Benefits and Drawbacks of Rta Essay

Under the current legal system of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), there are two categories of rules on the RTAs in the area of trade in goods: the first is based on the Article XXIV of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, which generally applies to all RTAs; the second is based on the so-called Enabling Clause, which in exceptional circumstances, provide special and differential treatment (SDT) for RTAs among developing countries. 3.4.1. Advantages of Regional Initiatives Regional initiatives have a number of advantages which explain why so many countries are members of such agreements: †¢Region Specific Issues Firstly, a regional agreement can help in dealing with region-specific issues, such as border controls, transit, migration, or movement of labour. Countries recognize that other more opaque barriers than tariffs can hinder trade. These include border controls, phytosanitary restrictions, weak transport systems, and regulatory differences. RTAs therefore increasingly cover some of these issues, which are more suitably addressed at the regional level. Some RTAs have also included dispute resolution mechanisms, which, in the implementation phase of the arrangement, have proven to be extremely useful. †¢Reinforcement Of Internal Regulatory Or Structural Reforms Secondly, RTAs can reinforce internal regulatory or structural reforms. This can be done through external treaty obligations and visible political commitments. Often, small countries participating in a RTA have just made, or are trying to push ahead, major reforms. †¢Liberalization Of Services Turning to large industrial countries, trade in goods as such no longer appears to be the dominant factor for participating in RTAs. A growing number of RTAs includes provisions on liberalizing services (including financial), investment, protecting intellectual property rights, labour and environmental standards, and dispute resolution. Industrial countries are keen to include such issues to counter what they regard as unfair competition due to, for example, piracy or poor labour standards. They also desire to open up markets for their services sectors, where they have a comparative advantage. †¢Political Objectives Leaving aside economic goals for a moment, for some countries, political objectives are another important reason to enter into a RTA. Countries that may have far-reaching integration as a goal typically start out with trade agreements as a first step toward a deepening of political relationship. For e.g. initial agreements can cover trade and investment, then member countries later form an economic and monetary union, and then enhance the process towards a fully-fledged political union with a common constitution. Similarly, forging bilateral and regional trade ties is often linked to geopolitical and security considerations. Trade policy is a key instrument of foreign policy to secure regional stability by promoting the development of participating countries. In addition, political cooperation can reduce the potential for military conflicts among member nations. †¢Defensive Motive A last reason to enter into regional agreements may be defensive. As more and more countries enter into regional agreements, the cost of non participation rises. While some countries may prefer the multilateral route, they may also feel that not entering into regional agreements can lead to a competitive disadvantage relative to countries that have entered into RTAs. †¢Greater Consensus The benefits of trying to eliminate trade barriers in smaller groups of countries is facilitated through RTAs i.e. it can be easier to gain consensus among the relatively few members of a regional agreement as opposed to among all the member countries in the WTO. While RTAs are signed for a variety of reasons, the impact on trade, growth, and employment seems crucial in determining the extent to which broader objectives are achieved. It is difficult to identify arrangements that have advanced wider political objectives, without having first achieved progress in enhancing trade, and having this seen reflected in higher rates of sustainable growth and employment creation. Thus, it appears that the willingness to accept trade liberalization and the accompanying economic adjustments is a first step that may be indicative of progress than can be made in other areas. †¢Economies of scale Economies of scale are one of the most important aspects of regional integration in regards to development. In economic theory, economy of scale gains can be achieved when cost of producing one unit declines as the number of units increases. Economies of scale gains can be realized in regional integration agreements between developing nations because of the size of their combined markets and lower capital costs. Before regional integration, both country A and B will produce a certain good. Because of economies of scale, the country with the cheapest production costs will be able to provide the good for the entire region at a lower cost and to the benefit of entire region. †¢Trade Creation Trade creation is another aspect of regional integration that can also be achieved through RTAs. A RTA effectively expands the market in which a producer can sell a good by making goods both available and at a cheaper price to new markets. Under a RTA, countries will turn to partner nations for cheaper products. Thus, production can shift to nations with the greatest comparative advantage, resulting in greater exports and imports within the region under the agreement along with greater efficiency in the allocation of resources. †¢Bargaining Power Increased bargaining power is another major reason for developing nations to pursue RTAs. Economies within developing nations are in almost all cases small in comparison to developed nations, and are often in danger of being left out of global economy as a result of size. Under RTA, a group of nations can in effect gain greater visibility and influence within the international community. Increased bargaining power within the International community can have effects on a number of different aspects; cooperating members are able to share in the high fixed of negotiation. This power of integration has been seen in various RTAs, including CARICOM’s success in international policymaking, and perhaps even more clearly with ‘Group 20’ in the Doha round of WTO trade talks. As confirmed by several conversations with experts in the international community, increased bargaining power is a political goal sought after RTAs. †¢Market Attractiveness Increased market attractiveness has played a major role in the RTAs especially in the case of Africa. Similar to the goal of increased bargaining power, RTAs provide increased market attractiveness for FDI and trade relations with the developed world because of the clarity of rules and the stability than an RTA brings to a region. As a region becomes unified under standard trade measures and investment law, it is easier for outside nations to invest in and do business with the developing nations under RTA. This in turn can bring increased financial and capital flows, infrastructure, and ultimately wealth to the region. Increased FDI after formation of the RTAs has been researched extensively by organizations such as World Bank, and various situations point to the effectiveness of regional integration as a positive for FDI. The investment situation within European community and the NAFTA all showed significantly increases in FDI after negotiations were concluded. Another aspect of increased market attractiveness is the idea of conflict resolution within developing nations. Under some RTAs, conflict resolution boards have been put into place that have increased the legality of agreements and increased attractiveness for foreign investors and export purchasers. One of the boards includes the peer review system used by the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) that has been viewed favourably by various developed nations and groups including the US and EU. †¢Cooperation in public goods This also assists national economies in their development. By cooperating on infrastructure projects the whole region can benefit and money can be saved through economies of scale gains in regards to investment in public goods. This cooperation can also be beneficial for environmental reasons. Railroads, public utilities projects, and power plant initiatives (with the case of SADC power pooling project) are only a few examples of how regional integration can increase efficiently and save money for member nations. 3.5Drawbacks of RTAs Disadvantages Of Regional Initiatives While there are many obvious benefits for countries to join in RTA, as evidence by their popularity, there are some negative aspects associated with the RTAs. It is important to know these drawbacks in order to make RTA work as well as to formulate policy as regards to new RTAs. †¢Trade Diversion As mentioned above, Trade Creation is one of the benefits of RTA, but trade creation however is not the entire picture. A negative aspect, called trade diversion can occur when the partners divert away products that may be more cheaply produced in favour of products from the RTA partner, even if these products are produced at a higher cost, thus resulting in inefficiency. In the case of trade diversion, regional suppliers have an advantage as a result of preferential treatment rather than an actual comparative advantage. The latter stems from sales won at the expense of third country suppliers, which become less competitive purely because they face a tariff barrier that does not apply to suppliers within the new free trade area. Such increased trade actually reduces the economy’s overall efficiency. It results in lowered welfare for the importing nation as tariff revenues are lost and not replaced by gains from trade when trade creation cannot outweigh trade diversion. †¢Delocalisation Of Labour Market Another negative consequence of RTA is that it leads to shift in employment. Since the formation of trading blocs significantly reduces or eliminates barriers to trade, the producer of a particular good or service will more often be decided by relative productivity. With trade agreements, labour market is dislocated, i.e., there are some jobs that are loss while others are gained. An example will be the loss of between 32000 and 100000 of manufacturing jobs as a direct result of the NAFTA between Canada, Mexico and United States. But evidence also suggests that between 90,000 and 160,000 jobs tied to exports to Mexico were also created by NAFTA. Dislocation allows a nation to upgrade their economy toward higher-wage-paying industries. †¢Increase In The Complexity Of International Trading System FTAs also increase the complexity of the international trading system and can raise transaction costs for business. For example, complicated rules of origin are required to prevent third countries product entering via the other party. With different rules negotiated under different agreements, enforcement of these rules and compliance with them by business can be a complicated task. Businesses have to take into account the different dispute settlement mechanisms as well as different standards regimes and other harmonization arrangements. †¢Unequal Bargaining Power In a RTA between a developed country and a developing country or countries, the latter are usually in a weaker bargaining position due to the lack of capacity of their economies, their weaker political situation and their weaker negotiating resources. The result of such unequal bargaining power can be that significant trade restrictions by large countries remain in place instead of being eliminated under circumstances of more equal negotiating power. †¢Distortion In Production Additionally RTAs may negatively impact on global trade because regional preferences and rules of origin distort production by making location of production or source of raw materials the driving incentive. †¢Prevents Complete Liberalisation In Multilateral Arena RTA may also prevent complete liberalization in multilateral arena. Countries that benefit from regional trade agreements may be reluctant to expose themselves to the risks of opening their markets on a multilateral level, if they expect relatively insignificant returns. †¢Loss Of Technology And R&D Transfer One of the negative consequences of RTA is the loss of technology and R&D transfers from developed countries. Technology and ‘Know How’ transfers from developed countries are viewed as the major benefits from RTAs. Unfortunately, as intra-regional trade begins to dominate a trading bloc, these technology and R&D transfers can be lost. †¢Loss Of National Sovereignty Successive levels of integration require that nations surrender more of their national sovereignty. For this reason, the higher levels of integration are more difficult to achieve. †¢While there are many obvious benefits for countries to join in RTA, as evidence by their popularity, there are some negative aspects associated with the RTAs. It is important to know these drawbacks in order to make RTA work as well as to formulate policy as regards to new RTAs. These include amongst others trade diversion, loss of national sovereignty and unequal bargaining power.

KES- the film /movie

â€Å"While A Kestrel for a Knave begins with a sense of hope, it soon becomes clear that the novel and film are both ultimately about Billy's defeat. † Is one that I agree with. It's explores the theme of hope In both a positive and negative manner. The audience learns that hope can be nurtured through the support of adults and also when an individual has a goal they wish to attain.Yet, it's abolished when a teenager is succumbed to despair due to not being rendered with support, and shows the harsh reality for many teenagers dwelling in poverty whereby they experience the absence of hope. I believe this book resonates with teenagers in a contemporary society, as adults can hinder or encourage teenagers dealing with adversely such as bullying, poverty, or family abuse. Also, It suggests that due to the perils of life, teenagers may be deprived of hope when they realist that regardless of their goals and determination, they may never succeed.As evident in the murder of the Kes trel which was Bilge's only source of hope despite adversities. The statement â€Å"While A Kestrel for a Knave begins with a sense of hope, it soon becomes clear that he novel and film are both ultimately about Billy's defeat. † is one that I agree with. It's explores the theme of hope In both a positive and negative manner. The audience learns that hope can be nurtured through the support of adults and also when an individual has a goal they wish to attain.Yet, it's abolished when a teenager is succumbed to despair due to not being rendered with support, and shows the harsh reality for many teenagers dwelling in poverty whereby they experience the absence of hope. I believe this book resonates with teenagers in a contemporary society, as adults can hinder or encourage teenagers dealing with adversities such as bullying, poverty, or family abuse. Also, It suggests that due to the perils of life, teenagers may be deprived of hope when they realist that regardless of their goa ls and determination, they may never succeed.As evident in the murder of the Kestrel which was Bilge's only source of hope despite adversities. The statement â€Å"While A Kestrel for a Knave begins with a sense of hope, it soon becomes clear that the novel and film are both ultimately about Billy's defeat. † is one that I agree with. It's explores he theme of hope in both a positive and negative manner. The audience learns that hope can be nurtured through the support of adults and also when an Individual has a goal they wish to attain.Yet, it's abolished when a teenager is succumbed to despair due to not being rendered with support, and shows the harsh reality for many teenagers dwelling in poverty whereby they experience the absence of hope. I believe this book resonates with teenagers in a contemporary society, as adults can hinder or encourage teenagers dealing with adversities such as bullying, poverty, or Emily abuse. Also, it suggests that due to the perils of life, t eenagers may be deprived of hope when they realist that regardless of their goals and determination, they may never succeed.As evident in the murder of the Kestrel which was Bilge's only source of hope despite adversities. The statement â€Å"While A Kestrel for a Knave begins with a sense of hope, it soon becomes clear that the novel and film are both ultimately about Billy's defeat. † is one that I agree with. It's explores the theme of hope in both a positive and negative manner. The audience learns that hope can be sis to attain. Yet, it's abolished when a teenager is succumbed to despair due to not being rendered with support, and shows the harsh reality for many teenagers dwelling in poverty whereby they experience the absence of hope.I believe this book resonates with teenagers in a contemporary society, as adults can hinder or encourage teenagers dealing with adversities such as bullying, poverty, or family abuse. Also, it suggests that due to the perils of life, teen agers may be deprived of hope when they realist that regardless of their goals and determination, they may ever succeed. As evident in the murder of the Kestrel which was Bilge's only source of hope despite adversities.The statement â€Å"While A Kestrel for a Knave begins with a sense of hope, it soon becomes clear that the novel and film are both ultimately about Billy's defeat. † is one that I agree with. It's explores the theme of hope in both a positive and negative manner. The audience learns that hope can be nurtured through the support of adults and also when an individual has a goal they wish to attain. Yet, it's abolished when a teenager is succumbed to despair due to not being endured with support, and shows the harsh reality for many teenagers dwelling in poverty whereby they experience the absence of hope.I believe this book resonates with teenagers in a contemporary society, as adults can hinder or encourage teenagers dealing with adversities such as bullying, p overty, or family abuse. Also, it suggests that due to the perils of life, teenagers may be deprived of hope when they realist that regardless of their goals and determination, they may never succeed. As evident in the murder of the Kestrel which was Bilge's only source of hope despite adversities.

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 156

Summary - Essay Example These promotional activities range from the use of fliers, direct mail, newspapers and magazines, billboards, TV, social media, strategic advertisement and the use of a website among others. The business plan has emphasized the importance of creating awareness about the existence of the restaurant if customers are expected to come to the restaurant. For this reason, strategic advertising has to be done so that the most number of potential customers can be reached at one go. This business plan has also highlighted the objectives of the new business, as well as outlined the strategy and plan of action meant to achieve each objective. The costs, measures, and ranges have also been outlined in the business plan. Finally, the timings of each marketing activity have been clearly outlined. All promotional activities from January to December, together with the specific dates that these activities will be carried out have also been given in this business plan. The commuters represent a significant portion of expected consumers as well as customers from nearby businesses. There are at present approximately 15 other businesses in this shopping area including 2 banks, NSLC, Sobeys, a pharmacy and fitness center. Statistics Canada shows that the average Canadian spends about 17% of their yearly earnings eating outside the house. Each of these local businesses represents a consistent number of employees working each day with only a few options for restaurants. There are more restaurants that require a short drive but that may be less convenient for an employee who only has an hour for lunch or wants enjoy a nice meal after work with coworkers. Convenience will play a large role in attracting customers. We will send a mail and gift card which worthies $5 plus our food menu with price for each item and telephone number to every people who lives within 2 kilometers to let them know we are in your neighborhood. Since we are close to highway, we are going to build

Rises of Interest Rate is Affecting the Housing Affordability Essay

Rises of Interest Rate is Affecting the Housing Affordability - Essay Example As the interest rates rise, the mortgage payments amounts also escalate. This poses as an unfavourable situation for the homebuyers, and causes a decline in the housing affordability. Empirical evidence suggests that this has been the case in the years whenever the interest rates rose. When such is the situation, the homebuyers can be offered such financial products by the banking sector that they can conveniently make the home buying decision, thus supporting the housing affordability. The huge majority of Australians desire to own a home and housing assets form the leading fraction of wealth for a good number of Australians. Australian house prices have been mounting discordantly in recent times. This price growth has been well in surplus of average weekly earnings growth over the same period, and as such the ratio of house prices to average earnings is now soaring. The Australian property market is basically comprised of many markets of separate sectors and geographical locations. This is the fact that must be considered as many various forces may contribute in shifting prices in separate markets, and the overall Australian property market's price gains or falls may disguise the actual micro market price shifts. Residential housing is determined by two markedly separate sources of demand; owner-occupiers and owner-investors. Both sources of demand are determined by diverse (but connected) aspects and the payback that accrues to the owner can take a collection of shapes depending on their standing. Payback can be the accredited rent that owner-occupiers get hold of by living in a house, or it can be the takings resulting from renting out an investment property or it can be (in both cases) the capital gain that is realised upon selling of the hothirty percent of income. The level of nominal interest rates and their rate of change are major determinants of the demand for home finance, along with levels of consumer confidence. (http://www.dhw.wa.gov.au/housingstrategywa/hswa_finance.pdf) Affordability of access and servicing of payments becomes an increasing issue as interest rates rise. Any rise in interest rates is probable to upset borrowers with diminutive equity and make it further difficult for would-be first homebuyers. Simply speaking, housing finance is the system of money and credit that works to offer housing affordability. In that sense, it is quite similar to finance for any other shape of investment. The established level of interest rate also affects the demand for and supply of home finance. The customary economic conditions very much affect the interest rates, over which the housing sector has very little control. Research Questions Aims and Purpose This research paper will aim to provide an insight to the effect of a rise in interest rates on the housing affordability of Australia. The close link of these two aspects, that is the interest rate levels and the housing affordability will be proved and the various other driving forces will be identified. The historical data and figures will be used to establish the empirical trend. In addition, why such a link exists and what are the reasons that the housing affordability is connected to the prevailing levels of interest rates will be illustrated in this paper. Objectives This

Innovation and Entrepreneurship - Case Synopses - KAPAI NEW ZEALAND Essay

Innovation and Entrepreneurship - Case Synopses - KAPAI NEW ZEALAND - Essay Example And the products should not be similar to those that are available in the other restaurants. The interior of the restaurants also was clearly describing that how much the founders are in touch with an eco-friendly environment. In case of the interiors also, James and Justin had a different opinion. And their prices were such that even a single item will not cost more than that of the present minimum wages. The menu choices were like DIY (Do It Yourself). That means the restaurant will provide the different items to the customer and they themselves have to mix the items and fill it to eat. Through this the customers can understand the items used in the salad and can also have a choice in the ingredients. A wide variety of foods are available such as soup, honey, hot cakes, juice etc. The staffs got a shift of 2 to 4 hours per day. So the university students were also working as staff on part time basis. The growth of Kapai is resulted from the local support; this is because they depen ded mostly on the local suppliers. The extraordinary performance leads them to a high profit and thus, James started drawing a salary as an office staff. Since, the demand for the fast food was very high and a number of competitors such as Mc Donald’s, Domino’s, and Pizza Hut already existed, Kapai had to boost up their business. The more usage of fast food led to an over-weighted society and people started behaving very health conscious. All the restaurants tried to balance the fast food and salad items. But the health parts were ignored. The main competitor is a salad store called Reload. The urge to open the franchise increased in their minds. But the competition was very stiff. So the decision was taken to reduce the overhead costs and other expenses. And they planned to start the franchise at their preferred location. Kapai always had the first mover advantage and they wanted the people to accept it as their own. ENTREPRENEURSHIP CHALLENGES Every entrepreneur had to face some sort of challenge during their business life. This is because risk is inherent in each business. From the very stage, where the idea was generated for the venture to be closed down the challenge had to be faced. The possible challenge is â€Å"Finance, management† (Richter Meyer, 2003) for the firm i.e., naming of the firm, staff selection etc. In this case, the challenge is more like when they were running the business rather than in the start-up stage. A number of players were existing in the fast food industry in New Zealand and all of them were having a number of outlets and they were very successful entrepreneurs such as KFC, Mc Donald’s, Domino’s Pizza, Pizza Hut etc. Even though there were a lot of competitors who existed, Kapai could succeed only because they have studied the eating habit of the people and accordingly started their business and earned relatively a good profit. The next thing is that about the location for the next two stores . Their prices for each food were lower than the minimum wage rate of the country and thus the revenue-expense part was a challenge. This is because they had to pay the rent for the building, employee’s salary, purchasing of vegetables etc. Moreover, they were mostly depended on the local suppliers and tried to serve bio-degradable packaged salads and the availability

The Debate Between Darwinism and Creationism Essay

The Debate Between Darwinism and Creationism - Essay Example Twenty years after the publication of On the Origin of Species, a crusade against this heretical doctrine came forward by the name of Creationism. Liberal churchmen and evangelical Christians had started embracing the evolution theory laid down by Darwin and his supporters. The creationists took upon themselves the task of outlawing the doctrines of evolution in the 1920s. Presently, they continue with this battle in the name of religion. William Jennings Bryan, a Presbyterian layman, made a huge claim about eliminating Darwinism from its roots in public schools. This strengthened the purpose of other creationists and the success encouraged them to continue with their efforts. Bryan was extremely disappointed to learn that Darwinism was used as a tool by the German military to cause war. Both democracy and Christianity were deeply affected by this havoc. He saw the whole of United States collapsing in this disbelief and the spread of the disease was far more rapid than he could imagi ne. He was â€Å"convinced that the teaching of Evolution as a fact instead of a theory caused the students to lose faith in the Bible, first, an in the story of creation, and later in other doctrines, which underlie the Christian religion†. In 1922, the same year in which Bryan started his crusade against the scientists who were the main cause; Will the I am Bell Riley stated the most important reason for the fundamentalists to oppose the scientific notions of evolution as being just a hypothesis and not a science.

Montefiore Medical Centre Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Montefiore Medical Centre - Case Study Example In this particular case , one of the fundamental issues that had to be tackled before the introduction of any new system was the introduction and implementation of proper motivational schemes due to the layoffs which had created a demotivated environment for the remaining workforce. And wages were already an issue as the hospital was facing an issue of merit payment non-payments as a result of financial issues which had made such payments impossibility. However, during the year 1999, the hospital had thought along the lines of providing the Senior Executives 20% bonuses in case the hospital was not able to meet its targets. However, these measures should not be used in those circumstances when the hospital when is facing financial crunch which it is at present and hence, this would not be the best of motivational schemes to introduce. An alternative to using money as a motivational technique would be using non-financial motivational techniques such as praising the work of the workforce, giving awards to the best performer, having better communication lines in order to allow the worker a chance to voice their concerns and creating a friendly environment in which the workers were made to feel like a part of a team rather than people who were being used as guinea pigs in some experiment. The second question dealt with the issue of the way the management dealt with the issue. The management would have to change its current operational strategy as that has resulted in creating a misunderstanding between it and the workers who not are unaware of what is required of them but also the purpose as to why the management is doing what is doing. Hence, this not only shows a severe breakdown in communication but also outlines the vast differences that exist in terms of the hierarchical structure. In order to overcome these, the management would have to take greater interest in the workforce and listen to their viewpoints and make them feel like they are actually part of a team instead of merely having meetings. The meetings were surely not successful when the workforce was still being left in the dark as to be required of them; hence the management would have to do a complete overhaul of its communication and co-ordination policy. The third question dealt with the issue of implementing the balanced score card and whether it was actually a wise decision on the behalf on the management to introduce it or whether it resulted in aggravating the situation even further. In terms of the effectiveness of balanced scorecard, it allowed Brennan to create a focused system in which the financials were aligned with the goals of the company, the performance measure which would allow the medical centre to become an interactive centre which would be connected to the external environment. At the same time, it would be outline the cost, quality and cycle of the clinical and administrative measures. Considering the sort of investment that this tool took and the sort of feedback that it received despite having met fierce resistance in the initial times, this tool is certainly worthy enough to become a real and animated technique adopted by the centre. However, in order for it to be successful proper communication and

International Marketing - 3 discussion questions Essay

International Marketing - 3 discussion questions - Essay Example One of the differences between domestic marketing and international marketing is that domestic marketing is considered to be easier than international marketing because a company doing local marketing already understands the local/country customs and norms. The focus then is effective marketing. On the other hand international marketing is usually more difficult because literal translation can often turn off prospects. Other differences include the uncertainty of different foreign business environments that are not in domestic marketing. This is because there is a difference in infrastructure, technology, competitive dynamics, legal and governmental restrictions, customer preferences, culture and many additional uncontrollable variables. Organizations should be more concerned about international marketing because their international image should be of more importance to them. Another reason for emphasizing on international marketing is the fact that if an organization has a good international image then automatically its domestic image becomes of a competitive organization that will excel in the future. There are different conditions that have led to the development of global markets. The first condition is the limitation that each and every country cannot produce all the goods and products of their need. Even if they do have the capability then the required quantity is not met. Another important reason is the quality of a product. For example a country might be able to produce a good but another country is making it of a better quality so they will prefer to buy it rather than producing it themselves. There is an increased interest shown by US Organizations in the global markets, the major reason being to boost up the profits. Other reasons are to maintain a high image of the organization domestically, to exploit the international markets where customers want quality products that are

When Things Fall Apart by Chodrun from chapter 1 to 18 Essay

When Things Fall Apart by Chodrun from chapter 1 to 18 - Essay Example Difficulties of life like aging, illness, getting what they do not want and many more are facts. The Buddha also faces these challenges. The teaching goes on stating that what causes unhappiness is when someone wants to avoid the facts of life and try to find happiness (Von Rosenberg 15). Turning upside down enables individuals to think upside down.Pema Chodrun states that suffering has a great role to play in our lives. Suffering will motivate people to look for answers to the problems us facing. Through suffering people, learn to have the feeling of empathy for other people facing the same problem. Through right thinking, we create the feeling of compassion for ourselves. We are compassionate on every part of ourselves that are unwanted. Compassion will create a room of relief and joy in us. It is a fundamental thing for everyone to feel happiness and in any case, when we start feeling unhappy, depressed we think that we lost something or we made a mistake (Von Rosenberg 19). When we incorporate the right thinking, we will appreciate suffering and view pain as a transformation to have the right thinking. When someone faces pain, we always look for happiness and satisfaction rather than having the right thinking and honor the quality of precisely what is happening in your life. It makes people run away from discomfort facing them. The situation makes them disappointed and unhappy Thus, Pema Chodrun urges one to have the right thinking and view situations like this as trying to develop our inner strengths (Von Rosenberg 21). What is more important is considering the inner strength as something that is only available when we are facing discomfort. When certain situation threatens us, we need to view first how we found ourselves at the discomfort. Inner strength will help find why we are in the situation. Pema Chodrun urges that we should accept

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

Ballistics - Essay Example There are two types of ballistics, interior and exterior ballistics. Interior ballistics concerns itself with the thermodynamics and chemistry that occurs in a guns barrel. Exterior ballistics concerns itself with the motion of a bullet that comes from a gun. This paper concerns itself with the mathematics that occurs from the exterior ballistics. This paper seeks to identify how mathematics helps to determine the distance and trajectory of a bullet. Coupland and Rothchild (2011) denote that motion is of two types, that is natural motion, and violent motion. Natural motion faces resistance from air or water, basically because it occurs in such kind of a medium. An example of a natural motion is the falling of a stone, or the rising of a smoke. Violent motion on the other hand occurs as a result of an application of force. An example of a violent motion is the movement of a bullet from a firearm. Coupland and Rothchild (2011) denote that the weight of the object and the force in which an individual applies to a motion object will determine the distance and the speed in which the motion object under consideration will move. (Pender, 2012).Before determining on how to use mathematics to determine the distance and trajectory of a bullet, it is important to understand that a trajectory determination does not identify and reveal the occurrences prior to an individual holding the gun (McCoy, 2012). It only identifies the distance, and the nature of the weapons used by the criminals. In calculating the distance and trajectory of a bullet, it is important to denote that a bullet under motion faces two types of forces, that is the force of gravity, and the natural force brought by the air around which the bullet flies. In calculating a distance that a bullet covers, it is important to denote that bullets have a ballistic coefficient of G1 (Pender, 2012). The ballistic coefficient of a bullet (G1) allows an individual to scale the bullets drag to the standard projectile e stablished by the Gavre Commission. The standard ballistic coefficient of a bullet established by the Gavre commission was 1.000 (Warlow, 2012). This standard allows an individual to calculate how many feet’s a projectile will lose a given number of velocities in comparison to a distance a standard projectile will cover, after losing the same amount of velocity, under similar atmospheric environment. For example, a G 1 standard projectile drops approximately 2904 to 3000 fps over a distance of 100 yards. This is at a standard meteorological condition. If the bullet under consideration will have a ballistic coefficient of 0.5, the bullet will drop from 3000fps to 2904 fps in a distance of 50 yards (Kieser and Taylor, 2013). This distance is calculated in this manner,100 yards multiply by 0.5= 50 yards. From these calculations, we can denote that when the ballistic coefficient of a bullet is big, the weight and shape of the bullet have a lesser drag. The bullet will also lose i ts velocity in a slower manner, and the rate of its deflection by the wind is minimal. This calculation will mostly affect artilleries made in the standard shapes of the 1800s, in which the Gavre commission established the bullets ballistic coefficient (Warlow, 2012). However, in the current century, manufactures have different shapes of a projectile which also have a different G1standard.On this basis, different G I standards, and Ballistic coefficients work over a limited number of velocities. On this basis therefore, modern bullets have a specified ballistic coefficient, over a given and different velocity range. This is because the shapes

Atmospheric Science Essay Example for Free

Atmospheric Science Essay The first being a localised wind shear event caused by rapid cooling and descent of a column of air, the second being the build-up of ice on an aircraft as it flies through certain conditions. Each weather condition is explained in detail, with emphasis on how and why it is dangerous in the context of aviation. Two aircraft crashes, each relating to one of the weather conditions, are analysed and the meteorological factors that led to the crash examined. The official National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) documents are used as a reference. 1. 0 Introduction Meteorological conditions have an obvious influence on aviation and can be extremely hazardous in certain situations. The experience or ability of a pilot can often become irrelevant if the aircraft gets caught in a one of the many dangerous weather phenomena known to cause aviation accidents. Thunderstorms, lightning, wind shear and icing were deemed responsible for downing 4927 general aviation aircraft between 1994-2003 in the USA alone (National Transportation Safety Board, 2004). This report will focus primarily on two weather phenomena; Microbursts (Wet/Dry) and Aircraft Icing. Each meteorological condition will be explained in detail and an example of an aviation accident relating to the two types of weather condition will be analysed. 2. 0 Microburst A microburst is a rapidly descending column of air generally caused by a temperature differential associated with rain clouds. Tetsuya Fujita, a leading weather expert, defines a microburst as ‘affecting an area less then 4km in diameter’, separating a microburst from the more common ‘wind shear’, which generally affects far larger areas. Cool air descends beneath cloud cover, accelerating towards the ground before spreading linearly outward, resulting in localised high wind speeds in a radial pattern, with damage converging on the point of initial contact with the ground (see Figure. 1). For airliners and smaller aircraft alike, microbursts pose a significant threat especially at take-off and landing. Sudden and drastic variance in vertical/horizontal wind speed due to microbursts has been attributed to at least 59 general aviation crashes in the period between 1994 and 2003 (NTSB, 2004). Figure 1: The rapidly moving cold air hits the ground and spreads out horizontally. These phenomena can last anywhere between a few seconds and several minutes. Sudden wind gusts of up to 270km/h have been recorded as a direct result of microbursts. A microburst develops in three distinct phases: 1. Downburst: A body of air underneath a cloud is cooled by precipitation or virga (rain that evaporates before hitting the ground) and begins to descend. This downdraft accelerates and eventually makes contact with the ground. 2. Outburst: Having hit the ground, the air spreads out horizontally, driven by the column of air descending behind it. 3. Cushion: The air that is in contact with the ground begins to slow due to friction while the air above continues to push down and accelerate outward. Microbursts can be further categorized into ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ varieties. A wet microburst is produced as a result of warm and humid air being suddenly cooled. Precipitation or hail cools the column of air through which it is falling, resulting in a downdraft and subsequent outburst of wet air. A wet microburst is partially driven by the downward frictional force of the falling precipitation and therefore relies on a high saturation level in order to form. These microbursts are generally easy to spot as strong shafts of precipitation can be seen hitting the ground and then spreading horizontally. Dry microbursts on the other hand are generally caused by virga underneath high level cumulus clouds with little to no surface precipitation. Moisture in and underneath these clouds cools an otherwise dry and warm column of air to a point where the temperature differential creates enough negative buoyancy to begin the downburst phase. Both wet and dry microbursts depend on mid-level moisture, the adiabatic lapse rate in the sub-cloud layer and relative humidity at ground level (Wakimoto, 985). These variables are complicated to model and forecast, making microbursts extremely difficult to predict. This poses a particular risk to aircraft at lower altitudes as dry microbursts can occur in Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) with little to no warning, resulting in loss of control due to sudden crosswind or severe increase/decrease in lift due to either headwind of tailwind (depending on direction of flight relative to the microburst). The smaller scale of microbursts translates to much steeper wind shear gradients and therefore a much more hazardous situation then standard wind shear. 2. 1 Crash Analysis (Dry Microburst) On 24th July 2005 a single-engine Beach N35 was destroyed shortly after take-off from Salt Lake City municipal airport, Utah. All three passengers on board at the time sustained fatal injuries as a result of the crash (NTSB Incident DEN05FA114, 2005). The aircraft was found to be approximately 50kg over normal operating weight, but still within maximum parameters. According to the NTSB investigation, both the pilot and the pilot-rated passenger had checked the local weather briefing from the flight services station, and believing there to be minimal risk, proceeded to attempt take-off. Witnesses in the area reported that the plane took off without incident but stalled during climb approximately 150ft above the ground. The plane then rolled sharply, lost altitude and impacted with terrain within the aerodrome boundary. Autopsy results from the passengers ruled out any edical cause for the crash and mechanical failure was ruled out based on witness reports and examination of the wreckage. At the time of the crash, the local weather briefing included a warning for high level thunderstorms in the area; however weather data confirmed the complete absence of precipitation and minimal wind until the time of the accident. The NTSB report states that conditions were extremely favourable for the formation of dry microbursts, and goes on to state the cra sh was likely caused by ‘a dry microburst from high level thunderstorms in the area’ (NTSB Probable Cause Report DEN05FA114, 2006). Although the conditions did not seem dangerous based on weather briefings and pilot judgement, an unexpected microburst occurred in the area of the aerodrome during take-off. This likely caused a sudden increase in tailwind, stalling the aircraft and resulting in loss of height and eventual collision with the ground (See Figure 2). There is very little the pilot could have done in this situation as there was no real warning of this event occurring. This crash is a prime example of the unpredictability and hazardous nature of microbursts. Figure 2: Impact of microburst on aircraft during take-off. (Cotton, W. R, 2010). 3. 0 Aircraft Icing Icing can be a major issue for aircraft of all sizes/types and according to the NTSB, resulted in 350 general aviation accidents between 1994-2003 (NTSB, 2004). Icing will only occur in specific meteorological conditions where the atmosphere contains droplets of supercooled liquid water which will instantly form ice crystals upon contact with an aircraft. The likelihood of icing is defined quantitatively by the average droplet size, Liquid Water Content (LWC) and local atmospheric temperature. This makes icing conditions fairly straightforward to forecast given adequate weather recording systems in the area. Most aircraft are not rated to fly in known icing conditions and local weather services are obligated to warn against flying into such situations. Icing can occur in a number of ways on an aircraft. The most common is structural icing, where ice crystals form on the exterior surfaces of the aircraft. This can cause a considerable decrease in performance as the ice adds weight and inhibits the flow of air over the wing. Severe icing can also restrict movement of control surfaces and cause a pilot to lose control. Icing can also affect engine performance through carburettor or inlet icing. Icing, accelerated by the venturi effect as humid air enters the air inlet, can impede airflow and restrict the mechanical workings within the carburettor (See Figure 3). Fuel-injected systems, although not directly susceptible to carburettor icing, can still suffer from air intake icing which can slow down or completely block airflow into the engine. This can have a negative impact on engine performance and eventually lead to loss of engine function. Figure 3: Build up of Icing in Induction System (Civil Aviation Authority, 2000) According to the Terry T. Lankford in his book ‘Aircraft Icing: A Pilot’s Guide’ (1999) there are several different types of icing that can occur on an aircraft, all of which have the potential to hamper sustained flight: * Clear Ice: Supercooled liquid droplets strike the aircraft and then slowly freeze into large ice formations that can protrude out from the aircraft. * Rime Ice: Supercooled liquid droplets strike the aircraft and freeze instantly into a thin layer of ice that coats the exterior of the aircraft. Runback Ice: Droplets strike the aircraft and collect in unprotected areas of the aircraft, forming solid areas of ice that can hamper the free movement of control surfaces. * SLD Ice: Super-cooled Large Droplet ice forms when above-average size droplets strike the aircraft and freeze in a similar way to Clear Ice. This icing can occur very quickly and form large ice crystal s anywhere on the aircraft. Icing can be avoided by simply not flying into the meteorological conditions known to produce ice. However, many aircraft manufacturers include anti-icing systems that can be used in-flight in the event of unexpected icing. External surfaces can be heated by routing engine gases through ducts in the structure of the aircraft or via electrical heating. Another method is the use of ‘deicing boots’. These consist of a sealed rubber membrane stretched over the leading edge of a wing, which can inflate pneumatically in flight and break the ice off the aircraft. A more drastic method in some larger aircraft is an anti-icing fluid distribution system, which delivers fluid directly to areas where icing is occurring via tubes and spray nozzles. Within the air inlet, exhaust gases are rerouted or carburettor heat applied to minimise icing. In many aircraft, an alternate air inlet is also available in the event of complete blockage. Extreme icing can contribute to the crash of an aircraft by reducing performance to the point where sustained flight becomes impossible. Structural or carburettor icing, or in some cases a combination of the two, is a dangerous situation for any pilot if the correct actions are not taken to avoid an accident. 3. 1 Crash Analysis (Icing) On 16th of February 2007 a twin-engine Cessna 340A crashed into a snowy mountainside 3nm South-Southeast of Council Bluffs Municipal Airport, Iowa. At the time of the crash Night Instrument Meteorological conditions prevailed in the area. The pilot and three passengers sustained fatal injuries as a result of the crash. NTSB records indicate that the pilot had obtained the local weather briefing, which stated the possibility of ‘moderate icing’ and ‘moderate turbulence’ in the area. This was confirmed by other pilots and witnesses, who had reported icing below 9000ft earlier in the day. The Current Icing Potential (CIP) for the area was recorded as being a ‘70% probability of severe icing between 9000ft and 3000ft’ (NTSB Probable Cause Report CHI07FA073). As such, the aircraft likely encountered severe icing and possibly wind shear on descent, resulting in loss of control and subsequent collision with the ground. The aircraft, a 1977 Cessna 340A, was equipped with inflatable deicing boots to prevent major icing on the leading edge of the wings. However, post-crash analysis of the wreckage reported that the system had either not been deployed or was not functioning correctly during the flight prior to the crash. In this case, the pilot failed to acknowledge the potential for icing and take the proper precautions in conditions that had been determined very likely to produce severe aircraft icing. The accident occurred at night in low visibility conditions, further hampering the pilot’s ability to safely land the aircraft. It is clear that icing is at least partially responsible for the accident, with icing on the external surfaces and air inlets likely contributing to the eventual crash. The accident occurred at night in low visibility conditions, further hampering the pilot’s ability to safely land the aircraft. The accident was probably avoidable if the weather warnings had been acknowledged and the planned rote revised to minimise the risk of icing. 4. 0 Conclusion Both of these meteorological conditions, as well as all other hazardous weather phenomena, can be extremely hazardous if weather warnings are ignored or proper actions taken to minimise risk while flying. In some cases these conditions cannot be accurately predicted, and the responsibility therefore falls onto the pilot to determine whether it is safe to fly in the area.

Challenges Walmart Faces Expanding Their Territory To China Management Essay

Challenges Walmart Faces Expanding Their Territory To China Management Essay Business operations across national borders are becoming the trend in the current era. And this trend continuously grows because of globalisation and multinational operation. In response to this globalisation issue, multinational corporations like Wal-Mart tend operate in other countries to have excellent advantage. According to Amponsah (2001) globalisation and the eagerness of a certain business organisation to operate across borders involves two dimension i.e. change in economic operations of various countries, and change in the participants of global economic operations. Several people believe that the globalisation of economic activities of every country would hasten the fight against poverty (Macarov 2003, p. 103). But like other companies that are operating in local scale, Wal-Mart a multinational company also faces different opportunities and challenges in the foreign market. With this, this paper will be discussing the opportunities and challenges that Wal-Mart faces in venturing the Chinese territory. Opportunities A business venturing to a foreign market creates good opportunities. As for Wal-Mart venturing in China, a new foreign market like China might provide opportunities for new growth. Aside from this, Wal-Mart uses global expansion to lower costs of goods, accelerate speed to market, improve quality of products and of course to cut their overhead costs considering that China is a low cost country whereas the labour is cheap compared to other countries in the West (Walmartstores, 2010). Most MNCs are establishing subsidiaries in other nations to reduce costs, mainly through the use of cheap foreign labour in developing countries. Like other MNCs, Wal-Mart can hold down costs by shifting some or all of its production facilities abroad. Although Wal-Mart are not claiming that they using the opportunity of global expansion to escape the protectionist policies of an importing country, it is remains the motives of most MNCs. Through direct foreign investment, a corporation like Wal-Mart can b ypass high tariffs that prevent its goods from being competitively priced. For example, when the European Common Market (the predecessor of the European Union) placed tariffs on goods produced by outsiders, U.S. corporations responded by setting up European subsidiaries (Multinational Corporation 1998). Venturing in China is also a good opportunity for Wal-Mart to prevent competition. The most certain method of preventing actual or potential competition from foreign businesses is to acquire those businesses ((Multinational Corporation 1998). Despite of the opportunistic feat of global expansion, Wal-Mart holds that they create employment, create wealth, and improve technology in countries that are in dire need of such development. Critics, however, point to their inordinate political influence, their exploitation of developing nations, and the loss of jobs that result in the corporations home countries. Challenges Cultures Maddox (1993) claims that going global require transformation of managerial skills learned at the home office to enable the managers to function cross-culturally. Business firms must focus on selecting and training managers to become more attuned to different cultures, particularly in the culture of their country of assignment. In the case of Wal-Mart, their Board of Directors should have identified economy, politics, religion, value systems, and frame of reference of the Chinese consumers regarding the products and services that they offer as the primary areas that posed distinct challenges in their expansion to China. Thus, the same aspects merit the attention of the leaders of Wal-Mart who will be assigned at the companys branch in China. The Chinese culture and lifestyle are different from those of the Wal-Marts home country i.e. USA and other Western nations where the company operates. Thus, the success of operation in China relies on the ability of the leaders to facilitate bus iness operations in the midst of cultural diversity among the employees and distinct cultural characteristics surrounding the company such as laws, social norms and business practices. In evaluating the culture of China as part of Wal-Marts business operation, Hofstedes dimensions culture was used. Actually, Geert Hofstede is a Dutch organisational anthropologist who divided culture into four dimensions at culture level-power distance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity/femininity, and uncertainty avoidance (Dahl, 2004). It is important to be aware and comprehend these cultural dimensions for these have an influence on the internal and external workings of organizations that operate on an intercultural level. Power Distance. Power distance is described as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organisations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally (cited in Hofstede 1991, p. 28); more simply, it is concerned with how equal, or unequal, the people are in a specific society or nation. In China, they have high power distance i.e. 80 PDI, this means that there is significant amount of inequalities in power and wealth within China. As a result, it is quite likely that that society employs a caste system and does not permit significant development for its people (Geert Hofstede cultural dimensions 2010). In the corporate-oriented context, firms with a high power distance employ a tall organizational structure because there is greater and higher rigidity in terms of hierarchy. Also, there is a large proportion of managerial employees to the overall human resource population, high job ranking for white-collar work, large compensation differentials, and low requirements for entry-level positions (Earley, 1997, p. 147). Individualism versus Collectivism. Individualism is how a society perceives achievement and personal relationships, may it be individually or collectively. Furthermore, according to Hofstede (1991), individualism is a set of values that concern the relationship of a person to his or her collectivity in the society (as cited in Earley, 1997, p. 144). In China, the individualism was low i.e. 20 IDV which indicates that China is a nation with low individualism and has a collective nature wherein close bonds exist among the people (Geert Hofstede cultural dimensions 2010). Moreover, collectivistic people also perceive themselves in relation a societal and cultural context. This is a great challenge for Wal-Mart considering that their mother country United States has high collectivism as can be observed through the nature of their families. People who reside in such locations live in nuclear families, as oppose to highly collective Asian individuals who normally live with members of their extended families. Masculinity versus Femininity. Masculinity versus femininity refers to the gender differentiation, or more specifically, the extent of how a society applies the traditional perception of man as a model of success, control, and authority. In nations with high masculinity, men control a major part of the society and power structure, while females are restrained because of such male supremacy (Geert Hofstede cultural dimensions 2010). In China, they have high masculinity i.e. 66 MAS. Actually this is important for Wal-marts operation since it relates to achievement, industrial strife, high growth, aggression, work stress, and conflict. To be more specific, firms that are more masculine are fast-paced, aggressive, and focus more on development and growth over harmony and stability (Earley, 1997, p. 164). On the other hand, a feminine-oriented company is more concerned on the social interaction and operations among human resources. Moreover, such firm has a considerate and nurturing natur e, which means that there is more focus on interpersonal functioning and harmony over personal gain (Earley, 1997, p. 164). Hence, the employees welfare is the foremost concern, because this results to the companys ability to establish the capability of an individual to contribute to interpersonal welfare in the organization. Uncertainty Avoidance. As was defined by Hofstede, uncertainty avoidance is the extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by uncertain or unknown situations (cited in Hofstede 1991, p. 113). As seen in the index, China has low uncertainty avoidance which indicates that the country was less rigid when it comes to change, could handle risks, and have less rules and regulations, since they could effectively endure diverse opinions (Geert Hofstede cultural dimensions 2010). For Wal-Mart, uncertainty may come from the internal and external environment. An organizations response to such ambiguities, through the use of rules, rituals, and technology, affects its image of high or low uncertainty avoidance. This could be a great challenge for Wal-Mart since China wont easily embrace the change they would bring in the country. A Fifth Cultural Dimension. After additional studies which were mainly focused on Chinese managers and workers, Hofstede introduced a fifth cultural dimension, which is the long-term orientation. This focuses on how nations apply, or do not apply, long-term devotion to conventional, forward thinking principles (Geert Hofstede cultural dimensions 2010). Countries with high levels of long-term orientation recommend a strong work ethics and anticipate long-term rewards as a consequence of todays hard work. Thus, long-term commitments are emphasized and traditions are respected (Geert Hofstede cultural dimensions 2010). This is a great challenge for Wal-Mart since they came from countries with low levels of long-term orientation that are capable to experience change because long-term customs and behaviours are lessened, and change is no longer hindered. Political The primary difference in the economies of West and China is the orientation. Most of the west countries economy is affluent while the Chinese economy adopts the economic style of Soviet Union wherein most of the economic activities are centrally planned by the government. In China, the local officials have immense authority although the economy is open to foreign investment and trade. The regulations state that Chinese firms should have at least 51 percent ownership and control of joint ventures with foreign investors (Economy of China 2010). Ramsay (2003) reports that it generally takes two to three months to register a business in China with the government putting limits on the companys business scope (p. 8). The difference in the economic orientation of China and Wal-Marts home country USA poses certain challenges to the leaders of said company. These leaders are accustomed to a free market in the USA economy wherein investors, consumers and producers transact free business and d etermine the flow of economic activities. In China, they would encounter restrictions in the various operational activities of the company such as production and marketing of certain types of products because the Chinese government pursues the interests of Chinese business organizations. Secondly, Chinas transitional economy as cited by Alon Shenker (2003) since the mid-1970s has fostered a tremendous opportunity for international firms to establish operations in the country and made international joint venture as a primary mode of foreign direct investment. However, managing joint ventures sometimes leads to cultural conflicts between Chinese managers and foreign managers. Wal-Marts leaders are more Western and their approaches to management clash with the Chinese management approach. Chinese managers rely on interventions from the extended network outside the company to manage risks and threats rather than following the budgets and plans established in advance that are expected t o guarantee success. The Chinese managers prefer particularistic and pragmatic solutions to organizational problems by analyzing causes of problems and soliciting outside intervention in problem solving while Western managers like Wal-Marts managers have the tendency to act in reference to a belief in an underlying principle that provides a ready matrix into which current reality and present existence can be fitted. As an American, Wal-Marts managers believe that future circumstances can be integrated into the ready matrix which serves as an analytic model to guide decision making processes (p. 147). Considering these differences, the Western leaders who will be assigned to China may encounter conflicting management styles with their Chinese colleagues. Thirdly, USA and China differ in religious beliefs. USA follow Christianity, especially Protestantism, and believe that good works are gifts of hardwork and Gods grace in the life of His believer and not by interventions of outside f orces (Christianity-Protestantism 2010). Chinese are more fatalistic and believe that humans must follow their destiny by living in unity with the world of nature and pursuing social conformity (Religion in China 2001). Hence, Western employees would perform their duties based on their personal judgments and decisions while their Chinese counterparts would consistently attempt to abide by the rules and seek opinions of other employees as they are more inclined to seek conformity. These differences in idea of independence would make the leaders of Wal-Mart consider the outcomes and motivations of their manpower. Western employees would be motivated to perform well if they are given sufficient freedom at work while Chinese employees may prefer to work in teams and have access to constant supervision. Fourthly, the Western value systems relative to interpersonal relationships are in conflict with those of the Chinese. Western people as cited by Alon Shenker (2003) value personal relat ionships with colleagues and supervisors but organizational hierarchy does not dictate their relationships. They equally communicate and relate to all members of the organization. Chinese employees, on the contrary, prefer a system in which coordination is hierarchical wherein the key institutional values underscore loyalty and submission to a leader whose right is to establish the goals of the group. Accordingly, the leaders of Wal-Mart who would be assigned to manage some operations of China have to practice special care in dealing with their Chinese subordinates and fellow supervisors. They may encounter Chinese colleagues who would constantly consult them before they perform their responsibilities. These leaders have to recognize that the Chinese culture places much reverence to leaders while Western people prefer to work independently most of the times. Conclusion The best way to measure success in international business is through constant monitoring by the mother company. Through monitoring, the head company can gauge expatriate failure or success, and cross-cultural competence of expatriates. Wal-Mart must be able to implement consistent monitoring measures in their operations and the performances of the employees and managers sent to China. Venture failure is oftentimes associated with lost opportunities, reduced productivity, and damaged relationships while expatriate success connotes the accomplishment of the opposite. Furthermore, cultural competence is measured if the manager assigned at a foreign location possesses a strong personal identity, has knowledge of and complies with the beliefs and values of the culture of the country where he is assigned, demonstrates sensitivity to the affective processes of the culture, communicates clearly in the language of the country of assignment, displays a degree of culturally-sanctioned behavior, nurtures active social relations with the people and authorities of the country, and negotiates the institutional structures of that culture. Basically, the leaders should be able to adapt quickly to the Chinese culture, comply with its requirements while performing their responsibilities, and gain appreciation of the unique processes of doing business in the country.

Mary Cassatt Art Style: An Overview

Mary Cassatt Art Style: An Overview Cassatt is perhaps best-known for her paintings of mothers and children, works which also reflect a surprisingly modern sensibility. Traditional assumptions concerning childhood, child-rearing, and the place of children in society were facing challenges during the last part of the 19th century and women too were reconsidering and redefining their place in modern culture. Cassatt was sensitive to a more progressive attitude toward women and children and displayed it in her art as well as in her private comments. She recognized the moral strength that women and children derived from their essential and elemental bond, a unity Cassatt would never tire of representing. The many paintings, pastels, and prints in which Cassatt depicted children being bathed, dressed, read to, held, or nursed reflect the most advanced 19th-century ideas about raising children. After 1870, French scientists and physicians encouraged mothers (instead of wet-nurses and nannies) to care for their children and suggested modern approaches to health and personal hygiene, including regular bathing. In the face of several cholera epidemics in the mid-1880s, bathing was encouraged not only as a remedy for body odors but as a preventative measure against disease. Shortly after her triumphs with the Impressionists, Cassatts style evolved, and she moved away from impressionism to a simpler, more straightforward approach. By 1886, she no longer identified herself with any art movement and experimented with a variety of techniques. A series of rigorously drawn, tenderly observed, yet largely unsentimental paintings on the mother and child theme form the basis of her popular work. In 1891, she exhibited a series of highly original colored lithograph prints, including Woman Bathing and The Coiffure, inspired by the Japanese masters shown in Paris the year before. Her decision to become a professional artist must have seemed beyond the pale, given that serious painting was largely the domain of men in the 19th century. Despite the concerns of her parents, Cassatt chose career over marriage Jansons History of Art, Seventh Edition p. 879-880 This text gives us a little insight into the life of Mary Cassatt (1844-1926). She was an American who was born into a wealthy family and raised in Pittsburgh; also influenced by Renaissance art, she approached Impressionism from a womans perspective, mainly as a figure painter. As a female, she was often restricted as far as going places unattended where men could go. Her subject matter was attributed to these restrictions. Many of her themes included women reading, visiting, taking tea, and bathing an infant. The Childs Bath is not only a picture about health, but about intense emotional and physical involvement. Paul case: Cathers understanding of the tacit limits governing the representation of sexuality, and the way they were linked to genre, explains why she chose the mode of indirection in writing her 1905 story of a homosexual teenager, Pauls Case. Recent developments in sexology enabled Cather to characterize Paul as a homosexual without naming his condition. Through background information and physical description, Cathers narrator discreetly invokes degeneracy theory to explain her protagonist, aligning him with the subjects of recent case studies. After experimenting with the persona of the fairy, Paul uses stolen money to transform himself into a cultured, sophisticated queer, but neither persona proves permanently satisfactory. Through its references to Pauls sexuality, the story analyzes one particular product of late-nineteenth-century consumer capitalism: the middle-class, urban gay man. How to write it ? Write your climax first; it will aid you to gauge properly the view-point of your story. The climax is the plot in brief: here is a hint as to plot finding. Take a situation: it may be humorous, pathetic, full of mystery, or dramatic; but it must be striking. Life abounds in many such, and he who goes about with his eyes open can not fail to set aside an ample store. The conclusion should follow closely on the heels of the climax. Its office is to ring down effectively the curtain on the scene. Often it dovetails in the climax so that we can not tell where one begins and the other ends When you conceived your climax, doubtless some one thing stood out in bolder relief than all the rest. It may have been humor, it may have been pathos, it may have been grim tragedy. Whatever it was, it is the point of the tale, the centre of gravity of your story. You wisely gave it a setting in keeping, and in the conclusion let it dwell like a lingering note to be a haunting memory for many a day. It is the essence of your conception, and in the introduction you held it up before your readers eyes as the game to be pursued. This we will call the theme of the composition. The subtle power of the French school lies in the art of innuendo. It is what is left unsaid rather than what is said that causes the greatest thrill. But the inference must be plain: the readers imagination should not be left to construct the tale which you set out to tell. Often a story will be saved from boredom to fascination by the power of suggestion alone. This is particularly true of love scenes, deaths, and the like, such as only a masters hand at description can hope to handle effectively. Rosebud: One of the key cruxes of the film is the question of what exactly Rosebud means. We ask this question even though we know that Welles Co. were in part trying to show that you cannot reduce a mans mysteries to one thing. On the other hand, there is a solution to the problem. It is actually found in Welless next film, The Magnificent Ambersons. Throughout Welless radio career, his most moving shows, such as his adaptation of The Apple Tree, were about loss loss of a bucolic past, of a domestic happiness, of a quiet life. This theme doesnt seem to have anything to do with Welless real life. Its just something he liked, though perhaps based on the loss of his mother at an early age. The Magnificent Ambersons is his most poignant realization of this theme in his work. Rosebud leads up to that film. Rosebud is The Magnificent Ambersons. The small-town values and mothers love that the snow-ball evoke which reminds Kane of his childhood home, and the sled called Rosebud are all explored in much more detail and presented with an additional dollop of aching loss, in Welless second film. Rosebud is not a gimmick. As a narrative device, it is the holy grail of the film, the engine that drives the reporter Thompson to solve the mystery of Kane, and along the way we learn as much about Kane as the characters (and the undermining overvoice of the film itself) can tell us. But when we learn, from our privileged position as viewers of the film, what Rosebud actually is, even as it is being destroyed, we also learn that it is not a hoax, nor is it hokey. As Bernard Herrmanns beautiful music rises in the background, we feel both the unsealing of the envelope and the closing of a life. Its a beautiful moment, one of the most expressive in all cinema. And you know what? In a way, a mans life can be reduced to one thing, if that thing is the rich cluster of images and ideas that Rosebud contains. The gay subtext in Citizen Kane Who wrote Kane? The answer is in the aspect of the film that everyone is afraid to mention, the gay subtext that appears in Kane and in many of Welless other films. Im not talking about his private life, in which, according to Simon Callow, Welles had a knack for attracting the support of older gay men such as Houseman, who were smitten with the youths vivacity. Welles, a heavy drinker, was married three times and, like Marlon Brando and Warren Beatty after him, had ostentatious affairs with many women, among them Dolores Del Rio. None of this seemed to find its way into his films. Women dont figure that heavily in most of Welless films, and rarely does sex truly enter. Love and passion are there, but often presented discreetly. Kane offers up something of a Madonna/whore contrast, while his next film shows dedicated woman in a soap-operaish oleo of unrequited, often even unexpressed, love. Although the aborted Its All True celebrated the passionate life of Latin America, Welles was really interested in the politics of the time. Subsequent films dealt with great men and their political lives. Welles played Othello as if he were really married to Iago. There is the suggested rape of a newlywed in Touch of Evil, and a nymphomaniac in The Trial. Its a shock to see footage from the unfinished The Other Side of the Wind in which actual lust is realized in the back seat of a car. But the combination of sex and women is not what we carry away from many of these films. Male friendship and its betrayals interested Welles, from one film to another, starting with Kane and lasting all the way to The Big Brass Ring, a screenplay credited to Welles but finally filmed by someone else. As in many films with a gay subtext, parts of Kane dont make sense unless you view them from a gay perspective. Why, exactly does Jed Leland feel so betrayed by Kane? It cant just be because Kanes political folly put back the cause of reform 20 years. When Leland, the stooge friend, first learns of the political disgrace, he walks into a bar to drown feelings of what? Leland, who elsewhere says he took ballet lessons with Kanes first wife and was very graceful, has no female companions in the film, and his reaction to Kanes political betrayal far exceeds its actual weight. Theres a love here that dare not speak its name. This gay subtext provides another indication of Welless hand in the Kane screenplay. Welless other great movie, Touch of Evil, has a similar relationship between a powerful man and a stooge, in which the powerful man is the love of the stooges life: Welless Quinlan and Joseph Calleias Pete Menzies; only here, both men betray each other. And the totality of The Trial only makes sense if the film is viewed as really about the persecution of a gay man in a straight society. The gay subtext of Kane only adds to its mysteries and makes it a richer film. Understanding themes:D1 Personal identity is shaped by ones culture, by groups, and by institutional influences. Examination of various forms of human behavior enhances understanding of the relationship between social norms and emerging personal identities, the relationships between social processes that influence identity formation, and the ethical principles underlying individual action.

Disparity and Discrimination Essay example -- Race Racism Prejudice

Disparity and Discrimination According to Webster’s Dictionary, the proper definition for discrimination is: 1 a : the act of discriminating b : the process by which two stimuli differing in some aspect are responded to differently 2 : the quality or power of finely distinguishing 3 a : the act, practice, or an instance of discriminating categorically rather than individually b : prejudiced or prejudicial outlook, action, or treatment (Webster’s dictionary). Discrimination has been around for centuries and even though there have been improvements in the way society deals with discrimination, we still have a long way to go. One of the biggest problems in America today is racial discrimination. We see it happening all over the world and also we see how it affects our criminal justice system. For example, there have been many problems with police officers using racial profiling with mostly people of African American and Mexican decent. Police officers do pull over minorities more than they would if the person was white. Even though the minority races have a higher criminal rate compared to the white community, we should not be labeled automatically without reason or just cause. And we should not be treated any differently when you are comparing the two.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another example of discrimination is what can happen in our court systems. For example, minorities may not be able to provide for a good lawyer, which leaves them to a public defender and in most cases, they e...

Drinking Water Treatment Improves Water Quality :: Drinking Water Quality

My topic for this paper is on water treatment and in this paper the places where i will be getting my info is www.aguauninternational.com and I'm getting info from and encyclopedia an a book. In a modern society, water is one of the things in life we often take for granted. When we turn on the tap, we expect water that is clean, safe and suitable for all household tasks. But in recent years, there has been a growing concern about contamination of our water supplies. We hear unsettling news accounts that make us question the safety of our water. I know that Water covers 75% of our planet's surface. It's everywhere! And it's all the same, isn't it? yes the reason it is because we use water for so many different things. like to take baths and wash clothing and other things. So what is water softening? well water softening is the process of removing(Ca)2 ,(Mg)2 , or (Fe)3 from water. Filtration? is through sand and gravel removes nearly all suspended matter from the water. Well in fact, water is definitely not all the same. It will pick up many impurities and contaminants, both natural and synthetic. And since water is so widely used in so many different ways, treatment is often necessary. Whether it's clean water for manufacturing, high purity water for medical applications or just safe drinking water, the treatment process is a vital part of our daily lives. As the 20th century draws to a close, managing our planet's resources has emerged as humanity's greatest challenge. And of all the Earth's resources, none is more precious than water. Water taken from boreholes is already clean because it is filtered as it trickles through soil and rocks. Normally it is only necessary to disinfect this water with chlorine to make it safe to drink. Water taken from rivers and reservoirs usually needs more treatment. Water Treatment Works treat water so that it is safe to drink. This involves a number of processes, both physical and chemical, and will vary depending on the quality of the raw water to be treated. I know there are several methods of treatment of water to kill living organisms the application of chlorine compounds is the most common. But another thing I know is that boiling is the favorite household emergency measure. Municipal water softening is common where the natural water has a hardness in excess of 150 parts per million .

Consciousness As Determined Th Essay examples -- essays research paper

Consciousness is understood in a variety of ways. In one belief, a person is conscious when awake, but unconscious when sleeping or comatose. Yet people also do things requiring perception and thought unconsciously even when they are awake. A person can be conscious of their physical surroundings, pain and even a wish or fantasy. In short a creature is conscious if it is aware of itself and that it is a physical and emotional being. Consciousness is a psychological condition defined by the English philosopher John Locke as "the perception of what passes in a man’s own mind".1 Consciousness is defined and perceived differently in many psychological view points. For instance the earlier views around the 19th century was diversely considered. Most perceived consciousness as a substance or "mental stuff" unlike an object from the physical world. Others deferred that the conscious mind was what separated man from lower forms of life. It is an attribute characterized by sensation and voluntary movement which described the difference between normal waking state of animals and men and their condition when asleep.2 Other descriptions included an analysis of consciousness as a form of relationship or act of the mind toward objects in nature, and a view that consciousness was a continuous field or stream of essentially mental "sense data." The method believed by most early writers in determining consciousness was introspection—looking within one’s own mind to discover the laws of it’s operation. This belief was limited when it was apparent when observationalists could not agree on observations. Obviously due to the differences in one’s own idea of introspection and the underlying views they possessed. The failure of introspection to reveal consistent laws led to the refection of all mental states as subjects of scientific study and thus psychology attached consciousness to its diversity. The term consciousness is most often used by philosophers and psychologists as meaning "attention to the contents or workings of one’s own mind." This notion had little significance for the ancients, but it was emphasized in the 17th century by John Locke and Rene Descartes. Contemporaries of ... ... physical framework of reality.6 Smythies presents that everyone has a private space in addition to the shared, public version. Each individual’s personal framework intersects with the familiar dimensions while remaining distinct from them, and it provides an arena for all conscious sensations that have spatial extension or location–objects discernible by sight or touch.7 To understand Smythies’ theory see Appendix A. In conclusion one can determine a variety of theories in the evolution of consciousness. As cited earlier, consciousness is viewed as being physical or material in some cases and yet in others it is viewed as a function of the inner mind or the minds eye. These theories have even been as radical as Smythies’ philosophy that the state of consciousness is a sort of physical plane. If we were to collaborate these theories to form a conclusive view point, individuals would possibly be able to understand consciousness and the workings of consciousness. Perhaps the mystery of consciousness is to remain a mystery. Possibly this mystery is the key to cognitive thinking. And perhaps the key to our personal evolution.

Leadership Strategy of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Essay

Choose are leader you are interested in and analyse why you consider him/her to be a leader? Describe his or her key strengths and weaknesses as a leader. What makes you consider that person as an effective leader? Justify your answers in relation to the theories & practices we have examined in the course. Leadership is a crucial important topic that is deeply studied over time till today because it has a major effect in all the systems surrounding us affecting the individuals through political, businesses, humanitarian and to be named depending on the content of leadership nature. The term leadership can be defined as influential relationship between leaders and followers who intend real changes and outcomes that reflect their shared purposes towards a desirable future (Daft 2011). The great leader of all time influential on individuals does not disappear even after these leaders has been deceased. This is because such leaders not only possesses required leadership characteristic such as charisma, courage, passion, ethical and emotional attachment to its people which will further be discussed in the following essay in relation to the chosen leader but also what they have done for their followers and society as an whole for their better future. The perfect leader till date who has not been able to replace not even partially was the Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon him (pbuh) who was a universal leader not just for the people of Muslims but towards every man-kinds on a global scale. He is not just a spiritual leader but also recognized as a leader for his political movement, a philosopher, a family man and also a business man. His teachings and actions were as per the guideline from the holy book of Islam â€Å"The Quran† – the word of god known as Allah (Gullen 2006). This essay will further discussed in details about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) leadership style in relation to the current established theoretical frameworks on leadership and the reason why he is  still well-known for his accomplishment towards his missions not in just spreading the message of Islam, but also creating the equality and justice which is also a part of the message during the dark age in Arabia where the powerful crashed the weak, women dignity was misused and bloodshed was considered as a virtue (Gullen 2006).

Human Resources †how individuals are managed within an organisation Essay

Introduction People are an extremely important resource for any organisation. To be a successful business you need to employ staff with the right qualifications skills and experience. The employees of an organisation are collectively known as its human resources, in many organisations, both public and private, the human resources department is also known as the personnel department. However, the difference in name reflects a shift in emphasis from a purely recruitment and welfare role to a greater concern about how to maximise the performance of staff. Human resource management is also an integral part of many job roles. There are many duties performed by a typical human resources department. These duties include drawing up and implementing equal opportunities and health and safety policies, staff consultation, negotiation, appraisal and staff development, as well as training, recruitment and selection of staff. They are the most important resource in the production of goods ands services. Many aspects of the employer-employee relationship are covered by legislation. However, employers are recognising increasingly that good human resource management practice, which goes beyond the letter of the law, can generate benefits for both the organisation and the individual. The role of human resources Human resource management involves managing a range of roles relating to people employed by a business including: Recruitment – The personnel department must advertise accordingly and try to attract the â€Å"best† candidates for the job, and the recruit the â€Å"best† applicants. If the wrong person is recruited, and then finds the job boring or too difficult, then the business will not get the most out of its human resources. Also where employees need to be flexible and autonomous and where direct control over employees is difficult, recruitment is becoming more and more important. To make sure the â€Å"best† person is chosen, personnel departments must be clear about: * What the job entails * What qualities the job requires * What rewards is needed to retain and motivate employees. There are many stages of recruiting, they are: – 1. Analyse what the job entails and decide what sort of person is needed. 2. Decide how the vacancy is to be advertised or announced. 3. The selection process needs to be planned and conducted in such a way as to ensure that the â€Å"best† candidate is successful. Training involves employees being taught new skills or improving skills they have already have. Why might a business train its employees? It is argued that a well-trained work force has certain benefits for a business. * Well-trained workers should be more productive. This will help the business to achieve its overall objectives such as increasing profits. * It should help to create a more flexible work force. If a business needs to increase production, workers then have to be trained in new tasks. * New machinery or production processes can be introduced more effectively, if the staff are trained. * It should lead to increased job satisfaction to employees. Well-motivated workers are more likely to be more productive. * It should reduce accidents and injuries if employees are trained in health and safety procedures. * It may improve the image of the company. * It can improve employee’s chances of promotion. How does a firm know if training is required? One method might be to use the job description to find the skills and knowledge needed to do the job. If the employee’s skills do not match up with the ones in the job description, then there is a need for re-training. Employees can also be asked about areas where they are not quite as confident, and think may need a little work on. This should make them more committed to training. Training needs are found at different levels within a business. Training is often divided into on-the-job-training and off-the-job-training. On-the-job-training takes place when employees are trained while they are carrying out an activity, often at their place of work. Off-the-job training takes place away from the job, at a different location. It may involve the employee being released for periods of time to attend courses at colleges or other institutions. This is by far the most popular form of training. One vital key task of HRM is to keep up to date with employment legislation (UK and EU) and to remain alert to the implications of such legislation for the firm and the workers. The main aim of such legislation is to ensure that employee’s rights are protected. Basic rights include: * Employees must receive a written statement of terms and conditions of employment within 13 weeks of starting work. * They must be paid the same as other people who carry out identical or similar jobs. * Working conditions must be safe and healthy. * Workers cannot be dismissed unfairly. * Employers must not discriminate against any member of staff. Employees have basic rights to: * They are expected to comply with the terms of their contract. * To do jobs with care and skill, to the acceptable standard. * Observe health and safety regulations. * Not to damage the firms property. There are many other responsibilities that then form the basis of the â€Å"contract of employment†. The contract is formed as soon as the employer offers a person a job and they accept it. Motivation at work For many years firms have given financial rewards in an attempt to motivate employees and improve productivity. However in the last 2 or 3 decades firms have realised that: – * the chance to earn more money may not be an effective motivator * financial incentive schemes are difficult to operate * individual reward schemes may no longer be effective as production has become organised into group tasks * other factors may be more important in motivating employees If other factors are more important than pay in motivating workers, it is important for firms to identify them. Only then can a business make sure its work force is motivated. Team work The Swedish car firm Volvo is a well-known example of a company that has effectively introduced teamwork. In both its plants at Kalmar and Uddevalla, it set up production in teams of 8-10 highly skilled workers. The teams decided between themselves how the work was to be distributed and how to solve problems as they arise. It is arguable whether these practices lead to an increase in productivity, but the company firmly believes this method of organisation was better than an assembly line system a similar system is used at Honda UK but with four person teams. If the firm is always changing due to the market, which is causing it to either, expand or de-layer. Then they will have to change the work force accordingly. The case study that I will be looking at is a position as a secretary for Ratcliffe College. P1- Recruitment One of the most important responsibilities of Human resource function is recruitment and selection. The costs of recruitment, training and retaining employees are high, but the costs of selecting the wrong people or losing key members of staff can be even higher. The processes of recruitment and selection must always relate the requirement for skilled staff to the business needs of the organisation. It is also essential that potential candidates be treated fairly. When vacancies arise because existing staff move to other jobs, retire or have to leave work because of illness. Some vacancies occur because the organisation expands or is restructured. Before the organisation advertises a post, it needs to decide whether there is a real need for the position to be filled. It might consider the following alternatives: * Amalgamating one job with another * Giving existing staff overtime * Recruiting temporary staff * Increasing the use of technology or machinery * Once an organisation decides that a vacancy exists, the recruitment process begins. Internal recruitment Internal recruitment strengthens employees commitment to the company, for example Kellogg’s have stated the following in their recruitment policy handbook: * Offer the job to an existing employee, as a promotion or transfer * Advertise internally, if suitable candidate is likely to available internally * Advertise externally if no suitable candidate is likely to exist internally(and display notice internally to the effect that the advertisement is appearing) Except in special cases, all vacancies should be advertised internally before external recruitment methods are used. There are a number of advantages to advertising jobs inside the business. * It gives employees within the company a chance to develop their career * There may be a shorter induction period as the employee is likely to be familiar with the company * Employers will know more about internal candidate’s abilities. This should reduce the risk of employing the wrong person * Internal recruitment may be quicker and less expensive than recruiting from outside the business. However, there are also disadvantages. * Internal advertising limits the number of applicants * External candidates might have been better quality * Another vacancy will be created which might have to be filled * If having investigated ways of filling the vacancy internally the business still does not appoint, then it must find ways to obtain candidates externally. External recruitment There are many ways of attracting candidates from outside the company. The choice of method often depends on the type of vacancy and the type of employee a business wants. Each method has its own benefits and problem, although it could be argued that the overall advantages of external advertising are the opposite of the disadvantages of internal advertising, for example, there is a wider number of applicants. Commercial employment agencies, these are companies that specialise in recruiting and selection. They usually provide a shortlist of candidates for a company to interview, but can also provide temporary workers. For example HMS, Alfred Marks and Kelly Accountancy Personnel. The advantage of commercial agencies is that they are experienced in providing certain types of worker, such as secretaries and clerical staff. They also minimise the administration for the employer involved in recruiting staff. Their main drawback is that they tend to produce staff that only stay in a job for a short time. Another problem for the business is the cost of paying fees to the agency. Recruitment and selection P2-Personnel Specification The first step is to prepare a job description. Before writing a job description, the job itself has to be analysed. This will identify the skills needed to perform the job and will also allow management to consider the overall effectiveness of the post and whether any changes are necessary. Clear job descriptions form the basis for preparing advertisements and for drawing up person specifications. Once individuals are in the post, job descriptions allow them to know exactly what their roles are, and what is expected of them. Before writing a job description, the job itself has to be analysed. This will identify the skills needed to perform the job and will also allow management to consider the overall effectiveness of the post and whether any changes are necessary. Clear job descriptions form the basis for preparing advertisements and for drawing up person specifications. Once individuals are in a post, job description allow them to know exactly what their roles are, and what is expected of them. When preparing a job description, it is important that the business to look to: * Describe the job accurately- if you overstate or understate the requirements of the job, you will be less likely to attract suitable applicants * Avoid discriminatory descriptions wording that implies one sex is preferable to another is unfair, illegal and unnecessarily restricts the number of people you are able to choose from. Below is an example of a job description, advertised in the local paper, for my case study. Ratcliffe College Job title School secretary Department: Administration, including Bursary Location Ratcliffe College, Ratcliffe-on-the-Wreake Salary à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½15,000- 20,000 Requirements for the job: * Enthusiastic, sociable, hard working person. * Taking care of any paper work regarding the school, and answering calls throughout the day on any matter. * Computer skills and experience of working in an office. General information * The hours per day would from 9am-5pm, 5 days a week. * There is a team of six people who deal with the administration of the school; this includes the bursar, the head masters secretary and the four secretaries. The profile of the best person to fill a job is a vital reference document to use during the selection process. It helps eliminate unsuitable candidates, guide’s interviewers and allows selectors to compare candidates objectively. The following are the key areas in drawing up a person specification: * Knowledge and understanding required for the job * Skills and abilities required for the job * Experience required for the job * Educational requirements The following shows a person specification: To fill the receptionist post we are looking for people with most of the following qualifications: 1. GCSEs in Maths and English, additional qualifications such as computer skills required. 2. The applicant must have had previous experience in an office environment 3. Must be computer literate, and able to use a photocopier. 4. Must have an outgoing, friendly personality, and able to communicate efficiently with students and fellow members of staff alike. Most importantly, they must be able to answer the telephone and help with any enquiries. When preparing person specifications, there are several pitfalls to be avoided. * Asking for higher qualifications than are needed, it runs the risk of passing over less-qualified staff who are likely to become frustrated in positions that fail to extend their abilities * Asking for someone with particular or extensive experience, an individual with the right aptitudes, skills and temperament may be a quick learner * Stipulating particular age requirements, tasks that are traditionally regarded as junior can often be done as well, if not better, by older staff. Similar, jobs that have been regarded as the preserve of more mature employees may be performed by able, qualified and highly motivated young people. * Defining narrow physical requirements, these must only be specified where the requirement is genuine and essential. Remember that the specification of physical attributes can lead to direct or indirect discrimination. * Basing your specification on someone who is already doing the job, no matter how good that person might be, he or she is a unique individual and no one else will be a perfect replacement. The newcomer will bring his or her own personality, values and skills. P3-Reviewing Applications Miss Puddleduck- she seems to be able to get on with people and handle situations, as we can see this from her working as a carer in an Elderly Home. She is the eldest to apply for the job and has a good amount of previous experience, which give her the skills needed, like office and computer work. Seems to be a hard work and has good communication skills, and also she has worked with children before so is a strong candidate. From her CV I see that she has three young children, This may cause a problem, as she has a live-in child minder. Mr Langer- Mr Langer sent in an application form with exceptional exam results both from GCSE and A level. He gave some job experience which all showed experience but nothing that was relevant to the job description. His letter of application was very short with not much detail. Being as he hadn’t any experience in secretarial duties then I would have thought that he would have tried to impress me through the letter of application. This didn’t happen but because of his good exam results I offered him an interview hoping he would have something to offer the company. Mr Langer’s CV was average, he had typed it out so that it looked neat, and it was set well but the contented which he needed to impress me wasn’t there. Mr Langer was a very intellectual young man by the language which he had used on his recruitment forms and his given exam results but unfortunately he didn’t have the relevant experience to offer this post. Miss Hill- the weakest candidate looking from her application form, but she seems to be enthusiastic over the job, but from her CV she says she likes socialising, which may be a downfall as she may need to come in any day of the week. Miss Hill has no previous experience. From the CV her GCSE grades are not excellent, however, she has passed English and maths, and has computer skills. I am not sure how well she can communicate with people of different ages, as I have no evidence that she can. However, as she is young she may find it easier to communicate with the student, but she must be able to communicate effectively with the adults as well. She also has a young child, so she may know how to get on with the younger generation in the school Miss Hill has a young child, which could mean that she will need time off work to look after it. She states that her mum could look after the child at the weekends if necessary, however, her mum may not be available in the week if the child is unable to go to playgroup. So it may cause difficulties in the future, as she may have difficulties finding someone to look after the child or she may have to take days off. P4-Contract of employment Once a business has selected an employee, the successful candidates must be appointed. Once appointed. Employees are entitled to a Contract of Employment. This is an agreement between the employer and the employee under which each has certain obligations. It is binding to both parties in the agreement, the employer and the employee. This means that it is unlawful to break the terms and conditions in the contract without the other party agreeing. As soon as an employee starts work, and therefore demonstrates that she accepts the terms offered by the employer, the contract comes into existence. It is sometimes a written contract, although a verbal agreement or implied agreements are also contracts of employment. The employment Right Act, 1996 requires employers to give employees taken on for one month or more a written statement within two months of appointment. This written statement sets out the terms and conditions in the contract. Some common features shown in the written statement are: * The names of the employer and the name of the employee * The date on which the employment is to begin * The job title * The terms and conditions of employment * Remuneration and pay interval; * Hours of work; * Entitlement to sick leave and pay (if any) * Pensions; * Period of notice for employer and employee; * Disciplinary and Grievance procedures. Certain employment protection rights cover employees that are appointed by a business. Government legislation makes it a duty of employers to safeguard these rights. They fall into a number of areas. * Discrimination. Employees cannot be discriminated against on grounds of gender, race or disability. So, for example, a business cannot refuse to appoint a candidate for a job only because that person is female. * Pay. Employees must be paid the same rate as other employees doing the same job, a similar job or a job with equal demands. They also have the right to itemised pay statements and not to have pay deducted for unlawful reasons. Other conditions which may be included are: the need for medical examinations, working from different locations, the right to search employees, the need for confidentiality and the need to obey the specific rules of the organisation. If the employer fails to provide a written statement of the main terms and conditions of employment, an employee could exercise his or her legal right to ask an industrial tribunal to decide what ought to have been in the written statement. This is then imposed upon the employer. Employers with more than twenty employees are also obliged to ensure that every employee has a copy of the disciplinary and grievance procedures. Employers have always wanted workers to be as flexible as possible. In the past this has meant paying overtime for extra hours worked, or higher rates for ‘shift’ work. Faced with competition, businesses attempted to use their existing employees more efficiently. Sometimes this could benefit the employee. An example of a situation in Adam’s is a single woman with a child was able to work between the hours of 9 am to 3 p.m. each day while her child is at school. Working flexible hours could mean an employee may take time off for personal reasons and still work their required number of hours a week. Training would also be given to workers so they become multi -skilled – able to switch from one job to another if needed. This example of job rotation may perhaps lead to the employee being more motivated. From a firm’s point of view, an employee that can change jobs may prevent the need to have temporary workers to cover for illness etc. and so reduce labour costs. An example of this is the ‘workstyle’ initiative at Adams, where team working has been introduced so that workers can change from one process to another and do the work of others in the team if necessary. In 1985 John Atkinson and the Institute of Manpower Studies developed the idea of the flexible firm. They suggested that businesses have a ‘core’ and a ‘periphery’. As a result of increasing competition, firms have attempted to make the workforce as flexible as possible, to increase productivity, reduce costs and react more quickly to change. The business would try to motivate core workers, giving them job security, and employ periphery workers only when needed. Increasingly employers looked to make plans that allow a business to respond to changes. For example, if a large unexpected order arrives, a business will need workers that can ‘get it out on time’. Using a flexible workforce enables a business to react effectively to changes that take place outside the business. Examples of workers that are used by a business includes: * Part time employees. * Temporary employees to deal with increases in demand. * Workers on zero hour’s contracts who are employed by the business but only work and are paid when both the business and the employee agree. * Workers who work to annualised hour’s contracts, where they work a certain number of hours over a year rather than in a week. * Workers who ‘bank time’, by not working when demand is slack but being asked to work that time at a later date. * Office temporary workers to cover for illness. * Self-employed workers. * Job sharing, where two workers are employed to do a full time job that in the past have been carried out by the one person. P5-My Performance in the Interview Before the interview 1. The interviewer should check that the interview arrangements are satisfactory: * Is the seating adequate? * Is the lighting satisfactory? * Is the room quiet or private? * Has it been ensured that the interview will not be disrupted? * Has access for candidates with a physical disability been checked? 2. Check through the job description and the person specification. 3. Read the application forms again, not any special questions or queries. 4. Write down the agreed questions that every candidate will have to answer, so they can make comparisons of each interviewee, this could including: * Why did you apply for this job? * Why did you apply to this organisation? 5. At the beginning of the interview every candidate should be welcomed by name and invited to sit down. 6. Begin the interview with an open or easy question, which should help the interviewees to relax. 7. The interviewer should always stay calm and uninvolved and be ready to listen 8. Keep observing the candidates. Watch for body language signal such as: * The way they sit * Arm and hand movements * Eye movements and eye contact * Voice 9. At the end of the interview the interviewer should: * Thank the candidate * Find out if the candidate has any questions or wants to add anything; * Find out when the candidate could start work; * Ask whether the candidate still wants the job * Tell the candidate how and when they will be told the result of the interview After the Interview 1. The candidates should leave feeling that they have had a fair hearing. An interviewer can ask either open or closed questions. * Open questions cannot be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Answering them allows individuals to express their opinions and to talk at length. Here are some examples of open-ended questions. – What did you enjoy most about a particular job? – Which skills do you think would be most useful in this post? – How do you plan to achieve that? * Closed questions require a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. It will always be necessary to ask a few closed questions, but their use should be restricted. Closed questions do not allow the candidate to talk freely, and they can make the interview somewhat stilted, with the interviewer doing most of the talking. When I was the interviewer I asked open ended questions, which allowed me to find out more about the candidate personality as well as there attitude to work. However from my colleagues point of view I was told that I was to laid back towards the candidate and to disorganise, this was because I had not gone through the CV’s and the application form. This could have meant that I missed some vital information about the candidates. Also I did not write any information down about each candidate, which meant that I could not remember what the candidates where like. Which meant that I could analyse and compare the candidates. As an interviewee I was confident going for the position, willing to answer the questions, with no problems. But in doing this I had not research the position enough, as I had a lack of information about the school. Knowing this would of help me to put across my views on how I would of achieved the job successfully, and showed that I was interested in the job. I feel that during the interviews I fulfilled most of these criteria. The seating was adequate; there were two seats for the interviewers and one doe the candidate. However, there was a desk in between, it would have been better to try and create a more relaxed atmosphere, by either not having the desk at all, or sitting to one side of the desk. I was familiar with the job description and person specification, and had already prepared certain questions for each candidate. I had prepared a sheet with the questions that I was going to ask all of the candidates, a copy of this can be found in the appendix. I welcomed all the candidates by name and shucked there hand, and tried to make them feel welcome. Throughout the interview I used a variety of open and closed questions. I should have used more open than closed questions to allow the candidate to talk more. This would be one aspect I would have to change in future interviews. I thought of some follow up questions, however, could have thought of some more. I observed the candidates several times throughout the interview, which gave me a good idea of their overall body language. At the end of the interview, I allowed the candidates to ask questions, found out when they could start work, and told them when they would hear of the result. I didn’t tell them how they would hear of the result, and I forgot to ask then if they were still interested in the job. After the interview I made some brief notes on the way the candidate had reacted during the interview. All these documents remained private between myself and the other interviewer M4-Local Labour Market Employment by sector Leicestershire TEC Area % East midlands % Great Britain % Agriculture & Fishing 1,500 0.4 6,900 0.4 71,000 0.3 Energy & Water 5,000 1.2 17,600 1.1 214,700 1.0 Manufacturing 116,700 29.4 418,700 25.8 4,060,000 18.0 Construction 13.300 3.3 70,700 4.4 987,900 4.4 Distribution, Hotels & restaurants 80,000 20.1 354,800 5.0 1,319,400 5.9 Transport & communication 22,000 5.5 81,100 5.0 1,319,400 5.9 Banking, finance & Insurance, etc. 58,600 14.8 230,200 14.2 4,183,700 18.6 Public administration, Education & Health 85,900 21.6 378,700 23.3 5,496,600 24.4 Other services 14,000 3.5 65,700 4.0 1,068,900 4.7 Total 397,000 100.0 1,623,800 100.0 22,534,900 100.0 The labour market is split up into three different labour sectors: – 1. Primary – these are businesses that are involved in extracting natural resources from the environment. Examples are the first two rows of the table. 2. Secondary – businesses convert the raw materials from the primary sector into a form that can be used by customers. The third and fourth rows on the table are examples of this sector. 3. Tertiary – Organisations provide services. The reminding rows are businesses in the tertiary sector. * Manufacturing – contributes nearly 30% to GDP and employs some 27% of the workforce, goods produced range from textiles & clothing through aerospace engines. However, manufacturing output within the region is forecast to fall by approximately 0.5% in 1999 before recovering in 2000. * Service Sector – employment is growing faster than at the national level, but the service sector is still relatively under-represented. IT related employment, in particular, continues to expand. * Agriculture – the East Midlands accounts for 10% of UK agricultural output, and employs 45,000 people across the region, rising to nearly one in five of the workforce in some areas. * Unemployment – the regional claimant rate has been below the UK rate and currently stands at 3.9% compared to the UK 4.4% for May 1999. Current situation & prospects Within the East Midlands, growth in services was estimated to have been stronger than the UK as a whole during 1998. However, the region saw a sharp slowdown in business services growth, reflecting the dependence of the sector on local manufacturing. Manufacturing output declined significantly during 1998, due to deterioration in both domestic and export demand, and a strong pound. Manufacturing output within the region is forecast to continue to decline during 1999, before recovering in 2000. Subdued performance is also expected in retailing & distribution, and in transport & communications. Overall regional GDP is expected to rise only slightly by 0.3% during 1999, with employment levels expected to remain static. Short-term changes in the GDP by sector (% per year) Manufacturing Services Other All services Fin. & Bus. Services 1998 1999 2000 1998 1999 2000 1998 1999 2000 1998 1999 2000 E.M. 0.3 0.3 -3.1 1.5 0.2 1.2 4.9 2.2 1.9 6.8 -0.7 -1.9 UK -0.2 -0.2 -3.2 1.3 0.6 0.5 2.5 1.5 1.4 1.6 -1.4 -1.9 Inward investment The region has seen inward investment in manufacturing over recent years. In the first half of 1998 the East Midlands won 16 inward investment projects, which created a total of 2,240 jobs. Approximately 50% of the projects came from the USA. Other inward investment projects within the region include Toyota, the Japanese car manufacturer, which has expanded its plant at Burnaston in Derbyshire at a cost of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½200m in order to build a second car model, the Corolla. The region has also been successful in attracting call centres, despite competition. In the future as direct banking and insurance services increase, further investment opportunities are likely to arise for the region. The East Midlands’ success in attracting inward investment can be explained by its central location, good infrastructure links with the rest of the country, relatively low land prices, and the quality of its workforce. Leicestershire’s Industrial Profile Leicestershire’s industrial structure has experienced a long period of change and this change is seen to continue. The manufacturing industry consists of textiles and clothing, electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, food processing, printing and publishing, and pharmaceuticals. In Leicestershire 26% of the population are employed in this sector compared with 19% nationally. The most important manufacturing industry group, in terms of output, remains â€Å"other manufacturing† which includes textiles and food manufacturing, currently accounting for half of all manufacturing output. The fastest growing sector was national transport and communications, with an average annual growth of 9.6% since 1992. This growth largely reflects the advantages of Leicestershire as a central location for distribution Industrial sectors Leicestershire TEC area Leicestershire county Leicester city Rutland 1999 Employee estimates Number % Number % Number % Number % Agriculture & Fishing 3,100 0.8 2,700 1.2 0 0 400 3.5 Energy & Water 9,200 2.3 5,600 2.4 3,200 2.1 400 3.5 Manufacturing 102,600 26.0 64,300 28.1 36,300 23.8 2,000 17.4 Construction 14900 3.8 10,000 4.4 4,300 2.8 600 5.2 Distribution, Hotels & restaurants 83,000 21.1 51,100 22.3 29,200 19.1 2,700 23.5 Transport & communication 23,100 5.9 16,100 7.0 6,500 4.3 500 4.3 Banking, finance & Insurance, etc. 54,800 13.9 28,100 12.3 25,600 16.8 1,100 9.6 Public administration, Education & Health 85,900 21.8 41,900 18.3 40,600 26.6 3,400 39.6 Other services 16,600 4.2 9,300 4.1 6,900 4.5 400 3.5 Total employees 393,200 100.0 229,100 100.0 152,600 100.0 11,500 100.0 M5 – Analysing the recruitment documents I think I should have spaced out the application form a bit better and left more room for the forenames and surnames. On the application form I didn’t put a space for sex, this should have been entered, as some people may see it as not giving equal opportunities. I think that it is of a good size, and the font is neither too small nor too large, however, if there had been more spaces left, then it may have been easier to read. There is not a final section asking for a supporting statement. This does not give the applicant opportunity to sell themselves. I should have put some spaces in the â€Å"Employment History† section for reason for leaving the job, and also how long they had been at their last job for. This would have given me some indication on how willing they are. Also if I had left space at the end of the form, there would have been space for the candidates to sell themselves, also giving me more information to base my questions on at the interview. There should have also been more space for them to fill in information about their education. In the references section there should be space to show what relationship the person given as a reference is to the candidate. As it is important for companies to enforce equal opportunities I should have had a section in the application form asking if they had a disability, what their ethnic origin is and also what colour they consider themselves (black, white, other, mixed). This should be an optional section; however, I should have included it. I also provided a sheet for the candidates to fill in just before the interview. This is where extra information could be gathered, and if any details have changed since they filled in the application form, then I could be notified of them. The appraisal documents: during the interview I made some basic notes of the candidates performance. These notes included how well they answered the questions, and their body language. I also gave them marks for their body language, their language and how appropriate it was, and how confident they were (1 being the best, and 5 the worst) In my personnel specification, I should have said more about the job so that they know more about the job and what jobs would be involved in the position. Also how to handle parents and children. Also in the job description, I should stated more about what the jobs would be involved with, like handling children from the ages of 5-18, so they need to be patient sometimes and also authoritative. M6-Strengths & Weaknesses Mrs Jemima Puddleduck Her letter of application was most impressive. It was typed, set out correctly, and lots of good language was used. The recruitment documents that we received from Mrs Jemima Puddleduck showed that she was a well-educated young lady, showing she had studied both GCSE’s, and ‘A’ levels with excellent grades, and also well qualified. The only factor, which made me a little unsure of her, was that she had children, which I felt it might cause some difficulty about the hours she could work. Plus a degree in sports management. It was a very encouraging letter, outlining her strengths and weaknesses, and also stating any previous relevant work experience as well as any other experience to show her enthusiasm for work. Her experiences in jobs show us a very caring girl and she has taken part in work experience in very useful places. Mrs Jemima Puddleduck sent me a very short but detailed letter of application it was in written form very neat and well set out. Her work experiences have given her experience of what this position requires and I feel she would be an excellent candidate for this job. Mr Brett Langer The documents that were given to us by Brett Langer shows that he is ma very hard working person, we know this by looking at his GCSE’s and ‘A’ Levels. So he should then have the basic skills available to do the job successfully, with A grades in Maths and English in his GCSE’s. My impression also was that he may be a little well qualified for the job, nonetheless a very promising candidate. It showed that he had some previous job experience, however, he had never worked in an office before. From the letter of application he seemed to be an all round person, being able to get on with people. We can also see this from his past work experience as a Waiter and Employee at McDonalds, this showing he should be able to get on with any sort of person and situations. The only problem is that he is going to be working on a temporary basis as he’s looking for a job in the business sector, so he will only be working here until he finds a job in the business industry. Miss Tracy Hill Miss Hill is the youngest candidate applying for the position as Secretary. The recruitment documents, which we received from Miss Tracy Hill, she seems to be a nice girl but lack the personnel skills and personality for the job. There are concerns on how sociable she is, and how this may affect her work, as she may have to come in on a Saturday or Sunday. She has the basic skills to do the job with having GCSE’s in IT, Maths and English. She also has no work experience in any field. She is the weakest candidate for the job, but we have decided to give her a chance to prove us wrong in the interview. Jemima Puddleduck questions 1. Will you be able to come in if there was an emergency? 2. Do you think you be able to handle the children when if they get rowdy? 3. Why have you decided to leave your present job? 4. How long would it take to hand in your notice at your present job? 5. How come you haven’t decided to go into the sports industry? Brett Langer questions 1. Do you know how to use the basics of computer software? 2. How long do you think you would work here? 3. Will you be able to come in if there was an emergency? 4. Do you think you be able to handle the children when if they get rowdy? 5. Do you think you would get along with the different age groups that go to the school? Tracy Hill question 1. Why did you leave school after your GCSE’s? 2. Why haven’t you got any work experience? 3. Would it be a problem with the hours you work with a child? 4. Who will look after the child? 5. Will you be able to come in if there was an emergency? 6. Do you think you be able to handle the children when they get rowdy? M7-My performance in the Interviews To start off with I was shy, I was not sure how they would react to me, but as the interviews went on my interviewing technique improved and I started to settle down. I found that I didn’t really help them to relax and settle down, which made them nervous and allowed them t make mistakes, as they didn’t know how to react to me. After settling down I became confident enough to ask the candidate questions about the job and putting them in situations and asking how they would handle a particular situation. Due to this I became to laid back, I was showing poor body language; for example my arms were crossed. I also acted to casual with the candidate; I was told this from my colleagues who were also interviewing the candidate. Due to me being confident and laid back, I asked the candidate opened ended questions, which enabled my colleagues and I to get to know the candidate more intimately and what there personality was like. I also found that I was too disorganised for the interview, compared to my colleagues who where ready for the interview, as they had questions readily decided to ask the candidate. Which didn’t show a good impression on the candidate and made me look silly. I also had not gone through the candidate’s information, which gave me a disadvantage, as I did not ask the relevant information for the job. Which lead to me not writing any information about the candidate, so it made it difficult on which candidate to pick for the job. I think that I also should have changed the tone of voice more, as I felt the candidate was finding the interview was getting to boring. Improvements 1. I should appear to be relaxed from the beginning of the interview so that they can give their best performances through out the interview. 2. I shouldn’t act laid back whilst interviewing the candidate. As this gives a bad impression to the interviewee, about the way things are running in the company. 3. I should look through the application documents before I interview the candidate to have some kind of information about the candidate and question to find out more about their personality. 4. It would be more fairer to all the candidates if I took notes on each applicant, so that I can offer the job to the best person, so that I can compare them with there good and bad points and offer the job to the best person. M8 – Our own design of a â€Å"Contract of employment† 1. Name of employer:_________________________________ 2. Name of employee:________________________________ 3. Job title: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4. Salary: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5. Start date: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 6. Pay rate:†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7. Amount of hours that must be completed in one week:†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8. Leave, you are entitled to†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦days-paid holiday per annum in addition to statutory holidays. The leave is to taken at a time convenient to the employer. 9. Sick pay and allowances: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 10. Amount of holiday entitlement: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 11. What notice is needed when you want to finish that job:†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. to ensure flexibility within our workforce, you will at times be expected to work extra hours as required, but you will normally be given advanced notice of times. 12. Grievance Procedures, if you wish to raise any grievance relating to your employment, you should do so in accordance with the grievance procedure shown in the employee information binder, which can be obtained from the Personal office. 13. Pension scheme, details of the contributory company pension scheme, for which you are eligible, may be obtained from the personnel office. 14. Discipline Rules, the company rules form part of your conditions of employment. These are shown in the Employee Information Binder and it is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with these and observe them at all times.