions can b accounted for by variable orderings and differing time periods. Similarly Utaka (2003) applied the same methodology used by Matsusaka & Sbordone(1995) to empirically investigate this relationship in the case of Japan. By using not only quarterly data, but monthly and semi annual data from 1980q1- 2000q3 they reconfirmed the consumer confidence- GDP relationship for Japan and found that it accounted for 9%-11% of variation in GNP. This showed smaller variation for Japan illustrating that confidence indicators influence on GDP movements are country dependent making it unwise to assume uniform relationship strength across countries. Golinelli & Parigi (2004) investigated this matter by analysing the consumer confidence relationship in eight country’s from 1970-2002. They modelled the CCI-GDP relationship using a co-integrated vector auto regression using a common set of macroeconomic variables that were country specific to control for correlation being driven by other variables; therefore avoiding the limits of the single equation approach found in previous literature. They tested the forecasting power by comparing the RMSE for unrestricted and restricted models for 1, 2 & 4 steps horizons. Golinelli (2004), Mourougane & Roma (2002), Taylor & Mcnab (2007) find that RMSE was generally lower in the unrestricted model at short term horizons (1-2 steps) for EU countries, illustrating its importance in short term forecasting. Much of previous literature has aimed at establishing whether consumer confidence indexes provide additional information in comparison to macroeconomic variables and not its forecasting power. However, these have received mixed results in most cases, yet it is acknowledged they maintained an autonomous role in forecasting, (see â€Å"Mueller 1963, Adams 1964, Suits &sparks 1965, fair 1971 a & 1971b, Adams & Klein 1972†). Opinion now acknowledges that the index can help predict economic activity (see â€Å"Garner 1991, Fuhrer 1993; Carol et al 1994, Kumar et al 1995, Bran & Ludvigson 1998, Eppright et al 1998†)

Effective Leadership Essay

Leaders in the workplace play a unique and vital role in the success or failure of a business. Their responsibilities are great in number and are continuously evolving to meet the growing needs of the employees and the communities they serve. In order to be effective, leaders must constantly strive to create a work environment conducive for team unity and collaboration (Llopis, 2012). Good leaders pride themselves on being visionaries with the ability to lead by example. They have a charismatic gift to inspire and encourage others to work together to meet a common goal (Bateman and Snell, 2009). Contrary to what some believe, leadership is a shared vision. It involves accepting feedback from all involved and the competence to put all the pieces together so that they align with the vision. It is believed that motivation is one of the most powerful emotions that employees bring to the table in the workplace (Heathfiled, 2012). Directly associated with that is the leaders role in cultivating that motivation through joint vision and communication. Good leaders must therefore be great motivators. Some would have individuals to believe that emotions have absolutely no place in the workplace. However, others are inclined to believe that removing emotions from the workplace is a huge mistake. For example, if a work environment is plagued by fear and anxiety, leaders must counteract those emotions with more powerful emotions like faith and optimism. Here is where the leader’s motivational skills must be put into action. Motivation is often referred to as a force that energizes or moves persons to action (Bateman and Snell, 2009). Nehemiah 2:16-18 (NIV) tells a story of how others were moved to action by motivation. Nehemiah challenged Jewish leaders by providing a detailed description of the problem at hand. He painted a vivid picture of how buildings and walls had fallen down and how the gates had been burned. He went on to share with them how outsiders now viewed them as a defeated, fallen and defenseless nation. The people were quite aware of the destruction that had taken place; but Nehemiah’s reminder served as motivation to get them up and moving. Additionally, he motivated them by providing them with a goal to works towards. The city had been destroyed because of sin. Restoration of the wall would be an indication of restoration of favor. Nehemiah had excellent motivational skills – he was honest about the negative and positive effects of the destruction, while giving them a reason to believe that they couldrecover from the destruction. Leaders have the awesome task of keeping employees motivated effectively and efficiently so that productivity does not suffer. One of the most successful ways of doing so is encouraging teamwork among employees. Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12, â€Å"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken† (NIV). This passage is a clear indication that teamwork is imperative for organizational structure It increases productivity, quality, cost savings, speed, change, and innovation (Bateman & Snell, 2009). Teamwork allows each member to reap the benefits of contributing to a goal; however leaders must be aware of the fact that conflict will arise. It is during these times that leaders must take a Christian worldview approach and seek guidance from a higher being to effectively resolve the conflict. Additionally, leaders must be able to communicate effectively when dealing with conflict as it relates to teamwork or any other situation in the workplace. Communication improves relationships and creates an effective environment that further promotes teamwork. Great leaders take the time to communicate with everyone directly and indirectly involved with the business because they are the ones who ultimately influence outcomes and decisions (Llopis, 2012). Knowing the essentials of how and when to communicate is of utmost importance. Leaders must acknowledge that communication is a two-way conversation – there is sender and a receiver and all parties involved are playing the roles of both the sender and receiver (Bateman and Snell 2009). Being a great communicator builds trust among employees. Great leaders strive to master the art of being a sender and receiver and must be willing to give the same respect he would like to receive. Ephesians 6:5-10 gives an account on how different entities should treat each other regardless of their roles. Christian bosses, company presidents, managers, crew chiefs, government officials and supervisors are to have the same attitude. The secular work of a supervisor, just like the work of his or her employee, is to be accomplished from a completely different perspective than the world understands. Matthew 7:12 sums up what daily life should consist of and that is â€Å"do for others what you would like them to do for you† (NIV). A good leader lives by this passage and consistently promotes success and sustainability. Leadership success begins and ends with vision and is heavily dependent on the leader’s ability to effectively motivate. References Bateman, T.S., & Senll, S.A. (2009). (pp. 461, 470, 508, 564) Management: Learning and Collaborating in the Competitive World (8th ed.). Chicago, IL: Irwin. Heathfiled, S. (2012). Management Matters Most in Motivation. Retrieved from About: http://humanresources.about.com/od/motivationsuccess/a/Management-Matters-Most-In- Motivation.htm Llopis, G. (2012, July). Effective Managers. Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2012/07/10/effective-managers-earn-trust-quickly-by- doing-5-things-well/ The Holy Bible (NIV)

Obesity and Biology

Obesity and Biology Obesity isn’t classified as an eating problem anymore. It is more than that a person’s biology plays a big roll. Cells and hormones play a big roll on how big you are and how your body regulates energy. Food equals energy and the body stores that energy in fat cells and uses the energy as needed. The metabolism breaks down that food and uses the energy generated from that food for everyday activities such as walking, talking, thinking. The faster ones metabolism is the more efficient they are at breaking down food and using the energy.The slower the metabolism the more energy gets stored and gets turned into fat cells and not used. The hormone leptin, which is produced in fat cells, sends signals to the brain telling it that its levels are dropping which means the cells are reducing. When this occurs the brain processes that information as starvation and sends signals back to slow down the metabolism and store as much energy as possible. There are pe ople who eat less than other but still gain weight. That’s a biological problem. There are areas in the brain research has found that if damaged can lead to obesity.One such area is the ventromedial hypothalamus and the surrounding axons. If this area in the brain is damaged at then this can lead to overeating and more storing of fat cells. Research conducted on rats at the University of Nebraska looked at this area in the brain and how it affects food intake and body weight. With damage to that area the rat nearly tripled in size in the cores of about sixty days. Food intake does not always correspond to body weight. It is possible to excessively eat and not gain weight. It just matters how active one is and how efficient the metabolism is.There are other areas in the brain located in the prefrontal cortex that also can affect body weight. Those areas are responsible for food-seeking behaviors. If one is always hooked on seeking high fat food such as burgers and high sugar d rinks such as coke then that can lead to an overweight problem. The problem with sugared drinks such as coke is that it is high in fructose sugar and that particular sugar does not raise insulin or leptin as other sugars do. So you drink more of the soda, which equates to more calories without satiety. The brain is not the only factor in weight another factor can be genetics.Your gene makeup can be responsible for how much energy you store, and that’s all been passed down to you from your ancestors. If your ancestors were only getting by in life by eating very little as about 1000 calories a day and storing a lot of energy in fat cells and using that energy efficiently then that means you should not eat foods that are high in fat. The reason is your genetic makeup structures your body to store more energy from food. Those whose body is structured like this that eat a normal diet of about 2500 calories a day will gain weight.That is due to the fact that the genes were from the ancestors thought a normal diet of about 1000 calories was good enough to get them by. In America most foods you find these days have a lot of fat in them. Good tasting unhealthy food is cheaper than healthy food. A burger is way cheaper than a salad these days. The American life style requires people to be able to get food quickly. No one likes waiting anymore and barely anyone cooks anymore. Home kitchens are beginning to shrink as Americans waist size is beginning to grow. Fast food restaurants blanket almost every business street.Americans eating lifestyle is one of the biggest factors in their weight. Obese people who lose weight end up gaining it right back because the brain thinks the body is starving because there are not enough fat cells that it was normally used to. A person that loses weight cannot eat the same amount as a person who is naturally at that weight. They have to eat about 500 calories less in order to maintain their new weight. Its not only a temporary diet they have to be on, but a lifetime diet if they want to keep the weight off and they have to exercise everyday.

Bsa 375 Week 2 Individual Paper Essay

IT Solutions: Proposal for New HR System By University of Phoenix BSA/375 09/02/2013 Proposal for New Human Resource System In our quest to ever better ourselves the IT department, of Riordan Manufacturing, is submitting this Request for Proposal to integrate a more sophisticated, state-of-the art, information systems technology in our Human Resources department. Riordan Manufacturing has always strived to better ourselves by keeping up with technology in all of our operating systems and our manufacturing systems. Our goal is to remain at the forefront of the manufacturing community as we keep leading the way in all of our business systems and, at the same time, keeping the feel of a customer friendly company. We want to make sure that our customers can feel safe in the knowledge that we will do what is necessary to fulfill their business needs. As of now, our Human Resource, (HR), Operating System, (OS), has fallen short of this goal. Please understand that the system that is in place, while it has the ability to complete the task at hand is not sufficient enough for our growing organization. Right now, we are running many separate applications to process all of the HR system requirements. This process is not only time consuming, but is not a cost efficient solution that this company is looking for. If we want to accomplish our goal we need to combine all the old HR systems into a single integrated application. The IT department is looking to complete this project in approximately six (6) months, so the new system can be utilized in the second quarter of next year. We want to have a prototype system available for testing in approximately two (2) months before final system deployment, for training and technical support purposes. Our goal is to have all training and any problems fixed one (1) month before start up. This way we will have time to apply any necessary changes to the system. The new HR system will have many applications that can be used across most of our other business systems from Marketing and Sales to Inventory and  Warehousing. We are hoping for companywide training to be completed within four (4) months of startup, making the new system available for all departments before the end of the third (3rd) quarter. Below are some requirements that will need to be accomplished so that the process of integrating the new HR system will go smoothly. Access the Stakeholders Involved in System Startup The first step in setting up the new Human Resource Application, (HRA), is to gather information about the system requirements and user needs from everyone that will be involved in the startup and rollout of the new system. The process of gathering information from involved stakeholders can be a tedious process if the wrong techniques are used. So, to expedite this in an orderly and timely manner we will be passing out questioners to all members of the Human Resource Department and to all Department heads. Using Questioners will help the IT department get an idea of what requirements are expected from the new system. It is not cost efficient to talk to each employee so, it would be very beneficial for all that every questioner is filled out in a timely manner. We will be emailed to each employee on Monday September 9th, 2013 and would like a response no later than Thursday September 12th, 2013, (for processing purposes). Questioners will also be available on the Employee Web Site under HR applications. Another technique of gathering the needed information will be to conduct group meetings with the HR department executives and managers. The IT department will be holding Joint Application Development, (JAD), sessions starting Monday September 16th, 2013. These sessions are managed processes that the IT department uses to gather information in an efficient, cohesive manner. We want to use team involvement so that we can gain a firm understanding of what you, the client, will want out of the new HR system. The JAD session will help all of us jointly develop the new system. Ensuring Successful Gathering of Project Information We, in the IT department, want to make sure that every system requirement that maybe be asked for will be deployed at the time of the system prototype introduction. To insure that this goal is accomplished we must gather correct, concise and relevant information from each of you, the stakeholders  involved in the system development. Gathering good information will help us develop the system molded to what you want. We understand that the information gathering process can be a daunting task, but with your help we can make this as painless as possible. Remember, without your input on this project the IT department cannot rollout a system that will be an effective tool for Human Resources and the rest of Riordan Manufacturing. The ability to gather good information is the most important process in all parts of every System Development Life Cycle, (SDLC), and with everyone’s support in this process the system rollout will go smoothly. Developing the Project Scope and Project Fea sibility Riordan Manufacturing wants all projects that go into development to be successful. If we want the new Human Resource system to be successful we will need to institute a project scope system. Even with the feedback and involvement of each stakeholder and the success of other projects delivered from the IT department there is a chance that this new system can still fail. At any given time there will be necessary changes to the project. These changes can have a negative effect, but our goal is to remain focused on the system requirements. We want to delivers the new system on time and under budget with the required functions that are expected. Our plan is to set up a system to manage key aspects of the new systems development: * Project Size – Understand how large this project will be * Project Goals – Make sure goals are set and achievable * Project Requirements – All system requirements are carried out To deliver a finished project that meets the goals above our Project Scope will need to follow a these five (5) steps: * Project Initiation – evaluate the need of the new system and deliver appropriate solutions. * Scope Planning – Create a feasible Work Breakdown Structure, (WBS) that charts all the work that will be done on this project. * Scope Definition – Working with you, the end user, expand in detail the work breakdown the will be needed. * Scope Verification – Timely scheduled work assessment and acceptability checks by the end user and the IT department during the SDLC of the new application. * Scope Change Control – Put a formal system in place to control any system changes that will take place. This will  limit Scope Creep, (Unauthorized access to changes to the system). As you can see, applying proper scope management will be crucial in the development of the new Human Resource system. Conclusion To stay as one of the leaders in manufacturing we must keep trying to evolve. While we at Riordan Manufacturing have strived to be the best in the industry there are occasions when we must look into ourselves and see what changes are needed so that we can remain an innovator in manufacturing techniques while still being a customer friendly organization. The current Human Resource system has fallen behind and is keeping us from maintaining all that we have set out to accomplish. Integrating a more sophisticated, state-of-the art, information system in our Human Resource department will accomplish more than just the above goal. It will streamline our business applications into an easy to use easily accessible system that will be cost efficient with little maintenance. This is what we have always strived to accomplish and this new system will keep us on track. With proper planning, creating a good project scope, gathering good, reliable and relevant information and with your constant in volvement throughout the SDLC of the new HR system we will be guaranteed of a successful project completion and rollout. Thank You. IT System Manager 09/01/2013 References Wich, Darren. 2009. â€Å"Project Scope Management† IS 6840. Online http://www.umsl.edu/~sauterv/analysis/6840_f09_papers/Wich/scopemanagement.html Heldman, Kim. PMP, April 14th, 2009. â€Å"The Importance of the Project Scope Statement†. Lakewood, Colorado. Online. http://pm.97things.oreilly.com/wiki/index.php/The_Importance_of_the_Project_Scope_Statement Blankenburg, Joanne. September 9th, 2012 â€Å"Use Joint Application Design (JAD)