An Evaluation of Pip, and His Great Expectations Essay

In the year 1860, author Charles Dicken’s began his thirteenth novel, Great Expectations. The work is a coming-of-age novel, which tells the life story of an orphan boy named Pip, who much like Dickens’ in his earlier years is unhappy with his current life. A number of Charles Dickens’ personal life events are mirrored in the novel, leaving Great Expectations to be one of his most autobiographical works. Young Pip, the protagonist of the novel is stuck living in the marsh country, he is working a job that he hates, and considers himself to be too good for his current surroundings, much like Dickens’ did when he was younger. While working on Great Expectations, Dickens’ made weekly installments to the novel, leading it to be one of his most well structured works. Great Expectations is a novel which develops a number of different themes as the story progresses, with the primary theme being personal growth and ambition. The story tells us that morals s uch as affection, loyalty and conscience are much more important in reality than social-class, social advancement, and wealth. The protagonist, Pip, is destined to learn this lesson through his ‘great expectations’, as he explores different ideas of ambition and self-improvement. Great Expectations is a convincing tale told in the perspective of an orphan named Pip, who tells his realistic life story from the very beginning of his ‘great expectations’, which all began one evening when he had a strange encounter with an escaped convict in a cemetery, while he was looking at the tombstones of his parents. This mysterious stranger ordered young Pip to bring him food and a file to break loose the shackle on his leg. If Pip does not comply, the strangers promises to murder him. After bringing the convict food and an iron the next day, Pip finds out that the convict has been arrested, and the mysterious criminal has protected Pip by telling the authorities that he stole the food himself. Some time after this event took place, a lawyer by the name of Jaggers appears in the marsh country that Pip lives in, and he comes with strange news: a strange benefactor has given young Pip a large fortune, and Pip must leave his life of being a blacksmith at the for ge behind in order to go to London with Jaggers and become a gentleman, and get his education. During his time in London, Pip discovers many truths about his life, the mysterious benefactor, and his past. A man from the country marsh named Orlick who is the polar-opposite of Pip reappears in his life, and is dead set on ruining it, as well as hopefully killing him. The reader is kept guessing what will happen with Orlick and Pip as the story progresses, as well as who Pip’s mysterious benefactor is. Dickens’ managed to make Great Expectations and interesting read, but a rather dull journey lacking any sort of excitement. Instead of having any sort of surprise throughout Great Expectations, the author simply gives answers to questions asked and created throughout the story, none in which intrigue the readers. The end holds no real surprise, and the novel ultimately ends up being just a message to the readers, saying that money and living in a good social class is not important in comparison to family, friends, and happiness. There are a number of events throughout that story that are irrelevant to everything, such as Pip and his friend Herbert end up being in debt. The debt has absolutely no negative or positive effect on the story, but is only a bit of filler throughout one of the chapters. The main character of Great Expectations, Pip, is the most guilt-ridden character in the novel, he has no prejudice. His most noticeable and crucial characteristics are his naturally good conscience, and his immature glory of romance. Pip eventually faces an internal conflict once he better understands the reality behind poverty and immorality, he decides that he wants to achieve as much as possible. Because of this, Pip puts his life at the marsh country behind him, he abandons the people who care for him the most, and goes to London where he becomes a gentleman. In London, Pip views his past actions very negatively, and very seldom does he ever give himself credit for good deeds he has done in the past. As a gentleman, Pip starts to act as he always imagined a gentleman would, this adds to him treating his family poorly. Many of the characters throughout the story do not seem to be very realistic, it is almost as if they were meant to come across as being quite fictional. Estella is an unrealistically ‘cold’ character, who has zero feelings for anybody or any living thing. She has absolutely no ability to express emotions to the extent that it seems completely unreal.Despite this, Estella almost does come across as being quite sympathetic for her being the way she is. She warns Pip regularly that she has â€Å"no heart†, and strongly urges him to love somebody else, for she is not good for his wellbeing and happiness. At the end of the novel, however, Estella finally begins to feel like as though she is out of Miss Havisham’s control, and is finally her own person, as she tells Pip, â€Å"Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching. . . I have been bent and broken, but – I hope – into a better shape.† Miss Havisham is the most unrealistic character in Great Expectations, she lives in a rotted mansion, and has not removed her wedding dress in over ten years. Miss Havisham has stopped every clock i n her mansion at twenty minutes to nine, and refuses to ever know what time it is, whether it be day or night. Great Expectations takes place in the 19th century, the main character, Pip, is born in England in the 1800’s and is telling his story in the year 1860. The novel is set around the life of Pip, who is on a mission to meet his â€Å"great expectations†, whatever those may be, and to become a gentleman. His life story takes place both in the southeast marsh country of England, and eventually in London, England, where Pip lives as a gentleman. Great Expectations takes place during a very busy time for England, with the Industrial Revolution occurring, as well as the voidance of slavery in the British colonies during 1834. To the people, London is considered to be a prospering capital, and England is a powerful giant on the globe. However, the way Dickens’ depicts is quite the opposite of that. Pip’s hometown Kent, which resides near the marshlands is twenty miles away from the ocean, and the townsfolk can see the Thames River flow through it. Off in the distance of the marshland and ocean is where the convict ships dock, causing many criminals to lurk about the area. The setting is important because of the time period the story takes place, the economy is thriving and there is plenty of opportunity for money. The mood throughout the story feels rather empty, there is never much tension, never much pain, and never much happiness throughout Great Expectations. There are times throughout the novel when some places Pip travels to bring the mood to different levels, for example, Miss Havisham’s rotting mansion sets a darker mood on the tale, but shortly after when Pip is back in London, the story is back to the usual calm mood of Great Expectations. The story often goes through mood swings because of this. When certain characters come into the picture, they do hav e a slight effect on the atmosphere, though the atmosphere of the novel is usually made clear through Pip’s thoughts, as well as his actions. The year is 1860, Charles Dickens’ has just begun his thirteenth novel, the irritating tale of a young man named Pip, who has come across a large fortune of money, and decides to selfishly leave his family and loved ones behind in order to go to London, and be rich. As the novel progresses, Pip develops as a human being and learns many things, as well as beats himself up for his past. Throughout the ride, Pip comes across a great deal of many different people,such as a heartbroken old timer who grieves every day in her own self pity, a stone cold young lady who holds no love for any living thing, a criminal who has a strong sense of high values, and a lawyer who takes Pip under his wing to becoming a gentleman. Each character is unique in their own way, yet each continue to be uninteresting throughout the novel. Dickens’ not only presented the readers with a number of dull characters, but gave his audience a boring tale which ultimately holds no sort of significance in the end. While the novel is generally quite uninteresting, the setting of the novel is rather exciting as it takes place during the Industrial Revolution of England, however this is hardly noted in the novel, therefore putting readers in front of a rather empty, â€Å"too much like home† world, where the men work hard and the women stay at inside all day, the rich are greedy and the poor are struggling. Charles Dickens had a great idea with Great Expectations, but focused too much on other things as well throughout the story which ultimately helped lead it to become uninteresting and irritating to get through, at times there was too much going on in the novel, while at other times unnecessary events were taking place, which did not progress the story in any way whatsoever. Though the theme of Great Expectations exists, the end gives readers more of a relief that the book is finished, rather than leaving them in an intrigued state which Dickens seemed to have originally intended.

F1 Strategic Capabilities

LSMF 2015 – Management Strategique de la Technologie et de l’Innovation Seance # 4 — 1 LSMF 2015 Plan de la seance F1 – What it’s all about Strategic Capabilities Case Study Application: – – – What do you need in order to succeed in F1? Sustainable Competitive Advantage Why where they unable to keep their advantages? Conclusion et Discussion 2 LSMF 2015 1 F1 – What it’s all about History: 4 key moments 1945: FIA established Formula A as the premier level of motorsport 1950: A driver’s World Championship was introduced 1958: A constructor’s World Championship was introduced 1960: From a  « car test  » concept to a  « specialized business  » History: Big Names Juan Manuel Fangio (Champion in 1951-1954-1955-1956-1957) Nicky Lauda (Champion in 1975-1977-1984) Alain Prost (Champion in 1985-1986-1989-1993) Ayrton Senna (Champion in 1988-1990-1991) Michael Schumacher (Champion in 1994-1995-2000-2001-2002-2003-2004) 3 Next big champion? LSMF 2015 F1 – What it’s all about History: Last 10 world champions 2000 – 2004: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) 2005 – 2006: Fernando Alonso (Renault) 2007: Kimi Raikonen (Ferrari) 2008: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren/Mercedes) 2009: Jenson Button (Brawn/Mercedes) History: Belgian in Formula 1 22 belgian drivers were at least once at the start of a F1 Grand Prix Thierry Boutsen: 1983-1993 (wins 3 races) Jacky Ickx: 1967-1979 (wins 8 races) Next? Jerome d’Ambrosio – Reserve Driver for Renault F1 in 2010 Bertrand Baguette – IndyCar Series for 2010 LSMF 2015 2 F1 – What it’s all about †¢ F1 season from March to November †¢ 24 drivers in 12 teams will run 19 races †¢ 2 Championships (Driver and Constructor) †¢ New rules every year (e. g. Points Awarded System in 2010) †¢ Sources of Revenue: Sponsorship and Prize money †¢ FOA (Formule One Administration) role consists in dividing up the royalties from medi a coverage and other revenues †¢ Motorsport Valley in Oxford, UK. 5 LSMF 2015 F1 – What it’s all about 6 LSMF 2015 3 F1 – Application What do you need in order to succeed in F1? In terms of resources and competences†¦ 7 LSMF 2015 F1 – Application Why do you think your team was successful during this period? 1. 2. 3. 4. Ferrari in the 1970’s McLaren and Honda in the 1980’s Williams in the 1990’s Ferrari between 1999 and 2003 LSMF 2015 8 4 F1 – Application Which of these resources and competences can be considered as a source of sustainable competitive advantage? 9 LSMF 2015 Capabilities for Sustainable Competitive Advantage We usually use 4 factors to identify which capabilities might provide a competitive advantage: 1. 2. 3. Value Rarity Create values for the customers Are rare Inimitable Through complexity, culture and history, and causal ambiguity (= difficulty to discern the causes and the effects underpinning an organisation advantage) Non-substituability cfr. Substitutes in the 5 forces analysis 4. 10 LSMF 2015 5 F1 – Application The answer is†¦ None ! 11 LSMF 2015 F1 – Application Why were they unable to sustain this success? What could they have done? 12 LSMF 2015 6

A Critical Analysis of N.T. Wright New Perspective of Paul on Research Paper

A Critical Analysis of N.T. Wright New Perspective of Paul on Covenantal Justification - Research Paper Example Being a self admitted proponent of a number of aspects that result from the New Perspectives put forward by Paul, Wright distinctly shares a number of similarities with fellow advocates E.P Sanders and James Dunn however, Wrights arguments carry their own weight and unique undertone. In recent times however, Wright has received a large amount of criticism especially with regard to the doctrine of justification2. This is the issue which will be examined in this discussion and will be addressed by examining the origin and development of the New Perspective of Paul,2) Justification in N.T. Wright and its Relation with the Adamic, Abrahamic and New Covenant and 3) Carry out a Critical Analysis on NT Wright Covenantal Justification from Reformed Scholars. By the end of this paper, it is hoped that the reader will have a clear understanding of the weakness of the covenantal view approach to justification by contrasting strengths within the disputed justification. In recent years, there has been a distinct change in the views touching on Pauline Theology with a growing number of evangelicals endorsing what is being referred to as the New Perspective on Paul which makes a significant departure from the Reformation focus on justification based on faith alone3. Some of the most popular spokesmen for this new view are E.P Sanders and James D.G Dunn. While having slight differences in the manner in which they defend the New Perspective, all of these scholars have seemingly adopted an argument referred to as covenantal nominism which essentially provides a role to salvation to the works of Moses’ law4. Among the numerous contributions to Pauline theology E. P Sanders stands as one of the most distinct. Heavily influenced by historical-Critical ideologies, Sanders argued that Paul’s Christology is distinctly unclear and conflicting. For instance on Rom 1:3-4 Sanders argues that while the reader of the passage might be led to believe

History of American Cities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

History of American Cities - Essay Example The influx of the foreigners in relatively large numbers have produced a multicultural environment that is responsible for the rapidly changing socio-political scenario of the cities. The existing society and the social setup has accommodated the growing numbers of new inhabitants by not only creating new jobs but new suburbs and slums thus embarking on a new road that defines the inhabitants by the location and locations could reliably affirm the inhabitants’ race and culture. Historians and social scientists, through the years, have conducted studies to this effect and have come to some amazing results backed by research asserting that cities and suburbs are divided into specific locations that are characterized by the people who may be represented by their race, economic status or by their creative differences.  The cosmopolitan flavor of New York is distinguished by the colonies named after the different nationals inhabiting them, like Chinese colony, German colony, Span ish or Jewish colony. ‘Even the Arab, who peddles ‘holy earth’ from the battery as a direct importation from Jerusalem, has his exclusive preserves at the lower end of Washington Street’ (Riis). In the mid nineteenth century, the author Riis studied the immigrant population, living in tenements, in the lower New York and observed that the tenements developed according to the immigrants, well defined by their race and cultural background. The Italians, for example, had largely come to America in search of work and this was carried out by the fellow Italians who facilitated their immigration and later exploited them for their own vested interests.  

Libyan negotiations to join the World Trade Organization Dissertation

Libyan negotiations to join the World Trade Organization - Dissertation Example Further, Libya is rich in oil production which would have allowed the EU to better diversify its own natural resources through this partnership in the WTO (Tsirelson, 2011). Libya also, in 2010, achieved support from the central bank to allow foreign direct investment licenses as a means to support the private sector in Libya (qfinance.com, 2010). All of this has changed due to the amassing conflict with Qhadaffi’s foreign neighbors, preventing the country, likely, from achieving WTO membership. Aims and Objectives The proposed dissertation aims to examine the current role of Libya as a potential member of the WTO compared to its earlier efforts and support from 2004-2010. Overall, the project intends to identify whether Libya can still maintain such membership even in the face of growing and intense conflict with the international community. The study maintains two specific objectives: 1. Determine the role of Libyan representation in the WTO and the potential advantages that the country can bring to the rest of the international community upon potential membership. 2. Understand how the country, especially pertaining to Qhadaffi, is viewed by the international community as well as the legal systems that guide WTO membership and affiliation. Method of Inquiry The research project will consult with secondary resource materials such as legal journals, multi-media publications, and historical primary data as a means to understand the evolving legal and governmental systems in Libya over the last seven years. The methodology will consist of qualitative and quantitative research focus as part of the primary study that will include surveys distributed to generalized sample groups about their opinion about Libyan policy and action as a potential WTO member. The current macroeconomic factors driving Libyan growth and sustainability will also be measured in appropriate secondary source materials. References Journal of Commerce. 2004, WTO says Libya can apply. Ju ly 27, p.1. Qfinance.com. 2010, Libya, p.1. [accessed June 6, 2011 at http://www.qfinance.com/contentfiles/QF02/glus0fcl/1h/0/libya.pdf] Tsirelson, M. 2011, Libya, European Forum for Democracy and Solidarity. [accessed June 6, 2011 at http://www.europeanforum.net/country/libya] Bibliography Country Monitor. 2010, Libya: risk ratings. 18(19), p.11. Conversisglobalcom. 2010, Libya. [accessed June 5, 2011 at http://conversisglobalcom.site.securepod.com/cultural_commentaries/Conversis_Libya.pdf] Moran, R., Harris, P. & Moran, S. 2007, Managing Cultural Differences: Global Leadership Strategies for the 21st Century, 7th ed. Elsevier: London. National Geographic. 2010, College Atlas of the World, 2nd ed. Wiley Publishers. Oxford Economic Country Briefings. 2010, Libya. March 18, Oxford Economics Limited. Rehfeld, A. 2010, Towards a general theory of political representation, Journal of Politics, p.48. [accessed June 7, 2011 at http://www.law.columbia.edu/center_program/legal_theory/papers /fall05?exclusive=filemgr.download&file_id=96459&rtcontentdisposition=filename%3DTowards+a+General+Theory.pdf] Triola, M.F. 2008, Elementary Statistics Using the TI-83 Plus Calculator, 2nd ed. Pearson Addison

Ethical duties as an Entrepreneur (Is your good harm to others) PowerPoint Presentation

Ethical duties as an Entrepreneur (Is your good harm to others) - PowerPoint Presentation Example Entrepreneurship is not an exception. This paper will analyze the ethical duties of entrepreneur, arguing that one’s good does not necessarily harm others. To begin with, one might suggest that one of the most important duties of an entrepreneur which involved Ethics focuses on the necessity to think about the affect that one’s activity has on the stakeholders. Indeed, it would not be an exaggeration to suggest that one can hardly find an activity where the number of stakeholders is reduced to a minimum and entrepreneurship is surely not one of them (McFarlane, 2013, 51). In other words, it is an imperative for a person who runs a business to think about the impact that it can have on all the parties which are involved directly and indirectly. A helpful way to do so would be to create a map of all the people affected and determine the relationship between them and the business activities (Weiss, 2014, 13). One should point out that considering the impact on the stakeholders might be regarded as a characteristic feature of the modern kind of business. Indeed, in the previous times economic world in general as well as entrepreneur s in particular was primarily concerned with the profitability of the enterprise, the security of the source of income and possible ways to maximize the return of investment. However, contrary to that, at the modern times people acknowledge that they might have a negative impact on the stakeholders and are encouraged to refrain for it. In other words, a good entrepreneur will be able to set up one’s business in such a way that would not harm anyone. The next important duty which should be analyzed in great detail is connected with the necessity to implement ethical decision making process. One of the most significant aspects that are crucial for understanding of this duty is the difference between morals and ethics. Thus, the former is largely considered to be a set of personal

The Anthropological view of Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Anthropological view of Religion - Essay Example For example, when an individual is terminally ill, religions perform established practices where they often utter secret words to get rid of the sickness. This is said to be a means which religions resort to in order to meet psychological needs such as alleviating anxiety. Symbolism is another important element in religions because they are used to explain thee intangible such as love, hope and joy or those which are important emphases in the religion. For the Christians, the bread and wine are examples of symbolism of the body and blood of Jesus. Lastly, ritual is done by the different religions to fulfill psychological and social needs just like how the Shamans represent the removal of a disease by taking a feather and acting like it has been taken from the sick person’s body. Religion is an interesting aspect of life because it does not only portray wisdom about observable things but also reflects on the things that are not observable. Indeed, the arguments of science are based from observable facts and could be easily understood. It could also be said that science can easily convince people to believe in it because the proofs can be seen. However, religion delves in to the matters which are difficult to explain and thus, difficult to understand. These things are considered difficult because in comparison to what science can explain through evidence, some of the beliefs in religions are explained through imperceptible thoughts and ideas. For example, a person is infected with a disease which science claims to be hereditary or could be due to environmental conditions. However, the patient is observed to have no familial history of the disease, has healthy eating habits, has a job which allows her to be physically active and lives in a rural area where the re is not much air, water and noise pollution. In other words, science cannot explain how the individual contracted the

Chinese Journalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Chinese Journalism - Essay Example In the earlier days, printed media forms were generally used for publishing journals however based on the current trend of technological upliftment, the publishing style in the current days has shifted towards the implication of digital media. For instance, in the present days, almost every type of journal articles can be found on the World Wide Web (WWW). Apart from these, the concept of professionalism finds significant level of importance when it comes to safeguarding the integrity of the journalist. As a matter of fact, any individual can post or write about anything. However, the level of attention which that online written content will attain mainly depends on its writing quality and the quantity of justifiable facts which have been included into it. The objective of this report will be to understand the factors which have resulted in the lack of professionalization within Chinese journalism on the basis of aspects which include Political Neutrality, Objectivity and Autonomy. The comparisons will be made in context to that of the North American ideals. The foremost part of the discussion will comprise facts that will reflect the trend of Chinese journalism. The present topic describes that the journalism trend followed in China is highly unprofessional in comparison to that of the North American journalism ideals. As projected by Zhaoc, Chinese journalism is acquainted of being instrumentalized and regulated by bureaucracy and the political pressure. In simple words, the concept of independence within work appears to be less preferred within China (143-174). Besides, multiple instances seemed to have occurred where the concept of paid journalism has been put to practise for reasons such as data enclosement or negative reviewing of multiple business processes. For instance, according to the legal obligation mentioned in the ‘Article 35’ of Chinese Constitution, every individual within this nation has the

IKEA case study in strategic management report Essay

IKEA case study in strategic management report - Essay Example IKEA primarily sells furniture along with other home products such as appliances and accessories for kitchens and bathrooms. It sells these in knock-down kits that are ready-to-assemble by the customers themselves who are also resorted to for transportation of the goods to their respective homes. This retail model has been very successful for the company in all its emerging markets, resulting in a sheer increase in size to the point of becoming the largest furniture retailer in the world (Reuters). Their business model wholly focuses on a cost leadership strategy which forms the core of their competitive advantage. As we shall see, IKEA resorts to offer a distinguished appeal by coupling this strategy with various other methods of creating a unique product which not only appeals to those with an urge to maintain a level of quality but also to those looking to cut their purchasing costs. The purpose of this report is to outline its internationalization model and to verify some of the key opportunity areas for growth as well as managing looming risks. Analysis Retail is a fast growing industry in today’s consumer based societies, managing to look out for the needs of consumers directly without the expense of innovation. In today’s business, it has managed to become an important pillar industry of the society, certifying economic and social development in the region it most thrives in. With prosperity comes an improvement in lifestyle and comfort, and with an edge towards affordability, IKEA has sought to cater to the household goods market by passing on its cost leadership strategies to the benefit of consumers in the form of cheaper yet quality-proven products up to a range of 25 to 50 percent. Ever since its inception, IKEA has gradually set up shop in several different countries reaching a grand total of 267 Group stores by the end of 2009, with Germany being the highest selling country by far as a percentage of total sales. Their model incorpora tes the various principles of expansion that in turn harmonize their competitive advantage of price in several other markets. They achieve this by the process of internationalization. Internationalization for a company is a crucial stage of development, as it serves to integrate it into the retail sector for a consumer based economy (Dawson 2007). It not only increases the life cycle of a product, but also attains economies of scale by extending the size of potential markets. In order to pursue this task for any company, it must develop some conceptual strategies IKEA has managed to successfully integrate into other markets with the strategies of cost leadership, focused cost leadership, and focused differentiation. Cost leadership engages in reducing the product costs and ignoring the various market segments that the company caters to, while focusing on a distinct narrow segment, thereby saving on the additional research, analysis and management requirement that necessitate additio nal investment and lead to a rise in manufacturing costs. IKEA does this by allowing the customers to choose, buy, assemble and transport their own goods, passing on the benefit of cost leadership directly to the consumers in the form of a 25 to 50% discount compared to competitor rates. Moreover, IKEA’s Scandinavian image capitalizes on the persistence of quality, so that their target audience of first-time buyers, and elderly people are infused with the perception that

Financial service management, please see below for further instruction Essay

Financial service management, please see below for further instruction - Essay Example As a bank customer service advisor, I will be better positioned to promote financial literacy among individuals to enhance their financial management and investment through quality and informed financial advisory. Normally, banking customer service advisors perform various duties including; one, handling customer complaints by responding to them on a timely basis and to the delight of customers. Two, involves advising customers on the suitability of various financial products that suits their conditions. For example, those leaving college will be best suited for a private pension plan as opposed to proposing the same to retirees. Three, a bank customer service advisor provides feedback to the management to help them in improving their services for customer satisfaction. The job also involves providing desk service roles as front-line service providers to enhance customer satisfaction (Knapp 2009). To adequately perform this function, one needs to have certain skills like good people skills, critical thinking and good problem solving skills. Personal confidence, self management and interpersonal communication skills to present ideas, a good listener and ability to deal with difficult clients also come in handy. Unfortunately for me I have not been a good listener and often jumped into conclusions before getting to the core of the matter. At times I can be temperamental a situation that makes it hard for me to deal with difficult people. However, I must admit that going through this course and attending several public speaking lectures I have improved on my people skills. The positions for this career are available in commercial banks, micro finance institutions, financial advisory firms, investment banks, pension and mutual funds among others. A career as a banking customer service advisor requires somebody who is flexible, articulate and one who can handle complex and diverse range of customer issues. As a result, one should be knowledgeable enough about the fi nance field and therefore one has to read widely and remain afloat the current information. Good understanding of individuals’ temperament and risk profiles also helps in providing the necessary financial advisory. Time management is essential as some customer requests, enquiries and complaints require quick response. Having noted the requirement for this job and realized my weaknesses I have embarked on a number of activities and action plans that have yielded good results in that direction. I must admit that using the skills set and behavior toolkit developed by Chapman (2006) was a major turning point as I was able to objectively evaluate my strengths and weaknesses in line with required skills for a career as a customer advisor. From this assessment, I developed a work plan to address my weaknesses. Generally, my weaknesses included; limited financial knowledge, a poor listener and negotiator, non-team player and difficulties in managing stress and conflicts. For example, I noted earlier in college that I was never interested in group assignments preferring to work alone. I only came to realize the benefits of teamwork when I started seriously engaging in group assignment especially for this course. I also had the know-it all attitude which prevented me from listening to others properly and often jumping into conclusions without understanding what the real problem was. I remember during the financial

Free

Freedom, strength, relief Essay Guilty, freedom, strength, relief. As soon as the judge said this single, amazingly powerful word, these forgotten feelings rushed through me. I had finally got my revenge. The confusion lead me to let out tearful sighs of joy and sudden outcries of relief. The man who had made my adult life a misery and ruined my teenage memories didnt have any domination over my thoughts or feelings anymore. From going ahead with the prosecution I felt satisfied that no other innocent teenager or harmless child would have to worry about this particular evil, pathetic man ever going near him or her again. It had taken twenty years for me to work up the courage to prosecute but it was worth it. My personality is now like it was, Im outgoing, less sensitive and Ive learnt to trust people. I just hope no one has to go through what I did. When my mother sent me to Lowood boarding school after average results in my first year at a state school, I found it difficult to make new friends because firstly the clothes that my mother insisted I wore at weekends were not the most fashionable and the fact that I was the weakest academically in my class resulted in low self esteem. So I was thirteen and had few friends so to speak of. I could only assume that it was because of the introvert personality, my mother always said I had. She implied that my shortage of friends was a hereditary condition, snapping at me the few times I complained, I was never short of friends, that problem must have come from your fathers side of the family. I didnt have a good relationship with my mother or father making it hard to tell them anything especially about the abuse I was about to suffer. It was the week of my thirteenth birthday, towards the end of my second term at Lowood when I heard the inauspicious words for the first time. Can Amelia Brown please report to the headmasters office. I sat at my desk startled as the whole class turned their perfect heads of neatly plaited hair towards me. All I saw was a handful of glaring eyes and disgusted expressions as the teacher not thinking of the humiliation I was going through informed the class I would be missing certain lessons to go to remedial classes. I nervously hurried from the back of the classroom to the door keeping my stinging eyes focused straight in front of me apart from the when I felt a cold, trembling hand gently touching my arm. I quickly glanced down to see a slightly nervous but appreciated smile from a girl hiding behind her enormous glasses. The courage of the unfortunate girl inspired me and by the time I reached the arched doorway I felt less isolated mentally. But the stiffness of the door handle meant that I struggled to open the beautifully carved, arch shaped door making me once again, embarrassed to be who I was, helpless, thick Amelia Brown. Once I had left the classroom I shamefully proceeded down the long, gloomy corridor, walking past various portraits and photos of past headmasters and scholars. Their stern expressions encouraged me to walk faster. It was a lovely day but the small windows close to the high ceiling only attempted to let in the sunshine, they didnt succeed.

The Sexual Abuse Of Children Social Work Essay

The Sexual Abuse Of Children Social Work Essay Childhood is idealised as a garden, protected by walls and hedges, where nature flourished at its perfect best. It is often envied and honoured. However, in reality most children are often neglected, abused and exploited. An overview of the reported cases suggests that a major part of reported child maltreatment was sexual abuse. As many as one out of every four children will be the victims of some kind of abuse. Child Pornography and child sexual abuse are two of the most disturbing issues in the world today. This paper aims to show the ongoing debate on whether consumers of child pornography pose a risk for hands on child sex abuse offences. It provides an overview of existing research studies and their approaches concerning the linkages between child pornography and child sex abuse. In this paper I will be including arguments for and against this relationship by various authors, statistics reports and surveys to reach a conclusion. This paper also aims to talk about how the legal system attempts to control child pornography through actual legislation and a graded selection policy. INTRODUCTION Child pornography is a complex topic for which the standards applied are subjective and dependent upon moral, cultural, sexual and religious beliefs. Legal definitions of both child and child pornography differ globally. However, the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of Child, which has now been adapted by 191 member states, provides a universal definition of the child as any person under the age of eighteen years. It should be noted that each countrys legal definition of child may be different but the term child pornography will refer to a sexually explicit reproduction of a childs image. According to the Interpol Specialist Group on Crimes against Children, Child pornography is created as a consequence of the sexual exploitation or abuse of a child. It can be defined as any means of depicting or promoting the sexual exploitation of a child, including written or oral material, which focuses on the childs sexual behaviour or genitals. The Council of Europe defines child pornog raphy as material that visually depicts a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The ECPATs definition closely mirrors Interpols which states the visual depiction of a child engaged in explicit sexual activity, real or stimulated, or the lewd exhibition of genitals intended for the sexual gratification of the user, and involves the production, distribution and/or use of such material. It can be seen that each definitions given by the above bodies speak of visual images or depictions, or representation of sexual activity involving the child or minor defined in Article 1 of UN Convention Rights of a Child. Each of the definition emphasises the sexual nature of the representation and seeks to distinguish child pornography from, wholly innocent images of children, for example in a family setting or on the beach, where they could be fully or partially undressed, which are appropriate to the wider lawful activity shown in the depiction. The official definition of child sexual abuse is forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities including prostitution, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative or non-penetrative acts. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or, in the production of, pornographic material or watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways. Persons who exploit children sexually, in the view of ECPAT, fall into two categories. Preferential child sex abuser and the situational child sex abuser where abusers in the first category suffer from psychological disorder and the latter are experimenting with new forms of sexual contact. In the paper prepared by Julia OConnell Davidson for the World Congress against the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, she describes both of these categories. Accord ing to her, the term paedophile refers to an adult who has a personality disorder which involves a specific and focussed sexual interest in pre-pubescent children. The preferential child sex abusers are abusers who are usually, but not always, men, and their victims may be either male or female children. Psychiatry views their taste for immature and powerless sexual partners as the manifestation of a personality disorder. The situational child sex abusers are men and women who sexually exploit children, not because they have sexual interest in children per se, but because they are morally/sexually indiscriminate and want to experiment.These abusers do not consciously seek out children as sexual partners, but use them when such children are available. Generally child pornography will be possessed, made and distributed by the paedophile or preferential sex abuser. However, it would appear from a number of arrests that child pornography can be accessed with ease on the internet. Its anonymity has meant that situational child sex abusers are also using this medium. Identifying Victims and Offenders In most countries, street children, poor children, juveniles from broken homes, and disabled minors are especially vulnerable to sexual exploitation and to being seduced or coerced into the production of pornographic material. While impossible to obtain accurate data, the perusal of the child pornography readily available on the international market indicates that a significant number of children are being sexually exploited through this medium. According to the Home Office Statistical bulletin more than one third (36%) of all rapes recorded by the police are committed against children under 16 years of age. Another study which examined police data on rapes committed against children found that children under the age of 12 were the most likely of all those age 16 and under to have reported being raped by someone they knew well. According to the NSPCC statistics, there is a predominance of girl victims than boy victims. For example, in England and Wales there were 6,587 offences of se xual abuse on a female child under 16 and 2,821 offences of sexual abuse on a male child. Another Home Office report shows that 60-70% of sex offenders against children target girls only, about 20-30% target boys only, and about 10% children of either sex. In the context of sexual exploitation of children, sex exploiters can be defined as those who take unfair advantage of some imbalance of power between themselves and a person under the age of 18 in order to sexually use them for either profit or personal pleasure. Child exploiters and pornographers often seek occupations that bring them into habitual contact with children. Paedophiles constitute a significant sector of the offenders. Some of these paedophiles are attracted to children of the same sex, but the majority are heterosexuals. It should be noted that not all paedophiles are child molesters and that many child molesters are not paedophiles. In 2005/06 the average number of registered sex offenders was 58 per 100,000 of the population in England and Wales. An estimated 110,000 people have been convicted of sexual offences against children in England and Wales. 90% of the child victims know their offender, with almost half of the offenders being a family member. Although highe r proportion of the offenders is males, the number of female offenders is also a key concern. Researchers from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a child protection charity that deals with British female sex offenders, said its studies confirmed that a fair proportion of child abusers were women. The sexual exploitation of children can happen anywhere in schools, homes, workplaces, in communities and even own computers, and anyone can be an exploiter a teacher, relative, religious leader, employer, aid worker, peer or pornographer. A study which examined police data on rapes committed against children found that children under the age of 12 were the most likely of all those aged 16 and under to have reported being raped by someone they knew well. Children between 13 and 15 years of age were the most likely to have reported being raped by an acquaintance. Since the advent of the internet and mobile telephone services linked with download and exchanging capabilities, the production and sale of child pornography has also became a profitable business. The men who sexually violate or photograph children being violated in order to sell the images are child sex exploiters. So are those who operate the websites that are the shop fronts for the illicit trade in child abuse images. When someone pays to look at child pornography, they are not just looking, they are exploiting. They are part of the chain of exploitation and in most countries, are pursued by the law as child sex offenders. Arguments This research assignment is aimed to answer the question of whether there is a link between child pornography and child sex abuse. This is a very controversial area, with experts differing over any casual link. Some experts argue that there is a link between the two as watching child porn increases the risk of offending, and some argue that it reduces the risk of offending. The main reason for this debate is that it is virtually impossible to conduct research in the laboratory using standard specific methods which yield statistically reliable results. The constraints of ethical research, false reporting, interviewer distortion and a whole host of other problems contribute to the difficulty of acquiring scientific results. Many researchers have come to the conclusion that there is no sound scientific basis for the conclusion that exposure to child pornography increases the likelihood of sexual abuse of children. Others have suggested that there is a consistent correlation between the use of pornography and sexual aggression. This debate will be considered in two sections, the arguments supporting that there is a link and the arguments against the link followed with a conclusion. Arguments supporting the link between child pornography and child sex abuse A common theme within the existing discourses surrounding child pornography is that such an activity represents a threat because it is invariable existing sexual abusers of children who possess and use child pornography as an incitement to commit child sexual abuse. It is also frequently argued that possession and use of child pornography present a real threat to children

Harley Davidson PESTLE Analysis

Harley Davidson PESTLE Analysis This section of the report is concerned with understanding the strategic position of Harley Davidson Inc. in an attempt to formulate strategic options for the company. It identifies three areas: First the changes that is occurring in the environment and how these changes affects H-D and its business activities. Second the resource strength and capabilities of H-D. Finally the expectations and influences of H-Ds stakeholders. THE ENVIRONMENT In order to understand the environment which H-D operates in the following frameworks are used with the aim of helping to identify key issues and challenges and ways of coping with complexity and change. PESTLE ANALYSIS In 2009 H-D stood to gain from the Economic Stimulus Package, passed into legislation by the Barack Obama Administration. The federal stimulus package gives taxpayers breaks if they purchase a new car, light truck, RV, or motorcycle.(Wachter, 2009). In addition, Coachman industries also a manufacturer of leisure vehicles, and a competitor of H-D was eliminated from the New York Stock Exchange. According to the Datamonitor report the Motorcycle Industry segment has had economic growth for the past three years, and has only recently been experiencing decline. In 2007 it declined 2.3%, yet is forecasted to recover 4.3% by 2012. An economic factor in favor of H-D, despite this decline, is that the U.S. industry generated total revenues of $10.2 billion in 2007, of which 98.8% were of motorcycles (not scooters, minibikes, etc.). Furthermore, within the U.S. economy H-D holds the majority of motorcycle sales. Therefore, even while industry growth is declining, H-D sales and other motorcycle sales are still continuing to increase. (DataMonitor 2007). Figure 1 shows motorcycle industry growth versus sales. The Motorcycly Industry Council (MIC) discloses that leisure product industries are facing steep decline however the motorcycle segment though declining ,is not doing so at a steep rate. Tim Buche, President of the MIC says Overall motorcycle sales were down 7.2%, not nearly as sharp a decline as many other consumer products in todays economy/ (Wasef, 2009). Socially H-D has a competitive edge which is owed to its customer base, strong brand loyalty and demographic trends such as the increse in female operators. This loyalty is indicated in the average age of H-D consumers. H-D average consumer buying age is 42 years old and increasing (Gauvin 2005). H-D aspires to increse it consumer demographics, howevr à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦although the younger generation below 35 years of age has posted the largest gains in owernship, the generation that is on the edge of the baby boomer segment will be the main catalyst of growth for the industry (Koncept 2007). One social factor that may negatively affect the sale of H-D motocycles is the stigma that has been attached to these leisure vehicles. Alot of people believe that motorcycles are dangerous and this belief is strengthened due to the high rate of fatalities and crashes. H-D stands the chance of escaping this stigmatisation if the public views their bikes as cruisers and not speed bikes. Technologically H-D can take advantage of antilock brake systems. Antilock brakes cold help riders avoid fatal crases according to a study done by the insurance industry. 2.1.2 PORTERS FIVE FORCES MODEL Rivalry H-D operates within the Recreational Vehicles industry along with five other major competitors: Winnebago, Polaris, Thor, Arctic Cat and Marine Products. The top performers within the industry and hold 92% of the market share by volume with a market capitalization of 64.653 Billion of a total Industry of 7 Billion (Yahoo Finance, 2009). Other firms in different industries that are direct product rivals include Honda Motor Company Limited, Yamaha Motor Co, Ltd., and Suzuki Motor Corporation (Datamonitor, 2007). The presence of these large multinational corporations with exceptionally high assets boosts the degree of rivalry within the industry. Because of the small number of material rivals, the markets revenue is shared between fewer firms and enhances the degree of rivalry for bottom line profit. This rivalry forces most competitors to try and diversify their business models through geographical expansion or vertical expansion, leading to interests and investments in a variety of other segments such as the automobile, watercraft, industrial and farming equipment areas. (Datamonitor, 2004). Threat of Substitutes The Recreational Vehicle industry faces threats from the Automobile Industry, from public transportation options and from Bicycles. The threat is largely dependent on the indispensability of motorcycles and other lifestyle products to the end user (Datamonitor, 2008). In most developed countries, motorcycles, jetskis and other recreational vehicles are leisure items that lack necessity and are therefore largely dispensable or substitutable by more practical items such as cars or more cost effective means of transportation such as bicycles. This lack of necessity increases the threat of substitutes and illustrates why the external market goes into decline during economic recession. However, even though there is a lack of necessity, when a consumer owns a motorcycle or other product, switching costs to a substitute can range from low to high. Switching to public transportation can be cheap, but switching to a luxury vehicle involves a high cost factor. Because switching costs vary depending on the alternative means of transportation chosen, the overall threat of substitutes within this industry is moderate. Buyer Power Buyer power is weakened by a high level of product differentiation and customer loyalty to dominating brands (Datamonitor, 2008). Because customer loyalty with respect to dealers is high, as is the demand for specific and/or customized products, buyers power is weakened since the consumers rely on companies to produce their preferred product. This high demand allows companies to increase their price due to high product differentiation and low standardization. Relatively large numbers of buyers within the US, coupled with a high level of product differentiation weakens buyer power. This gives Recreational Vehicle manufacturers a competitive edge in the industry because they can produce a product based on customer demand. An increasing factor of buyer power is the fact that over half of recreational vehicles sold in the U.S. are sold and bought through non-retail channels. This provides consumers with an option for cheaper purchasing, and becomes a major threat to the industry if they cannot move their new products. Fortunately for the large competitors, who rely on product differentiation, their customers desire customized products that arent available on the second-hand market. Overall, buyer power is low due to sustainable competitive advantage of product differentiation which is impossible for other brand competitors to match. Supplier Power Competitors within the Recreational Vehicle industry rely mostly on commodities such as metals. There is a highly stressed importance on the quality of these raw materials which enhances supplier power. Also, as global prices of primary raw materials (ie: steel, aluminum) increase, pressure is put on the manufacturers to increase their margins. Furthermore, the increasing consolidation of the steel industry has the potential to lead to even higher raw material costs and product differentiation. The competitors often deal with this high power of suppliers by signing contracts with manufacturers to ensure the delivery of quality raw materials at a set market price. Power of suppliers is decreased by the competitors large size and the fact that manufacturers account for only a small portion of the suppliers revenues. Large multinational corporations such as Harley-Davidson and others can receive materials from many different international suppliers and face low switching costs due to minimal product differentiation. This presence within the international market boosts Industry leaders power. (Competitive Landscape, 2009) Overall, supplier power is moderate. Threat of New Entrants The industry faces moderate threats of new entrants because of moderate industry growth levels and high barriers to entry. The Recreational Vehicle industry is continuing to grow, especially in America, as consumers are traveling shorter distances and on weekends with less planning. New entrants are lured by good market growth, especially in the budget or low-cost areas due to consumer, ownership and demographic trends towards convenient travel patterns. (RVIA.org, 2009) Barriers to entry include large capital requirements and high fixed costs for set-up of new production and provider facilities, an exceptionally high level of brand recognition and customer loyalty. Modes of entry include starting a new company, diversifying and existing companys operations into motorcycle or other vehicle manufacturing, and beginning to export into the host country. Another barrier is the global tightening of emission standards that further ramps up costs as motorcycle and other recreational vehicle redesigns are required, increasing research and development costs. (Competitive landscape, 2009) Along with the tightening of emissions standards is an increase in the global costs of raw materials such as steel. As standards and product costs increase, barriers to entry become larger hurdles for new entrants. In order to be profitable, new entrants must pass on large capital requirement, RD costs and raw material costs to their customers and reflect these in the costs of the finished product. In the current economic recession, this becomes problematic because average consumers and not willing to spend their small disposable income on leisure items. Since sales are sensitive to price, another mode of entry is possible in the sale of budget vehicles. However, these companies would still be subject to the large capital requirements and high fixed costs, resulting in a business that would not be sustainable and therefore becomes undesirable. Overall, this threat is moderate.

Paris Miki :: Business Marketing

Capitalization  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5.91075 yen (as of March 2001) Sales  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  79.36 billion yen (term ended March 2001) Employees  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4,639 (as of March 2001) Outline of Operations  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A specialized eyewear chain handling mainly glasses and related products. Outlets in Japan and overseas include suburban retailers, tenant shops, and "built-in" shops. Strengths †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Technologically advanced †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  #1 in Japan and #3 globally †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Extremely well known in Japan for its all retails that pursue of individual customer satisfaction and needs, from beginning to end †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  "Web-mimir" service that allows customers to seek out their ideal eyewear via the Internet, and then actually try the glasses on at the nearest shop †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Industry leader in innovation Weaknesses †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Maintenance issues for their eyewear system †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Turnover as a result of technology †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Customization takes longer Opportunities †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Expand to the US and elsewhere †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Internet customers globally †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Increasing senior population in Japan †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The increase in computer/video usage leading to bad vision Threats †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lasik surgery †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Higher priced eyewear †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Designer eyewear not available through them †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Competitors Paris Miki sells to everyone that can access the web or go into a store. Paris Miki places great emphasis on the concept of "brick & click." "Brick" refers to real outlets, while "click" refers to a computer mouse; that is, Internet operations. The emphasis is on how to establish a link between real shops and e-commerce---in other words, between the real world and the "network world." In the not-too-distant future, we may very well see the day when customers can receive exactly the same services at Internet shops as they do at actual retail outlets. The degree of rivalry can be seen through their suppliers. Paris Miki developed its own in-house applications, while NIC and the NEC Group was responsible for the development and modification of driver modules for the various peripheral devices, thus completing the construction of a Linux system with connections to widely varied peripherals. These suppliers could be lured away to competitors if the price is right. This can create problems with buyers as well due to the fact that it could take longer to receive your glasses due to the customization in their lenses. New entrants into the internet sales force are continually sprouting up because of the allure of not having to have the overhead of a storefront. This could raise the competition that could possibly do things cheaper and more efficiently.

Cicero and Stoicism :: History Philosophy Philosophical Cicero

Cicero, was truly a man of the state. His writings also show us he was equally a man of philosophical temperament and affluence. Yet at times these two forces within Cicero clash and contradict with the early stoic teachings. Cicero gradually adopted the stoic lifestyle but not altogether entirely, and this is somewhat due to the fact of what it was like to be a roman of the time. The morals of everyday Rome conflicted with some of the stoic ideals that were set by early stoicism. Thus, Cicero changed the face of stoicism by romanizing it; redefining stoicism into the middle phase. Of Cicero it can be said he possessed a bias towards roman life and doctrine. For Cicero every answer lay within Rome itself, from the ideal governing body to the place of divination. Cicero does not offer any alternate answers to roman society, which robs him of being truly a unique and bold political philosopher. This is not to say however some of his doctrines are untrue, just that he is somewhat blinded by his roman beliefs and assumptions. The assumptions of Cicero can be noticed when one inspects his view of the ideal governing body, which he expresses through Scipio (in the commonwealth). Although Cicero presents very convincing arguments for a Composite government, clearly his view is possibly only due towards his belief in the roman structure of government.1 Cicero was limited to roman borders of experience, and this point was best illustrated by his disagreement with Aristotle's writings on the decay of states. Cicero was unable to think on the level of Aristotle's logic. He quite simply used roman history as a mapping of the paths of the decay of states. In contrast, Aristotle understood the underlying forces and influences that transpired when a state degraded. Cicero quite frankly could not understand the forces which Aristotle so eloquently denoted. For Cicero, history offered the only possible paths of outcomes; the forces and behaviors played little part on the resulting state.2 A further point of philosophical belief which Cicero contradicted the stoic lifestyle, is religion. Roman tradition conflicted greatly with stoic doctrine, and the two philosophies could never truly harmonize with one another. This point brought the distinction between the Greek learned world of intellect, and the traditional religious roman patronage. This observation literally draws a line between the two worlds, that of knowledge and reason opposing that of tradition and sentiment.

Dr. Faustus Essay: Faustus Changing Relationship with the Audience

Doctor Faustus' Changing Relationship with the Audience Any good drama will have interesting and multi-faceted characters; some go a step further by developing some of those characters throughout the story, using the events of the plot to change them in various ways. The audience (in the case of a play) follows the characters throughout, watching as they move away from their originally crafted personalities and become something different. Naturally, during this period, the audience's opinion of the characters will change, as will their sympathies. In the case of Doctor Faustus, it is only Faustus' character that has a large enough part in the play to change perceptibly; the other characters are either incidental characters, existing purely for the sake of the plot and ongoing story (in particular, most of the characters from the middle section of the play, from the scenes that take place in the courts of Rome and Germany), or mythological characters, such as Mephostophilis, who are traditional 'morality play' characters and, consequently, are constrained by their accepted dramatic roles. The character of Faustus, however, changes greatly throughout the play, mainly with regard to his opinions of hell and repentance. Perhaps more important than the changes his character undergoes are the situations in which he finds himself: the audience's shifting sympathy is due as much to his personal developments as well as his changing circumstances. At he very beginning of the play, we are introduced to Faustus in a very clinical, objective fashion. In the Prologue, the Chorus briefly describes his past and then hints about the events to come ("His waxen wings did mount above his reach, / And, melting, heavens conspir'd his o... ...hip between Faustus and the audience, as he fully accepts his own mistake and does not blame it solely on Lucifer or his parents or any other person. Scene XX serves to remind us that Faustus was once a normal human being and that he will end his life, after a fashion, as a human being, as the scholars vow to "give his mangled limbs due burial". At various times during the play we are exasperated by Faustus, endeared to him, laugh with him and, at the end, we feel great pity for him. It is to Marlowe's great credit that he manages to take us on such a long journey with the character and gain our sympathy at the end, despite Faustus effectively being an agent of evil. Works Cited: Marlowe, Christopher. "The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 6th ed. Eds. M.H. Abrams et. al. New York: W.W. Norton and Co, 1993.

Importance of Data Security and Data Safety Essay

To prevent companies from using or passing on confidential information to other companies without the permission of the person who the data is about, companies will need to protect the data. With the popularity of the Internet there are opportunities for thieves to steal their personal data. So the government set a law (data protection act) which is used to protect people’s rights concerning how data is used and you also have the right to see such information and have any errors corrected. Also organisation will want to keep data confidential because it will not want its competitors to know how the business is going. List the 8 principles of the Data Protection Act The Data Protection Act says the personal data should: 1. Be adequate, relevant and not excessive. For example college should keep students details and details must be just what is needed and nothing more. 2. Be processed in accordance with the data subject right. For example the person that the data refers to have the right to read the information about him/her and the organisation should provide hem/her with information they need. 3. Be accurate and be kept up to date. There is a duty to keep it up to date, for example to change an address when people move. 4. Not be kept longer than necessary. For example it is alright to keep information for certain length of time but it would be wrong to keep information about past customers longer than a few years at most 5. Be obtained and processed for limited purposes. For example the organization must use the data only in the way it is described and it must not use it for any other purpose. 6. Be secure. This includes keeping the information backed up and away from any unauthorised access. It would be wrong to leave personal data open to be viewed by just anyone. 7. Not be transferred to countries outside Europe without adequate protection. Unless the country that the data is being sent to has a suitable data protection law 8. Be processed fairly and lawfully. For example if you put your money at bank no one can transfer your money without your permission. (a) What is the difference between the Internet, Intranet and Extranet? (P8) Internet: Are public networks that allow the user to use any of its facilities. Intranet and Extranet: is like a private internet. It is like a website that is only accessible to the members of a business or company. The different between Intranets and Extranet is: Intranet: Allow the members of organisation to access the access the system with an organisation. Extranet: Allow the members of organisation to access the system from different location but only by the users who have been given access rights. (b) * What is a browser? Is programme that can read web pages, by downloading HTML code and that allows the browser to interpret the code to the web page. A browser displays web pages, keeps track of where you’ve been, and remembers the places you want to return to, the most used browsers are Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator. * Describe the role of a browser when using the Internet, Intranet and Extranet Browser allows the people to access information, view images, hear music and watch video, in the term of intranet and extranet the browser allows user to share documents, access databases and allow group work. * Describe the role of email when using internet communications. You can send email to an individual or to a group of people at the same time, you can create mailing list so that you can write a message and send it automatically to number of people. Also you can send files such as pictures, word document and sound as attachments to your message. (a) List major threats to an organisation that could happen while using the Internet. (P9) 1. Hacking (use to steal the personal details and private files of company) 2. The spreading of viruses (use to destroy or damage the important files of company) 3. Internet fraud (taking credit card details from customers) 4. Spay ware (is biggest threat in the computer system which allows someone to log into your computer and use it for their own purpose) 5. Spam ( sending unwanted messages especially commercial advertising) Purpose of assignment In this assignment, I have to do research and get information on the importance of data security and data safety. M research must be from ICT sources and non ICT sources and by using the evidence that I collect I should explain the importance of keeping customer information confidential, the main provision of data protection act, the role of browsers and email in internet communications, the difference between internet, intranet and extranet, the major threats to organization from internet and finally a poster that explains the importance of data safety and data security. The assignment will also gather key skills portfolio evidence. M5 Physical Security: Use of security guards, locks, reinforced doors, windows and walls depending on what is being protected. Use of ICT to enforce security entry on doors, and protected areas of buildings i.e.: swipe cards, fingerprint ID, voice recognition. Firewall: This is a security device, which acts as a single entry/exit point for information and access to a computer system. All traffic must pass through the firewall and therefore a system is secure from external threats. A firewall usually sits between the internal network of an organisation and access by the internet. Virus Protection: It is usual for systems to have some form of anti-virus software installed and running in the background. All files and devices introduced to the system would be scanned, any attempts to alter system files would be blocked, and notification made to the user/system administrator. Preventing the use of floppy disks is a good method of eliminating one source of potential virus problems. Identification of Users: A system of user ID’s and passwords is a simple method of preventing unauthorised personnel accessing the system. These should be managed by the system administrator. With this, only some users will have access to certain programmes and data therefore increasing the level of security on sensitive data. In addition, some users may only be able to read the data and not write the data. Other users may not have the ability to delete or even to access certain files. Encryption software: the data may be encrypted (coded) into a form, which can only then be decoded by the intended user. If the data falls into the wrong hands, it will be meaningless. Backups: To guard against the loss of data, backups should be regularly made. These backups should be stored in a separate place, preferably in a fireproof environment. Passwords software: Password protection usually involves a person typing in: * A User Name – to identify the person. * A Password – to identify the person. He should be the only one to know what it is. Computer viruses: which are programs that destroy the way computer operates without the knowledge of the user, there are huge numbers of viruses some are extremely malicious with the ability to delete or damage files and programs. Some of the threats that they cause to computer systems include: * Deleting data on the hard disk of the organisation computer system. * Enabling hackers to hijack the organisation system and use it for their own purposes. How do viruses spread: * CDs and floppy disks containing infected documents. * Emails containing infected attachments. Hackers: who gain unauthorised access to computer systems for the purpose of stealing and corrupting data, also gaining access to financial information about the organisation business or their customers for the purposes of fraud. Security measures may include†¦ * Each user should be given a user name and a password. * Computer usage may be logged. * Computers should be disconnected from a network when not in use. * Use a firewall – a computer running software, which detects hackers dialling in to a network. Spam: authorised users downloading a web page or receiving an email with hidden active content that attacks the organisation system or send sensitive information to unauthorised people. Organisation can stop spreading of spam by using spam filtering software Spy ware: is software that is placed on organisation computer when the employee visits certain websites, it is used to secretly gather information about the organisation usage and sends it back to advertiser or other interested company to tracking the organisation system use .it can also slow down or crashes the organisation computer Pop up: Many company advertisers on the Internet by using windows that pop up in the middle of computer screen to display a message. They might also open when you click a link or button on a Web site, and they might open either over or under the window, you wish to view. Some pop-up windows can contain inappropriate content or can be a way for employee of organisation to accidentally download dangerous software (called spyware or adware) onto organisation computer. Infringement of copyright: Internet users are not allowed to copy or print some internet materials such as; video, music, files and photos without the permission of copyright holder and sometimes they may have to pay a licence to do so. Theft and fraud: credits card fraud for example people can steal the details on credits card and using them illegally to buy goods Sole trader: A sole trader is the actual owner of a business, a sole trader also has unlimited liability. All the debts of the business are the debts of the owner. They can not issues shares .The whole meaning behind † Sole† means that she/he does not have partners. (e.g. electrical repair, picture framing, photography, diving instruction, retail shops, and hotels) Partnership A Partnership can be liable for all debts, it is easy to setup, but is also inexpensive to form. Forming partnership requires an agreement that is some times called partnership agreement ‘between two to twenty individuals’ which entitles them to jointly own and carry on a trader business together. A partnership is a contract between two or more persons who agree to pool talent and money and share profit or loss. Private limited company A Private limited company has limited liability (the shareholders cannot loose more than their original shareholdings), and a minimum of two shareholders and a maximum of fifty shareholders. It cannot offer its shares to the public. A private limited company is treated as a legal entity. Public limited company A company which may have an unlimited number of shareholders and offer its shares to the wider public. (e.g. Cadbury and Tesco) Multi-National company A company that does business in more than one country, usually by setting up branch offices. Tesco Characteristics * Type of company: Tesco is an international retailer and is a publicly owned company (Public Limited Company Plc). * Products: including food and non-food business, personal finance, internet shopping, electrical items, home entertainment, toys, sports equipment, and many more. * Profit / loss: Tesco’s Profit and Loss 2005 2004 Sales at net selling prices 37,070 33,557 Turnover including share of joint ventures 34,353 31,050 Less: share of joint ventures’ turnover (379) (236) Operating profit/(loss) 1,949 1,735 Share of operating profit/(loss) of joint ventures and associates 130 97 Net profit/(loss) on disposal of fixed assets 53 (9) Profit on ordinary activities before taxation 1,962 1,600 Underlying profit before net profit/(loss) on disposal of fixed assets, integration costs and goodwill amortisation 2,029 1,708 * Size of company: Tesco operates 923 stores and employs 240,000 people , there are 639 branches in Great Britain and 182 in the rest of Europe * Location: they operate in UK, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan and the Republic of Ireland * Purpose of company: to create value for customers to earn their lifetime loyalty. * Aims: Built good non-food sales expanded into retailing services and exploited e-commerce successfully. * Objective: 1. To deliver a consistently strong customer offer. 2. Making their shopping trip as easy as possible. 3. Constantly seeking to reduce their prices to help customer spend less. * Logo: Cadbury Characteristics * Type of company: is an international retailer and is a publicly owned company (Public Limited Company Plc). * Products: chocolate and drinks brands. * Profit / loss: Cadbury Profit and Loss à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ (Millions) 2006 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ (Millions) 2005 Turnover 6,508.00 6,085.00 Operating Profit / (Loss) 1,003.00 825.00 Net Interest (188.00) (205.00) Pretax Profit 843.00 642.00 Post Tax Profits 703.00 497.00 Total Dividend Paid n/a n/a Retained Profit / (Loss) for the financial year n/a n/a * Size of company: they operate in more than 35 countries and they employs over 55,000 people * Location: Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa and Asia Pacific. * Purpose of company: the organization work together to create brands people love. * Aims : 1. Deliver shareowner performance. 2. Ensure their capabilities are best in class. 3. Reinforce reputation with employees and society * objective: 1. Responding to consumer needs quickly. 2. Grow shareowner value. 3. Attract and develop the best kind of people.

Principles and practces of management Essay

Q1)What are the fundamentals of staffing and manpower? Explain the different methods of selection recruitment, training and development. FUNDAMENTALS OF STAFFING Any organisational fabrication requires a variety of people, and the supply of people consists of differing types. The staffing function includes the process by which the right person is placed in the right organizational position. Human resource administration involves matching the jobs and people through preparation of specifications necessary for positions, appraising the performance of personnel, training and retraining of people to fit the needs of the organisational positions, and developing methods by which people will respond with maximum effort and increased satisfaction. Often the organisation structure includes a special functional department to administer the program. This often is called the personnel department. Thus, personnel management is very broad in its scope and covers variety of functions. Staffing is one among the various groups of functions. It is called 124 here as employment functions and includes various sub-functions. These functions are also called operative functions of the personnel department. Staffing is that part of the process of management, which is concerned with obtaining, utilizing and maintaining a satisfactory and satisfied work force. Its purpose is to establish and maintain sound personnel relations at all levels in the organisation so as to make effective use of personnel to attain the objectives of the organisation and to provide personal and social  satisfaction which the employees require. Staffing consists of a wide range of inter-related activities. In the words of Haimann â€Å"staffing function pertains to the recruitment, selection, development and compensation of subordinate managers. Staffing like all other managerial functions is a duty which the manager performs at all times In a book edited by R. D. Agarwal scope of staffing has been widened to include every possible activity relating to human beings in an organisation. â€Å"Staffing is a multi-step process. It consists of determination of manpower, transfer, demotion and termination.† In the words of Koontz and O’ Donnell staffing can be defined as â€Å"filling positions in the organisational structure through identifying work force requirements, inventorying the work force, recruitment, selection, placement, promotion, appraisal, compensation and training of people.† Staffing, like all other managerial functions, is the duty, which a manager performs at all times. Although this function is stated after planning and organizing, this should not be interpreted to mean that the manager should perform these two functions before staffing. It is a continuous process and every manager from top to bottom is continuously engaged in performing this function. Elements of Staffing Staffing or human resource process consists of a series of steps, which are given below: 1.Procurement- Employment of proper number and kind of personnel is the first function of staffing. This involves (a) Manpower planning, (b) Recruitment, (c) Selection, and (d) Placement. 2. Development- After placing the individuals on various jobs, it is necessary to train them so that they can perform their jobs efficiently. 3. Compensation- Compensating personnel mean determining adequate and equitable remuneration of personnel for their contributions to the  organisational goals. 4. Integration- It involves developing a sense of belonging to the enterprise. Sound communication system is required to develop harmony and team spirit among employees. 5. Maintenance- Maintenance involves provision of such facilities and services that are required to maintain the physical and mental health of employees. Recruitment Attracting the right candidates to apply for a job can be an expensive process. It is even more expensive when done badly because when unsuitable candidates apply for a job, then the post may need to be re-advertised – so it is best to get it right first time. The starting point is to carry out job analysis to identify the sorts of skills, knowledge and essential requirements that someone needs to have to carry out a job. These details can be set out in a job specification, which is passed on to recruiters – it gives them a picture of the ideal candidate. A job description is also helpful because it sets out: the title of a post when and where it will be carried out principal and ancillary duties of the post holder other details. The job description can be sent out to potential candidates along with a person specification, which sets out the desirable and essential characteristics that someone will need to have to be appointed to the post. A variety of media will be used to attract applications e.g. national newspapers for national jobs, and local papers and media for local posts. Job advertisements set out such details as: location of work salary closing date of application how to apply experience required qualifications expected Duties and responsibilities. Selection Selection simply involves choosing the right person for the job. Effective selection requires that the organisation makes the right prediction from data available about the various candidates for a post. Research indicates that the most valid form of selection method is the use of an assessment centre where candidates are subjected to a variety of test including interviews, group exercises, and presentations, ‘in-tray’ exercises, and so on. Psychometric (personality) tests have become increasingly popular in the UK in recent years and are often used alongside other tests. I Interviews will be most successful when they are tightly related to job analysis, job description and the person specification. In-tray exercises can be used for candidates to respond to work-related and other problems, which are presented to them in an in-tray to be processed. Training Training for employment is very important. In a modern economy like our own the nature of work is constantly changing. New technologies mean that new work skills are constantly required. To succeed in business or in a career, people will need to be very flexible about where they work and how they work, and to constantly change the range of skills they use at work. There are basically two types of training: On-the-job training Employees develop and improve their work skills whilst actually doing the job in question. For example, word processor operators rapidly improve their skills by constant practice. Supermarkets till operator quickly learn effective practice by working alongside a more skilled mentor. Off-the-job training Employers will often encourage their employees to develop their skills through off-the-job training courses. For example, a trainee may be allowed to attend a day-release course at the local college. This might apply to a wide range of different skills including hairdressing, banking, insurance,  electrical work and plumbing. Q2)Explain the nature and functions of Directing. NATURE OF DIRECTION-FUNCTIONS OFMANAGEMENT Direction is one of the most important functions of management. A good plan may have been checked out, sound organisation may have been evolved and a sound team of workers may be employed, but all these will not produce any result until there is proper direction of the people in the use of various resources. Direction helps in achieving coordination among various operations of the enterprise. It is only after the performance of direction function that the purpose of planning, organising and staffing is achieved. Directing is the process around which all performance revolves. It is the essence of operation and co-ordination is a necessary by-product of good managerial directing. Pervasiveness of Direction Direction is a pervasive function of management. It exists at every level, location and operation throughout an enterprise. Some people think that only the managers at the lower level who deal directly with the workers, perform the direction function. This point of view is not correct. Direction function must be performed by every manager at different levels of the enterprise. For instance, chief executive of a company interprets the objectives and policies of the company and delegates’ authority to the departmental managers, the direction function is part and parcel of these activities. Every manager, regardless of the number of subordinates, performs this function because he is busy in giving instructions to the subordinates, guiding them, and motivating them for the achievement of certain goals. Continuing Function Like any other function of management, directing is a continuing activity. A  manager never ceases to direct, guide and supervises his subordinates. A manager who issues orders and instructions and thinks his job is complete is committing a very serious error. He must continuously supervise the execution of his orders or instructions by the subordinates. He should also provide them effective leadership and motivation. Thus, he will have to continue to devote considerable time on the direction function. Direction has got following characteristics: 1. Pervasive Function – Directing is required at all levels of organization. Every manager provides guidance and inspiration to his subordinates. 2. Continuous Activity – Direction is a continuous activity as it continuous throughout the life of organization. 3. Human Factor – Directing function is related to subordinates and therefore it is related to human factor. Since human factor is complex and behaviour is unpredictable, direction function becomes important. 4. Creative Activity – Direction function helps in converting plans into performance. Without this function, people become inactive and physical resources are meaningless. 5. Executive Function – Direction function is carried out by all managers and executives at all levels throughout the working of an enterprise, a subordinate receives instructions from his superior only. 6. Delegate Function – Direction is supposed to be a function dealing with human beings. Human behaviour is unpredictable by nature and conditioning the people’s behaviour towards the goals of the enterprise is what the executive does in this function. Therefore, it is termed as having delicacy in it to tackle human behaviour. The director must try to harmonize individual objectives of the workers to the group objective and also personal objectives with organization’s objectives for the work to be carried out harmoniously. The worker should receive orders from only one supervisor. The supervisor as much as possible should give personal supervision to the workers so as to motivate and raise their morale. The supervisor should enhance the communication between the workers so as to give them opportunity to express their feelings. In such ways the worker understands whatever is being communicated more easily. After giving the orders and instructions the supervisor must follow through  to ensure that this is done. It is essential for the supervisor to exercise dynamic leadership so as to win the trust and confidence of the subordinates. Subordinates are given orders and instructions by managers so that they are able to work efficiently and effectively. Therefore instructions must emanate from the superior person to the subordinates. A good order must be unambiguous to be understood by the recipients. It must also be in line with the objectives of the organization and should be reasonable and within the authority of the subordinate. The order must specify the time duration of carrying it out and preferably it should be written for greater clarity. The manager cannot be able to do all the directing functions required in an organization. He therefore delegates some authority and responsibilities to his subordinates so that the goals and objectives of the organization can be understood by the lowest of the worker. Delegation has some challenges one of them being that it is difficult to fully spell out the tasks and duties of all subordinates which lead to overlapping of duties. The extent of delegated authority and responsibility might not be clear and at times might even differ with the nature of work assigned to a subordinate. Too rigid delegation of authority discourages creativity of the subordinates. Directing involves guiding, inspiring and leading people so that they accomplish predetermined objectives. If the directing function is done well, work in an organization is efficiently and effectively done. The function of directing influences the subordinates and motivates them into meeting the organization’s goals. Directing function deals with human factor which is complex and therefore presents challenges to directors. After giving people orders on how things are supposed to be done it is essential that it is ensured that the orders are carried out. Managers by the function of directing are able to control and influence the actions of the subordinates. After assembling the factors of production and formulating the rules and procedures by the directors, the subordinates are directed into finalizing the process of production. After all the necessary planning, organizing and staffing the organization is in place, management now gets things done by way of directing the subordinates. Directing ensures that subordinates carry  out duties as required. Poor directing function can lead to spoiling an otherwise good planning, organizing and staffing process which would make the meeting of goals and objectives of the organization difficult. This is because nothing really can happen until there is the function of directing. The importance of direction in an organisation can be viewed by the fact that every action is initiated through direction. It is the human element which handles the other resources of the organisation. Each individual in the organisation is related with others and his functioning affects others and, in turn, is affected by others. This makes the functioning of direction all the more important Directing has the following characteristics features: 1 It is the function of the superior manager and runs from top to down in the organisation structure. A subordinate has to receive instructions for doing his job from his superior 2 Direction implies issuing orders and instruction. Besides issuing orders and instruction a superior also guides and counsels his subordinates to do his job properly. 3 The top management gives broad direction to the middle level managers who in turn give specific direction to the lower level management. 4 The four important aspects of directing are supervision, motivation, leadership and communication. All these functions are interconnected and mutually dependent. Direction is one of the most important functions of management. A good plan may have been checked out, sound organisation may have been evolved and a sound team of workers may be employed, but all these will not produce any result until there is proper direction of the people in the use of various resources. Direction helps in achieving coordination among various operations of the enterprise. It is only after the performance of direction function that the purpose of planning, organizing and staffing is achieved. Directing is the process around which all performance revolves. It is the essence of operation and co-ordination is a necessary by-product of good managerial  directing. Q3) What is the importance of planning in an organization? Describe the different plans with their objectives. Planning means looking ahead. It is deciding in advance what is to be done. Planning includes forecasting. According to Henry Fayol – â€Å"purveyance, which is an essential element of planning, covers not merely looking into the future but making provisions for it. A plan is then a projected course of action†. All planning involves anticipation of the future course of events and therefore bears an element of uncertainty in respect of its success. Planning is concerned with the determination of the objectives to be achieved and course of action to be followed to achieve them. Before any operative action takes place it is necessary to decide what, where, when and who shall do the things. Decision making is also an important element of planning. Planning determines both long-term and short-term objectives and also of the individual departments as well as the entire organisation. According to Fayol – â€Å"The plan of action is, at one and the same time, the result envisaged, the line of action to be followed, the stages to go through, and the methods to use. It is a kind of future picture wherein proximate events are outlined with some distinctness†¦.† Planning is a mental process requiring the use of intellectual faculties’ imagination, foresight, sound judgment etc. Planning is deciding in advance what is to be done. It involves the selection of objectives, Functions of Management policies, procedures and Programmes from among alternatives. A plan is a predetermined course of action to achieve a specified goal. It is a statement of objectives to be achieved by certain means in the future. In short, it is a blueprint for action. According to Louis A Allen – â€Å"Management planning involves the development of forecasts, objectives, policies, programmes, procedures, schedules and budgets†. According to Theo Haimann – â€Å"Planning is deciding in advance what is to be done. When a manager plans, he projects a course of action, for the future, attempting to achieve a consistent, coordinated structure of operations aimed at the desired results†. According to Koontz O’Donnel –  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Planning is an intellectual process, the conscious determination of courses of action, the basing of decisions on purpose, acts and considered estimates†. 1 Planning is goal-oriented: Every plan must contribute in some positive way towards the accomplishment of group objectives. Planning has no meaning without being related to goals. 2. Primacy of Planning: Planning is the first of the managerial functions. It precedes all other management functions. 3. Pervasiveness of Planning: Planning is found at all levels of management. Top management looks after strategic planning. Middle management is in charge of administrative planning. Lower management has to concentrate on operational planning. 4. Efficiency, Economy and Accuracy: Efficiency of plan is measured by its contribution to the objectives as economically as possible. Planning also focuses on accurate forecasts. 5. Co-ordination: Planning co-ordinates the what, who, how, where and why of planning. Without co-ordination of all activities, we cannot have united efforts. 6. Limiting Factors: A planner must recognise the limiting factors (money, manpower etc) and formulate plans in the light of these critical factors. 7. Flexibility: The process of planning should be adaptable to changing environmental conditions. 8. Planning is an intellectual process: The quality of planning will vary according to the quality of the mind of the manager Advantages of Planning All efforts are directed towards desired objectives or results. Unproductive work and waste of resources can be minimized. Planning enables a company to remain competitive with other rivals in the industry. Through careful planning, crisis can be anticipated and mistakes or delays avoided. Planning can point out the need for future change and the enterprise can manage the change effectively. Planning enables the systematic and thorough investigation of alternative methods or alternative solutions to a problem. Thus we can select the best alternative to solve any business problem. Planning maximizes the utilization of available resources and ensures optimum productivity and profits. Planning provides the ground work for laying down control standards. Planning enables management to relate the  whole enterprise to its complex environment profitably The planning process involves the following steps: 1. Analysis of External Environment: The external environment covers uncontrollable and unpredictable factors such as technology, market, socio-economic climate, political conditions etc., within which our plans will have to operate. 2. Analysis of Internal Environment: The internal environment covers relatively controllable factors such as personnel resources, finance, facilities etc., at the disposal of the firm. Such an analysis will give an exact idea about the strengths and weakness of the enterprise. 3. Determination of Mission: The â€Å"mission† should describe the fundamental reason for the existence of an organization. It will give firm direction and make out activities meaningful and interesting. 4. Determination of Objectives: The organizational objectives must be spelled out in key areas of operations and should be divided according to various departments and sections. The objectives must be clearly specified and measurable as far as possible. Every member of the organisation should be familiar with its objectives. 5. Forecasting: Forecasting is a systematic attempt to probe into the future by inference from known facts relating to the past and the present. Intelligent forecasting is essential for planning. The management should have no stone unturned in reducing the element of guesswork in preparing forecasts by collecting relevant data using the scientific techniques of analysis and inference. 6. Determining Alternative course of Action: It is a common experience of all thinkers that an action can be performed in several ways, but there is a particular way which is the most suitable for the organisation. The management should try to find out these alternatives and examine them carefully in the light of planning premises. 7. Evaluating Alternative Courses: Having sought out alternative courses and examined their strong and weak points, the next step is to evaluate them by weighing the various factors. 8. Selecting the Best: The next step – selecting the course of action is the point at which the plan is adopted. It is the real point of decision-making. 9. Establishing the sequence of activities: After the best programme is decided upon, the next task is to work out its details and formulate the steps in full sequences. 10. Formulation of Action Programmes: There are three important constituents  of an action plan: l The time-limit of performance. l The allocation of tasks to individual employees. l The time-table or schedule of work so that the functional objectives are achieved within the predetermined period. 11. Reviewing the planning process: Through feedback mechanism, an attempt is made to secure that which was originally planned. To do this we have to compare the actual performance with the plan and then we have to take necessary corrective action to ensure that actual performance is as per the plan.