Management and Leadership Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Management and Leadership Paper - Essay Example For instance, both leaders as well as managers are responsible for achieving similar organizational goals – that of steering the organization towards profitable goals; their tasks involve working in groups and managing people; along with other similar shared traits and responsibilities. According to Richard Daft, "leadership cannot replace management but rather is something that is to be practiced in addition to management" (in Prussakov, 2011). Warren Bennis, has listed various key differences between leadership and management which are discussed below: Managers are responsible for handling the day to day administration of the organization while leaders on the other hand are required to ‘lead’ through ‘innovation’. The management team at Nike is focused on innovation and creativity as a part of their strategic policies with a view to retain their competitive positioning in the market and retain their dominance. Hence, while the managers are entrusted with the responsibilities of handling the routine operations the leaders on the other hand, constantly seek to develop new ways to create and innovate their products. For instance, recently Nike developed a new app which uses the iPhone's GPS and mapping capabilities to track the performance of the athletes / runners. Furthermore, the app is moderately priced and connected directly to the company's website which helps the runners / users to share their running routes as well as time with everyone and post their results directly to popular social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook (NY times, 2010). The managers maintain stability while the leaders initiate change. The manager's task is to maintain and sustain the competitive positioning of the organization while the leader is entrusted with the responsibility of developing and expanding the organization. For instance as observed in the case of Nike, during its initial days, the company experienced rapid growth and began t o be known as a leading and fashionable sports brand during the 1990s. However by the end of the 1990s the growth began to stagnate, with the entry of new players in the market such as Adidas and Reebok along with several other smaller brands. One of the key marketing problems faced by Nike during these times was that the company had begun to lose its brand image, as fashionable footwear for teens, as older people increasingly began sporting Nike gear (i.e. clothing as well as footwear) (Porter et al., 2005). The managers, in this case were responsible to ensure that the company achieves its profit targets and maintains its stability however, the leaders on the other hand, were required to innovate and change the brand image to achieve its long term goals – that of long term sustainability in the market. Hence, as a result, the management at Nike changed its marketing strategy and targeted a younger market segment –the Californian teenager, to revamp its brand image. T he manager encourages and enhances the efficiency of the employees and groups while the leader

Homosexuality in the Middle East Essay Example for Free

Homosexuality in the Middle East Essay Homosexuality lacks respect in the Middle East. It is considered to be an immense scandal. Nowadays, the idea of gay marriage is completely disregarded. They don’t display it on Arabic television. The media is controlled by the government, and hence they are not allowed to air or publish such ‘dishonors’. Therefore, most Arabs remain unaware and ignorant. There are undoubtedly many homosexuals in the Middle East who hope to get married. However, the chief problem is that it’s against the law. The Middle Eastern governments have placed rules and regulations against homosexuals. If they were to alter their rules, the Arab community may begin to accept the gay community. Furthermore, another chief problem is that the government is heavily influenced by religion. All prevalent religions do not approve of gay marriage. Hence, if marriage were to become civil, gay marriage might be permitted in the future. But in order for all these actions to take place, the Arab community must unite and try to make a change. Gay marriage should become an acknowledged concept in the Middle Eastern society. The Arab governments are one of the principal obstacles that are preventing gay marriage from happening. They decree many rules and regulations that are against homosexuals. One such example of these laws is Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code, a result of French colonialism, in consideration of diehard religious groups and sects. Article 534 states that: â€Å"sexual intercourse contrary to nature is punishable for up to 1 year in prison†. This article, in essence, deprives a large Lebanese demographic from partaking in ordinary civil life, and restricts their civil liberties. By restricting civil liberties, this so-called â€Å"law† prevents the democratic process from occurring smoothly for all citizens, and is an obvious black mark on the face of the supposedly â€Å"free† Lebanese democracy. This article also prevents Lebanese homosexuals from being properly integrated into society, and they therefore seek other Western societies, that are more open to homosexuality, and emigrate in search of a better life. Article 534 includes â€Å"the act of Sodomy, or any sexual intercourse between two men, which includes penetration†. The article, theoretically and legally, does not concern intercourse that does not include penetration, and does not include sexual acts between two women. The execution of this article has been scarce in modern day Lebanon, and so a conclusion can be made that it is used instead to prevent any debate on sexuality from occurring. One Helem article cites that â€Å"The association of unnatural acts with homosexuality contradicts modern scientific foundations, especially psychological and medical studies and research that removed homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses, something recognized by the World Health Organization on 17 May 1992, a date that was announced as ‘the international day against homophobia’. † (Helem) (Helem is the first LGBT organization in Lebanon). In Islam, homosexuals (called qaum Lut, the people of Lot) are condemned in the story of Lots people in the Quran (15:73; 26:165) and in the last address of the Prophet Muhammad. However, attraction of men to â€Å"beautiful male youths† has been a part of the culture of some Islamic societies and the attraction is not usually looked down upon in itself. When it comes to lesbian homosexuality, some have argued that since penetration is not involved, female homosexual acts should be less severely punished. Islamic law is most concerned with openly gay public behavior, so there is no strong disapproval of homosexuality if it is not displayed in public (Homosexuality, Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Religions. ) ‘Struggle for Gay Rights in the Middle East’ is an article that was written by Hala Gorani for CNN. One of the situations mentioned in the article is how the Egyptian police invaded a homosexual hangout on the river Nile called the Queen Boat. Some of the people who were involved in the hangout were arrested and imprisoned for sin. The article also notes that when governments raid homosexual gatherings, they do it for political instead of ethical reasons. Brian Whitaker, in his paper ‘Unspeakable Love: Gay and Lesbian Life in the Middle East’, argues that homophobia in Arab Muslim countries â€Å"is not a religious or a cultural issue, but is foremost a political problem of which culture and religion are reliant factors†, arguing that Homophobia in the Muslim world can be attributed to the attitude this world has to its counterpart, the modern secular European and Western civilization. Whitaker goes on to write that attitudes concerning homosexuality in the Middle East have become increasingly intertwined with politics on an international scale, stating that â€Å"claiming that homosexuality is anti-Islamic, or against the Arab ‘nature,’ has become a way to oppose Western policies†. The Muslim world views gay rights as a Western import, imposed on them by the changing world in view of globalization, and the stronger â€Å"imperialist forces†. But, even if the government were to change its laws concerning the issue of homosexuality, the people’s view on the subject might not change at all. Since the conservative citizen’s view on the issue is so deeply rooted in his beliefs already, it wouldn’t matter to him/her if the government changed a few rules and stuck some new wording in the Penal Code. They would still think the same thing, and say the same hateful things. Another major difficulty is the social rejection of gays in the modern Arab society. Most Arab people disregard and disrespect homosexuals. A recent article in BBC news written by John Muir called ‘Iraqi gay men face ‘lives in hell’ describes how a young boy was caught wearing women’s underwear. Men poked the boy with sticks and interrogated him, asking why he was dressed in such a manner. The boy frightfully explained that he was trying to aid his family’s monetary situation. Another event that was mentioned in Muir’s article was harassment. Homosexual Iraqi men were often harassed and brutally murdered for being what they were. Several dead men were found lying near placards with the terms ‘puppies’ and ‘perverts’ written on them. Another article called ‘People Think it’s a Mental Illness’, published in The Guardian, by Brian Whitaker accounts his travels around the Middle East, where he interviewed many homosexuals. One of the people he interviewed told him that his brother actually threatened him at gunpoint when his homosexuality was discovered. Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code, mentioned earlier, is used as Blackmail in Lebanon. One BBC article, in an interview with Helem’s co-ordinator George Azzi states that The authorities use this article to blackmail homosexuals by asking for money or using violence or insults, all the while knowing that it will cost them nothing at all to do so. The article also states that many gay men have lost their jobs after being uncovered as gay, and they suffer from verbal and physical abuse and degradation (especially in the case of more effeminate gay men). This hardship also exists within the family, where a majority of gay men have been threatened with murder and are kicked out of their houses. The article goes on to say that if a gay man or woman were to be a doctor or lawyer, he/she would be in a very tough situation, where people would lose f aith in their ability to treat them or give them legal advice. The only for the gay Arab community to escape social judgement is simply by keeping themselves in the closet, and restricting their beliefs only to themselves, in order not to get caught. This repression of attitude would definitely lead to major psychological and social problems for Arab homosexuals, most notably depression and social isolation from one’s social group, in order not to be judged or criticised for who he/she is. The gay individual may also start to feel denial because of his/her sexual orientation, and would start considering suicide as an easy way out. All these factors would not work well for the gay community, and would therefore lead to its downfall, and then the government would have won. Another important issue that needs to be tackled in the idea of civil marriage in the Middle East; traditionally, marriages are conducted by a Priest or a Sheik, with no regard to inter-religious marriages (sort of like a religion caste system). People of different religious backgrounds who want to get married usually travel to European countries, where civil marriages are conducted routinely, in order to obtain a legal marriage license and elope. Civil marriage has not been recognized in many, if not all, Arab countries, and multi-sectarian Arab governments steadfastly oppose the idea of legalizing civil marriage, where the idea of civil marriage takes â€Å"God† out of the sacred bond between man and woman. Since civil marriage is illegal in these countries, so is marriage between homosexual members of society, as they cannot get married in a church of mosque (even though some priests who are open to the idea may officiate gay marriages inside their respective churches, but the marriage would still go unnoticed by the government). Both the former Lebanese Minister of Interior Affairs and the current Maronite Patriarch (surprisingly enough) have voiced their opinions on being with the idea of civil marriage in Lebanon, but no action to pass a law concerning this issue has taken place as of yet. If civil marriages are legalized in these countries, then same-sex partners have the right, and the choice, to get married if they wanted to. In one Guardian article, entitled ‘What’s wrong with being gay and Muslim? , Brian Whitaker talks about how many Arab same-sex couples, or same-sex couples of Muslim descent in Britain are looking to civil marriage there in order to have a legal binding marriage contract. Whitaker gives one such example, writing that â€Å"two lesbians arrived at their local register office to tie the knot, both were Muslims and both were wearing hijabs†; saying that that was the first Muslim gay marriage to take place in England. The question still remains, if civil marriage we re to become legal at some point in the future, would Arab same-sex couples still want to tie the knot locally? They would remain afraid and weary of the repercussions that might result as a product of their marriage, and of the backlash of the conservative religious communities in these countries, and would probably not consider local Arab civil marriage a good solution, and would travel abroad anyway. In closing, the issue of homosexuality in the Middle East is still a taboo topic, regardless of the winds of change that might be sweeping part of the region. The point is they have still not had their effect on the region as a whole. The question of homophobia in these areas should be answered, is it one of culture and rejecting diversity, or is it a question of rejecting foreign politics and holding a united front against the western world? In any case, homophobia should not even still be a phenomenon of our 21st century civilization, whether locally or abroad. It is mainly a discussion on racism in general, and racism as a whole should have been abolished a long while ago. One day, the Middle Eastern governments will alter their challenging policies and people will begin to understand how ordinary gay marriage is. People should not feel troubled to be exposed and generate awareness to others around them. The face of the Middle East should case to be the face of extremism and terrorism, and should start being the face of a shining beacon of revolution and change, and especially of tolerance and unity. Marriage is first and foremost based on love, so why deny same-sex couples their right to love?

The Ionic Column :: Art Columns Architecture History Essays

The Ionic Column Throughout history, art has become the main source for entertainment, enlightenment, and acknowledgement. It entertains those who are bored in the everyday life. It enlightens those who seek another world and those who seek beauty with wild imaginations. It acknowleges those who seek development in nature and their own world. From the cave drawings of Paleolithic art in Lascaux , to the Ancient Egyptian pyramids, and to the classical Greek sculptures, art is a never ending cycle of productions and reproductions passed on from one generation to the next, and from one culture to the next. Art throughout history plays an important role because it tells us about man's development in culture, language, and life. Everyday, the works of art from the past have been reproduced to inspire and attract. As a key strategic method to attract people, advertisement is the common benefactor for the reminesences of art throughout the periods, such as, the classical Greek Ionic columns. So there are ne w uses of older art works in many places, including magazines, newspapers, television, internet, and shopping malls. ( Prof. Smith lecture). In this essay, a trace of the Ionic column may be found from a page in The Wall Street Journal that may have distinctive similarities and differences in its physical usage and psychological meaning. A new usage of an old work of art is found in the Wall Street Journal which has words formed into the shape of an Ionic column in black and white, found in a classical Greek order. The newspaper was dated October 9, 1996 and the new use of this classical Greek order was found in the last page of section B12. This Ionic shaped column is big and long, considering the fact that the size of the newspaper is bigger than 11 by 17 inches. The image of the size in the new use column may have been to imitate the actual size of Greek column approximately of over 12 feet tall. (Refer to picture of 5 columns and the Wall Street Journal). This ionic column is so detailed by the formation of companies' name, letterings, showing distinctive characteristics from other classical Greek orders. It has fluted shaft and the capital was decorated with volutes or two pairs of scrolls with graceful curves joined by a thin abacus, which is a square block to support the entablature.

Concealed Guns on Campus :: texas law, shootings

On May, 2011, a bill that allows college students to have concealed guns on campus has been approved by the Texas State Senate according to The Daily Texan news article. Even other states are also trying to pass the law about concealed weapons on campus. Although some might argue that students need to defend themselves by carrying a gun, the law should be abolished because carrying a gun by immature students may increase violence and tragic accidents whether or not it is intentional. Surprisingly, according to some research based on interviews for students, â€Å"a study of 119 four-year colleges found that 4% of college students reported having a firearm at college, approximately 700,000 firearms based on the size of the current college population.† (Fennell, 99) This report indicates that not a few students carry a gun without realizing that the weapon may kill numerous innocent people. College students, even if they are eligible for drinking alcohol or driving a car, are not mature enough to control themselves or react appropriately in a situation. A tragic shooting on Virginia Technological University did happen, which is called ‘Virginia Tech massacre’ among people. According to the New York Times, more than 30 students including a shooter, Seunghui Choi from South Korea, were shot and killed in a classroom. Dr. Fennell, a professor of health education in the Department of Kinesiology and Health at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, maintains that students can not handle the stressful college life and might have a chance to express their stress by using their weapons because they are not mature no matter how old they are (100). Therefore, each state needs to reconsider passing the bill of carrying concealed weapons on campus in order not to result in unfortunate tragic stories. A great deal of drugs which might cause critical damage to ordinary people has currently been traded in the United States. Concerning illegal drug use, Richard Nixon, 37th president of the United States, mentioned the phrase â€Å"War on Drugs† during speech. This slogan has been used as main drug policy in the U.S. However, the drug policy is not currently operating well in reality. What does â€Å"War on Drugs† exactly mean? â€Å"The War on Drugs is a campaign of prohibition and foreign military aid and military intervention being undertaken by the United States government, with the assistance of participating countries, intended to both define and reduce the illegal drug trade.† (Bullington and Alan) In other words, to eliminate the illegal drug trade in the U.

If Women Ruled the World Essay

I was intrigued after ready your essay ‘What if women ruled the world’ and after reading it, I myself being a women, I discovered I have some opinions of my own; I would like to share them with you. For hundreds of years women have been classed as ‘weaker’ then men and ‘second class’ compared to men. We get most of these believes because of what is often stated in the bible: 1 Timothy 2:12 â€Å"I do not permit a women to teach or to have authority over a man; she must remain silent† this has, in my opinion, helped shaped the fact that we see women as not as strong, or be unable to rule. I personally disagree with what the bible says and I am a bit of a feminist, although it is up for interpretation, God also states that we are created in image of him, so we are all equality important. In my opinion, I do think that there would be some change to the world if it was ruled by women, but not a humungous difference, I think we make such a big deal out of the fact that women are second class to men, that we have this is strange idea that if that women ruled world, it would be completely different, when realistically speaking, It wouldn’t be so different†¦ would it? Many people say that if women ruled the world, there would be less war and more peace. It is true that women dislike conflict more than men, but that is stereotype, a lot of women enjoy conflict and victory and being better than others so they can feel smug. They say this even if they don’t know what its like to be a leader, which they don’t, I for one am not a leader of any large government or country so I can only hardly imagine the pressure someone is put under when they have to decide whether to go to war or not, I do not think it matters what gender you are, you want to do what is best for your country and your people, it is the instinct for survival and the survival of our children. They are under your care and you must make sure they are safe, if they are in danger of being attacked, you want them to be safe and protect your country-sometimes war is the only option, do you honestly think Winston Churchill was keen to go to war with Germany in 1939 and risk the lives of people? Sometimes you cannot do what you want, but what you must. In your letter you state that women often experience life ‘differently’ to men, this I do agree on, although men and women are very similar, it is a fact that we think using different parts of our brains. I do think that the economically would be different, and perhaps we would be in such a bad economic state. Women do think differently to men in the way that we analyse things more thoroughly and think of different ways to find a solution. Then again, back onto my topic of war some women do not like the thought of war, as they mostly care about their own families and the families of people they care about, and we do suffer the most in wars-as you said. if we worked with men, we could help them build bridges between countries and keep peace and ensure, as you said â€Å"broader range of issues, from food security to sexual violence, are addressed† Maybe we wouldn’t be so drastic in going to war, as I stated before, we would probably think it through and decide whether it was worth it. Furthermore, as you said in your essay, women are more team oriented, so women could try and work together and make alliances with other countries and keep peace. In your essay you also say that, when women have more money they spend it on essential things like education and health. I think, if women ruled the world there would be less poverty as we would try and spend money on things that truly matter in LEDC’s like Africa. If women ruled the world, if they there were less wars because of what I stated earlier, we wouldn’t have to spend much money of weapons for war, we could use that saved money to spend it on better schools and health care, so, as you said â€Å"the entire community prospers’’. In conclusion, I honestly do not know what the world would be like if it were ruled by women, for it never has been and probably will not be for a while, all we can do is purely speculate because of our believes and our own opinions. I do, however, think there would be a difference, but not a massive one.

5 Tips For Landing an Administrative Assistant Job

5 Tips For Landing an Administrative Assistant Job There were just under four million jobs for administrative assistants in the United States in 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While this may sound like a lot, its important to consider another equally important factor: the many people seeking out these sought after positions. What can you do to gain the inside edge on the competition? Lets take a closer look at five ways to land the administrative assistant job of your dreams.1. Study UpWhile some employers require no further education than a high school degree, most prefer additional education and/or certifications that indicate additional motivation and competency. Check into coursework in basic office, computer, and grammar skills at your local community college or technical school.If you aspire toward an administrative assistant job in an industry-specific field, such as law or medicine, specialized coursework in this area may be required.2. Intern or VolunteerMany key administrative assistant skills are learne d during on-the-job training. By gaining these skills during an internship or as a volunteer, you offer employers a fast-track to productivity. You will still require some office-specific training, but more general work such as computer programs and preparing office documents will be covered.Not sure where to begin when it comes to finding an internship or volunteer opportunity? Check in with your schools career center.3. Refine Your ResumeThe best resumes are targeted to specific jobs. If you are applying for an administrative assistant position, be sure your resume covers all of the skills required to do the job. These include everything from technical skills to soft skills, such as the ability to interact well with others, organization, and integrity.4. Work Your ConnectionsAdministrative assistants are at work in nearly every single industry. In short, where theres an office, theres an administrative assistant.One of the best ways to find vacancies and gain a jump on the comp etition is by leveraging pre-existing relationships. Let friends, family members, and other people in your network both online and in person know that youre looking for an administrative assistant job. This way if they hear of a new opening, they can pass the information along to you. Your connections are also valuable referrals and references.5. Present ProfessionallyAs an administrative assistant, you will be a representative of your company, so a neat, polished appearance is essential. And dont forget about the importance of eye contact when meeting with hiring managers. The more competent and personable impression you make, the more likely you are to land the job.While the competition for administrative jobs is steep, its far from insurmountable. These five tips can position you for success in your search for a fulfilling career as an administrative assistant.

The Vicious Circle of Poverty

The Vicious Circle of Poverty Free Online Research Papers For poor countries, there is a point of view that they are destined to remain poor. The rationale behind the above statement is that, for poor countries, taking resources out of the production of consumer goods is very difficult because they are living so close to subsistence levels and the lack of saving can make it difficult for them to accumulate capital and grow. That is called the vicious circle of poverty, which illustrates that the poor counties will remain poor if not poorer, while rich countries will grow even richer following the same circle. This essay will analyze the two types of countries, more specifically, the rich ones- the developed countries- such as the US and the European countries and the poor ones- the developing countries like China, India and most of the African countries. It will also examine how they function differently during the process of accumulating capital and grow. Further, this essay will explore ways as well as evaluating their feasibility for developing countries to break the vicious circle of poverty. Finally, this essay will draw some conclusion based on the overall analysis and give suggestions for the sustainable development of developing countries. Comparison of developed countries and developing countries First and perhaps the most important, is that in order for capital goods to be accumulated to produce greater quantities of consumer goods in the future, consumer goods have to be given up in the present. This can be illustrated using the production possibilities frontiers (PPF) model (see graphic 1). It shows the combinations of output that the economy can possibly produce given the available labor and resources as well as the available production technology with the two axis being the consumption goods and capital goods(). Given the limitation of resources and technology, if the country uses up more good for consumption, then it will leave fewer capital goods for investment (Mankiw, 2007). Figure 1: PPF model of economic allocation Second, apply the same model to the two different types of countries- developed and developing counties, and compare the choices by them. The two major differences between the two types of countries are the resources and technology. More often than not, developed countries are always having both more resources and much better technology than their developing counterparts. As a result, a developed countrys PPF curve will be much larger relative to its population. Graphic 2 illustrates the comparison of two countries, one developed and one developing, which both have similar population. As shown in the graphic, the developing country has a much smaller PPF curve than the developed country, which reflects its fewer resources and lower level of technology. What is worse, in the real cases, developing countries are always having much greater number of people as well as greater population growth rates. Figure 2: comparison of PPF model in a developed country and a developing country Third, consider the relationship between investment and consumption and see how it works differently in developed and developing countries. Assume the replacement level of investment represents the threshold level of investment (Ir as shown in figure 3)- the level of production that would just exactly replace the capital is worn out in the current period. Similarly, assume the subsistence level of consumption (Cs as shown in figure 3) equals that level of the production of consumption goods just sufficient to feed a country’s population without starvation. Figure 3: Comparison of PPF model of economic growth As seen from figure 3, the developed country has the ability to both feed its population at or above the substance level, and at the meantime, replace or expand its stock of capital. For example, the country can choose its production pattern on the PPF curve where shaded. In this area, it can feed its population and expand its production possibilities in the future. While people in the developing country are living so close to subsistence levels and the country is lack of savings. So the choice for it becomes an â€Å"either or† question. It can choose between either feeding its population or expanding its production possibilities. Unfortunately, it cannot do both as in the shaded area, which is obviously beyond its production limit. Finally, figure 4 illustrates how the vicious circle of poverty comes into being. If the developing country, for instance, decides to feed its population at the expenses of replacing worn out capital, the country must produce less than the replacement level of investment. As a result, in the future its production ability will further decrease and its PPF curve will shift back, making the decision even worse. At that moment, feeding its population would require an even lower level of production for capital goods, which will in turn lead to an even more serve shift back in its PPF curve. Consequently, if the country continues to choose to feed its population, the PPF curve will shift back to a point that it will be unable to either replace its capital or feed its population. Figure 4 illustrates these sequences by the movement over time from production possibility frontier P0 to production possibility frontier P1 and P2. Figure 4: PPF model of vicious circle of poverty in a developing country Ways to beak the vicious circle While on a theoretical basis, the above analysis justify that the statement for poor countries, taking resources out of the production of consumer goods is very difficult because they are living so close to subsistence levels and the lack of saving can make it difficult for them to accumulate capital and grow. It seems that the poor counties are destined to remain poor, if not poorer. Supposedly, a poor country cannot get the capital investment to improve industry. Of course, that statement begs the question: how did any country ever get out of poverty? How did the first country get out of poverty? Clearly, there are ways that poor countries can lift themselves out of their â€Å"vicious circle of poverty.† Normally, there are three ways to break the vicious circle, to set the threshold of investment higher than required, to starve some of the population at the present in trade for the sustainable development in the future, and to get foreign aid from developed countries. First of all, one of the solutions is for the developing country to decide to set its production of investment at more than the replacement level (that is higher than Ir shown in figure 3). From the perspective of the future, this choice has two advantages. First, it will expand the countrys PPF curve in the future (rightward to the new Ir level), reducing the poverty problem in the future. In fact, eventually the PPF will shift out enough so that the developing country will eventually be able to both feed its population and expand its production possibilities in the future (Goff, 2003). Second, choosing to allow some of their population to starve will also move the country in the direction of being able to both feed its population and increase its PPF curve. Although it is not the ideal choice for a county, it is the only internal choice that may result in fewest deaths and the most future productive growth. This is true because some people will die through starvation, presumably those who are least productive. In the future, since the population is lower, the subsistence level of consumption will fall. Because it is the least productive who will starve, their deaths will not have a large adverse effect upon the PPF curve. Finally, there is another more palatable solution exists, which is through foreign investment into developing countries. The vicious circle of poverty can be avoided if the country either has more resources or better technology. Foreign aid from developed countries can give developing countries either or both of these, allowing them to avoid the unpalatable choices discussed above and increase their PPF curves outward. Moreover, helping a developing country develop will also develop markets for the goods and services from developed countries, gaining economic benefits for them (World Bank, 2006). Conclusion From the analysis above, the economic growth and development refer to the expansion of economic choices, i.e., rightward or outward shifts in the PPF. For poor countries, there are limited resources and inferior technology, it is difficult for them to accumulate capital and grow. While poor countries cannot afford to divert resources away from the production of consumption goods, they can escape from this situation with additional investment in capital from foreign aid. In absence of foreign investment, poor countries can also set its investment threshold higher than necessary or sacrifice few people in exchange of the sustainability of its economy, though not that favorable. References: Goff, Peter. â€Å"Factors affecting economic growth in developing countries†, Development Economics Web Guide, Issue 1, May 2003 Mankiw, N.G. (2007) â€Å"Principles of Economics†, 4th edition, Harcourt College Publishers World Bank, (2006) â€Å"The Economics of Developing Countries†, CHAPTER 16W. www.mcconnell17.com Research Papers on The Vicious Circle of PovertyDefinition of Export QuotasInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesPETSTEL analysis of IndiaNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceBringing Democracy to AfricaPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalCapital PunishmentGenetic Engineering

Practical vs. Practicable

Practical vs. Practicable Practical vs. Practicable Practical vs. Practicable By Mark Nichol What’s the difference between practical and practicable? There’s a practical distinction, and I hope you will find my explanation practicable. The words both stem ultimately from the Greek term praktikos, meaning â€Å"practical.† However, while practical refers to something that is effective, useful, or easy to use, practicable means â€Å"something that is or could be done.† A practical idea is one that is sensible because it can be implemented, and a practical can opener, for example, is one designed to be easy to use. (The antonyms are impractical and impracticable.) The definition of practical is even more precise in the performing arts: A practical chair, for example, is one that is actually used in the course of the performance; a nonpractical chair is used as a set decoration but may not be functional. (For example, though it looks nice, it may be made of fragile materials and may not be strong enough for anyone to actually sit on.) Practical also shows up in the phrase â€Å"practical joke,† which derives from the rare sense of the verb practice that means â€Å"deceiving, or taking advantage of, someone.† Besides the verb form of practice, which means â€Å"rehearse or prepare, or to apply, or to habitually do something,† as well as â€Å"undertake professional work in† (as in the phrases â€Å"practice medicine† and â€Å"practice law†), and the noun equivalent, there are several other words stemming from the same Greek term. Practic, for example, is a rare adjectival and noun form meaning, respectively, â€Å"practical† and â€Å"practice,† and praxis refers to engaging in an art, science, or skill or to customary conduct, or to practical application of a theory. A practicum is a course of study in which clinicians or educators are supervised in practicing what they have already learned in theory. The adjective practiced means â€Å"expert,† and the adjective practicing has ordinary connotations related to the definitions of practice above but also applies to adhering to the customs of a religion. Malpractice, meanwhile, in medicine refers to improper care and in law applies to abusing a position of trust. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:35 Synonyms for â€Å"Look†How to Punctuate with â€Å"However†Proverb vs. Adage

Critical Evaluation of the Constraints Faced by Project Managers and Essay

Critical Evaluation of the Constraints Faced by Project Managers and How These Impact Project Scheduling and Planning - Essay Example The attention of the whole company is focussed on a particular problem that is of great concern to the consumer (the challenge). The rest of the activities in the company are synchronized with the challenge process, which makes sure that the challenge process is not piled up or it is starved because the needed inputs are not available. The bottleneck must be eliminated in any way possible and this increases the capability of the entire company (Jawa 2004, p1). For many years, project managers have been told to focus on constraints. In projects, a constraint is thought to be an important path, which is a series of activities that determine the least time required for the project to finish. Vanhoucke (2012, p192) further notes that the project management generally overlooks the scarce resources required by activities which are either on or off the critical path and probably by other projects (Vanhoucke 2012, p192). Goodpasture (2004, p211) also asserts that project constraint is a crit ical path. In other words, the project is constrained to a particular duration, and the constrained time cannot be shortened. The impact of the critical path is that the constrained throughput cannot be increased, and thus, the throughput is threatened if the critical path is not managed in a proper way (Goodpasture 2004, p211). It is worth noting that all projects have constraints. Not very long ago, the three main constraints (also known as the triple constraints) were the project management creed spoken by experienced project managers. The three main constraints that project managers face include scope, cost, and schedule. However, these are not the only constraints faced by project managers; other constraints include consumer satisfaction, budget, and quality. All the mentioned constraints have significant impact on the outcomes of the project, and that is why they get considerable attention (Heldman 2011, p23). Scope All projects are set out to generate a unique result or produ ct. Scope describes what the result or the product should be like. It considers the objectives and the goals of the project and defines what the project is attempting to achieve. The goals are then broken down into smaller elements until the work can be easily described. Scope can frequently change or grow during the course of the project. Thus, it is very crucial to document scope. Scope generally entails interchanges with the other constraints, and transformations in scope will affect budget, time, or both. Changes in the time or budget can also affect scope. For instance, if one is constructing a new house on a restricted or limited budget. The individual wants granite countertops in the bathroom, but he does not have sufficient money in the budget. Then, the scope has to be modified and a different material chosen for the countertops to avoid the necessity of going over the budget again (Heldman 2011, p23). Schedule Majority of the projects function under some form of deadline. If the project involves constructing a new shopping center that must be completed in time for the holiday shopping period, then the project is time-constrained. Schedules are developed on units of time thus; the word time is sometimes used in place of the word schedule when describing the triple constraints (Heldman 2011, p23). The time deadline governs the manner in which the project activities are completed and scheduled. The projector requestor or the stakeholders

Social work Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Social work - Personal Statement Example My discussion topics slowly by slowly changed and all my talk began to be around the issues that the society encounters. The quest to serve brought a lot of detachment from friends and family. At times I encountered very moving issues that I kept thinking about till late in the night, losing sleep in the process. As a result, the level of productivity began to dwindle. This was enough evidence of leading a stressed life. To counter this, I found it necessary to separate personal life from work related issues. This was made possible by adhering to work schedule and exiting work when time was up. At first it felt like I was neglecting some needy members of the society but with time I adjusted. Creating time for family and friends also helped to separate work from personal life and increase productivity. According to Kossek & Lautsch (2008), creating a proper work-life balance increases the overall productivity of workers. Having many friends is always something that many people want and crave for. Having that one friend who you can rely on at all times is even more important. As a social worker in a relationship, I have always had someone with whom I can share challenging issues. This has been an added advantage and a way to prevent accumulation of stress. According to Merelo GuervoÃŒ s (2002), sharing disturbing issues with someone who is ready to listen prevents the possibility of the issues to be stressful. Sharing problems is to some extent a way of solving problems. This relationship has aided the performance at work, since it helps to develop a feeling that there is someone who trusts in you and one who can always be there to help whenever faced with challenges. As much as having many friends has a lot of benefits, it also has its negative implications. This is especially where some friends are out to take advantage of

Medical Information Confidentiality Research Paper

Medical Information Confidentiality - Research Paper Example The questionnaires were distributed in five primary care clinics. The receptionists in these clinics were requested to issue questionnaires to all the patents who visited the clinics. The survey was intended to run for three weeks and it was aimed at collecting 100 questionnaires (Whiddett et al. 532). Patients were requested to answer all the questions and put them in a collective box in the respective clinics. Alternatively, they could return them using pre-paid envelopes. The research team did not monitor the issuance of the questionnaires or make attempts to identify repeat respondents and non respondents (Whiddett et al. 532). This was the major limitation facing the exercise however; it did not impact on the findings as the sample size was adequate. The survey was representative enough as the clinics were chosen to represent a wide range of demographics. The questionnaire covered three key areas. These are basic demographics, attitudes towards sharing different kinds of informa tion and patients’ knowledge towards information sharing practices. Secondly, secondary data was used to complement the findings that were obtained from the survey. The information will be collected from a peer reviewed sources, credible internet sources and medical journals that have conducted similar studies. A comprehensive study of past case studies reveals that medical confidentiality in the health sector is at a risk of getting eroded due to the use of the current technology. The respondents are wary about sharing their personal information to various parties and the study reveals that most of them are not aware of the increasing information sharing practice in the medical field (Levenson 20). Data Collection Instrument: Questionnaire Tick the appropriate answer 1. My age is: 18 to 30 years 30 to 60 years Above 60 years 2. I am Male Female 3. My ethnicity or race? (Tick one) White Americans Black Americans Asian Americans Hispanic and Latino Americans Other 4. How much information do you have concerning those who can access your medical records? Nothing Something A lot 5. Are you aware of the NHI number? Nothing Something A lot 6. I am comfortable with confidential health information being shared between the following groups. Health administrators Yes Maybe, if consulted first No Don’t know Health professionals Yes Maybe, if consulted first No Don’t know Researchers Yes Maybe, if consulted first No Don’t know Other bodies (Insurers) Yes Maybe, if consulted first No Don’t know 7. I am comfortable with confidential health information being shared to the following groups as long as it does not contain my personal information. Health administrators Yes Maybe, if consulted first No Don’t know Health professionals Yes Maybe, if consulted first No Don’t know Researchers Yes Maybe, if consulted first No Don’t know Other bodies (Insurers) Yes Maybe, if consulted first No Don’t know Question Specificat ions The first question is important since it helps to establish the link between the age of the respondents and their level of awareness concerning confidentiality of medical information. In addition to, it helps to establish the age bracket that attends the clinics often. The second question concerning gender helps to determine the relationship between gender and attitudes towards medical information confidentiality. The third question is aimed at finding out the level of awareness about medical confidentiality (Whiddett et al. 534). It also gives information on varying attitudes across ethnic groups. In a nutshell, the first three questions are interested in determining the primary demographics which

Illegal Immigration, Mexican drug cartels, and terrorist organizations Research Paper

Illegal Immigration, Mexican drug cartels, and terrorist organizations - Research Paper Example The United States then takes strict measures to screen individuals from Mexico before they venture into her territory. This does not usually mean the loss of trust between the two countries but only a measure to protect territorial integrity. In most cases, culprits are not necessarily Mexicans but citizens of other countries exploiting the lax law enforcement in Mexico and using her as a passage route into the land of opportunity, the US. The US-Mexico border has one of the highest numbers of cross-border movements compared to all other international borders in the world, being second only to the US-Canada border. In this respect, the US federal government has formed two main agencies to control and deal with issues arising from cross-border movements between the two countries. The United States Border Patrol (CPB) is a component of the Department of Homeland Security within Customs and Border Protection responsible for admission into the United States people born in foreign lands. Following the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2003, the major role of the USBP became that of controlling the entry of weapons through the Mexican or the Canadian border. However, its original mission of prevention, detection, and arrest of illegal immigrants remains. These immigrants are people who get into the country through other routes other than the official 33 interior checkpoints along the Mexican border, including those involved in illegal trade (Andreas, 2003). The other federal government agency dealing with cross-border issues is the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE), which lies in the United States Department of Homeland Security. This agency is responsible for identifying and dealing with security weaknesses that affect national boundaries with other countries, the economy, transport and infrastructure. The main components of this agency are homeland security investigations, and enforcement and removal operations. Guiding

Internet Banking in the United Kingdom Coursework

Internet Banking in the United Kingdom - Coursework Example One of the markets leading internet banks egg.com allows individuals to do all the above plus it allows for costumers to get insurance quotes for they're cars, homes, travels, lives & health and emergency cover against thefts or losses of keys, wallets and cards etc (Egg.com, 2006). HSBC are trying to cut counter opening times at branches as online customers are cheaper costing less than one tenth of normal branch customers, It is thought that many are in favour of online banking, while others are opposed to the thought of online banking, below are the views of a computer literate, middle aged working woman: 'I can manage fine with ATMs, internet banking and so on. But think about those who are elderly, visually impaired or otherwise struggle with technological advances. A friendly face at a counter is what they are used to and is probably what they want. My 80 year old father no longer uses an ATM out in the open. He gets his cash from a supermarket checkout, as he feels safer.' Carolyn Jones, UK (BBC News, 2002). Barclays also announced that they are closing 200 banks leading to the loss of around 6000 jobs somewhat due to the materialization of internet banking It is also believed this will result in cost reductions of 200m a year (BBC

Illegal Immigration, Mexican drug cartels, and terrorist organizations Research Paper

Illegal Immigration, Mexican drug cartels, and terrorist organizations - Research Paper Example The United States then takes strict measures to screen individuals from Mexico before they venture into her territory. This does not usually mean the loss of trust between the two countries but only a measure to protect territorial integrity. In most cases, culprits are not necessarily Mexicans but citizens of other countries exploiting the lax law enforcement in Mexico and using her as a passage route into the land of opportunity, the US. The US-Mexico border has one of the highest numbers of cross-border movements compared to all other international borders in the world, being second only to the US-Canada border. In this respect, the US federal government has formed two main agencies to control and deal with issues arising from cross-border movements between the two countries. The United States Border Patrol (CPB) is a component of the Department of Homeland Security within Customs and Border Protection responsible for admission into the United States people born in foreign lands. Following the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2003, the major role of the USBP became that of controlling the entry of weapons through the Mexican or the Canadian border. However, its original mission of prevention, detection, and arrest of illegal immigrants remains. These immigrants are people who get into the country through other routes other than the official 33 interior checkpoints along the Mexican border, including those involved in illegal trade (Andreas, 2003). The other federal government agency dealing with cross-border issues is the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE), which lies in the United States Department of Homeland Security. This agency is responsible for identifying and dealing with security weaknesses that affect national boundaries with other countries, the economy, transport and infrastructure. The main components of this agency are homeland security investigations, and enforcement and removal operations. Guiding

Psychological Assessment I, II, III Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Psychological Assessment I, II, III - Essay Example He was generally cooperative and seemed to give his best efforts to the tasks presented to him. It was apparent that it was easy for him to understand and respond to questions and his thought processes were mostly focused and clear, except in providing information about his past, which were sometimes incomplete and vague. When he did poorly, he became self-critical, annoyed and appeared slightly anxious. For example, in some items in the Boston Naming test, he would stare at the picture for some time before naming it, and when he realizes that he was wrong, would say, â€Å"Stupid, stupid, how hard could that be!† while pounding on the table. Dr. Anoxia was born in Wisconsin to a father who was a teacher and a mother who was a bookkeeper. When he was eight years old, his family had to move to New York because his father has accepted a teaching post in a school in Queens. When he was seventeen, his father died of a heart attack. Four years later, his mother died of cancer. According to him, he pursued graduate studies in Economics in her honor. He met his wife while attending graduate school at the New York University in 1963. Together, they raised three children who are currently successful professionals. The break-up of his marriage began when all the children have grown and left home to live their independent lives. He finally had a divorce after 22 years of marriage. His father, being a teacher had a great influence on his academic performance, expecting nothing short of excellence from him. His father’s mentoring made him excel in high school both in academics and in sports, specifically Golf. His above average school records earned him a spot at the University of Vermont where he graduated in 1957 with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. Upon graduation, he was hired by one of his professors to be one of the researchers for a government-funded study. The challenge and success he derived from his work inspired

Sample Question and Answer in an Interview Essay Example for Free

Sample Question and Answer in an Interview Essay 1. Tell me about yourself.  Since this is often the opening question in an interview, be extra careful that you don’t run off at the mouth. Keep your answer to a minute or two at most. Cover four topics: early years, education, work history, and recent career experience. Emphasize this last subject. Remember that this is likely to be a warm-up question. Don’t waste your best points on it. 2. What do you know about our organization? You should be able to discuss products or services, revenues, reputation, image, goals, problems, management style, people, history and philosophy. see more:muet speaking question But don’t act as if you know everything about the place. Let your answer show that you have taken the time to do some research, but don’t overwhelm the interviewer, and make it clear that you wish to learn more. You might start your answer in this manner: â€Å"In my job search, I’ve investigated a number of companies. Yours is one of the few that interests me, for these reasons†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Give your answer a positive tone. Don’t say, â€Å"Well, everyone tells me that you’re in all sorts of trouble, and that’s why I’m here†, even if that is why you’re there. 3. Why do you want to work for us? The deadliest answer you can give is â€Å"Because I like people. † What else would you like-animals? Here, and throughout the interview, a good answer comes from having done your homework so that you can speak in terms of the company’s needs. You might say that your research has shown that the company is doing things you would like to be involved with, and that it’s doing them in ways that greatly interest you. For example, if the organization is known for strong management, your answer should mention that fact and show that you would like to be a part of that team. If the company places a great deal of emphasis on research and development, emphasize the fact that you want to create new things and that you know this is a place in which such activity is encouraged. If the organization stresses financial controls, your answer should mention a reverence for numbers. If you feel that you have to concoct an answer to this question – if, for example, the company stresses research, and you feel that you should mention it even though it really doesn’t interest you- then you probably should not be taking that interview, because you probably shouldn’t be considering a job with that organization. Your homework should include learning enough about the company to avoid approaching places where you wouldn’t be able -or wouldn’t want- to function. Since most of us are poor liars, it’s difficult to con anyone in an interview. But even if you should succeed at it, your prize is a job you don’t really want. 4. What can you do for us that someone else can’t? Here you have every right, and perhaps an obligation, to toot your own horn and be a bit egotistical. Talk about your record of getting things done, and mention specifics from your resume or list of career accomplishments. Say that your skills and interests, combined with this history of getting results, make you valuable. Mention your ability to set priorities, identify problems, and use your experience and energy to solve them. 5. What do you find most attractive about this position? What seems least attractive about it? List three or four attractive factors of the job, and mention a single, minor, unattractive item. 6. Why should we hire you? Create your answer by thinking in terms of your ability, your experience, and your energy. (See question 4. ) 7. What do you look for in a job? Keep your answer oriented to opportunities at this organization. Talk about your desire to perform and be recognized for your contributions. Make your answer oriented toward opportunity rather than personal security. 8. Please give me your definition of [the position for which you are being interviewed]. Keep your answer brief and task oriented. Think in terms of responsibilities and accountability. Make sure that you really do understand what the position involves before you attempt an answer. If you are not certain, ask the interviewer; he / she may answer the question for you. 9. How long would it take you to make a meaningful contribution to our firm? Be realistic. Say that, while you would expect to meet pressing demands and pull your own weight from the first day, it might take six months to a year before you could expect to know the organization and its needs well enough to make a major contribution. 10. How long would you stay with us? Say that you are interested in a career with the organization, but admit that you would have to continue to feel challenged to remain with any organization. Think in terms of, â€Å"As long as we both feel achievement-oriented. † 11.  Your resume suggests that you may be over-qualified or too experienced for this position. What’s Your opinion? Emphasize your interest in establishing a long-term association with the organization, and say that you assume that if you perform well in his job, new opportunities will open up for you. Mention that a strong company needs a strong staff. Observe that experienced executives are always at a premium. Suggest that since you are so well qualified, the employer will get a fast return on his investment. Say that a growing, energetic company can never have too much talent. 12. What is your management style?  You should know enough about the company’s style to know that your management style will complement it. Possible styles include: task oriented (I’ll enjoy problem-solving identifying what’s wrong, choosing a solution and implementing it†), results-oriented (â€Å"Every management decision I make is determined by how it will affect the bottom line†), or even paternalistic (â€Å"I’m committed to taking care of my subordinates and pointing them in the right direction†). A participative style is currently quite popular: an open-door method of managing in which you get things done by motivating people and delegating responsibility. As you consider this question, think about whether your style will let you work happily and effectively within the organization. 13. Are you a good manager? Can you give me some examples? Do you feel that you have top managerial potential? Keep your answer achievement and ask-oriented. Rely on example to buttress your argument. Stress your experience and your energy. 14. What do you look for when You hire people? Think in terms of skills, initiative, and the adaptability to be able to work comfortably and effectively with others. Mention that you like to hire people who appear capable of moving up in the organization. 15. Have you ever had to fire people? What were the reasons, and how did you handle the situation? Admit that the situation was not easy, but say that it worked out well, both for the company and, you think, for the individ ual. Show that, like anyone else, you don’t enjoy unpleasant tasks but that you can resolve them efficiently and -in the case of firing someone- humanely. 16. What do you think is the most difficult thing about being a manager or executive? Mention planning, execution, and cost-control. The most difficult task is to motivate and manage employees to get something planned and completed on time and within the budget. 17. What important trends do you see in our industry? Be prepared with two or three trends that illustrate how well you understand your industry. You might consider technological challenges or opportunities, economic conditions, or even regulatory demands as you collect your thoughts about the direction in which your business is heading. 18. Why are you leaving (did you leave) your present (last) job? Be brief, to the point, and as honest as you can without hurting yourself. Refer back to the planning phase of your job search. where you considered this topic as you set your reference statements. If you were laid off in an across-the-board cutback, say so; otherwise, indicate that the move was your decision, the result of your action. Do not mention personality conflicts. The interviewer may spend some time probing you on this issue, particularly if it is clear that you were terminated. The â€Å"We agreed to disagree† approach may be useful. Remember hat your references are likely to be checked, so don’t concoct a story for an interview. 19. How do you feel about leaving all your benefits to find a new job? Mention that you are concerned, naturally, but not panicked. You are willing to accept some risk to find the right job for yourself. Don’t suggest that security might interest you more than getting the job done successfully. 20. In your current (last) position, what features do (did) you like the most? The least? Be careful and be positive. Describe more features that you liked than disliked. Don’t cite personality problems. If you make your last job sound terrible, an interviewer may wonder why you remained there until now. 21. What do you think of your boss?

Analysis of Schick Company

Analysis of Schick Company Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to provide a diagnosis analysis of Schick giving the major issues that are confronting the company and the attendant implications for the company. Schick was established in the year 1990 and registered in Southampton as a private limited liability business following the outcome of the collaborative research efforts of three university professors namely; Prof. Chen Ding, Prof. Karl Otto Ludwig and Prof. Andrew Marsh resulting in the design and manufacture of energy saving refrigerators during the period noted for environmental consciousness and high energy prices among others. Given their technical and engineering background, over time, the business became one of the market leaders renowned for its design and environmentally friendly home appliances and enjoy recognition as a 21st Century Role Model in the year 2014 given its unique capability for growth and profitability while setting global standards in innovation, corporate social responsibility, and Responsible Leadership. The demise of the three professors in a tragic road accident in Munich marks the end of an era coupled with the eventual management change of Mr. John Marsh Son of Professor Andrew Marsh as the new CEO who introduced changes in the overall structure of the company including the termination of the four management professionals. Within a short period after this failed leadership and mismanagement resulted in a critical situation which brought the company close to struggling for dire survival as its bedevil by challenges confronting it. The realisation of this reality informs the need for fundamental strategic change, hence the appointment of an independent analysis of current situation. A cursory look and critical evaluation of current conditions revealed a strategic shift from the founding owners ethos creating a non-tangent between value, resources, and environment because of a major shift in the business objective and strategy from environmental protection and corporate social responsibility to a short-term profit maximization and benevolence leadership style. This has several negative implications both internal and external which range from loss of credibility and trust of staff and other stakeholders, lack of strategic investment in the business future, to cost-cutting that resulted in poor design and product safety standard. Internally, there is a high-power distance organisation culture and leadership style currently whereby the CEO displays a coercive power that tends to alienate other stakeholders and serve as a barrier to adequate crisis management and the future business of Schick. Consequently, there is the need for a general review of management ethos and strategies to regain its lost credibility and image necessary for the survival of the business. Introduction This report is intended to provide an independent diagnosis of the Schick[1] issues affecting and to provide a detailed evaluation of the present and future implications of these on this company. Registered as a private limited business with the head office in Southampton in 1990 to manufacture domestic white goods, Schick has been in successful business for over 25 years and with laurels nationally and internationally for its innovative environmental friendly energy saving products, responsible leadership, and corporate social responsibilities. However, things took a new turn in January 2015 with the demise of the founders in an auto crash and Mr. John Marsh taking over the management of the business. From this stage, Schick started experiencing changes and challenges resulting in its poor image and reputation because of the shift in strategic management ethos of the business that led to product fire and death incident. Consequently, this report took a detailed analysis of the major issues with the attendant implications for the future survival of Schick before the summary conclusion of the main findings which leads to the prospective action required in response to them. Case diagnosis and analysis of implications The examination of Schick home appliances revealed a series of issues that are hereby provided in this abbreviated SWOT Analysis[2] below and further discussed in this report Figure 1: Abbreviated SWOT Analysis Strengths: Global operating platform. Strong brand name. Economies of scale. Strong sustainability focus. (manufacturing in China) Wide range of products Weaknesses: Lack of responsible leadership. Short-term profit focus. Poor business strategy in terms of innovation, value and core competencies. Weakening bargaining power over distributors. Lack of corporate social responsibility research development facility commitment. Negative publicity poor company image Opportunities: Increasing concern and demand for environmental energy saving appliances. Growing Asian market new market in Africa. New acquisitions business alliance. Potential inventions. Governmental cooperation and potential funding. Growing concern about climate change and investment in fast-growing product categories, e.g. air conditioning Threats: Increasing competition. Lower return on investment. Economic uncertainty (BREXIT). Reduce skilled workforce due to migration Changes in laws and regulations. Cheap goods from other countries i.e. Japan Change in customer preferences and demand The crisis in Schick stems from the change of leadership culture and style. This, in turn, brought about a change of the companys management ethos and style as the business now focuses on short-term profit maximization strategy through cost reduction and undermines major consideration for other stakeholders. This manifested in a decision to eliminate staff training and development programme, reduce funding for the research and development unit of the business which stands at the heart of the business future strategic investment absence of which leads to the risk of innovation, and development that would further grow the business and increase profit (Koch, 2010). To put this in the context of profit maximization, a scholar states that To argue that all firms aim to do nothing else but maximize profits has not better basis in logic or intuition as to argue that all students aim only to maximise examination marks (Hawkins, 1970, pp. 129-140). In other words, it is not ideal to focus on profit maximization especially within a short span of time. Management style adopted by the Mr. John Marsh is akin to autocratic leadership style associated with rigid control and top-down decision making characterised by hierarchical organisation structure (Schein, 2004; Whetton, Cameron, 2016) whereby the leader makes most important business decisions without the input of his employees. (Enderle, 2009; Northouse, 2016). Efficient decision making is of great benefit especially when urgency is required. But autocratic leaders tend to reduce the morale of his staff and very quickly begun alienating both the directors and employees of the company (Lewin, et al 1939; Cook, 2008). This was compounded by the news of the Schick directors termination which caused a widespread shock, concern, and unrest. This is further reflected the organisational culture best described as power culture (Hardy 1978 cited by Hughes, M 2010), with Mr. John Marsh at the centre of power From the above, it can be stated that the psychological contract Schick and its employees has been damaged and undermine their sense of individual autonomy particularly among Munich staff when given the news of the proposed cuts in research development laboratory as well as training and development that not only give room for social interaction but knowledge exchange that leads to safe innovative product design that contributed the make the company an household name for silk, efficient, safe and reliable product that creates a background for the business profitability. (Mone, London, 2010; Abdoli, Pourkazemi, 2012). Equally of note is the United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, also known as the Brexit referendum, which took place on Thursday 23 June 2016. This is a critical moment for Schick given all the uncertainty and forms surrounding exit (Global Counsel October 2015) compound matters, as about 50% of the employees in Southampton were of Polish origin, majority of these Polish staffs are concern that they would not have a future at Schick the Brexit situation and employee engagement issues in the company particularly the termination of the four director which they reasoning that if Mr. John Marsh could sack the directors who had help build the company, he certainly could do same to them as well and as such could not be trusted to protect their interest as employees in the event of changes imposed following the formalisation of Brexit. (The Guardian July August 2016). In turn, this creates skills gap and further made worse by Mr. John Marsh management decision to do away with the operational arrangement in China that gives the business access to the Asian market. The Chinese manufacturer which had established its own market, reputation and distribution channels in Asia was equally concerned about the impact of Mr. John Marshs leadership on its profitability. By 15th July 2016, the agreement was reached limiting Schicks operations to only Southampton and focused on the UK and Northern European market, now apparently more difficult given the UK exiting the common European Union market and without a research development unit (Lorca, Garcà ­a-Diez, 2004). The situation at Schick combined with the uncertainty in the UK, the weak pound sterling could increase the companys production cost and reduce its profit margin (Lorenczik, et al. 2016). Regarding its customers, the situation could be likened to that implicit contract that is akin to the employee psychological contract mentioned earlier that was damaged by Schick by not meeting norms, and value expectations given the fact that the company was synonymous with global standards setting in product quality and corporate social responsibility has been badly affected by the attempt to stimulate sales and regain lost credibility in the marketplace, which made Mr. John Marsh used a previous design for washing machines discarded by the research development laboratory in 2015 and the attendance fire and death. This accident event effect was poorly managed (Varadarajan, et al 2006; Carroll, 2013). In addition, Schicks main distributor responsible for the distribution of the faulty washing machine which caused the fire had to terminate its contract with Schick following the negative publicity and the poor management of the situation by Schick. The company option, therefore, coul d have been to take action in recalling the affected products and make press statement to express regret over the incident and give reassurance of its total commitment to the corporate ethos; safety reliability that would demonstrate good communication, business ethics and values in consideration of corporate social responsibility that could help restore stakeholders confidence and loyalty (Daly Moloney, 2004; Le, et all 2014). The future of the business is not sure if Schicks narrow market focus is considered as the Brexit could restrict access to northern Europe. But there is growing market demand for white goods in Africa (KPMG, 2016) if connection with china could be re-established and adequate funding provided for research and development. In order to address the issue of staff trust and loyalty, as all staff felt unable to carry on working for Schick given recent events which will also lead to skills shortage and loss of competitive advantage, there is the great need for corporate culture and leadership style. Since staff only remained at Schick due to the memory of the three professors and all they had achieved, there is a need to build on this loyal sentiment through a robust employee involvement as it were to increase employee engagement and participation (Hyman, Mason, 1995). In summary, Schicks established reputation for sleek, modern, innovative energy-saving white goods achieved through a devotion to research development, corporate social responsibility, and responsible leadership, has fallen from grace in short time under the management of Mr. John Marsh bringing about the following challenges;. The sacking of the directors created a leadership gap and caused grave concern amongst employees and other key stakeholders. The sale of its research development Laboratory had not only compromised Schicks innovative capability but placed customers at risk and reduce it comparative competitive advantage as a market leader. The leadership style and short term profit focused approach to business led to the loss of confidence in Schicks leadership both within Schick and in the marketplace. Schick experienced high staff turnover at over a short period of time which created major gaps in knowledge and expertise.   The well-publicised fire caused by Schicks new washing machine has seriously ruined its image and reputation in the marketplace resulting in its main distributor terminating its contract, these created a strategic drift and a situation of lost organisation with environmental and resource value tangent (Kew Stredwick, 2008). Conclusion The good old Schick is now confronted with enormous challenges and crisis breaking point. Diagnosis exposed the major issues affecting it which need urgent attention for its future business existence consequently, the need to revisit and change the narrow business strategy of short-term profit maximisation, high-power distance structure to furnish considerations for other stakeholders interest with regard for corporate social responsibility, good business ethics and responsible leadership all of which call for immediate action plan and implementation to ensure the survival of the company. [1] All information relating to Schick in this report and not stated otherwise are drawn from: Sockalingam, S (2016) Distressing times at Schick home appliances. Unpublished coursework case study, Glasgow Caledonian University. [2]The information provided in the abbreviated SWOT Analysis (figure 1) is drawn from the Appendices. Full SWOT Analysis, PESTLE Analysis, stakeholder Analysis, Cultural Web, and Porters five forces of comparative position model respectively.

The Small-Scale Study of an Open-Air Market in a Culturally Foreign Setting :: Essays Papers

The Small-Scale Study of an Open-Air Market in a Culturally Foreign Setting The task of learning about the broad patterns within a culture can be a daunting one, and attempting to uncover specific details about a foreign cultural setting is often a frustrating and difficult endeavor. The concept of cross-cultural understanding, however, is not one that can be approached with timidity. By nature, cultural study requires a degree of immersion, a willingness to get one's hands dirty and assault the senses with unfamiliar sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. Only through this experiential learning process can cultural understanding be truly achieved, one small step at a time. Four the past five months, I have undertaken this very assignment: to seek and uncover various cultural trends in a foreign setting through careful study of one aspect of society in that culture. Through this method I have been successful in leaning about both general aspects of culture and some particularities of the cultures I have encountered. The basic goal of the project is simple, to learn the workings of a small-scale market in a culturally foreign setting. Though this, I may be able to explore and discern cultural aspects of the marketplace. This includes both cultural trends influencing the market, and vice versa. Several questions are of particular interest. How does the market function? The economic side of the inquiry includes what sources of goods and materials are available and used, how is a shop rented or owned, and how the labor force is composed. Things like inputs, transactions, prices, demographics, regulation, and the development of the market are all considered. Next, what is the market's function in the city? Whose needs are served, which needs are served, and what is the market's place in the economy of the city or region? Also, what is the direct cultural significance of the market? Are there visible dependence relationships between the market and those who act within it? I will also consider the hist orical context. How and why was the market formed? Finally, what is the future of the market? Will it switch from a local to a tourist market? As you can see, many issues have been raised which may lead to conclusions about the culture of a given setting. In short, what can we learn about how people live by examining how they buy and sell in a market setting?

The Growth And Production :: Beer Papers

The Growth And Production The smell of yeast hits you on the street more than a block away. Inside the lobby of the brewery, it is even stronger. I wondered how long that secretary had been putting up with the smell. "You get used to it." she said "The tour begins in ten minutes." Two other families had come to take this tour as well. A tasteful way to spend the afternoon with grandparents or in-laws, I thought. A short old man comes out after a while. He is wearing an amplifier around his neck and carrying a microphone. The speaker is bigger his head. The other members of the group stand up and we are all lead back out onto the street. The traffic rushes by us as he explains the square brass plate bolted into the pavement at our feet. "This is a time capsule" squawks the amplifier. The time capsule was buried in 1956 and will be opened again in the year 2006. It contains one bottle of Henry-Weinhard's beer, and one local newspaper. I picture a crowd gathered here in nine years and I picture them some fifty years ago. Maybe they shiver against the rain or maybe they brace themselves against a fierce wind rushing up Burnside St. like it is today. In any case I picture them waiting there as the sacred bottle is unearthed, having traversed time to bring us the old newspaper. I wonder if it will have frozen and cracked down there. I wonder if anyone will drink that bottle if it is intact when it is brought to surface. I picture the small man with the amplifier tipping back his head and downing the contents of the artifact. We are truly a people brought together most readily by such a symbol. Nothing warms Americans up to each other like alcohol. Blitz beer is one of the cheapest brands one can buy in the grocery store these days. It runs about four or five dollars for a twelve pack. Needless to say it is the choice of the thriftier lush. The can is of a simple design. White with red letters reading "Oregon's Premium quality beer for over fifty years....Founded 1856." One is lead to wonder whether those fifty premium years are taking place now, or if they have already passed us by. Blitz is really not that bad. It does the job, as they say, but the beer connoisseur would not be impressed by the flavor or body.

Sex Education at School level

To subjugate a nation or a country destroy its literature, its history and above all its culture. This is what the English men do to tighten the bonds of slavery on India. And we Indians are making merry over the ruins of our ancient culture and civilization.Our Rishis who were scholars, thinkers, preachers, philosophers and warriors as well had divided human life into four periods. According to them average expectance of life in India was 100 years. First twenty five years period was meant for physical, literary and spiritual education, second thirty five years i.e. up to the age of sixty years were meant for family life then Vanprasth and finally sanyas. For the first twenty five years one and the foremost and compulsory principle was â€Å"Brhamcharya† meaning self restraint over sexual feelings.A Brahmchari who was primarily a student, a vidyarthi and a pupil of the Guru would never think in terms of sex. He was taught not to distinguish between male and female. To him all females were either mothers or sisters. He was forced to believe that breasts of a lady are but a loath of flesh and fat, a sort of deformity not a center for attraction. And with this type of education we have the proud privilege of having great personalities like Swami Ram Kishna Paramhans, Swami Vivekanda, Swami Ram Terth, Subhash Chand Bose, Swami Dayanand, Jagat guru Shankracharya not in distant past while great men like Bhishma Pitamah of prehistoric days.Even today we have a number of leaders both male and female who have followed the sacred path of Brahamcharya and are outstanding personalities in every field of life. The names of our president A. P. T. Abdul Kalam and Atal Behari Vajpayee ex. Prime minister may be cited as examples. Now under the influence of western civilization there is a talk of imparting sex education at school level. A simple question to the advocates of sex education?Sex in not a characteristic of human beings only. It is found practically in all liv ing animals, birds, insects and even in plant kingdom. Who teaches sex to cow or a buffalo or a donkey or a bird or an insect. Sex is a natural instinct and needs no lesion, no teaching and no demonstration. Sex in animal and plant kingdom is not rampant. It is controlled by nature. But sex in human has to be controlled by self restrain, by teachings and creating an atmosphere adverse to the feelings of sex i.e. following the path of Brahmcharya.Premarital  sex is a crime. Bigamy is prohibited by law as well as by society and also by religion. After all what is the purpose of sex education? Under guise of AIDS the advocates of sex education plead for its necessity. But when sex is prohibited no doubt but if you at all indulge then there are safety measures therefore. It is just like telling a thief that committing theft is illegal but in case you do it, adopt safe ways. One thing more. There is growing trend of co-education at school level. Just imagine a female unmarried teacher teaching lesion on sex to a class consisting of boys and girls or a male teacher doing the same job in his class. How would the advocates of sex education face such a situation? Is it at all advisable or practicable? Hence we should stick to our cultural traditions and should provide such education as would arouse in them a feeling of an urge for moral traditions of India culture.Lessons highlighting the importance of morality should be including in text books of English and Hindi literature as also in curriculum of subjects like History and Civics. An independent discipline of moral ethics may be given to the students in the prayer meetings and the students must be given & chances express their feelings and expose their learning. Physical training must also be introduced as compulsory subject and fruitful training of YOGA may be imparted to the students. YOGA may also be made compulsory for scouts and N.CC. Cadets. It is a time that we arise to the occasion and save our children fr om the malicious feelings of sex and infuse in them the sprit of self restraint so that the idea of sex may not enter into their mind’s horizon. Therein lies the salvation of our society and the country at large.

Jesus and Bible

Introduction to Bible The Bible is one of the world's oldest books. Its oldest sections were written about 1500 years before the birth of Christ. Even its newest sections were written about 1900 years ago. Clearly, then, having been written over a period of about 1600 years, the Bible was not written by one person. No one knows precisely how many people contributed to the Bible. It is estimated there were about forty authors. What is the Bible? The Bible is the account of God's action in the world and his purpose with all creation.The writing of the Bible took place over sixteen centuries and is the work of over forty human authors. It is a quite amazing collection of 66 books with very different styles all containing the message God desired us to have. This compilation of booklets contains an astonishing variety of literary styles. It provides many stories about the lives of good and bad people, about battles and journeys, about the life of Jesus along with letters written to groups of Christians that met in homes.It comes to us in narratives and dialogues, in proverbs and parables, in songs and allegories, in history and prophecy. The accounts in the Bible were not generally written down as they occurred. Rather they were told over and over again and handed down through the years before someone finally wrote them down. Yet the same themes may be found throughout the book. So along with the diversity there is also a remarkable unity. So what is the Bible? Well, in addition to all the above, the Bible is this: It is a guide for living life to the full.It gives us a road map for the perilous journey of life. Or to put it another way, on our voyage through life's ocean, we find our anchor right here. It is a storehouse of wonderful stories for children and grownups. Remember Noah and the ark? Joseph's coat of many colors? Daniel in the lion's den? Jonah and the fish? The parables of Jesus? In these stories we recognize the triumphs and failures of ordinary people – and we may even see ourselves! It is a refuge in trouble.People in pain, in suffering, in prison, in mourning, tell how they turned to the Bible and found strength there in their desperate hours. It is a treasury of insight as to who we are. We are not meaningless robots, but we are magnificent creatures of a God who loves us and gives us a purpose and a destiny. It is a sourcebook for everyday living. We find standards for our conduct, guidelines for knowing right from wrong, principles to help us in a confused society where so often â€Å"anything goes. â€Å"

Comparison of two movies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Comparison of two movies - Essay Example As opposed to this, Medea throwing upon the palace doors dramatically is a symbolic representation of the woman breaking out of captivity to the male and her assumption of dominance. When Alsemero sends De Flores into the closet, his tightly pursed lips and downcast eyes, coupled with the manner in which he bangs on the cupboard with a fist, eloquently speak of his inner tension and anger because De Flores has usurped the place Beatrice’s virginity that was rightfully his to claim. Such inner tension and deep anguish are also revealed through the same means in the clip of Medea, when Jason realizes that Medea has killed his children. When he hears the news about the death of his children, his body sags forward on his knees, his head drops and his clenched fists are raised in agony. The eternal nature of this despair is further enhanced as dark clouds fill the horizon, visually symbolizing Jason’s distress, deepening with the darkening clouds as Medea leaves in the sky. Beatrice is the woman punished for her crime of passion with DeFlores, Medea is the one who punishes Jason for his infidelity with another woman. The rebellion of both women through succumbing to their darker emotions is symbolized through the blood color red, which appears to symbolize the power and violence underlying the intense emotions of lust and jealousy (Bellantoni, 2005). Beatrice’s expression in the closet reflects her inner shame and the pain she is experiencing from the wound De Flores has inflicted on her. Yet, her face is uptilted and her eyes glow as she looks at De Flores and the manner in which she cups his face and looks into his eyes suggests that her hatred may have well turned into love. Her blood stained hand is a reminder of the evil inherent in the passion that has been born out of murder. This lends further credibility to the role of whore who has succumbed to her darker passions. DeFlores’ expression is triumphant and he

Macroeconomics and Microeconomics - MicroFB Essay

Macroeconomics and Microeconomics - MicroFB - Essay Example For example, when a 20% increase in vehicles results from a 20% increase in investment on manufacturing equipments, then the firm could be experiencing constant returns to scale. Question three Economic profit refers to the difference between total revenue and opportunity cost. For instance, Pesso invests $1,000 to begin a business in a particular year which she earns $1,200 in profits. But if she had not begun the business she could have earned a salary of $4,500. In such a case, the economic loss is $250 (1,200 – 1000 – 450). Question four Law of diminishing marginal returns states that as new workers continue to increase, the marginal product of any additional worker will at some instant be lower than that of the previous worker. For instance, if a company employs workers to produce its commodities, at some point in time each additional worker will provide lower output than the previous worker, if all other factors remain unchanged. Question five Marginal product of labor refers to the change in output resulting from hiring an additional worker. For example, if a pizza restaurant with three employees makes 100 pizzas in a day and 120 pizzas with four employees, the marginal product of labor is 20 pizzas (120 – 100). ... For instance, a firm that has spent $10 million acquiring a machine which is not yet installed has to consider the $10 million sunk because it cannot recover the money. Question eight The principal-agent problem refers to the conflict of interest that occurs when an agent is hired by a principal to conduct specific tasks that are extremely costly but in the best interest of the principal. For example, the problem will occur when a company hires a rating agency to set a credit rating and the agency is objective to give a higher rating than that which is deserved in fear of losing future contracts. Question nine Equilibrium price refers to the market price where demand of a good equals the supply. For example, when a market is able to produce 100 pizzas which exactly equal the demand of the pizzas, the price at which the pizzas are offered is the equilibrium price. Question ten Tragedy of the commons can be defined as the dilemma that arises from the situation in which many individuals , working independently and only consulting own interest, will eventually diminish a shared scarce resource even when it is apparent that the action is not in the long-term benefit of all. For instance, if the activities of a mining company affect a natural spring that is the source of water for local people and animals, the occurrence is a tragedy of the commons. PART THREE Question one Economies and diseconomies of scale refer to two completely opposite models. Economies of scale occur at a point when the quantity produced by a firm offers the firm the low cost advantage and the firm earns the minimum cost advantage. Conversely, diseconomies of scale occur at a point when the firm produces less than the amount of the input costs and the

Internal Memorandum of Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Internal Memorandum of Law - Essay Example Owen and Dolly Jones, owners of the campground does not have any security, lifeguards, or the proper posting of safety precautions available despite its years of operation because it is a mom and pop ownership and the funds were unavailable. The morning after their arrival, they all went to breakfast to a restaurant while waiting to go swimming at the pool which opened at 10:00 a.m. The girls left early to get ready to go to the pool while Tamera’s parent stayed at the restaurant drinking alcoholic beverages. Tamera’s parents told them to get ready for the pool and wait for their arrival. After twenty to thirty minutes had passed, the parents still have not showed. The girls decided to go ahead and go swimming without supervision. The girls entered the pool at 9:30 a.m. They ignored the sign posted at the pool which states that the pool will only open at 10:00 a.m. Due to Shayla’s dyslexia, she was unable to comprehend the sign. After Tamera had entered the pool first nearly injuring herself, she yelled something out but Shayla did not hear. Shayla dove in the pool. She hit the bottom and broke her arm. After Tamera had pulled Shayla to the side of the pool and save her from drowning, the Owens arrived and then called an ambulance company for their services. Shortly after the ambulance arrived, Tamera’s parents arrived back at the campground and then Shayla was taken to a hospital were she was treated. Mary has incurred medical bills from Shayla’s accident. The current estimates of medical bills that have been incurred are $8,000.00 and will be incurring more bills for future medical treatment and physical therapy sessions. The Attractive Nuisance Doctrine which was applied in numerous cases involving swimming pool liabilities states that the owner of the land or property may be held liable for the injuries sustained by a child-plaintiff while in the said property, if the property imposed a condition or situation which attracted the child and caused

My relationship with food Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

My relationship with food - Essay Example I could say Italians are real food-lovers and so they raise their own crops, choosing the ones which are most important in their cooking. Early in my life, I have learned to indulge in home-grown foods. The words, â€Å"Home-grown vegetables are the most delicious in the world†, have become a cliche for me because they were my grandmother’s daily verse. As a result, I have grown to consider home-grown vegetables as the very heart of every meal. I do not consider eating as a lively activity when there is no green thing on the table. Without the colorful vegetables that make the poultry attractive, the blood in my home-grown relationship with food is quite drained. I guess I could say that my romance with food is like tomatoes. It is very attractive. With the red color, it expresses its passion for me as much as I do for it. It is as juicy as my early romance with food in my hometown in Italy. For the first seven years in my life, I have smelled and appreciated food even before I knew anything about it. It did not simply sustain me to live and be healthy. Rather, food gave meaning to my life. I could say that just like the tomatoes, my first seven years of romance with food has been the juicy stuff. I remember my grandmother excitedly gathering her homegrown vegetables and gleefully bring them to the kitchen for our consumption. I can see the males preparing the meat to mate with the vegetables to eventually give birth to a delectable victual. Then, the whole family sit together to eat, giving the children the priority to indulge first with the food before the grown-ups pick on our morsels. The whole family was engaged in the preparation and consumption of the food and I think that is what makes my love affair with food quite juicy. It has been a homegrown relationship, strengthened by the people around me and, which was nurtured into a love that is to make my life more colorful and meaningful. When my family moved to California, my homegrown romanc e did not die. Although we did not grow our own vegetables, mother always made sure that we still have the lingering taste of grandmother’s homegrown vegetables. Local fresh foods were always made available for us. My mother always made it a point that we prepare our food and that we all eat together at home because she knew that going out to eat in restaurants, especially fast food restaurants, would spoil our love affair with healthy food. I see this time in my life as a carrot. It still looks attractive and healthy although the chewing gets a little difficult. This period brought us challenges that eventually affected me. My mother really had to work hard to keep our kitchen a place where we could still indulge with food and see each other. With the demands of a busy American lifestyle and the inability to grow our own vegetables, preparing food has been quite a feat. Nevertheless, my mother did not give up rather she kept my romance with food aflame by teaching me how to cook even though we had to get by with vegetables from the fresh market which are locally produced. When organic vegetables became popular, I could say that my relationship with food became more interesting. I did not have to worry about the source of the food that I eat rather I was confident and felt like I was with my grandmother once again. I could perhaps describe this time in my life as the onion in my food romance. Onions are pungent and