Thursday, December 26, 2019

Essay about The Effects of Domestic Violence on Children

How does domestic violence between parents and parental figures affect the children who witness it? This is a question often asked by Sociologists and Psychologists alike. There have been studies that prove that children who witness domestic inter-parental violence experience mental health problems, issues with gender roles, substance abuse, the committing of crimes and suicide/suicide attempts later in their lives. This paper will explore all five of these effects of domestic violence on children and show that there is evidence of a clear relationship in which increasing parental violence is associated with increasing outcome risks (Fergusson Horwood, 1998, p.8). When a child witnesses domestic abuse it can have many different†¦show more content†¦(Brescoll Graham-Bermann, 2000, p.2). Another mental health problem that children who have witnessed domestic violence experience is adjustment problems. There appears to be a wide spread belief that children who witness violence between their parents are at a greater risk of later adjustment difficulties that may include behavior problems (Fergusson Horwood, 1998, p.3). Young people reporting high levels of exposure to inter-parental violence had elevated rates of adjustment problems by age eighteen (Fergusson Horwood, 1998, p.1). It is suggested that there are elevated rates of behavioral, emotional, and other problems in children exposed to inter-parental violence (Fergusson Horwood, 1998, p.3). There seems little doubt that children reared in homes characterized by inter-parental violence were at greater risk of later adjustment difficulties as young adults (Fergusson Horwood, 199 8, p.11). It is quite apparent that there is a link between the witnessing of domestic violence and the mental health problems of the children who witness it. Another common effect on children who witness domestic violence is that they have severe gender role issues. Clearly, children exposed to the abuse of their mothers are at risk for learning deleterious patterns of social behavior and for developing distorted expectations about the appropriate roles of men and women in the family (Brescoll Graham-Bermann, 2000, p.2). Therefore, children exposedShow MoreRelatedThe Effects of Domestic Violence on Children1529 Words   |  7 PagesProject: The Effects of Domestic Violence on Children Trudy Root Kaplan University CM107-11 Children are negatively impacted by the surrounding of domestic violence in multiple ways, in which need to be identified. The audience that needs to be aware of domestic abuse’s effects on children is adults that care for children; such as pediatricians, teachers, counselors, and parents. The issue that needs to be addressed is the negative effects on children involved in a domestic violence situationRead MoreThe Effects Of Domestic Violence On Children1387 Words   |  6 Pages Literature Review: The Effects of Domestic Violence on Children By Taralyn Dean SW 8570 March 11, 2015 Introduction Today this paper will be exploring the affects of intimate partner domestic violence and how this impacts the children. The children of theses situations are the bystanders of these physical and emotional events. This paper will review in depth what other professionals are saying about the children of the domestic violence relationships and also the findings andRead MoreThe Effects Of Domestic Violence On Children Essay1383 Words   |  6 PagesIn a similar study by Ybarra, Wilkens, Lieberman (2007) the goal was to determine if domestic violence leads to functioning shortfalls, and what its effects it has on a child’s behavioral and cognitive functioning. In homes where domestic violence happens, young children are more likely to witness violence than older children. It was hypothesized that children who witnessed violence at home had lower verbal capabilities, and would display greater internalizing and externalizing behaviors. ParticipantsRead MoreEffect of Domestic Violence on Children692 Words   |  3 PagesASSIGNMENT 1 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ID: S99003183; URIAM ROBATI ABSTRACT Domestic Violence has a great effect on children. Domestic violence also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse or child abuse is recognized as a pattern of abusive behavior by one or both partners especially those in marriage. This coercive behavior is used against another person to obtain power and control over the other party in a relationship. Domestic violence takes many forms such as physical violence which includesRead MoreDomestic Violence And Its Effects On Children1445 Words   |  6 PagesWhat is domestic Violence? Domestic Violence is described as violent or aggressive behavior within the home, typically involving the violent abuse of a spouse or partner. Many children end up being the victims to seeing domestic violence in the home which is very unhealthy to their development. Some children may development resentment toward both parents- one for not leaving and the other for causing the abuse. Depression, aggressive behavior, emotional distress and suicide depending on the severityRead MoreEffects of Domestic Violence on Children1124 Words   |  5 PagesThe biggest victims of domestic violence are the littlest. The home is a suppose to be a safe and secure environment for children with loving parents and free from violence. Children need a secure environment where they can come home to when the outside world is unsafe. However, every year there are millions of children who’s homes are not a safe haven. Millions of children are exposed to a parent being violently assaulted. Domestic violence is a prevalent social issue in America today. First, whoRead MoreThe Effects Of Domestic Violence On Children And Children1541 Words   |  7 Pageslife. Domestic abused affect women and children. Lots of women are more at risk in their own home. Spouse abuses happen when one person in the marriage chooses to control the other party by using fair intimidation physical, emotional abuse. Domestic violence displaced many families because they are trying to get away from their abuser. Abuse can range from physical, mentally, emotional or psychological. One of every 5 woman are said to have experience an abuse from their partner. The effect of DomesticRead MoreEffects of Domestic Violence on Children908 Words   |  4 PagesEffects of Domestic Violence on Children by Mary Pelham English 1010-19 5 October 2011 Pelham i Outline I. Effects on younger children A. Feelings of deprivation Read MoreThe Effects Of Domestic Violence On Children963 Words   |  4 PagesThe Effects of Domestic Violence on Children Many children witness domestic violence each day. Most times, children witness their mothers being abuse by their fathers, step-fathers, or mother’s boyfriends. According to Couchenour and Chrisman (2011), â€Å"Women and children are at greater risk of being victims of abuse than are men† (p. 131). Witnessing violence or being abused at home has serious effects on children. This article explains the short-term and long-term effects that domestic violence hasRead MoreEffects Of Domestic Violence On Children990 Words   |  4 Pagesexposed to domestic violence at an early age, that child adapts to these adverse circumstance and situations (Holmes, 2013). Therefore, children who are regularly exposed to domestic violence may initially display less aggressive behaviors than children who are never exposed. However, this is due to their fear of being a victim of a physical assault (Holmes, 2013). This finding was interesting because it shows how deeply the children are affe cted by exposure to domestic violence. The children become

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Gender Discrimination And The Field Of Science - 1498 Words

As a student coming from a purely humanities background, the idea that gender discrimination could occur in the field of science as a concept was completely alien to me. However it has come to light that gender discrimination in the field of science is not a myth but in fact a harsh reality for which the reasons remain skewed. As according to Linda S. Dix, it is not an easy matter to assess the magnitude of gender discrimination and how that affects the careers of scientists, both men and women, positively and negatively. Discrimination is often subtle and thus difficult to identify or locate. Due to its subtleness, it makes it difficult to measure since it can be entwined with other forms of particularism like age. As a result researchers have come to rely on indirect rather than direct measures of discrimination which was also propounded by Harriet Zuckerman. Most researchers have come to agree that differences in career attainments between men and women occur as an outcome of gender discrimination. As per research ‘gender’ provides a perspective from which one could examine the biases that exist in the larger society. Some believe that to arrive at a more eloquent understanding of the problems of women in science , one should begin by asking what is the nature of science space that leads to under-representation and marginalisation of women rather than questioning the situation of a woman’s life that makes it difficult for her to pursue science. Thus, that genderShow MoreRelatedDiscrimination Against The Engineering Field1527 Words   |  7 PagesThere is lots of discrimination against in the engineering field. Through my research and judging from the articles that I found, it shows that gender stereotypes is still prevalent in the engineering field. There’s still discrimination against women in the classrooms to the process of employment and carries off to the engineering industry. The discrimination keeps women from wanting to try and be in the STEM field, thinking of the that these fields are only for men. Some areas of science do attract moreRead MoreDiscrimination Of The Science Industry Essay950 Words   |  4 PagesDiscrimination of Women in Science Men have been known to be the gender that dominates in the field of Science. The science industry is something that is perceived to be manly, and not pursued by women. This is an unfortunate assumption of the science industry. The only reason women are not the face of science is because the field is biased. Biased in 2016? Absolutely. Discrimination against women in the workplace is nothing new, especially in the field of science. There has been some change butRead MoreThe Gender Wage Gap : An Old Problem878 Words   |  4 PagesThe Gender Wage Gap: An Old Problem in a Modern World The pay gap between men and women has been a pressing issue that is still at the forefront of many political and everyday discussions. Women are currently about half of the U.S. labor force and are increasingly becoming the breadwinners of their families yet some statistics show that they still make about 77% less than men. This number is even lower when it comes to women of color in the workforce (Women’s Bureau U.S. Department of Labor).Read MoreIts A Patriarchal World Analysis1550 Words   |  7 PagesIt’s a Patriarchal World: An Analysis of the Differences in Success Based on Gender Discrimination Globally   Ã‚  Ã‚   Privilege is a word that may be used in a plethora of contexts, one of the least common, however, is the privilege of education and success. Privilege can be defined as an advantage that a person or group holds. A common ideology is that education is a crucial necessity for a successful life, and it can be the deciding factor in one’s attainment of a great career. This ideology is astoundingRead More Women and Technolgy - The Gender Gap in Computer Science Essay1719 Words   |  7 PagesTechnolgy - The Gender Gap in Computer Science Abstract: This paper reviews the gender gap that exists in computer science. By analyzing the probable causes of the divide, solutions may be developed and possibilities of minimizing the gap increase. Although the general public’s efforts toward shrinking the divide subsist, modern society must change its views of women before the technological world can fully appreciate women’s talents. A gender gap undeniably exists in the field of computer scienceRead MoreWhy Engineering And Technology ( E T ) Industries Have Such A Low Representation Of Women1464 Words   |  6 Pageswomen. The topic has often reached top academic researchers who try to find the root-cause and hope to blur the gender lines. Studies have shown that the proportion of women to men in STEM fields is extremely low, despite receiving more help than their male counterparts. One article states, â€Å"Among the top 100 US universities, only 8.8-15.8% of tenure-track positions in many math-intensive fields (combined across ranks) are held by women, and female full professors number less than 10%† (SI Text, Si).Read MoreEssay on Gender Equity in Education1632 Words   |  7 PagesGender Equity in Education Gender equity issues in mathematics and science have been the focus of many educators and researchers for years. Women have often been denied an equal education in math and science for many reasons. Parents and teachers must realize this fact and change their habits wherever necessary. Girls must be given the same opportunity as boys from the beginning, particularly in math and science where girls tend to lag behind. First of all, the term gender equityRead MoreThe Issues Within Public Education Essay1393 Words   |  6 Pagesintervention, the latest reforms, as well as unequal gender bias. Gender bias in education is typically thought of the fact that girls are pushed toward classes that are humanities based, while the boys are pushed to take classes that are science and math driven. This then leads into the fact that women make less money than men, so something must be unequal, whether it is education or gender rights, or both. This paper will examine the gender gap in K-12 education, which includes stereotyping andRead MoreGender Inequality Within The Workplace1379 Words   |  6 Pages  Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals based on their gender. It arises from differences in socially constructed gender roles as well as biologically through chromosomes, brain structure, and hormonal differences. There is a natural difference also in the relative p hysical strengths of the sexes. In the workplace Income disparities linked to job stratification Wage discrimination exists when workers are equally qualified and perform the same work butRead MoreEssay On STEM Major1587 Words   |  7 Pagesis a curriculum based on integrated and applied approach on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. These four disciplines are based on a cohesive real world approach to learning. Although United States leads in STEM education, only 16% of high school students’ graduates are interested in a STEM Career. Out of these 23% are females who will take STEM majors in the University which is a very low number compared to other fields of study such as Law and Biology. As a result of this, the Obama

Monday, December 9, 2019

Kfc Research free essay sample

I started my research in one of the most popular fast food restaurant which is KFC and it’s located in Tesco Nilai, Seremban. That day, I reached there around one o’clock in the afternoon and going to have my lunch at KFC also. I used to be there in afternoon as most of the customers or crowd will be there due to the lunch value in KFC. Tesco KFC was crowded and occupied with people as it was peak hours for lunch and most of them are workers from nearby shop lots in Tesco. When I’m having my meal, I started to investigate and observe the actual performance of all the employees including manager or others staff in order to determine the type of classical approach that we are going to discuss in this report. I will spend around 3 hours there in order to make an accurate observation for this report. We will write a custom essay sample on Kfc Research or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Tesco KFC is just on our left hand side when we step into the front door of Tesco Nilai. This branch is considering a little bit smaller than other branches of KFC. In my observation, there were 5 counters placed in order to serve customers for order and payment. However, there was a huge crowd lining in front of it to make their orders. Some of them are queuing patiently while others may be annoyed because the queue was too long due to the limited counters are available. Later, manager came suddenly and he started to give command to the employees. He was standing behind the counter and guiding the female employees to serve the customers. After that, he walked into the kitchen and checked over all the machines. Few minutes later, he started to divide works for all the male employees whose are working inside the kitchen and the female employees are standing at the counter to serve customers. Based on Henri Fayol’s principle of management, division of work are applied in this case. This principle presented work specialization as the best way to use the human resources of the organization. All the employees focus on their own work and perform the best results. Besides that, Unity of Command also applied in the aforesaid case. All the employees are leaded by the manager and obeyed to the instructions of the manager. However, there are some improvements for the service of Tesco KFC. First and foremost, the service in KFC is lacked of efficiency and takes times to make an order. Based on my observation, it took an average 6 minutes for a customer to make their orders, payments, and take away their foods. It takes a long times and easily caused a long queue during the peak period especially lunch hours. Based on Henri Fayol’s principles of management, manager used to be initiative to give any command or take actions. In this case, manager has to make sure that more counters are available in order to serve their customers with more efficiency and effective. Besides that, some of the employees in Tesco KFC are busying on their own staff especially SMS and chatting around. During the peak hours, I can easily see that there were few workers of Tesco KFC standing in the corner pressing their phone and chat with each other. There were only limited workers serving in the only two counters and that’s the main reason caused a long queue in KFC. Based on Henri Fayol’s principles of management, discipline plays an important role in this case. All the workers should be disciple to do their own works and follow the instructions of the manager as well. If the principle of discipline can be applied well, customers no need to waste their time to queue. Also, all the works can be done easily, more efficiency, and more effective. Last but not least, some of the workers especially female workers who are working in front of the counters will show their frustrated and annoyed feeling when they were serving the customers. This is because that they started to feel boring and tired on their works. This problem has to be solved as the feeling of customers will be affected if the employees served with poor services. Based on Henri Fayol’s principles of management, Espirit De Corps principle used to be applied in this case. Manager responsible to general good feelings among the employees and try their best to motivate them in order to come out with best performances. As a conclusion, Henri Fayol’s principle of management considers as a relevant guide and plays an important role to product managing staff. Besides that, this principle also contributed to boost the growth of an organization and have a great impact on managing a business. Hence, this principle is applied on Tesco KFC and creates a better managing system in order to provide better service with more efficient and effective.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Performance Metrics Essay Example

Performance Metrics Essay What are the ways you can measure how successful your Six Sigma project has been in improving quality or decreasing the number of defects? Before we go into the metrics and definitions, let’s say what â€Å"defects† and â€Å"defective† mean. Something has a defect if the result or outcome of a process is not what is expected. Something went wrong. The product may still be usable: a car with chipped paint can still be driven. So some engineers use â€Å"defective† to mean a product which is not usable. Oops, we forgot to put an engine in that car: well, that’s a defective car because it can’t be driven.However, for the purpose of quality control, â€Å"defective† simply means â€Å"contains a defect,† whether that defect is cosmetic or whether it actually affects the function of the part as intended. (So just be careful to make sure you are on the same page in terms of your definition as those you are communicating to). There ca n be different types of defects in a single part based on different causes. B. Performance Metrics–Definitions Here is a list of the Performance Metrics which are spelled out and then given an acronym if one is commonly used. The description is given of what this metric means. Performance Metric| Description| 1. | Percentage Defective| What percentage of parts contain one or more defects? | 2. | Parts per Million (PPM)| What is the average number of defective parts per million? This is the same figure in metric 1 above of â€Å"percentage defective† multiplied by 1,000,000. | 3. | Defects per Unit (DPU)| What is the average number of defects per unit? | 4. | Defects per Opportunity (DPO)| What is the average number of defects per opportunity? (where opportunity = number of different ways a defect can occur in a single part| 5. Defects per million Opportunities (DPMO)| The same figure in metric 3 above of defects per opportunity multiplied by 1,000,000| 6. | Rolled thro ughput yield (RTY)| The yield stated as a percentage of the number of parts that go through a multi-stage process without a defect. | 7. | Process sigma| The sigma level associated with either the DPMO or PPM level found in metric 2 or 5 above. | 8. | Cost of poor quality| The cost of defects: either internal (rework/scrap) or external (warranty/product)| C. Performance metrics–Discussion and examples 1. Percentage Defective This is defined as the Total number of defective parts)/(Total number of parts) X 100 So if there are 1,000 parts and 10 of those are defective, the percentage of defective parts is (10/1000) X 100 = 1% 2. PPM Same as the ratio defined in metric 1, but multiplied by 1,000,000. For the example given above, 1 out of 100 parts are defective means that 10,000 out of 1,000,000 will be defective so the PPM = 10,000. NOTE: The PPM only tells you whether or not there exists one or more defects. To get a clear picture on how many defects there are (since each unit can have multiple defects), you need to go to metrics 3, 4, and 5. . Defects per Unit Here the AVERAGE number of defects per unit is calculated, which means you have to categorize the units into how many defects they have from 0, 1, 2, up to the maximum number. Take the following chart, which shows how many units out of 100 total have 0, 1, 2, etc. , defects all the way to the maximum of 5. Defects| 0| 1| 2| 3| 4| 5| # of Units| 70| 20| 5| 4| 9| 1| The average number of defects is DPU = [Sum of all (D * U)]/100 = [(0 * 70) + (1 * 20) + (2 * 5) + (3 * 4) + (4 * 9) + (5 * 1)]/100 = 47/100 = 0. 47 4. Defects per OpportunityHow many ways are there for a defect to occur in a unit? This is called a defect â€Å"opportunity†, which is akin to a â€Å"failure mode†. Let’s take the previous example in metric 3. Assume that each unit can have a defect occur in one of 6 possible ways. Then the number of opportunities for a defect in each unit is 6. Then DPO = DPU/O = 0. 4 7/6 = 0. 078333 5. Defects per Million Opportunities This is EXACTLY analogous to the difference between the Percentage Defective and the PPM, metrics 1 and 2, in that you get this by taking metric 4, the Defects per Opportunity, and multiplying by 1,000,000.So using the above example in metric 3: DPMO = DPO * 1,000,000 = 0. 078333 * 1,000,000 = 78,333 6. Rolled through Yield This takes the percentage of units that pass through several subprocesses of an entire process without a defect. The number of units without a defect is equal to the number of units that enter a process minus the number of defective units. Let the number of units that enter a process be P. The number of defective units is D. Then the first-pass yield for each subprocess or FPY is equal to (P – D)/P. One you get each FPY for each subprocess, you multiply them altogether.If the yields of 4 subprocesses are 0. 994, 0. 987, 0. 951 and 0. 990, then the RTY = (0. 994)(0. 987)(0. 951)(0. 990) = 0. 924 or 92. 4% . 7. Process Sigma What is a Six Sigma process? It is the output of process that has a mean of 0 and standard deviation of 1, with an upper specification limit (USL) and lower specification limit (LSL) set at +3 and -3, respectively. However, there is also the matter of the 1. 5-sigma shift which occurs over the long term. The result is the following two charts, one without and one with the 1. 5-sigma shift. Performance Measurement Metrics for SuccessPerformance measurement metrics are critical for a successful supply chain management. Let’s assume that your company has implemented an advanced supply chain planning and execution system with logistics and other related systems. You’ve improved demand management and strengthened partnerships in your supply base. The company has also redesigned and changed all key business processes for conversion from â€Å"push† to â€Å"pull† lean manufacturing. Key suppliers and customers are beginning to sign on for col laborative participation in the supply chain process.In and of itself, just implementing these changes represents some major steps toward a high-speed lean supply chain. Currently, the right performance metrics for gauging everyone’s performance and level of improvement are essential to supply chain management’s success. Ineffective performance measurement will never reveal what really needs adjustment in your business and externally in the supply chain. Performance improvement, effective collaboration with suppliers and customers to streamline the supply chain is an iterative process. This means that how you measure that performance is a critical and continual process.Many manufacturing companies continue to evaluate their performance and make adjustments by focusing on financial data that looks to the past rather than the future. Why Conventional Measurements Fail In the traditional monthly operations review, senior management spends an inordinate amount of time disc ussing the financial results for the previous month or quarter. In addition, there is usually a lengthy review of the budget versus actual expenditures. What’s more, managers at different levels are expected to answer questions about variances and shortfalls, even though many such explanations end up being pure guesswork.Traditionally, monthly operations reviews rarely result in systematically changing the company’s future performance because the operations review process does not connect and coordinate strategy with operations and achieve lasting cost improvement results. These meetings actually encourage managers to modify their activities so that management will not grill them next month. Paradoxically, the modifications they institute in their units are often counterproductive to the company’s real strategy. Why? Because the managers are seeking to satisfy standards that fail to incorporate all of the real drivers of business success.Business process improve ment is sacrificed because the performance measurement system does not work effectively. For example, a purchasing manager may get his or her purchase price variance (PPV) in line with what the operations review team wants but possibly at the disconnected cost of shortages in materials and problems with quality. Strongly customer-focused metrics often do not figure in these traditional monthly financially-orientated reviews. And the common focus on plant utilization, production efficiency, and overhead absorption rewards behavior that has little to do with customer satisfaction.Performance Measurement Counter Productivity In fact, performance measurement systems can have everything to do with counterproductive actions such as building up inventory or controlling purchase price variance with vendors to satisfy ineffective management accounting methods. Here are some of the telltale symptoms of a management that focuses on the wrong metrics. * Engineering continues to design products that are not designed with a lean supply chain in mind. * Accounting is focused on historical, myopic measures that emphasize sub-process performance optimization without considering the performance of the entire process. Sales is encouraged to focus heavily on booking orders without regard for what product mix was planned to be sold and produced or for what margins will be realized. * Plant management is totally focused on shipping dollars, efficiency, utilization, and overhead absorption metrics that run counter to reducing cycle time and increasing customer satisfaction. Without properly focused and balanced performance measures you won’t see process and functional performance as it really could be. Instead, you will likely see process and functional performance as you think they are.That can lead you to make decisions that are less than optimal from the point of view of the whole business. Revising Performance Measurement to Match Strategy Any complete strategic plan must specify goals, strategic objectives, actions, and the final performance measures by which management and stockholders will gauge success. Top management’s performance can usually be measured by sales volume, market share, cash flow, profit, ROI, dividends, and, if publicly held, market value. Operating management, however, is often disconnected from the strategic plan.As a result, business processes and activities under the control of operations are not affected in the ways that will make the company more profitable or give it more market share. This misalignment of performance measurement between strategy and process performance in operations is often poorly understood. It certainly does not receive the priority it should from top management. The critical success factors management defines at the strategic level must be transferred to the operations level measures and clearly linked to business process performance (see Figure PM-1).Successfully linking the real drivers of o verall business performance at the operations level is a prerequisite for effective performance measurement. A primary purpose of measurement is to assess performance levels and to analyze what is happening and where. The most beneficial aspect of performance measurement, however, is pinpointing problem areas and focusing attention on actions that will have the best impact on overall business performance. Without good performance measurements, it is easy for companies to fall into a very common trap: Employees keep busy with all kinds of activities but achieve few of the desired results.Effective performance measurement is the compass that guides management toward meaningful results at the process level, results that will tie in directly with the company’s goals. Wrong Measures Cause Havoc It is very difficult to improve something that you fail to measure properly. The pressure to focus energy on activities that really matter must come from the highest levels of the manufactu ring enterprise. Top management may well know about the need for making improvements, but unless the right performance factors are measured and rewarded, nothing usually changes.Today’s world-class manufacturers are continually tracking process performance factors that ultimately impact business success, such as order-to-delivery cycle time, throughput, inventory levels, quality, operating expenses, and customer satisfaction. Inappropriate measures often lead managers to respond to situations incorrectly and to reinforce undesirable behavior. For example, if manufacturing’s goal is to focus on maximum overhead absorption, the result is often a bloated inventory and decreased customer service.Measuring and driving toward a singular metric, such as purchase price variance or labor efficiency, often leads to higher overall costs that are invisible to traditional accounting methods. Getting a low price on material is important, but ensuring an uninterrupted supply of neede d material to maintain the production schedule and meet customer deadlines is more important. Just think about the real cost of material shortages. The best purchased material value is a result of price, quality, and fast on-time delivery. Keeping an entire organization focused on the right objectives and moving in the right direction is no easy task.Of course, what managers think their superiors consider important, based on the formal or informal measurement system, determines what is going to get done. For example, if something like cycle time gets only lip service from top management, then cycle time essentially becomes a secondary issue. If your company has conflicting performance measures, your managers are certain to have differing values and directions, many of which will be disconnected from your company’s strategy. Without uniform expectations, it is virtually impossible to keep an organization marching toward the same goals.This, by itself, makes reevaluating how yo u measure business processes and functional performance a very high priority. Introduction Performance measurement is an important cornerstone of the contracts between the University of California and the U. S. Department of Energy for the operation of its laboratories. Performance metrics should be constructed to encourage performance improvement, effectiveness, efficiency, and appropriate levels of internal controls. They should incorporate best practices related to the performance being measured and cost/risk/benefit analysis, where appropriate.The Department of Energy has promulgated a set of Total Quality Management guidelines that indicate that performance metrics should lead to a quantitative assessment of gains in: * Customer Satisfaction | * Organizational Performance | * Workforce Excellence | The key elements of the performance metrics to these guidelines should address: * Alignment with Organizational Mission | * Cost Reduction and/or Avoidance | * Meeting DOE Requiremen ts | * Quality of Product | * Cycle Time Reduction | * Meeting Commitments | * Timely Delivery | * Customer Satisfaction | |The Process The first step in developing performance metrics is to involve the people who are responsible for the work to be measured because they are the most knowledgeable about the work. Once these people are identified and involved, it is necessary to: 1. Identify critical work processes and customer requirements. 2. Identify critical results desired and align them to customer requirements. 3. Develop measurements for the critical work processes or critical results. 4. Establish performance goals, standards, or benchmarks.The establishment of performance goals can best be specified when they are defined within three primary levels: Objectives: Broad, general areas of review. These generally reflect the end goals based on the mission of a function. Criteria: Specific areas of accomplishment that satisfy major divisions of responsibility within a function. Me asures: Metrics designed to drive improvement and characterize progress made under each criteria. These are specific quantifiable goals based on individual expected work outputs.The SMART test is frequently used to provide a quick reference to determine the quality of a particular performance metric: S = Specific: clear and focused to avoid misinterpretation. Should include measure assumptions and definitions and be easily interpreted. M = Measurable: can be quantified and compared to other data. It should allow for meaningful statistical analysis. Avoid yes/no measures except in limited cases, such as start-up or systems-in-place situations. A = Attainable: achievable, reasonable, and credible under conditions expected.R = Realistic: fits into the organizations constraints and is cost-effective. T = Timely: doable within the time frame given. Types of Metrics Quality performance metrics allow for the collection of meaningful data for trending and analysis of rate-of-change over tim e. Examples are: * Trending against known standards: the standards may come from either internal or external sources and may include benchmarks. | * Trending with standards to be established: usually this type of metric is used in conjunction with establishing a baseline. * Milestones achieved. | Yes/No metrics are used in certain situations usually involving establishing trends, baselines, or targets, or in start-up cases. Because there is no valid calibration of the level of performance for this type of measure, the should be used sparingly.Examples are: * Establish/implement a system. | * Reporting achieved (without analyses). | * System is in place (without regard to effectiveness). | * Threshold achieved (arbitrary standards). | * Analysis performed (without criteria). | Determining the Quality of Metrics The following questions serve as a checklist to determine the quality of the performance metrics that have been defined. 1. Is the metric objectively measurable? 2. Does the m etric include a clear statement of the end results expected? 3. Does the metric support customer requirements, including compliance issues where appropriate? 4. Does the metric focus on effectiveness and/or efficiency of the system being measured? 5. Does the metric allow for meaningful trend or statistical analysis? . Have appropriate industry or other external stands been applied? 7. Does the metric include milestones and/or indicators to express qualitative criteria? 8. Are the metrics challenging but at the same time attainable? 9. Are assumptions and definitions specified for what constitutes satisfactory performance? 10. Have those who are responsible for the performance being measured been fully involved in the development of this metric? 11. Has the metric been mutually agreed upon by you and your customers?

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Going for the Gold †Theology Essay

Going for the Gold – Theology Essay Free Online Research Papers Going for the Gold Theology Essay The Hamm twins have come a long way from swinging from the rafters in their Waukesha, WI barn to going for a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Paul Hamm became the first American in Olympic history to win the Men’s All-Around Gymnastics gold medal. I must confess that I thought that his medal hopes were surely over when he took a tragic fall on his vault landing. But Paul Hamm went on to perform two of the most spectacular and flawless routines of his career to win an Olympic gold medal by the closest margin in Olympic history. It’s astounding to hear the numerous stories of adversity that these Olympians have had to overcome just to compete in the games. Such as 16 year-old Dana Vollmer who underwent heart surgery and has to have a defibulator at every meet she competes in. She swam on the women’s 800-meter freestyle relay team that broke the oldest record in swimming and won the gold. What propels these men and women to become Olympic champions? When the Apostle Paul wrote about the race of life that we must all run, he referred to the Olympic athletes. â€Å"Remember that in a race everyone runs, but only one gets the prize. You must also run in such a way that you will win . . . They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize† (I Corinthians 9:24-27 NLT). How can we become champions who go for the gold and win the prize of eternal life and wear the victor’s crown when we stand before God someday? Consider the eight principles that will propel you to victory in the race of life. First – You must LEGALLY QUALIFY and LAWFULLY RUN. Not just any athlete can compete in the games. They must first qualify in the trials. To be in the Christian race you must first qualify. There is only one way to qualify in this race. Jesus said, â€Å"You must be born again† (John 3:3). You must have a spiritual birth from above by putting your faith in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for your sins. (See John 1:12 and Ephesians 2:8-9.) Many athletes were disqualified because they did not compete according to the rules. Jesus said, â€Å"If you love me keep my commandments.† But there is Good News. If we are disqualified in our race, God is merciful. â€Å"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness† (I John 1:9-10). Second – LEARN from others. Paul tells us that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. (See Hebrews 12:1.) They are in the grandstands of heaven cheering us on. Be encouraged by them. Learn from them. (See Hebrews 11.) All Olympic athletes have a coach. Great men and women of the Bible and godly men and women who have gone before us and those around us can teach and inspire us. Third – LENGTHEN your Stride and Staying Power. To go for the gold requires endurance, perseverance, and much patience. Paul gives us key principles for the race of life. â€Å"Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us† (Hebrews 12:1). Don’t give up. Only training and discipline can develop your endurance. (See Hebrews 12:12-13, I Corinthians 9:25, 27, and James 1:14, 12.) Lift up your hands, head, heals, and heart. Fourth – LIGHTEN your LOAD. Champions will lay aside everything that slows them down. â€Å"Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress† (Hebrews 12:1 NLT). Fifth – LOOK to Jesus. Every athlete must keep their eyes on the goal. To take your eyes off the goal is to become disheartened, to loose your way, or to make a misstep that could cost you the race. â€Å"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith† (Hebrews 12:2-3). Jesus is our all. He is our goal, aim, motivation, inspiration, power, and our prize. Consider what he endured for you. Sixth – LOVE Discipline and Training. A champion learns to love the discipline and training that it takes to make them a winner. They know that without pain there is no gain. Our coach disciplines us for our good. (See Hebrews 12:4-11.) Seventh – LIVE a Clean and Holy life. Athletes know that to be a champion they must take care of their body and attitude. An Olympic champion must have heart and character. Many times a less talented athlete wins over a more gifted competitor simply because they had more heart. What pleases God and makes one a winner in our heavenly judge’s eyes is character of heart – holiness. â€Å"Try to live in peace with everyone and seek to live a clean and holy life for those who are not holy will not see the Lord† (Hebrews 12:14-17 NLT). There is only one way to be holy and clean in heart. Come to Jesus â€Å"the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people and to the sprinkled blood which graciously forgives instead of crying out for vengeance as the blood of Able did† (Hebrews 12:22-24 NLT). Eighth – LONG for the Victor’s Crown. (See Hebrews 12:22-23.) What motivates and propels an Olympian? A gold medal. The ancient Olympians competed for a laurel wreath. It symbolized a champion. Paul said that they did it for a crown that perishes. The glory of this world doesn’t last. Go for the gold that lasts. The prize that doesn’t fade away – eternity in the heavens. God’s rewards and glory are everlasting. When you long for heaven and heaven’s Prize you will have a hope and helper to propel you to victory. Go for the gold! 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Saturday, November 23, 2019

Using a Mind Map for Reading Comprehension

Using a Mind Map for Reading Comprehension The use of Mind Maps in class is useful when working on all sorts of skills. For example,  students can use a Mind Map to quickly jot down the gist of an article they have read. Another great exercise is using Mind Maps to learn  vocabulary. Mind Maps provide a visual learning mechanism that will help students recognize relationships they may miss in a more linear type of activity. The act of mapping something out encourages the individual to create an internal retelling of the story. This type of approach will help students with essay writing skills, as well as better overall reading comprehension due to the 30,000 foot overview they will get.   For this example lesson, weve provided a number of variations on the use of Mind Maps for exercises. The lesson itself could easily be extended into homework activities and over multiple classes depending on how much of the artistic element you encourage students to provide.  For this lesson, we created a simple map as an example for an upper-level reading course using the novel Dont You Dare Read This, Mrs. Dunphrey by  Margaret Peterson Haddix.   Mind Map Lesson Plan Aim:  Reading review and comprehension of extensive reading materials Activity:  Creating a Mind Map asking students to create an overview of a story Level:  Intermediate to advanced Outline: Introduce the concept of a Mind Map by showing students Mind Maps posted online. Just go to Google and search on Mind Map youll find plenty of examples.Ask students what type of things would lend themselves to Mind Mapping. Hopefully, students will come up with all sorts of creative uses. If not, we suggest pointing to simple examples such as vocabulary about the home or job responsibilities.  As a class, create a Mind Map of the story you are currently working on.Start with the main character. Ask students to identify the main areas of that characters life. In this case the class chose  family, friends, work  and  school.Ask students about the particulars of each category. Who are the people? What events happen? Where does the story take place?  Once youve provided the basic outline, ask students to either draw the map on a piece of paper, or use Mind Mapping software (we recommend Free Mind, an open source program).Ask students to fill in the Mind Map noting the relations hips, main events, difficulties, etc., for each of the categories.   How deep you ask students to go into the story depends on what is being reviewed. For analysis, its probably best to keep things relatively simple. However, if you use this to review a chapter, individual character might run much deeper.At this point in the exercise, you can ask students to review the reading in a variety of ways. Here are some suggestions:Use the map to discuss the relationships between the characters, places, etc., to partners. Each student can choose one arm of the map to discuss at length.Use the map as a written activity by asking students to write an accompanying explanatory text to the map.Ask students to really dig into the details by mapping out  one or two arms of the map.Be artistic and provide sketches for their mind map.Speculate on the backgrounds of the relationships represented using modal verbs of probability.Focus in on grammar functions such as tenses by posing questions about the relationships in a variety of tenses.  Have students compare and contrast the maps they create.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Reasons for College Transfer Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 13

Reasons for College Transfer - Personal Statement Example I transferred because I was interested in changing my majors. Initially, I used to do a course in social science, but I felt it was not appropriate for me. While still in high school, I became interested in business, and I made my mind to take a career in entrepreneurship. However, after finishing high school, I could not take any course in business because of some college restrictions on the number of students enrolling for the courses. Thus, I was forced to take a social science course. Later, I realized it was still possible to major in business, but my former colleagues could not offer the courses that I considered appropriate. Because I had entrepreneurship in my heart, I thought I would never be satisfied with a career in social science. Therefore, I decided to transfer in order to do what I liked. Third, I transferred because I did not want to do an online distance learning course. Although some online distance learning courses are offered by reputable institutions, their accreditation system is not credible. When one completes an online course via distance learning, most employers do not recognize the qualifications, making it almost impossible for an individual to secure a relevant job. For instance, in my native country, higher education institutions and the government do not recognize academic certificates offered and accredited via online means. Because I wanted to avoid such inconveniences, I decided to transfer. In addition, I transferred because I wanted to study in a reputable institution that could increase my prospects of securing employment in some of the U.S. multinationals.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Emerging technologies- Nanotechnology Research Paper

Emerging technologies- Nanotechnology - Research Paper Example At the same time, technology was coming up with the ability to create simple structures at a molecular level. As the concept of nanotechnology became more acceptable, the word’s meaning shifted to include the much simpler nano-meter scale kinds of technology. Richard Feynman envisioned the theoretical capability of nanotechnology in the 1950s, when he talked about building billions of tiny factories that manufactured simultaneously by maneuvering objects atom by atom. Based on this vision, advanced nanotechnology aims to use mechanochemistry via guidance using molecular systems of machines. Shortly after molecular machinery as envisioned comes into play, it is expected that a manufacturing revolution will ensue. What need does nanotechnology address? The quality of all man-made products is dependent on the atomic arrangement of the product’s components. The cost of these products is also dependent on the process used to produce them, and ease of getting molecules and at oms to link up as we want them (Wilson, 2010). The energy used to create products, and the pollution it emits is also dependent upon the methods used to place, as well as connects the molecules to give out the desired product. Nanotechnology’s goal is to improve the amount of control, over the building process of products, to ensure they are of high quality and do not cause destructive environmental impact. Nanotechnology is one of the world’s hope for the solution to dirty and crude technologies that harm the earth’s biosphere. This technology has been identified as vital in addressing renewable and clean energy, global clean water supply and health improvement, preserving and healing the environment, availing information to all, and enabling the development of space. How does it improve upon existing designs? Nanotechnology can be used to improve on existing designs by allowing for the increased control over matter’s structure, which has been a primary project for mankind since early man. Nanotechnology, in today’s world, is helping to improve many industrial and technological sectors such as transportation, food safety, security, medicine, environmental science, energy and information technology. Most of its benefits are dependent on the ability to tailor essential material structures at the nano-scale in order to achieve particular properties (Einsiedel, 2009). This extends material science’s well-used tools and techniques, via which nanotechnology can be used to make materials better. This could be making materials better conductors of electricity, more sieve-like, more reactive, more durable, lighter or stronger. Already in existence are over eight hundred everyday products sold commercially that are reliant on nanotechnology and its integrated processes. Nano-scale polymer additives can simultaneously make them resilient, durable, stiff and lightweight such as in baseball bats. Nano-scale additives in or on fabr ics can make them wrinkle, stain, and bacterial growth resistant, as well as providing ballistic energy deflections on body armor (Einsiedel, 2009). What technologies does it build upon and/or rely on? Nanotechnology is built upon quantum science and its technology. The quantum size effect describes electron property physics in solids undergoing a great reduction in the size of its particles. This effect comes into play when the nanometer range of size is reached affecting the magnetic, electrical and optical behavior of these materials

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Culture as a Determinant of Motivation Essay Example for Free

Culture as a Determinant of Motivation Essay Why is the study of Different Theories of Motivation important to managers? The World has changed at a very fast pace and will continue to do so. The view point that many prominent researchers had on motivation has also evolved with changing times. There has been a phenomenal change in the way organizations and individuals function in the twenty first century if we made a comparison with how organizations functioned back in the day. There is a significantly greater focus today on employee satisfaction, work life balance, cross cultural values, virtual teams and formal performance management processes to name a few. Globalization is one the key factors which has brought a prominent change in many organizational practices in the twenty first century. Hershey and Blanchard (1977) mentioned that â€Å"motives can be defined as needs, wants, drives or impulses within the individual which are directed towards goals which may be conscious or sub conscious†. Motivation has been defined by Robbins, Decenzo and Coulter (2011) as â€Å"motivation is the process by which a person’s efforts are energized, directed, and sustained towards attaining a goal â€Å" In this paper we will define motivation as the force which helps an individual focus on his immediate and long term goals and helps him run the extra mile. Also in this essay we will be focusing on the impact of culture on organizational behavior and the reasons why managers need to be aware of various motivational theories so that they are well equipped to handle this impact of culture change. Motivation is a very important tool that is not effectively utilized by managers. Motivation if used effectively can significantly improve the performance of teams and employees. It was thought earlier that motivation could be directed only by external factors, but it is now understood that every employee has his own set of motivators which if addressed correctly can significantly improve a manager and his team’s performance. It is the manager’s responsibility to correctly identify these motivating factors and take all steps possible to address them. But this is easier said than done. As observed in today’s environment there are many issues which create a hindrance for managers to motivate their respective teams. In most organizations because of the growing impetus of globalization and the fact that individuals from different cultures, ethnic backgrounds come on the same platform and work together, it is becoming increasingly difficult for managers to be on top o f these growing trends and continue to motivate their respective teams. It is very important for managers to understand how important the concept of culture plays in the way an employee thinks and behaves. Only when a manager is aware of the subtle changes in an individual’s behavior because of their cultural background, can he actually make a concentrated effort to analyze and evaluate methods to motivate that particular individual. Geert Hofstede’s (1980) theory of cultural dimensions describes how a particular society’s culture influences the behavior and values of individuals using a structure derived from factor analysis. This theory proposed four concepts on the basis of which cultural values could be evaluated; Individualism- collectivism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, power distance and masculinity- feminity. As per Sledge, Miles and Coppage (2008) power distance is â€Å"the degree to which control and influence are distributed unequally in society†. In countries with high power distance it would not be recommended to give employees a lot of freedom with respect to their work. The employees would be more comfortable when they are abiding by a strict protocol and set guidelines and procedures whereas in countries with low power distance decentralization of power would be recommended where employees can be empowered and inspired to come up with creative ideas in their work. Countries like Venezuela and Malaysia are examples of nations which show High Power distance whereas Denmark and Great Britain are nations which show very low power distance. Sledge, Miles and Coppage (2008) defined the concept of individualism versus collectivism as â€Å"I and Me versus We and Us’†. Cultures where the beliefs are that one is responsible for his own decisions and the general tendency is to take care of only oneself and his own family are individualistic cultures. Collective cultures are those where people rely more heavily on groups and the general tendency is to take care of each other. Individualism is common in USA, Canada and mostly in the West whereas collectivism is more common in Pakistan, India and Brazil. In collective cultures promotions and appraisals are generally done on the basis of seniority, age and loyalty whereas in individualistic cultures appraisals are done only on the basis of merit. In countries where the culture is individualistic strong individual recognition and rewards would be very strong motivators. Sledge, Miles and Coppage (2008) expounded that uncertainty avoidance was â€Å"the degree of risk aversion†. Individuals from Countries with high uncertainty avoidance are generally very wary of ambiguous situations and they create beliefs and situations to increase their sense of security. They have very strong belief in experts and they generally arrive at decisions only with consensus of their entire group. Denmark and Great Britain are examples of low uncertainty avoidance cultures whereas Germany, Japan and Spain are examples of High Uncertainty avoidance countries. Sledge, Miles, and Coppage (2008) elucidated on masculinity versus femininity as â€Å"the desire for material possessions and recognition versus the desire for relationships and family† In masculine societies monetary rewards would make very good motivators whereas in predominantly feminine societies Flexible working hours or more time away from work for family would be very strong motivators. A feminine society is more concerned with family and personal relationships as against masculine societies where jobs are more or less gender based. Examples of such masculine cultures are China, Japan, Philippines, India, Bangladesh whereas examples of more feminine cultures are Thailand, Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia. Some researchers like William Ouchi (Theory Z) and Peters Waterman(Excellence theory) developed theories on the difference between management practices between Japanese and American business corporations . They firmly believed that most American and Japanese corporations functioned similar to the McGregor’s Theory X Theory Y where the American companies firmly believed that workers are generally unwilling to work and can be motivated only with economic benefits whereas the Japanese corporations were of the belief that the workers can be motivated by a sense of duty and loyalty. The major difference in the functioning of these organizations was also the fact the managers from the west which are predominantly individualistic cultures could not generally think about the bigger picture and this probably showed in the treatment of their employees. Hence the intrinsic factors of most employees were not catered to. Companies from the East like Japan which is a collective culture showed that managers used to generally behave with their workers like they were a part of a collective unit and this made the employees think about the companies as an extension to their individual self. This made them believe that money and economic benefits were not primary motivators. Such employees were motivated with other factors like by knowledge sharing, improving their self esteem, self respect, achievement, recognition and opportunities for more challenging work. Organizations need to pay utmost attention to the cultural and ethnic sentiments of their employees. Let’s say for instance Multinational Companies who have their setup in India also have to take many factors into consideration like the fact that every state in India has some festivals which have a very strong regional and cultural flavor. Organizations have to keep in mind that even within Cultures there are many sub cultures and the sentiments of the employees within these sub cultures also need to be taken care of. Like for instance in India in the state of Maharashtra the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is of very high cultural and emotional significance whereas in the state of Punjab Baisakhi as a festival is of very high importance. Organizations need to take these aspects also into consideration and keep a correct balance when they are deciding holidays for the employees in a particular culture or sub culture. If the management does not pay attention to the sentiments of their employees, this will send the wrong signals to their employees and they will be unable to identify themselves with the ideals of the company. In such situations motivating employees would become very difficult. Having seen the impact of culture on the behavior of employees and individuals it would be very advantageous for managers to understand the underlying and basic crux of motivation theories. These theories when used in the right context with employees will help motivate them and improve their performance. Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory of Motivation (1968) emphasizes on core job factors and distinguishes them into two categories Hygiene Factors and Motivational Factors. Herzberg further added that the Hygiene Factors like Pay, Company Policies, Fringe Benefits, Physical working conditions, Status, Interpersonal Relations, and Job Security were only factors that were extrinsic to the work environment and on ly prevented dissatisfaction. These factors never motivated individuals but only prevented the individuals from getting dissatisfied which might further lead to de-motivation. He further added that the motivational factors were intrinsic to an individual and were inherent in work. The motivational factors like recognition, Growth Opportunities, Responsibility, Leadership Quotient, and Meaningfulness of work were what were instrumental in creating satisfaction in an employee and motivating him. What is interesting to know is that in different cultures the motivators and hygiene factors are slightly different. In collective cultures sense of fulfillment and working towards company goal is considered far more important that individual pay and remuneration like in western cultures. Managers need to strike the right balance with employees to properly inspire them to perform better. In order to be able to do this they need to have sufficient background knowledge of the culture quotient of an employee along with certain theories of motivation which might be applicable to those employees. In recent times of financial crisis it has become even more important for managers to understand the key factors which can motivate their employees. Organizations in recent times have become hard pressed to offer economic benefits and rewards to their employees. In such situations it would a great advantage to managers if they have sufficient knowledge of motivation theories like the Equity theory of Motivation which states that every individual has an ingrained instinct to continuously evaluate what is it that he is gaining from the company with respect to what he investing in the company. Individuals also continuously compare themselves with their peers and colleagues. Such theories will help manages keep a right balance and ensure that certain factors which can give impetus to an employee’s dissatisfaction are sufficiently curtailed. They will then start focusing on improving an employee’s soft skills like interpersonal communication, instilling a sense of duty and loyalty towards the organization, making the employees strive for self improvement. Recognition and praise for good work will also be used more effectively used to motivate employees. The uses of motivation theories have become even more important as in most organizations virtual teams have become the order of the day. Employees work with their associates and colleagues whom they have never even met. It has become even more instrumental for managers to instill a sense of collectivism in their teams so that individuals working in a group can transform into a team in an actual sense. As per the survey done by Mckinsey(2010) it was found that most employees in organizations feel de motivated when they are unable to idolize themselves with the leadership of the company. It was also found that the many employees in the organization would feel even more motivated if they were offered a few words of praise from their boss. Like for instance if a manager appreciates the efforts of an employee who is a part of his virtual team whose first language is not English, this will really do wonders for that specific employee. All the small bits when put together make a collage. The study of motivation theories has now become of paramount importance to managers as they really need to understand that small bit which will motivate their team and their associates to do better than they actually can. This is what will separate a manager from a leader and will elevate the performance of a group of people to a team. Bibliography References * Hofstede, G. (1980). Motivation, Leadership, and Organization: Do American Theories Apply Abroad? Organizational Dynamics, 9(1), 42-63\ * Hersey P, Kenneth Blanchard (1977). Management of Organisational Behaviour. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall * Sledge, S., Miles, A. K., Coppage, S. (2008). What role does culture play? A look at motivation and job satisfaction among hotel workers in Brazil. International Journal Of Human Resource Management, 19(9), 1667-1682. doi:10.1080/09585190802295157 * Blackwell RJ, Miniard PW, Enrgel JF (2007). Consumer Behaviour, 9thed., Thomson Press, London. * Decenzo DA (2001). Fundamentals of Management: Essentials Concepts and Application. Prentice Hall, New Jersey. * Deresky H (2007). International Management: Managing Across Borders and Cultures (6th Edition). New Jersey; Prentice Hall * Koenigs, R. (1982). An Interview with Dr. William Ouchi. Training Development Journal, 36(3), 38 * Herzberg F (1968). ‘One more time: how do you motivate em ployee?’ Havard Business Review, Jan-Feb, 53-64 * Hofstede G (1991) Cultures and Organizations: Software of the mind.McGraw Hill. * Hofstede G (1980). Cultures Consequences: International Differences in Work-Relate Values. Newbury Park CA: Sage. * Dewhurst, M., Guthridge, M., Mohr, E. (2010). Motivating people: Getting beyond money. Mckinsey Quarterly, (1), 12-15

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Charlie Chaplin Essays -- Charlie Chaplin Essay

Sir Charles Chaplin’s speech from the 1940 motion picture called The Great Dictator was extremely hard-hitting and inspirational. It did very well to get the message across. His speech was a cry for help on behalf of many civilians, demanding a much needed change in the world back in the 1940s. He briefly touched on the intensity of the problem and what it could become in the future if no action would be taken. In doing so, he maintained respect with the audience; rather than talking down to them, he put himself onto their level without being too familiar. Very boldly, Chaplin effectively expressed to the people that it is our responsibility as humans to make the world a better place because its fate is determined by our influence. Right off the bat, Chaplin conveys his humility. In his speech, he makes it clear that he was not trying to be a dictator, such as Hitler. Rather, he wanted to show that he was just like them, a plain man who desired change in the world. Through his speech, it is apparent that Chaplin is the mediator, but not in a high place. His first two words, quietly uttered, are, â€Å"I’m sorry,†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (The Great Dictator 1940). As opposed to a president trying to win an election, saying these two words at the very beginning of a speech immediately bring Chaplin to the people’s level, even though he is the speaker and the demander of peace. I found this very effective because it is refreshing for me to see humility in such a powerful speech. It does not show that he wants to be worshipped. These two words immediately give him respect because it shows remorse, and in turn, the people will be more open to his words. It comforted me to see that he was not arrogant. He later goes on to say, â€Å"I s... ...is powerful because it encourages the audience to really see the problem, and without action taken by each individual, the problem will remain. Chaplin’s strategies paired with his powerful passionate voice helped him to successfully win the hearts of many and get through to his targeted audience. Works Cited http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/top25-quotes.htm>. http://www.culturaldiversity.com.au/practice-guides/cultural-awareness http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2013/05/28/inspirational-quotes http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/20-most-memorable-quotes-from-steve-jobs.html http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/cultural-differences http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/12080.Ralph_Waldo_Emerson http://moonlightenedshelves.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/charlie-chaplin-and-the-great-dictator-the-speech-that-resounds-across-time/

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Analysis of statement that “acquiring foreign companies creates shareholder wealth and helps reduce many risks” Essay

The above statement discusses risk reduction as a benefit of acquisitions.   I will split the statement into two parts; one that discusses the reduction of risks through acquisitions, and the other which explains the creation of shareholder wealth through acquisitions.   The first part of this statement can be explained through the various forms of risk that are reduced due to acquisitions.   One major risk that is reduced through acquisitions is the risk from competitors, through acquiring a fair market share.   It is difficult for firms which invest through greenfield strategies to attract clients from the existing competitors. This is because a new firm has to prove its performance to clients before it can successfully attract clients from the present competitors.   This is a move that takes time, since the clients have to analyze the products of new firms before the firm can gain the necessary goodwill to attract new clients.   However, acquisitions enable firms to use the goodwill of the firm that has been acquired to retain the existing clients or share of the market.   The market associates the new firm, in this case TPS Connection Plc, with the brand name of the firm that has been acquired, and if it had favorable goodwill, the new firm will have less problems in retaining the existing clients, as well as attracting new clients from the competitors. An example of a firm that has undergone a successful acquisition process and enjoyed this benefit is Tata Steel of India, which acquired Corus of Netherlands.   Before sealing of this deal, Tata Steel Company had to undergo a long and costly process of bidding, which was estimated to cost about $13.7 billion.   However, this process paid off after Tata steel benefited from among other things, the market share of Corus Company.   In fact, after the acquisition, Tata steel moved from being the fifty-sixth producer of steel globally, to the fifth position (ICFAI Center for Management Research 2007: 8). The second risk that is reduced through acquisitions relates to the distribution channels.   A new firm has to create new distribution channels that are effective enough to gain a share of the market.   This is challenging since the present competitors already use the best distribution channels available.   A new firm faces the risk of reduction of sales due to inferior distribution channels.   However, acquisitions enable new firms to make use of the already existing distribution channels of the firm that has been acquired.   This enables the new firm, in this case, TPS Connection Plc to penetrate the market more easily through the use of the existing distribution channels of the firm that has been acquired.   The Tata Steel acquisition that has been discussed above benefited Tata from Corus’ European distribution channels, and this is among the factors that made it gain a large share of the market. The third risk that can be reduced through acquisitions relates to the costs of market research.   A new company has to effectively study the market it is penetrating so that it can have full information on the products to manufacture, the pricing system, modes of advertising among other qualities of the market.   This is an expensive process, and if not done efficiently, it might lead to the inability of a new firm to penetrate the existing market. Due to the high nature of the costs, this might be inhibiting to firms which do not have the necessary resources and technology.   However, in cases of acquisitions, for instance by TPS Connection Plc, the company that is being acquired already has valuable information on the market segmentation and trends.   It therefore becomes relatively easier for TPS company to penetrate the market using the available information from the acquired company.   It is important to note that nonetheless, TPS has to do research on its own, but this will be less difficult and will consume lesser funds as compared to a scenario where it was implementing a greenfield investment.   Another risk that is reduced is the systematic risk that may occur in certain parts of the world, or certain markets.   For instance, there is currently conflict that is going on between Palestine and Israel.   The largest brunt of the war is felt by Palestine, and it can be said that firms in this country are facing a systematic risk.   Firms in this country with interests in foreign countries can be said to have reduced their risk through diversification.   They can rely on the profits from the foreign firms in a period like this, when their profits are prone to decreasing.   This is one risk that an acquisition reduces, and TPS Connection Plc should use an acquisition as a form of entering the Chinese and Indian markets in order to reduce the systematic risk through diversification. Creation of wealth through acquisitions. There are several companies that have undertaken acquisitions which have proved to reduce risks and improve the wealth of shareholders.   Hindalco is one such company, and it acquired Novelis Inc, which is a company that deals with aluminum and is based in Canada.   Since both companies had a large market presence, the combination of resources, distribution channels, goodwill and market share ensured that Hindalco built a very strong market presence.   This presence is felt in almost all continents of the world. Creation of shareholder wealth is achieved through the following benefits of acquisitions.   The first benefit is greater value generation, and this means that a company that undertakes an acquisition or merger is likely to achieve higher value as compared to both individual firms.   This is explained by the fact that a company that undertakes an acquisition is more likely to generate a higher shareholder value that is much larger than the total number of shares of the individual companies. Another benefit that arises from acquisitions and which is likely to increase the wealth of shareholders is the gains in market share.   This benefit can be well illustrated when a firm is facing challenges in the market.   In such a scenario, an acquisition especially by another firm which has a strong presence in the market, is likely to make the weaker firm experience greater levels of cost efficiency and competitiveness.   In this case, there are two beneficiaries to the acquisition; the weak company benefits from elimination of its market problems, while the joint company benefits from a larger share of the market. A third benefit of an acquisition which is consistent with the wealth creation goal of a company is the cost efficiency gain.   This benefit is realized through economies of scale benefits that are realized from acquisitions and mergers.   Such benefits include ease of raising capital, sharing of resources by both firms, advancement of discounts from bulk purchases among other benefits.   Other benefits include increase in production due to the acquisition, which then leads to the reduction of the production costs of individual units.   Increase in efficiency can also be achieved through sharing of technology.   In the Hindalco acquisition, this firm gained very useful technology from Novelis Inc., which some experts estimate would have taken a decade to develop. The fourth benefit that can be attributed to the acquisitions and mergers is the reduction in the administration costs.   This occurs due to the sharing of established resources between the two firms.   For instance, when a firm enters a new market through an acquisition, it does not spend much funds setting up the different departments that are needed for operations.   Instead, a firm will use the existing departments of the new firm that is being acquired. A fifth benefit of an acquisition which TPS Connection Plc would enjoy is the increase in global presence.   When this firm acquires a company which has a strong brand name, its presence will be felt in the market, which would attract more clients to the company.   When Hindalco, an India based company acquired Novelis, a large Canada based aluminum company, this increased the global presence of the former (ICFAI Center for Management Research 2007: 6).   This was achieved through combining the strengths of the two companies and their distribution network, thereby ensuring that it had a presence in almost all continents of the world.   All these benefits either help to increase revenue or decrease costs, which is consistent with the goal of a company of increasing the wealth of the shareholders. Assessment of the decision to invest using FDI. The decision to invest in these countries using FDI is borne out of the benefits that are present in this form of investment.   This decision arises out of many factors that are present in the countries where these companies seek to invest.   For instance, when TPS Connections Plc is assessing the type of investment to undertake when penetrating the Chinese and Indian markets, it will be guided by some factors.   Some of these factors include the macroeconomic conditions of these markets, such as the benefits that foreign investors gain.   Other factors include the nature of the competition and the available forms of financing.   However, in totality, some of the main factors that make FDI a favorable form of investment are discussed below; The first reason originates from the fact that nation states usually encourage FDI in their countries.   This is due to several benefits that such states reap from the FDI.   One benefit includes the increase in revenue for the host country.   In any country, economic growth is increased through investments.   This increases the purchasing power of residents of the country due to the increase of incomes attributable to economic growth.   The increase in purchasing power leads to the increase in demand for services and goods produced within the country, and this also increases revenue for the government.   The government increases revenue due to the tax paid from the products as well as consumer spending and wages. The second benefit attributable to FDI in the host country is the increase of capital available for investment.   This especially useful to Least Developed Countries which do not have sufficient capital to invest in large projects.   FDI also helps local investors to acquire the currency needed for the purchase of investment resources.   These benefits create export opportunities thereby increasing the total capital that is available for local investment. Another reason that makes host countries encourage FDI is the increased employment opportunities that are associated with this type of investment.   Worldwide, multinationals employ over 55 million people directly, and another 10 million indirectly.   Greenfield foreign investments create the most employment opportunities, especially the creation of new industries.   However, acquisitions and mergers have been known to cause redundancies due to reduction or retraining of employees.   FDI can also lead to reduction of employment levels if weak local industries are forced to shutdown due to competition from foreign players. A third reason which leads to encouragement of FDI by countries is the introduction of technology and new skills.   Most multinationals invest in other countries due to the superior technology that they possess, which makes their products more competitive than those of their competitors.   This is achieved through increased efficiency and quality of products due to technology.   This benefits the host country by making its products more competitive in the global market. Finally, there are other spillover effects that benefit the host country, and some of them include linkages between local firms and multinationals.   Competition between local firms and multinationals enables the local industries to produce higher quality products.   Since the foreign firms export some of the products that are produced to home countries, the host country benefits from foreign exchange.   FDI also encourages the development of infrastructure either by the government or by the investors, which is a long term benefit to the host country. All these are reasons which make countries encourage FDI.   When TPS Connections Plc is entering the Chinese and Indian markets, the two countries are likely to encourage FDI for similar reasons.   They already have laws that encourage FDI and an infrastructure that supports the same.   For instance, the Chinese labor laws keep the cost of labor cheap, thereby encouraging investment by Hong Kong multinationals.   Other benefits include the strong economic growth and open door policies that seek to attract foreign investors.   These are benefits that TPS Connections Plc seeks to gain from. It is therefore beneficial for TPS Connections Plc to enter these markets and enjoy a favorable macroeconomic environment.   This will ensure that costs are reduced and sales maximized in order to boost profits. Another reason why TPS Connections Plc should undertake FDI in its entry to the Chinese and Indian markets is to tap the existing potential in the two markets.   China is the largest country in the world in terms of population, and this shows that there is a huge potential in terms of the market size (Easson 2004: 23).   As previously discussed, its macroeconomic environment favors FDI, a fact which leads to half of the exports in China being attributed to FDI by firms.   The large market size when combined with the favorable macroeconomic environment highly favors the success of foreign investors who invest in these two countries.   TPS Connection Plc should therefore take advantage of this factor to invest in these countries through FDI. Labor is also relatively cheap in both of these countries and FDI would enable both countries to reduce the cost of production, which would ultimately increase efficiency and hence profitability.   This strategy is consistent with the comparative advantage theory which states that companies should specialize in what they can easily produce better than their competitors. In this case, access to cheaper labor would have be beneficial to TPS Connections Plc, since it would reduce costs, and make its products cheaper than those of its competitors. One multinational that has effectively used this strategy is the Unilever Company.   This company has branches in different parts of the world, due to the need of having access to raw materials as well as cheap labor.   This company has concentrated its labor intensive operations in Asian countries due to the availability of cheap labor, especially from countries such as India.   This has enabled this company have an edge over its competitors, and it is currently among the biggest global producers of foodstuffs and household products. In assessment of the above factors, I would highly recommend the entry of TPS Connections Plc to the Indian and Chinese markets through FDI, since this will be beneficial not only to TPS Connections Plc, but also to the Chinese and Indian economies.   Since this move is beneficial to both the economies, these two countries are likely to make the entry process faster and relatively easier, as compared to the situation that would have been present if the entry would adversely affect the economy of the two countries.   This would also enable this company to reap the benefits of globalization through the transfer of technology from the parent company to its subsidiaries and vice verse. Bibliography. Easson, E. J. (2004). Tax incentives for foreign direct investment.   New York:Kluwer Law   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   International, p 23. ICFAI Center for Management Research. (2007). Hindalco’s Acquisition of Novelis.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved on January 5, 2009 from , p6. ICFAI Center for Management Research. (2007). Tata Steel’s acquisition of Corus.   Retrieved    on January 5, 2009 from ;www.tata.com;, p8. ;

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Customer Segmentation Analysis

Customer analysis Segmentation: segmentation means the identification of customer group’s responds differently from other groups to competitive offering. It must have following features: feasibility, sustainability, and profitability. Generally speaking, we often use five criteria to segment the market. The segmentation can be defined by several methods; the first one is by demographic characteristics. It is effective partly because person’s life stage affects his or her activities, interests and brand loyalties.The second one is the benefits, because the selection of benefits can determine a total business strategy. The third one is price sensitivity, and it represents the trade-off between low price and high quality. The next important criterion is loyalty. Each cell of the brand loyalty matrix (organized by loyalty level and customer type) represents very different strategic priority and can justify a very different program. The last one is applications, as some prod ucts and services, particularly industrial products, can best be segmented by use or applications.In the end, we also have to pay attention that two distinct segmentation strategies are possible. Customer motivations: After identifying customer segments, the next step is to consider their motivations: what lies behind their purchase decisions. There are four steps to determine the customer’s motivations. The first step is to determining motivations. Although a group of managers can identify motivations, a more valid list is usually obtained by getting customers to discuss the product or service in a systematic way.The next step is to cluster the hundreds of motivation to groups and subgroups. Another task of customer motivation analysis is to determine the relative importance of the motivations. A fourth task is to identify the motivation that will play a role in defining the value proposition of the business. Also, there are three other important points that we have to pay a ttention to in understanding the customers’ need. Qualitative research, including the focus group, in-depth interviews, and customer case study, is a powerful tool in understanding customer motivation.It is particularly critical to gain insight into changes in customer’s priorities. Also, all the research should treat the customer as the active partner. Unmet needs: An unmet need is a customer need that is not being met by the existing product offerings. Unmet need s strategically important because they represent opportunities for firms to increase their market share, break into a market, or create and own new markets. There are two important points that we need to catch them.Firstly, use customer to identify unmet need. They are the prime source and marketer should get access to them and detect the unmet need from them. Secondly, ethnographic or anthropological research involves directly observing customer in as many as context as possible. By accurately observing not only what is done involving the target or service but why it is being done, companies can achieve a deeper level of understanding of customer’s needs and motivation and generate actionable insights.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Learn To Sing O Holy Night in Spanish

Learn To Sing O Holy Night in Spanish These are Spanish lyrics to the popular Christmas hymn O Holy Night. The hymn was originally written in 1843 in French as Minuit, chrà ©tiens (Midnight, Christians) by Placide Cappeau, and multiple versions exist in both Spanish and English. Oh santa noche Oh noche santa de estrellas refulgentes,esta es la noche en que el salvador nacià ³.Tanto esperà ³ el mundo en su pecado,hasta que Dios derramà ³ su inmenso amor. Un canto de esperanza, al mundo regocija,por el que ilumina una nueva maà ±anaponte de rodillas, escucha reverente. ¡Oh noche divina! Cristo nacià ³. ¡Oh noche divina! nacià ³ Jesà ºs. Guà ­a la luz de fe, serenamente,de corazà ³n ante su trono a adorar.Oro, incienso y mirra antaà ±o le trajeron,la vida hoy le entregamos sin dudar. Al rey de reyes cantamos esta nochey su amor eterno proclame nuestra voz,todos ante à ©l, delante su presenciapostrados ante el rey, a nuestro Rey.Al Rey de los siglos, adoracià ³n. Nos enseà ±Ãƒ ³ amarnos uno al otro;su voz fue amor, su evangelio es paz.Nos hizo libres del yugo y las cadenasde opresià ³n, que en su nombre destruyà ³. De gratitud y gozo, dulces himnos cantael corazà ³n humilde que a toda voz proclama: ¡Cristo el salvador!  Ã‚ ¡Cristo el Seà ±or!Por siempre y para siempre, todo el honorla gloria y el poder, sean para à ©l. English Translation of Spanish Lyrics O holy night of brilliant stars,this is the night in which the savior was born.The world in its sin waited so longuntil God poured out his immense love. A song of hope, the world rejoicesfor he who brightens the new morning.Kneel, listen reverently.O night divine! Christ was born.O night divine, Jesus was born. The light of faith serenely guidesour hearts before His throne to adore him.Gold, incense, and myrrh they once brought him.Our lives today we unhesitatingtly hand over to him. We sing to the king of kings this night,and our voice proclaims his eternal love.All before him, before his presence,prostrate before the king, our king,giving adoration to the king of the ages. He teaches us to love one another;his voice was love, his gospel is peace.He made us free of the yoke and chainsof oppression, which he destroyed in his name. Out of gratitude and joy, the humble heartsings sweet hymns, in full voice proclaiming:Christ the savior! Christ the Lord!Forever and ever, all the honor,the power, and the glory are for him. Grammar and Vocabulary notes Oh: This interjection is used roughly the same as the English oh or the poetic o. Santa: Santa is the singular feminine form of santo, which has more than a dozen meanings. Its the word for saint, and as an adjective it often means virtuous or holy. Tanto: Tanto is a common adjective used in making comparison, often meaning so or so much. In standard Spanish, tanto is shortened to tan to function as an adverb, but here the longer version is retained for poetic reasons. Nacià ³: This is a past-tense form of nacer, to be born. An inverted word order (cuando nacià ³ nuestro rey instead of cuando nuestro rey nacià ³) is used here for poetic purposes. El que: El que is often translated as he who or that which. Note that there is no accent mark on the el. Ponte: Ponte combines pon (an imperative form of poner) with the reflexive pronoun te. Ponerse de rodillas typically means to kneel. Sin dudar: Sin typically means without, while dudar is a common verb meaning to question or to doubt. So the phrase sin dudar can be used to mean without hesitation. Hizo: Hizo is a past-tense form of hacer, which is highly irregular. The verb nearly always means to make or to do. Dulce: Like the English word sweet, dulce can be used to refer to the taste of something or a personal quality. Siempre: Siempre is a common adverb meaning always. There is no significant difference in meaning between por siempre and para siempre; both can be translated as for always. The repetition here is for poetic emphasis, much like we might say for ever and ever in English. Sean: Sean is a subjunctive form of ser, a verb usually meaning to be.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Foot Binding in China

Foot Binding in China For centuries, young girls in China were subjected to an extremely painful and debilitating procedure called foot binding.  Their feet were bound tightly with cloth strips, with the toes bent down under the sole of the foot, and the foot tied front-to-back so that the grew into an exaggerated high curve. The ideal adult female foot would be only three to four inches in length. These tiny, deformed feet were known as lotus feet. The fashion for bound feet began in the upper classes of Han Chinese society, but it spread to all but the poorest families.  Having a daughter with bound feet signified that the family was wealthy enough to forgo having her work in the fields- women with their feet bound could not walk well enough to do any sort of labor that involved standing for any length of time.  Because bound feet were considered beautiful and sensual, and because they signified relative wealth, girls with lotus feet were more likely to marry well. As a result, even some farming families that could not really afford to lose a childs labor would bind their eldest daughters feet in hopes of attracting rich husbands for the girls. Origins of Foot Binding Various myths and folktales relate to the origin of foot-binding in China. In one version, the practice goes back to the earliest documented dynasty, the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 BCE–1046 BCE). Supposedly, the corrupt last emperor of the Shang, King Zhou, had a favorite concubine named Daji who was born with clubfoot. According to the legend, the sadistic Daji ordered court ladies to bind their daughters feet so that they would be tiny and beautiful like her own. Since Daji was later discredited and executed, and the Shang Dynasty soon fell, it seems unlikely that her practices would have survived her by 3,000 years. A somewhat more plausible story states that the emperor Li Yu (reign 961–976 CE) of the Southern Tang Dynasty had a concubine named Yao Niang who performed a lotus dance, similar to en pointe ballet.  She bound her feet into a crescent shape with strips of white silk before dancing, and her grace inspired other courtesans and upper-class women to follow suit. Soon, girls of six to eight years had their feet bound into permanent crescents. How Foot Binding  Spread During the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279), foot-binding became an established custom and spread throughout eastern China.  Soon, every ethnic Han Chinese woman of any social standing was expected to have lotus feet.  Beautifully embroidered and jeweled shoes for bound feet became popular, and men sometimes drank wine from the dainty little footwear of their lovers. When the Mongols overthrew the Song and established the Yuan Dynasty in 1279, they adopted many Chinese traditions- but not foot-binding. The far more politically influential and independent Mongol women were completely uninterested in permanently disabling their daughters to conform with Chinese standards of beauty. Thus, womens feet became an instant marker of ethnic identity, differentiating Han Chinese from Mongol women. The same would be true when the ethnic Manchus conquered Ming China in 1644 and established the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912).  Manchu women were legally barred from binding their feet. Yet the tradition continued strong among their Han subjects.   Banning the Practice In the latter half of the nineteenth century, western missionaries and Chinese feminists began to call for an end to foot-binding.  Chinese thinkers influenced by Social Darwinism fretted that disabled women would produce feeble sons, endangering the Chinese as a people. To appease the foreigners, the Manchu Empress Dowager Cixi outlawed the practice in a 1902 edict, following the failure of the anti-foreigner Boxer Rebellion. This ban was soon repealed. When the Qing Dynasty fell in 1911 and 1912, the new Nationalist government banned foot-binding again.  The ban was reasonably effective in the coastal cities, but foot-binding continued unabated in much of the countryside. The practice wasnt more or less completely stamped out until the Communists finally won the Chinese Civil War in 1949.  Mao Zedong and his government treated women as much more equal partners in the revolution and immediately outlawed foot-binding throughout the country because it significantly diminished womens value as workers.  This was despite the fact that several women with bound feet had made the Long March with the Communist troops, walking 4,000 miles through rugged terrain and fording rivers on their deformed, 3-inch long feet. Of course, when Mao issued the ban there were already hundreds of millions of women with bound feet in China.  As the decades have passed, there are fewer and fewer. Today, there are only a handful of women living out in the countryside in their 90s or older who still have bound feet.