The Role of Alan Turing in the History of Computing

The role of Alan Turing in the history of computing Alan Mathison Turing was born on 23 June 1912, Paddington, London. He was a true pioneer in computer science and if it were not for this man, no one would probably be typing an essay based on him on a modern computer. He is renowned for his passion of mathematics and the invention of the Turing machine/test, breaking the German enigma code during World War One, and for making the first automated computing machine (the ACE).At an early age he was sent to preparatory school by his parents, he attended these until enrolling at Sherbourne in 1926. His teachers there were surprised to find him working through the long way for the answers to questions, after Sherbourne Turing enrolled at King’s College where he became a mathematics scholar in 1931 where he began his studies in maths and logistics. He was elected at King’s and won the Smith’s award in 1936 for a paper he wrote on the â€Å"Gaussian error function†, this is when he began work to develop The Turing Machine. Copeland, 2004) But later in 1936 he moved to the United States to study at Princeton for two years where he studied the theory of computation and in 1937 presented a paper called â€Å"On computable numbers, with an application to the â€Å"Entscheidungs problem† and soon to challenge David Hilbert’s three questions put forward to the best of the mathematical minds, which were; Was maths complete? Was maths constant? , was maths decidable? (Hodges, 1992; Copeland 2004).Though his work on the Entscheidungs problem he began working on to define what a method was, and through that he came up with the Turing machine theory which can be said to be a mechanical process that was able to perform all the operations a person working with a logical system would be able to perform this theory compares human thought processes to that of a machine, which in the Turing machine theory are categorized as terms of inputs, o utputs and machine states.The Turing machine is a simple computer. It’s limited to a logical set of instructions by reading and writing symbols on a tape and moving the tape one step to the left or right and then look at what’s written in the resulting square, each symbol had a specific way to be turned into a new symbol e. g. if the symbol is a â€Å"0† move it two spaces right and turn it into a â€Å"1†. So a algorithm for a calculation the list of instructions are quite long, but the complexity of instructions are very short.The Turing Machine at the time was the only one designed to perform multiple tasks and functions. Turing’s vision was what we currently use today as a modern computer (Copeland, 2012). Soon after this period World War two began and the Polish were bracing themselves from an invasion from the Germans, When Polish mathematician Marian Rejewski attempted to break the German enigma machine which is a mechanical ciphering machin e which had the purpose of a message only being read and understood by the receiver.Marian made the polish bomby which works like a combination of many enigma machines e. g. if SAW stood for GJK then both would be put in the bomby and every possible combination would be sorted through and would stop when a possible match was found, this worked well until 1938 when Germany added two more rotors to the Enigma (Schmidl, 1998), sadly the Polish had to leave Poland and forced to team up with the English and French and this where Alan Turing’s true genius was put into application and saved hundreds and thousands of lives.Turing then put the Polish’s efforts into action, the British had a lot more resources which consisted of about ten thousand people working on the encoding of the Enigma, Turing created The Turing Bombe which was a lot more efficient than the bomby and it differed in the way that instead of trying to rely on a certain indicator decode a certain message sent, it went after the specific message using word probability.Once the message was solved a ’menu’ was put on the bombe and was then put in its proper setting, was given information and let it run until it matched with the rotors, Three to Seven months later a set of three rotors were place in the scrambler unit, this made the processing a lot faster as the scrambler unit made the current go from the fast, medium then the slow rotor.Eventually the codes made by the Germans became clearer and they lost their advantage in World War two, and the U boats who were sinking the supply ships from America and Canada to Great Britain, could not locate the supply ships for the first 23 days of June 1941 (Kozaczuk, 1984). After World war two Turing went to work for the National Physical Laboratory in 1945 where he made the first plan for the first Automated Computing Machine for the Association for Computing Engineering (the ACE). Unfortunately the ACE was never completed as he moved to the University of Manchester to develop an even more advanced computing machine (MADAM).With all of Turing’s work he had proved David Hilbert wrong with all three questions with the fact that a certain class of mathematical problems which could not be solved by automatic machines and had introduced the concept of a single theoretical universal computing machine, which of course is now known as the Turing Machine. In 1947 he tried to find out if there was any relationship with computers and nature and Turing was certain that by about the year 2050 that a thinking machine would mimic the thoughts of a human and it was in 1949 he published a paper called â€Å"intelligent machines† (Copeland, 2005)Alan Turing passed away on 7 June 1954, he was found in his bed with an half eaten apple beside his bed, which was apparently dipped in cyanide on purpose by himself so he could commit suicide as he was supposedly depressed after being found guilty of homosexuality by the Br itish courts. But there is little evidence to support this theory of Turing committing suicide (Pease, 2012). Bibliography Schmidl, H. , (1998) On Enigma and a Method for its Decryption http://www. cs. miami. edu/~harald/enigma/index. html Kozaczuk, W. (1984), Enigma: How the German Machine Cipher Was Broken, and How It Was Read by the Allies in World War Two, (2nd ed. ), Frederick, Maryland: University Publications of America. Hodges, A. , (1992), Alan Turing: the enigma, London: Burnett Books. P. 26-34. Copeland, B. J. , (2004) The Essential Turing. Oxford: Oxford University Press Pease, R. , Alan Turing: Inquest's suicide verdict ‘not supportable' (June 26,2012). , BBC News, science and environment. Copeland, B. J. , Alan Turing. net, the Turing archive for the history of computing (2012). The Role of Alan Turing in the History of Computing The role of Alan Turing in the history of computing Alan Mathison Turing was born on 23 June 1912, Paddington, London. He was a true pioneer in computer science and if it were not for this man, no one would probably be typing an essay based on him on a modern computer. He is renowned for his passion of mathematics and the invention of the Turing machine/test, breaking the German enigma code during World War One, and for making the first automated computing machine (the ACE).At an early age he was sent to preparatory school by his parents, he attended these until enrolling at Sherbourne in 1926. His teachers there were surprised to find him working through the long way for the answers to questions, after Sherbourne Turing enrolled at King’s College where he became a mathematics scholar in 1931 where he began his studies in maths and logistics. He was elected at King’s and won the Smith’s award in 1936 for a paper he wrote on the â€Å"Gaussian error function†, this is when he began work to develop The Turing Machine. Copeland, 2004) But later in 1936 he moved to the United States to study at Princeton for two years where he studied the theory of computation and in 1937 presented a paper called â€Å"On computable numbers, with an application to the â€Å"Entscheidungs problem† and soon to challenge David Hilbert’s three questions put forward to the best of the mathematical minds, which were; Was maths complete? Was maths constant? , was maths decidable? (Hodges, 1992; Copeland 2004).Though his work on the Entscheidungs problem he began working on to define what a method was, and through that he came up with the Turing machine theory which can be said to be a mechanical process that was able to perform all the operations a person working with a logical system would be able to perform this theory compares human thought processes to that of a machine, which in the Turing machine theory are categorized as terms of inputs, o utputs and machine states.The Turing machine is a simple computer. It’s limited to a logical set of instructions by reading and writing symbols on a tape and moving the tape one step to the left or right and then look at what’s written in the resulting square, each symbol had a specific way to be turned into a new symbol e. g. if the symbol is a â€Å"0† move it two spaces right and turn it into a â€Å"1†. So a algorithm for a calculation the list of instructions are quite long, but the complexity of instructions are very short.The Turing Machine at the time was the only one designed to perform multiple tasks and functions. Turing’s vision was what we currently use today as a modern computer (Copeland, 2012). Soon after this period World War two began and the Polish were bracing themselves from an invasion from the Germans, When Polish mathematician Marian Rejewski attempted to break the German enigma machine which is a mechanical ciphering machin e which had the purpose of a message only being read and understood by the receiver.Marian made the polish bomby which works like a combination of many enigma machines e. g. if SAW stood for GJK then both would be put in the bomby and every possible combination would be sorted through and would stop when a possible match was found, this worked well until 1938 when Germany added two more rotors to the Enigma (Schmidl, 1998), sadly the Polish had to leave Poland and forced to team up with the English and French and this where Alan Turing’s true genius was put into application and saved hundreds and thousands of lives.Turing then put the Polish’s efforts into action, the British had a lot more resources which consisted of about ten thousand people working on the encoding of the Enigma, Turing created The Turing Bombe which was a lot more efficient than the bomby and it differed in the way that instead of trying to rely on a certain indicator decode a certain message sent, it went after the specific message using word probability.Once the message was solved a ’menu’ was put on the bombe and was then put in its proper setting, was given information and let it run until it matched with the rotors, Three to Seven months later a set of three rotors were place in the scrambler unit, this made the processing a lot faster as the scrambler unit made the current go from the fast, medium then the slow rotor.Eventually the codes made by the Germans became clearer and they lost their advantage in World War two, and the U boats who were sinking the supply ships from America and Canada to Great Britain, could not locate the supply ships for the first 23 days of June 1941 (Kozaczuk, 1984). After World war two Turing went to work for the National Physical Laboratory in 1945 where he made the first plan for the first Automated Computing Machine for the Association for Computing Engineering (the ACE). Unfortunately the ACE was never completed as he moved to the University of Manchester to develop an even more advanced computing machine (MADAM).With all of Turing’s work he had proved David Hilbert wrong with all three questions with the fact that a certain class of mathematical problems which could not be solved by automatic machines and had introduced the concept of a single theoretical universal computing machine, which of course is now known as the Turing Machine. In 1947 he tried to find out if there was any relationship with computers and nature and Turing was certain that by about the year 2050 that a thinking machine would mimic the thoughts of a human and it was in 1949 he published a paper called â€Å"intelligent machines† (Copeland, 2005)Alan Turing passed away on 7 June 1954, he was found in his bed with an half eaten apple beside his bed, which was apparently dipped in cyanide on purpose by himself so he could commit suicide as he was supposedly depressed after being found guilty of homosexuality by the Br itish courts. But there is little evidence to support this theory of Turing committing suicide (Pease, 2012). Bibliography Schmidl, H. , (1998) On Enigma and a Method for its Decryption http://www. cs. miami. edu/~harald/enigma/index. html Kozaczuk, W. (1984), Enigma: How the German Machine Cipher Was Broken, and How It Was Read by the Allies in World War Two, (2nd ed. ), Frederick, Maryland: University Publications of America. Hodges, A. , (1992), Alan Turing: the enigma, London: Burnett Books. P. 26-34. Copeland, B. J. , (2004) The Essential Turing. Oxford: Oxford University Press Pease, R. , Alan Turing: Inquest's suicide verdict ‘not supportable' (June 26,2012). , BBC News, science and environment. Copeland, B. J. , Alan Turing. net, the Turing archive for the history of computing (2012).

How to establish the communication Essay

Everyone has different needs and styles in which they communicate. There are also many different ways in which we may establish these communication needs, wishes and preferences. A good way to begin to understand a patient’s needs, wishes and preferences is to read their notes and history’s to see if this contains any relevant information. For example, if I read that a patient has hearing problems, I would then know to make sure that I speak to the patient clearly and slowly and look at them so they can read my lips. Other ways to establish communication needs, wishes and preferences is by interacting with the patient and through conversation I learn how to best communicate with the patient. It is also important to remember to be clear and concise in all forms of communication, especially when working with people with learning disabilities, where they might get confused if I speak too quickly or use too complex language. It may benefit, if this is the case, to use your body language to help explain what you are trying to say and to emphasise the tone of the conversation. Also, pictures can be used to help the patient and myself understand. For example, one of my patients uses cards that display what emotions they are feeling, they will use these to communicate how they are feeling. In the past, I have worked with a patient who is deaf. For me to establish what her needs were, I first spoke to the nurse in charge and they informed me she was deaf, however, could sign or write things down. As I could not sign, our preferred form of communication was writing, which after spending time together worked quite well.

Popular Opinion of Under a Cruel Star

Popular Opinion of a Cruel Star Heda Margolius Kovaly was a woman who during her time in Czechoslovakia lived through many harsh periods for not only the country, but people of Jewish heritage as well. Her memoir Under a Cruel Star tells her story of hardship from 1941 to 1968. In this memoir she explains her time in Auschwitz, her escape, as well as life in Communist Czechoslovakia, concentrating more on the hardships of Czechoslovakia after World War II.While Kovaly’s memoir depicts the suffering of the Czechoslovakian people as well as the Slansky trials, which her first husband was a victim of, she never really touches upon the fact that many of the people tried, convicted, and killed were of Jewish decent. However, an article entitled â€Å"A ‘Polyphony of Voices’? Czech Popular Opinion and the Slansky Affair,† by Kevin McDermott depicts the suffering of the Czech people as well as the trials in a completely different manner, addressing the anti-Semiti c actions of the Czechoslovakian government under the rule of Joseph Stalin and the influence that followed his death.Both the memoir and the article explain the Slansky Trial, each with a different view. In Kovaly’s memoir her husband was one of the Jewish KSC leaders which were tried during that time. It is explained in text that her husband had no connection to Richard Slansky, but it left him questioning the years of devotion he made to the communist government. While the Kovaly perspective shows an outsiders view of what was happening to Slansky McDermott’s article explains why and how Slansky was brought to trial.The article explains how Slansky was a very powerful leader in the KSC party, â€Å"he was effectively second in command to Gottwald, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party machine and co-responsible for formulating policy and strategic direction†¦ He was a member of the party’s top decision-making- bodies. † Stalin sent a letter to Gottwald stating that he had â€Å"committed a number of errors† in promoting leading personnel which has caused a threat to the party and the people and advised him to remove Slansky. This could have been caused through a change in geopolitical support In the Middle East.This could infer that Stalin’s increasing anti-Semitic tendencies impacted Czechoslovakia. Other than the fact that both Kovaly and Slansky were Jewish another reason for their demise was their different view on the communist ideal. When Heda tries to beg her husband to leave his government position he responds by saying â€Å"if all the decent people leave now, things will get worse. † Leaders like Slansky and Kovaly believed in the communist party actually as one for the people, they did not take huge bribes or look out for only themselves.They worked to do good for the party and the people. However, the Czech economy was failing, there was widespread social discontent and with tha t brought demonstrations and strikes. â€Å"Workers universally cursed the fact that everything is dear and wages are low†¦ A year ago salami cost 8 crowns and today it’s 28 crowns. † The government needed a scapegoat and Slansky (mainly him) as well as many Jewish officials were the perfect people to blame. Vzpominky Goldstucker actually spoke about Slansky saying â€Å"†¦He was cleverer than all the others so they had to get rid of him. †When the arrest of Kovaly’s husband took place and her friends and family found out, people purposefully avoided her and severed all contact with her. The government had effectively influenced people to fear going against them by staging arrests and trials such as Kovaly’s husband. A lot of what Kovaly writes in her memoir shows her being ostracized by society. Her husband’s arrest was one of those times. She wrote that people would spit at her and other people who were like her were stoned. At t his point in her memoir she doesn’t mention any anti-Semitic acts, only the ostracized effect that came with her â€Å"traitorous† husband’s arrest.When the trials began Heda was hospitalized due to her being sick of sleep deprivation, malnutrition, and stress, while she was in the hospital she heard her husband present a statement on the radio. Hearing his â€Å"flat and halting† voice leads her to believe that he is repeating a written statement which he was forced to memorize. Both Kovaly and McDermott touch on this subject of torture and forced statements. McDermott writes that the conduct of the court hearings came under criticism among citizens. Some people are saying that they have the impression that the trial is a show rehearsed in advance†¦ because the accused reply so fluently as if they are reading their statement. † Slansky was forced to do the same thing. He originally apologized for allowing some wrong people to make it through t he government ladder, but denied ever being traitorous, that was until the secret police began to interrogate him. They used a series of â€Å"physical and psychological pressures bordering on torture† which finally influence him to confess his â€Å"guilt†.While both Kovaly and McDermott addressed the torture that some of the prisoners received to influence their confession, Heda addressed a personal experience focusing only on her husband while McDermott’s article addresses several sources as well as explained deeper detail why the torture was used. With the regime change it was written that â€Å"The Death of Stalin Means Death to Communists. † The regime changed in 1956 and Kovaly writes that Nikita Kruschev gains power and criticizes Stalin’s reign. Quickly satellite nations begin releasing prisoners and declare them to be rehabilitated.The party even admitted that confessions were forced through torture, drugs, and psychological manipulation. The article does defend these points which Kovaly is making as well as takes it one step further by explaining some of the signs citizens were apparently posting in the towns. Even though Stalin was dead his anti-Semitic influence was not. An example would be an inscription found on the ground floor of a residential block which read â€Å"DEATH TO THE JEWISH TRAITORS-TO JEWS, GOTWALD AND THE JOINT- WE WANT A NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. † Although not mentioned by Heda Kovaly, hatred towards Jewish people was still present after Stalin’s death.People were influenced to believe that it was Jewish leaders fault for the hurt economy which is why many jokes, comments, and almost fighting broke out. Although the extreme hatred towards Jewish people was un-intentionally publicly created it grew to something that the government could almost not control. While Kovaly’s memoir depicts the suffering of the Czechoslovakian people as well as the Slansky trials, which her first hus band was a victim of, she never really touches upon the fact that many of the people tried, convicted, and killed were of Jewish decent.However, Kevin McDermott depicts the suffering of the Czech people as well as the trials in a completely different manner, addressing the anti-Semitic actions of the Czechoslovakian government under the rule of Joseph Stalin and the influence that followed his death. This difference in historical focus during the same time period happens because Kovaly is writing on personal experience while McDermott is not. His research however does allow weight to be brought to the experiences which Kovaly is writing by showing detail which she is missing.Still, Kovaly’s work does lack the reference of anti-Semitic acts which were extremely present during that time and continuously present in the article. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. McDermott, Kevin. â€Å" , â€Å"A ‘Polyphony of Voices’? Czech Popular Opinion and the Slansky Affair,†. †Ã‚  Slavic Review. 67. no. 4 (2008): 840-865. (846) [ 2 ]. McDermott 847 [ 3 ]. McDermott 847 [ 4 ]. Kovaly, Heda. Under a Cruel Star: A Life in Prague 1941-1968. Cambridge, MA: Plunkett Lake, 1986. Print. (101) [ 5 ]. McDermott, Kevin. , â€Å"A ‘Polyphony of Voices’? Czech Popular Opinion and the Slansky Affair,†. †Ã‚  Slavic Review. 67. no. 4 (2008): 840-865. [ 6 ]. McDermott 859 [ 7 ]. Kovaly 150 [ 8 ]. Kovaly, Heda. Under a Cruel Star: A Life in Prague 1941-1968. Cambridge, MA: Plunkett Lake, 1986. Print. 170 [ 9 ]. McDermott 852 [ 10 ]. McDermott 856/857 [ 11 ]. McDermott, Kevin. â€Å", â€Å"A ‘Polyphony of Voices’? Czech Popular Opinion and the Slansky Affair,†. †Ã‚  Slavic Review. 67. no. 4 (2008): 840-865. 849 [ 12 ]. McDermott 859 [ 13 ]. McDermott 859

Phase3 DB International Business Disputes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Phase3 DB International Business Disputes - Essay Example This assignment provides a compressive discussion on the consequences that a business would face for operating within states that have not agreed with the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. It also gives detailed information on whether a business should or should not engage in business with nations that have not conformed to the requirements of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. One of the major consequences for transacting business with states that have not conformed to the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods is that only the contract laws of such nations will apply (Ferrari, 2012). This implies that an enterprise that wishes to engage in such business in capable to inadequate treatments in accordance with the laws of the state that has not agreed with the terms of the CISG. The contract law of such a nation may not be accommodative to foreign businesses. It is for this reason that such nations may be weaker in ensuring that the contractual balance between foreign and indigenous businesses is maintained. Businesses that wish to operate within states that have not agreed with the terms and conditions of the CISG may have to face importation or exportation restrictions according to the governing laws. It is important to note that different nations have different laws governing the importation and exportation of certain goods. However, the CISG standardizes the importation and exportation of goods across borders. Therefore, a business that wishes to transact business with states that have failed to embrace this international law may have to face the restriction of the importation or exportation of certain goods. According to article 68 of the CISG, the risk of damage of goods is passed to the buyer once the goods have been delivered. However, an enterprise engaging in business

Environmental Issues that Impact the Western United States Research Paper - 1

Environmental Issues that Impact the Western United States - Research Paper Example The fertilizers, chemicals and pesticides used to improve the agricultural yields, are polluting the soil and water. The Western United States is a region which is facing big environmental problems as a result of visionless industrial and agricultural policies. This paper briefly analyses the environmental problems of Western America and provides some recommendations to overcome it. Mining is one of the major activities which cause severe environmental problems in Western America. Mining started in America in the nineteenth century and western America is a region which is blessed with precious metals like gold and minerals. The gold rush in the nineteenth century resulted in the construction of rail, roads and other transportation means and many of the natural forests were destroyed. Some of the cities like Denver and Sacramento evolved as mining towns during this period. Contamination of soil and water, erosion, destruction of biodiversity etc were the outcomes of gold rush or mining. Mining is a process which requires the use of a lot of chemicals to purify the metals and minerals mined out of the soil. These chemicals often pollute the soil and water. A scoping study conducted by the Western Governors Association Mine Waste Task Force (1) collected the following statistics on inactive and abandoned mines (IAMs) by state: Arizona -- 80,000 IAM sites covering 136,653 acres, pollution 200 miles of surface waterways. California -- 2,484 IAM sites, 1,685 mine openings, and 578 miles of polluted streams. Colorado -- 20,299 mine openings and 1,298 miles of affected streams. Idaho -- 27,543 acres affected by IAMs. Missouri -- 7,655 IAM sites covering 48,175 acres, with 109 miles of affected streams. Montana -- 20,000 IAM sites covering 153,800 acres, with 1,118 miles of stream damage. New Mexico -- 25,320 acres and 69 miles of stream affected by IAMs.  Oklahoma -- 26,453 acres affected by IAMs. Utah -- 25,020 acres affected by IAMs, with 83 miles of polluted streams.  

How successful has the Australian Government and the Reserve Bank of Essay

How successful has the Australian Government and the Reserve Bank of Australia been in running the Australian economy over the l - Essay Example Trade policy in Australia supports open trade as well introduction of Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations which promoted economic growth for 17 consecutive years just before the global financial crisis. This writing analyses the degree of success that the Australian Government and the Reserve Bank of Australia been in running the Australian economy over the last two years. Australia’s economy is believed to have performed successfully in the recent years due to policies and strategies that the government and the Reserve Bank of Australia have made. Although there have been challenges and some sort of inconsistency in the economic growth for the last two years, the government has done tremendous things to boost the economy. According to Greber (2013, n.p), the Australian government has attempted to curb debt but the budgetary position has not fared on very well in the last few years leading to higher deficits and high level of unemployment. Additionally, there has bee n a reduction of revenue accompanied with increase in expenditure, which has greatly strained Australia’s budget for the last two years. However, the budget deficit was lower than the Europe’s making Australia to be in a somehow better situation compared to the region. Australia’s credit rating is currently AAA but the credit rating agencies have received strong criticism since the 2008 financial crisis. The agencies could not detect the jumble financial products that led to eventual fall of various financial institutions thus raising lots of questions regarding reliability of credit ratings. It is therefore apparent that dynamics of microeconomic indicators be used in determining the strength of Australian economy. On the other hand, Australia is one of the largest capitalist economies in the world and in 2011; it was position 13 in terms of national economy. The economy is dominated by service sector which makes up a bigger percentage of the GDP although econo mic growth mostly depends on the mining sector. According to Australian Government (2013), the government has somehow enhanced economic freedom thus making her economy the most free in 2013 index. The free economy has been consistent for the last two years especially freedom from corruption and business freedom. The government’s commitment to economic freedom as well as openness to investment and global trade has made Australia to rebound so quick from the global recession. This is actually plausible because most countries have not been able to recover from the crisis. Unfortunately, the government has not done much in terms of labor and poor management of expenditure. According to Thirlwell (2013, n.p), government and the Reserve Bank of Australia have ensured stabilized fiscal and monetary policies thus allowing banks to withstand the global financial crisis. In addition, public finances have somehow been managed well thus reducing the national debt compared to other econom ies. The government has created a stable and transparent climate for doing business making it one of the most steadfast and appealing place for entrepreneurs. There is also an independent judicial system, which has ensured protection of property rights and further allows easier and reliable enforcement of contracts. There is a tradition of clean and fair government that has smoothly worked for the last two years thus reducing bribery of public officials. Moreover, Australian government has boosted and attracted investors

Paul's Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Paul's Case - Essay Example Indeed, many a times, the cheerful exterior hides the treacherous thoughts and conflicts that could lead to dangerous outcome. Cather’s characterization of Paul as a deviant personality is highly intriguing. It raises pertinent questions of adjustment of the same within the parameters of social controls like family institution and educational institutes. Paul’s disdain towards these social institutions is serious in its content. The main reason being the authorities fail to understand the reasons behind his continued misdemeanors. Despite the threats of expulsion from the school, Paul exhibits a careful indifference for the rules. When he is called to the Principal’s office for explanation, all the teachers come together against him. Indeed, Cather’s observation that the stoic demeanor of Paul forces the teachers to be ‘humiliated to have felt so vindictive toward a mere boy’. The author’s portrayal of Paul encompasses diverse human emotions that are difficult to understand by the people, especially by his teachers. Indeed, the inability to reform a ‘mere boy’ is not only frustrating for the teachers but it also shows a decisive lack of will to understand the complex nature of Paul. Paul’s relationship with his father and sister is also not very cordial. The confined environment of his home and conservative attitude of his father are shown as major issues. Through Paul’s story, the author is probably trying to show how the society tries to manipulate the characters of the young people and suppress their natural inclinations. Paul is hugely attracted to the imagery lives of artists. he portrays the surrealist of the character through his role of ‘usher of the theatre’ where he imagines himself in the company of the artists and celebrities. Interestingly his make believe world becomes his only medium of being happy. When Paul’s lies and deceit are revealed, he is taken out of the school. But Paul, as the

Legislative Brief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Legislative Brief - Essay Example The government needs to take a number of drastic steps in the coming years in order to reduce our dependence on hydrocarbons, plus change the culture of America to make it generally more green. Only then will we turn back the clock on our environmental problems. The world’s climate is changing and the consequences are far reaching. When examining this important issue we must be sure to have our facts straight. Even before looking at the consequences and possible solutions, it is necessary to determine what is causing this phenomenon. Some people say climate change is part of a natural process which happens every few centuries and which caused the ice age and other periods in Earth’s history in which the temperature was different. This might be true. But many scientists believe that human beings cause global warming (Coren). They say it is caused by the huge amount of cars we drive on our roads and by our coal plants and our thousands of factories. These people say we have simply not been good stewards of the Earth and are now responsible for the fact that the surface of the planet seems to be warming because of trapped gases. Our fossil fuel use is the main reason those gases are present. Every time we drive a car to school or work, use electricity, or heat our houses, we are releasing carbon dioxide into the air and making our planet hotter. Another important source of greenhouse gases is caused by deforestation, mainly in the Amazon. There is a lot of money to be made in cutting down trees and planting land for animals to use so the animals can be made into hamburgers at the end of the day. Cattle itself is said by some people to be in part responsible for increasing the amount of methane in the atmosphere (Flannery, 201). So much of what we do to stay alive and to make money appears to be hurting our planet, according to scientists who are increasingly vocal about this important

Roles and Responsibilities of Nurses Research Paper

Roles and Responsibilities of Nurses - Research Paper Example If the nurse fails to observe her duty with sincerity, it would become very difficult for the doctors to perform their jobs. A professional nurse must be competent enough to meet the standards defined by clinics and hospitals and must have proper education regarding the field (Blais, 2006). A professional nurse must reflect professionalism from her attitude and behavior towards the assigned responsibilities. It is of extreme importance that the nurses are sincere to their job and duties because they have got many lives at stake (Child & Institute of Medicine (U.S.), 2004). Nursing has been stereotyped with many other characters and professions. It is a general conception that nurses are only female and if male nurses are seen in the profession, they are generally resembled to female and are considered gay. Male nurses are usually not treated with the same respect that they deserve. It is a common belief that the people who adopt nursing are dropouts from universities and are failures (S. Summers & H. Summers, 2009). It is also considered that students who are weak in their studies and are not interested in studying are sent to study nursing. It is also considered that the nurses are working for the doctor, whereas actually they work under the doctor’s guidance and have the responsibility to update the doctor. In reality nurses are figures of sincere devotion, care, patience and strength. The strength, sincerity, feeling of care, love for the people and selflessness are some attributes that should be present in a nurse (Chitty & Black, 2011). The nurse plays a major role in curing the patient by providing the patient with psychological support and reviving the patients who have lost hope to recover. It is one of the major roles played by a nurse, which is generally not known by the people. Oftentimes a nurse can do what doctors cannot. Doctors can only treat the patient with medicines, but the psychological support can only be given by the nurse, and that plays a major role in curing the patient. A nurse also plays a role of a teacher. She helps the patient to get to know about their health condition in detail. This role is not known by many people in general either (Guine?e, 1970). My role model in nursing is Callista Roy. She is a complete woman and an outstanding nurse who has strived to serve the patients with all her heart and soul. Her views and concepts regarding this profession are very unique and practical. It is a general misconception that nurses have a very easy job as they just follow the doctor’s order. Nurses are responsible for doing much more than that. They have the responsibility to support the patient throughout his recovery process, remain attentive and alert during their entire working time in order to take timely actions which could otherwise lead to serious consequences. Their sincere duty can save lives while on the other hand, any mishandling or irresponsibility can lead to death of patients concerne d. They are obliged to remain aware of the patient’s conditions more than a doctor and update the doctors regularly (Blais, 2006). It is the core responsibility of a nurse to treat patients without any discrimination of cast, color or creed. A nurse must see each patient as a suffering human only and nothing other than that (Allen, 2001). A nurse

Tapit Wordlwide Professional Job Search System Essay

Tapit Wordlwide Professional Job Search System - Essay Example In fact, most of the online recruitment forms receive the information online. But, it has been seen that the information has not been used in a discreet manner. There has been a lot of leakage of the information to various sources. This has led to tremendous loss for the applicants. The consumers cannot be sure about the privacy of the supplied information. It has been observed that there have been a lot of instances of spamming in a number of areas. This has led to the blocking of the inbox by unwanted mails. There have been question marks over the credibility of the website over the data being supplied from multiple sources. So, the customers have not been provided with the necessary information about the legitimate job openings. There are instances in this case where the filled in jobs have not been removed from list of available jobs. This leads to a lot of instances to a lead that had not been active, but was still showing on the job boards. This was against the promise of the company that it was posting fresh jobs. It also created unnecessary problems for the job seekers by providing them with unnecessary type of information. It was also against the promises of the company. This was the factors that led to the negation of promises made by the company about the type of services being provided. Tapit Professional Worldwide job search system allows the upload of any resumes by the users. This leads to a two pronged problem. First, the users do not get access to the specified kind of jobs. Secondly, there is a lack of understanding of the proper kind of the applicants. There is also an issue being faced by the companies that had uploaded the requirements. It ends to overload the number of applications, leading to a number of false applications for any job. This also creates problems for the companies that have done the postings. So, it can be seen that Tapit Worldwide Professional Job

Avoiding Future Frauds with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act Essay Example for Free

Avoiding Future Frauds with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act Essay It is clear that the establishment of the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) act in 2002 was specific to reducing future financial fraud and imposing criminal penalties for publicly traded companies. What is not clear is whether or not the act has proved to be successful in its implementation and governance. The establishment of the act and subsequent amendments are intended to protect the public from fraud in the financial accounting of publicly traded corporations. In 2002, there were opinions both for and against the effectiveness of SOX. More than a decade later, there are still opinions on both sides of the debate. Criticism of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act The effectiveness of the Sarbanes-Oxley act has been highly criticized since its inception. One of the major contentions is that the Sarbanes-Oxley act has no provisions to differentiate the requirements for small publicly traded businesses from large conglomerates (that lead and often monopolize the marketplace). Publicly traded companies that are small in size may find the costs of compliance prohibitive to the future of their business (Coustan, 2004). Critics of SOX believe that this unnecessarily reduces the number of players in a competitive marketplace. The cost of compliance can be excessive for some smaller companies. Auditing expenses cause companies to seek private investment and become privately owned (San Antonio Express-News, 2007). Ten years ago, critics expressed â€Å"fears that small, publicly listed companies might not meet internal control reporting requirements without substantial additional expense; some may have to delist because of it. It could mean only larger companies will go public† (Coustan, 2004, p. 1). In recent years, this debate continues. Critics still express concerns â€Å"that Sarbanes-Oxley is overreaching and has placed unnecessary  restrictions on corporations that have and will continue to unduly inhibit corporate performance until they are removed† (Brite, 2013). Another major contention of critics is that the costs of compliance for outweigh the benefits in an international marketplace. Those against SOX feel that the costs outweigh the benefits and speak out in public forums stating that the â€Å"Sarbanes-Oxley has burdened the US financial market with costly rules and regulations that have reduced international competitiveness† (debate.org, 2014). There are those that openly share the opinion that the implementations of regulatory overkill through the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley act â€Å"wrongfully make the innocent suffer for the guilty† (Gilmore, 2013). The reporting requirements of SOX are specific to businesses in the United States. Unlike American business, international business does not have the same requirements. â€Å"Regulatory compliance opposes economic costs on organizations and can affect their competitive advantage† (Srinivasan, 2014, p. 44). Increasing the cost for American business decreases competitive advantage in the worldwide marketplace. In addition to cost and competitive advantage, the structure of the bill has also been called into question. The Court of Appeals recently found difficulty with the wording of the amended 18 USC, citing that â€Å"paragraph (b) of the statute includes the word â€Å"knowingly† while paragraph (c) does not† (Bishop, 2013). The opinions of the Court of Appeals lends to the public opinion expressed in published CPA perspectives that â€Å"SOX was a hastily assembled bill† (Moran, 2013). Involved and cumbersome requirements cause confusion and frustration for companies attempting to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley act even more than a decade after its implementation. Companies and lawmakers alike have had difficulty over the years with the interpretation of and compliance with the act. â€Å"SOX brought about many changes to the way public companies had to operate, and there was some question as to how these would stand up over time† (Moran, 2013). Positive Aspects of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act Despite complaints by critics, there are positive aspects of the Sarbanes-Oxley act that have withstood the test of time. Initial reactions have softened after smaller businesses were granted some relief in later amendments of the act. Larger businesses found that compliance with the act  increased investor confidence and contributions. In addition, the resultant increase in financial transparency has improved business relationships on many levels. First and foremost, there are many of the opinion that the enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley act increased investor confidence and protection in the marketplace. â€Å"Does Sarbanes-Oxley prevent all bad actors from defrauding investors? No law could accomplish that. But it can and has deterred such activity† (Gillian, 2012, p. 1). Those in support of the Sarbanes-Oxley act agree that there is a positive side for investors and the businesses in which they invest. â€Å"A 2005 survey by the Financial Executives Research Foundation f ound that 83 percent of large company CFOs agreed that SOX had increased investor confidence, with 33 percent agreeing that it had reduced fraud† (Hanna, 2014, p. 2). With an increase in confidence and a perceived reduction of fraud, investors could more confidently make intelligent business decisions on the purchase and sale of publicly traded companies. Those on the positive side of the SOX act believe that the effects on small business have softened. Studies show that as companies become more accustomed to the costs of compliance, the expense decreases (San Antonio Express-News, 2007). In addition, the effects on smaller companies were ultimately deferred. â€Å"Audit standards also were modified in 2007, a change that reportedly reduced costs for many firms by 25 percent or more per year† (Hanna, 2014, p. 1). Although the costs of compliance decrease retained earnings, investors are more confident in the reliability of company reports (Gillian, 2012). â€Å"The cost of being a publicly traded company did cause some firms to go private, but research shows these were primarily organizations that were smaller, less liquid, and more fraud-prone† (Hanna, 2014, p. 1). These modifications of the act allowed more small businesses to remain competitive in the marketplace. Business relationships have also improved with increased transparency. The reduction of information asymmetry is a direct benefit to both the company and the investors. â€Å"Information asymmetry is a situation in which one party in a transaction has more or superior information compared to another† (Brite, 2013, p. 1). Periodic testing of internal controls required by SOX 404, increases transparency among internal and external stakeholders of the business. The American Institute of CPAs states on their website that â€Å"section 404B has led to improve financial reporting and greater  transparency† (American Institute of CPAs, 2006 – 2014). Conclusion and Opinion To evaluate the effectiveness of SOX in preventing future frauds, one must take into consideration the many different situations in which the legislation is applicable. Enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley act increases corporate responsibility and sets restrictions on auditor services. This certainly reduces the potential for fraud; however it does not eliminate it. From a business perspective, compliance is beneficial. The costs of implementing the requirements may be high; however the benefit of increased investor confidence in a publicly traded environment is higher. There are going to be situations in which fraud is inevitable. Fraudulent wrongdoers and companies will find loopholes and the recent Court of Appeals case is evidence of that fact. As with any law, this regulation will reduce the frequency of, but not prevent, purposeful future criminal activity. References American Institute of CPAs. (2006 – 2014). Section 404B of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Retrieved from AICPA: American Institute of CPAs: http://www.aicpa.org/advocacy/issues/pages/section404bofSOX.aspx Bishop, K. (2013, June six). Grand Theft Auto Meets the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Retrieved from California Corporate and Securities Law: http://calcorporatelaw.com/2013/06/grand-theft-auto-meets-the-sarbanes-oxley-act/ Brite, C. (2013, June 30). Is Sarbanes-Oxley a Failing Law? Retrieved from University Of Chicago Undergraduate Law Review: http://uculr.com/articles/2013/6/30/is-sarbanes-oxley-a-failing-law Coustan, H. L. (2004, February). Sarbanes-Oxley: What It Means to the Marketplace. Retrieved from Journal of Accountancy: http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/Issues/2004/Feb/SarbaneSOXleyWhatItMeansToTheMarketplace.htm debate.org. (2014). Do you believe the Sarbanes-Oxley Act has failed? Retrieved from debate.org: http://www.debate.org/opinions/do-you-believe-the-sarbanes-oxley-act -has-failed Gillian, K. (2012, July 24). It Enhanced Investor Protection. Retrieved from nytimes.com: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/07/24/has-sarbanes-oxley-failed/sar

Parenting skill Essay Example for Free

Parenting skill Essay 1.How can parents avoid temper tantrums? It having a plan to calm your self down every time you have for example by going to your happy place,relax,and by staying calm at all time 2.What are the A, B, Cs? -A is for the attributes you want your child to have ⠁Æ'B is for the behavior you want to go along with those attributes. ⠁Æ'C is for the consequence that will be given, positive or negative 3. Do you think using consequences and following the ABC process will help shape a child’s behavior? Why or why not? Yes, I think using consequences and following the ABC process will help shape a child’s behavior because it gives the child a set of expectations you want from them and because naturally humans are born to please they are going to try their hardest to live by those expectations you have provided them. 1.What are some of the reasons why people may not talk to babies as much today as they used to? We don’t really know the exact reason why people are not talking to their babies as much some may say it is due to the busy life style we have or that everyone is isolated within the house 2. Why do you think developing language skills is important for a child? Developing language skills as a child is important because when children are younger it is easier for them to learn and develop and they should learn to be good communicators 3.What are some of the ways that parents can encourage the development of language skills? One way parents can help encourage development of language skills is by giving them their undivided attention and contently talking to them because most of their learning is through imitation.

Consumer Perceptions of Private Label Brands in China and UK

Consumer Perceptions of Private Label Brands in China and UK CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS OF PRIVATE LABEL BRANDS IN CHINA COMPARED WITH THE UK Summary In China there are fewer studies of private label brands (PLBs) that take up less market share than generic brands and national brands. However, there is a successful development of PLBs in the UK. Therefore, this thesis aims to explore the difference of consumer perceptions on PLBs between China and the UK with national brands as a standard. The literature review will review theories like brand equity/image, PLBs and double jeopardy; PLBs development compared with national brands in China and the UK; the influencing factors of consumer purchase behaviour and previous researches of consumers perceptions about PLBs in China and the UK. The main objective of this part is to ascertain the difference of consumers perceptions between PLBs and national brands in the UK. Primary research will take the form of a non probability convenience sampling method to randomly select 200 members of the public from two shopping malls of Xidan and Wangfujing and several large-scale supermarkets in Beijing. Questionnaires will be used for data collection, and data is analysed by Snap statistical programme. The finding shows that there is a significant difference of PLBs perception between China and the UK. Before the evaluation of brand image, the awareness of PLBs in China is understood and just less than half of respondents know the own-label biscuits. With reference to the literature reviewed on consumer perception in the UK, it can get the result that Chinese PLBs are perceived lower than British PLBs on the all attributes except â€Å"cheap† and â€Å"good value†. Chapter 1: Introduction 1.1 The topic of research The aim of this thesis is to better investigate how private label brands (PLBs) are perceived by consumers in China, and compare it with the UKs. 1.2 Principle research question To understand how Chinese consumers perceptions of private label brands differ from the UKs. 1.3 Overall research objective The primary purpose for this research is to discover the main difference of consumers assessment of private label brands between China and the UK. This thesis will explore if there are significant differences between Chinese consumers evaluation on PLBs and the UKs, and analyse the relevant factors that cause the distinctness of consumers evaluation roundly on the basis of prior research in this subject scope. 1.4 Individual research objectives In order to achieve the principle objective of this study, it will intend to fulfil the following objectives: To identify the actual development of PLBs in China and the UK To establish the influence factors of consumer purchase behaviour in China and the UK To determine consumers perception of PLBs and national brands in the UK To determine consumers perception of Chinese PLBs and national brands To ascertain the different brand perceptions of PLBs in China and the UK 1.5 Report Structure This thesis contains eight chapters. Chapter2 to 4 are based on a literature review about theories and relevant knowledge of marketing background. Chapter2 outlines the theories about branding, and then chapter3 introduces the private label brands and their development in the UK and China. Chapter4 refers to consumer perception of PLBs review between two countries based on analysing the determining factors of purchase. The research method is explained in chapter5 with some specific designing scheme. The results of surveying Chinese biscuit category is presented, interpreted and analysed in chapter6, and discussed relating with the UKs market of literature review in chapter7 before conclusion and recommendations are given in chapter8. Chapter 2: Branding Chapter 2 introduces the definition of branding with its importance in the retail market, and moves to realize â€Å"brand image† and â€Å"brand equity† as well as the shift between them. In addition, the Double Jeopardy (DJ) Effect is identified finally. The aim of this thesis is to evaluate Chinese consumers perceptions of private label brands (PLBs) in comparison to UKs. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the background knowledge about â€Å"brand† first. 2.1 The conception of branding A brand was defined as â€Å"a name, term, sign, symbol, or design, or a combination of them, intended to identify the goods or services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of competitors† (p.404, Kotler, 2000). Aaker (1996) indicated that brand was used for suppliers to reflect the consumers purchase information and make communicate with customers easier, so that it is helpful to build a long-term relationship of belief between buyers and sellers. Wileman and Jary (1997) had realized that retail branding was playing an important role in the modern retail market gradually. Managers and executives also perceived that retail branding could be used to increase benefits as a strong vehicle in the competitive retail industry (Carpenter, et al. 2005). The reason is that the relationship between a product and consumers is personified by the brand name (organizations name) on the product itself, like Microsoft and Nescafe (de Chernatony and McDonald, 2003). The difference between a brand and a commodity is shown below in figure1, which describes the process of decline from brand to commodity. Following the disappearance of brand characteristic, a reduction in the differentiation of price and product/image is demanded to achieve the likeness of product offerings in the particular category. Thus the â€Å"added values† is the main difference between a brand and a commodity. The result proved the strong power of added values in the blind (brand cancelled) and open (brand revealed) test of Coke and Pepsi preference (de Chernatony and McDonald, 2003). 2.2 Brand image Brand image is explained as the integrated effect of brand associations (Biel, 1992). Also, Faircloth et al. (2001) cited Engel et al. (1993) as claiming that brand image refers to consumers perceptions of brand tangible and intangible association. Keller (1993) stated that brand image, a part of brand knowledge, belongs to the perceptions about a brand that is reflected by the brands attribute, benefit, and attitude association in the memory of consumers. Besides, consumers brand image is derived from the accumulative effects of marketing mix actions of companies (Roth, 1994). Wulf el al. (2005) has argued that image is one prerequisite for the presence of brand equity. Brand image in the consumers memory network that is decisive to make decision, provides preferred brand reminding and evaluation (Holden, 1992), and so it can contributes the positive effect on brand equity (Yoo et al. 2000). Furthermore, Winchester and Fletcher (2000) argued that measuring brand image was one of the most important research projects undertaken by a company, because it could help firms to understand their products perceptions in consumers memory. For example, retailers have the cheaper brand image than the manufacturers in most of consumers memory. Also, they suggest that consumers consider retailer brands as â€Å"me too† products compared with manufacture brands (IGD, 2003). Thus it demonstrates that retailers are trying hard to build up a strong image for their own brands to shoppers. The enhancement of brand image will be beneficial to drive the sales, brand equity and increase the gross margin of private label products (Quelch and Harding, 1996). Therefore, brand image is an important determinant of consumers perception about private label brands. 2.3 Brand equity Brand equity, like the concept of brand, has been identified as having multiple meanings. For instances, people have debated the concept of brand equity both in the accounting and marketing literature for several years (Wool, 2000). The original concept of brand equity is the added value that a brand name offers to the fundamental product (Quelch and Harding, 1996; Wulf el al 2005). Wood (2000) also cited Feldwick (1996) as claiming a classification of different meanings of brand equity as: â€Å"- the total value of a brand as a separable asset when it is sold, or included on a balance sheet; a measure of the strength of consumers attachment to a brand; a description of the associations and beliefs the consumer has about the brand.† (p. 662, Wood, 2000) According to the statement of Wood (2000), brand equity rests on financial accounting no longer, but extends to the measure of brand strength (brand loyalty) and the description of brand image. Additionally, Aaker (1996) identified the major asset categories of brand equity to include brand name awareness, brand loyalty, perceived quality and brand associations (brand image). It reflected the value supplied by a product or service to a firm and/or customers in the various different ways. If the name and symbol of the brand change, the assets or liabilities will be affected and even lost due to the link between both sides. To brand awareness, the strength of a brands presence is mentioned in the consumers minds, ranging from recognition to recall to â€Å"top of mind† to domination. Recognition is more important than others due to the perception obtained from the past exposure. Also, recall can be a deciding factor of the purchasing of products. Otherwise, Chou (2002) also insisted on two categories of definition of brand equity—the customer-based and financial brand equity. The customer-based one is defined as the different effect of brand knowledge on consumers response to the purchase of brand (Keller, 1993; Lassar, et al. 1995), and the financial one refers to the intangible asset of the value of brand name to the firm (Chou, 2002). Through understanding the multiple concepts of brand equity, it can deduce that brand equity has attracted more attention in the marketing literature over the last decade, because it reflects if a brand would be repurchased by consumers. As Shapiro (1982) has demonstrated, certain brand equity offered genial value even though the appearance of products is uncertain. Nowadays Broniarczyk and Gershoff (2003) still emphasise the importance of brand equity; also, as one of the most valuable assets, it should be maximised to manage brands for the company (Keller and Lehmann, 2003). High brand equity can increase the opportunity on consumer choice of a common sales promotion (Simonson et al., 1994) and reduce the negative debates of consumers for a price increase (Campbell, 1999), because consumers lean to buy the brand more than the real product. Consequently, brand equity is also a factor to evaluate consumers perception of own brands. 2.4 The Double Jeopardy Effect In recent years, more authors (Sharp et al. 2002; Ehrenberg and Goodhardt, 2002) have been interested in understanding, developing and reinforcing the concept of Double Jeopardy (DJ), which represents a natural constraint on customer loyalty, which cannot be increased by marketing inputs much or for long unless a significant benefit increases the brands penetration (Ehrenberg and Goodhardt, 2002). The DJ effect is that â€Å"small share brands have fewer customers, but these customers buy the brand less often than the larger brands get bought by their customers† (p. 17, Sharp et al. 2002). A conceptual model of the DJ effect is showed in the figure2, which illustrates if a small firm would have higher turnover of their customer base if they lost the same number of customers as a large firm. The DJ effect is fit for the discussion of national brands and PLBs. Bigger brand will be known by more customers, and have more opportunities to be purchased and receive more responses than smaller brand. It will be an essential theory to support the last result of investigation about the comparison between own labels and national labels. Chapter 3: Private Label Brands This chapter attempts to understand private-label brands, their development in UK and China and the reason for focusing on them. National brands will be also mentioned as the scale for the validity of comparison between Chinese and UKs own labels. 3.1 The definition of private label brands â€Å"Retailer brands are designed to provide consumers with an alternative to manufacturer brands, to build customer loyalty to a retailer or improve margins.† (p.11, IGD, 2003) They are particular to a definite retailer, and may have a same or different name of the retailer but exclude other retailers name (IGD, 2003). The terms â€Å"own label† and â€Å"own brand† are always used together; also private label, retail brands or distributor brands are in common used (Fernie and Pierrel, 1996). Own brands can help retailers reduce the direct impact of price competition, since retailers carry their own brands instead of national brands that are sold in the most of the stores (Carpenter, et al. 2005). Furthermore, according to IGD (2003) study, doing own brands can provide competitively priced products, increased profitability and loyalty due to the special store, establishes store image, drives innovation and targets specific consumer groups. 3.2 The development of PLBs in UK Based on more previous researches about UKs PLBs, it will specify them as the base to compare with Chinese growing PLBs. 3.2.1 The history of development The generation of own brands in the UK can date back to the end of the nineteenth century (Key Note Market Review, 2001). Until mid-1960s, manufacturers perceived that the development of store brands could be a direct threat for them (Ogbonna and Wilkinson, 1998). After that, own brands rose to penetrate into grocery markets gradually (Fernie and Pierrel, 1996), because supermarket had to implement a new strategy under the tough economic crisis (Ogbonna and Wilkinson, 1998). The growth of own labels in the UK had been rapid during 1980s, and slowing down in the 1990s (Laaksonen, 1994). After 1980, the UKs retailing had a big metamorphosis to change their own-label products from previous low-price/low-quality/poor-packaging to current high quality, competitive price and good packaging (Burt and Davis, 1999; Key Note Market Review, 2001). Especially from 1990, more retailers began to provide own brand lines in stores and penetrated towards the grocery field (Veloutsou et al., 2004), and even innovated in product categories to be consistent with branded-products, such as the expansion from grocery to clothing (Quelch and Harding, 1996). Fernie and Pierrel (1996) illuminated that Marks Spencer, Sainsburys, Tesco and Safeway had developed their own brands, which competed successfully with other brands in the UK. Otherwise, there were more private labels on the shelves of supermarkets than ever before (Quelch and Harding, 1996). The main reasons for growth of own-label products include lower pricing (60%-85% of branded products), improved quality and higher profits for retailers (Ashley, 1998). Through the review of historical evolvement of PLBs, the current bloom of PLBs development in UK that is built on the basis of constant change can be seen. Also, it can be a good explanation for the condition, in which customers choose more own brands of supermarket rather than manufactures brands. 3.2.2 Current development At present, private label brands have taken up a significant share of nearly 29% in the UK food market. It is expected to increase further in 2009. Especially since 2008, own label has been gaining popularity following accelerating economic downturn. As consumers have begun to feel the pitch, so they have bought own-label products instead of branded products to save money. Thus the competition between own-labels and brands is reinforced. There is the highest own-label consumption in the FMCG sectors, like milk and frozen vegetables, or some products without emotional appeal. However, manufacturer brands still account for the majority of sales in the most of grocery categories (Mintel, 2009). Table1 shows the share of brands and own-labels in the following different categories. From this table, it can see that own label is the most dominant in the category of ready meals; and it has the least share in the crisp category. Also, more share own labels account for, more increasing opportunities they have. In addition, UKs supermarkets recognise that consumers have a wide range of product needs, so they segment the market by providing the brands that cater for the best, healthy, valuable, kids and organic requirements as table2 shows. 3.2.3 The feature of development The development of PLBs, a competitive strategy adopted by retailers, is necessary for them within the current retail market of high competition in the UK (Carpenter et al. 2005). Own brands are developing fast and winning a better share of the food market with definite advantage in the supermarket product ranges, because retailers can offer their private label products with high-quality and low-price (Wulf et al., 2005). Also, own-brand products exceeding 40% of market share have expanded their presence across markets—from low-priced, value-for-money items to the premium and lifestyle arenas so as to cater for consumers concern about healthy eating (Drewer, P. 2006). Therefore, it can fetch up the limitation of national brands that segment the market less, and target desired consumers more narrowly. For instance, figure3 shows Sainsburys Be Good to Yourself range of lower fat which is one kind of â€Å"healthier† own-label ranges; and Asdas value (Smartprice), healthy (Good for You) and Premium (Extra Special). Furthermore, the feature difference of own brands has been gradually shortened from national brands in terms of aspects such as packaging, size, and label (Choi and Coughlan, 2006). In figure4, Sainsbury instant coffee products are taken as an example of private labels with reduced feature differentiation as national labels inside FMCG sector. Some of the UKs retailers such as Sainsburys and Tesco have set up own brands focusing on quality and taste due to more consumers regards on flavour and aroma. Production methods have become diversified, and manufacturers have been found around the world to get various products with exotic flavours. For instance, the recipes of multiple ready-meal foods are derived from characteristic foods of different countries, like Waitrose chicken chow mein, which is developed from Chinese stir-fried noodles. Thus it is common for retailers to compete by developing premium own brands (Fenn, 2007), yet the majority of retailers changed their attention from premium ranges to the promotion of value ranges in 2008 (Mintel, 2009). 3.2.4 Marketing support The increase of own-label products is supported by the gradually concentrated nature of the retail market. Retailers control own brand marketing, which has obtained higher promotional support than national brands since there are better space and location for private labels on supermarket shelves (Cataluna et al. 2006). Retailers have got bargaining power in the market and more confidence to invest in their own brands, which bring higher profits than generic brands (Fenn, 2007). In addition, own-label food and drink has been supported strongly in the competitive market, although the main retailers began to promote the potential of saving money on PLBs purchase in 2008 and early 2009. For example, own-label brands are promoted principally in the main retailers like Morrisons. Marks Spencer also spent a third of its total budget on MS brands in 2008 (Mintel, 2009). Table3 shows the market support on foods in the form of media advertising expenditure. Generally, an increasing trend is shown for the retailers spending on foods in this table. However, depending on the retailers spending share, it can ascertain that branded manufacturers are still the biggest spenders on advertising for food and drink. They use the â€Å"Reassurance† and â€Å"tradition† as the key themes of promotion to fight against PLBs (Mintel, 2009). 3.2.5 The biscuit category Own-label biscuits take up a fifth of the UK market, where it has remained the share stably over previous 5 years. The biscuits category has increased substantially since 2002, although there is an unhealthy high sugar content in the most biscuits. The benefits can be obtained from defying all advice of nutrition, because consumers regard biscuits as a reward for their efforts on healthy eating most of the time. Moreover, the development of biscuit market is likely to be influenced by three key factors: requirement for healthy foods, indulgent products and convenient products. The indulgent demand can benefits the branded biscuits, as consumers believe premium-branded products more than PLBs (Kidd, ed. 2007). Figure5 shows the UK biscuits market shares in 2007. From this figure, it can see own labels account for more share than any one manufacturer brand, but it is less than the total share of main large manufacturers. In short, UKs PLBs market has been described and compared with manufacturers brands specifically, so that it can be as the firm foundation for the later comparison with Chinese PLBs market. 3.3 The development of PLBs in China Private label in China is still in an emergent stage, where many retailers had increased the place of own label development in 2004, but most do not have their own brands until they have greater scale in the market. According to IGDs estimation, own brand only takes up 2% of sales at Wal-mart and less than 6% at Carrefour, which is the strongest retailer in China. Although the foreign retailers have a long history to sell private label brands, this is a big challenge for them to sell in China, where own brand is a new concept for the Chinese consumers. They just believe the value and quality of local branded products. Thus retailers need to prove their own products are not only cheaper, but also provide better value to consumers (IGD, 2005b). Auchan, Carrefour and Wal-mart will be chosen as the example of private label development, because they have wider range of own label products than others. â€Å"Pouce†, â€Å"Auchan† and â€Å"First Price† ranges were introduced by Auchan in 2003. And they were developed across both food and non-food categories by the end of 2004. In Carrefour, own labels can be found in most categories, especially strong in non-food. Its private label brands include â€Å"Great Value†, â€Å"Equate† and â€Å"Kids Connection†. Wal-mart is developing their own brands including â€Å"Simply Basic†, â€Å"Equate† and â€Å"Great Value† in China, where the quantity is more limited than other developed international markets (IGD, 2005b). But actually, most of supermarkets usually just focus on the value with low price, and use the name of supermarket as their own brands name to attract consumers attention, such as â€Å"Ito-yokado†, â€Å"Dia%† and â€Å"Tesco†. 3.4 Why the focus on PLBs Veloutsou et al (2004) indicated that all grocery retailers have been entangled by private brands in Great Britain in the last decade. Also, the growth of private labels is one of the most obvious successes to the retail stores (Drewer, P. 2006); own brands have been seen as the strategic weapon to provide retailers with more powers and opportunities to distinguish themselves from national brands and build store image (Juhl et al. 2006). Nevertheless, there is a completely different situation in China, where the study of PLBs is less than the UKs and is strongly encouraged (Song, 2007). PLBs is undeveloped with low sales account in China, even if some foreign retailers (e.g. Carrefour, Wal-mart) have launched their own brands (IGD, 2005b). Consequently, there is a need to expose why PLBs have little market in China, and understand the shortage of Chinese PLBs development through comparing consumers different perceptions between China and the UK. Chapter 4: Consumers Perception of PLBs in China and UK This chapter will evaluate private label brands and national brands based on a cognizance of factors determining purchase. A generality of different viewpoints about consumers perceptions on brands will be discussed and some factors influencing the PLBs purchase will be presented. 4.1 Determinant of Purchase behaviour Consumers purchase can be influenced by environment, personal preference and psychological factors. Customers who live in diverse regions have their own experience about private-label products (Veloutsou et al 2004). Individual consumers often choose certain brands that they know to be guaranteed due to their habits, instead of spending more time to re-evaluate the brands with different attributes when purchasing (Ehrenberg, 2004). Furthermore, consumers preferences are different following the change of age (IGD, 2005a). For example, young people high on the new things more than old people. From the psychological aspect, â€Å"the right customer mindset can be crucial to realizing brand equity benefits and value† (p29, Keller and Lehmann, 2003). During the decision making process, purchase can be influenced directly by several factors. Veloutsou et al (2004) cited Omar, Burt and Sparks (1995) as claiming that many consumers always consider their products characteristics, quality and perceived value instead of the prices of products when consumers make purchasing decisions. However, the price cannot be excluded from factors of decisions, because most of consumers go shopping after they have a budget in mind (Hogan, 1996). Additionally, a generalized private-label attitude is discovered to influence purchase behaviour; factors include: â€Å"consumer price consciousness, price-quality perception, deal proneness, shopping attitudes, impulsiveness, brand loyalty, familiarity with store brands, reliance on extrinsic cues, tolerance for ambiguity, perceptions of store brand value, and perceived differences between store brands and national brands† (p347, Collins-Dodd and Lindley, 2003). 4.2 Consumer perception in China Due to the limitation of consumption per capita, the market was driven by price instead of brand loyalty in China (IGD, 2005b). According to China Management Newspaper (2008) reported, it is a fact that consumers who realise the supermarket own labels account for rather low percentage of total population. Moreover, â€Å"low price† and â€Å"high quality† are the main motivations to drive consumers purchase. Thus national brands with better quality can attract more consumers, although they have higher price than own labels. This results from the increase of Chinese consumers purchase power and the improvement of living level in recent years. Moreover, PLBs and national brands were considered as less difference on price (Chen, 2009). Thus it can be deduced that â€Å"low price† strategy of own brands in China would be successful due to less brand loyalty. However, following the improved standard of living, people would increase their demand from low price to high quality, which could be a challenge for the PLBs. 4.3 Consumer perception in UK 4.3.1 Comparison of PLBs with national brands Following the quality improvement of PLBs, Richardson (1997) found that store brands could be compared with national brands from the aspect of quality and consumers preferred to buy store brands where they usually shopped. As Quelch and Harding (1996) discovered that this was similar for consumers to perceive and judge the manufacturer and retailer brands in the orange juice private-label test, because consumers had a low involvement activity on grocery shopping. Nevertheless, â€Å"If all retailers stock manufacturers brands, they can only differentiate on price or sales promotions; with own labels/brands, they can offer further differentiation in the market place.† (p49, Fernie and Pierrel, 1996) They supported that own labels/brands could bring retailers more differentiation in the market place than manufacturers brands that just differed on price or sales promotions from each other. However, there is a different understanding based on consumers mind. Dick et al. (1996) considered that private labels were less famous than national brands, which have a distinct identification with a particular manufacturer. Richardson (1997) also supported the unification of store brands without the speciality of national brands. In the research of Harris (2007), he also demonstrated a significant difference of brand image evaluation for national brands and store brands. He established that PLBs have the advantage of â€Å"cheap† and â€Å"good value† to compare with national brands, while national brands were used more with higher quality/superiority based on attributes than store brands. However, after breaking down PLBs into three relative positions (premium, standard and value), he discovered that premium private labels were overpriced more without better value for money than national labels; customers buy more value private labels than national labels due to their cheapness. This implicates that consumers prefer the high quality of national brands and the good value of value PLBs at the same time. Therefore, he identified the characteristic of â€Å"worth more† regarded by consumers mostly. The brand association strengths are summarized in the following figure7 from his study. Furthermore, his researching results (see Appendix3) will be used as the reference of British consumer perception of PLBs to compare with Chinas later. In addition, according to Mintel research (2009), it has been a long-term trend for more consumers thinking that own labels are better than national brands. 4.3.2 Evaluation of PLBs To the quality/value thinking, other authors have had same ideas. Quelch and Harding (1996) predicted that consumers would choose PLBs readily rather than the higher-priced name brand, if there were more quality PLBs in the market. Richardson (1997) cited Richardson et al. (1994) as claiming that store brand market share could be increased by successfully communicating a quality rather than a low price strategy. Moreover, according to the IGDs research, PLBs have become one of the important factors for shoppers to choose the supermarket they shop in. The satisfaction of quality with lower price has attracted more consumers. The proportion of main reasons is â€Å"45% lower price, 45% better value than branded equivalent, 26% the same as branded, 24% a good reputation for own brand (IGD, 2003). Furthermore, consumers are not confused about the increasing number of own-label brands, but the segmentation is beneficial for them to choose products that are fit for themselves. The clear d ifferentiation among brands is also the key for retailers to success (Mintel, 2006). Chapter 5: Methodology On the basis of the relevant literature review about the market analysis of PLBs and national brands, especially the UK market, this has been analysed for the final discussion to compare with Chinese PLBs. This chapter will look for the most appropriate approach to implement the needed research and achieve the objective of this thesis. 5.1 The objective of this study Perceptual variables related to consumers perception are investigated in this study. It needs to finish the following objectives: The difference of consumer perceptions between PLBs and national brands in the UK (achieved in literature review) The difference of consumer perceptions between PLBs and national brands in China The difference of consumer perceptions of PLBs in China and the UK Based on the understanding of the UKs markets and perceived PLBs compared with national brands by consumers in the literature review, the Chinese situatio

continent :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The muses sing of the greatest battle ever to occur in Olympian history. It started when Zeus, the king of the gods, sitting atop Mt. Olympus felt a strange presence. He stood up and looked across the great realm that was Earth. After concentrating for what seemed like millennia he spotted a rainbow. But, this was not Iris. No, it was something else. An even greater rainbow that housed a great home, it housed other gods! Zeus concentrated even harder, and he finally saw that someone†¦was looking back at him! It was Odin! Father of the Norse gods and greatest of all Asgardians! They finally looked at each other and smiled like two foxes. They now knew what had to be done next. A battle! But not just any battle, the greatest of all battles to ever occur in Earth’s history. The outcome would proclaim which pantheon was the greatest, of all Midgard. The rules were simple: Each king would choose three other gods or goddesses to fight. When one fell, the fi ght was over. Zeus and Odin immediately began searching for which god would best represent the power of each realm.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Zeus thought long and hard over whom to choose. He did not know exactly whom Odin would choose so he had to choose wisely. Immediately he thought of the wisest of gods, Athena. He knew that her power and tactics would be most valuable for the coming battle. Zeus also chose his son, Apollo. His power of the sun and healing abilities would be needed in the heat of combat. Finally Zeus had to one more slot to fill. But who to pick? Should it be the ferocity and bloodlust of Ares? Or, the skill and vigor of Artemis. He knew that unyielding viciousness would be needed for combat, but calm and critical judgments would also be a key to victory. In the end Zeus chose Ares over Artemis, hoping that his savagery would be enough to put down the Asgardians. Zeus had chosen his warriors, Athena, Apollo, Ares, and himself. The best of Olympus chosen, all that was left was for Zeus’s soldiers to train and prepare for the coming fight. Now it was Odin’s turn.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Odin sat in his great hall, pondering which of Asgard’s great warriors would be chosen to represent the greatest of the Nine Worlds. He already knew that Thor was going to be amongst his soldiers.

The Difference Between Bullying and Harassment :: cyberbulling, code of conduct, schools

Bullying and harassment are two distinct words but have a quite similar meaning as well as effects. These effects result in people becoming overwhelmed and depressed because of the constant abuse whether verbal or physical from another person that does not consider the victim as of any value to this world. Although verbal and physical bullying have been taken care of most of the time, the number one type of bullying that has not yet been addressed and taken care of is cyberbullying. Cyberbullying occurs online but, it is never taken care of by the school board because it is not happening in school and nothing is stated under the code of conduct to get involved with the situation. A code of conduct is a set of rules outlining the responsibilities of, or proper practices for, an individual, party or organization that are to be followed. They are intended to help out an area by laying down ethics and support decisions made by people at the organization or work. A code of conduct exist everywhere whether businesses or schools, it is created to handle problems in a proper way. It is unbelievable to be know that the code of conduct does not state anything about the consequences for bullying and/or harassing an individual. They are not really required to be followed since it is just mostly expected behavior and can be easily broken without consequences. Although schools have a set of rules, they are rarely enforced and some don’t even do anything on when something occurs off campus. Cyber bullying is no different from verbal and physical bullying it has the same effects, it hurts innocent individuals and it should have the same consequences. Cyber bullying the majority of the time, occurs between the ages of 13-18. Most teens feel that by not telling someone that this is happening it will only make it worse, that the bullying will never stop. In the case of Megan Meier who was described by her parents as â€Å" bubbly, goofy†,was an average teenager who was full of life and had goals, that was before she committed suicide because of the effects of cyber bullying. In the Worse Cases of Bullying website it states â€Å" Met a boy, â€Å"Josh Evans†, online through her new Myspace account. Josh introduced himself via an email to her parents and, with their blessings, Megan continued her new friendship and soon became infatuated with him.

The Lord of the Flies as Social Commentary Essay -- Lord Flies Essays

The Lord of the Flies as Social Commentary    The Lord of the Flies is an ultimately pessimistic novel.   In the midst of the cold war and communism scares, this disquieting aura acts as a backdrop to the island.   The Lord of the Flies addresses questions like how do dictators come to power, do democracies always work, and what is the natural state and fate of humanity and society, getting at the heart of human nature in a very male-dominated, conflict-driven way.   The war, the plane shot down, and the boys' concern that the "Reds" will find them before the British, shows Golding's intention of treating the boys' isolated existence as a microcosm of the adult military world. I am plunged into Golding's imagined island world from the first sentence.   He uses lush description to build a setting that will contrast and reflect the boys' primitive descent.   The word "scar" describes the natural feature of the land, conjuring images of redness and blood from the first paragraph. The beautiful, yet often odd, descriptions help serve as a contrast between humans and nature.   The use of words like "scar" and "blood" foreshadows the future interaction between the boys and nature - the pigs, the hunt, the storm.   At the same time, the beauty and the order of the natural surroundings contrast with the decline of society developed throughout the book.   Integral to this setting is the fair-haired boy climbing the rocks, Ralph.   When Ralph meets Piggy, we notice the obvious differences between the two - the attractive and the fat, the daydreamer and the thinker. There is a moment when Piggy looks up at Ralph and sees the shadows on his face reversed.à ‚   This reverse of shadows seems to signify the missed initial connection between Piggy an... ...but ultimately signals a Navy cruiser. The fire, once signifying rescue and later used for destruction, becomes both. The novel ends in the adult perspective.   The officer is uncomfortable thinking about the savagery of the boys, and looks off to his cruiser in the distance while Ralph weeps for "the end of innocence, and the darkness of man's heart."   Golding is making a point about the hypocrisy of the civilization.   In reality, the world is just a larger version of the island.   The officer's comment on "the Coral Island" is also ironically significant in elevating The Lord of the Flies from a book about a group of lost boys on an island to a beautifully symbolic work of social commentary.   The view presented is dark and pessimistic, making its readers look deep inside their own human nature and at the structure of society in a frighteningly different light.

Human Resources Profession Map (HRPM) Essay

The Human Resources Profession Map (HRPM) was created to explain how HR adds value; it was designed by a collaboration of both specialist and generalists working in the UK and globally across private and public sectors. The HRPM was developed by the CIPD. The design of the HRPM is to be relevant and applicable to HR professionals operating anywhere in the world, all sectors and in organisations of any shape or size. It captures what skills are required for effective and successful HR. There are 4 bands which relate to professional competencies; they define the contribution that professionals make at every stage of their HR career. The key areas of these bands include service and relationship with clients, activities performed by HR, where time is spent and how contribution and success is measured. The band summaries are: Band 1: Support administration and processes, is customer orientated. Band 2: Advises and manages HR issues. Band 3: Lead and consult, addressing key HR change at organisation level. Band 4: Lead and Manage professional areas, developing and delivering HR strategy. The HRPM is made up of 10 professional areas, 2 of these are the core of the map. Diagram? At the very core is â€Å"Insight, Strategy and Solutions†. It is at the core it is awareness of the business and developing actionable insights and solutions. Secondly is â€Å"Leading and Managing the HR Functions†. This is owning and shaping to insight-led leading, including working with financials such as budgeting while managing HR performance. Its design it to meet needs and priorities. The 8 other professional area segments identity the activities and knowledge that are required to provide specialist support, these are applicable not only internally but also externally. Organisational Design: Structure changes, delivering organisational objectives. Organisation Development: Workforce focused for organisational strategic ambitions. Resource and Talent Planning: Focusing on attracting the right people. Learning and Development: Combined commercial and HR expertise to bring value. Performance and Reward: Delivering programmes that recognise and reward. Employee Engagement: Prioritises employment experience  ensuring there needs are met. Employee Relations: Areas such as policies and procedures, employment law. Service Delivery and Information: Ensuring HR delivery is accurate and timely. The outer circle of the HRPM shows the behaviours which describe how activities should be carried out. Curious: Future focused Decisive Thinker: Analyses, understands data to make defend-able decisions Skilled Influencer: Pursues the organisations values Personally Credible: Builds and delivers professionalism. Collaborative: Efficient with a wide range of people Driven to Deliver: Determined and resourceful Courage to Challenge: Confident, speaks up skilfully Role Model: Leads by example In conclusion the HRPM can be used as a tool to identify your immediate and future development needs. 1.2  This section will comment on the professional area â€Å"Employee Relations† within band 2. My role is fundamentally HR. Practising HR in the company I focus on ensuring services I provide are timely and effective by having knowledge to provide excellent customer services. As a band 2 employee my duties include ensuring values and behavioural expectations permeate through the organisations processes, policies and literature. My main focus when dealing with these topics is to get the relevant documentation in order I receive a vast amount of face to face queries and phone calls from all types of employees with a wide range of topics including salary/payroll related queries. I have been with the company nearly 3 years and demonstrate band 2 skills often; I have learnt the evaluation processes and solutions available. This is why I became the key contact for HR. I always start by gathering all the facts and listening to the employee and try to indicate a time frame when I expect to get back to them. If I can’t meet that I will let them know before it reaches that time. I then access resources such as CIPD website, SAGE helpdesk, HMRC and Internet to prepare correctly documentation. When preparing any documentation which would include employment law I have these checked with senior staff although I solely draft these. At band 2 not all the behaviour’s may apply, I would show the following in this professional area: Driven to deliver: Staff issues are  challenging therefore I will investigate these to the best of my ability ensuring the best outcome for the organisation but using empathy to employees. Personally credible: I keep documentation consistent by using standard company templates/formatting as well as making sure they are sent timely and delivering professionalism to both em ployees and company. Courage to Challenge: I have good relationships with senior management and ensure I check my facts so I can challenge things appropriately. 2.1 – 2.3 My role is key for the business I need to be accurate about company policies and systems; I must get it right first time. This has been a huge part of my role recently due to quick expansion which also included a new office. Before this expansion I was the sole administration from day to day operation to HR queries. My aims are the focus of improving our company HR and gaining the tools to make this happen. The expansion included TUPE-ing 10 site workers, I emphasise with their grievances and aim to handle these complaints in constructive ways, It is a good forum to gather ideas which might help improve our procedures. Employees: I deal with various needs, from the early recruitment process, current staff to staff leaving. The main are Payroll related. The focus of my job is ensuring the Payroll is correct, we run 3 separate Payrolls all have complexities like expenses, overtime. By communicating and reminding colleagues when Payroll is running keeps any conflicting needs to a minimu m for other work demands. My main method of communication with the employees is telephone. For issues that need documentation such as salary increases, missed overtime are put in writing and I am strict in not running updates without documentation. I scan anything like this to relevant records. The advantage to phone calls can be normally the employee is away from the team mates and the office is clearer delivery about any issues. The disadvantage to phone calls is you can’t always get the best feeling for a sensitive situation without reading the body language. Candidates: Recruitment is usually relatively steady; however the last 7 months recruitment was/is busy. The workforce has doubled. The main method of communication within recruitment is phone calls and SMS messages, due to the industry we operate applicants won’t tend to be around email. My phone number is the source for all recruitment enquiries. I need to be sensible with my time as phone calls can take a lot of time out  the day if not planned properly. For example should I be setting up an interview I use a pre written SMS/text messaged so I add candidate information and send. This reduces long phone calls and candidates respond well to a message with all the information they need. To internal staff I run a HR calendar on outlook add any appointments send interviews to all relevant team leaders/office managers with reminders. It allows me to inform multiple people quickly making better use of my time. All team leaders/supervisors operate Smart Phones allowing this to be a tool that I can use well do to this. As my role involves many areas I budget my time accordingly to be as cost effective as possible. This is something I have learnt to be aware of while working for a small company. I also take advantage of any cost effective resources such as the Job Centre w ebsite. The advantages to phone calls are you get a better understanding of the person and can getter a better understanding of their job background to ensure they correct interviewer performs the interview. The disadvantage to phone calls can be during recruitment periods my day can be very disruptive to me so I try and pre plan for these occasions. Directors: There are two directors with the company, one is operational and the other is more financial/back office. Both of them have equally important demanding tasks which I have to balance my time around. I keep both directors informed with tasks I am dealing with mainly by email. I have weekly meetings with a director, this is the place I address more complex HR issues. For a disciplinary issue I can get the best understanding of the facts as it will be a face to face conversation The advantage to meetings is they are open conversations so I can prepare all HR documentation accordingly and with all the facts. I can take documents I have prepared to these meetings, in order to check the director is happy and that any legal requirements are covered. I learn how the documents requirements are discussing these face to face. The disadvantage can me sometimes you can’t address important issues untill it is time for a weekly meeting.