Personal Goal Paper

Personal goals are achieved through dedication and the love of what you are doing. Nobody can decide one person's personal goals for themselves because it is only made by them and it reflects their character and interests. A personal goal that I have is to serve people in need whether that is through mission trips, volunteer work, or a child sponsorship. The steps that I will need to take in order to reach my goal of serving others is to get involved in a church that is committed to serving others, volunteer locally and be a part of credible programs, and seek children in need to pompons on a regular basis.Missions work is something that I have always wanted to do but never have had the opportunity of doing. The church that I went to back at my home church would always go to Guatemala every year to rebuild communities and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have never went, but it was always a goal of mine to go. In order for me to reach my personal goal of going on mission trips, I need to get involved in a church that consistently goes on mission trips. Being a part of a dedicated group of Christians in order to spread the word of Jesus and restore the hearts and minds of any, would be very rewarding to me.I have done volunteer work In the past but a goal of mine Is to do It more out of love and compassion for others and their environment. In order to make this goal happen, I need to find volunteer programs or places that would allow me to show the love of God to others and serve them both physically and spiritually. In the past I was a part of the Market Street Mission coat drive In which I helped people find coats for themselves and their families In order for them to keep warm during the winter. It was a wonderful experience that gave me Joy and kindheartedness towards the needy.In order to achieve my personal goal of serving others, I would Like to sponsor a child In need In another country. It would be an awesome feeling to see how much my money and love towards a child Is making a huge difference In their life and how they live It. Writing to the child and receiving letters from him or her would allow me to connect with the child more affectionately. It would also allow me to give him or her hope for a better future and write Inspiring Bible verses. Personal goals are not Just goals you check off on a list. Rather, they allow you to discover a deeper truth about yourself and society as a whole. By muttererI have done volunteer work in the past but a goal of mine is to do it more out of a part of the Market Street Mission coat drive in which I helped people find coats for themselves and their families in order for them to keep warm during the winter. It In order to achieve my personal goal of serving others, I would like to sponsor a child in need in another country. It would be an awesome feeling to see how much my money and love towards a child is making a huge difference in their life and how they live it. Writing to the child a nd receiving letters from him or her would allow me her hope for a better future and write inspiring Bible verses.

Business Communications reflection Essay

Communication can be seen as the most important part of our life because living without communication, we cannot express our wants or understand the others’ needs, then there is no development at all. However, communication, particularly speaking, is not my strong point. That is the reason why I took Business Communications course. After ten weeks studying this course, I realize that my speaking skill have improved a lot. Surprisingly, the remarkable improvement is not only in Vietnamese but also in English speaking skill. Before studying at university environment, I used to think that there would be jobs that suitable for people that are not good at communication like me. Therefore, I did not work hard to improve that hindrance. I am afraid that what I say is stupid, then, people will laugh at me. I am also not sense of humour, so things I say usually are not interest. If I talk too much people will get bored and then, they will get away from me. Especially, when someone that talks a lot to me, I will definitely feel dizzy, even headache. I afraid people are the same as me. I do not want to drive them crazy. That is why I prefer listen people talk to speak to them. When I started learning English, I hoped that one day I could speak English as excellent as native people. However, although I can hear people speak English very well, I cannot speak fluently. When I practice by myself, I do not feel depressed because there is no one around me. Not being observed by anyone else helps I talk out loud what I think inside naturally and confidently. However, when I stand in front of people, I cannot open my mouth, and just smile stupidly instead. I am scared of pronouncing wrongly and using incorrect words. If I want to say something, I have to spend time on remembering vocabularies and arranging words following correct grammars. It takes me long time, so I just say keywords. Of course, people cannot understand clearly want I want to convey. Things going that way make me stressed. I wonder why after eight years studying English, I still cannot speak as well as 4 years old American children. However, after four semesters being at RMIT university and ten weeks taking Business Communications course, I have learned many helpful things. From comparing between what active students have achieved and silent ones, I now have to state that no matter the position we are, communication is still play a  crucial role; and if we want to develop as well as promote, we must learn how to communicate nicely. Furthermore, in the Business Communication course, though my teacher talk a lot, the class are not bored, but are attracted. The reason is that what they said is very useful. Therefore, I now would claim that talking too much is not always annoying other people. It is just up to the topics chosen. Not only the teacher but my classmates are also very professional. Although some of them are smaller than me, they communicate and present perfectly. One interesting thing I found out is that they always smile nicely when talking. Smiling helps they look more friendly and attractive. Comparison between their speech and my speech helps me I discover the reasons that prevent me from speaking fluently, particularly English. Firstly, I am so shy or in other words, I am lack of confidence. Although many people do not believe in Horoscope, I do. In Horoscope theory, people who are Virgo always pursuit perfectionism. I am a Virgo and that is why I am usually not satisfied with what I have done. For that reason, I am so inferiority complex. The second reason is that I have not practice speaking enough. People can do one thing well only when they do it frequently. I usua lly stay at home and use the computer as the main way to contact other people, instead of face to face chatting. Thirdly, when speaking English, I always bear in mind that I have to follow grammars. Each word must be in its correct order. As a result, it prevents me from speaking English naturally. The last reason is lacking of vocabulary. After discovering the reasons, I think I can improve that issue by applying the following things. I have to stop being shy all the time. I need to think optimistically about myself. My English pronunciation is not very bad. I also have adequate knowledge to join in any conversation of friends. Additionally, I should not view conversations in a serious perspective. No one could skill me when a say something wrongly because no one can be right all the time. Thus, I just need to speak out loud, not only think in mind. Moreover, I will smile when I talk for the purpose of increasing confidence and comforting people joining the conversation. Additionally, I will learn more vocabularies, but word by word separately. In a website I read before, it is said that the best way help us speaking English fluently is learning whole sentences. I suppose this method will help me skip time spend on arranging words to form sentences. Lastly, one of my classmates told me that  reading books about communication art would help me improve speaking skill. She recommended the book â€Å"How to Win fri ends and Influence people† written by Dale Carnegie. This book teaches readers how to have effective speeches. I have applied these solutions for several weeks and the result is quite surprising, at least for me. Now, with smiles and the feeling of being free to say anything, I see that my friends are more comfortable when chatting with me. I can also use English to express what I thought more clearly than before. I am very happy about that. I also read the book that my friend recommended, and I feel like â€Å"Oh my gods, how shortage of knowledge I am†. The book shows me lots of simple technique that I might apply immediately. In conclusion, the Business Communication has brought me lots of significant experience helping I improve the most important part of life – communication. The solutions I discovered seem to be very helpful for me. Hence, I will continue to uphold these useful methods. Imaging one day I can talk in front of many people confidently, naturally and effectively makes me excited and it also gives me mor e motivation to continue my improvement.

Nebobites Ethical Dilemma Essay

This case involves a small public traded company named Nebobites, which manufactures dog treats. Jenny O. , CPA, is the new Assistant Controller for the Nebobites’ company, and her job is to review and audit the financial statements for the 2012 year. While reviewing the financial statements, Jenny noticed the company’s Allowance for Doubtful Accounts balance seemed significantly higher than in the past. This increase in the Allowance account was due to the Bad Debt Expense estimation being based off 3% of net credit sales instead of the prior years’ estimate of 1. %. The increase in Bad Debts expense as a result of the increase in estimate materially affected the 2012 earnings. However, 2012 had been a great year for earnings, so the additional expense did not disturb the earnings growth trend Nebobites’ had experienced in the past. However, upon further research, Jenny could find no justification for the increase in the Bad Debt Expense estimate from 1. 5% of net credit sales to 3%. Jenny decides to approach her boss, the Controller, Maxwell Devious. He tells Jenny he is aware of the practice known as â€Å"income smoothing. Maxwell Devious says showing a steady growth in earnings was essential to keep the Nebobite stock price high as possible as the Smith family planned to sell-off a significant number of shares in early 2014. Jenny feels extremely uncomfortable with this practice, and she knows that this year’s financial statements will retain an overstated Bad Debt Expense estimate and more than likely result in an understated Bad Debt Expense estimate in 2013. 2. An ethical decision must be made by Jenny, because she is going to have to decide what is morally right or wrong. This fake presentation of increase in earnings will potentially affect every stakeholder involved with the company including their shareholders, creditors, management, employees and the customers. This faulty practice will leave an overstated Bad Debt Expense estimate for the year and more than likely result in an understated Bad Debt Expense estimate in 2013. Jenny needs to decide whether she thinks it is more important to look profitable to investors and appear to have greater wealth or is it more important to show creditors that they do not have sufficient funds to cover their debts. She also knows that Maxwell Devious, the Controller, has an employee profit sharing plan, a management bonus plan based on earnings, significant bank loans outstanding and is planning on raising funds through a bond issue in 2014; all of these are affected by the earnings for the year. 3. By deciding not to change the estimate back to the appropriate percentage of 1. 5%, it does single out individuals and the upper management group. These individuals that are Jenny’s superiors simply do not want her to make the adjustment because it is in their best interest (looking profitable & performance bonuses) and not in the company and its stakeholders’ best interest as a whole. It is also a legal violation because the company’s CEO and other top-level personnel should swear that all financial data for the company is relevant and accurate, and they knowingly defy corporate policies and the GAAP. 4. In this particular situation, Jenny is faced with a couple options; some of which are favorable, others not so much. Jenny can choose to abide by her scandalous boss, and decide to go along with the inappropriate change in estimate. This choice may blow over for the time being, but in the long run, Jenny and the company may be audited in the future exploiting their mistakes made in the 2012 financial statements. This could cause Jenny to be immediately terminated when the mistakes were finally found, as well as the possibility of jail time after an investigation and trial. Another possible route Jenny could take would be to report the inappropriate practices to an outsider’s attention, such as an external auditing firm. By doing so, she could save her job possibly for the time the company is being investigated, but may later be fired. Although she will eventually have to find a new job, this choice may save her from being in trouble with the law and potentially boost her chances of finding a new job due to her discovery at Nebobites. Another final option that I would see plausible in this situation would be to simply quit, if the Controller did not want to change the estimation and swear on the financial statements. The legal risk is too high in the case, and you do not want the downfall of Nebobites to be on your shoulders. 5. By deciding to go along with the inappropriate change in estimate, Jenny’s job may be safe for the time being, but in the long run, Jenny and the company may be audited in the future exploiting their mistakes made in the 2012 financial statements. This could cause Jenny to be immediately terminated when the mistakes were finally found, as well as the possibility of jail time after an investigation and trial. This is morally and legally wrong because she knowingly goes against corporate policies and the generally accepted accounting principles in order to reap the benefits. By reporting the inappropriate practices to an outsider’s attention, such as an external auditing firm, she could save her job possibly for the time the company is being investigated, but may later be fired. Although she will eventually have to find a new job, this choice may save her from being in trouble with the law and potentially boost her chances of finding a new job due to her discovery at Nebobites. By choosing this option, Jenny acts in a dignified and legal manner. She knows that she is doing what is right and is protecting stakeholders of the company. The other option of simply just resigning or quitting her position would not have much effect on the company. She is acting morally because she is not going along with the inappropriate practices of Nebobites, but she is not doing what is in the best interest for all stakeholders. The company will most likely find a new Assistant Controller for the operation who will go along with the unlawful scheme. This ultimately resulting in the downfall of the company, when Jenny could have prevented this and saved thousands of jobs by alerting an outside auditor. 6. By alerting an outside auditor to investigate this situation, Jenny does what is in the best interest for all stakeholders. This will eventually reveal the truth and allow shareholders to see the negative affect on stock prices, creditors can be informed on the debt situation of our company and be aware of the risk of dealing with us. Management will be disappointed with the actions of Jenny, in which they sacrificed their performance bonuses and will most likely fire her. The company will still have a chance to flourish, however, when the economy turns back around. By keeping the inappropriate estimate, Jenny will most likely be in the praises of her superiors for the bonuses they received; but, in the longer run, the company’s financial statements will be inaccurate and liabilities to creditors will go unpaid. Shareholders will actual lose more money and the company has the potential to go bankrupt any day if the economy does not take a sudden turn around. The top executives, as well as Jenny, should live in fear of being exploited of their misinterpretations and eventually will get caught up in severe legal trouble. If Jenny simply quit without seeking outside assistance from auditors, she is still acting in a somewhat immoral and illegal manner. This is because the stakeholders of the company will inevitably still be in serious trouble due to the deception of Jenny and the upper management of the Nebobites’ company. . I believe that it is in the best interest for Jenny to consult an outside auditing firm. Although it could potentially make her lose her job when her superiors are notified, it enlightens all stakeholders involved with the Nebobites’ company. The risk is too great if Jenny decides to leave the inappropriate estimate as is; she risks not only losing her job, bu t also risks going to jail, as well as losing her CPA license entirely. It is worth far more in life to be an honest and truthful person who looks out for others than it is to be a deceitful and uncaring.

Art presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Art presentation - Essay Example The Baroque period incorporates artistic works that is based upon catholic and protestant lines. On the other hand, Rococo art mainly focused on the pleasures and interests of the artists rather than events happening around them. Bernini is a renowned artist during this Baroque era and bases his works across Italy. He dominated the art world of Rome in the seventeenth century and received special treatments from the popes, as well as cardinals. He also confronted the contemporary artistic traditions that existed during the era. One of his most creative artwork is The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa. This work involves intense Christian art and is one of the most illustrated artwork that exemplifies spiritual aspects of the Catholic faith. The sculpture has two figures; Teresa and an angel, standing slightly above her pointing a golden spear towards Teresa’s heart. Bernini uses a very rare form to illustrate Teresa’s religious ecstasy when the angel appeared to her with a golden spear. He uses this to illustrate the intense satisfaction and desire in which God had favored her. He also expresses pain that accompanies her favor and intense desire for God’s consent. Bernini emphasizes on her erotic euphoria by displaying her open mouth and closed eyes. He also does this by hanging her limbs. The movement and drama of the sculpture is illustrated by the heavy and tangled fabric of her clothes even though the purity portrayed in her face largely contrasts with the fabric texture. The angel seems to be happily staring at Teresa as he waits to pierce her heart using the spear of divine love. This sculpture illustrates the spiritual pleasure that the saints experience in serving Christ. The imagery employed by Bernini in The Ecstasy of Saint Theresaillustrates the sensual pleasure in a way that conveys the perceptible nature of Teresa’s experience. Baroque art era also dominated across Flanders and Spain. This period is characterized by the breaking of the Lowland

Cross-Cultural Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 3

Cross-Cultural Management - Essay Example The American system on the other hand, is quite different as it believes in hiring people as long as it is profitable for the company to do so. Hence, the employment period can be quite short lived. The main focus in the Japanese system is on seniority rather than the work itself. The career graph is therefore, highly regulated, expected and, overall an automatic feature. The pattern of the work is itself quite general in comparison to the American working system which is much more specialized. The rate of promotion within the Japanese work culture is also quite slow in comparison to the American system in which the promotion rate is much faster. The permanent employees are considered to be more of general sort rather than specialists in their own fields. The Americans stress heavily on the shorter term goals as compared to the Japanese whose main focus lies on the longer term goals. The Japanese working environment is considered to be quite different from the American as the in the American culture the individual managers makes the key decisions and work individually while in the Japanese environment, there are groups of managers who collectively make decisions. In the Japanese system, the focus is on maintaining and fostering longer term relationships with the employees rather than the rules themselves in order to make sure that the corporate objectives and goals are being met by the company. Such a mechanism can be defined as more of an informal one as the focus is on the employees rather than on the rules themselves. Since the focus is on the employees and not on the rules, the Japanese strongly believe in a system of honor in which they strongly believe in the employees to act on goodwill and faith. By having such a system, it becomes pretty apparent that the interest in the employees is not merely restricted to the work place only but also extends to the home place as well. The American system focuses only on the work place of the employees having interest in the objectives rather than the employees themselves. The Japanese strongly adhere to equality and on a strong task orientation. The y give low priority to the former hierarchical considerations as the current are considered to be supreme. Individualism is not given much priority and the main work is done by the teams and project groups. Since, the focus is on the employees the groups are considered as equals. Though individuals are considered to be significant members, all groups are treated alike. The way of handling the tasks and the problems are by having a problem centered approach. The Japanese focus is the work itself -all the team members heavily focused and committed to the main goal. Since as outlined above, the main focus are on the employees themselves rather than on the goals, hence the team managers use comprehensive suggestion systems in which quality circles are always on hand in order to record the employee feedback. The employees concerns and suggestions are always listened-making them utmost priority. The recruitment of these people is done by judging them on the basis of their educational background. The top companies

How has friendship changed because of the spread of social networking Essay

How has friendship changed because of the spread of social networking are these changes more positive than negative, or have they caused more harm than good - Essay Example When friends are connected through a social media site, it is easy to find out the whereabouts of one another. It is also easy to find out what the other people are up to over the weekends, upcoming events, relationships and their current location. One can have as much time on social media as they want since the only charges that apply are those of internet connections. Friendship has changed from physical meetings and contact, to the internet sites. This means that one does not have to go through the hustle of arranging for a meeting when all the information required can be communicated through web platforms. It is easier and convenient to communicate through social networking because it is done at the convenience of the two parties involved. This element is useful; however, friends lose touch with one another in terms of physical approach. There is no much effort placed in making eye to eye contact with friends. The physical boundary has become independent. Friendship has become casual (Farah web). Friendships and how individuals make friends has changed ever since the invention of social media. Individuals prefer to be in a virtual world where one cannot be known fully but only at the superficial level. Social media has the option of adding individuals as friends. However this definition of friend is an online one. The two people may not even know each other but are friends on Facebook because one of them added the other. This kind of friendship is only superficial and shallow and exists in the virtual world. The two people, who call themselves â€Å"friends†, have no real life experiences (Barett web). On the other hand, social media has led to mistrust and deception among individuals. Some people have put a vetting mechanism for all people who add others as friends to avoid misleading characters in the name of â€Å"friends†. Social media can lead to breaking of good relationships (Parrack). Information

The Future of Harmonization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

The Future of Harmonization - Essay Example This growth has led to a rising demand for the legal system to work together as well as the need for harmonization. Note that increase in trade is not the main reason why there should be a legal system taking care of activities in the market. The growth provides a base and context where harmonization of sales law should be approached. For a contract to be recognized it has to pass through a number of legal systems so as to keep problems in check. If there is an absence of coordinated law, then the private international law can be used to keep things sane. These rules may be difficult to apply if the governing law has been established. The traders may be forced to apply the local legal system which does not keep in mind the needs of an international standard. It may be worse if there is a lack of enforcement mechanisms in certain jurisdictions. A history of harmonization It is therefore of no doubt that international sales are in dire need for a harmonious legal system which will bypa ss local boundaries to be international. ... The United Nations took part in the regulation of international trade rules after the Second World War. It created many international organizations and developed a United Nations Commission on International Trade law which did well in trying to find a solution to a harmonious law which could be used globally. It was this group that came up with CISG as its first efforts to harmonization of trade among the different stake holders. Many regional organizations came into existence in this period. There was the European Union, Common market of the Southern Cone, North American Free Trade Agreement, Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa and Southern African Development Community. The main reason why these organizations emerged was due to commercial and economic development. Harmonization of Business Law in Africa steered a number if ministers to have a need in adopting a collection of laws that will be effective in member stake holders (member countries)3. These laws were beyond the countries’ legal system. Harmonization activities are slow because of different countries having different believes and traditions therefore different laws. Harmonization of sales laws can take place in two levels which are the regional level and international level. Soft law vs. hard law Currently a lot of capital, time and man power is being spent on international harmonization and these efforts are not actually bearing any fruits4. An international convention is the vague process that has been used to solve this problem. The biggest issue about conversation is that much is talked about but little is done. â€Å"By intervening in the legal market place, underestimating public distrust and legal disagreement as well as insisting on uniformity,

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Earnings Misstatements Research Paper

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Earnings Misstatements - Research Paper Example The Fraud This section describes the business activities of Fannie and Freddie before the fraud occurred. Since the 1990s, lenders have been increasingly using automated underwriting systems (AUSs), a technology that changed the mortgage industry (DiVenti, 2009, p.236). These systems executed underwriting criteria and statistical algorithms to foresee the default likelihood of loan applications (DiVenti, 2009, p.236). GSEs became industry leaders in the growth and adoption of these systems, which they used to appraise their loan purchases. Fannie Mae’s system, Desktop Underwriter, and Freddie Mac’s system, Loan Prospector, significantly decreased the expenses and time linked with loan approvals (DiVenti, 2009, p.236). In 2000, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac broadened their procurements to comprise â€Å"Alt-A,† A-minus, and subprime mortgages, aside from private-label mortgage securities (Blackburn & Vermilyea, 2010, p.5). In order to expand their mortgage purchases, Fannie Mae used the Expanded Approval system and Freddie Mac enlarged its Loan Prospector system to contain risk-based pricing (DiVenti, 2009, p.236). ... ly, Fannie and Freddie bought, packaged, securitized, and re-traded residential mortgages into mortgage-backed securities, with an assurance that the principal and interest payments would be paid to investors, thus, making a profit from the disparity between the sales price of the mortgage-backed securities and their first cost of funding (Bonander, 2013, p.843). Since 2004, Fannie and Freddie abandoned their stern underwriting standards and started to purchase and guarantee subprime mortgages, while also investing in subprime-mortgage-backed securities (Bonander, 2013, p.844). They bought more than $434 billion of subprime mortgages from 2004 to 2006 (Bonander, 2013, p.844). Their greatest purchase occurred from 2004 to 2005, when altogether they bought â€Å"$175 billion (44% of the market) and $169 billion (33% of the market) of subprime-mortgage-backed securities, respectively† (Bonander, 2013, p.844). In 2006, lax standards and actions affected Fannie and Freddie, when th e housing bubble burst, thereby pushing them to insolvency (Bonander, 2013, p.844). The problems of Fannie and Freddie are not over yet though. In 2003, Freddie revealed that it used unacceptable accounting practices to inflate its earnings. The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise (OFHEO), its regulator during this time, discovered that the company had â€Å"misstated earnings by $5 billion between 2000 and 2003† (DiVenti, 2009, p.237). Freddie underreported its earnings, however, which is the â€Å"interesting† part of the fraud (DiVenti, 2009, p.237). The OFHEO investigated Fannie Mae too, where it learned in 2004 that Fannie overstated earnings â€Å"between 2000 and 2003 by $6.3 billion† (DiVenti, 2009, p.237). OFHEO discovered significant accounting, disclosure, and management concerns that

Summary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Summary - Assignment Example being a platform of sharing both, professional and personal information, has become a place to reunite with old friends, keeping in touch with current ones and keeping track of the updates in lives of friends and family. Not only that, but it has also helped people to get in touch with relatives who were somehow separated in emergency circumstances. Facebook is also helping in social causes, which is evident from the fact that 12 million Facebook users marched around the globe against the FARC rebels in Colombia. With changing times and growth of the company, the founder Mr. Zuckerberg has adopted a more professional image and has become media savvy, aiming at having every person in the world on Facebook one day. However, with recent changes in the interface design of the site, some members are disappointed. Facebook homepage now displays more information and recent updates from the friends. It has also introduced terms which give them control over the content. This has irritated members and hence, 2 and half million members have joined the group called â€Å"Millions against Facebook’s New Layout and Terms of Services† on Facebook. However, the Facebook officials say that the terms are necessary to protect themselves from lawsuits from users if they later regret the sharing of personal information. The Facebook officials are confident that Facebook users will get used to new changes as after all, it is a social communication and bonding site. The bonding has become so strong, that despite of not liking the changes, the users are still glued to

Citrobacter freundii Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Citrobacter freundii - Lab Report Example The biosphere is characterized by the presence of microorganisms allover which invariably impacts on the environment they are growing. Microorganisms are present in the air, soil, plants and animals and their presence can be harmful, beneficial or inapparent with respect to human measure. Pathogenic microorganisms are known to cause diseases to the host animal while opportunistic microorganisms stay in a healthy host for longer period without causing illness the immune system of the host is suppressed. However some microorganisms are very beneficial as they are used in biotechnological processes, soil and to degrade waste. This paper focuses on experiment for isolation and identification of Citrobacter freundii bacterium. The bacterium Citrobacter freundii is an opportunistic pathogen belonging to the family of Enterobacteriaceae and was first identified by Gillen and Werkman in 1932 from soil extracts (Leboffe & Pierce, 2011). It is a long rod shaped facultative anaerobic gram-negative bacilli bacterium characterized by many long flagella to aid its movement though others are none motile. C. freundii is rod shaped between 1um diameter and 2-6um in length with optimum growth temperature of 370C and produces gas and acid as a result of carbohydrate catabolism (MicrobeWiki, 2011). The habitat for Citrobacter freundii includes food, water, soil, sewage and the intestinal tracts of both human and animals (MicrobeWiki, 2011). The diverse habitat upon which this bacterium can grow is mainly due to its ability to metabolize citrate and lactose as the main sources of carbon. Citrobacter freundii is characterized by various opportunistic infections including a variety of nosocomial infections of the respiratory tract, blood, urinary tract and other sterile sites in patients with suppressed immune system (MicrobeWiki, 2011). Research has revealed that C. freundii is responsible for over 29% of all the opportunistic infections (Leboffe & Pierce, 2011). It is therefore

Nursing questions Essay Example for Free

Nursing questions Essay The nurse is performing her admission assessment of a patient. When grading arterial pulses, a 1+ pulse indicates: Above normal perfusion. Absent perfusion. Normal perfusion. Diminished perfusion. Murmurs that indicate heart disease are often accompanied by other symptoms such as: Dyspnea on exertion. Subcutaneous emphysema. Thoracic petechiae. Periorbital edema. Which pregnancy-related physiologic change would place the patient with a history of cardiac disease at the greatest risk of developing severe cardiac problems? Decrease heart rate Decreased cardiac output Increased plasma volume Increased blood pressure The priority nursing diagnosis for the patient with cardiomyopathy is: Anxiety related to risk of declining health status. Ineffective individual coping related to fear of debilitating illness Fluid volume excess related to altered compensatory mechanisms. Decreased cardiac output related to reduced myocardial contractility. A patient with thrombophlebitis reached her expected outcomes of care. Her affected leg appears pink and warm. Her pedal pulse is palpable and there is no edema present. Which step in the nursing process is described above? Planning  Implementation Analysis Evaluation An elderly patient may have sustained a basilar skull fracture after slipping and falling on an icy sidewalk. The nurse knows that basilar skull factures: Are the least significant type of skull fracture. May have cause cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks from the nose or ears. Have no characteristic findings.  Are always surgically repaired.  Which of the following types of drugs might be given to control increased intracranial pressure (ICP)? Barbiturates Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors Anticholinergics Histamine receptor blockers The nurse is teaching family members of a patient with a concussion about the early signs of increased intracranial pressure (ICP). Which of the following would she cite as an early sign of increased ICP? Decreased systolic blood pressure Headache and vomiting Inability to wake the patient with noxious stimuli Dilated pupils that don’t react to light Jessie James is diagnosed with retinal detachment. Which intervention is the most important for this patient? Admitting him to the hospital on strict bed rest Patching both of his eyes Referring him to an ophthalmologist Preparing him for surgery Dr. Bruce Owen, a chemist, sustained a chemical burn to one eye. Which intervention takes priority for a patient with a chemical burn of the eye? Patch the affected eye and call the ophthalmologist. Administer a cycloplegic agent to reduce ciliary spasm. Immediately instill a tropical anesthetic, then irrigate the eye with saline solution. Administer antibiotics to reduce the risk of infection The nurse is assessing a patient and notes a Brudzinski’s sign and Kernig’s sign. These are two classic signs of which of the following disorders? Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) Meningitis Seizure disorder Parkinson’s disease A patient is admitted to the hospital for a brain biopsy. The nurse knows that the most common type of primary brain tumor is: Meningioma. Angioma. Hemangioblastoma. Glioma. The nurse should instruct the patient with Parkinson’s disease to avoid which of the following? Walking in an indoor shopping mall Sitting on the deck on a cool summer evening Walking to the car on a cold winter day Sitting on the beach in the sun on a summer day Gary Jordan suffered a cerebrovascular accident that left her unable to comprehend speech and unable to speak. This type of aphasia is known as: Receptive aphasia Expressive aphasia Global aphasia Conduction aphasia Kelly Smith complains that her headaches are occurring more frequently despite medications. Patients with a history of headaches should be taught to avoid: Freshly prepared meats. Citrus fruits. Skim milk Chocolate Immediately following cerebral aneurysm rupture, the patient usually complains of: Photophobia Explosive headache Seizures Hemiparesis Which of the following is a cause of embolic brain injury? Persistent hypertension Subarachnoid hemorrhage Atrial fibrillation Skull fracture Although Ms. Priestly has a spinal cord injury, she can still have sexual intercourse. Discharge teaching should make her aware that: She must remove indwelling urinary catheter prior to intercourse. She can no longer achieve orgasm. Positioning may be awkward. She can still get pregnant. Ivy Hopkins, age 25, suffered a cervical fracture requiring immobilization with halo traction. When caring for the patient in halo traction, the nurse must: Keep a wrench taped to the halo vest for quick removal if cardiopulmonary resuscitation is necessary. Remove the brace once a day to allow the patient to rest. Encourage the patient to use a pillow under the ring. Remove the brace so that the patient can shower. The nurse asks a patient’s husband if he understands why his wife is receiving nimodipine (Nimotop), since she suffered a cerebral aneurysm rupture. Which response by the husband indicates that he understands the drug’s use? â€Å"Nimodipine replaces calcium.† â€Å"Nimodipine promotes growth of blood vessels in the brain.† â€Å"Nimodipine reduces the brain’s demand for oxygen.† â€Å"Nimodipine reduces vasospasm in the brain.† Many men who suffer spinal injuries continue to be sexually active. The teaching plan for a man with a spinal cord injury should include sexually concerns. Which of the following injuries would most likely prevent erection and ejaculation? C5 C7 T4 S4 Cathy Bates, age 36, is a homemaker who frequently forgets to take her carbamazepine (Tegretol). As a result, she has been experiencing seizures. How can the nurse best help the patient remember to take her medication? Tell her take her medication at bedtime. Instruct her to take her medication after one of her favorite television shows. Explain that she should take her medication with breakfast. Tell her to buy an alarm watch to remind her. Richard Barnes was diagnosed with pneumococcal meningitis. What response by the patient indicates that he understands the precautions necessary with this diagnosis? â€Å"I’m so depressed because I can’t have any visitors for a week.† â€Å"Thank goodness, I’ll only be in isolation for 24 hours.† â€Å"The nurse told me that my urine and stool are also sources of meningitis bacteria.† â€Å"The doctor is a good friend of mine and won’t keep me in isolation.† An early symptom associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) includes: Fatigue while talking Change in mental status Numbness of the hands and feet Spontaneous fractures When caring for a patient with esophageal varices, the nurse knows that bleeding in this disorder usually stems from: Esophageal perforation Pulmonary hypertension Portal hypertension Peptic ulcers Tiffany Black is diagnosed with type A hepatitis. What special precautions should the nurse take when caring for this patient? Put on a mask and gown before entering the patient’s room. Wear gloves and a gown when removing the patient’s bedpan. Prevent the droplet spread of the organism. Use caution when bringing food to the patient. Discharge instructions for a patient who has been operated on for colorectal cancer include irrigating the colostomy. The nurse knows her teaching is effective when the patient states he’ll contact the doctor if: He experiences abdominal cramping while the irrigant is infusing He has difficulty inserting the irrigation tube into the stoma He expels flatus while the return is running out.  He’s unable to complete the procedure in 1 hour.  The nurse explains to the patient who has an abdominal perineal resection that an indwelling urinary catheter must be kept in place for several days afterward because: It prevents urinary tract infection following surgery.  It prevents urine retention and resulting pressure on the perineal wound It minimizes the risk of wound contamination by the urine.  It determines whether the surgery caused bladder trauma .The first day after, surgery the nurse finds no measurable fecal drainage from a patient’s colostomy stoma. What is the most appropriate nursing intervention? Call the doctor immediately. Obtain an order to irrigate the stoma. Place the patient on bed rest and call the doctor. Continue the current plan of care. If a patient’s GI tract is functioning but he’s unable to take foods by mouth, the preferred method of feeding is: Total parenteral nutrition Peripheral parenteral nutrition Enteral nutrition Oral liquid supplements Which type of solution causes water to shift from the cells into the plasma? Hypertonic Hypotonic Isotonic Alkaline Particles move from an area of greater osmelarity to one of lesser osmolarity through: Active transport Osmosis Diffusion Filtration Which assessment finding indicates dehydration? Tenting of chest skin when pinched Rapid filling of hand veins A pulse that isn’t easily obliterated Neck vein distention Which nursing intervention would most likely lead to a hypo-osmolar state? Performing nasogastric tube irrigation with normal saline solution Weighing the patient daily Administering tap water enema until the return is clear Encouraging the patient with excessive perspiration to dink broth Which assessment finding would indicate an extracellular fluid volume deficit? Bradycardia A central venous pressure of 6 mm Hg Pitting edema An orthostatic blood pressure change A patient with metabolic acidosis has a preexisting problem with the kidneys. Which other organ helps regulate blood pH? Liver Pancreas Lungs heart The nurse considers the patient anuric if the patient; Voids during the nighttime hours Has a urine output of less than 100 ml in 24 hours Has a urine output of at least 100 ml in 2 hours Has pain and burning on urination Which nursing action is appropriate to prevent infection when obtaining a sterile urine specimen from an indwelling urinary catheter? Aspirate urine from the tubing port using a sterile syringe and needle Disconnect the catheter from the tubing and obtain urine Open the drainage bag and pour out some urine Wear sterile gloves when obtaining urine After undergoing a transurethral resection of the prostate to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy, a patient is retuned to the room with continuous bladder irrigation in place. One day later, the patient reports bladder pain. What should the nurse do first? Increase the I.V. flow rate Notify the doctor immediately Assess the irrigation catheter for patency and drainage Administer meperidine (Demerol) as prescribed A patient comes to the hospital complaining of sudden onset of sharp, severe pain originating in the lumbar region and radiating around the side and toward the bladder. The patient also reports nausea and vomiting and appears pale, diaphoretic, and anxious. The doctor tentatively diagnoses renal calculi and orders flat-plate abdominal X-rays. Renal calculi can form anywhere in the urinary tract. What is their most common formation site? Kidney Ureter Bladder Urethra A patient comes to the hospital complaining of severe pain in the right flank, nausea, and vomiting. The doctor tentatively diagnoses right ureter-olithiasis (renal calculi). When planning this patient’s care, the nurse should assign highest priority to which nursing diagnosis? Pain Risk of infection Altered urinary elimination Altered nutrition: less than body requirements The nurse is reviewing the report of a patient’s routine urinalysis. Which of the following values should the nurse consider abnormal? Specific gravity of 1.002 Urine pH of 3 Absence of protein Absence of glucose A patient with suspected renal insufficiency is scheduled for a comprehensive diagnostic work-up. After the nurse explains the diagnostic tests, the patient asks which part of the kidney â€Å"does the work.† Which answer is correct? The glomerulus Bowman’s capsule The nephron The tubular system During a shock state, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system exerts which of the following effects on renal function? Decreased urine output, increased reabsorption of sodium and water Decreased urine output, decreased reabsorption of sodium and water Increased urine output, increased reabsorption of sodium and water Increased urine output, decreased reabsorption of sodium and water While assessing a patient who complained of lower abdominal pressure, the nurse notes a firm mass extending above the symphysis pubis. The nurse suspects: A urinary tract infection Renal calculi An enlarged kidney A distended bladder Gregg Lohan, age 75, is admitted to the medical-surgical floor with weakness and left-sided chest pain. The symptoms have been present for several weeks after a viral illness. Which assessment finding is most symptomatic of pericarditis? Pericardial friction rub Bilateral crackles auscultated at the lung bases Pain unrelieved by a change in position Third heart sound (S3) James King is admitted to the hospital with right-side-heart failure. When assessing him for jugular vein distention, the nurse should position him: Lying on his side with the head of the bed flat. Sitting upright. Flat on his back. Lying on his back with the head of the bed elevated 30 to 45 degrees. The nurse is interviewing a slightly overweight 43-year-old man with mild emphysema and borderline hypertension. He admits to smoking a pack of cigarettes per day. When developing a teaching plan, which of the following should receive highest priority to help decrease respiratory complications? Weight reduction Decreasing salt intake Smoking cessation Decreasing caffeine intake What is the ratio of chest compressions to ventilations when one rescuer performs cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on an adult? 15:1 15:2 12:1 12:2 When assessing a patient for fluid and electrolyte balance, the nurse is aware that the organs most important in maintaining this balance are the: Pituitary gland and pancreas Liver and gallbladder. Brain stem and heart. Lungs and kidneys.

Prepping Your Sources Essay Example for Free

Prepping Your Sources Essay Fill in the notes for the amendment and for each of the three categories (multi-media, contemporary cases, advocacy documents). If you need support for the citation, consult the MLA Formatting Guide you printed from the lesson. Amendment for your topic (from the Bill of Rights) Citation: http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/fourth_amendment What information from this source seems the most important? Note key points mentioned in the source. The most important part of the amendment is the right to be secure from unwarranted search and seizures. How does this source support your topic? It shows how the government can bend the will of this amendment in their favor but it also shows how this amendment can severely help the defendants when they are truly guilty. What information from this source would be most useful to include in your informative/explanatory article? The general right of the people to be protected from unwarranted search and seizures in their own homes by police and other law enforcement. One Multi-Media Resource (videos, slideshows, audio files, infographics) Citation: http://www.slideshare.net/jenvogt/fourth-amendment-and-racial-profiling-1 Key Use: I used it to better understand the fourth amendment rights. What information from this source seems the most important? Note key points mentioned in the source. How privacy rights are superseded by reasonable suspicion. How does this source support your topic? It helps me have a better understanding on the rights of the fourth amendments and right better able it. What information from this source would be most useful to include in your informative/explanatory article? The fact that your privacy is superseded by reasonable suspicion. Two Contemporary Case Resources (articles on recent case) #1 Citation Information: http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/pdf/13-132.pdf Key Use: Gives a whole overview of the Riley Vs. California case. What  information from this source seems the most important? Note key points mentioned in the source. The important information in this source is that a cop search Riley’s phone without a warranted and he was arrested on those charges. How does this source support your topic? It shows how unwarranted search and seizure leads to bad arrests and criminals get off the hook because of one mistake. What information from this source would be most useful to include in your informative/explanatory article? How the arrests happened and provide details about why and how the cop went about arresting riley. #2 Citation Information: https://www.eff.org/files/2014/06/20/patino_decision.pdf Key Use: Gives a full review of the case.  What information from this source seems the most important? Note key points mentioned in the source. How the evidence was once again taken from a cell phone. How does this source support your topic? It shows more examples of fourth amendment rights being violated. What information from this source would be most useful to include in your informative/explanatory article? How the search went, provide details, and references about the whole case. Two Advocacy Documents or Articles (document or article including statements from presidents, politicians, or advocates about the topic you selected) #1 Citation Information: http://billofrightsinstitute.org/resources/educator-resources/lessons-plans/landmark-cases-and-the-constitution/olmstead-v-united-states-1927/ Key Use: In the Olmstead case Chief Justice William Taft had said the amendment meant physically searches and seizures. What information from this source seems the most important? Note key points mentioned in the source. How Chief Justice William Taft had said the amendment meant physically searches and seizures. How does this source support your topic? It shows how the government still bends the amendment in their favor. What information from this source would be most useful to include in your informative/explanatory article?

Chocolate Industry Analysis

Chocolate Industry Analysis Marketing is the process by which customer needs are anticipated and identified. Ways are found of meeting those needs at a price that consumers are prepared to pay and which allows the business to make a profit For launching a new product we use PESTLE or SWOT strategies and let us Consider that we are launching a new chocolate product . Factors that should be consider while launching a new product i.e Political, Economic, Sociological, Technological, Legal and Environmental and the questions we should take under Consideration What are the key political factors likely to affect the chocolate industry? What are the important economic factors of chocolate industry? What are the cultural aspect of chocolate industry? What are the technological innovations ? What current and impending legislation may affect the industry? What are the environmental considerations? Situational Analysis of chocolate industry and market tactics To launch a new chocolate product we must analyze the role of the marketing function in a business, we are going to follow through what might have happened in the marketing of a major new chocolate bar and the major economical , political and technological factors that affects the chocolate industries. 1. Assessing the market The market for chocolate bars is highly competitive. There are a small number of large firms in the industry Mars, Cadbury, Nestlà © and Suchard being the most well known. Many of the brands in the market have been in existence for a long time and have a high amount of brand loyalty. Openings for new products therefore, are limited. There are many examples of products that have been launched and have been withdrawn because they could not sustain long-term sales success. Can you remember the Prize Bar, Aztec and Junglies? The market for certain types of chocolate bar has changed in recent years. The growth of the so called count-line bar (shaped like Mars bars) became popular as people ate chocolate on the go as opposed to sitting down in a room with a traditional bar of chocolate. Companies had to respond to these changes. Row tree (now owned by Nestlà ©) changed the shape of their Aero bar and Cadbury brought out a rival bar called Wispa. Both of these were designed to exploit this growing market. The market is still changing but using chocolate as a snack as opposed to sharing a bar amongst a family. Giving a chocolate bar as a gift is still a growing part of that market. The UK chocolate market is the biggest in all European market. People in the United Kingdom consume more chocolate than any other Country in Europe. Mintel said the UK consumed 3.5 billion pounds ($5.6 billion) worth of chocolate in 2008, more than any other European country, with only Germany, which has more than 20 million more people, coming close at 3.4 billion pounds Some of the famous brands are Mars (http://www.mars.com/) Cadbury Schweppes (http://www.cadburyschweppes.com/EN/Brands/) Nestlà © (http://www.nestle.co.uk/) Suchard (http://www.kraftafh.co.uk/Cultures/en-GB/Brands/Suchard/) Amul Chocolate Boost Club Mint In December 2009,the market research company, showed Cadburys chunk of the chocolate market by value slipped 1.7 per cent to 29.8 per cent last month, the first time that it has fallen below 30 per cent all year. Market share of Mars, its biggest rival, slipped 0.6 per cent in the period. Kraft, which makes Milka and Toblerone, increased its market share by 0.7 per cent to 5 per cent, while Nestlà © raised its share 1.2 per cent to 20.4 per cent of the market.. The market research firm estimated the British chocolate market would be worth 4.4 billion pounds by 2013 2. Identifying a gap in the market Once the market has been analyzed, it might become clear that there is a gap in the market. What this means is that, there is an identifiable customer need that is not currently being met by an existing product. It could also be where a rival might have a presence and where the company concerned believes it could offer a competitive alternative. Market research, which in many cases is on-going, will have given the business some idea of the nature of the market and the extent of the possible market. It may be that further research is used to target particular market segments that the business feels will be the ones most likely to purchase this product and what it is they want out of the product. Much of this will be used to inform the marketing mix. 3. Developing the product Quite often businesses in this particular industry want to develop a brand personality. What this means is that they will want consumers to associate something specific with the product. KitKat for example, is associated with a break, making it the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea or coffee. The personality of the product will be in line with the market research and analysis carried out. The ingredients, the look of the product, its texture when eaten, its name and packaging, and how it will be promoted will all be key factors that will be informed by the development of the brand personality. A very good example of this process is the development of Yorkie. Yorkie was developed as a contribution to the count-line bar market. It aimed to use the concept of a chunky chocolate bar but in a different format to allow it to be eaten on the go. The key thing to emphasise was the chunky nature of the chocolate,and to do that Rowntree developed its early marketing around the length of time it would last and it being an ideal accompaniment for long journeys. The trucker image stuck and gave the bar a masculine personality. In recent years, this has been exploited with a deliberate campaign suggesting that it is so chunky it is not for girls for! 4. Product testing Once these stages are gone through, the product is likely to have to be tested. People may be given choices of different names or different packaging prototypes to see what consumer reaction are. It may be that this type of problem has been resolved at an earlier stage, in which case more substantial user testing may be used by virtue of a test-market. This may be a selected region of the country where there is a profile of users that is representative of the country as a whole. Using test markets gives relatively accurate feedback but is also much cheaper than a national launch, which might not see the product doing as well as anticipated. Remember that to feed a market, the capital investment has to be there to back it up. If the test market showed that the product was going to be very popular, the business would have to ensure that sufficient capacity was available prior to a national launch. You would certainly not want to have a product launched and people not be able to get hold of it! Image: User testing is an important aspect of marketing strategy it gives a good idea of the likely market reaction without incurring the costs of a national launch. Media and marketing implementation Most often than not but, It is very difficult to convince a customer to buy a certain product if they do not understand the product. We need to make a strategy for marketing new product in the market so that we can achieve our target. Without a bullet proof plan to attract customers, your efforts will most likely be inefficient. we should ensure that Businesses should focus what a customer needs and what he is looking in the product .so that we can make a long term profitable customer relationship . This means that you need a plane to know customer more closely in a flexible way so that whenever need we can change our product according to our customers perceptions and demand. On the other hand, your marketing scheme should be focused on identifying and communicating the benefits of your business is offering to its target market. You will then need to monitor and maintain its effectiveness. Advertising new products Market part is an essential factor for a successful marketing strategy and if we are able to recognized the different market areas that allows a business to make fruitful and more efficient decisions in regard to advertising new quality products. This is the lock pick to understanding the different kind of needs of different types of customers. Once you have divide your market in different categorizes, you will then be able to formulate marketing activities that will ensure your targeted audience to know about the products or services you are offering and why they need them in their lives. We can achieved this through the various kind of advertising, since customer knowns what they want exactly want and motivate them,. You must have to hit your targeted audience to feel like that they must need to purchase whatever it is you are offering is the best product in the market. So that they buy our product and increase our sales How to launch new product and their strategies Gigantic changes are going on in the world and marketing strategies are no exemptions to that. Businesses should think outside the box. Observe who is doing better and try to imitate them or better yet, outwit them. It will greatly benefit your company to do market research in order to determine your potential market and make changes to your current marketing strategy. This is mainly done to draw uninterested customers to at least give your business a try. Your new product launch should make enough noise to ensure that it will remain in customers memories and entice them to really try it. With the various media available today, you can maximize your visibility by not limiting your business to one media. You can turn your company around by doing a major brand makeover. If there are not a lot of people who are buying your product or service, then perhaps its because they literally do not see you. This is not a time when businesses are allowed to sober down on marketing techniques, just because the economy is going down. Once the economy gets back on track chances are, people will no longer remember those that were not visible in the market during this time. You have to make your business a household name so people will remember you long after this global recession is over. We can use Marketing mix (4ps)strategy to launch our final product Marketing Mix (4ps ) Introduction The marketing mix principles are controllable variables which have to be carefully managed and must meet the need of the defined target group. All elements of the mix are linked and must support each other Marketing Mix Price Products Promotion Place Target Market Pricing mix Strategy It is one of the most important part of the marketing mix strategies. Pricing is a mix which generates a revenue for an organization. The remaining 3ps strategies are the output for the organization . We know that it costs to produce and design a product, promote a product and also to distribute it. Pricing is very difficult and must reflect supply, demand relationship. Pricing a product too high or too low, could mean loss of sales for the organization. The following factors should be taken into account: Objectives of the Company Fixed and variable costs of the product Target the group and their willingness to pay Competition with leading organization Proposed Positioning strategies An organization can adopt different types of pricing strategies. The pricing strategies are based on what g the goal the organization has set itself to archive Penetration Pricing We can set a low price to our product to increase the market shares and sales of the products is called penetrating pricing Skimming Pricing When the company sets higher price of the product initally and then drop down the price to make the product available in the widerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..The objectives is to skim profits of market layer bye layer,this strategy is popular within the games console industry Competition Pricing . setting a price in comparison with competitions . a firm has three options, pricing lower, pricing the same or pricing the higher Product line pricing Pricing different products within the same product range at different price points. An example would be DVD recorders with different features and different prices.The greater the features and the benefits obtained the greater the consumer will pay. The form of pricing discrimination assists the company in maximizing turnover and profits Bundle Pricing The organization bundles a group of products at a reduced price , this pricing strategy is popular with supermarkets Psychological pricing The seller will consider the psychology of price and the positioning of price within the market place. The seller will therefore charge 99p instead of 1 pound or 199 $ instead of 200$ Premium pricing The price set is high to reflect the exclusiveness of the product . An example of product using this strategy would be Harrods , first class airline services. Porsche etc Optional pricing The organization sells optional extras along with the product to maxmise within the car sidustry Product strategy The marketing mix consist of product, pricing, place and promotion strategies that a firm uses to help them reach their objectives The marketing min principels are controllable variable which have to be carefully managed and must meet the needs of the defined target group. All elements of the mix are linked and must support each other. When an organization introduces a product into a market,they must ask themselves a number of questions: Who is the product aimed at ? What benefit will they expect? How do they plan to position the product within the market? What differential advantage will the product offer over their competitors? Philip Kotle suggested that a product should be viewed in three levels Level 1:Core product . what is the core benefit your product offers?. Customers who purchase a camera are buying more than just a camera they are purchasing memories. Level 2: Actual production: all cameras capture memories . the aim is to ensure that your potential customers purchase your one. The strategy at this level involves organizations branching , adding features and benefits to ensure that their product offers a differential advantage from their competitors Level 3 : Argument product: What additional non-tangible benefits can you offers? Competition at the level is based around after sales service, warranties, delivery . A retail departmental store that offers a free five year gurrantee on purchase of their television sets gives their customers the additional benefits of peace of mind over five years should the purchase develop a fault. Total production concept Argument production Total production core production Product strategy Product decision Branding Quality Features Benefits offered Product Decisions When placing a product within a market many factors and decision have to be taken into consideration. These include: Product- Will the designe be the selling point for the organization . Product quality: Quality has to consistent with other elements of the marketing mix .A high quality product maybe reflected in the price Branding: in principles of marketing , By Philip Kotler and gary Armstrong a brand is defined as a name .term, sign symbol or a combination of these , that identifies the market or seller of the product, A brand must stand out and be recognizable, and should help the firm differentitate itself from its competitors Product features: Additional features should increae the benefit offered to you r target market. The firm may decide to change more for these additional features. Place Strategy The marketing mix principles are controllable variables which have to be carefully managed and must meet the needs of the defined target group. All elements of the mix are linked and must support eachother. Strategies of distribution ? Two types of distribution strategies are available. Indirect distribution involves distributing your product by using of an intermediary for example a manufacturing selling to a wholesaler and then on to the retailer. Direct distribution involves distributing direct from a manufacturing to the consumer. For example we can use direct selling like dell computers. To sell the product directly to its target customers will provide us more benefits. The advantage of direct distribution is that it gives a manufacturing complete control over their product. Place strategies Manufacturer Consumer Manufacturer Retailer Consumer Direct Distribution Indirect Distribution Depending on the type of product being distributed there are three common distribution strategies available Intensive distribution: Used commonly to distribute low priced or impulse purchase products For example Chocolates, soft drinks. Exclusive Distribution: involves limiting distribution to a single outlet. The product is usually highly priced, and requires the intermediary to place much details in its sell. Promotion strategy A successful product or service means nothing unless the benefit of such a product or service can be communicated clearly to target market An organization promotional mix can consist of: Advertising Sales promotion Public relations Direct Mail Personal selling Internet promotion Public relations: This involves developing positive relationship with the organization media public . The art of good public relation in not only to obtain favorable publicity within the media , but it is also involves being able to handle successfully negative attention Sales promotion : Commonly used to obtain an increase in sles short terms. Could involve using money off coupons or special offers, loyality cards, coupons , Price promotions for example BOGOF, point of sales ,Packaging promotion or web coupons Personal Selling: One to one selling is called personal selling. This can either be done face to face or we can use other media of direct selling like phone or internet Direct Mail: is the sending of publicity material to a named person within an organization. The aim of direct marketing is to creat one to one relationship with the organization target market. Direct marketing can come in the form of post, email, telephone calls and mail order. The company usually contracts a named person at the address. Internet Marketing : The use of the world wide web(www) for the promotion of product or services. This could be the firm advertising via the use of banner ads, flash videos, or google kewords. 5. After all the analysis we can launch our chocolate bar. The significant amount of money is required to develop a new product and this money can be larger to develop new product, and the hope is that once we launched the product, the product will begin to start to get back some of that investment. At the first stage, the product will need further expenditure to support it and make sure that customers know about it. For chocolate bars, the secret is to get people trying it, but to follow that up by buying it again and again and again for many years. In other words, repeat purchases are essential in a fast-moving consumer goods market. During this early stage, managing the cash flow of the product will be important. This will mean balancing the returns of the product from sales with the on-going costs of production and marketing. If these get out of balance, the future of the product will be called into question and it may be worthwhile pulling the product before any further costs are incurred and cutting your losses. To manage the launch and development of a product, therefore, marketing tactics will really come to the fore. It will be important to keep a close link with consumers to find out what they think and also to keep the brand in their horizon amongst the competition. Sometimes this might be something simple like getting your product displayed prominently in shops so that impulse buyers select your product or customers are drawn to your product at the expense of rivals. This in turn will mean having sales people with good relationships with retailers. Finally, maintaining cash flows in the short term will also be determined by the success of the advertising and promotional campaigns that are developed. Does the firm go for traditional TV ads along with ads in magazines and billboards or does it go for more guerrilla marketing techniques to raise awareness? Should it have an online presence many branded products have Web sites of their own, for example? http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/consumer_goods/article6959667.ece http://www.coursework.info/University/Business_and_Administrative_studies/Marketing/PESTLE_ANALYSIS_and_5_FORCES_ANALYSIS_-_L95526.html http://www.brand-new-advertising.com/ http://www.bized.co.uk/educators/16-19/business/marketing/lesson/tactics1.htm END HERE

Photographers of the Old West :: Research History Photography Papers

Photographers of the Old West In a society that is focused on visual stimuli, it isn't uncommon to see a person taking a picture with a camera or making a "movie" with their camcorder. But, in the 1840s and 1850s, life just wasn't like that. If someone said they could make a picture of a mining town or of the route to the West without a pencil or paint people would have laughed at them. Laughing would have been appropriate because photography didn't come into being until 1839. James Horan reveals in his book, Mathew Brady: Historian with a Camera, that it wasn't even called photography then, it was called the "new art" (5). There were very few people who knew what it was to take a picture, or make a picture with light. The only pictures that were around at that time were those that were drawn, painted, or printed from lithographs or etchings. Newspapers didn't have real live pictures that showed the actual things that were written about. The population of America as it was in 1800 didn't know what the "West" look ed like. According to Eugene Ostroff, sketches and paintings were the only illustrations of the West before photography (9). Ostroff tells us that these weren't usually accepted if the painter had taken artistic license (9). All Americans knew were the stories of the people who returned because it was too difficult to live there or the letters from friends and family telling the horrors they saw. So, with the invention of photography, especially the ability to "fix" the image onto the paper or metal plate had a major effect on the expansion to the West because the pictures that were taken showed how the West really was beautiful. Unfortunately, it was a while before the public was able to see the pictures that were taken by the photographers of the West because 1839 was only the very beginning of photography as a profession and a hobby. The first type of using light to make a picture was the daguerreotype. Both Louis Jacques Mande Daguerre and Nicephore Niepce, who passed away before the public was introduced to the daguerreotype, founded this type of picture taking. However, before this Louis Daguerre made a "theater without actors." Beaumont Newhall explains that this was an illusion made by extraordinary lighting effects that made the 45 Â ½ foot by 71 Â ½ foot pictures appear to change as one looked at them (2).

Literature Review: Open Visitations in ICU Oksana Bjorlie Walden Univer

Literature Review: Open Visitations in ICU Studies have shown that open ICU visitation is an asset rather than a hindrance with respect to a patient’s wellbeing. Since the 1950s, visiting has changed from a strict nurse-controlled regime to a more flexible patient-centered approach (Taylor, 2008, p. 30). Family inclusion in patient care is evolving into a collaborative model between patient, family and healthcare providers. In response to this collaboration of patient and family-centered care (PFCC), this method has been encouraged in order to achieve the most beneficial outcomes for patients and their families. Open visitation in the ICU should be encouraged, not because of the pressure of growing social awareness, but because it can provide comprehensive responses to the needs of patients and their families. Many studies are being conducted on this subject garnering a great deal of support prompting the implementation of PFCC, which encourages open visitation in ICU. The following is a brief summary of research studies concerning the current state of knowledge related to the promotion and benefits of open visitation in the ICU. Literature Sources The main purpose of conducting a literature review is to obtain the most usable and reliable studies that pertain to the topic of the interest. High reliability and quality of evidence-based studies are provided by filtered sources. For my review I was able to find systematic reviews and individual articles. All of these reviews pertain to the dilemma of open visitation vs. restricted visitation in Intensive Care Units. With multiple views from different perspectives I was able to utilize the comparison and trials approaches. Also, to prepare for this project I was able to utilize unf... ...ithin the context of patient- and family- centered care. International Journal of Evidence Based Healthcare, 9: 362-387. doi:10.1111/j.1744-1609.2011.00229.x Clarke, C., Harrison, D. (2001). The needs of children visiting on adult ICU: a review of the literature and recommendations for practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 34(1), 61-68. Giannini, A. (2007). Open intensive care units: the case in favor. Minerva Anestesiologica, 73(5), 299-304. Hoye, S., Severinsson, E. (2007). Methodological aspects of rigor in qualitative nursing research on families involved in ICU: A literature review. Nursing and Health Sciences, 9, 61-68 doi:10.1111/j.14422018.2007.00300.x Taylor, A. (2008). Exploring patient, visitor and staff views on open visiting. Nursing Times, 104, 30-33.

Ray Bradbury :: essays research papers

Ray Bradbury Ray Bradbury has been considered one of America’s greatest science-fiction writer’s. His work often satires human nature and shows his reader’s the flaws found deep within the individual. Not only is Bradbury a novelist, but he is also a , short-story writer, essayist, playwright, screenwriter, and poet Bradbury was born in Waukegan, Illinois on August 22, 1920, the third son of Leonard Spaulding Bradbury and Esther Marie Moberg Bradbury. In 1926 Ray Bradbury's family moved from Waukegan, Illinois to Tucson, Arizona, only to return to Waukegan again in May 1927. By 1931 (the dawn of the Great Depression) he began writing his own stories on butcher paper. In 1932, after his father was laid off his job as a telephone lineman, the Bradbury family again moved to Tucson and again returned to Waukegan the following year. In 1934 the Bradbury family moved to Los Angeles, California. Bradbury graduated from a Los Angeles High School in 1938. His formal education ended there, but he furthered it by himself. He went to the library by night and by day at he worked at his typewriter. He sold newspapers on Los Angeles street corners from 1938 to 1942. Bradbury's first story publication was "Hollerbochen's Dilemma," printed in 1938 in Imagination!, an amateur fan magazine. In 1939, Bradbury published four issues of Futuria Fantasia, his own fan magazine, contributing much of the published material himself. Bradbury's first paid publication was "Pendulum" in 1941 to Super Science Stories. In 1942 Bradbury wrote "The Lake," a short story later added to a collection of short stories called The October Country. This was the story in which Bradbury discovered his distinctive writing style. By 1943 he had given up his job selling newspapers and began writing full-time, contributing numerous short stories to periodicals. In 1945 his short story "The Big Black and White Game" was selected for Best American Short Stories. In 1947 Bradbury married Marguerite McClure, and that same year he gathered much of his best material and published them as , his first short story collection. His reputation as a leading writer of science fiction was established with the publication of in 1950 (published in England under the title The Silver Locusts), which describes the first attempts of Earth people to conquer and colonize Mars, the constant thwarting of their efforts by the gentle, telepathic Martians, the eventual colonization, and finally the effect on the Martian settlers of a massive nuclear war on Earth. As much a work of social criticism as of science fiction, The Martian Chronicles reflects some of the prevailing anxieties of America in the early

Human Resource Management in Business Essay

ââ€" º Hand out date: 1st June ââ€" º Hand in date: 15th June P5 explain how employee performance is measured and managed M3 explain how the results from measuring and managing performance inform employee development D2 assess the importance of measuring and managing employee performance at work. For your final task in your new role as recruitment consultant of ‘Dave’s Management’ you have been asked to investigate and write a report on how different organisations measures and manages the performance of their employees. They would also like you to explain how the results from measuring and measuring performance help with employee development. To conclude the report they would like you to assess the importance of measuring and managing employee performance at work Further Guidance: Measuring performance: ââ€" ºPerformance indicators (achievement against targets); ââ€" ºGoal theory; ââ€" ºSMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound) ââ€" ºTargets eg sales targets, growth targets, financial targets, waiting times, pass rates, punctuality, attendance ââ€" ºBenchmarking Managing performance: ââ€" ºprobation; ââ€" ºappraisal; ââ€" ºsupporting employees eg mentoring, monitoring, buddying; ââ€" ºoccupational health; ââ€" ºmanaging workloads; ââ€" ºdelegating authority; ââ€" ºresponsibility; ââ€" ºcapacity; competence; ââ€" ºautonomy; ââ€" ºlinking rewards to performance; ââ€" ºdiscipline; ââ€" ºemployee development (training, learning, job rotation, accelerated promotion, personal, professional) To achieve a PASS: You will need to appreciate that the maximum contribution is required from each employee at work. Jobs often have specific performance criteria associated with them, so sales staff may have to generate  £50,000 of sales per month. This may be because there is a business objective showing a sales target of  £6 million for a sales team of 10 people. Individuals need to be monitored to ensure they are working effectively and meeting targets and standards set for them. Both above par and below par performance must be managed. To achieve a MERIT: You must be able to identify suitable performance indicators to use with individual employees and show how the individual’s performance can be improved through the use of performance management. Experienced teachers may be judged on examination pass rates and might be used for them passing through a pay threshold may be the reward. Chefs may be judged on good reviews, gaining Michelin stars or the gross profit margin of dishes and maybe used as a way of deciding whether they will gain a pay rise. Not all employees are judged in the same ways as, so different performance indicators are used to manage them. Attending a course maybe needed to remedy poor performance. Employees may have good punctuality and attendance monitored as these are basic requisites for working satisfactorily for a majority of occupations. To achieve a DISTINCTION: You must make judgements about the value of monitoring and managing employees. The benefits of performance management should be contrasted with the consequences of failing to manage performance.

Robinson Crusoe Critique

Filippo Volodin Robinson Crusoe And The New Middle Class Before analyzing Robinson Crusoe it is important to give a short background of the author of such an incredible novel. Daniel Defoe was born in 1660 and died in 1731 after a life of adventures and incredible experiences. He was raised to be very religious and his parents were strongly attached to the puritanism tendency that was spreading around Europe. These aspects and the strong education imposed by his parents will strongly influence Robinson Crusoe’s psychology.Furthermore, Defoe worked as a Merchant, Insurer and during his entire live he has been sent in prison several times for either small or serious issues. Having such an experience, Defoe strongly felt to be part of the New Middle class that was flourishing due to the new colonies and the economic boom of that period. In this way we can say that his personal experience, family education and the influence of the growing Middle class strongly gave to Defoe the im pulse to create a character such as Robinson Crusoe, who represents the typical New Middle Class person who can, using his brain and his talent, always succeed in life.Robinson Crusoe represents the prototype of the typical English Merchant, heartless and unceasingly looking for a profitable business to lead. This new type of figure continuously changes because of the unsatisfactory position it has in the society and always strives to find new ways to make profit. In fact, Robinson Crusoe reveals these characteristics, and his strong attachment to the religion, when he sells Xury to the Captain. He offer'd me also 60 Pieces of Eight more for my Boy Xury, which I was loath to take, not that I was not willing to let the Captain have him, but I was very loath to sell the poor Boy's Liberty, who had assisted me so faithfully in procuring my own. However when I let him know my Reason, he own’d it to be just, and offer’d me this Medium, that he would give the Boy an Obligati on to set him free in ten Years, if he turn’s Christian; upon this, and Xury saying he was willing to go to him, I let the Captain have him. † From this quotation powerfully comes out the strong education gave to Robinson Crusoe.Crusoe does not really care about Xury, even though he has served him loyally. This passage highlights the new situation of the Middle Class represented by Robinson Crusoe that championed individualism, seizing every single opportunity to have a personal profit, relying just on own powers and talents. Furthermore, agreeing on converting Xury into a Christian let us explicitly understand the importance of the Puritan education imposed to Defoe by his family with the consequent reflection of this approach on Robinson Crusoe, who just agrees after making sure that the Captain have to turn Xury into a â€Å"Good Christian†.Robinson Crusoe demonstrates to be the â€Å"new bourgeois-man† during his long stay at the isle. The island becom es the perfect field to completely release his middle class attitudes and the opportunity to show that he deserves to be saved by God’s providence. It is important to interpret properly the significant of the Island. Crusoe’s stay at the island has to be seen as the chance for Robinson Crusoe to prove his qualities controlling, manipulating and exploiting the Nature. Consequently, Crusoe starts to â€Å"recreate† the English society of the 18th Century, sticking to the Middle Class uses of efficiency and individuality.For instance, when Crusoe meets Friday he decides to impose him his way of living showing once again his necessity to impose the â€Å"English life style†. In fact, further on in the novel Robinson Crusoe teaches to Friday how to speak English and how to interpret the holy Bible. In the island comes out even the typical attachment to the Puritanism of the Middle Class represented by Robinson Crusoe who believed in the God’s Providence . Crusoe is convinced that God is the first cause of everything but he can change his destiny by acting following his brain and using his talents.To conclude, Defoe shows us a perfect hero who, following the Middle Class education and mentality, can face every problem and solving it using his brain and his talents. It is incredible how Defoe could impress in an unbelievable way the main aspects of the growing Middle Class. Like Robinson Crusoe demonstrates, and Defoe in first person firmly thinks, a person using his own skill and being always self aware of his possibility can emerge and always find a way to survive and succeed in life if he really wants and strives for that.

Reparations: African Americans Justice Essay

The United States government should pay reparations to African Americans as a means of admitting their wrong-doing and making amends. The damages African Americans have sustained from White America’s policy of slavery have been agonizing and inhumane. Therefore, I am in favor of reparations for African Americans. The effect of slavery has been an enduring issue within the African American community. Many of us are cognizant of the harm racism brought to the African American race, conveyed through slavery, racial segregation and discrimination. African Americans suffered many atrocities, but the greatest damage done to them was the destruction of they’re original identity. African Americans no longer have a native language or any African customs to connect them to Africa. Today, African Americans are connected together because they all share a common foundation-the horrendous experience of slavery-and the great effort to conquer its lingering result. (www. AcedemicLibrary. com) Americans should realize the magnitude of slavery’s consequences on African Americans as a whole. Blacks were brainwashed and stripped of self-esteem and taught to be ashamed of dark color of their skin. Many African Americans have effortlessly tried to advocate â€Å"Black Pride†, trying to re-instill self-worth and being proud of our distinct facial and body features, and darker complexions. African Americans had zilch to begin with after the abolishment of slavery in 1865. Slaves were promised a â€Å"mule/ and 40 acres† and they didn’t live to receive it nor did generations to follow; because the American government has yet to live up to its word. The fruit of the slaves’ labor was stolen from the â€Å"land of the free†. The victims of the White people’s African slave trade never experienced such freedom. This race deserves compensation for the mistreatment Pongee Bryant it has suffered and continues to endure. Paying reparations to the descendants of African American slaves would bring about a tremendous improvement for the advancement of Black America. (Douglass, Fredrick, 1845, Narrative of the life of Fredrick Douglass). White Americans have profited from education, life experiences, riches that were handed down by their ancestors. As well, African Americans have been handed down the hardship of race-related issues, poverty, and the unknown history of their past. African Americans have constantly been inflicted with the social status of their low-income level in contrast with that of White Americans. America should be ashamed for their mistreatment of a race that did not ask or even desire to reside in this country. Yet, they still wear their ugly face of racism, and discrimination, and only seek to segregate African Americans, as if they were at fault. Americans may argue Blacks shouldn’t be complaining, whining, and to pull themselves up by their boot straps. Well, Martin Luther King once said â€Å"White America wants us to pull ourselves up from our boot straps, but we don’t have any boots†. (Shuttlesworth, Fred, 1999, A Fire You Can’t Put Out). The U. S. government has a moral responsibility to this race of people to compensate, African American’s because they were denied their heritage, religion, family, and culture. America alleges it is a religious-based country and their faith resides in God. The bible says: â€Å"If a man steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. † This country consistently contradicts itself in the way it wants to be perceived. If America has any belief in God, they should feel an obligation to compensate the African American descendants of slave ancestors. (Exodus 22, Bible). Pongee Bryant White Americans may argue that the country did enough when it passed the Civil Rights Act in 1960. They may also state America has enough resources and equal opportunity for each individual of every race to succeed. However, there is a huge wealth gap in social status among blacks and whites mostly because of oppression, discrimination and racism toward the modern day contemporary black. Whether anybody wants to admit it, there is still a glass ceiling (i. e. ,a status barrier) against African Americans. Reparations would bring African Americans justice and economic power in this country. There are numerous black reparation organizations which could receive the money and distribute it evenly among African Americans, to incorporate black-owned businesses, home ownership, and better education selective for young and old blacks. These reparation organizations could also invest money into smaller black-owned businesses, and other industries that would further the African American race, and ensure a rapid growth of African American middle-class and beyond. (Robert J. Brym/ John Lie, Sociology) The exploitation of African Americans in this country took on many forms through decades. The centuries of slavery in this country laid the foundation of our current relationship to America. From cotton fields to building America’s most significant buildings African Americans have helped build the wealth in this country. Yet, the African American race has endured the most terrorism from the Ku Klux Klan, lynchings, plantation jails, police torture and murder, and poverty. Slavery was a crime against humanity; and it still is in existence in many other ways and forms. America has created a system with, voter discrimination, drugs, and drug sentences to keep the African Pongee Bryant American man enslaved. The government should compensate the African American race and put an end to a never-ending oppression cycle. The government of the United States of America was instrumental in having pressured the German and Japanese governments into the payments of reparations to the people who suffered and survived the crimes and legacy of slavery endured during World War II. The government of the United States has also already paid reparations to the Japanese-Americans who were detained in concentration camps during World War II. America calls herself a fair nation: a civilized country which respects civil and human rights, encourages opportunity for and well-being of all her people, and can be trusted by other nations as a county whom honors her word. Well, America promised African Americans 40 acres and a mule and didn’t live up to her promise. America’s attitude and silence on reparations reeks of hypocrisy. (X, Malcolm, Biography of Malcolm X). America should also pay reparations to African Americans because they consistently want us to labor for their work and take all the credit. For instance America is at fault for African American dead and injured men who served and were drafted in the Vietnam War. America put young black men on the front-line of a war they had nothing to do with nor helped contribute to. America wanted a race that was not yet â€Å"capable† of voting but was competent enough to fight in a war. A race that did not have the option of drinking from any fountain, sitting anywhere on a bus, using any bathroom, however we were fit for fighting. The point is America constantly benefits from African Americans, but refuses to compensate African Americans for their contributions to this country. (www. AcedemicLibrary. com).

I.T. solution for Castle Couriers Essay

Analysis 1.1 Statement of the problem 1.1.1 Introduction For this project I will be constructing an I.T. solution for Castle Couriers. Castle Couriers is a company, which provides a number of courier services, mainly for car showrooms. Their main service is the transportation of vehicle registrations to the V.R.O. (Vehicle Registration Office) and their return, and also the transportation of tax related forms to the tax office, also from car showrooms. It is currently a company with a small number of employees, approximately 4, and a very local customer base. However they plan to expand in the near future and do not believe their current system will be effective with much more data. The current system, Lotus SmartSuite, is not designed with their company in mind and is therefore complicated to operate and the addition of data is often laborious. I hope to improve their situation by creating an automated database, so that creating documents and modifying data is a very simple task. 1.1.2 User Requirements The owners of Castle Couriers have a number of requirements: -Reduce time spent on inputting data -This will aid the expansion process because an increase in data will not lead to a further increase in time spent processing. -Increase ease of finding data -Again a time saving requirement, useful during the complicated period of expansion. -Producing a sufficiently high quality document range -Now that the production of documents is virtually automatic, the end users are keen to see that the quality does not decline. -Must be user friendly due to lack of computer literacy of end user -There must be very few complicated procedures, as having to increase the end users I.T. skills will take time and possibly money. 1.1.3 Current system At the present moment Castle Couriers uses a generic program called Lotus Smartsuite. My knowledge of Smartsuite is minimal but the program has not been specifically designed for this company. I have been informed that it is similar to Microsoft office, which I have good experience in. It is very popular with many businesses because of the amount of very professional tools available. However, in the case of Castle Couriers, these tools are not linked together effectively, allowing for a minimal amount of automation. They store data in both spreadsheets and databases, with certain functions allowing a limited level of automation. 1.1.4 Data Flow diagram of current system The following diagram illustrates the current processes involved in dealing with an order 1.1.5 Problems with the current system Castle Couriers’ main problem with their current system is its complexity, which is leading to an increase in the amount of time they spend producing documents and organising orders. Adding new customers, as they are planning to do, should they decide to continue with expansion, is very difficult and is adding to the already complicated and overloaded system. Modifying data is also a time consuming problem as it takes time to navigate through the procedures necessary. 1.1.6 Objectives of the new system The new system should meet a series of criteria, firstly the time spent inputting data and the ease with which this is done should be improved. Making the system less complex than Lotus Smartsuite should solve both of these objectives. Secondly they would like to be able to search for details of customers and services easily. Very importantly, this program must maintain the high quality of documents such as invoices and memorandums. Finally none of the staff who will be using the system have very much experience in IT, so the system must be easy to operate and difficult to corrupt. 1.1.7 Performance indicators The following performance indicators will be used: – It should take less than 1 minute to construct and print invoices – Data entry should be made simple enough for all queries to be 100% accurate – The system must be able to cater for any number of staff/customers/services to be added without improvements as the company expands – It must be impossible to erase any fields or tables – The system should be simple enough for users with only a basic I.T. knowledge to operate 1.1.8 Volume of data The level of data that will be stored in the database is likely to be quite small at first, but this should increase as Castle Couriers continues expanding. Initially there are likely to be about 40 customers, with a choice of 3 services and 5 members of staff. Details of each customer will need to be stored and will cover name, address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail, contacts within the firm and their history with Castle Couriers. 1.1.9 Hardware and Software The majority of the design will be carried out on my school’s computer network with the equivalent to a 1.6Ghz Pentium processor, 128MB of RAM and an easily sufficient sized hard drive. My home PC and the computers of Castle Couriers are of a similar specification. Therefore there should not be any problems in compatibility. However, at home, where some aspects of the design will be carried out, I have a newer version of Microsoft Office, and therefore a newer version of Access. This should not cause any problems, however should I wish to incorporate functions not available in the school’s version, I will have to do this last. All of the designing will be done in Microsoft Access, with some links to Word, for better quality documents, and Excel, for data interpretation. This is available on all three of the concerned systems. 1.1.10 End user skill level None of the people who will be using the system have any formal I.T. qualifications. Their only previous I.T. experience is based around the use of Lotus SmartSuite. This will be a problem for me because the system I will be designing for them will be entirely based within three programs, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word. It will therefore be necessary to make the project very simple to use with automatic functions. 2 Design 2.1 Consideration of solutions 2.1.1 Manual System This would be based around data being processed, stored and filed in the form of paperwork, with calculations being manual and documents handmade. -Easily the slowest -Higher risk of loss/damage to data -Complicated and tedious -Lower quality documents -High risk of mis-calculations We have therefore judged that this system would not be suitable for Castle Couriers, as it is far too slow and complicated and will not be better than the current system. 2.1.2 Spreadsheet System A spreadsheet system would be designed and operated in a program such as Microsoft Excel. -Easy to design -Little chance of damage/loss -Simple functions A spreadsheet system would not allow for the necessary functions and operations to improve on Lotus Smartsuite. 2.1.3 A specifically designed courier system A package, which has been specially designed for this type of business, could be obtained from certain software companies -Best program -Expensive -All necessary functions present This is probably the best option as it is designed only for use in this type of company, however due to the expense of this program Castle Couriers have allowed me to attempt a database before deciding. 2.1.4 Access database This is the option they have allowed me to attempt and this will be designed and implemented by me -Very cheap and easy to design -Inter-personal interaction during design -Easier to train users Using this system has the advantage of allowing Castle Couriers to have an influence in the design of the system. 2.2 Database Design 2.2.1 Entity-relationship diagram There are six entities, or tables, within this database. They are basically split into two separate functioning databases, however I will keep them in one for ease of use and because the ‘services/tasks’ table will be used by both systems. The first system, outlined in red, will concern the receiving and payments of orders, whereas the second, outlined in blue, will allow allocation of tasks for employees.