Oliver Twist Essays - English-language Films,

Oliver Twist Charles Dickens, probably one of the most popular writer and humorist of his century was born at Landport in Portsea, on February seventh, 1812. His father, John Dickens was a clerk in a navy-pay office, and mother Elizabeth Borrow, along with his eight other siblings, which the other two died in infancy, lived in Portsea, and were fairly poor. Because of the arising poverty in his life time, Charles Dickens was forced to work as a child laborer when he was just twelve year of age. Although Charles Dickens faced many challenges in his young life, his love for writing dominated all of the challenges he faced in life. Perhaps, his book, Oliver Twist, was about, well, mainly about his life as a child. Although Dickens wrote Oliver Twist while he was finishing The Pickwick Papers and editing Bentley's Miscellany, he managed to make the novel remarkable for it's clarity of purpose and it's sustained intensity(The Cambridge guide to Literature in English; Ian Ousby). The story that lies behind the infamous story of a little orphan boy named Oliver is very different from his other previous novels. Other critics say that Oliver Twist is barely a novel, but more as a satire or sarcasm about the victorian era. First of all, the story begins with a young woman who gave birth to a boy whom they named Oliver. The young woman did not even have any time to hold her new born, but just in time to kiss him, then shortly died after that, the boy on the other hand survived, not knowing what kind of twist and turn his life would take as he grows and faces the real world. As the boy grew in a very vain and cruel environment, his turns in life was not going too good either. Having the parish not enough facilities for his care, Oliver was forced to move and work as a child laborer and in the care of a very greedy woman named Mrs. Mann. Child labor was very common back then, and there was an actual law that was set to eliminate poverty by starving the poor, that was called the Poor Law of 1834.(The Life of Charles Dickens;John Forester) Dickens used this law in his story to satarize the living in London, in the 19th century, and probably because he experienced child labor when he was growing up, and therefore tried to emphazise the way he lived back then. As soon as Oliver turned nine years old, Mr. Bumble, the beadle of the parish which where Oliver was born, took Oliver with him to work as an oakum picker. But because of the increasing of poverty, Oliver and the other workers were only fed little pieces of food. In the midst of starvation, one of Oliver's friend pursued Oliver to ask for some more food, and by that, Oliver was taken to a dark room for a week for his "disrespectfulness." Perhaps, Dickens was trying to tell the readers how the life of a poor boy be so unimportant to those who dominates him, and thus the other children living in povety also. This challenge of Oliver's life is just preparing him for the other eventful changes in his immediate future. Soon after, a reward was posted on a board for anyone who would like to take an orphan boy to their care, and will be offered five-pounds. Mr. Gamfield was willing to accept the boy for a bribe of five-pounds, but because of his bad publicity, meaning he had already lost the lives of several of his apprentices, he was told to be paid three- pounds and ten-shillings, instead of the five-pounds that was promised. Mr. Gamfield agreed to the proposition, and so did the board. Later, brought before a local judge for approval that Oliver was to be cared by Mr. Gamfield, the near sighted judge, searching for his ink bottel, caused him to look at the frightened face of Oliver, and then quickly realized that he would do something wrong if he let Oliver go with Mr. Gamfield, dropped and refused to sign the papers of approval, and told Oliver to return to the workhouse where the offering of five-pounds to anyone that

Computers essays

Computers essays Pletz, John, Personal computer sales crash, The Bakersfield Californian, October 22, 2001, Techno Files. The article expresses the computer industrys recent downturn even though computers performances are better than ever and how nervous consumers are shying away. Providing increasingly better products at ever-lower prices, PC makers are the victims of their own success. The PC industry has never needed new sales more than it does today. The industry is headed for its first yearly decline since 1986. Prices are continuing to fall even as features improve. Overall consumer sales are expected to be down 10 percent this year. With 63 percent of U.S. homes having a PC, many observers conclude that anyone who really wants a computer already has one. Which means the industrys growth is now more about replacement buying than new sales. Consumers are too nervous about a recession and ongoing military action to worry about buying a new computer, which is a nightmare scenario for Microsoft and the rest of the PC industry. In the past, the industry has pushed new features and capabilities. But today massive advances in power and capabilities are lost on the average consumer. The article was very interesting and truthful. I was very shocked to hear that the computer industry is on a decline since it is usually successful. It will be interesting to see what techniques the computer industry will use to bounce back. ...

Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated in Glucose Transport

Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated in Glucose Transport A role for ataxia telangiectasia mutated in insulin-independent stimulation of glucose transport Abstract Literature reports suggest that ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) can activate the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a protein that can stimulate glucose transport in skeletal muscle. We hypothesized that 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR), an AMPK activator, would increase glucose transport in mouse extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles in an ATM-dependent manner. AICAR-stimulated glucose transport was prevented by the ATM inhibitor KU-55933 and in ATM-deficient (ATM-/-) muscle despite normal stimulation of AMPK phosphorylation. S231 of TBC1D1 matches the sequence motif of ATM substrates, and phosphorylation of this site is known to inhibit TBC1D1 and lead to increased glucose transport. Accordingly, we assessed TBC1D1 phosphorylation and found that AICAR-stimulated phosphorylation of TBC1D1 at S231did not occurin ATM-/- muscle. However, activation of ATM without activation of AMPK was insufficient to increase TBC1D1 phosphorylation.The data suggest that ATM plays a role in AICAR stimulated glucose transport downstream of AMPK. Keywords: AMP-activated protein kinase; ataxia telangiectasia mutated; TBC1D1; AICAR; glucose transport; skeletal muscle Introduction The serine-threonine kinase ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) appears to play a role in glucose homeostasis. For example, recent genome-wide association studies have found that genetic variations near the ATM gene are related to glycemic responses to metformin [1, 2], a commonly-prescribed drug for blood glucose control. While the mechanism for metformin’s effect on blood glucose levels is under debate [3-6], it is known that metformin acutely stimulates glucose transport into skeletal muscle concomitant with activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) [7]. Activation of AMPK is sufficient to stimulate insulin-independent glucose transport into skeletal muscle [8, 9]. Intriguingly, ATM dependence has been reported for activation of AMPK in response to DNA damage or insulin-like growth factor 1 in HeLa cells and fibroblasts, exposure of lung cancer cells to ionizing radiation,exposure of lymphoblaststo H 2 O 2 , or treatment of HeLa cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts with the adenosine analog AICAR [10-14]. Despite these suggestive data on the role of ATM upstream of AMPK, the potential role of ATM in AMPK-dependent stimulation of glucose transport has not previously been investigated in skeletal muscle, the predominant whole-body storage depot for glucose. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that glucose uptake stimulated by the AMPK activator AICAR would be dependent on ATM in skeletal muscle. Methods Materials Antibodies against TBC1D1, AMPK, phosphorylated AMPKÃŽ ± T172 (P-AMPK), and phosphorylated ATM S1981 (P-ATM) were purchased from Cell Signaling Technology (Beverly, MA, USA). Antibodies aga inst phosphorylated TBC1D1 (P-TBC1D1) S237 (S231 in mouse) were purchased from EMD Millipore Corporation (Billerica, MA, USA). Antibodies against tubulin and ATM were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich Corporation (St. Louis, MO, USA). Horseradish peroxidase-conjugated secondary antibodies were obtained from Pierce Biotechnology (Rockford, IL, USA). The ATM inhibitor KU-55933 was a generous gift from Dr. Graeme Smith (KuDOSPhramaceuticals, Cambridge, UK). The AMPK inhibitor Compound C was provided by Merck & Co., Inc. (Rahway, NJ, USA). Doxorubicin was purchased from Sigma-Aldrich Corporation. Radiolabeled 2-deoxyglucose and mannitol were purchased from American Radiolabeled Chemicals, Inc. (St. Louis, MO, USA).

Does Health Policy assist in combating some of the health problems in Essay

Does Health Policy assist in combating some of the health problems in United KINGDOM(DEMENTIA POLICY IN UK) - Essay Example Looking at these alarming statistics, it can be noted that incidences of dementia will only continue to grow. Attention needs to be paid to the ways in which comprehensible plans can be laid out for service development for this illness. In this paper the author attempts to understand dementia and how it affects the UK population. Using statistics from various governmental sources, independent researches and non-governmental sources it charts out the path, people suffering from dementia have had to face. Closely examining the UK government’s latest health plan, â€Å"Living well with Dementia†; the author critically analyzes whether the policy is people friendly and is addressing the right concerns. In conclusion, the author endeavors to point out gaps that have been left out in the policy making process which needs to be filled, for people with dementia to have a better life. Dementia is most commonly found among the elderly population, it is said that, in UK, 1 in 5 people over 80 have some form of dementia while in those over the age of 65, only 1 in 20 seem to be affected (Knapp and Prince, 2007). However, this is not to say that it cannot occur in young people, a growing number of younger populations are showing early signs of dementia within UK. While no, one, clear factor has been identified as a cause of dementia, it is said that genetic background, lifestyle, age and medical history could lead to the initiation of dementia. The way each individual experiences dementia depends a lot on their physical upkeep, emotional quotient and family support. However, being a progressive illness, its symptoms eventually become more rigorous as time passes. Caring for dementia patients, in the context of their deteriorating mental health is a tedious task. In UK, Knapp and Prince (2007) estimate that among persons aged 65 and above, 36.5% live under institutionalized care, while 63.5% people continue to live in their

Soy Food and Semen Quality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Soy Food and Semen Quality - Essay Example This paper also provides brief summaries of the articles for easy analysis and understanding of the subject matter. The article reports the inverse relationship between the consumption of soy products and isoflavone compounds with respect to sperm count. It states the findings of the original research that men who consumes soy food at an average of one-half serving per day will likely to have lower concentrations of sperm cells. It also highlights that the effects of soy products on sperm productions are heightened on people who are obese or overweight. The article reports on the results of the experiments on animals and points out that there is insufficient evidence that will prove the effects on human reproduction at this point. It also mentions the 15 soy-based foods that were used by Dr Jorge Chavarro and his colleagues on their research: "tofu, tempeh, soy sausages, bacon, burgers and mince, soy milk, cheese, yoghurt and ice cream, and soy products such as roasted nuts, drinks, powders and energy bars."(1) It also relays the conclusion of the research which stated that the inverse relationsh ip between the soy products and sperm count is more evident on people with higher sperm concentration and who are overweight. B. Research Article: Soy food and isoflavone intake in relation to semen quality parameters among men from an infertility clinic Previous researches prior to their study proved the adverse effects of high concentrations of isoflavone compounds which are found on soy-based products on animals but data on its effects on human beings are limited. Chavarro et al. (2) test this relationship on human beings through semen analysis. The semen samples came from 99 qualified male donors and where analyzed at Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center. These men were also asked to provide information on their diet involving the 15 soy foods during their last 3 months of consumption. For the statistical analysis, they used linear regression on the male consumption of soy foods and quantile regression for the sperm concentration distribution. The results show that there is an inverse relationship with the soy food consumption and sperm concentration. The results were more seen on the 90th and 75th percentile or those with higher sperm concentrations and on the obese males. The authors conclude that higher intakes of s oy foods and soy isoflavones are related with lower sperm concentrations among males. III. ASSESSMENT For the truthfulness of the media report based on the original research article, the news article has reported the relationship between intakes of soy products with sperm concentrations similar with the findings of the research. The report has cited the important facts in the research study that will prove the linkage of soy foods and sperm concentrations. However, the research article did not focus much on the actual serving size of the soy products but more on the amount of soy food intakes. Although the survey that they used on getting

College Students Essay Example for Free

College Students Essay The number of international students enrolled in U. S. institutions has grown by 23 percent in the last five years. This is because the international community recognizes education in the U. S. All credit is given to University administrators who make sure that the courses students take are rigorous and prepares them for the real world ahead of them. The only problem is that Universities make students take some courses that are irrelevant to their major, thereby wasting precious time and money. Engineering is one of the most popular majors offered in United States’ Universities. It is a gateway to job opportunities but most Universities waste student’s time by forcing them to take classes that are not engineering related during their first two years of college. In most Universities, students majoring in Engineering have to take classes like fine art, government, history etc. Instead of giving these students specific courses that would prepare them for the rigorous work of engineering and reduce the time they would spend in school, Universities rather choose to introduce them to broader aspect of college, forcing them to take classes they do not need and increasing the time, they spend in college. Higher Institutions increase the time and courses college students have to take, because the more classes they take the more money the University pockets. They use this method to rip students off, thereby making college expenses ridiculously high and almost unpayable for some students. Education is not supposed to be costly, but student’s bank accounts are constantly punished by greed and bad decision making by University officials. This is why most American students abstain from furthering their educations in higher institutions after high school. The cost scares some of them, and they do not see the need to spend all their money on education. Universities should not scare Americans away from Higher Institutions by making them take classes that would dry up their bank accounts and waste their time. Instead they should give them the privilege of going to intern after high school and come back to take only the courses they need for their major. This saves students valuable time, money, and at the same time makes college more attractive to those Americans who have shunned Higher education because of the cost. When students are given the opportunity of interning before they choose their path in life, they not only get an idea of what they will wake up to every morning, but they also gain experience. This makes the courses and classes they would take later on a lot easier and understandable to them. The experience they gain from interning gives them a sense of direction on whether to continue in that career or if they should do something more profiting and interesting to them. . In order for us to get more Americans into college and reduce the competition coming from the international community, higher institutions need to make college more affordable and more meaningful for students. To make Universities affordable, students should be allowed to do all those classes that are required but relevant to a student’s major in high school. After graduation, students should have the opportunity of choosing between being an intern in their desired field for a year, before registering for that major, or going the normal route of wasting time taking classes they do not need.

The Shakespeare Room :: Essays Papers

The Shakespeare Room The Life of Shakespeare William Shakespeare was born in 1564 to John Shakespeare and his wife, Mary Arden. His father was weathly and held a number of municipal offices. Shakespeare received a good education, but he did not go to the university as many other writers of his time did. Some of these writers ridiculed him and his work because of this. One such example of this ridicule is a pamplet that was published in 1592 by Robert Greene, a famous playwright. In this pamphlet, Greene criticized Shakespeare and his work, a criticism that seems to come mostly from jealosy. When he was eighteen years old, Shakespeare married Ann Hathaway. Five months later, they had their first child, Suzanna. Two years later, they had twins, Hamnet and Judith. It is unknown when Shakespeare arrived in London. However, the pamphet published by Robert Greene indicates that he was in London by 1592. The following year, the theaters were closed down due to a plague. By 1594, the theaters were reopened, and they soon began to rise in popularity among the noble class who demanded a better quality theater experience. It was at this time that Shakespeare's theater company was formed. The company played at Henslowe's Rose Theatre until their lease ran out. They then moved across the river and built the new Globe Theater. Later on, in 1608, they moved into the Blackfriars Theatre where they began producing plays indoors. These plays were in an artificially lit environment, while the Globe Theater had been outdoors, and stage conditions allowed more scenery and a multitude of lighting effects. In 1596, John Shakespeare was granted a coat of arms. This entitled both he and William to be called by the title of "gentleman." In 1597, Shakespeare bought an estate at Stratford called New Place. He continued to acquire property in Stratford. He wrote his last play, The Tempest in 1611 and he died in 1616. Shakespeare's Plays Thirty-seven plays are usually attributed to Shakespeare and they are generally broken down into four categories: the histories, the comedies, the romances, and the tragedies. The Histories There are ten history plays in all and they tell the story of England from the fourteenth century through Henry VIII. They are: Henry VI, Parts I, II and III Henry IV, Parts I, and II Richard III King John Richard II Henry V Henry VIII

Bussiness Proposal

Describe how the current market conditions will affect the planning or operating decisions involving the product. Market Structure The market structure in this instance could fall into one of two types, oligopoly or monopoly (McConnell, Bruce, & Flynn, 2009). The rationale behind oligopoly is that several large retailers currently provide this service and control the availability, use, and other aspects of the programs (McConnell, Bruce, & Flynn, 2009). The rationale behind monopoly is that the program is limited to each organization (McConnell, Bruce, & Flynn, 2009).For example the program used at my organization is call the Shop Your Way Rewards program, it is only available at Smart and Sears, it cannot be used at other retailers and is exclusively controlled by Sears Holding Inc. Ultimately The market structure is a combination of a monopoly and oligopoly. Price Elasticity of Demand Price elasticity of demand has little effect on this product as the product is a free program prov ided by the organization. Despite this fact price elasticity does have an effect on the use of the program in that the customers can earn points on purchases and in turn spend those points on other researched.In this instance, as prices rise or fall within the store the use of the product increases or decreases as a result. If for instance a products price rises at the store level, the number of points earned during purchases using the product increases as well. Likewise as the prices increase it requires customers to have more points available to make purchases. Though the rewards card is a free program an increase in product prices would translate to an increase in demand for the rewards card.In looking at the determinants of price elasticity of demand, substitutability is first. The only way to substitute this product would be to shop at a competitor using the rewards program there such as a Kroger Plus card. Another substitute would be to use coupons instead of the card; however enhance them. The next determinant is proportion of income, again this would tie into the selling price of products and how the rewards program would offset any increases in price therefore increasing the amount of funds available to purchase products.Next is the luxury versus necessity determinant, the rewards card applies to both and is neutral in this area as it can be used for either luxuries or necessities. The last determinant is time, as more consumers become familiar with this product the demand will increase as the benefits are realized. Profit-Maximizing Quantity This program essentially gives the customer a percentage of his or her purchase price back in the form of points that can be redeemed during a transaction Just like cash.The program also generates coupons based on purchase levels and membership levels for additional dollars or percentages off purchases. Through data analysis, the company has determined that customers enrolled in the program average three addition al shopping trips per onto than non-members, the data also reveals that members purchase on average $13 more per transaction than non-members. Points are earned one point at a time based on one percent of every $1 . An example of this would be a purchase of $100 would translate to gaining 10 points.Every 10 points equal one penny, 1,000 points equals $1, 10,000 points equals $10, and so forth. By increasing the frequency of customers return trips along with the average dollar amount of those purchases the company is essentially paying for the program by enrolling new members. As membership increases so do sales and in turn profits. Price and Non-price Strategies Because the program is free, no price is placed upon the product. A non-price strategy is currently underway in which the benefits of membership are expressed by checkout operators during the customer checkout experience.The company has also set enrollment and usage goals for each location within the company as well. Through the increase in verbal communication with every customer the company will realize the goals set and will be able to increase the goals as they are met. Production Costs The production costs associated with this product are the production of plastic cards for consumers to carry for purposes of using the program and redeeming points. This has been reduced over the last year and a half of the programs existence by encouraging customers to use their mobile phone number to access the account.The company also has an internally produced website specific to the program that allows customers to update information and review purchases and current point amounts. This required only a small outlay in web design as the hardware and software was already in place to support the aerogram. The company also is reducing costs on receipts as part of the program is to allow customers to receive electronic receipts via e-mail instead of printed paper receipts. The costs of the program also include the po ints issued to customers. These costs are offset by the increases in purchases.The following is a hypothetical cost break started the program by mass producing credit card-sized plastic rewards cards along with multicolumn, trip-fold brochures. The company's initial investment was $1 million for the printing, distribution, and advertisement of this program. The initial program an for 12 months prior to the first cost reduction initiative. The program had recurring costs of $100,000 per month to continue production and distribution of materials. This initiative was to eliminate the plastic card and eliminate the need for informational brochures.This was accomplished through the use of customer phone numbers and email addresses as identifiers instead of physical cards. The next reduction was made through the implementation of a website where the information regarding the product could be accessed by customers. This resulted in a net reduction of costs by $75,000 per month. The costs a ssociated with points accumulated and spent by customers is variable and changes month to month, the amount has been steadily increasing since the program's inception and will continue to do so.To curb expenses associated with this part of the program the suggestion is to limit the number of points that can be redeemed in any transaction as well as place an expiration date on accumulated points. This will prevent customers from saving up a large number of points and eroding profit margin. Current Global Economic Conditions and the Local Macro Economy The current global economic conditions eave led to increases production costs of products sold by Smart and Sears as a result these increased costs have been passed on to consumers in the form of price increases on the products.The rewards program will offer consumers a way to offset these increased costs by earning rewards points that will allow them to reduce the total amount of their purchase. The program will also issue member-only coupons to these consumers which will further reduce his or her costs. By doing this the company will see an increase in brand loyalty and revenues. Recent economic trends in the United States include new growth in the housing market, as consumers arches homes and contractors build new homes the demand for products offered by both Smart and Sears will increase and as a result the demand for the rewards program will increase as well.The company is seeking a 75% penetration rate across all avenues of the business, including brick and mortar stores and online outlets. Local Economies Current Stage in the Business Cycle The local economy is currently in an expansion period as businesses are slowly starting to rebound from the recession. This is evident by the increase in home sales and the resulting increase in mortgage rates, along with the decrease in unemployment. As a result the demand for the product will increase as people begin to have more disposable income and seek out purchase s for both luxury items, such as televisions and necessity items such as food.The product uniquely will set Smart and Sears apart from the competition in fighting for this increase in disposable income by allowing customers to access a virtually limitless amount of products through Internet shopping sites and affiliate marketplaces set up on those sites. The current market conditions for Smart and Sears are still in a period of struggle as individuals are still recovering from the recession. As individuals recover the company must fight to regain market share from new competitors such as Dollar General, Family Dollar, and Dollar Tree.These three companies capitalized on the recession by offering low price products that undercut many big box retailers such as Smart, Target, and Wall-Mart. As the economy recovers it will be important for Smart and Sears to pursue actively the consumers lost to these competitors and a way to do that is with the rewards program. Conclusion The program p rovides a unique experience for customers as the points are redeemable on virtually any product carried either in tore or online.The program also generates sales and profit with a low amount of investment from the company. Customers will have generated roughly three to four times the amount of profit needed to cover the issuance of the points to each customer. Management should have a solid understanding of how effective and beneficial this program is and how the continued success of the program directly translates to the success of each business unit. Reference McConnell, C. R. , Bruce, S. L. , & Flynn, S. M. (2009). Economics. Unknown, NY: McGraw-Hill Company.

Emotional Intelligence: Crucial to an Organization’s Success Essay

â€Å"Historically, leaders in most organizations have neglected emotions in the workplace. Today we realize that emotions are very much a part of workplace success. How individuals respond to real situations each and every day and what organizations do to foster productive emotional responses can make the difference between the organization that stumbles and the organization that thrives.† Marcia Hughes, President Collaborative Growth Many companies today are teetering on the edge of disaster. Excessive downsizing has created employees who find themselves overworked, underappreciated and constantly seesawing between exhaustion and fear. Competition in the workplace is fierce and many new recruits feel a need to turn to aggressive tactics to get ahead of their peers or risk falling behind. Business leaders are beginning to realize that such negative emotions among their employees are not healthy for the organization and its prospects for success. Many are seeking ways to turn negative emotions into positive, productive behavior. Research indicates a strong correlation between emotional intelligence and individual job performance. By emphasizing emotional intelligence in hiring and in teambuilding and training programs, senior management and human resources professionals can improve decision making, problem solving and the ability to cope with change among employees. Emotionally intelligent organizations maximize potential for business success and increase productivity because people in these organizations share more powerful connections. Organizations today must strive to become more emotionally intelligent. Their success – indeed their very survival – depends on it. Emotional Intelligence Defined Emotional intelligence, alternatively known as EI or EQ, reflects an individual’s ability to deal with daily environmental challenges and helps predict success in life, both in professional and personal pursuits. EI competencies include empathy, intuition, creativity, flexibility, resilience, stress management, leadership, integrity, happiness and optimism, as well as intrapersonal and interpersonal communication skills. Emotional intelligence is based on a long history of research and theory in personality and social psychology. The three most widely used approaches to emotional intelligence were developed by Reuven BarOn, Daniel Goleman, and Jack Mayer, Peter Salovey and David Caruso. While the theory and practice of EI continues to evolve, the central premise that social and personal competencies are vital for a productive life remains a common theme throughout each model. And research continues to demonstrate EI’s importance to both individuals and organizations. Measurement of Emotional Intelligence The Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i ®) is the first scientifically developed and validated measure of emotional intelligence. Reuven Bar-On is an internationally acknowledged expert and pioneer in emotional intelligence and has been instrumental in defining, measuring and applying various aspects of the concept since 1980. He coined the term â€Å"EQ† (â€Å"emotional quotient†) in 1985 to describe his approach to assessing emotional and social competence and created the EQ-i, which was the first test of emotional intelligence to be published by a psychological test publisher (1997). Today EQ-i assessments are the most widely used measure of EI, approaching two million copies distributed worldwide, making it one of the most popular psychological tests. The EQ-i provides information for each individual on five composite scales and 15 subscales: o Intrapersonal Scales: self-regard, emotional self awareness, assertiveness, independence, self-actualization o Interpersonal Scales: empathy, social responsibility, interpersonal relationships o Adaptability Scales: reality testing, flexibility, problem solving o Stress Management Scales: stress tolerance, impulse control o General Mood Scales: optimism, happiness The EQ-i can be used by organizations as part of the recruitment screening process to assist in identifying potentially successful employees. It can also be employed in identifying emotional and social skills for employee training programs, teambuilding and enhancing leadership capabilities in the workplace. In addition, an organization’s return on investment can be measured using this reliable instrument. The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Organizations A growing body of research demonstrates that emotional intelligence is a better predictor of â€Å"success† than traditional measures of cognitive intelligence (IQ). The workplace is an ideal environment for people to develop their social and emotional skills, as individuals are motivated to develop those capabilities in pursuit of success and promotion. The concept is equally important to employers, as their bottom-line productivity rests on the emotional intelligence of the whole organization. When executives and employees work to improve capabilities in areas in which they are weakest, it benefits the entire organization, improving communication and increasing productivity. The EQ-i creates a profile of an individual’s emotional intelligence, showing both areas of strength and weakness. Individuals can use this information to develop areas in need of improvement. Organizations can use these profiles to show whether a potential hire would make a good addition to the team or expose traits in existing employees in need of enhancement through training or incentive programs. An action plan can be developed once an individual or organization has this information, supporting growth in desired areas. â€Å"As the pace of change increases and the world of work makes ever greater demands on a person’s cognitive, emotional, and physical resources, this particular set of abilities will become increasingly important.† Cary Cherniss, Ph.D. Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology Rutgers University Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice Scores in each EQ-i category can predict job performance and satisfaction. When an organization evaluates the emotional intelligence of its employees and of its star performers, it gains a strong blueprint for improving individual performance, enhancing the workplace climate and driving productivity. Application of the EQ-i by the U.S. Air Force demonstrates the financial power of this information. The exceptionally high turnover rate of recruits was changed by finding that recruits who scored well in five factors – assertiveness, empathy, happiness, self-awareness and problem solving – were 2.7 times more likely to succeed. By using this instrument to find those who are right for this position, the Air Force increased retention rate by 92%, saving an estimated $2.7 million in less than a year. The consequences for neglect of emotional intelligence in an organization can be devastating to productivity and bottom-line business results. Breakdowns in internal communication that produce confusion, uncertainty, hostility and reduced productivity are just a few of the factors organizations face if they do not actively pursue a strategy of fostering emotional intelligence in the workplace. Successful organizations today strive to reap the benefits of becoming more emotionally intelligent: improving performance of employees and executives, building strong teams and driving productivity. â€Å"The quest to make companies more emotionally intelligent is one more and more organizations are embarking on, whether they use the term or not. An organization’s collective emotional intelligence is no mere soft assessment; it has hard consequences.†

Manpower Cost Analysis for PT6-Engine Overhaul Facility Essay

Manpower Cost Analysis for PT6-Engine Overhaul Facility Essay Manpower Cost Analysis for PT6 Year: Manpower Cost Analysis for PT6 Engine Overhaul Introduction Cost analysis is used to determine the most appropriate cost for labour or any business ventures. Mostly cost analysis is used when evaluating the real cost of service or product. Manpower involves planning for staff levels in regard to the present and future requirement on any given organization. In this report, we analyse the labour cost for overhauling the PT6 engine facility in Qatar airways. The PT6 is among the most popular airplane engines in the world. The report looks at the data collected at Qatar airways to determine the most feasible solution to contracting manpower for this facility.Analysis The analysis looks at two options of manpower that can be contracted to do this work on this facility. The feasibility of contracting each is also examined. The cost analysis will also determine how many of each category will be contracted to this facility. The manpower is divided into two categories; this consists of certified engineers and technicians. There are also two types contract available for the technicians, a permanent contract or a sub contract. The permanent contract or full contract is when the company fully employs the technician. The sub contract, on the other hand, is when the company contracts another company for the provision of labour. From the data collected, the sub contract for the technicians is viewed as the preferred option from the two. This is concluded from the premise that, sub-contractors cost less to hire and maintain because they do not receive allowances. Because their contract is not on a full time basis, perks like accommodation and insurance are not the responsibility of the company. This option is also better for the company because the subcontracted team will provide all the services for the airline, instead of the airline looking for specialised technicians for different jobs. Hiring full contract technicians will cost the company more because the airline will be responsible for the accommodation of the technicians, their health insurance and their annual ticket for travelling. This will inadvertently cost more to the company than beneficial. Therefore, this choice is not regarded as the best for technician. The cost of overtime of the full time contractor is also higher that a sub-contractor. Certified engineers are the most costly to the airline. The work they would perform can be handled by the technicians and the company will not need to employ them for the overhauling facility. They require a higher basic salary and a housing allowance, as well. The company is also obligated to provide accommodation and transport for them. Under their benefits, the company is also paying school fees for the certified engineers. If the engineers have children below 18, the airline is to pay travel tickets for them, as well as the engineers. These costs are deemed unnecessary for the airline, and the option of contracting certified engineers is n ot considered.Conclusion In the labour cost analysis, a company finds the most affordable way to acquire labour without accruing unnecessary costs. After statistical analysis, it is determined that the best labour choice is the subcontracted technicians. ReferencesMurphy, JE 2006,Guide To ContractPricing: Cost  Analysis For Contractors, Subcontractors, And Government Agencies,Management Concepts Inc, Virginia.

Hotel marketing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hotel marketing - Assignment Example When a product is marketed well, the value of a product is communicated and consumers’ relationship with the company will be well managed hence benefiting the company. For a hotel business to succeed there is a set of engagements required, these include, capturing the inside of the market, creating a good public relation so as to connect with the customers well, providing the best services, developing a long term growth, being in a position of developing and delivering value in time, and having good marketing strategies. In our hotel industry, we are targeting several groups of guests including those planning for weddings, group meetings, tourist guest house, large corporate meetings, reunions, training seminars, and luncheons. Marketing will assist us to know who our customers are and how to satisfy their requirement. Due to the competition existing in the industry, we have developed a motto GIVING THE BEST TO ALL so as to attract people from different ages and different mult icultural background. I selected the outlet serving each group depending on the age, marital status, ethnic/racial background, income, education status, employment status, accessibility, and interest of each group because different mode of communication can reach different groups differently. This article explains how to lure customers and the cost of marketing in the hotel.

SMEs Entry into China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SMEs Entry into China - Essay Example This proposal is designed to test the hypothesis that an SME intending to internationalize towards China is expected to acquire certain definite advantages, namely ownership, location, and internationalization.  Dunning’s paradigm holds the chief proposition that any international firm is required to own certain kind of advantage over local firms prior to its engagement in international production (Dunning, 1988). These advantages are namely ownership, locational and internationalization (Dunning, 1988). Accordingly, the theory has been referred to as the OLI-paradigm: Ownership advantages, Location-specific Variables and Internationalization-incentive advantages (Grillet, 2003b).  Ownership Advantages – â€Å"The ownership advantages are unique to a foreign firm over its local competitors† (Chowdury, 2006). It arises out of its superior technology, management systems, privilege access to finance or raw materials, greater market power, etc. The theory of the ownership advantages reveals that those firms which possess competitive advantages over foreign firms in their domestic markets to sell certain goods or services can move towards internationalization (Grillet, 2003b).  Locational Advantages – According to the model, a firm can proceed in foreign production on perceiving its ability to merge mobile intermediate goods from the home country with immobile factor endowments, or other intermediate goods in another country (Grillet, 2003b). Factors supporting one or another country are the location-specific variables, for example, the host country being conducive to local products such as local demand, cheap or well-trained labor, natural resources etc (Grillet, 2003b).  Internationalization Advantages – The transfer of a firm’s ownership advantages across borders within its organizational structures is referred to as internationalization (Grillet, 2003b).