Hotel and Lodging Career Research Essay

Executive Summary With high curiosity and interest in many fields, I have changed my career goal from archaeology to science then to architecture and finally to entrepreneurship in hospitality and traveling. In preparation for launching my own business, I determined to learn more about the hotel and lodging industry through a financial and accounting position. A hotel is an establishment that provides temporary accommodation and various services depending on the rate per night a customer can afford. Nowadays, as customers’ needs and affordability vary, hotel and lodging facilities could be classified into multiple levels of definitions based on economic structure, price, chain scale, location, room configuration or market served. A large hotel with full service often comprises many departments with specialized employees. A General Manager leads the main operating departments which consist of Room, Security, Food and Beverage and Minor Services. The administrative departments of a hotel are Accounting, Engineering and Marketing and Sales. As of 2007, in the US, there are approximately 49 thousand hotels and lodging properties that have over 15 rooms, providing about 4.5 million guest rooms and generating 139.4 billion dollars in revenue. The U.S hotel and lodging industry employs about 1.4 million workers and serves both business and leisure travelers. International travelers make up 22% of lodging room occupants. In the current economic downturn that started in late 2007, decreases in both traveling and financing has pulled earnings of hotels in the US down by 11.6% in occupancy rate, 8.6% in average daily rate, and 19.1% in revenue per available room, leaving the industry in a struggle to attract customers and provide jobs for their employees. A typical entry-level administrative position in a hotel requires a four-year bachelor’s degree in a business related major. Other desirable traits for candidates are leadership skills, communications skills, confidence, and more. There are few administrative positions in the current hotel and lodging industry that college graduates can obtain, but they are exciting jobs that promise quick advancement, relocation opportunities, and even room rate discounts for associates. Financial and accounting positions in the hotel industry include Assistant Controller, Senior Assistant Controller, and Director of Finance and Accounting. Assistant Controllers and Senior Assistant Controllers work at the daily operating level and assist the Director of Finance and Accounting in making decisions. Directors of Finances and Accounting work at strategic decision making and are members of the executive committee of the hotel, overseeing the health of the hotel in general. With leadership skills, communication skills and by going beyond the expected and being willing to relocate, a new college graduate could advance quickly in the hotel industry. The knowledge I will gain from working in hotel and lodging industry will prepare me to launch my own lodging business.â€Æ' From myriad interest to a focus on hospitality With a high level of curiosity and thousands of questions in mind, I have been an explorer since I was small. By the time I was 10, I decided to discover the secrets of the world by becoming an archaeologist, who travels to different places and digs things up all day. Before I thought further about digging around, however, I became captivated by Thomas Alva Edison – the genius inventor with thousands of inventions. My hope for becoming an inventor was so high that I started to study really hard in order to understand more about natural science. For two years, I kept my enthusiasm, but the attraction for houses and buildings soon dawned on me. At the time, I was really good at industrial technology courses, especially industrial drawing and blueprint design. Being a visual learner, I had no difficulty interpreting blueprints. I even scribbled some of my own ideas and purchased numerous issues of architectural magazines. When I got into high school, I told myself that I would take an exam to get into an architecture school. However, in Vietnam, at the time, there was a movement of studying abroad. Even though I got into the science division of high school, English has always been my forte, and I had feelings of uncertainty about becoming an architect. Then, in my last year of high school, I applied for a high school exchange program in the United States and took the first step on my study abroad route. As I matured abroad, I stepped away from my childhood interests and thought carefully about the reality of each job I was interested in. Still being enthusiastic about discovering the world, I shifted my method from being an archaeologist to being a traveler. Still enamored of great buildings and designs, I desired to work at nice hotels and resorts or build my own. With my parents owning a business, I was strongly influenced by the independence and creativity of entrepreneurship, which inspired me to become an entrepreneur specializing in hotels and traveling. More importantly, as I studied abroad I developed a sympathy for others travelers and discovered a passion to fulfill others’ need while away from home. Hospitality is also a career that is people-oriented, offering tremendous opportunities to improve communication skills and meet people. As I am pursuing a double major in Accounting and Finance, I look forward to obtaining a financial position in a hotel, in order to learn about the cost and profits of operating a hotel and the process of financing hotels specifically. As I increase my knowledge, my final direction is to launch a hospitality business of my own, providing customers with unique impressions, positive experiences and exceptional services. Hotel and Lodging Industry at a Glance As people travel for various purposes, hotels are convenient facilities that offer temporary accommodation and services during the stay at appropriate prices. Thus, a harbor view room with large bathroom, TV, in-room Internet, air conditioning, 1,000 thread-count bedding, coffee machine, morning paper, and more in a hotel that has a three-star restaurant, conference room, and swimming pools and is located in the middle of all the action could cost hundreds of dollars a night. Meanwhile, a bunk bed in a hostel, with a shared bathroom at the end of the hall and common kitchen costs about twenty dollars a night. With a diversity of customers, hotels and lodging facilities nowadays are thoroughly differentiated based on the services provided. In the book A Host of Opportunities: An Introduction to Hospitality Management a hotel can be classified into multiple definitions based on its structure, price, chain scale, location, room configuration or market served (Hoof 75-83). Hotel Organizational Structure In order to effectively handle myriad customers’ needs, a large hotel could contain many departments including Rooms department, Food and Beverage department, and other administrative departments. Smaller hotels or family-owned facilities may not have the same range of staff or definite departmental arrangement; instead, lodging managers and employees may multitask. Below is a diagram of a large hotel’s departmental organization and its employees, from A Host of Opportunities: An Introduction to Hospitality Management. Scope of U.S Lodging Industry According to the American Hotel and Lodging Association’s â€Å"2008 Lodging Industry Profile,† by 2007 there were 48,062 lodging properties of 15 rooms and up in the United States. Those properties made up a total of 4,476,191 guestrooms and generated $139.4 billion in sales. The revenue per available room (RevPAR) was $65.52, and the average occupancy rate was 63.1%. Room rates rose constantly, while the most updated average room rate stood at $103.87 in 2007. The before tax profits was $28 billion, according to Smith Travel Research (STR), an organization specializing in benchmark and research for the lodging industry (qtd. in â€Å"2008 Lodging Industry Profile†). Hotel properties across the country employed about 1.4 million workers. Meanwhile, lodging customers were comprised of 44% business travelers and 56% leisure travelers. The United States ranked first in international customer receipts with spending from international travelers at $122 billion, and continued to receive more international travelers than previous years at a 10% growth rate. This enormous flow of international travelers made up 22% of all lodging room nights in 2007 (â€Å"2008 Lodging Industry Profile†). Thus, by 2007 the U.S hotel and lodging industry was still prospering, until it got caught later in the current of the economic downturn. Hotel and Lodging Industry in Current Economic Downturn The current economic slowdown discouraged consumer spending on vacation travel and business spending on business travel, which affected the hotel industry directly. According to Smith Travel Research â€Å"the U.S hotel industry posted declined in the three key performance measurements during the week of 26 April – 2 May,† as in STR’s recent weekly U.S performance report (qtd. in â€Å"STR posts US results for week ending 2 May 2009†). The three key measurements are industry occupancy rate (OC), which declined by 11.6% over a year performance, average daily rate (ADR), which declined by 8.6% and revenue per available room (RevPAR), which declined by 19.1% (â€Å"STR posts US results for week ending 2 May 2009†). As the earnings decline, hotels cut costs in a variety of ways including employments, make it harder even for college graduates to find good positions. Preparing for a Career in Hotel Management In order to obtain an administrative position in a hotel, a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is preferred, especially for finance and accounting positions. In the Marriot International Incorporate’s description of financial and accounting positions provided by Beth Zabawa, Director of Finance and Accounting at Renaissance St. Louis Grand & Suites Hotel, a candidate for the Assistant Controller position – the entry level financial position – should have â€Å"4-year bachelor’s degree in Finance and Accounting or related major; no work experience required† (Zabawa). However, in place of work experience, exceptional interpersonal skills and positive attitude such as leadership skills, communication skills and confidence are desirable (Zabawa). Financial and Accounting Positions in the Hotel and Lodging Industry Hotel and lodging careers do not suggest working only as a front desk clerk or housekeeping. Many management positions in hotels such as general manager, controller, and sales offer quick advancement, relocation opportunities, and many other novelty benefits such as hotel-associate-only discounts on room rate. These positions are good starting points for college graduates. For finance major graduates, positions in the hotel industry may be limited but could be uniquely rewarding. At small establishments, the lodging manager often oversees both operating activities and administrative activities, including bookkeeping and financing. Only large hotels need and are able to afford several accounting and finance positions. Some of the financial and accounting positions are Assistant Controller, Senior Assistant Controller, and Director of Finance and Accounting. Description of the jobs In the Marriot International Incorporated’s description of financial and accounting positions provided by Zabawa, the entry-level position for a college undergraduate is Assistant Controller, who works at the daily operating level. An assistant controller’s â€Å"primary responsibilities include financial analysis and financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting, audit and control, asset and liability reconciliation, working capital and control† (Zabawa). Zabawa said that Assistant Controller mostly works in the office, reports to the Director of Finance and Accounting and attends meetings with other departments. She also provided other information about salary and benefits, training, opportunities for advancement for financial positions and some advice for college graduates starting in the industry. Incoming employees begin with an extensive Management Program that lasts about 6 to 8 weeks, equipping the person with the knowledge and processes involved with working at Marriott Inc. Following the extensive training are online training and a 1-week class that evaluates the new employees and train them to work in groups. The starting salary for an Assistant Controller is at around $40,000 a year. Beside salary, associates at Marriott Inc. receive benefits such as health insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, dental insurance and a 401k plan. Depending on the properties, employees may benefit from working in a hotel by receiving free lunch or discount rates when staying at the chain’s properties. After 12 to 18 months, there is an opportunity for the Assistant Controller to transfer to other properties of Marriott Inc. or to be promoted to Senior Assistant Controller (Zabawa). Senior Assistant Controller’s responsibilities include overlooking the tasks of the Assistant Controller and assisting the Director of Finance and Accounting in reporting and making decisions. After 12 to 18 months to two years, a Senior Assistant Controller at Marriott Inc. could either transfer to other properties or become Director of Finance and Accounting at smaller properties (Zabawa). The Director of Finance and Accounting enjoys many different aspects of financial careers. As part of the Executive Committee of the properties, the main responsibilities of a Director of Finance and Accounting are strategic decision making. Stepping away from the daily paper work of the Assistant Controller or Senior Assistant Controller work, a Director of Finance and Accounting â€Å"attends meetings to discuss the hotel’s operational strategies, controls spending and develops budget, studies competitors and communicates with the estate’s owner,† described Zabawa. She revealed her opinions for the Director of Finance and Accounting position as exciting, informational and engaging. The work is different each day, the reports the Director of Finance and Accounting received provide thorough knowledge of the hotel and lodging industry and Marriott Inc. has a very loyal working culture with each associate working as if the hotel is their own business (Zabawa). Zabawa advised new college graduates pursuing hotel careers to be innovative, confident, assertive, and proactive, and find ways to add value to the business. Interpersonal skills such as communication skills, both speaking and writing skills, and leadership skills are invaluable for college graduates to advance in the hotel and lodging industry (Zabawa). The flow chart below demonstrates the time and skills an entry level position in the Finance and Accounting office needs in order to advance to the next level. Conclusion The hotel and lodging industry is the intersection between the travel and hospitality industries that offers many different directions to explore. While working in a financial position in a hotel, I will be able to learn more about the financial aspect of hotel operation, gain experience in customer service and find a niche for myself to debut in the hotel industry. Combination with private service is a possible solution to my entrepreneurship direction. In comparison with US and European hotel industry, Asian markets are less professional and developed. As I start in Vietnam, I want to broaden the Vietnamese tourism industry with ethnic hotels or lodging facilities that would bring a truly authentic experience to travelers to Vietnam. With later international expansion, I hope to establish a model of authentic traveling and cultural interaction in the world tourism industry. Work Cited â€Å"2008 Lodging Industry Profile.† American Hotel and Lodging Association. 30 Apr. 2009. â€Å"Dedicated Staff.† The Knightsbridge London. 30 Apr. 2009. Five Star Concierge Service LLC. 30 Apr. 2009. Hoof, Hubert, Gary Vallen, Marilyn Mc. Donald, and Paul Wiener. A Host of Opportunities: An Introduction to Hospitality Management. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007. Print. â€Å"Housekeeping Service.† The Knightsbridge London. 30 Apr. 2009. â€Å"STR posts US results for week ending 2 May 2009.† Hospitalitynet.org. Hospitality Net, 8 May. 2009. 10 May 2009. Zabawa, Beth. Personal Interview. 8 Apr. 2009.

Comparision/ Anthem for Doomed Youth and Dulce Et Decorum Est Essay

All three poems are about the First World War but Peace has a highly patriotic view and displays a positive feeling about war whereas Anthem and Dulce concentrate more on the fact that people were killed for no particular reason and they also look at the true horrors of war. I will mainly be looking at the content and form of the three poems and comparing them to each other. Anthem and Dulce both portray Owen’s bitterness and anger towards the war and this is shown by the first few lines of both poems, in Dulce: â€Å"beggars†(L.1) and â€Å"Hags†(L.2), he uses these words to describe the soldiers and in Anthem: â€Å"die†(L.1) and â€Å"anger†(L.2) are used. Brook however feels that in Peace the world is asleep and dirty without war and only war can cleanse us and wake our youth, which shows that he has a very different view towards war. The fact that Dulce is written in a narrative form and is a real life encounter make it more convincing and persuasive. It has much more informal language than the other two and the language is hard hitting and effective. Peace’s language is more formal and it seems to flow like a speech, with a build up to a dramatic end. Anthem has been written in a way in which you have to solve a riddle in order to find out what is being said. Anthem has the same effect as Dulce in the way that both poems start. They both start of by describing the soldiers’ conditions. Anthem does this by using a simile and personification, comparing the dead soldiers to cattle: † What passing bells for those who die as cattle?† this shows the reader that the soldiers are being thrown in one big grave like â€Å"cattle†. In Anthem the word â€Å"holy†(L.11) suggests that there is some relationship to religion. There have also been more religious ideas brought up in the poem such as: â€Å"Prayers† (L.5) and â€Å"choirs†(L.6/7). This has been used to emphasise the fact that there has been no real funeral for the dead soldiers and despite that, they should still be remembered. Dulce and Peace do not have anything really connected to religion but in the first line of Peace there is a connection to religion when it says:† Now god be thanked who has matched us with his hour†. Anthem and Peace are sonnets unlike Dulce. Anthems starts of with a quicker pace. It has like all sonnets 14 lines and is divided up into two verses one with 8 lines and the other 6, it has unusual rhyming pattern whereas Dulce and Peace both have rhyming words at the end of every other line. Dulce is a poem about a company of men in the war. The men do not have human descriptions but seemed to be describes as though they have aged in this war: â€Å"bent double, like old beggarsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ (L.1). Everyone seems to be in a trance: â€Å"Men marched asleep†(L.5), there is no conversation, just a slow silent march. When the gas attack occurs the men seem to spring back to life. But one man cannot get his mask on his face and runs through the green sea of gas, he was: â€Å"drowning†(L.14), which bring up a similarity between Dulce and Peace that they both have a use of water. In Dulce they are drowning but you cannot drown in gas, you suffocate, so the gas here is being described as a sea of gas. In Peace the water reference is: † to turn, as swimmers into cleanliness leaping†(L.4), which gives you the idea of men diving into water and sighing a breath of relief as they feel their crimes and sins lifted. Dulce and Anthem both portray the horrors of war by using different styles, whereas Peace looks at war in a different way from which people can benefit. Dulce and Anthem use different styles in portraying the horrors of war. I think that Dulce is more effective and dramatic because it shows the death of an innocent soldier, who was suffering to save others. The personal feel that is created in Dulce is that it is written in narrative form and using real-life encounter makes the reader understand the soldiers involved making it effective and persuades the reader to believe war is horrific. Anthem on the other hand concentrates more on the consequences of war and how soldiers are neglected when they are dead. Even though the poem is not set in a scene from the war and not much description of killings and violence is present, it is effective due to the use of real, physical objects such as ‘rifles’ and the heavily descriptive words used to describe the action in the poem. Because of the fact that Dulce is written in narrative form allows the reader to visualise exactly what the conditions of the soldiers were like. In Anthem Owen has deliberately distanced himself from the poem, giving a descriptive account, not a narrative, but more of an unrealistic viewpoint. In Peace Brookes argues that war is a good thing, and needed for life to continue. Overall all 3 poems try to give the reader an insight to war, Dulce and Anthem trying to convince the reader of the dreadfulness of war, whereas Peace is saying war is good. But Dulce is doing this in the most effective way; this may be because Owen has experience of war unlike Brookes.

Barack Obama - Fifth Weekly Transition Address

Barack Obama Fifth President-Elect Weekly Transition Address Broadcast 6 December 2008Good morning. Yesterday, we received another painful reminder of the serious economic challenge our country is facing when we learned that 533,000 jobs were lost in November alone, the single worst month of job loss in over three decades. That puts the total number of jobs lost in this recession at nearly two million. But this isn’t about numbers. It’s about each of the families those numbers represent. It’s about the rising unease and frustration that so many of you are feeling during this holiday season. Will you be able to put your kids through college? Will you be able to afford health care? Will you be able to retire with dignity and security? Will your job or your husband’s job or your daughter’s or sons jobs be the next ones cut? These are the questions that keep so many Americans awake at night. But its not the first time these questions have been asked though. Weve faced difficult times before, times when our economic destiny seemed to be slipping out of our hands. And at each moment, we have risen to meet the challenge, as one people united by a sense of common purpose. And I know that Americans can rise to the moment once again. But we need action and action now. Thats why Ive asked my economic team to develop an economic recovery plan for both Wall Street and Main Street that will help save or create at least two and a half million jobs, while rebuilding our infrastructure, improving our schools, reducing our dependence on oil, and saving billions of dollars. We won’t do it the old Washington way. We won’t just throw money at the problem. We’ll measure progress by the reforms we make and the results we achieve by the jobs we create, by the energy we save, by whether America is more competitive in the world. Today, Im announcing a few key parts of my plan. First, we will launch a massive effort to make public buildings more energy-efficient. Our government now pays the highest energy bills in the world. We need to change that. We need to upgrade our federal buildings by replacing old heating systems and installing efficient light bulbs. That won’t just save you, the American taxpayer, billions of dollars each year. It will put people back to work. Second, we will create millions of jobs by making the single largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s. We’ll invest your precious tax dollars in new and smarter ways, and we’ll set a simple rule: Use it or lose it. If a state doesn’t act quickly to invest in roads and bridges in their communities, they’ll lose the money. Third, my economic recovery plan will launch the most sweeping effort to modernize and upgrade school buildings that this country has ever seen. We will repair broken schools, make them energy-efficient, and put new computers in our classrooms. Because to help our children compete in a 21st century economy, we need to send them to 21st century schools. As we renew our schools and highways, we’ll also renew our information superhighway. It is unacceptable that the United States ranks 15th in the world in broadband adoption. Here, in the country that invented the Internet, every child should have the chance to get online, and they’ll get that chance when I’m President because that’s how we’ll strengthen America’s competitiveness in the world. In addition to connecting our libraries and schools to the Internet, we must also ensure that our hospitals are connected to each other through the Internet. That is why the economic recovery plan I’m proposing will help modernize our health care system; and that won’t just save jobs, it will save lives. We will make sure that every doctor’s office and hospital in this country is using cutting edge technology and electronic medical records so that we can cut red tape, prevent medical mistakes, and help save billions of dollars each year. These are just a few parts of the economic recovery plan that I will be rolling out in the coming weeks. When Congress reconvenes in January, I look forward to working with them to pass a plan immediately. We need to act with the urgency this moment demands to save or create at least two and a half million jobs so that the nearly two million Americans who’ve lost them know that they have a future. And that’s exactly what I intend to do as President of the United States. Thanks for listening. Source:Â  https://www.loc.gov/

What are the best treatments for Post traumatic stress disorder Research Paper

What are the best treatments for Post traumatic stress disorder - Research Paper Example The current prevalence of PTSD in the United States as presented by The National Comorbidity Survey Replication is approximately 6.8 percent in the adult population. The annual prevalence of the condition is 3.5 percent. It has also been assessed that the prevalence in females is twice as compared to that in males. PTSD is a condition which is linked with other comorbid psychiatric conditions like major depressive disorder, social phobia and bipolar disorder. The National Comorbidity Survey has also presented that secondary psychiatric conditions may also result due to PTSD which include mood disorders or indulgence in substance abuse. PTSD not only affects the mental functioning of an individual but it also tends to raise the risk of pathological conditions like congestive cardiac pathologies as well as hypertension, renal and hepatic disorders. (Ivanova 314). The main etiological factor for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is considered to be a traumatic encounter which affects the individual psychologically (Walsh 65). This leads to the development of the three main symptoms of the condition which include â€Å"terror, shame and helplessness.† (Krippner 11). It needs to be understood that not all individuals who are exposed to traumatic events develop PTSD. A study conducted to review the causes of PTSD revealed that traumatic experiences like sexual assault and physical abuse made an individual more prone to develop PTSD. But other factors like genetics, the personality of an individual, educational qualifications as well as social assistance also play a role and make certain individuals more susceptible whereas protect others from developing this condition (Ford 56). Psychological trauma can occur due to many reasons which include combat, accidents, sexual assault, physical and sexual abuse. In the year 2005, the Royal College of Psychiatrists explained that PTSD may occur due to various reasons. These included army combats, terrorist

Apple's International Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Apple's International Strategies - Essay Example The business sells in Europe, South America, North America, Asia and Australia. Apple has considerable brand loyalty established in China, The United Kingdom, and Australia. This loyalty occurs as part of a broad international marketing communications strategy that includes social media, press releases, transparent market research targeting consumers (i.e., attitude surveys), and the strong emphasis on customer relationship management. In all international locations, the majority of target customers that maintain strong loyalty are professional businesspersons, those in arts and entertainment, and are generally between the ages of 18 and 34 (Rubicon Consulting, 2008). Apple conducts considerable volumes of marketing research to determine attitudes, preferences, and lifestyles of consumers to ensure it is producing relevant products internationally and creating effective advertising that meets with these lifestyles and demands. In China, Apple entered this market with a licensing stra tegy, due to the high volume of technology competition with pre-established brands (Ramadugu & Samad, 2009). Apple desired to link its brand name with China Unicom, one of the largest telecommunications companies that had considerable growth in consumer satisfaction in China. This licensing agreement was also the chosen strategy for entering this market as there is an unpredictable distribution of mobile technology in China and by having China Unicom control distribution, it would improve the costs associated with setting up an Apple-specific distribution system in this new market. In Nigeria, as another example, Apple chose a turnkey market strategy, which is when technical processes and technology is exported to the market. Once a turnkey contractor is identified, the contractor establishes the operational model, construction, and implementation of Apple production and sales strategies in the new market (Evans, 2005). This is a country with limited competition and where the costs of new market entry are high to competitors. By establishing an operational foothold in Nigeria, this would potentially open new opportunities for local distribution from the newly constructed manufacturing facility. Apple maintains a different market entry strategy based on consumer characteristics, the level of competition in these markets, and identified brand recognition and loyalty for Apple premium products. In the UK, the target market consists of 18-34-year-olds in which branding occurs related to their lifestyle and the linkage between their perceptions of Apple products. Robinson (2010, p. 2) identifies that gaining market attention in the UK includes focusing on emotions, hopes, aspirations and lifestyle passions in a market saturated with competition and where there are high brand recognition and preference. Market entry in this country included licensing agreements and exporting since there was already a well-developed mobile and consumer technology distribution system established in this country. The level of price sensitivity in customers, the distribution networks available in the country, the level of competition, and the ability to provide relevant promotion to meet consumer lifestyles determine the market entry strategies selected by Apple.

Real Estate Price Volatility Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Real Estate Price Volatility - Research Paper Example In this context, the present paper attempts to discuss about one of the early developed models that is still prevalent in the present economic scenario. The model was developed by R. Engle in 1982, which came to be known as Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (ARCH). The paper also attempts to through lights on how effective is the model in the present real estate climate in the United States of America with particular reference to California. The paper takes an analytical approach wherein the model is suggested with a brief explanation of its application, merits and demerits. The various stakeholders (participants) in the real estate market comprising of real estate investors, banks, non-bank financial institutions, portfolio managers have always been curious to predict the local housing prices. Naturally, they have always encouraged the attempts to evolve mathematical models that can prevent the losses and chaos from the volatility of real estate prices. Parties who are also interested in housing prices estimating models include managers of banks, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), and homebuilding companies. Prior models have tried to incorporate many of the macroeconomic variables including the bubbles and crashes in the stock market. Experts such as Alan Stockman and Tesar Linda, Lane Philip and Girouard N and Bl'ndal have described the housing price behavior from a dynamic general equilibrium point of view (Stockman and Tesar, 1995, Girouard and Bl'ndal, 2001 and Lane, 2001). Studies undertaken by Driffill John and Sola Martin explored the model in the context of market bubbles (Driffill and Sola 1998). Attempts have also been done to evolve a model that incorporate the interaction of an array of variables such as transactions in the real estate sector, changes in the demography of participants, and macro factors comprising of diversity in the income distribution and changes in the economic activity as a whole. For example, Francois Ortalo-Magne and Rady Sven have studied these aspects through a significant research (Ortalo-Magne and Rady 1998, 1999, 2003a and 2003b). Economic Analysis The model developed by R. Engle in 1982 is found relevant in the present scenario where traditional models that describe variables such as location factors, structural variables and floor area and income are no longer valid (Engle 1982). This model was coined as Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (ARCH). The basic contention of this model is that housing price prediction should take care of time-varying volatility and studied through time series analysis. The Model The ARCH model was developed using mathematical and statistical notations and theories. For a better understanding of the model, the ARCH process consisting of conditional mean process and a conditional variance process will have to be known. The conditional mean process is developed in conformity to the standard Autoregressive Moving Average (ARMA) equation (Engle 1982). Where, Rt is the return on average home prices on a monthly basis, e, and s2 are constants. Through this model, Engle try to analyze and incorporate the pricing behavior with two

Baytree Procurement for MSA Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

Baytree Procurement for MSA Project - Essay Example Most recently, the concerns about sustainability and environmental impact alarmed individuals, civic organisations, and even the global governments to subject themselves to goals that deter the destruction of the natural environment and ecological processes. This is in line with the reduction of the negative impact of global climate changes, and disasters caused by mankind’s mindless consumption, waste generation, pollution, and other activities including construction of built environment. All activities point out and lead to connected sourcing up to disposal so that each step of every process has become an important part of a whole. This paper will try to determine one company –Baytree Leisure Plc’s possible procurement issues as well as possible solutions to develop a proposed motorways services area in Yorkshire with close consideration of environment impact as well as sustainability. (i) Analyse the key procurement issues for Baytree Leisure plc to consider, including a review of their likely project success criteria and objectives for the proposed project Salteroyd. Identify any assumptions that you have made. The Key Procurement Issues for Baytree Leisure Plc In consideration of the proposed plan to provide the Motorway Services Area (MSA) on the M7 motorway in an area in Salteroyd in the county of Yorkshire, various procurement issues must be addressed. The aim of the plan is to meet the expectations resulting from the climate change agenda and drive to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The customers and consumers are therefore expected to become more selective in their buying decisions and would consider use of built environment such as the MSA to adhere to environmentally responsible developments. Sustainable building design and construction is therefore a must for Baytree. Design Foremost about the procurement process issue that Baytree needed to address is design. Design in the built environment means a plan for achieving goals or requirements by clients in consideration of users, environment, as well as other factors that will guide or limit the designer (Ralph and Wand, 2009). It serves as a guide to meet the least and the loftiest of details for a more holistic approach, and in this process, an ecologically sound MSA. Design choices as already mentioned, is guided by the principles of sustainability, environment-friendliness, costs, economics, functionality, ergonomics, or change methods to meet goals (Holm, 2006). Approaches in design includes user-centred usually guided by the function, multiple approaches, as well as keep it simple or KISS with minimised process and content but with consideration to aesthetics (Holm, 2006). Design also applies the following: Explore possibilities addressing problem and research that involves all stakeholders in the presentation of goals; Redefine development and improvement of traditional specifications and guidelines for options, solutions, and goals; Manage approache s to defining, exploring possibilities or creating ecological designs; Prototype or production of possible products to improve existing or traditional designs; Trend-spot merging concepts and products in order to innovate (Getlein, 2008). In addressing design issues, the project owner and its contractors will be able to provide a guide for the procurement specifically based on the

Two Works Response Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Two Works Response - Assignment Example This discussion talks that  starting with the Campbell Soup cans, Andy started his artwork on these cans by painting them. He borrowed this idea from Muriel Latow, who was an interior designer since this cans were familiar with the people thus he was supposed to paint the objects that people saw every day. He did some artwork on this cans first by created an image which he repeatedly traced   so as to enhance a two-dimensional graphic aesthetic. He further made two types of the Campbell soup cans whereby he employed visual differentiation to show the difference between the two. This was in terms of portraits were of the first type was the â€Å"Monchengladbach type† having an illustrated image. The other type was â€Å"Virus type† which had a log on the envelope of the soup company.  This paper discusses that  Roy’s work as a pop artist with a majority of his initial works varying in style and subject with enhanced display of increased understanding of mo dern painting. His important art came with the drowning girl. The source of the image had been the boyfriend of the woman standing on a boat that was above her. His interests traversed both the subject matter as well as the qualities of images that were abstract. The high impact of the iconic images he created has synonymously involved cropping images in creating new compositions.  Lichtenstein further involved condensing text from the comic book panels portraying language as a vital visual element.

An Entrepreneur's Journey Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

An Entrepreneur's Journey - Assignment Example Both her personal and business life need maximum and equal attention. Simi will have a difficult time during the transition as first she has to find an appropriate house for the family, and one that she can afford. Her husband is dealing with the housing issue, but it has an effect on the family and their finances. In addition, she has her children’s education to worry about, as the move to Lagos will necessitate them to change school. Finding this a good school for the kids to settle is another challenge. The moving process will have a huge effect on the family as it involves many changes to their personal and professional lives. The children will have to change schools and the environment they have been used to. Simi and her husband will also have to adapt to the new personal and business environment they will now be exposed to (Davis and Spence 5). The move to Nigeria presents a new challenge to the survival of the business, which is only 2 years old. Simi had to put in measures that will ensure the survival of the business even without his husband’s presence throughout the year. She has to have a strategic plan on the sustainability of the business in both the long-term and short-term. To safeguard the survival of the business, Simi has taken several steps. The first step has been to ensure that she will find time to take care of the business by being there for 4 months in a year. This will give her the opportunity to deal with the company issues and assess the progress in her absence. In addition, she will keep constant communication with Feyi to help her in the day-to-day running of the business. Simi and Feyi have hired a marketing consultant to help them articulate the story to the media and public in general. This is a step to help the business gain more recognition and extend its outreach to more potential clients. This will help grow the business and ensure its

No topic need Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 9

No topic need - Essay Example The British traded slaves with the Americans, while the Americans gave them goods, for example sugar. Americans wanted the slaves to work for them (Lindsey 50-150). The system involved servants who were poor immigrants from England. It was like a system of contract labor. It involved all races, both the black and white. The system was a traditional means of securing jobs. Additionally, it was a form of apprenticeship and punishment. It involved children and the terms of service lasted until the maturity of the children. The makers of British imperial policies knew the colonists of British America enjoyed many benefits from the policies. The policies wanted to help raise money that would help clear the staggering debt from the previous war. They enforced tax laws, and sent their troops to America. By the beginning of 1800’s the relationship between Britons and Americans became worse. It was the leading cause of American Revolution. The revolution had effects at the government of that time. It forced the way for constitutionalism in the American government

Cat in the Rain Interpretation Essay Example for Free

Cat in the Rain Interpretation Essay Topic: The symbol â€Å"cat† in â€Å"Cat in the rain† (Ernest Hemingway) In many of his stories, Ernest Hemingway used symbols to express the profound meaning of those stories. In â€Å"Cat in the rain†, the poor kitty is the main symbol since it expresses much about the theme of the story. In my opinion, the cat symbolizes three things such as a baby, the couple’s relationship and the wife herself. Initially, the cat is symbolic of a baby. The first reason is the cats here stands for something little and vulnerable which is like a baby. Moreover, when it â€Å"was crouched under one of the dripping green tables†, it appears to be so pitiful, which evokes the wife’ caring and protective instinct of a mother. She feels sorry for it because â€Å"It isn’t any fun to be a poor kitty out in the rain†. She calls it â€Å"she† like it is a human. In addition, although the cat is gone, she still wants to have the cat â€Å"sit on my lap and purr when I stroke her†. In short, the wife sympathizes with the cat and wants to treat it lovingly, which is very mother like. Therefore, a baby is the first thing the cat symbolizes. Next, the cat is also a symbol of the couple’s marriage. The little cat silvering in the rain stands for the unstable marriage of the couple. When the wife sees that poor kitty, she immediately goes to save it. She is willing to go through the rain, which signifies the struggles obstructing her. At the end, she cannot have the cat, in other words, cannot save her deteriorating marriage. In contrasts to the wife’s eagerness, her husband seems to be so indifferent since he is reading all the time:†the husband went on reading†, â€Å"George was on the bed, reading†, â€Å"he was reading again†, â€Å"he was reading again†. Although he does propose to go get the cat, it is just a half-hearted offer. It is only the wife who wants to save the relationship, and without the help of her husband, it cannot be saved. In brief, the marriage of the couple is the next thing that the cat is symbolic of. Last but not least, it is the wife herself that is the most important meaning of the cat. When the cat is first described, it is called â€Å"she†, which is intentionally link the cat and the American girl. She is also nameless like a little poor cat lacking attention from other people. The husband says that he will get the cat but later he does nothing, which is like the way he tries to care about his wife but does not satisfy her needs. Therefore, when the wife sees the cat in the rain, she sympathizes with it, she wants it to sit on her lap and stroke it. It is also her inner desire to have someone treat her lovingly like that. In a nutshell, the wife is the last and clearest meaning of the cat in the rain. The story â€Å"Cat in the rain† may seem to be uncomplicated; however, it has much deeper meanings which are partly expressed through the symbol â€Å"cat†. This symbol, which is interpreted to symbolize three things, plays an important role in helping the readers to better understand the theme of the story.

The Way We Speak Determines How We Think Essay Example for Free

The Way We Speak Determines How We Think Essay Critically evaluate this statement, drawing on the key theories and research that describe the relationship between language and thought. Language has traditionally been characterized by Philosophers as a cognitive tool used to freely externalize ones thoughts (Green, 2010 as cited in Kaye, 2010). The relationship between language, thought, culture and reality has occupied the minds of many for centuries. Early theorists argued that language and thought were two separate systems which â€Å"enter into an array of interconnected cognitive structures† (Chomsky, 1983). Extreme nativists and constructivists are key proponents of innateness and argued that knowledge and thought hold a significant innate property which exists prior to the development of language acquisition and is dependent on thought for its development. (Fodor, 1975 cited in Green, 2010) In recent years, contrasting with this position, researchers have provided empirical evidence to support a causal relationship between both language and thought which indicates how we speak does shape how we think but also how we think can influence how we speak. Boroditsky, 2010) The emergence of this new evidence elaborates on earlier ideas associated with the Whorfian hypothesis (Whorf, 1956 cited in Green, 2010) and focuses on an alternative approach, linguistic determinism. This essay will explore the different theoretical approaches and provide evidence which demonstrates how no one theory has provided conclusive empirical evidence that supports how we speak determines how we think. Preliminary studies on language and thought have resulted in contributory and conflicting information which looks at the definitions and functions of language and thought, the interactions between both and the origins. Language and thought have been considered to be some of the key components which define human nature and what it means to be human. Aitchison (2007) highlighted some of the key features which define our uniqueness as humans but also certain characteristics we share with our animal relatives. Semanticity is one feature which separates us from other species. Humans use words to communicate and to represent objects and actions. In contrast animals use sounds to communicate information about a situation. For example blackbirds give a recognizable call for danger but it does not inform others of the type of danger present. Another feature which separates us from animals is creativity. Humans have the ability to understand and produce an infinite number of novel grammatical expressions with little evidence to demonstrate this skill in animals. These differences between species demonstrate the difference between language and communication and have led to other questions about how and why language acquisition was developed (Aitchison, 2007, cited in Green, 2010). Furthermore like any other psychological dichotomy, psychologists and philosophers have questioned whether language shapes our thoughts and ideas or whether our thoughts are merely represented through what we say. One approach which argues against the notion of language influencing thought is the constructivist position. According to this approach, language is seen as an emergent property that unfolds as a result of cognitive development therefore suggesting that language may not determine how we think (Piaget, 1923, cited in Green, 2010). Evidence from Piaget’s (1923) epistemological studies demonstrates how thinking and other cognitive abilities such as symbolic play, mental imagery all exist in children before language development. However one major criticism of this theory suggests that if this idea is to be true, then children with visual or auditory impairment are likely to be handicapped in language due to insufficient sensory input. However research has indicated no difference between the rate and time which impaired children obtain their earliest words compared with seeing children. Bigelow, 1987; Nelson, 1973) Although this evidence rejects Piaget’s (1923) theory, considerations need to be applied for parents of visually impaired children compensating for the impairment. Further issues with Piaget’s (1923) theory suggests that if certain levels of cognitive development are required to assist language ability, then his notion of object permanence should precede the acquisition of concepts and objects Xu (2002) research found opposite results to Piaget’s (1923) ideas which demonstrate how a child as early as 9 months old was capable of distinguishing between two objects. Because of this conflicting information, it is difficult to assign a causal relationship between language and thought within this framework (Xu, 2002, cited in Green, 2010). In addition, the extreme nativist approach led by Fodor (1983), postulates that all concepts are innate and we possess language syntax of thought. His key ideas are centered on the content of concepts and the structure of propositions. Fodor (1983) proposed that some cognitive systems (language) are modular and interface with non-modular central systems such as memory and thinking. One of the main aspects of interest in Fodor’s (1983) framework is the acquisition of concepts. Unlike empiricists who argue that children proceed through a process of inductive generalization to understand a new concept, Fodor (1983) suggests that this is not the case and that concepts are innately pre-programmed and not learnt (Russell, 2004 cited in Green, 2010) He describes vocabulary acquisition as attaching names to pre-existing categories and concepts which are broken down into components until the end point is reached. He also explains how new or complex concepts are developed (. i. e. ipad) by decomposition into their basic elemental components. From this, it would suggest that language develops from already pre-existing concepts or thoughts which would show the directional flow of influence to come from thought rather than speech. Chomsky (2006) is also a staunch proponent for the nativist approach and offers complimentary ideas to Fodor’s (1983) theory on innateness. He argued that the syntax of language is innate and that a universal grammar underpins language. The theory suggested that linguistic ability manifests itself without being taught, and that there are properties that all natural  human languages share (Chomsky, 2006). Exploration of this hypothesis focused on word order, structure and parameters. Universally the random order of words differs amongst cultures. For example in English we use subject-verb-object language compared with those in Japanese who use Subject-Object-Verb. Chomsky (2006) argued that although the mental grammar differs from language to language, the process by which certain sentences are perceived as correct while others are not is universal and independent of meaning. He also argued that language acquisition is obtained through an innate language acquisition device. His theory later evolved into principles and parameters theory and looked at the abstract rules applied when learning a language. One of the key tenets of Chomsky’s (2006) theory is that language is independent of cognition and does not influence how we think. Criticisms of his theory are highlighted as complete disregard for meaning and the social aspects or environment at which a child first acquires its words. Other critiques look at evidence produced by children with a hearing impairment. Questions surround what kind of parameters they would apply when using sign language. If Chomsky’s (2006) theory is to be correct then, it does not explain how children who learn two languages at once can apply parameter settings (Messer, 2000 cited in Green, 2010). Contrasting with the nativist approach, linguistic determinism argued in support for the notion that language influences or even determines how we speak. These ideas were first presented in the early 1930’s by Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf, who studied how languages vary and proposed ways that speakers of different tongues may think differently. Due to lack of empirical evidence at the time, their ideas of determinism (Whorfian hypothesis) were rejected but later reinstated with a weaker, less controversial notion of linguistic relativism, suggesting how language influences thought rather than determines it. Green, 2010) Firstly many of the early studies supporting Whorf’s hypothesis derived from studies of colour perception and naming. Brown and Lenneberg, (1954) found cross-cultural differences in the speed of colour naming and recognition, related to colour terms in different languages, though the study found correlations rather than a causal relationship. Additionally later research by Roberson et al, (2000) in the Berinmo people of Papua New Guinea showed findings which do support the Whorfian hypothesis and showed evidence for an effect of language on colour perception (Green, 2010, p. 66-372). Secondly more recent experiments carried out by Boroditsky, Winawer, Withoff, Frank and Wu (2007) investigated whether linguistic differences led to differences in colour discrimination between Russian and English speakers. Unlike English speakers, Russian speakers divide the colour terms on the spectrum differently. For example Russian speakers make a distinct differentiation between lighter blues and darker blues whereas English speakers would categories all colours of blue under on label. The experiment measured colour discrimination performance using a basic perceptual task. The results showed that Russian speakers were faster to discriminate two colours if they were part of the different linguistic categories in Russian than if the two colours were from the same category. Further effects of language were seen with English speakers who did not show any category advantage under any condition hence demonstrating how categories in language can affect performance of colour discrimination or how we speak can influence how we think. Thirdly research has also investigated spatial cognition and non-linguistic tasks and has shown how different cultures spatialize time depending on the available spatial representations (Green, 2010, p. 368). For example Dutch speakers use right and left in relation to object-centered frames of reference compared with the Mayan people of South America who use the compass points (North,South,East,West) for both geographic and object-centered frames of reference. Brown and Levinson (1993) conducted a study to investigate if these different frames of reference influenced the encoding of spatial relationships. The results showed that Dutch and Tzeltal (Mayan) speakers showed differences in reconstruction of a spatial array of objects, depending on encoding in their language which provides support for the Whorfian hypothesis and also shows how we speak can influence how we think. One critique of this experiment is the location of the task was not considered. Li and Gleitman (2002) argued that changing the environment in which spatial tasks occur can change the frame of reference used. The results from their study did demonstrate that within a different environment, participants chose to use a relative frame of reference hence highlighting the importance or significance of environmental factors in determining the frame used. Finally Boroditsky, (2001) also looked at the concept of time and whether aspects of language and culture influence how we think about this domain. Her study investigated how Mandarin and English speakers represent time and whether temporal metaphors differ between the two groups. English and Mandarin speakers both use horizontal (front/back) spatial terms to talk about time but differ in the use of vertical (up/down) spatial terms which are used by Mandarin speakers but not English speakers. Participants from both groups were asked to verify statements in English about temporal relationships from a scene containing objects that were arranged either along the vertical or horizontal dimension. The results showed that both groups organize time from left to right which is consistent with their writing direction but also that Mandarin speaker’s show evidence of vertical representation of time with earlier events represented further up after vertical priming and no evidence for this in English speakers. The results of this study provide evidence for cross-cultural differences in temporal reasoning and also support for language influencing thought. However compelling this evidence is, these findings have not been replicated in later studies. To conclude, it is clear that the above recent evidence provides support that demonstrates a transactional or causal relationship between both thought and language however due to the lack of successful replication of these results and the requirement for further investigation, once cannot conclude the notion of linguistic determinism. The way we speak does not determine how we think, but is more influential in shaping some aspects and in both directions. One must also consider that certain aspects of this cognitive process are indeed innate, that we are designed with a pre-disposition to develop language as a means of communication. It is also possible that both innateness and linguistic determinism explain different components of the same process, depending on the situation and context we find ourselves in. As the field of cognitive psychology progresses and further evidence is provided we may be able to settle on one explanation or another.

Analysis of Global Corporate Strategies: Honda Case Study

Analysis of Global Corporate Strategies: Honda Case Study Introduction Honda may be the worlds leading automobile manufacturer, but the company is far more than cars. Some might assume that part of Hondas success came from its rich Japanese heritage and discipline, some might attribute the companys success to Hondas efficient and manufacturing and unique manufacturing system, which continues to turn out some of the industrys most impressive cars. However, thats only a very small part of the company strength. Managers who hope to emulate Hondas success must look beyond its administration and manufacturing system. The many pieces that comprise Honda from applications to management philosophies to products, combine to create a growth machine that is remarkably consistent. Therefore, this report is carried out to analyze the global corporate strategies adopted by Honda Motors and other world-class automobile makers. A) Compare and contrast the meaning of business level strategy and corporate level strategy in a global context. Business level strategy is a strategy that concerns developing competitive advantage. A firm must be able to supply a product or services more closely fitted to clients needs than rival firm. (De Witt and Meyer, 2004, pg. 667) By integrating and coordinating the sets of commitment and actions, a firm gains competitive advantage by exploiting core competencies in specific product market. In the Honda case study, it is clearly shown that Hondas strategy of right-first-time or build in quality give Honda the competitive advantage by going against the theory of the western management model which says that: high quality cost more and took longer, low cost meant low quality; fast delivery cost more and risked low quality. (De Witt and Meyer, 2004, pg. 667) By adopting the right-first-time strategy, Honda saves a lot of money and time due to the reason that less wastage will incur and also the save on the time of testing the product again after it was completed. With the money and time save d, Honda can concentrate on further research and development plans. Corporate Level Strategy on the other hand is mainly is concerned with what type of businesses the company should venture in to compete with the development and coordination of that portfolio of businesses. Corporate Level Strategy is made up of strategic plans at the highest organization and corporate level. It involves portfolio analysis, diversification and primary structure. It is not restricted to one particular area such as marketing, personnel, production/operational or financial implications, all the departments that were mentioned are all taken into consideration. For multi-business firms, corporate level established the allocation of resources such as cash, allocation of staff, equipments and other resources are being distributed. In addition, because market definition is the domain of corporate-level strategists, the responsibility for diversification, or the addition of new products or services to the existing product/service line-up, also falls within the realm of corpor ate-level strategy. The corporate level strategy that Honda adopted to venture in the automotive industry from a motorcycle manufacturer has shown result by being the top manufacturer in the world for economy and midsize cars, compact SUVs and midsize SUV. (http://google.mini20.com) B) Critically evaluate the process of reconciling dichotomies at Honda Motors with reference to the product-related core competencies versus process-related core capabilities dichotomy. The competitive advantage that Honda has over its competitors such as General Motor and Ford is its advanced internal combustion engines which can be found in all the various model of Honda Motors, which is an evident that Honda has successfully reconciled dichotomy. Let us take an example of the Honda case study, when all the players in the automotive industry are doing nothing to reduce pollutants due to the traditional view of pollutant can only be reduced by cleaning up the pollutant after combustion. Honda on the other hand did not believe on that view and after RD, came out with a CVCC (compound vortex controlled combustion) engine which will be able to reduce the pollutant in the internal combustion by lowering the maximum combustion temperature. At the same time, while its competitors do not believe in a car can be both fuel economy and engine power, again Honda do not believe in that and manage to introduce its VTEC (variable valve timing and lift electronic control) engine which in normal mode, the electronic controlled fuel injection system will control the fuel thin mixture which provide economy; while accelerating, the electronic controller will then allow a fuel rich mixture to provide significant more power. On the process related core capabilities, Honda has sought to combine the advantages inherent in what have normally been seen in the West as dichotomous. It is a norm for automotive manufacturer to produce with the traditional chain driven line which is controlled by a centralized system in the assembly line, which need very little skilled workers, what they needed is those workers that can obediently follow the instructions given to do the same job repeatedly to cut down on the cost of production. Honda on the other hand sees things differently. It has experimented on the free flow system which allows the worker to control the unit that is going to be assembled. The worker will confirm that the unit is in satisfactory condition before it will be sent to the next assembly point. That way, the cost of retesting the unit in later part will be eliminated. In addition to that, workers could be given a sense of control over the production process since they could make the decision that th e task has been carried out properly and should be sent to the next assembly point. In this way, efficiency and dignity can be combined. Again Honda has did things differently by over turning the traditional Western thinking that both efficiency and dignity could not exist at the same time. Another example of Hondas success is the production planning. Unlike its competitor which, completely adopting the large lot mass production production line system which, means that the production is organized to produce thousands of identical or virtually identical products in a row or series. In this system, at the expense of the product variety, cost reduction is achieved. Honda on the other hand, planned its production on a batch basis. Even though it is still implementing the large lot mass production, it had developed a small batch production system. With the system implemented, the units are sent down the assembly line in batches in which each vehicle is exactly the same including its colors. Workers therefore execute exactly the same task for each batch. Components are delivered to the assembly line in batches which exactly match the vehicles they will be fitted into. The objective is to combine the advantages of large lot mass production (simpler logistics and quality contro l, less error, and easier to program schedule) and small lot production (ability to offer a wider range of products to customers and greater worker involvement and satisfaction). Question 2 A) Too much Debt and Risk of Bankruptcy Mergers and acquisitions do not always benefits a company that initiates it. It will be very costly for a company if the decision of MA is made wrongly. Lets take Proton in Malaysia and QQ in China as an example; both are vehicle manufacturer in their respective country. QQ is not doing very well in China, but Proton is eyeing on the huge low cost vehicle will have in China market. Proton hopes to get into the huge low cost vehicle market in China by merging or acquiring QQ. The first obstacle could incur is the high legal expenses. Proton paid a huge amount of money for the legal expenses to acquire QQ and right after that the amount of debt that QQ is carrying will be transferred under Protons custody. Investment on RD is the next step in order to produce the right type of vehicle for the low cost vehicle market in China which may take a long time to develop, and then followed by the advertising and promotion. All the steps that were mentioned earlier will require a big amount of f unds that it is impossible for Proton to have. The only alternative is to seek back up from finance company. Adding up the debts that QQ is having previously and the exposure of Proton from the finance company, the debts are too much for Proton to handle. If the ROI was not realized as what Proton has forecasted, Proton will have a very high risk of being sued bankruptcy by the finance company or the debtors. B) Potential for Product Synergies It has long been viewed that product market synergies are key drivers of mergers. Mergers are a quick way to potentially increase product offerings if synergies arise from asset complementarities. One important dimension of synergies is the ability of merging firms to create new products and differentiate themselves from rivals when merging firms have complementary assets. Rhodes- Kropf and Robinson (2008) model similarity and asset complementarities as a motive for mergers but do not present direct evidence of their importance. In competitive markets, mergers are a quick way to potentially increase product offerings to increase product differentiation if synergies are important. Thus, firms may have incentives to merge with _firms that have different skills or technologies that increase the ability to introduce new products through synergies. However, because acquirers may be better at managing similar products due to managerial expertise and familiarity, mergers offering greater pr oduct similarity can also add value. There is thus a tension between merging with a firm whose product is very similar, and a firm whose skills or technologies are different enough from rivals to help differentiate the acquirer. C) Access to New Technologies and Emerging Markets Benefits such as access to new technologies and emerging market generate cost efficiency by having economies of scale and gain in market share can be obtained from having MA. For example, Chinas Chery and Japans Mitsubishi. If MA were to happen between this 2 company in 2 different country, it will be a win win situation for both parties. Firstly, Chery as a new player in the automobile industry would not have the technology to manufacture high performance engine, but by having MA Mitsubishis technology is accessible by Chery, in order to make sure that even Chery is a Chinese company but owns Mitsubishi technologies in its engine. It is very crucial to portray the image of Chery as a China product with Japans technology to ensure that a larger market share can be captured in China itself. Secondly, if Mitsubishi wanted to venture into China which is an emerging market it would not be easy due to the cost issue. To set up a manufacturing plan in China is the only way to deliver the v ehicle to the customer in the fastest way, but by doing that if the demand for their vehicle is not what Mitsubishi has forecasted, the will be in the financial upset stage. Therefore, by having MA, Mitsubishi can train the local staff to be more skillful to handle their assembly job. All they have to do is send in the parts for the local employees to assemble. In that way, the cost of operating a manufacturing plant can be eliminated and will be able to meet customer requirement of a shorter time to receive the vehicle that they have ordered. Question 3 A) Using information from relevant literature on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and appropriate examples from global automotive makers and suppliers; explain the impact of CSR on organizational performance in both financial and non-financial areas. CSR is defined as open and transparent business practices that are based on ethical values and respect for the community, employees, the environment, shareholders and other stakeholders, in short is a form of corporate regulation integrated into a business model. CSR basically do not take into consideration that how a firm spends it money but what is the way used by the firm to make money. In financial areas for those who are in the automotive industry, the most impact that CSR will create lies within the environmental issue. All of us that are living in todays world are talking about environmental friendly. As all of us know that while fuels are burned to create energy to move a vehicle, it will create pollutant to our environment. Therefore, those who are in the automotive industry must seriously take this factor into account to improve on the technology of the engines to reduce the amount of pollutant being release by vehicles into our environment. In order to do that, it will req uire RD, and that will automatically require a lot of funds to be invested in. To recap on the above phase of what is the way used by the firm to make money, the way used by the firm to make money in this case is environmental friendly by investing in RD so that the engine will release lesser pollutant to be more environmental friendly. In addition to that, for those loyal and skillful staff, the company should send them for training in Head Quarters for their carrier advancement. That will at first cost funds from the company but once they are back from training, their productivity and skill will be improve and in other words will transfer into profit for the company. As for the non-financial areas, those companies which put weight on CSR will have a better reputation among the end user. For example, Honda organizes a one day activity for all his staff to help clean up the city or organize tour to visit old folks home and orphanage. As an end user, I will have a feeling that even t hough Hondas final objective is to make money but it did have the consideration to give it services back to the society. B) Compare and contrast Japanese and Western strategic leadership model by reference to Table 5 in the Honda case study. Explain which of the two model you prefer, and why? There are 2 different kinds of management models in the Honda case study. Let us now compare the 2 models and later part decides on which model is more suitable for todays business. Let us compare the two models by the category. In Western management system, the work process model shows that its employees are categorized in the are those employee who just do their daily job but do not have a thought of how to improve on their job and they poses no skill to do their job. The Japanese on the other hand will have workers that are the thinking type and are multi-tasking. The production organization and logistics in the western management model will produce large lot production and just in case logistics and uses the push system; where as the Japanese will only have small lot production and just in time logistics and uses pull system. In the organization, westerners practice vertical type of management, fragmented duties and individually responsible for the action they have done. Japanese on the other hand practice horizontal type of management, broad duties and the group will be responsible even if the actions are cause by individual doings. As for the labor relations, the westerners will be more on job control focus, cross-company unions and hire and fire. Unlike the westerners, the Japanese emphasize on employment condition focus, enterprise unions and job for life. In the industry organization set up, western management model separates firms and have a distant inter-firm relations. The Japanese on the other hand believe in Keiretsu families and close inter-firm relations. Overall, the western management model is based on mass, standardized and fordist; where as the Japanese is lean, flexible and post-fordist. In my opinion, both of the model has its pros and cons. Therefore, the best thing to do is to integrate both of them. For example, a firm should implement horizontal management style to allow more communication but individual for responsible so that employees will have the motivation to work hard to climb up the corporate ladder which will create value for the firm. For production and logistics, both large lot production and small lot production can be integrated so that no wastage of time if some of the parts are not supplied on time. When comes to labor relations, the firm should also uses both hire and fire and job for life. Hire and fire for those bad workers and job for life for those who is good and loyal. Therefore, no single management style is suitable for all kind of business. The important thing is to customize the theories to the type that best fits the business.

An Unforgettable Experience - Original Writing Essay -- Papers

An Unforgettable Experience - Original Writing It was my first time at Dubai Airport, the symbol of United Arab Emirates' aviation ascendancy. The bustling International airport was a long way away from my rural residence. Due to the long distance, we had been obliged to take the taxi instead of making use of public transport. The atmosphere in the car was generally silent, but occasionally my parents moaned about all the minor discomforts of the journey. It felt like we were in a funeral. Hours after departing my house, we started noticing frequent aeroplanes, low down in the sky indicating the proximity to the airport. The roads had become more congested and the air was more contaminated than from where we had initially departed. During the taxi ride to Dubai Airport a sense of inexplicable anticipation had built up within me. As we arrived at the airport, I stared in awe at the size and beauty of the place. Just looking at the sheer number of people in the airport overwhelmed me. When traveling by plane, most people are in fear of getting hijacked or the plane crashing, but the main form of fear for me was fear of getting lost at the airports or there being complications with the flight tickets. Although the reasons for my fear were trivial in comparison, they built up a sense of nervousness with me. As I perambulated through the long, tedious, oblique passageway of the edifice into the capacious waiting room, I started quivering in obvious trepidation. The waiting room was an enormous room abundant with people from many different social classes. Parents tightly held their children's hands in solitude of losing them in the... ...rries has been deeply carved into my heart where it will stay forever, and so will Linda. I had always thought of myself as a "boring person" who did the most tedious things and who would never fall in love but I was wrong. I used to think that my life was like a bittersweet symphony, similar to the words of a sad song, where the words have no meaning. My life had always been like a pointless existence in my view. This dramatic experience taught me that merely to exist is not enough. Life must have a purpose; a meaning; a reason. Life must encompass dreams of aspiration. From that day, I decided what my goal of life would be. The realization of the value of life stimulated me to become a doctor and help save other people's valuable lives. I guess I gained something from this journeyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦but not what I really wanted. An Unforgettable Experience - Original Writing Essay -- Papers An Unforgettable Experience - Original Writing It was my first time at Dubai Airport, the symbol of United Arab Emirates' aviation ascendancy. The bustling International airport was a long way away from my rural residence. Due to the long distance, we had been obliged to take the taxi instead of making use of public transport. The atmosphere in the car was generally silent, but occasionally my parents moaned about all the minor discomforts of the journey. It felt like we were in a funeral. Hours after departing my house, we started noticing frequent aeroplanes, low down in the sky indicating the proximity to the airport. The roads had become more congested and the air was more contaminated than from where we had initially departed. During the taxi ride to Dubai Airport a sense of inexplicable anticipation had built up within me. As we arrived at the airport, I stared in awe at the size and beauty of the place. Just looking at the sheer number of people in the airport overwhelmed me. When traveling by plane, most people are in fear of getting hijacked or the plane crashing, but the main form of fear for me was fear of getting lost at the airports or there being complications with the flight tickets. Although the reasons for my fear were trivial in comparison, they built up a sense of nervousness with me. As I perambulated through the long, tedious, oblique passageway of the edifice into the capacious waiting room, I started quivering in obvious trepidation. The waiting room was an enormous room abundant with people from many different social classes. Parents tightly held their children's hands in solitude of losing them in the... ...rries has been deeply carved into my heart where it will stay forever, and so will Linda. I had always thought of myself as a "boring person" who did the most tedious things and who would never fall in love but I was wrong. I used to think that my life was like a bittersweet symphony, similar to the words of a sad song, where the words have no meaning. My life had always been like a pointless existence in my view. This dramatic experience taught me that merely to exist is not enough. Life must have a purpose; a meaning; a reason. Life must encompass dreams of aspiration. From that day, I decided what my goal of life would be. The realization of the value of life stimulated me to become a doctor and help save other people's valuable lives. I guess I gained something from this journeyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦but not what I really wanted.

Dickens Era--Child Labor :: History

Dickens Era--Child Labor Even though many of you parents out there are in fact opposed to sending your children to work in these textile factories, there are, in fact, many parents who do feel differently. However, there aren’t enough of these kinds of parents to satisfy factory owners, so they went as far as to purchase innocent children from orphanages and workhouses. These poor children are now called pauper apprentices. They are forced into signing contracts that pronounced them the property of the factory. Because these Pauper apprentices are quite a bit cheaper to house and pay than adult workers these types of children labor workers have become extremely popular. These children work and live under terrible conditions. There are even children as young as three years old put into work in these factories. Normally, however they began work at age 5, and generally die before they reach age 25. This leaves them about four years away from working. Many of them are released at age 21. Punishment is a common activity in these factories. Because maintaining the speed the over lookers of these laborers can get very difficult after a while, the over lookers, with their hearts of stone, have no sympathy and punish the children for slowing down. They are either hit with a strap to make them work faster or sometimes get their heads dipped into the water boiler. If late to work or caught talking to their peers, they are punished as well. Runaways are immediately sent to jail as well as suspected runaways. The owners are supposed to supply their workers with meals. The quality of the food isn’t good and the quantity is meager. Often, these children have to eat while working causing dust and other particles to smother the food. I was given the opportunity to briefly interview one little boy from a factory. However, our interview was cut off because he had to return to his duties. He is an eight year old named Jeremy who works at the Quarry Bank Mill. It broke my heart listening to him: How old are you Jeremy? I’m eight How long have you been working here? Since I was 4 years old Jeremy, I noticed that your leg is injured, how long has your leg been this way? It’s been this way for a few years—I think it’s because I never get a chance to really rest it.

The Caste System Ideology in Akira Kurosaw’s Seven Samurai :: Movie Film Essays

The Caste System Ideology in Akira Kurosaw’s Seven Samurai Akira Kurosaw’s Seven Samurai is a film that encompasses various ideologies in order to allow the audience to understand the lives of Japanese people during the 1600’s. The film delves deep in social issues of the roles of the people within the society, the expectations as well as the obligations within the respected castes and elements within groups of ; suffering, working together, protecting family and working for the better good of the community. The caste system ideology is most clearly presented of all the ideologies named. The caste system is embedded in the Japanese culture as well as their way of life. Both the samurai and the farmers are bound by the roles that are imposed by the society. The samurai soldiers are proud protectors of the art of war, they accept their fate in battle as well as their duty to die for the causes they fight for. As the film comes to an end the samurai stand at the foot of the hill with the graves of the fallen soldiers, yet they do not mourn, rather accept the fate of the warriors and understand their place in the caste system. The farmers have a tough time gathering enough samurai to protect their village from the bandits. They are afraid of the warriors, yet they are giving up everything the village posses to employ the samurai to protect the village. After the village is safe, the farmers no longer want the samurai to stay imposing themselves in their village. The separation of the castes is rather obviously displayed in the love affair between the farmer’s daughter and the youngest samurai. The two are actually forbidden to be together due to their social status. This fact is evident when the battles end, the village is safe again, yet the girl chooses to stay with her village than to be with the young samurai. The crossover of the castes did not happen in this film, to show how love can transcend all boundaries and last forever; instead the two fall back into their respected roles in the society.

Our Mutual Friend

Wider Reading Books Research: Name: Our Mutual Friend Author: Charles Dickens Synopsis: The multiple plots of Our Mutual Friend, Dickens's last complete novel, twine around the miser John Harmon's legacy of profitable heaps of refuse (â€Å"dust†). Harmon dies and leaves the dustheap operation to his estranged son John, on the condition that he marries Bella Wilfer, a young woman unknown to him. When a body found in the Thames is believed to be the younger Harmon, travelling home to receive his inheritance, the dustheaps descend instead to Harmon's servant Noddy Boffin (â€Å"The Golden Dustman†).Boffin and his wife respond to their new status by hiring Silas Wegg, a â€Å"literary man with a wooden leg† to teach Boffin to read; arranging to adopt an orphaned toddler from his poor great-grandmother; and bringing the socially ambitious Bella Wilfer into their home, where she is watched and evaluated by John Rokesmith, a mysterious young man employed as Boffin's se cretary. Rokesmith is actually John Harmon, who has survived betrayal and attempted murder and is living incognito so that he can observe Bella.Boffin's negative transformation by his wealth, Bella's moral awakening as she witnesses the changes wealth produces in Boffin and in herself, and the developing love relationship between Rokesmith and Bella form one key sub-plot. Another is the romance between gentlemanly idler Eugene Wrayburn and Lizzie Hexam, the daughter of the waterman who finds the drowned body. Class differences and the obsessive love and jealousy of schoolmaster Bradley Headstone threaten their relationship, but they are finally married with the help of the crippled dolls' dressmaker Jenny Wren.The smaller plots that interweave these sensation/romance narratives comment on the hypocrisy of fashionable life (â€Å"Podsnappery†) and the destruction of the family lives of both rich and poor by an industrialized, materialistic society. Characters: John Harmon, Bel la Wilfer, Noddy Boffin, Mrs Henrietta Boffin, Lizzie Hexam, Charley Hexam, Eugene Wrayburn. Themes: One of the most prevalent symbols in Our Mutual Friend is that of the River Thames, which becomes part of one of the major themes of the novel, rebirth and renewal.Water is seen as a sign of new life, used by churches during the sacrament of Baptism as a sign of purity and a new beginning. In Our Mutual Friend, it has the same meaning. Characters like John Harmon and Eugene Wrayburn end up in the waters of the river, and come out reborn as new men. Wrayburn emerges from the river on his deathbed, but is ready to marry Lizzie to save her reputation. Of course, he surprises everyone, including himself, when he survives and goes on to have a loving marriage with Lizzie.John Harmon also appears to end up in the river through no fault of his own, and when Gaffer pulls his â€Å"body† out of the waters, he adopts the alias of John Rokesmith. This alias is for his own safety and peac e of mind; he wants to know that he can do things on his own, and does not need his father’s name or money to make a good life for himself. [29] Throughout Our Mutual Friend, Dickens uses many descriptions that relate to water.Some critics refer to this as â€Å"metaphoric overkill,† and indeed there are numerous images described by water that have nothing to do with water at all. [30] Phrases such as the â€Å"depths and shallows of Podsnappery,† [31] and the â€Å"time had come for flushing and flourishing this man down for good† [31] show Dickens’s use of watery imagery, and help add to the descriptive nature of the book. Historical Background: Our Mutual Friend was published in nineteen monthly numbers in the fashion of many earlier Dickens novels and for the first time since Little Dorrit (1855–7).A Tale of Two Cities (1859) and Great Expectations (1860–1) had been serialized in Dickens's weekly magazine All the Year Round. Dicke ns remarked to Wilkie Collins that he was â€Å"quite dazed† at the prospect of putting out twenty monthly parts after more recent weekly serial. Our Mutual Friend was the first of Dickens's novels not illustrated by Hablot Browne, with whom he had collaborated since The Pickwick Papers (1836–7).Dickens instead opted for the younger Marcus Stone and, uncharacteristically, left much of the illustrating process to his discretion. After suggesting only a few slight alterations for the cover, for instance, Dickens wrote to Stone: â€Å"All perfectly right. Alterations quite satisfactory. Everything very pretty† Stone's encounter with a taxidermist named Willis provided the basis for Dickens's Mr. Venus, after Dickens had indicated he was searching for an uncommon occupation (â€Å"it must be something very striking and unusual†) for the novel.

Learning Portfolio Essay

During the semester, I dupe had to fail a alone(p) guinea pig structure that was sack to maximize the efficiency with which I utilized my select time. Before starting the feed, I occupy the speculate handbook so that I could propose a rough stem of what the data track entailed and the nature of information I would be required to familiarize myself with. This enabled me to observe other applicable sources of information similarly the books suggested in the recommended reading list. In the cognitive process of reading these frame forges, I took brief nones of the ideas and points that appeargond noneworthy. macrocosm in a non-English s skin rashing country, pick uping relevant books and other resource materials was some(a)how challenging. I agreeed to utilize the internet to bring forth books and journal articles from electronic libraries and databases. I as well as had to subscribe to various journals so that I could get updated news ab come to the fore the cou rse since I realized that criminology is a slashing topic and it requires one to get cuticle studies and briefs.After the onset of the course, I had to develop effective study habits so that I could organize my time while staying on top of my range. I realized that in order to succeed, I had to make the overcompensate decisions ab aside managing my time and resources. I had to launch my studies the priority they deserve and I did non let friends or family dictate to me on what aspects of my look were much important than others.My immersion and grasping ability is at its peak during the morning hours, at quiet and coolheaded surroundings which do non tender each distraction. I utilised in discussions and debates surrounding the course material since I know getting the perspective of my helpmate students and their contri scarceions on the points I might w ar missed is rattling important.Concerning my assignments, I eternally make sure I let in in ideal them on ti me and I sackvas them before every variety. I likewise co-relate assignment content and what is in my nones to ensure that I brook completed them satisfactorily. I rely on my notes for this because they are very comprehensive since I review and update them after every class usually including paraphrasing content in my deliver words and including examples.These study strategies I adopt during the semester are very effective, and after cross-checking with my crack students and a collection of study guides obtainable in the internet, I found out that they are tranquilize very relevant. Of course, I know there will everlastingly be ways of modify them as challenges mount. For example, I found out that I had real misunderstood some concepts and ideas I had assumed I fully understood, so I fatality to liaise with my prof and study group more(prenominal).When I started this course, I did not occupy a open understanding of what was really expected of me. I did not know if what I was doing was skillful or wrong, so I had to get the help of my fellow students, friends who had already graduate from the course and my professor to help me learn how to express my points and ideas. I constantly wish to feel that I am supporting up to expectation, so I always readk feedback to help me identify areas I sewer cleanse on.I drive formed a consistent confinement to request my colleagues and supervisors so that I lavatory refine my perspective regarding key concepts and ideas. In my attempt to be an all-rounder, I rig the kind of feedback I need from my colleagues, professors and supervisors at work. I do not charge ask for a critique of the eccentric and quantity of effort I confide in my studies or my work, however I as well as seek to find out other peoples learning of how effective or ineffective my fundamental interaction with other people and the musical arrangement is. I also gave some of my shows to friends and colleagues to read and utilise their criticism and opinions to improve on my essay piece of writing skills.I feel that I can use the feedback I obtain regarding my study and work strategies and quality to improve by developing plans of action found on it on a invariable basis. Feedback is effective merely if it is involved in the review of strengths and weaknesses so that the actions taken can be specifically tailored to work out on my strengths and work on my weaknesses.It is however important to note that feedback can exactly be genuine if the seeker also re preferablys by giving feedback to the people he or she seeks opinion from. Even though some people may not like getting feedback on their executing especially if it is negative, I try as much as possible to reciprocate by giving genuine feedback to those involuntary to acknowledge it so that I can receive an equal measure in return.I would be honest if I say that this course has been an eye uprooter for me. Through planning my time to go through course requirements like attending to classes and end my assignments in time, I energise learnt to be more organized not only in class merely in other spheres of my life. The need for efficiency make me engage in interrogation in an attempt to identify break off, faster and more effective reading styles, and I collapse these on this course. I view as reach a better reading hurrying and I piss become better in twain written and mouth English.Through look into and preparation for writing my essays, I have improved on my writing skills a great deal. I have learnt several referencing styles and I could even take a chance at professional writing as of now. Criminology requires converse presentation of ideas, facts and arguments and this course has increase my uninflected skills and the depth of my counting.In the past, I have sort of been what social scientists would call a right brain thinker. To me, an occurrence or a phenomenon was true or false, caustic or white. But the course has taught me to think from different perspectives. This has been a big interpolate for me bearing in mind that I have been quite opinioned about criminology issues but I have versed to yield attention and get many sides to any event.Starting university has had an enormous impact on my academic, person-to-person and work life as well. Being a student and functional at the same time is a challenge for many people. I work and study and since I realize that both are important to my life, I weart let one take the time of the other. I do not take time off to study or skip classes to work or because I worked late but I do take some hours off to catch up on my assignments and to engage in extracurricular activities to refresh my faculties and also to print my essay.As far as my private life is concerned, my academic engagements have made it necessary to study on most nights and weekends but the generate has been vertical since I have gained the ability to se e things from an academic and professional angle and conclude likewise.This course has definitely induced a lot of changes in me. For starters, I have larn to be flexible to different thoughts and ideas, and since I have learned so much in the process, I have found out that some of the opinions I hold regarding other people and occurrences are not necessarily justified. With an increase in knowledge comes a change in heart, and the new ideas, concepts and facts I have learned have changed my opinion and position a great deal.Since the beginning of this course, I have continually learned that there is so much information out there for me to absorb and generate in my essays, arguments and in my professional life. Information for real has the competency to change someones beliefs. The more I am challenged, the more I have become aware of the need and the virtue of being able to underpin the set, beliefs and military postures of other people.By virtue of the amount of money of lit I have had to cover, my attitude towards work has changed. Work, be it academic or professional, is no longer an obligation to me, but an opportunity to improve my vistas of knowledge and my cognitive content to interact with people, information and real life circumstances. In other words, the course has apt(p) me an opportunity to grow in compositors case as a person.Through the study of moral values as they apply in criminology and psychology, I have learned that morality is a very personal issue and that not a angiotensin-converting enzyme person can rationally shoot to have more superior values as compared to others. In as such, my attitude to people has changed a lot, and I am no longer quick to try out the actions of others without front establishing the motives behind their actions.Creative and research and essay writing has taught me the importance of respecting expert property. I have come across so much written material in this course materials which have inc reased my knowledge base in ways I could not have imagined. It is a matter of fact that people someplace took their time to do research, derive facts and write them down plus their relationship to and occupation in real life situations. It is not only responsible but also ethical therefore to respect their rights to their work by responsibly using these works. responsible for(p) use of literary material is achieved by avoiding plagiarism. This entails proper use of resources and the application of classify referencing techniques to cite the contribution of existing literature in any produced essays or research papers. I had never done any referencing before, but the resources providing guidelines for referencing available at the university website helped me a lot in learning how to responsibly utilize literary materials without abusing intellectual property.As I pointed out earlier, I did not know what was expected of me before actually joining this course. As the course progress ed, I came to realize that it is actually a very interesting course. Even though it is quite challenging in impairment of barrier in comprehending some of the concepts taught, I do not regret taking it.The course has made me understand people better and have valuable insight on the motivations people have while committing some of the activities they commit. As I said earlier, I had to work as I undertook this course. The responsibilities could have been overwhelming for most people and their families, but the experience brought me closer to my wife who support me throughout the duration of the course and has still lodged to support me.In terms of my professional experience, the course has opened up my mind and conscience. I have met a lot of interesting people and the experience has made me a better communicator, improving the relationship between me and my work colleagues. I am a very ambitious person and I want to continue growing professionally, that is why I headstrong to f urther my education in the first place. My ambition sometimes brings me at betting odds with my colleagues, but I have cognise how to effectively handle their aggressions. I believe that these skills are going to push me up the professional ladder, even though this is going to take some time considering the system of my place of work.