My Favorite Genre Of Music - 1036 Words

The style described above was considered 90 s style. Eventually everyone started dressing this type of way. The style was so basic, but so noticeable, of course if you were trying to pull it off. Many people would even take on the persona of this style and artist that they were looking up to. Today if you were to see an artist wear a boat hat, you would see boat hats being sold in stores because they set a trend. It is like everything revolves around the style of clothes you would wear, to be more like a hip hop artist. The style from the 90 s to the 2000 s has evolved greatly. Although there are still styles that the artists will wear that represent the 90 sAmerican Culture is always changing in today s time. There are many different significant roles that help create the American culture of today. Music has a good beat to the culture we have today. My favorite genre of music is Hip-hop. It is always trending in American culture. I believe that hip hop plays a significant role on Am erican culture today. There are a couple of reasons why it might have a big effect on the culture. One of the reasons for the music playing this role on the culture would be, the style that they produce. Another reason to look at how hip hop was significant is the foundation of the unforgettable names that we talk about every day. If you go back about a decade and a half, you ll know the names, Tupac, and Biggie. They were the foundation of some real good beats, and style. Today theShow MoreRelatedPersonal Journal: My Musical Interests917 Words   |  4 PagesThe music in my Wordle reflects well the type of music I like as I think they show my varied interests. I don’t really listen to any local music which is sometimes something of a regret. While I was attending a wedding there was an amazing jazz singer there. I thought her music was just outstanding. But I forgot to get her name and now I can’t find any music by her. Another time I was at a restaurant and the re was a great Jazz band there. But again I forgot to get any names and when I thoughtRead MoreMusic Is Sacred At The Human Race Essay948 Words   |  4 PagesMusic is sacred to the human race. For years music has brought people together and has been a point of gathering for many. Music symbolizes a sense of comfort or happiness to some people and is also a form of ritual to others. Music is an art. Music expresses the way people feel in words and perhaps expresses inner emotions they cannot dare to speak out. When words fail, music prevails. Two individuals may have the same favorite song, but it is interesting to see them both interpret the song differentlyRead MoreMusic in Generations Essay1219 Words   |  5 PagesAll music has changed tremendously throughout the years. Each generation has several specific songs that defines that generation. Every song has different lyrics that describe the emotions that the artists are feeling. The songs connect to each individual in many different ways. Lyrics to a song is what makes music wonderful. Each song touches someone through ways like teaching a life lesson or touching your heart. Every generation has music that impacts the world by motivating people to doRead MoreCultural Identity : The Way Things Are1332 Words   |  6 Pagesrepresent my cultural identity because they help me to visualize where I want to go, where my family is, and places we ve been? Music, family and friends, robotics, and travel also describe my cultural identity. What are The way things are for me? What is my cultural identity; are the questions I have to answer. While I contiuned to ponder these questions around my cultural Identity and The way things are I immediately though of family. I have family in a great deal of states and countries. My motherRead MoreComparing Rap And Classical Music989 Words   |  4 PagesRap and classical music are often portrayed as two different types of music. One can tell the difference of the genre from the sound, and the music’s essences. Producers and composers of these two styles of music present themselves differently, however, they both do what they love and express their emotions through vocals or use of instruments. Almost all Rap artists write their own lyrics. Because of this, most rap songs are direct and often very personal. Most rap music’s instruments are electronicRead MoreTelevision and Music Essay1152 Words   |  5 PagesTelevision and Music Television is something that everyone that is my age can recall on when they were younger. It has definitely been the greatest influence on me since the day I was born to this world. Television is a great and most likely the best source around the world for information on whats happening everywhere, and probably the most prolific form of entertainment in most first world countries. TV (short for television) was the host of my favorite show when I was a kid, the TeenageRead MoreComparing Rap And Classical Music970 Words   |  4 Pagesand classical music are two very different types of music. The difference is very noticeable in sound, and the music’s characteristics. Producers and composers of these two styles of music present themselves differently also. Almost all Rap artists write their own lyrics. Because of this most rap songs are direct and often very personal. Most rap music’s instruments are electronic, and computer generated. As for classical music, it has more of a sophisticated sound. This style of music has a strongRead MoreAfrican Americans and the Genre Rock and Roll1128 Words   |  4 Pageswould dominate that genre of music, the response would be overwhelmingly whites. But rock’n roll is not a white mans music. African American’s were and still are an essential cornerstone of the genre known as rock’n roll. But rock’n roll simply would not exist if it werent for African Americans. Their presence is felt in almost every genre of music known to the United States. Early twentieth century black musicians helped shape, influence and create my favorite genre of music today. The rootsRead MoreThere Is A Seemingly Infinite Number Of Musical Genres1648 Words   |  7 PagesThere is a seemingly infinite number of musical genres from all over the world and I can find appreciation in almost all of them. Some genres are easier to like than others but music is music and it is an art form. However, there is one genre that I have a hard time enjoying. Hip-Hop/Rap is probably the only genre that I do not enjoy listening to. This is especially troubling to me because I hear it almost everywhere I go. I am a wrestler for the University and Hip-Hop/Rap is always playing duringRead MoreThe Classical Music Genre1271 Words   |  6 PagesClaire Troll Qualls MUS 241 10 November 2014 Favorite Composer Paper There are numerous composers within the Classical Music genre; each one is different from the next. Although it may seem that each piece of music within the Classical genre is the same, they are just as different as the composers are to one another. Wolfgang Mozart is a very well known composer. He was not only popular in the time period in which he lived, but he continues to be one of the better known composers in today’s society

Contemporary Economic Policy and the Virtual Chancellor...

Contemporary Economic Policy Assignment: Virtual Chancellor Introduction The Virtual Chancellor Simulation is a web site designed to give to anyone the power to control for a moment the keys of the economic growth model of hisher country and try according to them, by changing the suitable parameters, to lead the economy to its own prosperity. However it is not an easy thing to be in that position, because you have to take under consideration a lot of variables and risks and you have to satisfy every level of the society, from the poor families and pensioners to the rich people and of course the goals set by the government. After running the model approximately three hundred times to see what changes each parameters have and what they†¦show more content†¦My findings mostly fit with the idea of the Keynesian model. This model develops a theory that would explain determinants of saving, consumption, investment and production. In that theory, the interaction of aggregate demand and aggregate supply determines the level of output and employment in the economy. Keynesian economics had as a priority to increase government spending and decrease taxes in order to stimulate aggregate demand. In case of a budget surplus the Keynesian Model had two main strategies 1) to slow the pace of strong economic growth 2) To stabilize prices when inflation is too high So according to fiscal policy: The Government can affect productivity levels * By increasing or decreasing tax levels * By increasing or decreasing public spending * Curbs inflation * Increases employment * Maintains healthy value of money References http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keynesian_economics (AccessedShow MoreRelatedContemporary Economic Policy and the Virtual Chancellor Simulation1103 Words   |  5 PagesContemporary Economic Policy Assignment: Virtual Chancellor Introduction The Virtual Chancellor Simulation is a web site designed to give to anyone the power to control for a moment the keys of the economic growth model of his\her country and try according to them, by changing the suitable parameters, to lead the economy to its own prosperity. However it is not an easy thing to be in that position, because you have to take under consideration a lot of variables and risks and you have to satisfyRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagescolonies after 1870 as a predictable culmination of the long nineteenth century, which was ushered in by the industrial and political revolutions of the late 1700s. But at the same time, without serious attention to the processes and misguided policies that led to decades of agrarian and industrial depression from the late 1860s to the 1890s, as well as the social tensions and political rivalries that generated and were in turn fed by imperialist expansionism, one cannot begin to comprehend theRead MoreManagement Challenges for the 21st Century.Pdf60639 Words   |  243 Pagesrealities and their demands require a REVERSAL of policies that have worked well for the last century and, even more, a change in the MINDSET of organizations as well as of individuals. This is a MANAGEMENT BOOK. It intentionally leaves out BUSINESS CHALLENGES—even very important ones such as the question of whether the EURO will displace the U.S. dollar as the world’s key currency, or what will SUCCEED the 19th century’s most successful economic inventions, the commercial bank and the investmentRead MoreCase Study148348 Words   |  594 PagesExperience simulation gives you hands-on experience of strategic analysis and putting strategy into action Resources for instructors †¢ Instructor’s manual, including extensive teaching notes for cases and suggested teaching plans †¢ PowerPoint slides, containing key information and figures from the book †¢ Secure testbank containing over 600 questions †¢ Support for the Strategy Experience simulation with guidance on the aims and objectives of the simulation, and instructions on how to set up simulation groups Contemporary Economic Policy and the Virtual Chancellor... Contemporary Economic Policy Assignment: Virtual Chancellor Introduction The Virtual Chancellor Simulation is a web site designed to give to anyone the power to control for a moment the keys of the economic growth model of his\her country and try according to them, by changing the suitable parameters, to lead the economy to its own prosperity. However it is not an easy thing to be in that position, because you have to take under consideration a lot of variables and risks and you have to satisfy every level of the society, from the poor families and pensioners to the rich people and of course the goals set by the government. After running the model approximately three hundred times to see what changes each parameters have and what†¦show more content†¦I moved on to Indirect Taxes trying to understand how changes of the excite duties such as alcohol, tobacco and petrol are affecting the economy and the families. Soon I realize that increasing tobacco duty (from 205.0 per packet of 20 to 215.0 per packet of 20 ) and tobacco ad valorem duty ( for example by one percentage point ) has an enormous effect on inflation (increased by 0.28 ) and of course most of the people of the society now are losing and GNP goes down as well. In general the main variable that was affected positively was now the government dept that was falling by 0.11 % but in contrast with that unemployment was rising and there was a negative growth in GDP. Similar results appeared when I increase the petrol duty (from 48.0 pence per liter to 52.0 pence per liter ) It was obvious that government dept was falling faster now ( by 0.16% ) however the inflation was up 0.41 points and GNP was falling significantly by 0.85 bn â‚ ¬. On the other hand when I decreased tobacco duty ( from 205.0 per packet of 20 to 195.0 per packet of 20 ) and tobacco ad valorem duty ( for example by one percentage point ) it had positive effects on inflation dropped down by 0.28 points and on GNP ( increased by 0.57 bn ) but affected negatively the government dept by increasing it 0.11%. TheShow MoreRelatedContemporary Economic Policy and the Virtual Chancellor Simulation1088 Words   |  5 PagesContemporary Economic Policy Assignment: Virtual Chancellor Introduction The Virtual Chancellor Simulation is a web site designed to give to anyone the power to control for a moment the keys of the economic growth model of hisher country and try according to them, by changing the suitable parameters, to lead the economy to its own prosperity. However it is not an easy thing to be in that position, because you have to take under consideration a lot of variables and risks and you have to satisfy everyRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pagescolonies after 1870 as a predictable culmination of the long nineteenth century, which was ushered in by the industrial and political revolutions of the late 1700s. But at the same time, without serious attention to the processes and misguided policies that led to decades of agrarian and industrial depression from the late 1860s to the 1890s, as well as the social tensions and political rivalries that generated and were in turn fed by imperialist expansionism, one cannot begin to comprehend theRead MoreManagement Challenges for the 21st Century.Pdf60639 Words   |  243 Pagesrealities and their demands require a REVERSAL of policies that have worked well for the last century and, even more, a change in the MINDSET of organizations as well as of individuals. This is a MANAGEMENT BOOK. It intentionally leaves out BUSINESS CHALLENGES—even very important ones such as the question of whether the EURO will displace the U.S. dollar as the world’s key currency, or what will SUCCEED the 19th century’s most successful economic inventions, the commercial bank and the investmentRead MoreCase Study148348 Words   |  594 PagesExperience simulation gives you hands-on experience of strategic analysis and putting strategy into action Resources for instructors †¢ Instructor’s manual, including extensive teaching notes for cases and suggested teaching plans †¢ PowerPoint slides, containing key information and figures from the book †¢ Secure testbank containing over 600 questions †¢ Support for the Strategy Experience simulation with guidance on the aims and objectives of the simulation, and instructions on how to set up simulation groups

Communications AND audit Issues Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Communications AND audit Issues . Answer: Introduction What motivated this reform, according to ISA 701 -Communication of key aspects of the audit in the report of the independent auditor-, is because the users of the financial statements have demanded more information of those issues that they are most concerned about the communications maintained between the GER and the auditors. In accordance with the above, NIA 260 -Communications of audit issues with those in charge of administration (Revised) -which covers the aforementioned communications, has an important relevance when it comes to performing the work (Collings, n.d.). There have also been major changes in other ISAs. For example, in ISA 720 -Responsibility of the auditor on other information in documents containing audited financial statements-, dedicated to the verification of other information - that is, that accompanying the financial statements, whose level of assurance is lower, but with application in some countries; in ASA 570 -Company underway (Revised) - about the wor k to verify that the company applies the principle of business in operation, where we will see that the material uncertainties about this principle have a section in the report , before they were part of the emphasis paragraphs (Hayes, Gortemaker and Wallage, n.d.). The purpose of this review is undoubtedly the new order of audit paragraphs. By way of summary, the main modified standards have been made in the following norms, In addition, a number of modifications of agreement - conforming amendments - have also been introduced to other ISAs, with a semantic rather than an adaptation to the new terms and structure of the report. In January 2015, the IAASB made a significant leap forward by publishing the new standard on the audit report which, as the most important novelty, includes the inclusion of a section called "Key audit issues" (Choi, Frost and Meek, 2014). This section should reflect those questions of the audit work - salaries, transactions, disclosures in the notes, etc. - that represent a high professional judgment - for example, estimates of impairment and provisions - and that have generated a high flow of communication between those responsible for the government of the entity -RGE- and the auditors (Doupnik and Perera, 2015). Auditing Issues Surrounding the collapse of ABC Learning Centre ABC Learning Centre rose and dominated the daycare industry in Australia like a phoenix in the space of two decades and had a controlling majority in the countries daycare industry. It is worth to note that however, its fall was even swifter as the management of the company failed to control the fortunes of the company efficiently. With a clear vision on growth, the management failed to strengthen its base (Crumbley, LaGraize and Peters, n.d.). Additionally, accounting discrepancies and the change in government policy accelerated the companys downfall which was the most dominant force in daycare industry at one time. Financial discrepancies were a major attribute of the companys downfall. The representatives from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission attributed it to financial mismanagement like high debt level. Related party transactions also led to its downfall. Risk assessment procedures and related activities to identify events that indicate that the ability to continue as a functioning company is in doubt (Oringel, 2012). When risk assessment procedures are applied, the auditor will consider whether the facts or conditions that may give rise to significant doubts as to the ability to continue as a going concern. Continuity of the business and validate the following aspects: Key Audit matters in the collapse of ABC Learning Centre If the valuation has been made, the auditor will discuss with the management and individual or jointly identified events or situations, which may generate significant doubts about the continuity of the business, in which case will find out the action plans to deal with these facts and conditions. If such an assessment has not yet been made, the auditor will discuss with the management the basis for the intended use of the business hypothesis under way and inquire with the management about the existence of facts or conditions that individually or jointly may generate doubt about the business in progress of the entity (Moroney, 2016). The auditor will also inquire with management about their knowledge of events or situations after the period evaluated that may generate significant doubts about the entity's ability to continue as a going concern. Examples of facts or conditions that may call into question the business assumption o n going. That the company cannot meet the payments corresponding to the debts incurred. Audit for Going Concern- ASA 570 These are the issues that may lead to a companys ability to continue as a going concern Excessive dependence on short-term loans for long-term financial assets is a major risk for a going concern and either the loss of a principal supplier for the development of its activities, without having the option of being able to replace it. Indications of withdrawal of financial support by creditors and change in the way payment of transactions with suppliers, from payments to credits to cash payments, and without sufficient liquidity to cover the needs of the operations of the company. Loss of important customers is also a threat to business.. there are also changes in regulations that negatively affect the entity and additional audit procedures when a fact or event is identified that creates doubt about the business in progress (Dauber, 2008). When identifying facts that generate doubt about the company's business continuity, the auditor will obtain sufficient evidence to determine whether or not there is material uncertainty through the application of procedures additions, wh ich will include the following factors: Request to the management or direction of the assessment or assessment of the entity's ongoing business. Action plans made by management for future actions related to the risks identified in the evaluation carried out and whether such action plans are feasible taking into account the circumstances. Forecast of future cash flow and evaluation of the reliability of the data used to prepare said forecast. Adequate conclusion of the business case in progress, despite the existence of material uncertainty (Dauber, 2008). When the auditor concludes that there is a material uncertainty but that the assumption of business in sea cha is supported by management is appropriate to determine whether the financial statements present the following aspects: Issues to be included in the auditor's report If the financial statements have been prepared under a hypothesis that the auditor believes is not appropriate, an unfavorable opinion should be expressed. Going concern How does the external auditor verify the entity's ability to continue as an "operating company" or, as it has been called, "business in progress"? Therefore, the continuity of the entity will be presumed when its profitability and access to sources of financing are adequate and have been maintained for a reasonable time and, in addition, payments of debts and liabilities arising from the operation are programmed with the due anticipation and are carried out without affecting the financial structure of the entity (Dauber, 2008). In these cases, it will not be necessary for the management to mention this situation in the financial statements or in its notes, since it is elaborated on the basis of business in progress. The auditor will refer to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) published by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), in the event that the management of the entity complies with said regulations in the preparation of its financial statements (Dauber, 2008). Within the conceptual framework of the IASB, the Basic Postulate, Business on the Move, is identified as a fundamental hypothesis. Audit Procedures The auditor is responsible in the evaluation and conclusion on an entities ability to go on as a continuing entity or as a going concern for the entity. The auditor is responsible for evaluating and concluding on the entity's ability to continue as a going concern for the following year from the date of issuance of its opinion (Dauber, 2008). The regulations to be applied will be those related to the International Standards on Auditing (ASA), specifically, ASA 570, Company in operation. This standard establishes with greater precision and detail the responsibility of the auditor to make an assessment of the entity's ability to continue as a going concern, obtain evidence of management's hypothesis in this regard, and determine the implications in the report audit (Dauber, 2008). Without being considered as the only viable procedures to be applied and only as a guide to carry out such risk assessment and assessment, the auditor should have a detailed work program and a checklist of t he business in progress. Before the end of the year, in the planning stage of the audit you should talk to the directors of the entity and comment with them if they have identified any significant issue that causes any uncertainty in the continuity of the company during the coming months. If this is the case, it will be necessary to follow it up during the entire audit, before the report is issued and, in all cases, to inform the management of the company about the legal consequences and impact that this issue will have on the financial statements and, therefore, the opinion. The auditor must ensure that the evidence he has made, the internal and external consultations that may be carried out, the reading of the minutes of the shareholders and of the Board of Directors, bank and third-party confirmations, future action plans and projections of the entity and the statements of the directorate, are documented and archived. Usefulness of ASA 701- Auditors communication What is the order of the sections of the report? First, the "Opinion" and the "Foundations of opinion" are prioritized and placed at the beginning of the report, in this order. They are the only paragraphs that are fixed in accordance with ASA 700. However, in some standards such as ASA 701, indications are given about the order of auditors paragraphs in relation to emphasis paragraphs. Previously, these paragraphs were almost at the end of the audit report (Davies and Aston, n.d.). With regard to the paragraph "Opinion": - The audited entity and the financial statements should be identified, if indicated that they have been audited - except in case of denial of opinion, which will indicate that "We have been appointed to audit the financial statements of ..." -, and the date of these will be specified.- The financial information framework which is applicable - IFRS, IFRS for accounting, other local frameworks, etc. -. If in addition to the financial information framework there are other legal requirements, they must be identified.- Regarding the types of opinion, the following are still known, although with new implications: a) Opinion not modified. b) Opinion with caveats. c) View denied. When this type of opinion is given, the paragraphs of "Key audit questions" or "Other information" cannot be inserted, as this might make the audit report less effective. d) Unfavorable opinion. In this case, ASA 701 recommends, but does not prohibit, to include auditors opinion other than the caveats that give rise to unfavorable opinion, because their inclusion could make the financial statements more credible than they actually are. On the other hand, "related uncertainty with the business principle in operation "has a separate section in the report (ASA 570,), provided that the section is well informed (Davies and Aston, n.d.). With the previous regulation, this uncertainty was part of the emphasis paragraphs. The content of this paragraph, in its structure, has practically no changes. Subsequently, the section "Key issues of the audit" will be reported, to which we will devote a special section to this article. After the key audit questions, , in this order, paragraphs of emphasis and paragraphs on other issues [ASA 706 (Revised)]; we recall that the former have the function of giving relevance to certain disclosures of the financial statements, while the latter have th e purpose of communicating certain issues not disclosed in these but that may be useful for users' understanding of financial information . . Before the end of the year, in the planning stage of the audit you should talk to the directors of the entity and comment with them if they have identified any significant issue that causes any uncertainty in the continuity of the company during the coming months Conclusion In case the auditor concludes that the Management's hypothesis is adequate, regarding the uncertainty about the capacity of the entity to continue as a company in operation and that, moreover, is revealed in the auditors communication report (Davies and Aston, n.d.).The international standard establishes that the evaluation of the business in progress must start from the planning stage and be carried out during the development of the audit until the issuance of the report, since any matter that causes uncertainty in the continuity of the entity, can be identified at any stage of the auditor's work. On the other hand, during the auditor shall keep in mind that he / she should approach the Management of the entity in a timely manner, in order to know the measures to be applied that tend to mitigate the problems of continuity detected and, if necessary, to convince it that the states financiers. References Anandarajan, A. and Kleinman, G. (2015). International auditing standards in the United States. New York: Business Expert Press. Choi, F., Frost, C. and Meek, G. (2014). International accounting. Harlow: Pearson. Collings, S. (2013). Interpretation and application of international standards on auditing. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Collings, S. (n.d.). Frequently asked questions in international standards on auditing. Crumbley, D., LaGraize, W. and Peters, C. (n.d.). Case studies in forensic accounting and fraud auditing. Dauber, N. (2008). Wiley, the complete guide to auditing standards, and other professional standards for accountants, 2008. Hoboken N.J.: John Wiley Sons. Davies, M. and Aston, J. (n.d.). Auditing fundamentals. Doupnik, T. and Perera, H. (2015). International accounting. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. Hayes, R., Gortemaker, H. and Wallage, P. (n.d.). Principles of auditing. Moroney, R. (2016). AUDITING. Melbourne: Wiley. Oringel, J. (2012). Effective auditing for corporates. London: Bloomsbury Information.

Reluctant Information Sharers

Peter Flagstaff’s concerns about inefficient knowledge management are closely associated with the pitfalls in organizational learning. Therefore, in order to improve knowledge sharing among the employees, the top managers should pay attention to developing learning capability of their subordinates.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Reluctant Information Sharers specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Motivating workers to engage in learning is essential for efficient information sharing because it can help them incorporate ideas about learning and invent more affective strategies. In addition, a variety of approaches should be developed for employee to acquire knowledge so that each person has a wider access to accumulating his/her experience. Finally, knowledge distribution is an essential condition for solving problems and, therefore, managers should focus on this issue as well. The reluctance of information exchange among the accountant managers are explained by their concerns with the freshness and originality of the ideas. Committed to the old stereotypes, they mistakenly believe that the idea shared with another manager is not valid anymore and, therefore, it cannot be called a creative one. However, these assumptions are not valid because the employees fail to realize the actual purpose of knowledge management. The task of Flagstaff and Gibson is to convince their employees that knowledge management significantly contributes to the welfare and performance of their firm. They should introduce new organizational culture and face the diversity within the employed environment. In this respect, high-impact learning is an effective approach favoring knowledge sharing and minimizing the fears of information stealing.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Establishing the right pri orities and creating new knowledge will promote a healthier environment and provide new prospects for development. Filling in the gap between knowledge and performance, the managers will focus more on performance rather than on technical outcomes. This assessment on Reluctant Information Sharers was written and submitted by user Damari Herman to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

About the Author Examples (That Youll Actually Want to Read)

About the Author Examples (That Youll Actually Want to Read) About the Author Examples (That You'll Actually Want to Read) We’ve all heard the clichà © that writers have big egos - so it makes sense that there’s a section in every book where you’re required to talk about the author (meaning yourself).That said, it’s crucial to get the About the Author right. Whether it appears on the back of your book, your Amazon Author page, your social media or all of the above, you should make every sentence count (and tailor it depending on where it will appear). For non-fiction authors, who you are can be more important than what you write about. For indie fiction writers, this is an opportunity to let your growing readership get to know you.If you're here to learn the ropes, we’ve already published an extensive guide on how to write one. In this post, we'll be looking at 13 About the Author examples to further illustrate what works (and what doesn't). Writers, writing about themselves? These About the Author examples will show you how.   About the Author Examples: FictionFor fiction writers (especially self-published ones), who you are matters little in comparison to the quality of the story you've written - and an attention grabbing synopsis. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take full advantage when you’re encouraged to talk about yourself. Here are some examples of how to pull it off without soliloquizing.1. Veronica Roth, Divergentâ€Å"Veronica Roth is the New York Times bestselling author of Divergent, the first book in a trilogy that she began writing while still a college student. Now a full-time writer, Ms. Roth and her husband call the Chicago area home. You can visit her online at www.veronicarothbooks.com or on Twitter (@VeronicaRoth).†Why it works: Is this the flashiest bio in the world? Of course not. But that’s exactly why it works. Each word builds on the last, adding new information to her story: her name, her qualifications, her books, their history, her home li fe, and, finally, her online presence. It’s short and simple†¦ but then again, a bestselling author can afford to be.2. Glynnis Campbell, Danger’s Kissâ€Å"Glynnis Campbell is a USA Today bestselling author of swashbuckling action-adventure romance. She’s the wife of a rock star, and the mother of two young adults, but she’s also been a ballerina, a typographer, a film composer, a piano player, a singer in an all-girl rock band, and a voice in those violent video games you won’t let your kids play. She does her best writing on cruise ships, in Scottish castles, on her husband’s tour bus, and at home in her sunny southern California garden. Glynnis loves to play medieval matchmaker, transporting readers to a place where the bold heroes have endearing flaws, the women are stronger than they look, the land is lush and untamed, and chivalry is alive and well!†Why it works: Glynnis Campbell isn’t a household name - but this w ill definitely make her readers remember her. Why talk about your books themselves, when you can make your whole life sound more interesting than a romance novel. This is the ideal approach for emerging genre authors who have plenty of exciting material, but might not be able to carry a bio off the strength of their work alone.3. Jomny Sun, Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Tooâ€Å"Jonathan Sun is the author behind @jonnysun. He is an architect, designer, engineer, artist, playwright, and comedy writer. His work across multiple disciplines broadly addresses narratives of human experience. As a playwright, Jonathan has had his pieces performed at the Yale School of Drama, and in Toronto at Hart House Theatre and Factory Theatre. As an artist and illustrator, he has had his art exhibited at MIT, Yale, New Haven ArtSpace, and the University of Toronto. His work has appeared on NPR and BuzzFeed, as well as in Playboy, GQ, and McSweeney’s. In his other life, he is a doctoral student at MIT and a Berkman Klein fellow at Harvard.†How would you write your bio? Short? Sweet? Side-splitting? We want to know! Show us in the comment box below.

Top 8 Most Underpaid Jobs That Deserve Much Higher Pay

Top 8 Most Underpaid Jobs That Deserve Much Higher Pay We all feel overworked and underpaid, as a rule. But  it’s no surprise that some of the  most valued and hard-working professionals you might know (or might be yourself!) don’t receive the pay that matches the sacrifices they make. Here are 8 of the most underpaid jobs in our society, all of which deserve to be paid much, much better. 1.  Public school teacherThis almost doesn’t require an explanation. Teachers make a median income of around $55k, but given the hours they put in and the importance of the work they do, this doesn’t seem nearly enough. If children are indeed our future, perhaps we should be investing more in the people who get them where they need to be?2. Registered nurseSure, nurses typically make around $60k per year, and that seems pretty high compared to a lot of jobs in our current economy. But then you have to factor in how many more hours and responsibilities that have been piled upon them. And they’re increasingly requi red to do more work formerly assigned to doctors because of their higher levels of education.3. Farm workerWe pay the people who are responsible for feeding us very very poorly. These are the worst of conditions, the hardest, most back-breaking physical labor, and less than $20k per year (if they’re lucky) for long hours and having to move all over the place to follow the harvest schedules. Some undocumented workers also face harassment and unfairly curtailed wages as well.4. Child care professionalChild care workers don’t make that much more than farm workers, but their work is also very intense. Imagine all those kids, all that energy, all that responsibility, plus their hyper-vigilant and often overbearing parents. The amount of impact these folks can have on kids in their most crucial stages of development is huge. Shouldn’t they at least make a living wage?5. ParamedicEmts deal with people in the worst of circumstances, and are usually responsible for wheth er or not they make it through. They’re constantly throwing themselves between us and danger (or death) and should really make more than their median salary of roughly $31k per year.6. Home health aideAgain, home health aides make only marginally more than farm workers. And they are the ones who make sure that our elderly loved ones get the care they need in the years they need it most- often at their frailest and most scared. If we value our loved ones, shouldn’t we value those who care for them so expertly?7. Social workerSocial workers are the people on the front lines who protect those in our society who need protecting most. Even if you’ve never had cause to run into one in your life and work, it’s clear that they perform a crucial function in making our world a safer place for all our citizens. They should make as much as CEOs, but they barely clear $45k per year.8. Food service workerIn this economy, the demand for inexpensive and convenient food i s extremely high and sometimes jobs in food service are the easiest to procure when times are hard. But the minimum wage, adjusted for inflation, hasn’t improved since 1968. Given the conditions food services workers suffer through each day to feed us, don’t you think they deserve to make enough to feed their own families?

Multimedia Capstone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Multimedia Capstone - Essay Example The mind of the individual with the fundamental view about some aspect of reality, be it in his or her own individual life, the corporation, or society, is taken to be a given. This is similar to what in logic is considered an ‘a priori’ assumption – the decision has already been made in the individual’s mind about the way things are or should be, thus the person does not really think or consider the different solutions to the problem, or propose solutions that challenge traditional norms. Because of this, what we are programmed to believe becomes almost like instinct, shaping the way we view the world and our concepts of freedom within it as expressed through our actions. For this reason Gardner considers fundamentalists hard to convert to a new view, not because the fundamentalists believe the root tenets of a particular thought system and base their philosophy upon that, but because their pre-conceived notions are fundamental to the way they view the wor ld. This has the effect of conforming the mind of the fundamentalist individual to the programming patterns of the belief system to which he or she subscribes. From this, if one needs to actively change the mind of a fundamentalist individual or group of individuals, as in business management system changes or social movements, there has to be a means given that allows the individual to step above or outside of his or her own belief system, and see it as it is, as a belief rather than a universal truth or indisputable fact. With this there needs to be a situation where the alternative solution appears at the same time as the person steps outside of the fundamentalist belief. This is teaching through skillful means and may necessitate different approaches for different individuals, as not all personalities are the same or respond to the same effects in the same manner. So one must sculpt the teaching to the individual characteristics and sensitivities

Adolescent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Adolescent - Essay Example The paper will also address some of the areas that a person working with an elderly person should consider. Moreover, the paper will elaborate why these areas can be considered as key issues while working with elderly persons. Lastly, the paper will address alarming issues about a situation whereby a parent neglects a girl aged two years. More specifically, the paper will look into deviations from normal development and the legal, ethical, and procedural responsibilities of a community worker in such a situation. Case Study Question 1 Introduction Teenage years signify the transition from childhood to adulthood; a teenager can be considered as a person who cannot be termed as either a child or an adult. Puberty, which normally starts at the age of 14 years, signals significant changes in physical, cognitive, psychological, social, and emotional aspects. A girl aged fourteen years encounters major hormonal changes, which have an impact on the self image of the teenager, affect moods, the relationship with other people, and the overall outlook that the teenager has about life. A girl aged fourteen years will undergo changes in the named aspects. These changes are as discussed below. Physical Changes According to Rathus (2007), some of the physical changes that can be experienced in a 14-year girl include the development and enlargement of breasts as well as the nipples. The size of breasts becomes larger, signifying the impact of hormones present in the body of the teenage girl. Another physical change that could be experienced in a girl at the age of fourteen years includes growing tall as their hips, legs and thighs become taller. The tone of the voice changes as the voice of the girl becomes high pitched, and the skin also becomes light in color. The girl would also start experiencing acne as the skin becomes oily, thus making the girl prone to having pimples. Another change that could signify deviation from normal growth in a 14-year-old girl includes conside rable weight gain experienced by the girl. The gain in weight for girls usually takes place after the girl experiences the first menstruation. Other changes, which would indicate deviation from the normal, include an increase in height whereby the girl becomes taller than other girls below her age. The girl would also experience physical growth in terms of broadening of shoulders. There would be changes seen in the lower portion of the head, which begins to grow since the nose grows in both length and width and the chin lengthens. Changes in the proportion of the face can also be experienced due to changes attributed to tissue distribution; in a girl aged fourteen years, the contours of both the body and face become round (Malina, Bouchard & Bar-Or, 2004). Psychological Changes As much as puberty contributes to the development of the body, it also impacts on the development of the mind. At the age of fourteen years, a girl may feel the burden of the world on them. The girl loses chi ldhood innocence, thus developing a mind that can process thoughts and concepts that tend to be abstract. Psychologically, the girl strives to find and establish some identity. Psychological changes that the girl will undergo include an increase in self-awareness and development of a feeling of self-consciousness. At fourteen years, the girl will develop the ability to question what happens in the world around her. As a result, they start seeing the bigger picture of life; as a result, they develop a sense of how they want to fit into the bigger picture (Rathus, 2007). Another psychological change that will be experienced in the girl includes feeling sensitive. This emanates from the fact that the girl’

Leisure Dimensions Essay Example for Free

Leisure Dimensions Essay Thesis Statement: The relationship between leisure and the impacts is has on mental health, exhibits strong correlations. This subject of interest has been studied for many years and there is significant evidence to support the idea that leisure, whether it be through the use of work, play, self-care or rest (Crist, Davis Coffin, 2000) does impact positively, on ones mental health. The continued importance of leisure, as an important domain of life has been widely researched and investigated to assist in providing many concluding statements as to how individuals of today can benefit from such activities. I have focused primarily on the effects which leisure has on ones mental health, and how through the use of such leisure activities, they can restore their mental capacity and function, and partake in the same activities they used to with the same belief and confidence in themselves. The under-lying, and most essential belief in the development of occupational therapy, is maintaining the balance of work, play/leisure, self-care and rest, as these are the foundations for a healthy lifestyle Crist et al (2000). In 1977, Kielhofner termed the healthy balance of activities as â€Å"temporal adaptation†. He hypothesized that the temporal adaptation is achieved through the interrelationship among the (i) amount of time engaged in particular types of activities, (ii) participants view of the importance of the activities (iii) participants perception of competence in performing the activities and (iv) how much satisfaction they derive from their chosen activities. When studying cases of what is considered to be a healthy adaptation, the activities are assumed to provide a sense of productivity and accomplishment, which are essentially derived from the individual’s perception, Crist et al (2000). Kielhofner’s Model of Human Occupation examines how the motivation, performance and organization of occupational behaviour are exhibited in daily life. This model contains a habituation subsystem, which is made up of two components; roles and habits, which serve to maintain occupational behaviour, Crist et al (2000). According to Kielhofner (1997) habits act to organize occupational behaviour by a) regulating how time is typically used, b) influencing how one performs routines, and c) generating styles of behaviour. He goes on to explain that roles not only influence the manner and content of the interactions but also require routine tasks and dividing daily and weekly cycles into times, Crist et al (2000). The interweaving of the habits and roles in daily life consequently form routine behaviour. Opposing this, occupational dysfunction occurs when an individual has a limited capacity to choose or perform occupations. Kleiber, Larson Csikszentmihalyi (1986) observed during a study of US adults how they spend their time. It was concluded that on average, 30% of the day was spent sleeping, 10% in self-care, and 10% in instrumental activities. From those who were gainfully employed, work took up 25% of their day. The remaining 30% remains as discretionary time. While this study provides insight into occupational patterns, the perceived meaning and significance of engaging these patterns is not evident, Crist et al (2000). Crist et al (2000) stated that the work role is an occupational factor that strongly influences the balance and organization of occupational behaviour. Christiansen Baum (1997) defined work as a skill or performance in participating in socially purposeful, and productive activities, whether or not the individual receives economic compensation. These activities can take place at home, in an employment setting, school or a community. According to Kielhofner (1977), work roles, both gainful and non-gainful, create a need for the organisation of daily activities. Work activities offer the opportunity to gain a sense of satisfaction, competence and involvement and in our society; the most visible and highly valued work roles are those, which are categorized as gainful employment, Crist et al (2000). Mental health status is another factor that can influence temporal adaptation (Larson, 1990). Those individuals, who are considered to be within a healthy range regarding their mental health, are able to successfully meet the demands of their lifestyle and perform these activities. An individual, who presents a mental illness, may still be able to perform their work role, however they may display difficulty in performing a variety of tasks, which will in turn effect their competence and consequently effect the enjoyment they would usually get out of the assigned tasks, Crist et al (2000). Employment and mental health status may be related to each other when analyzing their effects on temporal adaptation; however, the types of employment and severity of the mental health problems will ultimately determine the scope of the results. Leisure benefits health by buffering people against personal stress produced by life circumstances. There are two important mediators, which determine the influence of leisure on the stress-health relationship, leisure based social support and leisure generated self-determination (Coleman and Iso-Ahola, 1993) There has been extensive evidence to suggest that stressful life circumstances induce physical and mental illness; however, this impact has been shown to be moderated by various processes including leisure participation. According to Caldwell Smith (1988), leisure is believed to have beneficial consequences for psychological well-being and health. They have also suggested that leisure activities influence health by promoting positive moods. Therefore, it can be said that leisure may help overcome loneliness and result in influencing individuals well being, (Coleman et al, 1993). Differing life events, and more so those of negative connotations such as losing a job, have been shown to lead to a higher incidence of illness such as depression (Thoits, 1983). In saying this, the social and psychological factors impacting on health is being increasingly investigated in terms of the concept of â€Å"life stress†. According to Sarason Sarason (1981), life stress can be considered a psychological state involving the cognitive appraisal of life events and of one’s inability to deal with them. An example of this is that if there was a death of an immediate family member and this could consequently cause varying levels of stress. It must however be remembered that it is due to the individuals perception of life events which have been the most vital piece of information when predicting the illness outcomes, (Coleman et al, 1993). When life problems such as the one addressed above occur, it is the natural instinct to seek support to alleviate the stress. This can occur through the use of avoidance, obtaining support and problem solving, (Coleman et al, 1993). These coping strategies are believed to moderate the impact of life problems on health in two main ways. Coleman et al, (1993) state that initially, the individual’s beliefs and dispositions may lead to an appraisal of life problems as non-threatening. And secondly, by enhancing the individuals efforts can contribute to alleviating stress that flows from these life problems before it affects health. Those who are suffering from life problems would seek help through these coping mechanisms; however, those who lives are relatively â€Å"stress free† would not benefit. In diagnostic terms this coping is referred to as an â€Å"interaction† between the life stress and the coping factor, (Coleman et al, 1993). This process can be associated with an overall effect, which is represented by â€Å"main effect† and shows that social factors do in fact influence health, regardless of the level of stress. According to Coleman et al, (1993) these coping mechanisms are therefore said to provide a buffer against severe life crises, rather than having an overall influence on health. This finding provides the conclusion that leisure impacts health by providing buffering mechanisms that come into play when life presents significant problems, (Caldwell et al, 1988). Conversely to this, the impact of leisure when life stress is low is less beneficial in the short term. However, in the long run, leisure is hypothesized to contribute to health by building health-promoting dispositions such as self-determination (Coleman et al, 1993). When analyzing the relationships between leisure participation and health, Caltabino’s study shows fascinating findings. Caltabino focused on the interactions between life stress and the participation in social, cultural and sporting activities and he concluded that they were all associated with illness symptomatology (Caldwell, 1988). From the many studies conducted surrounding the participation levels and the direct effect they have on health, it can be concluded that people participate in leisure activities to gain a sense of camaraderie which in turn leads to an ideology that they will gain social support if more severe cases of life crises should present themselves (Coleman, 1993). Furthermore, Coleman et al, (1993) states that this leisure may buffer the life stress because continual engagement in some types of leisure experiences may foster personal dispositions incorporating self-determination, including a sense of control and mastery. Caldwell (2005) addresses and interesting theory that leisure is therapeutic and contributes significantly to ones health. There is existing literature on this notion, which can further be organised into three classes of research: prevention of, coping with, and transcending negative life events. It is from here that leisure can become beneficial and help people move forward in terms of their health. Based on the work of Antonovsky (1979), the view taken here is that health is a multifaceted concept and includes not only physical well-being and psychological well-being, but also performance, self- realization and a sense of meaningfulness. When looking at the primary prevention role that leisure plays in response to one’s mental health it has been said that leisure activities may ward off poor health and behaviors before they occur (Caldwell, 2005). Ponde and Santata examined this in a study, which concluded that participation in leisure activities is a protective factor for women’s health, particularly those living in poorer conditions. In this study, the leisure activities were positively correlated with low levels of anxiety and depression among women reporting no job satisfaction and low family income (Caldwell, 2005). When looking at leisure from an occupational therapy viewpoint, this leisure promotes heath because â€Å"meaningful activity can influence social inclusiveness and encourage self-expression, therefore promoting human potential† (Passmore, 2003). From the study she completed, Passmore found that social leisure and the achievement associated with the leisure positively influenced mental health, and that mental health was most strongly predicted by leisure-related competency, self-efficacy, and self-worth (Caldwell, 2005). In addition, some work by Szabo suggests that music appreciation; watching scenery through video and humor gained through leisure, equally help by improving mood and decreasing anxiety (Caldwell, 2005). As stated by Coleman et al, (1993), the role of leisure in the stress-coping process has received considerable attention over the last decade, and Iwaksi (2001) has concluded that, â€Å"leisure can be an important buffer against stress to maintain good health†. Coleman et al, (1993), found that social support derived from leisure activity participation contributes to the reduction of stress and in doing so, promotes physical and mental health, but only for those who experience high levels of stress. Iwasaki and Mannell (2000) came up with three coping strategies; leisure palliative coping, leisure mood enhancement and leisure companionship. And more recently Iwaski (2001) compared the effects of leisure-related coping on immediate coping outcomes, mental health outcomes and psychological well being with general coping strategies (Caldwell, 2005). From his research, he found that â€Å"leisure coping, significantly predicted positive coping outcomes, mental health, and psychological well-being beyond the effects of general coping† (Caldwell, 2005). The final way in which leisure can be therapeutic is when dealing with negative life events, however this does depend on the individual and may not occur when someone has experienced a traumatic event (Caldwell, 2005). In Kleiber’s case, the participants used leisure to find new meaning to life and become reborn in a way that allows for a â€Å"fuller realization of one’s potential† (Caldwell, 2005).

RFID Tagging Essay -- essays research papers

Radio Frequency Identification Detection (RFID) is a technology that involves a silicon chip and an antenna, which together is called a TAG. The tags emit radio signal to devices that are called readers. One of the things that is important to know about the Electronic Product Code (EPC) is that some people use RFID and EPC interchangeably, but they are different. Would RFID work to track Products? Well, Bar Codes require a line of sight, so a person(s) with a bar code reader has to get right up on the bar code and scan it. When you are thinking about a supply chain, somebody in the warehouse would have to look at every single case. With RFID, all of the cases on the pallet would be picked up by a single swipe of a reader, even the ones stacked up in the middle that can’t be seen. So it’s much faster and more efficient and accurate. In the retail sales market you may wonder why that type or kind of speed is important. In a recent interview about RFID usage in commercial sales, it was summoned up as follows â€Å"†¦We want our product to be on the shelf for consumers when they want it. A recent study of retailers showed that the top 2,000 items in stores had a 12 percent out-of-stock rate on Saturday afternoons, the busiest shopping day. I think the industry average for inventory levels is 65 days, which means products sitting around, taking up space for that time, and that costs about $3 billion annually. Often a retail clerk can’t quickly find products in the crowded back room of a store to make sure that the shelves are filled for the consumer, or doesn’t know that a shelf is sitting empty because they haven’t walked by lately. With RFID, the shelf can signal to the back room that it is empty, and the clerk can quickly find the product†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Sandra Hughes, Technology Review (Cambridge Mass), July-August 2004 v107 i6 p74 (2)) Now let us step to the other side of the Merchant counter as a consumer and realize how RFID can benefit the average person. Have you ever felt impatient when standing behind someone in line at the grocery store who insisted on paying by check? Well, get ready to get agitated at the slowpoke of the future—the techno challenged person using a credit card. Contactless cards, already used in Asia for several transit and payment systems, have been introduced to the United States via pilot programs sponsored by American Express and MasterCard. Thes... ...rence last week said DOD is preparing a deployment plan that would launch DOD’s version of the new network by fiscal 2008. The plan is augmented by a roughly $28 billion annual IT budget at the agency. But officials acknowledged that they still must convince commanders in the field that the cost of an Ipv6 upgrade-rather than merely expanding current networks would yield a sufficient return in terms of firepower. DOD officials said they are pushing for standard definitions and products that will allow them to build an Ipv6 architecture that pulls together existing networks while handling an expected flood of new data from satellites, Global Hawk unmanned spy planes and other sensors (Military—Guns, butter or digits? Electronic Engineering Times, Dec 13, 2004 P8) References Sandra Hughes (2004). Technology Review (Cambridge Mass), July-August 2004 v107, i6 p74 (2) Professor Warwick Chips In (1999, January). ComputerWorld Matthew French (2003). Federal computer Week: for DOD Logistics, tags are it! Radio frequency identification tags policy seeks to improve supplies, Nov 3, 2003 V17 i38 p54 (2)) Military—Guns, butter or digits? (2004, December), Electronic Engineering Times, P8

Islamic Womens’ Rights Essay

Islam since its inception has maintained the claim of universality – a message and a way of life applicable and appropriate to all peoples in all places and times. Now more clearly than at any other point in the history of the Islamic tradition, this claim seems to be manifested through the presence of Muslim communities literally across the world. The Muslim population is estimated in the range of one billion, approximately half of whom are women representing a great range of cultures, racial-ethnic identifications, interests, attitudes, and aspirations. While it may be rather daunting to attempt to generalize about Muslim women, it is nonetheless true that certain themes emerge with some regularity when one looks across the Islamic world. Muslims struggle with and attempt to reconcile the affirmation of their heritage with the challenges of the modern world and the ongoing legacy of Western imperialism. Muslim women in all societies are key to these discussions, both subjects and objects in a very important and continuing debate about what it means to be a Islamic woman. Women’s rights (both Islamic and constitutional) are under constant debate, as are matters of seclusion and segregation, the relationship of women’s circumstances to fundamentalist religious pressures, and the role of women in political struggles for independence and economic advancement. Some countries such as Egypt have stressed the importance of women’s education for the better part of the century. Others like Saudi Arabia have only recently begun to work toward this goal. It is clear that overall there is increased attention to the importance of education for Muslim females both as a right and a value in and of itself, and as an essential ingredient in the advancement of nations. As in many areas, it is also clear that enormous differences exist educationally for women in urban and in rural areas, a dichotomy that at least in the short run probably will become even more pronounced (Carroll 85). There is also the major concern of women’s employment in Muslim countries and the debate over which occupations are considered proper for women to pursue. In many countries shortages in the labor force are making it imperative for women to work, but the tide of traditionalism tends to mitigate strongly in limiting those opportunities. In many countries increasing numbers of women are engaged as wage earners, but they are limited primarily to such occupations as teaching and medicine (Hussein and Radwan 12). The oil wealth of the Gulf states had led both to better education and to more work opportunities, although the conservative Islamic ethos has severely complicated the situation. Kuwait offers the greatest opportunities for women’s employment, and Bahrain with its economic diversification is opening new doors for female employment (Hussein and Radwan 12). Whether because of or despite Islam or government policies, women across the Islamic world are becoming more economically active. This does not necessarily mean, of course, that they are pressing for increased work opportunities. Many women would prefer not to work, doing so only because of economic necessities and happy that the extra money earned means a more comfortable life for their families. Enhanced professional opportunity for women is not without its down side. Women in a number of cultures have come to realize that along with the societal and familial strains that occur when women work outside the home (including perceptions that men cannot support their families) is the reality of women taking on added responsibilities without the expectation that they will be able to do less in other areas of their lives. And the relationship of economically and politically active women to the advancement of the state adds further strains for many women (Mintjes 17). In Iraq, for example, women’s liberation and full integration into society is a part of the Ba’th party platform. But reforms in personal status laws lag behind the political rhetoric, adding to the burdens of women (Sanasarian 124-125). This is generally true across the Islamic world, and it means that these burdens will continue as long as there is no real resolve in the tension between needing women for national development and not being able to accord them full status in society because of socio-religious restrictions (Rassam 99). The other issue is, undoubtedly, the question of women’s dress which is one of the most pressing concerns of Islamic societies today. Sometimes the government in allegiance with the religious establishment and seeking its support insists on women wearing â€Å"appropriate† covering. In other instances governments are making every attempt to discourage the wearing of Islamic dress precisely because they fear the rising power of extremist fundamentalism (Yeganeh 26-27). Today controversy over the government’s ban on students wearing Islamic dress at the universities has become a major ideological and political issue. Islamic conservatives say that the Quran dictates the wearing of the turban, preferably with a kind of long loose overcoat covering the body to the feet. The government’s supreme educational council has recommended disciplinary action for any female students appearing in such dress. The debate has become a major one in the struggle between secularist ideology and Islamic revivalism in that country (Bahry 502). Besides, the question of birth control is a matter of major concern to many Muslim families. While a few of the ulama, if supported by state efforts, are saying that there is Islamic sanction for some preventive measures, the majority oppose any such control as un-Islamic. When young Iraqi men and boys were being killed in the war with Iran, the government waged a campaign stressing the role of women as mothers. Contraceptives were no longer allowed at the same time that men were encouraged to take second wives for the purpose of having more children. Clearly there are differences in men’s and women’s attitudes on the issue of birth control. In Tunisia, for example, where legislation concerning women is generally seen to be more progressive than in many other countries, a survey showed that far more women than men favored the use of contraceptives. Where official policy does not support the possibility of contraception more subtle measures are sometimes used. In Bahrain housing projects limit the number of bedrooms so that they are available only to families with two children (Bahry 509- 511). Finally, a word needs to be said about Muslim women and the rise of feminism. It cannot perhaps be emphasized too strongly that whatever stand Islamic women may take on issues of education, employment, and equal opportunities in society, they have serious reservations about what they understand to be feminism in the Western context. For the most part they find it too individualistic, too removed from genuine cooperation between males and females, and too much tied to forms of Western colonialism and imperialism. â€Å"Sexual behavior that may strike an American feminist as liberated,† said one young Tunisian woman, â€Å"may strike me as just another form of slavery, and a rather neurotic form at that† (Megademeni 10). Muslim women and men together are still very much in the process of working out ways in which to affirm their Islamic identity as members of societies and nations moving into a new century. The issues they face will not be quickly or easily resolved. Women are not only faced by a number of conflicting pressures and claims on their allegiance, but find themselves speaking to a number of different audiences – their husbands and families, their Islamic sisters, their Western critics, the clerics or government agencies responsible for determining many of the circumstances of their lives, themselves. There is little question that many women across the Islamic world are becoming increasingly aware of the rights that belong to them within the Islamic system, as well as of themselves as key players in the movements that will continue to redefine the Islamic way of life. The responses they give to their own changing circumstances may vary with the different situations to which they are called to respond, and they may change fairly dramatically in the next few years. But it is clear that whatever solutions are found to the issues that they face, for most women they will be discovered in conversation with other females as well as males in the Muslim community, and they will be – in one form or another – Islamic solutions. Works Cited Bahry, Louay. â€Å"The New Saudi Woman: Modernizing in an Islamic Framework.† Middle East Journal. Vol. 34: 4, 2002. Carroll, Lucy. â€Å"Nizan-I-Islam: Processes an Conflicts in Pakistan’s Programme of Islamisation, with Special Reference to the Position of Women. † In Journal of Commonwealth and Comparative Politics. Vol. 20: 1992. Hussein, Freda and Radwan, Kamelia. â€Å"The Islamic Revolution and Women: Quest for the Quranic Model. † Freda Hussein, ed. , Muslim Women. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1994. Megademeni, Negiba. â€Å"Muslim Women Developing a Theory of Islamic Feminism. † Unitarian Universalist World. Vol.16: 8, August 15, 1995. Mintjes, H. â€Å"The Doctor and the Ladies: A New Debate on ‘Women and Islam’ in Pakistan. † al-Mushir. Vol. 25: 1993. Rassam, Amal. â€Å"Revolution Within the Revolution? Women and the State in Iraq. † Iraq: The Contemporary State. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2002. Sanasarian, Eliz. The Women’s Rights Movement in Iran. New York: Praeger, 2001. Yeganeh, Nahid. â€Å"Women’s Struggles in the Islamic Republic of Iran. † Azar Tabari and Nahid Yeganeh, eds. , In the Shadow of Islam: The Women’s Movement in Iran. London: Zed Press, 1982.

Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Essay

On April 20, 2010 a catastrophic explosion on the Deepwater Horizon off shore drilling platform caused the largest single release to the environment due to oil drilling. This explosion killed 11 workers and injured 17. This oil spill is very controversial because it can be questioned if this spill could have been prevented and what exactly went wrong. There is much debate on who is to blame, what could have been done to prevent it and who is going to pay for all the damage. Many are not happy with the settlement BP is signing that will keep them from further criminal prosecution if they agree to pay the settlement amount. Paying retribution is fine, but what about the future damaging effects that we have no way of even knowing about now. Who will take care of that? These are some of the basic questions people are asking about this case and my responses. What can this accident teach us? This accident should teach us all that there is a great responsibility taken on when you go into the earth and try to harvest chemical products that have potential for negative effects on human welfare and health. The government needs to be in charge of regulating these activities to preserve the future of our environment. Had you been in charge of granting permit for this, what measures would you have prescribed to prevent or mitigate the impacts of such an accident? Policies need to be in place that ensures that properly trained personnel are on site at all times to ensure the safety of the drilling process. Only experienced personnel could properly react to an emergency and possibly be able to mitigate further damage. Knowledge and experience are required to recognize potential hazards in time and prevent even bigger negative effects. BP engineers were supposedly aware of variations in the pressure prior to the explosion. These engineers probably did not have the authority to request work be stopped so further inspections could be made. Politics involved with the money at stake sometimes lead to dangerous decisions. If someone with the knowledge and authority to make an executive decision was there, this tragedy could possibly have been avoided. If you were in a policy making forum, what national or international policy measures would you recommend for reducing long term risk from off-shore drilling. I think the policies on long term risk from off-shore drilling accidents could be addressed by building some kind of boundary wall to contain the drill site, even if there was not a spill. Just the act of drilling is releasing some form of contamination and if that contamination could be contained before it gets incorporated into the entire different city/ country’s water supply it would be a great benefit to prevent long term effects of oil contamination. International policies need to be in effect that maintain the same standards across the board. If one country has low standards and takes in the contaminated water†¦ they will then be releasing it into the environment and the contamination will still affect neighboring countries/cities that may have stricter standards. If I was involved in any type of policymaking forum, I would try to get policy passed that had strict policies regarding quality control practices regarding the technology being used to drill for the oil and the equipment maintenance. Increased testing of drilling equipment during and between drilling process, not just at the start stage. Sometimes equipment fails during use and quality measures need to be in place to make frequent inspections. What changes would you require in terms of ethical conduct by regulators? Regulators need to not be financially involved with projects the are legislating. This is a huge ethical problem because kickbacks and donations often lead to favorable legislations in favor of the party standing to gain and not for the best interest of the public. To what degree may politics have clouded judgment and influenced decisions that where made? Relaxed government regulation was probably made because the government in efforts to promote business, made acquisitions that were dangerous and costly to the environment in the long run.

Live Oak - Description, Planting and Growing

Live Oak - Description, Planting and Growing Live Oak Introduction A large, sprawling, picturesque tree, usually graced with Spanish moss and strongly reminiscent of the Old South.  Live oak is one of the broadest spreaders of the Oaks, providing large areas of deep, inviting shade. Live oak is the state tree of Georgia. Reaching 60 to 80 feet in height with a 60 to 100-foot spread and usually possessing many sinuously curved trunks and branches, live oak is an impressive sight for any large-scale landscape. An amazingly durable American native, it can measure its lifetime in centuries if properly located and cared for in the landscape. It is also often wrongly planted in small landscapes and right-of-ways where it is doomed to heavy pruning and ultimate removal. The live oaks scientific name is  Quercus virginiana  and pronounced like  Ã‚  KWERK-us ver-jin-ee-AY-nuh.The trees most used common name is  Southern Live Oak  and in the family Fagaceae. It grows inUSDA hardiness zones  7B through 10B, is native to the North American south and generally available in many areas within its hardiness range.  The oak is generally used in wide tree lawns but adapts well in large parking lot islands. It is a magnificent specimen tree in open landscapes. Michael Durr in Manual of Woody Landscape Plants says it is a massive, picturesque, wide-spreading, evergreen tree with magnificent horizontal and arching branches that form a broad rounded canopy; a single tree constitutes a garden. A Botanical Description of Live Oak As I have mentioned, live oak has a moderate height but a spread to  120 feet. The live oak crown uniformity is a  canopy that is  symmetrical and  with a regular (or smooth) outline and all  individuals have more or less identical broad crown forms. A live oaks crown approximates round but has a definite look of spreading vertically. The crown can be considered dense but its growth rate is medium to slow which means that it can only become a prime tree specimen over many decades. Live oak branches will continuously droop as the tree grows and will require pruning for vehicular or pedestrian clearance beneath the canopy. This is why a small urban median between moderately wide avenues will make for problems. The oak does have a showy trunk and should be grown on a single leader with substantial height. The live oak leaf is thickly green and persistent through the winter. The leaf arrangement is alternate, the leaf type is simple and the leaf margin is entire. Managing a Live Oak in the Landscape A live oak tree will grow  in part shade/part sun and in full sun. It tolerates many soils including  clay, loam, sand, acidic, alkaline and  occasionally wet but best on  well-drained soils. The tree has a high tolerance of drought, a high tolerance of salty atmosphere and a moderate tolerance for salt in the soil. You will need to prune this tree regularly to develop strong structure when in a managed landscape that has vehicular traffic. The tree is extremely resistant to breakage and will not be a problem in any but the strongest of storms. Live oak is usually pest-free. Occasionally mites infest the foliage, but they are of little concern in the landscape. There is some concern for a newly discovered Texas live oak decline. Galls cause homeowners much concern but should not. These trees  suffer with many types of galls which  can be on the leaves or twigs of Quercus virginiana. Most galls are harmless so chemical controls are not suggested. Live Oak In Depth Once established, the live oak will thrive in almost any location within its natural range and is very resistant to wind and its resulting damage. Live Oak is a tough, enduring tree that will respond with vigorous growth to plentiful moisture on well-drained soil. Like other oaks, care must be taken to develop a strong branch structure early in the life of the tree. Be sure to eliminate multiple trunks and branches which form a narrow-angle with the trunk as these are likely to split from the tree as it grows older. Be sure that an adequate landscape area is given to live oak as roots will grow under curbs and sidewalks when planted in confining soil spaces. When visiting large southern coastal cities (Mobile, Savannah) you will these trees thriving in these urban settings and their ability to lift sidewalks, curbs and driveways. This is the cost many are willing to pay for a live oak urban forest. One of the biggest problems with live oak in cities, towns and private landscapes is e lack of pruning. This tree can live for a very long time and it is important to develop proper trunk and branch structure early in the life of the tree. Following planting  in the landscape, prune the tree each year for the first three years, then every five years to age 30. This program will help ensure that the tree develops into a strong, long-lived fixture in the community, and will help develop the 14 to 15 foot tall vehicle clearance needed for planting along city streets. Source Dirr, Michael A. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propogation and Uses. Bonnie Dirr (Illustrator), Margaret Stephan (Illustrator), et al., Revised edition, Stipes Pub Llc, January 1, 1990.

How to Become an Audiologist -TheJobNetwork

How to Become an Audiologist -TheJobNetwork If you know someone who has struggled with hearing loss, then you probably also know how essential audiologists are to the healthcare community. Audiologists work with doctors and patients to identify, diagnose, and treat hearing, balance, and related disorders. They also work to help patients communicate with the world. The Day-to-DayClinical audiologists are experts in the science of hearing-related disorders. Their work includes:Evaluating hearing and balance problemsContinuing ttreatment of people with hearing and balance disordersPreventing hearing lossTesting patients’ hearingCounseling patientsFitting hearing aids and other assistive hearing devicesTreating balance disordersEducating patients on communication strategies (like sign language, speech reading, etc.)Audiologists typically work in clinical settings like hospitals, private medical offices, schools, and government agencies. They can choose to specialize by patients’ age (like pediatric or geriatric), by disorder (like tinnitus, auditory processing, or balance problems), or by treatment (like cochlear implants, hearing aids, etc.). They often work with other healthcare professionals, such as doctors, speech-language pathologists, educators, and other allied health professionals to help develop treatment plans for patients.Audiologists work a pretty typical 40-50 hour week, although some work part-time.For more on what it’s like to be an audiologist, check out these videos:Julie Martinez Verhoff: School AudiologistBecome an Audiologist or SLP Reward Yourself with a Career that Helps OthersThe RequirementsBecoming an audiologist requires a pretty strong commitment: most audiologists have a doctoral degree (AuD) from a program accredited by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. They also need to pass the Praxis Examination in Audiology. Additionally, almost all states require a license, so be sure to check on your own state’s requirements.The SkillsThe audiol ogy field calls for a number of special skills and knowledge bases, including:Attention to detailMath and science (particularly biology and communication sciences)Critical thinkingPatient evaluationAnatomy and physiologyDisease managementCommunication skillsThe PayThe median salary for licensed audiologists is $73,060 per year, or $35.13 per hour, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Because this is a field that requires so much advanced education and training, members rate it highly: a PayScale.com survey of audiologists showed that they were â€Å"extremely satisfied† with their career choice.The OutlookLike most allied health professions, audiology is expected to keep on growing for the foreseeable future. The BLS expects an incredible 29% growth by 2024.

Organisational Transformation in Practice ( Reflective writing) Assignment - 1

Organisational Transformation in Practice ( Reflective writing) - Assignment Example The opening focuses on reflections of the event of the negotiation activities within a virtual learning environment (Lewicki, Saunders, Minton, & Barry, 2003; McKeachie & Svinickie, 2011; Oxford Brooks University, 2009). It is argued that the negotiations course was successful in preparing the learner for further leadership roles (Brookfield, 1995; McKeachie & Svinickie, 2011). Further comments focus on the learner’s style of negotiation and reactions to others during the negotiation process (Antelo, Prilipko, & Sheridan-Pereira, 2010; Balez, 2008; Changingminds.org, 2011, Dunn, 1989, Hudson, 2002-03; Lewicki et al., 2003; Myers, 2009; Shockley-Zalabak, 2002; Shepard, 2010; Verderber, 1990). This report explores how success was achieved in the project, reflected upon, and based on that success, the literature, and personal insight from the reflection further recommendations are made. I sat down to review what I knew so far. My plant was responsible for manufacturing and assembling parts that were suffering from a high incidence of quality issues with massive rejection rates at the customer site. The quality issues had not been resolved and my quality inspectors had uncovered that the problems were, at least in part, due to another division’s parts that were supplied to my plant. I had gotten word that the other plant’s staff and their plant manager had refused to take responsibility. I thought the other plant manager was unfairly and inaccurately interpreting the term â€Å"95% level of quality approval†. The thought of my and my plant’s staff being unfairly blamed for a serious problem at the customer site infuriated me. I have a lot of pride in my work and the work of my staff and I do not take well to others insulting work that has been performed in good faith. I quickly made the assumption before negotiations even started that I w ould have an uphill

Nike Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nike - Essay Example In the next section, industry analysis has been done to analyze the structure of the industry. It has been found that Nike is facing significant direct and indirect competition however, because of the capabilities of the company; it has been able to improve its business operations. The financial analysis shows a strong financial position of the company. In the last section the business level strategy of the company has been discussed and challenges have been highlighted. Finally, recommendations have been given to improve business strategy. Changing technological trends even in the women’s footwear industry such as designs of women’s footwear are based on woman’s biomechanics such as air bags are designed in consideration to right pounds per square inch Nike’s major competitors include Reebok (domination in women’s aerobics). Adidas appeared as a major competitor of Nike in women’s market because it introduced fashion performance business by introducing fashionable athletic wear. In the Yoga market, Nike faced competition with Puma’s brand Olive. New Balance also appeared as a direct competitor of Nike in women’s market. Nike was leading in women’s running market. In apparel sector, Nike’s major competitors were Reebok and Adidas and company’s shares were very low because of fragmented market structure. Because of changing in competitive market, Nike also faced competition from various other small or large brands like Under Armour, Danskin and Lulu Lemon etc. However, Nike has the advantage that an integrated women fitness service is offered by none of the company. As stated in the case study (2006), in the global branded footwear industry, Adidas acquired Reebok and had the second largest market shares of 34 percent. Nike was the leader in branded footwear industry with 38 percent market shares. The other international footwear brands competing in this industry include Puma, Umbro, Mizuno

Social Problems Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Social Problems - Research Paper Example It is estimated that more than 70000 women die each year due to post abortion complications, deaths which can be controlled through effective monitoring (Heary, 2009). Abortion occurs under two major scenarios i.e. Therapeutic abortion, which is when it is necessitated by the need to save the mother from harm, usually prescribed by a qualified medical practitioner as well as elective abortion, which is when a pregnant woman decides on her own to request for the procedure (Baumgardner, 2008). This paper is a critical evaluation of abortion as a societal dilemma. Abortion Abortion is a process, which can be dated back to more than 1000 years ago, as it is believed that the first case was documented approximately 1550 BC (Baumgardner, 2008). During this time, the practice was viewed as a normal way of birth control and even the church had not at that time deemed it as totally ungodly as it is in the present. In fact, the only restriction the church and the authorities at that time had w as only if quickening could be felt then abortion was considered as unacceptable. Quickening is a term that refers to the movements of the fetus in the uterus and which can be felt by the pregnant woman. In this context, a woman was not permitted to abort a child if quickening had already taken place. In the early US history, it was considered a normal practice to advertise abortion, before quickening, services. It may be important to note that during this time, industrial revolution had not taken place and therefore, the field of medicine had not developed enough to facilitate surgical operations. As a result, abortion was achieved through primitive means such as administration of strong herbs, performing strenuous activities such as weight lifting as well as other vigorous activities, applying pressure on the abdomen for example by lying on a hot coconut shell among others (Baumgardner, 2008). It was not until late 19th century that the legality of abortion in various states began to receive opposition from medical practitioners, civil societies, and the church among other influential groups in the society. According to Baumgardner (2008), some of these groups were motivated by the assumption that the indigenous populations would be dominated by immigrants, whose rate of child bearing was becoming higher than that of the locals. To avoid this, laws were put in place to control and reduce birth control through abortion, in order to maintain and increase their numbers. Similarly, legal health professionals wanted to drive native doctors out of business so as to protect their own business interests. Consequently, they championed for a legislation to outlaw abortion with the exception of therapeutic abortion, which requires the intervention of a qualified health practitioner. Apparently, traditional doctors and midwives were not considered to be qualified and therefore had to close down or work from the underground. It is after these developments that the issue of abortion became contentious, with women rights activists demanding the withdrawal of these legislations while others demanded the opposite (Heary, 2009). Unlike abortion in the ancient times where there was a societal consensus on its legality, the modern society is divided along numerous issues for example its morality. Ancient societies may be forgiven for they may be considered to have been living in a primitive society, which had no basic structures strong

Competitive and marketing analysis for a Gym

Competitive and marketing analysis for a Gym Optimize gym will be a private business. The reason it will be a private business is because it has benefits. The benefits are that the gym will have limited liabilities and will be separate the business from the owners, which means that if the gym goes bankrupt, creditors cannot go after the owners personal assets. Another reason will be that the gym can have some shareholders which will increase funds. The gym should only have one owner to avoid dispute between multiple owners. Optimize gym will be located in Greenacre because there are no other gyms for both men and women. There will only be about 5 employees (Two inside the main gym area, and the other two to conduct boxing and circuit classes). Funds will be obtained from creditors such as a bank and will need an accountant to handle the funds. Purpose of plan The purpose of a business plan is to guide a business to achieve its goals and to prevent failure. It provides a design and sets targets for a business which enables it to evaluate its progress against identified reference points. A well devised business plan provides a business with clear direction and a path for the future, how the business could perform in the future and the priorities that are set for the business. A business plan outlines: A description of the business (Name, address, organisation and management) The goods and/or services the business provides The businesss goals A market analysis Customer needs and size of the market The industry in which the business operates Marketing/production/financial/employment relation strategies. The goals of Optimize gym include: Making a profit (Financial goal, short term) Expanding to a few gyms around NSW (Financial goal, long term) Satisfaction in work self achievement (Personal goal) Long term security Financially (Financial goal, long term) Sponsorship (Social goal) Successful business (Personal goal, long term) Increasing market share (Financial goal) Help people achieve their physical goals (Personal goal) Give men access to a gym since there are no gyms for both men and women in the are (Personal goal) Situation analysis SWOT analysis Strengths Skilled and qualified Workers Experienced managers Great location Good use of technology Great reputation (over 100 members) New and upated equipment Large area inside gym so that equipment isnt squashed 3 rooms (One used for boxing classes, one for circuit classes, and one for main gym area.) Weaknesses High costs for personal service (Personal training) Low amount of staff Average financial position Opportunities To expand A growing market means more people will participate Can attract couples because it is a gym for males and females. Threats Increased rent costs Competitors (fitness first) Competitor Analysis Fitness first Strengths Great reputation Qualified and experienced managers and workers Many workers Trained personal trainers Large amount of equipment Good finance Weaknesses High membership costs Gym could be filled with members at certain times Opportunities Expanding Buying out competitors Threats Competitors (Such as other big gyms World Gym) Market Analysis Customers (Target Market) / Market Research Optimize Gym is located in Greenacre where there is only one other gym. There are also local sporting teams which means that they would want to keep fit if they are going to pursue that sport. Optimize gym will focus mainly on: Men and Women who would like to get the body they always dream of at a low cost. Couples who like to train together. Teenagers The trend recently is for teenagers to go to the gym to keep fit and get good bodies for summer. Groups of friends People would rather go to the gym with friends because it will be less boring and will keep them coming back. Housewives due to them being at an age where it is hard for them to maintain their figure Market Segmentation There are four key business functions which are Operations, Marketing, Accounting and finance, and Employment relations. All of these interrelate, which means that they all rely on eachothers success to be successful. The term operations means the physical production of a good or the provision of a service. Since Optimize is a gym, it means that it is service based. There are many positive qualities for opening a gym which can include: Not being worried about being over stocked Not having to think of ways to innovate products No need to always have stock Being service based also has down sides which can include: If the business is not performing well, you cannot improve on anything other than the service unlike selling products, you can just innovate improve. Replacing broken equipment Marketing is the sector which aims to find out what consumers look for in a product/service and implement them. With Optimize gym, people come to the gym to achieve the bodies that they always dream of and marketing needs to be able to attract customers by creating a good atmosphere and giving them a great experience. Marketing needs to be able to research competitors to find out what is making them good and what is making them bad, also researching the prices of competitors to be able to compete with them. The marketing sector mainly relies on the accounting and finance sector to be able to provide the funds needed to advertise etc. Accounting finance is the sector which provides the financial information needed for decision making by the other sectors. No matter what type of business you are in, you need this sector to be able to keep track of what is being spent and what money you have. This sector is also important because it gives owners information about what is making money in the business and what is losing money which will help them improve on the bad parts of the business. Business use various tools to keep track of the money which include financial records, balance sheets, break-even analysis, budgets etc. Employment relations is the last sector of the four business functions. It is basically the relationship between the employer and the employees. If the relationship is good between them, then the employees will like their job which will motivate them to work hard and not slack off. Having good employment relations will help achieve the business goals by having qualified, trained and skilled employees who are right for the job. Objectives and strategies Objectives are merely goals, but are not like normal goals. They need to be S.M.A.R.T which means that they must be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed. The objectives of Optimize gym relate to the four key business functions which are Operations, Marketing, Accounting Finance and Employment relations (As mentioned above) Objectives of operations for Optimize gym include: Increasing participation of members in circuit and boxing classes Increasing how much the fitness professionals help the members, that is improving the quality of service from employees. Some strategies to accomplish these objective can be: Offer occasional trial classes to show members how the classes are run and how beneficial they can be. Offer rewards for employees that you see actually approaching members and giving advice and help on nutrition and teaching about how exercises should be done. Training staff Objectives of the Marketing sector for Optimize gym include: An increase in members by 20% within 12 months Some strategies that can be implemented to achieve this objective include: Offering free trials of the gym Offering free circuit/boxing classes Group discounts on starting memberships Discounts for referring friends (friends must become members for the discount to apply) The objectives of the accounting finance sector for Optimize gym include: An increase in profit by 20% within 12 months Becoming insolvent Having liquidity Having a surplus Some strategies that can be implemented to achieve these goals include: Improving stock control Decreasing expenses Tighter credit policies Finding alternative suppliers (Cheaper stock) Accounting finance interrelated with Marketing because if marketing is good then Optimize gym will have more members which means more return and makes it easier to achieve these objectives. Employment Relations also has some objectives which include: Keeping at least 90% of employees after 3 years Strategies that can be implemented to achieve this objective include Motivating employees to work by offering rewards Increase in payment each year to all employees Offering prizes to employee of the month Job Description Qualifications include: Completion of personal training course At least 2 years experience Staffing requirements Rostering is the process of allocating particular staff to complete particular duties. Employees: Jessica Personal trainer (Completed personal fitness course Worked as a personal trainer for 3 years Sert 3, Sert 4 Diploma fitness) Therese (Bachelor of exercise science) John (Level 1, Level 2 strength and conditioning) Bob (Level 1, Level 2 personal trainer) Anthony Ishac (Boss) (Physio therapist) Day Shift (9am-4pm) Area Shift (4pm-10pm) Area Monday Therese Bob Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Jessica John Anthony Ishac Circuit Room Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Tuesday John Jessica Anthony Ishac Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Massage Room Bob Therese Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Wednesday Therese Jessica Main Gym Area Main Gym Area John Bob Anthony Ishac Boxing Class Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Thursday John Bob Anthony Ishac Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Massage Room Therese Jessica Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Friday John Therese Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Jessica Bob Anthony Ishac Circuit Room Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Saturday John Jessica Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Bob (4pm-8pm) Anthony Ishac (4pm-8pm) Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Sunday Bob Therese Main Gym Area Main Gym Area John (4pm-8pm) Jessica(4pm-8pm) Anthony Ishac (4pm-8pm) Boxing Class Main Gym Area Main Gym Area Price / Promotion The prices at Optimize gym is a price in which the gym is willing to make and what the consumers will be willing to pay. Optimize gym will also use competitor prices as a guide to what the prices will be. The gym is going to have promotions that will help attract customers such as free boxing/circuit classes and also free massage sessions with each 3 month membership or longer. Optimize Gym product strategy should be to attract and keep business coming back. The main goal is to try keeping a positive atmosphere and letting members have a great experience that helps them lead a healthy lifestyle. Optimize gym should try to become separate from other gyms and try to become better. Some ways to separate themselves would be by providing exceptional exercise equipment and having professional trainers conducting classes and giving nutrition advice. By having these, Optimize gym will have a high standard compared to other gyms. Some promotions may include: Advertising on billboards Making facebook pages Television Radio Door-to-door visits offering one day free entry Providing 1 month free membership for members who have been with us for 12 months+ 10% discount when you refer 5 friends Membership Fees Casual Visit: $10.00 10 Visit pass: $75.00 1 month membership: $49.95 3 months membership: $119.95 6 months membership: $199.95 12 months membership: $350.00 1 month membership + Boxing/Circuit class (Any time): $70 (Must choose ONE class) 3 month membership + Boxing/Circuit class (Any time): $170 (Must choose ONE class)* 6 month membership + Boxing/Circuit class (Any time): $300 (Must choose ONE class)* 12 month membership + Boxing/Circuit class (Any time): $400 (Must choose ONE class)* *These memberships will include one free massage session. Class Fees (Boxing / Circuit) 1 Class: $10 1 Month: $40 Monthly Recurring: $35 Massage sessions: 1 hour = $40 (includes any part of the body) Product Prices Optimize Shirts: $25 Optimize Singlets: $20 Weight lifting gloves: $30 Weight lifting belt: $40 Supplement Prices (Approximate prices) Protein Jar: $70 Creatine Jar 200g: $30 Weight loss supplement: $40 Weight gaining supplements: $40 Muscle bulk supplements: $60 Product The products that Optimize gym offers are in great condition. The equipment in the gym are all brand new and are from big trademark brands. The gym area is very big so the equipment are all spaced out. The products that will be sold include gym shirts and singlets, weight lifting gloves, weight lifting belt, proteins, weight loss/weight gain supplements and creatine. The gym shirts will have various sizes with Optimize written on the front with a slogan on the back. They will be black in colour with lime green writing. Place Place refers to how a product is distributed. With Optimize gym, the only products that are sold are the Optimize T- shirts and singlets. They are made by the manufacturer then sent a retailer (Optimize gym) then sold to the consumer. The degree of distribution will be exclusive distribution, which means that only one retailer (Optimize gym) will be able to sell them. Description of the product/service The services Optimise gym offer include: In the main gym area, Optimize gym has trained staff members who have completed various courses in training and fitness and also nutrition and are able to provide excellent information and motivation for members. Optimize gym provides exceptional service inside the gym with the state of the art equipment that the gym owns. It also has trained staff to conduct circuit classes and also boxing which help members increase fitness levels and also learn some self defence along the way. Equipment inside the gym Fitness step x 2 $200 Barbell set (10kg 70kg) $2500 Bodyworx Deluxe Mid-width Weight Bench Press x 2 $1000 Seated preacher curl bench x 2 $500 Smith Machine x 2 $10000 Cable equipment (Shoulder press, lat pulldown, chest) 45 degree leg press $1000 Multi station x 2 $10000 45 degree back extension $500 Dip / pull up assist machine $1000 Wall Balls (Medicine balls) x 4 $200 Dumbbells Rowing machines x 3 $2000 Treadmills x 3 $5000 Exercise bikes x 12 $3000 Power racks Weight plates (1.25kg, 2.5kg, 5kg, 10kg, 20kg) x 2 $1000 Rubber floors Boxing bags x 4 $400 Boxing ring $1000 Protective gear Wraps Boxing gloves Focus Pads Personal Trainers Jessica Personal trainer (Completed personal fitness course Worked as a personal trainer for 3 years Sert 3, Sert 4 Diploma fitness) Therese (Bachelor of exercise science) John (Level 1, Level 2 strength and conditioning) Bob (Level 1, Level 2 personal trainer) Classes Boxing Wednesday 7pm-8pm Sunday 7pm-8pm Circuit Monday 5pm-6.30pm Friday 6pm-7.30pm Boxing Class Includes self defence training and sparring Circuit Class Includes pushups, Situps, knee lifts, squats, fitness stepping, skipping, tuck jumps and treadmills. Massage Session Must book with Anthony Ishac on the available days (Tuesday and Thursday) Trading Hours Monday Friday: 9am 10pm Saturday Sunday: 9am 8pm *CLOSED ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS* Equipment sold on front counter Beverages Optimize t-shirts Optimize singlets Supplements Weight lifting gloves Weight lifting belt (back support) Power bars Protein shakers Boxing gloves/pads Optimize gym is a great choice compared to its competitors because it provides excellent equipment at a low price also combined with the quality of the service. Offers and Discounts Group discounts Discounts on referring friends Free trials of boxing/circuit classes/Gym membership Discounts on members who have been part of the gym for a long period. Financial Forecasts Optimize Gym Pty Ltd 30 June 2011 Current Assets Cash $6000 Accounts Receivable $50,000 Inventory $50,000 Current Liabilities Overdraft $150,000 Accounts Payable $60,000 Total $106,000 Total Current Liabilities $210,000 Non Current Assets Equipment $1,000,000 Land $500,000 Building/Property $300,000 Non Current Liabilities Mortgage $1,600,000 Total $1,800,000 Total Non Current Liabilities $1,600,000 Other Current Assets Good Will $200,000 Owners Equity Shareholders funds $296,000 Capital $100,000 Retained Profits $100,000 Total Assets $2,106,000 Total Liabilities + Equity $2,306,000 Liquidity = Current Assets . Current Liabilities =$106,000 = 0.5 $210,000 Executive Summary I will be opening a gym called Optimize. Optimize gym is a private business and i will be a sole trader due to various reasons. The major goal of the gym is to create a profit and make members dream bodies reality. Optimize gym offers many services such as nutritional assistance, assistance in exercise, state of the art equipment which are brand new, and will sell various products such as supplements, T-shirts, singlets, training equipment, boxing gloves/pads. Optimize gym conducts boxing and circuit classes to any member, each twice a week and also physical therapy and massage sessions. Optimize gym is located in Greenacre because in that area there is only one other gym which is just for women and all major competitors are located away from this area. The trading days are Monday Sunday. The trading hours are 9am-10pm (Monday Friday) and 9am-8pm (Saturday Sunday). Optimize gym offers a lot of discounts such as group discounts, Referrer discounts and loyalty discounts. The set out of Optimize gym and the services / offers that are available are good for the business at the growth stage because it is able to make enough revenue to pay off debts and have a profit. Critically review the plan and process Over all this assignment was very long. Luckily it asked me to write a plan of approach otherwise i would not have completed all aspects of the report. Overall i worked well in completing each part of the assignment to the date in which it was due, everything was completed as planned. In class i listened to all the tips Mr Fares gave me and also Miss Jones in the past term. I asked the teacher many questions before i went home and completed each part of the plan. I had some strengths and weaknesses. Some strengths were that i knew the content previously which made it easier for me to know what to talk about in the plan, and also had the help of the teacher in areas which i didnt know much in. Some weaknesses were that i was distracted very easily because of the environment i was in (The room i worked in had my Tv, Xbox and stereo) and was also distracted from friends and was thrown off task easily. Overall i met all my deadlines and was happy with the way i completed the plan but the assignment was very long! I think that we needed more lessons in class to learn the content a bit more before starting. Revenue statement for Optimize Gym Pty Ltd for the period ending 30 June 2010 $ Total $ Sales Revenue 200,000 Less Cost of goods sold Opening stock Purchases Closing Stock 40,000 20,000 60,000 50,000 10,000 Gross Profit 190,000 Less Expenses Advertising Bank charges Insurance Interest paid to bank Rent Salaries and wages Superannuation Telephone Accountancy fees 6000 300 6000 5500 10000 80000 10,000 3000 2000 Net Profit (Before Tax) 67,200 Financial Requirements $500,000 To buy equipment, re-stock and pay for damages.