Thursday, October 31, 2019

Operations Management Forecasting MAD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Operations Management Forecasting MAD - Essay Example Seasonal forecast takes into account the seasonal variations that occur during a specific time period. Seasonal variations are the regular ups and downs in a time series that relate to repetitive events such as holidays and weathers. Seasonal forecasting is very useful as it can be applied to hourly, daily, weekly, quarterly and yearly events. Seasonal forecasting can also be useful for the management of the organizations in order to plan the capacity so that the organization can handle peak loads. Analyzing the data in the form of quarterly or monthly values makes it easy to detect seasonal patterns by the organizations’ management. By using this forecasting technique, the Great Northwest Outdoor Company can easily estimate the demand for its orders in the all the seasons as demand for its item is seasonal. Exponential smoothing is defined as a weighted moving-average forecasting method in which data points are weighted by an exponential function. The concept of exponential smoothing is not a complex. In mathematical terms, exponential smoothing can be defined as the latest estimate of demand is equal to our old estimate adjusted by a fraction of the difference between the last period’s actual demand and the old estimate. Seasonal exponential smoothing takes into account the demand across four seasons in a year for this company. As this technique is easy to use and does not require a lot of past data, it is used in almost every type of business. This type of forecasting cannot take into account the seasonal variations that occur in each year for the demand of the company’s items. If the company uses Seasonal Forecasting method, it can take into account the seasonal variations and produce a more accurate forecast for the four seasons of 2005. Following is the forecast for year 2005. If the MAD (Mean Absolute Deviation) is considered to recommend the most accurate forecasting method then it would be the Seasonal Forecasting. The MAD

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

-Cell phone usages and Radiation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

-Cell phone usages and Radiation - Essay Example The technology of cell phone has eliminated the factor of geographical distances and made the general population more socially connected. The acceptance rate of the cell phone technology can be realized by the fact that from the year 1990 up till 2011, the worldwide cell phone subscriptions raised from 12.4 million to over 6 billion, penetrating nearly 87% of the world population (MobiThinking). Cell phone technology may not be all that safe. Amidst the life of convenience offered by cell phones, the potential threat the cell phone technology may have to the health of humans can get ignored. On October 19, 2012, the Supreme Court in Rome (Italy) gave a ruling wherein a â€Å"causal link† was found to exist between the mobile phone and the illness of an Italian Company’s Director Innocente Marcolini, 60 (Routers, 2012). Marcolini was diagnosed to have developed a tumor (neurinoma affecting a cranial nerve) on the side of the head that he held his mobile phone to for 5-6 hours a day for 12 years. Cell phone technology works by emitting radiations. Whether these radiations are harmful to human health or not is a debate that has been pursued by many medical and environment bodies. This paper presents an overview of the radiations emitted by the cell phones and the safety standards set by the agencies. The possible impact on these radiations on human health and some safety tips to avoid the possible threats are also presented in the paper. Cell phones use a type of electromagnetic energy called radiofrequency (or simply RF) energy for communication. RF are the radio waves and microwaves. On the electromagnetic spectrum (shown in Figure 1), where the energy ranges from ones that have extremely low frequencies with long wavelengths to those that have extremely high frequencies with short wavelengths, the radio waves and microwaves lie between the two extremes. In the RF region, the frequencies are in the range of 3KHz to 300GHz.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

The complex nature of human relationships

The complex nature of human relationships Introduction Human relationships are complex in their nature. People coexist with each other in the world where conflict and differences in their lives occur and learning how to effectively manage those problems can have a great impact on the quality of the relationshipe. Conflicts gives people the opporunity to find the appropriate decisions and finding ways to find a solution to the problemswith minimal negative events. That is why, the issue of marital counseling is worth emphasizing (Cook, 29-67). In other words, marriage, is the unity of a man and a woman and unresolved conflict situations have an impact on marital satisfaction and longevity. It also directly impacts the quality of the relationship, but also on the overall satfisifcation of eac partner that is in the relationship. The aim of the present paper is to identify the notion of marriage, conflict, satisfaction, longevity, and find out the relationship between these concepts. The urgency of the paper is determined by globalized way of human relationships that has changed human life which is observed through the role of marriage, the way of coping with difficulties and longevity on the whole. Marriage and Conflict The definition of marriage can change from person to person, that is why its vital to select a defitition that the majority of the population will agree on. The term marriage is a mutual desire of a man and a woman to compose a family (Lewis, 54).. The unity of people in a family causes new types of relationships in which the members of that family develop coping skills to interact with eachother. At this point is where it can lead to different in opnions and differences in the way conflict is handled, Conflict happens. Every couple argues and stresses out (Lewis, 63). In order to understand their role on longevity, it is important to give a definition to the term conflict and its impact on longevity. There are various definitions of conflict, but they all emphasize the existence of contradictions, which take on the form of disagreement. This is the point in the relationship were positive outcomes can happen or negative interactions can set the relationship back.. Conflicts can be hidden or obvious, but their basis always lies in the lack of consent. Therefore, the conflict is defined as the absence of agreement between two or more parties individuals or groups. The lack of agreement is due to the presence of a variety of opinions, views, ideas, interests, and viewopints. It is important to remember when discussing conflict resolution that the couple be able to see both sides of the argument, no just from their viewpoint. This happens only when the existing contradictions and differences disrupt the interaction of people, and disrupt the advancement of goals for the couple. In this case, people simply are forced into a situation that they try to overcome their differences and enter into open conflict interaction. If conflicts contribute to informed decision-making process and development of relationships, then they are called functional. The conflicts that impede effective communication and decision-making process are called dysfunctional. It is necessary to be able to analyze conflicts, understand their causes and possible consequences. When a couple struggles with finding a healthy way to communicate and find a ways of ending the conflict it can have greater consequences for future problems. Conflict usually arises in the process of emotional convergence of spouses, especially when one or both of them violate personal boundaries of a partner without visible intention. This is one reason why it is important at the start of the relationship that both couples are aware of the boundaries and limitations of the other person. When these boundaries are not seen or when a person oversteps these boundaries conflict will arise. Then the conflict allows couples to increase the distance away from each other for a definite period. Conflicts in family are caused by inadequate and conflicting family-marriage expectations and perceptions. The most common myth is that one partner expects to see the other as an attachement of themselves, going everywhere together, not having any free time for oneself This expectation may be contrary to the interests of a partner who wants to realize his or her personal aspirations and interests and that type of expectation would would damper the relationship and would restrict the freedom and opportunities for development and fulfillment of both partners. Spouses need to understand whether they can accept each other as they are, take with respect to the views of partner and his or her traditions, which he or she brought from the parent family, without any attempt to alter partners behavior and attitude for other views and expectations of another partner. The majority of marital conflicts that occur frequently have hidden purpose, that is, the struggle for leadership. Signs of the struggle for leadership in marriage are the following ones: 1. conflict arises out of nowhere, literally out of nothing; 2. conflicts occur frequently on the basis of different issues; 3. both spouses are older children in their families, wife is the eldest child in her parental family, or her husband is younger. It is possible that in such types of families the leading position is occupies by parents of a couple; 4. conflicts occur with increasing frequency over definite period, and they are accompanied by accusations, or even insults, and the period of rest in the family is declining. There are no winners in these conflicts. Both spouses are characterized by low self-esteem. Crises and conflicts are normal for the family as a developing system. Crises may be associated with certain life-cycle of the family, such as marriage and the need to separate from their parents, birth, adolescence of a child, the separation of children from their parents and the last the death of a spouse. All people are sometimes in conflict. All people are arguing. This is necessary, because conflicts generate liability and resoluteness. This means that people are not indifferent to the problem and each other. If a conflict is recognized and understood, if the parties are prepared to resolve it, so that both sides have won, then such a conflict leads to the renewal of relationships and improves communication. If conflicts are frequent and sharp, a family went through a period of crisis in the marriage. It is necessary to allocate crises stages of marriage (years, three years, seven years, adolescent), as well as crises, based on a stressful family circumstances (adultery, death of relatives, loss of a spouse, etc.). The crisis is a test of the family for strength of their relationships. Many problems can be avoided if to know how to resolve them. Fortunately, some steps are made in the present paper. Thus, many problems can be solved if sincerely want this and be prepared for them. Conflicts in the family can create mental environment for the spouses, their children, parents, as the result of which they acquire a number of negative traits of personality (Pitt-Catsouphes et al. 2006). A conflict family is characterized by the establishment of negative experiences, lost faith in the possibility of the existence of friendly and affectionate relationships between people, accumulation of negative emotions that lead to psycho-trauma. Psycho-traumas are often manifested in the form of experiences, which, because of severity, duration or frequency strongly influence personality. It is necessary to distinguish such traumatic experiences as a state of total dissatisfaction with the family, family anxiety, neuro-psychic tension and condition of guilt. The condition of a full family dissatisfaction arises because of conflict situations where there is a noticeable discrepancy between the expectations of the individual to the family and real life. It is expressed in boredom, colorless of life, the absence of joy and nostalgic memories of the time before marriage, complaints to the surrounding people concerning the difficulties of family life. Accumulating from conflict to conflict, this dissatisfaction is expressed in emotional explosions and hysterics. Family anxiety often appears after a major family conflict. Signs of anxiety are doubts, fears, and concerns, related primarily to the actions of other family members. Mental stress is one of the major traumatic experiences. It arises because of 1. creating constant psychological pressure, a difficult or even hopeless situation for the spouse; 2. creating the obstacles for the manifestation of spouses major feelings and satisfaction of needs; 3. creating a situation of constant internal conflict in the spouse. Mental stress is manifested through irritability, bad mood, sleep disorders, rage. Condition of guilt depends on the personal characteristics of the spouse. The person feels a hindrance to others, guilty of any conflict, quarrels and failures, he/she tends to perceive the relationship of other family members as accused and blaming to himself/herself despite the fact that in reality they are not such. Relationships in Marriage The increased interest in family and marriage is due to a number of reasons. One third of all marriages is unviable. The issue of strengthening marriage and the improvement of marital structure of the population is of overriding public importance in connection with the problem of fertility. Addressing such issues is impossible without studying the mechanisms of family relationships. Socio-psychological climate in the family determines the stability of these relations, it has a decisive influence on the development of both children and adults. The psychological climate of the family is not something unchangeable, given once and for all. It was created by members of each family and their efforts depend on how it will be, a favorable or unfavorable. Every single person is a personality, unique and unrepeatable, with her worldview, which affects the establishment of mutually satisfactory relationships. Modern marriage is based on the compatibility of modern humans as individuals. Satisfaction with marriage is the main parameter characterizing the conjugal relationship. Definition of happy marriage is the following one: both husband and wife share the view that they are found or reached the golden mean or special universal balance in individual needs, desires and expectations, balance sheet, which they consider a unique and probably irreplaceable. This feeling of the golden mean, is achieved by joint efforts, and it is created thanks to creativity and it is developed by a married couple in the process of moving, ever-changing interactions within the family. It has many sources: the values shared by both spouses, when the importance of marital relations is recognized, and their marriage they believe exactly as they wanted to create. This balance incorporates experience of childhood and adolescence, and especially it is fueled by powerful unconscious transformations, hopes, fears and fantasies that each person brings to the marriage. The balance is based on the realities of present and past both within the family and social environments surrounding it. It is also created due to the ability to emotional maturation, the growth of individual consciousness, and the same ability to more deeply understand a partner and show empathy. And it is always an ongoing creative process which is discussed in terms of psychological problems that should be solved in a marriage. The essence of this concept lies in the fact that it is the totality of these problems compose the basic problem of human interaction in the family; they need to be addressed in family couple throughout their lives, otherwise the marriage is counter-productive and is in danger of collapse. It is this basic context, including the power and flexibility of family union, created by two persons, distinguishes a marriage that satisfies both partners. The special emphasis deserves the issue that shown the necessity to detach oneself emotionally from the family of childhood in order to be able to fully invest the strength and feeling in their marital union, but at the same time, overestimate the possible points of contact with both parents families. Moreover, the dependence of a husband on the parents is more important and more likely to lead to problems than the affection of his wife to her parents. Under the emotional department, the study considers the absence of an exaggerated sense of guilt, mistrust, anxiety, responsibility, resentment and anger from both spouses in relation to their mothers. The degree of adaptation to the new family life of a wife largely depends on the degree of independence of a husband from his parents. Marital satisfaction can be achieved through implementation of several items: 1. Creation of a full and happy sexual relationship and their protection from intrusions from the liabilities associated with the implementation of household and other works. 2. Combining efforts, involving the frightening obligations in connection with the birth of the child, the ability to survive in a dramatic appearance of a baby in the family, and protecting individual rights and the proximity of the couple. 3. The ability to withstand and overcome the inevitable crises of life, maintain the power of family ties in the face of adverse circumstances. 4. Creating a safe space within the family in order to express and resolve differences, anger and conflict. 5. Use laughter and humor in clarifying the true state of affairs, and also avoid boredom and alienation. 6. Providi ng the conditions of care and comfort for a partner, as well as meeting the continuing need of a partner in getting emotional and other types of support. 7. Saving of the romantic, idealized notions of love when they met the sobering realities encountered on the path of life. Unresolved Marital Conflicts and Longevity Chapman (2007) writes that Unresolved conflict in a marriage can also be a source of defensiveness. If we have not resolved our differences, we feel somewhat estranged from each other and are therefore more vulnerable to being defensive. Some couples who fail to resolve conflicts over a period of years draw the conclusion that they are not compatible and, in fact, are enemies (Chapman, 157). Health of people is directed connected to human activity and his or her relationships with the surrounding people. Consequently, marriage is the main factor that has a direct impact on human life and longevity. It can be explained by the fact that emotions of people cause different feelings such as happiness, grief, etc. These feelings force people to experience different situations during a long period that frequently cause stressful situation in the case of unresolved conflicts in marriage. Stress can provoke different diseases that obviously lowering the duration of human life. Garner (2009) stresses that to attain to a lengthened life, to enjoy ease and tranquility in lifes decline, and immunity from pain, debility, and other forms of suffering, are objects worthy of far more earnest attention than they usually receive. Since we have more accurately investigated the constitution of man, body and mind, the conditions of life, health, disease and death, the nature and relations of things around us, we are able to form more rational aims, and to pursue them with better hopes of success (13-14). Self-assessment of health is deteriorating in every person. However, this deterioration is more rapid in the marriages with dissatisfaction, particularly in old age. Marriage is the most important factor of social contact for human health. The years of tension spend in marriage may slowly undermine the health. Age also affects the activity of the immune system, leaving older people vulnerable to stress. Older people are more likely to have chronic health problems that stress can increase. In addition, older people may attach more importance to marriage, as they lose their other social connections. Chapman (2007) adds that After several months or years of unresolved conflicts, we begin to hear inner voices that say: I know I married that wrong person. How could I have let myself get into such a mess? I cant believe that my mate is so inconsistent. The unresolved conflicts lead us to think that we are incompatible and that our spouses is not really on our side. The unresolved conflicts push us toward making broad generalizations about our spouse and our marriage (Chapman, 158). Prevention of Marital Conflict Constructive of marital conflict resolution primarily depends on the ability of spouses to understand, forgive and concede. There is one of the conditions for ending the family conflict. It is not to seek victory. The victory as the result of a loved defeat can be hardly called an achievement. It is important to respect others despite the level of guilt. It is necessary that the spouse is able to honestly ask himself/herself what he/she is really cared about. It is necessary to dwell separately on such a radical way to resolve marital conflict as divorce. According to psychologists, a process consisting of three stages precedes divorce: a) an emotional divorce, manifested in alienation, indifference of the spouses to each other, the loss of trust and love, and b) the physical separation that leads to separation, c) a legal divorce, which requires legal registration of divorce. Divorce brings freedom from animosity, hate, deceit and everything that prevented from being happy in marriage to the majority of people. A woman, with whom children are usually remained, is the most vulnerable to divorce. She is more than a man, subjected to the neuro-psychiatric disorders. It is important to note that many recommendations for the normalization of the marital relationship and prevention of disputes from escalating into conflicts have been developed. Most of them are summarized as follows: 1. Respect yourself and others. Remember that he (she) is the closest to you. Try not to accumulate errors, wrongs and sins, but immediately respond to them. It will prevent the accumulation of negative emotions. 2. Do not criticize each other in the presence of others (children, friends, guests, etc.). 3. Do not exaggerate your own abilities and dignity; do not consider yourself always right in all. Trust your spouse more and minimize jealousy. Be careful, know how to listen and hear the spouse. Always take care of your physical attractiveness, work over your own weaknesses. Do not generalize even obvious shortcomings of the spouse; lead a conversation only about a specific behavior in specific situations. 4. Treat the hobbies of the spouse with interest and respect. In family life, it is sometimes better not to know the truth, than try to establish the truth. Try to find time to take a rest from each other at least sometimes. This will help removing the emotional and psychological heaviness of communication. In other words, When conflict happens and communication starts to break down, take a break from each other to cool off and think through the issues. There are some ways to resolve the conflict and how you can avoid battling about the same issues again. For example, I need to listen to you more and not read into what youre saying. Ill try to be more patient with you. I wont say harsh or unkind words to you. Get back together and talk. Remember, your goal is to resolve the conflict. Take turns so that you both can speak and both actively listen. Share what you wrote while you were cooling down. You might need to give a little more to compromise, so humility and cooperation are important. Spend time in prayer together to end your discussion (Lewis, 63). It is necessary to keep in mind some key points that can be used in everyday communication that helps to avoid conflict situation in marriage and resolve different cases. Firstly, it is important to talk about everyday affairs every day. In this case, couples learn to trust each other and then they share their problems with each other that creates mutual understanding. Secondly, it is essential to find time for talking; it may be a family meal. Thirdly, it is important to be approachable. It is necessary to empathize and listen to each other. The main suggestion for successful family communication is to be intentional. This means that couples should not avoid conversation with their children, give time and space for it. Communication is not only words; it may be expressed in tone, body language or some actions. Therefore, it is important to listen carefully and try to understand not only words but also feelings behind them. Sometimes, a conversation may be tough. It is better to think about it in advance, prepare possible questions or do something. It is essential to invest in family communication, for instance, by writing a letter, sending a card, or making a phone call that will result in opening a friendly dialogue. It is better to build relationships during good times that will help at bad times. Besides, the knowledge of likes and dislikes of the closest relatives will contribute to successful everyday communication in the family. Conclusion The problem of conflict has always been more or less relevant to any society. Life proves that conflict does not apply to events that can be effectively managed on the basis of life experience and common sense. The issue of family conflicts is worth emphasizing because family is the oldest institution of human interaction, a unique phenomenon. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that several people intimately interact for a long time (tens of years), that is, for the greater part of human life. Disputes, conflicts and crises cannot arise in such a system of intensive interaction as family. Divorce leads to the fact that the society receives an incomplete family, because of which the number of adolescents with divergent behavior is constantly increasing and leading to crime expansion. This creates additional difficulties for the society. Key role in family conflict relations belongs to marital conflict (Pitt-Catsouphes et al. 2006). They arise because of unmet needs of the spouses. Most conflict situations are the crisis periods in the development of the family. Family conflicts have traumatic consequences: a state of total dissatisfaction with the family, family anxiety, neuro-psychological tension and state of guilt. The experts have made recommendations on regulation of marital conflict in order to prevent conflict situation within the family and increase the importance of family in the future. It is necessary to add that Unresolved conflict does not mean that these couples never discuss conflicts. Periodically, they may have long and heated discussions about conflicts. The problem is they never reach a solution. After the heat has intensified to a certain point, they drop the conversation and withdraw from each other, leaving the conflict unresolved. Then when the spouse says something that is emotionally tied to this unresolved conflict, the person will have another defensive response (Chapman, 158). In summing up, the obvious connection between conflict situations in marriage and human life, that is, longevity, is supported by different research studies. People living in the marriages with obvious dissatisfaction because of unresolved conflicts, demonstrate health problems that affects longevity of couples (Amato, 77).

Friday, October 25, 2019

The Italian Wars :: history

The Italian Wars The Italian Wars 1494-1559: - Introduction: The key issues over which the Italian Wars were fought were primarily financial incentives for Charles VIII of France. He declared that he intended to use Naples as a base to drive the Ottomans out of Europe and liberate Constantinople. In actual truth his main motivation was self-glory and the mouth-watering prospect of acquiring some exquisite prizes of war. On the way he would acquire rich cities and portable pieces of art. It seems that this invasion had been planned for two years prior since Charles had already bought off potential rivals like Henry VII of England, Ferdinand and Macsimilion. He had also enlisted the support of Genoa and Milan, both within Italy. The regent of Milan, Ludovico Sforza, needed allies and his invitation in 1594 seemed to Charles’ plans perfectly. He accepted and the Italian wars began. Also, the Cardinal of Genoa resented the current Pope, Alexander VI. He invited Charles to come in, depose him and spark off the eagerly awaited church reform. Events 1494-1516: - There was a mixed reaction to the arrival of Charles in Italy. Florence revolted against its leader, Piero de Medici. The Popes army deserted him. In Naples the king died and rather than unite against his son the populous decided to capitulate. There was however some reaction against Charles’ activities. Ferdinand of Aragon decreed that since Naples was subject to the papacy, that the Popes honour had been attacked. He formed the League of Venice. His main intentions were to expel Charles and become the ruler of a united Naples, Sicily and Aragon. Charles began to withdraw to France and although he won a battle at Fornovo, his outnumbered garrisons couldn’t retain Naples. By 1498 the situation in Italy was one of chaos and turmoil. Charles died in 1498, which meant that there wasn’t going to be a re-invasion. Popular uprisings in Milan and Florence saw the Medicis and the Sforzas overthrown. Civil war was raging on between Pisa and Florence and the accession of Louis VIII as French King meant that the prospects for peace did not look too good. Louis had inherited Naples, but his main objective was Milan, which he invaded in 1499. He settled for the Western half and gave the Eastern half to Venice. He then headed southward to Naples, which he had agreed to jointly rule with Ferdinand.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Imprint

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be, but when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way. Some people come into our lives and quickly go, while others move our souls to dance. They awaken us to new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom. Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon. They stay in our lives for awhile, leave Imprints in our hearts,  and we are never, ever the same. These are the people who enter our lives with a unique lesson to teach us. And it is only through these lessons that we learn about life, people, relationships, and ourselves. So appreciate every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Look beyond the masks people wear if you want to know their heart, and remove your own masks to let people know yours. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don’t believe in yourself; it will be hard for others to believe in you. Everything is possible with heart and dedication. Try every thing once, there are times when we must quit something, but call it â€Å"letting go of loose ends. Communication is key, love with all your heart. Live the life that makes you feel complete, makes you happy, and makes you wake up every morning with a smile. There's always something to learn, someone to meet, and something extraordinary to tell. It's about finding a meaning and sharing a story. Create the person you want to be in this world and in this life, and share the experiences and lessons with others. Because you know, it’s never too late to have a life, and it’s never too late to change one.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Main Challenge in International Staffing

ADRIEN KARCHER EIM4 UB1 International Human Resources Management 2nd Assignment  : Describe the main challenges in International Staffing. Ever since the globalization began, companies became more aware of the competitive environments they operate in. It is obvious that a competitive advantage such as technology, resources and quality can be imitated. It’s the peoples that a company employs that makes the difference. Making the right selection and most efficient use of it will surely provide the advantage needed.In this assignment, we will define in a first part the four main approaches to staffing within International Human Resource Management and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each approach to international management. In a second part we will speak about recruitment and selection of the staff in foreign subsidiaries. Heenan and Perlmutter identified approaches to manage foreign subsidiaries which are, ethnocentric, polycentric, geocentric and regiocentric.In this part we will examine the connection between this approaches and staffing practices as well as the advantages and disadvantages of this differents approaches. The first approach is called ethnocentric. Employees from headquarters base it on the occupation of a key position. It is assumed that expatriates can manage subsidiaries more efficiently. This is because expatriates are more informed about the company's goals and objectives, strategies compared to the local managers. This method is used when expanding globally and there is need of good communication, cooperation and control of activities.Consequently, PCNs are assigned to top management positions who implement strategic decisions coming from headquarters. Hence, the selection of expatriates will depend on the technical knowledge required or the type of international expansion a company is planning. The ethnocentric approach provides the parent company with more control, which is vital when expanding to a new country. The refore, expatriates are seen as more able than host country nationals. The polycentric approach will opt for HCNs manager in their subsidiary even if PCNs occupy key positions at orporate headquarters. It’s a multinational approach, there is continuity in management of foreign subsidiaries, language barriers can be eliminated and for MNEs still less expensive to hire locals than expatriates. All this elements represent advantages of this approach. But, there are disadvantages for firms and local employees, which have restricted career opportunity outside the subsidiary. With the geocentric approach, MNEs try to find the best people for key positions regardless of nationality. The mix of PCNs, TCNs and HCNs maintains the international team.That’s why HR department play an important role in the international staffing however taking into account staff availability, time and cost constraints, host government requirements and ineffective HRM policies. It’s a Global a pproach in which one each part makes a unique contribution with its unique competence. So now, let see the regiocentric approach which is similar than the geocentric approach but much more nationally focused, the staff may move outside their countries but within the particular geographic region.It’s on the way between ethnocentric or polycentric approach to a geocentric approach. Challenges for MNEs are to work with all of these different characteristics and find the most appropriate approach according to their policy. They have to take in consideration, the context specificities, the company specificities and the local unit specificities as well as IHRM practices. All these factors affect staffing choices, which represent a real challenge in international staffing.Recruitment and selection of staff for international assignments is a considerable challenge because it’s an important and crucial factor of the international expansion for MNEs. They need to find the right people to make position and particularly key managers. In fact, a selection error can lead to an expatriate contract failure and correspond to a return to home before the period of assignment is completed, then it could have long-term negative consequences in term of subsidiary performance.Several factors have to be taken into account in the failure of international assignment: the inability for expatriates to adjust to the foreign culture, the family concerns, career concerns, security concerns, the length of assignment etc. They represent a critical IHRM issues in international staffing, so the challenge is to find the right people which are consistent with all the factors of expatriate selection.Selection criteria are family requirements, technical ability, the cultural requirements, the language and the MNEs requirements. Mendenhall and Ouddou have proposed a four-dimensional approach that attempts to link specific behavioural tendencies to overseas performance. We see these day s appear another constraint for companies : the dual-career couples who are now considered as a barrier to staff mobility and it’s why the MNEs techniques are now utilized to surmount this constraint.To conclude, and according all the facts defined in this assignment, Recruitment and selection of staff still criticals because the future employees have to gather the maximum of criteria which correspond to the MNEs standards and expectations particularly in international assignments. The International staffing is a complex process in which many criteria have to be taken into consideration in order to achieve the best international assignments in the way to insure a sustaining international business operations for MNEs.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Life and Works of Lee Bontecou, Sculptor of the Void

Life and Works of Lee Bontecou, Sculptor of the Void American artist Lee Bontecou (January 15, 1931–present) came of age at the outset of massive change in the United States. She was born in the throes of the Great Depression, came into consciousness during the Second World War, matured into an artist as the Korean War and other conflicts arose, and continued her practice throughout the Cold War, confronting issues like the Space Race and the threat of nuclear powers in her work. Fast Facts: Lee Bontecou Full Name: Lee BontecouOccupation: Artist and sculptor  Born:  January 15, 1931 in Providence, Rhode IslandEducation:  Bradford College and the Art Students League of New YorkKey Accomplishments: Represented the United States in the So Paulo Biennale in 1961, received a solo exhibition at the star-maker Leo Castelli Gallery in 1966, and was featured in numerous group shows. Early Life Growing up, Bontecou split her time between the New England city of Providence, RI and Canada’s Newfoundland, where she spent her summers. She was deeply enthralled by her physical, natural world. In Newfoundland, she was given the freedom to roam, explore the minerality of wet sand on Canada’s Eastern coastline, and escape to her room to draw images of the flora and fauna she encountered on her adventures. Bontecou’s father invented the first all-aluminum canoe, while her mother had worked in armaments factories during World War Two, making wires for use by the army. It is not hard to see both of her parents’ life circumstances as having an effect on the artist’s work, as the machinery, rivets, and junctures that both mother and father would have known in their professional lives made their way into the synthesized mounted sculptures for which Bontecou became known. (Some compare Bontecou’s work to engines, others to guns and cannons, but there is no doubt that there is something of the constructed, man-made world of industry in them.) Art Education While Bontecou certainly showed signs of an artistic inclination in her youth, her formal training did not begin until after college, when she enrolled in the Art Students League in New York. It was there that she discovered her love of sculpture, a medium that  resonated with her artistic sensibility. The work Bontecou produced while at the Art Students League earned her a Fulbright Grant to practice in Rome for two years, where  she lived from 1956-1957. It was in Rome that Bontecou discovered that  by adjusting the oxygen levels on the blowtorch she used in studio, she could create a steady stream of soot with which she could effectively draw as if with charcoal. Unlike charcoal, however, this soot produced an even deeper black color, one by which Bontecou was captivated- whether this fascination was due to memories of playing in the primordial sludge on the beaches during  her youthful summers in Canada or the fact that the color reminded  her of the unknown abyss of the universe is unknown, but both are equally plausible explanations.   With this new tool, Bontecou produced drawings she called â€Å"Worldscapes. These drawings are reminiscent of horizons, but feel as if they encompass the depths of space and the human soul simultaneously in their dark surfaces. Success and Recognition In the 1960s, Lee Bontecou saw much commercial success for her work. She was notable for both her  young age (she was in her 30s) and her gender, as she was one of the few female artists receiving such honors at the time.   Bontecou represented the United States in the So Paulo Biennale in 1961, was given a solo exhibition at the star-maker Leo Castelli Gallery in 1966, and was featured in group shows at the Museum of Modern Art, Corcoran Gallery in Washington, and the Jewish Museum. She was also the subject of numerous  articles  in popular magazines with national readership beyond the bounds of the art world.   Lee Bontecou, Untitled, 1963.   Museum of Modern Art By the  decade’s close, however, Bontecou had retreated from the art world. She began teaching at Brooklyn College in 1971 and would teach there until the 1990s, after which she moved to rural Pennsylvania,  where she still lives and works today. Notable Motifs and Style Bontecou is known for the presence of black holes in her work, often protruding physically into the observer’s space. Standing in front of them, the viewer is overwhelmed with the uncanny sensation of confronting the infinite, the abyss. She achieved this astonishing effect by lining her canvas structures with black velvet, the matte textured surface of which would absorb light, making it difficult to see the back of the work and producing the sensation that it could be, perhaps, without any back at all. The structural part of these works are pieced together scraps of various materials, from the canvas strips she scavenged  from the laundry above which she worked to the abandoned U.S. Mail bag she found. Bontecou would sometimes distance herself from the vertical picture plane and take to the air in her construction of hanging mobiles. Though they depart formally from her earlier works, these hanging sculptures share similar preoccupations with the wall sculptures, as they can be simultaneously seen as constructions of our minutest structures of existence- the forms of interacting molecules- or of cosmic significance, that is, the orbiting of planets and galaxies. Lee Bontecou, Untitled, 1980-1998.   Museum of Modern Art For Bontecou, the strange foreignness of her work was comprehensible when approached from her life circumstances, which is not to say her works are autobiographical, but rather, she worked from what she gathered within herself. As she said of her work: â€Å"This feeling [of freedom I derive from my work] embraces ancient, present, and future worlds; from caves to jet engines, landscapes to outer space, from visible nature to the inner eye, all encompassed in the cohesiveness of my inner world. Legacy Lee Bontecou’s work was born from the complex geopolitical tensions in the world, the advent of a mechanized total war, and the jostling for power that ensued during the Cold War.  While her work evokes munitions factories and the Space Race, subsequent generations- born safe from the threat of Hitler and after the Vietnam draft- can and will stand in front of Bontecou’s abstract works and think of the infinite mystery of which we are all a part. Sources Modern Women: Veronica Roberts on Lee Bontecou. YouTube.  . Published August 2, 2010.  Butler, C. and Schwartz, A. (2010).  Modern Women. New York: Museum of Modern Art, pp. 247-249.  Munro, E. (2000).  Originals: American Women Artists. New York: Da Capo Press.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Thyroid Gland essays

Thyroid Gland essays The thyroid is a gland that controls the growth, metabolism, and cell differentiation. It is located in the neck near the trachea, and secretes the hormones triodothyronine (T3), thyroxin (T4), and calcitonin. The thyroid stimulating hormone level is regulated by a negative feedback system. The pituitary sends a message by TSH to make and release triodothyronine and thyroxin. Calcitionin reduces high calcium levels by making the calcium go to the bone and increasing the amount that goes to the urine. At birth, the thyroid controls the growth of the brain. A thyroid problem can occur if it grows too slow or too fast. If thyroid deficiency is not detected and treated early, the child may develop mental retardation. A thyroid deficiency in childhood will affect his or her body size. It can be prevented by treatment. Hyperthyroidism is the overproduction of thyroid hormones. It causes gradual weight loss, tinned skin, and increased sweating. It affects about three of every thousand people, usually females between the ages of twenty and forty. Hypothyroidism is not producing enough thyroid hormones. It causes weight gain in adults and mental retardation in infants. This affects about one of every thousand men, two of every thousand women, one of fifteen hundred children, and one of every five thousand infants (at birth). Addisons disease is another thyroid problem that consists of dark patches of skin usually around the mouth, nipples, and vagina. A thyroid disease in which the persons skin is thin and easily bruised is Cushings disease. They may also have purple stretch marks on their abdomen and rough, thick, dry skin. Some symptoms of a thyroid deficiency are tiredness, wondering thoughts, and short attention span. ...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

A technique called method acting

A technique called method acting The controversy surrounding emotion training such as method acting still remains a poignant subject when discussing actor training (Chabora) but despite its controversy the technique called method acting is still popular, particularly in America where it was created (20thC training). In Method acting, the body is encouraged to respond to a series of stimulus that the actor has collected throughout their training. It emphasizes the importance of authenticity in a make-believe world. (method acting Krasner p5) The technique was developed using some of the ideas of Stanislavski’s system but has evolved over time with the input of various actors and directors (20thC training p129). The teaching of the method in America was instigated by Stanislavski’s students Richard Boleslavsky and Maria Ouspenskaya, their aim was to train actors to find depth in their characters. (20thC training p130) One of their students, Lee Strasberg became one of the founding members of Group Theat re (20thC training p130) who’s ethos promoted the use of real emotion on stage as opposed to it being suggested (20thC training p130). Despite, being director most associated with the method (20thC training p134) Richard Hornby (2002) states that even though Strasberg used Stanislavski’s name in order to advertise his own method of teaching, Boleslavsky was Strasberg’s sole link to them (end of acting p182). It was Strasberg’s belief that emotions are the most fundamental tool in the actor’s repertoire. (Chapora p231) He looks in particular at psychological processes, and is primarily concerned with the actor’s process rather than performance (20thC training p129). It is Strasberg’s affective/emotion memory that is his most controversial technique derived from Stanislavski’s work on Ivan Pavlov’s research (20thC training p135). This technique highlights the importance of actors using their own experiences and beliefs enc ouraging the actor to live the life of the character (20thC training p130). He believed the body to be stimulated by recalled experiences (20thC training p134) and affective/emotion memory exercise puts this belief into practice. It encourages the actor to remember corporeal feelings by way of examining personal cues, such as an object which holds emotional connotations for them. The next stage is bringing to mind memories (method acting Krasner p12 because as Strasberg noted, the most valuable memories are those buried deep in the actor’s subconscious. He suggests that the further back you explore, the more intense the memory. (Chabora p231) A common misconception about Strasberg’s affective/emotion memory is that it is the actor aim to remember the emotion contained within a memory, but this is not the case. The actor, instead of concentrating on how the event made them feel, remembers other details such as sight, sounds and smells (Chabora p231) which then cause the emotion to develop organically because â€Å"remembering a ‘situation’ in all of its vivid, sensory details†¦evokes a rich nexus of images that then facilitates a feeling response† (cognitive neuroscience P44). Each exploration into the ‘sensory details’ of a memory helps to build a collection which can be used during the actor’s process. (Chabora p231). Strasberg himself understood the risk of using this technique; only allowing people to train after studying their psychiatric records (Chabora p233) and also acknowledged that the emotional intensity of the memory may change over time. (Chabora p233)

Friday, October 18, 2019

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge Essay - 1

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge - Essay Example This paper intends to discuss how this poem is considered as a poem of sin and redemption though the â€Å"physical and soul journey† (Nelson, 2001, p.148) of the mariner. Poem of Sin The poem is generally considered as a poem of sin. The mariner and his sailors got stuck in a thick and foggy ice field while trying to escape the thunderstorm in the Antarctica. They found an albatross that steered them through the thick fog, so that they might find good winds for their ship. But, we see that the mariner killed the albatross for no reason. This was actually the sin that the poem talks about. The reader is left surprised upon this decision of the mariner, regarding why he shot the albatross that had come there for their help. This perplexity is what irritates the reader in the first read, but as the reader follows the poem, he finds it really rich in context and theme. The albatross is shown as a symbol of Nature, or God’s presence. Read: â€Å"At length did cross an Alba tross, /Thorough the fog it came; /As if it had been a Christian soul, /We hail'd it in God's name† (lines 63-66). When the mariner shot the albatross, God became angry for him for his sin, and denounced upon him much woe and misery. The sailors confronted with slimy things on the oceans, and ghosts and spirits, which finally killed all sailors, and destroyed the mariner’s journey. Buchan (1969) writes in his essay, ‘The Sad Wisdom of the Mariner’: â€Å"The shooting is an act, unpremeditated and unmeant, that nevertheless must be accounted for†¦.† (p.97). The curse, that befell the mariner due to his â€Å"unnatural act† (Voglino, 1999, p.53), made him lose his ship and his companions; but finally, he met a rescuer, the Hermit, who brought him ashore. Also, we see that when the mariner shot the albatross, the curse struck the sailors, and they got so angry with the mariner that they hung the albatross around his neck. This was a constant reminder for the mariner about his sin, which had brought immense suffering to the whole crew. An albatross around one’s neck has become an idiom since. An albatross refers to a mistake that one has done and cannot undo it, and which is constantly adding to the suffering. For example, a person bought a motor car, spends money on it to recondition it, but the car is not selling. It is only demanding more expenditure, because of going out of order frequently. So, the car is an albatross around his neck. The old mariner also had this albatross around his neck which constantly reminded him of his mistake or, in this case, sin. Whenever he looked at it, he was reminded of what he did that angered the Nature. Sagar (2005, p.15) writes that, â€Å"When the Ancient Mariner wantonly kills that Albatross, the other sailors think it as an unpardonable sin. They believe that no human being has the right to decide who is to live and who is to die. So they decide punishment for his sin.à ¢â‚¬  The sin has also been understood in terms of the mariner’s pride, in literature. Pride has been known as man’s earliest sin, which dates back to Adam and Eve. Literature suggests that mariner’s act of shooting the bird of good omen has something to do with human pride. The albatross came with a lot of good luck for the ship. But the mariner decided to shoot it because he thought that he could do well without it, that he was enough to

Ethnocentrism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Ethnocentrism - Essay Example hropologists agree, likes to make premature judgments about other cultures and consequently brings false assumptions into his dealings with other cultural groups. In international relations, as a result, innumerable conflicts have broken out in the name of ethnocentrism. Constructive resolution of such conflicts between social groups have proven intractable in most cases because of one group’s lack of understanding of the other’s cultural uniqueness. One of the earlier names of ethnocentrism is colonialism, in which one culture sought to â€Å"civilize† and â€Å"develop† another. As was often the case, the social group placed under the gun of colonialism had its own concept of â€Å"civilization† and â€Å"development† which was quite different. Conflicts inevitably occurred. â€Å"When people are denied the legitimacy of their own life goal,† notes anthropologist Ken Barger, â€Å"they turn to radical means outside accepted practice.† Thus, we witnessed the bloody revolutions in colonized nations against colonizers that eventually led to global de-colonization starting in the 1950s, to coincide with the growth and acceptance of the United Nations. Colonialism is actually one of the three extreme forms of ethnocentrism, the other two being racism and ethnic cleansing. The latter gave rise to the most notorious ethnocentric of all time, Hitler, who sought to annihilate the Jews in favor of the â€Å"pure’ Aryan race and in the process triggered World War I. The belief that any culture represents the pinnacle of human achievement, which certainly possessed Hitler, is cultural arrogance of the worst form, a gross misreading of history and anthropology. Evidence of the evils wrought by ethnocentrism is all over the globe in modern times. On top of this is the mutual ethnocentric attitude between the Islamic world and the capitalist societies represented by the United States which now more than ever threatens to divide the planet. The Islamic societies

Journal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Journal - Assignment Example Since this is true, the author can be said to be credible. The author seems highly trustworthy. This is because of how the points are brought out in the article. Trustworthiness of the author can be seen when the author shows the seriousness involved in animal right terrorism by providing statistical data. The author can also be trusted because they assess the situation and compare it with future possibilities. Here, the author states that if animal testing is not permitted, millions will die since research will not be undertaken. This information is authentic. Sound logic is used in the argument. This is because of certain claims made that indicate use of logic. For instance, it is logical that people would die if drugs are not produced. The overall claim being made is that if scientists are prohibited from using animals in their research tests, production of medicinal drugs will not be possible and millions would die as a result. The information provided is reliable because it provides data that is supported by relevant evidence. The overall information has been communicated appropriately making it

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Labour Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Labour Law - Essay Example It is submitted at the outset that the issue remains contentious particularly in light of the continuous changes in working practices. From a statutory perspective, the legal definition of employee is described under Section 230(1) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA) as â€Å"an individual who has entered into or works under†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..a contract of employment†. The section 230 definition has been criticised for being ambiguous (Honeyball & Bowers. 2006) and it is necessary to refer to the common law test for defining the status of employee. The statutory provision is bolstered by the Ready Mixed Concrete test (Ready Mixed Concrete (South East) Ltd v Minister of Pensions & National Insurance [1968] 2 QB 497), which requires an examination of the â€Å"overall picture† (Jupp, 2005) The starting point for determining whether an individual is an employee is the â€Å"control† test (Honeyball & Bowers. 2006). This was established in Yewens v Noakes (1880 6 Q.B.D. 530), where Bramwell LJ asserted that:â€Å"a servant is a person subject to the command of his master as to the manner in which he shall do his work† (at pp.532-533). However, socio-economic developments in the labour market have changed the shape of employment status, thereby undermining the suitability of the control test as a sole determinant of employment status (Pitt, G. 2007). This was further acknowledged by the Court of Appeal in Walker v Crystal Palace FC ([1910] 1 KB 87), where the control test was given a different slant by focusing on whether the employer had the right to control the background arrangements for the work such as when and where the work was done, payments and holiday entitlements. However, the Walker extension of the control test was further developed into the â€Å"integration† test as propounded by Lord Denning in the case of Stevenson Jordan and Harrison v MacDonald & Evans ([1952] 1 TLR 101) â€Å"†¦under a contract of service, a man is employed as part of the

Arts pictures description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Arts pictures description - Essay Example We can also see that the dress she is wearing has various bright colors, which dictate the entertaining tone of the picture. At the same time, the young woman is covering her hair with decorated attire manifest the presence of peace and the absence of conflict in the picture environment. In addition, the photo is on a white wall, which further promotes peace and equally suggests lack of sadness in the picture environment. All these characteristics create a calm atmosphere in the picture. Additionally, at the bottom left corner of the picture, I can see an electricity socket, which suggests that the picture is of a room with electricity. Indeed, I can also see the shadow of the photo lying below the photo on the wall, which suggests that there is a source of light coming from above the photo. Notably, the background of the picture on the wall is dark which relevantly complements the bright colors of the young woman’s clothing. The dark color on the background mixes with the bright colors on the foreground to create a good color mix and contrast that attracts and delivers comfort to the eyes. This picture shows a photo enclosed in a frame hanging on a wall. The picture has the foreground, middle ground, and the background. On the foreground of the picture, we see a white wall where the photo hangs on. The white color of the wall suggests the presence of peace and absence of conflict in the picture environment. In the middle ground of the picture, I can see a photo frame decorated with a dull color. The dull color suggests calmness in the picture environment. At the same time, we can note the richness of the color on the photo frame, which defines the value of the enclosed photo. More so, we can see that the photo frame is wooden which defines the respect for traditions and equally, the value of the frame. Furthermore, it is clear that the photo frame has different layers that narrow to the inside, which shows the perfection of the author and

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Journal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Journal - Assignment Example Since this is true, the author can be said to be credible. The author seems highly trustworthy. This is because of how the points are brought out in the article. Trustworthiness of the author can be seen when the author shows the seriousness involved in animal right terrorism by providing statistical data. The author can also be trusted because they assess the situation and compare it with future possibilities. Here, the author states that if animal testing is not permitted, millions will die since research will not be undertaken. This information is authentic. Sound logic is used in the argument. This is because of certain claims made that indicate use of logic. For instance, it is logical that people would die if drugs are not produced. The overall claim being made is that if scientists are prohibited from using animals in their research tests, production of medicinal drugs will not be possible and millions would die as a result. The information provided is reliable because it provides data that is supported by relevant evidence. The overall information has been communicated appropriately making it

Arts pictures description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Arts pictures description - Essay Example We can also see that the dress she is wearing has various bright colors, which dictate the entertaining tone of the picture. At the same time, the young woman is covering her hair with decorated attire manifest the presence of peace and the absence of conflict in the picture environment. In addition, the photo is on a white wall, which further promotes peace and equally suggests lack of sadness in the picture environment. All these characteristics create a calm atmosphere in the picture. Additionally, at the bottom left corner of the picture, I can see an electricity socket, which suggests that the picture is of a room with electricity. Indeed, I can also see the shadow of the photo lying below the photo on the wall, which suggests that there is a source of light coming from above the photo. Notably, the background of the picture on the wall is dark which relevantly complements the bright colors of the young woman’s clothing. The dark color on the background mixes with the bright colors on the foreground to create a good color mix and contrast that attracts and delivers comfort to the eyes. This picture shows a photo enclosed in a frame hanging on a wall. The picture has the foreground, middle ground, and the background. On the foreground of the picture, we see a white wall where the photo hangs on. The white color of the wall suggests the presence of peace and absence of conflict in the picture environment. In the middle ground of the picture, I can see a photo frame decorated with a dull color. The dull color suggests calmness in the picture environment. At the same time, we can note the richness of the color on the photo frame, which defines the value of the enclosed photo. More so, we can see that the photo frame is wooden which defines the respect for traditions and equally, the value of the frame. Furthermore, it is clear that the photo frame has different layers that narrow to the inside, which shows the perfection of the author and

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Free

Free Market Essay According to the Investopedia, ‘a free market system is a market economy based on supply and demand with little or no government control. It is a completely free market in which buyers and sellers are allowed to transact freely based on a mutual agreement on price without Government intervention in the form of taxes, subsidies or regulation’. Therefore, the free market system is good for Belize. Belize positively benefits from this system because it ensures competitive markets, the consumers are part of the decision making process, and the supply and demand create competition. The free market system is good for Belize because it ensures competitive markets. There is a need for competitive markets so that we have the survival of the fittest. We need to have the best businesses so that we have more chances of developing as an economy. The fittest businesses bring better opportunities for the society since they will have better quality and service. Also by having competition, it brings about many benefits to the consumer. This may be seen for example in the case of Digicel and Smart, whereby there competitiveness is so high that they give so many advantages to their customers through their regular promotions. In addition, by having the best businesses we have better chances to survive as an international business. Consumers voices are heard in that their decisions determine what products or services are in demand. This is another advantage of Belize having a free market system. In all reality, the consumers are the ones to decide which business stays and which go. The consumers know what they want and need, it is from this that they decide what to buy and consume. For example, most people from Orange Walk would prefer tacos over burritos. This is clearly seen by the increasing numbers of tacos vendors and a small if any number of burrito vendors. If a burrito stand would open, it is probable that it would not have enough demand so hence it would shutdown. Supply and demand create competition, which helps ensure that the best goods or services are provided to consumers at a lower price. This will lead the businesses to having better quality and service and by having this the business itself becomes an overall better business. This benefits the society because they are receiving better goods and services and at a lower price. An example would be the fruits and vegetables sold at the market. Different stalls at the market may have different prices, so the consumer may have the option to buy the one with the lowest price or the one with the best quality. If the good is bought based on the lowest price then the other stalls will need to lower their price as well because if they don’t then they might not sell their goods. In an article by Chris Seabury, he states that in the United States those who want the removal of government intervention say the free market would force the businesses to protect the consumer. This in turn would provide the customers with quality goods and services at low price. Also he stated that there are several disadvantages to having government intervention. Government intervention can create a huge government bureaucracy, it can create huge monopolies, and it can compress innovation by over-regulating. Firstly, government regulation creates a huge government bureaucracy that stifles growth. In USA many labor and environmental regulations force businesses to move jobs off shore, where they can find more reasonable regulations. Secondly, government intervention creates huge monopolies. This will lead us, the customers, to having to pay higher prices for goods and services. For example, ATT functioned as a regulated national monopoly in the 1980s and provided consumers with high telephone rates. Thirdly, regulation by the government compresses innovation by over-regulating. When there are too many regulations, the business will be at a disadvantage in its country. For example, in USA the coal industry has so many regulations that it is more profitable to ship coal overseas than to sell it domestically. Overall, the free market system is good for Belize because it creates opportunities for the economy and benefits the consumers in many ways. The free market system is not perfect but it has many advantages that may lead the country on the path to development. The free market system creates benefits such as ensuring competitive markets, making the consumers part of the decision making process, and supply and demand creating competition. All in all, the government becomes inefficient when it creates bureaucracy that increases the cost of doing business for everyone.

Monday, October 14, 2019

BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION IN WORKPLACE

BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION IN WORKPLACE Abstract Benefits and compensation in workplace has been on the lime light since pre-industrialization period. This is due to the oppression that their employees subjected to workers and they were fighting to ensure that they liberate themselves from these filthy working places as they benefit from their toil. Therefore, in the research, the background information will be discussed to show how it involved. Some of the benefits of compensation will be discussed that include boosting of morale, increasing performance, which consequently increases turnover of the business. Internal and external equity achieved and increase in communication. Components of the compensation system that include job description, job analysis, job evaluation, pay structure salary survey as well as the policy governing the compensation scheme will be discussed in detail to ensure that they are well understood. The research will also cover types of compensations and benefits. Such compensation and benefits as base pay, commission, overtime pay, stock option, bonuses, insurances, and medical allowances will be discussed in full giving insight on how they come about and their advantages. The research will also cover give regulation that affects compensation. Finally, for a company to understand the best method on how to come up with the compensation scheme for their employees, compensation plan will be comprehensively covered. This will involve step by step development of the scheme to ensure that the scheme caters for the employees at the best of the company ability and ensure also it conform with the current market salary for each job offered in the company. Benefits and compensation in Workplace Introduction Benefits and compensation in workplace offers a labor friendly condition to the workers to ensure that they give fully their potential. People during the pre-industrial era treated workplace and home place as one place, which change significantly with emergence of the machines and factory. Industrialization thus brought socioeconomic hierarchal that was accompanied with gender role stereotypes (Butler, Park, 2005). This means that men were the one who were able to access the paid jobs while the women worked at home. The quality of the family was affected very much by the socio-economic hierarchy that each family occupied. This is because the wealthy people were the one who drove the industrial demand of goods. During the time of war, the demand for the industrial workers improved as men mostly worked as military. Therefore, women were the other option to be recruited to work in men dominated careers in the industries. However like men, they were neither given enough economic rights nor able to access good work protection for their jobs. According to the industrial employment conditions that were reported in those early times, they showed that men and women received very low wages, succumbed long working hours and poor working conditions as they serve hazardous job places (Repa, 2010). They were also discriminated in terms of sex, race color and gender. Some of them reported sexual harassment. There was rampant child labor reported in the work place. Due to all these problems, laborers formed uprisings that were too used to address the issue of good payment, better working conditions as well as equal and fair treatment in the workplace. This fight got support from all the divides where religious and academicians supported them (Griffin, 2010). This led to formation of unions as well as cooperatives to help the workers acquire better benefits and compensation in the workplace (Rosenbloom, 2005). People behind cooperatives and independent communes were socialist Robert Owen and Charles Fourier in the eighteenth century. Owen advocated for short working hours, formation of unions and self-governing workshop while Fourier fought for equal women rights and good basic income. He also advocated decent minimum payment for the unemployed thus creating benefit for the unemployed. Child labor was abolished as they were forced to go to school and attending other recreation activities (Repa, 2010). These struggles lead to the formation of the International Labor organization (ILO) in 1919. The countries who signed this convention were on their way to promote their employees at workplace, bring about decent employment opportunities, strength dialogue between the employees and the employers as well as handling professionally work related issues. It also offered a platform that there would be possibility of forming labor groups, organizations and they have representative from sate government (Henderson, 1985). These ensured that consultation to come up with ideal working standards and policies were formed. Therefore, this was the birth of good benefits and compensation at the work place. Benefits and compensation in work place According to definition, compensation is an approach that is systematic to ensure that employees are provided with monetary value in exchange of the work performed. The purposes that the compensation is able to achieve include recruitment, job performance and job satisfaction (Muller, 2009). While benefits are a kind of compensation, that are given to employees in additional to what they get as wages and salaries. How compensation and benefits are used in workplace Compensation as a tool is used by the management to further their company existence through achievement of various purposes through its dispensation. It is usually adjusted to cater for various company needs, goals and available resources. Compensation in the company is used in the company to ensure that they recruit employees and retain those who are highly qualified. This ensures that the companyà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s human resource is always competent to undertake the duties in accordance to the postulated goals and objectives of the company (Wilson, 2003). Compensation in the company works as a morale booster in the company as it maintains employeeà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s satisfactions in their jobs ensuring that their productivity is increased. Therefore, through good compensation scheme, the business is able to increase its output with minimum resources possible thus making good returns (Thomason, et al. 2001). Compensation ensures that the top performers are also rewarded and the same high performance act is increased throughout the working period. When the company encourages high performance in the business, it increases high returns and due to reward offered to the high performing employees, labor turnover in the business is decreased (Repa, 2010). Through proper compensation, it is capable of achieving internal and external equity of the company. It increases company loyalty by its employees reducing labor turnover (Guerin, 2010). Therefore, when the company offers a good compensation scheme, it reduces its expenses that come from continuous recruitment due to high labor turnover as well as lower employeeà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s loyalty. Good compensation ensures good work communication through proper modification of unionà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s practice that offers proper compensation negotiations (Wilson, 2003). This is very important in the company as it offers job satisfaction and increases high morale in the working place. Components of compensation systems For a compensation scheme to be perceived as affair one by the employees, it has to base itself in certain components that should be systematic. Therefore, various systems have been put in place to help develop the value of the compensation positions. In these systems, various components are utilized that include, job description, written procedures and salary ranges as well as structures (Peterson, et al. 1998). Job description This is one of the most important components in compensation and selection systems. It ensures that it gives in writing the requirements, responsibilities, duties, functions, location, environment, conditions among other jobs aspects (Repa, 2010). It usually developed for individual job descriptions or for the whole families of the jobs. The following two ways are used in the process of job description. Job analysis This is the process into which jobs are analyzed to ensure that description of job is brought about. The techniques usually used are questionnaires, interviews and observations (Griffin, 2010). Job evaluation To ensure that a proper compensation scheme is brought into place, the management uses this system where jobs element are put into consideration through comparison to ensure that compensation of each job is critically put in place (Griffin, 2010). The various techniques that are used in the job evaluation methods are ranking, classification, factor comparison and point methods. Through them each jobs is offered the right compensation that fits it. Pay structures To ensure that in an employment place there is a standard compensation practice; job structure should be put in place. In most of the structures that are put in place, they contain different grades that offer a minimum salary or wage. These structure =s provides also the interface that help in the increment of the salary from one grade to the other according to the given range (Griffin, 2010). This is more pronounced in the working place that has a unionized employees system where each job has predetermined pay, which is put in place through collective bargaining. Salary survey Salary survey is a method of collecting salary data from the market. The data collected includes, averages salaries in the market offered to a specific job, inflation indicators that may make the salary market unstable in the near future and an average salary budget. Either the survey can be conducted by the company themselves or they can be from other parties for example survey vendors who do survey of the market for sale. Therefore, the company can decide on the method to obtain these data (Turner, 2001). The best method of obtaining data is through the company carrying their own survey, as they will be more specific in the type of the data they are up to. Otherwise, if they opt to purchase survey from the vendors, the company must be very observant as these surveys are done depending with specific industries or across different industries. They may also be done from one geographical region or from diverse regions geographically. Therefore, to ensure that the company is capable of obtaining the right salary results, it has to ensure that it knows the right geographical region that pertains its salary survey and compare with its company objectives (Rosenbloom, 2005). Policies and regulations For a company to come up with a certain scheme of pay, it should ensure that it is conversant with rules and regulations that underlie the salaries and wages in the country. They should ensure that they comply with them to ensure that they offer good background for their company existence or otherwise it will be subdue d by the non-compliance consequences (Butler, Park, 2005). Types of compensation and benefits Various compensations offer incentives to the employees of the company. The first one is base pay. Base pay is a form of compensation that is fixed that an employee is offered after performing a specific job or after undertaking a certain responsibility. It is usually paid in as a monthly salary, hourly or as piece rate. This type of compensation does not include any additional pay. The other type of compensation is commission. This compensation is the one offered for service that have been rendered based on the amount of a percentage that has been agreed upon by both parties depending with the amount sold. This is usually an incentive given to sales people to ensure that their sales morale is increased as the more the sales, the higher the commission offered. Overtime pay is another compensation that is offered to the employees. After working four the normal working hours, overtime sometimes may be introduced to various reasons. First, one employee may have fallen sick and he/she has not been replaced; therefore creating a vacant shift that requires someone to work extra hours. The company might be in the transitional period of expanding their functioning time and the recruitment of extra employees is underway. Therefore, the created time is counted as overtime to the regular employees as they will be forced to work for extra hours (Griffin, 2010). The other way that overtime is created is when some of the employees are on leave. These hours are paid extra money on top of the normal salary to compensate the person undertaking the responsibility. Most of the overtimes are calculated with a given percentage over the base salary per hour worked after normal time. Employee stock option is a form of incentive that employees are offered by the corporation. This is through being given an offer to buy stock in the corporation at a bargained price. This bargained price is made to run at a specified period. Most of the companies will offer such incentives to their executives to ensure that they feel the ownership of the company. Other compensations that the employees are able to enjoy include bonuses, profit sharing, merit pay, travel, meal as well as housing allowance. Benefits including insurances, medical, vacation, leaves, retirement and taxes. Regulations affecting compensations Compensation is regulated through the laws that are given in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) chapter 676 of 1938. This is also known as Wages and Hour Bill. This is a U.S based federal law that establishes minimum requirements for an employees number of hours for working, wages, payroll and premium overtime records (Turner, 2001). Compensation plan To ensure that the compensation is well disbursed to the employees and all the factors that affect the compensation are put in place, compensation plan will be of paramount use. Therefore, the company should ensure that the following is done. Developing program outline A program should be put in place to set an objective for the program. The company should ensure that they establish the target dates for implementation and completion of the program. Then determine a budget for the program to ensure that the amount to be used is known. Designating individuals for overseeing compensation programs To come up with this position the company should ensure that they determine if the position will be based there permanently or temporarily. Afterwards, they select the person to oversee the program once it is completely established (Thomason, et al. 1998). The cost of going outside and getting one from the inside the company should be established. This will make sure that the most cost effective method is used. The other part that should be determined is the cost of consultants review. Developing compensation philosophy The company is required to form a compensation committee that is required to oversee the development of the scheme. This committee may include officers from the company depending with the number that will deliver a quick and quality compensation scheme. They are required to ensure that they offer differences that will exist in the pay structure depending with the level of the job. That is the executives, professional employees a swell as other employees in the company. This committee will ensure that they bring about company set salaries at, above or below market level. The final thing that the committee should determine is whether the extent to which the benefits to be offered to the employees will supplement or replace cash compensation. Conducting job analysis of all position Major departmental analysis should be conducted to ensure that general analysis is given showing who to accomplish what. To ensure that the committee comes up with the primary function of each department, inputs from each senior departmental head should be offered to ensure that organizational structure is formed (Thomason, et al. 1998). Interviews are to be conducted to the senior departmental heads to ensure that roles and function of each job is given to ensure that when rating the compensation such functions are considered. Decision should be generated on the job classification that will be exempt and the ones that will nonexempt (Griffin, 2010). After coming up with such classifications, job description methods are developed for both exempt and nonexempt positions. Afterwards, the models that have been put in place are distributed to the departmental head for reviewing where adjustment is done where necessary. After reviewing the models, final draft is therefore generated having jobs deceptions. At this stage, the committee is required to meet with departmental mangers to ensure that they finalize necessary reviews of the job description. From here, the job description document will be finalized. Jobs evaluation In evaluating the jobs, the ranking will be done from the top most senior job and in the interdepartmental stages depending with the function of each employee and other postulated factors. The ranking is then compared afterwards with the market data that was previously obtained to ensure that error deviations are suppressed. The deviations are suppressed through necessary adjustment. After verification is complete, an organizational review matrix is generated to show how compensation will be done. Still in the developing of the matrix, jobs cross lines, departments are developed based on the task required, and forecasted business plan. To ensure that the matrix is standard, the matrix data is then compared with the company structure and the industry market. Flow charts of the ranks for each department are prepared afterwards to ensure that interpretation and assessment is done. Data and charts prepared are then presented to the compensation committee where they are reviewed and adjus ted accordingly (Turner, 2001). Grade determination The number levels of each job are established and a grade assigned for all the job families. It is from here the pay grade is generated through use of the position at each particular level within the department. This is done to ensure that fair compensation and benefits are offered to employees in all the employment levels. Grade pricing and salary establishment The first thing that is supposed to be done is to establish the benchmark of the references job. This job will ensure that the compensation is disbursed well throughout the established grades (Irving, 2011). This benchmark job price should be reviewed to conform to the market price within industry. Finally, a trend is established depending with the company philosophy. That is the position that the company requires to be in the industry range. Appropriate salary structure determination Through this, the difference is made between each salary step. Minimum and maximum range is determined and the remaining jobs slotted in. Jobs description is reviewed at this stage while verifying the purpose of maintaining certain positions in the company (Thomason, et al. 1998). To ensure that policies are well generated, compensation review committee is met to ensure that adjustments and approval are made. Developing salary administration policy General company policy document is generated at this stage. This is followed with a document showing specific policies for each selected groups and a strategy for merit document. The merit document will show all the benefits that will be enjoyed by the employees as well as pay increases. This includes annual reviews, bonuses, and promotions among others. A document is also generated showing the procedures required and justification of the policies given like performance appraisal forms, merit schedules among others. Then the relevant committee does reviews finally for adjustment. Communicate the final program to the employee and managers After the approval of the program by the top executives, the compensation program is then presented to the employees for feedback, review and consequently adjustments. Then it is presented to the executive staff managers for approval, change and incorporation of all necessary measures to ensure that it is effective before being adopted (Turner, 2001). A plan on how this will be communicated to the employees is devised to ensure that they are well versed with the whole idea. Slideshows, movies, literatures among others can be used depending with the most appropriate method. The best form of the compensation and benefit plan is printed as specification for all re-ports are developed. Tests runs are executed to human resources information systems as the program is adopted for execution. Program monitoring To ensure3 that the program is up to the required standard, feedback should be monitored where they will lead to necessary changes. Monitoring will also offer ways in which problems in the program are noted and adjusted wherever necessary (Butler, Park, 2005). Conclusion Good benefits and compensation program will always make the employees of the company to feel company ownership. Their production will always be at per and will ensure the company objective and goals are always met. This is because, a company may have good objectives but the driving force to meet them is through human resource. Therefore, whenever the human resource is satisfied, the company will always address their issue and meet their basic objectives. This is through offering incentives to the employees through good benefit and compensation practice. The higher the job satisfaction in the company, the higher the morale in the job and the higher the production rate in the company thus increasing sales turnover.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Biological Warfare :: essays research papers fc

There is no longer a question of whether or not a bioterrorist will attack, but rather the question remains, when will they attack? â€Å"It is highly likely that a terrorist group could threaten or attack Americans with germs within the next few years,† according to President Clinton. (Solomon)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Biological warfare intentionally uses viruses, bacteria, fungi, or toxins from living organisms and death or disease in humans, animals, or plants. Fermentation can be used to produce such bacterial agents as anthrax, brucellosis, cholera, meloidosis, plague, q fever, or tularemia. Other viral agents are smallpox, cimean congo HF, rift valley fever, and vee. Use of these types of viruses and bacteria are becoming widespread in many areas of the world because they can affect many people efficiently and are cost effective.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Biological weapons can ve traced back to Exodus when God placed the ten plagues upon the Egyptians, as a result of Pharaoh’s refusal to free the Jews from slavery. These plagues included blood, frogs, vermin, flies, murrain, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and the slaying of the first born. Even though this type of warfare may have had origins as early as Exodus, the methods of making these germs is described in scientific literature and is no secret to terrorists.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This germ warfare is an especially serious threat for several different reasons. The first reason is the ability of these germ agents to be undetectable to spy technology. Secondly, the warfare labs that are used to produce these germs are difficult to detect, and major nations sometimes work together collectively to produce these agents for use in warfare. Most importantly, it is against this threat that there may be no defense.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Even though bioterrorism has been banned, it poses the greatest threat upon the Western World because of the mobility of their population. For this reason it is necessary for extremists to use aerosol dispersion to contaminate food, water, or air resulting in the death of every living organism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Two incidents in particular make this threat of a bioterrorist attack more likely to occur. The first of these occurred in Tokyo when nerve gas was unleashed in a Tokyo subway by the nihilistic Japanese cult group, Aum Shinrikyo. Twelve people were left dead and another five thousand had to be hospitalized. This incident raises an even greater concern because the taboo that once prevented terrorists from attacking no longer exists; it was broken when these warfare agents were used in the Tokyo subway.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Nature of Swimming Essay -- Society Analysis

Competitive swimming is a sport full of juxtaposing ideologies and personal struggle with little camaraderie. The divergent sport is always evolving and pitting individuals alone against one another in a foreign environment. Likewise corporate employees day in and day out work alone building their nest egg until the day they can succeed and come out on top or retire. Competitive swimming symbolizes the struggle for many of the Americans ideologies within the framework of corporate America. In inequalities in the realm of competitive swimming mirror those of corporate America. Swimming like an overwhelming amount of corporations is dominated by wealthy white people. In the 2006, the last year the NCAA published data, whites were nearly 70 times more likely to be in division I swim teams than African-Americans. Even worse, a recent study confirmed that, â€Å"Fatal unintentional drowning rates for 5-14 year old African Americans were 3.2 times higher than that for whites.† The swimming disparity is not just one of race but economic class as the percentage of blacks in the is significantly lower than their overall percentage in the population. Swimming is much more expensive than basketball, football and track and thus facilities are frequently only available to the wealthy. Just as people are scared away from swimming they are scared away from corporate America supposing that they do not have enough training, their family did not have money and thus do not even at tempt to succeed. Swimming although it may seem relatively natural requires lots of training and resources to master that complicated strokes. As the coach said, â€Å"there are no natural swimmers†. Parents often have their children training to become professional swimmers often ... ...Wayne Humphrey, vice president of government relations for Central Florida YMCA said, "When you look into their eyes, you can see they believe they have a future. Their aspirations and their hope is grounded in their experience as swimmers, as people and as future leaders." Breaking barriers in swimming and incorporation incites images of freedom and hope that Americans desire. Despite the reality fettered by inequalities in access and arbitrary rules as long as Americans desire to succeed and value individuality competitive swimming and corporations will continue to grow. Works Cited http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=lapchick_richard&id=3417453, http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.answerbag.com%2Fq_view%2F34008%23ixzz182EDMI6i&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGR0A9-Oke0G2XfSA-83-_nwHDqeg, http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/34008#ixzz182EDMI6i

Friday, October 11, 2019

Ideal Society Essay

What does one think of when discussing the topic of an â€Å"ideal society†? Throughout history, mankind has struggled to improve society for future generations. Every person has his/her own views on what an ideal society should be like. Society is defined as â€Å"a body of individuals living as members of a community†. Many scholars and well-known authors such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Thomas More express those ideas through public speaking. Although those ideas are just one person’s opinion, others believe in the power of God and the belief that he created the world. This, in turn, developed societies amongst the people. Society is built upon individuals expressing their own beliefs and their opinions and putting them into action. The real question is how we, as individuals, take those thoughts, and utilize them to the best of our ability in our everyday lives. Realistically, an ideal society will only work if the ideals are upheld within each individual in the society. An ideal society has been talked of as a â€Å"Utopia†. It is one of the common dreams of man. It is a topic that has no such notion of a perfect explanation. There are many different perceptions from each person in today’s world. What are people continuously trying to improve? I feel that one aspect of an ideal society would be where we all are treated equally. People of different race, sex, gender, disability, etc†¦ would not be stigmatized by the rest of society as most are today. However, one’s talent could not be disregarded. In so many communist societies, their plans for an equal society had always failed. These societies failed to take notice of the talents in individuals and could not tolerate the people who outgrew their society. Society should provide more opportunities to a person with talent. Therefore, would â€Å"equality† still be able to hold true for all persons? I think not in this case. When talking about justice, what should really be considered? Justice can mean a multitude of different things to different people and societies. The concept of justice has always been closely tied to the idea of fairness. It has also always been associated with the idea of rationality. Everyone wants to live in a society that is fair. When a case goes before the Supreme Court, the judges (or justices) are expected to rationally deliberate long and hard about the fairest course of action. An ideal society should definitely have justice just as our society does today. Issues that could arise should be dealt with in the fairest way possible. The individuals making the decisions should be rationale about their planned course of action. Actions should not be taken based off of a biased view of something but rather an unbiased view. Freedom is another big concept that should not be ignored when thinking of an ideal society. It is considered to be the greatest human value. The more degree of freedom one has, the more one can realize his/her true potentials. If an individual is told they can’t do this or they can’t do that by another person than that other person is limiting the individual’s freedom. Each person should be allowed freedom but freedom must be regulated to a certain extreme. This is because freedom does not and cannot mean freedom to harm, exploit, or kill someone or something. Due to the fact that freedom should be regulated in an ideal society, this brings up the concept of governance and laws. There still remain people who may try to take away the freedoms of others if given a free hand. Individuals should have the highest possible freedom available but they still must follow the laws set forth by a government. Without these laws in place, there would be no order. If someone breaks a law, they must go before the governing body to determine the fairest way to handle the breaking of the law. An ideal society should not have to be one that does not have rules or laws and everyone runs around doing whatever they please. Public interest is the nature of a government itself. It refers to the general welfare of a society. In an ideal society, the attention of the people would actually have a large impact on governing ideas. This is supposed to hold true in today’s society but most people have a large speculation about it. A society’s interests should be considered when running a government. It is these individuals one is looking out for. A governing body must consider what is in a society’s best interests and what needs to be done to ensure their general welfare. This includes making sure they are not in harm’s way. A government will protect its society in any way possible. There are many components that could play into creating an ideal society. The ones mention above are just a few. Undoubtedly religion would play some role in the theory of an ideal society and the people’s lives of the society. Government and the components that go into an effective government are also key elements. Another thing that one may look at would be healthcare. However, what components I think should go into an ideal society may differ from those of another person. Every person has his/her own views and ideas concerning this concept. There is no universal right or wrong in this case, there is only what you believe.