Radium Dial Girls Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Radium Dial Girls - Research Paper Example Physicians took interest in the gamma ray emissions from radium radioactive decomposition and the potential therapeutic effects of internally deposited radium in humans (Rowland, 1994). Beginning in 1903, radium use became popular in the U.S. Its healing powers and the improved quality of lives of users have been widely publicized in the country. Radium drink or â€Å"liquid sunshine† could treat stomach cancer (Badash, 1979). Tumors could be reduced or removed through direct application of radium salts. Candies and sodas were laced with radium. Radium facial creams could rejuvenate skin in women while radium baths could restore vitality in men. Radithor, radium-mixed water, was claimed to cure dyspepsia, hypertension, sexual incapacity, and several endocrinologic ailments. However, in large quantities, Radithor-intake proved lethal. Millionaire-socialite golf champion Eben Byers, after four years of consuming more than a thousand bottles of Radithor, suffered and died of acut e anemia, excessive weight loss, massive damage of his jawbone, skull, and whole skeleton, and failure of kidneys and bone-marrow (Moss & Eckhardt, 1995). Research on the radioluminous ability of radium flourished in the 1900s. In 1908, radium paint was initially developed in Germany. In 1913, America started making â€Å"glow in the dark† paint. The U.S. ... Radium Corporation, combining glue, water and radium powder to form a luminous paint, and cautiously applying it with a camel hair brush to the dials and numbers of the military devices. These women use their lips and tongue to shape their brush into a fine point. "Our instructors told us to point them with our lips. I think I pointed mine with my lips about six times to every watch dial. It didn't taste funny. It didn't have any taste, and I didn't know it was harmful," said Grace Fryer in an interview for the Daily Courier (Pfalzgray, 1928). For pranks, some women even painted their nails and teeth to surprise their boyfriends at night. Nearly all surfaces inside the factory glistened with radioluminescence. During that time, everyone knew that radium possesses curative powers. None of the women knew that the tasteless, attractive mixture could lead them to their painful deaths. The owners, company scientists and chemists were well aware of the hazards of radioactivity, thus they t ook precautionary measures in handling the material. The company even handed out leaflets to their medical staff of the dangers of radium (Neuzil & Kovarik, 1996). After three years, Grace Fryer left the factory and worked as a bank teller. In 1922, her teeth began to loosen and fall out and her jaw bone seriously decayed. No physician could diagnose the unique medical condition of Fryer. In 1925, a dentist finally suggested that she could have acquired her health problems from her previous job as radium dial painter, as his female patients with similar conditions grew in numbers. These patients were employees of dial-painting factories (Neuzil & Kovarik, 1996). A

Importance of Understanding Cultural, Ethnic, and Gender Essay Example for Free

Importance of Understanding Cultural, Ethnic, and Gender Essay Culture is defined â€Å"as a set of values, practices, traditions or beliefs a group shares, whether due to age, race or ethnicity, religion or gender† (Mayhew, 2014). Diversity is â€Å"the inclusion of individuals representing more than one national origin, color, religion, socioeconomic stratum, sexual orientation† (2014). Diversity in the workplace refers to the variety of differences between people in an organization. It can include gender, age, personality, background, race, ethnic group, and much more. It doesn’t just include how people see themselves but how they see others as well and this affect how they act in a work environment. Some of the issues companies have to deal with are communication, adaptability and change. Embracing diversity and accepting and appreciating the differences means individual strengths and weaknesses can be understood and factored into building workplace teams. Recognizing and appreciating cultural differences is only the tip of the iceberg. Subordinate group attitudes that have developed over time may cause them to be defensive. It is necessary to work towards bridging the gap between dominant and subordinate groups to help them to communicate better. Managers and leaders need to step out of their comfort levels and develop knowledge of cultural differences and be sensitive to the fact that there are diversity issues. If you establish relationships at work with people who are different than you, you start to learn about the talent and knowledge that diverse culture can add to your company. Most hospitals have come to the realization that people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, genders, as well as religions, bring with them different values and perspectives. Managers have to make sure that top priority is given to  patient care. If there are misunderstandings between employees related to culture, ethnicity, or gender, it will eventually affect patient care. It is the managers’ duty to keep in mind that it is important to make the hospital unit as diverse as possible but making sure there is also a balance. â€Å"Fortunately, attitudes are changing. Nursing managers in hospitals must creating workplace and educational programs to help nurses overcome discriminatory feelings they may consciously or unconsciously hold toward colleagues or patients. (Rob Douglas, 2004). If there are diverse groups in the unit, there are a number of nurses who think differently and have a different way of looking at patients and their needs. Therefore there is a better chance that patient’s needs will be tended to. Being a lefty for a day is a challenge that left handed people endure on a daily basis. Tasks such as opening a bottle of wine, using a wall mounted pencil sharpener, and turning the pages of a book were all rather difficult. Daily tasks that we don’t think twice about become r a daunting mountain to climb. My mom is a left-handed so in addition to my own experience, I asked her what she has gone through since she was born a lefty. She told me that her mom, my grandmother, would always yell at her for using her left hand to write and do day to day tasks. When my mom would do her homework with her left hand, my grandmother would threaten her and make her use her right hand. Her reason was that left handed people are not â€Å"smart.† In today’s modern day and age, we know and understand that is not the case. â€Å"Forcing a left-handed to be right-handed causes reduced activity in the dominant right hemisphere and increase activity in the non-dominant side. Since creativity and imagination are dominant parts of right brain, they will remain under-developed and the left-side of the brain sees increased activity that deals with reality, facts and logic, characteristics that are opposite of the person’s true potential† (Abbasi, 2011). Forcing people therefore tends to make them slower and do not reach their potential in life. It does seem being a lefty in a right handed world is a very big disadvantage. However, lefty’s do learn to adapt to doing things with both hands making them ambidextrous. So, in the end they gained something, rather than losing something. References Chron. (2007, May 4). Examples of Cultural Differences in the Workplace. Retrieved From the Chron small business website: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-cultural-differences-workplace-11494.html Reason before Passion. (2011, August 8). Never force left-handed child to be right-handed. Retrieved from the Reason before Passion website: http://wasioabbasi.wordpress.com/2011/08/08/never-force-left-handed-child-to-be-right-handed/

Oil Industry and Nigerian Development Essay -- A Level Essays

Oil Industry and Nigerian Development Oil is one of the most valuable natural resources in the world today. The oil industry carries with it a great deal of economic and political power across the globe. Having oil, or any natural resource, as a prime source of revenue has long been debated as being an advantage or a drawback. In any case it should at least lead to increased revenue and financing of industrial growth which, arguably, is related to an increase in the quality of life of the population. In the case of Nigeria, the oil industry is a double-edged sword. Since the discovery of oil in 1956, the oil industry in Nigeria has greatly increased the financial resources of Nigeria, and yet has proven a constant stumbling block in the creation of effective internal capability. The development of cutting edge technology and infrastructure, considering the resources available, has been marginal and the oil industry itself has not been extremely competitive (at least in expectations) on the global market. As the largest n ation in Africa, a safe assumption should be that Nigeria is among the leaders in development as a whole, or at least be progressing toward that. The oil industry has, however, interfered somewhat in the development of alternative industries. In addition, even though it is directly associated with problems in leadership, corruption has been established as a normal order of business in Nigeria’s government and dealings with oil and has grown along with the industry. While the oil industry has introduced many significant problems in Nigeria, both socially and economically, there is still promise in what it can provide for the nation while oil remains in abundance. There are some positive examples across the glob... ...formation Administration, Dept. of Energy. 31 Oct. 2004 . Nigeria: Oil and Gas Industry. 12 July 2000. Mbendi: Information for Africa. 31 Oct. 2004 . Nigeria: Oil, Poverty, and Rights 2. 4 July 2002. Africa Action. 1 Nov. 2004 . OIL AND NATURAL GAS IN NIGERIA. Human Rights Watch. 11 Feb. 2005 . Olukoya, Sam. Oil Industry Crisis Worsening. 29 July 2004. Inter Press Service. 1 Nov. 2004 . Rodriguez, Fransisco. Why Do Resource Abundant Economies Grow More Slowly? 10 Mar. 2005 . Stevens, Christopher. Nigeria: Economic Prospects to 1985. London: EIU, 1982. Oil Industry and Nigerian Development Essay -- A Level Essays Oil Industry and Nigerian Development Oil is one of the most valuable natural resources in the world today. The oil industry carries with it a great deal of economic and political power across the globe. Having oil, or any natural resource, as a prime source of revenue has long been debated as being an advantage or a drawback. In any case it should at least lead to increased revenue and financing of industrial growth which, arguably, is related to an increase in the quality of life of the population. In the case of Nigeria, the oil industry is a double-edged sword. Since the discovery of oil in 1956, the oil industry in Nigeria has greatly increased the financial resources of Nigeria, and yet has proven a constant stumbling block in the creation of effective internal capability. The development of cutting edge technology and infrastructure, considering the resources available, has been marginal and the oil industry itself has not been extremely competitive (at least in expectations) on the global market. As the largest n ation in Africa, a safe assumption should be that Nigeria is among the leaders in development as a whole, or at least be progressing toward that. The oil industry has, however, interfered somewhat in the development of alternative industries. In addition, even though it is directly associated with problems in leadership, corruption has been established as a normal order of business in Nigeria’s government and dealings with oil and has grown along with the industry. While the oil industry has introduced many significant problems in Nigeria, both socially and economically, there is still promise in what it can provide for the nation while oil remains in abundance. There are some positive examples across the glob... ...formation Administration, Dept. of Energy. 31 Oct. 2004 . Nigeria: Oil and Gas Industry. 12 July 2000. Mbendi: Information for Africa. 31 Oct. 2004 . Nigeria: Oil, Poverty, and Rights 2. 4 July 2002. Africa Action. 1 Nov. 2004 . OIL AND NATURAL GAS IN NIGERIA. Human Rights Watch. 11 Feb. 2005 . Olukoya, Sam. Oil Industry Crisis Worsening. 29 July 2004. Inter Press Service. 1 Nov. 2004 . Rodriguez, Fransisco. Why Do Resource Abundant Economies Grow More Slowly? 10 Mar. 2005 . Stevens, Christopher. Nigeria: Economic Prospects to 1985. London: EIU, 1982.

Privacy and Computer Technology Essay

Privacy is a valuable interest and is now threatened more than ever by technological advances. Privacy is defined as the ability to control the collection, use, and dissemination of personal information (Fast Trac Course ). At one time people could once feel confident that what others may find out about them would be treated in a way that it would probably do any harm. Information technology has been beneficial for privacy. By having access to ATMs and online banking we rarely have to present ourselves to a teller. Online shopping offers similar benefits such as being able to shop without standing in long lines and being able to compare prices and research products before purchasing. However, since so much of what we do daily is done using a computer, it can pose a serious threat to privacy. This information can then be recreated to create detailed personal profiles that could not have transpired in pre-digital days. Furthermore, this information can be distributed far, wide, and immediately without our consent or even knowledge. Judicial remedies are unlikely to produce a satisfying or sensible balance between companies’ economic prerogatives and customers’ privacy interest. New technologies that has either unconsiously adopted or resourcefully applied privacy practices will continue to threaten personal privacy. Business will have to find ways to address this uneasiness. If companies remain complacent, underestimating the degree to which privacy matters to customers, harsh regulation may be waiting in the wings. The best way out is for businesses and customers to negotiate directly over where to draw the lines. (What is Privacy?) There are many databases and Internet records that track or keep record of information about an individual’s financial and credit history, medical record, purchases and telephone calls. Most people do not know what information is stored about them or who has access to it. The ability for others to access and link the databases, with few controls on how they use, share, or exploit the information, makes individual control over information about oneself more difficult than ever before. For example, the caller Id was originally designed to allow you to screen your calls and protect from receiving unwanted calls from harassers, telemarketers, etc†¦ In turn it involved privacy concerns for both the caller and the person called. Over the years, there has been a clash between privacy and advancing technologies, which can make a compelling argument for overriding the privacy intrusions. The challenge of improving security while protecting privacy is called Real Id. The real ID act provides significant challenges. It was signed into law on May 11, 2005 (public law 109-13). After may 11, 2008 â€Å"A federal agency may not accept, for any official purpose, a dirvers license or identification card issued by a state to any persin unless the state is meeting the requirements†. The real ID act defines what information and features must appear on the card, what documentation must be presented before a card can be issued, what verification the state must do before a card can be issued, and security measures to prevent tampering counterfeiting and duplication of the card. The Real Id requires states to confirm the identities and documentation of applicants, Make drivers licence and ID cards extremely difficult to counterfiet, and to assure one driver one record so that you will be able to own only one licence which only go for people that has mutliple addresses . The Real Id Act is really the outgrowth of the 911 commision reccomended that the licence be improved and it should be a national standard. Represenative James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis) who was the cahir of the house judiciary committee said â€Å"American citizens have the right to know who is in their country, that people are who they say they are , and the name on a drivers licence is the holder’s real name, not som alias.† Historically the licence has been a state function so the act tailors the mandate that you must present this identification. The challlenges comes from the act because the real ID act was written by Congress without expressing privacy protections. Some of the privacy challenges are what information should be stored in the machine readanble zone?, who should have access to the information stored in the machine readable zone?, and what information, if any will be centralized in order to facilitate the necessary data exchange among the state?. I feel that there should be some limitations on the information stored in the readable zone and the data systems protect the personal information from unauthorized uses and disclosure. Information about individuals is used by businesses to provide customers with a huge array of targeted goods and personalized services that consumers have come to expect. If it lands in the wrong hands, this same information can result in harm to the very individuals it was meant to serve. The protection of an individual’s personal information has business implications that extend beyond the privacy of any one individual. Private information relative to certain businesses and industries is protected by various laws. For example the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) laws protect private medical information. Many states have enacted their own laws, and the federal government is regulated by the Privacy Act of 1974. Legislatures are increasingly responding to calls for greater protection of private information, and stories of improper disclosures of large volumes of private information receive prominent media attention. At present, there is no broad, general federal law protecting the privacy of customer information; most protections are aimed at particular types of information (such as medical or student records,) or particular types of businesses (such as medical providers, banks, and financial service businesses). Customers and consumers expect their information to be protected and businesses that recognize the need to make privacy part of their business strategy are ahead of the game. Many companies have gone to great lengths to protect information using technological advances. However, the ability of a business to protect private information it collects as part of its business is only as strong as its weakest link â€Å"the human factor† something that technology just can’t overcome. Having knowledge of privacy and security should be aimed at individuals who work with private information to help understand the ways that this information can be disclosed inadvertently. We are now moving into an era where there will always be a digital observer. Unlike footprints left in the sand, our online data trails often stick around long after the tide has gone out and they are growing rapidly. Digital footprints are trails of information left by a person’s interaction in the digital environment (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_footprint). They existed since day one or even before you were born. Internet users don’t realize that every time they use the internet they leave digital footprints. This includes massive amounts of data in the form of email, documents, images, games, music, apps, movies, login and logouts, visits to a web-page, accessed or created files, chat messages or any other material showing the activities being done on a website. What people don’t understand is when you try to reduce your digital footprint you actually make it larger. When trying to reduce your digital footprints interested parties can still use data they have found for evidence, data mining or profiling purposes. This doesn’t mean that you can’t try to protect yourself but you should take precautions when accessing or posting personal information on websites. People need to be proactive and take control of their digital footprint. Due to increased utilization of social media, we should have a heighted awareness of privacy. Being aware of what personally identifiable information that is included in your online profile is very important. Publicy exposed private information on the web can also be used to steal your idenity and money. With more employers’ using the internet to find out about their current or potential new employees, it is good to know in advance what information is floating around the internet about you. You should only put PII in your profile that you wouldn’t mind the entire world including potential or current employers to view. For example, you can find this out by searching for yourself in Google to see what comes up. Also, be wary of strangers. People can misrepresent themselves and their motives so when posting on any social media website it is good to limit who is allowed to contact you and what you tell strangers with whom you communicate with (U.S. Department of State Priva cy Tips). Privacy is so important not just to my online presence but also to my financial documents. Financial privacy is a another term for a multitude of privacy issues, ranging from financial institutions ensuring that their customers information remain private to those outside the institution as well as individuals ensuring that they are protecting their privacy in the privacy of their homes. These documents can be protected by guarding your social security number, calling carefully, and cleaning your name off call lists. Unless you are paying your income taxes, you shouldn’t place your social security number on checks and don’t keep your number in your wallet. A stolen or lost wallet with your social security number can make it easy for someone to obtain new credit in your name. An 800 number is a convenient cost saver, but not if the company you call isn’t reputable. Your call can be the electronic source for undesirable solicitation lists or cause fraud by giving ou t your credit card number to someone who misuses it. You can ask companies you buy from not to release your name to others. You can also have your name eliminated from mass mailing lists by writing to the Direct Marketing Association. Protecting your financial privacy is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly. The fair credit reporting act guarantees access to your credit report for free. If you at anytime feel your credit has been compromised you should visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website. (How to Deal with a Security Breach) In summary, There are many threats to privacy but there are ways you can prevent compromise by criminals and by privacy invading infestations. There are many things you can do to increase to increase your privacy especially online. Protecting your privacy online requires keeping your computer safe from many types of online dangers. Some of the ways to prevent online dangers are making sure the sites you vist is safe beofre sharing personal information. This incluses your real name, email address, credit card number, etc†¦.The next way is to make sure your online account is properly configured for ideal privacy protection. This includes making sure to use a password that are hard to break. The next way is to protect wireless connection from dangers or intrusions. When connecting to the internet via a wireless connection make sure that you re suing a protected password. The next way is to remove yourself from search databases. This can be done by sending a email through a reputable website such as private eye, 123people.com, or intelius.com. Another way is by increasing the privacy of your browser. This a very important part of protecting your online privacy but it also secures your computer against malware and other threats. Lastly, use a temporary credit card number that is linked to your financial account but is only valid for single or limited transactions. Bibliography (Wikipedia, pg 1) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_footprint Fast Trac Course How to Deal with a Security Breach The Three Basic Forms of Business Ownership What is Privacy?

“My Oedipus Complex” by Frank O’Connor Essay

In the short story, My Oedipus Complex, Frank O’Connor writes of a young child who is forced to deal with issues of confusion and jealousy through a first person point of view. Through O’Connor’s elements of facetiousness and truth, he explains how such issues create a sort of ironic domins effect and, in this case can actually bring people closer together. In the beginning, the young boy displays signs of excitement and contentment when his father arrives unexpectedly on his visits from the war. His â€Å"pleasant musty smell† and â€Å"Santa Claus entrances and exits† intrigue him. As long as his daily routines are uninterrupted, he remains in a state of appeasement. The juvinile knows nothing of the problems the mother and father are facing. He is confined to a world all his own. If the point of view were changed in such a situation, then the father may tell of how naive and innocentthe child is or how oblivios he is to what a horrible condition they are faced with. The plot would change drastically. If the point of view were changed to the third person objective, or dramatic point of view, then the readers would assume their own emotion which would absolutely change the tone of this short story. Other elements such as theme could also be altered if this was seen in third person. The child’s feeling of hostility toward his father could only be seen through this example first person point of view.

Meet the Seven Celestial Sisters of the Sky

Meet the Seven Celestial Sisters of the Sky   In the story Top 10 Cool Things in the Sky, you get a sneak peak at a little star cluster that is famous the world over. Its called The Pleiades and makes its best appearance in the night skies from late November to through March each year. In November, theyre up from dusk to dawn. This star cluster has been observed from nearly every part of our planet, and everyone from amateur astronomers with small telescopes to astronomers using Hubble Space Telescope  has taken a shot of it.   Many of the worlds cultures and religions focus on the Pleiades. These stars have had many names and show up on clothing, flats, pottery, and artwork. The name we know these stars by now comes from the ancient Greeks, who saw them as a group of woman who were companions to the goddess Artemis. The seven brightest stars of the Pleiades are named after these women:   Maia, Electra, Taygete, Alcyone, Celaeno, Sterope, and Merope. There is a fascinating Wikipedia look at the Pleiades in different cultures here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleiades_in_folklore_and_literature.   So, What are the Pleiades to Astronomers? They make up an open star cluster that lies about 400 light-years away, in the direction of the constellation Taurus, the Bull. Its six brightest stars are relatively easy to see with the naked eye, and folks with very sharp vision and a dark sky sight can see at least 7 stars here. In reality, the Pleiades has more than a thousand stars that formed in the last 150 million years. That makes them relatively young (compared to the Sun, which is about 4.5 billion years old). Interestingly enough, this cluster also contains many brown dwarfs: objects too hot to be planets but too cold to be stars. As theyre not very bright in optical light, astronomers turn to infrared-sensitive instruments to study them. What they learn helps them determine the ages of their brighter cluster neighbors and understand how star formation uses up the available material in a cloud. The stars in this cluster are hot and blue, and astronomers classify them as B-type stars. Currently the core of the cluster takes up an area of space about 8 light-years across. The stars are not gravitationally bound to each other, and so in about 250 million years they will begin to wander away from each other. Each star will travel on its own through the galaxy. Their stellar birthplace probably looked largely like the Orion Nebula, where hot young stars are forming in a region of space about 1,500 light-years away from us. Eventually these stars will go their separate ways as the cluster moves through the Milky Way. Theyll become whats known as a moving association or a moving cluster.   The Pleiades appear to be passing through a cloud of gas and dust that astronomers once thought was part of their birth cloud. It turns out this nebula (sometimes called the Maia Nebula) is unrelated to the stars. It does make a pretty sight, though. You can spot it in the nighttime sky pretty easy, and through binoculars or a small telescope, they look spectacular!

Huck Finn Essays - Picaresque Novels, Huckleberry Finn, Free Essays

Huck Finn Essays - Picaresque Novels, Huckleberry Finn, Free Essays Huck Finn complex meaning. The above quote was taken from Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in the thirty-first chapter. Huck's words in this quote illustrate and directly relate with how modern man copes with what Mark Twain termed the inescapable dilemma of Democracy. In the novel, Huck is faced with the dilemma of whether or not to return Jim, the runaway slave, back to Jims owner. He, at an early age, is faced with the decision that has plagued man for ages: choosing what is morally right, even though it is forbidden in society and popular culture. He goes against the fold and goes with what his heart tells him. Huck's predicament is Twains inescapable dilemma. In an essay by Roger Rosenblatt, entitled The Bill of Rights, Rosenblatt ends his essay with a single line: Downriver we ride together, as ever, free to go to hell. Rosenblatts final line in his essay makes an important point. It is not just Huck who is faced with decisions. Huckleberry Finn represents every person who has ever had to make a decision between what they feel is morally correct and what society perceives as right. Today Huck's dilemma with whether or not it is right to help free his eventual friend Jim can be compared with a doctors decision on whether or not to perform an abortion. The tough decision a doctor has to make about abortion is an example of an inescapable dilemma that plagues modern man. In abortion, the doctor is faced with a difficult decision. Should he take the life of an unborn child? What if the child was deformed, or was otherwise going to be born into a possibly unhealthy environment? Is taking away the opportunity to live life morally wrong or not? There are many more questions that face the doctor as well as the mother of the fetus. As the mother and the doctor are faced with this dilemma, sometimes what they feel is morally correct is not legal- as abortion is illegal in certain states. Huck would definitely be breaking the law if he freed Jim. Jim is just a slave to most of the people. He is just property that can be sold or used until it wears out. Huck sees more than just the slave qualities in Jim. Huck sees life. Similarly many people see life in an unborn fetus and have real qualms with killing a developing child. Another example of an inescapable dilemma is guns. Should it be legal for man to have the power to purchase such an item whose sole purpose is to drain life in general and human life? With the many stories of accidents because of children experimenting with guns, safety is an important issue. America is a free country though, and the Second Amendment under the Constitution, though a limited amendment, allows citizens the right to bear arms. So is this amendment morally correct? Equally, Huck has been raised to think that slaves are merely niggers who aren't equal, but Huck is also a man of nature and sees all squirrels as squirrels, and all people as people. Huck knows Jim is more than others say he is, and he isn't about to let Jim lead a life of cruelty because there are other people who think they are better because they have lighter skin than Jim. Modern man deals with dilemmas such as these with anguish and frustration. Modern man has found a way to try to solve his problems, mostly through petitions, rallies, picketing, and writing letters to Congressmen. Would one expect to see Huckleberry Finn writing an angry letter to his Congressman? Would one see him picketing Jims masters house in Hannibal because he didnt support slavery? It is highly unlikely. Instead, Huck simply tears up his note and utters the famous quote that was quoted in the first sentence of this essay. Huck makes a decision in himself that goes against society. He does not wait. Huck simply takes the situation into his own hands. That is what makes him different from modern man. According to Rosenblatt, modern man needs to be more like Huckleberry Finn. Modern man needs to simply decide whether an action is morally correct or not, and act on his decision be it legal or illegal. Huck proved that actions speak louder than words by ripping up his note to Miss Watson. Thus, modern man needs to rip up

6 Tips for Negotiating the Salary You Want

6 Tips for Negotiating the Salary You Want You’ve got a job offer. Mini-wave in celebration of you! Except don’t write your â€Å"I quit† email to your current boss just yet. There’s still another step before your new job is official: the salary negotiation. In your offer letter (or email, or phone call), there was likely a salary amount in there somewhere. Remember what we usually tell you about the interview process? That you should hold off on discussing money and benefits until later in the process? Well, my friend, that time is now. Here are some tips you can use to maximize that process, and try to improve upon an initial offer.1. Be realistic.Know the market rate for your position. If you didn’t do this before your interview, do it now (thanks, Google!). You can check sites like Payscale.com and Salary.com to see what information is out there for people in your new position, at your new company, and/or at other companies. This will help you form a baseline of what you can reasonably e xpect. You can try for higher, but if you do that, make sure it’s on the same scale. Sure, you can reach for the stars, but if you demand $500K and a signing bonus Ferrari for a job that averages $60K and may offer an Uber discount, well†¦you will be laughed at (at best), or have your offer rescinded (at worst).2. It’s okay to haggle†¦These days, employers expect there to be a bit of negotiation. Sure, some people are so thankful for the job offer that they sign on the dotted line, no questions asked. However, it’s also common for employees to try for a higher salary. It’s not personal; the employer understands that you’re merely trying to get the best possible outcome for yourself. Once you receive the initial offer, respond graciously with a thank you, and make sure you’re clear that you’d like some time to consider your pay and benefits.3†¦but be nice.This is a dialogue with your new employer, not an adversary. You w ant the tone to be as pleasant and mutually beneficial as possible because soon you will have a personnel file with them. Be polite in all of your communication with them- and don’t let them forget how high a priority you put on being a good fit with their team.4. Don’t forget benefits.Salary may be the most important part of a new job offer/acceptance, but it’s not the only important thing. Take a good look at the benefits package that comes along with the salary. It can be an important fallback negotiation if they really won’t wiggle much on the salary itself. Can you get additional vacation/personal days? Can you add flexible work-from-home time? The negotiation should be considered a package negotiation, with less tangible benefits included in the bottom line as well.5. Have your talking points ready to go.Salary negotiation may follow quickly after the job offer. Once it starts, you don’t want to drag your feet too much. You should have all of your information ready to go so that you can keep the back-and-forth going over the next few days.Chances are, you’re like the rest of us and not an elite athlete whose contract saga can play out for months at a time with the team’s front office. It’s in your interest- and the company’s- to resolve this as quickly as possible to get you started in your new role. To help keep things moving, make sure you have your selling points (Experience! Market rates for this position! Millions of dollars in sales for your last company!) all lined up in your head (or even better, in your notebook) so that you can respond quickly and effectively.6. Know when to fold ‘em.There may be a point in the negotiation where the offered salary just won’t work for you, and the company is no longer willing to go higher. You should know ahead of time what your â€Å"no go† point is, and decide whether you still want to move forward with the job at that less-than -ideal offer. If you don’t, then it’s okay to walk away from the offer and go back into the job search process. If you decide to go ahead and accept, at least you know that you’ve done everything you can do to scoop up any money left on the table.Throughout the process, even if you’re not getting the ideal salary you have in your head, don’t get discouraged. You’ll have opportunities later to negotiate for raises. In the meantime, go out there, be confident, and grab those bucks!

Proposed marketing research for a specified company (REPORT) Term Paper

Proposed marketing research for a specified company (REPORT) - Term Paper Example People are working in different shifts round the clock and the companies usually provide pick-up and drop facilities to their employees. However, food is a source of concern because, availability of quality food at odd times in hygienic condition at a convenient place is a problem faced by the people working in these companies. This situation presents an opportunity to a growing business in this area for round the clock food supply through a fleet of pick-up vans at different locations at different times where these people can come and collect food on their way to the working places or homes after work or during their lunch breaks. The idea is to avoid setting up of a permanent shop with all the facilities for a business of few hours in a day, and thereby saving costs. In this manner, more number of customers could be serviced at different places by a ‘food van’ and fleet consists of about 6 vans could cover an entire region. This will result into economies of scale in t he business, and cost-efficient and latest technology could be adopted in the production processes. The food vans can also sell bottled drinking water and outsourced snacks as an additional business. Introduction The niche areas in food business offer immense scope for specialization, growth and development to the small and medium sized businesses. The competition in the niche areas is very limited due to localized demand, personalized service required and small investment outlay in project which is not compatible with the growth strategy of big corporate companies. In the current business proposal, the insignificant level of competition, requirement of limited investment and labor, scope for personalized service, specialist experience in the food supply and favorable policies prevailing in respect of financing to SMEs are the attractive features. The profile of the restaurant industry in general and its growth in the recent years could be inferred from the Appendix – I: Rest aurant Performance Index. Background The small and medium enterprises’ role in the economic development of a country on account of its employment generation is very significant. For an economic growth to be sustainable in the long run, it is very important to evaluate the pros and cons of the business opportunity by making marketing survey to ensure sure footing into the business. In the present proposal, three important criteria are involved, apart from identifying the cluster of organizations which are operating in a particular region so that the delivery point for supply of food could be finalized. Firstly, it is important to fix up an appropriate time which coincides with the increased peoples’ movement in the area due to timing of the shifts, shopping malls, market places and the government offices. The second important criteria is to fix up the length of time, the food van has to be stationed in the location to service the maximum number of clients. The third and the most important aspect is the information directly related to the business, such as the age group of the

Free Economic Zones in Transition Economies and Its Impact of Economic Essay

Free Economic Zones in Transition Economies and Its Impact of Economic Development of a Country - Essay Example e areas of a certain national economy where the government has put up a special system of opportunities and benefits that are not available to other areas of the country.3 These zones are also referred to as â€Å"islands† or â€Å"windows† wherein foreign investments and technologies are presented to a country. They are an example of an â€Å"open door† policy.4 Another definition of FEZ presents it as a part of a country’s territory wherein goods are being looked at as something that does not fit the limits of national customs territory; thus, they are not under common customs control and taxation, according to the Kyoto Convention. Hence, products being entered through the FEZs are not subjected to any trade barriers. The Ministry of Finance and Economy of Korea also gave their own definition, stating that FEZs are self-sufficient areas that provide wide-ranging services.5 Consequently, the Free Economic Zone Law defined FEZ with Article 23 as â€Å"th e zone, which is developed with the aim of improving the business environment for foreign-invested enterprises and the living conditions for foreigners†. Thus, an FEZ is a special area where exceptional measures are practiced. Moreover, it is a specific area which offers an optimal business and living environment to foreign investors and enterprises in order to draw high-end foreign industries and global services.6 FEZs are similarly known as free zone (FZ), free port (FP), customs free zone (CFZ), EPZ, foreign trade zone, free production zone (FPZ), FTZ, industrial free zone, tax free zone, customs free airport and foreign access zone.7 FEZs are also areas characterized as a part of a national economic area rather than a geographic territory where preferential economic conditions are being imposed with respect to entrepreneurs.8 Thus, others regard FEZs as a means of selective reduction of the state’s power to interrupt with economic processes. FEZs are referred to as devices that are capable of

Increasing Technology and Its Impact on Children Essay

Increasing Technology and Its Impact on Children - Essay Example exposure to computing environments may lead to "individuals incapable of dealing with the messiness of reality, the needs of community building, and the demands of personal commitments" (Behrman, 2000). Moreover, exposure to violent computer games are associated with increased aggressive behavior (Subrahmanyam et al, 2000). Excessive, unmonitored use of computers can place children at risk on their physical, social, and psychological development, and expose them to inappropriate violent, sexual, as well as commercial content (Behrman, 2000). Cellphones. Another gadget that would give probable negative effects of technology on children is the cell phone. An important report linked heavy use of mobile phones to ear and brain tumours and concluded that risks had been underestimated by most scientists (Coates, Hawkes & Blair, 2005). William Stewart, chairman of the National Radiological Protection Board of United Kingdom said that children are at greater risk of harm when using their mobile phones. Recommending that children under the age of eight not use mobile phones, Stewart's report on Mobile Phones and Health discussed four studies that are of public interest. One of these was a ten-year Sweden study that advised that heavy mobile users are more prone to non-malignant tumors in the ear and brain; whereas a Dutch study had suggested changes in cognitive function. A project supported by the EU had shown evidence of cell damage from fields typical of those of mobile phones, whereas the German study has hinted at an increase in cancer around base stations (Coates et al., 2005). On the other hand, William Thomas (2003) wrote that cell phones harm children even worse than adults. Thomas bared the new findings by the Spanish Neuro Diagnostic Research Institute. He quoted... This report approves that the age of the child and his or her developmental stage must be taken into account when considering computer use. The same can be said with the ubiquitous cell phone and iPod. Accordingly, for very young children the answers to these questions are usually "no" as their use for most children under age three does not have meaning for the child. To reduce such risks, it is proposed that children's time of use on these technologies be limited and their exposure to different types of content should be supervised. Technology has its bad side. In children's interactions with parents and other adult authority figures, the traditional parent–child relationship is reversed, with the computer-savvy child becoming teacher to the parent, eroding authority structures, and resulting in children as less accepting of parental authority. Children learn to form "electronic friendships" with computers instead of friendships with their peers and this might hinder them in developing their interpersonal skills. The Alliance for Childhood thinks technology is not helpful but doing the opposite - worsening academic performance and increasing drop-out rates. As these studies have shown, when used appropriately, technology can support and extend learning in valuable ways and can increase educational opportunities for children and fulfill their communication needs. The key is just in finding the balance, knowing how to coordinate the components of a healthy childhood with the unequalled potentialities offered by technology.

Below Exercises Answered Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Below Exercises Answered - Assignment Example Moreover, the unfinished products in the system are considered to be halfway complete in the production process giving the wafers a higher value than its actual value. By producing a large number of wafers, the firms’ asset in the production process will be seemingly high due to the wafers. Moreover, the fixed cost will remain the same while the variable cost will only rise to a reasonable amount considering the economies of large scale production. This is not an ethical way of boosting profits. It gives shareholders a false impression of the firms’ financial position. This may also act to attract more investors to invest in the firm due to its portrayed high profits, which is not true leading to great losses for investors. The company management can be sued for going against the ethical practices in business management. The losses of Pacific Electric are big due to too much fixed asset in the firm. For example, the 2000 employees will have to be paid whether they work or not due to the employment contract. The reduction of constructions will mean that most of the employees will be idol or not using their full potential at work due to the lesser work than usual. The plant and machine owned by the firm will also be contributing to the loss due to lower productivity and same rate of depreciation. Moreover, the idle plant and machinery will have a higher rate of depreciation than usual due to wear and tear. Therefore, due to under utilization of the fixed assets, the company is having big losses. The fixed cost can be converted to variable cost to reduce the loss associated with fixed cost; for example through review of employment contracts. This will see the firm have few permanent employees and some casual employees whose services are sought only when the firm requires them. The company can also reduce the amount of fixed asset owned through disposing some of its

International business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

International business - Essay Example In the past, MNEs were contented with the surplus they earned from doing business in the developed world markets and other selected countries. However, with the saturation of these economies, global business organizations have come to the realization that there is a need to venture into emerging markets which provide new opportunities. The emerging markets have a huge demand base for products that were hitherto unavailable to them coupled with large populations with significant purchasing power. In consideration of these unique features, the emerging markets have come to be regarded as fitting and dependable suppliers of an array of goods and services. Despite the existence of a huge economic potential, the MNEs are continuously faced with various risks and challenges unique to these emerging markets. MNEs and other global business organizations therefore, have to formulate alternative strategies in order to remain successful in emerging markets and maintain their existence in the gl obal arena. ... These unique approaches that may differ from the ones these MNEs employ in the developed world markets enhance the techniques of global strategic management. The success of champions in emerging market economies has shown that these multinationals clearly understand the emerging market environment in which they operate, paying them huge dividends on the innovative strategies they are able to formulate. The existing successful multinationals have also indicated that they understand the chemistry and the psyche of consumers in the host country, enabling them to target a broader market instead of focusing on a fortunate few (Upadhyay, 2007). Moreover, the highly successful MNEs have built considerable distribution channels that utilize a highly advanced distribution strategy with the aim of reaching a bigger percentage of the population. In the process, these firms have been able to build their brands, establish reputations, and create an image that neatly merges their overall global st rategy with local consumer preference and ensured satisfaction. Owing to their discretion and highly developed strategic approaches, MNEs such as Unilever Group, Coca Cola, LG Electronics, GE and IKEA have shown remarkable success in emerging markets such as India, China, Brazil and Argentina (Upadhyay, 2007). The examples above provide evidence showing that in order for MNEs to be successful in their pursuit of globalization and the quest to remain globally competitive in emerging markets, they need to come up with unique strategies that take into account an understanding of the host country’s psychological trends and choice patterns. In addition, it is imperative to note that emerging markets consumers

Below Exercises Answered Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Below Exercises Answered - Assignment Example Moreover, the unfinished products in the system are considered to be halfway complete in the production process giving the wafers a higher value than its actual value. By producing a large number of wafers, the firms’ asset in the production process will be seemingly high due to the wafers. Moreover, the fixed cost will remain the same while the variable cost will only rise to a reasonable amount considering the economies of large scale production. This is not an ethical way of boosting profits. It gives shareholders a false impression of the firms’ financial position. This may also act to attract more investors to invest in the firm due to its portrayed high profits, which is not true leading to great losses for investors. The company management can be sued for going against the ethical practices in business management. The losses of Pacific Electric are big due to too much fixed asset in the firm. For example, the 2000 employees will have to be paid whether they work or not due to the employment contract. The reduction of constructions will mean that most of the employees will be idol or not using their full potential at work due to the lesser work than usual. The plant and machine owned by the firm will also be contributing to the loss due to lower productivity and same rate of depreciation. Moreover, the idle plant and machinery will have a higher rate of depreciation than usual due to wear and tear. Therefore, due to under utilization of the fixed assets, the company is having big losses. The fixed cost can be converted to variable cost to reduce the loss associated with fixed cost; for example through review of employment contracts. This will see the firm have few permanent employees and some casual employees whose services are sought only when the firm requires them. The company can also reduce the amount of fixed asset owned through disposing some of its

The Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) isn't wrong. It just doesn't go Essay

The Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) isn't wrong. It just doesn't go far enough. Discuss - Essay Example The cpitl sset pricing model (CPM) theory ssumes tht n investor expects yield on certin security equivlent to the risk free rte (sy tht rte chievble on six-month Tresury bills) plus premium bsed on mrket vribility of return X mrket risk premium. In Winter 1991, the mrket risk premium on listed U.S. common stocks ppers to hve been bout 6.5%, ccording to sttistics published in the Qurterly Review, Winter 1991, by the Federl Reserve Bnk of New York (though the Ibbotson study found it to exceed 8% from the mid 1920s through 1987). Thus in period of 4% infltion, the T-bill rte might be ppropritely 4.5 to 5%; four- or five-yer Tresury note should hve yield of 5.5 to 6%; Tresury bonds should yield percent higher thn this; nd corporte bond yields should hve even higher returns to compenste for their dditionl credit or business risk. The cpitl sset pricing model for this scenrio suggests tht nnul returns on low-bet electric utility might be .05 + .50 bet (.065) = 8.25%. bout 75% of this might come from dividends nd the blnce from expected growth in dividends over n extended time period. By contrst, n verge stock with bet of 1.00 should provide rte of return of 4.5 to 5.0% plus the mrket premium of 6.5% or between 11 nd 12%. high-bet stock (one operting in cyclicl industry, for exmple) with bet, or reltive mrket voltility in price, of 1.50 should provide mrket return of 5.0% + 1.50 (0.065) or bout 15%. We could convert these from ernings price rtios to price-ernings (P-E) rtios nd determine tht the electric utilities, in this scenrio, should trde t bout 12 P-E rtio nd the high-bet stock should trde t P-E rtio of bout 6 to 7 . Three-yer verge (smoothed) ernings for these type firms hve, in fct, provided bout these P-E levels for highly cyclicl stocks during recent yers. The problem is in how to evlute bove verge or super growth rte for non- or low-dividend-pying stocks, topic of mjor concern to investment fundmentlists. Since stocks re bought on the bsis of expected returns for the next yer (or for severl yers into the future), perceived shift in the rte of infltion (or of the interest rte level), will send most common stocks to higher or lower levels. Strength of the overll economy, the sector in which the firm opertes, its own industry's strengths nd weknesses, nd individul firm's chrcteristics likewise hve bering on the ssessed mrket vlue of equity issues. In fct, this hypothesis is greed on by most fundmentlists nd technicins. The pproch recommended by most investment fundmentlists moves from the mcro to the micro nlysis. First of ll, we should determine if the overll stock mrket is the plce to be. Next, we should zero in on the industries tht re showing bove-verge strength. Next, we should select individul firms tht re likely to led others in their respective industries. In generl, the security mrket line, t given point in time, ppers to do resonbly efficient job of explining differences in expected yields on lterntive types of finncil issues. The cpitl sset pricing model is merely grph showing the nticipted yields on securities trded in money nd cpitl mrkets with vrying degrees of finncil risk. The trend line tht joins the points on the grph is referred to s the security mrket line. Mrket yields re shown on the y (verticl) xis nd the vribility of return on the x (horizontl) xis.

The Competitor Exiting competitors Essay Example for Free

The Competitor Exiting competitors Essay Competitors are those that offer an alternative, these competitors gained market share, we can not cover and control them based on exiting product. These alternative products are always diversity such as nappy. Potential Competitors -These competitors are always threatening, they can find out new product more preeminent than exiting product, it is a question for many company they can’t guess what product is find out tomorrow. -If we can analysis exiting competitor’s strategy, we don’t know how can cover potential competitor. -So we are always improving to adapt market. We make a surveys to know what need and demand are, from that we are always improving our products for customers. Strengths -Cut down star-up capital of company based on outsourcing’s model. Using tools for manufacture product based on partner so that reduce cost of built factory, machines, training, employer’s liability insurance. -Limit risk of manufactory as all of abilities are guaranteed by contrast of partners so the risks were compensated by partners. -The product is more preeminent than others. We focus: +The qualities ensure high material from Viet Nam with high quality, do not use material from China or have no origin. +The price: balance price, target on middle stream. +Market segment is large. Weaknesses -The quantities are limited by clause of contract of partner. It is hard to control our product as well as the flexible in manufacture. -Can’t control human resource from outsourcing’s model. The company’s image is easy impacted. Opportunities -Viet Nam is a fertile market. The need of child clothes is more and more increased. -The market in neighboring country such as Lao, Cambodia. -Compare with competitors, with low price, poor quality and high quality, so high price. With outsourcing’s model, we balance between price and quality to target middle segment. -The market is more and more developing with immigrant for industrial highly as promise land such as Ho Chi Minh, Dong Nai, Binh Duong. Threats -The risk from partner they can’t cover contract (product error, term contracts, standard of product) -Strategic competition from competitor when they realize our strategic. More and more competitor join fertile market. les gros poissons mangent les petits 3.3 Partners to sell Short term +Location market We focus location market such as: A. Ba Chieu market; An Dong market, Cho Lon market; Thu Duc ( Ho Chi Minh city) B. Tan Hiep market; Tan Mai market; Long Binh Tan market; Bien Hoa market. These are region concentrate industrial region so it is potential market( Dong Nai City) C. Di An market; Vsip market; Binh Duong market; Ben Cat market; Song Than market +Shopkeeper( delivery all shop) +Supermarket ( Big C, Co-op mark; Citi mark; Vinatex ) Long term +Cambodia market (target Xamat’s border; Hoa Lu border) +Lao’s market( La Bao’s border) +China’s market(Mong Cai’s border) Difference Manufacturing base on outsourcing model-non factory, cut down worker (Cut down star-up capital of company) Balance between price and quality ( good quality still keep goo price)

Pest Analysis For Madame Tussauds Marketing Essay

Pest Analysis For Madame Tussauds Marketing Essay Thousands and thousands of wax statue has been designed which reflects the art, culture, fame, emotions, success and personality of an individual, basically waxworks are an appreciation for an individual for their tremendous work in their specific field and to honour them for their work, which is recognised by the world and the world should have the clear picture of glory of an individual which speaks about his work, ability, life style, behaviours and also admired as a symbol of role model and this attitude brings them to the hall of fame in Madame Tussauds as a piece of art created in the form wax statue. Madame Tussauds is a wax museum which was opened 200 years ago and it remains just as popular as it ever was. It was founded by wax sculptor Marie Tussauds and was formerly known as Madame Tussauds. Madame Tussauds is the globally acclaimed wax museum; its history is fascinating and its exhibitions haunting in their accurate likeness to well-known figures, living and dead. The mus eum displays waxworks of their honourable guests who are (A-list) celebrities, sporting legends, political heavyweights, royal figures and historical icons, reliving the times, events and moments that made the world talk about them. Madame Tussauds has attraction in London, Las Vegas, Sydney, Vienna, Blackpool, Hollywood, Washington D.C., Amsterdam, Berlin, Hong Kong, New York City and Shanghai.it is owned by the Merlin Entertainments Group, hence is the second largest leisure organisation in the world after Disney. Madame Tussauds is recognised as a brand with strong reputation and offers a unique experience. It is one of the most important tourist attraction spots in the world, which is visited by the tourists all over the world. Hence it is one of the most attractive places visited by the people around the world, which also helps in generating the revenue and making it one of the most profitable leisure organisations in the world. Madame Tussauds is mainly known for its waxworks which is the worlds most famous tourist spot, it is a place of art and entertainment which makes it a visitor attraction, hence you can discover worlds most famous personalitys wax statue which speaks about their fame and success. Mad ame Tussauds of today is a fast paced and interactive experience, encouraging visitors to get up close and personal with their favourite celebrities. Madame Tussauds as a model for a successful leisure business is highly interesting and hence it focuses on each section of the resource an introduction to leisure and tourism, marketing and sales and customer service. In todays world Madame Tussauds is world renewed museum, which is a great hub for the organisation to fetch revenue, it has a versatile features and strategy adopted by the organisation to maximise the profit level in order to achieve the organisational objectives. Madame Tussauds is a big brand which holds goodwill in the present market, it is one of those leisure organisations which had a great outcome during the period of recession, and hence it earned profit when the countries economies were at the saturation period, whereas Madame Tussauds made stable outcomes. Even the countries economic fall and recession cannot a ffect this leisure organisation. It is a place of knowledge, learning, arts, education and entertainment which has a great impact on visitors. The museum can reach only those whom it can attract. This fact alone is enough to compel it to be convenient to all, wide in its scope, varied in its activities, hospitable eager to follow any lead the humblest inquirer may give. (JOHN COTTON DANA) 4 Ps OF MARKETING MIX FOR MADAME TUSSAUDS: (MAIN BODY) MARKETING MIX:-When a firm is marketing for their product and services, firm need to create the successful mix of: their right product, which is sold at the right price, at right place and uses most suitable form of promotion. The marketing mix balances the product and services introduced in to the market. Hence it is a unique method of selling goods and services to the customer and making perfect balance to draw the attention of their potential customer. It is tool which is used by an organisation to increase the demand of their product and services, profit margin and achieve their organisational objectives. Madame Tussauds will have their own marketing mix to utilising them as perfect balance in order to create demand of their product and services and attracting the attention of their potential visitors worldwide. This is what an organisation draws the attention of their potential customer and provides to its customer worldwide. PRODUCT:- is a main element of marketing mix, it is vital in marketing mix as it is the only source of generating sales revenue, without this element an organisation can never think of generating profit. The wax statue of Madame Tussauds is the globally acclaimed wax museum; its history is fascinating and its exhibitions haunting in their accurate likeness to well-known figures, living and dead. The museum displays waxworks of their honourable guests who are (A-list) celebrities, sporting legends, political heavyweights, royal figures and historical icons, reliving the times, events and moments that made the world talk about them. The wax statue of Madame Tussauds is the product which you buy or experience, either the product can be tangible or intangible. Hence the right products are those product and services that the customers want to buy or experience it. There are thousands and thousands of wax statues which are listed as product and that can be experienced by the visitors world wide. Hence it is very much important that the right product gets to the right people. PRICE: is an important element of marketing mix, it is the amount paid for the product and services by the consumer. If the price is low customer attention is drawn and if prices are high it deviates the attention of customer, hence the right price of any product and services are those which are paid comfortably by the customer or are prepared to make the payment for their experience. If the prices are stable for their product which are offered then this process also allows the organisation to make their profit. Hence the cost is the manufacturing cost and the price is the profit added to the manufacturing cost. Hence price is the one which create the sales revenue and all the others are cost. Each figure costs approximately $125,000 to make. Merlin aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its 30 million visitors worldwide. There is different pricing method for different age group. Madame Tussauds has a variety of pricing technique to attract their customer and also ha s lots of offer which encourage the consumers to visit. These price only help organisation to make profit, an organisation needs to make profit to make the business successful. It is clearly mentioned that the pricing policy of an organisation will differ according to time and circumstances PLACE: is the specific area where the product and services will be marketed, sold or experienced. A place where customer can easily interact or experience products and services. It is the designated area for the availability of their goods and services and for their experience.it is transferred from one place to another and then making them available for the customer. Madame Tussauds has attraction in London, Las Vegas, Sydney, Vienna, Blackpool, Hollywood, Washington D.C., Amsterdam, Berlin, Hong Kong, New York City and Shanghai.it is owned by the Merlin Entertainments Group, hence is the second largest leisure organisation in the world. These wax statues can be experienced from different part of this world, which makes it available all the time at different places and can be easily visited round the world. Location and easy access are the important factor for any organisation and which makes them available all the time. Today transportation has played an important role for visitin g Madame Tussauds located at different places and can be experienced easily. Hence it is the process of getting the right product to the right place at the right time. PROMOTION: is the unique method of communicating with customers. It is a communication tool that provides information and guide line to the consumer, promotion covers all the methods in which a leisure organisation communicates about their product and services and hence allows the customer to make decision while purchasing their product and services. It is very important for almost every organisation; it is an easy process to draw the attention and providing information to reach the ultimate consumer. Madame Tussauds uses various modes of promotion to aware the visitors throughout the world wide; i.e. advertisement, sales promotion, public relation, personal selling, direct marketing, sponsorship, events and displays are the communication tools through which an organisation communicate to the people around the worldwide. It bridges the gap between the people and the organisation to interact with each other. It is the most dynamic process which enables the customer to experience and understand. These promotional activities separate the communication gap and hence construct the healthy relation to obtain feedback form the visitors. Which are the extreme source for generating the sales revenue and people are updated with latest news and information, what is happening within and outside of an organisation worldwide? PEST ANALYSIS FOR MADAME TUSSAUDS: POLITICAL- Madame Tussauds has a great political impact, as it is bounded by the government legal, local as well as international laws, it works according to the organisations memorandum and article of association, hence it maintains the healthy decorum as stated by government about environmental regulation and protection, taxation policies, international trade policies/restrictions, consumer protection/employment laws, competition regulation, political stability and safety regulation. These important measures are adopted to bridge a healthy relation between political and leisure organisation. Both are interdependent on each other by giving tax to the governments, company can enjoy so many benefits without any political hindrance. Political aspects are generated to maintain healthy impact on consumers and all the three party (company, consumer and government) can enjoy the benefits and advantage arising from each other. Thus Madame Tussauds holds healthy political aspects and receives a great co-operation from the government as it is one of the most reliable sources of revenue generation. The Merlin Entertainments group operates the attraction and ensures that the spirit, artistry and vision of Madame Tussauds live on. ECONOMIC Madame Tussauds has a great move towards economy, around 500 million people have visited Madame Tussauds London since it was first established- thats more than the population of North America and Australia combined. Each figure costs approximately $125,000 to make. Merlin aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its 30 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and 13000 employees. For more than 200 years, Madame Tussauds has been entertaining and educating millions of people with its signature wax figures. It is a place of art and entertainment which makes it a visitor attraction. Madame Tussauds of today is a fast paced and interactive experience, encouraging visitors to get up close and personal with their favourite celebrities. As it is a reliable source of generating revenue, it has great impact on economy, thus even in a poor economic condition it is efficient in maintaining the stability of an organisation, it helps in economic growth of an organisation, hence it helps in maintaining the interest rates and monetary policies for an organisation to perform smoothly. A large number of employment opportunities are created and highly skilled and qualified people are employed in an organisation for economic growth. Merlin Entertainments group has seen the most successful and dynamic growth of any company in the sector over five years. The worlds No 2 visitor attraction operator wax figures. SOCIAL It was opened 200 years ago and it remains just as popular as it ever was. Merlin aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its 30 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and 13000 employees. For more than 200 years, Madame Tussauds has been entertaining and educating millions of people with its signature wax figures. Madame Tussauds is recognised as a brand with strong reputation and offers a unique experience. It is one of the most important tourist attraction spots in the world, which is visited by the tourists all over the world, which also help in generating the revenue and making it one of the most profitable leisure organisations in the world. It is a place of art and entertainment which makes it a visitor attraction, hence you can discover worlds most famous personalitys wax statue which speaks about their fame and success. It is a place for different age group which transforms the information in forms of knowledge, education, art, activity, innovation, motivation, skills and ability, culture, learning skills, emotion, fashion, fame, success and personality of an individual. Madame Tussauds is a beautiful waxwork place which holds the tremendous work culture and values of society. It takes an extra effort for the welfare of society. Madame Tussauds has escaped destruction in three major 20th century catastrophes. The world famous attraction survived a huge fire in 1925; earthquake in 1931; and devastating blitz bombing during World War II in 1940. TECHNOLOGICAL It begins from initial sitting to press launch, a typical Madame Tussauds figure takes around four months to make, utilise a team of around 20 skilled artists and costs  £150,000. Nearly 500 precise body and facial measurements are taken over two hours at a standard sitting session with the celebrity subject. This gives Madame Tussauds sculptors to create a strikingly realistic figure. Merlin Entertainments group is mainly focusing on the usage of advance technology to improve their waxworks and visitors from worldwide can have a clear picture of their favourite personality in their mind, hence giving a life to their waxwork and also utilisation of latest technology has improved the working style and behaviour of an organisation, in order to satisfy their visitor from the worldwide. In fact there is a lot of replacement in their working style every day we learn something new and try to innovate and present in such way to draw the attention of our visitors. Technology has its own impact it helps to learn and gain the work sprit to achieve the organisational goals. A customer always have high expectations due to rapid change in technology, proactive approach to new product development and proactive, aggressive approach to future strategies. A continuous improvement in transport infrastructure is highly developed and among the best in the world. There are 6 airports that share the international air transport association airport; they are Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, City and Biggin Hill. High speed train, underground tube, DLR, over ground, and expansion of national motorways improve interregional links. The use of the internet and e-commerce has seen a strong growth since 2000. SWOT ANALYSIS FOR MADAME TUSSAUDS: SWOT ANALYSIS: is a method which determine the potential factor of an organisation and the performance of an employees which are combined together to achieve the organisational objectives. Every organisation grows due to their potential hard working employees that cover the entire task instructed by their superior. Swot analysis is a tool that identifies the internal and external factor for an organisation i.e. strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Some of the internal factors are strengths and weaknesses and external factors are opportunities and threats. Internal factors are those attributes which help you to identify your strengths within the organisation that can be highly skilled employees, products that you are offering or the amount of work culture you are promoting and it also identify your weaknesses where the organisation is lacking or is unsuccessful that can be the usage of resources, performance of an individual or facing unhealthy circumstances. Every organ isation needs manpower to grow rapidly in to the market and facing the unseen conditions. Hence the external factors are those attributes which help you to identify your opportunities and threats coming from outside of the organisation, it helps you to provide external information which can be an opportunities for an organisation or threats for an organisation it mainly indicates you in advance how to accept the feedback and response to it in future. Madame Tussauds is well placed organisation which focuses on its internal and external factors of an organisation. STRENGTHS: for any organisation manpower is the most important strengths, success of any organisation depends on the usage of its manpower and their ultimate resources. For more than 200 years, Madame Tussauds has been entertaining and educating millions of people with its signature wax figures and has an excellent technique to handle their customer efficiently. It is a place of art and entertainment which makes it a visitor attraction. Madame Tussauds of today is a fast paced and interactive experience, encouraging visitors to get up close and personal with their favourite celebrities. Organisation strength mainly depends on the sub division of various departments i.e. good visitor facilities, various cultural and excellent extra curriculum activities which are generally linked with school and others institutional programme. Madame Tussauds is globally recognised brand with worldwide strong reputation; Madame Tussauds is one of those organisations which offer a wide range of experi ence to its visitors from every part of world with much transportation linkage. Merlin aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its 30 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and 13000 employees. Madame Tussauds permits the visitors to have a photograph with their favourite celebrities and can share their experiences with other members. WEAKNESSES: are those factor which are possibly faced by every organisation, weaknesses are those elements which are the back portion of every organisation. Weaknesses are of various types it can be internal as well as external, internal weaknesses are within the organisation and external weaknesses are out of the organisation. As we know that every organisation have their weaknesses some way or other, in same manner Madame Tussauds have local parking for coaches is difficult as it requires a huge parking spaces as it is one of the most common problem. It also creates problem on holidays and weekends as there are large number of visitors are visiting to their favourite place and have to make a long queuing on busy days and it also makes difficult to approach near the popular wax figures as it is crowded and is not so easy to experience it. These issues can create fear in the customers mind before thinking of visiting Madame Tussauds, as the customers are held with so many problems s uch as parking, long queuing, and crowded popular wax figures. Some of foreign language differences and provision are also making it complex for the visitors from worldwide, as we know that Madame Tussauds holds a cosmopolitan environment and should focus on the language provision as they are the only extreme source for generating revenue for an organisation. OPPORTUNITIES: Madame Tussauds is utilising the effective opportunities for the growth and redevelopment scheme for achieving the organisational objectives, which consist of increase in government funding, usage of resources and skilled employees, increasing the sales revenue of an organisation, to maintain the brand loyalty, targeting new market, developing a new product mix, increasing product contribution, effective customer handling and international cooperation. Madame Tussauds develops new wax figures to attract mass audience, many new schools and other instructional programme are organised to transfer knowledge and information in which a large audience participate in it. Hence it also creates many new distribution channels to bridge a gap between consumer and organisation for a healthy relationship, Madame Tussauds always works on its upcoming events these are new themed events which attracts large amount of newly formed audiences. Hence it always believes in working on advan ce technology to upgrade the knowledge and can face the new challenges in future and create new figures through which a large amount of informative audience can be targeted to fetch revenue from them. To make a hike for an organisation one need to take and handle the opportunities in right direction or positive use can lead the organisation to grow more and more. THREATS: can be of different types, which can lead you future trouble, threats are predicted as well as unpredicted circumstances which can harm an organisation structure in future. Whereas organisation takes extra measures and are prepared to overcome of the coming obstacles. Threats can be internal which are within the organisation or it can be external which are outside of the organisation. Mostly threats are from competitive environment, alternative destination and attractions, unreliable transportation, change in usage of advance technology, free attraction in London are some of the most upcoming threats which the company faces and has to bear the loses raised for the threats. All these threats are situational changes, whereas if the company can forecast these threats then the company can face these threats, whereas if an organisation cannot forecast the threats then it can lead to a serious issue. These threats can be controlled and the situation arises from these threats can also be controlled. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Merlin Entertainments Group is the second largest leisure organisation in the world after Disney. . Merlin aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its 30 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands. Madame Tussauds is a big brand name and is globally acclaimed museum, Madame Tussauds of today is a fast paced and interactive experience, encouraging visitors to get up close and personal with their favourite celebrities. Madame Tussauds as a model for a successful leisure business is highly interesting and hence it focuses on each section of the resource an introduction to leisure and tourism, marketing and sales and customer service. It identitys the core concept through which an organisation objectives can be achieved. The commitment and passion of its managers and 13000 employees has been incredible, hence an organisation has been credible in utilisation of employees and its resources, and an organisation has received an effective cooperation to achieve the tasks and positive feedback from the employees. The management has a dynamic role to play with its marketing staff, distribution channel, advertisement and media networks and various other field work employees for spreading the knowledge and information to the customer and maintaining a healthy relation. Madame Tussauds is recognised as a brand with strong reputation and offers a unique experience. It is one of the most important tourist attraction spots in the world, which is visited by the tourists all over the world. Hence Merlin Entertainments Groups can also go for several project worldwide as it has a strong brand name and under this brand name many other Madame Tussauds museum can be operated in various country, Madame Tussauds has attraction in London, Las Vegas, Sydney, Vienna, Blackpool, Hollywood, Washington D.C., Amsterdam, Berlin, Hong Kong, New York City and Shanghai. Hence it can be extended to more different part of this world under the same brand name, as an organisation it is the most profitable organisation and has a tendency to increase the amount of profit margin as it holds great goodwill in the current global market. It spreads a cosmopolitan heritage across the world and hold international cooperation with various countries, and the role of manpower and skille d employees especially for this organisation has been phenomenon and this organisation has a great scope in future as it is one of the oldest attractive hub for most of the people across the world. Madame Tussauds is a wax museum which was opened 200 years ago and it remains just as popular as it ever was.

Like A Virgin.. Or Not :: essays research papers fc

Like a Virgin†¦or not   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Madonna had always been a holy icon until the early 1980’s when the name â€Å"Madonna† developed a dual connotation. The introduction of America’s top female sex symbol Madonna created an image far opposite of the previously known hallowed one. In John Fiske’s essay â€Å"Madonna,† he depicts the singer’s character, portraying her as socially and semiotically powerful. Although his essay is currently outdated, Fiske illustrates an illusion of Madonna that Generation Xers eventually accepted and will probably never forget.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sex has always been a controversial matter in American society. Before the 1980’s, those that openly articulated their views about sex were thought of as promiscuous and perverse, unless they were male. Perhaps, that is why the aura of Madonna stirred raving controversy across America. Fiske notes that her image was not a â€Å"model meaning for young girls in patriarchy, but a site of semiotic struggle between the forces of patriarchal control and feminine resistance, of capitalism and the subordinate, of the adult and the young (Fiske 282).† Never before had a woman presented herself so provocatively yet so comfortably.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning, Madonna ultimately sacrificed sexual purity. Her daring exploitation of sex from a feminine point of view was definitely a breakthrough in 1980’s American society. Often, she dressed like a man and grabbed herself in â€Å"sacred† and â€Å"unseen† places. Actions like these, as Fiske points out, presented a threat but â€Å"not the traditional and easily contained one of woman as a whore but the more radical one of woman as independent of masculinity (Fiske 284).† Young girls regarded her actions not as â€Å"tarty† or â€Å"seductive† but as completely â€Å"acceptable.† Eventually, they embraced her image and strived to follow her example of the independent and sexually licentious woman (Fiske 283). Society has finally accepted feminine independence and accredited Madonna as the pioneer for introducing that autonomy. In many ways, she now represents the woman’s metamorphosis. As Fiske noted she began by showing â€Å"both her pleasure in her own physicality and the fun she finds (found) in admitting and expressing pleasure: it is (was) a sexual-physical pleasure that has (had) nothing to do with men†¦(Fiske 285).† While this may have been an impression of Madonna in the 1980’s, she has evolved into what society deems as the epitome of badass woman: utterly independent. Fiske’s essay does not really have much application to the perception of Madonna in today’s society.

Case Study: P.F. Chang serves its workers well Essay

It is suggested by various text books and management tutors alike, that the mastering of the four functions of management; Planning, controlling, organising and leading along with developing technical, human and conceptual skills, should go some way to allowing a manager some degree of success in the field of management. Of course, having skills is just part of being an effective manager, these skills and functions must be communicated in a way that fellow managers and workers can understand and act upon. The case study of P.F. Chang, a U.S based chain of ‘Asian Bistros’ and ‘contemporary Chinese diners’ â€Å"P.F. Chang serves its workers well†, indicates a number of systems in place by the company that allows its managers to plan, organise and lead their workers and control the final product. The communication process is also aided by processes in individual restaurants. Of course, any individual is responsible for their own behaviour and young mana gers develop their own ‘style’ over time, but for a P.F. Chang manager certain skills need to be mastered to assimilate themselves with the culture and values of the company. Of the four management functions that a manager at P.F. Chang would require to manage a restaurant effectively, it could be argued that leading is the most important. The ‘Leadership Grid’ of Robert Blake and Jane Mouton (Schermerhorn, et al., p246) illiterates a scale of ‘concern’ for both people and production. The case study of P.F. Chang restaurants shows the company’s concern for its people, (‘P.F. Chang serves it’s people well’). It can, therefore, be assumed that on the Blake and Mouton scale, the concern for people is ‘high’. As both restaurant managers and workers achieving the ‘shared purpose’ of customer satisfaction. A P.F. Chang manager, would according to the Blake and Mouton grid, be required to adopt the management style of a ‘Team Manager’. As noted in the case study, most the workers are ‘typically young’ and that could present challengers. Developing a ‘hu man’ management skill would be very beneficial for a P.F. Chang manager due to the make up of the most of workers at each restaurant. In a recent study of Generation Y hospitality workers, it was concluded that even though there was a desire by the respondents to work less hours to ensure a positive work/life balance, â€Å"employee engagement can mean high commitment in recruitment, retention and performance.† (Axwell, 2010). Further reading into the management of the members of Gen Y (those born after 1980 and the most likely the age group that makes up the staff members at P.F. Chang’s) show that certain styles of leadership are called for. Eisner suggests that â€Å"Gen Y workers tend to have unbridled energy, endless enthusiasm, and the skills and experience of those much older [and] they should be managed with a coaching style† (Eisner, 2005). Obviously, not all workers at P.F. Chang will be Gen Y, and of course, not all Gen Y employees will respond to the same style of management. So the effective P.F Chang restaurant manger would need to have an awareness of how different style of manag ement would motivate each worker. Each manager at P.F. Chang’s may bring their own beliefs on what makes them effective as a manager. This could prove to be a hindrance if the individual manager is not open to learning (and putting into practice) a different style of management, subsequently re-evaluateing their approach to how they manage their restaurant to bring themselves in line to P.F. Chang’s corporate values. Emphasising that different generations may require different management strategies, Axwell explains that â€Å"Compared with other generations, Gen Y tends to have less respect for rank and more respect for ability and accomplishment. Expectations should be explained to Gen Y from the outset, including the big picture and how they fit into it.† (Axwell, 2010) Along with many other businesses operating in the current economic environment, P.F. Chang’s business relies on customers discretionary spending and P.F. Chang makes a point of putting their customers’ satisfaction at the forefront of their business. This position is illustrated in the 2010 financial report of P.F. Chan g which stated that the company’s aim was to â€Å"strive to create a loyal customer base that generates a high level of repeat business in our restaurants and translates to interest and trial of our retail products [however] Our business is highly sensitive to changes in guest traffic and our operators concentrate on consistent execution of superior customer service while also focusing on additional opportunities for operating efficiencies† (P.F. Chang, 2011). Some workers may struggle with the concept of ‘exceptional customer service’ and a P.F. Chang manager must find ways to organise those workers to meet the companies expectations while upholding the companies values of openness and respect. The case study mentions that ‘restaurant managers face the challenge every day of putting the right person in the right job, creating a team that works well together’. At P.F. Chang, staff meet before every work shift where the manager is able to organise staff, reminding them of them of their duties for which ever role they may occupy. This meeting could also give the manager an insight into which member of the team may be feeling unmotivated and time could then be made to talk to the team member and discuss any issues. By delegating tasks from a manger to an employee it conveys a sense of trust in the worker, and sense of empowerment. Furthermore, it gives the manager more time to complete other tasks. This delegation is evident at P.F. Chang. The case study notes that by giving servers authority to replace meals and the ‘freedom to make decisions’ there is a reported positive impact on staffs attitude and performance. Regional Vice President, Roxanne Pronk says that those freedoms extended to employees have ‘a huge impact on their attitude and performance’. Some research, however has found that not all employees actually want extra freedom to decisions. A front line service worker in a 2008 survey of the empowerment made the comment that they were not paid to make decision, stating â€Å"that’s a supervisor’s job, that’s not my job† Other respondents mentioned they wanted extra money for doing extra things, and they see it (empowerment) as extra things to their work (Ueno, 2008). Conversely, it is suggested that some employees are more likely to improve their behaviour when given added responsibility while others may resent it. A manager should be aware that a ‘one size fits all’ approach where the assumption is that every member of the team wants added responsibility is unfair, not just on the individual worker who is happy with their current work load and level of responsibility, but also for any particular worker who desires increased responsibility, but does not get it. As noted in Chen et al â€Å"managers need to make judgments regarding whom to empower and to what extent† (Ford, Myron, Russ, & Millam, 1995) Ueno concludes that â€Å"empowerment can improve both customer satisfaction and employee attitudes and behaviour† but also â€Å"that high empowerment does not necessarily represent high service quality while low empowerment does not inevitably correspond to low service quality† (Ueno, 2008). Information such as this could help the P.F Chang manger in organising workers, assigning roles that the employee feels comfortable with, acknowledge that while some employees will enjoy extra roles and increase their engagement, some may not and the encouragement of taking on more responsibility may actually be detrimental to the business. Being able to master the managerial functions and skills is, of course, only one part of the process for a P.F. Chang manger. How the information is conveyed to the staff of the restaurant is another set of skills that would need to be achieved. Good leaders tend to be good communicators who find ways to overcome barriers to effective communica tion. Restaurants by their nature of being a place where many people gather can be nosy places, the kitchens that serves the talking customers can be even noisier and servers waiting on tables do not generally have access to work stations with computers where they can regularly check email or other forms of electronic notifications. It would be important for the manager to establish systems for effective communication with the staff. One such system seems to have been established, as the case study mentions â€Å"every work shift †¦. begins with a staff meeting†. As noted in the case study, this meeting is used primarily â€Å"to motivate workers to head into their shifts with an upbeat outlook†, and as noted earlier, serves as a function for managers to organise staff according to their strengths. From a communications perspective, this meeting would also be the perfect opportunity for managers to disseminate information that could be useful for front line staff members to pass on to customers, for example, changes to menu items. P.F. Chang’s also places emphasis on respect and open communication between its managers and staff. As noted in the case study, managers sit down and discuss if and how workers external issues may be affecting their performance at work. Part of developing this ‘human skill’ which is essential for a task such as this is ‘active listening’. Schermerhorn, et al. state that â€Å"when people ‘talk’, they are trying to communicate something. That ‘something’ may or may not be what they are saying† (p 462). Further to this, Schmerhorn et al also show that different ways of communicating are more effective than others. This ‘channel richness’ or â€Å"the capacity if a communication channel to effectively carry information† (pg 456) argues that face to face meeting can be much more effective in conveying information than ‘hard copy’ like postings or bulletins. In addition to P.F. Chang managers conducting staff meetings before every shift, they also are engaged in discussions with their staff regarding performance issues. With these meetings being face to face, they would be ‘personal and two way’ and thus, ‘high in richness’. Any outcomes and possible agreements made between the manger and employee to meet a specific target to improve performance is more likely to be understood by the employee. Conversely, by sitting down and having a chat, the manager would gain a broader understanding of any issues that may be resulting in the change of behaviour or lack of engagement on the employee. Having open communication between the manager and employee also seems to have benefits for the business. Authors of a study which looked at service worker behaviour found that â€Å"conformance to service standards [are] more likely to be met if service standards are communicated and understood by all members of the organization, including line employees. Thus, open communication between frontline employees and managers is important for achieving service quality† (Chen, 2010). Developing skills for effective communication for the P.F. Chang manager is of course the key to this communication process being effective, along with having an awareness of barriers to effective communication. Age, gender or generational differences can also prove to be a barrier. Returning to a broad example of younger employees â€Å"Gen Y workers tend to look for instant gratification [and] tend to be constant negotiators and questioners, ‘how’ meetings become ‘why’ meetings† (Axwell, 2010) The afore mentioned poor channels of communication like bulletins along with the more subtle areas such as negative body language and other non-verbal communication and a lack of active listening skills may be covered in the training that P.F. Chang’s gives it restaurant managers. As with a lot of large chains, the overall di rection of the business would come from senior management. Planning as a function of the business as a whole, would therefore not be within the gambit of specific P.F. Chang restaurants managers. Of course, a degree of planning would be required and an awareness of this process would be important to the successful management of the restaurant. Schermerhorn, et al. describe planning as â€Å"the process of setting objectives and determining how to accomplish them† (p20). Referring back to the case study, a P.F. Chang manger may set objectives based on the engagement of their staff. For example, reducing absenteeism on days of the week when the restaurant is busiest. The achievement of this objective may be helped by the attitude adopted by the company in dealing with staff whose’ performance does not meet the company standards – an initiative directed by head office, but implemented at restaurant level. Ultimately, the managerial function of control is important to ensure the final product meets the required standard, in the case of P.F. Chang, the experience of diners – from the service to the food. As Merchant points out â€Å"the need or controls over any particular behaviour or operation within an organization depends very simply on the impact of that area on overall organizational performance. Thus more control should be exercised over a strategically important behaviour rather than over a minor one, regardless of how easy it is to control each† (Merchant, 1982). There are many issues that a restaurant manager must contend with on a day to day basis that will have no direct relation to people management, but due to the importance that the restaurant staff have to the overall business, this is the area that the most time should be devoted too. It can be assumed that controls for managing customers satisfaction would at first managed at restaurant level, indeed, the case study highlights that â€Å"the server has the authority to replace a meal†. Should this not be enough to satisfy the complaint of the customer, it may be escalated to the restaurant manager. Since all employees receive â€Å"extensive training† and their employee hand book, it could be assumed that managing customer complaints would be included in this. Once again, the control function would be lead by directives from further up the management chain, but the restaurant manager (and server) would be equipped with the skills and expectations on how to engage with dissatisfied customers. Schermerhorn, et al states that â€Å"the task of a manager is to bring the organisations resources into alignment with its purpose in a way that is sustainable in the organisations operating environment† (p 19). The case study ‘P.F. Chang serves its workers well’ highlights some of the processes that are established throughout the company that can assist the restaurant manager in effective management of a restaurant. For a restaurant manager at P.F. Chang, the goal of maintaining the motivation of the team of restaurant workers is the skill that would most need to be mastered – the function of leading – through a thorough understanding the workers being lead, how they might be thinking and how they wish to be managed, along with a healthy dose of leadership theory. Similarly, by knowing the personalities of the team, they can be organised to ensure a more productive work business. Those who are facing issues outside of work and those who want more responsibility (and those who don’t) can be managed accordingly. The P.F. Chang restaurant manager has surport from head office by way of systems in planning, but should know that control over staff and how they interact with the customers is of paramount importance. And finally, the P.F. Chang manager must acquiesce effective communication skills lead and motivate in the most effective way, and organised the team with the members that are willing and able to perform varying tasks assigned them and manage discuss in respectful and constructive way when controls in place to ensure performance targets are not met. Bibliography Axwell, G. (2010). Generation Y’s Career Expectations and Aspirations: Engagement in the Hospitality Industry. Journal Of Hospitality And Tourism Management , 60. Chen, H. R.-J. (2010). Empowerment in hospitality organizations: Customer orientation and organizational support. International Journal of Hospitality Management , 422, 424. Eisner, S. P. (2005). Managing Generation Y. SAM Advanced Management Journal . Ford, R. C., Myron, F. D., Russ, D. E., & Millam, E. R. (1995). Empowerment: A Matter of Degree. The Academy of Management Executive . Merchant, K. A. (1982). The Control Function of Management. Sloan Management Review , p. 48. P.F. Chang. (2011, Febuary 16). Form 10-K for P F CHANGS CHINA BISTRO INC . Retrieved January 18, 2012, from Yahoo Finance.com: http://biz.yahoo.com/e/110216/pfcb10-k.html Schermerhorn, J. R., Davidson, Poole, Simon, & Chau, W. &. (2011). Management. Milton, QLD: John Wiley & Sons Australia. Ueno, A. (2008). Is empowerment really a contributory factor to service quality? The Service Industries Journal , 1329.