Airborne Express: the Underdog

AIRBORNE EXPRESS: THE UNDERDOG CASE STUDY QUESTIONS 1. Analyze the United States small package express delivery industry in the 1990’s using the Porter’s Five Force Model. Rate each of the five forces as either weak, moderate, strong or fierce. Justify your rating by using two factors under each force and describing how these factors affect the strength of the force. The Bargaining Power of Buyers The bargaining power of the buyer was somewhat moderate-to-slightly strong due to the fact that certain corporations were so high ranked that, they could manipulate their prices to their advantage.On top of that substitutions existed with the other mailing companies which gave the â€Å"buyer† choices. Low prices were taken advantage of by consumers, for if they were too expensive, they’d switch their services over to another company who would provide the same shipping, delivery and transportation system, at a more reasonable price. High-volume corporate customer s have a great deal with more bargaining power than customers who don’t buy from them frequent enough. This meant that they could allow and demand substantial discounts.IBM made a 3-year contract with Airborne Express to pay them to carry their products that were 150 pounds or less. The only downfall about that was that Airborne Express had to offer rates 84% below Federal Express’s list prices. Approx. 80% of Airborne’s revenue came from corporate accounts such as IBM. High-volume corporate companies such as IBM have the bargaining power over Airborne Express. The Bargaining Power of Suppliers The bargaining power of the suppliers, at the time, was fairly strong.When it came down to the delivering and shipping of packages in the world, there were only a few companies who operated globally. This is one bargaining power that Airborne (the supplier gained). . Data Product Corp. ; a producer of computer printers, contracted out Airborne to take care of their arrang ements and shipments of their component parts. Airborne controlled the consolidation and movement of component parts from the component part supplier through the Hong Kong assembly operation. This allowed the company to minimize inventory-holding costs for the Data Product Corp.Airborne was in control and created set prices for the company to abide by or else, they would cease to ship for the company. Airborne shipped everything by night in which they controlled when packages were delivered. They would close their drop boxes at 5pm, so any packages that weren’t ready by that time, weren’t shipped until the next day. They controlled the time of when packages were due so customers would push to get their packages put into these drop boxes before they closed. Airborne also created and built their own hub-and-spoke system capable of supporting a nationwide distribution system.They had their own planes, trucks, as well as other equipment, which meant that they didn’t have to rely on others to send out their packages. They were in control and could regulate their own price and supply levels directly. 2. List at least two strategies that Airborne implemented to strengthen each of the four building blocks of competitive advantage (efficiency, innovation, quality and customer responsiveness). Explain how the strategy strengthened the building block. r 3. Did Airborne Express have a sustainable competitive advantage? If yes, what was the competitive advantage based on.If no, why was their competitive advantage not sustainable? Yes, Airborne Express did have a sustainable competitive advantage. They provided many strategies that companies of others did not implement and/or use. One would be the usage of special drop boxes for their customers. Airborne provided multiple drop boxes in several locations for customers to send their packages along. The packages were collected from the drop boxes at 5 pm, everyday. These drop boxes were placed and located in specific locations such as; lobbies in major commercial buildings, which made access to these boxes available to many.Central drop boxes were placed in the cities as well, allowing customers up to 6 pm before collecting packages and closing the drop boxes. Another advantage that Airborne Express had over other companies was the development of their information systems. With these information systems in use, Airborne Express had improved their customer service as well as boost productivity within the company. The three information systems that were created were: the Libra II system, the FOCUS system, and also, the EDI system.Libra II was used to calculate and weigh the package at hand, while providing shipping labels and reports. The FOCUS system recorded the status of the package (such as location, shipment time, etc. ). Last but not least, the EDI system was used to â€Å"eliminate the flow of paperwork†. This meaning that forms in the form of â€Å"paper† was redu ced if not removed and instead replaced with electronic data forms. Another competitive advantage that Airborne had was the strategic alliances that were created with multiple foreign agents.These countries consisted of Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, and South Africa. With this move globally, this put Airborne into the international aspect of package shipping and delivery. 4. As Airborne Express’ customers became global, Airborne Express had to develop a network to meet their needs to deliver packages to international location. They chose a very different approach than Federal Express. Describe Airborne Express’ strategies to provide global services. Also list two advantages and two risks associated with the approach that Airborne Express adopted.

Enthalpy Lab

LAB OF ENTHALPY CHANGE IN COMBUSTION Objective: Determine the Enthalpy change of combustion ? Hc of three different alcohols. Methanol, Ethanol and Isopropilic acid. Procedure: 1. Fill the spirit micro burner with Ethanol and weight it 2. Pour 100 cm3 of water into the aluminum cup 3. Arrange the cup a short distance over the micro burner 4. Measure the temperature of water 5. When the temperature of the water has risen by 10 °C, record the temperature. 6. Reweight the microburner. Record 7. Repeat steps 1 to 6 but now with Methanol 8.Repeat step 1 to 6 with Isopropilic acid. Data and Processing Alcohols | Initial mass of microburner fill with alcohol (g) ± 0. 01| Final mass of microburner fill with alcohol (g) ± 0. 01| Initial temperature of water( °C) ± 0. 1| Final temperature of water( °C) ± 0. 1| Volume of water in metallic calorimeter (cm3)  ±0. 5| Ethanol | 5. 38| 5. 08| 23. 0| 33. 0| 100. 0| Methanol | 5. 33| 4. 94| 24. 0| 34. 0| 100. 0| Isopropolic acid | 5. 4 5| 5. 20| 24. 0| 34. 0| 100. 0| Find the mass of water ?=mv ? (density) H2O = 1. 0 g /cm3 Calculate % Uncertainty in mass of waterAs the mass of water is the same in the 3 alcohols the %uncertainty is the same for all the alcohols Absolute uncertainty of the measuring cylindermass of water ? 100 Calculating ? mass change (alcohol’s burned mass) (initial mass  ± 0. 01 g)-(final mass  ± 0. 01 g) Calculating percentage uncertainty in alcohol burned mass Absolute uncertainty of alcohol's burned massalcohol's burned mass ? 100 Calculate the percentage uncertainty of alcohol burned moles percentage uncertainty of alcohol burned mass+percentage uncertainty of alcohol`s molar mass Calculating ?H (enthalpy change) ?H=-mass of water x specific heat of water x ? T of water mol of alcohol * The specific heat for water is 4. 18 =100Ãâ€"4. 184x 10=4,184 J or 4,184 KJ exothermic Methanol= * H2O = 100 ml * mH2O= 100 mg * t1 H2O= 23 °C Mass (i) methanol= 5. 38g * tf= H2O=33 °C Mass ( f) methanol= 5. 08 g ?T= TF-TI= ?T= 10 °C Calculating mass change ?m=mi-mf= 5. 38-5. 30=0. 30g ?m=? mMr=0. 3032. 04=0. 009 mol ?H=-4. 1840. 009=-464888. 9jmol % uncertainity(balance)= ±0. 020. 30x 100=6. 67 % % uncertainity(thermometer )= ±110x 100=10 % %error=-726000-(-464888. )-726000x 100=36% Qualitative Observations We could see from the burn of methanol that the flame owas of color orange red, moreover therewere not dirt in the bottle. Ethanol * H2O = 100 ml * mH2O= 100 mg * t1 H2O= 24 °C Mass (i) ethanol= 5. 33 g * tf= H2O=34 °C Mass (f) ethanol= 4. 94 g ?T= TF-TI= ?T= 10 °C Calculating mass change ?m=mi-mf= 0. 39 g 5. 33-4. 94= 0. 39 g ethanol 0. 3946. 07 g/mol=0,008 mol ?H=-4. 1840. 008=-523,000jmol % uncertainity(balance)= ±0. 020. 39x 100=13 % % uncertainity(thermometer )= ±110x 100=10 % %error=-1360000-(-523000. 0)-1368000x 100=61. % Qualitative Observations We can observe a lost of weight during the experiment, moreover the flame was orange blue but with a big strong orange , it didn’t burn complete therefore show dirt in the cup. Isopropolic acid * H2O = 100 ml * mH2O= 100 mg * t1 H2O= 24 °C Mass (i) = 5. 45 g * tf= H2O=34 °C Mass (f) ethanol= 5. 20g ?T= TF-TI=10 c ?m=mi-mf= 0. 25 g Isopropolic acid 0. 25 60,1g/mol=0,004 mol ?H=-4. 1840. 04=-1,046,000jmol % uncertainitybalance= ±0. 020. 25x 100=8% % uncertainity(thermometer )= ±110x 100=10 % %error=-2006. 9-(-1046. 0)-2006. 9x 100=47. 9% At last, the alcohol used was Isopropilic acid. The flame with this alcohol was the strongest flame, it was very strong, was very yellow at the top and blue at the bottom. * We could also notice that all the 3 alcohols produced Soot. (is a general term that refers to impure carbon particles resulting from the incomplete combustion) Conclusion = As we know the finality of the lab was to find the enthalpy change in the three alcohol; methanol, ethanol and isopropyl alcohol.. Enthalply change is to see or measure up the toal energy of t hermodynamic system.Focusing in the result we got the actual enthalpy change with a smaller value in the theoretical this is because during the experiment there was a lot of energy lost mostly in the heat . the percentage of uncertainty could be also emphasize that the heat was lost due to we didn’t aggregate in precise way the distance between the flame and the micro burner, and percentage error was high because the heat was transfereedto the materials in the system not only to the water . Moreover from the qualitative observations we could conclude out it there was a complete or incomplete combustions.Methanol got a complete combustion since there was no soot under the cup,therefore carbol dioxide was realeased. 2CH4O (1) + 3O2 (G) = 2CO2(g) + 4H2O (I) Ethanol case was different we see that some sootappeared in the cup, therefore carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide . C2H6O (I)+ 3O2(G)= 2CO2 (g)+3H2O (I) C2H6O (I)+ 3O2(G)= 2CO(g)+3H2O (I) Isopropilic Acid ,there was soot prod uced in the experiment, there was a incomplete combustion there was more carbon moxide produced than carbpn dioxide Errors Complete combustion was not completed because of the lack of oxygen available.The micro burner had a little wick which affects the intensity of the flame The distance between the micro burner and the metallic calorimeter varies. So its no a fair experiment Heat was lost to the surrounding and the aluminum cup absorbed some of it. Improvements Use aluminum foil for a next trial to keep the flame and the base of the cup insulated from the surroundings. Measure an exact distance and keep it constant for all trials. For a next trial uses a longer wick that will provide a more intense flame that wont run out Try to provide an adequate oxygen supply that would be suitable for lab conditions.

Spanking

Spanking is a form of corporal punishment. Corporal punishment is the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence. It is usually done in act by an adult, parent, or guardian hitting the child or students buttock. The reason this is done is in response to bad behavior. Some countries have outlawed the act of spanking in every setting, but many allow it as long as it is done by a parent or guardian. As many people think spanking is an okay discipline, this one of the most controversial methods of disciplining your child. On one side some parents think spanking should never be done, and then there are parents who believe it is okay as long as it is done for a particular reason. To some spanking a child means â€Å"slapping a child on the buttock† (Straus, 1991, pg 5) Spanking a child may stop the child from behaving for the moment but that will only last for a short period of time. An article from Mayo Clinic states, â€Å"Children learn how to act by watching their parents. The best way to show your child how to behave is to set a positive example for him or her to follow† This is saying that if you spank your child, your child will think it is okay to hurt others. Also that your children look up to you, parents are a role model for their child. There was a study released in 1991 by The Family Research Laboratory of the Univeristy of New Hampshire that was showed that the more a child is spanked, the lower that their IQ test will be in four years. The paper was described by researcher Dr. Straus at the World Congress of Sociology in Montreal. They studied 960 children who were varied between the ages of one and four between the years of 1986-1990. Thirteen percent of parents examined spanking their children seven or more time a week. The usual was 3. 6 spanking per week. The children that were physically disciplined scored a below average score of 98 on their tests. Those who were almost never disciplined scored an above average of 102 on their tests. â€Å"We know that children who are under the threat of violence or aggression develop a fight-or-flight response system that has an impact on creativity and imagination, both of which could influence their IQ†¦ Children need discipline but not hitting. (Jane Gadd, â€Å"Spanked children suffer intellectually,† The Globe and Mail, Toronto ON, 1998-JUL-30) This is stating that children do not need to be hit in order to be taught between wrong and right. Beacause spanking a child may be effective for a while it can escalade. The parent will often repeat this action every time the child misbehaves. Corporal punishment may become an â€Å"everyday† action which can lead to an increasingly normal and harsher spanking can exceed the reasonable force and later turn into abuse. 85% of all cases of physical abuse result from some form of over discipline through the use of corporal punishment† this means that 85% of cases of abuse have started from a simple spanking and escaladed. That being said, after spanking has led to more this action can unintentionally cause serious physical damage. A child that is hit can accidentally fall and injure themselves. Hitting a child’s hand can cause premature osteoarthritis, injure bones, blood vessels, joints and ligaments. Spanking a child can cause death, injure the tail bone, the sciatic nerve, and even injure muscles. Hitting the ear can burst the ear drum.

Critically and comparatively examine the extent to which Virginia Essay

Critically and comparatively examine the extent to which Virginia Woolfe's 'to the lighthouse' and Alice Walker's 'The Colour Purple' reflects the changing role - Essay Example This emerging middle class gave birth to what has since been referred to as the Cult of the True Woman, coined first by Barbara Welter in the mid-1960s (1966), a set of ideas and beliefs regarding the proper structure of the quintessential American family. By the time the Victorian era reached America, the ideal middle class life was firmly established as consisting of a father going off to work and a mother who stayed at home and reared the children. â€Å"The onset of industrialization at the beginning of the nineteenth century highlighted differences among women just as it exacerbated those between men and women workers† (Kessler-Harris, 1991). Widows, single women and others flocked to the mill towns of New England, New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey attracted by the relatively high wages that could be earned in the factories, but even this began to change as the factory owners began working to reduce costs, lowering wages and demanding more work. â€Å"In 1870, 60 per cent of all female workers were engaged in some aspect of domestic service and another 25 percent earned their livings in factories and workshops. Except for janitorial work, factory jobs were off-limits to black women. As late as 1900, when the proportion of white women in domestic service had dropped below 50 percent, most women of color supported themselves and their families with various forms of domestic service. Others participated in the agricultural work that continued to sustain the majority of black families† (Kessler-Harris, 1991). At the same time, the more prosperous married women were prevented from holding any kind of job, instead expected to uphold the traditional feminine values of piety, purity, submissiveness and domesticity. However, as shown in novels of the period such as Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse and novels

Deferent Situation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Deferent Situation - Essay Example Whether it is the basic needs or needs with a greater importance on this hierarchy, the needs have to be catered to and only than can a proper relationship be created between the workforce and the management. If one was to analyze the effect of money in terms of its role as a motivating tool, it could be seen that its effect is only short-lived and consistent usage of this tool could only result in dissatisfaction on the behalf of the workforce and an overall negative relationship would be created. The management needs to establish the needs before taking any action as a demotivated workforce can have serious negative effects of the productivity, and work quality. In order to cater to the higher needs along the pyramid such a the need of self-esteem etc, the management would need to make use of non-monetary motivating tools such as words of praise, acknowledgement of work, management by objectives etc which would allow the workforce to feel like an integral part of the company. Answer: 2 This paper would review two important components of power defined as visible and invisible power. Visible power as the words themselves explain is seen as the first face of power and is the vocal part of power itself. It can be evidenced through the participatory behavior in the decision making process and as a result, the decision making can be influenced as well. Having a pluralist sense of power, one is able to observe the effect and activities pertaining to this power as well. The other form of power which this paper would be looking at would be the invisible form of power. It can be defined as that power which allows the decision making bodies to shape the requirement and wants of the people according to their actions and decisions. One is able to observe this sense of power in the social, cultural, ideological values and norms as through our practices we are able to at out this sense of power. While visible power can be observed, that is not the case with this form of power as one s not always able to observe this sense of power. The sources of power are money, intelligence, hard work, information and lastly the position that a person has. The strength of these sources determines the strength f the power itself. The basic two components of power itself; motivation and resources-decide the level of power than an individual has. Those people who take a more hands-on approach and are seen as more active decision makers are usually described as visible power seekers wile those who sit on the sidelines merely observing and guiding the processes are defined as invisible power seekers. Answer 3: Summary diagram: Dioxin Produced Decrease in mercury levels PVCs decrease Greater biological swath Incinerators down b) The article presents a number of stakeholders and all of them have an interest in terms of their own earnings, health or community health. The following stakeholders were identified as having an interest this venture and

Practical 'learning and development event' for a local UAE company in Research Paper

Practical 'learning and development event' for a local UAE company in need of a leadership capacity development training - Research Paper Example The objective of the paper has been to identify the training needs in accordance with the leadership capacity of EITC. During the observation, it was noted that the workforces of EITC comprise a diverse culture with a major inclusion of authoritative leadership style which implies that the managers follow a commanding portfolio. It is also observed that the managers follow a centralized form for managing the activities of the company. The HRD department of the company is also observed to be lacking in managing the diverse workforces in this changing and highly competitive business environment. It is owing to this reason that the company should be facilitated with effective training as well as development program. Accordingly, the four competencies including leading people, strategic management, stimulating commitment and managing change has been suggested to the HR manager in EITC for the enhancement of their skills as well as to perform effectively in the ever changing and competiti ve business environment. OVERVIEW STATEMENT Emirate Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC) instigated its operations in the year 2006. ... In its current practices, the Emirati telecom company, i.e. EITC was reported to serve around 5 million people as customers as well as around 40,000 businesses in the local market segments as on 2011. The company is further noted to count on around 2,000 employees’ productivity to deliver superior quality services to its customers. A unique feature of the working environment in EITC is that it comprises employees belonging to diverse cultures from around 60 countries even though the company is still observed to be operating within the local market of UAE. Nevertheless, half of the senior management team as well as staff serving customers directly comprise UAE nationals (EITC, â€Å"Who we are†). Taking the virtues of its diverse workforce, the company seeks to provide better value to customers and thereby increase its leadership capability to satisfy its customers’ expectations and requirements. Accordingly, with respect to developmental training, the leaders in ETIC are observed to be mainly emphasized on equality as well as on continuous improvement of the overall workforce. Moreover, as per the vision of the company, the employees should be honest, loyal and integrated in order to execute the assigned task not only competitively but also yielding adequate sustainability. It is in this context that the working environment of ETIC has been strongly influenced by the present business scenario, where the business world has been changing continuously with immense rapidity with respect to competitions and other social, organizational as well as economic changes. The concept of globalization and the development of technologies are determined to be the major factors

1) Do standardized tests measure your ability Essay

1) Do standardized tests measure your ability - Essay Example Standardized tests are common in USA and many other countries around the world. Standardized tests are administered to students mainly at mid-term and also at the end of the term. Despite the widespread usage of standardized tests, however, the question of the efficacy of the standardized tests in measuring the students’ ability is a highly controversial issue. A critical look at this debate shows that the use of standardized tests to measure students’ ability is not effective. This paper gives an argument to show that the standardized tests do not accurately measure students’ ability. To begin with, one of the reasons why the standardized tests do not accurately measure the students’ ability is that most of the time, the questions used in the standardized tests covers only a small portion of the syllabus. In other words, it is not possible for the questions used in the standardized tests to cover everything leant in the syllabus (Garrison, 2009). For this reason, it is possible for the questions used in the standardized tests to cover only the aspects of the syllabus that some students have not understood well or are not good at. For that reason, some students fail in standardized tests not because they are not intelligent, but because the aspect of the syllabus covered by the questions is the aspect that they have not grasped well or they are not good at. This fact shows that the use of standardized test to measure the students’ ability is not an effective way of testing the students’ ability. Secondly, the standardized tests do not take cognisance of the fact that some students may be poor in written exams but very good at oral exams (Popham, 1999). There are, of course, many bright students who fail their written exams, not because they are not intelligent, but simply because they are not good at written exams.

Business Simulation Game (Individual Report) Essay - 1

Business Simulation Game (Individual Report) - Essay Example Fruits are starting to bear for the few steps already covered though we still have a long way to go. Strategic management planning and implementation has been in place for the six years. Our work in the office has been to implement these plans for the last three years and into the future in order to realize the full implementation. The next three years will be about much to do with consolidating the gains made in the last three years in order to maintain the market dominance that we have gained since. There is still room for improvement in our market segment we are pursuing. In internet marketing for example, we are relatively doing well but there are still a number of companies ahead in terms of these segment sales volumes. The same is true in private label and wholesale where competition is very high. Claude Footwear Company core business is the manufacturing of sports footwear. Our markets cover or divided into four geographical regions for ease of doing business; North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe-Africa. These geographic areas are covered and managed from divisional headquarters located in each. The world head office and manufacturing plant is located here in London United Kingdom. As part of the strategic plan in the future is to put up manufacturing plants in some of the regions if we consider that it might be a strategic low-cost measure. This could be implemented sooner in emerging markets in the Asia-Pacific region. Specialty footwear still could be a factor to consider in putting up those plans if you consider country or region specialty sports like long distance running in East Africa, short distance, baseball, basketball, and American football in the Americas and football in Europe. The company in the medium term is implementing, as mentioned earlier a strategic plan which include product innovation, new product lines, marketplace scope expansion, and diversification and

Fragile X Syndrome and Its Impact on Children's Language Essay

Fragile X Syndrome and Its Impact on Children's Language - Essay Example The condition, also called Martin-Bell syndrome, is statistically moderate to severe in boys and normally manifests a mild form of impairment in girls. From 15% to 20% of those with Fragile X syndrome (FXS) exhibit autistic-type behavior such as "poor eye contact, hand flapping, and poor sensory skills" (Edelson, 1995, para. 2). Males with fragile X syndrome may exhibit autistic-like behaviors, but it is not a major cause of autism. About 15 percent of persons with fragile X syndrome may meet diagnostic criteria at some point in their lives. The figure above shows the most common fragile X mutation- an expansion of extra DNA within a specific component of the FMR1 gene. In the premutation, the expansion is relatively small, however, in the full mutation the expansion is quite large and is usually accompanied by abnormal methylation. The presence of abnormal methylation leads to decreased production or absence of the FMR1 gene's protein product, called FMRP. The specific function of FMRP in the human brain is currently under study; current evidence suggests it may be involved in the regulation of proteins produced by other genes. Certain physical characteristics can be seen in an individual with fragile X syndrome. ... Other recognizable features are high-arched palate, strabismus (lazy eye), and, sometimes, mild heart valve abnormalities. Blood tests to determine levels of fragile X mental retardation protein can be done to diagnose the condition and several treatments can be undertaken as well as use of mild medications and therapy for speech, language and sensory improvement. Genetic counseling is recommended (Edelson, 1995). In 1991, the fragile X gene (FMR1) was characterized and found to contain a tandemly repeated sequence, and the larger the size of this permutation in a woman, the more risk that full mutation can occur in her offspring (Fragile X: Diagnostic, para. 3). The genotype can be determined more accurately with DNA testing. Full mutation occurs with one in 3,600 males and one in 4,000-6,000 females (Smith, 2006). Various degrees of mutation, however, occur in one in 1,200 males and one in 2,500 females, and testing should be considered in the following cases: Individuals of either sex with mental retardation, developmental delay, or autism, especially if they have (a) any physical or behavioral characteristics of fragile X syndrome, (b) a family history of fragile X syndrome, or (c) male or female relatives with undiagnosed mental retardation. Individuals seeking reproductive counseling who have (a) a family history of fragile X syndrome or (b) a family history of undiagnosed mental retardation. Fetuses of known carrier mothers. Patients who have a cytogenetic fragile X test result that is discordant with their phenotype. These include patients who have a strong clinical indication (including risk of being a carrier) and who have had a negative or ambiguous test result, and patients with an

Should Organisations Transition Towards a Green Supply Chain Research Proposal

Should Organisations Transition Towards a Green Supply Chain - Research Proposal Example The aim of this paper is to avail action plan and facilitate knowledge among supply chain professionals who need to embrace Green strategy efficiently and communicate these efforts to their commodity consumers, public and partners. Despite the public focus on the environment, benefits attached to reducing a firm’s environmental impacts are never at the forefront of supply chain executives’ minds. It seems that many executives are still unaware of that enhanced environmental performance implies fewer environmental-permitting fees, lesser waste-disposal and training costs, and, quite, lessened material costs. Optimistically, the interest in green issues and environmental concerns by the public will never decline as economic issues become more significant due to the irresolute economy (Charter, Kielkiewicz-Young, et al. 2001). Organizations are at loggerheads in deciding whether to embrace green supply chain management due to lack of proper skills in strategic management of green supply chain. Strategic management of Green supply chain entails gathering and analyzing environmental regulations and customer needs, deliberating on the relevant environmental issues with the procurement, manufacturing an d quality control department across the supply chain organizations and collapsing into development and communication of the green supply chain policies to all stakeholders of the supply chain ranging from supplier to customer’s customer. Such a lengthy and elaborative procedure presents problems for most organizations despite the intense pressure exerted by their respective governments and consumers who have turned to such firms that have not incorporated Green strategies. The academic in proper knowledge endowment on adopting and implanting green supply chain in firms strategic planning and operation thus possess a major threats to those static firms due to lack of increased

Impact of Radiation After Hiroshima Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Impact of Radiation After Hiroshima - Essay Example Mrs. Nakamura's hair begins to fall out, and she and her daughter become ill. At the same time, Mr. Tanimoto, weak and feverish, becomes bedridden. Miss Sasaki is transferred to the Red Cross Hospital in Hiroshima and placed under the care of Dr. Sasaki. Dr. Sasaki notices small hemorrhages all over her bare skin, a mysterious symptom many of his patients are beginning to show. He later discovers that this is the result of her low white-blood cell count, another symptom of radiation sickness. Dr. Fujii is living at a friend's house in nearby Fukawa and is beginning to treat patients again," ("Hiroshima", p.1). From an individual standpoint, the dropping of the atomic bomb would not be the only traumatic thing that the survivors would have to endure for however long. In that respect, survivors would also have to suffer the ramifications of radiation poisoning. Often times used as a treatment option for those suffering from cancer, exposure to radiation can have very harsh results, not just for the diseases that its meant to kill, but also the surrounding internal system of the person. Since every individual person is different, their levels of being able to recover from radiation exposure can be drastically different, but equally as intense. For the citizens of Hiroshima, there would be short term, as well as lo

Critically examine Essay Example for Free

Critically examine Essay The four items from the book all say that women have the majority of the expectation to do more of the domestic tasks. These tasks include such things like caring for the children emotionally, washing clothes and making sure the house is tidy etc. The man is seen to be the main breadwinner and has little to do with such domestic tasks. There are views that say, however, that men are getting more actively involved, for example item D from M. Denscombe says that The amount of time fathers spend with their children has increased fourfold over a generation between 1961 and 1995. But it is very hard to do research within a family unit unless you are in the unit already and can research from within. Item B from M. Jones suggests that the domestic division of labour is not in proportion to the division of employed work, even though there is evidence to suggest that this is sometimes the case, generally studies indicate that inequality rather than symmetry is the defining characteristic of the majority of present day marriages. There are many different sociologists that believe that the division of labour in the home is getting more equal in the present day. Item A involved a huge survey of 543 parents and found that working mothers spend more time on housework than on their full time job. It says that mothers in full time employment spend 56 hours on housework compared to mens 31 hours a week. This shows that even when the mother is working there is still the expectation for her to be the main carer and house worker; this sort of division of labour, which is expected, is called the dual burden. Item C is from M. Leonard and suggests that women accept the role of the housewife because they want to be seen as a good wife and mother. For this reason they are more likely to accept an unequal division of labour. Willmott and Young (1973) introduced the idea of symmetry, which basically meant that the roles of the husband and wife were equal and balanced. They still agreed that women would take the main responsibility for the childcare and domestic tasks, but said that men were spending about the same amount of time as the women in the home doing home-related activities. The idea of symmetry meant that the domestic tasks would be shared equally, but this would not be strictly true as men were still seen to do the practical jobs such as do it yourself tasks or decorating, while the women would wash up. This meant that they did about the same amount of time on domestic tasks, but they were not shared completely equally. This symmetrical division of labour made the relationship more home-centred and they would spend more of the leisure time together, providing a stronger relationship. Willmott and Young would agree that the domestic tasks have become more equal between the husband and wife. This sort of marriage is called the egalitarian marriage where the tasks are more joint. Burghes would agree with Willmott and Young who say that fathers are more active in childcare these days than they were in the 1960s. Benston, a Marxist-feminist argues that women are used as reserve army of labour and that the work that they do and the way they work benefits the capitalist system because they are easily employable and can be let off work easier than men. The capitalist system promotes the traditional nuclear family where the man is the breadwinner and the wife is the carer and looks after the house this is because of the capitalist system that treats women as slaves, women are the slaves of wage slaves Rosser and Harris agree with Wilmot and Youngs theory and say that nowadays the husband is expected to help with the household chores, to stay at home or go out for the evening with his wife, to help with the children, to push the pram, to share the major family decisions. The case studies of young married couples confirmed this marked change in the conjugal relationship and the marked contrast within the recent past. This is a big change from years past as the husband is getting more involved with the children and helping out more within the home. Elizabeth Bott argues that the conjugal roles in the home are both segregated and joint. This means that the jobs round the house are shared in terms of time doing them, but they are segregated because the wife would do different tasks to the man. The man would do such jobs like looking after the car and getting things fixed around the house, while the woman would do jobs which are associated with the mother figure, these are such tasks as making sure there is a dinner on the table and looking after the children while they are playing. Bott also argues that the norms and beliefs of the middle class would eventually filter down into the working class. At the moment the middle class has a different system when it comes to domestic division of labour, they tend to have the joint domestic task system, where as the working class have a segregated division of labour. By saying that this will filter down means that eventually the working class will change their division of labour so that the tasks between the husband and wife are joint. In conclusion I think that the roles within the family are being a lot more shared, so are becoming more symmetrical. The husband and wife are beginning to share their domestic tasks and this will bring them closer to each other, this point agrees with that of Willmott and Young when they say that more of the leisure time that they have will be spent together in the home. I also agree with the view from Beck who says that fathers need an identity, which in this modern world is not provided by their work anymore so they look to other places to provide it. More and more fathers are taking an active role in the development of their children, which provides them with the identity, which they need. The involvement should not be exaggerated though because compared to the mother they still dont play a huge role in the care of the children. This view agrees with Item D, which is the Item that I agree with most as it describes the change of involvement of fathers with their children form the 1960s to the 1990s.

Theory of employability

Theory of employability Chapter 1 1. Introduction The theory of employability can be difficult to identify; there can be many factors that contribute to the idea of being employable. Little (2001) suggests, that it is a multi-dimensional concept, and there is a need to distinguish between the factors relevant to the job and preparation for work. Morley (2001) however states that employability is not just about students making deposits in a bank of skills, Knight (2001) further considers the notion of employability to be: â€Å"A synergic combination of personal qualities, skills of various kinds and subject understanding†. (Knight and Yorke. 2001) The understanding of employability can be seen to be more complicated than the emphasis that Dearing (1997) has placed on students personal qualities, which suggests less emphasis on these qualities and more on generic academic skills. However, it could be assumed that the individuals personal skills could have considerable bearing on a particular students success in the employability stakes. The jobs market is rapidly changing with new sectors emerging, changing the nature of work and the way employees perceive the workplace. Graduates will have to be flexible and have the personal capabilities to manage changing and challenging work situations. Employers are looking to recruit graduates who fit into the organisational culture and utilise their abilities and skills to transform the company by facilitating innovative teamwork. (Harvey et al., 1997) According to Yorke and Knight (2004b) employability is seen to be influenced, amongst other things by students self efficacy beliefs, students self-theories and personal qualities. They highlight that what is of critical importance is the extent to which students feel that they can â€Å"make a difference†. This, importantly, not only broadens the focus to include a wider range of attributes required to be successful within employment but also includes the attributes required to manage ones career development in ways that will sustain ones employability. Its important to identify the significance of self-efficacy in influencing career intentions since the level of self-belief which individuals have in their ability to be successful in the quest of a particular career is likely to control which path is chosen. Individuals will require higher levels of self-efficacy if they are to select a route which is perceived as difficult, challenging or non-traditional. According to Bandura (1997) self-efficacy beliefs are â€Å"beliefs in ones capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to produce given attainments†; indeed, â€Å"peoples level of motivation, affective states, and actions are based more on what they believe than on what is objectively true† (Bandura, 1997, p.3). The literature review will look in turn first at, the employability definition, second, employability and transferable skills, third, employability attributes and finally, personal and self-efficacy attributes 1.1 Methodology and methods 1.2 Aims of the research project The main aims of the research project are to: Provide an evaluative summary of the literature on employability (through the provision of a literature review) Present a picture of graduate employability to employers Explain how self-efficacy has a major influence in the graduates employability profile. Make recommendations for further research on graduate employability. 1.3 Personal aims include: Completion of the compulsory component for the award of an Honours degree in Business Management Preparation for employment 1.4 The objectives of the research project are to discover: Identification of the definition of employability. How graduate employability is viewed by employers and Government. The role of universities in graduates employability attributes. Higher education influences on student personality. Employers approaches in recruiting graduates. How self-efficacy contributes to employability. 1.5 Literature search and review Secondary data will be accessed through Library and Information Service using a selection of tertiary and secondary information sources such as Blackboard, commercial bibliographic databases and Internet search engines and directories. Sources accessed and retrieved will be used to write the literature review. 1.6 Source critique of secondary data The criteria for source critique are authenticity, time relation, independency, and tendency avoidance. Authenticitymeans that the source should be correct and not misleading. Timerelationmeans that the source should be up-to-date. However this does not mean that all old sources should be rejected, as these can include valuable information that is still useful. Independency and tendency avoidanceimply that sources for example should be impartial and objective. The above criteria have been considered to greatest possible extent throughout the work with this paper. To ensure authenticity, the use of original secondary sources will be used, by doing this there is minimal risk of misinterpretations and there is opportunity for the reader to look up and evaluate the original source. To ensure authenticity and high quality of sources only peer-reviewed and well cited sources have been used. There is however a few sources that are not frequently cited. These though have been included to bring interesting and broader aspects to this work. 1.7 Scope and limitations of the study The literature search will aim to be comprehensive; however restricted access to primary literature, for example due to the commercialisation of some of the material sought, will exclude consideration of some sources in the actual literature review. 1.8 Statement of the Problem Which employability skills are desired in todays local workplace for an entry-level applicant? There is a suggestion from some graduate recruiters that students are not prepared for work. However, through efforts from universities and government directives is it the case that employers and universities have not synchronised the expectancy of what makes a graduate employable? Determining what employers want and matching the needs with under-graduate courses can only be achieved if universities obtain the specific needs articulated by potential employers, and keep up with the changes that are taking place in todays workplace, and produce a graduate ready for the world of work. 1. 9 Delimitations The specific delimitations imposed on the study depict what issues the study dealswithand what issues it covers. It therefore can be argued that this study focuses on hypothetical, rather than on practical argument; the picture given of different aspects of the processes of employability will be somewhat limited in comparison to an empirical/practical study of issues of the same processes. A study with a purely theoretical focus will inevitably tend to simplify some aspects of process studied. However, in the process of more or less ignoring certain aspects that otherwise might have contributed to the over-all portrayal of a biased reality, other aspects can be examined, described and analysed with further rigidity. Chapter 2 2 Literature Review 2.1 Literature Review Introduction Defining employability is a difficult process; as Hillage and Pollard (1998) suggests, it is a term used in a selection of contexts with a variety of meanings and can lack clearness and accuracy as concept. This literature review is an attempt to analyse the concepts of employability in regards to UK graduates. And further exploring the affects, self-efficacy has on students ability to be successful in the workplace. 2.2 Employability Baruch (2001) suggests that individuals assume responsibility for their ongoing employability while employers provide opportunities for development. This simplistic view of employability is where individuals manage their careers across employment opportunities and organisations, who in turn offer employment as long as the person is needed. Hillage and Pollard (1998), however, see employability as being capable of getting and fulfilling work through the ability to be self sufficient within the labour market, to realise the potential through sustainable employment. Further, their finding from their report for the DFES for developing a framework for policy analysis on employability, found that employability is about having the capability to gain initial employment, maintain that employment and if necessary find new employment. Knight and Yorke (2003), however, define Employability as: â€Å"A set of achievements, understandings and personal attributes that make individuals more likely to gain employment and be successful in their chosen careers.† (Knight and Yorke, 2003) Employability of a graduate is the predilection of the graduate to show attributes that employers predict will be required for the future successful functioning of their organisation.(Harvey, 1997) He further suggests that graduates will need to be flexible due to the increasing number of short time contracts and part-time work in the work place.(Harvey, 2000) From the HEIs perspective, employability is about producing graduates who are capable and able, Williams and Owen (1997) state the most perceived graduate qualities are the ability to learn, intelligence, ideas and imagination and communication skills. Billing (2003) adds employers want employees who are â€Å"effective communicators, problem solvers and critical thinkers, and can work well within a team†. (Billing, 2003) To understand employability requires a consideration of the various component parts and the different ways in which it is described and evaluated, the generic transferable skills nurtured through university, through to competencies required for employment. This suggests that employability is likely to be less about nurturing attributes, techniques or experiences just to enable a student to get a job; it is about learning with less emphasis on ‘employ and more on ‘ability. The prominence is on developing critical and reflective skills, with a view to empowering and enhancing the learner. Employment is a by-product of this enabling process (Harvey, 2003; Lees, 2002; Knight and Yorke, 2002). Therefore if employability is defined as the ‘set of personal attributes acquired by the under-graduate as a result of their investment in higher education, then what are the attributes that make graduates employable? Much of the literature broadly defines employability attributes as: key, core, generic, personal transferable skills, work/employment related skills (Holmes 2001). However Lees (2002) suggests this imprecision makes it difficult to pinpoint exactly what is meant by the term ‘employability skills. It can be argued, it is where various employers needs and individuals attributes meet. 2.3 What are employability skills? Competencies such as ability, aptitude and qualities developed in context that can be applied to an occupation or career can be identified as employability skills. These competencies might develop employability skills as a result of the teaching and learning process in higher education or from work experience. Employers generally see a good degree as an essential entry requirement to any graduate position. It is widely accepted for graduates to be competitive in the labour market, which is seeing a massive reduction in recruitment numbers due to the economic situation; they need to have additional skills to complement their academic achievement. Surveys by AGR, an independent voice of UK-based graduate recruiters, highlighted the following deficiencies in employability skills: ‘Softer skills such as team-working, leadership and project management Awareness of their chosen industry sector; commercial awareness and business/organisation understanding. (AGR, 2007) AGR state that more than 70% of their members use competency-based selection methods. They further suggest that graduates lacking these qualities, or evidence that they have them, will find it more difficult to secure graduate jobs. It is seen as one of the toughest challenges for employers to recruit from an increasing number of graduates, with employers realising that the future of their organisation depends on the selection of the best candidates to add value. The CIPD reports that since the 1980s the number of students entering HE has significantly increased by more than double, but further states, that even with this increase employers still have difficulty in recruiting the types of employees they need. (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2007a, b, c) It is recognized that having a degree will no longer be enough to get a graduate job. There is evidence that graduate recruiters are looking beyond qualifications; they are looking for people with qualities to enable them to cope with the changing demands of the job in an uncertain and competitive world. Employability has been used as a performance indicator for higher education institutions (Smith et al, 2000) and represents a form of work specific (pro) active adaptability that consists of three dimensions: career identity, personal adaptability and social and human capital (Fugate et al, 2004). At the same time, Knight and Yorke (2004) have put forward the four broad and interlocking components of USEM account of employability: Understanding (of the subject discipline) Skilful practices in context Efficacy beliefs Meta-cognition Nabi (2003) says that employability is about graduates possessing an appropriate level of skills and attributes, and being able to use them to gain and remain in appropriate employment. From a human resource development view, employability is a concept that emerged through the 1990s along with a growing perception among employees that they cannot count on their employers for long-term employment. Employability is a promise to employees that they will have the skills to find new jobs quickly if their jobs end unexpectedly (Baruch, 2001). Prior to this, Harvey (2001) has defined employability in various ways from individual and institutional perspectives. Individual employability is defined as graduates being able to demonstrate the attributes to obtain jobs. Commonly, institutional employability relates to the employment rates of the university graduates. However, Harvey argued that employment outcomes of graduates are not an indicator of institutional employability. 2.4 Transferable Skills Amongst the numerous listings which identify the skills and attributes sought by employers, AGCAS Employability Briefing7(2003), suggests the most important are: â€Å"motivation and enthusiasm, interpersonal skills, team working, oral communication, flexibility and adaptability, initiative, productivity, problem solving, planning and organisation, managing own development and written communication†. (HEA, 2006) Atkins (1999) questions how transferable key skills are into employment contexts. Often, the skills most in demand by employers, as measured by the wide range of skills asked of future employees, are typically the least in supply, as measured by the skills, abilities, and competencies that university graduates bring to the job. Eraut (1994) sees transfer as a learning process in its own right, although this may be easier for skills in relation to objects, rather than the ‘softer skills of interacting with and managing people effectively. Brown (1999) believes that the learning development, and transferring the understanding of that learning, is most likely to be effective if the learning situation closely resembles the work place. Knight and Yorke (2000) suggest that for there to be a transfer of learning from one context to another, the learner needs to use that knowledge in a variety of different situations. From these comments, it would seem that practice in a number of contexts is fundamental for the development of employability skills and attributes. Dearing (1997) regarded key skills to consist of four components: communication, numeracy, information technology and learning how to learn. He further proposed that it was essential that these were developed at undergraduate level. The department for Education and Skills (DFES) adds teamwork and problem solving to this list. There are many different lists of key skills, although there is general agreement about the importance of communication, numeracy, teamwork, IT and problem solving (Dunne et al., 2000). These are considered to be generic skills as they represent skills that can be used to support study in any discipline. The possession of some key skills IT, numeracy, for example, will facilitate the acquisition of subject understanding (Yorke, 2001), as using IT for research will enable students to learn more about their discipline. 2.5 Personal Attributes There are many factors that cause organisations to change, but in this current economic downturn it seems the main problem is downsizing and redundancy, therefore the graduate will need to be equipped with the relevant skills and attributes to cope with a flexible and perhaps short term jobs market. Employers themselves want graduates who can quickly adapt to the organisational culture, and utilise their abilities and skills to facilitate innovative collaboration. (Harvey et al, 1997) The CBI (2008) highlights the importance employers place on the ‘softer skills that make people more employable. This means being a good team-worker, communicator and problem-solver is vital, and getting work experience goes a long way with a future employer. ‘Employability is having a set of skills, knowledge, understanding and personal attributes which make a person more likely to choose and secure occupations in which they can be satisfied and successful. (Dacre Pool Sewell, 2007) It is widely accepted that lifelong learning through acquiring new skills improves employability. However despite there being different concepts to analyse the make up of â€Å"employability†, the consensus of these is that there are three key qualities when assessing the employability of graduates: These are: 1) Job specific skills: reading, language, and numeric capacity, listening, written communication, oral presentation, global awareness, critical analysis, creativity and self-management. Lees (2002), Harvey (2001), Little (2001), Mason et al (2003). 2) Process skills: Problem solving, decision making, planning and delegating, understanding business and its commercial interests, prioritizing, team work, and negotiating. These skills are developed through work experience rather than through academia. 3) Personal qualities: AGR states that their research has shown that employers are looking for qualities that include â€Å"self-confidence, self-control, self- esteem, social skills, honesty, integrity, adaptability, flexibility, willingness to learn, emotional intelligence, stress tolerance, punctuality, efficiency and the ability to reflect.† These qualities are very much embedded with the personality type and shaped through life-experiences. Researchers have been seen to classify these qualities in various ways; the common denominator amongst them is that there is a distinction between core skills and soft skills, with soft skills being learned from different experiences. Martin (2007) states that: â€Å"Therefore, it is to be emphasized that an employer with employability focus is looking for an individual with potentials to be realized, rather than suitable skill sets.† (Martin, 1997) Further research from the UK government stated that: â€Å"Our higher education system is a great asset, both for individuals and the nation. The skills, creativity, and research developed through higher education are a major factor in our success in creating jobs and in our prosperity. Universities and colleges play a vital role in expanding opportunity and promoting social justice. The benefits of higher education for individuals are far-reaching. On average, graduates get better jobs and earn more that those without higher education.† (The Future of Higher Education White Paper. 2003, p4) The ‘Skills plus Project highlights and emphasises the importance of ‘personal qualities and their insertion into the model of employability, further stating how these can have a considerable bearing on student success. (Knight and Yorke, 2001, 2002, 2003; Yorke, 2001) From the work of Dweck (1999) and Bandura (1997), there is recognition of the two broad categories of self-belief: an individual/permanent/fixed belief, intelligence for example, that cannot be changed, and an incremental/variable/flexible belief that development is achievable and even likely. They further make assumptions that students with a fixed belief about their intelligence are likely to be discouraged by failure; this is derived from the belief that failure is a lack of intelligence. From this assumption it could be fair to say that these students may avoid more demanding work for fear of disappointment. On the contrary, students with a malleable self-belief are more likely to characterise failure to a lack of effort, and believe that poor performance should lead to further learning. ‘Hence, it is the learning that becomes a source of self-esteem. (Dweck1999. Bandura, 1997) A range of cognitive, social, emotional and behavioural sub-skills will not be enough on their own, but these skills will have to be integrated into the challenges faced. (Yorke, 2001) Therefore, perceived self-efficacy or capability will play an important role in career choice and personal development. This in turn is essential in the individuals employability. Personal qualities are also important in the acquirement of subject understanding and the improvement of skills. â€Å"A willingness to learn, often from mistakes, implies a preparedness to tolerate a degree of stress in order to achieve success† (Knight and Yorke, 2001; Yorke, 2001). The self-construct characteristic of self-confidence enables the individual to have a positive, realistic view of their selves or in situations they find themselves. This characteristic refers to the individuals expectation of their ability to achieve, an influential factor in ensuring personal potential is realised. (Stevens, 2005) This statement suggests that a person high in self-confidence has a pragmatic view of themselves and their abilities, which gives them resolution in their endeavours. According to Neill (2005), self-esteem and self-efficacy in combination is what constitute self-confidence. Neill (2005) defines self-esteem as a general feeling of self-worth or self-value. It is widely recognised that an individual with low self-esteem believes that they are insignificant or insufficient, while a person who has high self-esteem believes otherwise. Self-efficacy on the other hand is the belief in ones capacity to succeed at tasks. Self-efficacy according to Neill (2005) can be general or specific where general self-efficacy is belief in ones general capacity to handle tasks, and specific self-efficacy refers to beliefs about ones ability to perform specific tasks in certain things. Self-efficacy is also sometimes used to refer to situation specific self-confidence. From this, academic self-confidence can be viewed as self-efficacy. (Zimmerman, 1990) There is a close link between self-efficacy, self-confidence and self-esteem in providing the relationship between understanding, perception, skills, practice and personal attributes and employability. According to Bandura (1995, p. 2): â€Å"Perceived self-efficacy refers to beliefs in ones capabilities to organize and execute the course of action required to manage prospective situations. Efficacy beliefs influence how people think, feel, motivate themselves and act†. (Bandura, 1995) He further suggests that there are several sources of efficacy beliefs relevant to employability: Mastery experiences. Vicarious experiences provided by social models. Social persuasion. Mastery experiences occur when people are given the opportunity to try a particular task themselves, such as work experience. â€Å"Mastery experiences are the most effective way of creating a strong sense of self-efficacy, and so play a vital role within employability.† (Bandura, 1995) Vicarious learning occurs when learners decide, after viewing the actions of others, what types of actions will be effective or non-effective for their own performance of a task. The closer the others are in similarity to themselves, the more effective the experiences are. The attitudes and behaviours of other people or groups frequently change our own attitudes and behaviours. Conforming ones attitude and behaviour to a person or group who can exercise authority or to an influential power, is a sensible strategy for receiving further benefits as a basic social skill in general. Social persuasion occurs when people are convinced that they possess the capabilities needed to succeed in a particular activity. This encourages them to put in more effort and stay motivated in order to achieve success. . Bandura (1995, p. 17) further expands his discussion by saying that: â€Å"A major goal of formal education should be to equip students with the intellectual tools, efficacy beliefs, and intrinsic interests to educate themselves throughout their lifetime†. (Bandura, 1995) It can be presumed from Banduras work that by providing the opportunities for in learning of mastery experiences, vicarious experiences and social persuasion, and encouraging reflection on and evaluation of these experiences, self-efficacy can be increased. A graduate who believes they can do whatever is necessary is far more likely to gain a position and be successful in whatever occupations they choose than a graduate who does not have that self-belief. If self-efficacy is seen as an idea that one has the ability in a particular situation, then self-confidence could be seen as the way this is shown to the outside world. Self-confidence appears to be something that can be seen from a persons manner and behaviour. According to Goleman (1998, p. 68) people with self-confidence are able to present themselves with self-assurance and have â€Å"presence†. It has been suggested that self-confidence can be either a trait or something that is specific to certain situations. Norman and Hyland (2003) point out that if self-confidence is seen as a trait, which personality theorists suggest are relatively stable over time, then those who lack self-confidence would be unlikely to develop it through a learning activity. If, however, if it is viewed as a position specific concept, then it is possible for students to enhance their levels of self-confidence for any given situation. An increase in self-efficacy should be reflected by a boost in demonstrated self-confidence. As a sub-set of employability skills, Meta skills can enable the student to expand and exploit the ranges of other skills they have developed. There is an understanding that reflection is a key graduate skill that can contribute to employability, the belief that the employability of students will be enhanced by their ability to reflect on their own learning. Knight and Yorke (2003b) describe employability as being a blend of self confidence and of meta-cognition, which includes students ability to be reflective about their own progress. Chapter 3 3 Discussion 3.1 Define Employability? Personal attributes and attitudescan be connected to an individuals personality and educational background. According to Dench (1997) examples of attributes that are of great significance for employers are honesty, integrity, and reliability, generally fitting in, and playing the game. However, it is essential not to generalise since companies usually search for different attitudes and attributes. (Dench, 1997) Organisations generally put great effort into finding future employees with a personality profile that fit into the organisation, while others are more concerned with finding people with particular job experience skills. (Dench, 1995) Due to the economic climate and the need for employers to recruit the ‘right individuals for their organisations there has been a emphasis on personal attributes and skills. However, researchers have shown difficult to unifying a common vocabulary. Among the most common terms used are behavioural, generic, transferable, core and key skills. These skills give indications of an individuals behaviour and how the person could function in the workplace. However it is recognised that personal skills involve abilities regarding teamwork, problem solving, negotiation and communication. From the research literature it is argued whether or not that these attributes are taught or increased. There are arguments stating that skills are innate, while others claim it is a matter of training. Nevertheless, something that many researchers agree upon is that service is becoming increasingly important due to, for instance, customer demands, more knowledgeable customers, and increased quality che ck-ups. (Dench, 1997) Skills are perceived, analysed and measured differently by different people. Storey (2007) suggests â€Å"it is about individual attributes and capacities people have for performing certain activities†. 3.2 Who values transferable skills and qualities? The review of the available literature has shown that graduate employers are looking for graduates with a range of transferable skills: skills that can be demonstrated in selection processes. The research undertaken by Harvey et al. (1997, p. 63) to establish the values placed on skills in the world of work concluded that: â€Å"There are a large number of graduates looking for jobs and employers, as we have seen, no longer recruit simply on the basis of degree status. A degree might be necessary or desirable but employers are looking for a range of other attributes when employing and retaining graduates†. In the recruitment of graduates, the most common perceived graduate qualities are an ability to learn, intelligence, ideas and imagination, and good communication skills. The DfEE (1997, p. 2) endorses such standards and attitudes held by graduate recruiting organisations, and it further considers that national targets for education and training support its aim of improving the UKs international competitiveness by raising standards and attainment levels in education and training. To be part of a flexible and adaptable workforc

Impact of tourism on destination

Impact of tourism on destination The term sustainability is used in order to consider socioeconomic, environmental, and cultural impact of tourism on destination and in order to avoid negative effect of the tourism, the following factors must be consider and keep in balance in order to gain permanent sustainability. A tourism destination will be said as sustainable if it contains the following characteristic. There must be limited impact on environment is the key and essential element and therefore the use of resource must be in way that doesnt affect the natural ecological process and that tourism mustnt affect/ disturb the biodiversity or natural heritage of the destination. A tourism will be said as sustainable if it doesnt affect/disturb the culture of the destination and do not make changes in the way of living, culture and native value of the destination and their inhabitants instead the sustaibilile tourism is one which promote the understand of each others culture (culture of host and guest) and therefore sustain able tourism lead increase understanding between guest and host communities and increase their level of tolerance to each other. A sustainable tourism must generate economic return for the host destination and their communities and these return should be equally distributed to those who deserve it not to be taken by some one else and spend for other purpose but instead a true sustainable tourism improve the socioeconomic life of host destination without affecting their culture and values. The return from sustainable tourism may be distribute in local communities through increasing opportunities for employment and generate income directly to host destination and furthermore this revenue must be used in improving the quality of life of inhabitant in host destination. Tourism in Maldives: Maldives is country made up of some twelve hundred islands but some around two hundred island are inhabited while the remaining though some are build as tourist resort but are even untouched including them some are given to external organization for different projects for example few of them are used for fisheries. Including fisheries. This trend of leasing island started when the tourism development and promotion of Maldives with name as Maldives Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) which has presence through the country , the creation MTDC was a step towards Maldives government to develop its island with name Herathera in Addu Atoll , a wonderful resort for the tourist nad from this day a new chapter of Maldives history was initiated of allowing tourist to use its inhabited island and with the passage of time this concept modified and change into the trend of leasing part of land in island which has got airport for domestic travel to hotels. The tourism best use of accommodation in Maldives is based on a concept one island one resort and it is estimate that some six hundred thousand people visited Maldives in a year before recession and tsunami affected the island, this number is almost double than the local population of Maldives which is estimate at around three hundred thousand people.. Importance and key development on Sustainable in Maldives: Maldives is located at the south west of srilanka in the Indian Ocean. The special structure of Maldives make at most vulnerable place to be affected from global warming and the rise in the sea level. The current sustainability strategy based on vision 2020 focused economic, social and environmental priorities and Maldives has gain substantially from the objectives of vision 2020 in every area of social, economic and environment impact. How the destination has been planned and developed to achieve sustainability, including identification and actions to correct any areas of un-sustainability. The growing industry of tourism has posed serious risk to sustainability of culture of host destination together with leaving negative impact of environment and this issue doesnt apply to any one area or country sustainability is the issue of every country in the world Maldives was an initial few nation who join agenda 21 Millennium development goals and Johannesburg plan for implementation. The vision 2020 launch in the year of 1999 provide the basic frame work towards the sustainable development in Maldives. This vision has covered many areas from socio economic and environmental goal and the plan to achieve these goals together with setting objectives to preservation of natural resource such as biodiversity and natural environment. Dearden and Harron (1994) the tourists undertaking this type of tourism are often interested in a quite specific Attraction, be it a particular animal, mountain, cultural site, or people. The sustainability of Tourism is hence directly tied to maintaining the integrity of that attraction and mediating the Interaction between the tourists and the attraction over time, such that interest is maintained The Maldives national sustainability development strategy is basically drawn on the foundation of national development plan, together with it incorporate the environmental assessment and vision 2020. The strategy is bases on the key significant challenges face by Maldives including social integration and economic growth together environmental conservation. Based on these three objective the strategy develop have got to do address following key challenges. Sustainable use of resources in order to protect environment together the national development of Maldives which ensure prosperous life in healthy environment for the current generation and for the future generations to come. Due to its location and climate Maldives is one the most vulnerable island from climate change as some 8% of Total Island in Maldives are situated just over with in one meter from the sea level and therefore understandably making the future this beautiful island at risk due to climate and melting of ice leading to rise in sea level. In Maldives many of its island are not protected through any king coastal protection and therefore are prone to be affected from the flood and rising tidal wave and with the global warming causing melting of ice and rise in sea it is more difficult for people living in these flood prone dangerous island to save the lives as result increasing frequency of tidal waves and erosion. But this rising sea level is not posing danger to human life but also it posses great threat to coral reef ecosystem because increase in sea level lead to change in temperature and coral reef ecosystem is very critical for economic development together with fisheries and tourism. The second part of sustainability development strategy launch in 2005 based on national development plan and vision 2020 is regarding the economic development whose main purpose is to division of the this economic gain among people through giving them proper education and reducing poverty and increase employment opportunities for Maldives people. Maldives has gain very substantial growth during past 80s and 90s period but the devastating tsunami have considerable impact on economy of this island as before that countrys average GDP growth was over 7.5 percent in past fifteen years. The economy suffers badly since then with negative growth of -5.5% in 2005. The third objective of sustainability development strategy of Maldives is regarding social factors such provision of education, health and care with housing to Maldives people and Maldives have gain substantially on this factors as social factors of Maldives are very promising as country has witness fall in infant mortality rate, rising literacy rate. But still there are number of areas where Maldives have to work in order to be sustainable island on this planet such unemployment rate in Maldives is more than average and there strategy though brought benefits to people on Maldives on social but still there is much to do. When a park, marine or land is owned by the government or state of country it is proven fact there is less chances of unsustainibilities issues because state try and make sure to invest sufficient resource in infrastructural maintenance . In Maldives government use model of management as that applied in Europe or USA which create more sustainability issues (Adam and McShane,) 1992 but the problem with sustainability was still there and therefore the result of allowing companies to use island and designate them as protected area cause serious sustainability problems especially arising due to lack of care and high entrance charges and underinvestment in infrastructure together lack of preservation of bio diversity and in appropriate integration with the economy of Maldives, country as a whole. The use of deregulation in Maldives affect sustainability and to achieve suitability strong regulation is required but there may be case where deregulation and private ownership goes hand in hand with sustainability of destination to get this some bold steps are required such as private origination charge fees just enough to cover its operating cost and local goods and service usage should be encourage and that makes tourist destination integrated with economy How the destination has been and is being managed to achieve sustainability. Maldives is a small island for this island to survive, sustainability is very important and unavoidable the goal of sustainability development must be set and strategies to achieve on this goal must take into account the sustainable requirement community involvement. Maldives is going through very difficult, economic and environmental challenges and in order sustain its tourism and promote sustain bile tourism Maldives should take into account and take measure in order to attract more and more sustainable tourist. The problem is not only related with sustainable tourism but also could impact the whole basis of Maldives economy and therefore for the islands like Maldives which consist of very small island spread into different geographical locations Maldives have to plan sustainable tourism through an active intra sect orally active planning and Maldives have proved that they are following a sustainable plan strategy which is develop in consistency with goal and vision set for the future of nation and each and every sector of Maldives whether it is governmental or private plays an important part in the development of sustainable Maldives. The reason why foreigner businesses operate and prefer operation in Maldives are numerous but mainly due to liberal fiscal policies adapted by Maldives government and as there no capital gain tax and other many incentive offered by malices government but problem with foreign business operating in Maldives are not very concern about sustainability of Maldives such as cultural sustainability although foreign business contribute significantly in the revenue which is ultimately use for the sustainable development of islands. Recently Maldives president announce a plan for its country to be able to become carbon in decade time is one of the evidence of government commitment towards long term sustainability of the country as rising sea level present on many of Maldives islands which are just above the sea level is a great threat for the country and its future. The plan to make Maldives a carbon neutral country will make Maldives first country to take such a lead and its in its own interest to do so. It is estimate by the 2020 Maldives will get rid of energy from fossil fuels on its archipelago. The dangerous location of Maldives as most of its island are situated just 1 meter form the sea level and therefore a rise in sea level will completely finish this country and its inhibit at including 385,000 people. Maldives is a poor country but much active on sustainable development and now its ambition plan of being carbon neutral till 2020 will make it first to take such lead towards sustainable future and its a message Maldives to the rich countries to follow Maldives because they have all the resource but on the hand Maldives is poor country but still fighting for sustainable future. In order to analyse the impact of tourism on sustainability and therefore to make a tourist destination as sustainable, we need to understand that the carrying capacity and open access are the two important concept which must be looked thoroughly. Maldives have sufferer the sustainability issues in the past especially regarding environmental degradation due to rapid expansion of tourism and inadequate and dispersal response from the government of Maldives. It is very difficult to identify and define the carrying capacity of destination but it can be known while on the other hand the social and cultural unsustainbility due to tourism can not be measured. If we discuss open access resource that such resource such as beautiful scenic view etc lead to generate less revenue and even taking more tourist than carrying capacity lead to the degradation of environment together with affecting culture and society of destination. Countries often run in race of getting more and more tourist and therefore generate more revenue while ignoring the sustainability factors from tourism and its a high time for countries like Maldives to take the lead and make them a sustainable tourist destination not only to protect its environment but to sustain their culture and value and Maldives has always and till now is most active country in taking sustainable measures and has learn from the past. Conclusion: In order to promote itself as sustainable tourist destination the government of Maldives have taken some concrete and timely steps like one recently to make country carbon neutral country, being a poor country taking such lead highly commendable and shows the sincerity of Maldives towards sustainability but sustainability is the need of the hour for Maldives and therefore there must be informed participation from every stakeholder like local community, government, tourism organization operation in Maldives and government of Maldives need to provide leadership in order to make Maldives free from fossil fuels and make it most sustainable country in the world. Maldives is leading the sustainability initiative around the world but being a poor it has limited resource and therefore the government in sustain its economy and live of its habitats promote consensus in world towards a more sustainable world. It must be understand here that sustainbilibity is not one time issue but its continues process and therefore sustainable tourist in order remain sustainable must make efforts with changing times. Maldives being a sustainable tourist destination is very popular and visitor find good exciting holidays in the country together with high level of satisfaction and making their journey to part of the world a meaningful experience of their lives while sustainability is in itself a very effective marketing tool for host destination.

Macbeth :: essays research papers

The William Shakespeare play  ³Macbeth, ² depicted Macbeth as a loyal subject of King Duncan and his homeland of Scotland. Duncan was so pleased with Macbeth ¹s actions during the war that he was named the Thane of Cawdor, a title not far from king. Soon after, he wrote a letter to his wife that would make his future blood stained. Macbeth told her about the possibility of becoming king and in-turn hooked her on the idea. She then did everything in her power to give Macbeth the crown of Scotland.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Duncan ¹s gratitude for the deeds of Macbeth were displayed when Duncan announced,  ³Would thou hadst less deserved, that the proportion both of thanks and payment might have been mine! Only I have left to say, more is thy due than more than all can pay. (p.34) ² The last sentence of his quote said that he deserved more than everyone could have given him. Duncan ¹s thankfulness resulted in raising the title of Macbeth from Thane of Glamis to that of Cawdor. Only one title then separated him from being next in line to the throne, the Prince of Cumberland.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Macbeth could not help but notice how close he was to being king and hinted his ambition to have the title in his letter to Lady Macbeth. He wrote,  ³...came missives from the King, who all-hailed me Thane of Cawdor, by which title, before, these weyard sisters saluted me, and referred me to the coming on of time with Å’Hail, King that shalt be! ² Since the witches had predicted Macbeth gaining Thane of Cawdor, he believed they might be right about him replacing Duncan, as the letter continues,  ³This have I thought good to deliver thee, my dearest partner of greatness, that thou mightst not lose the dues of rejoicing by being ignorant of what greatness is promised thee. Lay it to heart, and farewell. (p.35-36) ² This passage also portrays Macbeth ¹s trust in his wife when he addresses her as,  ³...my dearest partner of greatness,... ² His trust in Lady Macbeth later allowed her to convince him to murder Duncan. Macbeth believed her when she said,  ³We fail? But screw your courage to the sticking place and we ¹ll not fail, (p. 42) ² which confirmed the deal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Immediately after Lady Macbeth reads the letter from her husband, the idea of their royalty sets in. She says,  ³Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art promised.

The Fab Five :: Essays Papers

The Fab Five Women of Today in Arizona Politics The women of the state of Arizona have always played a significant role in politics. Before most women even had the right to vote, two women from Arizona, Frances Munds and Rachel Berry, were the first women elected into the state legislature. Today, Arizona has the highest percentage of women in the state legislature. More impressive is the fact that Arizona is the first state ever to have an all-female elected line of succession. There is no doubt that these five women greatly contributed to making 1997 the "Year of the Woman," where there was a dramatic increase in women's representation in the House and Senate. Why women in Arizona have flourished in the political arena and continue to do so is a question our group will try to answer in our research. More specifically, I will discuss women in current Arizona politics. In reviewing the role of women in current politics today, I will discuss the reasons as to why women have such strong political power in the state of Arizona, a nd the difference, between the views of voters in Arizona and other states. I will also discuss not only the future of women in Arizona politics but the future of women in national politics as well, and what to expect as the new millenium approaches. It is no coincidence that Arizona’s five highest offices are held by women. These women, Governor Jane Hull, Secretary of State Betsey Bayless, Attorney General Janet Napolitano, Treasurer Carol Springer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction Lisa Keegan, did not simply win these elections because they are women. All of them are experienced, highly educated, intelligent people who worked hard to get to the top. In an interview, Council Member Janet Marcus stated that these women have outstanding experience and background, and though being women may have helped them, it is their credentials that won the elections. The five women elected agree that it was not an issue of gender but rather of who was most qualified for the job. Lisa Graham Keegan was actually pleased at the small attention given to the gender issues. She said, â€Å"It really wasn’t about voting for women. It just happened that these women ran for office and won† (Khoury 2). Governor Hull ag reed with Keegan, â€Å"You see a group of women who have all been in government, are all experienced, who all ran very positive campaigns.

Why Aliens Are Real

All around the world, there's one topic a lot of people talk about. Some people talk about economics, some talk about pop culture. The topic I'm going to be addressing is why I think Aliens are real. Throughout time, there has been many things that make us believe they are real, like the Roswell Incident. A quick recap of what happened was that what is thought to be a UFO crashed near a ranch in Roswell, New Mexico. The U. S. overnment then took the UFO and told everyone that what the rash was Just debris from the crash of an experimental high-altitude surveillance balloon belonging to what was then a classified (top secret) program named Mogul. This may seem unlikely and unrealistic, as if coming from a movie, but that is because this inspired many alien movies to prop up. This might be one of or maybe the most famous alien incidents ever reported, but there is a more believable one and that is â€Å"The Wow Signal†. In 1977, The Big Ear radio telescope in Ohio State Universi ty picked up an unusual signal.The Big Ear used number and letters to identify the strength of a signal, O being nothing, Z being a strong radio signal. One time, a signal came in reading ‘6EQUJ5' from what seemed to be an empty spot in space. Dr. Jerry R. Ehman recognized this and was completely shocked, so he circled the signal in the data sheet and wrote next to it â€Å"Wow! â€Å", giving the signal it's name. The closest star to where the signal came from was 220 million light years away, meaning the signal came from out of no where.It is believed that this signal was ransmitted by aliens, but we still have no actual proof it is. Now, the bible does say we are the only planet with living beings, but think about this, how big is space? We have no clue of how big it is because it is that big. Being that big, wouldn't there be a possibility that there is a world that has living beings in it? What if the society on that planet is more advanced in technology than ours and t he reason they were able to send the signal was because of a super strong radio signal they aimed at us from some machine they made? at possibility is there and i honestly believe that is the truth. I feel like we are aliens to them and they are trying to communicate with us. Space is so enormous, we can't make decisions of what is out there yet. It is like reading the beginning of a novel and declaring you know exactly what the story is about without reading it. We still have a lot to explore about space, so until we examine every single star, moon, planet, galaxy, anything that is out there, you cant say aliens don't exist because they very well could.

Epic Poetry and Beowulf

British Literature Beowulf Character Analysis Beowulf Beowulf is an epic poem set in Scandinavia during the sixth century. This epic was originally handed down through generations in spoken form by traveling minstrels. It was finally put in writing during the eleventh century. The poem reflects the culture of the time and the Anglo Saxon era. Beowulf is well known in Great Britain as a hero and great warrior. Beowulf exemplifies the traits of the Anglo-Saxon warrior code which include courage, confidence, and pride. Beowulf is a very courageous character and recounts his acts of courage to every person who will listen.In the poem Beowulf tells of his previous courageous actions in destroying a tribe of giants, defeating sea monsters in the night and returning from battle covered in his enemies blood. Beowulf has come to King Hrothgar to fight an ogre. A monster that has brought misery and death to the Danes for many years. This ogre, Grendel, killed thirty of Hrothgar’s men an d caused the great mead hall of Herot to be closed. Beowulf tells King Hrothgar â€Å"the monster’s scorn of men Is so great that he needs no weapons and fears none.Nor will I† (lines 262-264) Therefore Beowulf intends to fight the Grendel without his armor or his sword. Beowulf may be so courageous because he believes so strongly in fate shaping his successes in the past. Beowulf believes that if it is his fate to win against Grendel then he will win. If it is his fate to die during the fight then that is just as God plans it to be. He tells the King that â€Å"my hands Alone shall fight for me, struggle for life Against the monster. God must decide Who will be given to death’s cold grip†(lines. 267-269). Beowulf will accept death if it is his fate. Beowulf does fight Grendel and wins.Then Beowulf must fight Grendel’s mother who is seeking revenge for her son’s death. These battles are described in detail as brutal and savage. Beowulf kills both monsters despite their strength and demonic powers. When Beowulf returns to the king holding Grendel’s head as a trophy his courage awes everyone in attendance. Beowulf is very confident in his ability to defeat anyone or anything he fights. His great physical strength and enormous size contribute to his being seen as a confident warrior. His recounting of his success in previous battles reinforce the attribute of confidence.The description of his going into battle with Grendel and then with the vengeful mother reflects his confidence in battle. Even as Beowulf enters into old age he ‘utters his final boast: â€Å"I’ve never know fear, as a youth I fought In endless battles, I am old now, But I will fight again† ’(lines 622-626). He intends to fight a dragon even in his old age without fear because fate will decide the outcome. He tells his followers â€Å"no man but me Could hope to defeat this monster. No one Could try† (lines 645-647 ). In his confidence he explains that no one is as strong and courageous as himself.Then he enters the dragon’s lair and â€Å"lowered His sword and roared out a battle cry, A call so loud and clear that it reached through the hoary rock, hung in the dragon‘s Ear†(lines 662-666). Beowulf is warning the dragon that he is about to face a fierce battle to the death. The character of Beowulf is also very prideful. Throughout the epic Beowulf’s pride in himself is evident. He boasts of his background and success in battles. When Beowulf enters the port belonging to King Hrothgar the sentry questions his purpose. Beowulf then goes into his history saying â€Å"My father Was a famous soldier, known far and wide as a leader of men.His name was Edgetho†¦Wise men all over the earth surely Remember him still† (lines 174-179). He wants men to know that he is the son of someone famous. Then when he greets King Hrothgar he informs him that â€Å"the days Of my youth have been filled with glory† (lines 237-238). He boasts of his glorious successes of youth. He goes on to say â€Å"My people have said, the wisest, most knowing, And best of them, that my duty was to go to the Danes’ Great king. They have seen my strength for themselves, Have watched me rise from the darkness of war, Dripping, with my enemies’ blood†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (lines 244-246).He recounts his success in battle against giants and hunting monsters in the ocean. He tells the king â€Å"Now Grendel and I are called Together, and I’ve come† (lines 254-255). He is saying that his own people know that only he can defeat such an enemy and that it is fate that brings him to battle Grendel. His pride caused him to display trophies such as Grendel’s torn arm which he hung high for everyone to see. Then he presented the head of Grendel’s mother to the king. Later in life Beowulf’s last battle is against a dragon.The pride of Be owulf made it necessary for him to explain why he had to use weapons to kill the dragon rather than killing it with his bare hands. He explains to his men â€Å"I’d use no sword, no weapon, if this beast Could be killed without it, crushed to death like Grendel, gripped in my hands and torn Limb form limb. But his breath will be burning Hot, poison will pour from his tongue† (lines 630-634). Beowulf wants his men to know that if he could kill the dragon without weapons he would. He then tells them â€Å"No one else could do What I mean to, here, no man but me Could hope to defeat this monster, No one Could try† (lines 644-647).Beowulf is the shining example of what it is to be an Anglo Saxon warrior. He is everything that a hero should be. He is courageous going into battle and during battle. His character battles the worst enemies in the most brutal conflicts. He is confident that he can defeat men and monsters. He is proud of his heritage and his accomplishmen ts in battle. He boasts about previously won battles and must display trophies of current defeats. He dies as a hero should die in a battle with a dangerous enemy.

Cultural values and Personal Ethics Essay

Ethics can be described as the codes of conduct that guide on how one should behave regarding moral duties and virtues. These moral principles, guide a person in determining what is wrong or right. Personal ethics on the other hand can be termed as morality. This is because personal ethics reflect the expectations of people of all works in the society (www. bethedream. net/ethics. htm). Ethics has got two aspects; the ability to determine right from wrong, propriety from impropriety and good from evil and the second perspective concerns the commitment to perform an action that is proper, right and good. The principles of personal ethics include; trust, worthiness, preventing harm, refusing to take unfair advantage, respect for the autonomy of others and basic justice (www. bethedream. net/ethics. htm). a) Personal Ethics Statement Values are the things that a person learns from an early age, from our parents and the immediate surrounding. Morals on the other hand are beliefs on how a person should behave at any one time in any given situation. Ethics is how a person actually behaves when faced with a difficult situation that requires testing of the moral fiber (www. ethics. ubc. ca/papers/invited/colero. html). The following is my personal ethics statement that identifies my personal ethics, values, morals and beliefs: I will give my all and my best to all I; will also serve mankind with the utmost extreme use of my body, spirit and mind, in the creation of peace and harmony among people through community service programs and performing other humanitarian programs. b) How these values were formed I acquired these values from my parents and my religion. My parents are generous people with open minds and they are very understanding. During my adolescent period they helped me through it and even encouraged me to explore the world but with great caution. I have great respect for them for they taught me about trust, generosity, empathy and that, honesty is the best policy. This has made me apply this knowledge to date. My religion also played a great role in instilling these virtues in me. It encouraged me to love all people and other creatures of the earth and always share and help those in need. c) The theories that seem to express my personal belief system. The major theories that have influenced modern thinking include: Utilitarianism which believes in the greatest good, Rawlsian Ethics concerning justice and fairness, Aristotelian ethics that believes in duties and rights and the Kantian Ethics. All of the above mentioned theories of ethics have played a great role in expressing my personal belief system. Utilitarian theory of ethics argues that the result of an action determines if that action is moral or immoral and a beneficial action is moral or right whereas an action that results to harmful impacts is wrong or immoral. This theory calls for the greatest good for everyone; and this greatest good is happiness and reduced unhappiness (www. ei-anla. org/academic/pdf/Ethics-Major-Ethical-Theories. pdf). Kantian ethics on the other hand suggest that an action that is morally right is that one which is carried out for the sense of duty since one undertakes it because they feel doing it is the right thing and right move. This arises from the logical reasoning of human beings. It calls for the treatment of all human being with moral worthiness. Rawlsian Ethics is an ethical standard that involves the protection of individual rights by preventing any injustice to the individual. It calls for fairly treating people equally without any discrimination. Lastly, the Aristotelian ethics argues that the task of ethics involves giving us knowledge regarding the right type of a person, or a good person. These theories are a congruent to my personal belief system (www. ei-anla. org/academic/pdf/Ethics-Major-Ethical-Theories. pdf). d) Written and unwritten codes of ethics Codes of ethics can be defined as the efforts which are systematic in nature and are used in defining the right conduct. They also provide guidance and help the installation of confidence in various aspects of life from the government and all organizations. The main guidance is reflected in the decision making process especially where values seem to conflict. Codes may be unwritten or written. Written codes of ethics provide a measure of accountability hence enforceable. Written codes of ethics can be made known by an organization, profession or jurisdiction (Shaw 2004). On the other hand, the unwritten codes that exist and that help us in our lives are more effective than the written ones. Unwritten codes of ethics include roles such as honesty security, loyalty among others. These unwritten codes of ethics mostly arise from family and cultural tradition and can also be found in workplace. These written and unwritten codes of ethics are found in the society and they help in establishing personal belief systems (Shaw 2004). e) How my personal ethics were developed I got my personal ethics from my parents. Both of them are business people and since my childhood they have always tried to give me all the good things in life and made sure that I do not lack anything. My values include generosity and empathy. I have learned these attributes from my parents who always do not miss out on helping the needy and those other people who are suffering. I also acquired these values from the various ethical theories that I learnt from class and life events that I once experienced. I particularly remember this one event when I sported a poor man by the road side and he actually confessed to me that he had not had any meal for the past two days. The man looked rugged and totally out of place from the way he dressed and his health was not good. He also confessed that he did not have any immediate relations. I helped him with the little money I had and from that day, I felt I needed to do more for poor people out there and the others who are suffering without any help. f) Determining whether the ethics of an organization or profession are congruent with my personal ethics and its importance Every organization has got its own rules and obligations that it abides to. These are the business codes of ethics that determine the running and management of these organizations. Business ethics can be described as the ethical principles and rules that exist in a commercial context. It also includes the various problems arising in a business entity and the obligations applying to these persons engaged in business (Shaw 2004). Business ethics and personal ethics do conflict most of the time and therefore it is important that individuals know how to handle these two. In determining whether the ethics of an organization or profession are congruent with my personal ethics, my first step will be to observe whether these organizational ethics are such that they will eventually make me to abandon my values so that I can remain in my employment position. If these values exist, it means that because these codes of ethics will eat away my personal values. Therefore I would rather leave work to remain with an undisturbed soul and peace of mind. Individual and group ethics are similar in that they both govern on the behavior of people and they both follow the same ethical principles in the work place. However, individual and group ethics do differ a lot. This can be seen in their processes and effects such as decision making processes (Shaw 2004). g) Roles played by individual and group ethics in managerial decision-making Individual and group ethics do play a number of roles in decision making. The ethics in most organizations are influenced by the group ethics as compared to the individual ethics. This is because these group ethics could have a more profound effect on the behavior of an organization. Group ethics also play a greater role in the case of poor performance in an organization since there are various comparative reasoning that occur from individuals (Shaw 2004). Individual ethics on the other hand play the role of guiding and guarding an individual’s moral values. In decision making process of an organization, individual ethics play the roles of moral creativity from the individual change of policies among other things (Shaw 2004). References. A Framework for Universal Principles of Ethics. Accessed on 10 July 2007 from www. ethics. ubc. ca/papers/invited/colero. html Major Ethical Theories. Accessed on 10 July 2007 from www. ei-anla. org/academic/pdf/Ethics-Major-Ethical-Theories. pdf Personal Ethics and Life. Accessed on 10 July 2007 from www. bethedream. net/ethics. htm. Shaw, H. , (2004). Business Ethics. Thomson Wadsworth. ISBN 053461972x