Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Discuss the Relationship between form and function in the Seagram Essay

Discuss the Relationship between form and function in the Seagram Building, the Guggenheim Museum and the George Pompidou Center - Essay Example It was designed as the headquarters for the Canadian distillers Joseph E. Seagram's & Sons" (2007). The International Style in which this building was constructed was extremely influential on American architecture, one of its chief traits being to externally articulate the structure of the building. Mies wanted the structural elements of the building to be visible. This was not practical because of the American fire codes that required structural steel to be coated with fireproof material, "so Mies used non-structural bronze-toned I-beams to suggest structure instead. These are visible from the outside of the building, and run vertically, like mullions, surrounding the large glass windows. Now, observers look up and see a "fake and tinted-bronze" structure covering a real steel structure. This method of construction using an interior reinforced concrete shell to support a larger non-structural edifice has since become commonplace. The interior was designed to assure cohesion with the external features, repeated in the glass and bronze furnishings and decorative scheme." (Wikipedia 2007). Two of the most interesting design features of the Seagram building involve the window blinds in the building itself and the Plaza just outside. Mies disliked the disorderly position of window blinds at various heights, so he designed the blinds in the building to operate fully open, fully closed, or halfway. This allowed the building to keep its orderly form without losing too much function. Mies never intended the area in front of the building to become a gathering place for people, but it did nonetheless. The Plaza is another function of the Seagram Building, as is the Four Seasons Restaurant (Wikipedia 2007). Guggenheim Museum One of the best-known museums in New York City is the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, or as it is most commonly known by the locals, The Guggenheim. It was founded in 1937 and serves as a location to house and display modern artwork. Frank Lloyd Wright designed the new and current building in the year 1959 (Wikipedia 2007). "The distinctive building, Wright's last major work, instantly polarized architecture critics, though today it is widely revered. From the street, the building looks approximately like a white ribbon curled into a cylindrical stack, slightly wider at the top than the bottom. Its appearance is in sharp contrast to the more typically boxy Manhattan buildings that surround it, a fact relished by Wright who claimed that his museum would make the nearby Metropolitan Museum of Art "look like a Protestant barn" (Wikipedia 2007). As far as form is concerned, the viewing gallery within is comprised of a spiral. The downside to its beauty is that the design takes away from the artwork that is displayed. Also, the exhibit areas are difficult to hang paintings in. "Although the rotunda is generously lit by a large skylight, the niches are heavily shadowed by the walkway itself, leaving the art to be lit largely by artificial light. The walls of the niches are neither vertical nor flat (most are gently concave) meaning canvasses must be mounted proud of the wall's surface. The limited space within the niches means that sculptures are generally relegated to plinths amid the main spiral walkway itself. Prior to its opening,

Monday, October 28, 2019

The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas Essay Example for Free

The Boy in the Stripped Pajamas Essay The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is about this boy that is called Bruno that’s 8 years old and his dad is a Nazi officer. Bruno has an older sister, a maid, 3 best friends that are called Daniel, Karl, Martin, and of course a mom and a dad. Bruno and his family have to move to Berlin to a new house because his dad got promoted because he had a chance to meet the â€Å"The Fury† (Adolf Hitler) to be control of a concentration camp. Bruno had to leave to a new house and his three friends. When he gets to his new home he doesn’t like it and feels homesick because there was nothing fun to do or had any friends to play with. One day when Bruno sneaked out of his house and was wondering in the wood and saw a camp that he thought that was a farm but it was actually a concentration camp. When he got closer and closer then he saw this kid that was the same age as him and was called Shmuel and a fence where separating them. Then they started talking and became friends. Then each day Bruno started bringing him food. Then Shmuel told Bruno the truth that he was imprisoned because he was a Jew and Bruno didn’t care. One day Shmuel got caught eating a cake by a Nazi officer and Bruno with him. Then Shmuel explained that Bruno gave it to him and Bruno denied what Shmuel said. Several days passed and Bruno didn’t go visit Shmuel. Until one day he went to see Shmuel and he had a black eye and Bruno apologizes for it and they become friends again. Days passed and they both planned that Bruno would be in the other side of the fence with Shmuel so they can play all day. When Bruno got to the other side of the fence some Nazi officers appeared to take the Jews to the gas chamber. Then his mom told his dad that Bruno is missing and they went to look for them. When they got to the concentration camp Bruno’s dad told him to not turn on the gas chamber. It was all too late and when they got there they found out that Bruno was already dead. The movie was based during World War II and its located in Germany Berlin most of the time. This was where some of the concentration camps where located at and that’s where the main character of the lives. The Nazi party blamed and made propagandas about the Jews that they were the fault why Germany is in the ruined. The reaction of many countries for Germany’s action was going to war with them. The Allied powers were the Americans, France, United Kingdom, and Poland. The Axis powers were the Germans, Japan, and Italy. Many of the Germans where supporting Hitler because they thought that he could make Hitler a strong country again. The War lasted between the years 1939-1945. The camp that Bruno’s dad was in charged (Auschwitz) was an actual camp during World War II. This was accurate to because the holocaust really happened. The fact that people was actually beaten up and putted in gas chamber really happened to. Somewhere inaccurate to because the Nazis would have killed people that weren’t able to work. Shmuel wasn’t old enough to work so he should have been one of the first persons to die. The concentration camps fences had electricity. So Bruno wouldn’t be able to crawl under the fence because he would have been electrocuted. I thought that the movie was really sad and really good. The sad part was that Bruno and Shmuel died at the end because they were innocent. It was really good to because it was a very well built movie with some accurate facts and at the same time inaccurate facts. This made me learn not that much about WWII because I still remembered all this stuff from 8th grade but it still refreshed my mind on how WWII was. Citation Page 1. www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/history.html 2. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allies_of_World_War_II 3. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis powers 4. www.worldwar-2.net/

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Electricity Generation Essay -- Energy Fossils Electical Environment P

Electricity is a secondary form of energy, the primary being fossil fuels, which are used to generate it. The world’s production of electricity was twelve trillion kilowatt hours in 1997, and is expected to be close to twenty-one trillion kilowatt hours by 2020. (Fay and Golomb, 2002, 16) This is a cause of concern because based on the United States Department of Energy’s International Energy Outlook 1997 the world’s electricity generation is primarily (63%) from fossil fuels, which release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when burned. The unnatural amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is already beginning to make some changes in our weather patterns, and predictions for the future look grim. Therefore, alternatives in electricity generation must be explored. In order to be able to take alternative electricity generation techniques into consideration, one must know the basics about how electricity is generated. The generation of electricity is usually done in a power plant of sorts and then sent out over the power grid to homes. The employment of step up transformers that convert the twelve kilovolts normally outputted by the power plant, into four hundred kilovolts for long range transmission over high voltage transmission lines are critical to insure minimal power loss during transport. (Urone, 2001, 573) A step down transformer is then used to bring the voltage down to levels that are safe for home use, thirteen kilovolts over normal power lines, and two hundred forty volts or one hundred twenty volts (Europe and United States respectively) to the actual home. The actual driving force behind electric powered appliances is electric current. Electricity is merely electric current used as a ... ...logy, could take off in the future. Of course, as with any type of technology, each method does have it’s own list of pros and cons. However, one thing is for sure, the current trend calls for fossil fuels to continue their domination of the energy market, which poses severe environmental risks for the future. Advancements in research and technology are making people more aware of the dangers that lie ahead. The time is now to demand a responsible energy policy from the government, in hopes of a brighter tomorrow. List of Sources: Fay A., James and Golomb S., Dan. 2002. Energy and the Environment. Oxford University Press, New York. Ristinen A., Robert and Kraushar J., Jack. 1999.Energy and the Environment. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York. Urone Peter, Paul. 2001. College Physics, 2nd ed. Wadsworth Group. Brooks/Cole. Thomson Learning, Inc., New York.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Social Interaction and Technology Essay example -- Sociology

Cellphones, television, and computers are just three of the most popular ways that we communicate in today. They have made a substantial impact on the United States simply by being readily available and easy to use. People are often discussing how technology has impacted us. Many believe that technology is actually hindering society rather than helping it. Then there are those who doubt technology has made our social interactions better. Certainly, this is true; without the advances in technology, our level of social interaction in education, businesses, and relationships would diminish. Education is important, so it would only make sense that technology would have a huge part in it. When children are born, they are placed into a world that is driven by technology. Parents are now using iPads and cellphones to allow their children to get a head start on learning. Now, by the time children are of age to attend school, they are exceedingly prepared to incorporate technology in their education. With this being said, educational institutions must help students get ready to work in a society that encompasses an extensive amount of technology. According to Sean McCollum, â€Å"a handful of school districts†¦are adapting their use to serve the curriculum.† Many schools are now using whiteboards, laptops, tablets, Smartphones and other devices in almost every classroom. Technology enhances learning, boosts confidence, and eliminates geographical limitations. Technology enriches learning by being able to come in different forms and do different things. "For lessons traditionally done with a paper and pencil, we now were able to do them in color, with animation, and with more depth and complexity"(McCollum). Teachers are now able to help stu... ...al interactions with each other. Works Cited Carr, Nicholas G. "IT Doesn't Matter." Harvard Business Review 81.5 (2003): 41-49. Business Source Complete. Web. 1 Apr. 2012. Levin, Barbara. "On-Demand Workforce-Communications Technologies Help Organizations Meet Critical Business Goals." Employment Relations Today (Wiley) 35.2 (2008): 43-50. Business Source Complete. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. McCollum, Sean. "Getting Past the 'Digital Divide'." Education Digest 77.2 (2011): 52. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. Social Interaction and Technology. n.d. Intelecom. Video. Web. 11 March 2012. Vanden Abeele, Mariek and Keith Roe "New Life, Old Friends: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Communication Technology Use in Freshmen's Social Life." Conference Papers International Communication Association (2009): 1-36. Communication & Mass Media. Web. 25 Mar. 2012.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Product Lines of Metlife Alico

Abstract Products can be tangible or intangible, physical or logical. Insurance services are logical and considered as intangible product in marketing. Presently it is a familiar term in our day to day life. Many different insurance companies provide different types of insurance services. In western countries adopting insurance services are mandatory. In Bangladesh Insurance services are also getting popular day by day. MetLife Alico is one of the leading insurance companies in Bangladesh. It is well organized and has a wide range of product line.Here the details of the product lines of MetLife Alico will be presented in brief. Firstly, the product concept of marketing will be described. Secondly, insurance services will be introduced as a product. Thirdly, MetLife Alico and its history in Bangladesh will be discussed in brief. Fourthly, the product lines of MetLife Alico will be presented and their features will be discussed. Next, different value added service of the organization t owards its customers will be described. Finally, the report will be critically analyzed and some recommendations to increase acceptability of the report will be proposed.At last a, brief discussion on the product lines of MetLife Alico will be presented. Introduction Product is a good, service, or idea consisting of a bundle of tangible and intangible attributes that satisfies consumers and is received in exchange of money or some other unit of value. The organizations that are production-oriented look at a product basically as a manifestation of resources used to produce it and the organizations that are marketing oriented view a product from the target consumer’s perspective as a bundle of benefits by benefits i. e. functional as well as  emotional benefits.Accordingly they will have to see how their consumers view their products. There is no need to prepare a marketing mix for a product that offers few consumers benefits, because that product will not sell. If we conside r the product from the target customer’s perspective, like the cosmetic companies are combining chemicals to make lipsticks, vitamin manufacturers produce little pills; watch makers produce mechanical devices that keep time. -What marketers are doing is they are basically enhancing their products for their target markets-as lipstick has becomes beauty and hope, vitamins become hope or a healthier life and watches become status symbols. So we can say that, a product therefore is a bundle of physical or logical, tangible or intangible attributes that have the potential to satisfy present and potential customer wants. In addition to the physical goods themselves, other elements include the warranty, installation, after sales service accessories and package. For example a product with warranty and the same product without warranty are not same. Products that are intangible are exchanged directly from producer to user, they cannot be transported or stored, and are almost instantly perishable.These products are called services. Service products are often difficult to identify, because they come into existence at the same time they are bought and consumed. The American Marketing Association defines services as – â€Å"Activities, benefits and satisfactions which are offered for sale or are provided in connection with the sale of goods. † Some common examples of service that are considered as product are services of a lawyer, Service of a beautician, banking services etc. Insurance services can also be considered as an intangible product.Insurance service as a product Insurance is the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another in exchange of payment. It is a form of risk-management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. An insurer, or insurance carrier, is a company selling the insurance; the insured, or policyholder, is the person or entity buying the insurance policy. The amount of mon ey to be charged for a certain amount of insurance coverage is called the premium.The transaction involves the insured assuming a guaranteed and known relatively small loss in the form of payment to the insurer in exchange for the insurer's promise to compensate (indemnify) the insured in the case of a financial loss. The insured receives a contract, called the insurance policy, which details the conditions and circumstances under which the insured will be financially compensated. An Insurance service is also an intangible product because nothing is actually produced and there is no tangible item being exchanged.The policy, policy booklet, etc. is a contract and terms of the contract, however that is not bought. However with an insurance contract no tangible good is exchanged for the consideration (i. e. premium). What is being exchanged for the consideration is an agreement that the insurance company will indemnify you in accordance with the terms of the contract. Moreover insuranc e services are demandable and have market values. So, it is a product. There are wide ranges of insurance services, they are offered at different conditions and in different packages.A single insurance provider often offers different types packages and also different types of services. For example, MetLife Alico offers total four types of packages in insurance schemes with different types of products in each scheme. Terms and conditions vary from packages to packages and products to products. These services are designed targeting different types of customers. Overview of MetLife Alico MetLife Alico is an affiliate of MetLife, Inc. , a leading global provider of insurance and employee benefit programs. Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife serves more than 90 million customers around the world.It provides a full range of Life, Accident and Health insurance products for customers ranging from individuals to large local and multinational corporations. Individual, group, and credit protection products help its customers recover from financial loss due to death, disability, accident, sickness, and loss of employment. Also, individual savings and group pension products help its customers save for education, retirement, or other financial goals. Its products are available through agents, brokers, financial institutions and direct to customer. In addition to, being the largest life insurer in the U.S. and Mexico, MetLife is now a leading competitor in Japan holding advantageous positions in Europe, and is in top-five position in many high-growth markets of Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. MetLife Alico has been helping people and businesses in Bangladesh with their insurance needs since 1952. It have tailored extensive product offering to the unique needs of individuals, families and businesses of all sizes. Presently, it is one of the leading insurance companies in the country, with close to 1,000,000 insured members and over 12,000 agents.The main products of MetLife Alico in Bangladesh are life insurance, saving and retirement plans and accidents and health insurance for individuals and employee benefits, credit life insurance and insurance for non-employees for corporations. In these six categories MetLife supports many services of different terms and durations. Product lines of MetLife Alico Figure 1 : Different services of MetLife Alico. From the figure it is clear that MetLife Alico supports total six types of Insurance services in Bangladesh. It supports three types of solution in each of the individual and corporate solution category.The services offered by the company are Life insurance, Savings ; Retirement insurance plan, Accident ; Health Insurance, Employee Benefits, Credit Life Insurance, and Insurance for Non-Employees. For convenience only individual solutions will be discussed. A brief overview of the Individual services is provided in the next topic. Different schemes and their features The services of MetLife Alico will be discussed in two major categories, Individual solutions and corporate solutions. Individual solutions are services that are designed to meet individual needs.The individual services are designed to meet different types of insurance needs of individuals. Individual plans consists life insurance plan, savings ; retirement plans popularly known as DPS schemes and accident ; health insurance plans. Life insurance Life insurance can take care of family and help them maintain their standard of living if something odd happen to the insured. Apart from taking care of outstanding loans or mortgages, it can also protect children's education or provide monetary benefits to family members. There are two types of life insurance Education Protection Plan (EPP) Plus and Three Payment Plan (3PP) Plus.Education Protection Plan (EPP) Plus The cost of a good education is rising high, and has risen at an alarming rate in recent years. To secure the best possible e ducation for children’s, individuals need to plan ahead. Education Protection Plan is specifically designed to help and can give the reassurance right preparations for children’s future. If some awkward situations occur, insured family members suffers from financial crisis, this plan protects them from financial problems also. The main features of Education Protection Plan (EPP) Plus are: * A flexible plan with terms ranging from 10 to 25 years On maturity, insured persons child will receive the full face amount along with the bonus * In case of insured’s sudden death, the plan protects his child's financial future by paying out a monthly sum of 1% of the face amount every month for child’s education till the maturity of the policy. The policy also provides for a waiver of all future premiums in order to keep the policy active and in-force. * Insured can choose to add a disability protection rider to this plan which will protect in the event of a disabili ty due to sickness or accident. Like in all other life policies, the paid premiums are income tax deductible (subject to prevailing tax laws ; rules). * This EPP Plus plan also provides a personal accident coverage that ensures the financial future of insured loved ones in case of his death, disability or injury due to an accident. Three Payment Plan (3PP) Plus The Three Payment Plan is an innovative policy that provides the ultimate solution in financial planning giving both the protection insured need and the regular payouts he want to meet his financial needs. It has all the security of a life insurance plan and the flexibility of a savings policy.The main features of Three Payment Plan (3PP) Plus are: * This Plan is available for varying terms. * 25% of the face amount is paid at the end of 1/3rd of the term and another 25% at the end of 2/3rd of the term. * The remaining 50% of the face amount is paid along with a bonus at maturity. * In the unfortunate event of the death of th e policy holder, at any time during the term of the policy, their loved ones will receive the entire face amount along with the bonuses – NO DEDUCTION is made for the partial maturity amounts already paid. Loans up to a maximum of 85% of cash value are available, if required. * Like in all other life policies, the paid premiums are income tax deductible (subject to prevailing tax laws ; rules). * The 3PP Plus also provides Personal Accident Coverage in case of insured’s death, disability or injury due to accident. Savings ; Retirement Savings and retirement plans are for saving for future and creating a source of income to be available in future. There are three different plans in this category. Income growth Plan, DPS super and lifeline pension plan.The details of the plans are described below: Income Growth Plan The main features of Income Growth Plan are: * A unique plan that combines protection and savings * Offers a maximum premium payment term of up to 30 years t hereby giving the flexibility of choosing small payments to suit your budgetary needs * The plan is split into 2 phases. The first phase is for a period of 7 years and then the second phase starts (from the 8th year) and includes the rest of the term. * During the first 7 years savings is accumulated and grown and at the end of the 7th year a dividend is declared.This dividend could be up to 40% of the cash value of the plan. * In the second phase, the cash value and dividend are transferred to the Investment ; Protection Account (IPA) * From the 8th year onwards, the policy offers a range of flexible options such as changes to the amount of premium, insurance coverage, etc, subject to the policy terms and conditions. * Maturity Benefits: On maturity, the policy owner can either withdraw the account (IPA) value; or convert it into a life time pension. Like in all other life policies, the paid premiums are income tax deductible (subject to prevailing tax laws ; rules) * Income Growth also provides Personal Accident Coverage in case of your death, disability or injury DPS Super As a sensible and responsible individual, one must be looking for the best possible avenues to grow his hard-earned money. An ideal financial plan for him may be the one that accumulates his money with reasonable returns as well as provides protection to him ; his family against uncertainties. One such a plan is MetLife Alico’s DPS Super offer.MetLife Alico’s DPS Super is a savings and protection plan that provides an attractive Maturity Value and a substantial Accidental Benefit. There are total three types of services in this category. They are: Plan| Features| DPS Super – Gold| Maturity Value + Life Coverage + Accident Coverage + Critical Illness ; Waiver of Premium Benefits| DPS Super – Silver| Maturity Value + Life Coverage + Accident Coverage| DPS Super – Bronze| Maturity Value + Accident Coverage| Table 1: MetLife Alico DPS plans. The terms and co nditions of the plans are given below: DPS Super – Gold Plan Attractive Maturity Value to meet financial planning needs. * Life Insurance coverage equivalent to policy Face Amount. * Double Benefit due to Accidental Death (AD) and Accidental Permanent ; Total Disability (PTD); consequently a total coverage of 3 times the Face Amount in case of AD. In case of Accidental Dismemberment the additional Accidental Benefit may reach up to 2 times the Face Amount depending on the type and extent of Loss * Lump Sum payment equal to 100% or 50% of the Face Amount in case of diagnosis of 8 Critical Illnesses * Waiver of Premium in case of Permanent Total Disability due to Accident or Sickness.DPS Super – Silver Plan * Attractive Maturity Value to meet ones financial planning needs. * Life Insurance coverage equivalent to policy Face Amount. * Double Benefit due to Accidental Death (AD) and Accidental Permanent ; Total Disability (PTD); consequently a total coverage of 3 times the Face Amount in case of AD. In case of Accidental Dismemberment the additional Accidental Benefit may reach up to 2 times the Face Amount depending on the type and extent of loss. DPS Super – Bronze Plan * Attractive Maturity Value to meet ones financial planning needs. Death Benefit equal to account value or premiums paid for the basic policy whichever is higher. * Accidental benefit under which 2 times the Face Amount (Face Amount is defined as the DPS Super annual premium times the policy term) will be paid in the event of accidental death, or accidental permanent ; total disability (PTD). In case of accidental dismemberment the additional accidental benefits may reach up to 2 times the face amount depending on the type and extent of loss. Lifeline Pension PlanLifeline Pension Plan is an opportunity to earn in the post job life after retirement. In life line pension scheme one saves during employment and earns after retirements. The main features of the product are: * It o ffers you a combination of savings and protection. * One can choose a plan that has a payment term ranging between 10 and 20 years. * It have the facility to withdraw the face amount along with any accumulated bonuses any time after the end of the premium payment period. * One can start receiving the pension payment, 1 year after the completion of the premium payment period. One can choose to postpone this pension payment and leave the annual income with MetLife Alico to accumulate further. * This annual pension payment will continue up to the age of 100. * It offer a minimum guaranteed return of 4% with the option to receive an excess form the year of investment performed. * In the unfortunate event of insured’s death, his loved ones will receive the full face amount plus accrued bonuses. * Like in all other life policies, the paid premiums are income tax deductible (subject to prevailing tax laws ; rules). This plan also provides a personal accident coverage that ensures th e financial future of loved ones in case of insured’s death, disability or injury due to accident. Accident ; Health Insurance Solutions MetLife’s accident and health insurance products secure its clients in case of unusual health hazards and accidental cases. There are total eight types of Accidental and Health Insurance solutions available in this category. The features and details of the services are given below. Critical Care No one likes to thinks about serious illness, but it is always a possibility.For example estimation shows that 1 in 8 people aged 30 today will contract cancer before age 65. The Critical Care is the convenient and affordable critical illness protection plan that is specially designed to protect insured and his family in the event of any health crisis that may strike any of us, any time, anywhere. Critical Care can make sure getting the medical help one need. What’s more, the policy can help replace insured income if he is unable to wor k, so the bills are still paid and insured’s loved ones are looked after. The terms and conditions of the plan are given below: Critical Care will provide insured with lump sum payment of up to BDT 500,000 which is payable upon diagnosis and receipt of proof for one critical illness only. * Critical Care supplements ones life insurance protection. * MetLife offer several plans and anyone can select the plan of his choice for him. * The critical illness lump sum payment will be made only after diagnostics and proved with any of the 25 illnesses listed. * There is no deductible amount. Hospital Care Being admitted in a hospital is stressful enough without the added worry of the expenses.Traditional insurance products may not cover all the additional expenses that one will incur or the loss of income may be suffered if one is hospitalized. Hospital Care supplementary policy can give the added finances to cover whatever one feel is important so that he can concentrate on getting well. It pays the cash amount that insured have selected when he or his insured family members are hospitalized, even in a free hospital. The cash income starts from the very first day of hospitalization and continues for up to 52 weeks for each confinement. The product terms and conditions are given below: The Hospital Care supplements insured life insurance protection * These benefits are payable in addition to any other insurance plan that one may have. * One can select the plan that best suits his needs and the needs of his family from the range offered. * The Daily Cash income continues for up to 52 weeks from the very first day of hospitalization. * The Cash Income is paid directly to insured, to use any way he wishes. * The Cash income is payable regardless of expenses, even if treatment is confined in a free hospital. * There is no deductible amount or waiting period.Lifetime Income Policy If anybody wants absolute security in case he is no longer capable or able to handle t he daily responsibilities of his family due to a sudden accident, Lifetime Income policy is for him. It is a protection plan that provides a cheque-a-month for lifetime of his spouse, his children or even himself, with a guaranteed minimum of 240 monthly benefit cheques. Lifetime Income Policy is a unique plan that provides cheques month after month, year after year to meet insured family expenses. With the same reliability one provide to his family.The details terms and conditions of the product are given below: * This is a dedicated accident insurance product specially tailored for the Bangladesh market where the rate of road traffic accident is one of the highest in the world. * It offers coverage for accidental loss of life, permanent partial disability due to accident, and permanent total disability due to accident * Several units are available under this policy and one can pick the number of units that suits him the best. * No health questionnaire or medical examination requir ed. * This plan provides you with 24 hour, 365 days a year worldwide coverage. The premiums that are paid are income tax deductible (subject to prevailing tax laws ; rules). * 20% of the Premium paid will be refunded as a ‘No Claim Bonus' after 3 years, provided that no claim has been made. Circles of Protection With Circles of Protection one can build the ideal protection for him from a range of options; he just choose the ones that are appeared right to him.. The details of the terms and conditions are given below: * Circle 1 offers protection against accidental death, permanent total and partial disability, Double indemnity-common carrier ; flying with guaranteed cash payments to himself or his loved ones. Circle 2 offers a weekly accident indemnity income for up to two years, replacing lost income due to disability as a result of an accident. This option is only available if you take out Circle 1. * Circle 3 offers accident medical expense reimbursement – total prot ection for reasonable accident medical expenses in and out of hospital. Only available if one takes out Circle 1. * Circle 4 offers Hospital Health Care which provides income for insured and his family if he stay in hospital due to accident or sickness. Circle 5 offers a monthly income for Lifetime with a guaranteed minimum of 240 monthly benefits for covering expenses like food ; clothing, rent, school ; university fee, medical ; health, mortgage ; taxes etc. Minimum monthly income: BDT 3,000 Maximum monthly income: BDT 20,000 My Child Special, Good Health Special, Executive 5 Special and Medi-Guard these four services are still unavailable in Bangladesh and will be made available soon. Other features of MetLife Alico Apart from the above mentioned individual insurance offers MetLife Alico provides some value added services also.In this offers MetLife offers a free health card that offers 15% off on physical diagnostics of the insured and his family members at permitted hospitals a nd diagnostics centers. In addition to the health card the company provides a dedicated customer care officer for each client who deals will all insurance related problems and query of the clients. The monthly payment can be made by auto debit system to reduce effort from clients end. Moreover the websites of the company provides a satisfactory description to its services and provides easier contact with its scustomer care officers.Limitations of the Report The report is prepared extensively based on information provided at the company websites and at other web resources. Customer’s opinions are not taken into account during preparation of the report. If customer’s opinions and their feedbacks are added to the report it will be more reliable and authentic. Some customer relation officers can also be interviewed to enhance the report. If some case study and more present statistics are added to the report it will be more accurate. ConclusionsInsurance services are gettin g popular all over the world day by day. It is a logical service related to risk-management. The main policy is saving user’s money for future to resolve accidental crisis. However people in our country are not aware about the policies of the available companies. Necessary campaigns are necessary to make the insurance services popular. Moreover most of the peoples in our country live below the poverty lines, so insurance companies should make easier terms and policies suitable to the poor peoples of the country.But it is ironically true that most of the insurance companies are targeting only the corporate peoples. The insurance companies should change their values to make their services more users friendly rather then treating it as a profitable product only. It is desired that MetLife will design their new services considering these facts. Appendix Appendix A: Personal Accident Coverage If one is qualified for accident coverage, this plan also provides the following addition al benefits in case of his death, disability or injury due to accident within the premium paying period.The Personal Accident Coverage provides a maximum cover of Tk. 20,00,000 and the proportionate amounts are mentioned below: A. ACCIDENTAL DEATH BENEFIT| : 100% of FA  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  | B. PERMANENT TOTAL DISABILITY BENEFIT| : 100% of FA| C. PERMANENT PARTIAL DISABILITY for the following losses:|   | †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both Hands or Feet or Sights of eyes| : 100% of FA| †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One Hand   and One Foot| : 100% of FA| †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Either Hand / Foot and Sight of One Eye| : 100% of FA| †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hearing of Both Ears| : 100% of FA| †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Speech  | : 100% of FA|   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Either Hand or Foot| :   50% of FA  | †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sight of one Eye| :   50% of FA| †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thumb and Index fingers| :   25% of FA| D. MEDICAL EXPENSES REIMBURSEMENT| Max of :   15% of FA| Appendix B: Critical Care Insurance packages and benefits Appendix C: Diseases covered under critical care 1. Stroke 2. Cancer (Except Skin Cancer) 3. First Heart Attack 4. Coronary Artery Surgery 5. Other Serious Coronary Artery Diseases 6. Heart Valve Replacement 7. Major Burns 8. Blindness 9. Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (Primary) 10.End-stage Lung Disease 11. Kidney Failure 12. Surgery To Aorta 13. Aplastic Anemia 14. Major Organ Transplant 15. Loss Of Hearing 16. Loss Of Speech 17. Muscular Dystrophy 18. Alzheimer’s Disease / Irreversible Organic Degenerative Brain Disorders 19. Motor Neuron Disease 20. Parkinson’s Disease 21. Coma 22. Benign Brain Tumor 23. Major Head Trauma 24. Bacterial Meningitis 25. Paralysis| Appendix D: Hospital Care packages and benefits Appendix E: Diseases covered under Hospital care packageThe 9 dreadful diseases covered under hospital care packages are:    * Heart Attack   Ã‚   * Cancer (Except Skin Cancer) * Coronary Artery Disease * Stroke * Renal Failure * Blindness due to Sickness * Paralysis * Major Burns * Major Organ Transplantation| References Information and different data are collected from the following sources: * http://www. metlifealico. com. bd/en/Individual/index. html * Principles of Marketing by Philip J. Kotler ; Gary Armstrong * http://www. adv-ins. com/ * http://www. marketing91. com/product-concept/

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Take This Endangered Species Quiz

Take This Endangered Species Quiz How much do you know about endangered species? Test your knowledge with this quiz. Answers can be found at the bottom of the page.   1. An endangered species is _____________ that will become extinct if its populations continue to decline. a. any species of animal b. any species of plant c. any species of animal, plant, or other living organism d. none of the above 2. What percentage of the species listed as endangered or threatened by extinction have been saved by conservation initiatives resulting from the Endangered Species Act? a. 100% b. 99% c. 65.2% d. 25% 3. In what ways do zoos help endangered animals? a. They educate people about endangered animals. b. Zoo scientists study endangered animals. c. They establish captive breeding programs for endangered species. d. All of the above 4. Due to the success of recovery efforts under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, what animal is being taken off the endangered species list in the United States in 2013? a. gray wolf b. bald eagle c. black-footed ferret d. raccoon 5. In what ways do people try to save rhinos? a. fencing rhinos into protected areas b. cutting off their horns c. providing armed guards to ward off poachers d. all of the above 6. In what U.S. state are half of the worlds bald eagles found? a. Alaska b. Texas c. California d. Wisconsin 7. Why are rhinos poached? a. for their eyes b. for their nails c. for their horns d. for their hair 8. What did whooping cranes follow from Wisconsin to Florida in a simulated migration? a. an octopus b. a boat c. a plane d. a bus 9. Just one plant may provide food and/or shelter to more than how many species of animals? a. 30 species b. 1 species c. 10 species d. none 10. What once-endangered animal is the national symbol of the United States? a. grizzly bear b. Florida panther c. bald eagle d. timber wolf 11. What are the greatest threats facing endangered species? a. habitat destruction b. illegal hunting c. introducing new species that can cause problems d. all of the above 12. How many species have disappeared in the last 500 years? a. 3,200 b. 1,250 c. 816 d. 362 13. The Sumatran Rhinos total population is estimated at: a. under 80 b. 250-400 c. 600- 1,000 d. 2,500- 3,000 14. As of October 2000, how many plants and animals in the United States were listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act? a. 1,623 b. 852 c. 1,792 d. 1,025 15. All of the following species have gone extinct except the: a. California condor b. dusky seaside sparrow c. dodo d. passenger pigeon 16. How can you help protect endangered animals from extinction? a. reduce, recycle, and reuse b. protect natural habitats c. landscape with native plants d. all of the above 17. Which member of the cat family is endangered? a. the bobcat b. the Siberian tiger c. the domestic tabby d. the North American cougar 18. The Endangered Species Act was created to ___________? a. make people like animals b. make animals easier to hunt c. protect plants and animals that are at risk of becoming extinct d. none of the above 19. Of the 44,838 species that have been studied by scientists, about what percentage is threatened with extinction? a. 38% b. 89% c. 2% d. 15% 20. Nearly ________ percent of mammal species are globally threatened with extinction? a. 25 b. 3 c. 65 d. none of the above Answers: c. Any species of animal, plant, or other living organismb. 99%d. All of the abovea. gray wolfd. all of the abovea. Alaskac. for their hornsc. a planea. 30 speciesc. bald eagled. all of the abovec. 816a. under 80c. 1,792a. California condord. all of the aboveb. the Siberian tigerc. protect plants and animals that are at risk of becoming extincta. 38%a. 25%

Monday, October 21, 2019

buy custom The High Nineteenth Century essay

buy custom The High Nineteenth Century essay It is quite intriguing that some nations would like to extend their authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political hegemony over other nations. There are different forms of imperialism Economic imperialism, for example, means the process by which an economy extends its financial control over others. There are also different ways in which different people viewed and explained this imperialism based on their individualities. In this paper I will compare how different scholars viewed imperialism and examine Western influence of the 18th/19th centuries to different nations. In imperialism lays Britain's commercial expansion following its industrial revolution. That gave it the need to secure world-wide material interests. Then need grew desperate as capitalism began over-producing, and the industrialized countries began competing with each other for outlets. At the beginning of the 20th century, imperialism also took on a domestic shape. Britons took pride in their imperialism. By 1902 it was clear that their empire was stretched about as tight as it could be without breaking, and imperialists turned away from expansion to consolidation. An imperialist became someone who wished to federate the empire economically, militarily, and even politically. At the end of the 19th century imperialism started facing reaction from all over the world. There later came the idea of the white mans burden which stated that European nations had the responsibility of ruling Africans and Asians so as to civilize them. Mill, unlike other liberal theorists makes no appeal to this. He insists thatlatent or underdeveloped abilities and virtues in their colonies could be actualized under the right conditions and liberty if that was the argument. According to J. S Mill, imperialism is the ultimate stage of capitalism. To support this he makes the following remark. The sole end for which mankind is warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their member, is self-protection. In this case, the Imperialists had a wide and liberal vision of coming up with a highly multiracial and civilized society. John Gallagher during 19th century came up with different ideas about European Imperialism that gave it a new understanding where he states that imperialism did not necessarily require formal or legal control by one country over the other. "..bulk of British emigration, trade, and capital went to areas outside the formal British Empire. A key to the thought of Robinson and Gallagher is the idea of empire informally if possible and formally if necessary Western nations also introduced cultural imperialism to their colonies and mostly in Africa by promoting, distinguishing, separating, or artificially injecting the culture of their societies into their colonies. It is usually the case that the former belongs to a large, economically or militarily powerful nation. Through economic processes (indirect imperialism), the concerned state is officially self-governing but linked to the imperial power by (often unequal) trade relations. According to Painter, the notion of cultural imperialism is indicated by ".existing or traditional ways of life and ways of thinking that are subordinated to the culture of the imperialists." However not all states were submissive to this Western Imperialism. It took great efforts to change some people for example in China where Western superiority was challenged by equally strong Chinese beliefs. According to Spence, ..all of them came to China with similar attitudes of cultural superiority, yet none were able to enact the changes they had originally planned The goals of these men, Spence argues that, ..met with resistance because their expertise was often bound with ideological aims to which the Chinese were not willing to submit Imperialism is therefore not a present day advent but a thing of the past. This dates, but not limited to, the years of colonialism. I have looked at the different forms given to it like direct, indirect, economic, political, cultural, and many more. This is an indication that the imperialists are ready to coin more and more words to give imperialism a new face but this should not justify imperialism whatever form it takes or whatever name its given, it remains the extension a nation's authority by territorial acquisition (peacefully or non peacefully) by the establishment of economic and political hegemony over another nation. Buy custom The High Nineteenth Century essay

Sunday, October 20, 2019

9 Ways to Make Your Goals Happen By The End of 2015

9 Ways to Make Your Goals Happen By The End of 2015 I know what you’re thinking. The holidays are here. Before we know it, the ball will drop and the arrival of 2016 will kill off all our hopes of accomplishing our biggest goals for 2015. But there’s still time! Don’t roll over your resolutions for this year just because it’s almost next year. Take these simple steps to clear your desk- and your conscience- and make 2015 a real success.1. Make a ListWrite down all of your unmet milestones and goals for this year, then choose your top two or three. Focus on reasonable goals that depend almost or entirely on you, rather than outside factors or people. Then make a list of every actionable item you can do to meet those goals and get to work.2. Tell the WorldEnlist your pals and family and social media crew to keep you honest. Tell your mentor what you’re trying to accomplish. Tell your supportive family member, or your best friend, or your Twitter feed. Go public with your goals and the world will help h old you accountable for meeting them.3. Make a PlanLike Macaulay Culkin prepping his turf for the great burglar invasion of 1990, you need a battle strategy. There’s about one month left in the year, which is more than enough time, but it’s going to fly. Divide your actionable tasks among the weeks and make sure you don’t let any weeks slip by.4. Cut out the Excess NoiseThis one is like a pair of noise-cancelling headphones for your schedule! Find 3-5 places in your routine where you are wasting time: on Facebook, or loitering by the coffee machine, or playing Candy Crush on the commute home. For the next eight weeks, put that dawdle time into superdrive and chip away at your goal list instead. You’ll be amazed at how much more you can get done.5. Find Time to ExerciseThe best way to increase your energy, stamina, and focus is to exercise. The endorphins will juice you up, and so will the confidence boost of having hit the gym. You’ll make better p rogress on your goals and get fit in the process.6. Worst Things FirstSave the easiest, simplest tasks for last when you’re in your final sprint. Start every morning by tackling the hardest task first, while you’re freshest and your motivation is at a daily peak. Things will only get easier as you work.7. Clock itSet yourself a timer and don’t get up from what you’re doing until it goes off. You’ll need the breaks, so make sure to make the best of those as well. Check out the free Pomodoro app to help with this.8. Create a â€Å"ta-da list†You’ve heard of a to-do list, but how about a daily ta-da list? Look over everything you’ve done that day and revel in your productivity. It will help you clear the last few hurdles and stay motivated to get those goals met before the new year.9. Designate the Holiday as a RewardI know it feels like one big overstuffed calendar of distractions, parties, tempting buffets, and open bars. But us e all this festivity to your advantage! Build holiday treats and fun into your schedule as a reward for crossing tasks of your list.One month isn’t much, but it’s enough. Now, shouldn’t you be making that goal list instead of reading articles online?Yes, It’s Still Possible to Achieve Your Biggest Goals Before the End of the Year

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Is the human security agenda influenced by nationalist political Essay

Is the human security agenda influenced by nationalist political ideologies based on fear Discuss in relation to Burma - Essay Example In view of this background, and in addition to the vast body of work which focused on the issues of human security, this research revolves around similar issues, fundamentally striving to sustain the hypothesis, whether or not the human security agenda in Burma, is influenced by nationalist political ideologies based on fear. In the process, various aspects concerning the issue of human security in relation to Burma are scrutinized, including, a deep rooted analysis of the persistent violence in the war torn country; the key reasons behind such clashes; the role of nationalist political ideologies in fuelling such persistent hostility as well as the issues and concerns regarding human security. Human Security, according to UNDP and World Bank (2004), means "freedom from pervasive threats to peoples rights, safety or lives; embraces the twin objectives of freedom from fear (referring to economic, health, environmental and other threats to peoples well being)."1 The issue of human security is a burgeoning paradigm for comprehending international susceptibilities whose advocates defy the conventional view of national security by contending that the appropriate testimonial for security should be the individual as opposed to the state. The ideology behind human security proposes that a people-centered outlook of security is crucial for ensuring national, regional and global stability. The notion primarily materialized from a post-Cold War, multi-punitive comprehension of security concerning a host of research areas, such as developmental studies, international human relations, tactical studies, as well as human rights. The widespread application of aggression, hostility, enforced labor, forced recruitment of children and forced immigration, acknowledged in large number of studies, conducted by various humanitarian organizations,

Friday, October 18, 2019

Law events Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Law events - Essay Example Among these factors, it is generally considered that regulations pose the most potential threat to any firm doing business. Experts call this as regulatory risks that can alter the way a firm operates, whether it adds to its costs or even imperil its existence. An example is clean air standards and higher mileage requirements in the auto industry. The oil industry has likewise adjusted and transitioned to lead-free gasoline in most nations. There are so many rules, regulations, and laws for business firms to comply with, it costs a significant amount to do business nowadays. There are regulations on environment, on workplace safety, consumer protection, employees’ health, fair competition, taxes and business practices which require substantial compliance or otherwise face stiff fines and penalties. The list is practically endless, such that a recent study indicated it costs $10,000 more per worker for a firm to comply with all federal regulations. This paper looks at one such new rule. Discussion The sub-prime housing mortgage crisis which started in late 2007 and which in turn caused the lingering effects of the so-called Great Recession even until today was due to the indiscriminate and widespread lax lending practices of banks, mortgage associations, and other financial institutions that resulted in easy access to credit even for those not qualified. It triggered the worst recession ever since the Great Depression of the 1930s and in turn caused the collapse of many venerable lending institutions, forcing the government to bail them out. A host of new laws had been passed to regulate almost all aspects of business operations in order to prevent white-collar fraud, corporate scandals, and other unsavory business practices. Among prominent laws passed at that time was the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (or SOX) in which corporate chairmen, board members, and external auditors are jointly liable for any substantial financial misstatements found on audited financial reports which investors rely upon. The fragile economic recovery has led many economists to term it as jobless growth, because few jobs were created, and many lost high-paying jobs are expected never to return. The financial crisis has spread to Europe and other parts of the world, it has become sort of a global contagion, in which economies plugged into a globalized world got adversely affected. In America, many homes fell below their original market values, putting homeowners at risk for eviction and foreclosure proceedings from the banks and other big lenders. The credit that was so plentiful suddenly dried up, putting many individuals in a credit or cash crunch. Many American individuals and households had also maximized their credit use to such an extent many of them got over-extended when they maxed out their credit cards for purchase of consumer items and durables which they soon regretted. In other words, people were deeply in debt, and in this volatile situation, the lender s and banks soon turned into a more aggressive collection techniques and strategies to recover their

Solar Energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Solar Energy - Essay Example Solar panels alone in this country produced nearly 23 TW hours of power in 2012. This amount of energy is outstanding in comparison to other EU members or advanced economies, although it merely makes up for 3% of country’s overall power usage. Germany is working towards generating 66 GW of solar energy by the year 2030 by ensuring a yearly growth rate of 2.5 to 3.5 GW (Wheeland 2014). Even though Germany does not have extensive solar energy potential, it remarkably subsidizes its power systems. These subsidies guarantee their competence of the solar energy generated and used by the country. Germany has a strong input tariff structure comprised of small and large-scale solar PV frameworks capable of distributing surplus power generation to the utility network for revenue (Wheeland 2014). Italy was the second biggest generator and user of solar energy during the same year with an output of 16,361 MW. The United States came number four with an output of 7777 MW with 6200 MW of this output originating from the country’s solar PV industry. This output is a growth of 51% and 34% from 2013, which the suburban and utility sectors led in respectively (Wheeland 2014). This output is poised to increase by 20 GW by 2018. Twenty gigawatts of America’s solar energy output runs over 4 million average homes. By 2014, almost 645,000 American houses and enterprises were using solar energy because of previous year’s more than 195,000 solar power installations (Wheeland 2014). The usage of solar energy in the United States is an outcome of the growth of leasing electricity generated by solar stations. 2. The inverter is a device that converts DC into AC (alternating current), otherwise known as â€Å"conditioning† the electricity (Swanson 14). The inverter then conveys it to a gauge or electrical panel. 3. The gauge has two key functions. First, the gauge automatically conveys any surplus power generated by the solar panel to the

Thursday, October 17, 2019

CORPORATE FINANCE - Minicase Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

CORPORATE FINANCE - Minicase - Essay Example D0 = 2.00 2.12 2.247 2.382 1.88 1.76 1.65 . . . (2) What is the firm's current stock price (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) = = = = $30.29. (3) What is the stock's expected value 1 year from now (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) = = = = $32.10. (4) What are the expected dividend yield, the capital gains yield, and the total return during the first year (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) Total return = 13.0% Dividend yield = $2.12/$30.29 = 7.0% Capital gains yield = 6.0% The dividend yield in the first year is 10 percent, while the capital gains yield is 6 percent. e. Now assume that the stock is currently selling at $30.29. What is the expected rate of return on the stock (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) s= s= $2.12/$30.29 + 0.060 = 0.070 + 0.060 = 13%. f. What would the stock price be if its dividends were expected to have zero growth (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) 0 1 2 3 | | | | 2.00 2.00 2.00 1.77 1.57 1.39 . . . P0 = 15.38 P0 = PMT/r = $2.00/0.13 = $15.38. g. Now assume that Temp Force is expected to experience supernormal growth of 30% for the next 3 years, then to return to its long-run constant growth rate of 6%. What is the stock's value under these conditions What is its expected dividend yield and capital gains yield in Year 1 In Year 4 (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) 0 1 2 3 4 | | | |...What is the required rate of return on the firm's stock (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) g. Now assume that Temp Force is expected to experience supernormal growth of 30% for the next 3 years, then to return to its long-run constant growth rate of 6%. What is the stock's value under these conditions What is its expected dividend yield and capital gains yield in Year 1 In Year 4 (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) The dividend yield in year 1 is 4.80 percent, and the capital gains yield is 8.2 percent. After year 3, the stock becomes a constant growth stock, with g = capital gains yield = 6.0% and dividend yield = 13.0% - 6.0% = 7.0%. h. Is the stock price based more on long-term or short-term expectations Answer this by finding the percentage of Temp Force's current stock price based on dividends expected more than 3 years in the future (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006). i. Suppose Temp Force is expected to experience zero growth during the first 3 years and then to resume its steady-state growth of 6% in the fourth year. What is the stock's value now What is its expected dividend yield and its capital gains yield in Year 1 In Year 4 (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) j. Finally, assume that Temp Force's earnings and dividends are expected to decline by a constant 6% per year, that is, g = -6%.

A Christmas Carol by Chales Dickens Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A Christmas Carol by Chales Dickens - Essay Example The problems included poverty, overwork and insanitary housing which were faced by the middle class, affecting their bodily and spiritual health. In A Christmas Carol, the family was however happy and contented with one another, looking happier in the partying mood. Scrooge on his part kept a close eye on the last of the children, Tiny Tim (Charles 2012). The rise of masses in this period benefited the actual masses as a result of working together and uniting in fighting their problems. Their moral and religious union was maintained. For instance, in the story A Christmas Carol, Cratchit’s family is portrayed as one buried in poverty. They were poorly dressed in scanty clothes and leaking shoes. Like in the Cratchit’s family, Mr. Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast, is predicted as a character liked by the others. They tend to celebrate him, and continue feasting on this Christmas day despite their problems. However, Mr. Scrooge is portrayed as the Ogre of the family, who se name threatens everyone in the party. Leisure and sport were other phenomena that characterized this period. The two represented cultural products of a changed and hierarchical society. Leisure was appreciated as an activity which allowed people to enjoy their lifestyles, giving them the freedom from the politics of the time. For instance, the situation of poverty and sufferings did not deter Cratchit family from loving each other and embracing the happy moments, such as that of Christmas. In conclusion, it can be seen that problems and suffering should not be a limit to people’s joy and merry-making. The Cratchit family is such a family beating all odds to make a happy moment for all. They have forgotten all their sufferings and engaged in leisure and feasting. The citizens as represented by the Cratchit family were full of love, affection and social warmth for each other. The values formed the basis for demand for greater human selflessness. Their

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

CORPORATE FINANCE - Minicase Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

CORPORATE FINANCE - Minicase - Essay Example D0 = 2.00 2.12 2.247 2.382 1.88 1.76 1.65 . . . (2) What is the firm's current stock price (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) = = = = $30.29. (3) What is the stock's expected value 1 year from now (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) = = = = $32.10. (4) What are the expected dividend yield, the capital gains yield, and the total return during the first year (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) Total return = 13.0% Dividend yield = $2.12/$30.29 = 7.0% Capital gains yield = 6.0% The dividend yield in the first year is 10 percent, while the capital gains yield is 6 percent. e. Now assume that the stock is currently selling at $30.29. What is the expected rate of return on the stock (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) s= s= $2.12/$30.29 + 0.060 = 0.070 + 0.060 = 13%. f. What would the stock price be if its dividends were expected to have zero growth (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) 0 1 2 3 | | | | 2.00 2.00 2.00 1.77 1.57 1.39 . . . P0 = 15.38 P0 = PMT/r = $2.00/0.13 = $15.38. g. Now assume that Temp Force is expected to experience supernormal growth of 30% for the next 3 years, then to return to its long-run constant growth rate of 6%. What is the stock's value under these conditions What is its expected dividend yield and capital gains yield in Year 1 In Year 4 (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) 0 1 2 3 4 | | | |...What is the required rate of return on the firm's stock (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) g. Now assume that Temp Force is expected to experience supernormal growth of 30% for the next 3 years, then to return to its long-run constant growth rate of 6%. What is the stock's value under these conditions What is its expected dividend yield and capital gains yield in Year 1 In Year 4 (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) The dividend yield in year 1 is 4.80 percent, and the capital gains yield is 8.2 percent. After year 3, the stock becomes a constant growth stock, with g = capital gains yield = 6.0% and dividend yield = 13.0% - 6.0% = 7.0%. h. Is the stock price based more on long-term or short-term expectations Answer this by finding the percentage of Temp Force's current stock price based on dividends expected more than 3 years in the future (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006). i. Suppose Temp Force is expected to experience zero growth during the first 3 years and then to resume its steady-state growth of 6% in the fourth year. What is the stock's value now What is its expected dividend yield and its capital gains yield in Year 1 In Year 4 (Ehrhardt & Brigham, 2006) j. Finally, assume that Temp Force's earnings and dividends are expected to decline by a constant 6% per year, that is, g = -6%.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

International Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Business Law - Essay Example d) Preliminary ruling procedure Demonstrates co-operation between the national courts of member countries and the European Court of Justice and occurs when the national court of a member country is in doubt as to the interpretation of community rules, the national court seeks interpretation from the Court of Justice. After clarification from the Court of Justice the national court is free to proceed with the case (EU Handout). e) Maastricht Treaty This treaty came into force in 1993 and established the European Union and amended the Rome treaties (EU Handout). Task 2 a) Rights and obligations The main contractual obligations of the seller and buyer include; the seller has to cede possession of the thing (car) and transfer ownership, the buyer has to pay the buying price of the thing and take it over. The contractual rights of the seller include a right to cancel a contract and make a claim for damages arising from the purchase of product with encumbrances. The buyer has also got a ri ght to claim for a reduction in the buying price of the product in order to take over the encumbrance. ... This is advantageous to the seller because he is able to prevent the buyer from alienating the car and encumbering it (Andrasi and Mandarassy, 2004). c) Breach of contract This is a defective performance breech of contract. The buyer has guarantee rights. The buyer shall inform the seller of the fault in the car in the shortest time possible. The buyer has a right to chooses whether he wants repair or replacement. If the buyer is not entitled to a replacement or repair or the seller refuses to repair or replace, the buyer can request for a reduction in price, or have the contract rescinded (Andrasi and Mandarassy, 2004). The buyer cannot have the contract rescinded of the fault is minor. d) Defamation The buyer can turn to court and claim for the infringement to be terminated and an injunction issued in order to prevent further injury (Andrasi and Mandarassy, 2004). e) Partial rights and obligations There are three partial rights associated with ownership of the car. They include the right to possess, the right to dispose and the right to use. For example after purchasing the car, I possess it and it is under my power. I have a right to use the car for example as a taxi and collect the money from it (right to use). I can also decide to sell it off and collect the money obtained from the sale of the car (right to disposal). I also have a right to use the car as a security or abandon it (Andrasi and Mandarassy, 2004) Task 3 A. True/False a) True b) True c) True d) False e) False B. Case study a) Company types: The types of companies that exist in Hungary include limited partnership and unlimited partnership, Limited Liability Company and company limited by shares and joint ventures. Foreign investors are free to join a Hungarian company without permission and may

A key issue that was faced by the New Testament Church Essay Example for Free

A key issue that was faced by the New Testament Church Essay Examine a key issue that was faced by the New Testament Church (Prostitution). Could these arguments used in the first century be used by the Church of today for this problem? Prostitution is the performance of sexual acts solely for the purpose of material gain. Persons prostitute themselves when they grant favours to others in exchange for money, gifts or other payments and in so doing; use their bodies as commodities. In legal terms, the word prostitute refers only to those who engage overtly in such sexual-economic transactions, usually for a specific sum of money. Prostitutes may be of either sex, but throughout history, the majority have been women, reflecting both the traditional socio-economic dependence of women and the tendency to exploit female sexuality. Although prostitution has often been characterised as the worlds oldest profession, the concept of women as property, which prevailed in most centuries until the end of the nineteenth century, meant that the profits of the profession most often ended up in the hands of the men who controlled it. Men have traditionally been characterised as procurers and customers, but during the latter half of the twentieth century, they are increasingly being identified as prostitutes themselves, who generally serve male customers and sometimes impersonate women. The Torah (Law) had little to say on the subject of secular prostitution. It prohibited parents from dedicating their children as sacred prostitutes, but there is nothing to tell us whether its authors would have objected equally to the ideas of a master making his slave-woman a secular prostitute or even a father doing so with his daughter. There are two references to secular prostitution in the Old Testament, which offer any details as to how it was regarded. In both cases, an unmarried women is understood to have chosen this course of action on her own and thereby brought disgrace on her father. In one passage, a priests daughter who plays the harlot is condemned to be burned for having profaned her father (Leviticus 21:9). One may think that she is part of her fathers household, either as not yet married or as a divorced or widowed woman. Her activity threatens the state of purity vital to the household, since its food comes largely from the altar of the temple. In Deuteronomy (22:13-21) a man charges that his wife was not found to be a virgin on her wedding night. If this were true, she would be stoned for having played the harlot in her fathers house. In other words, she has engaged in sexual intercourse when she ought to have been guarding her virginity carefully in order to be a suitable bride. In the process, she has exposed her father to shame of having misrepresented her state in negotiating her marriage. It is not clear from the passage that she actually receives payment for her services; the point seems to be, rather, that she has deprived her father and her prospective husband of their rights in her. What was wrong with prostitution, from the perspective of ancient Israel, was not so much the giving or receiving of payment for sexual intercourse as it was the removal of sexual intercourse from the framework of property and hierarchy which normally contained it and ensured that it was placed at the service of the family. Such an interpretation is made explicit in a more extensive critique of prostitution found in Proverbs. After warning the reader against the wiles of the loose woman, the author contrasts the positive ideal of possessing a wife with a negative prospect of wasting ones resources on a courtesan (Proverbs 5:15-23). Having said that, one cannot treat wisdom literature as if it were the same genre as legislation. It is clear that Proverbs agrees with the Torah in understanding prostitution, as violation to Gods will, not merely as something to be avoided for prudential reasons. Still, the justification offered for the prohibition is intrusive as to the ethical framework in which the prohibition itself belonged. Prostitution was wrong because it stood outside the normal patriarchal system in which the male head of the household owned one or more women as sexual partners. As such, it threatened the interests of the family. The man might feel that he had received full value for his expense, but the family gained nothing at all from his patronising of the prostitute. His action, therefore was a betrayal of his responsibilities, since he existed not to gratify his own desires but to maintain and enhance the fortunes of his fathers house. What the Torah and Proverbs agree upon then is the condemnation of those who place personal gratification ahead of family duty. The Torah condemns the unmarried woman who prefers sexual pleasure above her obligations as a good daughter of the household who must preserve her marriageability, which is, indeed the familys investment in her. Proverbs condemns the man who spends family resources on private pleasure. He should marry a woman and be content with the sexual pleasure he receives from her. Proverbs was concerned to make the prostitute sound as unscrupulous and unattractive as possible. The Torah was speaking to the woman who was trying to behave as an unattached individual in pursuit of pleasure while still remaining under the protection of her father. According to the Torah, prostitution, though a slightly less serious crime than adultery, was wrong insofar as it represented the triumph of individual gratification over against the principle of subordination to the family. The matter of prostitution receives very little attention from the Gospel writers, but it appears in a significant pronouncement of Jesus. The tax collectors and the prostitutes, he said, were entering the Kingdom of God ahead of respectable religious leaders (chief priests and elders) because they believed the preaching of John the Baptist (Matt 21:23-32). Since John preached repentance (Matt 3:2) one may suspect that prostitutes ceased to be such when they came to believe the message. It proves difficult, however, to be certain. The tax collectors presumably did not cease to be tax collectors (In Luke 19:1-10, the tax collector Zacchaeus, upon his conversion, gave half of his property to the poor and made amends to those he has defrauded). A prostitute would have found it singularly difficult to emerge from her low place in the community. We know little about them in Jewish times. In the contemporary Gentile world, however, most of them were slaves, who could not legally abandon their status. Even free prostitutes, if poor, would have had only the most limited of options, since they would not have been acceptable as wives. Our own presuppositions, then, may perhaps dictate whether we think of these women as giving up prostitution or not. Luke 7:36-50 sees Jesus anointed by a public sinner. While she is not labelled as a prostitute, it is one conclusion that could be possibly said about her. Jesus accepts her intentions, contrasts them favourably with those of her host, the Pharisee, and finally says, Her sins, many as they are, are forgiven because she has loved much (7:47). This does not tell us what Jesus preferred prostitutes to do, but it does suggest that he did not make grace conditional on prostitutes escaping her place in society. The most significant thing is that Jesus held them up to the religious leadership as a model of repentance for them to follow, thus implying that the respectable are not unlike the prostitutes in respect to sin. Since Jesus held them up as a religious example, we may guess that although he took prostitution to be ethically wrong, he followed the example of Proverbs in appointing blame to the man who visited the prostitute more than to the prostitute herself. Paul has little to say about sexual ethics in his main doctrinal statement, the Epistle to the Romans, except the forceful identification of sexual immorality with humanities alienation from God (Romans 1:24-27). However, in his letters to the other churches he is forced to address the topic because of the behaviour of certain individuals in those churches, particularly at Corinth. The Christians at Corinth produced highly divergent interpretations of what the Gospel demanded in the way of sexual ethics, ranging from libertinism to a complete rejection of both marriage and sexual intercourse. It is probable that the libertine party at Corinth had adopted slogans such as All things are permitted and Food is for the belly and the belly for food (implying that sexual intercourse is as uncomplicated an expression of natural desire as eating is). Paul argues that the body of a Christian belongs to Christ. Therefore, all sexual expression, then, must take Christs ownership into account. Sex with a prostitute might seem to establish no relationship at all beyond the brief one required for the sanctification of desire. Paul claims that every sexual act between man and woman established a union of flesh, like that of marriage. In other words, the prostitute and the man, who has used her, actually belong to each other for the duration of their sexual intercourse, though not beyond. In Pauls own terminology, the relationship thus established is one body; but in the terminology of Genesis, it is a relationship of one flesh. Paul insisted that the man who had intercourse with the prostitute was not unchanged by that act. However, it was destructive of ones spirit; the relation to Christ and to God: Every sin that a person commits is outside the body, but the man who uses harlots is sinning against his own body. (1 Corinthians 18-20) It is evident that where Proverbs discourages a man from using prostitutes because he belonged to his family, Paul discouraged it because he belonged to God. The body, the person as a whole, is the spirits temple, into which other forms of worship must not be introduced. One might well ask, then, whether the implication of this line of reasoning is not, finally, to forbid sexual intercourse altogether.1 From whichever interpretation or opinion one adopts, as a Christian, or more to the point, as human beings, it should be understood that the use of prostitutes or the actual act of prostitution is both morally and ethically wrong. It is a sin against God, in that it undervalues the gift of love, through intercourse, given to us by God, and moreover, it shows a lack of respect for the body and minds of others. BIBLIOGRAPHY Cave, S The Christian Way, Nisbet and Company Limited, 1963 Countryman, L.W Dirt, Greed and Sex, Fortress Press, 1988 Hays, R.B The Moral Vision of the New Testament, Harper Collins Publishers, 1996 Manson, T.W Ethics and the Gospel, SCM Press Limited, 1960 1 Countryman, L Dirt, Greed and Sex p205

Monday, October 14, 2019

Neural Prosthetic Hand Developments

Neural Prosthetic Hand Developments A recent innovation in the field of medical is the Neural Prosthetic hand. New origination in the field of neural prosthetics shows that they require a change in the material approach. Due to the reason, that, not all of the materials are bio-compatible and provide stability with the tissues in which they are implanted. After the successful development of various prostheses, for example, cochlear and retinal prostheses, the scientists think of developing other prostheses. The new prostheses will be able to help a number of people who are injured or have lost their limbs, have epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, Alzheimer’s disease, people who have speech disabilities and many other who have various forms of diseases will benefit from the new emerging neural prostheses (Varrasi, 2014). Neural Prosthetics It is a mixture of two fields which are neuro-science and bio-medical engineering. With the help of neuro-scientists, bio-medical engineers design and develop prostheses, which are the life changing factor of any injured person or for a person who is suffering from some diseases like discussed above. The neural prostheses can be defined as numerous devices which can mimic the function of the motor, sensory or cognitive models of the human subject which have been destroyed due to some injury. These devices are prepared with the help computer on which the design is made. After which, prototype is made which is used to test the ability of the proposed solution that whether it will work or whether it will have any adverse effects on the subject (Locsin, n.d.). These are implantable devices, some common examples of these are, pacemaker, bladder control prostheses, auditory prostheses (like cochlear implants), auditory prostheses (like hearing aid used by aged people who have hearing problems either due to age or due to some injury), pain relieving prostheses, conscious movement prostheses, motor prostheses, cognitive prostheses, and so on. Why should the company adopt it? As both the fields, neuro-science and bio-medical engineering, are newly emerged and have great scope in the future, this new innovation should be adopted. This will produce great profit to the company as there are hundreds of people who are deprived of the most basic senses like hearing, seeing, speaking, walking, and writing. So these are the people who will be buying these prostheses to get them implanted in their body. Through this, good revenue will be generated to the company and the consumer of the prostheses will be gaining the ability which he was deprived of. Another reason to adopt this is, a newly developed or introduced product (in this case a neural prostheses) is always a site of attraction to the people and a sign of relief to those who are in need of it. And for sure, these products will gain popularity in the rehabilitation centers who work for the well-being of people admitted in the rehabilitation centers (Handa, 2006). Problems in the development of the neural prosthetics As this is a region where the product is in direct contact of the inside of the human body it has to be prepared very carefully. First and foremost problem which occurs is whether the material used in the development of the prostheses is bio-compatible or not. Due to reason being, if the material is not bio-compatible, it will infect the tissues of the body (as some of the materials for the development of these prostheses can become poisonous when they come in contact of body tissue) where it was implanted. Next is the problem of acquiring the bio-signal from the body of the patient, as bio-signals are very weak and cannot be recorded easily. Then, is the issue of power consumption of the implanted device, which heats up when it uses more than the required amount of power. This is a serious problem as it might burn out the tissues in which it is implanted. The tissues are highly sensitive to rise in temperature (Garrison, 2007). Another problem is the life of the implanted prostheses in the human body. As every electronic item has some life span, so do these products also. A small issue that is the comfort level of the prostheses may make it not useable. Solution to the problem The first problem could be solved by a simple test of the bio-compatibility. Bio-compatibility is the ability of a bio-material that how well it performs with the host tissue (Black, 2006) without producing any adverse effects (Michel Vert, 2012). In this test, the sample is tested in collaboration with the human tissue and normal ranges of the body parameters are noted. This helps in the development of the prostheses which is bio-compatible and will not affect the body tissues. The other issue could be resolved by making a circuitry, which acquires the signal from the human body and then amplifies the signal to a limit that can be recognized. The power consumption issue is resolved by setting the rate at which the prostheses is to operate. Thus, by limiting its operation, the amount of power consumed will also be limited. The last issue discussed is regarding the life span of the electronic implant in the body. It is possible to use such batteries like lithium ion batteries which have a greater life span in comparison of the other batteries that have lesser life span. The comfort level of the prostheses could be checked by first preparing the prototype which is made to check the durability. Benefits to the field and company These prostheses could be developed in numbers and then can be exported to various parts of the world where they are in need. The field benefits by this innovation as after successful researches, these prostheses could be used as an example for the next upcoming prostheses. The new upcoming prostheses can be used for deep brain injury or to stimulate the spinal cord that will help the scientists and doctors to help patients in the rehabilitation centers. Another type of prostheses is the motor neural prostheses, which are also known as the brain machine interfaces (BMIs). These prostheses can regain the ability of the motor functions which were destroyed due to the some injuries. The benefits of this product to the field is that number of people, including athletes, who might have lost their limb due to some accident, can use this facility and re-gain their passion of participating in tournaments, races, and other activities of interest. The benefit to the company is that it will gain popularity among the other companies. Due to exports and selling of these prostheses, the company will have huge revenue which can be re-invested to make new prostheses for various regions of the body. References Black, J. (2006). Biological Performance of Materials. Garrison, D. (2007). Minimizing Thermal Effects of In Vivo Body Sensors. Virginia. Handa, G. (2006). neural prostheses- past, present future. indian Journal of physical medicine rehabilitation. Locsin, A. (n.d.). What Engineer Designs Prosthetics? Retrieved from Everyday life : http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/engineer-designs-prosthetics-12210.html Michel Vert, e. a. (2012). Terminology for biorelated polymers and applications (IUPAC Recommendations 2012). Varrasi, J. (2014, February 27). Next-Gen Neural Prosthetics Require a New Materials Approach. Retrieved from livescience: http://www.livescience.com/43746-next-generation-prosthetics.html

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Sexual Healthcare on Campus :: Medicine Medical College Essays

Sexual Healthcare on Campus missing works cited Forking over $40 for a consultation plus another $20 for the Plan B pill at Planned Parenthood was a small price to pay for the peace of mind it afforded her once the whole ordeal was behind her. â€Å"After a night of bad decision making, I knew it was time to make some good ones,† Lisa said. â€Å"I knew I had to get tested for STD’s and HIV, and I also wanted to take emergency contraception, just in case. I knew it would make me feel better and as they say ‘better safe than sorry.’† After the trek to the closest Planned Parenthood facility for the emergency contraception pill, Lisa, an undergrad at Northeastern University, then made her way cross town to Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) for the walk-in hours of the Sexually Transmitted Disease Unit. This is the free infectious diseases clinic MGH offers to the public. There, she was able to get tested for all STDs plus HIV for free. Had she chosen to get tested at Planned Parenthood, she would have to pay about $20 for each test. What Lisa did not know was that she could have gotten all of these services for free from the health center at her university. Most college students know they are among the highest sexually active age group in the nation. What they may not know is that this age range (18-24) also has the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. They also, like Lisa, may not know exactly where to go for sexual health care. Universities, colleges and clinics around Boston have a wide, yet differing range of sexual health care options available to students. â€Å"There is so much misinformation, it just boggles the mind,† said Pamela Harris, public relations spokesperson for Northeastern University’s Lane Health Center. â€Å"It is so important that students know what is available to them.† Planned Parenthood, located at 1055 Commonwealth Ave., near the Boston University campus, is perhaps the biggest sexual health care provider in the area. However, their services do not come cheap and for college students on a budget, other options need to be explored. Many students must rely on their college’s health center for sexual health care services, and depending on which university you attend, health center services vary. â€Å"I would imagine that my school, one of the most expensive in the country, would provide everything I needed, from sexually transmitted disease testing to abortive pills in case of pregnancy,† said Alexis Eskenazi, communications major at Boston University.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Feminism Essay -- essays research papers

Both Virginia Woolf, in a speech addressing a graduating all women class, and Naomi Wolf, in her text The Beauty Myth, contemplate feminism from an economic viewpoint. While Woolf believes women need money and a room of their own to have economic independence, Wolf gives credence to the fact that the beauty industry is hindering the independence of women. Through male pomposity, the conventional lives of women, obsession with physical appearance, and the reality that beauty is diverse, both Woolf and Wolf explain the significance of our world's economy. Women have always been economically dependent on men. Any land or money that was in a woman's possession was given to her father or husband. Women have stayed at home working as housewives, cleaning house, and taking care of children. Of course, there have been women who have worked outside of the house, but Woolf sees that kind of work as enslavement. Not much money was made, and not many occupations were open to women. ". what still remains with me. was the poison of fear and bitterness which those days bred in me. To begin with, always to be doing work that one did not wish to do, and to do it like a slave," (Woolf 348). Therefore Woolf concludes that women need to be independent from men, and in order to do so women need to have money of their own. This statement is without a doubt biased, as Woolf is limiting her thesis to those women who have an income without working. Consequently, working women can never really be liberated. One may ask why women have been the poor ones. Why have women been dependent on men, and not men on women? Why haven't women been able to thrive and prosper like men have? The answer lies in the fact that men blow themselves out of proportion. Woolf's theory is that women have been seen as mirrors. "Women have served all these centuries as looking glasses possessing the magic and delicious power of reflecting the figure of man at twice its natural size," (Woolf 346). Because men see women as inferior, men feel superior. If a woman were to stand up for herself and lessen the power of the looking glass, men wouldn't have the feeling of predominance that they occupy now. "The looking-glass vision is of supreme importance because it charges the vitality; it stimulates the nervous system. Take it away and man may die," (Woo... ...s I was writing this paper, an ad for a "Jenny Jones Weight Loss" program came on. Lose nineteen pounds for nineteen dollars, Jenny Jones promises. And a couple days ago heavier people were protesting an ad 24-hour Fitness had exhibited, "When the aliens come, they will eat the fat ones first." Even my nine-year-old sister wonder why her stomach sticks out, she wonders what she can do to be thinner. It's affecting the younger generation. On the other hand, I look at my mother who is successful. She is a single mother who works in a predominantly male occupation, raising three children on her own. In some ways women have progressed, in some ways women have digressed. As women, we need to crack the mirror Virginia Woolf indicated as apparent in our domain. We need to set Shakespeare's sister free, and make the choice to have money and a room of our own. And as Naomi Wolf presented, we need to look for diversity in beauty. We need to become aware of the decrease in self-confidence that is happening in women, and do something about it. While it certainly is not going to happen today, or even tomorrow, on behalf of all women, I hope it happens soon.

Lead and manage a team within a health and social care Essay

1.1- Explain the features of effective team performance The features of effective team performance is set up through positive leadership; something which is developed and nurtured. An effective team will work together, be focused and supportive of each other to achieve and reach goals. For a team to be effective, each team member needs to be clear on their roles and responsibilities relating to their job. Team performance will be more effective if there is respect for the leader/manager and an understanding towards their job role and responsibility. The leader/manager should also be aware of the skills or weakness within the team and be able to provide support where necessary and also utilise their strengths. Training and support will enable staff to improve performance, develop confidence and lift spirits within the team. 1.2- Explain the challenges experienced by developing teams When you bring a group of diverse individuals together to form a team, challenges such as communication and relationship issues can result. If a team consists of members with similar skills and interests, the purpose of the team may not be achieved, therefore choosing team members who have a range of different skill sets and interests is essential. Teams need leaders to offer a sense of purpose and direction. Lack of effective leadership challenges effective team development. Without a strong leader to guide the team and hold members accountable, the team may lose morale and momentum. Conflict within a team is inevitable. How team members deal with conflict is critical to team development. Investing time in training for yourself and your employees in conflict resolution skills is beneficial, for example, studying a counselling course. With the skills to effectively resolve conflict, your team can work together to stay on track without your constant intervention. Even though a team works together to achieve a goal, each person needs to know his specific role within the team, otherwise, role  confusion results. When team members lack an understanding of their specific roles or choose not to follow through with their roles, the team cannot develop as a organised and well-functioning unit. Any workplace is made up of individuals who see the world differently. Conflict occurs when there is a lack of acceptance and understanding of these differences. 1.3- Identify the challenges experienced by established teams Interpersonal differences leading to misunderstandings Power struggles and competing agendas Members who appear to reject new ideas and bring a constant sense of negativity Team that agrees on everything too quickly just to avoid conflict Lack of adequate support and resources Ineffective leadership Members resistant to change or a new way of working- set in their ways and unable to see from an outside perspective. Not enough complimentary skills on the team 1.4 Explain how challenges to effective team performance can be overcome Challenges such as team consistency and lack of staff moral can be overcome through holding team meetings where staff are invited to express their opinions and ideas on ways to improve and move forwards as a team. We have a communications book for staff who may not be on shift together for a long period can express any ideas or note tasks that need to be carried out by others. This is a great way to keep the team up to date and consistent within their roles. It can feel very draining and repetitive if one is constantly repeating or reminding others to carry out certain tasks that are not being completed, therefore if this continues to happen, one to one supervision can be held to address these issues. Supervision can also help overcome staff conflict, i.e if two or more members of staff have a disagreement and are not willing to move on from this, one to one supervision will be held with the intent of group mediation with all staff involved. Supervision is also a chance to discuss with individuals any areas that need improving; professional progression; praise their practice; reflect on work practice and discuss any concerns of the individual.  Appraisals are a great way to empower staff and highlight their strengths and improvements, thus enabling individuals to feel proud of themselves and their role within the team. 1.5- Analyse how different management styles may influence outcomes of team performance. Managers perform many functions and play many roles. They are responsible for handling many situations and these situations are usually different from one another. When it comes to handling such situations, managers use their own management styles. Some management styles may be best for the situation and some may not be. Therefore, awareness on different types of management styles will help the managers to handle different situations the optimal way. Different management styles are capable of handling different situations and solving different problems. Therefore, a manager should be a dynamic person, who has insight into many types of management styles such as: Autocratic- In this management style, the manager becomes the sole decision maker. The manager does not care about the other staff and their involvement in decision making. Therefore, the decisions reflect the personality and the opinion of the manager. The decision does not reflect the team’s collective opinion. I don’t feel this type of manager would excel or achieve the best from a team in a social care setting as in many cases, staff work shifts and spend the most time with those who they are caring for. Therefore the opinions and views of the staff are imperative. However, I can see how in some cases an Autocratic style is necessary for making decisions on poor staffing and placement suitability etc. Democratic- In this style, the manager is open to other’s opinions and welcome their contribution into the decision making process. Therefore, every decision is made with the majority’s agreement. The decisions made reflect the team’s opinion. For this management style to work successfully, strong communication between the managers and the rest of the team is a must. This type of management is most successful when it comes to decision making on a complex matter where a range of expert advice and opinion is required. I feel this style of management empowers staff and makes them feel included in the decision making of the running of the home/unit, thus giving great consideration to their views and opinions. Paternalistic- This is one of the domineering types of management. The decisions made are usually for the best interest of the company as well as the employees. When the management makes a decision, it is explained to the employees and obtains their support as well. In this management style, work-life balance is emphasized and it eventually maintains a high morale within the organization. In the long run, this guarantees the loyalty of the employees. One disadvantage of this style is that the employees may become dependent on the managers. This will limit the creativity within the organization. However, I have been managed by a manager who adopted this style and I feel myself and the rest of the team were very loyal to him. He would always emphasise the importance of our health before work and it was evident that through this approach to managing, staff would feel at ease being absent due to sickness but this would not be a regular occurrence as loyalty towards the manager was strong. 1.6- Analyse methods of developing and maintaining trust and accountability. Trust- develops from consistent actions that show colleagues you are reliable, cooperative and committed to team success. A sense of confidence in the workplace better allows employees to work together for a common goal. Remaining honest with employees about both positive and negative aspects of the business builds trust. The Management team are also expected to maintain the same level of honesty with the employees. This sense of integrity makes employees and colleagues more trusting of your actions. Involve all staff in achieving company goals. Be transparent with your company’s mission and goals so all staff feel they are a valuable part of obtaining those objectives. Staff who feel management values them are more likely to instil trust in those leaders. Create a team environment through collaborative work.  Emphasize group achievements to show you are aware and proud of your employees and their s uccesses. Value all input from your employees. Encourage staff at all levels to share their ideas for improving the company and listen with an open mind even if you don’t ultimately choose to follow a suggestion made by an employee. Accountability- managers who involve employees in setting goals and expectations find that employees understand expectations better, are more confident that they can achieve those expectations, and perform at a higher level. Positive results also occur  when employees don’t associate accountability only with negative consequences. If employees do not fear failure, if managers recognize employees for their accomplishments, and if managers support their employees when goals become difficult, employees are more likely to be creative, innovative, and committed to their work. Managers can practice accountability for positive results by following good performance management principles such as: involving staff in setting clear, challenging yet attainable goals and objectives, and give them the authority to accomplish those goals; support staff in all aspects of the job; monitor progress towards goals, and provide feed-back that includes credible, useful performance measures; provid e the training and resources that staff need to do the work; and give praise to good performance, both formally and informally. 1.7 Compare methods of addressing conflict within a team. When conflict arises between staff members, it is important to address it as soon as possible should it not be already resolved between them. When speaking privately and separately with all individuals involved, it is important to summarise what is said so that the person feels listened to and to also slightly mirror their body language so that they feel you are relating to them. Do not interrupt as this will only cause the individual to feel that they are not being listened to completely and always show positive regard to that individual. Once all views are taken in to account, it should be suggested that all staff involved have a mediation meeting where the manager/team leader will listen to both sides of the conflict. Resolutions can be made effectively through mediation and suggestions to compromise on both parts may be effective. Advise those involved to take time out if necessary because during the resolution of a conflict, emotions may interfere with arriving at a productive r esolution. If this is the case, individuals should be encouraged to take a time-out and continue resolving the conflict at another arranged time.