Employee retention Essay

Employee retention is very important to organizations. If employees can not be retained, the company will have to invest money for training new employees time and time again. The cost of replacing an employee is high not only financially, but in terms of lost productivity, the time taken by the employer to go through the resumes and the cost incurred to conduct interviews. The best away to avoid this costly affair is to focus on the retention of employees as otherwise it will have a castigating effect on the organization as a whole. By taking a look at the past it is possible to avoid the mistake of losing your central operating powers in the future. When an employee leaves the organization, the employer must make it a point to conduct exit interviews to know the reason for him to quit the organization.(pg 161 Dessler) The employer’s real skill lies in identifying the real motive of the employee to quit the organization, because most of the employees reveal the false reasons. At the same time he/she must also equally concentrate on the rest of the employees who have not yet left and indulge in casual conversation to keep their morale high. Turnover can be a positive process when an employer manages to bring new recruits, along with their new ideas and vigor into the organization. Yet, unmanaged employee turnover can easily steal your company’s knowledge base, profits and competitive edge in the market. With today’s high employment levels, organizations that don’t actively manage turnover’s impact, find that the balance of power has shifted from the employer to the employee. Excessive turnover is often a symptom of fundamental problems within the business. It’s critically important to retain them; to do this one must know what motivates an employee to stay at a particular company. â€Å"The top two reasons employees stay with a company are (1) they feel the company cares about them and (2) they feel their work efforts are important to the growth of the company.† (Saxby) Many companys make the mistake of thinking base salary is the only aspect of a retention plan for important employees. Employee morale is more important than money. Family-friendly policies are the blending of family and work, which has increased significantly in the last 20 years. This phenomenon has created a need for growing interest in workplace policies and programs to enable  workers to balance their work and family responsibilities. Corporations seeking to attract new employees and hold onto their existing work force are attempting to be creative with the promise of flexible schedules, flexible benefits, job sharing, onsite day-care facilities, telecommuting, special deals on parental leave, generous family health care packages and numerous additional individualized incentives that respond to the work- and home-life balance. The appearance of family-friendly policies help employees balance their lives between work and their families. That can mean higher productivity, better morale, and fewer turnovers among staff. To humanize the work setting it would be appropriate to set up day-care facilities at working companies. This gives the working parents the security that their child is being taken care of within the same premises. Not only will it benefit the parent, but also the company, for it would make the company more prosperous. Such cases in which parents would stay late the parent could finish their work without any worries. Establishing a day-care center will cause no worries for the parent in finding a babysitter, reduce absentees or tardiness of the employees, and parents would be able to spend time with their children. Another retention method used is flexible work schedules. The impact flexible work schedule’s have had on organizations have been quite positive, benefiting both the employer and the employee. Such benefits include increase in productivity, employee retention, motivation, and a decrease in absenteeism, tardiness, stress, and turnovers. Companies that have successfully adopted this method include Hewlett-Packard, Baxter International, Nabisco, and Dupont, among others. Do flexible work arrangements really improve employee retention? A recent survey, sponsored by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), found that CPAs on flex become more efficient with their time and, because they are grateful for the arrangement, work harder. More than 80 percent of the CPAs surveyed, reported that if their flexible work arrangement had not been approved, they would have left the firm. (PCPS) Flexible benefit plans can be a positive resource for retaining employees. Employers’ that provide flexible benefit plans show the desire to increase  employees’ loyalty to the company. In an increasingly tight labor market and faced with the necessity of operating as efficiently as possible, in order to remain competitive, employers view the flexible benefit plan as a tool to enhance employee morale. Flexible benefit plans are also used to improve employer-employee relationships, reduce overall costs of providing benefits, and reduce the incidence of employee turnover. Compensation issues focus on the diversity of worker needs, pay-for-performance plans, and the regulation of employee benefit plans. Flexibility and adaptability in HRM practices are primary keys in addressing worker needs. Job sharing, staggered scheduling and flextime are some of the outcomes generated by creative approaches to HRM practices. Pay-for-performance plans hold the allure of rewarding productivity while providing monetary motivation. Successful implementation of such practices, however, requires effective performance evaluations. Incentive pay plans can be advantageous to both the employer as well as the employee. The success of an incentive pay plan depends on the organizational climate in which it must operate, employee confidence in it, and its suitability to employee and organizational needs. Importantly, employees must view the incentive plan to be equitable and related to their performance. Performance measures should be quantifiable, easily understood, and bear a demonstrated relationship to organizational performance. The role of Human Resource Management must constantly be refined to add greater value to an organization. HRM has a responsibility to employees to provide for their long-term development and a commitment to continuously afford employees with opportunities for personal and professional advancement. Today, many companies are providing incentives for employees to stay with the firm and allowing them to share in the growth of the company. One major concern employers often have is whether or not the resources committed to employee development will benefit business performance. That concern however, should not discourage corporations from offering assistance to employees. If a business has the time, wherewithal and the know-how to aid and assist its employees, it should, by all means, do so. As the turnover rate continues to rise to its highest levels in nearly a decade, it’s good  to know that finding, hiring and keeping the right people can be accomplished today with more than just subjective observation, opinion and emotion. Dessler, Gary. Human Resource Management. Prentice Hall, 2003. PCPS NEWS RELEASES,http://www.pcps.org/member/releases_may22_02.html,2002 Saxby ,David. What Can Retailers Do About Employee Turnover? http://www.measure-x.com/tips/empturnover.html

Deontology and Bhagavad Gita

Therefore, Krishna also tells Aragua that it becomes his duty to fight a bloody war that would potentially wipe out a few hundred thousand lives on either side, but not to expect either victory or defeat in the war. In a sense, when one evaluates this scenario, one understands Arson's dilemma – a war that will wipe out his relatives and friends or withdrawal from the war that would fall in direct violation of Krishna' central concept of duty. Thus, one can clearly see that the deontological concept of duty is similar and yet distinct at the same time. Similarities between Demonology and Baghdad-GaitIn the Baghdad-Gait the highest duty is that of ‘insomnia-karma' or performing acts without expectations or desires. As instructed by Krishna, the concept does not mean action in the absence of desire or unmotivated action, but, rather, it means acting with a perceptive instruction of complete and total surrender before the God Almighty. Thus, according to the Gait, acts that a person carries out with expectations or desire for results are unacceptable. The concept implies that those people who entertain expectations or desires for the fruits of their activities are spiritually poor.In he deontological concept, Kant does not look upon the result of an act as the object of moral judgment. According to Kant, nothing in world supersedes goodwill and it is goodwill that is supreme. If the will is honorable the action, too, is honorable, whatever may be the result. Since Moral Laws are categorical, their correctness is self-evident being unaffected by the result the other point where Gait and Kant coalesce is that both emphasize service. Another important similarity benzene the two theories is with regard to the control over one's thoughts and feelings.A person's rational tendencies Anton motivate a person to perform an act. The Gait says that when a person acts under the influence of motives such as love and jealousy he or she becomes entangled in the web of karma and falls under the sway of the worldly delusion and desires. Desires (or modes) of passion such as Sex and related acts cause anger when one is denied such act. This anger manifests itself in the form of confusion which, in turn, causes the inherent destruction of reason. The same effect happens when one is guided by desires such as anger, revenge and hatred toward others.Thus, according to the Gait, the ode of passion takes one toward the direction of darkness and ignorance. Therefore, Lord Krishna tells Aragua that the solution to this problem is the complete and total abstention from the feelings of both hatred and love. Once these feelings come under control, other feelings such as anger, confusion, lust and passion also come automatically under control. The way to achieve this mode of enlightenment is to win over the senses by practice and abstinence, along with performing one's duties in the mode of ‘insomnia karma' or working without desiring results.This singul ar outlook of the Baghdad-Gait is very close in philosophical terms to the moral theories Of Kant. Even in case of Cant's theories, the ultimate duty is the restraint of contemptible desires. Lastly, Cant's notion of categorical imperative as the moral law and its applicability to all of humankind is a concept that rings quite close to the ‘Savoyards' concept of the Gait. Like Cant's categorical imperative, Krishna too, dictates that one must perform actions without any desire for the end. (Palmists, 2010, p. 21) The Gait, even states that one is not exempt from performing one's Savoyards even at the time of death. Differences between Demonology and Baghdad-Gait However, given the various similarities between the opinions of Kant and the Gait, there is also a major difference on the issue of human feelings. The Baghdad-Gait does not treat desire, emotion and feelings as completely evil. Lord Krishna through the Gait emphasizes on devotion and worship to the Supreme God so as t o enable the development Of one's feelings and for the suppression of unwanted desires.It, therefore, becomes essential for a follower of this doctrine to change or channel one's feelings positively rather Han exterminate feelings entirely. On the other hand, Kant is much more rigorous in his approach to feelings since he tends to associate the presence of feeling with immorality. Therefore, Cant's thought makes it necessary to eliminate feelings and emotions as much as possible from life. One can therefore classify his opinion as a strict and rigorous approach to feelings and emotions in life.This aspect, in itself, makes the Gait easier for the common people to implement and follow compared to the rigorous principles of Kantian ethics. The second point of difference is the point from where duties bring in each of these theories. In case of Kant, a duty arises from human reason and not due to any external factors or motivation. However, in case of the Baghdad-Gait, duty stems from one's innate nature. For instance, the Gait prescribes the Verna system as a recognition of this problem where every member of the society or a group performs duties in accordance with one's nature. Maitre, 2006, p. 64) In a way, Cant's view that one is to â€Å"act as a member of a kingdom or ends† sounds somewhat similar to the Verna system. However, for Kant the ultimate objective of performing one's duty is oral in nature, in the Gait the ultimate objective lies in attaining God and Mimosa – freedom from the cycle of life and death. Therefore, clearly the ethics of Gait are teleological in nature, as compared to the deontological nature of Cant's theories. Even Gate Pal (2001 ) agrees on the Gist's teleological foundation. P. 225) The third point of difference between the Baghdad-Gait and the deontological concepts of Kant also lies in the manner in which both the concepts know about the duties. According to Kant, an autonomous being would be able to find out about his duties and the nature f his duties merely by consulting with his reason alone and by not taking external help of any kind. (Maitre, 2006, p. 65) In case of the Gait, the answer to this question lies in the state of mind that one has when answering the same.But in most situations, the Gait says that one needs external, social, scriptural, or even environmental guidance, in addition to introspective guidance in order to understand the nature of duties that befit one's understanding capacity and capability. (Maitre, 2006, p. 66) Therefore, demonology requires introspection on the part of the person while the Gait coziness the presence of external factors in determining a person's duty. One can substantiate the difference between the two theories by providing an example through a real-life situation.The Gait prescribes people who perform menial labor to fall in the category of Sutras. The Sutras have a foremost duty to their masters or other people in the higher orders that employ them. In line with this duty, the Gait prohibits the Sutra (or a menial servant) to have feelings and emotions or self-esteem, for that matter. This line of thought makes it perfectly fine for the servant to lie to another person t the behest Of his master. On the other hand, Cant's second formulation Of the categorical imperative asks a person to treat other rational beings as ends, not only as a means. Maitre, 2006, p. 66) This line of thought brings about an opposite effect on the ethical consideration since it prohibits the master to make use of his servant in a disrespectful manner for unethical purposes such as lying or deceiving. Further, Kantian ethics also state that the servant is a rational being with a duty to himself that stands violated although he followed his master's instructions to lie. On both these counts, Cant's deontological thought stands in a complete opposition to the ideas put forth by the Baghdad-Gait.

Business Policy

Produce a high quality products * Diversity and variety in products offered * Large market share (16% of global footwear market) * Major sponsor for a number of global sporting events * Purchasing of Reebok * Adidas has a Global Presence with over 2400 stores worldwide in a variety of regions. These alone account for nearly â‚ ¬2. 8bil. * Famous sports stars advertising products – Adidas has a series of football superstars who wear and advertise their products, including David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane, Stephen Gerrard etc. Weaknesses High prices in some products * Online customer service not helpful or easy to find * Not utilizing Reebok * Stiff competition and similar big brands means customers have high brand switching * The products can sometimes be costly due to innovative technology or production method * E-commerce is limited to USA Opportunities * Entering the Asian market, China is the fastest growing economy in the world. * Entering the female market * Social trend and popularity of social media sites such as Facebook, allowing Adidas to interact directly and build relationships with potential and current customers. Sponsorship of global sports events which improves the company’s global brand. These include an 11 year sponsorship on the NBA, the 2012 GB Olympic Games and the continued sponsorship of the FIFA WC. * Tie-up with emerging sports teams/clubs/players internationally * Collaborate with other online retailers to offer Adidas products Threats * Nike competition. Nike has strong reputation in the footwear and apparel industry * Global economic downturn. * Increase in the Price of Raw materials * Competition from designers such as Hugo Boss and Lacoste. * fake imitations affect brand image

Organisational logistics and organizational management Essay

Organisational logistics and organizational management - Essay Example Low-cost philosophy and family culture are two major shared values of the organization and these values are reflected in all the processes and systems of the organization. The company has a flat structure which allows job sharing, high employee motivation and low labor costs. The company’s adherence to low-cost carrier model appears to be a distinctive organization skill which allows the company to focus on its future growth strategies. PESTLE framework has been used to analyze the external business environment of AirAsia including the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors that influence the business. The analysis shows that political factors like increased government investments and supportive regulatory environment are favorable for the company whereas, increasing foreign government restrictions hinder future growth strategy of AirAsia. The current economic downturn, increasing fuel costs and volatile exchange rates are creating challeng es for the company however, the increasing trade within and into Asia creates opportunities for company. Social factors including population growth, customers’ willingness to accept low-cost air travel and increasing tourism positively influence the operations of AirAsia. The technological developments allow AirAsia to improve its services by providing more convenience to customers. Although AirAsia faces strong environment challenges however, adherence of company to legal requirements allows company to meet all these challenges. Following this a SWOT analysis has been done to analyze the current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of AirAsia. The successful implementation of low-cost business model, specific growth strategies, government support and skilled staff are few major strengths of AirAsia whereas, increased operational complexity, poor decision-making and cost-focused human resource management system are major weaknesses of the company. It has been iden tified that increasing travel demand as a result of increasing population growth and tourism, Open Skies Agreement and influence of social media in industry are major opportunities for AirAsia. Nevertheless, new entrants, over capacity, price war, fuel prices volatility and environmental concerns pose major threats for the company. Following SOWT analysis, four solutions have been identified for AirAsia including fuel hedging, new and standardized aircraft fleet, airport ownership and long-haul travel. Finally recommendations relevant to employee management and motivation and customer relationship management have been provided to AairAsia. Introduction AirAsia is a Malaysian low-cost airline which offers low cost travel to its customers. The company has adopted a low-cost business model and it is the Asia’s largest airline which offers no-frill services (Kurlantzick, 2007). The company was established with an aim to make flying affordable for everyone and today its network co vers more than 20 countries. The company has been able to achieve success in the highly competitive low cost aviation industry through efficient procedures and systems, innovative solutions and passionate approach towards business processes (AirAsia.com). AirAsia Group consists of associated companies which have same strategies and approach. These associated companies include AirAsia X, Indonesia AirAsia and Thai AirAsia. By

IT strategy and information system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

IT strategy and information system - Essay Example It is done so on the account of fact that it requires skills and adapatibilty against the excessively advanced knowledge that the company may seek. The goal pursuit requires clear determination of the path to be followed. This is a generic rule for any operation or task so undertaken. The same rule applies to the field of digital technology. However, often the instances are seen where the path so adopted doesnot provide the desired results. This failure to reach the desired may be on account of number of factors. Some of these may be the result of internal poor performance, others possibly due to the external factors within the supply chain network (McKeen and Smith). Ther internal dyanmics relating to the various variables such as the relationship between the partners, ownership versus partnerships, lag in catching on the new trends, innovations and counter innovations from the other parties. Another important factor that often leads to the failure in terms of goals accomplishment is that of the financial crunch or inability to meet up the expenditure against the given originally set forth goals and objectives.All these constraints demand setting a plan that is realistic and takes into account the facts that are aforementioned and ensure that it is a failure proof plan. Technology road maps come along with set of constraints, restrictions which makes the overall planning relatively difficult and hard to accomplish. Preparing for the alternate route often comes along with external constraints and costs in terms of technological road map planning process. The difference between a generic plan and a technology plan is the phases that follow after the initial phase. This often results in deviation from the original path set forth. In order to ensure the technology plan is a successful one, the leading steps need to be taken into account with regard to the due actions. Following the

Night Work and the Risk of Cancer Among Men Essay - 1

Night Work and the Risk of Cancer Among Men - Essay Example geted men aged between 35-70 years residing in the greater Montreal who had been diagnosed with incident, pathologically confirmed cancer at any major 18 hospitals of Montreal. The study results confirmed earlier studies which had linked night shift workers to increased levels of cancer. However, the study also provided new evidence that had not been well investigated previously, which was the relationship between night work and risks of several types of cancer among men. The results suggested increased risks of cancer sites among men working at night. The results were not tested, since the researchers point out that, â€Å"the absence of duration-response relations, and the very fact of ostensible excess risks across such a wide array of tumour types, might raise questions about the credibility of these ï ¬ ndings and possible methodological artefacts† (Parent, 2012, p. 753). The primary risk of exposure of interest was the relationship between night work and the risk of cancer among men. The study found that there was the existence of a relationship between cancer and night work, although it was not accurately measured. A case study was used to conduct this study of night work and the risk of cancer among men. It involved interviewing men who resided in greater Montreal and who had been diagnosed with various types of cancer in the 18 hospitals in Montreal. The study only focused on male patients who had visited the largest hospitals in Montreal between 1979 and 1985. Out of 4,576 eligible cancer patients 82% of the patients, which total to 3, 730 were successfully interviewed. 81% responded for themselves while the remaining per cent, their spouses acted as the respondents. The study only focused on men who had visited hospitals and successfully been diagnosed with various types of cancer. The selection bias was based on the exposure of interest. The fact that only those men who had been diagnosed with cancer were selected for the study made it qualify for

Critical thinking in management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Critical thinking in management - Essay Example Moreover, it is significant to understand that employees because play a great role among other defining factors. The question will be answered by including all the main arguments, the theories, authors who have contributed in their knowledge and understanding and case examples to illustrate the above arguments. Further, the question requires annotated bibliography and it will be provided at the end of the essay. Essay body Organisational behavior is a field which studies how people think, act and feel within a setting of an organisation (Sapru 2008). Outstanding managers have been identified and they possess four types of skills, which allow them to handle the process of behavior management effectively (Sapru 2008: 276). These steps include; being familiar with behavioral challenge, the ability to pick out the causes of current behavior, identifying a strategy for attaining behavioral goals, and the ability to implement and adjust the chosen strategy as required (Parler & Ritson 2005 : 1276). These are the pillars of management theory as discussed by Hartley (2006), Tsukamoto-Wagner (2008), and Brownlie et al (2008). On the other hand, guru theory is based on the assumption that the gurus promote maxims, which specify the behavior rules, but they never increase the managers’ competence as in the works of Bos & Heusinkveld (2007), Collins (2001), Parler and Ritson (2005), and Barabba et al (2002). However, the theory is significant when applied from the manager’s side. Organizational behavior in management is best handled using behavioral theories that are well discussed by Bucklin et al (2000) and Baron and Greenberg (2008). This field of study was created around 1900 and its major perspectives have included scientific management (Tsukamoto-Wagner 2008: 361), human relations approach (Van de Ven 2003), and contingency approach as the latest (MANAGE 2012: 1). According to the analyses of Wallach (1983: 32), Alvero et al. (2000: 43), and Tompkins (20 05: 398), the contingency approach recognises organisational behavior as a complex field of study, driven by different characters. Managers in organisations need to understand this and develop their personal answers to some extent. Fayol’s theory of competitive strategy is said to be advocated by foyol for management education, both as a profession and a discipline. In this case, Yoo et al (2006: 360), Wright (2006) Williams (2003), The Wisest (2011), Collins (2003), and Black et al. (1992) approached the competative strategy theory from different perspectives. The diversity of this theory makes it compartible with many other approaches and when blended, any organisation will be able to achieve a working successful behavior. Findings A combination of Organisational behavior management with the other theories is the best aspect of managing organisations (Wallach 1983: 32). This is significant because there is no signle theory that can be said to solve all managerial challenges or to be applied successfully in managerial behavior. Therefore, the approach requires application of psychological principles of organisational be

British Airways Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

British Airways - Research Paper Example In short, rather than merely changing the organization, the changes that occurred to British Airways between the years 1981 – 1983 can be referred to as a change in culture. As such, the preceding analysis will analyze the means by which the culture of British airways prior to this re-emergence was fundamentally different from the new culture that developed between the years 1981 – 1983 and has definitively succeeded in defining and differentiating British Airways as a premier global airline. In seeking to define the culture that existed prior to the turnaround which will be discussed, it is necessary to understand that low levels of customer service, bad experiences, a self-perpetuating image of low quality and poor service, bloated payrolls, and ineffective governmental regulation/management were partly to blame for many of the cultural breakdowns which ultimately led to the loss of profitability which was experienced during the 1970s. As stated by Lord King, British Airways was faced with the position of losing 250,000,000 pounds over two years; in effect, the airline was hemorrhaging money (Miller, 1995). Ultimately, part of the degeneracy of the previous culture can be blamed upon the government control and bureaucratic oversight that was exhibited since the conclusion of the Second World War. As the case study defines, to unique entities came to oversee and direct British Airways after the war; these were the BEA and the BOAC. These operated in such a way to create a de facto state run airline that was not focused upon profitability or long-term sustainability. Moreover, the split board of oversight made decision making difficult if not impossible; leading to a situation in which two distinct leadership operations controlled the development of the airline. For instance, the BEA was set up shortly after the close of the Second World War to develop the infrastructure of the European air service route. As such, it had little interest in operati ons control with regards to the development of profitability and sustainment for an airline carrier. Likewise, the BOAC, as the author of the case study indicates, was more interested in flying the British flag and it was in developing business and satisfying consumers. This of course ultimately led to a situation in which not only was money being perennially lost but more row was poor and the overall productivity level never exceeded 59% during the 2 decades since the conclusion of the war (Leahey & Cotter, 1990). Yes, nearly all of these cultural issues began to fade into obscurity nearly as soon as Lord King came to be appointed chairman of British Airways. Coming from a background of business entrepreneurship and business development, King approached situation from a no-nonsense point of view. Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, King identified that a culture of development must necessarily be put into place in order for British Airways to experience any type of rebirth. As a function of this, King immediately froze wages, reduced staff by 20%, closed eight engineering bases, closed 16 routes that were deemed extraneous and ultimately a profitable, and stated that the worst was not yet behind the airline (Tushman & O’Reilly, 1996). At face value, each of these decisions may be

The bridge over river kwan movie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The bridge over river kwan movie - Essay Example The main characters in the movie are military leaders from Thailand and British. Both of them command their groups towards timely and effective completion of the bridge. Colonel Nicholson is the captured British and Colonel Saito is the leader of the prison camp. The two characters show different leadership style which is critical in military commanding and any other organizational unit. At the beginning of the movie, it can be noted that there is a clash of ego and differences in opinion between Nicholson and Saito. Saito is hell-bent on ensuring all men get to work irrespective of their cadre which is contradictory to Nicholson’s strict discipline which makes him assert that his men are not supposed to offer manual labor (Allon 38). Their labor management and project execution approaches seems to differ and this can be highlighted as shown below. Colonel Saito exercises directive style of leadership while Colonel Nicholson is an indirect influencer: These styles can be supported by the fact that Colonel attempts to command and lead from the front by forcing prisoner English servicemen to work beside their men and he takes control in his hand when he fells the Engineer has not delivered desired results (Bourke 65-8). On the other hand Colonel Nicholson asserts his leadership acumen by vehemently refusing to give in to Japanese demands. He makes good his course of action by working alongside his men which is inspirational to the workers. It can also be observed that Saito acts purely from an objective leadership standpoint when he decides to give his workers off and time to rest despite the tight schedule to complete the bridge. This is a shift from Colonel Nicholson subjective approach which is exhibited when he decides to redesign the bridge although with ulterior motives to bring down colonel Saito. Both leaders show result driven leadership style in which the end justifies the means. Colonel Nicholson shows outstanding level of

Explain the differences between periodic and perpetual inventory Essay - 1

Explain the differences between periodic and perpetual inventory accounting - Essay Example First in first out (FIFO) requires that we evaluate the selling stocks on the basis of the cost of stocks purchased first. Thus, the cost of stock sold is determined by their first price. Calculation done according to the FIFO inventory system is shared below. For example, we sold 130 units of goods for $240. Hence, cost of goods sold will be cost of opening balance of 20 units of $200 ($4,000), plus 50 units to $210 ($10,500), plus 60 units of $220 ($13,200). Thus, the cost of goods sold will be $27,700. Operating profit in this case is defined as $3500 (31,200 – 27,700). Accordingly, stocks include 40 units, which will be cost on the basis of the purchase price of $220 per unit with making total worth of $8,800 (Harris, 2011). Last in first out (LIFO) requires that we evaluate the selling stocks based on the sequence, the reverse order of their arrival. Thus, the cost of stock sold is determined by their last price. Our example remains the same, and we sell a total of 130 units at the price of $240 (31,200). The cost of goods sold according to LIFO method is 100 units for $220 ($22,000) and 30 units to $210 ($6,300), hence, it is estimated that the products sold are worth $28,300. According to the LIFO method our profit in this case is estimated as $2,900 (31200 - 28 300). However, the remaining goods are estimated to be worth $8200 (Carpenter & Boyle, 2012). The method of average cost is the most simple and it is one of the most common methods used by companies. Suppose a company has a balance of goods at the beginning of the period, which is 20 units, valued at $200 per unit ($4,000). During the period, it purchased two consignments of 50 units and 100 units at $210 per unit and $220 per unit respectively. However, the company sold 130 units at a price of $240 per unit thus the revenue was $31,200. The cost of goods sold is determined

SWOT analysis of Yahoo Essay Example for Free

SWOT analysis of Yahoo Essay The swot analysis of Yahoo discusses the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities for the internet marketing giant. Although Yahoo has been left far behind by google and facebook, at one time it was in contention for internet dominance. Here is the internal analysis of Yahoo. Strengths Yahoo has the maximum number of users and most of revenue is generated through ads in yahoo mail Due to its large mail subscriber base, yahoo is considered to be the powerful marketing company Yahoo is known for its web portal, search engine, yahoo finance, yahoo answers, yahoo mail, yahoo directory etc Its product portfolio includes yahoo messenger, yahoo mail, yahoo personals, yahoo 360, Delicious, Fickr, Yahoo Buzz, yahoo Mobile, yahoo shopping, yahoo real estate, yahoo next, yahoo boss, yahoo meme, Y! connect Etc Weakness As per Jan 2012 data, a survey says yahoo’s market share in search engine is only 6% Google already has 83% market share and the immediate competitors are Baidu which has same 6% and bing has 4% in search engine Yahoo is losing its market share in mailing services very gradually due to Google’s strong presence in search engine market and it related product portfolio complementing to search engine services Mail services, news, shopping, financial data and business directory services are provided by many others like MSN, CNN, e-bay, Money control etc. Financial health of the company is not so promising for the investors. The company’s assets both in terms of intangible and tangible are on the declining side. Google being the leading the service provider on the internet , is grabbing the revenues from advertisements Most of the services provided by Yahoo are unknown in the internet space Opportunities Yahoo Directory is the most structured and authenticated business directory, any customized development to its user in this will lead to flow of new revenue to the company The number of mobile users is constantly increasing in developing nations. Development of Yahoo! Mobile wap services will improve the market share Advertising in social media and internet has become essential element for every commodity Yahoo has huge potential.

Nutrition Is Especially Crucial During

Nutrition Is Especially Crucial During In terms of nutrition, most infants are developmentally ready for an introduction to pureed foods between 4 and 6 months of age to meet the growth and energy needs of the child (Johnson, 2009). It is important NOT to introduce solid foods prior to 4 months for several health reasons:  Ã‚   In the first weeks of life, immaturity of the kidney excludes large osmolar loads of protein and electrolytes and digestion of some fats, proteins, and carbohydrates is compromised. At age 3-5 months, infants are able to digest and absorb cereal, but at age 1-2 months carbohydrate and protein digestion and absorption are compromised by cereal ingestion (Shulman, 1995). In the first months of life poorly developed swallowing skills may lead to aspiration. Increased respiratory illness and persistent cough have been reported in infants given solids early (Forsyth, 1993), and coughing may increase following ingestion of formula thickened with infant cereal (Orenstein, 1992). Early introduction of a variety of solid foods may increase risk of atopic and immunological disease in susceptible children (Herbes, 2004). Semisolid foods progressing to table foods in the latter part of the first year provides energy and nutrients as well as support for oral and fine motor development (Johnson, 2009). Nutrition is important during toddlerhood. Depending on their body weight, small children need more nutrients than adults as their organs and blood starts developing. As the child grows and the activity increases, the nutrient intake needs to be adequate to support this process. Growth spurts alternate with periods of no growth or slowed growth during this period are challenges during this age (Johnson, 2009). For adequate nutrition requirements during toddlerhood, the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), which include the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and Adequate Intakes (AIs), should serve as a guide to prevent deficiencies in this age group. However, most of the levels set for preschoolers and toddlers are based on values established for infants and adults. For parents, a more practical approach to ensuring proper nutrient intake is to use the Food Guide Pyramid for Young Children, devised by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) (Johnson, 2009). Unfortunately, people most of the time do not follow the specific requirements in these guides. Potential problems could arise when proper nutrition is NOT met during this period. Although severe nutrient deficiencies are rare in the United States, calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin B6, folic acid, and vitamin A are the nutrients most likely to be low in children as a result of poor dietary habits needed for growth and building of strong bones and teeth, as well as other physical growth. Ensuring that children eat the recommended number of servings from each of the food groups in the pyramid is the best way to be certain that all nutritional requirements are met. A good rule of thumb for serving sizes is one tablespoon per year of age (Johnson, 2009). Iron is a vital component of hemoglobin, the carrier of oxygen in the blood. As a young child grows, blood volume increases, and so does the need for iron. Preschoolers and toddlers typically eat less iron-rich foods than they did in infancy. In addition, the iron that children get is usually non-heme iron (from plant sources), which has a lower availability than heme iron (from animal sources). As a result, children up to three years of age are at high risk for iron-deficiency anemia. The RDA for iron for both toddlers and preschoolers is ten milligrams (mg) per day. Calcium is needed for bone and teeth mineralization and maintenance. The amount of calcium a child needs is determined in part by the consumption of other nutrients, such as protein, phosphorus and vitamin D, as well as the childs rate of growth. During this period of development, children need two to four times as much calcium per kilogram of body weight as adults do. The AI for toddlers is 500 mg/day, while for preschoolers it is 800 mg/day. Since dairy foods are the primary source of calcium, children who do not consume enough dairy or have an aversion to dairy products may be at risk for calcium deficiency. The body can produce vitamin D in the skin in response to sun exposure. The amount of vitamin D needed daily thus depends mainly on how much time a child spends outside and on geographical location. The RDA for children living in tropical areas is between zero and 2.5 micrograms (g) per day, depending on the amount of sun exposure. For those living in temperate zones, the RDA increases to 10 mc/day. Vitamin D; fortified milk is the best source. Zinc is essential for proper development. It is needed for wound healing, proper sense of taste, proper growth, and normal appetite. Preschoolers and toddlers are sometimes at risk for marginal zinc deficiencies because the best sources are meats and seafoods, foods they may not eat regularly. The recommended intake of zinc is 10 mg/day. Vitamin and mineral supplements are popular with more than 50 percent of parents of preschoolers and toddlers. Most use a multivitamin/mineral supplement with iron. Parents should be aware, however, that such supplements do not necessarily fulfill the needs for marginal or deficient nutrients. For example, although calcium is often a nutrient that is low in children, most multivitamin/mineral supplements do not include it, or include it in very low doses. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not support routine supplementation for normal, healthy kids. Although there is no harm in giving children a standard childrens supplement, mega doses should always be avoided, and caution should be used when supplementing the fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K) (excerpted from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_gx5200/is_2004/ai_n19120955).

Challenges For British Trade Unions Commerce Essay

Challenges For British Trade Unions Commerce Essay What will be the key challenges for British Trade unions in the next decade? Using materials from across the course identify these challenges and make your predictions about the size, nature and influence of unions throughout the forthcoming decade. INTRODUCTION Industrial Relations in Britain have been at the centre of attention and analysis for many years. There has been a concern on its substance and its future. Its development is associated with the rise and growth of trade unionism. Since the 18th century, it has been a system that relies on voluntary arrangements for negotiation and consultations. Today, industrial relations in the UK has suffered harsh strains and pressure. This is largely attributed to factors such as the change in employment pattern, the growth in scale of industrial organisations amongst others. Also, stories of strikes, wage demands and industrial disturbance constantly hit the news. However, Industrial relations today is very much different from what it used to be. So many things are happening; from the recent recession, to the decline of union membership and the economic changes taking place. Hence, for the purpose of this essay, I shall be examining the trade unions and the possible future challenges they might encounter. Furthermore, it is important to note that one cannot look into the future of trade unions without going on a journey to the history of how they emerged, the present state of these trade unions and then predict what their future might turn out to be. History of British Trade unions The Early years up to 1979 British Trade unions had their origin in the mediaeval craft society which was established to control access to crafts, ensure that craftsmen were not engulfed by numbers and also monitor the degree of price control. In a nut shell, they controlled the market. The society set down rates and gave its members benefits particularly in cases of sickness, accidents and retirements. By the 18th century, when the markets began to expand, there was the need for more people to be employed. This brought about the emergence of craftsman organisation whose aim was to provide joint aid, support and assist a number of people that were facing difficult times. During this period, a number of strikes took place in localities with regards to increase in pay and reductions in working hours and this put so much pressure on employers to ban what was referred to as combinations. Pieces of legislations aimed at banning combinations within 1720 and 1799 led to the emergence of two important combination acts in 1799 and 1990 that prohibited combinations and strikes in Britain. However just before the end of the 18th century, the craftsman societies had developed into trade unions. This period observed growth in the factory system, speedy social change and social disorder. The combination act still didnt do much and was revoked in 1824. By 1825, a new measure emerged which confined combination only to specific actions over hours and wages and new offences were introduced such as molestation and intimidation of workers. Furthermore, an attempt to set up a Grand National Consolidated Trades union in 1834 to bring all union together was never supported. Prior to 1850, unions were just local events (except miners), but by the middle of the century, a number of union mergers began to spring forth and this was as a result of the growth of railway which ensured easy communication. The first was the Amalgamated Society of Engineers (ASE) established in 1850. It was a friendly society that catered for unemployment, sickness, etc. Then, there was the emergence of the Trade union act in 1871 directed towards protecting the union funds. Other mergers following the footstep of ASE included wood work and tailoring. It is essential to note that jobs in this period were restricted to men even though women had begun to gain entrance into the labour market. With the development of national unions came trade councils from 1858 in main cities and towns. The first meeting of what was to be called a trade union was organised in Manchester in 1868 and thereafter in Birmingham in 1869. By 1870, TUC had a general secretary and in 1895, the representation at TUC was restricted only to unions thereby excluding trade councils to avoid dual representation. This period also characterized endless industrial disputes which were due to the change in work practice and the technologies. In addition, the strikes during this period were concerns relating to how work should be done and the kind of people employed to do particular tasks. The Late 1880s saw the emergence of what was called a new unionism. This was the beginning of large scale organisation of unskilled workers, all fighting for better wages through hard fought strikes at the national level. An example was the popular London dock strikes in1889 and the seamens strike also in the same year. The period between 1896 to1914 witnessed very high costs of living and falling wages and as a result led to strengthening of the newly emerged labour party which allowed for more people to join the trade union. The First World War during this period had tremendous effects on industrial relations. By 1919, unions became militant and required long term benefits in negotiation almost immediately after the war when labour was scarce. There were several amalgamations of unions like the Transport and General workers union and the union for Building and Trade workers. Subsequently, small local unions that could not compete soon faded out. By the end of the 1920s, there was a rise in unemployment and trade unions decided to protect jobs rather than increase wages (Tyson, 2006). There was also the emergence of the triple alliance between the transport workers, railway workers and miners which was to reinforce mutual support in times of difficulty and confrontation. The Second World War brought about co-operation between unions and government. Between 1939 and 1951 there was shift in growth of manual labour workers. Also during the wars (first and second world wars), institutions of negotiation were established to prevent strikes, although a number of strikes still occurred. Trade union membership grew mostly in the white collar jobs in the late 1950s and 1960s. However their density did not increase until the 1970s. The change in occupational structures brought about more white collar jobs and allowed more women to join unions. Trade unions from 1979-2000 During this period, there was a dramatic decline in trade union membership in the UK. Four notable features were responsible for this decline which the British trade union had little control of. They were the changes in employment, the growth of individualism, managements human resource strategies and a very hostile government (Stirling, 2005). The changes in employment led to closures of factories and a huge number of redundancies in manufacturing sector, expansion of private sectors and growth of part time jobs. Also in many cases, the HR strategies were often devised to circumvent union organisation. Furthermore, the hostile government inherent in both employment legislation and the process of privatisation was also responsible for the decline. Lastly, individualism was inherent in workplace, where rewards and benefits were tied to individual appraisal and performance related pay rather than on collective agreements. It is worthy to note that trade unions were able to respond to these changes in various ways. The first was their move towards organisational restructuring by adopting new systems of internal management (Brewster Allen, 1998). They also adopted the new realism which was effectively a give in to employers strategies. They countered derecognition by focusing on single union agreements and high profile no strike agreements (Bassett, 1986). In addition, trade unions were committed to recruiting new members as they also wanted to be more organisational friendly, include part-time workers, women and those from minority ethnic groups. Lastly there was the development of a consumer trade unionism where members were seen as consumers and offered individual services and benefits (Bassett Cave, 1993). By the mid 1990s, the TUC and unions decided to change their approach when they realised that relying on political change, waiting for economic improvement , spending so much on consumer service and the struggle for members were results that didnt work. The year 1997 saw several changes with labour returning to government. This brought about the employment relation Act of 1999 which helped unions claim recognition. Also in recent years there have been several changes such as National Minimum Wage, rights to maternity leave and rights of part time workers. KEY FACTS TO NOTE In 2007, TUC had 66 allied unions compared to 109 in 1979 There was a decline of TUC membership at around six and a half million since the mid-nineties. Emphasis on Trade union has changed. There has been rapid growth of legal advice and representation of members at tribunals The importance of training has also been emphasised with government funding a scheme where workplace learning representatives have been developed. Lastly over the years, unions have come to embrace the agenda on equality and diversity. Having looked at the history of the British trade union, lets take a look at where they are presently. Present State of British Trade Unions There are quite a number of trade unions in Britain today. These unions look after the welfare of their members. They also help their members deal with issues of pay, job cuts and pensions in the workplace. Thus, they represent their members in pay negotiations, grievance procedures and also protect their members against clients and the state (Bryson, 2007). Little wonder when employees are asked the question as to why they join unions, they give answers like they join unions for protection, political belief, solidarity, traditions, pay conditions and so on. Recently there has been quite a number of strikes in Britain, all centred on pay cuts, work-life balance, redundancies amongst others. For example, the Communication Workers Union (CWU) in 2009 engaged in a bitter dispute with the Royal mail over pay, job losses and modernisation which led to a series of nationwide postal strike. Also bus drivers and bin men decided to stage 24 hours walkout in some parts of the country in 2009. In addition, unions intended to ballot staff at British Airways and Network Rail. However by January 2010, Unite and British Airways embarked on fresh talks. Furthermore, workers at the Fijitsu electronic company started their first of six nationwide strikes on dispute over pay, pension and jobs in December. Trade unions today are in crisis. They do not only face internal difficulties but also have to cope with external, economic and political change. One central problem they might face is that they may be too weak to make a difference. But with the current recession and globalisation, we just cannot tell what they can do. However, a surprising reality is that the rate of union membership (union density) of employees is swiftly declining. In 1979, 13.3million people were members of trade unions and the proportion of employees who were union members stood at 55%. By 2003, union membership as estimated by the labour survey had dropped to 7.42million with the proportion of members at 29.1% and in 2005 to 29%. By the end of 2006, the rate of union membership fell to 28.4%. This subsequently declined to 28% in 2007. As at 2008, the union membership cut down by 27.4%. Furthermore, the density in private sector fell by 0.6% to 15.5% while public sector fell 1.9% to 57.1%, both in 2008. (SOURCE: Labour Force survey, Office for national statistics, department of employment (1892-1974); certification office (1974-2006). Against this background, it is imperative to understand the reason for the decline in union membership and the challenges unions encounter. Current Challenges for British Trade Unions British trade unions have gotten to a point where they need to sit and rethink their strategies. These unions are faced with various challenges ranging from political, economic, to financial that if not resolved soon might pose a major challenge for them in the future. A lot of scholars have tried to identify the challenges that British trade unions face. According to Mcllroy (2008), British trade unions today are faced with challenging conditions such as globalisation, neo-liberal politics, recession and a host of other issues. To Frege Kelly (2003), trade unions are facing challenging conditions in representing their members, they face crisis of membership density, the wearing out of structures of interest representation and declining mobilisation capacity. They stated that a reason for the decline in density has been as a result of the changing structure of employment, the decline of employment in traditional manufacturing industries and the increased employment in service industries They identify several factors that have and would continue to pose a challenge to unions. I find these factors really interesting and they include: Economic and social change (the trends in labour market) The Institutional environment (for example the structure of collective bargaining, legal and arbitration procedures and political system) the state and the employers strategies The structure of the union itself such as union leadership, relationships, networks and organisation of movements. As it has been noted already, Britain currently faces economic crisis which is attributed to the recent recession. In these difficult economic times, when there is a high level of unemployment and drastic cuts in wages and benefits, unions would find it almost impossible to please their members. Borrowing the words of Koelble, (1988) it is worthy to note that the more brutal these economic crisis are the more problems union leaders have to face. Today, unions also face the risk of extinction if they do not progress. A major challenge unions have is in their structure and policies. They need to balance relationship between their members and the employers by showing that they can get through to workers without sidelining employers and deliver to employers while also looking out for the interest of their workers. In some of the articles I read, research carried out shows that so many workers are of the belief that unions need to work more with employers so as to increase productivity which is as important as any action taken on pay, impartiality and fairness. Also, unions like every other voluntary organisation have to provide incentives whether positive or negative so as to attract prospective members. Having attracted membership, they are then faced with the problem of maintaining these members so as to ensure the union survival. Significantly, economic growth has been seen as a requirement for the provision of positive incentives by unions; therefore, in periods of economic growth, it is easy for trade unions to squeeze out some compromise from employers and the state. On the other hand, when there is a decline or stagnation in economic growth, it reduces the ability of unions to provide more benefits (Koelbe, 1988). It might be wrong for me to say that unions are not recognised in some organisations. However, according to Guest who was cited in Storey (2007), he stated that traditional unions may only be tolerated in some business not because they are special but because they have always been in existence and also because they do not incur any unwarranted cost. Some organisations today have the tendency of abandoning collective bargaining without formally derecognising the unions. The presence of HRM in workplaces has further reduced the roles of trade unions and if some organisations could do without them, they would not hesitate. The result of all these is that unions have some members that are not covered by collective bargaining and thus face the difficult duty of convincing such members to remain in the union. They also have to convince employers that they can be trusted. What about the financial crisis these unions face and might continue to face if they lose more members? Unions are facing some financial crisis. This is not surprising though as they rely heavily on membership subscriptions as the primary source of income. Consequently, if membership density continues to drops, their income would drop as well unless they decide to increase subscription fees of members or get their revenue from other means. The question unions should ask themselves is if they can help their existing members without relying so much on voluntary activities. Also, unions organising potential is badly damaged. Trade unions are now confronted with issues such as their inability to organise new workplaces and new workers as they used to. As a result of this a number of workers have never been a member of any trade union. In addition, some relatively new organisations hardly ever recognise unions for pay bargaining. If they cant sort this out, it is definitely going to be a big challenge they would face in the coming decade. It is also important to add that in the case of tight finance; unions might not want to gamble by spending money on organising new workplaces unless they are partially sure of success. It is imperative to state that we currently live in an era of global economic and industrial restructuring. Globalisation has prompted the urge for the development of world economy. It involves several issues like deregulation of the labour market, liberalisation and privatisation, development of communication network technology, the internalisation of financial markets amongst others (Akteruzzaman, 2006). All these issues have posed a challenge to workers and their trade union. Today, unions have a feel of globalisation as there has been a lot of job loss, decline in wages etc. Workers have become one of the many victims of globalisation. Thus globalisation is seen as a threat to trade unions. Still, there is the impact of the current recession of the labour market which has increased tremendously the unemployment rate in the last 20months. Labour market report states that the unemployment rate has risen by 1.3% to reach 7.1% since the third quarter of 2008. In a recent Cipd article (January 2010), it is postulated that unemployment would hit a high rate of 2.8 million by summer 2010 with job markets only slowly recovering in the second half of 2010. As a result of this, the redundancy level has increased. In the recession, the private sector would continue the trends of having lower levels of industrial actions as this is caused by the change in staff attitudes and the increasing need to sustain competitive advantage on the global scale. However, it has been predicted that there would be more strike actions in the public sectors (CIPD, November 2009). As a result of this, unions need to fight for their members in public sectors since strikes might be inevitable. According to Amble (2005), for unions to increase in size again, they need to drop their militant and confrontational attitude and be more dependent and co-operative. He argues that some potential members may be put off by unions style of struggle, strife and strikes which has very little appeal to employees who care more about getting on rather than getting even. Lastly, unions have a problem with their strategy. What appealed to yesterdays workers might not be attractive to todays labour force. They need to set new agendas around so many issues they currently face such as low pay, work-life balance and equality. Although the future challenges of British trade union cannot really be determined by present occurrences, one can however predict what these unions are likely to face in the future. Having looked at the current challenges British trade unions face, unions need to ask themselves some questions: do they have the ability to meet the challenge of an aspirational agenda Are their thoughts channelled to what they want to do or rather how they do it? Can unions achieve the objective of servicing, partnership and organising? How flexible would their role be in meeting the demands and need of members in the next decade? Would they be able to contain different strategies for different employment relations environment? If unions cannot provide answers to these questions, then this might be some of the future challenges they would encounter. The Future of British Trade Unions A lot has been said and predictions have been made with regards to the future of trade unions. Several scholars have come up with predictions and possible solutions to the challenges unions face currently and possibly in the future. There has been the question of what unions can do to achieve membership. According to Metcalf (2005), unions are faced with two potential ways for revival. First, it is either employment in unionized sectors of the economy grows in relations to non union employment or secondly, unions must employ more rigorous means of organising activity with the aim of enhancing their appeal to both employers and potential members. He further goes on to states that unions should invest more in organising and servicing so as to produce significant returns. Furthermore, even if unions are able to put a stop to the decline in membership, there might be a problem with achieving steady growth. Unions need to break more into the contemporary service sector economy. Although there have been a lot of jobs in the public sector, the actual employment growth might come from organisations where trade unions have not been so successful at organising. Thus trade unions might be faced with the challenge of changing themselves even further to remain relevant to certain groups. There is also the need for trade unions to develop better political relationship with the government and other parties. They must learn to abandon the pattern of making unrealistic demands and realise that not all their demands can be met since the government must also govern in the interest of the country in general. In addition, Partnership needs to be encouraged. Unions need to adopt a better process of engagement. They should learn to appeal to employers making them see that effective co-operation helps a great deal in the improvement of performance in organisations. Also, the financial state of unions could have a lasting effect. Unions need to re-evaluate and ask themselves if they can provide for their members without depending on voluntary endeavours. Many scholars are of the belief that unions will be successful only if they align themselves with the new realities of the labour market and can also plead to both the top and bottom of the economy. Unions need to broaden their horizon by aiming at new or previously neglected class of workers into membership and extend organisation and representation towards the low waged employees (Lucas, 2009; Oxenbridge, 1997; Heery, 2002). Several strategies have been identified by scholar as ways of generating renewal for trade unions such as servicing, organising and partnership approach (Heery, 2002). However, some scholars argue that all these strategies can be used together and are well matched. A very brilliant way to address the problems of trade union in Britain is giving by Frege Kelly (2003) who came up with six strategies: organising (gaining of membership) partnership (working together with employers, employees and trade unions would bring about motivated trust and benefits) organisational reforms (such as mergers and internal reorganisation) political action (Lobbying with a focus on legislation and labour market regulations policies) coalition building with other social movements Lastly, possess strong international links to exchange and share information. In my opinion if these strategies are put in place; trade unions would survive extinction and disappearance and remain relevant in the future. CONCLUSION There is so much uncertainty as to what the future of British trade unions would be. These trade unions have come a long way, through thick and thin and their ability to survive the test of time depends on the strategy they employ. One fact is clear though that although there has been a modest amount of industrial disputes in recent times, Britain is not likely to face a repeat of the wide spread strikes that was present in 1979. In conclusion therefore, unions should not be relegated to the background. Employers need to communicate with their employees, the government would need views from workplace and above all, the employees need a collective voice which makes the unions very important.

Black Death Essay -- History, Plague

The most immediate effect of the plague was that it led to higher wages for the poor. Prior to the Black Death, Europe was in a state of overpopulation, and famines were a frequent occurrence (Herlihy 39). After the arrival of the first outbreak of plague, however, Europe's population dropped somewhere between twenty-five and forty-five percent (Gottfried 77). Not only that, but, repeated occurrences of plague kept Europe's population lowered, and it did not regain its pre-plague levels until the mid-sixteenth century (Gottfried 134). That overwhelming loss of so many lives turned the situation around, and suddenly Europe was facing a labor shortage. That gave laborers an advantage over their employers. With the lack of workers able to fill positions, people were able to negotiate their employment, demanding more money. If their demands were not met, they were often able to find better opportunities elsewhere (Ziegler 233). This led Matteo Villani to complain in 1363 that, à ¢â‚¬Å"Serving girls and unskilled women with no experience in service and stable boys want at least 12 florins per year, and the most arrogant among them 18 or 24 florins per year, and also nurses and minor artisans working with their hands want three times or nearly the usual pay †¦ † (Herlihy 48-49). That shows, clearly, what was happening at the time. Not only did workers want more money, they expected it. What is more important, however, is that they actually received more pay. In fact, wages doubled overall in the period after the plague. Evidence has shown that during the period between the 1340's and 1390's, skilled construction worker's pay rose from 3d to 5d per day in Southern England, and those who were unskilled saw an increase from 1 ½d to 3d... ...cent (Gottfried 97). That led to a new trend in Europe, one where many landlords, unable to obtain a profit from their lands, leased their lands to the serfs for a cash rent, and many became absentee landlords (Gottfried 138). For instance, on one manor in the baliwick of Clare, most of the lands were being leased out by 1380 (Ziegler 239). In another example, in Witchurch England in 1383 the landlord, Richard Talbot, switched to leasing the lands after attempts to directly farm in failed (Platt 50). And those are just a couple of the many examples of that occurring. What that meant for the serfs who received leases was that they were no longer bound by the chains of serfdom. They could farm the lands as they saw fit, keep what they needed for their families, and sell what they didn't. In return for this they only needed to pay a cash rent to the landlord.

The Limits of Narrative in in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay

The Limits of Narrative in Heart of Darkness    Early English novelists depicted a very general reality; that is, what many observed to be "real" is what found its way into the narratives. For example, several novels of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries emphasize, or entirely revolve around, the idea of social status. Samuel Richardson's Pamela addresses a servant's dilemma between her morals and low social position; the hero of Henry Fielding's Tom Jones must also confront his "low birth." Jane Austen famously portrayed class struggles in nearly every one of her novels. These texts all represented the world at its face; the actions of the characters spoke for their "reality," and the narrator was simply the descriptor of these events. The novels conformed to a very narrow world-view, limited by popular thought. True, there was much to explore within this confinement, as shown by the range of commentary in the texts. Still, as stories they could only offer what society observed: a kind of reality by consensus. As Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness demonstrates, modernism rejected the aims and methods of realism, and claimed the inner self represented the real more closely than the public world. Furthermore, realism appeared to represent the world wholly and concisely. Conrad's novel rejects this, and instead exposes the failure of language to describe a complete reality. In Heart of Darkness, Marlow himself is incomplete, and so is his narrative. He is forced into imprecise language, resigned to using negative modifiers and repeating inexact words. He struggles to tell his story satisfactorily, and by his own admission, his telling is deficient. The limitation of language, then, becomes the focus of t... ...e rejection of nineteenth century realism. Since Marlow the storyteller is flawed, his story falters as a result. The novel effectively reduces each to their flaws, but does not attempt to hide its limitations behind a manufactured authority. It is this absence, or seeming absence, of controlled writing that brings Heart of Darkness closer to "the real" than any authoritative work of realism.    Works Cited Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. 1902. New York: Dover, 1990. Erdinast-Vulcan, Daphna. The Strange Short Fiction of Joseph Conrad. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999. 78-108. Greaney, Michael. Conrad, Language, and Narrative. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. 57-76. Hawthorn, Jeremy. Studying the Novel. 4th ed. London: Arnold, 2001. 60-61 Leavis, F.R. The Great Tradition. New York: Stewart, 1950. 173-82.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        

Failure of the Schlieffen Plan Essay -- Papers

Failure of the Schlieffen Plan In just over a month of fighting, two deeply disturbing features of the war were evident even to the generals who had unleashed the first campaigns: a quick victory was impossible, and the human and material losses incurred as a result of the industrialization of war preparation were on a scale never before seen. The Schlieffen plan had at first seemed to go according to schedule. Although the Belgians had declared war rather than allow the Germans passage across their borders, their great fortresses had not proved a big obstacle. The right wing had swung along the Channel coast to enter France on August 27, and at one time were within forty miles of Paris. But the British had supplied an unexpectedly large expeditionary force, which helped strengthen the French center; the Russians penetrated into East Prussia and thus compelled the Germans to detach part of their forces from the western to the eastern front; and the poor leadership of Von Moltke had allowed his two armies on the Belgian front to lose contact. The French commander Joffre seized his opportunity to counterattack, and threw in his reserve against the dangerously extended German line to the east of Paris. In the first Battle of the Marne, the Germans were forced to retreat to the line of the river Aisne, where they were able to establish a strong defense line. By November, when the winter rains began and operations literally bogged down, the war of rapid movement originally planned by the generals had turned into a slogging match between entrenched armies, disposed in double lines of ditches behind barbed wire barriers along a front that ... ...ternate fire-bays and traverses. Duck-boards were also placed at the bottom of the trenches to protect soldiers from problems such as trench foot. Soldiers also made dugouts and funk holes in the side of the trenches to give them some protection from the weather and enemy fire. The front-line trenches were also protected by barbed-wire entanglements and machine-gun posts. Short trenches called saps were dug from the front-trench into No-Man's Land. The sap-head, usually about 30 yards forward of the front-line, were then used as listening posts. Behind the front-line trenches were support and reserve trenches. The three rows of trenches covered between 200 and 500 yards of ground. Communication trenches, were dug at an angle to the frontline trench and was used to transport men, equipment and food supplies.

Bob Evans versus Cracker Barrel

The establishment of the interstate highway system opened an enormous market for every business and service catering to the mobile traveler. It is imperative for a national restaurant chain to design an atmosphere causing repeat business.Both Bob Evans Restaurants and Cracker Barrel Restaurants have created similar, yet unique dining and shopping experiences and continue to grow in popularity.   As gas prices surge and limit highway travel these two restaurants compete head-to-head, often mere blocks away from each other, for the travelers’ patronage.The store layout of Bob Evans and Cracker Barrel share some basic similarities.   Both are â€Å"wait to be seated† restaurants with a waiting area separate from the dining area.   The waiting area of Bob Evans is rather small, capable of seating less than twenty people, with additional room for standing.   There is a small amount of items for sale, including candy, other foods and postcards.The waiting area of Crac ker Barrel by contrast is actually a large â€Å"country store† filled with a variety of â€Å"country† decorative items, craft-type items, decorations, and food, typically candy and other treats.   Cracker Barrel advertises to the effect it is â€Å"half country store and half restaurant†.   Bob Evans restaurants have a separate â€Å"carry out† entrance and waiting area, and a display case of fresh desserts.Both are â€Å"chain† restaurants, so building design is physically identical (exterior and interior) to others in the chain.   Cracker Barrel continues the â€Å"country† and â€Å"store† theme with a large covered porch with rocking chairs for sale and a very large parking area.   Bob Evans has a slightly smaller parking area, and no exterior waiting area.   Both make use of professional landscaping and flower/plant arrangement.   Both are ADA compliant with plenty of â€Å"handicapped† parking.Both restauran ts have very accommodating interior space so that customers are not â€Å"rubbing elbows† with fellow customers.   Interestingly, both still accommodate smoking patrons, and have ample separate areas smoking sections physically set off from the main dining area.   Bob Evans also has a counter-top sitting area with stools reminiscent of old-style diners.   The center point of a Cracker Barrel restaurant is a huge wood-burning fireplace giving much atmosphere to the dining area.Aisles in both facilities are large enough to easily maneuver a wheelchair. However, the aisles in the Cracker Barrel store area are virtually non-existent.   It is better to describe the â€Å"aisles† as little more than crowded paths between piles and displays of merchandise.Bob Evans restaurants primarily seat patrons at booths with some tables.   Cracker Barrel employs a variety of table sizes able to accommodate from two to ten people.   Either restaurant will adjust and arrange t able seating in order to accommodate large groups.The interior decorating is quite different between the two restaurants.   Both are carpeted in muted tones; however the wall treatment is very different.   Bob Evans employs many â€Å"half† walls and small â€Å"dividers† to give a sense of privacy in the main dining area. Both restaurants employ a full wall to separate the smoking section.Cracker Barrel continues its â€Å"country† theme with â€Å"barn wood† paneled walls.   It uses what detractors refer to as the â€Å"SNOW† principle for wall decorating:   expletive changed to â€Å"Stuff† Nailed On Walls.   There is hardly a square inch between old signs, photographs, farm and kitchen implements and other items appearing to be haphazardly nailed to the paneling.In contrast, Bob Evans restaurants feature attractive and â€Å"homey† wall and window dà ©cor and treatment, and feature groupings of photographs that are spec ific to the individual restaurants locale.   Cracker Barrel has several small games for children on each table, as well as â€Å"coloring book† placemats.

Rhetorical Essay: Shame is Worth a Try Essay

Dan M. Kahan’s â€Å"Shame is Worth a Try† was first published in the Boston Globe on August 5, 2001. In this essay, Kahan contends that the use of â€Å"shame† as a penalty of low level crimes is not only effective, but is an economical and humane alternative to imprisonment. It’s difficult to ascertain who Kahan’s intended audience is. However, because he uses examples of shame being used as an alternative sanction around the country; â€Å"Drive drunk in Florida or Texas, and you might be required to place a conspicuous â€Å"DUI† bumper sticker on your car† (Kahan 574) I would venture to say that the public at large is whom he is possibly targeting. This is further reinforced by the fact that the author chose to at least â€Å"initially† publish the article in the Boston Globe, a local Massachusetts newspaper. Kahan competently uses contrast and comparison throughout his essay to illuminate a subject that otherwise might be ignored. Nevertheless he ultimately falls short of being convincing, mainly, due to his lack of usage, of relevant facts and figures. Kahan opens his essay with the basic question â€Å"is shame an appropriate criminal punishment?† (574). He then explores examples of its use in various jurisdictions. â€Å"Refuse to make your child-support payments in Virginia, and you will find that your vehicle has been immobilized with an appropriate colored boot†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Kahan 575). Immediately after grabbing the readers attention with examples, Kahan presents a contrasting viewpoint. â€Å"Many experts, however, are skeptical of these new shaming punishments. Some question their effectiveness as a deterrent†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Kahan 575). This further elicits the readers curiosity, bringing them to the heart of the issue. The author eloquently asks the question, â€Å"Who is right?† (575). He then goes on to use a logos style exploration, of both sides of the issue. Kahan’s main claim is that proponents don’t get that shame, can be as effective as prison, at a lower overall cost to society. Kahan further argues and finishes strongly with the statement that the overall question shouldn’t be â€Å"isà ¢â‚¬  shame a proper punishment, but how do we employ it’s use properly? The author does an admirable job of grabbing the readers attention right from the start by giving interesting, and relevant examples of how shame has been employed around the country. ie: DUI’s in Texas, child-support in Virginia. Moreover, his use of logos styled arguments throughout the article does an excellent job of articulating his viewpoint while keeping the reader engaged. Kahan gains the readers respect by presenting well reasoned and intelligent viewpoints in such a way that it’s actually hard to find any particular fault with his assertions. The authors choice to present an opposing view right from the start, although not as effective as it could have been, was an apropos way to strengthen his stance. In moving forward, Kahan counterbalances some opponents by making it perfectly clear that his stance for shame based penalties applies to minor infractions of the law only . â€Å"There’s obviously no alternative to imprisonment for murderers, rapists, and other violent criminals†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Kahan 575). By using examples of these shame based penalties from around the country, the author also makes it appear to the reader that he is knowledgeable in matters concerning our justice syste m. His strongest point though comes at the end of his article when he simply asks the question â€Å"Why not at least give it a try?† (Kahan 576). This seems to beg an additional question, since our current system is overloaded why not try a different approach? Kahans major downfall in this article is his insufficient use of relevant facts and figures. Although the author does reference one particular study by Harold Grasmick that shows â€Å"public disgrace exerts greater pressure to comply with the law than the threat of imprisonment and other formal punishments.† (Kahan 576). Overall it lacks the kind of â€Å"hard figures† it would take statistically to reinforce his claim. If the author had chosen to include some statistics on say, the effectiveness of alternative sanctions, or showed a cost analysis on prison sentences. He would have established a sense of trustworthiness with his reader. Unfortunately, due to the lack of those types of â€Å"hard figures† his essay lacks credibility. That lack of credibility, leaves the reader to wonder, just how knowledgeable is this author with this subject? If Kah an had just chosen to tell us a little about himself and his background, he could have very well hit a home run in the credibility department. He does after all have an exceptionally distinguished law career. Unfortunately, he fails to do so, thus leaving the reader with too many unanswered questions. The last major complaint of this essay is a complete lack of pathos style writing. Overcrowding, as well as, the shear number of offenders in our criminal justice system alone is staggering. This  hot button topic could have easily been used to stir up some emotion and passion in his argument. In this way, the author would have essentially legitimized his stance, as well as, inspired his readers to take action. For whatever reason though, the author chose to ignore this completely, and as such completely fails in winning over his audience. In the writing of this essay, Kahan addresses an important topic of our times. Our current criminal justice system is overloaded and wrought with problems, and addressing how to punish petty crimes is certainly relevant. Yet his article, despite illuminating this controversial and important subject, fails in delivering the facts needed to inspire any sort of change. Kahan does an admirable job of creating interest in a topic many might otherwise ignore. However, he ultimately falls flat in the execution and leaves the reader floundering, rather than informed. As a last note, Khans writing style might not always include the use of pathos. Unfortunately for him his lack of appeal to emotion in this particular essay will render it ultimately â€Å"forgettable†. Works Cited Kahan, Dan M. â€Å"Shame is Worth a Try† Models for Writers. Ed. Rosa Eschholz. Boston * New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, January 2012. 574-578 Print

Microsoft Office Program: Helfpful to Student’s Studies Essay

I. INTRODUCTION In this fast reaching world, the studies of every individual become more complicated. We have now going beyond the imagination of each human being and applying this through technology. Merely fact, technology is a very big help in the lives of each learners specifically to the highschool students here in Gonzalo Aler National High School. The school adapted technology as one of the most important tools in learning and computer is one of the best examples. Computer is one of the best systematic knowledge that can be used. Using this product of technology, learners challenged to be maximized in their learning by being more creative and become more interested in studying. Today, computer does not just help to the student but it is an essential one to give courage and help improves the skills of individual. With the ever increasing population of computer technology, it is almost impossible to find an educational establishment that does not use it. Computers are becoming a more and more important within education as both a learning tool for students and for keeping records of all individuals at the school. Computers allow students to access more information more easily and the introduction of the internet means that this information is available to hand 24/7. Whether this is a good prospect or not is something that is debated frequently. For every factual and accurate piece of information that can be found on the internet, there are ten false ones. This has lead to a demand for school based websites and computer software that students can use without the risk of being fed false information. Computers allow students to collect this data quickly and efficiently and learn skills such as finding relevant information and producing it in a way that can be read by others. As most students will have computer facilities at home, teachers can set them homework projects that wouldn’t have been possible with just the facilities available in library books. The internet and computer software programmes can also be used by students to carry out tests for revision purposes. Computers in educational establishments are not just important for the student’s learning. The technology can also be used by teachers and administrators at the schools to keep a record of all of the students’ details and progress. Computer databases make searching for an individual student’s information quick and easy and it can be updated in an instant. Having all of these details on file and in depth means that, should there be any queries further down the line, it is easy to track any grades, disciplinary actions or absences all in one place. In most work environments, Microsoft Office can be used. It’s user friendly and not as complicated as some may think. Microsoft Office is the world’s best and famous work program for studying, personal use, and office work. Microsoft Office includes Access, Excel, Outlook, Power Point, Publisher and Word. In the following pages, the three most useful and helpful apps will be discussed. II. DEFINITION A. MICROSOFT WORD It is software which is used for the typing and office work and contains different facilities to the users to save their time and get their work in an efficient manner. The Microsoft word was developed by the Microsoft Corporation in the year 1983. The name which was given to this software was the Multi-tool word which was designed for the specific systems to run on that. But later on there were many systems which were used to developed for the other systems as well. The software was designed for the IBM, personal computer and Macintosh. So the commercial popularity is very high of this software as we compare it from the other computer software which are providing the similar facilities. B. MICROSOFT EXCEL Excel is fundamentally a spreadsheet program, featuring cells, rows and columns for labeling and organizing data. Columns and rows meet to form many individual cells, each one generally representing one data point or piece of information. After developing a spreadsheet, you can perform many manipulations of the data. C. MICROSOFT POWER POINT Microsoft Power Point is a presentation program. It enforces learning and retention by displaying images and text to complement the oral presentation PowerPoint features transitions and animated entrances for pictures and text. Audio and images can be embedded, and slides are able to be advanced with an automatic timer. Power point is a just like the name says a powerful tool for learning. It is basically electronic slides where a person can embed files such as texts, music, pictures, diagram, or whatever else you like. III. USES Microsoft Word is used to: †¢Typing and office work and contains different facilities to the users to save their time and get their work in an efficient manner. †¢Create, view, edit, save and print documents. †¢Spell check more than 50 languages †¢Writing business letters to their clients. From one paragraph or 4 pages, it’s where they will have their letter written up and printed. There are also different tools MS Excel is a powerful Microsoft computer program used for: †¢creating spreadsheets. (Upon entry of the data into a spreadsheet, you can perform many kinds of analysis, from mathematical operations to automated graph creation.) †¢One excellent use of Excel is its ability to carry out formulas (aka functions). For instance, if you’d like to use Excel to track expenses, you can perform a SUM operation to tally expenses in different categories of a budget †¢If more complex operations are required—such as numerical data analysis—you can create a graph and Excel will perform a regression analysis on the data, finding the best equation. For anyone who has struggled to find an equation, MS Excel can help MS Power Point †¢It is used to present words and pictures in a slideshow format, usually viewed on a projector in front of classrooms and auditoriums. †¢It can be used to create great presentations not only for the business world but also in the classroom or for own personal use. IV. IMPORTANCE Microsoft Word Microsoft Word is a word processing software. Using this software you can write letters, applications, documents etc and create tables, make hyper links to the world wide web, insert formatting (bullets, numbering etc), pictures, micros and many more. It is as important to write a document as a pen to a paper. It takes low disk space and can be easily downloaded and uploaded on the world wide web. This was offered for the business and individuals to help them to accomplish their work in a better way and which can save the time of the people and provides them with the great tools so that they can work on that. So this is the reason the system is very popular in the market. It is licensed software any one who wants to use this software he need a Microsoft license in order to use this software. So this is very good software which is released in the market. Microsoft Excel Though such a description makes Excel sound relatively simple, this is not so. It has the ability to perform complex operations, save time and improve efficiency dramatically in the process. Whether being utilized at home or in the workplace, MS Excel can be an invaluable program when it comes to many analytical tasks. Excel is perhaps the most important computer software program used in the workplace today. That’s why so many workers and prospective employees are required to learn Excel in order to enter or remain in the workplace. From the viewpoint of the employer, particularly those in the field of information systems, the use of Excel as an end-user computing tool is essential. Not only are many business professionals using Excel to perform everyday functional tasks in the workplace, an increasing number of employers rely on Excel for decision Widely used by businesses, service agencies, volunteer groups, private sector organizations, scientists, students, educators, trainers, researchers, journalists, accountants and others, Microsoft Excel has become a staple of end users and business professionals. The beauty of Excel is that it can be used as a receiver of workplace or business data, or as a calculator, a decision support tool, a data converter or even a display spreadsheet for information interpretation. Excel can create a chart or graph, operate in conjunction with Mail Merge functions, import data from the Internet, create a concept map and sequentially rank information by importance. MS Power Point PowerPoint allows speakers and teachers to have a visual aid, which can greatly enhance the presentation. PowerPoint presentations enable teachers to increase the quality of written material and visuals they present to the students in the class. The alternative to PowerPoint presentations are using blackboard/whiteboard, and flip charts. Though to completely eliminate the use of blackboard, the PowerPoint offers some distinct advantages. First the PowerPoint presentations can be made in advance, thereby effectively increasing the time available to the teacher to teach. Also the PowerPoint makes it possible to provide a much richer quality of visuals including multicoloured complicated diagrams and pictures. PowerPoint is a wonderful tool for learning in both a student and teacher-directed situation. It can add a new dimension to learning allowing teachers to explain abstract concepts, while accommodating all learning styles. Used properly, PowerPoint can be one of the most powerful tools for disseminating information ever known. Employed inappropriately, PowerPoint could potentially confuse students and make learning a difficult process. V. BENEFITS Microsoft Word is a word processing program that was first released in 1989. It is used to create and save papers, manuscripts and other written works. The program affords a number of important benefits to users. What are the benefits of Microsoft Excel? The advantages of MS Excel are many–especially to users who take some time to get acquainted with Excel’s features.   One benefit is timesavings. Excel saves you time by offering an intuitive GUI (graphical user interface). A key feature of this interface is the Ribbon, which prominently displays icons for the tools you’ll likely use most often. When you think of what Excel excels at, you likely think of data manipulation first: sorting, filtering, tabulating and calculating data. Each of the tools to do these tasks is immediately available on the Home tab of the Ribbon. Timesavings from other tabs Reduced Need for Conversion Tools What Are the Benefits of Using PowerPoint and Slide Presentations in the Classroom? Interaction and Engagement oPowerPoint and slide presentations hold student attention through the use of video, graphics and music. Because students today are so technologically advanced, tools that involve technology such as slide shows increase student involvement and interaction. Ability to Capitalize on Modern Media The Internet provides current events coverage and the latest information on an enormous number of topics. Slide show tools allow you to incorporate text, video, audio and photos from the Internet easily, allowing you to share the most recent information using media that engage students. Integration of Multiple Sources Using PowerPoint and slide shows, you can integrate multiple sources in your classroom presentations. For example, you easily can incorporate photos of student work, video from a field trip, related content from news sources and the latest expert research into a single presentation. Availability of Instruction Rather than handing absentee students written notes of a lesson they missed, you can replay your lesson or presentation using a slide show. Absent students receive the same instruction as those who are present, so they do not fall behind. Cooperation and Collaboration Teachers can share lessons and presentations simply using a file-sharing system or flash drive. Teachers can share the workload of creating presentations. Furthermore, a student seeing more than one teacher’s presentations is exposed to more than one point of view. The benefit is that you are engaging students not just through words, but also through visuals. Some students learn better by hearing, but other students learn better by seeing. So, immediately you can see the benefits of engaging students through the visual means. Also, it provides for some excitement in that it breaks down the daily routine of lectures. VI. DISADVANTAGES Using Microsoft Word Although popular, MS Word has some distinct disadvantages over other word processing alternatives. Learn about the disadvantages of using MS word as your default word processor. Microsoft Word is the number one word processing program in the world. However, being number one in the marketplace doesn’t mean that it is the only choice to consider. MS Word has some distinct disadvantages that make other word processors attractive alternatives. Part of the Microsoft Office suite of productivity software, Word has grown to become an application that can do it all. Being able to do it all also means that Word can be a complicated application when you just want basic word processing capabilities. Using MS Excel As with many tools there is a definite learning curve to using Excel. Because it is so versatile and can do so much it is difficult sometimes to know where to start. If you are using excel to write a paper then the disadvantage would be, excel is not meant to do that, Word would be the Microsoft program to use. The trick is knowing if it is the right tool for the job. It is possible to write a paper with Excel and it is possible to create a database with it. You can even send email using Excel 2007. This is like asking what are the disadvantages of using a hammer. The only disadvantage is that it may not be the right tool for the job. Excel is meant to crunch numbers. Using MS Power Point PowerPoint is not used for delivering video presentations but rather static images and text The disadvantages of Microsoft PowerPoint are that: †¢You will not be able to change any slide during a PowerPoint presentation for any mistake that you have made until you close the presentation down and edit the slide in the normal view. †¢If you are doing the presentation in a dark to a semi dark room, it is difficult for you to get eye contact with your audience while doing the presentation. †¢If you have different parts at the end or beginning, which should be after the third or fourth slide, then you will need to skip through the rest of your slides. When you had to skip through some of the slides in the presentation to get to the correct point and by doing this, it will distract your audience and your audience will not focus on the rest of the presentation that you need to give. †¢When you are doing the presentation, you will lose where you are because as you give the presentation, you will not have anything to see what you next slide is and that means you will need to keep looking at your presentation that you are giving, to remind yourself what slide is before the current one you are on and what slide is the next one after you have finished on the current slide you are on now. †¢When you are giving your presentation, you will need to keep moving, which means if you keep moving quite a look, then you will be distracting the audience, which will make them not concentrate on the rest of the presentation that you need to do. †¢As you are doing your presentation, the speed of the presentation may increase, so it makes it much more difficult for you to explain each of the points that you have put in the presentation and also it makes it more difficult to read out your notes that you have made for the points that you have put in the presentation. †¢When printing out the slides for the presentation, it will lower the concentration of the audience because they know what slide is coming up next, so that means they will not even bother listening which will then lower the effectiveness of the presentation, that you are giving. †¢When creating your presentation, it will be easier to add too many words, so that all the words will not fit on the screen, which will make it much harder for the audience to read the points that you are making. †¢When presenting the presentation, the person who is doing it makes them very dependent on the computer because they need to keep clicking the mouse or pressing a button to advance the slides in the presentation, which means they cannot get into giving their full heart to the presentation. CONCLUSION: A computer is a great thing for a student to have, mainly because of word processing (Microsoft Word). Students can take notes in classes easier without any issues due to handwriting, smudging, or cramping. Students can also make easy to make, easy to present, and easy to view (in other words visually appealing) presentations (Powerpoint), which are a great alternative to posters or speeches. Other programs allow for easy data organization (Excel). As technology is more and more incorporated into education, books will have special activities or quizzes online, or teachers will demand typed work. Some classes (mainly in college, however, some high schools are beginning to integrate online quizzes and materials into classes) take place entirely online. Microsoft Office is very beneficial to everyone and anyone once you get the hang of it. You won’t regret learning and practicing, it has a lot to offer you. Today, a computer does not just help a student†¦ it is essential to one. BIBLIOGRAPHY ï‚ §Books:Encyclopedia American, Volume 26- For the definition of computer ï‚ §http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Office ï‚ §www.Dmac-Unibase.com ï‚ §What is MS Excel? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6734885_ms-excel_.html#ixzz2KMqUxfVz ï‚ §What is MS Excel? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6734885_ms-excel_.html#ixzz2KMqquKdU ï‚ § http://EzineArticles.com/724646 ï‚ §http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sheri_Graves ï‚ §http://www.brighthub.com/computing/windows-platform/articles/61181.aspx ï‚ §www.triadsemi.com ï‚ §eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_5008796_using-powerpoint-slide-presentations-classroom.html#ixzz2KN1iHhvg ï‚ §http://www.ehow.com/facts_5565422_microsoft-power-point.html#ixzz2KMu4S06q ï‚ §http://www.historyandtheology.com/?p=574