Doing Business in Russia Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Doing Business in Russia - Research Proposal Example Soviet-era management practices, a decaying infrastructure, and inefficient supply systems hinder efficient utilization of those resources. For nearly sixty years, the Russian economy and that of the rest of the Soviet Union operated on the basis of central planning meaning state control over virtually all means of production and over investment, production, and consumption decisions throughout the economy. Economic policy was made according to directives from the Communist Party, which controlled all aspects of economic activity. The central planning system left a number of legacies with which the Russian economy must deal in its transition to a market economy. The constant changes in the business environment can make business activities hard to plan for managers. Taxes in Russia are high but some reforms are implemented in order to reduce the amount of taxes paid by companies. During recent years, the government has put emphasis on reducing regulation and lowering taxes. Depending on the company’s location, the tax can vary. The thorough tax code has recently been implemented including a new VAT law and a new profits tax law. The VAT is quite similar to the EU model; however, input VAT is only recoverable when paid whereas output VAT can be accrued on a cash or accrual basis. The government actions regarding the VAT are mixed. On one hand, the Russian government decided not to apply VAT on certain actions (i.e. inter-company loans or derivatives transactions), but on the other hand, some other fields that were not concerned by VAT are now subject to it (i.e. transfer of patents, trademarks, copyrights). The new Profits tax law is lowering the tax rate to a maximum of 24 % and reduced the number of non-deductible expenses.

Williams Sonoma. Measuring the strategic readiness of intangible assets Essay Example for Free

Williams Sonoma. Measuring the strategic readiness of intangible assets Essay The marketing strategies that Williams-Sonoma is applying involve the extensive use of the internet to market its products to the masses. Online marketing and business provides numerous business opportunities across the globe since it is easily accessible to everyone. This creates opportunity for the company to access various customers as well as suppliers and even potential partners that they can do business with and ensure they provide quality products at affordable costs (Simonson, 1999). This as it has been seen has greatly contributed towards the success of the company. It has been able to increase its customer base, increase in sales of its products and in the long run an increase in its profitability. It is important to note that the internet is continuously growing day by day and there are lots of changes taking place. There are also a large number of people that are using and have easy access to the internet. It is apparent that over the next five years, Williams-Sonoma is likely to experience an increase in the number of customers that it serves (Marks, Frolick, 2001). Furthermore, there is a likelihood that the number of products that the company will provide to the customers will also increase. This means that in the next five years, Williams-Sonoma is likely to experience greater growth of its business and operations in general and may become a multinational company. Q2 Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   As a CEO of an organization, one must be in a position to formulate and implement strategies that will help in achieving the mission band vision of the organization. Making the decisions on what strategies to undertake require sufficient information on the market and other elements that affect the performance of the company (Kaplan, Norton, 2004). In this case study, Williams-Sonoma is seen as a company that is ready to take risks and adopt new strat5egies in marketing its products. From the case study, it is to be noted that the target group for the company is limited to customers that are high income earners considering that it offers high-end products only. Therefore, a recommended strategy would to provide variety or practice product differentiation in terms of affordability (Kanter, 2001). This can be achieved by ensuring that the products are of high quality although affordable. Apart from offering affordable prices and quality products, the other stra tegy that I would recommend as the CEO would be offering of discounts for the products bought. Those customers that buy at least three different items should be offered a certain percentage of discounts to make the products more affordable (Marks, Frolick, 2001). Furthermore, the other strategy that I would recommend would be to increase advertising on social media sites since these have been a great avenue through which companies are able to reach out to customers. Finally I would recommend that the company increases its amount of imported as well as merchandise that is unbranded. Q3 Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   One of the competitors of Williams-Sonoma is Crate Barrel. There is a lot of stiff competition for Williams-Sonoma due to the strategies which are applied by the competitors. In the case of Crate Barrel, the company is using the strategy of low affordable prices on its products as a way through which it is able to attract more customers (Marks, Frolick, 2001). It is to be understood that when the prices of products or even services are affordable, the demand is likely to be high and hence more customers and profitability in the long run. Williams-Sonoma on the other hand offers products at a very high price and hence only attracts the customers that are high income earners only (Kaplan, Norton, 2004). This means that Crate and Barrel has a larger customer base than Williams-Sonoma. The other strategy being used by the competitors includes the setting of their businesses in major locations unlike Williams-Sonoma. This means that the other competitors have been able to reach out to more clients hence becoming more competitive than Williams-Sonoma. Business location is of great importance for any given company. The location will determine the ease of access to the goods and the services of the company by the customers and hence affect the overall performance of the company. Q4 Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   The internet has become one of the avenues through which companies or organizations are able to do business especially marketing their products or even selling their products online. Different companies have employed the use of the internet in different ways and Williams-Sonoma is one those companies that has not been left out in the rush to make business through the internet. Williams-Sonoma is using the internet as a marketing tool for its products whereby it sells information to its customers such as information on recipes (Kaplan, Norton, 2004). The current use of the internet by Williams-Sonoma is the formulation of search for information on its products. The customers have to pay for the information that they get. However, for the future of the company, Williams-Sonoma can make use of the social media sites to promote its products to the numerous internet users available on social media. It would also benefit the company if it opens online stores where it can be able to sell its products online. References Kanter, R. M. (2001). The ten deadly mistakes of wanna-dots. Harvard Business Review, 79(1), 91-100. Kaplan, R. S., Norton, D. P. (2004). Measuring the strategic readiness of intangible assets. Harvard business review, 82(2), 52-63. Marks, W. T., Frolick, M. N. (2001). BUILDING CUSTOMER DATA WAREHOUSES FOR A MARKETING AND SERVICE. Simonson, I. (1999). The effect of product assortment on buyer preferences. Journal of Retailing, 75(3), 347-370. Source document

Professional Sports - Free Agency is Causing the Slow Death of Baseball

Free Agency is Causing the Slow Death of Baseball    What ever happened to the old days? This is a comment that my Dad and Grandpa are always saying when it comes to major league baseball in this era. Like clockwork, at the beginning of every baseball season my Dad says, "Every year my team has all new faces. How am I supposed to root for this team if I don't even know who is playing for them." Now, more than ever, this comment is true. It is true because of free agency in baseball. Free agency is destroying the fabric of the baseball blanket in America. This is the same blanket that many of us sports fans have grown up with and have drawn accustomed too. Baseball is our national pastime. If something is not done to change free agency in baseball it may not remain our national heritage in the future. Baseball is the sport that every kid growing up has a dream to play. These same kids also look at major league baseball players as their role models. If free agency runs the same course that it has been running it will destroy baseball. If nothing is done to change free agency all that we, as baseball fans, will remember baseball as is a pastime. According to Rick Reilly, a freelance writer for sports magazines, free agency (which he broadly defines as an athlete's ability to offer his services on the open market to the highest bidder,) is a threat to baseball (108). However, free agency does have a few restrictions that do not allow just any player to file for it. A player with zero to three years of experience must negotiate his salary with club management; a player with more than three but less than six full years in the majors has an option of submitting a salary dispute to an independent arbitrator; and a player with si... ...blanket that fans of the sport have become attached to like a security blanket. What free agency is doing to baseball should not be tolerated by us, the fans. It should not even be tolerated by anyone associated with the sport. Free agency it could end up destroying the future thoughts and dreams of baseball fans yet to come. If something is not done to free agency in baseball, which is considered our national pastime, will not be considered that by future generations to come. Works Cited Gelin, Dana. " Fish Tale." Sports Illustrate Commemorative Issue 1997: 28- 30. Kurkjian, Tim. "Blueprint For Success." Sports Illustrated Commemorative Issue 1997: 16-19. Reilly, Rick. "Fishing For Marlin Fans." Sports Illustrated March 9, 1998: 108 Worsnop, Richard L. "Pro Sports Big Challenge." Editorial Research Reports 9 Feb. 1990, Vol. 1, No. 6, pp. 82-94

Park Tea Room Essay

Master â€Å"Hally† Harold is the seventeen year old lead of Athol Fugard’s work, a white boy of South African descent, son of his mentor Sam’s employer. Sam is one of two black waiters employed by his family’s business, the St. George’s Park Tea Room. The focus of the play is of the two men’s mutual educating of the other. The younger of the two, Hally takes great pride in his â€Å"educating† Sam on book knowledge, the things that he has learned in reading or the classroom, whereas the elder Sam spends his days educating Hally on the ways of life and the world, showing him how important it is to take pride in oneself and the things that can be accomplished by your own hands. Hally has been caught in a dastardly position being a young man desperately in search of his place in this world as he rapidly approaches manhood, and being the only son of an immensely racist drunkard in the face of South African apartheid. Hally has found himself stuck between the ideologies of his inadequate father and the teachings of his gifted mentor. He battles himself for both loving and being ashamed of his white South African roots and alcoholic father. This play is about the corrosive power and denunciation of racism, ignorance and hatred in a society where those elements are all that surround you. Hally is a very bright young lad torn by his implied societal position and his loyalties to the man whom he feels has afforded him life’s greatest lessons, a black waiter who works for his father, Sam. Hally is a tortured and tormented soul; even the title of the play denotes the societal position of these individuals-Hally is referred to as Master Harold, a seventeen year old boy while Sam and Willie are grown men referred to as boys. The division between the races is clear, there is no â€Å"distortion of the political significance† (Jordan pp. 461) of the setting in which this work takes place, white is better than black and can in no socially significant way be mixed without ill regard. The only comfort to be found in the underlying premise of this work is the fact that Harold does not initially feed into the views of his father and society. He, in the beginning sees what great things he can learn from these black African men and chooses to err on the opposing side of his father’s views of race relations. It is not until Hally begins to feel trapped and cornered by his father’s impending release from the drunkard ward of the local hospital that he slips into the standard ideology of a white male finding his path during South African apartheid. He turns on his mentor, spits in his face and throws a total tantrum because he has not learned how to deal with all the scrapes and cuts that can come of being a man in this world. The introduction of Hally’s drunkard father back into the home is the unadulterated reason for his abruptly abusive and racist behavior toward â€Å"the boys†. His underlying fear is that he won’t be able to stand up for himself and his true beliefs if his father is present. Deep down I don’t feel that Hally believes himself to be any greater or more important than Sam or Willie but he is aware that society feels him to be superior to these two men and that he has yet to find it within him to give his own personal ideals a voice. He has spent all of his life under foot of one of the most racist men in South Africa, yet in the face of that socially and paternally enforced racism Hally has, for the most part, allowed himself to remain open-minded to the gifts and understandings of others, realizing that everyone has something to offer. His father’s hospital stay afforded Hally the time he needed to reflect on his own thoughts to determine what his outlook on this world would be. He was able to live without the weight of race long enough to become comfortable with himself as an individual and the other individuals surrounding him without regard to race or social standing. Being the intelligent lad that he is, he realizes that his father coming home means a lot for the way that he has been living his life, he is inevitably going to have to make some changes; he will either have to change the way that he views the world and begin fully subscribing to his father’s way of thinking, or he will have to find his own manhood and let his father know how he really feels. Hally is a clay chameleon being molded to fit whatever situation he finds himself in; he harbors an immense amount of disgust and disdain for his father and it is apparent at every turn except when he is speaking to his father. When engaging with the patriarch of his family Hally appears loving, caring and compassionate. He does not allow his hatred for his father’s world views to be seen by the man who gave him life, instead he hunts for the underlying love and respect that a son should have for his father as a man, and harnesses that love long enough to engage in an empathetic exchange. The fact that this young man has named the cycle of life the â€Å"principle of perpetual disappointment† speaks volumes of his outlook on the daily affairs of this world. He feels that having his father present in the home will just complicate the lives of everyone else around without justification; his father is just an impediment of unnecessary worth, a hurdle to be overcome if Hally ever desires to see himself find true happiness. As far as Hally is concerned, where reference is made to life being a dance as discussed in the play, it is his thought that no one knows the moves, no one man has all of the steps in order because no one can fully hear the music; as such the voluntary reality that these men discuss throughout the play could never exist. Just the thought of his father coming home changes Harold for the worse. Even in remembering the night that Sam strapped Harold’s father to his back and carried him home from the bar in the rain or the day that Sam took Harold under his wing and taught him not only to ‘fly a kite’ literally but symbolically by spreading his wings as a man and learning to fly on his own. The kite was merely a symbol to teach Harold how important it is to find his own way in this world, not to follow his father’s mind or anyone else’s other than his own. Yet where Sam felt that all these things made he and Harold closer, forging a bond that could not be broken, Hally instead turns on Sam stressing that he no longer refer to him as Hally but as Master Harold, signifying the social position and difference between the two. He does the one thing that Sam would have never expected him to do; he takes the position of the superior being and reduces Sam to a â€Å"nigger† thereby inflicting upon his former mentor an irreversible wound. Hally took his opportunity to put Sam in his place and let him know that no matter what Sam has been to him or done for him and his family over the years that he is not immune to the underlying hatred that erodes the human conscience in instances such as the time period in which this play has been set. Sam tries to make clear the implications of Harold’s actions and stresses the significance of what he has done to him, and their relationship, until the young lad comes to his senses and admits the effect that his love for his father has on him and his behaviors. Hally is fully dependent upon Sam for his understanding of this world because Hally can’t even understand himself. He lashes out at Sam because Sam is the closest person to him and sometimes it’s just easier to hurt the ones you love because you know better what will hurt them than a stranger, but I feel that another reason why he lashed out at Sam in such a way was because beneath it all he knew that Sam could always see his heart and his true intentions. Sam was able to discern and decipher the complex feelings that Hally had for his father and the emotions provoked by the idea of his father’s return. I understand the impressionable minds of youth but this young man is seventeen years old, it is time for him to stop relying on things like his relationship with Sam and to start making a way for himself. In a world full of adults you can’t just act out whenever you want to lashing out at those around you and always expecting people to be as forgiving as Sam was in this instance because it is my thought that the fact of the matter is-Hally was releasing some pinned up thoughts and emotions that he has been harboring, waiting for the day that he could release that portion of his father’s essence which he holds within him. There is no doubt that the relationship previously held between the two has forever been changed. Because he is seventeen years old the world says that it is time for this young lad to become a man, but he is not ready. He’s still relying upon others to tell him what he thinks and how he really feels. If he can’t handle the complexity of his thoughts and emotions for his father how could he ever hope to handle a life out in the world on his own. Harold knows that racism and hatred are wrong, both a lose thread eroding the fabric of life, but that makes no difference to him, when put in a position of discomfort he lashed out at Sam and Willie in the same manner that one would expect of a small child. In his article Boehmer makes it clear how often Fugard uses his main character to bring about the realization of conditions of separateness by shining a light on the trappings of historical pains, that his inevitable alienation has given representation to ordinary lives and not necessarily unique and therefore ‘dramatic’ situations† (Boehmer pp. 165). That is the point which commands emphasis in our analysis because there is nothing particularly special or significant about the setting of this play other than the backdrop of the apartheid era. Without knowledge of this story having taken place during the apartheid era these events could have taken place in any part of the world at any time throughout history. ‘Master Harold’ was no special case; he was a seventeen year old boy like any other seventeen year old boy enthralled in the decision to either follow in his fathers footsteps or to tread his own path. Cummings piece says that Fugards’ work â€Å"dramatizes the racial situation in South Africa† (Cummings pg. 2), this is true insofar as Fugard has taken the apartheid struggle and turned it into a dramatic work, as have many other artists, but not in such a way as for the thoughts or ideas of the characters within the play to have been exaggerated because just like I said, Hally was no special case. There was no need of exaggeration because we see young men like Hally everyday, unsure of themselves or their place in this world, worried that if they make a decision for their life that it may be the wrong one so they choose to sit idly in their comfort zone too afraid to venture into any unfamiliar territory. For Hally it would have been widely unfamiliar for him to stand up to his father and say, ‘thank you father, for giving me life, but my thoughts of this world should be formed of my own volition, not handed down from generation to generation’ and it is until just such young men can do that very thing that the older ideals of racism and hatred will begin to falter. Cummings is right about one thing though, the simplicity of the setting does largely contradict the complexity of the characters (Cummings pg. 2) but I think that it must be understood that if the setting and characters would otherwise be in constant competition with each other and no one would be able to follow the play. The characters are what carry the work. If Hally had no minutiae to set his character apart and was just another seventeen year old lead, there would be nothing pivotal to hold this play together. All the little details are what make these characters so profound and the work of such high quality; it would be a detriment to the production if anyone was to ever tamper with the formula. References Fugard, Athol. â€Å"Master Harold †¦ and the Boys†. New York: Penguin Plays (1982). Boehmer, Elleke. â€Å"Review: Speaking from the Periphery†. Third World Quarterly, Vol. 11, No. 1 (Jan. , 1989), pp. 161-166. Cummings, Mark. â€Å"Reclaiming the Canon: A World Without Collisions: â€Å" â€Å"Master Harold†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦and the Boys† in the Classroom†. The English Journal, Vol. 78, No. 6 (Oct. , 1989), pp. 71-73. Jordan, John O. â€Å"Life in the Theatre: Autobiography, Politics, and Romance in â€Å"Master Harold†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦and the Boys†. Twentieth Century Literature, Vol. 39, No. 4, Athol Fugard Issue (Winter, 1993), pp. 461-472. Solomon, Alisa. â€Å"Review: [untitled]-Reviewed work(s): †¦Master Harold†¦and the Boys by Athol Fugard†. Performing Arts Journal, Vol. 7, No. 1 (1983), pp. 78-83.

Business Administration Essay

You should use this file to complete your Assessment. †¢ The first thing you need to do is save a copy of this document, either onto your computer or a disk †¢ Then work through your Assessment, remembering to save your work regularly †¢ When you’ve finished, print out a copy to keep for reference †¢ Then, go to www.vision2learn.com and send your completed Assessment to your tutor via your My Study area – make sure it is clearly marked with your name, the course title and the Unit and Assessment number. Please note that this Assessment document has 8 pages and is made up of 7 Sections. Name: Sophie Griffith-Allen Section 1 – Know the employment rights and responsibilities of the employee and employer 1. Identify four main points that would be included in a contract of employment. If possible, use an example contract to support your answer (feel free to obscure any confidential information). In a contract of employment there are certain details which need to be included about the employer and employee, such as their names. Other information that must be included are about the job itself, such as job title, date of employment, duties and responsibilities that are expected from the employee. At Morrisons a probationary period of 13 weeks is included in a contract of employment and the employees contracted hours of work per week. 2a) List three key points of legislation that affect employers in a business  environment. Health and safety Act 1974 Copyright designs and patents Act 1988- Copyright refers to laws that control the use of the work of a creator, such as an artist or author. For a copyright to apply to a piece of work it must be an original idea of their own that is put to use. Data protection Act 1998 2b) List three key points of legislation that affect employees in a business environment. †¢ Pensions- Are very important for employees as the government think that people aren’t saving enough money towards pensions, as of 2012 pensions will undergo a considerable amount of change. †¢ Pay-there is lots of legislation about employee pay. Some examples include: The Equality Act 2010 which contains measures to protect women from being paid less than men for doing the same job. †¢ The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 an Act that was introduced to prevent very low pay. †¢ Employment rights and responsibilities- ‘Employees are expected to carry out their work in a way that has regard to the safety of others. Employers are expected to abide by a range of requirements governing such aspects as providing safe machinery and equipment, carrying out regular health and safety checks, ensuring the training of employees in health and safety issues, and carrying out a risk assessment to assess the dangers of particular work activities.’ http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/business-theory/people/rights-and-responsibilities-of-employers-and-employees.html#axzz2ENr4by5I 3. Identify a range of places where a person can find information on employment rights and responsibilities. You should identify at least two internal and two external sources of information. Sources of information where a person can find information on employment  rights and responsibilities are internal sources, such as books and documents held within the organisation, informed colleagues and line managers. Another source of information is external which are found outside of an organisation, such as libraries, the government, equality and human rights commission. 4. Describe how representative bodies can support employees. Representative bodies are one of the ways that employees can receive help and support in the work place. The best known examples of representative bodies are trade unions, which are a large organisation that represent the interests of their membership, they can offer assistance through work based representatives and they will also have regional and national expertise that they can use. Union representatives have a right to paid time to help employees, some of the areas where they can support employees are health and safety, workforce agreement, pensions, information and consultation representation. 5. Briefly describe employer and employee responsibilities for equality and diversity in a business environment. You should give at least two employer responsibilities and two employee responsibilities. If possible, provide relevant equality and diversity procedures from your workplace (or place of study) to support your answer. These documents should be annotated to highlight the relevant sections. In any organisation it is important for everyone to be treated equally. Employees and employers should be treated in a fair way and to be given equal opportunities. This is why there are certain responsibilities to be followed by employees and employers to prevent discrimination, such as people who are doing the same job equally well should all be rewarded fairly. It is morally right to treat people fairly and to avoid unfair discrimination. To prevent discriminatory and unfair behaviour there have  been many laws put in place. Both employers and employees should make sure that inappropriate labelling, stereotyping and prejudice do not influence the way an organisation operates. ‘At Morrisons the issue of equality and diversity are taken very seriously. They recruit, develop and keep the most talented people regardless of gender, race, disability, age sexual orientation, religion and nationality. Morrisons is dedicated to being an equal opportunities employer and support all employees to make the best of their skills’. ‘’Our policy aims to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment. We will treat staff, potential staff and the public fairly and with dignity’’. 6. Briefly explain the benefits of making sure equality and diversity procedures are followed in a business environment. Your answer should include one benefit for the employer, one benefit for the employee and one benefit for the overall organisation. Benefits of making sure equality and diversity procedures are followed in a business environment are: Employer: Reduces the incidence of bullying and harassment. Employee: Employees will want to work harder, they feel valued, happier and more efficient. It will increase the chance of open competition for opportunities. Overall organisation: As employees are treated with equality organisations will be more successful. Helps to maintain morale and motivation of the workforce leading to increased quality of products, overall it will become more of a successful organisation. Section 2 – Understand the purpose of health, safety and security procedures  in a business environment 1. Identify employer and employee responsibilities for health, safety and security. If possible, provide relevant health, safety and security policies / documents from your workplace (or place of study) to support your answer. These documents should be annotated to highlight the relevant sections. Employers and employees in any organisation have a legal duty that the working environments are safe and secure. The health and safety Act should be followed at all times. Employer responsibilities: Are to provide a secure, healthy and safe workplace that is free from hazards recognised by the organisation. Ensure that employees have safe tools, equipment and materials. Ensure that equipment provided is always properly maintained. Employers must report any fatal accidents. Employers must provide employees with accurate training and medical examinations when required. Employees responsibilities: Are to inform employers of any hazards that have accrued in the workplace. Report job-related accidents that result to injuries and illnesses. Follow the regulations of health and safety that are set by the employer. Familiarise and obey with the organisations standards. ‘Morrisons are committed to achieving and maintaining the highest standards of health, safety and security standards across the company. All staff at Morrisons receives regular health and safety training. There are many rules that all staff at Morrisons must follow in order to prevent any harm not only to staff but to their customers as well, such as always checking floor surfaces are clean with no spillages etc. Morrisons makes sure that there are always staff present that are first aid qualified in case of any incidents or accidents that have taken place. If any accidents or incidents  did occur within Morrisons all staff recognise that they must be reported as soon as possible.’ 2. Explain the purpose of following health, safety and security procedures in a business environment. The purpose of following health, safety and security procedures in a business environment include: Ensuring the safety and welfare of the individual and others is kept at all times. Ensuring the business/organisation is following relevant legislation. 3. Describe three different ways of maintaining a safe and secure business environment. Ensuring all employees have the necessary safety equipment. Taking time to find where health, safety and security responsibilities lie. To promote a safe working environment is to make sure that safety equipment used by employees is often maintained. Workers must always wear suitable clothing given for the job. Organisations should require that each new member of staff receive and read a company handbook highlighting all safety procedures, and receive regular health and safety training. Having an employee sign a statement that he/she understands and is willing to follow all safety and regulations at all times.

Week 2 Discussion Example

Week 2 Discussion Example Week 2 Discussion – Coursework Example The US legal Adversarial Functions Project The US legal system is adversarial through the interpretation of laws and advising the government institutions. This implies that the legal system undertakes the role of scrutinizing different segments of the constitution to avoid conflicts and breach of pertinent privileges. The US legal system also undertakes the adversarial duty is by guiding the government and private agencies on their roles in protecting the laws (Kagan, 2011). For instance, the US legal system can advise the executive concerning foreign policies or treaties. It can also offer advise the legislature on the constitutional sections that require amendments or repeals. The US legal system performs in adversarial matters through arbitrary functions between conflicting parties. This should involve a neutral approach to the matter with a view of reaching a professional and amicable solution (Kagan, 2011). A forensic psychology professional should be trustworthy to ensure that they correct injustices in the legal system. It is always appropriate to point out areas that may cause constitutional breaches by being truthful and accurate. The other attribute that would be helpful for forensic psychology professionals is being cautious (Kubicek, 2010). This is because some matters may require keen consideration of matters before disclosing them to the public domain. A forensic psychology professional should know the right timing of disclosing information to the public. This helps in avoiding confrontation or demonstration by the members of the public. It is vital to participate in forensic adversarial duties with adequate knowledge of law and legal matters (Kubicek, 2010). It is unprofessional to undertake forensic psychology examination by an individual who does not understand the tenets of the law.ReferencesKagan, R. A. (2011). Adversarial legalism: The American way of law. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press.Kubicek, T. L. (2010). Adversarial justice: Americas court system on trial. New York: Algora Pub. Week 2 Discussion Example Week 2 Discussion – Coursework Example Weighing Chief Concerns al Affiliation) Weighing Chief Concerns According to Brown, the dilemma between selectingindividuals who will be good officers and weeding out potentially bad officers is an issue concerning Pre-Employment Psychological Evaluation (PEPE). The police chief should act in a manner that would not compromise the duties of the current police officers. However, it would be prudent if the police chief decided to select individual who will be good officers by employing the PEPE process. Kitaeff, (2011) argues that ethical concerns may compromise an attempt to weed out potentially bad officers, in addition to weakening the service in terms of human capital. Dr. Shayleigh Johnson, a police psychological professional, ought to understand all the job analytic information applicable to the intended position. In addition, before administering any psychological instruments, she should disclose information regarding the goals of the evaluation. According to Brown, (2010), the psychologist should employ a written test battery that would serve as an aptitude test measuring the skills for all applicants. Dr. Johnson would then conduct face-to-face interviews with the applicants to verify the results obtained from the written test battery and clinical assessment (Brown, 2010). Disclosure would involve obtaining an informed consent and explaining the limits of confidentiality. The forensic examiner ought to explain to the applicants that the recruiting agency is the client and how they intend to use the information obtained from the evaluation. The limits of confidentiality would involve outlining individuals authorized to access the psychological information obtained and evaluation results. Brown, (2010) convincingly argue that a fitness-for-duty evaluation (FFDE) analysis the ability of an employee to apply both mental and physical capabilities to perform the duties as set in the employment contract. The FFDE initiates by validating its objectives through disclosing all the relevant information to the applicant. Such information includes obtaining an informed consent and explaining the responsibility of the examiner towards upholding confidentiality. In addition, the examiner may conduct various psychological tests to obtain objective information from the applicant. The examiner may utilize intelligence tests to measure the applicant’s intelligence. In addition, occupational tests may provide information regarding the applicant’s interests in known careers. The examiner provides a detailed report of the findings and debriefs the applicants. The FFDE may indicate that some applicants are fit for duty while others require further assessment. The report should indicate applicants whose mental and physical abilities match the skills required for the job and those who require rehabilitation and counseling (Brown, 2010). ReferencesBrown, J. (2010). The Cambridge handbook of forensic psychology. Cambridge: Cambridge Universit y Press. Top of FormBottom of FormKitaeff, J. (2011). Handbook of police psychology. New York: Routledge.

Invention & Innovation essays

Invention & Innovation essays Invention means to create something new, whether it is a new sport, a tool or technology like computers. To invent something is to be the first person to think of a particular thing. New inventions facilitate a new method of doing things. They provide people with a faster, easier or more efficient way of carrying out normal day-to-day activities and chores at home and at work. In history, humans have created new and better things. Innovation is a characteristic, which means that we are always thinking of new creations. In order to think of something new there needs to be a motivation. This motivation is not usually about money, people often see a need for something or a problem needing to be solved. One of these people was Art Fry, the inventor of the sticky notelet. Frys problem was that while singing in the church choir, his bookmark kept falling out of his hymnal, causing him to lose his page. Fry decides develop a solution to his problem. Now Post-it Notes are being sold all around the world. This is an example of a very basic invention which can be used to solve small everyday problems. People are often motivated to invent because of something they see in nature. Watching the flight of birds, for example, made people want to fly themselves. Richard Pearse made the first unofficial flight in his flying machine, this desire to fly was in the minds of many men. Also observing fish underwater inspired humans to develop scuba equipment. In this way, the natural world has provided people with examples and goals for invention and innovation. New Zealand has had its fair share of innovators in agriculture and sport. Bill Gallagher, solved a problem faced by many farmers when he invented New Zealands first electric fence. When a horse tried his patience, Gallagher had the idea of electrifying objects, which led to electric fences, a barrier that keeps farm animals out even over long distances. Gall ...

Blooms Taxonomy Lesson Plans in the Classroom

Blooms Taxonomy Lesson Plans in the Classroom Have you ever heard a student complain, This question is so hard!? While this may be a common complaint, there are reasons that some questions are harder than others. The difficulty of a question or an assignment can be measured by the level of the critical thinking skill required. Simple skills such as identifying a state capital can be measured quickly. More sophisticated skills such as the construction of a hypothesis take much longer to be assessed.   Introduction to Bloom's Taxonomy: To help determine the level of critical thinking for a task, Benjamin Bloom, an American educational psychologist, developed a way to categorize the different levels of critical reasoning skills required in classroom situations. In the 1950s, his Blooms Taxonomy gave all educators a common vocabulary for thinking about learning goals. There are six levels in the taxonomy, each requiring a higher level of abstraction from the students. As a teacher, you should attempt to move students up the taxonomy as they progress in their knowledge. Tests that are written solely to assess knowledge are unfortunately very common. However, to create thinkers as opposed to students who simply recall information, we must incorporate the higher levels into lesson plans and tests. Knowledge In the knowledge level of Blooms Taxonomy, questions are asked solely to test whether a student has gained specific information from the lesson. For example, have they memorized the dates for a particular war or do they know the presidents that served during specific eras in American History. It also includes knowledge of the main ideas that are being taught. You are probably writing knowledge questions when you use keywords such as: who, what, why, when, omit, where, which, choose, find, how, define, label, show, spell, list, match, name, relate, tell, recall, select. Comprehension The comprehension level of Blooms Taxonomy has students go past simply recalling facts and instead has them understanding the information. With this level, they will be able to interpret the facts. Instead of simply being able to name the various types of clouds, for example, the students would be able to understand why each cloud has formed in that manner. You are probably writing comprehension questions when you use the following keywords:  compare, contrast, demonstrate, interpret, explain, extend, illustrate, infer, outline, relate, rephrase, translate, summarize, show, or classify. Application Application questions are those where students have to actually apply, or use, the knowledge they have learned. They might be asked to solve a problem with the information they have gained in class being necessary to create a viable solution. For example, a student might be asked to solve a legal question in an American Government class using the Constitution and its amendments. You are probably writing application questions when you use the following keywords:  apply, build, choose, construct, develop, interview, make use of, organize, experiment with, plan, select, solve, utilize, or model. Analysis In the analysis level, students will be required to go beyond knowledge and application and actually see patterns that they can use to analyze a problem. For example, an English teacher might ask what the motives were behind the protagonists actions during a novel. This requires students to analyze the character and come to a conclusion based on this analysis. You are probably writing analysis questions when you use keywords:  analyze, categorize, classify, compare, contrast, discover, dissect, divide, examine, inspect, simplify, survey, test for, distinguish, list, distinction, theme, relationships, function, motive, inference, assumption, conclusion, or take part in. Synthesis With synthesis, students are required to use the given facts to create new theories or make predictions. They might have to pull in knowledge from multiple subjects and synthesize this information before coming to a conclusion. For example, if a student is asked to invent a new product or game they are being asked to synthesize. You are probably writing synthesis questions when you use keywords:  build, choose, combine, compile, compose, construct, create, design, develop, estimate, formulate, imagine, invent, make up, originate, plan, predict, propose, solve, solution, suppose, discuss, modify, change, original, improve, adapt, minimize, maximize, theorize, elaborate, test, happen, delete words like select, judge, debate, or recommend. Evaluation The top level of Blooms Taxonomy is evaluation. Here students are expected to assess information and come to a conclusion such as its value or the bias that an author may present.  For example, if the students are completing a DBQ (Document Based Question) for an AP US History course, they are expected to evaluate the bias behind any primary or secondary sources in order to see the influence that the speaker is making on a topic. You are probably writing evaluation questions when you use the keywords:  award, choose, conclude, criticize, decide, defend, determine, dispute, evaluate, judge, justify, measure, compare, mark, rate, recommend, rule on, select, agree, appraise, prioritize, opinion, interpret, explain, support importance, criteria, prove, disprove, assess, influence, perceive, value, estimate, or deduct. Things to Consider While Implementing Bloom's Taxonomy There are many reasons teachers keep a copy of Blooms Taxonomy levels handy. For example, a teacher may design a task by checking the Blooms Taxonomy to make sure that different levels of skill sets are required for different students. Using Blooms Taxonomy during lesson preparation can help a teacher make sure that all levels of critical thinking have been required over the length of a unit. Many tasks designed with  Blooms taxonomy can be more authentic, the kinds of tasks that challenge all students to develop the critical thinking skills needed for real life. Of course, teachers recognize that it is much easier to grade assignments designed on the lower levels (knowledge, application) of Blooms Taxonomy than on the higher levels. In fact, the higher the level of Blooms Taxonomy, the more complex the grading. For the more sophisticated assignments based on higher levels,  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹rubrics become more important to ensure fair and accurate grading with tasks based on analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. In the end, it is supremely important that we as educators help our students become critical thinkers. Building on knowledge and helping kids begin to apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate is the key to helping them grow and prosper in school and beyond. Source Bloom, B. S. (ed.). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives. Vol. 1: Cognitive Domain. New York: McKay, 1956.

Alternatives to Incarceration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Alternatives to Incarceration - Essay Example ama’s administration demanded about $10.7 billion in the support of programs for substance abuse and the increase of control and prevention programs. This came in the way of an increase of 1 percent for treatment and increase of 15 percent for prevention. This increase however, resulted in arguments and debates based on different assumptions regarding substance abuse programs (www.hsdl.org). One of the major complaints of many who are researching substance abuse is the fact that governments spend a much greater amount of money on enforcement, but not nearly enough on prevention and treatment options that should theoretically be much more effective at stopping drug problems. "Half the world to arrest" is a myth that is associated within this type of control policy on drugs, thereby filling the prisons with petty offenders who violate the laws established regarding drugs. The Presidents request in its budget against drugs for 2011 is to invest a large portion on the treatment and prevention of substance abuse, including new funds to support the Presidents commitment to increase the spending on treatment. This new budget divides 55 percent of the allocated funds between law enforcement, programs for international intelligence activities relating to drugs, and prohibition activities. This program, however, could fail to provide necessary funds for law enforcement officers w ho need to protect communities from drug users. While this legislation may be excellent at preventing the government from causing undue harm to its citizens by imprisoning them, it ignores the idea that enforcement is a necessary part of combating drug problems, to keep communities safe. These advocates ultimately believe that, the costs for substance abuse treatment and programs overwhelmingly affect spouses, parents, society and the taxpayer (Miller, 2004). Since private and public insurers do not cover drug treatment programs, governments must fill gaps in coverage. Changes make it so that

'Mon coeur s'ouvre ta voix' from Saint-Sans' Samson et Dalila Essay

'Mon coeur s'ouvre ta voix' from Saint-Sans' Samson et Dalila - Essay Example The skill to read and understand written music is not dependent of how an individual understands or enjoy the genre but how the composer uses the written words to reveal the meaning or pass the message to the audience. The composer has employed the use of melody in the opera to bring about its smoothness for the audience to listen and enjoy. The rising and lowering of the pitch between each verse regulates its frequency hence the intervals makes it romantic as intended by the composer. The musical instruments used also give the music its melodic range in that they break the tonal variation of the singer thus making the music acquire the medium voice. The tonality of the opera has been organized such that the central tone after every verse brings the audibility. This makes it possible for the audience to hear every word sung by the soloist without straining to get the words. Besides tonal variation in the music, the composer has also used texture to interweave the melodic to harmonize the music structure. The timbre in the song gives a clear distinction for the audience to get the words and message from the song. The composer as employed tis element enlighten the audience as they get to hear every word from the opera. ... Repetition use by the composer for instance in the ending stanza â€Å"Pour out to me the drunkenness!† of each verse in the song has enabled it attract the attention of the audience. It also gives minds satisfaction of the message. The change expected for the audience after listening to this opera gives them that interest to express their feedbacks on how the composition is compared to other songs of the same genre. This sustains audience interest of wanting to listen more and more of the song. The rhythmic pattern of the music is irregular such that the composer had to pause at every stanza to gasp air to enable easy aptitude of the next line in the music. This briefly depicts the emotional nature and feelings of the performer. Hence, emphasis on the note is long and short at some stanzas to let out the accent in rhythm. The tempo of the music is medium since it is emotional and the composer wanted to depict or show much sorrowful the genre is to the performer. This is also accompanied by the perfemer dramatic moves on stage. The use of minimal stage tells the audience that that the feeling in the song is no joke and thus a serious matter, which ought to be put in consideration. The composer in collaboration with people playing the instruments have enabled a constant flow of the instruments hence making the meter of the beats to be in pattern with the words in that the beats are not faster or slower than the words of the soloist as the performance continues on stage. The poetic license employed by the composer in the making of the opera music helps in the syllabic flow of the stanzas hence making the written work singable to any audience. Thus, brings out the thematic concept of the composer to the present audience. The alliteration of the consonant sounds

Short-term obligations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Short-term obligations - Essay Example It is evident from the study that businesses apply a variety of ways to finance their short term obligations. The obligations are outstanding payments that are to be made but outweigh organization’s current assets. As a result, external sources are the only available options for offsetting the liabilities. One off the approaches to financing ‘short-term’ obligation is the use of trade creditors. Creditors are entities that are owed money by the organization for goods delivered or services offered to the company. They occur when benefits are received but no consideration is transferred. The effect of trade creditors is that they allow for retention of cash and cash equivalence within the organization. The cash that would have been paid to the creditors can then be used as a source of finance to ‘short-term’ obligation. ‘Short term’ obligations can also be financed through ‘short term’ loans. Banks and other financial instituti ons offer financial services that an organization can use for financing its current liabilities. There exists a wide variety of ‘short term’ loans. Unsecured loans as well as loans that are offered upon guarantee are examples of available options from the financial institutions. â€Å"Revolving line of credit† is another possible option for financing the ‘short term’ obligations. The arrangement in which a bank agrees to offer specified amount of money to an enterprise on a renewable term provides availability of funds as may be needed by an organization. This is because once an arrangement is made for the revolving fund; the company is assured of obtaining it in case of need. (Worldacademy, n.d., 1; Pride, Hunges and Kapoor, 2011, 577). Factoring is another suitable approach to financing ‘short term’ obligations. This is defined as the transfer of rights over debtors to a third party for finances. The arrangement involves a form of sale of debtors’ accounts to another entity that will then offer money based on the accounts receivables balances and the risks involved in the accounts. The transaction also offers money for offsetting ‘short term’ obligations. Other possible methods of financing ‘

Office Art Memo Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Office Art Memo - Assignment Example The paper "Office Art Memo" focuses on the six pieces of art. Impressionists interplay of lights and shadows form an important premise of these paintings. Another characteristic is its unfinished smudged brushstrokes compared to following lines and contours in traditional painting. Included among the foremost of these painters are Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Paul Cezanne, Edgar Degas, Berthe Morisot and Andrew Sisely. The first painting I have chosen from the 19th century Impressionist Era is a replica of Camille Pissarro’s ‘The Garden of Pontoise’. It is oil on canvas. This painting I feel is very true to life, as all of Pissarro’s work was, and shows a young woman being entertained by a small child as she sits in the shade of her umbrella on a bench in a garden. Nothing could be a more simple expression of the glory of nature as a mother enjoying the antics of her child. The bond between mother and child, the pride and the glory of motherhood and nurturing is embodied in this work, but so elegantly set in the backdrop of this colorful garden that no one could help looking at it. The bright hues and colors of the early evening are evident here. The glory of the colorful garden in bloom takes one away from the business of life and helps one appreciate the value of leisure. No wonder Pissarro is regarded as among the founding fathers of Impressionism. The second piece of Impressionist painting I have selected is a replica of the Portrait of Charles and Georges Durand-Ruel., which the artist Pierre Auguste Renoir painted in 1882. In the portrait painting, both father and son are seated on a garden bench with greenery in the backdrop. The features of both are unmistakably alike, and the father is dressed more elegantly in an open three piece suit, with his left arm around his son. The son Georges is attired in a purple closed suit, and is also shown sporting a cigarette in his left hand. The father does not see m appalled at this circumstance and it shows his open-mindedness and confidence in his son. I am hoping here that the selection of this painting will signify

Small system practice - social work Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Small system practice - social work - Assignment Example es are unequal to the larger student community thus as a social worker you may use inequality to promote a higher level of equality in the access of limited resources hence giving them a slightly better chance than the other student community. Using the ERS system it may give many conflicting rules and thus ethical principles may apply. For example, Principle 6-confidentiality and Principle 7- full disclosure both seem to act but the rank in the EPS system dictates the preceding principle gains priority(Ralph & Harrington & Frank 66). This way will ensure ethical practice dilemmas related to immigrants are handled carefully and mindfully.. 4. Building a community partnership strategy. The social student worker will be obliged to bring the families of the deported parents together and through their voices and hearing their wishes and needs advocate for providence through facilities such as foster homes. Bringing together community stakeholders and making it clear of their roles in that it will include giving where the return will be improvements that will propel the lives of the children and families as well as support their

Psalms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Psalms - Essay Example This psalm describes the wedding banquet with Christ and His church, and Christ’s eternal kingdom. The psalm describes the setting around the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. During the feast the reading of the Law was given to the people. The psalm describes how we should be God fearing people and respect God’s Word. The psalm in verse 22 speaks of how God will tear you to pieces. Then, the psalms say he prepares the way. This psalm shows us the need for a savior that is Jesus Christ. God has shown His compassion by sending His son once and for all as a sacrifice for sin. The psalm describes the scene as a heavenly courtroom, with the Mighty One -- God -- as the judge. The Lord hands down an indictment against hypocrisy. The psalm indicts people who practice formalism in worship. However, Christ advises us to â€Å"worship in spirit and truth† (John 4:24). This psalm is Messianic in nature; the commentary describes the psalm as an imprecatory psalm. This psalm has become a popular psalm over the years. Verses 1 thru 18 of the psalm speak of the need for a Savior. This savior is The Messiah, Jesus Christ. David continues to discuss the Lord’s compassion and loving-kindness. Then, verses 19 thru 29 describe David’s vindication from his enemies. The psalm ends with praise and looks forward to the Messiah and the coming of his eternal kingdom. The prevailing Messianic tone was prayer for deliverance from suffering for the Lord’s sake. Therefore, Christ was seen as the one who was persecuted for doing God’s will. Psalm 72 refers to certain elements that will make up the millennial kingdom, where Christ will reign. The psalm goes on to explain how Christ will reign with righteousness throughout the whole world. This particular Messianic prophecy is seen in verse 1-3. Christ reigning with compassion is seen in verses 12-14. Furthermore, we see that the nation will prosper; this prophecy will be

Small system practice - social work Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Small system practice - social work - Assignment Example es are unequal to the larger student community thus as a social worker you may use inequality to promote a higher level of equality in the access of limited resources hence giving them a slightly better chance than the other student community. Using the ERS system it may give many conflicting rules and thus ethical principles may apply. For example, Principle 6-confidentiality and Principle 7- full disclosure both seem to act but the rank in the EPS system dictates the preceding principle gains priority(Ralph & Harrington & Frank 66). This way will ensure ethical practice dilemmas related to immigrants are handled carefully and mindfully.. 4. Building a community partnership strategy. The social student worker will be obliged to bring the families of the deported parents together and through their voices and hearing their wishes and needs advocate for providence through facilities such as foster homes. Bringing together community stakeholders and making it clear of their roles in that it will include giving where the return will be improvements that will propel the lives of the children and families as well as support their

Torts problem question-Negligent misstatements Case Study

Torts problem question-Negligent misstatements - Case Study Example Whoever makes a claim due to somebody's negligence besides proving duty of care, breach and damages, must also show extra factors under 'duty' As pure economic loss caused by negligence is not a tort but liability under common law negligence. In Hedley Byrne & Co Ltd v Heller & Partners Ltd [1963]1 UKHL 4 (28 May 1963, it was held by the House of Lords that respondents were not liable as bankers for giving negligently favourable opinion about their client whom the appellants dealt with as a result. The reason was that the bankers had no fiduciary relationship with the appellants nor had any duty of care to them as there was no contract. Besides they had cautioned the appellants that their opinion was without owning any responsibility. Applying the same principle in the above case, it can be argued that though the bankers had been in the process of making a fiduciary relationship subject to the surveyor's opinion, such a relationship had not been established. There was also no negligence on the part of the bankers. Besides they also had relied on Surveyor's opinion and lost business as a result. In fact Helen and the Bank are in the same position. On the other hand whether Helen as well as Andrew can claim compensation from the Surveyor depends on the principles of duty of care, fiduciary relationship, and negligence. ... But proximity of relationship could be deemed to exist as two of them have suffered due to his negligent opinion. Therefore both Helen and Andrew can claim damages from him. In fact, valuer was held liable in Can v Wilson2, wherein the valuer was held responsible to the mortgagees for negligent undervaluation and was asked to pay loss incurred by the mortgagees due to mortgagor's default. In this case, the defendant who was the valuer sent his valuation report to the agent of plaintiff (mortgagee) in order to induce him to advance money against the mortgage of the property he valued. As the valuer had knowingly placed himself in that position, he had a duty of care in the preparation of a valuation document. In somewhat identical cases, Smith v. Eric S. Bush and Harris v. Wyre Forest District Council [1989]3, both the plaintiffs purchased houses relying on valuations of the surveyors who acted under the instructions of the defendant mortgagees and their fees were paid by the plaintiff purchasers. The valuations of the surveyors turned out to be defective resulting in serious financial loss to the plaintiffs. Even though the terms of agreement excluded liability for both the mortgagees and the surveyors for any loss due to inaccuracy in valuation, the House of Lords held that surveyors had a duty of care to the plaintiffs and the terms of exclusion of liability was struck down by virtue of section 2(2) and 11 (3) of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977. B In the case of B.Pen & Co, Charles lent money to James to buy the business of B.Pen & Co, relying on the Accountant's report which later turned out to be untrue to the detriment of both Charles and John. Although it was

Training class Essay Example for Free

Training class Essay CERTIFICATION OF AUTHORSHIP: I certify that I am the author of this paper and that any assistance I received in its preparation is fully acknowledged and disclosed in this paper. I have also cited any sources from which I used data, ideas or words, either quoted directly or paraphrased. I have added quotes whenever I used more than three consecutive words from another writer. I also certify that this paper was prepared by me specifically for this course. Student’s Signature: ______________________________ Instructor’s Grade on Assignment: Instructor’s Comments: Justify the use of a needs assessment of your company’s proposed employee customer service training stressing five (5) ways in which such an assessment would expose any existing performance deficiencies. Customer demands and the increase in competition have caused many companies to focus on customer service and relations. Southwest Airlines uses different approach when managing their airlines services throughout 97 destinations and 41 states (La Tasha, 2013). The ability to provide great customer services has much to do with the success of many individuals and companies. In the case of Southwest, their brand is to offer a low fare to their customers and always taking them on time to their final destination. Customer service isn’t about giving the customer exactly what they want. It involves skills such as problem solving, empathy, interpersonal skills, communication, and leadership abilities. Employee performance can be improved in many ways. Training is one way to emphasize employee performance. Each customer interaction is a representation on the company. Southwest Airlines objective is to train executive teams, making sure the highly value customer satisfaction guarantee and wanted those executives who managed departments that directly filtered into the service quality. When conducting a needs assessment, there are three areas that must be considered: organizational needs, occupational needs, and individual needs. Organizational assessment evaluates the level of organizational performance. An assessment of this type will determine what skills, knowledge, and abilities a company needs. It determines what is required to alleviate the problems and weaknesses of the company. Occupational assessment examines the skills, knowledge, and abilities required for affected occupational groups. Occupational assessment identifies how and which occupational discrepancies or gaps exist. Individual assessment analyzes how well an individual employee is doing a job and determines the individuals capacity to do new or different work. Individual assessm ent provides information on which  employees need training and what kind. A needs assessment is a wise investment for the organization. It saves time, money and effort by working on the right problems. People skills are the foundation for good customer service. Southwest Airlines will identify the goals of the potential training program by doing an initial interview questions with all parties. These questions are just a few to begin laying the foundation for the needed training. When a company encounters some type of situations, training is required. Southwest Airlines, assessment moves into the organizational, person and task analysis phase, questions will be intended for specific key executives. To make sure if the training will support the company’s strategic direction and if the needed resources would be obtainable, the assessment team will look in the direction of strategic planning, training and business development executives.â€Å" When employees interact with customers they are representing the organization and each customer’s perce ption of the quality of that interaction can influence the customer’s opinion of the organization and its products or services† (Dugan, 2014). Person’s analysis phase will determined who will need the training and if the present knowledge base provides a foundation to obtain the new skills. With exceptional customer service being the primary goal of these airlines, the Customer Service Department and Customer Support service department know what practices are currently used and if new skills and training is necessary to improve customer satisfaction. Lastly, task analysis will identify what current job functions are performed and if a need to implement new practice is necessary. Determining the needs of employees within an organization, assisting managers and filling vacant positions are significant aspects of human resource management processes. Organizations must complete job analysis to identify the skills needed for each job. The job description explains the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to fill the various jobs as spelled out in job specifications. The main objective of a needs assessment is to answer common questions such as who, when, where and why. Conducting a need assessment protects the assets of an organization and it is also an opportunity to initiate the conversation for proper utilization of resources that have been set aside for training. All assessments gather the information needed to make the decision if training is needed with the use of specific techniques. The assessment will be  conducted with interviews, focus groups and supporting documentation to decide if training is needed. The outcome of this assessment needs to be accurate. Develop a customer service training implementation plan and determine the method of training. Southwest has developed the Simulations method where an extensive technology-based training program is used. Its university for people is accessible to all its employees for personal and professional development. The virtual university offers courses ranging from software training to customer service. Additional, the airlines careers development services provides the employees with counseling, assessment and development plans. Employee training programs are helpful to organizations of different sizes. Even small companies can improve customer service skills. Large organizations often need training programs specifically targeted to employee development and changing technologies. Offering training programs to employees helps the employee feel more engaged and committed to the organization. The implementing of an employee training program in the organization improves job morale and teaches new skills. There are several steps to follow in developing a training plan. Step 1. Analyze your organizational needs. Interview managers and supervisors and identify employee performance areas that need growth. Step 2. Present your detailed presentation plan to the committee or the companys leadership team a nd be prepared to answer questions. Summarize the benefits of each proposed program, anticipated costs and time requirements. Demonstrate the need for each program by preparing detailed analysis of problem areas and possible solutions. Step 3. Conclude your plan and determine the budget for the next fiscal year. Request funds needed for the implementation of the customer service training. It should be taking in consideration employee training budget, including materials, travel, speaker fees, computer access charges and food in the budgeted amount. Step. 4 Allocate the funds by department, per employee or per training program, recommends the American Society for Training and Development (Lynn, 2014). Consider the benefits expected from each training program and decide if the cost of the program will give the desired results. Step 5. List the training classes offer over the year. Divide the classes by type and employee attendance. Prepare a schedule and publish it in the companys intranet. If possible, allow employees to sign up electronically to save valuable personnel time. Step 6.  Look for potential trainers references and verify that his materials and presentation style fit the company needs. Arrange the program costs and fees and a list of any needed equipment. Ask an employee with expertise in the field to teach a class or utilize member of the companys human resources department. Set clear expectations of class content and have a feedback system in place. Strep7. Evaluate the success of the program immediately after the programs completion. Ask the participants to fill out a feedback of the training program. Analyze the comments to plan for further training. The simulation method used in this type of training is effective because it is planned and resourceful. Justify why you selected the training program that you did. The simulation method is a perfect program used by airlines. The method offers the trainees the opportunity to experience some characteristics of their job in a secure and restricted environment and build skills related to those aspects of the job. Southwest Airlines has established the Flight Simulation training method where the technicians are responsible for continuous maintenance and engineering support for the Flight Operations Training Center, also where all Southwest Airlines Pilots receive training, as well as support for Flight Attendant emergency door trainers. The group was named Southwests Heroes of the Heart winner for 2014, an annual tribute awarded to a behind the scenes workgroup whose dedication contributes to Southwests success. (Southwest, 2014). â€Å" Southwest continues to count on the incredible reliability of its Flight Simulation Technicians as the airline completes the integration of AirTran, trains classes of New Hire Pilots, and adds hundreds of Captains through 2015†.(Southwest, 2014) Propose two (2) ways to motivate an employee who has no interest in attending a training class. Motivating and keeping employees in the company, requires effective management practices and strong leadership skills. An adequate training and good operating system are vital in a company. Employees need proper support and training tools to performance the job. A performance-based compensation plan should be designed very carefully to ensure that employees are encouraged to help build the business. Recognition and communication are also very important manager key responsibilities. Management, leadership skills and efforts will determine the success in  providing a good environment where the employees will be motivated therefore will remain loyal to the company. Southwest Airlines is an excellent example of what most airlines companies are striving for. Some of its ways to motivate an employee who has no interest in attending a training class are: 1- Reward and recognition. Employees kno w that the company provides meaningful recognition and rewards for their performance. They know precisely what the company gives them in return for their unique work. The entire employees place particular importance in exploring every possible technique approach and devise to recognize outstanding performance. Southwest identifies all employees directly in proportion to their personal accomplishments. This generates a contagious shared energy across the whole organization and as consequence the work environment is animated with enthusiasm and joy and this atmosphere is what the employees love. For their employees, compensation is of secondary importance. By generously rewarding its employees for excellent performance, Southwest Airlines is able to maintain loyalty, job satisfaction and high level of personal motivation. 2- Performance Management. A key feature of Southwest Airlines performance management is its performance transparency. To begin with, the company measures three dimension of performance: Employee wellbeing, customer satisfaction and shareholder gain. To reach their goals, the performance of the average worker is critical (Deutschen dorf, 2014). Therefore, Southwest Airlines stresses a demanding tracking and rewarding of individual performance, attached with clear immediate and straight feedback. The employees have a strong image of the background in which they work; they clearly understand how performance is measured and what it is they can do in order to improve it. The understanding of current individual performance and organizational performance is a key factor not only in Southwest Airlines employee motivation, but also in any employee motivation setting. Develop a survey to collect feedback from the employees who attend the training. Companies should give a chance to their employees to express their thoughts on the direction of the company has the opposite effect. It is very important for the company to find out their opinions of a specific training class and it is more likely they will take a personal stake in the business and feel like they are part of the team. Every method of gathering employee feedback depends on what challenges you need to address as a business.  Common questions managers seek when employees complete their training classes are: Was the course appropriate to your needs? Were the training personnel sufficiently knowledgeable and professional? Was the training facility good? Was the training package communication available to you organization? Was the training course complete? And lastly, the amount of communication with you and your department. Training and Evaluation = Required fields How satisfied are you: Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied Was the course appropriate Training personnel are sufficiently knowledgeable Quality of the training facility Communication of the training package The training course overall Amount of communication with you/your department References Deutschendorf, H. (2014). 7 key elements in southwest airlines employee motivation. Retrieved from: http://www.fastcompany.com/3024949/dialed/7-ways-to-keep-employees-happy Dugan, T. (2014). Developing and training human resources in organizations/ small business chron. Retrieved from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/developing-training-human-resources-organizations-697.html La Tasha. (2013). Southwest airlines needs assessment and analysis. Retrieved from: http://trainingdevelopmentsystems.edublogs.org/2013/03/15/southwest-airline-needs-assessment-and-analysis/ Lynn, D. (2014). How to implement an employee training program. Retrieved from: http://www.livestrong.com/article/207076-how-to-implement-an-employee-training-program/ Southwest, A. (2014). Sothwest airlines and its flight simulation technicians. Retrieved from: http://www.swamedia.com/releases/southwest-airlines-and-its-flight-simulation-technicians-announce-two-year-contract.

Themes of Life and Death in Anna Karenina Essay -- Tolstoy Anna Kareni

Themes of Life and Death in Anna Karenina The novel, Anna Karenina, parallels its heroine's, Anna Karenina, moral and social conflicts with Constantin Levin's internal struggle to find the meaning of life. There are many other underlying themes which links the novel as a whole, yet many critics at the time only looked upon its critical view of Russian life. Henry James called Tolstoy's novels as "loose and baggy monsters' of stylessness, but Tolstoy stated of Anna Karenina ".....I am very proud of its architecture--its vaults are joined so that one cannot even notice where the keystone is." That is absolutely correct, because within Anna Karenina, there exists many themes that are all linked together to create such a wonderful piece of work. Critics tend to miss the role that the theme of life and death plays in Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. Despite its apparent meanings, these two themes are intertwined in the novel and provides a backbone for some of the other existing themes. With a masterful touch, Tolstoy is able to use thes e two themes to show the characters in their true forms at both stages. The characters are shown to be living in a state of delusion, and as the characters find themselves at times of near death situations or on their deathbed, they are able to reveal themselves truthfully.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Many of the characters in the novel are able to show their "real self" and at times of death, there is a point of reversal in the characters. This is most evident in the scene of Anna's near death experience during her illness. This event brings about a change in Karenin and even Vronsky as they trade positions. Karenin suddenly becomes human and not hidden from life by his administrative regulations. His carapace cracks, and ... ...l part of everybody's life and no matter who it is, everybody fears death. To come to terms with death is something that takes a lot of courage and a full understanding of oneself. Tolstoy in his novel, has revealed to us the effect that death can have on a person and advocates us to not succumb to the daily life of the world which we live in, because it is all a delusion. Yet if we live as naturally as possible, we can get a better grasp on the true essence of life as Levin does in the novel. He finds joy out of working and enjoying the fruits of his labor, instead of indulging himself in the materialism of the hypocritical aristocrats. Modern culture has lost this aspect of life and we need to check ourselves before we lead our lives into a downfall. Works Cited: Tolstoy, Leo. Anna Karenina, trans. Constance Garnett (New York: The Modern Library, 1993).   

Symbols and Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter Essay

Symbols in The Scarlet Letter      Ã‚   In nearly every work of literature, readers can find symbols that represent feelings, thoughts or ideas within the text.   Such symbols can be found in The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne.   Hawthorne's book about an affair between a woman named Hester and a minister named Arthur Dimmmesdale is full of feelings of sin, guilt, hate, secrecy, and honesty.   There are many symbols within the novel that can be interpreted to represent the key topics of the book.   Each of these symbols is an important part of the story, and connects to the situations that occur around them.   The main ideas of the novel are represented by recurring symbols in the text; the scaffold, scarlet letter, and forest.    The scaffold is a platform in the center of town, where criminals are put to death, and people guilty of minor crimes, put to shame.   "It was, in short, the platform of pillory, and above it rose the framework of that instrument of discipline, so fashioned as to confine the human head in its tight grasp and thus holding it up to the public gaze." (p.56)   In the beginning of the story, Hester Prynne is forced to stand on this platform for several hours as her sin is made publicly known.   Hester "sustained herself as best a woman might under the weight of a thousand unrelenting eyes."(p57)   Because she lives in a puritan society, Hester becomes an outcast after her sin is made known.   She has to live the rest of her life in shame and guilt because everyone now knows that Hester has committed adultery.   Later in the novel, Dimmesdale comes to stand on the scaffold with Hester and Pearl.   He is quite literally deteriorating from feelings of remorse and sh ame for what he did t... ... The main topics of The Scarlet Letter are depicted in three major symbols, the scaffold, scarlet letter, and the forest.   These symbols play important roles throughout the story and represent the emotions they inflict upon the characters.   Symbols can be found in nearly every book ever written.   Perhaps the author chooses to place distinct symbols within his writing, or maybe symbols form through coincidence.   Either way, it is up to the reader's judgment on how to interpret the symbols that he or she may find.    Sources Chase, Richard. "The Symbols of the Scarlet Letter." Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne (pp. 145-152). San Diego: Greenhaven. (1996). Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: St. Martins, 1991. Scharnhorst, Gary. The Critical Response to Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. New York: Greenwood, 1992.   

Visual vs auditory

This research paper Is based on experiments that were conducted with the sole purpose of determine people's different preferences towards various learning and presentation techniques, which translates to content retention and ability to learn and remember a wide range of content that was taught in class.This experiment was done on two deferent environments; one experiment was done on people in a control environment (classroom) where students did not use visual aid in their study, while the other environment was not done in the classroom but rather In the open and involved the use of visual lad such as; projectors, graphs, chart among other visual equipments. Participants tried their best to write down each word they either saw or heard but some participants did better than others.Both Group A and Group B performed approximately the same. The result of this experiment, which was based on the ability of the respondents to retain or remember different words, was recorded in a frequent t able which will be analyzed in this research paper. Intro Researchers and policy makers alike allude to the fact that virtually all human beings re visual beings and not theoretical beings, and that they learn better as well as remember or recall different facts and information based on how these information was passed to them.For example, research has shown that when visual aids such as charts, graphs, projectors among other visual aids are used In teaching and presentation, the audiences are able to increase their word or content retention to a larger extent compared to when no visual aid are not used in presentation and teaching (Carol and Roger, 1978). This lab report will conduct an in-depth analysis on n experiment that was conducted by 18 participants, under control and non-control environment In relation to use of visual lad In making experiments.The research paper will thereafter make recommendations, conduct a step by step analysis on what participants did in the experimen t, predict the future of visual presentation, highlight the methodology that was used in conducting this study, outline the key limitations of the study and make a conclusion that is based on the findings of this study. Method Participants 18 participants that are enrolled In an Experimental Psychology class performed an core requirement. The participants consisted of 17 female and one male.The participants analyzed the use of visual and illustration learning, and how they influenced word remembrance. The study used simple random sampling in selecting the sample size that was used in the experiments. Setting This experiment took place in a small room that measured mom by mom, there were no windows in this room. The participants had 25-30 seating options; the chairs had a wooden desk and metal chairs. There was a blackboard in front of the room as well as the back of the room. There was also a rectangular table in the front of the room s well as the back of the room.There was also a rectangular table in the front of the classroom. Materials The material's that was needed for this experiment was random assignment sheet, desktop computer, projector and projector screen, ‘phone (auditory presentation & timer), pens or pencils, and sheets of paper w/ 25 spaces which were computer sized. Random assignment is a method in organizing experiments in which participants have equal odds of being given to a precise state of the experiment. The desktop computer was used to look up the words and sounds for the experiment.The erector and the projector screen was used to make the presentation more vivid so all the participants could see and hear the presentation. The phone was used as an auditory presentation and timer. Participants used pens or pencils to record the data. The sheet of paper with the 25 spaces was used by the participants to record data that was obtained from this experiment. Experimental Design The experiment design was between subject design. Participan ts were assigned by random assignment they were then placed in Group A or Group B.Group A was given the visual presentation whereas participants in Group B were given the auditory reservation. Participants were being observed by effects each presentation had on them. Procedure The experimenter randomly assigned participants got assigned either to Group A or to Group B by the number they received by the experimenter. Group B left room while Group A remained. The experimenter then provided the participants instructions and a sheet. Participants wrote down words they remembered then participants swapped sheets with a classmate. The experimenter reviewed correct words.After that participants wrote down the total number of words correct they received. Participants reported total number to experimenter. Then the Participants in Group A the ones that were presented with a visual presentation stepped outside and Group B the auditory participants entered the classroom. Group B followed the s ame steps as Group A, Group was presented the auditory presentation through the ‘phone. Results Figure 1 indicates the difference between both groups, Group A performed slightly one indicated that the participants in Group A performed better than those in Group B.Group A the ones that received the visual presentation which allowed the participants to answer more correct words whereas Group B had the auditory reservation which was hard to hear so it caused a change in results. The mean for Group A was 12. 4444 whereas the mean for Group B was 10. 6667. The t-test indicates that there is no significances. Discussion Predicting the future of visual aid or visual presentation in the teaching curriculum and presentation is a complex issue this is because of the drastic changes that have been seen in virtually all sectors and how they embrace this concept.For instance, in the academic and teaching profession, the use of visual aid or visual software's such as power point presentatio ns has been embraced through the use of Powering presentation both by the learners and course facilitators, power point presentation tends to be more visual rather than theoretical and hence would help in enhancing the ability of learners to improve their word retention ability, conversely, the use of Youth tutorials is another avenue that will be used more frequently by learners in the future to find real time information in real time.These tutorials provide a visual as well as audio step by step flow on different research topics to user which improves their word retention ability Carol and Roger, 1978). In addition, the future of visual presentation in conferencing and interviews looks very bright.This is made possible because of the use of voice over internet platforms such as Keep, where people can interact over a wide geographical location, resulting to exchange of information and ideas among people. Teleconferencing will further simplify as well as eliminate all the obstacles that existed in the traditional environment, because people are able to interact at low costs, based at their convenience, and moving from one location to another.Since the world has been reduced from the traditional market place, to one the modern market space, businessmen, and professionals such as teachers can be able to share information with each other, as well as benchmark with each other (Carol and Roger, 1978) Also Carol and Roger (1978) contend to the fact that the variability as well as reliability of research is one way or another enhanced by acknowledging the limitations of the study. Basically, this research paper is subject to a number of limitations in the environment, and demographic characteristics of different people.One, this research did not take into consideration the different geographic characteristics of people such as age which would affect people's content retention and remembrance ability. For instance, old people have a low remembrance ability compared to young people this is because old age affects some of the human cells that increase word retention and remembrance. Second, considering the fact that remembrance and content retention can be done through experiments, however, sensitive issues such as physiological or emotional issues that may affect the ability o recall words and remember them all together are difficult to establish.Third, time for carrying out the proposed research is limited, as the researcher will work within strict timeliness. Fourth, there is possibility of change of organizations or the individuals under consideration; this is because the research does not take into consideration the long-term effects of variables of study (Carol and Roger, 1978)). The study gave some suggestions for further research and experiments on the chosen researcher thus thought that research be done in other institutions and people of efferent age groups over a longer period of time in order to establish a better view of current resea rch.It was also suggested that a research should be conducted on different learning institutions to establish whether the use of visual aid and teaching software's such as Powering presentations have improved the word retention of people in these schools since these software's were introduced in their learning institutions (Carol and Roger, 1978). Based on the findings obtained in this research paper, it is evident that use of visual aid such as projectors, charts among other usual materials, enhance and improve the ability of people to retain, remember and recall different aspects of learning like remembrance of words during presentation.Although, some small disparities are reported on people whose memory does not depend solely on the use of visual aid because of demographical and physiological differences in different people based on age, emotions, health status of people among other things. Therefore, the use of visual aid in the teaching curriculum should be encouraged because o f the benefits it provides to students in improving heir ability to retain and remember different things that they are taught in class (Carol and Roger, 1978).Carol and Roger (1978) alludes to the fact that the use of visual presentation and aid has a lot of benefits, however, there is evidence to show that the use of visual aid is superior to some people compared to another group of people. For example, the use of visual aid in fifth grade, kindergarten, colleges and second grade level helped the students to improve their word retention ability, on the other side; the use of visual aid among older people produced mixed results. However, these disparities tend to disappear in the long run.

Footlocker

Rakann Ammari Fin 431, Exam #1 February 17, 2010 Foot Locker Incorporated: Risk Prevention Methods Foot Locker Incorporated (ticker symbol: FL) is a U. S. based company that operates worldwide. Their services include the sale of various athletic equipment, sports apparel and products. According to their company background, as of the beginning of 2009 Foot Locker operates roughly 3,600 retail stores in 21 countries worldwide (â€Å"About Us†).Although Foot Locker provides their goods through both local retail stores and an online based â€Å"direct-to- customers† program, my risk management tactics will primarily focus on local retailers and warehouses and their risks. The five risks I have chosen are employee theft within the local branches and through bank accounts, customer theft within the store, physical injuries to customers and employees on Foot Locker property, property damage to Foot Locker property due to obscene weather conditions and the risk of fluctuating p rices of necessary inputs that are used in the production of various Foot Locker goods including footwear.One of the most essential inputs in the production of footwear is rubber. As a risk manager, I must take into account the possibility of the cost of rubber increasing. According to the commodities index ran by indexmundi. com, the price of rubber has increased every month for the past 6 months. In January 2010, the price of rubber increased to $139. 73 from $92. 86 merely 6 months ago in August of 2009 (â€Å"Rubber Monthly Prices†). This nearly 34% increase in the commodity price of rubber could have devastating effects on Foot Lockers cost of production.This increase will potentially increase the cost of producing foot and athletic wear, which in turn will increase retail prices. The need for consumers to purchase high end Foot Locker products will then decrease as retail prices increase. Rubber remains the main input in producing footwear; however the leather used in e veryday footwear is prevalent enough to be looked at. Due to the fluctuating productivity and efficiency during the current economic downturn, buyers tend to be less predictable. â€Å"Earlier, the buyers anticipated sales trend and placed orders well ahead of time.But now they wait to ensure retail off-take before placing orders. Improving speed of operations even as one keeps cost down is important (â€Å"Business Line†). † This efficiency has brought down leather prices. â€Å"Leather prices are also dropping and this contributed to leather costs coming down to 50-60 per cent from 70 per cent (â€Å"Business Line†). † Although this decrease in leather costs could potentially help the cost of footwear production, the main input in footwear production is rubber. As the price of the main input of my product increases, I must be ready to counteract this risk.In doing so, I am also performing another risk by hedging the cost of my inputs. I must be willing to set a pre-determined price of rubber to be purchased from my wholesaler for a set amount time. Although I take the risk of the price falling below my set price, since the prices have increased at a constant rate for the past 6 months my current risk is dramatically lower. By setting the price 6 months ahead of time I, as a risk manager, potentially prevent the 34% loss that could have occurred over the past 6 months. Along with the speculative risk of price fluctuation, there are many pure risks that come when providing goods to consumers.Employee theft is one of the most common risks an employer or company takes on when doing business. â€Å"Every year billions of dollars are lost by businesses nationwide to employee fraud and theft and the number of incidents are rising. † (Schaefer 1). Employees could steal cash, merchandise, and illegally redirect customer account information to a private account. â€Å"A former Foot Locker employee was sentenced to five years probati on and ordered to pay nearly $26,000 in restitution for taking the company’s money to cover his Internet gambling debts (The Maui News). Although a prison sentence and or a large fine may be the consequences of such employee theft, the $385,000,000 of cash and cash equivalents (2009) available for theft seems to lure in potential thieves (â€Å"Balance Sheet†). The $1,120,000,000 in merchandise inventory available for possible theft is a savoring number to employees and even Foot Locker customers. Shoplifting is a prevalent crime within the United States that must be controlled by risk managers.During December of 2009, a Foot Locker in Atlanta, Georgia was robbed when â€Å"police arrested two adults and four juveniles in a smash and grab job. † (CBS Atlanta 1) Unlike employee theft, customer theft is limited to the $1,120,000,000 in merchandise inventory (â€Å"Balance Sheet†). Although the inventory and cash could potentially be recovered from the emplo yee(s) or customer(s) through a lawsuit, as a risk manager I would need to take preventative action. I would create loss control by having surveillance cameras both watching customer and employee actions.This includes surveillance on all cash registers and credit card machines. Also, I would inform both the customer and employee they are being watched and remind them of the potential prison punishment for any crime committed by posting signs throughout the store. For employees I would conduct thorough background checks to prevent the hiring of former high profile convicts. I would also spread the finances among various managers; I would not allow a single manager to keep track of or control the finances of any single retail store or warehouse.Finally, as a risk manager I would follow up on any customer complaints with any banking issues and take into account any reported suspicions by employees about other employee or customer theft. In order to further prevent loss, I would purchas e an insurance policy to insure any outsized amount of fraud or crime committed. Another risk held by business owners is the possibility of a lawsuit by customers and or employees for sustaining bodily injuries. Customers or employees may slip on an unmarked wet spot causing a concussion or other bodily harm.Also, a tall person might hit an unmarked metal shutter or sign. Injuries may range from a â€Å"no problem† scrap or bump to a serious lawsuit involving several injuries. An employee may sever his or her spine after falling off a 20 foot latter while trying to stock merchandise; or be severely harmed while operating footwear machinery within a company warehouse. The potential loss and costs can be irreparable depending on the lawsuit. Several precautions should be set in place. Prior to employment, I would mandate all employees to sign a contract indicating that a lawsuit against Foot Locker cannot be conducted.The contract would include bodily injuries. However, a sever ance package under workers compensation will be rewarded to all deserving employees pending a full investigation. As of 2009, company severance packages totaled $13,000,000 (â€Å"Balance Sheet†). I would also provide training on how to stock merchandise within a retail store; warn customers of a wet floor or potential harmful area; and teach employees how to operate equipment within a warehouse. For customer lawsuit prevention, I would have managers post clear signs where potential harm may occur.Also, I would post a sign right outside of every retail store transferring injury risk to all customers that step foot into a Foot Locker location. Furthermore, I would purchase several insurance packages against high stakes lawsuits from employees or customers that obtained bodily injuries on Foot Locker property. Using these measures reduces Foot Locker’s liability to customers and employees. However, the risk to Foot Locker’s property is always rampant due to prospe ctive weather disasters. The potential cost during a weather disaster such as a flood or a hurricane can be enormous.Although the idea of all of Foot Locker’s stores and warehouses being affected at the same time is highly improbable, the potential can be exceedingly high. The net value (purchase price subtracted by accumulated depreciation) of Foot Locker’s buildings, furniture, fixtures & equipment reached $223,000,000 in 2009 (â€Å"Balance Sheet†). This amount of loss could potentially bankrupt Foot Locker without the possibility of coming back into business. To prevent such a loss, Foot Locker could place their warehouses in locations with a lower potential for harmful weather conditions.Locations that tend to have a hotter climate with low wind gusts are ideal due to the low probability of property damage. Also, I would purchase insurance on all property, furniture and equipment that would covered a loss due to catastrophic weather. A precautionary mea sure to minor damage could be using flood bags during a flood and making sure exposed sections of property are sufficiently covered to prevent wind from damaging interior assets. To add on, in order to protect employees from harm a risk manager should make sure all emergency equipment is working roperly and all employees understand emergency procedures. As a risk manager, assessing risks and developing the appropriate amount of precautionary methods to prevent potential risks is essential. Keeping track of these risks while evaluating the possible loss is just as essential; and a well developed report will help subordinate these risks.ReferencePage Footlocker. com. â€Å"About Us. † 2010.   http://www. footlocker-inc. com/company. cfm? page=aboutâ€Å"Gambling Debts Over Internet Tied to Thefts. † Former Footlocker Theft Case. 2010. The Maui News. 7 February 2008. http://www. aproundtable. org/gamblingsruinedlives/im. htmlIndex Mundi. â€Å"Rubber Monthly Prices. â €  2010. http://www. indexmundi. com/commodities/? commodity=rubber&months=300Schaefer, Patricia. â€Å"Employee Theft a Big Problem. † Business Know-How. 2006. Attard Communications. http://www. businessknowhow. com/manage/employee-theft. htm