Friday, November 29, 2019

Negative Expectations And The Film While You Were Sleeping Essays

Negative Expectations And The Film While You Were Sleeping Negative Expectations and the film While You Were Sleeping Everyday people feel the effects of other's and society imposed ways to act or perform in daily actives. These imposed way are called expectations. Expectations can help people live up to there potential, act politely, finish projects, spend more time with family, and many other things that yield a positive outcome. Unfortunately, expectations are not always positive. Often these imposed expectations lead individuals into unhealthy stereotypes, sexism, sudden career choices, nonproductive relationships, little self-esteem and many other adverse results. The film While You Were Sleeping displays how one self, traditions, societies and others expectations can all intertwine and become a maze of lies, false hope, self-fulfilling prophecies and confusion. The film takes place in Chicago during the early nineties. Lucy Eleanor Moderatz is a lonely, single, Thirty year old orphan who works at the el-train taking fares. Everyday she ?sits in a booth like a veal (While You Were Sleeping)? and watches the commuters come and go. She soon falls in love with a commuter that she has never talked to. Peter Callaghan is a stereotypically arrogant businessman who everyone loves. On Christmas day, Lucy finds herself witnessing Peter being mugged, and then thrown onto the train tracks of a quickly approaching train. Lucy saves Peter from the train and he is taken to the hospital in a coma. When Lucy checks up on Peter in the hospital a nurse assumes Lucy is his fianc?e and introduces the family to her under that pretense. Peter's family has heard of Peter's fianc?e, but has never talked to or been introduced to her, so they welcome her fully into the family unaware that the two have never met. Lucy is swept away by the idea and the acceptance of the family and does not reveal that she is not the real fianc?e, who happiness to be away in Paris on business. Soon Saul, Peter's Godfather, finds out the truth but encourages Lucy to play along to keep the family moral up. This is all taking place while Jack Callaghan, Peter's blue-collar brother and Lucy fall in love with each other. By the end of the movie, all is figured out and Jack and Lucy are married but not before some unhealthy expectations, awkward situations and conclusions are discovered. Negative self-expectations are when a person has an ?ideal or predetermined way imposed on them that is not rational or probably. (Bentley 257).? Negative self-exceptions often occur when one does not think ahead, but acts suddenly, leading to generalizations and stereotyping. In addition, these expectations give the person an unreal image of themselves. People are lead to believe that they are inadequate in comparison to others because they do not measure up to a self-imposed standard. The standard is so stringent that no one can fully live up to it. Strict self-expectations cause anxiety, which can lead to panic attacks, and even hart attracts (Talbot 339). As well, these expectations are also unjust and thought of without proper justification (Bentley 260). Lucy Moderatz has negative self-expectations of herself, which lead her to be shy, and rarely out going. She seas Peter Callaghan everyday and watches his every move but she never approaches him. Lucy is a good example of the negative half of the success-begets-success idea. If an individual get off to a successful start in life, they will tend to continue to be successful; if they start off as a failure, they will tend to be one again and again (Stotland 66). Lucy feels that she has struck out with men before and she will again. This expectation of failure leads her not to attempt an encounter with Peter. Success and failure in one area often shows up in other areas. The success-begets-success idea articulates that soon Lucy will not reach out to any new people whether she wants to procure a romantic relationship with them or not due to her past rejections (66). Success-begets-success is closely related to self-fulfilling prophecies. A self-fulfilling prophecy transpires when ?a false definition of the situation evokes a new behavior which makes the originally false conception come true (Merton 426).? Once an expectation is

Monday, November 25, 2019

Lactose Intolerant essays

Lactose Intolerant essays Lactose is the only common sugar that is of animal origin. Other sugars, such as sucrose and fructose, can be found only in plants. In nature, the only place you can find lactose is in the milk of mammals. Lactose is the principal carbohydrate found in milk, and composes about 2 to 8 percent of milk in all mammals. Although milk and other dairy products are the only natural sources of lactose, this sugar can also be found in many prepared foods. This information is particularly important to those who are lactose intolerant, meaning their bodies are unable to digest lactose. Some foods that may contain lactose include bread, breakfast cereals, lunch meats, and salad dressings. Under ordinary conditions of use and storage, lactose is stable and does not tend to react with the air around it. However, when heated to decomposition, lactose may form hazardous carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO). In the human body, an enzyme called lactase decomposes lactose during the digestive process. Each lactose molecule is broken down into one glucose (C6H12O6) and one galactose (C6H12O6) molecule. When the word lactose is mentioned in everyday life, it is usually in the context of lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance is a condition in which the body is unable to digest significant amounts of lactose. This condition is caused by a shortage of the enzyme lactase, which is normally produced in the small intestine. During the normal digestive process, lactose is broken down by lactase into its component glucose and galactose subunits. These simple sugars are then absorbed from the digestive tract for use in the body. When there is not enough lactase to digest the lactose consumed, the unmetabolized lactose bui ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Restaurants Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Restaurants - Case Study Example The restaurants though situated very close to each other continue to attract customers in steady numbers regularly. The restaurant business is one which has a shrewd combination of excellent food, environment and service. Today's restaurants are mostly theme based and cuisine based with a rare combination of a country's culture and cuisine, especially periodical cuisines that are haute. Although the two restaurants offer similar cuisines they have tried to blend the French tradition into the Asian culture in a unique way matching their interiors accordingly. The restaurants understand the importance of atmosphere dynamics and nevertheless have hired eminent interior designers to do their environment. A famous Interior Designer Katelijn Quartier has mentioned the importance of interior design in an article of hers by stating "The introduction of atmosphere as an important holistic notion is relatively new in the study of retail design. Commercial spaces used to concentrate on products, services and salesmen. Nowadays, the environment comes to play an important role. ... The interiors of the restaurant also focus on the capturing the romance and beauty of that period only. This is a two story town house and the style of this building dates back to the colonial period of the French in Vietnam in the 1920's. The main floor dining room and the second story lounge and bar serve authentic French Vietnamese cuisine. The interiors of the restaurant are designed by Greg Jordon of Greg Jordon Inc., Commenting on the interiors designed he says "I chose to design with unique tiled floors, crudely painted walls and antique mercury panels to keep the interior as simple, yet as elegant as possible." The restaurant owners have taken care to reflect the architecture, texture and design of the 1920's with a modern touch. The dining room has tightly woven rattan chairs and amply spaced tables with palm and banana leaf potted plants all around. Photographs of Saigon in the 1920's cover the walls to lead customers to that era. The dining room has a seating capacity of 9 5 guests at a time. The bar with a mahogany table in the second floor can seat 25 guests at a time. The lounge capable of seating 50 guests is covered with oriental rugs and low tables with antique furnishings. The rest rooms in the restaurant are also done in the same antique French way with modern amenities. Le Atelier de Joel Robuchon: This restaurant in four seasons Hotel also served French cuisine with strong Asian flavors. The restaurant is known for its chef Joel Robuchon. The chef has renowned hotels in Tokyo, Paris and Las Vegas. The interiors of the hotel are elegant and glisten with light wood with black and red lacquer. It is blend of the French designer Pierre Yves -Rochon and the iconic

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

International Business Strategy for Ford Case Study Essay

International Business Strategy for Ford Case Study - Essay Example Ford also started to build electric cars. The political forces facing this industry are getting more and more severe. There are many groups in the society which are demanding stricter environmental norms for the automobile industry (Hoffman, 2012, p. 211). Ford has so far done a good job in maintaining the image as a worker’s truck. Ford has attracted the attention of other social and economic groups which have high-class luxury vehicles. Ford operates in many international countries such as Australia, Japan, UK and America where the business operations are conducive. In 1975, the Corporate Average Fuel Economy took effect, and Ford was able to abide by the regulations. Non-compliance with these laws caused heavy fines, which would prove costly to the company. This made Ford manufacturer one of the most fuel efficient and environmentally friendly cars. The Government also discourages Ford to fully automate its operation which would otherwise result in increase of the unemploym ent rate. Economic forces The leading manufacturers of the vehicles were mainly companies from United States, Western European and Japanese companies. Ford used to produce more vehicles outside their home country than within their own country. The auto industry remained fragmented. In 2010, there were a total of 18 manufacturers with their annual output being more than 1 million vehicles. 3-firm concentration ratio which is measured by the units of production was around 31.5 percent. There were many mergers and acquisitions in the auto industry; still they faced new competition from other countries especially India and China. Figure 1: Mergers & Acquisitions among the major automobile manufacturers. (Source: Ledderhos, 2003, p.68) (Source: Ledderhos, 2003, p.67) Strong competition from the companies forced Ford to go for cost reduction through economies of scope, economies of scale, worldwide outsourcing, off-shoring, just-in-time scheduling and collaboration. In spite of the many c ost reduction techniques, the major automakers were still unable to rival the low cost automakers from India, China and elsewhere. The euro zone crisis further exasperated the problem of Ford (Ireland, Hoskisson and Hitt, 2010, p. 75). Social Factors The social factors which affect Ford are the changes in the social classes in the world market. With increasing globalisation the car market is witnessing increase in spending from the middle and upper middle income families all across the world. The lines between the social strata are diminishing. Hence companies all around the world are now targeting the middle income group to increase their volume sales. This helps the motor company in expanding their market across the world. This results in more manufacturers coming out with products which cater to the middle income people and results in rise in competition (Stead, Stead and Starik, 2004, p. 89). The consumers are now demanding better quality, safer vehicles at lower prices which ha ve forced Ford Company to produce cars at cheaper ways like outsourcing the parts of their production in outside countries. Hence the company needs to adopt new processes and methods of creating attractive, unique automobiles

Monday, November 18, 2019

Interpretation of Statutes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Interpretation of Statutes - Essay Example Judges have a mandate of resolving of making such statutes clear if not well interpreted. An example of unclear language emerged in the case of Myers v Twining in the year 1982. The judges were to make a decision on the association between a vehicle and roller skates. Many cases have been presented in courts with change of meaning of words over time. Some bills are rushed in parliament in time of emergency, hence the need for interpretation as a result of many errors that takes place during the act. The dilemma with statutory interpretation is that the court has to decide the meaning of a certain legislation passed by the parliament. The court makes judgement on the parliament’s intention when passing the law and its relevance in the present time2. On some cases however, the judges have often misinterpreted the legislation of the act. Other issues which may arise during the interpretation of the statutes must abide by the European laws or the human right acts. Misinterpretation of the parliamentary acts and legislation may contradict higher laws or lead to creation of new legislation that was not the intention of the parliament during the passing of such a bill or act. Judges deal with interpretation of statutes in a variety of ways. One w ay in which judges interpret statutes is by presumption. The judge is such a context begins the interpretation process by assumption of certain issues. The assumption may be considered to be true unless a better argument is raised with an intention to challenge it. Some of presumptions entail the inability to change the law and that the statutes do not influence the acts created in the past. Presumption of language is another challenge encountered during the interpretation of certain statutes. Utilization of words such as workman, tradesman or other person presents a lot of confusion during the interpretation process. Some words derive meaning from the surrounding environment3. The judges

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Strategies of Job Analysis

Strategies of Job Analysis The most basic building block of HR management, job analysis, is a systematic way to gather and analyze information about the content and human requirement of jobs, and the context in which jobs are performed. Job analysis usually involves collecting information on the characteristics of a job that differentiate it from other jobs. Information that can be helpful in making the distinction includes the following: Work activities and behaviors Machines and equipment used Interactions with others Working conditions Performance standards Supervision given and received Financial and budgeting impact Knowledge, skills, and abilities needed What Is a Job? Although the terms job and position are often used interchangeably, there is a slight difference in emphasis. A job is a grouping of common tasks, duties, and responsibilities. A position is a job performed by one person. Thus, if there are two persons operating word processing equipment, there are two positions (one for each person) but just one job (word processing operator). Differentiating between Job Analysis and Job Design It is useful to clarify the differences between job design and job analysis. Job design is broader in nature and has as its primary thrust meshing the productivity Job analysis A systematic way to gather and analyze information about the content and the human requirements of jobs, and the context in which jobs are performed. Job A grouping of similar positions having common tasks, duties, and responsibilities. Position A job performed by one person. needs of the organization with the needs of the individuals performing the various jobs. Increasingly, a key aim for job design is to provide individuals meaningful work that fits effectively into the flow of the organization. It is concerned with changing, simplifying, enlarging, enriching, or otherwise making jobs such that the efforts of each worker fit together better with other jobs. Job analysis has a much narrower focus in that it is a formal system for gathering data about what people are doing in their jobs. The information generated by job analysis may be useful in redesigning jobs, but its primary purpose is to get a clear understanding of what is done on a job and what capabilities are needed to do a job as it has been designed. Documents that capture the elements identified during a job analysis are job descriptions and job specifications. Job Analysis and the Changing Nature of Jobs Increasingly, commentators and writers are discussing the idea that the nature of jobs and work is changing so much that the concept of a -job  may be obsolete for many people. For instance, in some high-technology industries employees work in cross-functional project teams and shift from project to project. The focus in these industries is less on performing specific tasks and duties and more on fulfilling responsibilities and attaining results. For example, a project team of eight employees developing software to allow various credit cards to be used with ATMs worldwide will work on many different tasks, some individually and some with other team members. When that project is finished those employees will move to other projects, possibly with other employers. Such shifts may happen several times per year. Therefore, the basis for recruiting, selecting, and compensating these individuals is their competence and skills, not what they do.2 Even the job of managers changes in s uch situations, for they must serve their project teams as facilitators, gatherers of resources, and removers of roadblocks. However, in many industries that use lower-skilled workers, traditional jobs continue to exist. Studying these jobs and their work consequences is relatively easy because of the repetitiveness of the work and the limited number of tasks each worker performs. Clearly, studying the two different types of jobs- the lower-skilled ones and highly technical ones- requires different approaches. Many of the typical processes associated with identifying job descriptions are still relevant with the lower-skilled, task-based jobs. However, for fast-moving organizations in hightechnology industries, a job description is becoming an obsolete concept. Employees in these -virtual jobs  must be able to function without job descriptions and without the traditional parameters that are still useful with less changeable jobs.3 Work Analysis Work analysis studies the workflow, activities, context, and output of a job. This analysis can be conducted on a department, business process, or individual level. At one level, the industrial engineering approach of time and motion studies is useful in work analysis. At another level the linkage of what is done in one department may be looked at in relation to work activities performed Chapter 7 Analyzing and Identifying Jobs 215 Work analysis Studying the workflow,activities, context, and output of a job. in another area. For instance, in an electric utility if a customer calls with a service outage problem, it is typical for a customer service representative to take the information and enter it into a database. Then in the operations department, a dispatcher may access the database to schedule a line technician to repair the problem. The customer would be called back and notified about the timing of the repair. The line technician also must receive instructions from a supervisor, who gets the information on workload and locations from the dispatcher. A work analysis identified that there were too many steps involving too many different jobs in this process. Therefore, the utility implemented a new customer information system and combined the dispatching function with customer service. The redesign permitted the customer service representatives to access workload information and schedule the line technicians as part of the initial consumer phone calls, except in unusual situations. The redesign of jobs required redefining the jobs, tasks, duties, and responsibilities of several jobs. To implement the new jobs required training the customer service representatives in dispatching and moving dispatchers into the customer service department and training them in all facets of customer service. The result was a more responsive workflow, more efficient cheduling of line technicians, and broadening of the jobs of the customer service representatives. This example illustrates that analyzing work activities and processes may require looking at what capabilities individuals need as well as what they do. That certainly would be true as office support jobs, such as the secretarial job, are examined. Increasingly, it is being recognized that jobs can be analyzed on the basisof both tasks and competencies. Task-Based Job Analysis Analyzing jobs based upon what is done on the job focuses on the tasks, duties, and responsibilities performed in a job. A task is a distinct, identifiable work activity composed of motions, whereas a duty is a larger work segment composed of several tasks that are performed by an individual. Because both tasks and duties describe activities, it is not always easy or necessary to distinguish between the two. For example, if one of the employment supervisor„ ¢s duties is to interview applicants, one task associated with that duty would be asking questions. Job responsibilities are obligations to perform certain tasks and duties. For jobs that remain task-based, many standard phases of the job analysis process can continue. As indicated in the phases of traditional job analysis that are outlined later in the chapter, extensive effort is made to clarify what specifically is done on a job. Development of job descriptions identifies what is done and lists job functions. Competency Approach to Job Analysis There is a growing interest in focusing on the competencies that individuals need in order to perform jobs, rather than on the tasks, duties, and responsibilities composing a job. This shift emphasizes that it is the capabilities that people have that truly influence organizational performance. As E.E. Lawler suggests, instead of thinking of individuals having jobs that are relatively stable and can be written up into typical job descriptions, it may be more relevant to focus on the competen-216 Section 2 Staffing the Organization Task A distinct, identifiable work activity composed of motions. Duty A larger work segment composed of several tasks that are performed by an individual. Job responsibilities Obligations to perform certain tasks and duties. cies used.4 Competencies are basic characteristics that can be linked to enhanced performance by individuals or teams of individuals. The groupings of competencies, as Figure 7- 1 indicates, may include knowledge, skills, and abilities. VISIBLE AND HIDDEN COMPETENCIES hidden and visible competencies. Knowledge, being more visible, is recognized by many employers in matching individuals to jobs. With skills, although some are evident such as skill in constructing financial spreadsheets, others such as negotiating skills, may be less identifiable. But it is the -hidden  competencies of abilities, which may be more valuable, that can enhance performance. For example, the abilities to conceptualize strategic relationships and to resolve interpersonal conflicts are more difficult to identify and assess. A growing number of organizations are using some facets of competency analysis. A survey of over 200 organizations sponsored by the American Compensation Association (ACA) asked about the major reasons that firms have used the competency approach. The three primary reasons given were (1) communicating valued behaviors throughout the organization; (2) raising the competency levels of the organization; and (3) emphasizing the capabilities of people to enhance organizational competitive advantage.5 Many earlier efforts to use competencies have been job-based, meaning that competencies are identified in the context of specific jobs. In this way the competency approach is a logical extension of traditional job analysis activities. However, some organizations are taking the competency approach to another level by focusing on role-based competencies. This shift has been accentuated by the growing use of work teams, whereby individuals move among tasks and jobs. Some of the roles might be leader, supporter, tactician, technical expert, administrator, or others. Through competency analysis, the competencies needed for individuals playing different roles in work teams can be identified. Then selection criteria, development activities, and other HR efforts must be revised to focus on the different sets of competencies needed for the various roles. COMPETENCY ANALYSIS METHODOLOGY Unlike the traditional approach to analyzing jobs, which identifies the tasks, duties, knowledge, and skills associated with a job, the competency approach considers how the knowledge and skills are used. The competency approach also attempts to identify the hidden factors that are often critical to superior performance. For instance, many supervisors talk Chapter 7 Analyzing and Identifying Jobs 217 Competencies Basic characteristics that can be linked to enhanced performance by individuals or teams. Knowledge Scale: Visible Hidden Abilities Skills Conceptual Model of Competencies about employees„ ¢ attitudes, but they have difficulty identifying what they mean by attitude. The competency approach uses some methodologies to help supervisors identify examples of what they mean by attitude and how those factors affect performance. Several methodologies are available and being used to determine competencies, with behavioral event interviews being commonly found. This process involves the following steps:6 1. A team of senior managers identifies future performance results areas critical to the business and strategic plans of the organization. These concepts may be broader than those used in the past. 2. Panel groups are assembled, composed of individuals knowledgeable about the jobs in the company. This group can include both high- and low-performing employees, supervisors, managers, trainers, and others. 3. A facilitator from HR or an outside consultant interviews the panel members to get specific examples of job behaviors and actual occurrences on the jobs. During the interview the individuals are also asked about their thoughts and feelings during each of the described events. 4. Using the behavioral events, the facilitator develops detailed descriptions of each of the competencies. This descriptive phase provides clarity and specifics so that employees, supervisors, managers, and others in the organization have a clearer understanding of the competencies associated with jobs. 5. The competencies are rated and levels needed to meet them are identified. Then the competencies are specified for each of the jobs. 6. Finally, standards of performance are identified and tied to the jobs. Appropriate selection screening, training, and compensation processes focusing on competencies must be developed and implemented. Examples of the competencies used in organizations vary widely. In one survey of 10 companies, the following were most common. Customer focus Leadership Team orientation Innovation Technical expertise Adaptability Results orientation

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Individuation in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay -- Sir Gawain G

Individuation in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Gawain is, undoubtably, the most varied of the Arthurian characters: from his first minor appearance as Gwalchmei in the Welsh tales to his usually side-line participation in the modern retelling of the tales, no other character has gone from such exalted heights (being regarded as a paragon of virtue) to such dismal depths (being reduced to a borderline rapist, murderer, and uncouth bore), as he. This degree of metamorphosis in character, however, has allowed for a staggering number of different approaches and studies in Gawain. The greatest part of these studies have involved the middle-English text Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Extensive work has been done on this alliterative four-part poem written by an anonymous contemporary of Chaucer: feminists have attacked his diatribe against women at the end, or analyzed the interaction between Gawain and the women of Bercilak’s court; those of the D. W. Robertson school seek the inevitable biblical allusions and allegory concealed within the medieval text; Formalists and philologists find endless enjoyment in discovering the exact meaning of certain ambiguous and archaic words within the story. Another approach that yields interesting, if somewhat dated, results, is a Psychological or Archetypal analysis of the poem. By casting the Green Knight in the role of the Jungian Shadow, Sir Gawain’s adventure to the Green Chapel becomes a journey of self-discovery and a quest - a not entirely successful one - for personal individuation. The Jungian process of individuation involves â€Å". . . a psychological growing up, the process of discovering those aspects of one’s self that make one an individual differe... ... until he does complete his quest of individuation, he shall never be nor feel whole. Works Cited and Consulted Anonymous, â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight† in The Norton Anthology of English Literature, eds. Abrams, et al. (New York: Norton, 1993), 200. Carl Gustav Jung, â€Å"The Principle Archetypes† in The Critical Tradition: Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends, ed. David H. Richter (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1989), 666. Guerin, Wilfred L., et al., eds. A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature. Toronto: Oxford UP, 1992. Lacy, Norris J. and Geoffrey Ashe. The Arthurian Handbook. New York: Garland Publishing, 1988. Stephen Manning, â€Å"A Psychological Interpretation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight† in Critical Studies of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, eds. Donald R. Howard and Christian Zacher (Notre Dame: Notre Dame UP, 1968), 279. Individuation in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay -- Sir Gawain G Individuation in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Gawain is, undoubtably, the most varied of the Arthurian characters: from his first minor appearance as Gwalchmei in the Welsh tales to his usually side-line participation in the modern retelling of the tales, no other character has gone from such exalted heights (being regarded as a paragon of virtue) to such dismal depths (being reduced to a borderline rapist, murderer, and uncouth bore), as he. This degree of metamorphosis in character, however, has allowed for a staggering number of different approaches and studies in Gawain. The greatest part of these studies have involved the middle-English text Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Extensive work has been done on this alliterative four-part poem written by an anonymous contemporary of Chaucer: feminists have attacked his diatribe against women at the end, or analyzed the interaction between Gawain and the women of Bercilak’s court; those of the D. W. Robertson school seek the inevitable biblical allusions and allegory concealed within the medieval text; Formalists and philologists find endless enjoyment in discovering the exact meaning of certain ambiguous and archaic words within the story. Another approach that yields interesting, if somewhat dated, results, is a Psychological or Archetypal analysis of the poem. By casting the Green Knight in the role of the Jungian Shadow, Sir Gawain’s adventure to the Green Chapel becomes a journey of self-discovery and a quest - a not entirely successful one - for personal individuation. The Jungian process of individuation involves â€Å". . . a psychological growing up, the process of discovering those aspects of one’s self that make one an individual differe... ... until he does complete his quest of individuation, he shall never be nor feel whole. Works Cited and Consulted Anonymous, â€Å"Sir Gawain and the Green Knight† in The Norton Anthology of English Literature, eds. Abrams, et al. (New York: Norton, 1993), 200. Carl Gustav Jung, â€Å"The Principle Archetypes† in The Critical Tradition: Classic Texts and Contemporary Trends, ed. David H. Richter (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1989), 666. Guerin, Wilfred L., et al., eds. A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature. Toronto: Oxford UP, 1992. Lacy, Norris J. and Geoffrey Ashe. The Arthurian Handbook. New York: Garland Publishing, 1988. Stephen Manning, â€Å"A Psychological Interpretation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight† in Critical Studies of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, eds. Donald R. Howard and Christian Zacher (Notre Dame: Notre Dame UP, 1968), 279.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Method Essay

Case Problem 4 WORKFORCE SCHEDULING Davis Instruments has two manufacturing plants located in Atlanta, Georgia. Product demand varies considerably from month to month, causing Davis extreme difficulty in workforce scheduling. Recently Davis started hiring temporary workers supplied by WorkForce Unlimited, a company that specializes in providing temporary employees for firms in the greater Atlanta area. WorkForce Unlimited offered to provide temporary employees under three contract options that differ in terms of the length of employment and the cost. The three options are summarized: Option Length of Employment Cost 1 One month $2000 2 Two months $4800 3 Three months $7500 The longer contract periods are more expensive because WorkForce Unlimited experiences greater difficulty finding temporary workers who are willing to commit to longer work assignments. Over the next six months, Davis projects the following needs for additional employees: Month January February March April May June Employees Needed 10 23 19 26 20 14 Each month, Davis can hire as many temporary employees as needed under each of the three options. For instance, if Davis hires five employees in January under Option 2, WorkForce Unlimited will supply Davis with five temporary workers who will work two months: January and February. For these workers, Davis will have to pay 5($4800) _ $24,000. Because of some merger negotiations under way, Davis does not want to commit to any contractual obligations for temporary employees that extend beyond June. Davis’s quality control program requires each temporary employee to receive training at the time of hire. The training program is required even if the person worked for Davis Instruments in the past. Davis estimates that the cost of training is $875 each time a temporary employee is hired. Thus, if a temporary employee is hired for one month, Davis will incur a training cost of $875, but will incur no additional training cost if the employee is on a two- or three-month contract. Managerial Report Develop a model that can be used to determine the number of temporary employees Davis should hire each month under each contract plan in order to meet the projected needs at a minimum total cost. Include the following items in your report: 1. A schedule that shows the number of temporary employees that Davis should hire each month for each contract option. 2. A summary table that shows the number of temporary employees that Davis should hire under each contract option, the associated contract cost for each option, and the associated training cost for each option. Provide summary totals showing the total number of temporary employees hired, total contract costs, and total training costs. 3. If the cost to train each temporary employee could be reduced to $700 per month, what effect would this change have on the hiring plan? Explain. Discuss the implications that this effect on the hiring plan has for identifying methods for reducing training costs. How much of a reduction in training costs would be required to change the hiring plan based on a training cost of $875 per temporary employee? 4. Suppose that Davis hired 10 full-time employees at the beginning of January in order to satisfy part of the labor requirements over the next six months. If Davis can hire full-time employees for $16.50 per hour, including fringe benefits, what effect would it have on total labor and training costs over the six-month period as compared to hiring only temporary employees? Assume that full-time and temporary employees both work approximately 160 hours per month. Provide a recommendation regarding the decision to hire additional full-time employees.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

It is impossible to believe in God in todays world †Argumentative Essay

It is impossible to believe in God in todays world – Argumentative Essay Free Online Research Papers It is impossible to believe in God in today’s world Argumentative Essay If we travel to the past we can study the full faith of the people in God. People believed completely and sincerely in God and everybody went to church at least once a week. What has happened now? It has gradually changed. More and more people believe less in God but this is normal because of today’s customs and Discoveries. We should consider that science has developed too much to be able to think that there is a god who has created our environment, everything. For example children are not taught and educated anymore with religious ideas such as the story of Adam and Eva, how the woman was formed and how nature was formed. Children are now taught about genetics, evolutions such as from ape to man and theories such as the ‘Big-Bang’ explosion and how the universe was formed; therefore, if you are educated with these theories since you were small how can you possibly believe the existence of God? Comparing to the past, if you observe how many people go to church or how many people pray to God you can see that the number is decreasing rapidly which is not surprising with all these scientific explications. Nowadays every single thing that surrounds us has an explication: how seeds form, how humans are formed, why it rains†¦ it is very difficult to think that God is the one who controls all this. Many people argue this and think that there must be a God who has started everything and is always there when you need him. These people don’t consider that when you have an accident or an illness God is not going to help you to solve it you need science; you need the medicine created to cure yourself. One of the supposed sins that we must not commit is crime and still many people commit it. Do these people go to hell? Or are punished as they should? The answer is no, they stay some years in prison and then go out so how can we possibly believe in God if the people who deserve to be punished are not punished? And everybody asks question to themselves of how can God who wants peace and good actions to occur to permit, to allow people to commit sins such as killing, robbing, wars†¦how can he allow this violence to occur? This makes us assume that no God exists, that we are responsible for our actions and that no one is there to help us. In addition to this, we have the natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes that kill lots of lives and threaten us constantly. Some people say that they occur because it is a punishment sent from God but in my opinion this is not true. If God did exist he wouldn’t consent the loss of millions of innocents lives and this is what most of the people think. In conclusion, I consider that in today’s world where we have natural disasters, wars and lots of crimes and science is advancing more and more it is impossible to trust that god exists and that he has created everything and is taking care of us. I don’t think there is one God there judging if you are going to go to hell or to heaven when you die or helping you when you need it. I feel this mostly because of the technology and science knowledge that we have acquired. It may had been easier in the past to believe in God because they weren’t so advanced and therefore people were more superstitious but nowadays I do think people are more realistic and assume that it is impossible to believe in God. Research Papers on It is impossible to believe in God in today’s world - Argumentative EssayCapital PunishmentEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenMind TravelComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoGenetic EngineeringQuebec and CanadaMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided Era

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Rude Literary Agents

Rude Literary Agents A long-time follower and fellow mystery author wrote me recently after the smack-down from a rude literary agent. I recently got a nasty rejection letter from an agent that said, When we said we were looking for new Southern writers, we were looking for the next Pat Conroynot the next Dukes of Hazzard. I should have been insulted, but it kind of rings true, and I reminded her the show was on the air for seven years! A back-wood badge of honor! I understood. An agent once asked me in a rejection letter, Why would we want a book about an insurance agent? She was talking about Carolina Slade, the protagonist in my original mystery series who was an investigator for agriculture. My first instinct at reading that ignorance was that I didnt need an agent with that attitude or lack of sense, and I considered that rejection as me dodging a bullet. Ive been to enough writers conferences to see agents act foolishly, behaving as if they were royalty walking amongst the commoners. Theyve laughed on panels at the naivete of certain writers, chuckled behind their hands during blind critiquing panels, and sat at tables at banquets, only with other agents, mind you, while sniggering at the speakers. Regardless of how lofty these souls think they are, you do not want that personality representing you. They will not be loyal. If they sign you, youll be the current favorite toy until a brighter, shinier thing comes along. Last week, I spoke of self-respect. The more self-assured you are, the better your chances are of landing an agent. . . the right agent. Of course, your writing has to be good, but if you are confident in yourself, a good agent will recognize that strength. Theyll see you wont be deterred Most of all, theyll see that youre interested in creating your stories and spreading them to the world, and thats what any reputable agent wants, too.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Managing Property Businesses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Managing Property Businesses - Essay Example This essay demonstrates that the last type of method used to solve disputes is collaborative law. In most cases, this is used to solve divorce disputes. All the parties in the dispute have to select an attorney and both of them meet with their respective attorneys. This matter is settled out of court and the duty of the lawyers is to ensure legal compliance (Dauer, 2000).The parties in this type of process have to sign a contract that highlights the regulations to be followed during this type of process. The terms and conditions include: honesty in disclosure of documents, treating each other with respect, insulation of the children from these proceedings and there should be no mention by either party of going to court. There are various advantages of alternative decision-making procedures that make them more preferable than other traditional forms of decision making. They are usually a low-cost option as they involve no extra party or two at most. These processes usually take into a ccount the emotional aspect of various actions and both parties have to reach a solution that is beneficial to each of their needs (Dauer, 2000). The courts do not care about the personal feelings of the conflicting parties and are only concerned about the upholding of the law. The court's process is always a messy affair and one’s private matters are usually brought to the public limelight. The alternative forms of dispute resolution are a private affair and only involve the parties that are conflicting.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Setting up high performance teams Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Setting up high performance teams - Essay Example These factors underline the basis of the teams performing a singular whole than disjointed units within the framework of the organization or the group that they are working under. Constituting a team is an important measure since it explains the manner in which the team members would carry out their processes and activities in order to reach the ultimate objective – the goal which is in sight. Also the presence of a leader within the ranks is also significant since he is the one who ensures that commitment and devotion is laid towards the activities of the whole team and that the team members are dedicated to the cause of serving the objectives of the team. A leader would guarantee that the team members remain on their toes and are up and ready in order to outperform each other so that the end result is one which will make the team stand out as a whole. The objectives of the team are more quintessential than the individual members and this is one aspect that the leader brings with him whilst formulating a high performance team. (Opie, 2000) People selection and recruitment stands as a very essential step of the formulation of teams since right kind of people must be geared up to the task and it is a must to check the kind of motivation that these team members have at the very moment and whether or not the same would remain like that within the future. Thus these factors are deemed as very important whilst getting the people under an umbrella which would actually see that the teams would get the right kind of members within their hold and this is important since it will decide how the team would actually perform within the future and in the long run. One must understand that team members are committed to the task and remain in line with the strategies and tactics deployed by the team leaders so that the team is a high performing one, both in difficult circumstances and in times of ease as well. This eventually