Operational Management at Mcdonald Essay

One aspect of facilities layout for McDonald’s is that when customers come into the building, they line up in one of several lines and wait to be served. In contrast, customers at Wendy’s are asked to stand in one line that snakes around the front of the counter and to wait for a server to become available. a) What is the rationale for each approach? b) Which approach do you favour from (1) a customer’s perspective and (2) management’s perspective? Explain. A Rationale for McDonald approach McDonald’s success had been built on four pillars: limited menu, fresh food, fast service and affordable price. Intense competition and demands for a wider menu drive-through and sit-down meals – encouraged the fast food giant to customize product variety without hampering the efficacy of its supply chain. McDonalds use assembly line procedures in their kitchen for mass production so as to keep prices low. Speed, service and cleanliness is one of the critical success factors of the business. Lining up in one of the several lines tied into McDonald’s capability statement on speedy service, efficiency and good customer service. Each staff at McDonald is trained to change roles within shifts and this makes resource management during peak and off peak hours manageable. At all times there is enough staff on hand to take care of business and overall effectiveness is improved Drawback to this approach includes huge rental space to accommodate large operational facility. It could also become very costly on staff training. Workforce productivity are not usually related to the number of staff working on a task, and productivity variance may tilt negatively for McDonalds on this. Operating cost are very high and unless this is well managed, it may not necessarily be profitable. Rational for Wendy’s approach The rationale for Wendy’s â€Å"old fashioned† hamburgers could be traced to the history of unsuccessful attempts to outperform the competition which created the low profile structure. Wendy’s headquarters shifted to Dublin after a merger with Triac, Arby’s parent company and the very conservative style of  European business. Structure of business is very simple and easier to manage; it does not envisage much growth and cater mainly for the bottom line. It will require less space and resources to manage. Also less inventory and therefore less operating cost, however this will also impact on profitability. Drawback to this approach includes disorganized premises during peak hours, unsatisfied customers due to longer wait times for service. Wendy at some point was also suspect for cleanliness and this approach would add more to the problem. Managers Perspective The two approaches shows different business and strategic objectives. McDonald approach depicts a growth oriented organisation that wants to create market dominance in the sector. Wendy concentrates on its core traditional product, so that those who appreciate the product will be kept in the customer chain. The McDonalds style will require acquisition of new business skills and technology while Wendy traditional styles will require less technology. Looking at the management styles, McDonalds is poised to remain the leader in the food chain industry with concentration on their supply chain system and product differentiation methods. McDonalds work with farmers to ensure that produce are sized right and grow to specification, while Wendy concentrates mostly on the beef. With these different styles, McDonalds will be my preference for growth and bottom line. Wendy cannot compare to Mac in the business because more and more happy customers are trooping to Mac for what they see as 21 cent ury improvements.

Compare and contrast the aims and methods of Trait Theory Essay

Psychologists seek to explain and formulate why people behave differently in everyday common situations and to define individual differences in terms of the knowledge gained and it structure. Personality can be defined as an individual’s characteristic qualities of thought, emotion and behaviour when interacting with their social environment. Traits are ‘relatively enduring ways in which an individual differs from another’ (Butt 2012, p. 46). Eysenck’s trait theory has it origins in the psychometric tradition of measurement; while Kelly’s personal construct theory adopts a phenomenological approach. The aims and methods of both theories will be critically compared and contrasted outlining their theoretical perspectives and the knowledge that each produce. By focusing on individual differences their different methodological approaches will be assessed in terms of their objective and subjective roles, highlighting that each have influential findings bu t don’t completely give a complete account of all personality phenomena. (Butt, 2012) Eysenck’s (1953) Trait theory adopts a nomothetic approach that classifies personality dimensions to measure and describe the individual differences of personality. It’s based on the assumption that individuals can be characterised by certain personal attributes or traits that in turn influence behaviour. Descriptions of traits have their foundation in everyday language used to describe human behaviour; trait theory draws on the histrionic usage of traits in vocabulary such as ancient Greek typology. This usage is used to support evidence of, ‘constitutional and biological factors that are indicated through personality traits’ (Butt, 2004). Eysenck used factor analysis to establish cluster traits using questionnaires (Eysenck’s Personality Inventory) proposing that two high order factors could account for the clustering profile obtained, extraversion vs introversion and neuroticism vs stability, he later added and third psychoticism vs superego. Each factor has second order traits established from ‘factor analytic studies’ (Butt, 2012, p.50) to describe more fully individual characteristics or tendencies. Eysenck believed biology could  explain the individual differences of personality, that causal factors at a neurological level in the cortical and autonomic arousal systems influence an individual’s temperament and behaviour. ‘The purpose of personality theory is not to capture the idiosyncratic nature of the individual’ (Butt, 2012, p.47), but used as an indicator of how a person is likely to react in certain situations. Eysenck acknowledges that it’s not only biology that influences behaviour, but our past experiences and learning can also have an influence on current reactions to different stimuli. However trait theorists tend to view personality from a deterministic perspective, as stable and enduring and don’t take into consideration the behavioural and attitude changes that people experience over time (Butt, 2012). Kelly’s (1955) personal construct theory, which is a form of phenomenology; views personality as idiosyncratic phenomena that can not be measured, as each individual adopts a unique way of making sense of their world. Each person is seen as a composition of personal world views or constructs that are based on unique experiences. Individuals construct others behaviour in terms of their own subjective viewpoint. Kelly proposed we act like scientists, who form theories and assumptions about ourselves, others and the world. By inquiry and testing out the uncertainties of our assumptions we produce further inquiry that is an ongoing lifelong cycle. Based on the cognitive approach, it is these constructs or schemas Kelly theorises that provide the basis of our reactions and behaviour (Butt, 2012). Both Eysenck and Kelly aimed to produce theories that have a clinical application, Eysenck sought to use his theory for clinical diagnosis in response to discredited psychiatric classifications, while Kelly who practised as a psychotherapist sought to facilitate therapeutic change through learning and self awareness. Eysenck viewed ‘classification as a fundamental part of scientific study’ (Eysenck and Rachman, cited in Butt, 2012, p.48), Kelly placed no importance on the psychometric tradition of assessment; the emphasis of his approach is on ‘recognising the value of examining the unique cognitive constructs of an individual’s world view and the self’ (Butt, 2012. p. 47). Kelly’s emphasis was on self-determination and problem solving rather than the diagnostic standardised dimensions used  by trait theories. Where trait theory seeks to discover societal norms and how we all differ in relation to them, personal construct theory places no importance on making individual comparisons through personality dimensions. Butt (2004) states that ‘trait theory does not account for the richness of personality in the way that personal construct theory can’. Trait theory would propose that behaviour is biologically controlled and therefore consistently predictable, which excludes the potential for change, while personal construct theory views constructs as being flexible and fluid and therefore open to change, even through individuals might actively resist the difficulty of change (Butt, 2012). Mischel (as cited in Butt, 2012) a student of Kelly’s questioned trait theories deterministic view of behaviour consistency, arguing that behaviour was a diverse phenomenon influenced by social stimuli; that people will behave differently according to the situation they find themselves in. Results from Zimbardo’s (1975) prison experiment would suggest that social situations can exert an influencing effect on behaviour. Skinner (1974), (as cited in Butt, 2012) proposed that traits can not explain behaviour; they only provide a description, not an explanation of behaviour that simply identifies regular patterns of behaviour, or a ‘cycle of redescription’ (Butt, 2004. p.3) Mischel also points out that traits are implicit personality theories based on subjective perceptions of the individual being rated, or a perception of others which will reflect biased prejudices of the sociocultural environment. He highlights a study were observers allocated the same traits to both strangers and those they new well, indicating ‘fundamental attribution error’ (Butt, 2004), which suggests that observers attribute over generalised traits that are not valid. This raises the issue of trait objectivity, by highlighting the subjective nature of evaluation that challenges the concept of trait structure, along with the validity and reliability of factor analysis (Butt, 2012). It would appear that the objectivity of trait theory comes into question and therefore the methods it employs. The argument of patterns of similarity verses uniqueness and the approaches they adopt either nomothetic (universally general) or idiographic (individually unique) is a relevant  area, as individual differences has traditionally set out to identify the universal dimensions of individuals. Eysenck used the nomothetic approach of factor analysis, which correlates clusters of traits that have been established through the use of subjective questionnaires and ratings. He addresses the criticism that factor analysis is prone to unreliable incongruent practitioner results stating that ‘universal agreement and correlation is strong support for his statistical method’ (Eysenck and Stanley, as cited in Butt, 2012, p. 51). His measurement techniques provide objective data that can be used to draw comparisons across wide populations and provide a structure in which categorical typology can be conducted. However his factor analysis would appear to be used more in marketing and ‘occupational rather than clinical psychology’ (Butt, 2012). Mischel stated ‘that the only thing objective about personality inventories was their administration and scoring’ (Butt, 2004). Alternatively the idiographic data gathered by personal construct theory produces subjective results that can not be generalised and therefore applied to our understanding of traits or people as a whole (Butt, 2012). Mischel concluded that personality testing only produces self-concepts and personal concepts and more appropriate idiographic measures should be employed like Kelly’s (1955) repertory grid, which helps to assess an individuals personal constructs. The repertory grid was devised by Kelly to elicit how individuals categorise constructs by comparing and contrasting experiences and events, allowing participants to access and assess personal meanings through construing. Individuals construe others behaviour in terms of their own subjective viewpoint. The results produced by repertory grid, can be subjected to factor or cluster analysis but only in terms of the individual meaning rather than a universal interpretation similar to Eysenck’s. Salmon (as cited in, Butt 2012) adopted Kelly’s theories of individual differences and integrates his philosophy and methods into learning in schools. She criticises the ‘market model of education’, which she states â₠¬Ëœdelivers packages of knowledge’ that measures and classifies children through tests and examinations, which removes the ‘individuality of the individual’, creating hierarchies of ability. Like Kelly she argues that learning should be more interactive and intersubjective, that children need  to engage in debate in order to formulate and challenge their own implicit constructs. She believed that it is only by the acknowledgment of existing constructs that personal development can occur, through methods such as Kelly’s repertory grid. By adopting personal construct philosophy, she developed the Salmon line, which seeks to draw out the implicit by empowering students to define the idiosyncratic meaning of their personal expectations around academic progress. Salmon believed that the use of these phenomenological methods instead of the generalised preset formats of trait theory, offered access to ‘living material’ of understanding, which encourages learning and change. (Salmon1994, as cited in Butt 2012, p. 59) Salmon also highlights the hierarchical nature of learning, that educational success is based on the testing and grading students through examinations. From a Kelliyan philosophy, hierarchical structures are unbeneficial; his emphasis is on the understanding of objects rather than labelling or comparison. Hierachical structures raise the issue of power relations that Kelly points to within trait theory and most psychometric methods. As with learning environments, power can be exerted by those who administer measurement tools and how they exert the knowledge that is gained. Trait theory because of its diagnostic emphasis has been criticised due to the pathologising nature of negative diagnosis. Richards (2002) highlights ‘reification where methodology ascribes an unwarranted description to an individual or object’ (p. 254). It could be argued that personal construct methods such as the repertory grid and the Salmon line eliminate the labelling of individuals by traits, by assisting them to identify their own personal constructs and meanings and therefore avoiding power relations (Butt, 2012). Hollway (2012) highlights the importance of agency-structure dualism when considering experimental methodology. Eysenck’s proposes that traits have their explanations in innate biological factors, which would suggest that agency has little or no influence on behaviour and that social factors are irrelevant, suggesting that personality is fixed. Personal construct theory views this dualism as complimentary, where the individual is viewed in the context of the societal environment in which they are constructed. Kelly  proposes that individuals have some degree of agency because structure partly restricts through social construction and therefore have an ability to initiate change. While individuals can change their social and individual constructs, social structure clearly has an influence on behaviour. Salmon shows through examples of learning and the application of the salmon line, the interaction between agency and structure. She highlighted that ‘knowledge is never neutral it comes with the interests and concerns of a particular siociocultural source’ (Salmon, as cited in Butt, 2012, p. 59), clearly indicating how societal influences impact on the agency of individuals (Butt, 2012). Both trait theory and personal construct theory seek to gain an understanding and explain why individuals act in terms of individual differences. Eysenck and Rachman’s trait theory adopts a nomothetic approach using psychometric testing to measure personality traits. Kelly’s personal construct theory emphasise the uniqueness of individuals, seeking to understand how individuals construct their subjective world views, based on their own experiences. Using phenomenological methods they produce detailed accounts of individual personalities that avoid comparisons, with an emphasis on interpretation rather than scientific explanation, in contrast to the psychometric tradition which sets out to discover societal norms and use these to explain individual differences (Butt, 2012). Eysenck outlines personality in terms of dimensions which reflect the underlying biological basis of personality. Personal construct theory recognises the ability for change unlike trait theory and uses idiographic methods such as the repertory grid and the Salmon line to enable chance to occur, through the interaction of personal agency and social structures. Salmon showed how personal construct theory can be implemented into clinical practice, however a complete theory of personality would need to encompass, structure, psychopathology and change, it would appear that both theories have areas of development in both theory building and testing. References: Butt, T. (2012). Individual differences In Hollway, W., Lucey, H., Phoenix, A., and Lewis, G. (eds). Social Psychology Matters (p.1-22). Milton Keynes: The Open University. Butt, T. (2004). Understanding people, Basingstoke and New York, Palgrave MacMillan. Richards, G. (2002). Putting psychology in its place, Hove, Psychology press.

Medical Education Essay

Working together as an interdisciplinary team, many highly trained health professionals besides medical practitioners are involved in the delivery of modern health care. Examples include: nurses, emergency medical technicians and paramedics, laboratory scientists, pharmacists, physician assistants, podiatrists physiotherapists, respiratory therapists,speech therapists, occupational therapists, radiographers, dietitians, and bioengineers. The scope and sciences underpinning human medicine overlap many other fields. Dentistry, while considered by some a separate discipline from medicine, is a medical field. A patient admitted to hospital is usually under the care of a specific team based on their main presenting problem, e.g., the Cardiology team, who then may interact with other specialties, e.g., surgical, radiology, to help diagnose or treat the main problem or any subsequent complications/developments. Physicians have many specializations and subspecializations into certain branches of medicine, which are listed below. There are variations from country to country regarding which specialties certain subspecialties are in. The main branches of medicine are: ââ€" ª Basic sciences of medicine; this is what every physician is educated in, and some return to in biomedical research. ââ€" ª Medical specialties ââ€" ª Interdisciplinary fields, where different medical specialties are mixed to function in certain occasions. [pic] ââ€" ª Anatomy is the study of the physical structure of organisms. In contrast to macroscopic or gross anatomy, cytology and histology are concerned with microscopic structures. ââ€" ª Biochemistry is the study of the chemistry taking place in living organisms, especially the structure and function of their chemical components. ââ€" ª Biomechanics is the study of the structure and function of biological systems by means of the methods of Mechanics. ââ€" ª Biostatistics is the application of statistics to biological fields in the broadest sense. A knowledge of biostatistics is essential in the planning, evaluation, and interpretation of medical research. It is also fundamental to epidemiology and evidence-based medicine. ââ€" ª Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physics and physical chemistry to study biological systems. ââ€" ª Cytology is the microscopic study of individual cells. ââ€" ª Embryology is the study of the early development of organisms. ââ€" ª Endocrinology is the study of hormones and their effect throughout the body of animals. ââ€" ª Epidemiology is the study of the demographics of disease processes, and includes, but is not limited to, the study of epidemics. ââ€" ª Genetics is the study of genes, and their role in biological inheritance. ââ€" ª Histology is the study of the structures of biological tissues by light microscopy, electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry. ââ€" ª Immunology is the study of the immune system, which includes the innate and adaptive immune system in humans, for example. ââ€" ª Medical physics is the study of the applications of physics principles in medicine. ââ€" ª Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, including protozoa, bacteria, fungi, and viruses. ââ€" ª Molecular biology is the study of molecular underpinnings of the process of replication, transcription and translation of the genetic material. ââ€" ª Neuroscience includes those disciplines of science that are related to the study of the nervous system. A main focus of neuroscience is the biology and physiology of the human brain and spinal cord. Some related clinical specialties include neurology, neurosurgery andpsychiatry. ââ€" ª Nutrition science (theoretical focus) and dietetics (practical focus) is the study of the relationship of food and drink to health and disease, especially in determining an optimal diet. Medical nutrition therapy is done by dietitians and is prescribed for diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, weight and eating disorders, allergies, malnutrition, and neoplastic diseases. ââ€" ª Pathology as a science is the study of disease—the causes, course, progression and resolution thereof. [pic] Ever wonder why physics is important in the field of medicine? Well, there are numerous reasons why it is very vital to this field. One reason is â€Å"medical physics†, it is one of the branches of physics. Medical physics is a branch of applied physics concerning the application ofphysics to medicine. It generally concerns physics as applied to medical imaging and radiotherapy. And what is medical imaging? Medical imaging refers to the techniques and processes used to create images of the human body (or parts thereof) for clinical purposes (medical procedures seeking to reveal,diagnose or examine disease) or medical science (including the study of normal anatomy and function. Under this are the following: – An MRI scan – Diagnostic radiology, including x-rays, fluoroscopy, mammography, Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, angiography and Computed tomography – Ultrasound, including intravascular ultrasound – Non-ionising radiation (Lasers, Ultraviolet etc.) – Nuclear medicine, including SPECT and positron emission tomography (PET) – Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and other methods for functional neuroimaging of the brain. For example, nuclear magnetic resonance (often referred to as magnetic resonance imaging to avoid the common concerns about radiation), uses the phenomenon of nuclear resonance to image the human body. – Magnetoencephalography – Electrical impedance tomography – Diffuse optical imaging – Optical coherence tomography Through Physics we nurses are able to treat diseases. Treatment of disease: – Defibrillation – High intensity focussed ultrasound, including lithotripsy – Interventional radiology – Non-ionising radiation Lasers, Ultraviolet etc. including photodynamic therapyand LASIK – Nuclear medicine, including unsealed source radiotherapy – Photomedicine, the use of light to treat and diagnose disease – Radiotherapy – Sealed source radiotherapy – Terahertz radiation Through physics we are also able to understand the part of the body especially the brain. ECG trace Used to monitor and measure various physiological parameters. Many physiological measurement techniques are non-invasive and can be used in conjunction with, or as an alternative to, other invasive methods. – Electrocardiography – Electromyography – Electroencephalography – Electronystagmography – Endoscopy – Medical ultrasonography – Non-ionising radiation (Lasers, Ultraviolet etc.) – Near infrared spectroscopy -Pulse oximetry Blood gas monitor Blood pressure measurement You see Physics is a great help in the field of medicine without it, we are not able to enjoy what we are enjoying in terms of treating our diseases. Chemistry is a huge part of medicine, not only do you need an understanding of it to become a doctor, but it is also both a diagnostic and treatment tool. The importance of chemistry lies in developing and testing new medical treatments and medicines. Without it doctors would not understand how vitamins, supplements, and drugs can help or harm you. Chemistry departments in hospital medical labs play an important and valuable role. Analyzing substances such as blood and urine, for proteins, sugars and other metabolic and inorganic substances. They are able to look for problems such as diabetes, therefore offering an early prognosis and cure to potentially life threatening diseases. Medical Technology extends and improves life. It alleviates pain, injury and handicap. Its role in healthcare is essential. Incessant medical technology innovation enhances the quality and effectiveness of care. Billions of patients worldwide depend on medical technology at home, at the doctor’s, at hospital and in nursing homes. Wheelchairs, pacemakers, orthopedic shoes, spectacles and contact lenses, insulin pens, hip prostheses, condoms, oxygen masks, dental floss, MRI scanners, pregnancy tests, surgical instruments, bandages, syringes, life-support machines: more than 500,000 products (10,000 generic groups) are available today. Medical technology represents only 6,3% of total healthcare expenditure in Europe – a modest share if you consider the benefits for every member of society. The term medical technology may also refer to the duties performed by clinical laboratory professionals in various settings within the public and private sectors. The work of these professionals encompass clinical applications of chemistry, genetics, hematology, immunohematology (blood banking), immunology, microbiology, serology, urinalysis and miscellaneous body fluid analysis. These professionals may be referred to as Medical Technologists (MT) and Medical Laboratory Technologists. Pharmacy which is from the Greek word Pharmakeia φÎ ±Ã ÃŽ ¼ÃŽ ±ÃŽ ºÃŽ µÃŽ ¹ÃŽ ± is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs. The Greek: φÎ ¬Ã ÃŽ ¼ÃŽ ±ÃŽ ºÃŽ ¿ÃŽ ½ (pharmakon), means â€Å"drug† or â€Å"medicine† (the earliest form of the word is the Mycenaean Greek pa-ma-ko, attested in Linear B syllabic script). The scope of pharmacy practice includes more traditional roles such as compounding and dispensing medications, and it also includes more modern services related to health care, including clinical services, reviewing medications for safety and efficacy, and providing drug information. Pharmacists, therefore, are the experts on drug therapy and are the primary health professionals who optimize medication use to provide patients with positive health outcomes. An establishment in which pharmacy (in the first sense) is practiced is called a pharmacy, chemist’s or drug store. In the United States and Canada, drug stores commonly sell not only medicines, but also miscellaneous items such as candy (sweets), cosmetics, and magazines, as well as light refreshments or groceries. The word pharmacy is derived from its root word pharma which was a term used since the 15th–17th centuries. In addition to pharma responsibilities, the pharma offered general medical advice and a range of services that are now performed solely by other specialist practitioners, such as surgery and midwifery. The pharma (as it was referred to) often operated through a retail shop which, in addition to ingredients for medicines, sold tobacco and patent medicines. The pharmas also used many other herbs not listed. In its investigation of herbal and chemical ingredients, the work of the pharma may be regarded as a precursor of the modern sciences of chemistry and pharmacology, prior to the formulation of the scientific method. What is covered in the BS of Pharmacy program? BS of Pharmacy covers subjects that offer a solid foundation in biomedical, clinical, pharmaceutical, biological and social sciences. This is to ensure that students are trained to effective deliver pharmaceutical services in both private and government institutions.

Defining Diversity: the Evolution of Diversity

DEFINING DIVERSITY: THE EVOLUTION OF DIVERSITY by Camille Kapoor 1. INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS DIVERSITY? The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical ability, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies.It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment. It is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity within each individual (cited from http://gladstone. uoregon. edu/~asuomca/diversityinit/definition. html). 2. PURPOSE OF THE PAPER This research paper was conducted to see the evolution of diversity definition across the industry, specifically in hospitality industry.This qualitative research use Diversity Task Force study which conducted in 2001 to confirm the definition of diversity, whereby diversity can be concluded as â€Å"all characteristics and experiences that define each of us as individuals† (Kapoor, 2011). On top of that, the purpose of this study is: †¢ to illustrate the emergence of diversity concept into management discussions, †¢ to discuss how the definition of diversity has broadened over time to become more inclusive, †¢ to present current concerns with a broad-based diversity definition, †¢ to put forth researcher’s own definition of diversity (Kapoor, 2011) . DISCUSSION ON FINDINGS 3. 1 The Emergence of Diversity Concept into Management Discussions Based on the researcher’s findings, the entrance of diversity concept into management discussions was traced as early as 1978 based on Supreme Court Case of Regents of Universiy of California v. Bakke. In 1987, report by Hudson Institute known as Workforce 2000 stated that women, blacks, Hispanic s and immigrants would make up 85 percent of new job seekers by the year 2000.In addition, this study also pointed out, â€Å"more and more individuals are likely to work with people who are demographically different from them in terms of age, gender, race and ethnicity†. The formulation of 1964 Civil Rights Acts, Executive Order 11246 and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in 1965 made it illegal for companies to discriminate in the hiring or managing employees on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex or national origin.It is also requires organization to take affirmative action to overcome past patterns of discrimination. In the following year, the protected classes expanded to include white women, veterans, people over the age of 40 and people with physical or mental disabilities. In 1990’s, researchers began promoting the â€Å"business case† for diversity; as part of the reaction of observation that more diverse workforce can enhance the over all business.Then, managing diversity become one of the economic interest and companies were warned that a failure to effectively manage their diverse workforce would lead to poor performance or even place the company’s image at risk. In late 1990s, the recognition that diversity is a reality can be seen and that a company’s successes rely on their ability to effectively manage their workforce diversity. Managing diversity focuses on understanding people as individuals, rather than making assumptions about the needs and potential of individuals based on whether that person is of a specific gender or ethnic group.Managing diversity could also be understood as an equality strategy because it claimed to be able to recognize employee’s differences, while ensuring â€Å"that policies and procedures did not treat them inequitably†. The above emergence on diversity concept further confirmed by Hanappi-Egger and Ukur (2011) in below summary table of National form s of diversity management. This research summarizes the evolution or evolvement of diversity management cross the world.Table 1: National Forms of Diversity Management |Mobility of diversity management across borders | |Concept |Affirmative action |Equal Employment |Diversity management |Business case for diversity | | | |Opportunities | |management | |Year of Inception Mid 1960s and early 1980s |Mid 1970s to early 1990s |1983 to 1990s |1990 | |Countries that adopted |USA 1961 |USA, Canada, UK, Australia, |1983-1990 in the US |1990-USA | | |South Africa 1998 |South Africa |1997 in the UK |2004-Australia | | |Kenya 2007 | |1998 in the South Africa | | | | | |1999 in Australia | | | | | |2000 in Europe | | | | | |2003 in Asia | | |Intended beneficiaries |Blacks, women, Hispanics, |Women, racial minorities, |White able-bodied males, |Corporate organizations | | |native Americans, Asians |persons with disabilities, |also non-traditional | | | | |aboriginal people |employees | | |Focus | Numerical representation, |Barrier elimination, |Learning about others i. |Business and strategic | | |hiring compliance |numerical representation, |those who are different |advantage | | | |reporting | | | |Cultural value |Remedy past wrongs |Egalitarianism, meritocracy |Inclusiveness, respect for |Business advantage | | | | |difference | | |Intended value |Representative workforce at |Fair employment policies and|Awareness of difference; |Business profits | | |all levels; access to |practices; improved |improved interpersonal and | | | |employment for disadvantaged|representation; supportive |intergroup communication; | | | |groups |climate |human relations, skills; | | | | | |attitude change | |Source: Adopted from Hanappi-Egger and Ukur (2011); data obtained partly from Kelly/Dobbin (1998) and Agocs/Burr (1996) 3. 2 How the Definition of Diversity Broadened Over Time According to this research, there were two general approaches to understand workforce diversity being developed i n mid-2000s as below: †¢ Narrow View – define diversity only as it related to equal employment opportunity and affirmative action; focusing on recruiting and hiring a group of people of particular races, genders or cultures. †¢ Broad View – define diversity as a concept which includes every way in which people can differ; attempts to maximizing the potential of all employees in direct benefit to the organization.However, the above definition of diversity further expanded when Diversity Task Force conducted a study in 2001 which emphasize on: †¢ The importance of including secondary dimensions of an individual into the diversity definition such as communication style, work style, organizational role/level, economic status, and geographic origin; besides only focusing on primary dimensions such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, disability and sexual orientation. †¢ The focus on people with non-visible differences such as sexual orientation. H owever, the focus is more on how their thinking styles, problem solving approaches, experiences, competencies, work habits, and management style can contribute to diversity evolution. †¢ The importance to include diversity dimensions which relevant to workplace such as educational background, work experience, job status, tenure, learning style, and personality type. †¢ The differences even within the particular group.All the above evolution in diversity definition further supported and expanded in The Four Layers of Diversity dimensions by Gardenswartz and Rowe (2003). Compared to Narrow View and Board View approached established in mid-2000s to define diversity, The Four Layers of Diversity explained below dimensions in defining diversity: †¢ Personality – deals with the stable set of characteristics that establishes ones identity †¢ Internal Dimension – represents characteristics that strongly influence people’s attitude, perception and exp ectations of others. These include factors such as age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or ethnicity †¢ External Dimension – represents personal traits that we can exert control or influence over.They include factors such as income, personal and recreational habits, religion, education, work experience, appearance, marital status and geographical location †¢ Organizational Dimension – represents factors pertaining to the organization itself and includes work field, division or unit, seniority, union affiliation, management status and functional level. (Hanappi-Egger and Ukur, 2011) 3. 3 Current Concerns With a Broad-based Diversity Definition This research also highlights some concerns pertaining to broad-based diversity definition in current environment: †¢ Difficulty to implement diversity initiatives lead to dissatisfaction among employees in the organization. Broad definitions of diversity can â€Å"obscure issues of intergroup inequality† b ecause the management put more focus on â€Å"managing individual differences that might contaminate intergroup relations. †¢ Promotions on diversity programs is yet to prove its effectiveness; especially in diversity training.The result of the research conducted before were still ambiguous in its conclusions. †¢ Initial intention of the management to adopt a more broadly defined approach to diversity management become a problem when employee perceive it as management is dealing with individual differences rather than equity. †¢ The â€Å"upbeat naivety† of the diversity paradigm may fail to acknowledge past discrimination and therefore may prevent organizations from preventing future discrimination and racism stated that the organization should acknowledge the cultural and social diversity of where the organization exists; so that the management able to develop proper and suitable diversity initiatives. 4.Researcher’s Own Definition of Diversity as Con clusion Based on the study conducted, the researcher concludes that the finding is able to confirm the definition of diversity as per The Diversity Task Force’s definition that is â€Å"all characteristics and experiences that define each of us as individuals†. However, the researcher has highlighted some concerns with broad definition of diversity; that discrimination might appear unintentionally as a result of primary and secondary dimensions of diversity. Further, it is also emphasized the importance of recognizing that individuals with similar primary dimensions may have very different secondary dimensions.

Essay On Green Essay

If we judge the colour green from the colour psychology perspective, we learn that green balances the heart and emotions and thus create the equilibrium in heart and brain. From the meaning of colour perspective, green is the symbol of growth, colour of spring and symbolizes renewal and rebirth. It is the sanctuary away from the complexity and stresses of the modern lives and the tranquility of the calm, fresh and greener area. I have my wall painted in green colour and it is generally believed that green is an eye friendly colour unlike red. The mild green colour is a popular colour which does not look too violent or too dull. I liked this colour even in my childhood and that I can be sure from the dominant green usages in my childhood paints. My teachers sometimes laughed at my weakness on green colour when I painted a green sun and green moon. I still remember I pained a green alien and that painting became very famous among our friends. I am not quite sure how my fascination started growing on green colour but I guess I started liking this colour as I had spent my childhood in an area where green was the most dominating colour. This was the colour of nature and I was surrounded by the beauty of nature. I noticed in my childhood that green is the colour for living and yellow and red means dying, specifically for the trees and plants I had. May be this idea influenced my preference of colour. May be this choice is not directly related to any of my experience and reflected in a later stage as part of my individuality and personal preference. Whatever is the reason, I guess Green is a colour of profound importance and is my favourite colour.

Indian Book Retail Industry Essay

The Indian book retail industry is estimated to be over Rs 3,000 crore, out of which organised retail accounts for only 7 per cent.The industry is expected to grow by approximately 15 per cent a year.Book retail contributes only about 1 per cent to the overall retail industry. Text and curriculum books account for about 50 per cent of the sales. Second-hand books are also a big chunk of the book retail market. In the past few years, several large format book store chains have come up, such as Landmark, Crossword and Om Book Shop etc . More than 75 per cent stores of these large chains are in top eight cities. These Organized Book retailers are focusing on improved customer experience. Many book stores have also introduced coffee shops and provide a library-like atmosphere where customers can sit and read, while sipping coffee. Besides this online channel is also significant with players like Flipkart, Indiaplaza, Infibeam etc. With the printed word considered an endangered species in much of a rapidly digitizing world, India now represents one of the best book markets in the world. â€Å"There has definitely been a huge jump in the size of the industry in terms of book sales and the number of books being published,† said Mita Kapur, the founder of Siyahi, a literary agency, who says the number of books published in English is growing by 30 percent a year. Vikrant Mathur, associate director of Nielsen Book, India, said the volume of book sales grew by 45 percent during the first half of 2011. For the entire year, Nielsen, a global information provider, documented English-language book sales of 3.28 billion rupees – about $62 million – from more than 12 million books sold. And that is probably only a fraction of true total sales, since Nielsen only measures about 35 percent of the total market. â€Å"Where physical books are concerned India right now is a very, very big market,† said Priyanka Malhotra, director of Full Circle Publications. â€Å"There is a whole younger generation coming up from BPOs who are starting to read in English, which is where a lot of new demand is coming from.† Online retail have also spurred growth in the industry. To summarize India’s book retail industry is broadly divided into 3 sectors : 1. Organized 2. Unorganized 3. Online The organized sector has big names such as : crosswords, OM book shop , landmark etc to name a few. On the other hand unorganized sector is huge and highly fragmented, with shops spanning from local book stores to road side book shanties to red light book sellers etc. This sector is also filled with piracy and pirated copies of original books (which is a serious threat to the sales of organized sector) Online sector is the newest of them all and has just started to takeoff in sales since last 3-4 years. The major advantage of such a format is the wide variety of offerings under one roof and ease of access for the users. Thus this is the fastest growing sector among all of them. The prominent players in this category are Flipkart.com, Infibeam.com etc. Unorganized sector (Golden book depot) Golden book depot is a typical book store among many in the unorganized sector of the india book retail industry. This store is loacated in the vicinity of our target organized sector store ( OM book shop) i.e. Ber Sarai ( adjacent to IIT) in south Delhi. As can be seen in the photograph, this is a small shop , almost 1/10th of the size of om book shop and most of the products are available behind the counter, with only magazine stand placed just outside the store. As magazines as a category has most no of impulse purchase. On an average around 50-70 customers come to this book store, and this tore has a footfall conversion of over 85% which is very high as compared to the organized sector (OM book shop) . The reason for this behavior is that most of the products in these kind of shops are behind the counter and it doesn’t provide the luxury to the customer to stroll around and search and read a book as in the case of organized sector. Therefore almost all of the customers coming to these shops like golden book depot are aware of what they want and demand that directly from the shop keeper who then searches the book in the shop and hands over to the customer. Besides having a smaller area , less variety of books and behind the counter selling, the sales (in terms of no. of books sold) is still higher in golden book depot as compared to OM book shop . The reason for that being : 1. Availability of educational books , i.e. educational course materials and  competitive exam preparation books. These books constitute the majority of the portion of these book shops in unorganized sector. These kind of books , especially course materials for various courses such as MBA, B.Tech, BCA etc . are not available at book stores like OM book shop. As they (Organized) focus more on selling of novels and leisure read books. 2. Many of the popular shops in unorganized sector offer a facility to bring the old books and exchange them with the new books at a discounted rate or return the old books at a discounted rate in form of cash return. This is a major reason why price conscious middle class Indian customers prefer unorganized sector over organized sector. 3. Perception in the minds of Indian customers that these small shops will offer the same product at cheaper rate than the organized sector shops, which have flashy interiors and huge shop floor. This perception is true also upto some extent as these shopkeepers in these small shops have the control over their margins and not guided by any company policy ( as in the case of OM book shop) that means these shop keepers can even squeeze their margins from around 10% to as low as 1-2% to attract or retain a customer by offering them the cheapest bargain. Organized sector (OM BOOK SHOP ) About Om Book Shop Retailer and Publishing House: Om Book Shop is a part of Om Books International, a leading English language trade publisher in the subcontinent, and is a prominent player in the Indian book industries. The book retailing chain has a significant presence across the Delhi-NCR region. Besides stocking books, movies, magazines and CD ROMs, Om Book Shop is also a major distributor of books of many leading international imprints. OBI began publishing in 1993. Collection: With a strong focus on children books and coffee-table books, the store has a diverse collection including books on Lifestyle, Nature and Wildlife, Fashion, Bollywood, Heritage and Culture, Management, Health & Fitness, Cookery, Architecture and Interiors, pictorial books for children etc. Children section is a major thrust area for the company and OBI publishes children’s titles under the Om Kids imprint: illustrated classics, mythology, folk tales, encyclopaedias etc. Loyalty programs and other salient features: Other salient features Om Book Shop currently holds about 50 thousand registered customers with the Om Book Privilege Loyalty Programme which offers points, discounts & other offers to its loyal customers. OBS aims to popularize the Gift -a- book idea across its stores and delivers services like Dial-a-book which allows the customers to shop from their homes; and the efficient and helpful staffs in the book stores assists them in finding the right book or the right gift for the right occasion. Overview: Product, Category and Store Product Category: ‘Books’ Retail Format: Category Specialists Customer segments: In terms of demographics, the Om Book shop customer can be a child/adult from any age group, gender, income class (reasonably well off) etc. Store: Om Book Shop is located in DLF Promenade Mall in Vasant Kunj. The store is located on the 2nd floor of the mall and the floor plan is provided in Figure1. The store is strategically located in a way that it falls on one of the 2 ways to the food court and movie theatre. Figure 1: Floor Plan of Om Book Store STORE PHILOSOPHY * Layout * Ambience/dà ©cor * Sale program * Loyalty Store layout structure Om book store has a very functional and efficient physical layout. Mall sq. foot area is very expensive so there seems to be an effort on part of the book store to utilize as much area as possible. Hence the layout may be a bit crammed for some customers. The bird’s eye view of the layout is as follows: The front view of the store is a transparent glass window through which a passerby can easily see into the store. The poster’s on display from the  front view are only of â€Å"OM publisher’s† in different categories like kids books, cook books, and biography (Amir Khan’s â€Å"I’ll Do it My Way†. The most popular and eye-catchy book categories are positioned near the entrance of the store. The largest selling categories, Children’s books, Fiction, and New Arrivals are placed in shelves that a customer encounters as soon as he enters the store. These sections also have the largest impulse buy and are therefore kept at the forefront. Om book’s self published books in the kids category is displayed in big piles on the ground straight in the line of path of a customer who walks into the store. Since the child often runs about choosing his/her own story books and activity (colouring/mask) books and heavily influencing the purchase decision of the parent so the children books of the OM publisher has been strategically kept within reach of the child on the ground to woo the him/her. Other publications in the same Children’s category have been kept on the shelf and in â€Å"sideway† display to decrease their exposure to the child/parent. Om Publication’s in any other category when placed on the shelf have been given a frontal full display to encourage sales. Management books being the next most popular category, they have been placed right after the popular categories when comparing in terms of â€Å"distance from entrance†. Categories pertaining to work or hobby like gardening, travelling, cooking etc / or specific topics of interest like astrology, philosophy, poetry, etc have been grouped towards the end of the store, furthest away from the entrance. This is because these categories can usually not create impulse purchase and so every customer need not pass through these segments/aisles. People who do buy these books are targeted shoppers and will anyhow walk to the back end of the shop to pick up his/her book. These categories are not as popular as the others and have loyal customer following. The impulse buy accessories are lined along the passage on either side from the entrance to the cash counter. It is further seen that the counter is placed at the other end from the entrance to ensure that a customer has to walk through all the impulse purchase offerings before he/she can buy the book. The products on offer in this so called â€Å"impulse accessory† shopping segment are: pens (parker and waterman), magazines, cookbooks, horoscope books, key rings, bookmarks, marble-paper/wrapping paper, and bestsellers in each category. It can further be noticed that the best seller section just prior to the cash  counter is dedicated solely to Om publication. Additional aspects of the Store Layout The layout is no doubt very functional keeping in mind the profit maximization philosophy of the store and the main agenda of pushing its own publication to the shopper. However the spacing of shelves is crammed with little walking space, hardly any sitting space (only 2-3 stools), and only 1 book stand. The entire focus is on 1 product offering i.e. books. Unlike competitors in the organised sector like Landmark, it is not focussing on the entire shopping experience, (no coffee, no other items on offer like stationary etc, no sitting space). Store Ambience and Decor The bookshelves were made of engineered wood like particle wood. This created a unique and rich traditional effect. Plastic or metal bookshelves were not used since they do not look expensive and give a modern feel, which was not something the book store wanted. Furthermore the particle wood was coloured a light shade of brown to give a bright and roomy/spacious look to the store. However the bookshelves were placed too close and for a particular section of customers who prefer the comforts of abundant seating arrangement, coffee facility, and walking space (as provided by Landmark), the sheer functional design of the store might be interpreted as a crammed. This might not work well for a particular segment of customers whose involvement with the shopping experience is as high as, if not higher than the involvement with the product itself. Furthermore the store works on the philosophy that it will focus on selling books alone and not encourage customers to spend hours just reading in the store. This is unlike some of its contemporaries like Landmark that encourage customers to sit and read inside the store. Hence at OM book stores some customers may complain that the staff hover close to them and make them feel uncomfortable if they stay too long. The store plays light and slow English instrumental music to suit the taste of the higher-strata of people who usually visit the Promenade Mall and create a relaxed atmosphere in the store. Instrumental music is  played since a song with wordings would disturb the concentration of a customer reading the epilogue/back-cover of a book. This gives a contemporary feel to the store. Store Sale Programs The store’s maximum profit comes from its Children’s section. Hence the sale period coincides with the summer and winter vacation in schools in Delhi. December to Mid-January and May to June are the respective winter and summer sales. The store is also receptive to mall trends in sale. Since almost every other shop in the mall had a sale in July, so the store too announced a sale to cash in on the increased footfall to the mall during the sale-period. There was no Flat Sale offer. Discount amounts were graded on the basis of demand. Books with high demand had low sale; New Arrival, Top 20 Fiction/Non-Fiction, general Fiction, and bestsellers had only 10% discount. The store felt that irrespective of the price these books would sell and so gave negligible discount on them. However on the kids section the discount was higher, around 20%, and even higher discounts on children’s books published in-house by Om Publications. This is because the store believes that parents during the sale period buy in bulk and a higher sale would induce them to buy more and yet it would not affect your margins. Furthermore parents are price conscious when buying for little kids since the books cannot be added to a collection later on and mostly become irrelevant in a short time after the child has outgrown them. The sale on OM publication was the highest because they already had the highest margins on it due to the absence of a middleman, and therefore could easily afford a large discount on those books. By touting the large discounts they aim to attract consumers to their publication and yet make the largest profit on the same sales. The books with the largest discounts (say more than 50%) were displayed in piles on the floor. This was due to the belief that even if the books weren’t displayed at eye-level, even then the mammoth sale amount would encourage the shoppers to make the effort of bending down to pick up the book. To publicise the sale big red stickers were pasted on the glass walls of the store which can be viewed by the casual shopper passing by the store. Inside the store the discount for each section was  mentioned separately through stickers and pointers. Store Loyalty Program A book is generally a product category where the consumer’s involvement with the product (i.e. the book itself) is much higher than his involvement with the store. Even if a person might have store preferences, yet his/her loyalty lies with the book and not with the store. Hence a consumer would not really care much as to whether he bought his/her book at OM Book stores or at Landmark, which is a stones throwaway. Thus in order to boost retention of loyal customers Om book stores has come up with a loyalty program, a privilege card holder concept which is as follows: * 1 point for every Rs.10 purchase. * Minimum points for redemption are 500 points. * 1 point equals Rs 1 reduction in bill amount. 60-70% of walk-in customers were privilege card holders and the store already has 4500 privilege card holders. The scheme is a moderate success. Store Timings | 11 A.M to 10 P.M ( For Mall)11 A.M to 8 P.M ( For standalone shop not the store we studied)| Working days| All 7 Days of the week| Peak days| Saturday and Sunday| Peak hours| Evenings post 6:00 pm| Staff| 10-12 members including the manager. Manager stands behind the counter at one of the two cash registers. He is accompanied by 2 staff members whose work is to: 1. Use the second cash register for quick transactions during peak hour to prevent long queuing period 2. To get a book for a customer if he/she directly comes to the counter and asks for a specific book.| Floor Staff responsibilities| * Taking care of the specific three to four sections assigned to them. * keeping a track of inventory * Filling the requisition form for the replenishing of stock * Guiding the customers if required * Sticking the barcode behind each new book before placing them on the shelf.| Shifts| There are no shifts; each staff member works throughout the day from 11:00 AM -8:00pm (fixed) and from  8:00pm-10:00pm (variable) depending on the rush. Hence post 8:00 pm the retained staff is paid on overtime basis.| Showrooms (strategic positioning)| NCR – 5 in malls and 2 stand aloneMumbai – 1 stand aloneThe store we studied was in the Promenade mall beside DT cinemas movie ticket counter on the 2nd floor.| Revenues| 1.5 to 2 Lakhs on weekdays3 to3.5 Lakhs on weekendsChildren, Fiction – highest selling category (80% of sales)| CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR The product category is such that it involves Limited-Decision Making by the customers. The reasons for purchase of a book from the store can be: * Buying for self- Leisure * Buying for self Knowledge * Buying for Others- Regular * Buying for Others- Situational The greater the motivation to make an optimal decision, the more likely an attribute-based choice will be made. Thus, attribute-based processing is more likely for an expensive book purchase than it is for an inexpensive magazine. The easier it is to access complete attribute-by-brand information, the more likely attribute-based processing will be used. A variety of situations influence which choice approach is most likely. A book bought with the intention of a gift purchase is assigned more importance than a purchase for oneself. Thus, gift purchases would be more likely to produce attribute-based decision processes. Time pressure is a major determinant of choice process used, with increasing time pressures producing more use of attitude-based decisions. Thus, we can identify 3 major clusters of customers that visit Om Book Shop. Category I: DEDICATED READER This is the kind of person who feels complete with a book in his hand. For him, the behaviour is governed by his choices alone and it is solely his decision. He is always trying to find the time to get back to his book. He is convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more. His primary information search happens within the store only. Category II: LITERATE GOOD CITIZEN This is the kind of person who usually buys a book after reading it review by a critic or an expert. Such a person does more information search before coming to the store. For our respondent group, the most dominant sources for this information were reviews and Bestseller lists published in newspapers, magazines or online blogs and sites likes Amazon.com. Category III: FAD READER This is the kind of person who only reads the popular books/ latest bestsellers so he can be up to date on what other people are talking about and be seen by others as someone who is well read. He often reads for the social credit he can get out of it. His primary information search is more through his friend circle or his group of colleagues from whom he might hear the latest ‘fads’ in terms of books. Such a person could also go in for information search in popular newspapers/magazines or the shares on social media websites.

Commercial Contract Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Commercial Contract Assessment - Essay Example A reasonable person is an imaginary person created by judges. Thus, a reasonable man is one who is an ordinary â€Å"Joe" type of character. According to Howarth (1984), promisor or promisee objectivity is one where a reliable person stands on the shoes of either the promisor or promisee and looks at the incidents from that angle. A detached objective is one where a reasonable person sees if he were in other person’s position, but looks at the incidents, as if â€Å" he is a fly on the wall†. (Taylor & Taylor 2007:22). Spencer also recognised a â€Å" fly on the wall theory† and also known as â€Å" detached objectivity† by Howarth, according to which the phrases employed by one contracting party must be assessed, not as they seemed to his co-contracting party, but as they would have seemed to a rational man following the negotiations. (Vorster, 1987). In Upton-on-Severn R.D.C. v. Powell, where D was authorised to have the services of the fire brigade specified to his province free of charge, whereas he had no such privilege to the assistance of fire brigades from other areas. D, in the mistaken belief, called upon the Upton fire brigade that he resided in their region. The Court of Appeal held D was needed to pay for the services enjoyed contractually. Thus, Lord Greene M.R.s verdict â€Å"appears to be most exceptionally destitute of any ratio decidendi.† The verdict is in tune with the â€Å"fly on the wall† theory, as the fire brigade had not come to a conclusion, nor would a reasonable person in his status have come to a conclusion, from Ds demand for assistance that an offer to reimburse for their services was being made. (Vorster 1987). In â€Å"Butler Machine Tool Co. Ltd. v Ex-Cell-O Corporation (England) Ltd [ 1979] 1 ER 965† the vendor delivered to the purchaser the printed, tear-off acknowledgement slip which was part and parcel of the order. It read as â€Å"we acknowledge your order on the

Grenada and Mission Command Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Grenada and Mission Command - Essay Example As a function of this breakdown, the US Atlantic Command was forced to keep a close hold of the operation; so much so that it did not successfully transmit needed information to the US Readiness Command. This led to many command elements being unaware of the initial planning stages; thereby leading the entire operation to the point of leaving out key elements of command from the planning process. Quite obviously, such an oversight led to many problematic issues during the logistical execution of the operation itself. US Second Fleet: This command unit was given overall control of the operation. Under the leadership of Vice Admiral Joseph Metcalf III, the US Second Fleet formed Joint Task Force 120 with overall responsibility of the Operation Urgent Fury. The Second Fleet had a clear understanding of the intent and objectives of the orders of the Atlantic Fleet passed on from President Regan. However, here as well there was a breach in the building of cohesive teams. This lack of cohe sion naturally deterred a building of mutual trust when the recommendation of Admiral Metcalf II to have army Major General Norman Schwarzkopf be put in charge of the overall ground operations instead of Major General Edward Trobaugh was quashed due to its clear abrogation and deviation from the chain of command. While Admiral Metcalf III knew that most of the operation would be ground based, more suited under command of an army command unit, this was unfortunately never considered openly in the planning stage. Regardless of such an oversight and/or prejudice, the Second Fleet was still up to the task and was able to establish proper command and communication channels to the units under its command. XVIII Airborne Corps: Under the leadership of Lieutenant General Jack Mackmull, this command unit was in charge of the majority of logistics and sustainment of the operations in Grenada. Although this command unit had an important role, it was overlooked by the main planners during the p lanning phase. Near the beginning of operations, the Atlantic Command requested that the XVIII Airborne Corps’ subordinate 82nd Airborne Division be placed in combat readiness without being given a clear or otherwise full idea of what the situation entailed. It was also found that the XVIII Airborne Corps was excluded by the Atlantic Command from the planning phase; additionally compounding the initial problem of logistics and sustainment of participating ground forces. Among the participating command unit

The current level of government regulation of business is detrimental Essay

The current level of government regulation of business is detrimental to our economy(the first paper you wrote that was unusable) - Essay Example Liberalization, deregulation, and privatization are a large part of the push for a neo-liberal economic agenda by its proponents to get â€Å"official authorities [to] create an enabling environment for markets and then let the private sector supply the social good with (according to the theory) maximum efficiency† (Scholte 2000, p.285). Krugman (1995) states in spite of possible and actual negative outcomes, governments have been eager to adopt the programs outlined by the leaders of the Washington consensus at the same time markets have been busy dumping money into reforming economies for two main reasons. The first is the speculative bubble in the financial markets. The second has more to do with sociological rather than economic perceptions in that the seemingly endless number of meetings, negotiations, and press releases concerning financial and related markets converged into a commonsense understanding of economic opinion. In addition, governments adopted the prescribed programs because markets were rewarding those who adopted and embraced these programs. According to Krugman (1995, np), â€Å"[p]eople believe certain stories because everyone important tells them, and people tell those stories because everyone important believes them. Indeed, when a conventional wisdom is at its fullest strength, one’s agreement with that conventional wisdom becomes almost a litmus test of one’s suitability to be taken seriously.† It became difficult to question or stand against, and easier to support this common wisdom, thus further reinforcing it. Hence, the Washington consensus has been embraced even if its program results have had devastating effects on many countries and eventually on the United States in the year 2008. In 2008, the collapse of key American financial organizations sent the global financial system into free fall as credit began to freeze and trillions of dollars in shareholder value were wiped out.

The death penalty, when preceded by long confinement and administered Essay

The death penalty, when preceded by long confinement and administered bureaucratically, dehumanises both the agents and recipients of this punishment and amounts to a form of torture - Essay Example Debates on retention or abolition of the capital punishment have predominantly existed for years causing some countries to consider prolonged delays that precede execution, mostly allowing the condemned person reasonable time to appeal3. Such prisoners are condemned to dehumanizing conditions in â€Å"death row† units that have been criticized for transforming humans to caged animals. Penologists and criminologists have been actively engaged in extensive researches to find the answers to perennially baffling issues on prolonged delays that today precede execution4. The question of whether the prolonged delays can serve a just cause and whether they should be retained has in itself been a subject of debate among human rights lawyers, legal scholars, jurists, judges and social theorists the world over5. Whether the delays aptly serve the real purposes of punishment, whether eliminating the delays can promote the rights of the prisoners or violate them, and what message the brutal existence can send to the society are issues that this paper attempts to address6. In all, the dehumanizing conditions serve to portray the prisoners are being secluded from the society. Even as human rights activists have held that they should be reformed and corrected to make them sober citizens, studies7 have showed that such prisoners who undergo brutal conditions are made to be worse8. Such situations view the pre-arranged and proportional punishment as in conformity with Bentham’s theory of penal objectives which suggest that the pain of the offender should be higher than the pleasures he enjoys following the commission of the crime9. However, the element of â€Å"higher† must be proportional and uniform10. Even as legal and moral philosophers and scholars have examined the various objectives or justifications for death penalty, social scientists have focused more on explaining the effects of the

Managerial Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Managerial Economics - Essay Example Hence, the significance to be paid on any particular type wholly depends upon the investor and manufacturer’s choice of short term or long term prospects. The present paper deals with two variants of profit theory, viz., frictional profit theory and innovation profit theory. Each of these concepts define or explain economic profit in their own discreet ways and hence, are relevant in deciding various aspects of the underlying business, for the benefit of investors as well as manufacturers to some extent. Furthermore, the economy gains as well if economic units sort out the most efficient avenues of production or investment, since that would mean a speedier progress towards national growth. Broadly speaking, there are two different explanations to economic profit, namely, disequilibrium theories of profit and compensatory theories of profit. While the previous theory explains the logic behind an industry earning super-normal profits despite the presence of market disequilibria or discrepancies, the latter accomplishes how innovative activities taking place in a firm can assure super-normal profits to the same. Nonetheless, both these theories encompass many others within themselves (Hirschey, 2009, p. 12). Of them, only two belonging to each type, will be discussed underneath, namely, frictional profit theory and innovation profit theory. The discussion will involve comparison between the two concepts inclusive of evidences in support of the logics underlying them. Frictional theory of profit, as the name suggests, is the generation of super-normal profits due to frictions present in the economy. These are untimely events, leading to shocks in the market and thus confusing the normal state of the market. An industry is often characterised by a large number of buyers and sellers, so that there is no scope to earn super-normal profit. However, a sudden shock might shift the

Events Management and Operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Events Management and Operations - Essay Example These are described below: Bedfordshire University The company has a choice of consuming the university place for conducting the desired event which can also be very economical for the University due to the exclusion of space rent. However, the cost associated with developing breakout rooms and other extra facilities will be rented out by the company itself which will increase the overall cost for both the university and company. The University is situated in Luton, England. Strathmore Hotel The Strathmore Hotel can be considered as an event organizing place which is very near to the University of Bedfordshire. The hotel has the availability of providing necessary equipments and space for the desired amount of audiences. However, a huge cost is associated with the rent of the space of hotel but all the necessary equipments are offered by the Hotel itself. UK Centre for Carnival Arts This location is also considered ideal for conducting an event which is situated at the opposite side of the University of Bedfordshire. However, the conference rooms and other space are to be designed accordingly by the event director. Furthermore, the equipments will be outsourced from a different company for the purpose of rent for a single day. Event Business Plan Vision The vision of the company is to create a long lasting impression in the mind of consumers about the event organized by the company. The company understands the value of retaining their customers over a longer period so they shall become potential customers. In order to make the vision successful, the company communicates the vision along with the desired preferences of audiences of event. The key stakeholders of the company are its audiences and the management people who make the event successful. The various strengths of the company involves targeting VIP’s and have relevant experience in serving them according to their needs. However, the company is very particular about using venues events because the company considers that many requirements are dependent to location of the event. The other strength of the company is their presentation which is likely to gain attention of audience. Operations The program will start with an opening ceremony which shall be performed by the chief guest appointed by the University of Bedfordshire itself. Different ideas and learning experience will be shared by professionals, which will be decided with the collaboration of University. The guests will then be transferred to 4 different breakout rooms where breakfast and tea will be served. The program will be resumed after guest entering the main conference room to discuss further involvement in event operations and hospitality. At precisely 1 pm lunch will be served to audiences to which they will again be transferred to their separate breakout rooms. The idea for developing 4 breakout rooms is that different individuals from similar related fields could join and share their ideas. For example, indus try professionals can consume an entire breakout room, whereas, academic scholars can consume the other breakout room. The lunch will be followed by another session of conferences amongst audiences sharing their experiences and ideas on

Discussion 8 part B Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discussion 8 part B - Essay Example sattva of Compassion’, the figure is claimed to have been sculpted using a special technique called ‘yosegi’ which gave most creation of the era, 794-1185 AD, its distinct characteristic, chiefly made of wood carved into form out of the several fragments of wood. The assembly when examined in detail, may be observed to have been artfully crafted by a number of specialists or artisans with the finest skills. Such endeavor justify how this particular bodhisattva could, in a way or another, reflect the prevailing theme at the time in which Japan took pride in its genius through the fields of religion, philosophy, art, and rich literature. Though the ‘Eleven-Headed Bodhisattva of Compassion’ primarily consists of wood, the sophisticated carvings and the countenance which appears to possess a blend of gold and bronze external coating, aimed to bring about a wholly essential color, suggests subtle prominence while depicting the purpose of identifying a bodhisattva by nature. The smooth lines of the sculpture were fashioned such that the strokes exude a character with humble gesture, one with which no trace of rigidity can be detected. In the absence of conspicuous edges in its shape all throughout, the eleven-headed Kannon may be readily claimed to have been so intentionally brought to the gentlest of forms so as to align the overall look of the structure with the attribute or definition the ‘Eleven-Headed Bodhisattva of Compassion’ is. With the manner it was rendered through carving, it occurs naturally deserving of an equivalent sentiment apart form all anxieties as it effortlessly projects a n image of pure and complete tranquility. A sound critic may truthfully infer that the eleven-headed Kannon was created by an author whose hands well communicated with the mind that synergistically functioned with the heart by virtue of passion and wisdom which entailed total discernment of his work. Knowing the essence of a bodhisattva, which is substantiated in

Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Term Paper Example Corporate social responsibility on the other hand can be defined as the responsibility that a Corporation has, beyond economic and legal obligations, to act ethically and to contribute in a positive way to the good of the society (Trevino &Nelson). Corporate social responsibility requires that every business organisation contribute to the good of the society in which it operates. This paper looks at whether or not the common practice of corporations making campaign contributions in hope of political and legislative favours is in line with these three values of business organisations. In America, Politicians, especially presidential candidates are sponsored by big corporations in exchange for favourable legislations if the sponsored candidates win in the elections. The funding of the political campaigns by corporations is a controversial issue; some people are of the idea that the funding of the political campaigns by politicians is in line with the law, the ethics, and the social responsibility of business organisations, while other people are of the idea that the funding of the political campaigns by corporations is against the law, the ethics, and the social responsibility guiding business organisations. This topic is quite significant because the sponsoring of political campaigns has big influence in the American politics, i.e. without the corporations sp onsoring politicians in America, many politicians in America, especially the presidential candidates would not be able to fund their campaigns. Before we explore the controversy of the funding of political campaigns by politicians, it is important to have background information regarding this topic. On the law and the funding of the political campaigns by the corporations, it is argued that since the law recognizes business corporations as persons, the business corporations have rights to influence the political process by

DS Final Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

DS Final - Dissertation Example In the wake of such levels of debate and discussion among researchers, it is always useful to introduce a new paradigm that would serve as an alternative. Voice over internet protocol (VoIP) has been found to be a new technology that most IT projects would want to use in the provision of communication services. This is largely due to the level of reliability associated with the service output of VoIP. The study therefore took advantage to introduce a paradigm shift in medical alert systems by using VoIP instead of POTS. This was done through the development of medical software that was called VoIP medical alert system. Medical alert service is subsequently analyzed in this paper as a customized and integrated work activity, using emergency medicine as a theoretical framework. Medical alert service is regarded in the paper as an emergency response scheme that demands that medical care reach service users in emergency within the shortest timeframe. But for this to be achieved, the need to have a reliable and efficient communication system to link up to the medical alert service was necessary. Information systems theory was thus used as an activity theory to guide the development and introduction of the VoIP medical alert system at the St Theresa Hospital. ... I declare that the dissertation describes original work that has not previously been presented for the award of any other degree of any institution. Signed, your-name-here â€Å"This dissertation contains material that is confidential and/or commercially sensitive. It is included here on the understanding that this will not be revealed to any person not involved in the assessment process.† Student, Supervisors and Classes: Student name: Student ID number: GDI name: CRMT class ID: DA name: Yongge Wang CAC class ID: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A number of people played very instrumental roles in the completion of the current research. For various roles in which they supported me morally, spiritually, intellectually, and logistically, I would like to express a depth of gratitude to I would like to thank Dr.Yongge Wang (my dissertation advisor) for his support throughout this dissertation. I would like to thank my family for their continuous support and the University of Toronto. Finally, to all respondents who dedicated their time to answering interview questions during the primary data collection. LIST OF TABLES Table 6.1 Emergency Services given before and after the Intervention 47 Table 6.2 Deaths recorded before and after the Intervention 49 LIST OF FIGURES Fig. 3.1 Information Systems as an Activity 25 Fig 3.2 Decision-Making Theory Diagram 26 Fig 4.1 SSDAM Diagram 30 Fig 4.2 Simplified Data Flow Diagram 32 Fig 4.3 Business Systems Options Diagram 33 Fig 4.4 Requirements Specifications Diagram 35 Fig 5.1 Combined use of Waterfall Model and Action Research 42 TABLE OF CONTENT Chapter 1. Introduction 10 1.1 Scope 10 1.2 Problem Statement 11 1.3 Approach 12

Network and Internet Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Network and Internet Security - Essay Example This technique ensures that there is only one key which will be used – that is a secret key. Asymmetric encryption (Public key encryption) - requires the use of a two keys where one is a private key and the other is a public key which is known to a number of people. With that, these two keys (public and private keys) are used interchangeable to encrypt and decrypt messages. Hybrid encryption (single key and public key) – this technique used both the symmetric and asymmetric encryption techniques. It is important to note that, modern systems have been designed to be dynamic in terms of the encryption technique (s) that they are using. As a result; they can use both the symmetric and asymmetric encryption techniques interchangeably. Encryption by a shared secret: As the name suggests, two hosts can be in a position to exchange information through the use of a shared secret and/ or a secret key. This mechanism is characterised by the fact that the shared secret key is used to encrypt both the senders and the recipient’s messages. Based on that, this channel faces very high security risks since if the message is tapped or eavesdropped, the attacker can be in a position to use the shared secret key to either encrypt or decrypt the entire conversation. Based on that, data security is highly compromised. The other challenge faced with the shared secret key encryption is the fact that the higher the messages that are being sent on the communication channel by the hosts, their corresponding keys will also be increased. As a result, there will be too many keys being shared. Thirdly, due to the fact that it is a shared key, if the sender’s key is not known, decrypting the... Sessions keys are implemented using the following process description: If Host A, B and C want to communicate to each other; they have to set up an encrypted link among themselves. With that, if Host A wants to send an encrypted message to B and C, then A will have to provide its key that will be used by B and C in a bid to decrypt the ciphered message. This key exchange process requires the availability of a Key Distribution Centre (KDC) that is used to store the shared session keys. It is worthy to note that, this scheme totally depends on the KDC and if the KDC encounters any problems, then that will compromise on data security. With that stated, below are some of the challenges that may be faced by the KDC. First, if the KDC fails to store the session keys, then the hosts will not be in a position to encrypt and decrypt the messages. Secondly, if the number of keys grows then there is a need for a scalable KDC else it will fail to provide the keys. Thirdly, the KDC is not used fo r connection fewer protocols. Fourth, transporting the keys physically can be tedious. The above encryption techniques can be used in the following protocols and/ or products: Kerberos V4, Kerberos V5 and Secure Socket Layer (SSL). Kerberos is a network authentication protocol that is used in a bid to provide security for both the client and the server through the use of the secret-key cryptography. Kerberos also depends entirely on the KDC so as to ensure secure communication between the hosts.

Rally Round the Trade Name Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Rally Round the Trade Name - Essay Example Despite the fact that Gabby’s surname is Rally, it is not lawful for her to use it for her piazza business in the same jurisdiction as occupied by Rally motors. This is because, for one, a trade name is given under two different laws; common law and trade name registration law according to Tatum (2010). Under common law, an individual who first uses a certain trade name in a particular region for a particular purpose has exclusive rights for that name in the particular areas for that specific purpose. As a result, Gabby is not supposed to use her surname in conjunction with her business in the region. Doing this amounts to violating the law and infringing on trade name rights. According to intellectual property law, it is illegal to infringe on a trade name whether one posses the name or not. The issue of trade name protection goes beyond zones of reputation, expansion, and marketing despite being the first to be used in the region. Since Rally is linked with both pizza and motors, it is not a big conflict as it would happen if Gabby had decided to name her car dealership business as Rally Used Cars. It is unlawful for a similar business owner to possess two confusing names for his/ her business. Therefore, there is no problem with Rally’s association with pizza if only she does not use her name confusingly. This is because using this name does not imply that people might confuse pizza with cars. However, when two business uses the same trade name in a similar market region this can lead to a lot of confusion. The truth that Herman started utilizing the name Rally around forty years ago, protects him under both trade name registration law and the under the common law. He is also protected by the fact that he started using the trade name in the region first, before Gabby.

Why should we stay in Afghanistan Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why should we stay in Afghanistan - Thesis Example orted the Taliban against Soviet Union to make this world uni-polar and now with China threatening to become a super power, staying back would mean US will have more control over the region. Furthermore, Pakistan blames US involvement for the unrest in its country and China supports Pakistan’s claims and wants US to go. Whereas, India pressures NATO forces to remain in Afghanistan, to keep Pakistan engaged at the western border leaving its side to lesser happenings (Bosco, 2012). Considering Osama Bin Ladin was present in Pakistan, and was killed by American Marines in a covert operation in Abbotabad raises questions on its â€Å"ally† status with US against the war on terrorism, as it failed to provide the intel on bin Ladin. Furthermore, President Karzai’s government is incompetent and very corrupt, with an inefficient army that is unable to preserve a secure Afghanistan (Bosco, 2012). If America leaves Afghanistan in this state, there will be political unrest in the country, giving rise to a Taliban insurgency once again. This will bring back same political and security conditions before US hit Afghanistan, and will fail to accomplish what they had aimed, a safer world free of Al-Qaeda. Then there is a threat that if US were to leave Afghanistan abruptly, the resulting Taliban government will commence a mass murder, like the withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam (Woodward, 2011). It is feared that the number of civilians slaughtered by the Talibans would exceed the â€Å"killings of 2 million Cambodian civilians by Cambodia’s uncontrolled communist potentate, Pol Pot† (Austin Bay, Express-News columnist, 2012). The primary argument in favour of leaving Afghanistan is that the US got involved with Afghanistan for two purposes. Drive Taliban out of Afghanistan and end the imposing threat to world peace; secondly, dissipate Al-Qaeda networks and end terrorist threats and attacks on America. They have succeeded in achieving both (Bandow, 2012). Secondly, the

Technological Advances Essay Essay Example for Free

Technological Advances Essay Essay This essay is going to take us back to the beginning with how healers viewed the human body in historical times when little was known about the complexity of the human body. It will touch on several points of how technology in the health care system has been viewed as a blessing to some and a burden to others. This essay will also go into detail on several historical perspectives and what these advances in technology have meant for them as well as how the world views these advances. Technological Advances Essay Before there were formal physicians to care for the sick and debilitated there were healers of all shapes and sizes who looked after and treated those around them that fell ill. The complexity of the human body was not fully understood in early times like it is today. According to Douglas 2003, historically healers came in the form of priests, witch doctors, and even magicians. Depending on the religion and culture one lived in determined the exact treatment they would receive for their illness. Some cultures believed in using the earth to heal any ailments one may possess while other believed the use of a priest was necessary to ward off evil within a person causing their sickness (Douglas, 2003). The advances in medicine even up to this point have shed a great deal of light on how the human body works and have allowed for a more organized way of treating the sick. In today’s modern medical world a person acting â€Å"out of sorts† if you will, may be diagnosed with a mental health disorder like schizophrenia instead of being marked as possessed by evil and needing a priest for treatment. The knowledge that has been gained over the years through research on even one organ such as the brain allows for so much more treatment to be given to an individual suffering from a cerebral issue than was available in early times. The problem with this kind of rapid technological burst in this field lies in that other avenues are being pushed to the back burner. What is meant by that is there is a pill for everything these days based on all the research and knowledge gathered. Alternative medicines that offer a less invasive approach seem to be a road that is blocked off anymore when dealing with physicians. They have spent a great deal of time getting educated on what they know and they are not willing to risk it on something alternative. Medical imagining is a well-known and widely used technological advancement in the field of medicine as well the manufacturing and use of antibiotics. Both of these advancements can be attributed to saving a large number of people’s lives over a significant time span. The different types of medical imaging have made it possible for physicians to take a look inside the human body and see problems without doing unnecessary procedures. In the same way antibiotics have been treating infections and preventing unnecessary deaths. Of course all technology cannot be full proof and the medical society is finding that out with the overuse of antibiotics. Today the uses of these medicines are actually leading to additional diseases such as MRSA for example. MRSA stands for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus which means it is a strain of staph resistant to many antibiotics out there today. Despite how far America has come in the medical field with new knowledge and advancements in technologies there are still mixed reviews from the public as to if these are good advancement or not. If you were to ask a mother whose child was saved by a heart transplant that was impossible to perform merely fifty years ago I am sure she would be over joyed at how far America has come. However if you were to ask a mother whose child happen to be diagnosed with autism around the time of childhood vaccines she may veer in the opposite direction even though according to the CDC there is no solid proof linking the two together at this point. There will always be people on both sides of the spectrum. It is no surprise that the medical field in America is still a rapidly growing industry. The truth to whether these advancements are beneficial or harmful ultimately lie  somewhere in the middle of the spectrum and it really is individual circumstance at this point that determines how this industry is seen. References Concerns about autism (2013, March 29). In Center for disease control and prevention. Retrieved December 21, 2013 Douglas, H. E. (2003). Historical Overview:Evolution of the allied health professions. In Lecca, P. J., Valentines, P.A., and Lyons, K. J. (Ed). Allied health: practice issues and trends in the new millennium. New York: The Hawthorne Press. First human heart transplant (1996-2013). In History. Retrieved December 22, 2013 Levine, N. (2012, April 18). Understanding MRSA infection. In WebMD. Retrieved December 20, 2013

Mary Shellys Frankenstein Essay Example for Free

Mary Shellys Frankenstein Essay The director has made it clear to the audience that the film will be about life and death by having a statue of Jesus almost toppling over, next to a large figure of the grim reaper representing death. When Frankenstein is digging the grave up, he throws dirt over the statue, perhaps representing how he has no respect for death. The props and costumes are used reflect the setting and atmosphere. Dr. Frankensteins clothes differ from the rest of the cast, wearing a cravat and white shirt; the director may have done this to represent his higher status in society, compared to the mourners or Frankensteins hunchback assistant. In Branaghs film the costumes are all very similar, they play no major part in the first four minutes studied. However they help to keep in with the mono colour of the ice and pale faces. These bland colours create a stark and dramatic contrast to the bright red blood which comes on screen when the monsters hand dramatically appears. The make up worn by the characters in Whales film is heavy, pronounced and very theatrical; designed so that people in the theatre could see the faces from far away, but on camera it looks exaggerated and over the top. Branagh has used make-up subtly and realistically, creating red cheeks to show cold conditions alongside messy hair and unshaven faces to represent the length of time since the characters have been near civilization. Whales theatrical past suggests why all the facial expressions and movements are prominent and exaggerated. Although Branagh also has a distinguished history in theatre, Whale was working in the beginnings of Hollywood when cinema was portrayed much like theatre on screen. In the first close ups of Fritz and Frankenstein they are both wide-eyed which connotes stereotypical mad scientists and both characters creep around the graveyard with dramatic stage whispers. The facial expressions and emotions in Branaghs Frankenstein are far less obvious and it is due to this fact that there is a lot more change in emotion over a short space of time. During a few minutes, the expressions of one character changed from fear, to pride, to concentration and then anger. This emotion change is slightly exaggerated to let the audience engage and empathize with the characters. One way that Branagh lets the audience use their imagination is by his use of positioning within the frame. Most shots are very closely cropped to the faces so that we can see expressions clearly. However, when the monster was killing the dogs, Branagh cleverly clipped the shots so that the suspense could be continued and prolonged. This method of positioning is a big contrast to Whales. Most of the shots in his version are mid or long and there are very few point-of-view or close ups. This is partly due to the lack of technology and experience. Branagh may have used more adventurous and interesting angles but he has had 60 years of Hollywood to look back on; Whale was at a huge disadvantage in this respect and this should of course be considered when deciding who is the better director. Whale did try and be adventurous in some respects: he used an effective high angle shot towards the end of the four minutes, it showed Fritz and Frankenstein walking towards the gallows, which heightened the feeling of a change of setting, and it clearly showed the rocky landscape, which also increased the sense of fear. Whale has placed the characters so that they were very central within the frame. The camera sticks to the action and follows it, much like if one were watching a play, a method most probably influenced by Whales history in theatrical directing. Branaghs editing is a great deal faster than Whales so this gives him more scope to change the camera angles. However, the reason for this difference in speed could be down to the settings of the expositions, not effectiveness of directing. Branaghs film begins in a chaotic storm with lots of action, whereas Whale tries to connote sense of fear and slow eeriness. Branagh tries to create an emotional impact and takes it for granted that the audience will understand and follow the action, whereas Whales style is more conventional and his editing is used for practical purposes and to see the setting and to follow the action. As an audience in the 20 and 21st century, we are so used to the conventional shock tactics, that we fail to take into account their effect in older films, such as Whales Frankenstein. Although aspects of Whales production may seem dated to todays audience, theres an atmosphere present that would be hard to re-create, even with technological advances. Kenneth Branaghs Frankenstein, for all its use of modern technology, lacks the atmospheric build up that Whales seems to have. Whales film is more like the nineteenth century novel; his style suits the slow unveiling of narrative, as in the book, whereas Branagh conveys a sense of action and fast moving suspense to satisfy the ever-demanding audience. The fast moving action means that Branagh has not had a chance to build up a sense of fear; everything is over dramatized and with a very fast pace. Although Branagh has indeed created an atmospheric build up, using all the modern technology available, James Whales Frankenstein has stood the test of time and, although it was directed 63 years before Branaghs, has used the most effective techniques available to build up an atmosphere of tension and fear. If an audience of today find Whales directing more or equally effective than Branaghs then imagine how well it would have worked on audiences unaccustomed to this level of horror within a film. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mary Shelley section.