Friday, November 29, 2019

Factors Affecting Selection of Brand Ambassador free essay sample

Factors to be considered while choosing right brand ambassador In collaboration with Claudia de Pretto, e-Luxury Specialist at IC-Agency Global companies have long understood the power and impact of associating popular personalities with their brand name and products. Most will agree that a successful brand ambassador can make or break a new product launch, or even catapult a company into a new era of exponential revenues after a long drought of fading brand clout. But these days choosing a brand ambassador isn’t what it used to be. Now, with the rapid diffusion of information made possible through the Internet, companies are seeing the dangers of making hasty decisions to link their products to public figures. In the past, reputations were not etched in stone, but were relatively stable and slow to change. Conversely, these days what goes around still comes around, only now this happens at the speed of light and travels to the ends of the world. We will write a custom essay sample on Factors Affecting Selection of Brand Ambassador or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page More than just a pretty face In the watch industry, brand ambassadors have proven themselves a weighty yet worthy investment. Whether on the playing field, in the arts or simply in the world of beautiful people, brand ambassadors have measurable positive impact on a company’s bottom line. But their influence can be short-lived, and being in the public eye makes them the perfect target for increased scrutiny and attacks on their reputation. Traditional popularity life cycles have been distorted by the global reach of the Internet. What’s more, country variances in consumer opinion, rumours and scandals can be exposed and spread at a phenomenal rate. Too many variables, too little time So, given the investment, vulnerability and revenue-generating potential riding on the decision, how do watchmakers choose? Surprisingly, most brands admit to a selection process that combines a mix of networking, personal contacts and traditional market research, with a dab of ‘CEO’ feeling to finalize the decision. While this approach has produced some highly recognized success stories, companies have little information to address some tough issues: how long will this sports star’s winning streak last? What specific consumer groups emulate this model? What are this actor’s political affiliations? What stereotypes surround this individual? Selection, validation and reporting minimizing risk and maximizing return By gathering insights on proposed ambassadors in key markets in the online arena, some visionary companies are now making more informed and successful choices. Upstream, using online strategic insights in the initial selection process generates higher quality short-lists, minimizes risk, and makes the selection process and media planning more efficient and successful. Further downstream popularity, reach, brand recall and campaign timing are confirmed through country-specific monitoring of an ambassador’s impact and reputation. Moreover, having access to a measure of a potential ambassador’s reach and clout in key markets can serve as an excellent negotiating tool. And making the right choice from the start will protect a company from the costly legal fees involved in prematurely ending a contract. Proactively influencing the conversion process The primary role of the brand ambassador is to personify the values intrinsic to the brand and evoke the dreams associated with owning the product. As such, he or she must demonstrate a trend of increasing popularity and notoriety in the markets where the advertising and promotion will be visible in order to reach the projected target groups effectively. In the pre-Internet era, the notoriety of the ambassador would be the magnet to attract a qualified target group to appropriate the brand. The conversion process would start with a prospect’s desire to purchase a certain type of product. The consumer’s ultimate choice of brand and model would then be influenced to some degree by identification with the brand ambassador. Now, the advent of online technologies has added another dimension to the equation. Whereas in the past the brand ambassador’s impact was more to confirm a specific brand or model, now it can serve to evoke awareness of the existence of a product, stimulate desire to purchase, then convert. Online, a well-chosen brand ambassador can awaken desire for a product in previously ‘uninterested’ consumers through generic searches on the ambassador’s name or associated activities. In this way, not only direct keyword searches on the brand or product lead to conversions, but non-product-related searches as well. Online, it is the ambassador’s ‘aura’ that acts as the magnet to attract a target group to desire and appropriate the product. The Internet creates propitious ‘product placement’ opportunities to build on the emotion and psychological impulse associated with emulation of the brand ambassador. By means of an innocent forum search, an overzealous fan can be diverted onto the company website and transformed into a passionate consumer with just a few clicks of the mouse. The right choice and the right management Adopting a brand ambassador in the watch industry has become more than an accepted practice. Now with mounting competition and global distribution, it’s time for proactive watchmakers to move beyond name-dropping and capitalize on their investments. By integrating online insights into the selection and validation process, marketers can advance to the next level of campaign optimization, seizing every opportunity to promote the ambassador-product association for maximum return. And with the current trend of asking the Internet public for marketing and innovative product ideas, we can expect the next generation of brand ambassadors to be chosen and promoted by online communities themselves. New game, new rules†¦ How one visionary watchmaker stays on target – Raymond Weil and Charlize Theron In collaboration with IC-Agency, a Geneva-based Internet specialist, independent watchmaker Raymond Weil is monitoring the impact of its ambassador campaigns in key markets. The agency’s proprietary technologies, IC-DemandTracker and IC-Insights, are allowing its clients to evaluate and optimize campaign effectiveness: has the product been successfully linked to the ambassador? How have popularity ratings evolved since the onset of the collaboration? Which countries are best responding to the campaign and when? For IC-Agency, this proactive management is the wave of the future for companies to fully exploit endorsement opportunities and get the best return on investment. (P. M. ) Exploiting the popularity life cycle online Online communities could help companies promote new products through a type of ‘viral marketing’. By capitalizing on interest-led online searches, entire online consumer communities can be moved to federate around an ambassador-associated product. In turn, these communities propagate the dream via their own online ‘hype’ and spread their influence via privileged personal networks. Targeting audiences already devoted to their chosen ambassador means that companies can maximize their return on investment and more quickly amortize media production costs and ambassador fees. Depending on the demographics of the target audience, marketers can use online channels such as ethnic, music, or sports communities to get their message to the most influential consumers at the most opportune time.

Monday, November 25, 2019

The Battle of the Alamo

The Battle of the Alamo The Battle of the Alamo was fought on March 6, 1836, between rebellious Texans and the Mexican army. The Alamo was a fortified old mission in the center of the town of San Antonio de Bà ©xar: it was defended by about 200 rebellious Texans, chief among them Lt. Colonel William Travis, famed frontiersman Jim Bowie and former Congressman Davy Crockett. They were opposed by a massive Mexican army led by President/General Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna. After a two-week siege, Mexican forces attacked at dawn on March 6: the Alamo was overrun in less than two hours. The Struggle for Texas Independence Texas was originally part of the Spanish Empire in northern Mexico, but the region had been inching towards Independence for some time. English-speaking settlers from the USA had been arriving in Texas since 1821, when Mexico gained its independence from Spain. Some of these immigrants were part of approved settlement plans, like the one managed by Stephen F. Austin. Others were essentially squatters who had come to claim unoccupied lands. Cultural, political and economic differences separated these settlers from the rest of Mexico and by the early 1830s there was much support for independence (or statehood in the USA) in Texas. Texans Take the Alamo The first shots of the revolution were fired on October 2, 1835, in the town of Gonzales. In December, rebellious Texans attacked and captured San Antonio. Many of the Texan leaders, including General Sam Houston, felt that San Antonio was not worth defending: it was too far from the rebels power base in eastern Texas. Houston ordered Jim Bowie, a former resident of San Antonio, to destroy the Alamo and retreat with the remaining men. Bowie decided to remain and fortify the Alamo instead: he felt that with their accurate rifles and a handful of cannons, a small number of Texans could hold the city indefinitely against great odds. Arrival of William Travis and Conflict with Bowie Lt. Colonel William Travis arrived in February with about 40 men. He was outranked by James Neill and, at first, his arrival caused no great stir. But Neill left on family business and the 26-year-old Travis was suddenly in charge of the Texans at the Alamo. Travis problem was this: about half of the 200 or so men there were volunteers and took orders from no one: they could come and go as they wished. These men basically only answered to Bowie, their unofficial leader. Bowie didnt care for Travis and often contradicted his orders: the situation became quite tense. Arrival of Crockett On February 8, legendary frontiersman Davy Crockett arrived at the Alamo with a handful of Tennessee volunteers armed with deadly long rifles. The presence of Crockett, a former Congressman who had become very famous as a hunter, scout, and teller of tall tales, was a great boost to morale. Crockett, a skilled politician, was even able to defuse the tension between Travis and Bowie. He refused a commission, saying that he would be honored to serve as a private. He had even brought his fiddle and played for the defenders. Arrival of Santa Anna and the Siege of the Alamo On February 23, Mexican General Santa Anna arrived at the head of a massive army. He laid siege to San Antonio: the defenders retreated to the relative safety of the Alamo. Santa Anna did not secure all the exits from the city: the defenders could have crept away in the night had they wished: instead, they remained. Santa Anna ordered a red flag flown: it meant that no quarter would be given. Calls for Help and Reinforcements Travis busied himself sending out requests for help. Most of his missives were directed to James Fannin, 90 miles away in Goliad with about 300 men. Fannin did set out, but turned back after logistical problems (and perhaps the conviction that the men in the Alamo were doomed). Travis also begged for help from Sam Houston and the political delegates at Washington-on-the-Brazos, but no help was coming. On March first, 32 brave men from the town of Gonzales showed up and made their way through the enemy lines to reinforce the Alamo. On the third, James Butler Bonham, one of the volunteers, valiantly returned to the Alamo through enemy lines after bearing a message to Fannin: he would die with his comrades three days later. A Line in the Sand? According to legend, on the night of the fifth of March, Travis took his sword and drew a line in the sand. He then challenged anyone who would stay and fight to the death to cross the line. Everyone crossed except for a man named Moses Rose, who instead fled the Alamo that night. Jim Bowie, who by then was in bed with a debilitating illness, asked to be carried over the line. Did â€Å"the line in the sand† really happen? No one knows. The first account of this courageous story was printed much later, and it’s impossible to prove one way or another. Whether there was a line in the sand or not, the defenders knew that they would likely die if they remained. The Battle of the Alamo At dawn on March 6, 1836 the Mexicans attacked: Santa Anna may have attacked that day because he was afraid the defenders would surrender and he wanted to make an example of them. The Texans’ rifles and cannons were devastating as the Mexican soldiers made their way to the walls of the heavily fortified Alamo. In the end, however, there were just too many Mexican soldiers and the Alamo fell in about 90 minutes. Only a handful of prisoners were taken: Crockett may have been among them. They were executed as well, although women and children who were in the compound were spared. Legacy of the Battle of the Alamo The Battle of the Alamo was a costly win for Santa Anna: he lost about 600 soldiers that day, to some 200 rebellious Texans. Many of his own officers were appalled that he did not wait on some cannons that were being brought to the battlefield: a few days bombardment would have greatly softened up the Texan defenses. Worse than the loss of men, however, was the martyrdom of those inside. When word got out of the heroic, hopeless defense mounted by 200 outnumbered and poorly armed men, new recruits flocked to the cause, swelling the ranks of the Texan army. In less than two months, General Sam Houston would crush the Mexicans at the Battle of San Jacinto, destroying a large part of the Mexican army and capturing Santa Anna himself. As they ran into battle, those Texans shouted, Remember the Alamo as a war cry. Both sides made a statement at the Battle of the Alamo. The rebellious Texans proved that they were committed to the cause of independence and willing to die for it. The Mexicans proved that they were ready to accept the challenge and would not offer quarter or take prisoners when it came to those who took up arms against Mexico. Mexicans Supporting Independence One interesting historical note is worth mentioning. Although the Texas Revolution is generally assumed to have been stirred up by Anglo immigrants who moved to Texas in the 1820s and 1830s, this is not entirely the case. There were many native Mexican Texans, known as Tejanos, who supported independence. There were about a dozen or so Tejanos (no one is certain exactly how many) at the Alamo: they fought bravely and died with their comrades. Today, the Battle of the Alamo has achieved legendary status, particularly in Texas. The defenders are remembered as great heroes. Crockett, Bowie, Travis and Bonham all have many things named after them, including cities, counties, parks, schools and more. Even men like Bowie, who in life was a con man, brawler and slave trader, were redeemed by their heroic death at the Alamo. Several movies have been made about the Battle of the Alamo: the two most ambitious were John Waynes 1960 The Alamo and the 2004 film of the same name starring Billy Bob Thornton as Davy Crockett. Neither film is great: the first was plagued by historical inaccuracies and the second just isnt very good. Still, either one will give a rough idea of what the defense of the Alamo was like. The Alamo itself is still standing in downtown San Antonio: its a famous historical site and tourist attraction. Sources: Brands, H.W. Lone Star Nation: the Epic Story of the Battle for Texas Independence. New York: Anchor Books, 2004.Flores, Richard R. The Alamo: Myth, Public History, and the Politics of Inclusion. Radical History Review 77 (2000): 91–103. Print.-. Memory-Place, Meaning, and the Alamo. American Literary History 10.3 (1998): 428–45. Print.Fox, Anne A., Feris A. Bass, and Thomas R. Hester. The Archaeology and History of Alamo Plaza. Index of Texas Archaeology:  Open Access Gray Literature from the Lone Star State (1976). Print.Grider, Sylvia Ann. How Texans Remember the Alamo. Usable Pasts. Ed. Tuleja, Tad. Traditions and Group Expressions in North America: University Press of Colorado, 1997. 274–90. Print.Henderson, Timothy J. A Glorious Defeat: Mexico and its War with the United States. New York: Hill and Wang, 2007.Matovina, Timothy. San Fernando Cathedral and the Alamo: Sacred Place, Public Ritual, and Construction of Meaning. Journal of Ritual Studies 12.2 (19 98): 1–13. Print.

Friday, November 22, 2019

The relation between IM, Information Security and HRM Essay

The relation between IM, Information Security and HRM - Essay Example Software assurance is another aspect of information security. Software vulnerabilities can jeopardize intellectual property, consumer trust, business operations and services, thus the use of any software by the organization has to be in conjunction with the information security department, and these among others are some of the key roles information security plays in the safeguard of information in the Human resource departments. The paper also emphasizes the involvement of the top management in making information security an important part of the organization culture, need to establish a clear and effective information security policy and guidelines for employees. The absence of information security measures not only lead to theft, but the organization could suffer damage with minimal legal redress against the individuals concerned. In the end the paper discusses the need for an accurate measurement system and a continuous improvement policy to ensure the organization is abreast wit h the dynamic nature of the issue and is prepared to meet newer security concerns. Introduction Information management is a very vast concept; it includes a cycle of processes that supports firm’s learning activity by identifying, organizing, storing, processing and acquiring information (Choo, 1995). Information is one the most fundamental resources of an organization, one that needs to be managed like any other resource, like plant, equipment or people. Â  Forward-looking companies consider information as a strategic asset that can be leveraged into a competitive advantage in the markets served by the company (Karim & Hussein, 2008). Information, being such an important resource in an organization,... The paper affirm that the value of a firm’s investment in information security can be measured by examining the stock market investor’s behaviours towards firms IT security investment announcements. In examining the current business environment and the risks associated with it, it is important to include the role of Internet. The internet is one of the most critical infrastructures of a modern business. Firms have to take into account the broader picture when it comes to information security. Management of information in an effective manner is the only way to secure information. Board involvement is an absolutely critical issue and the top management should always play an active role in the formulation of the information security policy. Most of the times, the board members are not up to speed with the technology systems being used in the organization and what kind of attacks the company is vulnerable to. The board needs to be updated on the information security systems at least on a quarterly basis so that adequate measures can be taken to upgrade the systems, with the fast changing technologies; it has become imperative to remain in constant touch with the risks that the changing technological environment possesses. Comprehensive information security policies are well written, responsibilities are assigned and roles well outlined. Human resource department is responsible for managing human capital of an organization.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Labor issue paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6500 words

Labor issue paper - Essay Example Analysis of resemblance in cases where workers were reinstated and kept on the payroll, and features of cases where workers resigned, despite their intention to return, revealed that whether or not the workers were allowed an opportunity to argue about labor conditions with their employer in a group before their dismissal probably has a significant effect on the possibility of reinstatement. 1. Introduction Based on cross-country comparisons regarding which out of compensation and reinstatement is primarily granted as a remedy for unjust dismissal, it was revealed that remedies in Japan are reinstatement-centered. A ranking on a scale of one to four regarding the possibility of reinstatement in cases of unjust dismissal among 40 OECD and non-OECD countries shows that 9 countries, including Japan, are ranked first as countries where reinstatement is possible on almost every occasion. Some of the 9 countries also offer options for compensation depending upon types of dismissal and inte nt of workers2. However, in Japan, reinstatement is always possible regardless of types of dismissal and intent of workers and, therefore, it is safe to say that remedies in Japan are reinstatement-centered. In Japan, courts have decided that dismissal without rational reasons and social adequacy is not valid. Also, workers unjustly dismissed in Japan may claim compensation for damages. Further, it has been said that many workers do not choose the option to return to their former employer or quickly resign after reinstatement even if the court rejects the dismissal as invalid. This goes to show that reinstatement-centered remedies do not always entail high rate of actual reinstatement. How often does reinstatement take place and what are the decisive factors of reinstatement possibilities? Driven by these questions in mind, the author investigated how often reinstatement is realized and the effectiveness of reinstatement remedies in the past3. Though direct investigation of dismisse d workers was not possible in that investigative study, the author had a chance to hold interviews of dismissed workers later4. This study is aimed at describing decisive factors of possibilities of reinstatement5 that are implied by data acquired through the interviews survey. In Section 2, a brief overview of findings of Yamaguchi (2001) is provided and data used in this study are described. In Section 3, findings regarding the correlation between Japanese employment practices and reinstatement-centered remedies are reviewed. In Section 4 common factors among cases where returners keep working in their former organizations are considered. In Section 5, reasons workers did not return to their former positions despite their actions to the court for reinstatement are discussed. The last section is the conclusion. 2. Findings of Yamaguchi (2001) and Data Used in This Study For Yamaguchi (2001), the author could not directly contact the dismissed workers and, therefore, made questionna ire surveys and interviewed14 lawyers familiar with labor issues: 9 lawyers primarily working for workers and 5 lawyers primarily working for employers. This study defined the primary factors of possibilities of reinstatement as follows: (1) Employer factor: level of employer's acceptance of reinstatement; (2) Dismissed worker factor: (a) the fact that some workers seek to return to their job as a remedy but others do not, and (b) persistence

Monday, November 18, 2019

Narration Critiques Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Narration Critiques - Assignment Example In fact, I did not understand why the two officers visited the author. The most interesting part of the story is when a crowd started to gather during the fight. I think this was that part that the author should have made more emphasis because the crowd’s reaction would have made the story quite interesting. There was one interesting point that the author had talked about regarding the gender roles. The author argued that she did not understand why she was expelled just because she had punched a girl, while boys would fight in school and not get expelled. I agreed with the author because I believe that every case in college ought to be treated equally regardless of the gender. In conclusion, I would like to say that this was a average story that did not capture much of my attention. I think the author was merely trying to narrate a story about how and why she was expelled from school. Therefore, the author should have chosen a different

Saturday, November 16, 2019

What Is Animal Abuse?

What Is Animal Abuse? What is animal abuse. Animal abuse is a behavior that harming animals for other purposes and reasons other than self-protection and survival. This kind of cases is increasing year by year throughout the world every year. There are several factors that contribute to this cruel act. One of the factors that led to animal abuse is neglect. Nowadays, many people want to keep a pet just because the animals are cute. People see those cute animals such as puppy, kitten and rabbit through mass media. The mass media include advertisements and some TV shows. After they saw those cute and adorable animals they want to keep it as pet, so they go to the pet shop to buy. They never think twice before they bring those animals back to their home. They never think that they dont have time to take care their pets. This will causes harms to their pets. In this 21st century most of the peoples and families are busy with their work, and they dont have time feed and play with their pets. When their pet is sick, they dont even notice and do not have time to bring their pet to the veterinarians. As a result, this will lead to animal cruelty. Besides that, some of the TV shows and game shows also will lead to animal abuses. Some of the game shows will use animal as their selling point to attract viewers in order to boost up their viewership rating for the particular shows. Some of game shows even torture and hurt the animals in order to get good ratings for the show. For example, an American game show known as Fear Factor often uses animal to in their shows as a challenge to their game shows participants. In one of the episodes, the participants are required to use their mouth to move the snakes from one box to another box. This action will cause harm to the snakes and this is a very foolish and very unethical action done by human being. Another factor that will lead to animal abuse or animal cruelty is the science research. In this century, science is very important for human being. Science is important to human beings in term of medications, technologies and others. In order to make humans life easier a lots of researches and experiments need to be carry out. Some of these experiments will involve animals. For example, in order to produce or invent new medicines animal will be the first one who test the drugs for the side effects. Besides, for education purpose in school or university, students are required to dissect animals such as rats and frogs in biology class in order to understand more about the system and facts about those animals. Animal abuse happens in this case indirectly. In additions, stress and anger will is also one of the factors that will contribute to animal abuse. This phenomenon happens when someone got too stress from his work or studies and they have no way to release it, they will release it on their pets. Those people will torture their pets by not feeding their pet or even uses brutal strength such ass kick and hit their pets. Anger will also cause animal cruelty happens. When some weak people such as students got bullied and humiliate at school and they have no strength or power to protect and defend them self, they will get their revenge on animals by torturing them. They do this because they think those small animals like puppies and kittens are small and defenseless against them. Another factor that will lead to animal abuse is the psychological factor. Some people out there have psychology and mental problem. They want the power to control people and dominate people, but they are not capable enough. So, they try to dominate the animals and control the animals by giving order and punishment as they want. Another type of psychology problem some people like to see animal being torture or they personally like to torture animal themselves for personal satisfaction. This is a kind of disease or mental disorder. People with this kind of mental disorder are mostly having trauma during their childhood time. These people are most likely being abuse by their parents or being bullied in school time. These people need medication to control their condition or else they will get worse. Another psychology problem that led to animal cruelty is the people who bully the animal to seek for public attention. These people are those who are commonly neglect by the society. They fe el that they do not existence in the society and they feel that they are ignored. So they want to do something to let the public know about their existence. Some of these people will abuse and torture the animals to prove their existence in the society. Some of the parents will buy pets to accompany their children. Parents nowadays are busy with their works and do not have time to play with their children. So they buy a pet for them to accompany them to play with them and make them happy. But they never thought that their children do not how to take care the animals. Sometimes is not they want to abuse the animals, but the will they treat the animals like feeding them too much will indirectly causes harm to the animals. Another factor that will contribute to animal abuse is culture. Some of the culture will contribute to animal abuse. Those cultures are like a traditional festival for them and they must carry it out. For example Spains bulls fight festival. This festival is a very cruel and unethical festival. This festival is actually a festival that kills a bull to entertain audiences. Besides that, some of the people will even kill those animals just for the skin of the animal. For example, human being kills those snakes, crocodiles and bulls just for their skin to make wallets and handbags. Besides that, some human will also kill the animal for gaining personal profit. Shark fin is a very good example of animal cruelty. In order to get the shark fin, they will just cut off the fin of the shark and throw them back into the sea. The shark without the fin will hardly swim and eventually the sharks will die in the sea. Another example of this point is eating puppy or dogs. In China, they will slaughter the dogs and puppy in their shop and cook it for the customers. Eating dog is an unethical behavior to do. In addition, animal training may also lead to animal abuse. To train an animal to obey to a command is not an easy task or more precise is a very hard task. All animals are different. Some of the people may eventually hurt the animal without noticing when they are training the animals. Some of the training needs punishment to let the animals know or remember the move the people teach them. For example, in a circus, animal such as tiger, lion, and elephant need training before they can perform in front of the audience, during the training the people may hurt them without noticing because animals cant express themselves well. http://www.pet-abuse.com/pages/animal_cruelty/why.php http://voices.yahoo.com/animal-abuse-leading-causes-stop-it-6289042.html?cat=48 http://www.nhes.org/sections/view/330 http://tcr.sagepub.com/content/2/2/177.abstract http://www.sunbearsquad.org/risks.shtml

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

LASIK Surgery :: LASIK Surgery Essays

Seeing well without contact lenses and glasses is the dream of millions of Americans and modern medical science has enabled that dream to come true (Caster, 8). Since first grade, Dede Head, a 30-year-old fitness trainer in North Carolina, has worn glasses to correct sever nearsightedness and astigmatism. Over the years she became accustomed to wearing glasses and contacts, but this has limited many important aspects of her life, including sports. She then heard of a laser eye surgery that â€Å"supposedly†, helped to correct a person’s vision by means of lasers. She immediately signed up for the procedure and ever since that day, she has not worn glasses or contacts. Dede is just one of the eight hundred-fifty-thousand people who have undergone a procedure by the name of LASIK or Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis. If surgical procedures were movies, LASIK would be this years box office smash as it has received much media coverage and many praises; however, not that many peo ple know what LASIK is, what the advantages and disadvantages are, and most importantly if LASIK is right for them (Buratto, 1). LASIK is basically a type of laser surgery which can help correct nearsightedness (myopia), which is the inability to see distant objects, farsightnedness (hyperopia), which is the inability to see close, and astigmatism, the inability to focus light waves evenly. LASIK has grown greatly in the last year, mostly because of 4 reasons; it is fast (procedure takes about 5-10 minutes), safe, painless, and the results are almost always prolific. The eye is just like a camera because it works by focusing light waves that pass through it. Light rays that enter the eye must first pass through the most outer layer of the eye called the cornea. The cornea performs 2/3 of the focusing process, the remainder of is then completed by the crystalline lens which further focuses the light on the retina. This requires extreme precision in that the focused light must fall ex actly at the level of the retina (Gallo, 126). The retina is a nerve tissue that carpets the inner surface of the eye, much like wallpaper covers all aspects of a wall. The retina converts the light into electrical signals, which are transmitted to the brain by the optic nerve. Just as a camera cannot produce clear photographs of the image if the incoming light is not focused on the film, we cannot produce a clear vision if the cornea and crystalline lens do not focus the light precisely on the retina.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Social Inequality

Social Inequality Today, there are many stereotypes and discriminatory practices that act as barriers to a woman's advancement within the workplace. While it is undeniable that there are biological and physical differences between men and women, often times these differences are used to justify the unequal treatment of women not only in the workplace, but within society as a whole. Throughout history, women have often been viewed as the weaker sex and thus their place was thought to be within the home as the family caretaker.Unfortunately, these views continue to define the different social roles for men and women in the world today. This is an issue that almost everyone woman at some point in their life has had to face. Some may experience this unequal treatment at their work place, during their education, or in their everyday lives. Historically, a woman’s primary job was managing the household. As housewives who had no source of income besides that of what their husbands ea rned. In the public’s eye women were nothing more than wives, homemakers, caregivers, and mothers.It was not thought of for a woman to work a â€Å"real job† their place was at home taking care of the family. Throughout history women have struggled for equality. The Suffrage Movement and later the Affirmative Action were efforts to increase equality among genders. As the United States economy was changing to a more industrialized one it demanded more workers. While men were at war, the demand for workers needed for war production increased. Women decided to help out with war efforts by taking over the jobs left by men. This step was huge for women realizing their potential in the workplace.Prior to 1963 it was legal for a business to pay a woman performing similar work as a man a lower wage. It was also rare to find a woman in a position of authority in a workplace. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 required gender equality for payment of wages. From that point forward it was illegal for an employer to pay a woman a lower wage than a man simply because of her gender. A woman who suffers discrimination under the terms of this law may sue her employer in civil court to recover lost wages and punitive damages. A year later, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed.This granted equal rights to women in all areas of employment. Discrimination of any kind in the workplace based on gender was now illegal. The passing of the Civil Rights Act opened new career doors for women and supplied them with the legal support to do so. However, The Civil Rights Act was amended in 1991 when the federal government moved to include sexual harassment in the law's statutes. This revision allowed women to sue employers who permitted sexual harassment in the workplace for compensatory and punitive damages in court.This amendment to the Act did not stop sexual harassment in the workplace but it does help to empower women to fight back against the behavior. Even with these laws ther e is still a significant pay gap among men and women. For example in 2011, women working full time in the United States typically earned just 77 percent of what men earned, a gap of 23 percent. This gap has narrowed since the 1970s, due mainly to women’s progress in education and workforce participation and to men’s wages rising at a slower rate. The subject of equal pay is not only a woman’s issue but also the family’s issue.Families are relaying on women’s earning more than ever just to make ends meet. In typical married households, women’s incomes accounted for 36 percent of total family income in 2008, up from 29 percent in 1983. These days a large majority of mothers are in the paid labor force, and about one-third of employed mothers are the sole breadwinners for their families. For the 34 percent of working mothers who are the sole breadwinner for their family; either because they are single parents or their spouses is not in the labo r force.The gender pay gap can contribute to poor living conditions, poor nutrition, and fewer opportunities for their children. And for these women, closing the gender pay gap is much more than a point of pride it’s a matter of necessity. In 2011 women working full time made annual earnings of $37,118, while men annually made $48,202. Although statistics show the gender pay gap is smallest among the youngest workers. For instance, in 2010 full-time workers ages 16–19, women earned 95 percent of what men earned on a weekly basis.Among workers 65 years and older, women earned only 76 percent of what their male peers earned. Women typically earn more than 90 percent of what men earn until around the age of 35, at which point median earnings for women start to grow much more slowly than median earnings for men. After age 35, women’s median earnings fall to between 75 and 80 percent of the median earnings of men and remain there until retirement. When you look at ed ucation statistics you’ll see that more education is an effective tool for increasing earnings, but it is not an effective tool against the gender pay gap.At every level of academic achievement, women’s median earnings are less than men’s median earnings, and in some cases, the gender pay gap is larger at higher levels of education. While more education is an effective tool for increasing earnings, it is not an effective tool against the gender pay gap. In nearly every line of work, women face a pay gap no matter their education background or training. While a pay gap exists in nearly every occupational field, jobs traditionally associated with men tend to pay better than traditional female jobs, regardless of skill required.Even in 2012, women and men still tend to work in different kinds of jobs. This segregation of occupations is a major factor behind the pay gap. A significant part of the problem with workplace inequality is that women, throughout history ha ve traditionally assumed the responsibility of child-rearing. As a result, women's work outside the home is still seen as secondary or supplemental, even when they occupy highly skilled, professional, or management positions. The reasoning is that the Father's responsibility is with employment, while the Mother's is with the household.However, this is increasingly no longer the case in modern society. Employers often perceive working mothers as confronting a conflict of loyalty between home and work, and assume that these women, regardless of their circumstances, will lack the commitment required of the â€Å"ideal worker,† and thus they often exclude women as candidates for positions structured for such workers. Studies have shown that often times when a woman has to take a leave of absence from her job to meet family responsibilities, these absences have hurt their potential for future advancement within their organizations and others.Some businesses feel women will place t heir professional lives on hold in order to attend to family needs. This however is not always the case. If needed there should be a child care facilities on site, which should provide flexible working arrangements and hours. I personally believe that woman can balance the two lives, if the company is willing to provide assistance. There is experimental research documented showing that employers are less likely to hire mothers compared with childless women, and when employers do make an offer to a mother, they offer them lower salaries than they do other women.Fathers, in contrast, do not suffer a penalty compared with other men. Clearly, parenthood often affects men and women very differently in terms of labor force participation and how they are viewed by employers, and that difference may be reflected in a worker’s salary. According to the U. S. Department of Labor, more than 50% of women participate in the labor force. Of those 57 million in the workforce, only 72% work f ull time while the other 28% are part time workers. Many of those part-time workers hold multiple jobs.Even though women occupy more jobs than before, we can still a concentration in jobs being viewed as traditionally female. The top five occupations for women in 2003 were secretaries and administrative assistants (96. 3%), elementary and middle school teachers (80. 6%), registered nurses (90. 2%), nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides (89%), and cashiers (75. 5%). Women continue to get paid less than men. Despite the awareness of gender inequality, there are still arguments about gender difference and assumptions that women and men are from different plants.The workplace still remains an unequal area, by persistent sex segregation, wage inequality, sex discrimination, and sexual harassment. Both women and men work, not only because they have to but want to. Employers should not judge women as being non-dependable. Family structure has changed dramatically over the years. Both parents share the family responsibilities. To compensate for the change businesses have introduced flextime, job sharing, telecommuting, on-site day care, and parental leave.Employers should accommodate a woman’s needs and expand the gender diversity in their company. There was a time where balance of respect and roles never existed between the two, but today, both men and women are truly redefining themselves and their relationships with each other. Most importantly women have broken from the bondage of dependence on men. They no longer have to submit themselves to one main role in the family life as the mother; they can now go beyond that and become the family breadwinner. Social Inequality Social Inequality Today, there are many stereotypes and discriminatory practices that act as barriers to a woman's advancement within the workplace. While it is undeniable that there are biological and physical differences between men and women, often times these differences are used to justify the unequal treatment of women not only in the workplace, but within society as a whole. Throughout history, women have often been viewed as the weaker sex and thus their place was thought to be within the home as the family caretaker.Unfortunately, these views continue to define the different social roles for men and women in the world today. This is an issue that almost everyone woman at some point in their life has had to face. Some may experience this unequal treatment at their work place, during their education, or in their everyday lives. Historically, a woman’s primary job was managing the household. As housewives who had no source of income besides that of what their husbands ea rned. In the public’s eye women were nothing more than wives, homemakers, caregivers, and mothers.It was not thought of for a woman to work a â€Å"real job† their place was at home taking care of the family. Throughout history women have struggled for equality. The Suffrage Movement and later the Affirmative Action were efforts to increase equality among genders. As the United States economy was changing to a more industrialized one it demanded more workers. While men were at war, the demand for workers needed for war production increased. Women decided to help out with war efforts by taking over the jobs left by men. This step was huge for women realizing their potential in the workplace.Prior to 1963 it was legal for a business to pay a woman performing similar work as a man a lower wage. It was also rare to find a woman in a position of authority in a workplace. The Equal Pay Act of 1963 required gender equality for payment of wages. From that point forward it was illegal for an employer to pay a woman a lower wage than a man simply because of her gender. A woman who suffers discrimination under the terms of this law may sue her employer in civil court to recover lost wages and punitive damages. A year later, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed.This granted equal rights to women in all areas of employment. Discrimination of any kind in the workplace based on gender was now illegal. The passing of the Civil Rights Act opened new career doors for women and supplied them with the legal support to do so. However, The Civil Rights Act was amended in 1991 when the federal government moved to include sexual harassment in the law's statutes. This revision allowed women to sue employers who permitted sexual harassment in the workplace for compensatory and punitive damages in court.This amendment to the Act did not stop sexual harassment in the workplace but it does help to empower women to fight back against the behavior. Even with these laws ther e is still a significant pay gap among men and women. For example in 2011, women working full time in the United States typically earned just 77 percent of what men earned, a gap of 23 percent. This gap has narrowed since the 1970s, due mainly to women’s progress in education and workforce participation and to men’s wages rising at a slower rate. The subject of equal pay is not only a woman’s issue but also the family’s issue.Families are relaying on women’s earning more than ever just to make ends meet. In typical married households, women’s incomes accounted for 36 percent of total family income in 2008, up from 29 percent in 1983. These days a large majority of mothers are in the paid labor force, and about one-third of employed mothers are the sole breadwinners for their families. For the 34 percent of working mothers who are the sole breadwinner for their family; either because they are single parents or their spouses is not in the labo r force.The gender pay gap can contribute to poor living conditions, poor nutrition, and fewer opportunities for their children. And for these women, closing the gender pay gap is much more than a point of pride it’s a matter of necessity. In 2011 women working full time made annual earnings of $37,118, while men annually made $48,202. Although statistics show the gender pay gap is smallest among the youngest workers. For instance, in 2010 full-time workers ages 16–19, women earned 95 percent of what men earned on a weekly basis.Among workers 65 years and older, women earned only 76 percent of what their male peers earned. Women typically earn more than 90 percent of what men earn until around the age of 35, at which point median earnings for women start to grow much more slowly than median earnings for men. After age 35, women’s median earnings fall to between 75 and 80 percent of the median earnings of men and remain there until retirement. When you look at ed ucation statistics you’ll see that more education is an effective tool for increasing earnings, but it is not an effective tool against the gender pay gap.At every level of academic achievement, women’s median earnings are less than men’s median earnings, and in some cases, the gender pay gap is larger at higher levels of education. While more education is an effective tool for increasing earnings, it is not an effective tool against the gender pay gap. In nearly every line of work, women face a pay gap no matter their education background or training. While a pay gap exists in nearly every occupational field, jobs traditionally associated with men tend to pay better than traditional female jobs, regardless of skill required.Even in 2012, women and men still tend to work in different kinds of jobs. This segregation of occupations is a major factor behind the pay gap. A significant part of the problem with workplace inequality is that women, throughout history ha ve traditionally assumed the responsibility of child-rearing. As a result, women's work outside the home is still seen as secondary or supplemental, even when they occupy highly skilled, professional, or management positions. The reasoning is that the Father's responsibility is with employment, while the Mother's is with the household.However, this is increasingly no longer the case in modern society. Employers often perceive working mothers as confronting a conflict of loyalty between home and work, and assume that these women, regardless of their circumstances, will lack the commitment required of the â€Å"ideal worker,† and thus they often exclude women as candidates for positions structured for such workers. Studies have shown that often times when a woman has to take a leave of absence from her job to meet family responsibilities, these absences have hurt their potential for future advancement within their organizations and others.Some businesses feel women will place t heir professional lives on hold in order to attend to family needs. This however is not always the case. If needed there should be a child care facilities on site, which should provide flexible working arrangements and hours. I personally believe that woman can balance the two lives, if the company is willing to provide assistance. There is experimental research documented showing that employers are less likely to hire mothers compared with childless women, and when employers do make an offer to a mother, they offer them lower salaries than they do other women.Fathers, in contrast, do not suffer a penalty compared with other men. Clearly, parenthood often affects men and women very differently in terms of labor force participation and how they are viewed by employers, and that difference may be reflected in a worker’s salary. According to the U. S. Department of Labor, more than 50% of women participate in the labor force. Of those 57 million in the workforce, only 72% work f ull time while the other 28% are part time workers. Many of those part-time workers hold multiple jobs.Even though women occupy more jobs than before, we can still a concentration in jobs being viewed as traditionally female. The top five occupations for women in 2003 were secretaries and administrative assistants (96. 3%), elementary and middle school teachers (80. 6%), registered nurses (90. 2%), nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides (89%), and cashiers (75. 5%). Women continue to get paid less than men. Despite the awareness of gender inequality, there are still arguments about gender difference and assumptions that women and men are from different plants.The workplace still remains an unequal area, by persistent sex segregation, wage inequality, sex discrimination, and sexual harassment. Both women and men work, not only because they have to but want to. Employers should not judge women as being non-dependable. Family structure has changed dramatically over the years. Both parents share the family responsibilities. To compensate for the change businesses have introduced flextime, job sharing, telecommuting, on-site day care, and parental leave.Employers should accommodate a woman’s needs and expand the gender diversity in their company. There was a time where balance of respect and roles never existed between the two, but today, both men and women are truly redefining themselves and their relationships with each other. Most importantly women have broken from the bondage of dependence on men. They no longer have to submit themselves to one main role in the family life as the mother; they can now go beyond that and become the family breadwinner.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

How democratic is the constitution essays

How democratic is the constitution essays How democratic is the constitution? Well to get that retort you must first look at what democracy means. It is a word whose meaning has altered over the years. Then you must remember that the constitution itself has been changed since it was written. You should also take a look at the possible motives our founding fathers had when writing it. What were they looking to gain? What did they want to be in command of in the new government? If you put all of that together you should have a pretty good idea how democratic the constitution really is. Or you can just read listen to me right now. In the days of the great Roman Empire everyone was involved in the government. They would all gather and discuss what is going on in the town and what needs to change and how it could be changed. Their classification of democracy was about everyone getting their hands on the process. Gordon Woods essay Democracy and Constitution he writes It meant literally government by the people, referring in the strictest sense to political gatherings of the people in person in town meetings and the like. (7-8). Now with our new America this democracy wouldnt work that well. We as a nation had too many people spread over too much land. There was no place to hold that many people back then let alone now plus it would take months for one and all to get there. It would just not be feasible. Wood goes on to say what was needed to be done by the Founding fathers, ... Americans recognized as democratic the modern refinement of representation, which allowed elected agents to participate in government i n place of the people. (8). He goes on to say that what we installed was a mixed republic with democratic elements (8). A representative democracy is what we like to call it. This new way of democracy was what our constitution would have to be of. When it comes to motivation for the founding fathers you can break it into tw...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Hot Career Trucking Dispatcher

Hot Career Trucking Dispatcher though trucking is one of the most in-demand professions today due to the increasing demands of local shipping needs, the newest, shiniest fleet of big rigs can’t run itself- it needs drivers, and just as important, it needs dispatchers! and, as the folks at careersingear.com know, it needs good dispatchers.dispatchers typically have the following responsibilities:arranging loads for pickup and delivery and coordinating with the driversdetermining which truckers and vehicles are appropriate for each load (looking at both vehicle specifications and driver qualifications)determining routes for drivers making multiple stopsscheduling loads by urgencyusing radio/cb, phone and computer to distribute assignmentsgathering data for reports, records, and vehicle logs to compile statisticssome dispatchers work locally or regionally, and others specialize in long-distance hauls- their purview may include coordinating with different forms of transportation, such as barges, planes and trac tor-trailers.a great dispatcher will also be good with people, have a cool head in a stressful situation, be well-organized and efficient, focused and flexible, and be prepared to adapt quickly to changes on the job. as of may 2014, the job salary ranges from $38k to $60k a year, depending on employer and the specialized responsibilities of the individual dispatchers.the majority of dispatchers can be found in california, texas, new york, florida, and illinois. 80% of dispatchers have their high school diploma or ged; there is no college course of study, but you can sign up for specific training program or train on the job. plenty of truckers recommend gaining some experience on the road before stepping behind the mic- it’ll build your credibility and provide valuable situational expertise.apply here:  top trucking dispatcher jobs  salary and job outlook of dispatchers for trucking companiesread more at news.careersingear.com

Monday, November 4, 2019

Comparing Human Resource Management in Multinational Companies in Hong Literature review

Comparing Human Resource Management in Multinational Companies in Hong Kong, and HRM in Hong Kong Local Companies - Literature review Example Their study was carried out to cover how local managers and professionals are managed in Western companies under joint ventures with local industries. Their study was able to cover 65 Chinese-Western joint ventures and they were able to establish that various Western human resources management have been implemented in China (Bjorkman and Lu, 1999). However, these companies were not able to completely implement human resources practices from their home country to their Chinese company. In other words, the local culture seems to play a huge part in the human resource management practices in Chinese companies. Sparrow and Hiltrop (1994) discuss that for Western companies, the assessment of performance are usually based on annual interviews between the individual and his or her superior, sometimes with the HR managers taking some part in the assessment process. For Chinese companies, individual employees usually take yearly self-assessment activities with the opinions of colleagues, subo rdinates, and superiors often considered in the evaluation process. One-on-one interviews as discussed by (Easterby-Smith, et.al., 1995) are not usual practices. Easterby-Smith, et.al., (1995) also point out that an imposing and personal approach to employee evaluation is avoided as much as possible for these Chinese companies. For MNCs operating in China, their HR practices are often influenced significantly, especially in relation to their local employees. The expectation for most local employees is for the application of their local culture in HR management and for multinational corporations (MNCs) the concessions would be an easier transition for them to make (Easterby-Smith, et.al., 1995). Child (1995) also discusses the focus given to individual performance and educational attainment predicting career development for Chinese firms. Moreover, favourable personal relations and the right political attitude seem to play also a strong role in the human resources management in Hong Kong firms. Favourable personal relations are part of the cornerstone of the Chinese culture which is also part of the socialist principles of management (Child, 1995). Wages have traditionally been managed by government bodies and age was often considered one of the most crucial predictors of employees’ earnings in government enterprises. In the 1990s, age became the more important determinant for earnings. More advanced education and training was also considered an important determinant for pay levels (Child, 1995). MNCs operated under these conditions and eventually influenced the determinants of pay levels in Asian companies. However, there are still differences in the management of these elements for local companies and MNCs in China because there is still resistance to the implementation of reform in the system, especially in relation to group incentive processes (Easterby-Smith, et.al., 1995). Bjorkman and Lu (1999) also emphasize that Western and Chinese models in HRM are different in various respects. For modern Western conceptualization of HRM, they consider employees as important resources which must be effectively managed. They consider the importance of systematic recruitment as well as training and development of human resources. They also consider personal involvement and participation in organizations as important

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Fraud And Errors of the Companys Financial Statement Case Study

Fraud And Errors of the Companys Financial Statement - Case Study Example Finally, the detection risk which analyses the risk that auditors’ procedures would fail to detect a material error (Hall, 2013, pp. 691). Accsys Technology PLC is a chemical technology group quoted on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) on the UK stock exchange. It develops and commercialises a range of transformational technologies that are based on the acetylating of wooden elements, such as particles, wood chips and fibres, and solid use for us as a leading, environmentally sustainable, construction materials. Analysis of the company’s most recent financial statements indicates some anomalies that need further investigations. These areas include revenue, gross profits, and remuneration whose balances show a large positive difference in 2014 as compared to 2013. Material misstatements in the financial statements are often as a result of an overstatement or understatement of revenues. It is crucial for auditors to presume that there are risks in revenue recognition. From the quantitative analysis (Appendix 1) it is clear that the company’s total revenue had materially increased by 78% in 2014 as compared to that reported in the year 2013. According to the financial director, the increase had been attributed to a 61% increase in Acoya revenue because of an increase in sales to Medite. This increase in sales to Medite is because the company had finished its built up stock which it was still utilizing earlier. There was also an increase in license income from Solvay and other revenues such as the sale of acetic acid. According to the financial statements, the increase in total revenue was as a result of an increase in revenues in the UK and Ireland by 183.70% (Appendix 2). This was further explained by an increase in revenue generated fro m one customer who represented 43% of this revenue and exceeded 10% of the group’s revenue. This area creates an audit risk because in 2013 the revenue generated from a customer did not exceed 10% of the Group’s revenue.  Ã‚