ARGUMENTATIVE RESEARCH PAPER Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

ARGUMENTATIVE - Research Paper Example However, while everyone acknowledges that initiatives need to be taken to significantly decrease gun violence, the methods of doing so have caused a rift between Americans. Narration The concept of gun control, which â€Å"refers to any action taken by federal and state governments to regulate the purchase, safety, and use of firearms† (Saxton & Skinner 1), has been a political debate for many decades. Politicians have been trying to determine if citizens are obtaining guns in ways that could be considered reckless toward the safety of society. In the past two decades, though, with more people than ever being affected by gun violence, and gun violence going from an occasional terrible event to daily headlines on various news channels throughout the United States (Hunt 1), the debate of gun control has moved into the public. With the ease at which it seems people are able to purchase handguns and assault weapons, there has been a rush to create rigorous regulations to ensure th at these objects do not end up in the wrong hands. Unfortunately, the attempts to decrease gun violence by proposing the moderation and control of firearms have caused more controversy than beneficial solutions to this issue. There are potentially three sides to the gun control debate: the neutral, the proponents, and the opponents. Those that have taken a neutral stance concede that gun violence has increased significantly due to the overwhelming ease at which people can purchase handguns and assault weapons, and while certain measures should be taken to prevent the wrong people from purchasing guns, these individuals do not feel that citizens should be completely disarmed. Proponents of gun control feel that guns do not belong at all in the hands of private citizens, and that only police officers and military men and women should have access to firearms. The opponents of gun control, also acknowledging that measures need to be laid out to decrease gun violence, believe that gun ow nership is not just â€Å"our right as per the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution† (Burton 1), but a requirement to guarantee our own safety against criminals. Partition There is no question that gun violence needs to be deterred in America. Very seldom does a day go by anymore that does not end in multiple gun-related deaths. However, placing extreme restrictions on guns will only prove to be more dangerous as doing so would prevent citizens from protecting themselves and their families should they ever be confronted with a dangerous individual or group (Worsnop 507). Strict gun control is not the answer to putting an end to gun violence, but making sure that obedient citizens have the means to protect themselves against those on the other side of the law. By restricting and controlling firearms, honest citizens are being punished, the ability to self-protect is being taken away, and the restrictions will not prevent criminals from purchasing firearms to use as weapons. Argument and Refutation Those that are opposed to gun control make the argument that they are being punished as a result of the dangerous actions of criminals. The criminals are the ones who are misusing and taking advantage of our Constitutional right to own firearms, using them for robbing businesses and individuals, and for causing harm to their enemies and, more often than not, to innocent bystanders. Many criminals do not even

PDA Simulation Decision Essay Example for Free

PDA Simulation Decision Essay The score obtained for this test was 1,223,926,982.   The result was relatively encouraging given the fact that it was higher than the previous score.   There is an admission, however, that there is still room for improvement. Substantially the same strategies were used for this test.   These strategies are: 1) for handheld X5 the strategy used was to lower its price in order to attract more buyers and to maximize short-term profit in view of the fact that the market is mature and the product has been in market for three (3) years (Scott Allen, 2002); b) for Handheld X6 the strategy used was to allocate substantial amount for Research and Development accompanied by an increase in its price in view of the fact that this product is being purchased for its excellent performance, high quality, and attractive appearance (Ivana Taylor, 2008); c) for Handheld X7 the strategy used was to lower the price of the product in view of the fact that it is a new product which has been out only for 1 year and a significant portion of its market is still untapped but at the same time there should be an improved allocation in its Research and Development; and d) products which have fully saturated their market should be di scontinued. The change in strategy for this test is that changes were likewise made in the Research Development allocation.   This is due to the fact that the consumers for particular product such as for X6 and X7 were looking for quality and performance in the said items.   For this reason, it would be necessary in order to meet their expectations to improve product quality and performance by allocating substantial amount for Research Development.   It must however be stressed that the increase or decrease in Research and Development must be accompanied by change in price. The result was quite pleasing as the initial goals were achieved in terms of market saturation and improved sales.   At the start of the simulation the goal of the company was to be able to attract as many new customers as possible.   Following the principle of Law of Demand, the products which are being sold to low-end customers are sold at lower prices so as to improve demand for the product. The company was willing to spend as much for the Research and Development with a view that the amount expended for the development of X6 and X7 products will redound to more customers and more sales.   This was achieved for this test as the market for X5 was completely saturated.   This means that X5 was sold to all potential customers.   While the market was not completely saturated for X6 and X7 products, there are indications that there was substantial increase in the number of customers.   For instance, for X6 products market saturation improved from 74% to 90% while for X7 products market saturation improved from 10% to 15%.   This is shown in figure 1 below.

The Characters of Chandlers The Big Sleep :: sleep

The Characters of Chandler's The Big Sleep    The differences between the characters in Hawks' adaptation of Chandler's The Big Sleep and the novel are obvious to someone who has noticed the details on both. Of course there are positive and negative aspects to such choices which Hawks makes in his film and those decisions which Hawks made from novel to movie should be examined and questioned whether they helped or hindered the production of The Big Sleep. One of the major differences, and I would argue a drawback, in the film version is the representation of the characters and the predictable ending. Looking specifically at Marlowe and Mrs. Regan, it is easy to see that Hawks changed some things about their characters simply because of the high profile actors: Bogart and Bacall. Such a change in the characters was most likely a decision made by Hawks in order to make the novel more believable or exciting to the audience, perhaps assuming the majority of the viewers may not have read the novel. The end of the movie w as completely predictable and I think Hawks took the easy way out when making his decision to end with Marlowe and Regan ending up in love. The changes Hawks made in the characters as well as the end are ones that I assume Hawks made on the basis of what he thought would produce the best film. I can respect Hawks' goal, but I think anyone who has read the novel would agree that the novel is the better version between the two.    Starting with the character of Marlowe, the differences in his character are major ones. In the novel Marlowe is somewhat of a loner- a characteristic that I found intriguing. It is made clear that Marlowe knows this about himself and even revels in this aspect of his personality. He likes to ponder things alone and does not even long for company. Throughout the novel, there are several instances where Marlowe is put in social situations and is always strictly business. Marlowe has drinks with Mr. Geiger while doing business, but does not elaborate on conversation with him. Marlowe is very subdued and laid back in his manner; when he is done talking business with Mr.

Fashion Buying

What are the Core Skills and Attributes Required to be a Successful Fashion Buyer? Craig Weighting This study was carried out in order to explore the role of the fashion buyer and generate a greater understanding whilst also developing informed and insightful opinions on the key attributes required in becoming a successful fashion buyer in industry. The main findings were that the fashion industry is a highly competitive market place as much reliant on business flair and intuition as it is on creativity.Gallagher (2008) goes to great lengths to reinforce the belief that the reality of the assign industry is a far cry from â€Å"the glamorous image of runway shows, celebrities on red carpets and designers yachting in SST. Parts† and continues, â€Å"the fashion world requires hard work, discipline, perseverance and passion. † A talented and capable fashion buyer is one of the most important assets any organization can possess, and it is the role primarily responsible for the success or failure of company strategies.It became apparent that the most important qualities present in any successful fashion buyer could be divided into two areas, personal and intellectual. Personal skills are he perceived obvious traits such as a flair and enthusiasm for fashion along with strong knowledge of relevant markets, customers and competitors. However, the conclusions made deduce that equally as important are intellectual attributes such as versatility in pressure situations, effective interpersonal and communication skills as well as decision-making, analytical and innumeracy skills.The combination of these characteristics is vital in distinguishing a fashion buyer, with an aptitude for logic, process, Judgment and reason as well as target market and consumer knowledge; room a fashion designer simply displaying artistic flair and an eccentric attitude or a business-apt financial expert.

Persuasive Essay: Legalizing Marijuana Essay

Marijuana use is on the rise, especially among teenagers and young adults. With the recent laws passed in eight states about legalizing medical marijuana , many stand divided when it comes to this never ending debate, but I firmly believe that this miracle working drug should be legalized throughout the United States. Marijuana is by far the most commonly used illegal drug. Statistics show that over 70 million Americans have tried Marijuana and over 20 million smoked it last year. So it is safe to assume that although marijuana use may decrease in the years to come, as did Heroin and LSD, it is here to stay. Colorado, Nevada, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Maine, Oregon & Washington have already passed laws allowing the use of medical Marijuana. In the fall of 1996, California voters approved the medical marijuana initiative (proposition 215). The act is entitled The Compassionate Use Act of 1996 and its purpose is to give Californians the right to possess and grow marijuana for medical purposes, where the medical use is deemed appropriate and has been recommended by a doctor who has determined the person’s health would benefit from the use of marijuana in the treatment of Cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraines, or any other illness for which marijuana provides relief. Nothing in the act permits persons using marijuana for medical purposes to engage in conduct that endangers others, allows distribution of marijuana for non medical purposes or permits the buying or selling of marijuana. Dennis Peron, the man who launched proposition 215 also started the cannabis buyers club in San Francisco. The purpose behind starting this club was to distribute weed to AIDS, cancer and other patients. With only a doctors note the club’s 12,000  members could buy pot and then relax while listening to music, nothing harmful at all! And of course the San Francisco police department eventually closed the club down. The main idea behind legalizing drugs is it’s medical advantages. Marijuana is said to have many uses as healing drug. Marijuana being used as medicine has been studied for many years. In many cultures it is used as medicine and stems back many generations. The first recorded use of marijuana as medicine was in China. It has been said that in Pen Tsao Ching during the first or second century, boiled hemp compound was used as an anesthetic for surgical patients. The compound is said to have many uses including, clearing the blood, cooling temperature, clearing fluxes, undoing rheumatism and discharging pus from patients. China isn’t the only country to use this drug in early times it was introduced in Southeast Asia in the sixteenth century. Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam are said to have current uses of marijuana for medicine. In Cambodia they have an enormous list of uses, including, treating malaria, reliving asthma, calming the nerves, regulating the heart and treati ng paralysis. In Thailand, it’s used in folk medicine as well as in the official medical reports. In folk medicine, people dry the leaves and then boil them to treat migraines and dizzy spells. Marijuana has survived the passing of time and still helps the sick today. The advanced stages of treatment for patients with Cancer, AIDS and other diseases often include, terrible nausea, vomiting, and different types of pain. Patients have reported much relief from these devastating symptoms by using marijuana. The alleviation of said symptoms can be so striking that some patients and their families having been willing to risk jail time to obtain or grow marijuana. Marijuana must be studied and tested more to prove effectiveness but because it is not legal, doctors don’t want to study a drug that they could never use. In 1988 administrative law judge Francis Young found that marijuana in it’s natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. At present it is estimated that marijuana’s lethal dose is around 1:20,000 or 1:40,000. Or simply put, a smoker would theoretically have to  consume 20,000 to 40,000 times as much marijuana as is contained in one marijuana cigarette or joint, nearly 1500 pounds of marijuana in about fifteen minutes to induce a lethal response. Which basically means marijuana is non-lethal, as it is impossible to consume that much in such a short amount of time. Advocates of legalization raise several points. They claim the there would be fewer people selling drugs because it would be regulated and profits would be cut. They also claim that drug-dealing criminals would virtually vanish causing crime and violence rates to plummet. Legalizing marijuana raises a lot of questions for instance, who would sell the drugs? Private companies? The government? How would legalization affect health insurance and the overall cost of healthcare? And probably the most important question of all, would the use of legalized drugs by employees in certain occupations be prohibited? Since marijuana can remain in the body for weeks after use, would marijuana use by employees in jobs in which safety and security are issues be forbidden, even when off the clock? What about airline pilots, surgeons, police, firefighters, military personnel, bus drivers, railroad engineers, cross country truckers, nuclear reactor operators and even wall street brokers and teachers As far as America is concerned, we are the land of the free . Or are we? Do people have a right to â€Å"get high†? As times change and we progress into the future should our laws change as well? Only time will tell as the war against drugs wages on and the fight to le galized marijuana leaves a country divided. Work Cited LaFave, Kathi. Marijuana As Medicine?. www.personal.umd.umich.edu/marcyb/mj/lafave.html.online.1999 Miller, Lawrence Richard. The Case For Legalizing Drugs. New York: Praeger, 1991 Schaler, Jeffrey A. Drugs. New York: Prometheus Books, 1998 Zimmer, Lynn, Morgan ,John P. Marijuana Myths Marijuana Facts. New York: Lindesmith Center, 1997.

China History essays

China History essays China historians have provided many definitions of the May Fourth Movement. Most scholars believe the movement, also called the New Culture Movement, is inextricably tied to the May Fourth Incident of 1919.(1) On that day approximately five thousand students descended on Peking to demonstrate against the Versailles Peace Conference. The days events included marching, the shouting of slogans, and eventually the ransacking and burning of the house of foreign minister Tsao Ju-lin. Student protesters participated in similar protests throughout the nations major cities, and the May Fourth Incident quickly assumed increased significance and developed into a national awakening known as the May Fourth Movement. The May Fourth Movement began an outburst of young intellectuals fighting against imperialists and warlords. These young students attacked Confucianism, initiated a vernacular style of writing, and promoted science. These and many other accomplishments justify the May Fourth M ovement as being the most significant cultural revolution in Chinese history. This paper will discuss accomplishments of the May Fourth Movement such as the promotion of education for women, the educational reforms, and the attacks on Confucianism. While political theorists and activists, such as Sun Yat-sen, were aggressively pursuing political and economic modernization while retaining their roots in Confucianism, the May Fourth Movement had its specific goal of a complete elimination of traditional Confucian culture and replacing it with a culture resembling that of Western culture and beliefs. Intellectual revolutionaries between 1917 and 1923 spearheaded a movement to adopt Western science, culture, and democratic principles. ...

Jean Rhys Novel

Jean Rhys Novel In Jean Rhys's compelling novel about racial tension amidst confusion and anxiety, the author addresses this subtext in such a way as to portray Antoinette as a product of an intolerant society. While more of an underlying theme, the character's racial inner struggles in Wide Sargasso Sea represent a significance to the story's overall flavor and intensity, being that Antoinette is torn the entire time between calling herself black or white. Who is she really, and why is she having such a difficult time coming to terms with her true identity?In Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea, Antoinette is perpetually faced with having to deal with her racial obscurity. Not only does she lack a distinct perception of herself as a human being, but she is also absent of any ability to escape ultimate self-destruction. Indeed, these two issues are critically important when assessing the reasons why Antoinette is unable throughout the entire novel to come to terms with which culture she really represents.Ant oinette VII (French plane, for military use)It can be argued that the author characterizes Antoinette as decidedly more white than black, and then goes on to depict the black characters as inherently more free. This is what lays the foundation of Antoinette's identity crisis, because she is forever being given conflicting signals regarding both races. "They say when trouble comes close ranks, and so the white people did. But we were not in their ranks" (17).

Whoosh! How to Stop Deadlines Whizzing Past

Whoosh! How to Stop Deadlines Whizzing Past Whoosh! How to Stop Deadlines Whizzing Past Nobody likes a deadline. If nothing else, it has the word â€Å"dead† in it, which is rarely comforting. More pressingly, trying to work to a deadline can be very stressful. Some people, like author Douglas Adams, cope with this stress by ignoring deadlines entirely: â€Å"I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.† Unfortunately, this isn’t an option for your average college student, as missing a deadline will mean losing out on marks. This could, in turn, affect your overall grade, so you need to turn in your assignments on time whenever possible. But how can you make sure you do this? We have a few suggestions†¦ 1. Start Early! This might sound obvious, but the most common mistake people make when working to deadlines is to (wrongly) assume they have more time than they really do. Next thing you know, your works due and you’re forced to rush the writing process. You can avoid this stress (and the poor quality work that usually results) simply by not leaving your paper until the last minute. On which note†¦ 2. Have a Plan To make sure you have enough time to finish your paper, you should formulate a plan before you start writing. This includes the time you’ll need to research your paper, write it up, and make any revisions required before submitting the final version. At the very least, you should try to sketch an outline of your argument so you know what you need to do for each section of your paper, as well as how your argument hangs together as a whole. This will make it much easier to overcome any problems you encounter while working. 3. Break Tasks Down into Manageable Chunks A well-written paper is rarely finished in one session, so if you’re working on a longer essay you might want to work on it in smaller chunks. This will make it seem less daunting, in addition to letting you schedule work more effectively. And as long as you start early enough (see above), even writing a paragraph or two a day should get you over the finish line in time. 4. Prioritize Your Work If you do have a deadline approaching, you need to prioritize. This simply involves knowing which tasks are most important and being willing to set other things aside until they’re done. For example, although you might have been invited to a party on Wednesday night, you should probably prioritize work if you’ve got a deadline on Thursday. Sorry to be a buzzkill about it. 5. Conquer Procrastination The final hurdle every student (and everyone else) must overcome when working to a deadline is the urge to procrastinate. Time management is a big part of this, but it’s also important to create an environment free from distractions and to allow yourself regular breaks to avoid fatigue.

Public Health and the Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Public Health and the Law - Essay Example There are laws associated with motor vehicle safety at both the federal and state level. At the federal level, The National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act that was enacted in 1966 in the United States empower the federal government to set and administer safety standards for road traffic safety and motor vehicles (Evans, 2004). This law was set up to curb the increasing number of motor vehicle crashes and the associated injuries and fatalities on the road. At the State (Florida) level, the laws associated with motor vehicle safety are: Florida Lemon Laws; Seat Belt Laws; Double Traffic Fines; Florida DMV Privacy; Clearing up a Traffic Ticket; and School Zone Speed Limits (Evans, 2004). The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles regulates all the motor vehicles and all the laws that apply to them. These types of laws are legislative because they were enacted by the legislature or other governing bodies. As legislations, these laws main purposes include: regulatio n, sanctioning, proscribing, declaring, authorization, or restricting particular acts or events (Keller & Associates, 2010). The federal and state laws described in this paper relate greatly with the public health services. It has emerged that the motor vehicle safety are related to specific public health concerns. These concerns include: high risk populations that include Alcohol-impaired drivers who account for about 39 percent of all traffic deaths, young drivers and passengers, and pedestrians; and occupant- protection systems which are aimed at promoting motor vehicle and public health safety. Since motor vehicle safety is a public health concern, its laws relate to the public health services (Evans, 2004). These laws play fundamental role in health promotion, wellness and prevention. They ensure stricter law enforcement; create awareness on the dangers of drinking and driving. Also, they facilitate

The Passion of the Christ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Passion of the Christ - Essay Example His sufferings then start from henceforth with the soldier spitting on him and physically hitting him, his disciples abandoned him with Peter, who swore beforehand never to leave Jesus, denying him three times as Jesus has prophesied. In the chaos that was happening, Judas hung himself after attempting to return the thirty pieces of silver the Sanhedrin gave him in exchange to betraying his master, which was not accepted. When Jesus was brought to Pontius Pilate, the crowd cried for him to be crucified and Pilate was left to no choice but to wash his hands and give Jesus to the hands of his accusers. The drama of Jesus’ flogging, with all the sweat and blood mixing as he parades with his cross to the mountain of Golgotha along with the soldiers and other prisoners were witnessed not only by the common people but by his disciples as well and Jesus’ family particularly his mother, Mary. During his crucifixion, the soldiers witnessed the miracle that happened as the earth quaked and the release of both water and blood as one soldier struck Jesus’ side to make sure he was already dead. In the temple, the priests felt the quake as well and witnessed the destruction of the curtain separating the holy place from the most holy place. The story ends with the resurrection of Jesus, with the hole on his hand proving his identity. The movie pictures Jesus who is similar to any other man who was able to feel pain, vulnerable to the harsh realities of this world like betrayal, outrage and temptations. When he was praying in the garden, Satan was depicted as a man in a black hood with a pet snake who has been torturing Jesus by questioning his ability to save the world and like anyone else, Jesus had the tendency to yield to temptation as it was presented when he said, â€Å"If it is possible, let this Chalice pass from me.† This shows to the modern man that as Jesus was able to avoid sinning by giving in to temptation, the same is true with anyone . An individual may always choose to avoid sinning by being strong when being tempted or be weak enough and succumb to temptation. However, Jesus also with his words showed that man can avoid succumbing to temptation if he yields to the will of God as he said â€Å"Let you will be done.† Jesus is also portrayed as a meek lamb brought to the slaughter as the Bible says, having no objections to the soldiers or high priest about what he is being accused of. Jesus could have had always been able to defend himself, with Pontius Pilate able to see and understand that his accusers brought Jesus to his presence because of jealousy, it would have been easy for Jesus to justify himself. Still, he did not fight back instead, he let the high priest succeed in his desire of getting Jesus hung on the cross, treated like an evil criminal, flogged and spat on yet without retaliation. The Jesus story portrayed in the film is a very moving story which is directed not only to those who believe in Jesus but also to those who do not believe because of ignorance. At some angle, the movie acts as an educational means to proclaim the reality behind the passion of Jesus, why he came to die and what sort of manner he died. This has been a great contribution to understanding and imagining the hardships Jesus had gone through only to save humanity from their sins. I believe seeing the movie which has courageously shown the brutality of the

Air Transat Internal and External Analysis (Aviation Industry) Research Paper

Air Transat Internal and External Analysis (Aviation Industry) - Research Paper Example The airline industry has a number of dominant economic features that determine the success of a company. These include:Service life cycle: the airline industry has reached the maturity stage of service lifecycle meaning no growth or decline. The industry consists of many small and large airline companies with the service being provided to local, regional, and global levels according to the size of the company. The number of buyers: buyers consist of groups, individuals and families in the airline industry with bulk buyers having more bargaining power compared to individuals. Buyers who have loyalty cards access the most bargaining power owing to discounts. Differentiation: differentiating on price, service, and quality ensures companies success in the market. Since there are many buyers in the market, low price, quality, and customer reviews are the main focus in the airline industry. Suppliers: two main suppliers, Airbus and Boeing supply the whole airline industry with aircrafts co nsisting of thousands of aircraft companies. Technological advancement aids in product improvement and development. Experience: having experience in the airline industry is the main advantage for success resulting in the inability of instant success for new entrants. Experience allows for airline companies to develop economies of scale allowing for cheaper cost and pricing strategies. Experience also allows companies to have a better understanding of costs and profitability strategies.

How has the concept of individual liberty changed throughout the Essay

How has the concept of individual liberty changed throughout the history of political thought Discuss and develop an argument based on the works of authors discussed throughout the course - Essay Example It also includes the state of indifference towards others’ political, social, economic, cultural, personal and religious activities. International politics, international law, state organisations, social justice, equality, liberty and social movements also come into the fold of liberalism. By critically examining the philosophies of all the great personalities, it becomes evident that all these personalities support individual liberty provided it is observed out of sound reasoning on the one hand, and is exercised with a good intention on the other. Individual liberty has always been the subject of great interest for the philosophers and political thinkers, and they strived for winning freedom of thought and action for all citizens on the foundation of equality and without any discrimination of caste, class, creed, community, race, region, religion, ethnicity and gender. Since thinkers and philosophers serve as the brain of a society, they do not accept inequalities and injustices committed by the rulers and powerful stratum of society on the suppressed masses. Consequently, they rebel against the man-made bonds and shackles and present the intellectual framework which offers a complete and just system to lead a happy and peaceful life. Since the foundations of their philosophy rests on human welfare, they awake the society from the sleep of ignorance and encourage them struggle to win their rights. Before the mighty French Revolution it were philosophers like Voltaire, Rousseau and others who awoke the sleeping nation and foug ht for the noble cause of equality and justice by their wonderful writings. The philosophical theme behind the literature of that time paved the way towards equal distribution of power, pelf, possession and prestige for all strata of French Society. Thus unjust measures enforced by the French laws came to an end. The philosophers belonging to ancient Greece played the most formidable role in respect of obtaining individual

Marketing Planning and Strategy (The buying process)2 Assignment

Marketing Planning and Strategy (The buying process)2 - Assignment Example As a result programmers and computer engineers have strived continually to find solutions to this. Anti-viruses have been produced over the years to deal with the different malware that arise. These anti-viruses, which can be acquired online, help in fighting malware and shielding computers from further entry and attack from them. This papers aims at discussing the online purchase process that can be used in purchasing antivirus. With the increased cases of cyber threats, many computer users are compelled to take preventive measures to enhance security of their data. There are a number of antiviruses that are always available for purchase online. The antiviruses have varying characteristics which depends on the specific type of system protection that a business organization is interested in (Sabri, Gupta, & Beitler, 2007). Computers user intending to purchase antiviruses online have to identify the different types and their potential benefits. The Norton anti-virus is one such product. It was developed by the American corporation known as Symantec that identified the continuous need to protect computers and other devices from attacks from malware attacks. The antivirus uses signatures and heuristics to identify the type of virus in invasion (MezgaÃŒ r, 2006). They provide internet security, phishing protection and email spam filtering. The product is well known in the computer market and is highly recommended for cases where the windows operating system is being used. This makes it very popular because of the fact those windows operating system is currently the most popular operating system (Mansour, 2013). The Bit-defender, a Romanian developed anti-virus is another antivirus that is common in the market. It ranks higher than Norton in terms of functionalities and effectiveness. Its package comes with the antivirus, anti-spyware, email-spam filtering, a firewall, backup,

Development Appraisal and Cost Forecasting Research Paper

Development Appraisal and Cost Forecasting - Research Paper Example The rent that can be acquired on the site will be 3190 per square meter. This makes the developer to get the capital back in 8.6 years. The profits start from 9 the year. According to the third unit the developing, investment and rental activities are not feasible. The developer can choose between the above two options and can decide on it. As per the competition he cannot get the bid less than the 22353.84 GBP per square metre. By calculating the profit the investment can be compared with the A out of the comparables given to compare the rental activity. This is because the rent is higher in that case and the developer is using steel and dress stones to clad externals. The maximum bid that can be offered to get the bid can be decided by taking into account that the pension fund is offering 610 basis points above LIBOR. This will make the investment of 27500 GBP per square meter increased by 2612.5 GBP per square meter. The maximum investment the developer can offer per square meter to get the bid is 30112.5 GBP. To this the other charges should be added. They are architect costs, solicitor costs, VAT, valuation fee stamp duty and LIBOR and they amount to 19.35 percent. This increases the amount to be invested per square meter to 35984.4375 GBP per square meter. The developer cannot invest or bid more than this per square meter. Any customer can invest 2.5 times the disposal price to buy a flat. ... Any customer can invest 2.5 times the disposal price to buy a flat. This gives 1,25,000 GBP for each flat and the revenue on selling the total 6 flats will be 7,50,000 GBP. The cost of land is 3,88,000 GBP. The profit of the company if the flats are sold for 7,50,000 GBP should be 165000 GBP. The cost of the flats for the company should be 585000 GBP. The cost of built ceiling shouldbe 585000 - 388000 = 197000 GBP. The company should built the flats at the cost not more than 1,97,000 GBP. 3. Anticipated Profit from Scheme Cost of site = 470000 + charges = 470000+11750+ 7050+82250 + 2500 = 573550 GBP The cost of interest rate 10 percent per annum. This makes the total cost of site = 659582.5 GBP. The expected rentals on each office space developed by client = 7500 x 25 x 12 + 500 = 2250500 GBP per year. 1 acre = 4046.9 square metre 2 acres = 8093.8 square metres. The developer is anticipating 7.5 percent of profit. In the coming 3 years of time. The cost of land is 573550 GBP The rentals can be acquired in 3 years = 6751500 GBP. The cost f built should be not more than 6751500 - 573550 = 6177950 GBP. The anticipated profit of the developer will be 573550 GBP in a three years period. Section B The wall area of the building I = 2x22/7x 11.25 x 2.3 = 162.64 Square metres The floor area of the building I = 22/7x 11.25 x 11.25 = 397.76 Square metres. The wall to floor ratio = 0.40. This implies that the building is stable regarding the wall to floor ratio. The wall area of the building ii = 80 x 2.3 = 184 square metres The floor area of the building ii = 20 x 20 = 400 square metres. The wall to floor area ratio is = 0.46. though this is substantially stable and efficient, the stability is les than the i building. The wall area of

Marketing Planning and Strategy (The buying process)2 Assignment

Marketing Planning and Strategy (The buying process)2 - Assignment Example As a result programmers and computer engineers have strived continually to find solutions to this. Anti-viruses have been produced over the years to deal with the different malware that arise. These anti-viruses, which can be acquired online, help in fighting malware and shielding computers from further entry and attack from them. This papers aims at discussing the online purchase process that can be used in purchasing antivirus. With the increased cases of cyber threats, many computer users are compelled to take preventive measures to enhance security of their data. There are a number of antiviruses that are always available for purchase online. The antiviruses have varying characteristics which depends on the specific type of system protection that a business organization is interested in (Sabri, Gupta, & Beitler, 2007). Computers user intending to purchase antiviruses online have to identify the different types and their potential benefits. The Norton anti-virus is one such product. It was developed by the American corporation known as Symantec that identified the continuous need to protect computers and other devices from attacks from malware attacks. The antivirus uses signatures and heuristics to identify the type of virus in invasion (MezgaÃŒ r, 2006). They provide internet security, phishing protection and email spam filtering. The product is well known in the computer market and is highly recommended for cases where the windows operating system is being used. This makes it very popular because of the fact those windows operating system is currently the most popular operating system (Mansour, 2013). The Bit-defender, a Romanian developed anti-virus is another antivirus that is common in the market. It ranks higher than Norton in terms of functionalities and effectiveness. Its package comes with the antivirus, anti-spyware, email-spam filtering, a firewall, backup,

Assignment 6b Scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assignment 6b Scenario - Essay Example This approach is generally favorable to a manufacturing division but not for a retail division. The second approach is the negotiated price approach. In this approach, a manufacturing division and a retail division both negotiate a price. The price of a product is set so that all of the variable costs of the manufacturer are covered and the price is lower than the market price, but the manufacturer still makes a profit. This method is commonly used when a manufacturing division has unsold inventory, as it can still sell products by using this method. This method is also more favorable to the retailer than the market price approach. The final approach is the cost price approach. In this method, a product is sold to the retail division at its standard cost or its actual cost. This price may even not be enough to cover all of the expenses of the manufacturing division. This method is the most profitable for the retail division, and it is unlikely to be supported by anyone in charge of manufacturing unless there is low demand for the manufacturer’s product or a massive amount of excess capacity at the manufacturer’s facility. There are several reasons why market price approach is the transfer pricing approach that should be used for Pharmafin’s new modules. One of the modules will be produced internally, and to produce it, the company’s production facilities will need to add new equipment. Production staffing also needs to be increased by ten percent. These large expenditures will make it necessary to use the pricing method that causes the company to receive the highest price so that it can cover the new expenditures. The marketing department shows that there is a high level of consumer demand for the new machinery. Because of this, the new machinery should sell even if it is sold at a higher price. The other two pricing approaches could lead to a lower price, but they might also lead to revenues that are inadequate to cover

When primary participants talk to interpreters Essay Example for Free

When primary participants talk to interpreters Essay To be realistic about an interpreters role, we can examine several more examples of the way speakers interact and take turns. In this first example, І look at Ð ° turn in which Ð ° primary participant speaks directly to the Interpreter. Because examples from this case study corpus are relatively limited, І will add another example that appeared in an interpreter membership association newsletter, interpreters complain frequently about the propensity of primary participants to address utterances directly to interpreters. They imply that the primary participants should know better; they should know that interpreters only relay messages; they do not answer or speak directly to participants. Interestingly, their complaints seem to focus on the participant who is the professional or institutional representative, generally Ð ° speaker of Ð ° majority language, not the citizen or client, who speaks Ð ° minority language. Asking Ð ° question or speaking directly to an interpreter affords an opportunity to study the interaction around this dilemma, to examine different responses, and to learn whether primary participants are confirming or denying the role performance of the interpreter. S: FILMING? pointing at the researcher FILMING? І: [to the researcher] FILMING? Are you filming? R: yes І: YES [to the Student] The Student wants to know if filming has begun so he poses the question to the Interpreter. The Interpreter then asks the Researcher (who understands ASL) first using ASL, and then asking in English. Because the camera lens was fogged and the Researcher could not see clearly (Ð ° problem that cleared up), she did not respond to the signed utterance. When she heard the question, she answered in English, and the Interpreter relayed the answer to the Student. Although the Interpreter does relay this query from the Student, he is supposed to relay this question to the Professor as the other primary participant. In interpreting ideology, interpreters are not supposed to answer direct questions; rather they should pass on the question to allow the primary speaker to answer (see Metzger 1995: Chap 5). The Researcher is an ancillary participant who is supposed to be ignored because she is filming the event. But the Interpreter did relay the question on to Ð ° participant other than himself. That leaves two questions to be asked: To whom was the question directed? Why didnt the Interpreter relay the question to the Professor? Let us begin with the second question. The Interpreter did not relay the question to the Professor because she was answering the telephone and was speaking to the person who called. In conversational interaction, one primary participant can be called to attend to other matters or conversations, Ð ° perfectly ordinary occurrence in interaction. For example, when І accompany my mother to the lawyers office, the lawyer occasionally interrupts the meeting to answer Ð ° phone call or conduct Ð ° side conversation with his secretary. While he is engaged, my mother and І talk over what she and her lawyer are discussing or something else entirely. In this interaction, when the Professor is otherwise engaged, the Student can and does ask the Interpreter Ð ° question about the other activity at the meeting. So the Interpreter does not relay the question to the Professor because the question was not directed at her. Now lets consider the first question: To whom was the question directed? Because the Student could see the Professor uses the phone and because he asked the Interpreter, rather than turning around and asking the Researcher, and simply pointed in the direction of the Researcher, the question seems to be directed at the Interpreter. Most likely, the Student thought that the Interpreter could answer because video cameras generally have lights that come on when filming my point here is that Ð ° primary participant spoke directly to the Interpreter when the other primary participant was not attending to the interaction and had absented herself from the interaction with the Student. Participants act and react to interpreters as potential conversational partners and seem unaware that the task of interpreting should preclude treating an interpreter as Ð ° potential interlocutor. To primary participants, then, it must seem natural, even ordinary, to interact with interpreters as capable human beings who can answer and ask questions. This might suggest to interpreters that primary participants are never going to act as though interpreters are not also real participants in the interaction. It also suggests that interacting directly with an interpreter does not come about arbitrarily, but rather because of other social norms that govern interaction when Ð ° primary participant is interrupted and moves the focus off the reason and purpose for coming together. My next example is drawn from an article in Views (January 1998), the newsletter of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Ð ° North American association of sign language interpreters. In this article, the author presented an example similar to the previous one: Ð ° primary speaker asks an interpreter Ð ° question. The situation was Ð ° doctors office where Ð ° Deaf patient was being examined. During the examination the doctor turns to the interpreter and asks, How did you get into the field? Is sign language hard to learning? The dilemma presented to readers was that the interpreter was asked Ð ° question by the doctor but was not sure how to handle this situation or who should answer the question. The author suggested that determining Ð ° solution is Ð ° matter of ethics and that knowing ways of solving ethical dilemmas assists interpreters, particularly beginning interpreters, in arriving at good solutions. Although І agree that student interpreters should be trained to solve ethical dilemmas, under the scrutiny of discourse analysis, this particular phenomenon might not be an ethical problem but rather an ordinary happenstance in the interactional process of discourse. We can begin by noting that no other information is provided about the meeting and its progress. The doctors question is presented in isolation. As the preceding example demonstrated, it matters what the other participants are doing. We do not know what the patient is doing, what was said prior, or what is said afterward. This is the point about studying interpreters in actual interaction. Utterances do not arise on their own but are created in and reflected by the ongoing situation, and understanding or interpreting utterances is based on and is particular to that context. The patient could be changing clothes, could be having her temperature taken, or could be in the bathroom. The next thing to consider is that whether or not people are engaged in purposeful activity that may have serious consequences, such as Ð ° medical exam, they also monitor relationships, attitudes, and feelings. When doctors examine patients, it is not out of the ordinary to engage in small talk which seems to put everyone at ease. Nor is it unusual, when patients are unavailable for conversation, for doctors to engage in brief conversations with other person(s) in the room. Once, while my teenager was having her temperature taken, Ð ° doctor turned and began chatting with me about the extreme heat we were experiencing that summer. In general, all the participants engaged in interaction are available for conversation (Goffman 1967). In some ways, professionals, such as doctors and lawyers, experience Ð ° sense of being hosts within their spaces and thus attempt to acknowledge all the participants within the space, either by conversation or nonverbally.

Culture of Hyatt Hotel Corporation

Culture of Hyatt Hotel Corporation The scope for the examination of behavior in organizations is very wide. There is a multiplicity of interrelated factors which influence the behavior and performance of people as members of a work organization. It is important to recognize the role of management as an integrating activity and as the cornerstone of organizational effectiveness. People and organizations need each other. The manager needs to understand the main influences on behavior in work organizations and the nature of the people organization relationship. (Laurie J Mullins, 2007). In this assignment I aim to analyse the working of Hyatt Hotel Corporation with reference to their cultural characteristics and how the company portrays itself. I also will analyse their emphasis on coaching their employees and the importance and effectiveness of the same. I will also discuss the tools Hyatt uses to motivate their employees and how it affects performance as well as the attrition rate of the company. Introduction to the company Hyatt Hotels and Resorts Hyatt was founded by Jay Pritzker in 1957 when he purchased the Hyatt House motel adjacent to the Los Angeles International Airport. Over the following decade, Jay Pritzker and his brother Donald Pritzker, working together with other Pritzker family business interests, grew the company into a North American management and hotel ownership company, which became a public company in 1962. In 1968, Hyatt International was formed and subsequently became a separate public company. Hyatt Corporation and Hyatt International Corporation were taken private by the Pritzker family business interests in 1979 and 1982, respectively. On December 31, 2004, substantially all of the hospitality assets owned by Pritzker family business interests, including Hyatt Corporation and Hyatt International Corporation, were consolidated under a single entity, now named Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Hyatt manages, owns, franchises and develops 434 properties around the world as of March 31, 2010. The Companys business is conducted by its employees and officers, under the direction of the President and Chief Executive Officer and the oversight of the Board of Directors to enhance the long-term value of the Company for its stockholders. The Board of Directors is elected by the stockholders to oversee management and to assure that the long-term interests of the stockholders are being served. The Board recognizes that the long-term interests of stockholders are advanced by taking into consideration, as appropriate, the concerns of other stakeholders, including associates, guests, property owners, suppliers, the public and members of the communities in which Hyatt Hotels Corporation operates. Hyatt Hotels Mission, Goals, Values Mission We provide authentic hospitality. We make a difference in the lives of those we touch everyday that is our definition of hospitality.   We do this in an environment that respects all people and all ideas.   We do it in an efficient way that leads to superior results.    Goals We aspire to be the preferred brand in each of the segments we servemost preferred among our:    Employees Guests Owners (both third party property owners as well as stockholders) Values Mutual Respect Listen well Verify Acknowledge Intellectual Honesty and Integrity Tell and accept the truth Honor your commitments Humility Let actions speak for themselves Recognize the contributions of others Fun Dont take yourself too seriously Creativity and Innovation Challenge conventional wisdom Take action/risks Evaluate METHOD As a corporate development trainee at the organization, I was involved in Human resources and Training departments of the hotel which gave me access to the policy manuals, Hyatt employee intranet and other resources. This has helped me gather the information mentioned below. Also, due to constant interaction with other employees of the organization from each department, I am able to analyze the mentioned data and discuss in detail, how the organization is faring and whether the strategy they have applied is beneficial to the performance of the company. Culture Hyatt, being a large organization maintains a basic culture although due to the size of the company and the number of employees globally, each division and hotel has developed a sub culture which defines the particular place. Hyatt believes that these sub cultures should be encouraged as long as they do not conflict with the companys basic culture. In an organization with the diversity and global presence as Hyatt, one can see both, a strong overall culture as well as the growth of powerful sub-cultures that reflect the large culture but are also different in important ways. (Schein, 2003) The word culture in Hyatt International Operations is used to refer to the personality of the organization and is formed by the combination of the following elements: Shared values (What we think is important) Beliefs (How we think things should be done) Norms (The way we do things around here) Role Models (The people who personify our corporate values) Systems (Our written and unwritten ground rules) The company has strong cultural characteristics and values that it abides by. These characteristics are based on the global presence of the company. They have six main cultural characteristics which are elaborated below. These elements determine the ways in which the organization and its people behave and solve business problems. The six key characteristics that describe the Hyatt culture are highlighted as follows: We are  innovative. Hyatt was the first hotel chain to start the atrium lobby concept in the world. They have always found alternate and smarter solutions to issues in the hospitality industry. They pride in the concept of being innovators of new trends in the industry. We work through  teams. Hyatt encourages an environment in which employees are made to work in teams to enhance performance. This also helps in increased motivation and employee satisfaction due to constant feedback from the team. We  care  for each other. Hyatt ensures that the employees are empathetic towards each others needs. They portray a picture of a family when speaking with their employees to nurture a caring attitude. We encourage  personal growth. Hyatt has numerous programs and training modules that allow fast track growth of employees. They have recognition programs for their employees and they ensure that the performance of each employee is tracked and monitored to keep employees motivated We are  multicultural. Hyatt has a presence across the globe which makes it important for the company to adapt and change according to different cultures. They ensure that there is no discrimination in terms of colour, ethnicity, religion or race. We are  customer focused. Hyatt ensures that they are focused towards the satisfaction of their external as well as internal customers. The policies of the organization keep the employees, guests as well as owners benefits in mind. These six characteristics are encouraged and rewarded throughout all aspects of Hyatts operations. They are introduced to new employees through an updated History of Hyatt presentation during the hotels Orientation Program. These cultural characteristics are communicated to all the employees of the organization so that they can reward behaviors which demonstrate them; and, hire people who will thrive in them. Preserving and communicating their culture in International Operations is critical to their continued growth and success. They can enhance the culture by rewarding the behaviors that support it, by recruiting new employees who can easily assimilate into their culture, and by demonstrating the characteristics in the day-to-day operations. From a more tactical perspective -, Hyatt makes it a point to reward behaviors that exemplify their culture such as teamwork, caring, and innovation.  This can be done through recognition programs such as HYachiever Awards, HYstar Awards, and others. They also incorporate it into their hiring processes to ensure that they are hiring people who will fit into the culture and who already share many of these characteristics. In their culture of inclusion, employees feel accepted for the individuals they are, regardless of their background, style, ideas, or beliefs. Hyatt continues to receive recognition as one of Americas best companies for our diverse population. An illustration of this culture is given below: For one week, every year, Hyatt comes together globally to Celebrate Our People by recognizing and acknowledging the most important asset to the company, their associates. This is also the perfect time to understand the differences of associates and understand the vast cultures represented in the company by pairing and celebrating with a sister hotel in another country. The culture of the organization if put in a model would be best described by Role Culture mentioned by Charles Handy in his book Understanding organizations. Role culture is successful in this organization as it is a very large company with many subsidiaries and units. All the hotels in the company are to be managed and operated according to one particular culture which makes it easy to have a flat, predictable system such as the Role culture. The hotel industry is based on predictions and planning which makes it a sensible decision to adapt to the role culture. Even though as mentioned by Mr. Handy, role cultures are slow when it comes to change, Hyatt manages change quite well as the communication, training and development is very efficiently handled. Role cultures offer security and predictability to the individual. They offer a predictable rate of climb up the pillar. They offer the chance to acquire specialist expertise without risk. They tend to reward the satisfier, the person concerned with doing his job up to the standard. The role culture is frustrating for an individual who is power oriented, or wants control over his or her work; who is eagerly ambitious or more interested in results than method. (Charles Handy, 1993) To overcome the predictability and non innovation that role culture brings about in the organization, Hyatt has a number of fast track development programs for employees that enable them to identify potential leaders and enroll them in these programs. The productivity of each employee is monitored carefully and regularly through performance development programs run by the individual department monitored by Human resources. The most important conclusion is that culture is a multifaceted, multidimensional phenomenon which is not easily reduced to a few major dimensions. Culture reflects the effort put in by the group to cope and learn, and is the residue of this learning process. Culture provides meaning, predictability and stability in the present and is also the result of effective decisions from the groups past. (Schein, 2003) MOTIVATION The hotel industry is a significant part of the tourism industry worldwide and its employees play a key role in delivering the service product to its customers. Excellent service provided by employees can create lasting positive experiences for customers. The individual motivational constructs of the hospitality employee play an important and perceivably a significant role in achieving high satisfaction among hotel customers. The motivation of employees, whether professional, skilled or unskilled, is a major issue in all service organizations. For the hotel industry, employee motivation is a major issue. It is a challenge for the management of the hotel industry to motivate employees to work with energy and efficiency due to odd hours and high stress situations One of the companys responsibilities is related to ensuring employees workplace motivation. Human resource managements function is to assist the company in keeping the employees satisfied with their jobs. If employees are not satisfied, they will not perform to expected norms. Workplace dissatisfaction and poor performance usually lead to high employee turnover in the hospitality industry, particularly in developed countries. According to a Hotel and Catering Training Company in the United Kingdom, turnover is the United Kingdom was estimated to have cost the hotel and catering industry 430 million pounds a year, and turnover was higher among men than women (Lucas, 1995). It was also reported that in order to reduce labor turnover and retain productive employees, management has to improve working conditions and keep the employees properly motivated. Human resource managers need to understand the motivational processes and human needs in different cultures. To understand employees needs, managers should understand key theories that help them learn the basic needs of people. Maslows theory is one of many theories that pointed out the basic sorts of needs. They are Physiological needs, Security needs, Belongingness needs, Esteem needs, and Self-actualization needs. The lower level needs must be satisfied before the next higher level. Another theory, Hertzbergs is based on two distinct sets of factors: hygiene factors such as pay, organizations, policies, working environment and motivating factors such as recognition, promotion, achievement and the intrinsic nature of the work. Hyatt has a number of various ways to keep their employees motivated. They follow the Herzbergs motivational theory with an adaptation of Maslows hierarchy of needs. Hyatt fulfills the Hygiene factors mentioned in the Hertzberg theory by providing the basic needs of efficient supervisory hierarchy, good working conditions, a transparent system of communication and interpersonal relations, a competitive salary along with benefits such a health insurance, provident fund and pension schemes. The companys Human Resource policies and administrative policies are also in place to ensure satisfied employees. Hyatts motivational factors in terms of the theory are also fulfilling. Their recognition programs are mentioned below in detail. In terms of the work itself, it is a challenging industry which involves a high amount of dedication and self motivation. The timings and high stress situations during peak seasons require on the spot decision making skills while being calm and composed for the client. The attrition rate in the industry is high due to these challenging factors. Hyatt tries to ensure that all their employees are motivated at all times although a weaker personality may not be able to handle the pressure which creates a situation where they do not last increasing the attrition rate of the industry itself. Recognition Programs the HYachievers, HYinnovators and HYstar Programs as well as the Service Awards are the minimum requirements that are implemented in every hotel. The Director of Human Resources is responsible for coordinating these programs and plays a pro-active role in supporting and developing new programs as appropriate for the hotel. All employee recognition programs are budgeted annually during the Business Plan process. HYstar Award: People making a difference The HYstar program has been developed to recognize the employees who continuously demonstrate Hyatt International Operations  Cultural  characteristics. The objectives of the HYstar recognition program are to reinforce the companys vision, mission and culture mentioned above. HYstar points are awarded individually to employees by various sources such as guest compliments, managers log, employee suggestions and exceptional performances. As an employee earns points in the program, they are able to utilize their points to redeem gifts at any point in time. Some examples of the types of gifts a hotel may offer are: Vouchers (i.e. food vouchers from a local grocery stores) Phone cards T-Shirts Bags Small gifts (Hyatt Logo gifts) Additional laundry entitlement Restaurant vouchers Hotel merchandise At the end of the calendar year, one  HYstar of the Year  will be awarded to the employee with the highest number of points over a one-year period. The following are examples of awards that could be presented to  HYstar of the Year: Airline ticket to a vacation destination Stay with full board at another Hyatt property Extra paid vacation to enjoy the above Some extra cash to enjoy shopping and vacation Hyatt also incorporates Maslows Hierarchy of needs to keep their employees motivated. They ensure that the Physiological and Safety needs are taken care of by providing a competitive salary including a meal a day and House rent Allowances, they have strict policies to ensure job safety in terms of termination policies and work environment as per local rules and regulations for health and safety. In order to fulfill the social, esteem and self actualization needs of their employees, they conduct an annual survey which has been formulated by an organization known as Gallup. This survey asks twelve simple questions and can review the satisfaction levels of the employees and departments of the hotels. This allows the company to know the challenges they are facing in terms of employee satisfaction and build strategies to overcome them. This survey is also used as a tool to evaluate individual hotels, and their departments in terms of levels of satisfaction which in turn affects the efficiency of the employees eventually affecting the performance of the company. The summarized results of the last two years are mentioned below as an overview of the performance of the company. In 2010, participation was strong and the 86% of Hyatt employees around the world filled the survey. The aim of conducting the survey is for the company to understand how to provide the best workplace in the hospitality industry. 1) Hyatt increased the population of employees who feel engaged by 11% in comparison to 2008/2009. 2) Over 16,000 action plans were prepared and executed in 2009. The results show that those who worked together to develop a plan and then saw it through to meaningful change were rewarded with the significant improvement in their teams engagement. Those who did not complete plans, or have meaningful discussions, saw their engagement levels remain flat or decline. 3) RECOGNITION and PROGRESS in the first half of 2010 showed the most overall improvement from 2008-2009. These were also the two items that most work groups selected in the action planning process. In 2010, Hyatt found that engaged employees are 11 times more likely to know what Hyatt stands for and what makes it different from competitors. Engaged employees are also 12 times more likely to be proud of Hyatts products and services, and 10 times more likely to recommend Hyatt to friends and family. Importance of the survey to Hyatt There is a clear and strong relationship between positive business outcomes and a workforce that identifies with organizational goals and demonstrates a strong, emotional commitment. Building and sustaining a positive experience at work for employees is important. This kind of accomplishment does not happen overnight and, once achieved, can vanish quickly if the support of engagement is not made a part of everyday lives. The feedback in 2010 will make it possible for Hyatt to focus on two or three areas in each department that will improve the work experience for the team members. Managers will be accountable for establishing meaningful action plans with the team to drive change. Information sessions are being scheduled to support action planning in individual departments and hotels with the goal of improving the employee experience at Hyatt. In addition, regular messages are posted on the employee portal that provides information on best practices that relate to creating preference in the workplace. Coaching The Hyatt Leadership Network (HLN) is an employee portal containing standardized training modules that have been developed for the employees. Each employee is enrolled in these modules according to their job description. The format of HLN is intended to provide resources that are easily accessible for learners and to support individual and business development needs.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Hyatt Leadership Network learning content is organized within four schools.   The School of General Studies  provides the fundamentals of learning for all employees.   The resources available support Hyatts mission, goals, and values by providing resources that build on Hyatts culture.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   The School of Hospitality  provides the operational standards of performance and includes the technical skills, service expectations, and systems knowledge required in daily hotel operations.   The School of Management  provides resources supporting management skills development for Hyatt employees that lead to superior results.   The Leadership Institute  provides formal and informal development opportunities designed for future leaders at Hyatt.     Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Hyatt believes that personal growth is an important aspect of an employees Hyatt experience; the Hyatt Leadership Network is important for the company by helping the employees meet their individual development goals.   Apart from the above, each hotel has an individual training department that imparts regular training and development modules which are beneficial to the employees. The training managers are responsible for doing a training need analysis for the employees and enroll them in various programs for their development and growth. Training is used to improve knowledge and skills, and to change attitudes, it acts like an important potential motivator. There are many benefits of training to the employee as well as the organization: Employee confidence, motivation and commitment increases It provides recognition, enhances responsibility which may lead to increased pay and promotion It provides the employee with a sense of personal satisfaction and achievement which broadens opportunities for career progression Helps to improve the quality and availability of the employees. (Mullins, 2007) Below, is a table provided by Mullins in his book defining Training, and summarizing the training in an organization. This chart fits in with an organization like Hyatt due to its large size, skill requirements and situation handling needs in its employees. There is also a strong mentoring system in place. Each new employee is mentored by an experienced employee. This helps the new employees learn and understand the processes as well as provides them with a confidante who helps them fit in to the organization and imbibe the culture. Coaching is the process of helping employees improve performance and develop their capacity to perform well in the future. It is about changing behavior to make things better. Because the process of change is difficult and can provoke anxiety, people often resist it. The forces of inertia are strong, but effective coaching can surmount them. (Friedman, 2010) Hyatt Hotels encourage coaching with the help of the mentoring system, and a concept known as Hyatt on skill training. This training module is undergone by supervisors and above. Graduating this module enables employees to conduct training sessions for tasks. Training may be conducted within the department / team. A trainer is entitled to train three other employees at a time. This enables personalized coaching for employees which makes it easier for them to understand and work on day to day tasks thus increasing the productivity. Monitoring of employees performance is also easier and more effective making them more confident in their jobs. Summary and Conclusion After the above report on Hyatt Hotels Corporation, one can derive many conclusions about the company. Hyatt is a very large organization with a presence around the world and has been awarded many times for being a great company to work for. Some of their most recent awards are mentioned below: The Culture of Hyatt Taking into consideration, Mr. Charles Handys models of culture, Hyatt follows the Role culture model. This model is getting increasingly popular with large organizations as it works by logic and rationality. The internal business processes are controlled by A process and procedure for roles fixed job descriptions, definition of authority A process and procedure for communication fixed channels and tools of communication Rules for dispute settlements a process of appeal and thorough investigation. Hyatt portrays a strong corporate culture. Corporate culture may be defined as the sum total of the customs, traditions, values and meanings that make the company unique. Since the corporate culture is formulated by the senior management and founders of the organization, it is often termed as the character of the organization. (Montana P, 2008)   

Feeding the Ghost Essay -- essays papers

Feeding the Ghost WE ARE BETTER The novel Feeding the Ghosts, by Fred D'Aguiar, exploits the terrible conditions black people were put through while being transported from Africa to the Americas. It examines the thought process of the captain, the crew, the captives, and the legal system of England. D'Aguiar clearly illustrates the hell that was forced upon the blacks and how even the highest court system of the time saw nothing wrong with it. The whites were the ones who made the laws; the laws were meant to protect the whites. The high court had laws in place about proper procedures on these voyages, but the law wasn't meant to protect the blacks, or stock as they were referred to, just the well being of the white people involved. The common conception is that a courtroom is where the truth comes out and justice will be served. It is a safe haven for the innocent and a prison for the guilty. But when the hearing of the investors of the Zong vs. the insurers starts, Lord Mansfield states, "As you know, gentlemen, this is not a criminal trial. It is a hearing". No, this would never be a criminal trial. It wasn't illegal to murder black slaves if there was good enough reason. Blacks didn't have human rights like the whites did. Laws weren't created to protect the black man; they were there for the well being of the white person. Anyways, the black person was stock in the eyes of the law so the treatment of stock was the question at hand. "Which law did the captain break? None according to English statutes. What is being disputed here? Whether his actions were within the law that describes the treatment of slave stock." (p. 171) Whites made the laws, whites enforced them, whites benefited from them. ... ...mmunication there is still an underlying prejudice against the black person. Things haven't changed enough to say we are equal. Time is the main component in changing this. Something that has been rooted in white backgrounds and common laws for hundreds of years doesn't change in a few decades. Here at UW-La Crosse students are required to take a minority studies class and similar programs are underway at other colleges. Education is the first step to closing the gap. The second step is changing how one perceives another who is different from them. Will the world ever be able to do away with prejudice? Or is prejudice something that is like second nature. Everyone is entitled to their own thoughts, so wouldn't that entitle everyone to having a prejudice? Bibliography D'Aguiar, Fred. Feeding The Ghosts. A Novel. New York: The Ecco Press, HarperCollins, 1997.

Last Sacrifice Chapter Thirty

I DIDN'T RUN INTO HIS arms like I usually did. How could I? After what I'd done? No. I couldn't playact anymore. I still wasn't entirely sure what the future held for Dimitri and me, not until he answered my ultimatum. I did, however, know I had to cut Adrian loose. My feelings for him were still strong, and I wondered if it was even remotely possible for us to be friends. Regardless, I couldn't lead him on after sleeping with Dimitri. It hadn't been murder, no, but it had certainly been dishonorable. Yet †¦ I couldn't say any of that to Adrian now, I realized. I couldn't break up with him in a dream. That was almost as bad as a text breakup. Besides, I had a feeling that †¦ well, I'd probably need his help. So much for honor. Soon, I swore. Soon I'll tell him. He didn't seem to notice my lack of embrace. But he did notice something else. â€Å"Wow.' We stood in St. Vladimir's library of all places, and I gave him a puzzled look across the study tables stretching before us. â€Å"Wow what?' â€Å"Your †¦ your aura. It's †¦ amazing. It's shining. I mean, it always shines, but today †¦ well, I've never seen anything like it. I didn't expect that after everything that happened.' I shifted uncomfortably. If I lit up around Dimitri normally, what on earth happened to my aura post-sex? â€Å"After what happened?' I asked, deflecting the comment. He chuckled and approached me. His hand reached unconsciously for his cigarettes, paused, and then dropped to his side. â€Å"Oh, come on. Everyone's talking about it. How you and Belikov kidnapped Jailbait–what's up with that anyway?–and coerced that Alchemist. It's the hottest news around here. Well, aside from the elections. The last test is coming up.' â€Å"That's right †¦' I murmured. It had almost been twenty-four hours since Lissa had received the riddle. There was only a little time left, and last I knew, she had no answer. â€Å"Why are you sleeping in the middle of the day anyway?' he asked. â€Å"I didn't really expect to catch you. Figured you'd be on a human schedule.' â€Å"It †¦ it was kind of a rough night, what with escaping a legion of guardians and all.' Adrian caught hold of my hand, frowning slightly when I didn't squeeze his in return. The frown lightened quickly into his easy smile. â€Å"Well, I'd worry more about your old man than them. He is pissed that you didn't stay put. And that he can't get in to see the Alchemists. Believe me, he's been trying.' That almost made me laugh, except it wasn't the outcome I'd wanted either. â€Å"So he's not all-powerful after all.' I sighed. â€Å"That's what we need. Sydney. Or, well, that guy who's with her. The one who allegedly knows something.' I flashed back, again seeing the recognition on Ian's face. He knows the man who attacked Lissa and bribed Joe. â€Å"We need him.' â€Å"From what I picked up,' said Adrian, â€Å"the guardians are just kind of lingering around the hotel, mostly concerned with the Alchemists leaving. But they're controlling who's getting in. They won't let any of us–or other Alchemists–get through. There are lots of other human guests, and I guess Abe tried to disguise himself–and failed.' Poor Zmey. â€Å"He should have had more faith in the guardians. They aren't going to let anyone but themselves get in and out.' My own words brought me to a halt. â€Å"That's it †¦' Adrian eyed me suspiciously. â€Å"Oh no. I know that look. Something crazy is about to happen.' I caught hold of his hand, now out of excitement, rather than love. â€Å"Get to Mikhail. Have him meet us †¦' I blanked. I'd seen the town the Alchemists were staying in. As the closest to Court, we often drove through it. I racked my brain, trying to think of some detail. â€Å"At that restaurant with the red sign. It's on the far side. Always advertising buffets.' â€Å"Easier said than done, little dhampir. They're using every guardian at Court to keep the elections under control. If Lissa hadn't been attacked, they wouldn't let your mom stay with her. I don't think Mikhail can get out.' â€Å"He'll find a way,' I said confidently. â€Å"Tell him this is it–it's the key to the murder. The answer. He's resourceful.' Adrian looked skeptical, but it was hard for him to refuse me anything. â€Å"When?' When indeed? It was almost noon, and I hadn't paid much attention to where we'd stopped. How long would it take us to reach Court? From what I knew about the elections, those who passed this last test would give speeches when the Moroi day started. In theory, they'd then go straight to voting–except, if our plan worked, Lissa's involvement would slow that down for days. Provided she passed. â€Å"Midnight,' I said. If I was guessing correctly, the Court would be completely wrapped up in the election drama, making it easier for Mikhail to get out. I hoped. â€Å"Will you tell him?' â€Å"Anything for you.' Adrian swept me a gallant bow. â€Å"Although, I still think it's dangerous for you to be involved directly with this.' â€Å"I have to do this myself,' I said. â€Å"I can't hide.' He nodded, as though he understood. I wasn't sure he did. â€Å"Thank you,' I told him. â€Å"Thank you so much for everything. Now go.' Adrian gave me a crooked grin. â€Å"Boy, you don't waste any time kicking a guy out of bed, huh?' I flinched, the joke hitting a little too close to home. â€Å"I want Mikhail to be prepared. And I also need to watch Lissa's last test.' This sobered Adrian. â€Å"Does she have a chance? Will she pass?' â€Å"I don't know,' I admitted. â€Å"This is a tough one.' â€Å"Okay. We'll see what we can do.' He gave me a small kiss. My lips responded automatically, but my heart wasn't into it. â€Å"And Rose? I mean it. Be careful. You're going to be awfully close to Court. Not to mention a bunch of guardians who have you on their most wanted list and will probably try to kill you.' â€Å"I know,' I said, choosing not to mention that there was no â€Å"probably' about it. With that, he vanished, and I woke. Strangely, what I found in my own world seemed almost more dreamlike than what I'd experienced with Adrian. Dimitri and I were still in bed, snuggled under the covers, our bodies and limbs still wrapped around each other. He slept with that rare peaceful look of his and almostseemed to smile. For half a second, I considered waking him and telling him we had to hit the road. A look at the clock happily squashed that thought. We still had time, plus it was getting close to the test. I had to go to Lissa and trusted Sonya would come by if we overslept. Sure enough, I'd gauged the testing correctly. Lissa was cutting across the Court's lawns, marching like someone going to a funeral. The sun, flowers, and birds were lost on her. Even her company did little to cheer her up: Christian, my mom, and Tasha. â€Å"I can't do this,' she said, staring ahead at the building that held her fate. â€Å"I can't do this test.' The tattoo kept her from giving out any more information. â€Å"You're smart. Brilliant.' Christian's arm was around her waist, and in that moment, I loved him for his confidence in her. â€Å"You can do it.' â€Å"You don't understand,' she said, with a sigh. She'd come up with no answers to the riddle, meaning the plan was at stake–and her desire to prove herself. â€Å"For once he does,' said Tasha, a slight teasing tone in her voice. â€Å"You can do it. You have to do it. We have so much riding on it.' Her confidence didn't make Lissa feel better. If anything, it added to the pressure. She would fail, just like in the Council dream the chalice had shown her. She'd had no answer there either. â€Å"Lissa!' A voice brought them to a halt, and Lissa turned to see Serena running toward them, her long athletic legs quickly covering the distance between them. â€Å"Hi Serena,' said Lissa. â€Å"We can't stop. The test–‘ â€Å"I know, I know.' Serena was flushed, not with exertion, but with anxiety. She proffered a piece of paper. â€Å"I made your list. As many as I could remember.' â€Å"What list?' asked Tasha. â€Å"Moroi that the queen was having trained, to see how well they could learn fighting.' Tasha's eyebrows rose in surprise. She hadn't been around when they'd discussed it last time. â€Å"Tatiana was training fighters? I never heard about anything like that.' I had a feeling she would have liked to be one of the ones helping with instruction. â€Å"Most didn't,' agreed Lissa, straightening the piece of paper. â€Å"It was a big secret.' The group crowded around to read the names, listed in Serena's neat handwriting. Christian let out a low whistle. â€Å"Tatiana might have been open to the idea of defense but only for certain people.' â€Å"Yes,' agreed Tasha. â€Å"This is definitely an A-list.' All the names were royal. Tatiana hadn't brought in â€Å"commoners' for her experiment. This was the elite of the elite, though as Ambrose had noted, Tatiana had gone out of her way to get a variety of ages and genders. â€Å"Camille Conta?' asked Lissa in surprise. â€Å"Never saw that coming. She was always really bad in P.E.' â€Å"And there's another of our cousins,' added Christian, pointing to Lia Ozera. He glanced at Tasha, who was still in disbelief. â€Å"Did you know that?' â€Å"No. I wouldn't have guessed her either.' â€Å"Half the nominees too,' mused Lissa. Rufus Tarus, Ava Drozdov, and Ellis Badica. â€Å"Too bad they–oh my God. Adrian's mother?' Sure enough: Daniella Ivashkov. â€Å"Whoa,' said Christian. That summed up my reaction too. â€Å"Pretty sure Adrian didn't know about that.' â€Å"Does she support Moroi fighting?' asked my mom, surprised as well. Lissa shook her head. â€Å"No. From what I know about her, she is definitely in favor of leaving defense to dhampirs.' Neither of us could imagine beautiful and proper Daniella Ivashkov in a fight. â€Å"She already hated Tatiana,' noted Tasha. â€Å"I'm sure this did lovely things for their relationship. Those two bickered all the time behind closed doors.' An uncomfortable silence fell. Lissa looked at Serena. â€Å"Did these people see the queen a lot? Would they have had access to her?' â€Å"Yes,' said Serena uneasily. â€Å"According to Grant, Tatiana watched every training sessions. After he died †¦ she started debriefing with the students individually, to see how well they'd learned.' She paused. â€Å"I think †¦ I think she might have met with some the night she died.' â€Å"Had they progressed enough to learn to use a stake?' asked Lissa. Serena grimaced. â€Å"Yes. Some better than others.' Lissa looked back at the list, feeling ill. So much opportunity. So much motivation. Was the answer here on this piece of paper? Was the murderer right before her? Serena had said earlier that Tatiana had purposely picked people resistant to training, probably to see if the obstinate could still learn. Had she gone too far with someone? One name in particular kept scrolling across Lissa's mind. â€Å"I hate to interrupt,' said my mother. Her tone and stance indicated sleuth time was over; it was back to business. â€Å"We've got to move, or you'll be late.' Lissa realized my mom was right and shoved the piece of paper in her pocket. Being late to the test meant failure. Lissa thanked Serena, reassuring her that this had been the right thing to do. Then, my friends moved away quickly, feeling the press of time as they hurried toward the testing building. â€Å"Damn,' muttered Lissa, in a rare show of swearing. â€Å"I don't think that old lady'll tolerate any lateness.' â€Å"Old lady?' My mother laughed, surprising us all. She could move faster than everyone and was obviously restraining her pace for them. â€Å"The one running most of the tests? You don't know who she is?' â€Å"How would I?' asked Lissa. â€Å"I figured she was just someone they recruited.' â€Å"Not just someone. That's Ekaterina Zeklos.' â€Å"What?' Lissa nearly stopped but still had their time crunch in mind. â€Å"She was †¦ she was the queen before Tatiana, right?' â€Å"I thought she retired to some island,' said Christian, just as surprised. â€Å"Not sure if it was an island,' said Tasha, â€Å"but she did step down when she thought she was too old and went off to live in luxury–and away from politics–once Tatiana was on the throne.' Too old? That had been twenty years ago. No wonder she seemed ancient. â€Å"If she was happy to get out of politics, then why is she back?' asked Lissa. My mother opened the door for all of them when they reached the building, after first peering inside for any threats. It was so instinctual for her that she continued the conversation without missing a beat. â€Å"Because it's custom for the last monarch to test the new one–if possible. In this case, it obviously wasn't, so Ekaterina came out of retirement to do her duty.' Lissa could barely believe that she'd been chatting casually with the Moroi's last queen, a very powerful and beloved queen. As soon as her group entered the hallway, Lissa was escorted by guardians and hurried toward the testing room. Their faces showed they hadn't thought she'd make it. Several spectators, also apparently worried, cheered at her appearance giving the usual shouts about Alexandra and the dragons. Lissa had no chance to respond or even say goodbye to her friends before she was practically pushed into the room. The guardians looked relieved. The door shut, and Lissa found herself staring once more at Ekaterina Zeklos. Seeing the old woman had been intimidating before, but now †¦ Lissa's anxiety doubled. Ekaterina gave her a crooked smile. â€Å"I was afraid you wouldn't make it,' she said. â€Å"Should have known better. You aren't the type to back down.' Lissa was still starstruck and almost felt the need to ramble out an excuse, explaining about Serena's list. But, no. Ekaterina didn't care about that right now, and one didn't make excuses to someone like her anyway, Lissa decided. If you screwed up, you apologized. â€Å"I'm sorry,' said Lissa. â€Å"No need to be,' said Ekaterina. â€Å"You made it. Do you know the answer? What must a queen possess in order to truly rule her people?' Lissa's tongue felt thick in her mouth. She didn't know the answer. It really was just like the Council dream. Investigating Tatiana's murder had taken so much time. For a strange moment, Lissa's heart burned with sympathy for that prickly queen. She'd done what she thought best for the Moroi and had died for it. Lissa even felt bad now, staring at Ekaterina. This former queen had probably never expected to be taken away from her–island?–retirement and forced back into Court life. Yet, she had come when needed. And just like that, Lissa suddenly knew the answer. â€Å"Nothing,' she said softly. â€Å"A queen must possess nothing to rule because she has to give everything she has to her people. Even her life.' The widening of Ekaterina's gap-toothed grin told Lissa she'd answered correctly. â€Å"Congratulations, my dear. You've made it through to tomorrow's vote. I hope you've got a speech ready to win over the Council. You'll have to give it in the morning.' Lissa swayed slightly, not sure what to say now, let alone in a formal speech. Ekaterina seemed to sense how in shock Lissa was, and the smile that always seemed so mischievous turned gentle. â€Å"You'll be fine. You made it this far. The speech is the easy part. Your father would be proud. All the Dragomirs before you would be.' That nearly brought tears to Lissa's eyes, and she shook her head. â€Å"I don't know about that. We all know I'm not a real candidate. This was just †¦ well, kind of an act.' Somehow, she didn't feel bad admitting that in front of Ekaterina. â€Å"Ariana's the one who deserves the crown.' Ekaterina's ancient eyes bored into Lissa, and that smiled faded. â€Å"You haven't heard then. No, of course you wouldn't have with how quickly this is all happening.' â€Å"Heard what?' Sympathy washed over Ekaterina's face, and later, I'd wonder if that compassion was because of the message she delivered or because of Lissa's reaction. â€Å"Ariana Szelsky didn't pass this test †¦ she couldn't solve the riddle †¦' â€Å"Rose, Rose.' Dimitri was shaking me, and it took several seconds for me to shift from being a shocked Lissa to a startled Rose. â€Å"We have to–‘ he began. â€Å"Oh my God,' I interrupted. â€Å"You will not believe what I just saw.' He went rigid. â€Å"Is Lissa okay?' â€Å"Yeah, fine, but–‘ â€Å"Then we'll worry about that later. Right now, we have to leave.' I noticed then that he was fully dressed while I was still naked. â€Å"What's going on?' â€Å"Sonya came by–don't worry.' The shock that my face must have shown made him smile. â€Å"I got dressed and didn't let her come in. But she said the front desk called. They're starting to realize we had an unusual check-in. We need to get out of here.' Midnight. We had to meet Mikhail at midnight and get the last piece of the mystery that consumed us. â€Å"No problem,' I said, tossing the covers off me. As I did, I saw Dimitri's eyes on me, and I was kind of surprised at the admiration and hunger I saw there. Somehow, even after sex, I'd kind of expected him to be detached and wear his guardian face–particularly considering our sudden urgency to leave. â€Å"You see something you like?' I asked, echoing something I'd said to him long ago, when he'd caught me in a compromising position at school. â€Å"Lots,' he said. The emotion burning in those eyes was too much for me. I looked away, my heart pounding in my chest as I pulled my clothes on. â€Å"Don't forget,' I said softly. â€Å"Don't forget †¦' I couldn't finish, but there was no need. â€Å"I know, Roza. I haven't forgotten.' I slipped on my shoes, wishing I was weaker and would let my ultimatum slide. I couldn't, though. No matter what had passed between us verbally and physically, no matter how close we were to our fairy-tale ending †¦ there was no future until he could forgive himself. Sonya and Jill were ready and waiting when we emerged from our room, and something told me Sonya knew what had happened between Dimitri and me. Damned auras. Or maybe you didn't need magical powers to see that kind of thing. Maybe the afterglow just naturally showed on someone's face. â€Å"I need you to make a charm,' I told Sonya, once we were on the road. â€Å"And we have to stop in Greenston.' â€Å"Greenston?' asked Dimitri. â€Å"What for?' â€Å"It's where the Alchemists are being held.' I had already started slinging the pieces together. Who hated Tatiana–both because of her personality and for having Ambrose? Who resented her wanting Moroi to fight Strigoi? Who feared her endorsing spirit and its dangerous effects on people, say, like Adrian? Who wanted to see a different family on the throne to support new beliefs? And who would be happy to have me locked away and out of the picture? I took a deep breath, scarcely believing what I was about to say. â€Å"And it's where we're going to find proof that Daniella Ivashkov murdered Tatiana.'

Health and Safety Roles Essay

Prepare to discuss the differences in the roles and responsibilities of the manager, employer, employee and owner of an organisation of your choice in respect of health and safety. Note: it is essential that you identify the differences and similarities between these roles / titles) Suggested sources: HSE SUCCESSFUL HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT HMSO HSE website Any Health and Safety Book http://www.forbes.com/sites/gcaptain/2012/01/19/a-captains-responsibility-by-a-former-norwegian-cruise-lines-safety-manager-and-ship-master/ FORBES Cruise ships, as well as all vessels plying the Navigable waters of the world are subject to strict Maritime Rules and regulations including, Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulations, Standards of Training Certification and Watch keeping (STCW), The International Safety Management (ISM) rules, and most importantly, the Rule of the Sea whereby the Master and officers and crew never abandon the ship until all passengers and crew are accounted for, and everything possible has been done to save them. HSE.GOV HSE Executive Responsibilities The Executive: †¢ensures that a member of the Executive is available for out-of-hours notifications of major incidents †¢decides if the incident should be categorised as ‘major’ by consulting with relevant head(s) of Division/Directorate, the Chair of the HSC, the Commission and Ministers, as appropriate, on the nature of the incident and the proposed action When considering whether to declare a major incident, the Executive will consider the following points: †¢the significance of the event †¢any separate investigations by other regulatory bodies †¢the involvement of other regulatory bodies in the investigation †¢the  effect of the investigation on HSE as a whole and the Directorate’s/Division’s programme of work †¢the concerns of the Commission, ministers, other government departments, devolved administrations and regulatory bodies. Once a major incident is declared, the Executive: †¢agrees which of the major incident arrangements should be invoked for the investigation – in the case of a HSWA Section 14(2)(a) investigation, in conjunction with the HSC Chair †¢decides the scope of the investigation appropriate to the scale and complexity of the incident †¢determines whether a policy and procedure review should take place & its timing, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, and sets the terms of reference – in the case of a HSWA Section 14(2)(a) investigation, in conjunction with the HSC Chair †¢ensures that contact with the Secretariat and all members of the Executive is maintained during the response to the major incident †¢monitors and as necessary approves briefing for the Commission Chair, the Commission and Ministers †¢oversees the investigation and any policy and procedure review process, altering the terms of reference of the investigation/review process if appropriate †¢approves publication of t he reportfollowing a major incident investigation and considers whether to publish interim technical reports if broader health and safety lessons emerge †¢agrees decisions on the timing of the release of information to the public. †¢considers the policy and procedure review report and ensures that any appropriate response to the recommendations is taken. The office safety company http://www.officesafety.co.uk/quick-guides/whos-responsible.html †¢The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 †¢Requires employers to be responsible for ensuring the health and safety of workers and for reducing risks to others affected by work activities. †¢Health and safety functions should be delegated and health and safety risk management legally requires the active participation of the company’s workers. However the legal responsibility for health and safety rests with the employer. †¢Employers need to prepare, and make sure their workers know about, a written statement of the health and safety policy and the  arrangements in place to put it into effect. †¢Where a ‘body corporate’ commits a health and safety offence, and the offence was committed with the consent or connivance of, or was attributable to any neglect on the part of, any director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate, then that person (as well as the body corporate) is liable to be proceeded against and punished. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 These regulations include requirements for employers to: †¢Assess the work-related risks faced by employees, and by people not in their employment †¢Have effective arrangements in place for planning, organising, controlling, monitoring and reviewing preventive and protective measures †¢Appoint one or more competent persons to help in undertaking the measures needed to comply with health and safety law †¢Provide employees with comprehensible and relevant information on the risks they face and the preventive and protective measures that control those risks HSE.GOV http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse40.pdf Most employers are required by the law to insure against liability for injury or disease to their employees arising out of their employment. This guide is intended to help you to understand what is required. It is not a legal interpretation of the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act and it has no formal legal status. You should be aware that only the courts can authoritatively interpret the law. Compare safety officer and Captain Safety Officer In this role you delegate and oversee safety drills. The safety drills include abandon ship procedures, fire drills and maintenance of the ship’s tenders. In addition this role is responsible for instructing the crew on safety issues and drills. Responsibilities: †¢he Safety Officer is responsible for monitoring and assessing hazardous and unsafe situations and developing measures to assure personnel safety. †¢The Safety Officer will correct unsafe acts or conditions through the regular line of authority, although the †¢Safety Officer may exercise emergency authority to prevent or stop unsafe acts when immediateaction is required. †¢The Safety Officer maintains awareness of active and developing situations. †¢The Safety Officer ensures the Site Safety and Health Plan is prepared and implemented. †¢The Safety Officer ensures there are safety messages in each Incident Action Plan. Captain – must have liability insurance The Captain is the highest ranking officer on the ship with the most perks, it definitely pays to be Captain. However, this title comes with a lot of responsibility such as the care of all the crew and passengers aboard the ship. In cases of emergency the Captain makes all executive decisions. Additionally, the Captain is in charge of navigation and operations. Regulates company policies, environmental policies such as pollution effects as well as national and international maritime laws http://www.ehow.com/list_5977262_duties-ship-captain.html †¢The captain’s first duty is become the leader of their ship. They are trusted and respected among their peers because they are chosen as the leader of their ship. †¢On a ship, the captain is the highest rank you can get. Think of them as the President of their ship. They have to keep the crew safe and make life-or-death decisions that can affect everyone on the ship.