Assessment for Learning Essay

The results of the personal survey of assessment literacy showed that general considerations scored 87/90, prior to test design scored 53/55, writing the test scored 28/30, during test administration scored 15/15, and after testing reflected 25/25. Our school is a small private school with small classroom sizes. As a result, most of our students receive specialized one on one attention and strong supervision for their academic success. Teachers believe every student can and will succeed. It is not an option to do otherwise. â€Å"Teachers must believe that all students can achieve a certain level of academic success, must bring all of their students to believe this of themselves, must accommodate the fact that students learn at different rates by making use of differentiated instruction, and must guide all students toward the attainment of standards† (Stiggins, 2005, pg. 326). How we test students need to take into consideration the impact of the learner (Stiggins, 2008). Stiggins (2008) informed teachers to utilize assessments for students by looking at the classroom level of use, the program level of use, and the institutional accountability and policy level of use. Looking at the school survey of assessment literacy will take into account these three types of assessment uses and their importance in generating an accountability system for our school to develop a system that fosters learning for all students. My greatest area of strength in regard to assessment literacy can be found in during test administration (15/15) and after testing (25/25). These were perfect scores and illustrated that student’s needs were met when considering the testing environment as conducive to maximize student performance and monitoring the students as they take ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING 3 the test. Directions are always clear and questions are rarely asked. Tests are accurately scored because they are reviewed twice. Assessment data is gathered for what questions students answered incorrectly and notes are made for improvement of material taught the following year. It is reviewed again after the results of the test are completed to ensure mastery before moving on to the next chapter. The main goal is always on student achievement and mastery of the material. The data adjusts instruction to improve student performance. Any students who do poorly are given the opportunity to retest for 92% of the grade for improvement and mastery. Parents are notified of any student receiving below an 86%. This is our school policy. Retests are given within a week of the original test. Tests are graded the same day and given back the next day. This enables students to observe what they got wrong and assess ways to improve for the retest or master the material. Assessments are not always tests. Projects, reports, computer uses, etc. are vital ways to assess student learning through a plethora of ways. Gardner (1999) believed that students learn through spatial, linguistic, naturalist, interpersonal, intrapersonal, bodily kinesthetic, logical/mathematical, musical, and existential. Educators should recognize that diversity needs an on-going presence, availability, and active participation in the classroom teaching process (Spasovski, 2010). â€Å"If society wants all students to meet standards, then all students must believe they can meet those standards; they all must be confident enough to be willing to take the risk of trying† (Stiggins, 2008, p. 8). My greatest limitation in regard to assessment literacy is working with colleagues to design common assessments. Since we are a small private school, teachers are left ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING 4 with the task of compiling their own assessments. Our principal will supply the assessments created by the publisher in book form or cd rom or teachers can compile their own. None of us work with colleagues to create assessments. We have team meetings that cross teach certain areas that are being studied to enhance learning across disciplines of teaching. However, assessments are each teacher’s responsibility. The Stanford test scores analyze our teaching productivity. Data is analyzed for the incorrect answer. The results address the weakest area of student learning. Teachers are to find solutions to fix them through data and research of proven strategies that work within successful classrooms. According to Creighton (2001), collecting data without purpose is meaningless. Data driven decision making and instructional leadership support one another. By analyzing the data that exist in our schools, student achievement and quality in teaching and learning can improve to assist students to become avid learners. Part 2: Analyzing the Survey Results The survey results of the criteria for the school survey of assessment literacy scored 84/90. Assessment, curriculum, and instruction are balanced in our school. Assessments are aligned to benchmarks, standards, and scaffolding of material over time to foster students’ learning. To promote student achievement, assessments are varied and reliable. Communication is accomplished with parents about performance through emails, assessments sent home requiring signatures, progress reports, report cards, and Stanford test scores. Since our students score in the 79-99% ranking of Stanford test scores as a class average, teachers seek solutions through data to ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING 5 improve class average test scores. If any student did poorly, teachers seek ways that will improve student learning. Principals and teachers can learn to maneuver through the statistical data to help create goals and strategies for change and improvement (Creighton, 2001). The school’s greatest area of strength in regard to assessment literacy was that data-based decisions about student mastery of standards are made collaboratively by administrators and teachers. By looking at our strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats, teachers can gain insightful information into how they may best serve their diverse students’ needs and administrators can find solutions to helping these students achieve an optimal learning experience at school. This creates an opportunity for teachers and administrators to work together to improve student achievement. By understanding our diverse students’ needs, teachers and administrators can see the big picture and find viable solutions to problems that arise at their school. This year we have added a resource room to help struggling students with special needs get help from an ESE teacher. Curriculums are modified to accommodate student’s needs based on any language or learning barriers. The dominant culture of the nation-state should incorporate aspects of their experiences, cultures, and languages, which will enrich the mainstream culture as well as help marginalized groups to experience civic equality and recognition (Gutmann, 2004). Teachers have professional development sessions and team meetings to assess proven methodologies and research to help students learn. â€Å"When teachers support students by treating them with respect and caring about their futures, and encourage students by helping them to succeed, students are more likely ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING 6 to respect and get along with one another; when taught how to be more tolerant of others, students exhibit greater tolerance† (Gollnick & Chinn, 2006). Our school climate is multicultural and is reflected in every aspect of the education at our school. This is imperative if we want our students to compete in a global economy and to ensure learning and equity for all students. The school’s greatest limitation in regard to assessment literacy is that not all teachers recognize students’ emotional connection to assessment and its results. Also, the formative assessments are not used regularly to tell members precisely where to focus their improvement efforts and how to do it in a timely manner. My students complain that some teachers take a month to grade papers. Parents complain to me that other teachers do not understand their child’s special needs. For instance, I have a student with dysgraphia, dyslexia, and ADHD. For spelling tests, I have found it beneficial to call him up after tests and have him spell the word to me verbally that he got wrong in writing and he often gets it correct. He has transformed from a failing student to an â€Å"A† student. I grade his paper immediately after he turns it in and I ask him to spell the words he got wrong to me verbally. When students are failing, teachers need to find viable solutions to increase student learning. No single assessment is capable of answering all these questions to aid a student’s learning capabilities. A productive, multi-level assessment system is needed to ensure accuracy of all instructional decisions (Stiggins, 2008). Relying heavily on Stanford test scores impedes a student’s emotional connection to assessment and its results. Instead a wide arrangement of student work should become part of a portfolio to determine the overall ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING 7 success rate of a student. â€Å"If all students are to succeed, they must have continuous access to credible evidence of their own academic success at mastering prescribed achievement standards† (Stiggins, 2008, p. 8). Data shows teachers areas that need improvement in teaching, student’s weaknesses, and how to do better next time. This will enable students to build self-efficacy when teachers help students to see what success looks like through assessment analysis to improve test taking the next time (Stiggins, 2008). This is the reason our school offers a retest at 92% of the grade. This is what Stiggins refers to as replacing the intimidation of accountability as the primary motivator through tests with the promise of academic success for all learners. This type of assessment promotes hope for all students to become successful. We are reminded by Tashik (2010), that an effective performance assessment system requires the complete interplay of several components: 1. Teaching and learning must remain the constant focus of the school. 2. Teams of teachers collaborate on all aspects of instruction and assessment. 3. Staff, department, and grade meetings are regular features of the school week. 4. Scheduling includes blocks of time for teachers to mentor and supervise student progress on the performance assessment tasks. 5. Continual development of new courses and units of study to better engage students in their learning and meet their academic needs. When these key components are intertwined, effective assessments can benefit our students through diversity and it can take the shape of molding into our students’ needs. When we look at the classroom level of use, the program level of use, and the ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING 8 institutional accountability and policy level of use, assessments can work together to scaffold student learning for optimal success. In a perfect assessment system, the foundation would comprise of an array of assessments that enable students to learn more through scaffolding and take ownership of his or her learning success (Stiggins, 2004). ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING 9 References Creighton, T. (2001). Data analysis and the principalship. Principal Leadership, 1(9), 52. Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence reframed: Multiple intelligences for the 21st century. New York: Basic Books. Gollnick, D. and Chinn, P. (2006) Multicultural education in a pluralistic society. New Jersey: Pearson Education. Gutmann, A. (2004). Unity and diversity in democratic multicultural education: Creative and destructive tensions. In J. A. Banks (Ed. ), Diversity and citizenship education: Global perspectives (pp. 77-96). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Spasovski, Ognen. (2010). Principles of the inclusive education and the role of teachers and in-school professional staff. The Journal of Special Education and Rehabilitation,111(1-2), 67-86. Tashik, P. (2010). Changing the national conversation on assessment. Phi Delta Kappan, 91(6), 55-59. Stiggins, R. (2004). Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right – Using it well. Portland, OR: Assessment Training Institute. Stiggins, R. (2005, Dec. ). From formative assessment to assessment FOR learning: A path to success in standards-based school. Phi Delta Kappan, 87(4), 324-328. Stiggins, R. (2008). Assessment manifesto: A call for the development of balanced assessment systems. Portland, OR: ETS Training Institute.

Identify three key characteristics of the marketing concpet Essay

The first characteristic is to target a certain part of the market in order to satisfy the majority of customers, by doing this Britvic had to figure out not only who had a need for their product, but also who was most likely to buy it, by finding out this type of information they would have to consider following factors such as, age, gender and other factors in order to determine how their products would fit into the customers lifestyle. The second characteristic would be identifying their customer’s needs and finding out what a customer would actually be looking for in Britvic’s products, by doing this Britvic would have to use customer focus groups, surveys/questionnaires and gather this information based on a common customers expectations of their products. Last but not least, according to marketing concept customers should be at the centre of all the organisations activities. Therefore all departments of Britvic are responsible for customer satisfaction and only in that way their goals can be achieved. Explain Britvic’s micro and macro environment Marco forces of marketing environment can affect all organisations operating in market. External marketing environment consists of six categories of forces: political, economical, social, technological, environmental and legal (Dibb, 2012:76). Those forces are uncontrollable and often called PEST or PESTEL. Generally, businesses can prepare for the unexpected by using PESTEL analysis. For example a new legislation of television advertising of food and drink to children has led to the use of non – television campaigns i.e. sponsorship and celebrity endorsement like Wimbledon or British pantomimes play an important role in Britvic’s marketing strategy. Micro environment factors are factors close to a business that have a direct impact on.

Current Ethical Issue in Business Paper

Pennsylvania State University: The Jerry Sandusky Scandal Pennsylvania State University: The Jerry Sandusky Scandal Recently Penn State University experienced traumatic events when Jerry Sandusky, former defensive coordinator for Penn State football, was accused of child molestation and endangerment. Not only did the accusations of Jerry Sandusky make the news nationwide but also the unethical actions of athletic director, Tim Curly, head football coach, Joe Paterno, and University Senior Vice President at the time, Gary Schultz. The following will define the issue and its basis, ground rules that manifested the situation, what brought the issue about, how did key individuals come into play and the ethical systems at work of these key individuals. There will also include a proposed plan for revising the ethical decisions made of this issue. Unethical Issues On Friday, March 1, 2002 Mike McQueary, a graduate assistant of Penn State, entered the locker room at the Lasch Football Building to place new sneakers in his locker (â€Å"Penn State Scandal,† 2011). During the time Mike McQueary was in the locker room he heard noises coming from the shower. When Mike McQueary peered into the shower, he claims to have witnessed Jerry Sandusky naked in the shower and performing inappropriate actions with who appeared to be a 10-year-old boy (â€Å"Penn State Scandal,† 2011). After leaving the locker room Mike McQueary notified his father of the actions, he witnessed. After hearing this news Mike McQueary’s father stated that Mike must inform head football coach Joe Paterno. On Saturday, March 2, 2002 Mike McQueary notified Joe Paterno of the incident the previous night (â€Å"Penn State Scandal,† 2011). Upon hearing this news Joe Paterno made a decision to notify his immediate superior, athletic director Tim Curly. Upon hearing this news from Joe Paterno, Tim Curly informed University Senior Vice President, Gary Schultz. More than a week later, Gary Schultz called Mike McQueary into his office to have Mike explain the details of what he witnessed to Gary Schultz and Tim Curly. Joe Paterno was not present during the meeting. Actions Gary Schultz and Tim Curly instituted toward Jerry Sandusky were the confiscating of the locker room keys and an incident report sent to The Second Mile, an organization Jerry Sandusky formed to elp young children. Mike McQueary, Joe Paterno, Tim Curly, and Gary Shultz never reported the incident to University Police. Basis of the Issue Tim Curly and Gary Schultz never reported the incident to police because they claim that Mike McQueary only reported â€Å"inappropriate conduct† that made Mike McQueary â€Å"uncomfortable,† but never mentio ned any sexual activity (â€Å"Penn State Scandal,† 2011). Thus, Tim Curly and Gary Schultz believed their solution to confiscate Jerry Sandusky’s locker room keys and inform The Second Mile organization was sufficient. Since both Tim Curly and Gary Schultz executed this decision, and without any knowledge of sexual crimes committed by Sandusky, there was no need to notify University Police (Curry, 2011). Joe Paterno believed at the time his decision to inform his immediate superior was the most ethical decision but realizes he should have informed authorities also. Situation Manifestation Any university must have ethics and ground rules to follow; however people must to follow anyway of proper conduct at home, professional, and to be a good citizen. No Adult in any situation or under any circumstances to have any sexual intercourse. A communication breakdown with official and the University of Pennsylvania University concerning about the sexual scandal with former football coach â€Å"Jerry Sandusky. † According to the Mike McQueary testimony that he testified when he first told Pennsylvania State Athletic Director Tim Curley and Vice-President Gary Schultz what he had seen Jerry Sandusky doing to a boy in the football shower, back in March 1, 2002. According to Twitter accounts of McQueary's testimony from this morning provided by the Patriot-News, McQueary said that he had gone to the Lasch Football Building that night to pick up a pair of sneakers and a football game film from his locker; he heard a â€Å"rhythmic slapping sound† and saw in a mirror Jerry Sandusky in the shower with a boy who appeared to be 10 or 12. He believed Sandusky was â€Å"molesting the boy†: (Don Walvelton pp3, deadspin) McQueary told them that Sandusky was extremely sexual involved with minors, but they told McQueary that they will investigate and meanwhile Sandusky cannot be on football showers or close to a minor. However, Sandusky still showed up after the warning, McQueary was told by Curley and Schultz not to discuss the incident. McQueary should have handled this procedure differently not just calling his father, but he should have called the authorities. He should have looked for internal help from the university. It seems official overlooked the possible problems and possible future issues or the damage to the Pennsylvania State University image. The officials were charged with perjury because they did not pursue the investigation with diligent. This sexual abuse behavior of Sandusky could be preventing it by the first sign of sexual abuse, but the missed miscommunication and the allegations brought it up was extremely delicate. Another judge was point to the case because of conflict of interest. Evaluation of Ethical Systems No ethical systems were at work for any individual involved in the scandal at the organization of Penn State. The ethical dilemma was going on for more than 10 years. A few individuals had the chance to report information to a higher authority but did not, which became unethical business behavior. Mike McQueary used duty-based ethics by telling the Athletic Director Tim Curley and Vice-President Gary Schultz what he had seen in the shower the night of the incident. After McQueary informed the athletic director and vice-president he should have gone to a higher authority. The issue could have been handled better if there were ethical guidelines and protocols in place. It would have also helped if there was a formal documented interview with Jerry Sandusky and Mike McQueary along with all pertinent authorities. The organizational leadership was marginal at best, and it would be thought that leadership is something that every football team is taught to be a leader and team player. In this case the management did not show leadership. To have organizational leadership the organization must constantly be supervised with weak points identified. After investigating the incident the athletic director and vice president should have been leaders of the organization and forwarded the issue to the proper authorities. They failed to see the magnitude of the situation as well as the level of involvement an issue like this calls for. This is how the ethical behavior and responsibility differed between the employees and management. Mike McQueary’s responsibility was to tell the athletic director and vice president. Once management was notified, it was their responsibility to forward the issue on to the proper authorities for a proper investigation. Joe Paterno should have been notified constantly from Coach Mike McQueary, especially if the ethical dilemma continued to take place. Involving the head coach could have prevented secrets from being held back, and could have also kept jobs from being lost. Revising Ethical Standards These tragic events have led to the evaluation of the University’s Ethical Standards and Guidelines. As ethics become a more prevalent part of the academic system, Penn State has recognized the need for reform. Their current standards and guidelines are out-of-date and require attention. In order to effectively issue and implement changes, Penn State officials will need gather resources and assemble a plan. With any situation of this magnitude, the timeline between the event and the organizations response is crucially important. Penn State officials will need to address the matters in a timely manner to show their dedication to upholding the pride and principles Penn State was founded on. The first step in this plan should include a clear and precise set of regulations, guidelines, and principles. The essence of these materials should be detailed in nature while addressing every potential person or party that participates in the University’s program. This will aid in helping individuals make the correct decisions when they encounter ethical dilemmas such as this. As stated earlier, many of the individuals involved in this case felt as if they took the necessary actions toward the situation. Unfortunately, they were mistaken, but if they had a solid set of guidelines to refer to they would not be questioning the extent of their involvement as the guidelines would take them step by step through the proper protocol. After the compilation of the Ethical Standards and Guidelines, the next step would be to inform. Many organizations have such standards in place; however, not all organizations make this information readily available. In junction with making the newly developed Ethical Standards and Guidelines accessible to all members, Penn State should implement an educational training program mandatory for all members of its organization. This makes sure that every individual involved with campus activities is aware of basic ethical standards, methods of obtaining all ethical standards and guidelines, the severity of ethical misconduct, as well as resources should they have any questions or concerns about ethical dilemmas. The Penn State Scandal has become a media feeding frenzy. This is unfortunate as the school is very well renowned and based heavily on traditional values and principles. As a university with this level or prestige it is important to show the public their focus and determination in correcting these ethical shortfalls. Organizations that own up to their faults and go above and beyond in correcting them, receive more positive feedback from the public. This allows them to reclaim their dignity and rebuild confidence among the organization. The last step in this cycle is the evaluation of both short-term and long-term compliance. All ethical dilemmas should be reported to a committee or appointed group so the issues can be tracked, monitored, and learned from. If the revised Ethical Standards and Guidelines do not show a decrease in overall ethical issues these standards and guidelines should be carefully reevaluated. An organizations ethical system is always changing. As society changes so does our ethical system and ideal compliance. An organization should keep up with these changes and consistently monitor their own ethical system to ensure that it is operating efficiently. Ethics has long been overlooked, but the events over the past decade have forced all of America to reevaluate our ethical standards and systems. American Society will continue to change and events like the Penn State Scandal will open the door for many other victims to speak out. This will increase the importance of sound ethical practices within an organization. Organizations that want to grow and enjoy continued success will identify this trend and increase their focus on ethical standards. Although these three men believed at the time that each was making the most ethical decision, the decisions each man made was not enough. Whenever an incident occurs with children, no matter how innocent it sounds, authorities need to be notified. The choice not to involve authorities has had an extreme impact on the university, faculty, students, alumni, and surrounding community. Although these events are tragic, the University of Penn State must push forward and focus on rebuilding their ethical principles. With dedication and support from their students and faculty, Penn State will rebuild and establish a new set of traditions that teaches, informs, and pursues the act of ethical decision making. References Concertino, D. (2011). Penn State Scandal. Retrieved from http://deadspin. com/5868802/penn-state-witness-mike-mcquearys-testimony-some-kind-of-intercourse-was-going-on? tag=penn-state-scandal Curry, C. (2011). Joe Paterno Said to Delay Sex Assualt Report to Avoid Ruining Weekend. Retrieved from http://abcnews. go. om Penn State Scandal. (2011). Retrieved from http://espn. go. com Trevino, L. K. , & Nelson, K. A. (2007). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right (4th ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. University Ethics. (2011). Retrieved from http://www. universityethics. psu. edu/ Wolverton, B. (2011). Failure to Alert Board Cost Penn State's Leadership Dearly. Retrieved from http://ehis. ebscohost. com/eds/detail? sid=b0f76a79-d87a-4deb-b3cb-c855305cbb33%40sessionmg r15&vid=3&hid=6&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=f5h&AN=67758895

Beowulf Heroism Essay

The Mercurial Definition of Heroism Throughout history, heroes have been defined as individuals who have sacrificed themselves for the betterment of others. However, every culture always has had its own definition of heroism that separated one great hero from another. During the Anglo Saxon period, people admired Beowulf for his invulnerability, self-confidence, and god-like strength. On the other hand, people in the current era praised Tae Su Go and Martin Luther King, Jr, for their humility and achievements as pacifists.These heroes reflect principles and standards that people held and show that definition of heroism is highly elastic in different ages. In the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf, the main character Beowulf demonstrates the morals and values of the Anglo Saxon times by unleashing his mighty strength. In current perspective, Beowulf may just seem as a cruel murderer because he completely destroys Grendel by using his bare hands. For example, Beowulf only allowed Grendel to esca pe when the monster â€Å"twisted in pain† and his â€Å"muscle and bone split. However, Anglo Saxon literature states such an atrocious act of brutality as a â€Å"new glory† that Beowulf had granted. Readers could speculate from the clash between Beowulf and Grendel that the Anglo Saxons admired Beowulf’s merciless destruction of his enemies. The Anglo Saxons’ notion of heroism clearly deviates from the current heroic ethics because current heroes like Tae Su Go and Martin Luther King Jr. never used physical strength to stand against their enemies.During the late nineteenth century, Korean farmers grew discontent toward Japan’s economic oppression that set the price floor for daily products such as potatoes, rice, and lettuce. Japanese government benefited from this oppression because they were able to purchase cheap surplus goods that less affluent citizens were not able to consume due to the high cost set by the price floor. As a result, the K orean farmer alliance named Chamwha planned an assault on Japanese troop in front of the Ghangwha-Moon Gate.However, on the verge of battle, the monk Tae Su Go insisted that farmers, in front of Japanese’s troops, to never utilize violence but rather allow Japanese troops to fulfill their greed because the great god Asura will judge them in hell. Even though Tae Su Go was immediately murdered by the Japanese troops for disgracing their integrities, Chamwha praised Tae Su as a brave hero and utilized passive resistance in his will.Tae Su, the real hero of Chosun Dynasty in Korea, truly embraced the current era’s morals and values because he fought only with his words in peace. Moreover, Martin Luther King Jr. , who fought for African American civil rights during the mid-twentieth century, also maintained peace while courageously confronting opposition from the society. For example, even when Ku Klux Klan assaulted Dr. King’s house in 1957, King insisted that his outraged companions to resolve issues in a peaceful manner. The Education Forum) Although King was assassinated in 1968 from a gunshot, current people still regard him as a timeless hero who has fought for equality and human rights. However, in similar fashion to how contemporary people would call Beowulf a prideful warrior, Anglo Saxons might view Dr. King as a vulnerable mortal who has died without honors because each era has its own definition of heroism. Beowulf, Tae Su Go, and Martin Luther King Jr, were distinct heroes from the Anglo Saxon and current eras who fought against their enemies for righteous reasons.They all demonstrated each period’s morals and values through their epic deeds and self-sacrifice. However, Beowulf used his physical strength to accomplish his goal whereas Tae Su Go and Martin Luther King Jr. refused to utilize violence to achieve equality. As evident from these heroes, the definition of heroism has changed over time. Some heroic qualities might become obsolete and new qualities might emerge, manifesting each era’s unique morals and values.

Benefits of chocolate-revised

How can something so good be so bad? This was a question that I often asked myself while devouring the candy and chocolate I squirreled away in my â€Å"special drawer. † I grew up in a household that has always been health conscious. My mother was one of those exercise and natural food fiends who believed that popcorn was the only acceptable â€Å"junk food. † Every Halloween she would remind us that she was letting us go out to trick or treat for tradition's sake. She would then go into what I secretly called the â€Å"evil candy lecture†.(Think Willy Wonka's dad in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. ) She would frighten us with stories of kids having their teeth fall out after eating candy. This lecture was repeated at Easter even as our grandparents handed us huge chocolate bunnies and chocolate eggs. As we grew older and wiser to the myth of the falling teeth, she changed tactics and warned us about zits and fat. We wouldn't want to look like a pimple that g rew a face now, would we? She was pretty much the same with the kids I went home with who, after raiding the refrigerator for chocolate would turn up empty handed.Mom would always chide us saying: â€Å"You guys already have so much energy that you can't even sit still. What would you want more sugar for? † To me, chocolate is that â€Å"secret sin† that a lot of people hide within the very cold depths of their refrigerators. People sneak bites of that luscious brown concoction, savoring its sweetness that varies from the dark and bittersweet to the hybrid milk chocolate like it was something so illegal. The many warnings against indulging in the often foil-wrapped sweet treat are unending.The dentist would warn against the extra acid needed to dissolve left over chocolate in the mouth that therefore result into cavities. Nutritionists and dietitians use the magic â€Å"C-word† or calories when preaching against the evils of chocolate consumption. The media incl uding television, the movies or advertising also add to the popular concerns about chocolate intake. Often portrayed, the scene has become familiar – a kid eating chocolate and candy normally is shown sporting bad teeth or is a fat slob with chocolate stains all over his hands and shirt.The svelte and gorgeous ladies on daytime shows referring to chocolate, cake and ice cream as â€Å"guilty† things. Chocolate's high levels of sugar, fat and calories have been blamed for a multitude of bad things from diabetes, acne, to rapidly and uncontrollably expanding waistlines. Yet it might surprise people to know that chocolate does have a good side to it. Minus the sugar and calories, it can almost qualify as a health food. â€Å"The botanical name for the cacao – or cocoa – bean is Theobroma, meaning Food Of The Gods. † (â€Å"Charlie's Chocolate Fact-Ory; SOME,† 2005, p. 24)Cocoa beans are the source of chocolate. While no chocolate formula is ali ke, it is an accepted fact that cocoa beans from which chocolate is derived from is rich in flavonoids or plant chemicals which have polyphenol which exhibits anti-oxidant properties (Isham, 2007. p. 27 ). While polyphenol is also present in many fruits, vegetables, tea and red wine, some people may say that it is easier to be â€Å"healthy† when you actually like the food you are eating. (â€Å"More Friendly News†¦Ã¢â‚¬  1993) Between broccoli and a Snickers bar†¦ is this really a choice?Recent studies have also shown that flavonoids protect the heart from the damaging effects of unstable oxygen compounds, which can damage blood vessels. A study conducted in Germany and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that the intake of dark chocolate could lower blood pressure. Similar studies have also shown that the flavonoids found in cocoa have anti-blood clotting properties and could decrease the level of low-density lipoproteins, other wise known as bad cholesterol. (Taubert, Roesen, et. al. 2007)The two-year study, which was conducted at a primary care clinic in Germany from 2005 to 2006, tested adults with mild untreated hypertension. Half of the test subjects where given polyphenol-rich dark chocolate bars while half where given white chocolate, which is mainly made up of cocoa butter. Results indicated no change from the blood pressure of the white chocolate eating group while an average drop of 5 points of systolic pressure and 2 points of diastolic pressure was monitored from the dark-chocolate group within two weeks. (Taubert, 2007)So while eating dark chocolate could be beneficial to our health, what about the supposed tooth cavities it brings? It has after all been widely believed that the acid the mouth needed to produce to â€Å"clean† the chocolate off teeth damages tooth enamel and causes decay. According to research done by the Forsyth Dental Center in Boston Massachusetts, â€Å"normal consu mption of milk chocolates, especially at meals† had no direct connection in causing cavities since chocolate by itself has the ability to â€Å"offset the acid-producing potential† of its sugar content.(â€Å"Myths and Facts†) What about the supposed correlation between chocolates and acne? Much to the delight of chocolate lovers, independent studies done at the University of Pennsylvania and the U. S. Naval Academy have categorically disproved this myth. There is also no truth that chocolate lovers take in too much caffeine. An ounce of milk chocolate only contains 6 mg. of caffeine, not much more than what is found in a cup of decaffeinated coffee. The only fat in plain chocolate comes from cocoa butter, which is produced when the roasted cocoa seeds are pressed.Comparing cocoa butter fat with other fats in food, researchers have discovered that despite its total saturated fat content, cocoa butter does not raise levels of bad cholesterol such as other kids of fat did. Such was the result of a study conducted by Dr. Margo Denke and Dr. Scott M. Grundy as published in the December 1991 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. (â€Å"More ‘Friendly' News About Chocolate And Beef,† 1992). Rather than be harmful, cocoa butter is good given its high stearic acid content, which is cholesterol neutral.(Ross, 2001) Even chocolate milk is better than just plain milk as it has been proven to contain more zinc, potassium, niacin and riboflavin than plain whole milk. (Roesel & Overly) Experts say that to get the best possible antioxidant benefits, one should prefer dark chocolates and not those mixed with milk as it appears that the milk solids deter the absorption of antioxidants. (Taubert, 2007) There is also that persistent belief that some component or chemical part of chocolates make them addictive.Leah Porter, vice president of scientific affairs for the Chocolate Manufacturers Association in Vienna, believes that the s upposed addiction is merely craving caused by the taste and smell of chocolate. â€Å"Chocolate's appeal is due to aroma, flavor and creaminess, not any addictive properties,† says Ms. Porter, who holds a doctorate in plant sciences. â€Å"If it's addictive, then other foods are addictive. † (â€Å"Chocolate's Dark Little Secret;,† 2005, p. B01) Chocolate also contains phenylethylamine, a chemical that increases in our brains that gives us a feeling of well-being and euphoria that is similar to the feeling of being in love.(â€Å"‘Eating Chocolate Makes You,† 2006, p. 30) In addition to this, it also stimulates hormones that deaden â€Å"pain† areas making it an effective and non-medicated answer to headaches (Daly & Fredholm, 2004, p. 1) Given this, it is no wonder that chocolate is among the most common â€Å"comfort† foods that people crave for especially in times when they are down and emotionally distressed. Despite these findings , critics abound against the touted health benefits of chocolate. Many are skeptical about these so-called benefits and view pro-chocolate studies as highly biased since these were commissioned by the chocolate manufacturers themselves.Some researchers question the supposed benefits of flavonoids saying that sufficient tests in a controlled environment have not been done (Tanner, 2003). Add to this the fact that most tests done are through chocolate manufacturing industry funded research damages their findings' credibility. John W. Erdman, a professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois concurs with this problem but notes that it is a â€Å"necessary evil† since research would be very difficult to conduct if it relied entirely on independent funding (Schmidt, 2002).Erdman further adds that most of the time the Food and Drug Administration only conducts tests after preliminary research has been done. He adds that one positive way to look at things is that at least, it may not be such a bad thing that companies are investigating the nutritional value of their products. (Schmidt, 2002)ReferencesCharlie's Chocolate Fact-Ory; SOME TASTY FACTS ON OUR FAVOURITE SNACK 2ozs Can Kill a Dog Was Once a Medicine 400 Beans Make 1lb It Speeds Heartbeat. (2005, July 17). The People (London, England), p. 24. Chocolate's Dark Little Secret; What's Good and What's Not about Tasty Treat. (2005, March 22).The Washington Times, p. B01. Daly, J. W. , & Fredholm, B. B. (2004). 1 Mechanisms of Action of Caffeine on the Nervous System. In Coffee, Tea, Chocolate, and the Brain, Nehlig, A. (Ed. ) (pp. 1-11). Boca Raton, FL: Routledge. Retrieved October 9, 2007 from http://www. questia. com/read/108551912 ‘Eating Chocolate Makes You Feel Good'. (2006, December 19). South Wales Echo (Cardiff, Wales), p. 30. Isham, A. (2007) â€Å"Eat (More) Chocolate –Lose Weight (Anyway)† The Chocoholic's Survival Guide and Practical Handbook. Pando ra McShannon Press. â€Å"More ‘Friendly' News About Chocolate And Beef† (1992) Southwestern Medical Center for Human Nutrition. (Dallas, Texas).Retrieved from Southwestern Medical Center for Human Nutrition database: http://www8. utsouthwestern. edu/utsw/cda/dept27717/files/48295. html.â€Å"Myths and Facts. † Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company. Retrieved October 8, 2007 from Chocolate Chocolate Company website: http://www. chocolatechocolate. com/mythfact. htm.Nehlig, A. (Ed. ). (2004). Coffee, Tea, Chocolate, and the Brain. Boca Raton, FL: Routledge. Ross, J. (2001 March), â€Å"Cocoa and Chocolate as Functional Foods† Natural Health Products Technology Cluster. Retrieved from htttp://www. uoguelph. ca/nhptc/Jessica1. html.Roesel, K., Overly, B. â€Å"All About Chocolate† Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension Program Retrieved from http://ces. ca. uky. edu/bourbon/fcs/all_about_chocolate. htm.Schmidt, P. (2002) â€Å"Chocolate's Pot ential Health Benefits – and its Effect on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients. † ImmuneSupport. com. Retrieved from ImmuneSupport databse: http://www. immunesupport. com/library/showarticle. cfm/ID/3464/ Tanner, L. ( 2003 August 27)†Studies Show Light, Dark Sides of Milk, Dark Chocolate. † USA Today. USA Today. com. Retrieved October 9, 2007 from http://www. usatoday. com/news/health/2003-08-27-dark-chocolate_x.htm.Taubert, D. (2007 July 3) Consumption Of Small Amounts Of Dark Chocolate Associated With Reduction In Blood Pressure. Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Retrieved from JAMA database: http://pubs. ama-assn. org/media/2007j/0703. dtl#1 Taubert, D. Roesen, R. Lehman, C. Jung, N. Schomig, E. (2007) â€Å"Effects of Low Habitual Cocoa Intake on Blood Pressure and Bioactive Nitric Oxide: A Randomized Controlled Trial. † Journal of American Medical Association Vol. 298 No. 1. pp 49-60 Retrieved October 9, 2007 from JAMA database: h ttp://jama. ama-assn. org/cgi/content/abstract/298/1/49.

Philosophy-Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Philosophy-Business Ethics - Essay Example Social Justice on the other hand deals with the premise that along with equal opportunity, there are certain obligations from the state or the market economy to ensure that people from different classes of society are given equal chances or a leveling process wherein equality is enforced. In Rawls conception of equality, things like Affirmative action play a prominent role and he is all for such uplifting measures to ensure a level playing field. Kristol on the other hand is blind to the entry level attributes and believes that once equal opportunity is provided, it is up to each individual to make the most of the chances that they have got. Thus the distinction here is between the conditions that are necessary for people to participate equally and then once they start the race, the differential factors that come into play. I tend to agree with Rawls in his conception of Social Justice as Capitalism in its present form is neither compassionate nor conscious and hence what is needed is a conception of justice that is rooted in the being of sanity and fairness. Kristol’s essay scratches the surface of conceptions of justice whereas Rawls’s piece goes deeper and tries to address the core question of justice and its social components. 2) Maitland’s claim that is directly addressed by Cuilla is the one about workers being informed enough to take free choices. Classical liberal standard: Finally, there is what I will call the classical liberal standard. According to this standard a practice (wage or labor practice) is ethically acceptable if it is freely chosen by informed workers. Most business ethicists reject this standard on the grounds that there is some sort of market failure or the "background conditions" are lacking for markets to work effectively. Thus, for Donaldson full (or near-full) employment is a prerequisite if workers are to make sound choices regarding workplace safety. Cuilla’s contention is that unlike what people in the

The Death Penalty is not an Effective Punishment Essay - 9

The Death Penalty is not an Effective Punishment - Essay Example Counterargument to refute the first argument: the claim that death penalty deters crime is a mere presumption, with no scientific proof. A number of studies have shown that death penalty does not deter crime. Hence, the first argument is incorrect. Counterargument in refutation of the second argument: death penalty does not ensure justice for the offended party because by killing the offender, the offended party does not get back what they were deprived of. Again, death penalty may be not the gravest form of punishment. Third argument by the proponents of my view: death penalty is an effective form of punishment because it prevents overpopulation of prisons; death penalty also prevents the criminals of grave crimes from committing crimes while in prison, or breaking from the prison to commit crimes outside the prison. Counterargument to refute the third argument: although jailing of criminals guilty of grave crimes may provide the criminals with some possibilities of committing more crimes in future, with proper preventive measures in place, however, the possibilities of committing more crimes by the prisoners will be quite minimal. Death penalty is undoubtedly one of the oldest and most common forms of punishment meted out against heinous and grave crimes in many cultures and world civilizations. In USA, for instance, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in the year 2009 alone, 52 inmates were executed. The advocates of death punishment also contend that death punishment is the most effective form.

Gas consumption in the united states Research Paper

Gas consumption in the united states - Research Paper Example A study of gas consumption can help alleviate challenge and improve on efficient use of the commodity. The negative externalities can also be addressed after knowing the extent of gasoline use. The purpose of this research paper is to find how petrol tax, average income, proportion of driver’s population, paved way affects consumption of petrol gas. For this research, the data covers forty eight states and the sample represents the whole population. Introduction The research bases its data from the individual that owns vehicles and firm owner with the appliance that use petrol. Furthermore, the research targets small and large companies all industries. The availability of this information is crucial in preparing this report as it assures of credibility of the source of raw data. The report is reliable because the majorities of the respondent are literate and have the expertise and ability to give information accurately and provide insight in the gas industry. The report relies on a grass root survey of the entire gas industry for one year and forecasts on future consumption. The forecast of the report reveals a combined outcome of an entire target population. The methods used to collect and analyses the data limit a margin of error less than plus or minus 0.2%. Therefore, I can guarantee that the research paper provides a true picture of gas consumption in a year (Hejny S, etal 2003). ... dia have reported that gasoline has become cheaper, and the U.S is less dependent on imports from the Middle East, but this information remains elusive. The president on September 18 said that the country is not yet oil independent, but there is a boom of oil production that could benefit the country in future (Stratfor Geopolitical Diary, 2013). Oil production in the country skyrocketed to a high of 8 million barrels in a day, the highest production since 1989. Energy is used in heating and production of petrochemicals products. The usage can be broadly categorized to power generation and transport fuels. All the countries energy comprises natural gas, renewable wind power, coal, and finally nuclear power. In the U.S, petrol is derived from imports and domestic production of crude oil. The country produce it own coal and is almost being independent in its natural gas. The U.S and Canada oil deposit are not sufficient to rid off the country from global suppliers (Stratfor Geopolitica l Diary, 2013). One of the main agenda of the U.S government is security, and the country cannot produce enough energy for its people. Therefore, increasing production of oil ensures energy security for the country. However, this cannot be the only way to cure ‘addiction’ to oil. Companies like the GM and Tesla are now developing electric cars that use battery instead of oil. This technology can swipe the use of gas to electricity in the near future (Stratfor Geopolitical Diary, 2013)Â   The energy consumption in the United States has decreased compared to China. China currently tops the world in energy consumption. The U.S consumption has decreased by 1.6% since 2007. It has, however, consumed twice that of the European countries. In 2011, oil was the main source of energy at 36% with

Kodak and Fujifilm Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Kodak and Fujifilm - Research Paper Example It was then that he started experimenting and finally developed a camera by the year 1880 based on which the Kodak Company was initiated. Thus cameras and photographic films were the core products that the company offered to the general public with intention to make it a large business (George Eastman, n.d.). The company had also focused sincerely on advertising of their products considering advertising as an important measure of business (George Eastman, n.d.). The core business of Fujifilm is manufacture of photographic film. This company was founded in 1934 and is now a leading company in the world of photography across the globe. With establishment of the company in 1934, the company gradually expanded globally and opened up its branches across different countries in the world (Corporate History n.d.). The fundamental approach that Kodak has been following for managing its operations has been a humanistic approach. Eastman believed that his employees were highly important and hence should be offered with more than just wages. There are four major principles that the company followed from its initial times. These include: Production of mass products at a low cost, Distribution of the products across the globe, Extensive advertising, and Focus on the customer. There have been three policies on which the management of the company has been maintained. These are: (1) Continuous research for development and growth of the company; (2) Well behaving with the employees to make them feel important and part of the company; and (3) Reinvestment of the company’s profits in expansion of the business (Schreiner, 2012, pp.1-3). The management approach at Fujifilm Company is focused on increasing and maximizing the synergies of its employees towards accomplishment of organizational goals. The company focuses on utilizing its human resources

Cellular Phone Usage While Operating Motor Vehicle Essay - 1

Cellular Phone Usage While Operating Motor Vehicle - Essay Example as per a study published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) (Utter, 2001 cited by Tseng, Nguyen, Liebowitz, & Agresti, 2005). The use of cellular phones while driving has been established as the major cause of driver inattention. The Harvard Center for Risk Analysis found that use of cell phones while driving caused 330,000 moderate to severe injuries and approximately 2,600 deaths each year (Sundeen, 2003 cited by Tseng et al., 2005). At the same time, according to Brookhuis, de Vries, & de Waard (1991), while talking on the cell phone drivers demonstrated decreased lane deviations (cited by Horrey & Wickens, 2004). Despite these inconsistencies, a total ban of cellular phone usage while operating a motor vehicle may drastically reduce road accidents. Driver distraction can be classified into two types (internal distraction and external stimuli) and four categories – visual, cognitive, auditory and biomechanical distraction. Of these, auditory distraction is associated with cell phone usage (Tseng et al., 2005). This is more likely in case of hand-held phones but other studies demonstrate that primary cause of inattention is cognitive, which implies that even hands-free phones are equally dangerous (Horrey & Wickens). Several studies have been conducted and on an average, it has been found that drivers talking on the mobile phones while driving have higher risks in car accidents compared to non-mobile phone users (Laberge-Nadeau et al., 2003; Wilson et al., 2003; Redelmeier and Tibshirani, 1997; Strayer and Drews, 2004 cited Tseng et al.). Use of mobile phones while driving increases the risk of collisions by four times, which is also confirmed by Redelmeier and Tibshirani (1997). In addition, frequent mobile phone users had relatively higher risk than rare-users. Being engaged on the cell phone while driving, is definitely more risky than listening to the radio or talking to other passengers while driving. Horrey & Wickens,

Observing and Learning from Nature Research Paper

Observing and Learning from Nature - Research Paper Example Edward Abbey and Annie Dillard bring out a picture of the difference of nature in its natural state and the altered state. They show us various benefits provided by nature provides to people when it is healthy and natural. These benefits are that is both necessary and enjoyable for people to acquire. These facts enable the readers to see what they will probably lose if they do not take care of their environs. In the essay Seeing by Annie Dillard, she places herself as part of nature. This is a way in which she has lived together with nature from her childhood times to the current age. She remembers the abundance of the various aspects of nature such as animals and birds that are no longer available at the current time. A nature that she used to see and relate to is no longer there. It is missing, and so are the ways of life of people in relation to their environs. She views the changed way people act towards nature. When people were friendly and nondestructive towards the various aspects of nature, so was the nature towards people and vice versa. She also talks about the evolved relationship between nature and poverty, and the increasing need by people to satisfy their wants obtaining them from nature. She wonders at leaving a quarter by the roadside and being able to find it later on in the earlier years, as opposed to the current time. In her essay, she marvels at a time where people h ad enough for their use to survive and had little interest to explore nature leading to its unsustainability. She brings out the fact that there used to be state of harmonious existence between people and nature hence both flourished. We see that the extinction of this fact leads to a weakness in the relationship between man and nature (Dillard 303). The Last Oasis by Edward Abbey is a collective story of an oasis that was alive but is now dying. He places himself as an extractor of nature.

Critically analyse and evaluate current research and literature Essay

Critically analyse and evaluate current research and literature relating to the significance of the presence and absence of ano-genital injuries in posr puberta - Essay Example Male have testosterone while female have estrogen and progesterone. The reproductive stage continues until old age both in male and in female and eventually these are the secondary sex characteristics and events of puberty. It is essential to remember that however, that it is the puberty that represents the beginning period of the reproductive system activity. (Marieb, 2002) The ano-genital area of the human body, sometimes referred to as â€Å"genito-anal† includes the anus and the genitals of both sexes. The genito-anal plays a vital role in pre-pubertal and post pubertal stages. Earlier, the certain part of the body is not taken into consideration unlike nowadays where certain diseases can de diagnosed through the examination of the anus and the genitals. The observations can also serve as indicators of the sexual abuse especially in women. Many of the characteristics of the ano-genital areas are further studied to show its significance in many other reproductive processes and development. The ano-genital areas of both male and female can be differentiated if these were abused or not. In pre-pubertal ano-genital area is most likely have the characteristic of none presence of warts, hematomas, and lacerations mostly in children. These are just some of the sign if the certain individual have been sexually abused. In post-pubertal stages, the ano-genital appears to be the opposite of that of the pre-pubertal. In female victims, bleeding and discharge in both genital and anal region are more visible. (Hobbs and Wynne, 1999) The ano-gential index (AGI) or the value of the distance between the anus and the genitals divided the body weight, is primarily the comparative tool between individuals (Barett, 2006). The ano-genital index is commonly used in boys who had been exposed in chemicals. Scientists believed that exposure to chemicals such as

Cigarette Taxes and Smoking Bans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Cigarette Taxes and Smoking Bans - Essay Example Before the provision of this report, taxes fixed on cigarettes were intended just to raise the revenue on the sale of cigarettes. However, after the provision of the Surgeon General's report, the taxes fixed on cigarettes had an additional purpose of discouraging cigarette smoking (Meier & Licari, 1997). The idea of cigarette tax is obtained from "economic theory". An increase in cigarette tax is a direct cause of increase in the selling cost of per cigarette, and hence, as the law of supply and demand states, a comparatively less amount of cigarettes will be sold. (Meier & Licari, 1997). A long-stated supposition of the 'economic theory' declared above was that a rise in cigarette tax would reduce its sales and thus hurt the financial system. On the other hand, Jha, Beyer and Heller (1999) reports that the rise in cigarette tax in reality increased the cigarette tax revenue and hence doesn't harm the economy at all. Tax revenue is actually a source of government income. For this reason, an increase in cigarette taxes is an increase in government income. Cigarette taxes have been increased in thirty one states since 2000 (Capehart, 2004). Further research has shown that these thirty one states have also imposed bans against smoking (Smoke Free World, 2005). Many studies have clearly showed the decrease in the amount of cigarette consumed by the individuals (Brown, 1995; Meier & Licari, 1997; and Showalter, 1998). On the other hand Tax revenues have increased on every sale (Capehart, 2004). Most literature analysis has examined cigarette taxes and cigarette tax revenues without taking the states with smoking bans into consideration. If we consider both sides of the story, the finalized decision of our research both agrees and disagrees with that of the literature. We agree with Meier & Licari (1997) and Gallet (2004) that smoking has been reduced in those states where cigarette bans and higher cigarette taxes have been imposed and differ with Showalter (1998) that higher cigarette taxes reduces higher tax revenue. The limit to which the literature has bounded itself is still clearly observed if the relation between the effects of the bans on smoking and the tax revenue is analyzed. It clearly shows that both these are not related to each other particularly. The revenue generated by the tax imposed on cigarettes was compared and contrasted with the amount of taxes that were imposed on cigarettes. But the laws passed for smoking were never compared or contrasted with these factors. The feature of our research expands its influence by analyzing the affect of the taxes imposed by governments in different states. We developed a new way of thought. One may carry out the fact that states, which imposed smoking bans, obtain a decreased amount of sales and hence have a decreased amount of tax revenue. This fact clearly shows that economy is adversely affected in those states. We proved the theory of demand and supply in relationship to state smoking bans and cigarette tax revenues. We determined if the smoking bans affect cigarette tax

Afro-American slavery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Afro-American slavery - Essay Example Slavery in America has been highly supported by the law. In 1686 the exchange of goods between blacks or between blacks and freemen was declared as not legal (Gikandi 244). In 1705 the House of Burgesses in Virginia promoted a series of laws aiming to ensure that slaves in the region would not be able to fight for their freedom in the future (Wood 11); also the above laws aimed to protect the interests of landowners in regard to their involvement in slavery (Wood 11). At the next level, in 1714, another law ‘prohibited blacks from planting their own corn, rice or peas’ (Gikandi 244). These laws aimed to control the efforts of slaves to improve their living conditions and to increase their autonomy. In practice, these laws were not fully applied, mostly because of the conflicts of interests developed in each particular region; for instance, in South Carolina masters preferred to allow a greater autonomy to slaves so that slavery is continued without problems, while in Vir ginia, a different attitude regarding the control over the slaves’ life was developed. This trend has led to the development of different systems of slaves’ control. In South Carolina the task system was promoted allowing to the slaves to use their free time as they wish; in Virginia the gang system was based on the close supervision of slaves almost all day prevented slaves from organizing their life. The cultivation of each section was assigned to a particular slave (Olwell 46), meaning that each slave had the total responsibility for the cultivation of the specific section.

Life span Wks8-12 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Life span Wks8-12 - Coursework Example According to Websters New World Law Dictionary (2010), death is "the end of life, when physical functions and vital signs stop." This dictionary further suggests that brain death is an "irreversible end to the functioning of the brain" which the dictionary says is often used as the legal definition. An ethical definition of death is difficult because ethics are different for different people. My definition would be the same as the legal definition: If an individual ceases to breath and their physical and vital signs have stopped, they are dead. However, in cases where someone is in a coma for several years, or when someone has a terminal illness and wants to be euthanized, ethics come more into play in determining what is "right" or "wrong" in each situation (Santrock, 2008). Each culture sees death and mourning differently. In many cultures, the community is an integral part of the mourning. As an example, the Amish community works together when someone dies. A neighbor will make sure that everyone knows about it and the family will be supported for a year after the death. The Amish engage the family in moving forward by visiting them, bringing scrapbooks and homemade items, and starting new work projects for the widow. The Amish people also will hold the funeral in a house during the winter months or in a barn during the warmer months. It is the community that takes care of all the arrangements, including burial (Santrock, 2008). If an individual is working with children, it is helpful to know the developmental stages that children follow when they are growing and learning. Understanding the various theories -- psychoanalytic, behavioral and so forth gives an understanding of how small children develop through the lifespan. Understanding how humans evolve from birth to old age is important to the scholar-practitioner because this knowledge puts into perspective the various changes a person goes

Herman Melville Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Herman Melville - Research Paper Example Library of Congress would then honor him for he actually was the library’s first writer to collect and publish material. The great author was born in the city of New York as the third born child of Maria and Allan Gansevoort Melville. The letter e was added to his family name to making it Melville in the year 1832 by Maria on the death of his father. While growing up, young Melville was attacked by scarlet fever in the mid 1820s which adversely affected his health. Whereas he regained back his health after a short period, the disease permanently impaired Millville’s eyesight. The father was a very accomplished and successful merchant & importer and as such the family led a very good life when Melville was growing. However things changed in the year 1830 when Allan unsuccessfully attempted to enter fur trade. This failure spelt doom for the family’s fortune on his death in the year 1832, Allan left the family in an extremely desperate financial situation. Following the father’s demise, Herman Melville’s oldest brother Gansevoort took over their family business in New York City. Soon after, Melville joined Gansevoort in the business as a partner and later some of their brothers came on board. Melville would enrol with Albany Classical School in the mid 1830s to study literature and while at Albany he participated in the student debates. At the same time he had started his writing career; he wrote some proems short stories and essays. After a period of studies at the Albany Classical School Melville left and took up a job as a teacher in Massachusetts. The teaching job was not fulfilling and therefore after just three months of work, Melville quit his position and returned to New York City. The year 1837 was another bad one for the family, Gansevoort’s business of fur and cap went down again this time round putting the family in a

Argument prompt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Argument prompt - Essay Example Many immigrant families have a vision of seeking a better future for their kids and have often have unfortunate circumstances beyond their control. Hence, illegal immigrants should be able granted amnesty because it gives immigrants new opportunities, benefits the American core values, and enhances the economy. Illegal immigrants should be granted amnesty because of the fact that they need the proper support for a better future. Undoubtedly, illegal immigrants should be given a chance to become citizens for variety of reasons. First and foremost is the fact that it would allow them to start all over again. Amnesty would offers millions of immigrants a chance to seek their provisions. Forgiving their crime of coming here illegally can be beneficial as it can certainly restore law. Providing illegal immigrants with amnesty would not necessarily be a self-burden to society. John Kerry brilliantly states his opinion as he states, "Absolutely. I supported and was prepared to vote for amnesty from 1986. And it is essential to have immigration reform. Anyone who has been in this country for five or six years, whos paid their taxes, who has stayed out of trouble, ought to be able to translate into an American citizenship immediately, not waiting." Instead it would give these individuals a chance t o prove themselves in a competitive work environment. The true version of living the American dream can certainly become a reality for these individuals. Moreover, one cannot refute the fact that this country was based upon the foundation of immigrants coming from different spheres of the world. America has been known as the â€Å"melting pot† of assimilation of cultures and has given new opportunities to immigrants throughout history. Another key reason why it is logical to legalize illegal immigrants is due to the fact that these immigrants are hard working individuals striving to seek provisions for themselves and their families.

Linear Programming in relationship to the Profit Maximization of the Math Problem

Linear Programming in relationship to the Profit Maximization of the Business - Math Problem Example D x=y C A 2x+3y=30 B x + y = 10500000 The feasibility area would be the region with boundaries ray BC, ray AD and segment AB. The co-ordinates of A and B are (5250000, 5250000) and (6, 6) respectively. The value of the objective function at these points is 0.45 X 5250000 = 2362500 and 2.7 respectively. The value of the objective function at the points of ray AD beyond point A would be 0.2x + 0.25(10500000 - x) i.e. 2625000 - 0.05x and this value will be maximum when 0.05x is minimum i.e. when x=0 as we cannot take x as negative since x is the value of new houses and this maximum value of 2625000 will be attained at point D. Similarly the value of objective function on ray BC beyond points B is 0.2x + 0.25(30-2x)/3 i.e. 2.5 +0.03x and this will be maximum when x is maximum i.e. at point B itself. Thus the maximum value of profit in this case is at point D i.e. 2625000 and it is more than that in the earlier case. Therefore there would be increase in the profit of 2625000-2624999.8=0.2 million. b)would it be worthwhile increasing the skilled workforce The cost of taking an another skilled laborer is 15000. Suppose there are 181 laborers instead of 180. then the constraint line BC on page two will be shifted right. The co-ordinates of B and C will be (4, 7.38) and (9.083, 4) and the values of the objective function at B and C will be 2.645 and 2.8166 respectively. This means at point C there will be increase in profit of 16000 which would cover up the overhead of additional laborer of 15000. So, I think it is worthwhile increasing the skilled workforce. c)would the optimal solution change if the profit contributions...2625000 - 0.05x and this value will be maximum when 0.05x is minimum i.e. when x=0 as we cannot take x as negative since x is the value of new houses and this maximum value of 2625000 will be attained at point D. Similarly the value of objective function on ray BC beyond points B is 0.2x + 0.25(30-2x)/3 i.e. 2.5 +0.03x and this will be maximum when x is maximum i.e. at point B itself. Thus the maximum value of profit in this case is at point D i.e. 2625000 and it is more than that in the earlier case. Therefore there would be increase in the profit of 2625000-2624999.8=0.2 million. Suppose there are 181 laborers instead of 180. then the constraint line BC on page two will be shifted right. The co-ordinates of B and C will be (4, 7.38) and (9.083, 4) and the values of the objective function at B and C will be 2.645 and 2.8166 respectively. This means at point C there will be increase in profit of 16000 which would cover up the overhead of additional laborer of 15000. So, I think it is worthwhile increasing the skilled workforce. Suppose the profit contributions are 19% and 26% respectively and that the objective function is 0.19x + 0.26y and the value of objective function at point A on page 2 will be 2729999.72 i.e. there will be increase. If we just interchange the profit contributions i.e.

Voltaires Impact from the Enlightenment to Todays Time Essay Example for Free

Voltaires Impact from the Enlightenment to Todays Time Essay Like so many of his peers, including a number of the founding fathers of the United States, Voltaire was a deist who believed that God had created everything but then let it evolve on its own. Although educated by the Jesuits, Voltaire hated the Catholic Church. He is famously quoted to have said Ecrasez linfame ‘Crush the horrible thing!’ referring to the Church. He had written most of his life on religious tolerance but the Jean Calas affair gave him the focus he needed and in 1763 he published A Treatise on Tolerance that focused entirely on the case. Making a powerful case for religious and intellectual freedom gave the fledgling Scientific Revolution in France a much needed boost. The Roman Catholic Church which in France had become the only official state-sanctioned religion thanks to King Louis XIV. Voltaire in a tireless campaign argued that people should be permitted to worship as they pleased or not at all. Just as well, his tireless efforts to promote the empirical methods of Francis Bacon and John Locke of England as the only legitimate way to practice science were a direct challenge to the French rationalist tradition of, for example, Renà © Descartes. Both traditions, religious and rationalist, proved difficult to dislodge, but change was in the air and intellectual freedom especially, became a rallying point. Voltaire spurred the third estates people into revolting along with many others. As a political theorist, he believed that the world is governed by natural laws which are discernible by human reason. Natural laws are good and reasonable and man will be happy if they live by them. He would criticize the government, such as he did both England and France which made people realize the rights of which they did not have and gave them more reason to overthrow. He helped clarify the peasants, city workers, and middle classmens reasons why to revolt against the over taxing, controlling, unjust, unfair and wealthy owned government that still resembled Feudalism in class structure and working conditions. This is in itself why governing institutions feared his word and rejected his theories very often. Voltaire had a great impact on his time and these ideas and theories are very relevant with today’s time. He created many satire plays, poems, and books of which were best sellers. He also inspired a revolutionary perspective to inspire an enlightenment of new thinking amongst the political and societal order. Voltaire’s Enlightenment impact will continue to fade in and out of societal cycles shaping the world we live in, even in its small impacts. Works Cited Ecrasez Linfame PANGEA PROGRESS. PANGEA PROGRESS. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.

Department of Justice Essay Example for Free

Department of Justice Essay There seems to be major issue in the case of United States v. Viktor Kozenzy. The specific legal question is whether Viktor Kozenzy, Frederic Bourke, Jr, and David Pinkerton had conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the Travel Act. There are many facts that support this claim. Viktor Kozenzy, Federic Bourke Jr. and David Pinkerton paid and also caused to be paid bribes to Azeri Officials. They all became shareholders of Oily Rock. Oily Rock invested in Azeri privatization vouchers. They also became part of Minaret as well. Mineret was a party to the co-investment agreement between Oily Rock and the co-investors. There seems to be lots of more facts in this case. The defendants made many corrupt payments, promises, and offers to Senior officials of the Government of Azerbaijan. They all seemed to have conspiracy to bribe and there are evidence of wire transfers and direct cash payments. They also promised two-thirds of the profits of Oily-Rock and receive two-thirds of Oily Rock vouchers. There are was also much jewelry exchanged in excess of $600,000 to Azeri officials. The source of my facts came from Justice.gov, it is the official United States Department of Justice’s website. It is very credible and accurate. There seems to be relevant laws and regulations such as Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and Travel Act. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act made it unlawful to bribe officials. It was passed in 1977. I believe that the court reached the decision by the substantial evidence. There were documented evidence that shows the money laundering, stock options, and wire transfer to foreign officials. I think that the court was correct that the defendant did indeed conspire to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the Travel Act. This situation could be easily avoided if the government officials had personal watching over them or checking the bank accounts. Many of the officials should be watched closely after and monitored. Works Cited The United States Deparment of Justice. Retrieved from http://www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa/cases/kozenyv.html

Employee Empowerment Case Study: TGI Fridays

Employee Empowerment Case Study: TGI Fridays Major shifts in business activities in the recent years due to globalizations have taken Large (LEs) and Small Medium Scale Organizations (SMEs) either National or Multinational towards an intense competitive environment. To respond to these global challenges organizations are now working differently as compared to past and last but not the least the competitive advantage that a company obtains is through its customer service activities. As The cost of attracting a new customer is five times bigger compared to the cost of retaining a current customer (Hart et al, 1990). When an organization is not able to provide the desired satisfaction to customers, the customer becomes aggressive and besides leaving the organization service becomes a tool to disengage customers in his domain. When a company fails to provide a service, the dissatisfied customer may provide negative word-of-mouth. (Chakrapani, 1998) claims that 100 dissatisfied customers cost a company 1600 to 2500 potential customers. To retain the customers it is of paramount importance that the employees of an organization are in line with the organizations objective with regards to the successful operation and in this regard todays managers make sure to convince employees that their personal interests are in agreement with the goals of the organization. (Hellriegel et al, 2005) explained that in todays battle for excellent employees, management has to offer more than high pay to win employees trust and motivate employees. As very aptly discussed by (Latham and Gary, 2004) that the most difficult aspect of being a work team leader is motivation of team members. Work teams may be more successful in achieving organizational goals if their members are empowerment to do their jobs. 2. SIGNIFICANCE: For achieving organizational success employee empowerment and performance are at the core with regards to these concepts. Job satisfaction amongst employees talked about in relation to employee empowerment and contextual performance. Ugboro and Obeng, found that in an organization empowered employees demonstrate job satisfaction at higher levels in contrast in organizations where employees are not empowered. (Ugboro and Obeng, 2000) When the team leader demonstrates the appropriate disciplines Employee motivation can be an easy task the simple disciplines encourage employee motivation to happen naturally. Motivation, whether it is self motivation or employee motivation, is the trigger to act. The competitive business market nowadays stresses on swift solutions as there a shortage of time in making decisions. To succeed, todays complex organizations require the collaboration of multiple followers (Yukl, 2008) managers at all levels who may assume a leadership role contingent on situational demands. As a result, empowerment has become a big slogan in numerous organizations world over. By setting the shared vision and common goal creates an environment in which other employees can control themselves i.e. empowered whether they acting for the objectives of the organization or not. As Kotter said that the vision makes the work more important to employees that envisioned by the common vision, which at the same time stresses their own values (Kotter, 1990). In order to get people move in the same direction that leader chooses, he/she needs to align them rather than organize them (Kotter, 1990). Empowered employees are more willing to serve the customers; his in turn quickens customer needÂÂ ´s responses which in turn result in customer satisfaction (Bowen et al, 1992). Empowered employees self-efficacy levels increase as they are in a position to evaluate the best approach to perform tasks. (Gist et al, 1992) In a Service organization the employees are of primary significance in view of the fact that they are the ones who are the face of the organization and the way they react and interact with the consumers is an indicator to the customers about the organization. The better the service and quality interaction the customer will have the more positive image will be portrayed also since service organizations are empowered as they have to make on the spot decisions this may prompt a negative image also as its a 2 way process. 3. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: 3.1 AIMS: The idea of the study is to streamline the corporate objective through better quality management by having empowered employees. Whether it is fashion, hospitality, airline or the food industry, consumers first and foremost demand is quality. And this is not area specific. At the end of the day, companies are attracting consumers. However, the underlying challenges facing companies are the maintenance of quality to enhance consumer base. 3.2 RESEARCH QUESTION: For this study the company chosen is TGI Fridays restaurant. The purpose of this research is to ascertain the extent to which TGI Fridays restaurant practices employee empowerment in their organization, and how it impacts on service quality and customer satisfaction. The nature of the food service industry touches directly on the satisfaction and experience of the consumers. This uniqueness may account for the closer scrutiny and monitoring to ensure that certain standards with regard to employee empowerment that would otherwise have been voluntary in other sectors are observed. In this paper, we will delve into the details of employee empowerment in the restaurant business. The core study will revolve around TGI FRIDAYS Quality Management through employee involvement that will ultimately help the brand reach greater heights. According to (Strauss et al, 1998), the research question is a statement that identifies the phenomenon to be studied. It tells the readers what the researcher exclusively wants to know about this subject. How does TGI Fridays empowering of employees impacts on the quality of service and customer satisfaction in their restaurant? 4. Literature Review: 4.1 Total Quality Management: With the advancement in communication technology, transportation and other technologies the world has shrunk into a global village. Products and services developed in a country are now widely accepted in other regions of the globe as well. Many companies like TGI Friday have been developing marketing strategies to fulfill the need, in an increasingly globalized market, for several years. TGI Friday is one of the companies that are being recognized by and whose brand names are familiar to most of the people in every region of the world (Austins Radisson Hotel, 2006) Quality has different connotation to different people. Employees tend to think like their peers and think differently like those at other levels. This suggests that to infuse quality in the organization will be much easier if it is embedded across the board. Many Japanese companies have demonstrated a high perfection of product quality, reliability and customer service through TQM (Garvin, 1988). Such goals require continuous improvement procedures to be established within the company. The relationship between market share, profitability and quality has always been studied. According to Buzzell and Gale (1987) one factor above all others-superior quality drives market share and profit is virtually guaranteed. Companies that are committed to Total Quality Management, apply it in all areas of the organization, because customers are both external and internal functions to the business. Quality can not only reduce cost, it also helps in getting the differential advantage. As we can see in the following illustration, there are two types of quality: quality driven at customer and conformance to organizational quality standards. The Quality Circle is as follows: Price Advantage Customer-Driven Quality Market Share Profitability and Growth Customer Value Customer Attributes and Design Specs Specification Quality Productivity Lower Cost Lower Cost of Quality Investment in Improved Quality Figure 3.1 Quality Circle, Source: Joel E. Ross, (1996). Total Quality Management; Text, Cases and Readings. Second Edition. Total Quality circle implies that the customer is the top priority for all business decisions. It takes into consideration the satisfaction of customer as a key determinant of success in the long run. Sometimes business decisions lead to the demise of an entire enterprise when quality is shown the door, while compromising on customer requirements. According to TQM theory the best way to improve organizational output is to continually improve performance (Dale, 1996). The phenomenon of Total Quality Management is no more another statement for organizations. It has become a reality. In the cut-throat corporate world, companies find themselves in hot water if they compromise on quality, consideration the fact the consumers now have more alternatives at their disposal. 4.1.2 Buzz Word Quality: Every organization has a set of standards and beliefs that they adhere to. Quality is the buzz word in the modern day marketplace. Every organization claim to infuse the best quality in its products and services. In our daily lives, we distinguish different products and services as excellent, average or mediocre. The precise definition of a quality product or service is that it provides customer more than what they were actually looking for at a prescribed price. According to Crosby, quality is the outcome of a carefully constructed culture. This has to be the fabric of the organization. (Crosby, 1988) Organizations operating in modern markets call for an exceptional quality in their products and services. In the case of restaurants, the initiative is that products and services must be readily available to customers. Essentially, organizations focus on the concerns of customer needs, through a well developed mechanism (Kotler, 1991). A good management at a restaurant will instill value that will lead to the creation of admirable products and commendable service, which in turn fulfills customer expectations and satisfies them. Quality is really an attitude built on a perception. Its not the product or company itself. The product is sold by the company. (Aaker, 1991), asserts that the brand of that product is bought by the consumer, predicated upon the consumers perception that the brand he or she buys of a product differs sufficiently from another brand of the same product to warrant choosing one particular brand over another. And, by the way, warrants paying the price for it. Customers look beyond the functional benefits of a restaurant to the overall experience it offers. Johnson stated that people stay in relationships for two major reasons: because they want to and because they have to. (Johnson, 1982) This recommends that service loyalty is influenced by satisfaction and interpersonal bonds. The interplay of these two sets of influences impacts on operational, marketing and human resource management strategies, including the nature and form of empowerment best matched to the service offer. (Cowell, 1984) claims that different organization provide different service features, which in the long-term impacts the operational management, marketing offer to customers and the way that front line employees are managed. 4.1.3 Consumers Charge Quality: Consumers tend to associate quality with price. But a new Cornell study found out that higher price tag may create a more positive view of products, but consumers may not necessarily purchase them. (Lowery, 2009) Some studies support the idea that higher price leads to a more superior quality some case examples are studies by, (Dodds, et al 1991; Gabor, 1988 etc). On the other hand, other studies have found that a high price may not always be related to the perceived superior quality. (Peterson 1970; Peterson and Jolibert, 1976). Such inconsistent findings have prompted the conclusion that a general price perceived quality relationship does not exist (Zeithaml et al, 1988). It is very much clear that quality cannot alone be associated with the price tag. It all depends on the users preference, the availability of different alternatives and the situation that compels the consumer to use the product/service. Many customers seek their prescribed branded services when it comes to restaurants. The branded organization meets customers security needs by making the service offer precise and by delivering a standardized service constant with customer expectations. At the same time many customers are looking for some confirmation of their individuality. (Holpp, 1990) asserts that the problem with the delivery of services is that it is delivered at the customers interface. If a problem exists, it is already too late. The subtle aspects to service and the heterogeneity of services pose difficulty for both customers and organizations supplying services to them. TGI Fridays provides a service which creates a sense of social connection to others. The brand also offers its customers a prospect to deal with the ambiguity felt by many service consumers. Thus, the customer can personalize the experience and knows what to expect. The following extract from an article reinforces the aforementioned argument. Lori Voth asserted that the biggest problem with most of restaurants is that the food looks awesome in the menu, or on TV, billboard, but once it gets delivered to your table, your impression fades away. However TGI Fridays manages to do it perfectly every time. Not only do the photos and descriptions make your mouth water but the actual meal always lives up to its promise. This is one restaurant where you can judge something by its cover, or picture. 4.1.4 Quality Infuse Loyalty: It has been observed that some restaurants have a more loyal following? Why is that people are more attracted to it? Because, the experience is worth remembering. From the very first interaction with the staff, an impression is made. This feeling creates an impression in the mind of the customer. Many restaurants and TGI Fridays in particular identify the value of customer service. Loyalty is an essential part of doing any business. No business can survive without establishing a dedicated client base. Studies have shown that companies that are rated high by their customer can charge close to ten percent more, than those rated poorly (Sonnenberg, 1989). For managers, motivating a group of employees is not a straightforward task. Each employee is a different and unique individual with dissimilar personalities and attitudes. Surprisingly enough, in spite of its evident importance to all businesses, relatively little is known about it. Experts have struggled to define exactly what being a loyal customer means, and too little has been made in determining what factors lead to customer loyalty. So, although customer loyalty is considered the back-bone of business, it still remains a mystery. To be truly effective and be able to repeat business, a brand must fabricate an emotional connection with its customers. And this is what the managers strive to achieve. Emotional branding is connected with the wisdom of brands and leads to an excursion filled with precious hints, ideas, and lessons from the customers. How to infuse brand loyalty in customers and address the trenchant constituents of branding as a product of perceptive thinking is another challenge for the managers. Haddadj (2003) believes that to create an effective workplace in order to motivate employees to perform well is very much in the interest of organization. Managers pivotal role in initiating transformation in a restaurant is to succeed in improving organizational performance. 4.2 What is Employee Empowerment? A pleasant and professional environment helps in the development of the capabilities of employees. On the other hand meager staff quality can be very expensive for any business. Empowerment is defined as the capability of employees to exercise judgment and discretion in their work and to contribute more fully in decisions affecting their work (Potterfield, 1999). Change, regardless of its magnitude is a challenging exercise. In case of employee empowerment, the challenge becomes even bigger as a high level of unpredictability is involved. In any organization, employees are the assets. Human Resource is vital to a corporations growth and prosperity is gaining and retaining competitive advantage. Therefore a motivated and contented workforce is more likely to achieve on many fronts. Loyalty and commitment from the staff cannot be controlled. In Harvester Restaurants, employees work in autonomous work groups without the direction of an immediate supervisor (Ashness et al, 1995). Organizations tie staff loyalty and commitment to its policies and actions. Therefore the management should deal with this issue prudently. (Fedor et al, 1989) concede that the employees who find the work more creative will react less to criticism. Total quality management and the strive for zero defects places issues of quality at the center of every managements reflection. Employees who are empowered are in greater control (Conger et al, 1988). Employee empowerment has its fair share of criticism too. (Purser et al, 1998) in particular are wary of practices, calling it pseudo-empowerment (p. 132). They assert that it is simply putting a new face on an old scheme. Many authors believe it is more self-directed. (Hitchcock et al, 1995) note that the practiced empowerment is a status rather than a process of actively participation. However, those who promote this concept are of the view that it works and is related to the organizations performance. (Piore et al, 1983) believe the organizations will gain superior competitive advantage by focusing on employees as assets and by removing unnecessary levels of management. There are four different, but overlapping managerial motives for introducing empowerment (Lashley, 1995). These are empowerment through participation, through involvement, through commitment, and empowerment through delivering. Each of the aforementioned forms is applied differently with the nature of empowered given to the employee. Organizational theories also attest to the fact that the fit involving business strategies and organizational characteristics is a key determinant of organizational performance (Lorsch et al, 1973). Many authors like (Barry, 1993) say that empowerment is a universally defined term. The idea of empowerment is to engage the employee in different aspects of the service operation. The empowerment model of (Lashley, 1997) is as follows: Source: (Lashley, 1997) 4.2.1 Empowerment Self-Actualization: Abraham Maslow has hinted out at the five levels of human needs. The need of self actualization is on top of the pyramid. The Maslows Hierarchy Model is as follows: http://dinamehta.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/800px-maslows_hierarchy_of_needssvg.png Source:NetMBA.com Empowerment is in fact fulfilling ones need of self actualization. It is difficult to develop an environment that allows team players to find opportunities for self-actualization, and to be respected and feel empowered. But in the hospitality industry it is deemed important to allow employees to take responsibility of their actions. (Barbie et al, 1991) believed that a feeling of personal efficacy and self determination in nurtured among employees. They are supposed to feel that they have power and can make a difference. They have choices and can exercise it. (Johnson, 1993) 4.2.2 Employee empowerment in the hospitality industry: Employee empowerment is particularly relevant in the hospitality industry because employees have the maximum amount of direct customer contact. Levels of customer satisfaction can be improved by empowering employees to handle guest requests or problems immediately, rather than having to report to their managers .Managers fundamental task in a restaurant is to improve performance (Haddadj, 2003). Organizations operating in different industries have different set of management rules. The risk is high where the service act is directed at the minds of the people. Caring attitudes by managers succeed in bringing forth employee dedication and approval. (Black et al, 1996) 4.2.3 TGI Fridays Restaurant: The organization structure at TGI restaurants is somewhat traditional and typical for the hospitality business. At Fridays a standardized layout and decor is balanced by an extensive menu which allows the customer to decide on what they should consume within the range. In many ways the offer is comparable to mass customization in manufactured products. The customer knows what to expect, and can personalize the experience through the extensive menu. 4.2.4 TGI Fridays Operations: The Restaurant Manager is responsible for the handling of affairs of the unit. The Front of house operations is managed by the senior service manager. The quality manager is in charge of the operations in kitchen and stores. People are trained for specific jobs that include jobs at bar, in the restaurant and the kitchen. Some employees play a supervisory role as shift leader. Trained hosts receive guests and the expediter is responsible for ensuring the speedy production of meals from the kitchen. To ensure quality and consistency in the service offering is a lot harder to accomplish than in other sectors. This category of service firms is unique since the organization is not isolated from the customer the latter must physically be present throughout the service act, unlike other sectors such as manufacturing (Fitzsimmons and Fitzsimmons, 2004). These are recognized as the critical success factors. (Boynton et al, 1984) define critical success factors as those things that must go well to ensure success for a manager. They imply that these administrative areas must be given individual attention to bring about higher performance. The thorough interaction between the service organization and the customer in person has profound quality implications for the organization. In the case of TGI Fridays where employees are delivering a mass customized service, they need to exercise consultancy skills in their interpretation of customer service needs. This helps in increased motivation in the workforce. This in turn will able the employee to reach future performance standards (Nemoroff et al, 1979). 4.2.5 Employee Empowerment at TGI Fridays: TGI Fridays foster an environment of employee empowerment. They have created an environment where employees are nurtured to take responsibility for their actions. So, performance at TGI Fridays requires more than merely taking order and delivering to the customer (Ritzer, 1993). This is very important to managerial aspirations for their approach. Employees need to be able to interpret, and then deliver, the customer service required. At Fridays employees are managed through a cluster of approaches to enhance perfection in work. When it comes to special events, it really shows that everyone in the staff is an important player. For instance during the week People arrive for their shift, do their shift, and go home. But at special occasions like Christmas, Dub-Dubs, door hosts, bartenders and managers alike stay behind after working. Everyone make sure that customers when they check in feel comfortable about the place. The slogan is to be trusted and respected. This is the managers duty to be an effective communicator and devote time to everyone equally. The natural skills and talents of employees will be realized and utilized to the organizations effectiveness (Ripley and Ripley, 1993). TGI FRIDAYS support the staff to be hands on with customers, but at the same time assesses the character and mood of the guests in order to achieve appropriate level of interaction. They have designed a book they call as the WOW Book. 4.2.6 The WOW Book: TGI FRIDAYS has a book known as WOW (WALK ON WATER). This book for staff lists the extra stuff the employees can offer to the customer. One such example that comes into our mind is lighting a cigarette for the customer. Before the start of each shift, employees are involved in a board game through roley. This role play is based on service encounters. The is based on the culture and philosophy of the organization. The objective of this is to inculcate each employee with the values of the organization. Unlike bureaucracies, empowering organizational structures are collaborative team based organizations (Beyerlein et al, 2003). 4.2.7 TGI Fridays Passport: The management at TGI Fridays have created a flexible employee rotation program once the training is completed. This program is known as the TGI Passport. This system enables employees to work in other branches, states or countries when there is a vacancy. This is an excellent example of empowering employees through flexibility, thus ensuring loyalty. This scheme not only retains staff but also reduces training costs. 4.2.8 The Five Star Values at TGI Fridays: TGI Fridays has identified five star values to symbolize its philosophy and culture. Each value is presented as a triangle and each side of the triangle must be balanced in order to deliver the service the Fridays way. In addition to these stars values, the three rings of the perceived guests are also taught to the staff. These rings represent the core offerings of the brand along with the consistent standards of service. They also entail an environment in which individual employee is encouraged to work to their maximum potential. An engaged employee has a natural drive for innovation, efficiency and a talent for building encouraging relationships (Ganguly, 2003). The five star values empower employees; they own their job and want to achieve better because they feel rewarding for doing so. 4.2.9 The Service Encounter: TGI Fridays calls its service encounter as an unusual experience. Employees are encouraged to think that TGI Fridays gives its customers a value for their money. For TGI Fridays incorporate elements of standard procedure manuals laid down production and presentation specifications. Test on product knowledge is used to ensure that front line employees had the requisite knowledge to be able to advise customers. Dub-Dubs are allowed to offer advice to customers as to how to structure their meal. Furthermore, they also have to identify the customers service requirements and deliver what is needed. (Lashley, 2000) notes that normative control in TGI Fridays is one of the tools to retain employees and encourage them to take ownership of the service encounter. Service target times at TGI Fridays call for the starters to be served within seven minutes of receipt of the order. Main course items must be served within twelve minutes. A computer programme helps managers to check the timing of these service times. Dub-Dubs are trained to work in routines. They check with the customer regularly after three minutes of delivering the meal. The front-line staff is encouraged to develop a sense of ownership of the service encounter. (Spinalli et al, 2000) establish that empowerment leads to both employee and customer satisfaction. Managers are keen to make sure that the employee is able to meet up customer service requirements, answer queries, offer advice, and present the appropriate performance, and maintain company sales targets. The nature of the work requires a particular type of individual, someone who relates well with customers. 4.2.10 Empowerment and Employees Performance: Employee performance requires, more than the traditional acts of greeting, seating and serving (Hochschild, 1983). Customer satisfaction, attitude towards the customer and meeting the order in a specified time tops the list at Fridays. The bar staff at TGI Fridays provides both the showmanship needed to command a premium price. Work teams and information sharing are the building blocks of employee empowerment. Empowered employees own their jobs; can assess their personal and corporate success. The purpose of empowerment is often to cultivate confidence between employers and employees with the end goal of continuous improvement (Khan, 1997; Lawson, 2000). Workplace know-how is a combination of the foundation skills and the workplace competencies. The competencies cannot be achieved without a strong base; but the two can-and should-be learned simultaneously. Employees are expected to control themselves internally by being nice, cheerful, smiling and courteous to customers even when the customer is rude and offensive (Royle, 2000). The performance of the unit is measured by a system known as a WinCard. 4.2.11 The WIN Card: TGI Fridays used wincard which stands for Whitbread in Numbers scorecard. This is a communication tool that helps in bolster the performance. It uses the scorecard approach. Wincard measures a common set of scores across each unit, brand and at a group level. This enables employees to know better what they are doing and ensure that all employees are working towards the same company goal. It provides a reliable, tangible way of both motivating them individually and as a unit and identifying key areas for improvement. This tracks performance on a monthly basis against the agreed target and an in-store wall chart which display to employees the year- to- date results and monthly results via a color coding system. A traffic light system measures these scores. Green measures a result if the performance is better than the anticipated performance. Amber measures a performance that is better than last year but worse than the anticipated financial plan. Red signifies a performance that is just getting worse. 4.2.12 Guest Feedback: Guest Feedback is an important component of TQM. Hospitality businesses do conduct these surveys to get hands on information about the customers experience. The questions asked are about the customer sense of well-being and the experience as an individual. These questions measure the emotional attachment of the guest with the brand. Companies like TGI Fridays gain the feedback and ideas of their associate through these surveys. They empower their employees and they in turn try to score highly in guest and employee satisfaction surveys. It is a win-win situation. The recognition identifies the optimistic approach of the company. At Fridays, recognition comes in different varieties ranging from the award of eye-catching pin badges to trips abroad for high performing management teams. 4.3 Customer Relation Management: In todays increasingly competitive market, it has become increasingly difficult for businesses to remain competitive. With an increase in competition, organizations are focusing more and more on increasing customer satisfaction, as it is the key to remain competitive in the market. In restaurant operations, such as TGI Fridays, it is projected that new customers cost 11 times more to generate than repeat customers (Sellers, 1990). These economic points of views for empowerment further reinforce claims that employee turnover and bureaucratic control systems will decrease operating costs. Quality is a strategic issue and many aspects of quality management entail strategic thinking within the organization about their customers and their requirements. The value of long term relationships in services marketing has only recently been known. External environments can alter rapidly and companies may not be able to change accordingly (Zacharakis et al, 1999). Employees at TG