An Exploration of the Intimate Economies of Bangkok

Through Ara Wilson’s detailing of her exploration of Bangkok in her ethnography â€Å"The Intimate Economies of Bangkok†, I was able to become an observer of the meshing of the native culture that already existed in Bangkok with the Western culture that has been spreading into the nation for many years. Typically the concept of cultural homogenization discusses an extremely skewed power dynamic in which one regional culture (typically one that exists in countries that have been classified as developing) is taken over and dissembled by the presence of the prevalent Western culture. From Wilson’s account, I find that economies in Bangkok are not so much experiencing a homogenization, but a merging of different cultures which keeps the elements of†¦show more content†¦If structures aren’t viable in this traditional model, then they are typically torn down and replaced with structures that would justify the money that was initially invested in them. H owever, the Thai version of this â€Å"Western† business model differs from this rule of profit. In order to produce malls that are more appealing to a given market, the business owners must discover and recognize the current cultural norms that are in existence in Thailand. While the malls and the family-based structures completely deviate from tradition in the purest sense of the word, traditions all over the world have changed and evolved with the changing times and the new level of cultural exposure that exists at this time. In the case of the malls, while the idea of a mall can be recognized as being Western at their base level, in many ways they embody the current desires of the middle-class Thai/Sino-Thai population. In this case it can be argued the malls ended up representing a fusion between Western and Thai ideals. Wilson’s ethnography provides a more complex understanding of the coming together of global capitalism and local, cultural models by virtue of theShow MoreRelatedMarketing Communications Notes17720 Words   |  71 Pagesand online sources in selecting their communication channel. However, in less developed countries, cost, reach (number of consumers exposed to the message) and literacy rates must be considered. In densely populated areas such as Mexico City and in Bangkok with its infamous traffic congestion, outdoor billboards provide good reach. Kenya’s low literacy rates favour broadcast media over print. Deciding between television and radio becomes easier when you consider that 30,000 Kenyans own television setsRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pageswas enticed by labor recruiters who preyed on the des perately poor. The prospects for the great majority were almost invariably lives of drudge labor in urban sweatshops, on tropical plantations, or on the wharves of an expansive, global export economy. Throughout the century, advances in human rights, which were spread ever more broadly among different social groups—including women, laborers, INTRODUCTION †¢ 3 ethnic minorities, and gays—made strides that were perhaps greater thanRead More65 Successful Harvard Business School Application Essays 2nd Edition 147256 Words   |  190 Pagesfelt as a child struggling to breathe, this time I realized that mybusiness interest and knowledge gave me a way to turn conviction into impact. Wal...Mart CEO Lee Scott recently said, There need not be conflict between the environment and the economy. As an environ... mentalist and management consultant, I wholeheartedly agree. My career vision is to help industrial companies in China incorporate environmentally sustainable practices into their business strategies. While manufacturers traditionallyRead MoreRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 PagesAvenue, New York, New York 10016 Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford It furthers the Universitys objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Auckland Bangkok Buenos Aires Cape Town Chennai Dar es Salaam Delhi Hong Kong Istanbul Karachi Kolkata Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Mumbai Nairobi Sà £o Paulo Shanghai Taipei Tokyo Toronto Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press Read MoreCase Study148348 Words   |  594 Pagesof the airline industry, giving students the general idea. The first question asks for additional elements in the analysis. For example, under Political, you might add subsidies for local airports; under Economic, you might add the rise of Asian economies; and under Legal, you could add the trend towards airline privatisation. A key danger to highlight is of long lists of forces or influences that are too unwieldy for practical action. So the second question challenges students to assess which ofRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pageslistening. 2. Students are engaged in activities (e.g., reading, discussing, writing). 3. There is less emphasis placed on information transmission and greater emphasis placed on developing student skills. 4. There is greater emphasis placed on the exploration of attitudes and values. 5. Student motivation is increa sed, especially in adult learners. xviii PREFACE 6. Students receive immediate feedback from their instructor and peers. 7. Students are involved in higher order thinking (analysis, synthesis

Persuasive Speech On Concussions - 1276 Words

Injuries can be caused through playing sports and getting in accidents at any moment of time. Soccer is known as a contact sport from headers to player-player contact. Any type of contact while playing soccer the risk of injuries depend on how hard the compact is. Injuries from playing soccer that are common are concussions, they are a major factor that can cause brain-trauma. Soccer isn’t the only sport with the risk of concussions, any sport with any physical contact has a risk of concussions, or any other injuries. Concussions have been a large factor to brain-trauma throughout the years in many sports throughout history. Throughout the speech I will be talking about the history of concussions, secondly symptoms and causes, and lastly†¦show more content†¦Concussions can change the way people think and react to anything in their daily lives. In Concussion by Mark Halstead, he states that some individuals who have had concussions may have a prolonged course of sympt oms lasting beyond 3 to 4 weeks that is known as post-concussive syndrome. Severe Brain Trauma leaves a chance for different emotions and personalities depending on the rate of how bad the concussion affects the person. In the article â€Å"An Overview of Concussion History and Needed research† by Thomas Budinger, it states that in 1848, Phineas Gage was penetrated by an iron spike, after a miraculous recovery his personality changed so much that he appeared to be a different person. Personality change is an effect of concussions and can depend on the person and how hard the impact was. Now that I have discussed about what concussions are, lets now move on to the symptoms and causes of concussions from sports. The Symptoms of concussions can appear after contact to the head and usually come from playing sports competitively. The most common symptoms of concussion are usually right after contact or few hours afterwards. According to the article Concussion published by the Mayo Clinic accessed on October 11, 2017 they state that symptoms of concussions are headache, loss of consciousness, confusion, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and delayed speech or response. Symptoms usually appear from a few minutes to 4 days after the incident of contactShow MoreRelatedDemocracy, Freedom, And The American Dream910 Words   |  4 Pagesthem to do. When we, as a class, did the persuasion speeches ourselves for our organization Mo used Pathos to help prove her point. She started to cry during the speech making Miller2 other people in the room feel empathy for her emotions which in turn caused them react and act to those emotions. Although she had a great speech the reason I believe that she went on to the â€Å"next round† was due to the fact people saw the emotion and felt it. Pathos may be the most influential one but otherRead MoreDemocracy, Freedom, And The American Dream860 Words   |  4 Pagesis trying to persuade them to do. When we, as a class, did the persuasion speeches by ourselves for our organization, Mo used pathos to help prove her point. She started to cry during the speech, making other people in the room feel her emotion and making them act on that emotion. Although she had a great speech, one of the reasons I believe that she went on to the â€Å"next round† was due to the fact people saw the emotion and felt it. Pathos may be the most influential one, but people often need statisticsRead MoreInformative Speech : Upgrading Football Equipment1748 Words   |  7 PagesPersuasive Speech Outline Tameka Hannon Topic: Upgrading football equipment is a necessity. General Purpose: To persuade. Specific Purpose: At the end of my speech my audience will know the importance of upgrading football equipment and why it is a necessity. 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I had the main topic of explaining concussions in the NFL with smaller â€Å"ingredients† helping me explain like the hits on a defenseless player rule and countless other ingredients to help me create my ultimate â€Å"burrito.† Also in my theory of writing, I have learnedRead MoreLou Gehrig Speech Analysis1622 Words   |  7 PagesEnglish Composition 1301 26 May 2012 Lou Gehrig’s Farewell Speech Analysis Imagine a young boy and his father going to the New York Yankees ballpark on a warm sunny day. The date is July 4, 1939 and it is Lou Gehrig appreciation day at the ballpark. Lou Gehrig had been playing major league baseball for seventeen years and is one of the most well thought of players in the game. When the boy and his father arrive at the ballpark, Lou walks to a podium and begins to talk. Without any prior warning

Project Management Methodology for Knowledge- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theProject Management Methodology for Knowledge. Answer: Introduction A project is a short contractual exercise whose aim is to produce a certain specific product with a set start and end time schedule. In a project, the operations are designed in a way that they fall within the projects scope, estimated budget, available resources and the product requirements, including the quality standards and all other features of a product. Project management is the application of a project managers and team members skills, knowledge, tools, techniques and experiences in a project to be able to produce the required product as well as achieve the products goals and objectives (Maley, 2012). Project management methodologies are basically the methods that a project manager or a business management team implements to help them conduct project operations easily and faster (Chin et al, 2010). Discussion Prince2 methodology PRINCE2 is a word that stands for Project in Controlled Environments. It is most commonly used for businesses managed by the UK government as well as those that originate from product-based approach. Originally, the methodology was created specially to be used in IT projects (Kruger et al, 2013). The methodology has recently evolved and now being used in various projects but still keeps its principles, themes and processes on ensuring that the stages for its implementation are complete and effective. PRINCE2 methodology involves a series of multiple stages, whereby each stage has its own plans and processes to follow before it is completed and deemed successful(Chin et al, 2012). In that case, the methodology involves the definition of its inputs and outputs in every phase of its implementation to ensure that everything is clear and successful at the end of it all. PRINCE2 is a very effective methodology which is a quality feature derived from its characteristics on being a process o riented methodology. Advantages of PRINCE2 Predictable It provides a clear picture of what the end product will be, i.e. all the features. This is through the fact that the project is usually broken down into stages which are monitored and controlled with their own specific processed and procedures from their beginning to their end and the product is evaluated after every stage. Tests and Trials It is a very effective and efficient methodology because of the many trials and tests that it has undergone. There are a large number of businesses that have practically used the method and ensured the effectiveness of its inputs, processes, themes and principles into producing the expected product. Standardization The methodology standardizes every project aspect or activity with an aim of ensuring that there is no miscommunication or misdirection experienced by either the business owners, stakeholders or the project managers and team members(Singh et al, 2014). The standardization process ensures that every party is aware of their roles and responsibilities clearly. Saves Money and Time Through standardization, time and money is saved from training and educating employees who are already aware of what their roles and responsibilities are and actually have experience, skills and expertise on the methodology processes, themes and principles. Delivers Quality and Compliance The methodology ensures focus and clarity to the project parties. The end product from the project is clearly identified and defined from the beginning which is followed to the letter. These requirements are listed clearly in terms of quality, composition and other aspects which are later controlled and managed till end which produces best quality products and procedure/rule compliance. Disadvantages of PRINCE2 Specialists Aspect The methodology fails to recognize some very special and important specialists activities like engineering, organizational change management or procurement needed for construction projects etc. Risk Management The methodology does not offer opportunities for carrying out a risk management activity because it deems the first stage of the methodology the most important of all the others. Analysis Requirements It does not allow explicit requirement treatment or analysis. It considers what the client said as final and one to be followed. Documentation It requires thorough and a lot of documentation of the operations. This gives the parties involved a hell of a time to manage and keep track of its progress. Planning When planned, the process is not very effective which increases chances of the projects going off track and off the project scope and constraints. Pmbok Methododlogy This actually refers to a Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge. Therefore it is not an actual methodology but a basically an approach to project planning, executing, controlling and closure(Karaman et al, 2015). Advantages of PMBOK It is a generally well accepted guide all over the world It focuses on improving project performance and success Offers an easy breakdown and guidance to every project methodology and project that can be used by business enterprises. Offers expansion experience towards various project fields and industries Provides standardization of project processes Disadvantages Most suitable for small projects only Views at a project as a single entity and not as a part of the business operation Very inefficient for projects that require immense changes and complicated requests like software or IT projects (Sharon, 2009) Consist of many various project methodology options that can be used in the same situation or project Encourages project governance to be done by the project sponsor and the stakeholders Project Choice The project of my choice is a project on the FBIs trial to replace the reporting of crimes using papers with an online system. The project methodology that would be effective for this project is the PRINCE2 methodology. This is because it was actually designed to be used in governmental projects and small projects whilethe PMBOK would not be so effective because it could only offer guidelines in general on what to do and use but not specifically not what to use(Al Matari, 2014). Conclusion The methodologies offer help to the project managers by giving them a guidance on what to do, by whom and at what time. There are a number of different project management methodologies available for use by various business organizations, e.g. agile, waterfall, PRINCE2, scrum, Kanban, XP to name a few. However, every business has to choose he right, effective and efficient methodology for its operations based on the size, project time period, type of project, kind of product anticipated among other things. References Karaman, E., Kurt, M. (2015). Comparison of project management methodologies: prince 2 versus PMBOK for it projects.Int. Journal of Applied Sciences and Engineering Research,4(5), 657-664. Singh, R., Lano, K. (2014). Literature Survey of previous research work in Models and Methodologies in Project Management.International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications,5(9), 107-122. Al Matari, A. (2014). PRINCE2 and PMBoK: Towards a Hybrid Methodology for Managing Virtual Projects MasterThesis. Chin, C. M. M., Spowage, A. C., Yap, E. H. (2012). Project Management Methodologies: A Comparative Analysis Participation.Journal for the Advancement of Performance Information Value,4(1). Chin, C. M. M., Spowage, A. C. (2010). Defining classifying project management methodologies.PM World Today,12(5), 1-9. Sharon, I. (2009). Decision framework for selecting a suitable software development process. Maley, C. H. (2012).Project management concepts, methods, and techniques. CRC Press. Kruger, W., Rudman, R. (2013). Strategic alignment of application software packages and business processes using PRINCE2.The International Business Economics Research Journal (Online),12(10), 1239.

Super Man and Me free essay sample

By using rhetoric, Sherman Alexie argues that by basically reading or making an effort to learn more he will be a role model for those who do live in reservations to want more out of life and to break out of the stereotypes. After reading the essay I think Alexie used a lot of pathos to draw the reader’s attention for example he says â€Å"A little Indian boy teaches himself to read at an early age and advances quickly.He reads Grapes of Wrath in kindergarten when other children are struggling through Dick and Jane. If he’d been anything but an Indian boy living on the reservation, he might have been called a prodigy† (Alexie, 1997). By telling us about this moment in his life he want us the reader to understand that a Native American is not suppose to be an successful or educated individual it is not â€Å"the norm† and these are some of the challenges he faced as a Native American. We will write a custom essay sample on Super Man and Me or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Alexie did not use to much of Logos I assume it is because to convey his emotions to the reader and I had to re-read this essay a number of times to figure out where he might of used logos because I had a hard time telling how to spot it, I understand its logic and to me the whole essay is logical but I am thinking it has to deal more with a sort of†¦ â€Å"Call to action† type of logic like did Alexie’s hard work and perseverance influence others in his situation to want more or do more or follow in his footsteps. I visit schools as often as possible. The Indian kids crowd the classroom. Many are writing their own poems, short stories, and novels. They have read my books. They have read many other books. They look at me with bright eyes and arrogant wonder. They are trying to save their lives. Then there are the sullen and already defeated Indian kids who sit in the back rows and ignore me with theatrical precision. The pages of their notebooks are empty.They carry neither pencil nor pen. They stare out the window/ they refuse and resist† (Alexie, 1997). Here I think he conveys logos because it’s only logical to think and know that not everyone is going to listen or apply themselves that’s life and while it seems to break his spirit that those select few are falling into the stereotypes there is only so much he can do but it is ultimately up to the individual themselves to want to change and want more out of life.I had a hard time understanding the point of Ethos which is credibility, but to me I think ethos in this particular essay is more like vulnerability because in the first paragraph he talks about how poor his family was â€Å"We were poor by most standards, but one of my parents usually managed to find some minimum-wage job or another, which made us middle-class by reservation standards. I had a brother and three sisters.We lived on a combination of irregular paychecks, hope, fear, and government surplus food† (Alexie, 1997), he made himself vulnerable by exposing a part of his life that some people would have a hard time admitting due to embarrassment and because he is so open and shares this with us not only does it make his vulnerable but that gives way to credibility because no one would talk openly and earnestly about being poor and struggling. I think Alexie’s use of rhetorical concepts is really good because he was able to keep the reader’s attention.He is also trying to spread a positive message to Native Americans that are still living on Reservations as well as those who are not as fortunate as some other people that they do not have to live within the stereotypes that are associated with them, all it takes is determination, a positive attitude and hard work, sadly that is cheesy or cliche but in this case it is really true. My favorite line is where he says â€Å"Books, I say to them. Books, I say. I throw my weight against their locked doors he door holds. I am smart.

The Worlds Most Ethical Companies

The Worlds Most Ethical Companies Introduction Business ethics constitutes how organizations relate to their internal and external environments. The ethical climate therefore touches on things like working environment, safety of the employees, care and conservation of the environment and practices which promote the interests of the consumers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The World’s Most Ethical Companies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Ethical conduct of corporations is also intertwined with what is referred to as corporate social responsibility. This concept is generally used to refer to the relationship between businesses and their environment. All businesses operate in social, political and economic environments. The concept therefore takes into account how businesses interact with these environments, either positively or negatively. The topic of corporate social responsibility can be broken down into four main components namely the et hical, economic, philanthropic and legal components (Aras Crowther, 2010). This paper is based on the topic of business ethics. It looks into the topic through analysis of a single company selected from the database of the world’s most ethical companies. Key issues which are discussed include how the company behaves in a morally responsible manner towards its consumers, employees and the environment. Other issues which are discussed include how the morally responsible behavior can affect the company’s bottom line as well as recommendations on how the company can improve its policies to enhance its relationship with the consumers, employees and the environment. The paper is based on various academic readings about the topic of business ethics. The company under focus in the paper is the National Australia Bank (NAB). The bank’s main products include consumer banking, wholesale banking, business banking, insurance and wealth management (Murray, Poole Jones, 2006 ). The consumers of the bank include individual bankers, private and public institutions, businesses and community groups. According to the bank’s Chief Executive Officer Mr. Clyne Cameron, the bank’s strategic policy is aimed at putting the customers at the center in all operations to ensure that they realize their full potential.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More How NAB behaves in a morally responsible way towards consumers One way in which the bank behaves in a morally responsible manner towards its consumers is through the provision of quality services at fair prices. The bank also aims at having a relationship with consumers which is based on the principles of advice, guidance and help. The provision of quality services to consumers reflects a morally responsible behavior because it ensures that consumers are protected from any form of unfair trea tment such as fraud, exploitation and poor services. The other way in which the bank behaves in a morally responsible manner towards its consumers is through building prosperous communities. The bank believes that prosperous communities are based on prosperous economy and that is why it helps the communities to flourish by investing in industries and organizations which bring people together in groups for economic prosperity. Such groups are financed by the bank to tackle various issues such as social inclusion and education. Through its micro finance scheme, the bank provides loans to the groups at very affordable rates so as to enable them start or strengthen their business enterprises. In 2004, the bank launched a customer relationship management system which made it win the Cap Gemini financial innovations award in 2006. It also launched what it referred to as Ubank, a system which provides customers with an option of transacting business online with the aim of making them more satisfied by accessing banking services right at their homes or any other places of their convenience.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The World’s Most Ethical Companies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More How NAB behaves in a morally responsible way towards the environment In regard to the environment, the bank has established very clear guidelines in form of a policy which outlines its relationship to the environment. One way in which the bank behaves in a morally responsible manner towards the environment is through compliance with all laws and regulations which are put in place to protect the environment. For instance, it takes the necessary actions to ensure that its operations do not negatively affect the environment either directly or indirectly. Such a policy is a pointer of a morally responsible behavior because environmental pollution by corporates affects the health of the consumers. Having a clean en vironment ensures that the consumers enjoy a healthy environment and lead a healthy life. The bank also invests in providing its customers with services and products which help them understand their environmental challenges and how to mitigate risks associated with the environment. The bank uses this approach because it believes that for sustainability purposes, it must capacity build the customers to enable them understand their environment and take good care of it. How NAB behaves in a morally responsible way towards employees In regard to the relationship between the bank and its employees, the bank has a policy in form of employee code of conduct. The policy is guided by the principle that all employees should be treated fairly and accorded the dignity and respect which they deserve. This policy reflects a morally responsible behavior because the respect of employees is central to the success of any organization. Treating employees with respect and dignity not only makes them mo tivated but also enables them get the intrinsic value of work.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The bank also embraces the concepts of cultural diversity and gender sensitivity in its employment policy. It does this by ensuring that employees are not discriminated based on race, gender or color. The policy has seen many women rise to the top positions of leadership of the bank. The bank also ensures that employees are trained from time to time so as to enhance their capacity to discharge their duties. The training is part of the bank’s initiative to ensure that the customers get quality services at any given time. Training of employees is a morally responsible behavior because it not only improves the quality of services but also makes employees grow in their career. Such training is also important for the employees because once they leave the company, it serves as an asset by giving them a competitive edge over other job seekers thus increasing their probability of being employed in other companies. Effects of these morally conscious decisions on NAB’s bottom li ne If the bank keeps the spirit of treating employees with dignity, taking care of the environment and providing quality services to customers, it has a potential of increased growth which may see it open more branches in other countries. The fact that the bank has a policy which ensures that there are no discriminations based on gender and race can make it the preferred employer of many qualified employees. The nondiscrimination policy can also attract talented employees who like working in reputable and respectable organizations. Having talented and highly qualified personnel would inspire innovation which would trigger growth and expansion thus giving the bank a competitive edge over its competitors. Review of NAB’s policies from a critical perspective Towards consumers One area where the bank needs to improve its policy on consumers is in regard to the number of staff in its branches. According to the naked office website, it is claimed that the bank places a lot of empha sis on cutting costs (Naked office, 2014). This makes it have few employees in the branches to serve the constant or increasing number of customers. The employees therefore feel overworked without any additional compensation which is a form of exploitation. For the bank to make its customers more satisfied, there is need to recruit more employees to ensure that customers are served without delays. If it is not able to increase the number of employees, it needs to ensure that the employees are paid overtime so as to motivate them. The bank also needs to improve the efficiency of its online accounts so that customers using them are able to enjoy faster and reliable online services. There are claims that the banks online systems are sometimes very slow which is very embarrassing to the customers. Towards the environment In regard to its relationship with its environment, the bank needs to allocate more funds to environmental conservation. There is no evidence of significant activities which the bank undertakes to conserve the environment. It needs for example to contribute towards the management of greenhouse gases which cause global warming. It can also partner with other governmental and non governmental organizations to launch comprehensive environmental conservation programs both at the national and international platform. The bank needs to not only educate its customers on environmental management but also all members of the community where it has operations. This would ensure that it reaches as many people as possible thus increasing the impact of its efforts towards environmental conservation. Towards employees According to the naked office website, the bank has been accused of having poorly trained and inexperienced personnel at top leadership positions (Naked office, 2014). While it pays attention to the training of other staff, it has neglected the training and capacity building of its leaders and therefore, there is need for change so that it can have leaders who are not only experienced but also visionary and well equipped with the necessary skills and techniques of leadership. Such leadership would ensure that the bank comes up with strategic business decisions which would propel it towards excellence. The bank needs to as well scale up its employee motivation efforts by introducing more employee motivation programs and policies such as sponsorship programs for employees to further their studies, provision of retirement benefits, medical scheme for the workers and promotions based on merit. Conclusion The National Bank of Australia is one of the companies listed in the data base of the world’s most ethical companies. The bank behaves in a morally responsible manner towards consumers, the environment and employees through policies and guidelines which govern its business strategy and operations. It ensures that the consumers are provided with high quality services at affordable prices at any given time. It also has polici es which require employees to be treated with respect and dignity as a way of motivating them to be more productive. In regard to the environment, the bank provides its customers with information on environmental risks and how to mitigate them. These morally conscious policies have the potential of increasing the competitiveness of the bank in the banking industry, attracting talented employees and increasing innovativeness. However, the bank can do better through deployment of more staff, payment of overtime for the employees and provision of employees with more benefits for them to become more productive. It also needs to partner with other organizations to launch comprehensive environmental conservation programs as a way of scaling up its efforts towards environmental conservation. References Aras, G., Crowther, D. (2010). A handbook of corporate governance and social responsibility corporate social responsibility series. Farnham GU9 7PT: Gower Publishing, Ltd. Murray, P., Poole , D., Jones, G. (2006). Contemporary issues in management and organizational behavior. South Melbourne, Vic.: Thomson Learning. Naked office. (2014). NAB (National Australia Bank). Web.

Organization EssaySupply.com

The Targeted Resume - 5 Resume Templates Based Upon Position/Organization The Targeted Resume - 5 Resume Templates Based Upon Position/Organization One size does not fit all. That is the â€Å"rule† you must remember as you craft your resume for any job search – whether you are coming up upon graduation and looking for your first career position or looking for a job change. What you need to understand is this: each resume you send out will have to be somewhat unique and designed specifically for the organization to which it is going. Content Will Vary The first thing you will need to do is to carefully read the job description of any position that has been posted. Look specifically for keywords in that description – skills, background experience, etc. Because many resumes today are initially screened by an automated system, you need to make sure that those keywords are in the content of your resume – maybe more than once. You will also want to give more â€Å"weight† in your resume to the coursework or experience that relates specifically to the position description and to the organization that is receiving it. No Prose Please Given that you only have 6 seconds to impress, you have to use bold, headings, sub-headings, and bullet points – a reader has to be able to scan your resume and know pretty quickly if s/he wants to read it in more depth. Get those keywords in your heading and sub-headings. Action Verbs Please State your achievements using action verbs only. They are stronger and much more forceful. And as you list those achievements, try to give actual numbers. For example, â€Å"Brought 9 new clients into the firm in a 6-monthperiod.† Templates Here are 5 templates based upon the organization to which you may be applying: Traditional – For Conservative Organizations Notice that the resume is blocked out in sections with no â€Å"extras† – no color, nor border or shading – just black on white print. But the section heading are in bold which allow a hiring manager to easily scan. This resume would be appropriate for banks, financial institutions, investment firms and other conservative companies and businesses. Modified Traditional – Conservative but Less so than Banks If you have researched the company and see that they are a bit more progressive than banks, you can add some color. Notice that the sections are still the same giving a conservative feel, but the color adds just a bit more pizazz. Mildly Progressive If the job description uses some more contemporary vocabulary and the website does as well, you can get a bit more progressive with your resume, perhaps adding a graphic and/or several different fonts, as the one shown below: Progressive If you company is definitely newer, younger, and the job posting is casual in language and the website looks like a â€Å"jeans environment,† you can definitely go the route of creativity with more infographics. Really Progressive Usually, resumes that are designed for positions in the creative arts, including web design, music, art, and performing arts can be really â€Å"way out there.† Here is an example of such a resume that is bound to get attention. As you can see, you can take your information and package it in so many different ways. Research the organization, decide which type of template is best for that organization, and craft the perfect resume.

A report on the internationalisation strategies, opportunities and Essay

A report on the internationalisation strategies, opportunities and challenges in global wine industry (pls refer to the specifications) - Essay Example The wine industry has been highly fragmented which is evident from the fact that the 15 leading wine producers were based in eight different countries. Consolidation in the industry has been taking place since 2005. Internationalisation and Product Life Cycle theory states that once a new product matures in the domestic market and reaches the standardization level, it expands overseas as it seeks new markets. This theory assumes that innovation takes place in the parent company’s country but recent research suggests that innovation is driven by the globalization and is dispersed within multinationals. Britain has always been a very attractive market for wines and France has been the main supplier but New World wine producing countries like Australia, through aggressive sales campaign could overtake France in the white wine market in Britain (Campbell & Guibert, 2006). According to the Uppsala model internationalisation starts with least and gradually expands into more psychically distant countries. This is a paradox since starting internationalisation in psychically close countries can be detrimental to performance. Australia for instance exported to Britain, which demonstrates that distance is not important in internationalization. There are other factors that stimulate the process of internationalization. The Euromonitor states that consumption trends have changed due to lower prices and wider availability of wine, increased consumer knowledge and sophisticated marketing techniques have led to the expansion of the wine industry. Augmentation in the supply chain as well as health factors has added to the expansion of global sales of wine. The business environment is constantly changing and the internationalization patterns change with it. Australia is able to supply good quality wine at relatively low prices. Import tariffs have reduced in a number of key markets and increasing number of

Public Relations Communication Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Public Relations Communication Theories - Essay Example According to general public or business group, communication refers to the transferring the information from one source to another source. In other words, in the general public context the communication and information are used interchangeably. Communication is considered as the small part of the big picture, which includes organizing, planning, controlling and managing ( Dainton & Zelley, 2005, p. 2). Contrariwise, the views of scholars are different regarding the concept and perception of communication. Marianne Dainton & Elaine D. Zelley, in their book on â€Å"Applying Communication Theory for Professional Life† (2005, p 2-3) described that scholars believe that the communication is believed to be the process instead of information. The kind of process, which is elaborated in the book, is referred to as the one in which people interact with each other to create the meanings and then develop the sustainability of the messages, which may lead them to organize and manage the meanings of the messages. In other words, the communication process begins with the creation and ends with the management of the meanings of messages. The concept of communication theory seems to be highly emphasized on information transmission. Claude Shanon, gave the theory of communication. His theory of communication discussed message transmission instead of information transmission (1948, pp. 379-423,623-656). Shanon used the term message instead of information. The reason to use the message as the key term to describe the communication was that he wanted to elaborate the concept of knowledge communication. Therefore, the Shanon’s theory of communication is also believed to be the theory of message. The message also includes the signs and symbols as the way to communicate. Most of the times the message and information are used interchangeably for the purpose of communications; they are similar but not identical. According to Rafael Capurro’s work on â€Å"Angelet ice, A Message Theory† (2003), the similarities that exist between message and information are as follows. Sender Dependent A message is believed to be sender dependent. The sender dependency refers to the asymmetric structure of communication, which may still require the receiver to ask for more information. For example, the sender may only send the indication to communicate through message and once the communication started, the receiver may need to ask for information to have detail knowledge for communication. Message/ Information Brings Something New This may refer to the similarity between the message and the information. The message and information are supposed to bring something new to the receiver. The receiver expects the communication may bring something relevant and new. Therefore, message and information both strike the mind of the receiver, if they are understandable. Coded/ Transmitted The message and information both are transmitted through coded forms. For exa mple in the cellular systems the message is coded in accordance with the transmission systems used. Therefore, the coded system for communication purpose exists for both message and information transmission. Expression A message and information are believed to be utterance that gives receiver selection through the mechanism, by which the message or information is released, but information may most of the time lack expression and communicate with

Japanese Culture and Society Essay Example for Free

Japanese Culture and Society Essay Japan is country having a strong economic power, and good income levels and the citizen’s standard of living are one of the highest in the world. Japan’s fruitful economy is a result of fine consumer goods exports which were developed with the latest technologies that Japan has to offer. Another factor which made Japan rise would be its well-rounded culture. One of the noticeable factors of Japan’s culture would be its education. Education is a stabilizing factor in a person’s life and a country. Education is one important factor in creating a strong country. The adult literacy rate in Japan is exceeding 99 percent which makes Japan to be one of the top nations in the whole world in terms of educational achievement. School education in Japan begins before grade one in preschool. It is free and a compulsory need for elementary and junior high school education. In Japan, more than 99 percent of elementary school-aged children are going to their respective school which is an astonishing statistic for a nation. Their high school are composed of two divisions which are junior and senior high school which is composed of three years each. An estimate of one third of the senior high school students continues their education to college. Their admission to different high schools and university are based on difficult entrance exams. There is much competition in getting a high position in the entrance exams because most of Japan’s well paying jobs admit employees of the graduates of high quality universities. Approximately, 1 percent of elementary schools and 5 percent of junior high schools are private establishments or are not owned by the government. An estimated of 25 percent of high schools are privately owned. There are no biases between public and private schools in Japan, entrances to elite universities are not based on the status of a student’s school. In the year 1998, it was evident that there were 604 four-year college universities and 588 two-year junior colleges were in Japan. Some of the elite and prominent universities in Japan include the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, and Keio University in Tokyo. The early beginnings of education in Japan were sourced in the ideas and teachings from ancient China. In the 16th and 17th centuries, European travellers also affected the Japanese school education. From the years1640 to 1868, during Japan’s era of separation under the Tokugawa shoguns, Buddhist temple called terakoya served as the schools of the country. The temples took accountability for the country’s education and made astounding developments in raising the literacy levels among the population of the country. In the year 1867, it was assumed that there were more than 14,000 temple schools all over Japan. In the year 1872, the new Meiji regime created a ministry of education and a thorough educational code that integrated widespread primary education. During this period, Japan looked at other nations such as Europe and North America for effective educational models. As the Japanese regime expanded during the late 1930s and early 1940s, education of the country became a factor for nationalistic and militaristic needs. After Japan’s defeat in World War II, the educational system of the country was refurbished because of some concerns. Changes incorporated the current grade structure that states that the elementary school is six years and junior and senior high school are composed of 3 years each; there was also the implementation of a guarantee of equal access to free, public education. The changes included a finish to the teaching of nationalistic ideology. Reforms also sought to encourage students’ self-expression and increase flexibility in curriculum and classroom procedures. Nonetheless some critics still deem that education in Japan is extensively rigorous, preferring memorization of facts at the outlay of imaginative expression, and geared to encouraging social conventionality. Education in Japan is taken seriously and is a big attribute to the development of the country. Education is shown as factor in a youth’s life, it a vital block to a Japanese citizen’s structure and identity. Japan, as of any country, has its own social problems, this includes youth deviance. In Japan, there are also youth problems such as young people smoking, drinking alcohol, reading pornographic magazines and staying out late. These activities in some other countries are now accepted as ordinary youth culture. But one of the data radically shows that youths that participate in these appalling youth culture are mostly participated by lower high school students. (Yoder) The higher high school students do not involve themselves in these said youth culture unlike the lower high school students. (Yoder) Higher high school students spend most of their time in schooling. There are more occupied with academic and non academic matters such as aiming for high grades to get to an elite university and honing their skills in different sports and talents. It is a fact that when a Japanese student gets older, he becomes more mature and focuses his priorities more in his education than in awful youth activities. Education in Japan offers a complete picture of young people and a reasonable understanding of their lives. Most of the labelled delinquents in the youth of Japan are those who do not participate much in school or are not guided by their parents and guardians. (Yoder) Japan has made schooling as guidance for its youth. The country has successfully installed the importance of education to their youth and the youth responds accordingly to it. If it weren’t for their proper education, Japan’s youth wouldn’t have anything to guide it. The effect of education to the youth in Japan is great because the country focused a great deal on education and allocated much funds for it. Even though most of Japan is comprised of public schools, the public schools still have the same quality of education as of other private schools in other countries. (Yoder) This wonderful trait makes Japan’s education a wonderful asset to a Japanese person. Another evidence on how much education affects Japan would be the effect of deaf education. Until the mid-1970s, deaf citizens of Japan receive few legal privileges and little social acknowledgment. (Nakamura) By the law, they were categorized as minors or as mentally deficient, not capable of acquiring a drivers licenses or even sign contracts and wills. Many deaf people in the country worked at establishments that offer basic tasks or were frequently unemployed, and schools for the deaf initiate a complicated regimen of speech reading and oral speech approaches rather than signing. (Nakamura) After several decades, activism became the ears of deaf men and women which are now essentially acknowledged within mainstream of Japanese society.

Silas Marner And Hard Times: Redemption Essay examples -- Silas marner

Silas Marner And Hard Times: Redemption The discussion will take place first in Silas Marner novel. It is taken to be first since it needs full concentration of the reader. Two characters are going to be in â€Å"redemption† and â€Å"re-generation†, in their concepts and beliefs in life. The main character of the novel, which the plot builds on, is â€Å"Silas Marner†. His penance is him living lonely and cut off from the world for 15 years, till he finds Eppie. Eppie, is like the fairy genie, which will be the cause of his â€Å"re-generation†. Silas’s redemption is evoked, when he takes Eppie the little child and raises her. By doing that, he was attaching him self to his passion, and re-gaining trust in kinship and emotions. The following quotation support the point mentioned: For Silas, ignorant and confused as he is, moves, even in his passion for gold, on a more intense and heroic emotional plane than the villagers†¦ [Austen, Henry.226] The quotation mentioned earlier will be explained with more details. Silas love of money was replaced by Eppie’s love. It is only a symbol to the replacement of materialism and loss of faith to human kinship and trust in a new religion based on love, not religious myths and supernatural elements. Eppie is the message for Silas and the reader: The ‘message’ the child brings is the all-importance of natural human affections, and Silas is receptive because his affection has survived the fifteen years of isolation. [Carroll, David.197] It cannot be said that Silas is a villain character, or else he would not have changed. He was in loss, when the lot that should have announced him not guilty, gave an opposite answer. This incident happened in Lantern Yard; he was then a part of a religious group. He was accused of stealing the dead man, who he was looking after that night. Their custom is to draw lot, so that God show them the right answer. It came negative; he lost faith in man and God as a result to this incident. When he moves to live in Raveloe, he worships money. He stay lonely for fifteen years; it can be said that it is his penance for losing faith in human kind, and disbelieving in a righteous â€Å"mysterious Power†. The penance ends, and the â€Å"re-generation† start with Eppie’s appearance in his life. She makes him trust again humans, and trust a new believe in a new God he never knew. Another main character, wh... ... man. â€Å"And to nothing else.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ [Hard Times. Ch.8] Mr.Grandgrind character, however, is not villain. He takes Sissy to love with him, to educate her, when he knows her father flee. He is deep inside a gentle person, and a loving father. Maybe his love, in a way blinded him to see the truth of his teaching to his children. That is why his redemption evokes bitterly, and he decides then to make â€Å"his facts and figures subservient to Faith, Hope and Charity.†[Hard Times. Ch.9] In one way or another, this novel, as Silas Marner, calls for a universal theme of love and kinship. Life cannot be based on reason, and materialism. It can be based on kindness and friendship. To have the mind and heart in peace. Works Cited: Austen, Henry. A Qualified Redemption of Ordinary and Fallible Humanity. 1970. 225,229,230. Carroll, David. Reversing the Oracles of Religion. 1967. 197,198,199. Dickens, Charles. Hard Times: An Authority Text, Background, Sources, And Contemporary Reactions Criticism. NewYork: W.W. Norton & Company. 2,1990. Ch.1: 1, ch.7: 203, ch.8: 210 & 211, ch.9: 218. Eliot, George. Silas Marner. London: Penguin Books. 1996. Ch.8: 66, ch.14: 130 Internet Sources.

Marketing Galaxy Essay

The company that I have chosen for the basis for my report is Mars Incorporated. They have been placed the 5th largest privately held company in the United States and had a $30 billion annual sales in 2010. The majority of people think of chocolate when they hear of Mars; however their confectionary products are not the only thing they focus on. They cater for six business segments:- †¢ Petcare †¢ Wrigley †¢ Food †¢ Drink †¢ Symbioscience †¢ Chocolate They are a privately owned company with more than 65,000 Associates who are committed to delivering the best quality in the segments above. Out of the six segments I will be focusing on one ‘Chocolate’. Mars have 4 billion dollar global brands which includes ‘M&Ms’; ‘Snickers’ and also ‘Milky Way’. Chocolate confectionery is very much a part of everyday life in the United Kingdom. The UK is the largest chocolate consumer in the world with an annual average per capita consumption of 11.5 kg followed by Liechtenstein with 10.9 kg. The reason why I have chosen this company is because they have a strong background when it comes to chocolate and three of their products ‘Galaxy, Mars Bar and also Bounty’ have been listed in the Top Ten Chocolate bar of all time. One of the products that Mars Incorporated that interest me is ‘Galaxy’ which is extremely popular in the United Kingdom; Middle East and in Africa. Galaxy is also known as Dove in many parts of the world such as United States; Germany; Malaysia and Greece. Nevertheless, the chocolate used in Dove products is a different taste from the chocolate used in Galaxy. Galaxy has 11 different products such as Galaxy Ripple; Galaxy Cookie Crumble; Galaxy Counters. As we know Galaxy has many different spin offs, which gave me an idea for a new product. â€Å"Galaxy Smooth White†. Galaxy believes that the indulgence about chocolate is about the whole experience. It has a luxury yet sensual feel towards it. The majority of white chocolate products is mainly aim at the children market, providing products such Milky Way and Kinder Bueno. There are a few white chocolate products for adults however are on the upper scale such as Divine; Fair-trade and Green & Blacks. When looking into the needs and wants of a ‘Galaxy’ chocolate, customers still want that luxury feel when they take that first bite. (Galaxy calls it ‘Love at first bite’). Customers want a warm feeling inside and for that moment, they don’t want to worry about how many calories they are going to add. Galaxy Smooth white delivers exactly this and more. It provides adults with a white chocolate that is not deemed to be immature or just any chocolate that you would have daily in your lunch box. This chocolate is for lovers of white chocolate or chocolate in general; who enjoy indulging themselves with an experience that allows them to be in their own world where everything is perfect for that moment. 70% of the whole UK confectionery market is accounted for by chocolate, with annual sales of  £3.75bn. White chocolate only accounts for just 1 to 2% of UK chocolate consumption (milk chocolate accounts for 92%). Tony Bilsborough, Head of UK Media Relations (Cadbury) believes that there is a massive growth potential with white chocolate. â€Å"We’ve seen the figures and our competitors have, too,† he says. â€Å"I think you could say that white is the new brown.† According to market research it has shown that white chocolate is famous among the female segment of the United Kingdom population. Women in return have rewarded Galaxy with sales figures that have totalled companies such as Ferrero, Green and Black’s, and Lindt combined. (According to UNS Worldpanel data.) Galaxy’s target market is women between the ages of 25 and 45 however for Galaxy smooth White, I would want to lower the age to 21, as I believe in this generation, women from the age of 21 are deemed to be more mature than they were 10 years ago as they are more independent and becoming more career focused. When looking at segmentation criteria for Galaxy Smooth white, I looked at ‘Demographic’. This segmentation involves dividing the market into different groups based on variables that relate to age, gender, family size, income, occupation, education, lifecycle and generation. This is known to be one of the most popular bases for segmenting consumers groups, mainly as consumers wants are closely linked to such variables as income and age; and there is more data available to assist with Demographic segmentation process. Below are the main demographic segmentation variables for ‘Galaxy Smooth White’: Age/gender As explained above Galaxy Smooth White will be aimed at 21-45 year old women. As facts show that women in the United Kingdom find white chocolate very popular. There are many white chocolate available for children so breaking into that market will be a massive risk, whereas white chocolate aimed at women is a quite small market waiting to be broken. Galaxy is also known to be a chocolate that is soft; sensual and even romantic. So aiming this product towards men will be a big fail. Income When looking at this product, its shows it’s a luxury good. However compared to products such as Green & Black and Divine it is not at that end of the scale. Galaxy Smooth White appeals to consumers of all types of income which makes it different from competitors such as Divine who are aimed at those with a medium to high income. Lifestyle When looking at Galaxy Smooth White the type of women it is aimed at, is those with a hectic lifestyle; so whether it be someone who works all through the week; a mother of four or even a student who constantly in their books. The aim of the chocolate is that when a women needs a moment for herself, Galaxy Smooth White allows her to calm down; allows her to focus on herself; her needs and for that moment nothing else matters. The reason why I chose women between the age of 21 and 45 for the target market is that apart from children they are the main consumers for white chocolate. There is also room for a luxury, sensuous affordable chocolate in the confectionery market. I still want to keep Galaxy’s consumers as a target market as the company has been influencing it consumers to fall in love with Galaxy’s silky taste while also endorsing itself as a symbol of indulgence, femininity, and sensuousness. It is important that Galaxy’s traditional image is reserved as there are many benefits for Galaxy Smooth White to be associated with Galaxy. One brand that may be seemed as competition is Cadbury’s Dream, which is portrayed by them as a ‘white chocolate made with real smooth, melt in your mouth chocolate’. I know that Galaxy Smooth White will be positioned at a higher rank compared to Cadbury’s Dream as I have a more solid knowledge of my target market and Dream did not have a clear clarification of what their target market was. Galaxy has been linked to female-friendly activities such as book and films such as The Devil Wears Prada and Sex and The City. All this relates to Galaxy Smooth White Brand. When marketing Galaxy Smooth White, I need to make sure that I create a successful mix of: †¢ Being the ‘right’ product †¢ Sold at the ‘right’ price †¢ Sold in the ‘right’ place †¢ Using the ‘right’ promotion †¢ Product Galaxy is already a household name and is known for being a chocolate that caters for women. One of their branded names is ‘Why have cotton when you can have silk?’ When looking at what the customers wants from the Galaxy Smooth White, they still want that feeling of having a soft, smooth silk like feeling of white chocolate. Not only does it have to taste right, it has to look perfect. The packaging should be similar to the current Galaxy Smooth Milk however have white/sliver silky foil covers with the same colour background, however the words ‘Galaxy’ written in white. The Galaxy Smooth White should be written in white. We still want to keep the packaging simple as the product is our main focus. Comparing this product to others such as dream, I think the Brand name does put Galaxy Smooth White at an advantage as what we are selling relates to the brand; has been backed up by the brand. So we are in a position where the consumers know what to expect. Price Galaxy bars are now (46g) sold at a retail price of 57p. The larger ones (125g) are sold at  £1.26. When looking at pricing the ‘Price must be right’. In regards to Galaxy Smooth white I will use, Penetration Pricing. The aim of this is to increase the market share of a product. Galaxy Smooth White could you the â€Å"Special Introductory Offer†. Here I am able to set a relatively low initial entry price, lower than the established price to attract new customers. This strategy aims to encourage consumers to switch to the new product because of the lower price which will be  £1 for 125g and 45p for 46g. Although this type of pricing is mostly associated with a marketing objective of increasing market share or sales volume, in the short term profits will result in being lower than if the price was set higher. However long term, there would be profitability of higher market share, so the pricing strategy can often be justified. Place We have to make sure that the Galaxy Smooth White is obtainable in supermarket, online and even local shops. Galaxy Smooth White should be available for consumers as other confectionaries are. So even a vending machine at work should have ‘Galaxy Smooth White’ waiting for the consumer to buy it. Our distribution channel will be Suppliers –wholesalers/companies-Consumers. I also would want to send samples to catalogue companies as a way of introducing the new Galaxy Smooth White. The type of Catalogues I would like to send samples to be â€Å"More† and â€Å"Cosmopolitan as they are magazine that are aimed at women aged 21-45. Promotion The target market does need to be aware of the existence and availability of the product through promotion. To promote Galaxy Smooth White there needs to be a broad range of advertising, through magazine; television and billboards. The best time to promote and launch Galaxy Smooth White would be Christmas as it can relate to the ‘White’ Christmas theme. It also related back to the brand, as many people will be busy buying Christmas presents; students will be busy trying to get all their Christmas assignments done in time and they can relax with a bar of Galaxy Smooth White. The marketing mix should be more than a checklist of the 4P’s as we mist blend together all the elements. The pricing, promotional and distribution strategy of ‘Galaxy Smooth White; must be consistent with the product and target market. Booms and Bitner (1981) suggested another extra 3P’s that are: †¢ People †¢ Physical evidence †¢ Process People looks at all the people whether they be directly or indirectly involved with the product. Process analyses the procedure in which the flow of the activities of which the product is consumed. Lastly, physical evidence is related to the environment in which the product is delivered. People The impact that people have within the market should never be underestimated. This is most obvious when looking at front line sales to customer service staff which will have a direct impact on how your product is perceived. Galaxy as a whole makes sure that the customer services staff are provide high quality services to our consumers. This is why ‘Galaxy Smooth White’ will be distributed in well names supermarket known for their excellent customer service such as ASDA and Tesco. All the elements of the marketing mix will have an impact in regards to Galaxy Smooth White but ‘People’ carries an importance of regarding marketing as an integral part of the way I would do business is clear. Process This part of the mix is about being ‘easy to do business with’. We have all been in situation where we have either become frustrated at call centres that are not able to answer our questions; irritated when you are unable to purchase something in the shop because it is not recognise on their computer and you clearly see it on the shelf. Situations like this make this element important. This element will make sure ‘Galaxy Smooth White’ looks at this from its consumer’s side. We will make sure that the process right and easy. Physical Evidence With tangible goods such as ‘Galaxy Smooth White’ we can offer our consumers the chance to ‘try before you buy’, or at least see, touch or smell the good. This is why in out promotion element I explained by sampling the chocolate in magazine, aimed towards our target market. Through this we will be able to build trust and then a relationship with the consumer and to do this we must provide evidence of the quality that we will be providing as possible. Physical evidence refers to all the tangible, visible touch points that our consumer will come across before they buy. Overall, I do believe that this product will sell well because its new product made from an existing product and Galaxy has a strong name on its own and the products that have been made from Galaxy have all been a success and are still marketable. References New year, new Galaxy – Rainforest Alliance Certifiedâ„ ¢ Cocoa . 2011. New year, new Galaxy – Rainforest Alliance Certifiedâ„ ¢ Cocoa . [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.galaxychocolate.co.uk/. [Accessed 29 November 2011]. About Mars | World Famous Company | Mars . 2011. About Mars | World Famous Company | Mars . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.mars.com/global/about.aspx. [Accessed 29 November 2011] 7-Ps – Extended Marketing Mix – Booms and Bitner. 2011. 7-Ps – Extended Marketing Mix – Booms and Bitner. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_booms_bitner_7Ps.html. [Accessed 12 December 2011 Nestle Marketing Mix and SWOT . 2011. Nestle Marketing Mix and SWOT . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.docstoc.com/docs/12163694/Nestle-Marketing-Mix-and-SWOT. [Accessed 12 December 2011]. Health, Beauty, Fashion, Love, Careers and more – MORE Magazine. 2011. Health, Beauty, Fashion, Love, Careers and more – MORE Magazine. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.more.com/. [Accessed 12 December 2011]. How to Develop Your Distribution Channels | Marketing M.O.. 2011. How to Develop Your Distribution Channels | Marketing M.O.. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.marketingmo.com/strategic-planning/how-to-develop-your-distribution-channels/. [Accessed 12 December 2011].

Racism, Human Nature, Love and Hatred “Mother Savage”

Mother Savage by Guy de Maupassant and Shakespeare’s Othello are two literary pieces which have several aspects in common. They may be from two different authors of two different times, but they both have certain characteristics which are somewhat similar. One of this is that both Mother Savage and The Tragedy of Othello: The Moor of Venice has a concept of racism, wherein people from different countries and different cultures are involved. Another is that these two literary works both touch on the human nature, how man reacts to various factors in his surroundings, and even the people around him. And lastly, Mother Savage and The Tragedy of Othello are both stories filled with love and hatred, as shown by the main characters of these literary works.The two stories both have a take on the aspect of racism. In Guy de Maupassant’s â€Å"Mother Savage,† racism is seen at the time of war, where the story revolved when a group of Prussian army settled in a localâ€⠄¢s house; an old widow who has a son who went to war against these Prussians (Maupassant). Basically, the old woman, Mother Savage, has let in her house the Prussian army whom his son was fighting against. On the other story, Shakespeare’s Othello also showed racism as a main focus in the story (Shakespeare). Othello is a noble black General of Arabic descent, a Moor. He fell in love and married a young white daughter of a politician, Desdemonda. The story showed two people from a different race falling for each other, but because of certain reasons, their relationship ends up tragically.The next similarity between the two stories is aspect of Human Nature. This is where the main characters is affected by his surroundings, and he responds to this by following his urges, his human nature.   In the story â€Å"Mother Savage,† the old woman showed her human nature when she learned about the death of her son. At first, when she didn’t know that her son was dead, she accepted willingly the Prussian force composed of four soldiers to stay in her house.But when she found out that her son died, she couldn’t help but exact revenge on these unknowing â€Å"enemies.† She burned her house along while the soldiers were fast asleep, and because of that, she was killed by the other soldiers who responded upon knowing the incident. In The Tragedy of Othello, human nature was seen with the main character himself, the Moor, Othello (Al-Amin). When his mind was clouded by jealousy about his wife having an affair with another man, he resorted to murderous means and has committed his own life in the end.Lastly, both of the stories have tackled about love and hatred. This was manifested in both of the stories’ main characters. In â€Å"Mother Savage,† it was the mother’s love that kept her hoping for his son’s return, and keeping the Prussian soldiers in her house. She thought that these soldiers also have their moth ers worrying for them. But hatred has filled her emotions when she found out that her son died. And because of this hatred, she has resorted to murdering the enemy soldiers while they were sleeping. In â€Å"The Tragedy of Othello,† it was love that made two different people is together, in the case of Othello and Desdemonda, and it was hatred and jealousy that separated them, and has eventually led to their deaths.William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Othello and Mother Savage by Guy de Maupassant are stories which have similarities in their content. Even though they are many differently, these similarities show that they are both tragic in nature. The concepts they are similar in makes these stories interesting, even though they are shown at different angles. Moreover, these stories may have similar concepts, but still stand out individually, very different from each other.References:Al-Amin, Zakia. â€Å"Othello: The Tragedy of Human Nature†.   1999. July 29 2007. .Maupassant, Guy de. â€Å"Mother Sauvage†.   2001.   ClassicReader.com. July 29 2007. .Shakespeare, William. â€Å"The Tragedy of Othello, Moor of Venice†.   1604. July 29 2007. .

Italian Words Beginning With the Letter Z

Italian Words Beginning With the Letter Z Try out these Italian words beginning with the letter Z, with their English translations: zacchera – splash of mudzaccherone  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ mud-bespattered personzaffare – to stop upzaffata – stenchzafferano – saffronzaffirino – sapphirezagara – orange blossomzaino – knapsackzampa – leg, footzampare – to paw the groundzampillante – gushing, spurtingzampirone – fumigatorzampogna – bagpipezana – basketzangolare – to churnzanna – fang, tuskzanni – clown mask, fool, zanyzanzara – mosquitozappa – hoezappare – to hoezattera – raft, slabzavorro – ballast, dead weightzazzera – mop of hairzecca – mintzecchino – sequinzelante – zealouszelo – zealzenit – zenithzenzero – gingerzeppa – wedgezeppo – packed, crammed, burstingzibaldone – mixture, medleyzelo – zealzerbino – matzibellino – sablezimbellare – to lure, to enticezimbello – decoyzinc are – to coat with zinczinco – zinczio – unclezippolo – pin, pegzitto – silencezizzania – discordzocollaio – clog makerzocollare – to clatter about in clogszodiaco – zodiaczolfo – sulfurzolla – clodzollette – sugar cubezompare – to jump, to leapzona – zone, bandzoologia – zoologyzoppaggine – lameness, shake, ricketyzoppicare – to limpzoticaggine – roughness, boorishnesszoticone – boor, lout, rough personzucca – summer squashzucchero – sugarzuccheroso – sweet, sugaryzucchino – squashzuccone – blockheadzuffa – scuffle, frayzufolare – to whistlezuppa – soupzuppiera – soup tureenzuppo – soaked

Humbug Definition

Humbug Definition Humbug was a word used the 19th century to mean a trick played upon unsuspecting people. The word lives on in the English language today thanks largely to two notable figures, Charles Dickens and Phineas T. Barnum. Dickens famously made â€Å"Bah, humbug!† the trademark phrase of an unforgettable character, Ebenezer Scrooge. And the great showman Barnum took delight in being known as the â€Å"Prince of Humbugs.† Barnum’s fondness for the word indicates an important characteristic of humbug. It isn’t just that a humbug is something false or deceptive, it is also, in its purest form, highly entertaining. The numerous hoaxes and exaggerations which Barnum exhibited during his long career were termed humbugs but calling them that indicated a sense of playfulness. Origin of Humbug as a Word The word humbug seems to have been coined sometime in the 1700s. Its roots are obscure, but it caught on as slang among students. The word began appearing in dictionaries, such as in the 1798 edition of A Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue edited by Francis Grose: To Hum, or Humbug. To deceive, to impose on one by some story or device. A humbug; a jocular imposition, or deception. When Noah Webster published his landmark dictionary in 1828, humbug was again defined as an imposition. Humbug as Used by Barnum The popular use of the word in America was largely due to Phineas T. Barnum. Early in his career, when he exhibited obvious frauds such as Joice Heth, a woman said to be 161 years old, he was denounced for perpetrating humbugs. Barnum essentially adopted the term and defiantly chose to consider it a term of affection. He began to call some of his own attractions humbugs, and the public took it as good-natured kidding. It should be noted that Barnum despised people like con men or snake oil salesmen who actively cheated the public. He eventually wrote a book titled The Humbugs of the World which criticized them. But in his own usage of the term, a humbug was a playful hoax that was highly entertaining. And the public seemed to agree, returning time and again to view whatever humbug Barnum might be exhibiting. Humbug as Used by Dickens In the classic novella, ​A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, the miserly character Ebenezer Scrooge uttered â€Å"Bah, humbug!† when reminded of Christmas. To Scrooge, the word meant a folly, something too silly for him to spend time on. In the course of the story, however, Scrooge receives visits from the ghosts of Christmas, learns the true meaning of the holiday, and ceases to regard celebrations of Christmas as humbug.

Foreign Newspaper Report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Foreign Newspaper Report - Research Paper Example I choose the article â€Å"World economy on verge of new jobs crash and bigger recession on the way† and â€Å"Corrupt nation holding a gun, to a just as corrupted EU head's† on which the report will focus (Smith 4). There is a specific theoretical framework that I am on familiar terms with, which journalists make their analysis. This particular theoretical framework is the title of the articles the journalists use for their analysis. When the journalists write the title, they already show the readers what side of the story they have taken and will concentrate on portraying it that way. The journalists ponder and develop their thoughts and facts on what the possible reactions would come from the topic of the article. The journalists take the thoughts that are related in one way or another to the topic of the article and put them in a group of themes that frame the story in the article as a whole (Heiss 3). There are a number of elements apart from the theoretical framew ork that are made out or which can be applied on the articles chosen. The newspaper articles utilize the 5w’s which stand for who, what, where, when, etcetera in the first paragraph through to the second paragraph. The Journalist of the articles chosen, utilize a number of a lot of paragraphs that are short and to the point instead of long paragraphs because if the readers see long paragraphs a majority may not likely read the article. The articles start with a new paragraph every time a novel quote is appended or novel information is put in, add interest to article, and supports the story.. The articles have creative headlines with large fonts that grab the attention of readers and relates soundly to the topic. The articles have a byline, which provides the name of the writer. The articles chosen have a lead sentence that is used to capture the attention of readers, as well as sums up the focal point of the lead. The lead sentence in these articles recognizes the subject, la ys down the tone, as well as guiding the reader to reading the articles. The newspaper articles chosen are chronological, cause and effect, classification, list, and inquire and answer questions relating to the topic (Smith 6). Global finance and corruption are international issues that are important to the UK. Global finance is important to the UK because it directs how business will be carried out in the entire United Kingdom. Global finance enables the UK to know where it stands and lets it to make sound economic decisions that favor the country by studying and evaluating the economic trends in other countries worldwide with which they do business with as a whole. Corruption is important to the UK because corruption affects the country as a whole, it undermines political development, democracy, economic development, the environment, peoples health and others (Heiss 5). The likely implications of global finance and corruption that global finance enable a country to grow and be abl e to develop because of the information that global finance holds. This is because sometimes the global community influences how a country makes its fiscal decisions for it to be able to triumph and make sound decisions for the country as a whole. The implications for corruption is that corruptions make a country to lower its development as a country in a number of ways, which degrades the country and makes the country poor,

Content Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Content Analysis - Assignment Example 3G helps fulfill the needs of its users to have instant access to corporate networks, e-mail and the internet. 3G also helps use certain personal-use applications ranging from multimedia and e-commerce applications to â€Å"smart† appliances. Evolution of 3G also ensures the development of the envisioned advanced applications in the near future. The article also mentions some perfect advantages of the 3G technology. This technology enables managers’ instant teleconferencing with their colleagues in case they r on drive. This is made as simple by 3G as making a phone call to someone while driving or being busy. Similarly, mobile video on demand is another interesting use of 3G that helps users to watch sports highlights, news and video clips of their choice anytime on their cell phones. Today 3G enabled vehicles are capturing the auto industry. These enable the drives to have access to the traffic view cameras, gaming, internet access, and video-streaming. The second selected article shows the positive aspects of social networking. Reading this particular article will allow you to know and understand the benefits that accrue to the users while using social networking. These benefits are: Social networking provides a cheaper way to advertise as it costs very less to a person in employment of social networking strategies online compared to paying huge amounts for other alternatives. Social networking enables businesses to know what their customers and users like in their products or services and what they do not. Since advertisement is impersonal and this concept does not work so well now, the personal relationship gained through socializing with customer is very much valuable comparing to advertisement. It always creates trust and credibility when you connect with your customers on a personal level. Simply ask for help, offer expertise and services by socializing with customers because you may be deemed spam if you

Criminal Law - Theft Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Criminal Law - Theft - Case Study Example It takes into account the circumstances and consequences aimed at establishing the liability of the defendant in a criminal charge. It reasons beyond the mental elements to other facts surrounding the commission of the offence charged. CONDUCT CRIME: Where there are conduct crimes, the actus reus in itself is a prohibited conduct. Thus, in a case of dangerous driving, harmful consequences need not be established to prove the defendant's actus reus. [1] RESULT CRIMES: It must be shown that a prohibited result is caused by the conduct of the defendant. In a criminal damage for instance, the actus reus will be that another person's property has been destroyed and or damaged. [2] It is pertinent to state that the conduct of the accused person should be free willed or voluntary in order to incur liability. Acts may sometimes be involuntary. They may result from a wide variety of reasons such as: REFLEX ACTIONS: These are situations where people react to things spontaneously. It can be viewed as a form of automatism but with some dissimilarity. A classical example is illustrated in the case of HILL v. BAXTER [3] where a driver was stung by bees while on steering driving and he lost control of the car. AUTOMATISM: This occurs where the defendant performs an act but is unaware of what he or she doing. It is also the case where due to some external factors; such defendant is not in control of his or her actions. R v. QUICK [4] CAUSATION: At instances where the ascertainment of actus reus requires that certain consequences occur, the prosecution must prove that the defendants conduct actually resulted in the occurrence of those consequences.Thus in a charge of murder, the prosecution must prove that the victim died .[5] It must be established that the victim suffered grievous bodily harm or in a criminal damage, that the property was destroyed or damaged. TWO TYPES OF CAUSATION: 1 Causation of facts which makes use of the "But For" test .R v. WHITE [6] 2 Causation in law for which the defendant's act must be( for example in homicide cases), the "operating and substantial cause of death" R v. SMITH [7] 3 [1958] 1 All ER 193 4. [1973] 3 All ER 347 5 S.18 Offences against the Person Act, 1861 6 [1910] 2 KB 124 7 [1959] 2 All ER 193 MENS REA Mens rea is used to establish criminal liability. The standard common law test is usually expressed with the maxim actus non facit reum mens sit rea, which means that an act will not make a person guilty unless the mind is also guilty. There must be an actus reus accompanied by mens rea to constitute the crime for which the defendant is charged. The exception here is strict liability crimes. Mens rea can be classified into three sub - heads namely; INTENTION - Here the defendant is shown to have foreseen the consequences of his action. RECKLESSNESS - Has been developed in the case of R v. CUNNINGHAM [1957] 2 AER 412. Where recklessness, was said to be requiring a subjective other than objective test. Malice in statutory definition of crime must be considered to require either: (i) The actual intention to inflict a particular harm that was done;

Psychometric study of academic self efficacy scale

Psychometric study of academic self efficacy scale The development of Malaysia industries, infrastructures and ensuring the general well being of the country by Malaysian engineers cannot be underestimated. A new of engineering education model have been introduced to develop the interpersonal skills deal with public effectively as well as the technically competent ( Johari, 2002). In order to develop the interpersonal skills among Malaysia future engineers, a research in psychology well being have to be done. A psychometric analysis is most important part to get a valid and reliable psychology research for predicting the interpersonal skills among students. Standardized testing procedures are essential to valid testing. An invalid and misleading of the test result may alter by using of nonstandard procedures (Gregory, 2007). The psychological test is an effective tool in measuring the attitude and mental ability. It assesses their efficiency in acquiring knowledge relevant to the job and putting what they learn to practice. The test measures emotional stability, and skills such as analytical and problem-solving skills, human communication and leadership skills. The standard procedure for measuring beliefs of personal efficacy includes number of safeguards to minimize any potential motivational effects of self-assessment. These safeguards are built into the instructions and the mode of administration. Self-efficacy judgments are recorded privately without personal identification to reduce social evaluative concerns. The assessments of perceived efficacy and behavior are conducted in different settings and by different assessors to remove any possible carryover of social influence from assessment to the performance setting (Bandura, 1984). For example, in this case, The College Academic Self efficacy scale (Owen Froman, 1988) indicates that students perceptions of their abilities to perform tasks, greatly influences their success. The importance of validity and reliable measure of the sources of self-efficacy is needed. First, self-efficacy beliefs play a critical role in the academic and career choices of students (Hackett, 1995). It is important for educators or a counselors to be well known of the factors that help create and nurture the self-efficacy beliefs of their students. This information is invaluable in helping educators tailor their instructional strategies and counseling practices in ways most supportive both of their students self-efficacy and also of their achievement. Educators and counselors can also make use of such assessments as they evaluate the manner in which academic programs and intervention strategies may influence the self-efficacy beliefs of the adolescents in their care. All professional educators would readily agree that identifying the ways in which students unrealistically low self-efficacy beliefs can be challenged and altered is an essential and critical enterprise. Another important reason why a psychometrically sound assessment of the sources of self-efficacy is required is that the tenets of Banduras (1986) social cognitive theory regarding the workings of self-efficacy cannot effectively be tested without such assessment. Researchers who wish to understand the formation of academic self-efficacy must obtain that understanding using valid and reliable measures that faithfully reflect the sources hypothesized and their role within the broader structure of social cognitive theory. This is especially important in the field of academic motivation where the sources of self-efficacy have often been operationalized and measured in a manner that bears little resemblance to how they were hypothesized by Bandura (1986, 1997). This study will be able to craft items to assess each source by matching them carefully to each source as it that has been described by Bandura (1997). The researcher next sought to establish a psychometrically fit model to measure the sources of self-efficacy and to test whether the model is invariant across demographic factors and the correlation with social support. This study will be also examined evidence for convergent and factor analysis by assessing the relationship between the sources, self-efficacy, and other constructs typically included in studies of academic motivation. College Students self-efficacy beliefs have been found to play an important role in motivating them to learn (Pajares Schunk, 2001). Self-efficacy refers to beliefs about ones capability to learn or perform effectively, such as to solve a particular type of math problem. Self-efficacy differs operationally from other self-related constructs in that self-efficacy items are phrased in terms of what students can do rather than what they will do or usually do in a particular domain (Bandura, 2006). An important type of self-efficacy focuses on students beliefs about their capability to self-regulate learning (SRL), which refers to such processes as goal setting, self-monitoring, strategy use, self-evaluation, and self-reactions (Zimmerman, 2007). Research has indicated that self efficacy correlates with achievement outcomes (Bandura, 1997; Pajares, 1996; Schunk, 1995). Students with high self efficacy often display greater performance comparatively to those with low efficacy. Self efficacy is also equated with self competence, hence significant authorities such as parents and teachers who exert great influences should play their role efficiently in enhancing this self competence and eventually self efficacy for it has great bearings in achievement, be it in the English language or any other subjects ( Mahyuddin.R, 2006). 1.2 Problem Statement This study concentrates on the psychometric properties and application of the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale and its relationship with social supports and students life satisfaction. Through the haze of available measurements in self efficacy, may of them offering weak or unknown psychometric properties, and unlikely that self-efficacy can penetrate clearly (Owen and Froman, 1988). Items in Self efficacy scale should accurately reflect the construct. Self efficacy is concerned with perceived capability. Self efficacy should also be distinguished from other constructs such as self esteem, locus of control, self regulation and outcome expectancies. Scientific advances are greatly accelerated by methodological development of assessment tools for key determinants of human functioning. Quality of assessment provides the basis for stringent empirical tests of theory. Self efficacy assessment tailored to domains of functioning and task demands identify patterns of strengths and limitations in perceived capability (Bandura, 1997). The academic self efficacy and self efficacy in learning have been widely investigate by western researchers and educators. For Malaysian researcher, the study of academic self efficacy is quite constrictive. There are several significance to investigate the psychometric properties of the academic self efficacy scale that will be discussed in part significance of the study. Researchers have previously investigated predictors affecting students decision to pursue higher education. Predictors include primary and secondary school preparations, family dynamics, self esteem, commitment to goals and social support systems. Yet, with all the services available to students and the research conducted to better understand factor associated with the above issues, there are some students who never successfully assimilate into and navigate through the university system (Shaw, N. E, 2008). Owen and Fromans (1988) College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale was selected for this study because it was different from most academic self-efficacy instruments. CASES was unique in that the instrument investigates feelings of academic self-efficacy as a whole as opposed to teasing out individual constructs or areas of academic self-efficacy such as English, mathematics, and reading. Owen and Froman (1988) also believed that CASES can give specific diagnostic findings that can influence holistic change to increase overall academic self-efficacy. This study is unique because one of its objectives was not to simply find a relationship between self efficacy, academic motivation and academic achievement, but to also explore how the psychometric properties is significance before the researcher conduct a test. The study attempted to focus on the mediating variable that would explain the relationship between self efficacy, academic motivation and academic achievement. 1.3 Research Question The research questions are listed as below; i) Do the ASES scores demonstrate adequate internal consistency reliability, convergent validity and factor analysis of the testing for the college students? ii) Are there significant differences in the level of academic self efficacy experienced by male and female students? iii) Are there significant differences in the level of academic self efficacy experienced by students with the level of parents education and income? iv) Is there a relationship between college academic self-efficacy and social support? v) is there a relationship between academic self efficacy and life satisfaction? 1.4 Research Objectives: i) To examine the psychometric properties of a Academic Self efficacy Scale to estimate the students self-efficacy. ii) To identify the levels of self efficacy among engineering students in tertiary education iii) To identify the relationship of self efficacy with demographic factors. iv) To identify the relationship of academic self efficacy with students social supports. v) To identify the relationship of academic self efficacy with life satisfaction. 1.5 Significance of the study Many studies in educational and psychological literature revealed that measurement of self-efficacy is important in the field of education because of its key role and relationships with many other variables, which have great influences on education. For this reason, self efficacy measurements and the development of an effective measurement tool with respect to psychometric properties have become an important issue and major concern. The educators can nurture student self-direction and personal efficacy by providing students with opportunities before, during and after instruction to exercise some control of their own learning. An emphasis on student self-direction and efficacy means that educators teach and engage students in specific strategies that offer them opportunities to make decisions and solve problems on their own without being told what to do at all times. It means, the educators can provide them with strategies designed to help them process information effectively and to be self-confident, believing that they have the abilities to succeed. And perhaps most important, we help students become more reflective about their thinking and learning processes. The perceived attractiveness of the field of engineering and the attrition of engineering students are important issues that are significantly influenced by self-efficacy beliefs. In order to address these problems, educators must gain a better understanding of how students assess their confidence in their abilities to complete the tasks that they find necessary to succeed in engineering fields with their engineering self-efficacy beliefs (Hutchison, 2007). Self-efficacy can influence peoples behavior either positively or negatively, based on their perception of their abilities concerning a particular task. It influences the choices people make, the effort they put forth, and how long they persist in the face of obstacles and failure. The efficacy beliefs of undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs have been linked to their persistence, achievement and interest. 1.6 Limitation of the study The psychometric study will only focus on The College Academic Self Efficacy Scale(CASES) which was develop by Owen and Froman (1988). This instrument also will be used to study the level of academic self efficacy among students. The sample only will be focus on engineering undergraduates. This study only will be done in Higher Public universities in term of geographical, cultural and course offered by the universities. 1.7 Definition of the Terms Psychometric Psychometrics is the field of study concerned with the theory and technique of educational and psychological measurement, which includes the measurement of knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and personality traits. The field is primarily concerned with the study of measurement instruments such as questionnaires and tests. It involves two major research tasks, namely: (i) the construction of instruments and procedures for measurement; and (ii) the development and refinement of theoretical approaches to measurement. In this study, the psychometric analysis will be involved the reliability and validity analysis. In this research, the psychometric analysis will be involved reliability, convergent validity and confirmatory factor analysis. Academic Self efficacy Academic self-efficacy refers to individuals convictions that they can successfully perform given academic tasks at designated levels (Schunk, 1991). In this study, academic self efficacy will be demonstrated by the College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES) developed by Owen Froman (1988). College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES) College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES) refers to an instruments which was developed by Owen Froman (1988) in order to assess students belief that they can master the material and skills thought in university. The CASES was used in order to measure students levels of perceived academic self-efficacy. The scale contained 33-item with five-point Likert-type instruction to be appended. Social supports Life satisfaction A global assessment of a persons quality of life, dependent on the values and criteria deemed important by the individual (Shin Johnson, 1978). Engineering students Engineering students refers for those whom learned and willing to do the creative application of scientific principles to design or develop structures, machines, apparatus, or manufacturing processes, or works utilizing them singly or in combination; or to construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their design; or to forecast their behavior under specific operating conditions; all as respects an intended function, economics of operation and safety to life and property. In this study, engineering students refers to first year students from four selected public universities which includes Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UNIMAP), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia(UTM), Universiti Putra malaysia and Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka. Chapter 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1 Introduction This chapter will review and summarize the model and social cognitive theory and also self efficacy by Bandura (1997). The researcher has also focused on psychometrics analysis such as validity and reliability. The primary goal of understanding how students from engineering self efficacy beliefs, Bandura (1997) self efficacy beliefs, Bandura (1997) self-efficacy theory was selected to guide the research. 2.2 Social cognitive theory The selection of a guiding theoretical construct is directed by the questions a study seeks to answer (Patton,2002). The social cognitive theory aimed to focus attention on the significant role played by observational learning and vicarious reinforcement in human functioning. Bandura (1977) developed his theory to further include the essential component of self beliefs holds as a factor in human behavior. Social cognitive theory holds that human behavior, adaptation and change are based on cognitive, vicarious, self-regularotary and self reflective processes, rather than reactive responses as claimed in behaviorist theories. BEHAVIOR PERSONAL FACTORS ENVIRONMENTAL (Cognitive, affective, and FACTORS biological events) Figure 1.. Model of the relations between the three classes of determinants in Banduras (1986) conception of triadic reciprocality Figure 1 shows the model of the relations between the three classes of determinants in Banduras (1986) conception of triadic reciprocality. People are viewed as self-organizing, proactive, self-reflecting and self-regulating rather than as reactive organisms shaped and shepherded by environmental forces or driven by concealed inner impulses. From this theoretical perspective, human functioning is viewed as the product of a dynamic interplay of personal, behavioral, and environmental influences. For example, how people interpret the results of their own behavior informs and alters their environments and the personal factors they possess which, in turn, inform and alter subsequent behavior. This is the foundation of Banduras (1986) conception of reciprocal determinism, the view that (a) personal factors in the form of cognition, affect, and biological events, (b) behavior, and (c) environmental influences create interactions that result in a triadic reciprocality. Bandura altered the l abel of his theory from social learning to social cognitive both to distance it from prevalent social learning theories of the day and to emphasize that cognition plays a critical role in peoples capability to construct reality, self-regulate, encode information, and perform behaviors. 2.3 Self Efficacy Beliefs The self-beliefs that individuals use to exercise a measure of control over their environments include self-efficacy beliefs. beliefs in ones capability to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations (Bandura, 1997, p. 2). Self-efficacy beliefs are concerned with individuals perceived capabilities to produce results and to attain designated types of performance, they differ from related conceptions of personal competence that form the core constructs of other theories. Self-efficacy judgments are both more task- and situation-specific, contextual if you will, and individuals make use of these judgments in reference to some type of goal. To better understand the nature of self-efficacy beliefs it may be useful to explain how they are acquired, how they influence motivational and self-regulatory process, and how they differ from similar or related conceptions of self-belief. According to Bandura, there are four major sources of self-efficacy. 1. Mastery Experiences The most effective way of developing a strong sense of efficacy is through mastery experiences, Bandura explained (1994). Performing a task successfully strengthens our sense of self-efficacy. However, failing to adequately deal with a task or challenge can undermine and weaken self-efficacy. 2. Social Modeling Witnessing other people successfully completing a task is another important source of self-efficacy. According to Bandura, Seeing people similar to oneself succeed by sustained effort raises observers beliefs that they too possess the capabilities master comparable activities to succeed (1994). 3. Social Persuasion Bandura also asserted that people could be persuaded to belief that they have the skills and capabilities to succeed. Consider a time when someone said something positive and encouraging that helped you achieve a goal. Getting verbal encouragement from others helps people overcome self-doubt and instead focus on giving their best effort to the task at hand. 4. Psychological Responses Our own responses and emotional reactions to situations also play an important role in self-efficacy. Moods, emotional states, physical reactions, and stress levels can all impact how a person feels about their personal abilities in a particular situation. A person who becomes extremely nervous before speaking in public may develop a weak sense of self-efficacy in these situations. However, Bandura also notes it is not the sheer intensity of emotional and physical reactions that is important but rather how they are perceived and interpreted (1994). By learning how to minimize stress and elevate mood when facing difficult or challenging tasks, people can improve their sense of self-efficacy. Bandura (1986) considered self-reflection the most uniquely human capability, for through this form of self-referent thought people evaluate and alter their own thinking and behavior. These self-evaluations include perceptions of self-efficacy, that is, beliefs in ones capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations. These beliefs of personal competence affect behavior in several ways. They influence the choices individuals make and the courses of action they pursue. People engage in tasks in which they feel competent and confident and avoid those in which they do not. Efficacy beliefs help determine how much effort people will expend on an activity, how long they will persevere when confronting obstacles, and how resilient they will prove in the face of adverse situations-the higher the sense of efficacy, the greater the effort, persistence, and resilience. Efficacy beliefs also influence individuals thought patterns and emotional reactions. People with low self-efficacy may believe that things are tougher than they really are, a belief that fosters stress, depression, and a narrow vision of how best to solve a problem. High self-efficacy, on the other hand, helps to create feelings of serenity in approaching difficult tasks and activities. As a result of these influences, self-efficacy beliefs are strong determinants and predictors of the level of accomplishment that individuals finally attain. For these reasons, Bandura (in press) argued that beliefs of personal efficacy constitute the key factor of human agency . 2.4 Engineering Self Efficacy Numerous studies examining the role of self efficacy in students pursuit of engineering careers have generally found a positive correlation between self-efficacy and academic achievement in engineering disciplines (AWE, 2005). For example, it has been found that ones self-efficacy beliefs influence on effort, persistence, and perseverance in goal attainment (Bandura Schunk, 1981; Bouffard-Bouchard, 1990; Schunk Hanson, 1985). Similar findings reveal that high self-efficacy beliefs influence the academic persistence necessary to maintain high academic achievement amongst college students enrolled in science and engineering courses (Lent, Brown, Larkin, 1984, 1986). Previous research also has clearly made the case that the construct of engineering self efficacy can be an important contributor to success in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) career education by influencing the choice to pursue STEM careers and the persistence with which it is pursued. Hutchison et al (2006) have done a survey incorporating qualitative measures of student self-efficacy beliefs to administer 1,387 first-year engineering students enrolled in ENGR 106, Engineering Problem-Solving and Computer Tools, at Purdue University. The survey was designed to identify factors related to students self-efficacy beliefs, their beliefs about their capabilities to perform the tasks necessary to achieve a desired outcome. Open-ended questions prompted students to list factors affecting their confidence in their ability to succeed in the course. Students were then asked to rank these factors based on the degree to which their self-efficacy beliefs were influenced. Gender trends emerged in student responses to factors that affect confident in success. These trends are discussed in light of the categories identified by efficacy theorists as sources of self-efficacy beliefs. The results presented here provide a useful look at the first-year engineering experiences that inf luence students efficacy beliefs, an important consideration in explaining student achievement, persistence, and interest. 2.5 Academic self efficacy Bandura (1997) believed that self-efficacy contributes to the academic achievement of students. Bandura proposed that individuals make a cognitive judgment about their mastery of present situations in view of their past experiences, and proceed to carry out the necessary behaviors to accomplish the task at hand. Students are affected by personal (e.g., goal setting, information processing) and situational influences (e.g., rewards, teacher feedback) that provide students with cues about how well they are learning. Self-efficacy is enhanced when students perceive they are performing well or becoming more skillful. Lack of success or slow progress will not necessarily lower self-efficacy if learners believe they can perform better by expending more effort or using more effective strategies (Schunk, 1995). Schunk (1991) in his study has also proposed that self-efficacy is critical to the academic achievement of adolescents. He hypothesized that self-efficacy influences a students choice of activities. Students with a high level of self-efficacy will select more challenging learning tasks, therefore expending more persistence and effort to obtain higher achievement outcomes, whereas students with low level of self-efficacy will avoid difficult and challenging tasks that require more effort and persistence, and thus, obtain lower achievement outcomes. Figure 1 The Development of Academic Self Efficacy ( Adapted from Schunk and Pajares, 2001) Familial Influence on Self-Efficacy Peer Influence Role of Schooling Transitional Influences Developmental Changes in Self-Appraisal Skill Gender Differences Ethnic Differences ACADEMIC SELF EFFICACY Students with higher self-efficacy expend greater effort, exhibit more persistence and demonstrate greater resilience in the face of adverse situations. As a result of these influences, self-efficacy beliefs are strong determinants of the level of accomplishment (Bandura, 1997; Pajares, 1996), and therefore contribute tremendously to intellectual development which leads to academic success (Bandura, 1995). In addition, the research literature includes several studies which emphasize the effect of self-efficacy on numerous positive outcomes as well as academic achievement. In this case, not only has self-efficacy been found to positively relate to higher levels of achievement, but also it has a strong association with a variety of adaptive academic 30 outcomes such as higher levels of effort and increased persistence on difficult tasks. This finding has been confirmed across a number of experimental and correlational studies involving students of different ages (Bandura, 1997; Pintrich Schunk, 2002). Also, in a correlational study conducted by Linnenbrink and Pintrich (2002), was found that self- efficacy is positively related to student cognitive engagement and their use of self- regulatory strategies as well as general achievement as indexed by grades (Pintrich, 2000b; Pintrich De Groot, 1990; Wolters, Yu, Pintrich, 1996). Lastly, further evidence exists in the research literature that confirms Schunks hypothesis that students who have positive self-efficacy beliefs are more likely to choose to continue to take more difficult courses over the course of schooling (Eccles et al., 1998). Although several studies confirm the positive effect of self-efficacy on academic achievement, there also seems to be a number of other mediating influences or related variables that provide further explanation of this relationship. In view of possible mediating influences, there exist contradictions in the literature regarding the exact nature of the relationship of self-efficacy with other related variables (e.g., goal orientation, motivation) in explaining positive academic outcomes, as well as its precise strength in predicting academic achievement, irrespective of these variables. Such discrepancies in the research literature should be considered in examining the effect of self-efficacy on academic achievement. The finding that self-efficacy beliefs tend to decline as students advance through school (Pintrich Schunk, 1996) has been attributed to various factors, including greater competition, more norm-referenced grading, less teacher attention to individual student progress, a nd stresses associated with school transitions. These and other school practices can weaken academic self efficacy, especially among students who are less academically prepared to cope with increasingly challenging academic tasks. Lock-step sequences of instruction frustrate some students who fail to grasp skills and increasingly fall behind their peers (Bandura, 1997). Ability groupings can lower self-efficacy among those relegated to lower groups. Classrooms that allow for much social comparison tend to lower the self-efficacy of students who find their performances inferior to those of their peers. Students involvement and participation in school depend in part on how much the school environment contributes to their perceptions of autonomy and relatedness, which in turn influence self-efficacy and academic achievement. Although parents and teachers contribute to feeling of autonomy and relatedness, peers become highly significant during adolescence. The peer group context enhances or diminishes students feelings of belonging and affiliation (Hymel, Comfort, Schonert-Reichl, McDougall, 1996). 2.6 Social support College students may seek social and emotional support from their family and friends. Social support, or receiving emotional, informational, and/or tangible support from other individuals (Lazarus Folkman, 1984), has been linked positively with the maintenance of physical health during stressful situations. In addition, the perceived availability of social support, rather than the actual use of social support, may actually be more important in protecting individuals from the harmful effects of stressful situations (Holahan Moos, 1987). Further, social support may be an important component of college students transitioning successfully to the college environment (Hays Oxley, 1986) and college students academic achievement (DeBerard et al., 2004), with low levels of social support being related to a lack of persistence in academic endeavors (Mallinckrodt, 1988). Given these findings, it is possible that support from family and friends is extremely important in the lives of college students during their college careers, particularly as they experience and make attempts to cope with academic-related stress. For example, one study using a sample of first- and second-year college students, most of whom were without daily parental contact, showed that parental support predicted significantly the grade point average (GPA) of these students. In contrast, support from friends and romantic partners did not predict GPA significantly (Cutrona et al., 1994). These results indicated that, although parents may be removed physically from college students daily life, they still may have a major impact on college students academic performance. As a result, the perceived level of emotional support from college students parents may be related greatly to many aspects of their college career, including their academic performance and their experience of academic- related stress. 2.6.1 Parental support Seminal attachment theories developed by Bowlby (1969) and Ainsworth and