Educational Issue Involving Adolescents . Many People Blame

Educational Issue Involving Adolescents Many people blame the parents first thing if a child is having academic issues. However, although the parents do play a major part, they are not the only reason children may be struggling in school. There are many factors that cause educational issues with adolescents in addition to parental involvement. These factors include: peer relations/bullying, substance abuse, young parenthood, technology use, stereotyping, racial judgements, and socioeconomic status. According to a study conducted by Aprile D. Benner, Alaina E. Boyle, and Sydney Sadler, American youth have made major strides in progressing in education in recent years. They also note that high school dropout rates are at an all-time low.†¦show more content†¦Bullying comes in many forms including: sexual harassment and emotional and physical abuse. Sexual harassment has been determined as one of the underlying problems in regards to children’s performance in an educational setting. In an article by Deborah Smith, Smith recalls a story about Katy, a 15 year old girl, who was harassed by boys at her school. Her classmates had written derogatory statements about her in the boy’s bathroom stalls. Despite efforts made by herself and her parents, the principal did not remove the graffiti, and simply told Katy that no one reads it, anyhow and that it would make her a strong person. (Smith, n.d.) Sexual harassment should not be tolerated anywhere, and especially no t in a school setting. According to a report released by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), on average, about 80 percent of adolescent boys and girls report being sexually harassed by their peers. (Smith, n.d.) The report also found that girls are more likely to report feeling self-conscious, embarrassed, and less confident because of the harassment. Girls are also more likely to not participate in class to avoid further harassment. (Smith, n.d.) Are girls more prone to be victimized in the school setting? Are boys given special treatment over their female counterparts? According to Shruti Raina, a research scholar from the University of Jammu, there is an overwhelming amount of gender bias in theShow MoreRelatedComputer And Video Games : Friends Needed974 Words   |  4 PagesComputer and Video Games: Friends Needed Video games have existed for much longer than many young people are aware. For example, an individual would need to be over the age of 50 to remember the first time arcade games were available for play in a bowling alley or inside the entertainment building of a miniature golf course. Similarly, an age requirement of 40 would be required for a person to remember the first release of the Atari, which was usually seen at a friend’s home, or to remember theRead MoreTeen Motor Vehicle Accidents: Case Study of Green Lane, PA1262 Words   |  5 Pagesperson knows that teenage drivers are not the best, and this is in fact true. However, its not for the reasons that most people think of initially. Many consider teen drivers to be subpar because they are reckless or speed demons or drinking while behind the wheel. However, this is actually not the case, Researchers looked for a critical reason in nearly 800 crashes involving teen drivers and found that inexperience and distraction, n ot reckless driving or alcohol, caused the collisions. ThisRead MoreThe Social Learning Theory Of Adolescents1863 Words   |  8 PagesAt this stage in development, adolescents are at a very critical point in life. It is an accepted belief that adolescents are very vulnerable at this time. Therefore it is easy to see that they would imitate their favorite celebrities, or other role models in the media, in their dress, actions, and speech. This example is a clear depiction of Bandura’s â€Å"Social Learning Theory†. According to the â€Å"Social Learning Theory†, humans are naturally developed to mimic any behaviors that they frequently seeRead MoreThe Effects Of Violence On Young Adults1575 Words   |  7 Pagesaggression and opposition toward others outside the family. Young adults in today’s society are in a constant struggle with the simplest issues in life. This is due to the child’s inability to have a strong parental attachment to one or bo th of their parents early on in his or her life; furthermore researchers have linked this to violence in young adults. Issues in Today’s society The breakdown of the family ensures that these young adults are not getting the support needed in order to make adequateRead MorePeer Pressure is Unavoidable in Adolescent Development1811 Words   |  7 PagesPeer Pressure is undeniably avoidable in adolescent development. There are many types of peer pressure. These types include: Individual, direct, and indirect. What are these? Individual peer pressure can be explained as self pressure. In other words, it is pressure that comes from one’s own self. Being and feeling different from a group of friends or a certain clique can cause hardship, stress, and insecurity. What does this look like? One might drastically change their style of clothing, music,Read MoreWhy Are America And Mexico Education System Failing?1810 Words   |  8 Pages Why are America and Mexico Education System Failing? Hayley Booker SWK 498-Senior Seminar May 2, 2015 â€Æ' The social issue that I am examining related to the Jackson, Mississippi and Mexico City, Mexico is the lack of education. There will always be obstacles to an education system such as shortage of teachers, textbooks, facilities, transportation. Many countries lack the importance to a great education system. The United States is a liberal democracy with a federal political structureRead More Sex Education in Schools: Abstinence-Only Programs Essay2013 Words   |  9 PagesTeenage sexual activity is a major problem confronting the nation and has led to a rising incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and teenage pregnancy. The existence of HIV/AIDS has given a sense of urgency to the topic of sex education. The issue of sex education in schools especially in the formative years has been a subject of intense debate among parents, school officials, health scientists and religious authorities worldwide for a considerable period of time. The debate centers on comprehensiveRead MoreEve Teasing a Problem of Modern Society3103 Words   |  13 Pagesseverity from sexually suggestive remarks, brushing in public places, catcalls, to outright groping. Sometimes it is referred to with a coy suggestion of innocent fun, making it appear innocuous with no resulting liability on the part of t he perpetrator. Many feminists and voluntary organizations have suggested that the expression be replaced by a more appropriate term. According to them, considering the semantic roots of the term in Indian English, eve-teasing refers to the temptress nature of Eve, placingRead More History of Parent Involvement in Education: Family Organizations2450 Words   |  10 PagesHistory of Parent Involvement in Education: Family Organizations Parental involvement has been an issue in the United States since before the turn of the nineteenth century. Perhaps one of the most well-known organizations in support of parental involvement in schools was created in 1897. The National Congress of Mothers set up a statement of purposes that created the basis for their organization. The purposes included: â€Å"the education of parents for child development; the coà ¶peration of homeRead MorePsychosocial Development and the Effects of Teenage Pregnancy3953 Words   |  16 Pagesindustrialized nations. Teen pregnancy accounts for more than $9 billion per year in costs to U.S. taxpayers for increased health care and foster care, increased incarceration rates among children of teen parents, and lost tax revenue because of lower educational attainment and income among teen mothers. Pregnancy and birth are significant contributors to high school dropout rates among girls. Only about 50% of teen mothers receive a high school diploma by age 22, versus nearly 90% of women who had not given

The Opening of Glass Menagerie Essay - 1000 Words

The Opening of Glass Menagerie The opening of Glass Menagerie is key in establishing themes, relationships, dramatic conventions character symbolism and style. Discuss. The opening of the play ‘Glass Menagerie’ let the audience know about various elements of the play such as themes, relationships, characters and dramatic conventions. This was done by detailed description of the setting and the narrator, Tom informing the audience. The main themes of the play could be found in the opening. The fact that the play was about memory had been made clear in the beginning with the line, â€Å"the scene is memory†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Once again confirmed very clearly by Tom who said, â€Å"the play is memory.† The audience could easily interpret that†¦show more content†¦Amanda was the obvious case of denying it. When Laura told her â€Å"I don’t believe we’re going to receive any† gentleman callers she frantically yelled â€Å"not one gentleman caller? It can’t be true!† Escaping was another main theme of the play which was introduced in the beginning. This theme was mostly related to Tom who always wanted to escape from Amanda and his hopeless, tedious and meaningless life. Tom addressed the audience in the beginning of the play standing near the fire-escape. The fire-escape was used to enter the apartment but to Tom, it was more than that. His frequent outing to the movies, which was his means of escaping from Amanda and his depressing life, was all done through the fire-escape. However, the audience were made aware of the fact that his escape in the end was not so delightful as the thought of leaving Laura haunted him after he left her. â€Å"Oh Laura, Laura, I tried to leave you behind me, but I am more faithful than I intended to be.† Maybe Williams was trying to say such thing, as a true escape did not exist in the first place. Relationships between the main characters and the characteristics of them were established in the opening. The most prominent ones would be the relationship between Amanda and Tom and Amanda and Laura. These two were contrasting due to theShow MoreRelated Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie Essay936 Words   |  4 PagesTennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie If The Glass Menagerie were performed without the effects Williams wrote into the script, then the play would barely have a plot. Williams use of music, lighting and a television screen add depth and meaning to the play. He uses effects to portray the feelings of the characters, rather than their words or actions. In Toms opening speech he states thatThe play is memory. Because it is about his memories of his mother and her memories. TheyRead MoreThematic Comparison Of The Glass Menagerie And A Streetcar Named Desire1399 Words   |  6 PagesLiane Walls THTR 475C Dr. Ramirez Thematic Comparison of The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire Tennessee Williams is regarded as a pioneering playwright of American theatre. Through his plays, Williams addresses important issues that no other writers of his time were willing to discuss, including addiction, substance abuse, and mental illness. Recurring themes in William’s works include the dysfunctional family, obsessive and absent mothers and fathers, and emotionally damaged womenRead More Comparing Tennessee William’s Life and Streetcar Named Desire and Glass Menagerie1551 Words   |  7 PagesA Streetcar Named Desire and Glass Menagerie  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Tennessee Williams is one of the greatest American playwrights. He was constantly shocking audiences with themes such as homosexuality, drug addictions, and rape. He broke free from taboos on such subjects, paving the way for future playwrights. He also was a very good writer. One of the things he is famous for is his dialogue, which is very poetic. Williams wrote about his life. The Glass Menagerie is a very autobiographical playRead More Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie as a Tragedy Essay1498 Words   |  6 PagesTennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie as a Tragedy The Glass Menagerie has, of course, been labelled as many different types of play, for one, a tragedy. At first glance it is clear that audiences today may, indeed, class it as such. However, if, looking at the traditional definition of the classification tragedy, one can more easily assess whether or not the Glass Menagerie fits under this title. To do this I will be using the views of Aristotle, the Greek Read MoreSymbols in the Glass Menagerie1307 Words   |  6 PagesIn the play, The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, Williams uses many symbols which represent many different things.?Many of the symbols used in the play try to symbolize some form of escape or difference between reality and illusion.?The first symbol, presented in the first scene, is the fire escape.?This represents the bridge between the illusory world of the Wingfields and the world of reality.?This bridge seems to be a one way excursion.?But the direction varies for each character.Read MoreThe Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams1114 Words   |  5 PagesIn the play by Tennessee Williams, â€Å"The Glass Menagerie,† Williams uses many symbols to help the audience better understand the Wingfield family. Many of the symbols used in the play portray some form of escape from reality. The first symbol revealed to the audience is the fire esca pe. This represents the connection between the imaginary world of the Wingfield’s and the world of reality. Each character seems to be able to find their escape in their own, personal way. For Tom, the fire escape is theRead MoreGlass Menagerie Essay1390 Words   |  6 PagesGlass Menagerie Written Responses Topic: Discuss how a theme is developed in the play through two characters. Provide 3 pieces of evidence to support the theme as it applies to each character. â€Å" The Glass Menagerie †, a memory play by Tennessee Williams, not only depicts the depressing andRead MoreEssay Tennessee Williams Life and The Glass Menagerie1643 Words   |  7 Pages Tennessee Williamsamp;#8217; Life and The Glass Menagerie The Glass Menagerie first opened on March 31, 1945. It was the first big success of Tennessee Williamsamp;#8217; career. It is in many ways about the life of Tennessee Williams himself, as well as a play of fiction that he wrote. He says in the beginning, amp;#8220;I give you truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion; (1147). The characters Tom, Laura, and Amanda are very much like Williams, his sister Rose, and his mother Edwina. WeRead MoreThe Glass Menagerie By Tennessee Williams1540 Words   |  7 PagesIt is easy to read through â€Å"The Glass Menagerie† by Tennessee Williams and quickly dismiss it has a play of a nagging mother, disheartened son, and socially incapable, whimsical sister. The three seem completely caught up in their own narrow mindedness they are blind to the reality around them. While these may all be true, the characters exhibit far more complications than the surface analysis proves. In Tennessee Williams play, the characters are full of complexiti es and contradictions. One of

Media Influence On Nursing Image Free Essays

?The media and especially Hollywood have been one of the most influential factors on how the public view nursing as a profession. As nurses we need to recognize both the negative and positive images the media have on nursing and try in our day to day interactions with the general public to change these perceptions. Negative stereotypes are everywhere and involve almost everyone no matter what profession or business you are in. We will write a custom essay sample on Media Influence On Nursing Image or any similar topic only for you Order Now A nurse has long been stereotyped as â€Å"helper† and still is in today’s world. Many patients I work with now still feel that, when they are admitted to the hospital the nurse is to do everything for them including catering to their activities of daily living, although they can do it themselves. For example, I assist a patient out of bed to the wash basin to wash their face and brush their teeth and they sit waiting for the nurse to come in and perform these tasks as’ it is their duty’. Here I have to redirect and encourage them to do as much as the can and staff will assist to take of the rest. It is safe to say the media and especially television seem to get a’ kick’ out of portraying nurses negatively. Almost all TV shows I can think of portray nurses in a negative way. Although there may be a positive as seen in ‘Mercy’ where the doctor told the interns, ‘these are the nurses, they should be your be your best friend, they most times know more than you do’ holds so much truth in that statement and should be seen as a positive. The same show over shadows this positive with numerous negative behaviors of the same nurses. I am not a big fan of television but happened to see one episode of’ Nurse Jackie’ that made me very upset. I can just imagine the negative image of the uneducated public watching such a television show. At Halloween the nurse is portrayed as a sex symbol in tight, short and skimpy costumes, when in fact nurses are neatly attired and depict professionalism on and off the job. It is our duty as nurses to practice professionalism at all times so that the public can differentiate the Hollywood portrayed TV nurse as opposed to the professional nurse they will meet in the healthcare system. We can talk to the public at health fairs, church, schools etc. about the nurse’s roles and scope in nursing practice so they will have informed impressions of nurses. How to cite Media Influence On Nursing Image, Papers

The Origins of Star Wars Essay Example For Students

The Origins of Star Wars Essay Just how did George Lucas come up With such brilliant ideas for Star Wars? What are the true origins of Star Wars? Not any people know that Star Wars isnt the product Of George Lucas own imagination. As a matter of fact, George Lucas actually got most of his ideas and concepts from the movies and literary works that were present during his day. Who can forget the light saber duels of Obi-Wan Kenton and Dearth Evader in the halls of the Death Star? Or the epic clash between Jed and battle droids in the coliseum of Sessions! No person who ever watched a single Star Wars movie can ever forget the glorious Jed, keepers of peace and defenders of justice through out the galaxy! And of course one cannot forget the Seeds favored weapon, laser words that have become one tooth signature weapons in the Star Wars saga, the light saber! Though all these terms, Seeds and light sabers, seem a bit futuristic or out of this world, their origins are actually quite oriental. George Lucas actually based the plot Star Wars: A New Hope on Kara Scrofulas The Hidden Fortress, a Samurai movie that was released in the ass. The Hidden Fortress is about two peasants who escort a man and a woman out of enemy lines only to discover that the people they are escorting are actually a princess and a general of a defeated kingdom. Now where do space police and laser words fit in all this you ask? It would seem that since George Lucas borrowed the plot of The Hidden Fortress, the Jed are some vague portrayal of an intergalactic samurai. If one paid close attention to detail, one would discover the striking resemblances between a Jed Knight and a Japanese Samurai. From their philosophies to the way they do battle to the way the dress, the powerful Jed Knights Of the Star Wars galaxy have clear parallelisms With our galaxys Samurai. Examples of these parallelisms are the robes that the Jed used are quite similar to the robes that the Samurai used, another one is the Japanese Tanta that the Samurai used in battle and the Light Saber that the Jed used to keep the peace. George Lucas also borrowed ideas from other samurai movies such as Sandbur and Yogi both by Kara Sarasota. Apart from having Asian origins, Star Wars also has Western background. One of the earliest science fiction graphic novels known to man is Flash Gordon, Its clear why George Lucas took some to Flash Cordons concepts and applied it with his own films, Flash Gordon however, also borrowed its concepts with an even earlier sic-if comic_ strip: Buck Rogers. One to the clearest similarities teens Star Wars and Hash Gordon is the signature roll-up that is present in the start of every Star Wars movie. One less noticeable similarity is the vocabulary of Hash Gordon (which was also taken from Buck Rogers). Since Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers were the only ones that mentioned of futuristic space travel and intergalactic battles, George Lucas based the vocabulary of Star Wars on these two science fiction works of his time. The technology and the gadgets Of Plash Gordon and Buck Rogers were also Of great influence to the Star Wars Saga. J. R. R. Toolkits The Lord of the Rings is another western literary ark that is speculated to be a contributor to the concepts Of Star Wars. The parallelisms of the Obi-Wan Kenton and Gangland, Emperor Palatine and Sharon, Dearth Evader and The Witch King Of Gamma are some Of the few similarities Of J. R. R. Toolkits novel with the Star Wars Saga. Not so long ago, in a galaxy a little closer to home, George Lucas used both Asian and Western films and literary works to create one of the greatest movie sagas of all time, He combined the best of both worlds to give birth to an entire new universe. That universe still captures the minds and imaginations of adults and children alike up to this day.

Texting While Driving free essay sample

Better regulation is needed because drivers using cell phones are seriously impaired and because laws on texting while driving are not enforced as should be. No one can deny that cell phones have caused traffic deaths and injuries. Cell phones were involved in many fatal accidents in 2011 alone. Early in November, two-year-old Morgan Pena was killed by a driver distracted by his cell phone. Morgan’s mother, Patti Pena, reports that the driver â€Å"ran a stop sign at 45 mph, broadsided my vehicle and killed Morgan as she sat in her car seat†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and that, â€Å"A week later, Officer Shannon Smith, who was guarding prisoners by the side of the road, was killed by a woman distracted by a phone call† (Besthoff). Expert testimonies, public opinions, and even cartoons suggest that driving while ‘phoning’ is dangerous. Lyndsey Layton, a reporter for the Washington Post and an expert on the relation between cell phones and accidents, estimates that between 450 and 1,000 crashes a year have some connection to cell phone use (C9). We will write a custom essay sample on Texting While Driving or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In a survey conducted by Farmers Insurance, 87% of drivers said that cell phones affect their ability to drive, and 40% reported having ‘close calls’ with other drivers distracted by phones (Farmers). Many people are lucky to cheat death while others, guilty and innocent, unfortunately die. Scientific research confirms the dangers of using phones while on the road. In 2012, a study appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. The authors, Donald Redelmeier and Robert Tibshirani, studied 699 volunteers who made their cell phone bills available in order to confirm the times when they were using their phone while driving. The participants agreed to report any nonfatal collisions in which they were involved in. By comparing the time of a collision with the phone records, the researchers evaluated the dangers of driving while ‘phoning’. The results were unsettling; â€Å"We found that using a cellular telephone was associated with a risk of having a motor vehicle collision that was about four times as high as that among the same drivers when they were not using their cellular telephones. This relative risk is similar to the hazard associated with driving with a blood alcohol level at the legal limit† (456). A 2010 study conducted by John M. Violanti, a scientist from Rochester Institute of Technology, focused on Oklahoma’s’ records of drivers who were in cell phone related accidents. He found an increase in the risk of fatality â€Å"†¦if a phone was being used and a doubled risk simply when a phone was present in a vehicle. † (522-23). Some groups have argued that state traffic laws regulating cell phone use unnecessary. Sadly, this is not true. Laws on traffic safety vary from state to state, and drivers distracted by cell phones can get off with light punishment even when they cause fatal accidents. The driver who killed Morgan Pena in Pennsylvania â€Å"†¦ [she] received two tickets and a $50 fine—and retained his driving privileges. † (Pena), and in Georgia, â€Å"The young woman distracted by her phone who ran down and killed a two-year-old was sentenced to ninety days in boot camp and five hundred hours of community service. † (Ippolito J1). The families of the victims are understandably upset by laws that lead to such light sentences. When certain kinds of driver behaviors are shown to be dangerous, we wisely produce special laws making them illegal and imposing specific punishments. Running red lights, failing to stop for a school bus, and drunk driving are obvious examples; talking on the phone and texting in a moving vehicle should be no exception. Unlike more general laws covering careless driving, specific laws leave little uncertainty for law officers and for judges and juries imposing punishments. Laws passed by counties and towns regarding distracted driving have had some effect, but it makes more sense to legislate it at the state level. Local laws are not likely to have the impact of state laws, and keeping track of a wide variety of local ordinances is confusing for drivers. Even a spokesperson for Verizon Wireless has said that â€Å"Statewide bans are preferable to a ‘crazy patchwork quilt of ordinances’†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (qtd. In Haughney A8). These laws should be strictly enforced to the point where drivers are afraid to even touch their cell phones while driving. Despite the claims of some activists who say that some drivers will be on their phones while driving despite any law, if we impose tougher and stricter laws regulating phone use, we can make our roads safer. For example, in Japan, â€Å"†¦ [car] accidents linked to cell phones fell by 75% just a month after the country prohibited using a handheld phone while driving. † (Haughney A8). Research suggests and common sense tells us that it is not possible to drive an automobile at high speeds, dial numbers, and carry on conversations without significant risks. When such behavior is firmly regulated, obviously our roads will be safer. Works Cited Besthoff, Len. â€Å"Cell Phone Use Increases Risk of Accidents, but Users Willing to Take the Risk. † WRAL. com. Capitol Broadcasting, 9 Nov. 2011. Web. 12 Jan. 2012. Farmers Insurance. â€Å"New Survey Shows Drivers Have Had ‘Close Calls’ with Cell Phone Users. † Farmers. Farmers Insurance, 8 May 2011. Web. 12 Jan. 2012. Haughney, Christine. â€Å"Taking Phones out of Drivers’ Hands. † Washington Post 5 April. 2009: A8. Print. Ippolito, Milo. â€Å"Driver’s Sentence Not Justice, Mom Says. † Atlanta Journal-Constitution 21 Nov 2011: J1. Library Curriculum. Layton, Lyndsey. â€Å"Legislators Aiming to Disconnect Motorists. † Washington Post 10 Dec. 2010: C9. Print. Pena, Patricia N. â€Å"Patti Pena’s Letter to Car Talk. † Cartalk. com. Dewey, Cheetham, and Howe, n. d. Web. 02 Nov 2011. Redelmeier, Donald A. , and Robert J. Tibshirani. â€Å"Association between Cellular-Telephone Calls and Motor Vehicle Collisions. † New England Journal of Medicine 336. 7 (2012): 453-58. Print. Violanti, John M. â€Å"Cellular Phones and Fatal Traffic Collisions. † Accident Analysis and Prevention 30. 4 (2010): 519-524. Print. Texting while driving free essay sample Have you ever sent a text while driving? Texting while driving has been raising issues in today’s society as 46 percent of teens, and more than one in five drivers have admitted to texting while driving (source). This hazardous habit has lead to many studies to expose the dangers of texting while driving, and how it compares to drunk driving to all drivers. Texting while driving and drunk driving cause an increase in automobile accidents and health factors that are extremely dangerous. Reckless driving habits such as texting and drunk driving cause thousands of accidents each year, resulting in many injuries and deaths. In 2010, more than 1. 4 million arrests were made for drivers operating under the influence of alcohol and drugs (Impaired Driving 1). In total, 10,228 people were killed in alcohol related crashes in 2010, accounting for 31 percent of all crashes in the United States (Impaired Driving 1). In addition, over 50 percent of teens have admitted to texting behind the wheel (Texting While Driving 2). We will write a custom essay sample on Texting while driving or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Although the legal consequences are nowhere as steep as drunk driving, the numbers are just as scary. First of all, lets all admit it. Every one of us has either sent a text message or been in a car with a driver sending texts. The scary truth is that in 2009, 5,474 deaths and nearly 450,000 injuries were sustained in car crashes. Of these, roughly 20 percent of deaths and 5 percent of injuries were caused by the use of a cell phone (Texting While Driving 1). Unfortunately, most people, including myself, were or still are completely unaware of how dangerous texting while driving is. Yet the scariest aspect of this all is that social media and smart phones are continuing to grow, providing more distractions to thousands of drivers. Who would ever think sending a text can be as dangerous as drunk driving? Not only do the number of deaths and accidents pose a serious threat, but the health factors they present are extremely dangerous. Drunk driving has many extremely dangerous health factors that often lead to crashes and deaths. The first of many risks it presents is the reaction time a driver has while intoxicated. In a study conducted, a sober driver takes . 54 seconds to hit the brakes. In comparison, it takes a legally drunk driver with a BAC of . 08 an extra four feet to hit the brakes (Texting And Driving Worse 1). Obviously, the more intoxicated a driver is, the more time it will take them to react to cars stopping ahead of them. In 2010, 112 million cases of drunk driving were reported (get source name.. ). This presents a serious threat not only to the drunk driver, but to many innocent drivers out on the road. On top of that, texting while driving also has many dangerous effects. In the same study found earlier, it was discovered that reading a text takes an additional 70 feet to hit the brakes compared to an unimpaired driver. The scariest part of this all may be that most people do not recognize that texting while driving is just as dangerous, if not more dangerous, than drunk driving. Whether you are a teen or an adult, I am sure you have seen, been with, or sent a text message yourself while driving. Personally, I have been in a car and have been the driver of a car in which the driver has sent a text. In addition, I see people reading and texting on their phones every day when I am driving around. The scariest part is that most people, including me in the past, are completely unaware of the dangers texting while driving presents. Also, the average teen sends more than 3,000 texts per month and 64 percent have admitted to texting while driving. It is necessary to promote the dangers of these activities to all drivers and help prevent more deaths on the road. In conclusion, distracted driving, especially texting while driving can be just as dangerous, if not more dangerous, than drunk driving. From now on, wait to use your phone or pull aside the road before checking it. Doing so will help save roughly 6,000 or more lives per year. Next time you get a text while driving, might it cross your mind that it is as dangerous as drunk driving? From now on, pull over or wait to respond, it could save your life.

Commercial aviation The WritePass Journal

Commercial aviation Introduction Commercial aviation ). Mittal et al (2013) added that it has become near impossible to sustain a business without affective yield management, in particular when capacity is constrained. It was also noted that increased competition through low-cost carriers has created an environment where yield management must be monitored to ensure carriers can compete effectively on price, (Vila, 2011). This assignment will consider how airlines use yield management as a tool to meet management strategies, providing examples to support research. The strategies that emerge from this use will also be considered along with their effectiveness. The main strategy of the airline is to maximize revenue from its available inventory of stock (its seats). The strategy is to sell the right seats to the right people, (Kimes, 1989). The airline must find a trade-off between discounting its seat to increase sales and fill its inventory, while selling full-fare tickets to generate profits its operations, (Vila, 2011). Airlines Fixed Capacity The reasoning behind the need for yield management is the fixed capacity faced by airlines. Airplanes have a fixed capacity (seating) and so will attempt to generate the greatest income from the availability. Furthermore, airlines must also consider that their operations face a high-level of fixed costs in terms of staffing, fuel etc. Given this, the airline needs to manage capacity to ensure profitability, (Sheehan, 2013). The equation for yield management could be shown as: The formula above compares the revenue achieved with the maximum potential revenue. For example, take an aircraft with 200 seats, which could each sell for  £100, adding up to maximum potential revenue of  £20,000. However, the carrier has only sold 150 seats at an average of  £80 (total  £12,000 revenue) per seat given early discounts and last-minute offers. Given this, the equation will be: Market Segmentation With the above, airlines have generally been successful given their ability to segment the market with a number of strategies. Firstly, airlines have adapted their strategies to offer a number of ticketing options, allowing them to differentiate prices, also seen in the hotel sector in terms of room offering, Dunbar (2003). One main factor is flexibility; some consumers will prefer the lowest-cost ticket with non-cancellation or change, while some will be willing to pay more for the same seat given the flexibility to cancel/change their booking. Another example could be the timing of flights; some consumers will be willing to pay more for daytime flight than an overnight flight, while again, some consumers will be willing to pay more for a direct flight than a flight with numerous changes, (Shaw, 2012). However, airlines are able to use connection flights as a way to control inventory by flying consumers to a hub airport, where they can then fill up other flights capacity. For example, take a journey from London Heathrow to Tokyo; a consumer could either fly direct with British Airways for around  £900/ return or fly with Emirates, with a connection in their Dubai hub, for around  £650/ return, with Emirates benefitting from filling up inventory on its flights, (Expedia, 2014) [Online]. Finally, one the most common forms of segmentation is different ‘classes’ available on flights. While some of the cheaper airlines only offer standard class to focus on the price-sensitive consumers, major airlines have developed a number of classes to differentiate pricing. For example, a consumer could fly economy, premium economy, extra-legroom, business-class and first-class, which all over a slightly different service, allowing the airline to charge a different price as well as appealing to different customers, (Belobaba et al, 2009). Inventory To airlines, their inventory is their seat capacity, which could be seen as ‘perishable’ – if the plane departs with empty seats, the capacity is lost and no revenue can be derived. Again, this brings into question a trade-off, between selling advanced tickets at a lower price to ensure a desired ‘load-factor’, while also saving capacity in the hope that a higher-paying customer will purchase. This brings into question fluctuating demand by time and season. Yield Management may be used as a tool to smooth the demand pattern, which may see some airlines fares change by the hour/ day, (Alderighi et al, 2012). For example, an airline may increase its business class seats during the week, working hours; given the main demand for this offering will be business travelers, who would be more likely to make the booking during the working week. Furthermore, an airline may also increase its price during peak seasons, given the higher underlying demand, leading to increased revenue, which could then be used to support lower prices in the low season to entice customers. Airlines will respond to increased demand by upping prices; an example could be seen with flights from the UK to Brazil for the upcoming World Cup (Clarke, 2013) [Online]. According to Lufthansa Systems (2014: 1) [Online]: â€Å"Today’s airline business is evolving into a two-tier industry: global alliances are reaching worldwide coverage and no-frills carriers are gaining market share with a low-cost, point-to-point product.† No-Frills airlines increase competition The continued expansion of no-frills airlines coupled with the recent economic depression has combined to dampen demand for major carriers such as British Airways (BA), KLM on some routes, (Alderighi et al, 2012). This move has been supported by new, more fuel-efficient aircraft and also development of infrastructure, which has allowed these low-cost carriers to operate from new ‘hubs’, (Weiss, 2014) [Online]. For example, in London, the majority of major international carriers such as BA, Emirates, Virgin operate predominantly from London Heathrow, however, the development of Stansted airport has provide greater capacity for Ryanair and EasyJet, at lower costs, while the infrastructure development has allowed the airport to be a viable option for customers throughout London and the South, (Neufville, 2008). Closer Integration to Control In a bid to counter increased competition and improve capacity efficiency, airlines are continuing to integrate and form alliances, (Merkert, 2012). For example, BA recently merged with Spain’s Iberia, given it greater access to South American routes, (BBC Business, 2010) [Online], while also buying smaller regional UK carrier BMI, to take control over its Heathrow landing slots, (CAPA, 2013). Furthermore, BA is also part of the ‘OneWorld’ alliance, with other airlines such as American Airlines (AA) among others, (OneWorld, 2014) [Online]. Apart from OneWorld, Star-Alliance and SkyTeam are the other major alliances. These alliances allow airlines to share capacity, reducing the need for direct competition on a number of routes, which could then lower price. According to IATA (2013), customers now demand a ‘from anywhere to anywhere’ service, which is impossible for one airline to supply efficiently, increasing the need for connection flights and multiple carriers. On their own, few airlines would be able to generate the needed traffic to justify a daily non-stop service; furthermore some airlines may be constricted by availability of infrastructure and flight capacity, (CAPA, 2013). For example, take BA, the airline is currently restricted by capacity at Heathrow airport, which may restrict its opportunity to serve each US route; however through joining with AA in the alliance, BA could offer services a selected number of major US hubs, where AA could then fly customers onto their final destination, (Wu, 2014). This will also reduce the need for major capital deployment into new air craft from BA, BA could focus these resources on new routes and emerging markets for example. Research from Brueckner and Spiller (1994), Bailey and Liu (1995) and Brueckner and Whalen (2000) all concluded that consumers put great emphasis on price and network scope. Network scope is increasingly relevant for business travelers as globalization opens up new markets and opportunities, increasing the need for services to a wide range of destinations. Network depth, with a choice of convenient timings for travel, is also important for these passengers, (IATA, 2013). However, not all airlines have adopted alliances, instead moving on with major expansion plans, with the main example Emirates. The airline has increased its fleet in a bid to expand routes rapidly; however, this has been supported by major capacity at its Dubai hub coupled with a favorable location between the growing African and Asian markets. Furthermore, backing from Dubai, who are pushing to turn the emirate into a major tourism destination are supporting major capital outlays on new aircraft, also allowing the carrier to undercut on prices, (Arabian Money, 2013) [Online]. Technology Carriers can also use technology in a bid to aide yield management. For example, carriers can use a Computer Reservation System (CRS) to track purchases of seats in terms of time, price. As more sales move online and onto carrier websites, carriers will find it easier to track demand for their flights. With this information, carrier ay determine optimum times to sell higher-priced tickets or levels at which to discount to attract sufficient demand to fill the plane. Carriers could also utilse information from Global Distribution Systems (GDS) such as Galileo Desktop, which is: â€Å"Galileo Desktop is a sophisticated global reservation, business management and productivity system that gives you vast content options, accurate pricing capabilities, and highly capable booking tools.† (Travelport, 2014) [Online] These systems could be used along with information from Passenger Name Records (PNR) to analysis customer behavior and buying habits to ensure greater achieved revenue. For example, a carrier such as Ryanair may use the data to determine its optimal pricing, given the focus on price for low-cost airlines. This may prevent the carrier from over-discounting on tickets, increasing achieved revenue. The more information that a carrier can collect on customer behavior, the greater chance they have of determining a pricing strategy to achieve the greatest revenue, (Wensveen, 2011) Concluding Remarks From the discussion above, the issue of yield management has gained greater emphasis as the continued expansion of ‘No-Frills’ airlines and a more price-sensitive consumer have led to greater need to control costs. In a bid to control their revenue, airlines have adopted a number of methods, with market segmentation continuing to be a main point. Airlines have focused on splitting the market, offering new seat/booking options to justify a differing price; to add, with the deliveries of the new Airbus A380’s, a number of airlines are increasing the top-market offerings such as individual cabins and lay-down beds to increase revenue from the business/first-class segment, allowing them to compete more effectively for the price-sensitive consumer in economy class. Furthermore, airlines are now concentrating on joint ventures and alliances to further increase efficiency and reduce costs in a bid to maintain yields as increased competition put little potential for price increases. The discussion has shown that these ventures provide great potential for airlines when faced with capacity and infrastructure issues. References Alderighi, M, Nicolini, M and Piga, C (2012): Combined Effects of Load Factors and Booking Time on Fares: Insight from the Yield Management of the Low-Cost Airline, Italy, Italy, Fondazione Eni. Alderighi, M, Cento, A, Nijkamp, P and Rietveld, P (2012)1: Competition in the European aviation market: the entry of low-cost airlines, Journal of Transport Geography, 24, pp223-233. Arabian Money (2013) [Online]: Seat sale as Emirates expands aggressively for market share, Available at arabianmoney.net/business-travel/2012/02/08/seat-sale-as-emirates-expands-aggressively-for-market-share/, Accessed 04/03/2014. Bailey and Liu (1995): Airline Consolidation and Consumer Welfare, Eastern Economic Journal, 21 (4), pp10-24. BBC Business (2010) [Online]: British Airways and Iberia sign merger agreement, Available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8608667.stm, Accessed 04/03/2014. Belobaba, P, Odoni, A and Barnhart, C (2009): The Global Airline Industry, USA, Wiley. Brueckner and Spiller (1994): Economies of Traffic Density in the Deregulated Airline Industry, Journal of Law and Economics, 379. Brueckner, J and Whalen, W (2000): The Price Effects of International Airline Alliances, The Journal of Law and Economics, 43 (2), pp42-56. CAPA (2013): Heathrow Airports slot machine, UK, CAPA. Clarke, D (2013) [Online]: England fans warned to expect high-prices in Brazil, Available at direct-travel.co.uk/travel-insurance-news/england-fans-warned-to-expect-high-prices-in-brazil-801650475, Accessed 05/03/2014. Dunbar, I (2004): Market segmentation: How to do it, how to profit from it, USA, Elsevier Publications. IATA (2013): The economic benefits generated by alliances and joint ventures, USA, IATA. Kimes, S (1989): Yield Management: a tool for capacity-considered service firms, Journal of Operations Management, 8 (4), pp348-363. Lufthansa Systems (2014) [Online]: revenue Management and Pricing, Available at https://www.lhsystems.com/solutions-services/airline-solutions-services/commercial-solutions/revenue-management-pricing.html, Accessed 05/03/2014. Merkert, R and Morrell, P (2012): Mergers and Acquisitions in aviation-management and economic perspectives on the size of airlines, Logistics and Transportation Review, 48 (4), pp853-862. Neufville, R (2008): Low-Cost Airports for Low-Cost Airlines, Transportation Planning and Technology, 31 (1), pp35-68. OneWorld (2014) [Online]: Member Airlines, Available at oneworld.com/member-airlines/overview, Accessed 04/03/2014. Mittal, P, Kumar, R and Suri, P (2013): A Genetic Simulator for Airline Yield Management, International Journal of Engineering Research Technology, 2 (9). Shaw, S (2012): Airline marketing and management, UK, Ashgate Publishing. Sheehan, J (2013): Business and Corporate Aviation Management: Second Edition, USA, McGraw Hill Professional. Travelport (2014): Galileo Desktop, Available at travelport.com/Products/Galileo-Desktop#, Accessed 04/03/2014. Vila, N and Corcoles, M (2011): Yield management and airline strategic groups, Tourism Economics, 17 (2), pp261-278. Voneche, F (2005): Yield Management in the Airline Industry, USA, Berkeley. Wensveen, J (2011): Air Transportation; A Management Perspective, London, Ashgate Publishing. Weiss, R (2014) [Online]: Lufthansa targets lower costs on new aircraft’s fuel use, Available at bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-10/lufthansa-targets-lower-costs-as-new-aircraft-help-savings-plan.html, Accessed 04/03/2014. Wu, C and Lee, A (2014): The impact of airline alliance terminal co-location on airport operations and terminal development, Journal of Air Transport Management, 36, pp69-77.

Motivation towards Becoming a PA Personal Statement

Motivation towards Becoming a PA - Personal Statement Example Biomedical research is an effectual medium through which I can understand not only the reason behind the health inequalities but also enhance my knowledge and intellectual experience through a knowledgeable and diverse Master of Science in Biology program. I have been interested in the biomedical field and related subjects since my undergraduate years when I used to enjoy the laboratory practical work in the microbiology, genetics and biochemistry subjects. Laboratory work inspired me more as it challenged positively to flourish as a leader in the laboratory groups and as a scientist who enjoys research and practical work. My experience in the laboratory work polished my analytical skills, critical analysis and articulating my scientific ideas in a systematic and comprehensive manner. My experience during the undergraduate years urged me to pursue my career as a Physician Assistant and the Master of Science in Biology program will support and help me to gain my goal in an efficient and proficient manner. My first encounter with the biomedical research was through the McNair Scholars Program in which I had to assist Dr. Floyd Wormley for eight continuous weeks. His research work focused on investigating a vaccine that prevents and treats a fungal pathogen called Cryptococcus neoformans. I mastered various pathological and biochemical procedures and techniques during my assistance program. I worked on the lab rats observing their lung tissue pathologies and mastered immunohistochemistry after several attempts. After several tedious efforts I was able to come up with a rewarding outcome, which I could present at the Annual McNair Scholars Seminar at the Penn State University. This experience was extremely rewarding and the different biochemical laboratory techniques aided me learning and pathological skills as well. I have also been a part of a medical Anthropology upper-level course.

Marketing Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing - Research Proposal Example f data from fifteen respondents randomly selected to present their views on the issue and in relation to Burger King and their attitudes towards the company and its products and services before and after the scandal. The respondents were selected randomly from the general population, and all were aged above 18 years. The research was conducted through qualitative collection of data using questionnaires. The results of this study showed that the Horse meat Scandal had a significant impact on the marketing strategy of Burger King as a company. Many of its previously loyal customers lost trust, and some indicated an onset of worry. Of all the 15 respondents from whom the data was collected, only 4 (27%) indicated having not changed their attitude towards the company. The rest 73% of the respondents were angry with the revelation of the scandal and would not recommend the company to anyone in the future. This attitude was present even among 2 respondents who had not eaten at Burger King before. These results indicate that must companies to observe business ethics and ensure that they do not lose customers out of such scandals. It, therefore, recommends that Burger King should be open and admit the flaws in the suppliers’ scrutiny and accreditation and assure the consumer of vigilance and seek apology. In early 2013, a wave of consumer uproar was experienced in the food industry in Western Europe. The outrage was in regards to companies unethical practice claims. I had been reported through several media that horse meat was being added to beef products from several main producers of burgers and other foods in the industry. Among the companies who were indicated to be involved in this scandal were Burger King and Tesco, the two giants in the industry. This issue of meat adulteration came to be referred by many the â€Å"Horse Meat Scandal† (HMS). The scandal did not only have immediate effect on the meat business, but also the idea of shopper trust in items offered

Love is Submission and Sacrifice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Love is Submission and Sacrifice - Essay Example If a person who reads this story is doubtful of Mabel's and Jack's love for each other simply because they do not believe in love at first site, one must consider the fact that, in actuality, they did know each other since long though their previous encounters were formal until they meet at the stream. This story leads us to wonder how long they had really harbored this love for each other. How long had these feelings thrived before bursting at its seams, surprising even Mabel and Jack who experienced them It is very hard to believe their love would unfold so suddenly and dramatically after they seemed to have known each other for so long. There are many different ways their love, if it truly was love, could have manifested. In order to understand Mabel and Jack's capability of love, we must first understand them as people, what their lives were like and the circumstances in which they lived. Mabel in particular seems to have had a harsh life. The author describes her as being a short, sulky young woman with an impressive fixity to her face. He also describes her as being "alone." Since she wasn't friendly with her brothers, there was a lack of affection between them; this is evident when the author states; "There was a strange air of ineffectuality about the three men", ".keeping the home together in penury for her ineffectual brothers" (Lawrence). The author also shows the hatred of the three men towards their sister when, the brothers address Mabel with harsh language "go as a skivvy", " the sulkiest bitch that ever trod." The author has attributed this to her tolerating nature when he states " they had talked at her and around her for so many years, that she hardly heard them at all" (Lawrence). Sad ly, to add to Mabel's depressing situation, she had no friends or colleagues of her own except her sister Lucy, who had married and moved away. Mabel's loneliness did not seem to trouble her because before their father died and left them in huge debts, she was still alone; the only difference was that she was well off financially, and that made her proud and reserved, "but so long as there was money, the girl felt herself established and brutally proud, reserved." She had many servants earlier who used to take care of the house but now that she was left alone in all these years of poverty, she managed to look after the house until the debt their father had left to them had prevailed and everything, including their house was taken over. Mabel had felt self-sufficient but now that everything had come to an end she still has a certain pride "animal pride" that was unstealable. She has a strong character that would never compromise how harsh and difficult situations may be. "Still she would not cast about her, she would follow her own way just the same, and she would always hold the key of her situation". Even now when the situa tion was forcing to give away her pride and asking her to submit herself to others, she made her mind to end life and never bend down in front of others to what the author has described as " glorification of herself ". The pride in her had taken over her sensibility so much that death seemed more appealing then her current situation. However, in the end it is evident that her new life had softened her, she had lost her pride in the pond and now wanted to submit herself for love "she shuffled forward on her knees, put her arms around him." She had changed completely in her new

Leadership and Culture as seen in Tech Mahindra Limited

Leadership and Culture as seen in Tech Mahindra Limited A human being right from birth is associated to various people including parents, relatives, and so on. As he/she grows old, the pool of associations become stronger and complex as his/her needs tend to grow such as: The need of friends, education, and other sociocultural aspects of human life. The child thus becomes part of many organisations catering to needs of each other in the organisation. Organisation, as defined by Oxford Advanced Learner Dictionary is A group of people who form a business, club, etc. together in order to achieve a particular aim. All the organisations irrespective of their nature are headed by a Leader. Leader is often seen as a person who guides the organisation to achieve a common goal by setting up practices and creating a positive environment with the organisation. As said by Fullan (1992) in his notes, that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the only thing of real importance that leaders do is to create and manage culture. The leadership of an organization has the primary responsibility for identifying the need for, and fostering, cultural change and for sustaining a sound safety culture once it is established. In the following essay, I have tried elaborating some leadership skills and organisational culture taking into consideration Mr Vineet Nayyar who heads (Vice Chairman, MD CEO) Tech Mahindra Limited, a joint venture between Mahindra Mahindra Group and British Telecommunications PLC. About Tech Mahindra Introduction: Tech Mahindra is a part of US $7.1 Billion Mahindra Group, in partnership with British Telecommunications plc (BT), which is one of the largest communication service providers in the world. The organisation was incorporated in 1986 under the name of Mahindra British Telecom, which was later changed to Tech Mahindra to reflect diversification and growth of client base. Tech Mahindra has majorly focussed the telecommunications industry and is a leading global systems integrator  and business transformation consulting organization. Tech Mahindra operates globally with more than 15 Greenfield Operations and has over 124 active customer engagements mostly in Telecom sector. Some of its largest clients are BT, ATT, O2 and Alcatel-Lucent. The company has footprints in more than 25 countries and has been assessed as SEI CMMI Level 5 Company. The company is supported by around 35,000 professionals who provide distinctive blend of domain expertise, in depth technology skill sets and culture. Tech Mahindra Vision: To be the most respected solution provider in the communications ecosystem Anticipating and enabling change Admired for technology, agility, innovation, business models and the quality of its talent Tech Mahindra Values: Tech Mahindra is focused on creating sustainable value growth through innovative solutions and unique partnerships. Our values are at the heart of our business reputation and are essential to our continued success. We foster an environment to instil these values in every facet of our organization. Customer first Good corporate citizenship Professionalism Commitment to quality Dignity of the individual Some of the Industry Recognitions: In the Leaders Category in The 2009 Global Outsourcing 100 (IAOPs Annual Listing of the Worlds Best Outsourcing Service Providers) Ranked 2nd in Telecom Software providers of India by Voice Data, 2008 (VD 100 Ranking) Business Week Award for Asias Best Performing Companies, 2008 Growth Excellence Award by Frost Sullivan, 2008 Ranked 6th largest software exporter from India (NASSCOM, 2008) Leadership Introduction to leadership: There are numerous organisations prevailing in the todays world. Each and every member of an organisation aspires to have an ideal leader who can create an environment of trust, ownership among employees and is able to steer the organisation in a balanced way both in good as well as hard times of the organisation. As said by Admiral Burke, US Navy-Leadership is understanding people and involving them to help you do a job. That takes all of the good characteristics, like integrity, dedication of purpose, selflessness, knowledge, skill, implacability, as well as determination not to accept failure. But there remains a big question- What are the characteristics of a good leader? or How to assess if a person is worthy of leading a group or an organisation? During the following analysis, findings and practical scenarios I would try and find answers to the questions mentioned above. Theoretical approach to leadership: There have been numerous theories discussing several aspects of leadership and different styles in which it is practiced. The earliest being the Trait theory of Leadership which was worked upon and analysed at length as early as around mid-1850. This theory was primarily interested in the measurement of traits of persons which can be defined as habitual patterns of emotion, behaviour and thoughts. This theory strongly believes that the traits of a person are in-born and remain constant over life lime and hence it concluded that Leaders were born, not developed. In contrast to this theory, some other theories which came up in  late 1940s and early 1950s stated persons who are Leaders in one situation may not necessarily be leaders in other situations. These theories took into account the macro environment and took into consideration various factors affecting the decisions and behaviour of the leaders. The criticism of Trait theory by many researchers taking into account its shortcom ings, led them in an alternate theory, the Theory of Behaviour and Style. This theory led to study of Managerial Grid Model which suggested five different leadership styles, based on the leaders concern for people and their concern for goal achievement. A graphical representation of the managerial grid model is shown below. However many researchers believed that different situations call for different characteristics and this led to development of Situational and Contingency Theory. This theory stated that the actions and behaviour of a leader were largely influenced by characteristics of the situation in which he functions. The most promising model for this theory was developed by Fred Fiedler and is known as Fiedler contingency model. He believed that The leaders effectiveness is based on situational contingency which is a result of interaction of two factors:  Leadership style  and  Situational favourableness. As the leader I have chosen to analyse best suits to this style of leadership, Contingency Theory would be the basis of my analysis about his leadership style. Fiedlers Contingency Theory and Mr Vineet Nayyar: In the late 1950s and early 1960s, noticeable industrial and business psychologists: Fiedler and Woodward started to study the leadership and behaviour styles of leaders and managers. Earlier to Fiedlers study, industrial psychologists mainly focussed on personal traits of influential leaders. They believed that there was only one best way to run an organisation which produced best results and most effective business practices. The reason of Fiedlers model influencing most researchers was that it denied one best way and perfectly fit in modern highly complex organisations where scenarios and environment of leaders kept changing more often. Fiedlers model assessed a potential leader with a scale of work style ranging from Task-Oriented on one end to Relationship-Oriented on the other. The other important factor which affected behaviour was the contextual circumstances in which the group operates. This is furthermore supported by three contextual variables affecting appropriateness of a particular style. These are: Leader-member relations, Task Structure and Leader Position Power. The diagram below depicts the model. Mr Vineet Nayyar, 70, is the Vice Chairman Managing Director of Tech Mahindra since 2005 and the Chairman of Mahindra Satyam since 2009 after its acquisition by Tech Mahindra. He is an accomplished leader and has led many organisations across his career span of 40 years. He has worked closely with Indian Government (an IAS Indian Administrative Services official),  international multilateral agencies and the corporate sector (both public and private). While in government, he has taken many senior positions as District Magistrate and Secretary of Government Administration. He has also been part of the World Bank for over 10 Years. In corporate sector, he was founding Chairman and Managing Director of state owned Gas Authority of India, MD and V Chairman of HCL Technologies. He holds a Masters degree in Development Economics from Williams College, Massachusetts. Vineet is undoubtedly an outstanding leader and a role model for employees at Tech Mahindra. During his 6 years tenure, he has taken several crucial decisions which have impacted the organisation positively and have created a sense of trust which I believe is the most important characteristic of being a leader of an organisation. Year after year he has won excellent feedback scores from employees of the organisation which are evident of his leadership qualities. Along with high employee satisfaction, his role as a leader of organisation was backed up with exponential growth of the organisation. The company has doubled its size both in man power as well as the total business sales. It has also acquired three organisations, Axes Technologies (India) Private Limited, iPolicy Networks Private Limited and Satyam Computer Services Ltd since 2005. As suggested by Fiedlers Contingency theory, Leaders behavioural style is majorly impacted by environment around him. Over the last 5 years, Asian and Global economy have seen many highs and lows. During the time when Vineet entered into Tech Mahindra, global economy was on a steady rise. He saw this as huge opportunity for Tech Mahindra, and the company under his leadership launched an extremely successful IPO (Initial Public Offer) in 2006, through which the organisation raised around $100 million to build a new development centre at Pune, India estimating an employee seating capacity of 9000. This proved a highly motivating factor for employees of the organisation, as the company was then listed in Indian Stock Exchange which added to the credibility and popularity of the organisation. As the IPO was a huge success, the employees of Tech Mahindra were given bonus shares on completing 20 years of Tech Mahindra in 2006. This move increased the sense of ownership and the level of com mitment of the employees towards the organisation. As the economy continued to flourish, the company gained new and potential clients along with existing customers which added to exponential rise in companys physical and liquid assets. Under Vineets leadership, Tech Mahindra increased footprints across India and the globe. It has added four new development centres in India along with several overseas site offices across Asia Pacific, Europe, Americas, Middle East and Africa. Companys headcount increased from 16,500 in 2005 to 35,200 in 2010. As the company grew stronger and bigger, it created more jobs for people and was being trusted as a safe company considering job stabilization. These positive factors, along with Vineets influential leadership skills, resulted in a favourable situation which directly proved to have a positive effect on group performance. Leader-member relations were Good along with High task structure. With new development centres coming into operation, there were revised processes and policies which clearly defi ned each employees roles and responsibilities. Every employee was being given a task to set-up his goals at the start of the year which were then finalized along with supervisors feedback. There were team/individual meetings/skip level meetings to highlight any concerns, feedback or comments related to employees work. All this resulted in High Task structure. All the groups/teams were headed by a team-lead and a supervisor who had full authority to assign and monitor tasks for individuals in the group. These people also had the authority to recommend outstanding performers for rewards and awards every quarter. Hence we can consider Leader Position power also to be High thus resulting in High Favourableness of the situation. The most appropriate Behavioural style hence can be conceived as Low LPC, Task Oriented. However along with Task Oriented leadership style, Vineet was also inclined towards Relationship-Oriented behaviour as the company was doing well. Organisation incorporated s everal awards which were to be given to high performers and distribute bonuses among employees. There was high employee satisfaction resulting in improved overall group performances. The economy continued to grow till early 2008 after which there was a steep downturn. The economic turmoil in United States and Europe had a direct impact on Tech Mahindra as all of its major clients belong to this geography. This was a drastic change of environment for Vineet and he had to adjust his leadership style with the changing scenario. Vineet along with his management team had to churn out cost affective task driven methods to cope up with the ever increasing pressure of dipping economy and demanding clients. There were many changes in company processes to make them streamlined and cost effective. As the economy further weakened, many employees were discontinued from their roles in order to maintain an even position on operating the projects. Employee Assessment and Appraisal Process was reviewed as company was now operating on less operating profits. All the overhead costs were minimized and bonuses were cut-off. This lead to decreased employee satisfaction and hampered te am performances. During the same time period (2009) Tech Mahindra emerged as the highest bidder to scam hit Satyam Computers Ltd (Later renamed as Mahindra Satyam after takeover). Vineet was appointed as the Chairman of Mahindra Satyam taking into account his excellent service to Tech Mahindra over the years. His past experiences and characteristics as a leader both proved to be the deciding factor for this decision. Economic downturn coupled with accounting scam was a nightmare for employees of Mahindra Satyam. With a strong headcount of around 45,000, Mahindra Satyam due to its tainted image and lost credibility lost many major clients. Its operating profits came down to negative and the company was very difficult to sustain. Vineet and his team carried out series of management and process changes in Mahindra Satyam to improve its position in the market. Rebranding Satyam Computers to Mahindra Satyam was one such move. The association to Mahindra Mahindra group instilled an increased sense of cred ibility. There were internal exchange placements within Tech Mahindra and Mahindra Satyam to utilize excessive man power and Tech Mahindra slowed its external recruitment process. Many employees of Mahindra Satyam who did not have a good performance assessment were handed pink-slips. It was crucial for Mahindra Satyam to rebuild itself and regain its place in the IT Industry. A series of similar stern changes and developments took in Mahindra Satyam over the next few months. All these changes in Tech Mahindra and Mahindra Satyam led to decreased employee satisfaction. Employees were not given enough salary hikes and promotions were delayed. As more and more employees were terminated due to low operating margins, the team sizes grew smaller resulting in increased work pressure. This did not have a good effect on Leader-member relations and could be termed as Bad. Task structure also dropped to Low as there was increased workload due to less team members. Existing team members were un clear about the added responsibilities they had to partake which were an overhead to their already existing responsibilities. Leader position power still remained Strong as there was constant supervision on performance of the individuals. All these factors resulted in Low Favourableness of situation and behavioural style can hence be concluded as Low LPC Highly Task-oriented. Conclusion: With all the above evidences and instances of effect of external forces on leadership style of Vineet Nayyar, I can strongly conclude that leadership behaviour of leaders change with circumstances. A good leader is judged as to how he transforms his behaviour under different situations and choosing the correct style of leadership. Citing all the above instances of leadership and analysing them with theory as mentioned by Fiedler concludes that Fiedlers Contingency theorem aptly fits Vineet Nayyars leadership style. As the scenarios and macro environment changes rapidly, leadership as a vast pool of possible operative styles was a ground-breaking idea by Fiedler. It is in my virtue a common idea in modern management theories which rejects a stiff assumption about ideal management. Culture Introduction to culture: Culture: A word having its origins from Latin word Cultura which means to cultivate. Culture is a word having numerous meanings and definitions and is often the integral part of any organisation present today. Gareth Morgan has described organizational culture as: The set of the set of beliefs, values, and norms, together with symbols like dramatized events and personalities that represents the unique character of an organization, and provides the context for action in it and by it. Organisational culture is hard to explain and is similar to other intangible entities which can just be experienced by the virtue of it being into existence. With the size and complexity of organisations varying from a few to thousands, it is a vital and integral part of any organisation. It is in modern era, a characteristic of an organisation which mirrors the environment prevailing in the same and distinguishes it from others based on its Values, Rites, Rituals and cultural network. During the following text, I have tried examining organisational culture at Tech Mahindra based on theoretical and practical approaches. Theoretical approach to culture: Organisational culture has been analysed and defined by many anthropologists and sociologists including Deal and Kennedy, Charles Handy, Edgar Schein, Robert A. Cooke and many more. All the researchers have defined Culture in many different forms as it is very difficult to express it distinctly. Every person when becomes a part of organisation, becomes a part of its culture. He understands, learns, inherits and then practices culture at organisation through his distinct ways. Schein has broadly classified the nature of culture as layered phenomena having three levels of visibility. These are: Basic Assumptions, Values and Beliefs and Artefacts and Creations. He has further emphasized that these three layers of visible culture interact among themselves and do not stand out from each other. A graphical representation is shown below. Many different models exist which differentiate culture on the basis of its nature prevailing in different organisations. One of which is suggested by Peters and Waterman called the Characteristics of Excellent Companies. The authors studied cultures at some of the most successful organisations and came up with a list of common idealized practices within those organisations. This was by some viewed as One best culture and received strong criticisms by many researchers. Another model was suggested by Goffee and Jones which is also called as The Goffee and Jones Contingency Framework. This was a more modern approach to organisational culture and suggested the dependency of culture on business environments. They opposed the theory of one Right or Best culture for various organisations. Their framework could be depicted based on two dimensions: Sociability and Solidarity. These two dimensions were rated from Good to Bad and a four cubes structure was drawn. They suggested that an organisation could have one or a mix of these four cultures: The Communal culture, the Networked culture, the Mercury culture and the Fragmented culture. Taking the example of Tech Mahindra, I would be closely following this technique to examine its culture rated on Sociability and Solidarity. Culture at Tech Mahindra: Tech Mahindra is a large organisation with around 35,000 employees around the globe. Tech Mahindra recruits fresh college graduates every year in large numbers. Just after these college graduates join the company, on their appointment day, are exposed to a series of induction processes. These include registration processes, induction speech from the head of HR department and many similar interactive sessions of what is expected out of an employee at Tech Mahindra. All these sessions talk about the value offered by Tech Mahindra culture and how these values are important to adapt by all the employees. The new employees are then divided into batches and are allotted to various Initial Training Programs (ITP and the employees are then called ITPians) based on their background studies. This ITP course extends around 4 months in which ITPians undergo various Technical and Behavioural trainings which prepares an ITPian to accept the challenge which his job offers. During the Behavioural tr aining there are numerous sessions about Code of Conduct, Company dress code, Tech Mahindra rewards programs, emphasis on Quality work, Information Security and bonuses linked to performance. All the employees are asked to follow a strict dress code which is Business formals from Monday to Thursday. Employees are allowed to wear Business Casuals, i.e. Jeans and Collared T Shirts on Friday. This dress code is strictly followed and its Managers responsibility for counselling defaulting team members thereby facilitating adherence to the Companys policy. Any choice of casual wear which is revealing, excessively form fitted or worn out is strictly not allowed. There are instances where many employers do not have such kinds of regulations on dress code like Google. This however can be long debated over and over again with no firm outcome. In my opinion having a dress code is a good measure to create and maintain a healthy and professional environment across the organisation. The ITPians are briefed about Code of Conduct policies of Tech Mahindra about which they are asked to listen attentively. They are briefed of how they shall follow the applicable legal framework of the country in which they operate. Employees are expected to know and to understand the legal obligations applicable while performing their duties and discharging their responsibilities on the job. Ignorance cannot be an excuse for violation of law. They are also told to compete fairly with their competitors and maintain highest possible standards of integrity and ethics in every sphere of activity. ITPians are briefed that they shall not put their personal problems over organisational needs. Employees are always expected to protect and nurture the Companys interests all the time and remain independent in any decision that they may be required to take. They are told not to offer or accept gifts, hospitality or other inducements, which influence a decision, or engage in any form of bribery.

Collaborative Leanrning And Architecture Education :: Learning Education Essays

Collaborative Leanrning And Architecture Education Introduction Two major questions that education faces nowadays are how adequate it is to use group dynamics in class to permit students achieve specific goals and if the efficiency of this technique is acceptable for all the branches of knowledge. Architecture, because of its most important qualities (professional work in teams, practical skills and creativity) appears to be an area in which it is likely that the teamwork technique can demonstrate its most important strengths. Thomas Kuhn (1996) described knowledge as â€Å"intrinsically the common property of a group or else nothing at all†, explaining that the discoveries of sciences or the products of arts to be recognized as it shall be shared between the members of a certain community. What Bruffee (1995) called the social construction of knowledge, has become the base to encourage the use of group work techniques in different levels of education. However there are still many critics to this method, basically referring to the difficulties to manage the classroom and its adequacy to different areas of study. The debate over teamwork in colleges and universities hasn’t delivered a clear answer yet. This research paper will first explain the virtues and weakness of the â€Å"Collaborative Learning† method in order to establish finally its possible application to Architecture Education. The Strengths of the Method Background Since the early 70’s, educators characterized the â€Å"traditional approach to Education† (Ventimiglia, 1994) as being â€Å"professor centered†, considering that the educative process depended exclusively on the knowledge capacities of the teacher, who decided what kind and what amount of information should be deposited into students minds. This was strongly criticized by Freire (cited by Ventimiglia, 1994), for being passive and not stimulating critical thinking. From then educators have researched new methods capable of improving academic results and preparing students to transform their societies creatively. This is how what Foyle (1995) called â€Å"Collaborative learning†, appeared as a possible answer to educational dilemmas. DEFINITION Collaborative learning, as well as cooperative and active learning are terms used to describe new procedures in education, intended to help students learn by working together (Bruffee, 1995). According to Ventimiglia (1994) collaborative learning is the process in which a community formed by students and teacher establishes common goals and participates as partners in the building of knowledge, following specific steps and accepting precise responsibilities. Group work is therefore one of the various tools involved in the execution of the method, however they should not be considered as synonyms. Collaborative Leanrning And Architecture Education :: Learning Education Essays Collaborative Leanrning And Architecture Education Introduction Two major questions that education faces nowadays are how adequate it is to use group dynamics in class to permit students achieve specific goals and if the efficiency of this technique is acceptable for all the branches of knowledge. Architecture, because of its most important qualities (professional work in teams, practical skills and creativity) appears to be an area in which it is likely that the teamwork technique can demonstrate its most important strengths. Thomas Kuhn (1996) described knowledge as â€Å"intrinsically the common property of a group or else nothing at all†, explaining that the discoveries of sciences or the products of arts to be recognized as it shall be shared between the members of a certain community. What Bruffee (1995) called the social construction of knowledge, has become the base to encourage the use of group work techniques in different levels of education. However there are still many critics to this method, basically referring to the difficulties to manage the classroom and its adequacy to different areas of study. The debate over teamwork in colleges and universities hasn’t delivered a clear answer yet. This research paper will first explain the virtues and weakness of the â€Å"Collaborative Learning† method in order to establish finally its possible application to Architecture Education. The Strengths of the Method Background Since the early 70’s, educators characterized the â€Å"traditional approach to Education† (Ventimiglia, 1994) as being â€Å"professor centered†, considering that the educative process depended exclusively on the knowledge capacities of the teacher, who decided what kind and what amount of information should be deposited into students minds. This was strongly criticized by Freire (cited by Ventimiglia, 1994), for being passive and not stimulating critical thinking. From then educators have researched new methods capable of improving academic results and preparing students to transform their societies creatively. This is how what Foyle (1995) called â€Å"Collaborative learning†, appeared as a possible answer to educational dilemmas. DEFINITION Collaborative learning, as well as cooperative and active learning are terms used to describe new procedures in education, intended to help students learn by working together (Bruffee, 1995). According to Ventimiglia (1994) collaborative learning is the process in which a community formed by students and teacher establishes common goals and participates as partners in the building of knowledge, following specific steps and accepting precise responsibilities. Group work is therefore one of the various tools involved in the execution of the method, however they should not be considered as synonyms.

My Conclusion

From my task analysis I have found that I have to design and make either an Pod docking station, phone charging stand, low voltage light or a radio and the chosen product must be styled in eras from the last 100 years. Also found the different design styles in the last 1 00 years which is Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Bauhaus or Arts and Crafts. .From my investigation on the questionnaire result have found that I will design and make an Pod docking station in the style of art deco made of multi products. This is because that what my target user wants.From my investigation on art deco, I found out the happily styling features which are sunburst motifs, chevron patterns, and jumbled shapes, zigzagged and geometrical shapes From my product analysis I have found out the different type of products and the price of them and the length and I have found out and different type of styling of art deco and this has given me an idea on what to create Design Brief am going to make an pod docking station and it's going to be in the style of art deco and its going to be aimed at over 14+ and so that it would be in the museum gift shop. Requirements for the client The Pod docking station should be:It should be eye catching It should be in a design of the last 100 year era Requirements for the user It should be safe so that they don't injure the user Made from mufti-materials It should be soundly constructed It should be in the design style of art deco which consists of geometric shapes, sunburst motifs, chevron patterns , jumbled shapes and etc It should be priced between EYE-EYE Requirements for the designer and the manufacture The Pod docking station should be.

Metapath Company. Offers Evaluation

Metapath Company. Offers Evaluation Metapath Company had been financed by both external and internal sources from the year 1995 up to 1997. The shares held were classified as common stock and preferred stock; the preferred stock was divided further into classes A, B, C and D. There was a slight variation of rights in these classes of shares. Classes A and B were held by non-owners while classes C and D were held by the owners of the company.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Metapath Company. Offers Evaluation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The total amounts available from the various shares as per the balance sheet were preferred stock class A $ 61, class B $ 976, class C $ 2, class D $ 7 and common stock $ 6. The price per share for the different classes was as follows, namely, preferred Class A $1.05, preferred class B $1.05, preferred class C $ 1.05, preferred class D $ 1.62 and common stock is 1.05. The capital structure and the total capital of Metapath Company influenced the offer price of Robertson and Stephens. The offer takes into consideration the rights of the various classes of share holders. It is along this line that they negotiate for a new class of preferred shares. The extra right to be attached to this class of shares is the right to participate in extra earnings of the company. RSC’s participating preferred stock is to earn dividends at the rate of the current preferred shares but the share has extra rights. A good example of these rights is the participating right of the shares. The participating right enables them to get a share of the excess earnings of the company similar to the owners of the company. I find RSCs offer to Metapath attractive in terms of pricing. The only unattractive part of the offer are extra rights they have to acquire which are likely to dilute the ownership of Metapath Company. The shareholders of classes A, B, C and D will not be significantly affected by acceptance of th e offer. They will earn dividends at the same rates although the prices of their shares are likely to fall since unlike classes A, B, C and D, the new class E has an extra right that will attract a high demand. The high demand will cause a rise in its price while the prices of the other classes fall. The dividends of common stock holders are likely to reduce if the offer is accepted. The new class of shares will have a right to participate in the excess earnings of the company which were initially shared among common stock holders as dividends. Thus, there will be a significant reduction in the dividends of the owners of the company.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Celltech offer is reasonable as it comes with immediate advantages. It does not dilute the ownership of the company and it is likely to increase the market of Metapath Company. The price of the offer also makes it reasonable and attractive. They should take into consideration the historic information available on the price of the shares of Celltech Company. The price has been rising all through. It will be fair to compute the average price over the years and use it as the current share price or use other computation methods that consider the rising price over the years. Some of the risks associated with the offer are the high competition in the telecommunication industry that may make the company go under as well as the fact that Celltech Company has not been in existence for a long time.

The campaign to ban the bull - Emphasis

The campaign to ban the bull The campaign to ban the bull In our e-bulletin, we like to take a wild specimen of business-writing bull by the horns and tame it, so that it can be understood by all. The Ban the bull campaign was inspired by our gobbledygook amnesty back in 2009, which brought us the following offending sentence. And, despite the subject matter, theres nothing natural about this sentence In respect of a natural habitat, the sum of the influences acting on a natural habitat and its typical species that may affect its long-term natural distribution, structure and functions as well as the long-term survival of its typical species within, as the case may be, the European territory of the Member States to which the Treaty applies or the territory of a Member State or the natural range of that habitat. This 72-word monster is more likely to leave you dizzy than well-informed about natural habitats, assuming you even make it to the end. Sentences that have to be re-read numerous times are only going to annoy your reader, and could well make them put your document aside permanently. This sentence has actually been doing the rounds in several slightly modified forms in assorted EC Directives and national regulations for over a decade. (It speaks to the dangers of repeatedly using cut-and-paste, that this example is perhaps the worst.) Where it was previously broken up into numbered points, these have now been crammed together, with additional phrases haphazardly piled onto the end. So how might we re-build this into something more manageable? Start plainly Even bearing in mind that this is taken out of context, the opening is vague and unclear. In what sense is it in respect of? It would be best to make this obvious at the beginning, so the reader is prepared with a premise to add the rest of the information to as they go on. After a little research, it seems this is probably defining an official way of deciding the conservation status of any natural habitat. Would the reader have known that? This would be better: The conservation status of a natural habitat can be measured by looking at Punctuate Avoid such overly long, opaque constructions, typical of the language of legislation. Even when lacking in individually mystifying jargon words as this one mostly is the sheer length of such sentences is a huge obstacle to clarity. Effective use of punctuation is vital for making meaning explicit, so use it wisely: an infinite number of commas wont clarify a poorly put-together sentence. Break it up When youre dealing with a list in your text in this case, a list of factors consider using bullet points. These instantly make the piece more accessible, because the reader is no longer faced with a block of text. They also help to make separate ideas more distinct. Cut the filler Phrases like as the case may be sound rambling and wishy-washy. Better to actually state your case, and cut these out. Keep it simple Unless youre sure every reader will understand a particular word, pick a more straightforward one. So that would leave us with: The conservation status of a natural habitat can be measured by looking at: every influence, both environmental and human, that affects that habitat and the species within it how these influences will affect that habitats long-term distribution, structure and function; and on the future survival of its typical species. In this context, these definitions apply to the range of natural habitats within Member States of the European territory included in this Treaty. Now, armed with this knowledge, we can all move forward into a world where business writing is safer for everyone. If you ever spot any baffling business-speak, be it in a report, letter, email, flyer, website, or proposal, please join our campaign by sending it to us to unravel. Alternatively, just leave a comment here at our business writing blog.

To what extent is the work of philosophers such as Popper, Kuhn, Essay - 1

To what extent is the work of philosophers such as Popper, Kuhn, Lakatos and Feyerabend useful in forming a critical judgement of modern economic practice - Essay Example e complexities that most people tend to consider irrelevant but I believe mostly significant in order to fully comprehend the standards of the era we are living right in. I would want to examine and expound more of the modern practices that various economists of today have been doing so as to provide and present a clear illustration and brilliant depiction of an intermingling global economic viewpoint. Doing this, I shall be indulging and expounding more of the different approaches, methods and technical procedures that recent philosophers have used in various investigations and explanations of economic concepts and theories. As for this paper, I would not only be elaborating further on how these economic concepts affect the people’s mind-set, but I shall be of critique as to how these theories have shaped the contemporary practices that we can observe today. Having said this, I should note that economics, as a whole, as what Pheby has said in Methodology and Economics is not exactly similar, in fact very different, with other behavioural sciences and physical sciences like sociology, political science, physics and chemistry respectively. This is since economics is a very strange branch of science that is somehow dependent on human actions and on how these actions are deemed important as to the evaluation of results and analysis of consequences and outcomes (Blaug 1980). To start my observation and analysis, I would want to give and make sense of the technical definition of empirical research as the basis of my fundamental argument. As lifted from a journal article entitled Empirical Research published by the Norfolk State University, empirical research has been defined as the systemic research process which only involves predetermined observations and measured phenomena. It reports and publishes facts and figures based on observed results and actual experimental quantifications in order to generate a relationship and draw numerical conclusions involving two or

Six Sigma Approach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Six Sigma Approach - Essay Example After picking the low-hanging fruit, they will find themselves in need of a broader and more robust approach. Subsuming six sigma beneath the process-management umbrella addresses those challenges and allows companies to reap its substantial benefits while keeping it away from areas where it won't work. Because process management entails major changes to virtually all management systems, it demands absolute commitment from executives. IT Companies that rise to the challenge will garner extraordinary rewards: not just cost savings, but accelerated new-software introduction, major improvements in client satisfaction and sharp increases in profitability. For those not familiar with Six Sigma, it is first and foremost a philosophical approach that demands the effective use of data to analyze business issues. Key decisions about business activities now beg the question, "How does the available data support that decision" Whether the decision is a make-buy decision, a product change question, a new-model introduction question, or a manufacturing-process decision, the decision on how to proceed is dependent on the available data. Six Sigma is a measurement. ... the decision is a make-buy decision, a product change question, a new-model introduction question, or a manufacturing-process decision, the decision on how to proceed is dependent on the available data. Six Sigma is a measurement. A more illustrative explanation can be found in a 1997 letter Welch sent to GE stockholders: "The Six Sigma quality initiative, very briefly, means going from approximately 3S,000 defects per million operations, which is average for most companies, including GE, to fewer than 4 defects per million in every element in every process that this company engages in every day." (Pande, P.S., et al. 2000) GE was not the first large corporation to undertake the Six Sigma discipline. In the ten years prior to 1995, a number of companies began Six Sigma: Motorola, Texas Instruments, Eastman Kodak, and Allied Signal. Their discoveries and successes were well documented. When embarking on their own process, GE adopted many of the concepts and disciplines of Motorola's Six Sigma methodology. (Pande, P.S., et al. 2000; Harry & Schroeder 2002) Motorola's involvement with Six Sigma began in 1982, when it implemented a quality-improvement program that later became known as Six Sigma. Motorola's CEO asked corporate managers to cut quality costs in half that year. He repeated the charge in 1983. By 1984, the cost-reduction efforts were beginning to point to the need for improved analytical methods and product design for continued process improvement-and the Six Sigma discipline answered this need. (Pande, P.S., et al. 2000; Harry & Schroeder 2002) Motorola's emphasis was on designing for Six Sigma quality, and a number of advanced quality tools were used. Because effective application of these tools was essential, Motorola developed its extensive Six Sigma