Keane †Perfect Symmetry free essay sample

Five seconds into Keane’s third album, you realize this isn’t the same band that takes credit for quiet contemporary singles like â€Å"Somewhere Only We Know† and â€Å"Is It Any Wonder?† which became popular on FM mix stations. â€Å"Perfect Symmetry† catapults British piano-rock band Keane from the drab pop genre into the dazzling, increasingly hip indie crowd. Their new sound is more like The Killers than the pre-â€Å"Viva La Vida† Coldplay vibe of their first two albums, â€Å"Hopes and Fears† and â€Å"Under the Iron Sea.† Tom Chaplin still sings about the same deep, sensitive topics as in previous albums, but with a more hopeful, positive point of view. â€Å"Perfect Symmetry† makes you want to get up and dance rather than sit around and feel sorry for yourself. â€Å"Pretend That You’re Alone† begins as a fun yet modest beat, then turns into a disco phenomenon. â€Å"Better Than This† is bouncy, synthesized, quirky, and differs most from Keane’s previous work. We will write a custom essay sample on Keane – Perfect Symmetry or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page â€Å"Perfect Symmetry† is a genuinely fun, creative album, yet still hangs on to Keane’s powerful, heart-wrenching roots.

Unit 3 2 Essay

Unit 3 2 Essay Unit 3 2 Essay tfurthe Negligence is a term used in civil law when breaches in health and safety have occurred and have resulted in injury or harm to another person or to property. Negligence claims are closely related to duty of care. To be able to win a claim for negligence, you need to have been owed a duty of care by the person who caused the harm or damage; you must be able to show that the duty of care was breached and that the injury or damage was a result of the breach of duty of care. The common defences that are used against negligence claims are that the injury or damage was caused by an unforeseen accident or that the injury or damage occurred when the claimant volunteered to take the risk or when the claimant was also responsible for the damage. Recently there has been an increased interest in negligence in sports events where players have been injured and made claims against other players. As a general rule of thumb, anything that occurs within the rules of the game as stated by that sports’ governing body cannot be classed as negligent. Anything that occurs outside the rules of the governing body, but within the accepted playing culture for the sport, cannot be classed as negligent. Any incident that occurs outside the rules of the sport and outside the accepted Negligence It is recognised that there is a higher duty of care owed to children and young people and this is something that those working in sport with children and young people must reflect. An example of this is the Occupier’s Liability Act (1957). This requires that ‘an occupier must be prepared for children to be less careful than adults would be in a similar situation’. This consideration should be even greater if a child is known to have learning difficulties or a medical condition that may make them more vulnerable than the average child to foreseeable risk of harm. Higher dutj of care Sports Coach UK provides guidance for sports coaches relating to duty of care. Research the Sports Coach UK guidelines to improve your knowledge of duty of care within a sporting context. Duty of care BTEC BTEC’S own resources - Local authorities a typical local authority will have a role in the health and safety in sports facilities such as leisure centres. The roles can be seen in Figure 3.5 on page 71. Other regulatorg bodies A regulatory body or competent authority is an organisation recognised by a national government as being the body responsible for the regulation and! or approval of processes in a specific area. There are many regulatory bodies appropriate to sport and safety, some of which may work together to ensure that safety in sports activities is achieved. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) looks at people’s health and safety at work. The different roles of the HSE can be seen in Figure 3.4 on page 71. The HSE visits properties and facilities owned by local authorities such as sports arenas and swimming pools, and works with local authorities to enforce health and safety legislation. Appropriate to ali activities There are regulatory bodies that are appropriate to all activities and some that are appropriate to specific

Why is a historically significant of US Slavery Essay

Why is a historically significant of US Slavery - Essay Example This is historically significant because it had a long term effect upon the place of black Americans in society right into the mid- 20th century, affecting for instance their rights to vote as full American citizens. Whether or not treatment of Afro-Americans can have ever have been considered humane depends upon your definition of the words ’humane’ and ‘human’. Justifiable Slavery Slavery has been described on more than one occasion as a crime against humanity, 1 but this idea has not always been the prevailing one. When the first Europeans shipped slaves from Africa the practice was already a long established as a norm in society on that continent. The Europeans were merely taking advantage of what was made available to them. Then gradually the trade increased, with traders offering good prices for more and more slaves to work in the newly discovered lands of the New World. It is estimated that some 10 million black Africans were eventually landed and sold on as slaves - this estimate of course does not any account of the massive numbers who died before arrival. It is relatively easy in the early 21st century to believe that slavery is wrong and find it hard to comprehend why people ever thought it was justifiable, especially if one reads the many accounts of the cruelty and horrors which were often involved. It is such stories which tend to stand out, rather than the ones were a slave was an established part of a household and community. There was obvious inequality, unfairness and modern man may feel this was not justified, being unable to fully put themselves into their shoes, but the people of earlier times just did not have the same mind set. Many of those who were slave holders were sincere Christians and could quote the scriptures which apparently backed up their position. This was backed up by their clergy. The Old Testament had laws as to how slaves should be treated e.g. Exodus 21 v 5 which refers to servants who did not want to leave their masters. Deuteronomy 15 v 11 onwards were taken as instructions as how to treat them i.e. pr ovide for them. Verses such as Exodus 21 v 20 were used to justify the beating of slaves. In the New Testament there are verses such as Ephesians 6 v 5 ‘Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear.’ and Titus 2 v 9 ‘Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything.’3 These ideas were not just based upon the Bible, but were generally accepted . Great thinkers such as Aristotle claimed that :- We see what is the nature and office of a slave; he who is by nature not his own but another's man, is by nature a slave; and he may be said to be another's man who, being a human being, is also a possession.4 He does however also say ‘Is not all slavery a violation of nature’, but decides that it is not, on the grounds that some are natural leaders and others naturally subservient. It should be pointed out that this was not racial prejudice, but simply refers to weaker people, perhaps captured in times of war. . Thomas Aquinas, operati ng within a rather different society – one of medieval feudalism, took a similar position – leaders and led.5 Philosopher John Locke in the 17th century was concerned with the way that the British monarchs were treating their people - the British i.e. white people, could not become slaves of the Stuarts he maintained, but on the other hand

Disappearing Technology of the Twentieth Century Essay

Disappearing Technology of the Twentieth Century - Essay Example Steam locomotive being the most influential example of steam engine technology, its disappearance from the modern railroad deserves to be reflected on. According to Lindqvist, the general perception about history of technology holds that â€Å"the initial stages of growth and development of new technologies are far more interesting than the boring routine maintenance and depressing dismantling of older technological systems.†1 However, research on older technological systems helps us not only to analyse the dynamics of industrial demands but also to understand the contemporary political and social values. Moreover, economic analysis of the decline of a technological system may have extremely useful implications for the future technologies. This paper is divided into four major parts: Introduction, Literature Review, Analysis and Conclusion. Reputable scholarly resources and contemporary literature of twentieth century have been used for research and reflection on the topic. Ca ses of USA and UK have been discussed with special emphasis. Research Question: Give an account of a disappearing technology of the twentieth century. Why has its use decreased? Literature Review The steam engines have been part of a gigantic technological system which dominated the world almost throughout the twentieth century. ... acilitated political organisation, industrial production and transportation, Theoretical Perspective: Innovation can be regarded as the driving force of technological development which is designed to meet the socio-economic demands of the populace. So, too much emphasis on the developmental phase of a technological system may appear to be natural; but this is not a wise option always.2 â€Å"We know, for example, more about the first automobiles and the infancy of the automobile industry than we know about the dominating transportation technologies at the same period.†3 But the importance of an older technological system lies in the fact that it may not be necessarily abandoned at the introduction of a new system. Although cases of exponential decline of a technology are known, older and modern technologies do exist in our world side by side. Illustrating the American charcoal industry, Schallenberg has put forward that evolution, adaptation and survival are the key phases in the life cycle of a technology which may eventually culminate at a slow or exponential decline.4 In the case of steam engine technology, the pace of phasing out the steam locomotives has been fast in some countries (e.g., Britain, USA, etc.) and slow in some other countries (e.g. India, China, etc.). The extent of once powerful steam engine technology has been truly international and impressive. Evolution of Steam Locomotives: Steam locomotive capable of passenger conveyance was invented by the British engineer George Stephenson in 1825. Hence UK can be regarded as the first country in the world that developed its steam powered railway system. In USA, steam locomotive was first operated in the year 1829. Subsequently, locomotive manufacturing industry started off in the country. In the 1830s and

Testing Drugs On Animals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Testing Drugs On Animals - Essay Example The American Medical Association has stated that it believes that research involving animals is essential to maintaining and improving the health of human beings. They point out that all advances in medical science in the 20th century, from antibiotics to organ transplants, has been achieved either directly or indirectly through the use of animals in laboratory experiments. Arguments for animal experimentation may question the morality, necessity, and validity of these studies. The moral issue on animal experimentations concerns the need to protect human life and to improve the quality of life. The gains in human health and well being outweigh the cost in animal suffering which nonetheless should be kept to a minimum, in this viewpoint. It would be immoral to conduct such tests on humans, and so animals serve as our stand-ins for many kinds of testing and research. Those who support animal testing may care deeply about animals but don't place them on an equal status with humans. Research on animals may be deemed necessary for a variety of reasons: to develop vaccines and treatments and cures for diseases, to ensure that new products are safe to use. Such as making sure that they won't blind us, burn our skin, or even kill us and to help students, especially prospective doctors, veterinarians, and so on, learn their way around a body. Animals do make good research subjects for many purposes and research on them can tell us a great deal about ourselves. Animals are, in many ways, biologically similar to humans and are susceptible to many of the same health problems. Some species may serve as particularly good models for certain aspects of human health or physiology. Much of what we know about the immune system, for example, has come from studies with mice, and much of what we know about the cardiovascular system has come from studies with dogs. Many heart surgery techniques, such as coronary bypass surgery, artificial heart valve insertion, and pacemaker implants, were studied first in dogs before being used in people. (Jean Swingle Greek, DVM and C. Ray Greek, MD) Animals may make even better research subjects than humans in some regards. Furthermore, scientists can control certain aspects of an animal's environment, diet, temperature, lighting, and so on, more easily than would be possible with people. Supporters of the use of animals in research argue that alternative methods can't fully replace the use of animals, and may never do so. Neither cells grown outside a body nor computer programs can predict the complex interactions that occur in an entire living system. Countless medical treatments, techniques, and technologies have come about, at least in part, through animal experimentation. The development of immunization against such diseases as polio, diphtheria, mumps, measles, rubella, pertussis, and hepatitis all involved research on animals, as did the discovery of insulin and the study of diabetes. Animal research also has played a part in the development of organ transplantation, hip replacement, chemotherapy, cardiac pacemakers, coro nary bypass surgery, ongoing efforts to understand and treat AIDS and Alzheimer's disease, and more. Arguments against animal testing may also question the morality, the necessity, or the validity of these studies. That is, whether we have the right to perform such

The Once and Future King by T. H. White | Symbolism

The Once and Future King by T. H. White | Symbolism The importance of symbolism in literature should not be underemphasized because it links the concrete everyday experiences of our lives with more significant interpretations the author applies to those experiences. Symbols are a major element in how literature works.(Oldham) Symbolism is used by T. H. White throughout The Once and Future King, and each of the symbols used enhances and adds depth to the story. The Questing Beast is more than a monster; it represents meaningless quests.(Ogden-Korus) The sword is more than a weapon; it is a symbol for all that is honorable and courageous in Arthurian legend.(Lozon) The Round Table is not merely a piece of furniture that King Arthur chose to place in his castle; it is a symbol representing the ideals of knighthood and Arthurs leadership style.(Lupack) The Holy Grail is not only a pursued treasure; it represents a promise of a new beginning.(Howard) Symbolism in The Once and Future King is important because of the enhanced depth and meani ng it gives to the story as can be seen in the Questing Beast, the sword, the Round Table, and the Holy Grail. Symbolism is often difficult to interpret in literature because symbols can have complex meanings which go beyond their literal or a single meaning. In truth, the most expressive symbols in literature do represent a range of meanings. This often confuses and frustrates readers and results in them failing to appreciate the full meaning and depth of a literary work.(Ricouer) For example, a flag can be much more than a symbol representing a particular country. For many people, a flag can symbolize abstract ideas about the ideals of what that country represents to them.(Ohio University) When the complex meanings of the symbols in The Once and Future King are discovered, a new level of understanding is gained by the reader. It becomes apparent that not only is the story about the Arthurian legend, it is about the spirit and ideals that are represented by that legend. The Questing Beast is an iconic symbol of Arthurian legend.(Batt) As implied by its name, its function is to be the object of quests. This beast, with a monstrous barking noise coming from its stomach, is often described as having a leopards body, a serpents head, a lions hindquarters, and a deers feet. In The Once and Future King, T. H. White uses this misunderstood creature to explain Pellinores quest for the beast and to symbolize that there is really no good reason for Pellinore to spend a large part of his life in this quest. Pellinore holds no real personal anger against the beast, and pursues him only because everyone in his family has always done so. Pellinores long search symbolizes all the pointless knightly pursuits encouraged by chivalry ungrounded in the belief might makes right. The unlikely body parts which form this beast symbolize the chaos of those pursuits.(Ogden-Korus) When the reader understands the symbolism in the Questing Beast, a new meaning and depth is give n to the story. The life depicted by the knights and, in turn, many quests sought by people are often fruitless endeavors with no real purpose. While the symbolism in the Questing Beast represents fruitlessness, the symbolism in the sword is much different. The mystical sword of King Arthur is a weapon of great physical and magical powers, and is one of the most famous items associated with Arthurian legend. It, however, is more than a weapon. In the sword is symbolized everything that is noble and valiant in the world. It is a symbol of strength, pride, power, and the authority one man can command to bring an entire nation under his rule.(Lozon) Such swords are made so that only a few or one specific person can use them effectively because they are a symbol of divine kingship. In T. H. Whites The once and Future King, the words engraved on the sword are Whoso Pulleth Out This Sword of this Stone and Anvil, is Rightwise King Born of All England.(p. 197) Arthurs ability to pull the sword from the stone proves his worthiness as a leader and his acceptance of all the responsibility that such leadership entails.(Lai) The sword i s really a test used to distinguish outer physical strength from an inner morality, and only the worthy posses that quality.(Lai) Understanding the symbolism of the sword in The Once and Future King gives depth to what are the true qualities of power and leadership in the world and the responsibilities that accompany that leadership. Comparatively, the true qualities of power and leadership are further symbolized in The Once and Future King by the Round Table. In the story, the table is not merely the physical object around which Arthur and his knights sit, it is the physical representation of the equality among them. Its round shape symbolizes fairness and justice for all. When seated around the table, no one could claim more importance than another. (Lupack) The great sense of equality depicted by the Round Table can be found in Robert Waces poem, Le Roman de Brut. Arthur fashioned the Round Table Of which many tales are told There sit his knights, Each one equal to the next: They sit equally at the Table And are equally served. None of them can boast That he sits ahead of the next. None has a favored position, And none is excluded.(9751-60) An understanding of the sense of equality symbolized by the Round Table enables the reader to realize the importance in the shape of the table. Further symbolized in the shape of the table is the entire order of knighthood and the code of chivalry to which the knights committed themselves in their lives and in the pursuits they followed. This code of fairness was expressed by many characteristics including courtesy, honor, and loyalty.(Lupack) Each of these characteristics stress the importance of leading a moral and righteous life. Through an understanding of the symbolism in the Round Table, the reader gains a deeper appreciation for the importance of right makes right and the necessity of equality in life and its quests. Regardless of ones quests in life, the aim of each is to obtain a treasure. In The Once and Future King, an important treasure sought is the Holy Grail. Reading the story without understanding the symbolic meaning of the Holy Grail leads one to believe that it is simply a cup. Understanding the symbolism, however, leads to a much deeper appreciation of the significance of this treasure: its promise for a new beginning in life. The hardships involved in obtaining that promise are reflected in the degree of difficulty it takes to achieve it. Most people would prefer to cling to the familiar, no matter how unsatisfying it may be, rather than face the new. The desire and the ability to strive for change distinguishes the hero from the rest of humanity. (Howard) Looking at the symbolic meaning of the Holy Grail gives the reader a better understanding of all that can be achieved through the quests in ones life. In conclusion, although it is often difficult to interpret symbolism in literature, it is important to do so in The Once and Future King because of the enhanced depth and meaning the reader can gain from the story. From the Questing Beast, the reader learns that might does not necessarily make right. The qualities of honorable and valiant leaders can be discovered in the sword. The Round Table supports the ideal that right does means right. Finally, the symbolism in the Holy Grail uncovers a new meaning to the quests that one attempts in life. Indeed, symbolism in literature should not be seen as frustrating. Instead, it should be viewed as exciting because it opens doors to additional reading, rereading, and discussion. This, in turn, gives a further insight and meaning to literature. Symbolism, through the many layers of meaning it conveys, gives literature its deep and lasting qualities.

Music Therapy for Autistic Children :: Music, Music Therapy

When a child is diagnosed with autism, one thing that is noted is the lack of eye contact. Music therapy works to help this in numerous ways. When the therapist starts at the child’s level, according to the British Colombian Music therapy association, they can base what needs to be done and how to do it off of where the child is and after many sessions, where they are now (M-7). According to a report in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, â€Å"Eye contact – this refers to an event where child looks at therapist while playing, manipulating† (E-7). A way that in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders is using music therapy instead of play therapy as it increases turn taking and eye contact more than when play therapy is used (E-4). Eye Contact was even proved to be held longer during this study when the child was participating in music therapy activities than when they were in regular play activities(E-1). When a mother was quoted on the British Columbian Music Therapy website, she stated that the â€Å"skills and abilities acquired in the music therapy setting generalize widely across situations. VII. Turn Taking The music therapist has to reach the child to be able to interact with them and help them. When the child feels free and unthreatened, the British Colombian Music Therapy association says that they get more out of the session. When they are not being told don’t this, don’t do that, and NO for everything they do to express themselves. Music therapy gives them that way to express themselves without being yelled at and told NO (M-8). The Tympo and Rhythm of the instruments is not just a way for the children express themselves, it even stops reminding them of when they were in the womb. The British Colombia MTA states that the tympo and Rhythm gets the child to progress from the rocking motion when they were in the womb and as a baby. It gives them a new independent feel (M-6). As music therapy is one of the cutting edge therapies according to Ken Siri and Tony Lyons, this helps develop motor skills for the child to interact with the instruments (A-2). According to an article in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, â€Å"Turn Taking – This refers to an event involving a sequence of turns to play alternating between the child and Therapist.

Motivation Project Essay

The drive to achieve goals is being motivated. Motivational theories are the processes to reach those goals. Being a new student in Caitlin’s situation is difficult. Catlin seems like she could be doing better. She isn’t pushing herself to her fullest. She lacks the desire to. Caitlin lacks a few of the things required for self-actualization; per her situation she is in she lacks a lot of motivation. She needs to find something worth achieving the grade for. She hasn’t achieved all the spots on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs; achievement motivation and neither intrinsic nor extrinsic motivation apply. Caitlin seems to have only hit a few points on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs chart. She lacks self-actualization, esteem and love/belonging. She doesn’t seem to know herself. She seems to be distracted given her situation. Physiological and safety she appears to have. She has to have physiological and safety she seems to have achieved. She lacks three out of five levels on the hierarchy of needs given her current situation. She lacks achievement motivation. There is nothing motivating her to achieve her goals in her world history class. Her life situation has her down regarding everything It is causing her to be distracted and she doesn’t have a way to be motivated to achieve her goals. She isn’t intrinsic motivated because she doesn’t seem to realize that there is a reason to achieve better than a c. She also doesn’t have extrinsic motivation because she is living a rough life. She doesn’t feel like she can achieve anything better. There is nothing either outside or inside of her that could push her to do better at his moment. I would say try and help her. Caitlin needs a friend. She is living in the next to impossible situation no that no one going to school wants to live. She is a new student and her parents are divorced. Her world has exploded for the average school age girl. She needs to know that she can trust you as her teacher. She needs to feel that you’re there and willing to help her with her both outside and inside academic issues. If she knows you’re willing to help with both then maybe she’ll better motivated to achieve higher grades. She needs a friend. Everybody needs to know they can trust their teacher. A healthy learning environment is the best thing that could be created for children.

10 Things Not to Say in a Job Interview

10 Things Not to Say in a Job Interview Job searching can be incredibly stressful. You’ve been anxiously sending out applications and now you have an interview, which is great! But you’ll want to make sure you don’t fall victim to any of the major faux pas of interviewing. Show you’re the right person for the job without waving any of the worst red flags. When in doubt, try to avoid the following 10 things.1. !!Salty language  just reads like amateur hour. Of course, everybody swears, but these words are best kept out of professional situations- particularly interviews. Likewise, you’ll want to keep any negative or bigoted speech off the table as well.2.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"My current boss is the  worst.†Your last boss was empirically awful, and you hated them. No matter how much righteousness is on your side, it’s best to refrain from boss-bashing to your potential new boss. It comes across as griping, and your interviewer will assume you just have a bad attitude- or that you were the one who was difficult to work with, not your former boss. If asked about a contentious boss situation, try and put a positive spin on the relationship by focusing on what you learned and how you grew.3.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I am the best, because I know everything.†There are lots of ways to enumerate your many accomplishments without coming across as arrogant and using too many â€Å"I† statements outlining your greatness. If extreme confidence is just part of who you are, find a way to check it for the purposes of the interview.4.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I’ll do whatever, in any position. It doesn’t matter.†You may think you’re being open minded and helpful by saying you’ll â€Å"do whatever!† but really you’re just showing that you lack a specific passion for the work of that company or industry, and a lack of awareness as to what sort of role you could best play. Target your search to jobs you think you’d be uniquely qualified to pe rform, then sell that in the interview, specifically.5.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I  need this job or I won’t be able to pay my rent!†Ã¢â‚¬Å"If I don’t get this job†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is not a good way to start a sentence in an interview situation. There is no way to guilt an interviewer into giving you a job. Don’t even try. Get the job on your own merits and you’ll be a whole lot happier in the long run.6.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"So what is the exact title and who are you?†Don’t go into an interview situation without knowing exactly who you’re speaking with and exactly what the position is you’re being considered for. Ban the phrase â€Å"what job is this again?† from your vocabulary.7.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"So as a baby, I was very hard working †¦ and then in first grade †¦ and then in middle school†¦ â€Å"You’ll want to be as articulate as possible. Don’t give one word answers, but don’t get lost in run-on sentences or soliloquies either. Try to practice a few responses to questions you might reasonably expect to be asked. Keep each one under a minute, with just enough detail to help you stand out from the crowd.8. â€Å"Well, I’d say my biggest flaw is my obsession with being perfect.†No, perfectionism is not your greatest weakness. A hiring manager will see through this- the oldest play in the book- as a lazy clichà ©. Come up with something more honest that can lead you to a better discussion of how to learn and grow constructively.9. â€Å"How many vacation days do I get?†It’s perfectly reasonable to inquire as to the details of your compensation package. But focusing on these things too much, especially in a first interview, is a huge no-no- you’ll risk sounding like you won’t actually be interested in doing any work.10. â€Å"Sorry.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"Sorry I’m late† is something you should never say. First of all, you should never be late in the first place. Second of all, try to avoid having anything to apologize for. Be prompt or early, well-presented, put together, and prepared and you can do no wrong.

Wal-Mart Four Functions of Management

Wal-Mart Four Functions of Management Free Online Research Papers Management is an essential tool for the success of any organization. All the function of management are affected by external and internal factors that will influence the decision the managers make and how they delegate the work throughout the organization. Some essential factor that managers must take into consideration that will help the organization move forward and guarantee its success. Diversity and ethics play a big role on an organization as it takes the multi-culture of the organization and display the values used for decision-making. There are several factors that affects all management function but when use appropriately by an organization it will help stay ahead of its competitors. External Factors As Wal-Mart grew rapidly becoming one of the world largest corporations, witness were concern about the effect of its super centers on neighborhood in which it operates, especially in the undersize stores highly protect by the governments. This can affect all four functions of management planning externally. By dissecting the problems down to the basics Wal-Mart staff and its executives can begin over-seeing projects of any changes needed. Taking the four management sections brings a viewpoint of questions that need answering. This can be related to a number of issues outside the business, for example, location, the public, the surrounding community, and of course, environmental issues to name a few. These issues have to be considered in order to have a good Market Value. According to Patel R (2006), a study made in analyzed two different Wal-Mats, the first that was open for a short period was taking control of the local market by dropping the price to a very low profit margin In the second store, they completely took control of the local economy, making an economic low spot having Wal-Mart in the middle and the rest of the stores with prices 17% higher. Situations like this one need to be taken under consideration because if nothing gets done soon to fix it will give the business a bad reputation and the view of mistrust. This affects the business resources and finances that can cause to drop the profits margin. The external factors complete evaluation study the exterior boundaries that Wal-Mart cannot control, and have an important impact in the planning process of the corporation. These study most be done locally and internationally, and should include economic trends, social trends, government regulations, technology advancements, global market, and the Internet business, which is constantly growing. With the local elements as examples above Wal-Mart will have to analyze and expose issues, limiting factor and hypothesis that may have some weight on the integrated planning function to get a foot hold on making solutions of problems when they arise. Internal Factors Today the world’s most largest retailer, Wal-Mart, four functions of management are essential to the organizations successfulness. To secure the organizations success, managers must learn ho to plan, organize, lead, and control. Along with the four functions of management, there are also internal factors that can either make or break the company. Internal factors arise in Wal- Mart’s management, marketing, finance, accounting, production, operations, research, development, and computer information systems of the business. Within Wal- Mart’s availability of supplies to associates in which managers are in charge of is an example of the organizations internal factors. Lack of supplies affects the planning and organization function because without proper supplies it makes it difficult for staff to prepare for an event. Training is another example of an internal factor, this affects the leadership function of management at Wal- Mart. Management must use their skills and certifications to train associates how to do a particular job. Without the proper training associates may not complete jobs or assignments accurately. When associates do not complete jobs properly like stocking, signage, pricing, and displaying, this can cause the store to lose sales and losing sales can affect the company. At Wal- Mart, the manager’s particular style of managing has an impact on the control function. For example, if the manager does not display enough control, associates will lose respect for the manager, o n the other hand, if the manager is too insensitive, this will result in associates choosing to leave the business. It is the responsibility of the manager to take those factors into consideration, in order for the business to be successful and remain a success. Essential Factors Globalization, Technology, and innovation all are reasons why management is constantly demanding change in order to keep up with the times. Wal-Mart is a top business and a prime example of a company that effectively uses the four functions of management. According to Britt D (2010), globalization brings opportunity to a broader market, but at the same time, promotes more competitors that will require a superior level of competence for any organization that will take advantage of it. When Wal-Mart planed to take the advantage of globalization and inter the Indian market place its management functions to work. They study the Indian market size and trends, change their strategy, designated the responsible persons to run that site, how that person will run the site and even the way a person will be controlling the site to ensure the company goals have been meet. With globalization Wal-Mart has been able to work in many foreign territories and increase its profits. Technology is constantly changing and staying ahead of things is becoming harder to do with each new day. Wal-Mart is successfully keeping up or possibly passing other competitors with the decisions they make on how to keep up. In 2001 Wal-Mart decided to renovate its technology by changing all of its mainframes and storage products to IBM. In doing so it is keeping its own technology ahead of the curve. It is decisions like choosing to change over all of the older technology to newer technology that allows Wal-Mart to keep up with all of the consumer demands. There are a lot more people shopping on line which means it is necessary for them to the necessary technology that will allow them to keep up or stay ahead (Deango B, 2001). Wal-Mart is constantly bringing new products to consumers giving them what they want at lower prices than competitors. As a part of innovation Wal-Mart has to constantly adapt to the changes and demands of the consumers. Coinciding with the four parts of management it takes careful planning to know what products should be sold and when. It takes good leaders to get employees ready for the new things to come, and listen to the feedback coming from internal and external costumers. Wal-Marts management and its four functions take the new innovated ideas from its employees and put them in practice stimulating them to bring even more ideas that help them keep ahead of theirs competitors (Deango B, 2001). With being a well known corporation, Wal-Mart managers have two things to consider that can affect planning, organizing, leading and controlling; diversity and ethnics (Bateman Snell, 2009) Wal-Mart went through many of changes in the period of growth but some things are the same. First, Sam Walton never lost sight of the importance of maintaining a strong corporate culture based on three core principles: (1) service to the customer; (2) striving for excellence; and (3) respect for the individual (Mars T, 2004). As time pass by these principles are still the base of Wal-Mart’s culture. In the present, Wal-Mart culture is still based on the same principles (Mars T, 2004). Wal-Mart managers worry about the ethnical diversity when it comes to planning, organizing, leading and controlling to continue to stay profitable. Wal-Mart’s code of ethics do not discriminate under any condition. Regardless of race, religion, gender or disability if a person is willing to work a nd Wal-Mart has an open opportunity the person will be hired. Wal-Mart’s ethnical diversity can affect planning because issues can arise with consumers and workers due to the different types of cultures they may have. Organizing can be affected when you try to accommodate the staff, as some cultures may not be able to work on specific days and hours. Ethnical diversity plays apart, that changes and affect the way Wal-Mart management lead their staff. For example, there may be a manager that is easy going and understanding, on the other hand, a manager finds themselves leading a staff that is lazy, not cooperative, and does not care about the work, they might find another way to lead the team. This may cause the manager to micromanage the staff in order for the job to get done. Ethnical diversity can affect control when managing a staff because it can involve handling problems differently, and the way managers communicate with their staff. If managers don’t follow or enforce rules, then the workers may feel that the rules are not important, which may result into losing the control and respect of the staff. Delegation and Function of Management Delegation is having the management authority to assign tasks and responsibilities to other people, usually subordinates within your group or organization. Although the tasks and responsibilities are transitioned to these other persons, the ultimate responsibility of completion still lies within a higher level manager. Within Wal-Mart, the use of delegation is widely utilized in the managing of the functions leading and controlling. Chart â€Å"A† displays the hierarchy of management and staff within Wal-Mart operations and stores. Delegation occurs within Wal-Mart from the regional management to store manager to assistant manager all the way down to the staff members. However, the ultimate responsibility of the store operations is the regional manager. Wal-Mart is 40% controlled by members of the Walton family (Bateman Snell, 2009). The Walton family delegate assignment of authority and responsibility to their lower level management to oversee the employees to carry out their specific task or duties. Planning requires management to evaluate where the company is currently at, and where it would like to be in the future (Rane S, 2007) in the function of organizing it typically follows planning and reflects how the organizations try to accomplish its goals and objectives. Today, Wal-Mart is clearly more aggressive in offering low prices than excellent service. Those low prices are the result of planning and organizing, including the use of automated data collection and analysis. Wal-Mart divides their employees into different sections in the store to keep things in order. But, everything starts from when the employees in shipping and receive place everything in order for each department. From that point each employee has a task to carry out with placing everything in their department by pricing and organizing everything. Wal-Mart has information systems that keep track of its inventory from receipt to shelf placement to purchase. With the new technology in place the lower level manager can delegate the task according to each department section. The four management function are affected by many internal and external factors that will impact the way in which the company operate and Wal-Mart is not an exception. Factors such as globalization, technology and innovation help Wal-Mart extend its operation to foreign territories and increase their profit margins. Keeping in that it basic code of ethic and use the diversity of its external and internal customers Wal-Mart had solidify as one of the word largest corporation that keeps its customers as their priority number one over any profits they can make. The best and only way that Wal-Mart is been able achieve its goals is the way Wal-Mart delegates throughout the organization making feel every employee an essential asset for the organization success. References Bateman Snell (2009) Management: Leading and Collaborating in a Competitive World. (8th Edition) McGraw-Hill/Irwin Bobby. (2005). Wal-Mart Space. Wal-Mart Structure. Retrieved January 17, 2010 from: http://walmartspace.blogspot.com/2005/10/wal-mart-structure.html Britt D (2010). Impact of Globalization in Creating Sustainable Competitive Advantage. Retrieved on January 15, 2010 from: sdcexec.com/web/online/In-Depth/Impact-of-Globalization-in-Creating- Sustainable-Competitive-Advantage/4$9855 Deango B (2001). With New Technology, Wal-Mart Could Gain Edge Over Competitors Massive Hardware Upgrade IBM is big winner in deal, beating out Hitachi, EMC for $40 million contract.(Internet Technology). Retrieved on January 17, 2010 from: accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-106013810/new-technology-wal-mart.html Mars T (2004) Wal-Mart Legal Department Diversity. Retrieved on January 17, 2010 from: abanet.org/minorities/publications/g9/v10n4/mars.html Patel R (2006). Managing Wal-Mart: How U.S.-Store Chief Hopes to Fix Wal-Mart. Retrieved on January 16, 2010 from: http://wsjclassroom.com/monday/mx_06apr17.pdf Rane S (2007) The Four Functions of Management: Foundation for All Management Concepts. Retrieved on January 17, 2010 from: associatedcontent.com/article/373994/the_four_functions_of_management_f oundation.com?cat=3 Virtual University of Pakistan (n.d.) Strategic Management- MGT603. Retrieved January 17, 2010 from: scribd.com/doc/2516371/Strategic-Management Research Papers on Wal-Mart Four Functions of ManagementThe Project Managment Office SystemAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalPETSTEL analysis of IndiaDefinition of Export QuotasBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfResearch Process Part OneMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductOpen Architechture a white paper

Food Lion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Food Lion - Research Paper Example verseas; currently being represented in over 70 countries and seeking to integrate with the Midwestern and Western markets of grocery retail; rather than forever being attributed to the southeast/mid Atlantic region. The mission statement of Food Lion reads as follows: â€Å"Food Lions mission is to ensure that we remain the low price leader in the supermarket industry without compromising quality or customer satisfaction† (Delhaize, n.d.). Naturally, in order to achieve this goal, it is necessary for the human resources Department/organization to ensure that the needs of employees are met, a culture is defined, and effective policies which relate to this mission statement can be trained on and affected. Rather than understanding Food Lion’s mission statement as something of a separate issue to human resources, it must be understood and appreciated that human resources are integral in seeking to accomplish the goals that the mission statement sets forward. Assess the common HR challenges facing this organization (e.g., high turn-over, low wages, lack of skilled workers, etc.). Recommend an HR strategy you would implement to overcome the challenges assessed.   The core problem that Food Lion faces is the fact that it primarily hires low wage earners that have very few marketable skills. As a direct result of this, Food Lion experiences an extraordinarily high turnover rate; as individuals soon a look for other jobs that are more lucrative based upon the skills and valuable work experience that have gained while working at Food Lion. This extends not only to individuals responsible for inventory control, customer relations, and warehouse work, it encompasses the full gamut of logistics and supply that the Food Lion brand leverages each and every day as a function of encouraging further profitability. However, rather than coming to accept the fact that Food Lion is due to continually experienced high turnover rates from these low-wage earners, there are human

The role that Competition authorities may play in correcting market Essay

The role that Competition authorities may play in correcting market failures and facilitate competition - Essay Example Moreover, with the promulgation of more liberal trade, consumers can now enjoy better deals from various producers as the myriad of local and international firms increasingly compete on the basis of better pricing and more quality. Moreover, as more and more firms enter the market, companies are really forced to innovate in order to serve their market better. Central to this is competition. Basically, the globalization has greatly helped in levelling the trade barriers wherein the location is now hardly a source of competitive advantage. This has also been greatly helped by the leaps and bounds of technology which has facilitated vast improvements in transportation and communication. However, despite of these innovations, locations remain important when industries cluster on these areas. These industries amass in certain areas which can strengthen the various industries within them in order to be more productive and by directing and concentrating innovation as well as the stimulation of the birth of new business ventures in the area (Porter, 1998). Still, central to this endeavour is the competition or more accurately the presence of competition. Chang and Harrington (2003) recognize the importance of the level of competition that can be brought about by firms that are able to innovate greatly and maintain a global presence. Prior to the dawn of globalization, many companies are snugly operating within their realms and cuddled by their governments. However, nowadays, many multinational firms have far reaching capabilities globally which encourages innovation to bring about quality and at the same time bring down costs. Again, all these are only possible if firms can compete freely and fairly. Hence, there are various competition authorities that tries to ensure that competition remain healthy within a country. Section A Competition Authority Among the foremost issue that most competition authorities try to tackle is the problem of antitrust. In other words, alt hough innovation is greatly encouraged in the free market and that growth of companies are generally favourable to the economy, certain firms can amass greater market and control thru mergers and acquisitions that, if left unchecked, could result to a consolidation of the industry to only one major player. In such a scenario, there is an effective destruction of competition which can lead to inefficiencies. There are cases when cartels are formed or the dominant player induces practices that may hurt competition such as predatory pricing. Ginsburg and Wright (2010) relate about two deterrents to such practices which are the traditional and penalty deterrence. In their analysis, it can be gleaned that the force of penalties and regulation play crucially in order to maintain balance in a market and to ensure the health of the competition within that industry. UK and Competition The United Kingdom (UK) remains as one of the most competitive countries in the world except for a slight re spite in the past years when the country was reeling from the effects of the Great Recession. Recently though, the country has reclaimed its spot in the top ten along with other European countries. Looking at the list which includes Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany and The Netherlands clearly Europe is a center for competitiveness. Although the UK was temporarily ousted from the top ten, the country was able to bounce back fuelled by its strong