Management and the Cultural Industries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Management and the Cultural Industries - Essay Example Thus, culture is a myriad of different aspects of society including formalized and unofficial systems. (Davey) As culture is evolving constantly by the developments around the society, industries such as the media which include print, radio, television, music, entertainment among others represent the culture of a society and also influence it to a certain extent. These industries, that are known as cultural industries produce cultural texts, which are manifestations of the prevailing, culture for example ‘An American Brat’ by Bapsi Sidhwa is a book that represents the culture of Zoroastrians and how it is affected by moving to a Western country and integrating into a different cultural environment. Cultural industries create cultural texts which can be anything from books to music to newspapers and fashion. In America, during the time of flower power, the music and the fashion represented and promoted the culture of that period expressing harmony and bohemianism. However , cultural industries are influenced by other factors beside the prevailing culture itself such as the political scenario and economic conditions, they are driven by profit and often the texts are dependent on revenue and commercialism rather true creative representations of culture. Thus, this report focuses on the extent to which cultural texts are affected by political and economic factors. Culture and the political economy The political economy approach to culture focuses on how the production and distribution systems governing the cultural industries affect culture and cultural texts. The approach focuses on the interaction of political systems, economics, state institutions, social institutions and everyday life. The political and economic factors in a society determine to a great extent which faces of culture are promoted and which are neglected due to the dependence of cultural industries on revenue and profit and the power wielded by the state. (Kellner, 1999) This approach includes the conflict between the communist and capitalist approach. A capitalist economy would be focused on achieving the most with regards to revenue and thus focus on the popularity and profitability of the text whereas the communist economy would be more sensitive to political power and be restricted by it. However, even in a democratic capitalist setting the state would be involved in media matter regarding products such as cigarettes advertising, thus influencing the content of cultural texts. (Kellner, 1999) THE US AND EUROPEAN APPROACH The two main political economy approaches to cultural texts are the US and the European. The US model is the Schiller-McChesney tradition which focuses on the use of power and information media. The European approach focuses on cultural industries and the ‘commodifying of culture’. It addresses the information and entertainment side and focuses on the creation, production and delivery of cultural texts as well the audience respo nses. It inserts the creators of text; authors, musicians, performers and others in the context of the market. (Cultural Approaches to Economy and the Media, 2010) CULTURAL TEXTS AND GOVERNMENT CONTROL The political economy approach identifies how cultural texts are affected by government control. However, in a free market economy cultural texts generated through cultural industri

Effective communication skills are essential for working in health and Essay

Effective communication skills are essential for working in health and social care - Essay Example Therefore, it has been suggested that people working in health and social care environments should be able to organize a conversation for effective communication. When a speaker is organized, there would be a smooth flow of communication and the result would be an understanding between the people communicating. The health care provider must understand the conversation cycle and look for other means the patient may be communicating such as the use of non-verbal communication. Therefore, the worker should also be able to interpret and understand non-verbal communication. In addition, the caregiver should also understand cultural differences in order to understand what is being communicated by the patient and s/he would also know how to tell things to the patient. Asking questions is another skill that health and social care providers must be proficient in because they are able to bring out more necessary information about their clients through questioning. Lastly, they should also have listening skills, understanding what is said between the lines and not just grasping meanings from spoken words. There are indeed many facets of communication and these should be mastered for effective communication. ... Although it is not specifically the intent of this brief research to discuss the level to which communications within healthcare and social care can affect each and every shareholder, it is worth mentioning, and will be briefly discussed, the level to which communications ultimately leads to a clearer and more nuanced approach to healthcare and social care even within the healthcare community and the many shareholders this ultimately represents. Although the term communications encompasses a great many mechanisms, theories, and constructs, the term itself, with relation to healthcare and social care can be simply defined as â€Å"the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve the quality of healthcare and social care provision† (BTEC 2010, p. 3). As such, communication within healthcare takes on a variety of forms in order to achieve a desired result. Perhaps the most useful mechanism of the way that health promotion takes place is by engaging the indi vidual with the holistic nature of health. In this way, the overly used cliche – an ounce of cure is worth a pound of prevention comes into clear focus. It is this author’s belief that the holistic view of health is the most key and integral concept due to the fact that such an approach necessarily encompasses the other approaches – to include: the participatory nature of health, key/individual factors in promoting health, implementation of strategy to build health, and tallying key strengths/weaknesses to bolster overall health. In this way, promotion of the key concept of the holistic nature of health is a type of umbrella term that necessarily works to

Minimum Wage: Costs and Benefits

Minimum Wage: Costs and Benefits INTRODUCTION AND DEFINITION OF MINIMUM WAGE The concept of minimum wage has been an age long economic debate that has broadened economists’ horizon into examining both its costs and benefits. The whole concept behind minimum wage basically deals with how the welfare of workers in a country, state or geographical region can best be improved upon. Since the premiere of the industrial revolution which dates back to the early 19th century in England, minimum wage has become an increasingly open and popular debate. However, this definition has faced stiff opposition from activist who clamor for a minimum wage bracket. From a broader perspective, some critics of the minimum wage concept has proposed that instead of increasing the wages that workers receive, the employers should be more concerned about improving their welfare. This has been narrowed down to include their place of abode, their feeding, health insurance and other benefits that are not included as part of employees’ income. The proponents of employees†™ welfare have a strong belief that it would help the workers as it basically deals with economic development and in addition to this, would prevent the occurrence of wage inflation. However, there is a definition of minimum wage which is universally acceptable. According to the Wikipedia encyclopedia, it is simply defined as the least number in hours in terms of payment that an employer may legally pay to employees’. In examining this definition, it simply tells us that it is based on a set of rules guiding employees’ compensation for services rendered. COST OF MINIMUM WAGE: ALGEBRAIC AND GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION ALGEBRAIC REPRESENTATION The cost of minimum wage can be represented algebraically via the national income model. Hence, the cost is based on a macro-economic analysis given as: GDP= C+I+G+X-M. Where they are stated as follows; GDP= Gross domestic product, C= Consumption, I= Investment, G= Government expenditure, X= Export, M= Import. In analyzing each of the following components, the following are observations based solely on the cost of minimum wage. CONSUMPTION: With regards to the consumption of goods and services, opponents to an increase in minimum wage believes that it would lead to a drastic reduction in the consumption of manufactured goods as well as services as the cost of production is transferred to the consumers. This would lead to an increase in supply and a reduction in demand owing to cost. INVESTMENT: Conservatives are of the opinion that an increase in minimum wage would lead to a slowdown in investment. Employers would be unwilling to expand their business because of the heavy cost that would be paid to labor. This is because an increase in minimum wage would drive up the cost of labor which is very essential to production. Hence businesses would be reluctant to expand thereby leading to a reduction in investment in the long-run. GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE: Conservatives are of the belief that an increase in minimum wage would drive up government expenditure. To buttress their point, it should be noted that an increase in minimum wage would drive up the cost of production which would lead to job cuts. Job cuts would prompt the government to act quickly by providing social security programs that would discourage people from engaging in social vices and illegal activities. This increases the government expenditure. EXPORTS: An increase in the minimum wage would result in a drastic reduction in exports of the subject nation. This occurs as a result of the fact that when there is an increase in the minimum wage, it leads to an increase in the cost of production and eventually an increase in the prices of goods to be exported. This would eventually lead to a reduction in the units of exported goods. IMPORTS: Increasing the minimum wage would lead to a sharp increase in the importation of goods. The foreign nation would want to make its own good cheaper in the subject nation where the increase has occurred. This may eventually lead to illegal trading activities such as dumping of goods or manufacturing of substandard goods. Hence foreign products would flock the domestic markets killing the domestic industry which would eventually lead to unemployment and a reduction in government revenue. GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION y axis QSo $11.00QS1 QSo $7.25x axis (Minimum wage) 13.2units 20 units Units of goods produced The graph above represents the effect of an increase in minimum wage on the cost of production. From the above graph, the y axis represents an increase in the minimum wage of workers from $7.25 to $11.00. This led to the following observations. At initial minimum wage of $7.25, the number of units produced was 20units, hence cost of production is $7.25 * 20 = $145.working by assumption At new minimum wage of $11.00, producers are trying to maximize output by reducing input. Hence new cost of production is $11.00 * 13.2 = $145.2 which is equivalent to $145. Hence the old cost of production is equal to the new cost of production (Ceteris paribus) As a result of this action initial quantity supplied by producers (QSo) is reduced from 20units to approximately 13units. This is represented by a left word movement of the arrow from QSo to QS1, which signifies a reduction. In addition to this, the x-axis is also represented by a left word movement of the arrow from initial units produced (20units) to new units produced (13.2units equivalent to 13units) BENEFITS OF MINIMUM WAGE: MATHEMATICALAND GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION MATHEMATICAL REPRESENTATION For a better representation of the benefits of minimum wage, the most appropriate model to be employed would be the national income model. This model was also used in the cost of minimum wage. It is stated as: GDP = C + I + G + X – M C- CONSUMPTION Proponents of minimum wage increase are of strong opinion that it increases the level of consumption among the citizens. This is based on one of the factors affecting demand which states that quantity demanded increase with respect to an increase in the income of individuals. In other words when the minimum wage is increased people would be able to purchase more goods and services compared to the original amount. I – INVESTMENT Since the proponents of an increase in the minimum wage believes it would eliminate low paying jobs and lead to higher paying jobs, hence as it pertains to investment, an increase in the minimum wage would lead to greater investment in high skilled industries which would be beneficial to gross domestic product. This type of investments would in most cases be long term and is very crucial in moving a country from developing to developed. G- GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE Increasing the minimum wage would reduce the expenditure from government. This is according to proponents who believe that workers would earn more as a result of the increase and thereby depend less on the government for welfare benefits. This would eventually reduce expenditure on the part of the government and lead to more revenue on the part of the citizens. This would be very helpful to the economy as it would create a balanced budget. X- EXPORT Exports would be of great benefit to an increase minimum wage. The reason for this is that it would be very helpful in producing goods that meet international standards and can yield maximum utility. This would make the domestic country’s goods competitive in the international market thereby leading to a trade surplus in the long run. The basic reason for this is that with an increased minimum wage, employers demand more from employees. Hence their skills and competences are put to test. M- IMPORT As regards import, an increase in the minimum wage would not be helpful to imputed goods. This is based on assumption of the proponents of minimum wage increase. It is strongly believed that because the imported goods are cheap, they would most likely be substandard compared to those goods produced in the home country. Hence consumers would boycott these products and promote their domestic product instead. This would eventually increase the gross domestic product (GDP) In summary, an increase in minimum wage (Ceteris paribus) would be favorable to the economy given the following factors are synergized. GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION: BENEFITS OF MINIMUM WAGE Y axis QD1 $11.00 QDo QD1 $7.25QDo X axis (Minimum wage) 1kg 3kg Apples in kg The diagram above represents the effect of an increase in minimum wage on consumption. A simplified analysis of the graph is stated thus: In the above diagram, the vertical axis represents minimum wage. It also shows how the minimum wage has increased from its initial amount of $7.25to $11.00 The horizontal axis shows the amount in kg of apples that consumers can purchase given their income. Ceteris paribus, at $7.25 minimum wage, consumers are able to purchase 1kg of apples. When the minimum wage is increased to $11.00, there is a great increase by 2kg bringing the new consumption of apples to 3kg. This signifies that an increase in minimum wage has a positive effect on consumption.

Performance Practice in a World Music Ensemble Essay -- Timbre Music E

Performance Practice in a World Music Ensemble INTRODUCTION One of the objectives of the Indiana University International Vocal Ensemble (IVE) is to sing music of non-western cultures in the native language, and to the degree possible, sing with integrity of vocal and musical style. A subsequent objective is to imitate music accurately when presented with an aural model. With these objectives in mind I am interested in semantic perception and computer analysis cues of vocal timbre and the degree, if any, to which vocal timbre can be imitated between cultures, and how this information can be added to a transcription to aid the singer. For this particular project I focused on the production of Ghanaian vocal timbre by three native Ghanaians, individuals in IVE, and non-IVE members of a Ghanaian children's song. This paper will focus on the data of one of the Ghanaian female informants (Gf1) and one American female IVE member (Af1). There is no conclusive theory of timbre perception. Part of the difficulty is that timbre is difficult to perceive as an isolated phenomenon since it is based on perception. Timbre is connected with the source as opposed to individual and measurable attributes such as frequency or amplitude. With regards to vocal timbre the vocal tract transforms the airflow spectrum into recognizable acoustical patterns which we know as vowels. Vowels are a musical element of singing aside from their information carrying function. (Benade, 1990) Three areas of vowel production that are typically studied in computer analysis when researching timbre are the harmonic spectra, formants, and attack and decay transients. Another approach to investigating timbre along with computer analysis is the investigation of... ...oice differs in choral singing and solo singing, and in Western trained singing a different timbre is desired for choral singing compared with solo singing. Another difference is that "...choral singers strive to tune their voice timbre in order to mesh with the timbre of the rest of the choir, while a solo singer would try to develop his or her own individual timbre." (Sundberg, 1987) How do people's perceptions of timbre translate from the individual to a group sound? What adjustments do one's ears make? These issues are open for further research on the timbre of singing. The song Kofi has since been performed at numerous concerts, and many people in the choir will continue humming the song when it pops into their head for one reason or another. Next semester there will be new pieces and new timbres to begin to model, with new research ready to be investigated. Performance Practice in a World Music Ensemble Essay -- Timbre Music E Performance Practice in a World Music Ensemble INTRODUCTION One of the objectives of the Indiana University International Vocal Ensemble (IVE) is to sing music of non-western cultures in the native language, and to the degree possible, sing with integrity of vocal and musical style. A subsequent objective is to imitate music accurately when presented with an aural model. With these objectives in mind I am interested in semantic perception and computer analysis cues of vocal timbre and the degree, if any, to which vocal timbre can be imitated between cultures, and how this information can be added to a transcription to aid the singer. For this particular project I focused on the production of Ghanaian vocal timbre by three native Ghanaians, individuals in IVE, and non-IVE members of a Ghanaian children's song. This paper will focus on the data of one of the Ghanaian female informants (Gf1) and one American female IVE member (Af1). There is no conclusive theory of timbre perception. Part of the difficulty is that timbre is difficult to perceive as an isolated phenomenon since it is based on perception. Timbre is connected with the source as opposed to individual and measurable attributes such as frequency or amplitude. With regards to vocal timbre the vocal tract transforms the airflow spectrum into recognizable acoustical patterns which we know as vowels. Vowels are a musical element of singing aside from their information carrying function. (Benade, 1990) Three areas of vowel production that are typically studied in computer analysis when researching timbre are the harmonic spectra, formants, and attack and decay transients. Another approach to investigating timbre along with computer analysis is the investigation of... ...oice differs in choral singing and solo singing, and in Western trained singing a different timbre is desired for choral singing compared with solo singing. Another difference is that "...choral singers strive to tune their voice timbre in order to mesh with the timbre of the rest of the choir, while a solo singer would try to develop his or her own individual timbre." (Sundberg, 1987) How do people's perceptions of timbre translate from the individual to a group sound? What adjustments do one's ears make? These issues are open for further research on the timbre of singing. The song Kofi has since been performed at numerous concerts, and many people in the choir will continue humming the song when it pops into their head for one reason or another. Next semester there will be new pieces and new timbres to begin to model, with new research ready to be investigated.

Research opportunity Essay

1.This assignment gives you the chance to research current issues in cyber forensics affecting the ICT industry, forensic examiners, and the legal fraternity. Using sound research strategies to locate quality academic, scientific and legal research material the assignment is intended to provide you with the opportunity to: a)Refine research and analysis skills through locating, selecting and compiling a higher-level research essay. b)Familiarise yourself with new development in cyber forensics that will affect the working and private environments of all technology users. c)Add to the general knowledge of the School of IT’s research and preparation of future unit offerings and potential research topics for student projects and post-graduate research. 2.You are, in effect, my team of researchers undertaking some relevant research of benefit to your own learning experience and future employment and research. 3.Your essay should focus on the following topics that are considered of growing significance: analysis, validation and presentation of digital evidence in cyber forensics examinations. Your research must be based on published research papers, government and other organisation standards, guidelines and papers. It should describe, explain and discuss the following issues: -Deductive, inductive and abductive reasoning in the context of cyber forensics analysis. -Processes that assist in developing a case hypothesis and alternative hypothesis. -Validation processes that check and test the correctness of the digital evidence exhibits and their relationships with  corroborating evidence relied on in legal cases. -Processes that would enhance the communication of and presentation of case analysis to the legal practitioner and courts. 5.You will be given instruction in the workshops on the format of a research essay and video material will be added during the teaching to assist your assignment preparation. 6.The length of the essay should be 3,500 words.

Formal vs. Informal Communication

What is Communication? When you think of communication, what is the first thing that comes to mind? What role does communication play in our everyday lives? Researchers have conducted numerous studies on communication and how it is used all around the world. First, let’s discuss the definition of communication. From the textbook, Leadership Communication, communication is defined as the transmission of meaning from one person to another or many people, whether verbally or nonverbally (Barrett, 2011, p. ). Communication from one person to another is often called the â€Å"rhetorical situation,† which is commonly depicted as a simple triangle consisting of the context, the sender, the message, and the receiver (Barrett, 2011, p. 5). The definition of communication, in terms of leadership, is the ability for leaders to put out information that is clear and concise to which their subordinates and peers will be able to comprehend. Barrett defines leadership communication as the controlled, purposeful transfer of meaning by which individuals influence a single person, a group, an organization, or a community by using the full range of their communication abilities and resources to connect positively with their audiences, overcome interferences, and create and deliver messages that guide, direct, motivate, or inspire others to action (Barrett, 2011, p. 6). There are several meanings that has been studied and written by researchers and scholars to describe communication. Communication is used in many fields of study that would differ in its characteristics and content. The way that you would communicate at home with family and friends would differ in the workplace with your bosses and co-workers. Thus far, we have covered the terminology of communication; the next topic of discussion is the two forms of communication: Formal and Informal. We start off by asking ourselves, what is the difference between formal and informal communication? People every day use formal and informal communication on the daily basis. For most of us it is second-nature, almost as if we are immune or equipped, or just simply common practice.

Memories From the Past

Memories From the Past Free Online Research Papers Memories of the past come to me frequently when I experience something that reminds me of back home. Memories to me are a frozen piece of time of time that remains with you for the rest of your life. Experiences, objects, people or feelings either good or bad, sometimes we wish we could forget them or never think about them again but in my case most of my fondest memories make me think of a time in which I lived in Venezuela, a much simpler time were as I soon found out life was a more complex mechanism which I did not remotely began to understand. Looking back at my childhood I have noticed that growing up in Venezuela can be tough on any person if that person does not have a family that loves him or her and friends that care, because even the poor with the right state of mind plus family and friends to keep him or her on the right track improving oneself in the social and economical standings is not an impossible thing to do. The biggest example of this is my mom Carmen, raised by my grandfather Pepe who came from Spain after the Spanish Civil War with basically nothing in his pocket. He (my grandfather) worked hard to provide food, a good home and an education for his family, living in â€Å"LaVega† which is a â€Å"Barrio† in Caracas, not the nicest neighborhood to live in. My mom studied hard to better herself and soon graduated from the best university in Caracas, later to move to Maracaibo (the city were I was born and raised) to work for PDVSA, the biggest oil company in Venezuela, she now works for BP as an metallurgical engineer but what I am trying to relate is that when you are a kid, you are not aware of your surroundings and how they might affect you, in the early parts of my childhood we (my parents and I ) lived in an apartment in a not so nice part of the city, I had friends from the building and we used to play soccer all the time sometimes even barefooted, that should tell y ou how the situation was, but back them I did not think of that at all, I did not think about if we were poor, all I cared about was to have fun with my friends, instances like these make me appreciate the things that I have and how lucky I really am. The next important thing that happened in my life was that my parent got divorced, from then on my dad visited me very week. Right after that happened my mom began to move higher up in PDVSA (the oil company) and she began to earn a high wage which enable her to buy a house in the good part of the city, also she enlisted me in â€Å"El Colegio Aleman de Maracaibo† which translated means â€Å"the German school of Maracaibo†, a private school, there my best memories of my childhood would take place and some of the best friends I would have, I would meet them there. If you want to get a good or decent education in Venezuela private schools are the way to go, middle to upper class sent their children to private schools because basically public schools in Venezuela don’t work, the government does not provide adequate instructors, facilities or materials. Going to â€Å"El Colegio Aleman de Maracaibo† was the best thing that could have happened to me. Beginning first with the education, the thing that helped me out the most was that in that school you were required to learn how to speak English and German which as you might see was a huge benefit to my development and to my integration into later parts of life. Second soccer was a big deal with me and my classmates so being and playing for the school soccer team was my favorite thing to do, another bonus that the soccer team had was that there I met my two best friends Servando and Carlos Roberto and together we played against the rivals schools making me very happy, but not only we played but our coaches were top class and they tough us many different techniques and life lessons or values that stayed with me even today. Soccer was our main attention playing it were ever we could and with whatever we could find cans of coke, paper balls etc†¦ but not only we did that we played baseball and swam whenever possible, I can really say that those were the fun nest years of my life. Another aspect of living in Venezuela that I miss was seeing my dad every week, my dad is an art teacher for â€Å"Mater Salvatoris† an Italian private school in the morning and in the afternoon he worked for another school which on Wednesdays he would come pick me up and we would go to the school were he taught at and he would also teach me the fundamentals of art, I would say I got my talents in the art field from him and going to his classes helped me develop artistic skills more advanced than any of my classmates which later led me to win several prices on competitions when I was a kid. Looking back at those times makes me think of my dad and the fun times we used to have together or just quality time was good to me. The of the hardest thing I have had to do, was to in the future leave my dad behind, when later my mom and I would move to Texas. Overall living in Venezuela back then was a paradise to me, I had everything I could ever imagine and want with me, a nice house, a good schools, my parents and all of my family but all of that was about to change. In the year 1998 Hugo Chavez was elected president of Venezuela and from that point on everything took a turn for the worse. Right from the beginning my mom sense that something bad was going to happen, at the time I could have not imagined how the election of one man could cause such pain and suffering in the future. As I said before with the election of Chavez as president my mom decided that it was time to move out of the country because things were going to worsen fast, so in a year she did find a job with BAYER (a German company) and she decided that her and I would start a new life in Katy, Texas. At the time I did not know what to think of moving to another country when everything in Venezuela to me seemed great when the reality was otherwise, my friends told me that the US was â€Å"really cool† and that I would love it, so I made up my mind and left Venezuela and moved to the United States with my mom, leaving all my family behind, my dad and friends. Leaving all those things behind was really tough on me the first few years but their absence made me mature fast, I learned how to speak English fluently, made friends with other Venezuelan kids who went to school with me and began to enjoy living in the US. A few years removed from the time I moved I started to see why my mom wanted to come to the US, Venezuela got worse and worse with each passing year and still is today. Life in Venezuela compared to the US is very different, Venezuela is a third world country, that means that most of the people are lower middle class or just poor but poor in Venezuela means basically living in cardboard boxes, lots of beggars plague the streets and children steal. This situation is due to the corrupt manner of the government which only seems to care about themselves not the people, which makes for limited opportunities in job seeking. In the US everything is basically better, the education systems, the roads, jobs there is really no comparison, it is just sad how an oil country like Venezuela which should have more than enough money to basically turn things around can’t because of the greed of a few â€Å"elite† persons. Living in Venezuela taught me a lot of things but the memories of the people and events that happened there will stay with me forever. 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The Complete Prep Guide for SAT Writing Grammar, Strategies, and Practice

The Complete Prep Guide for SAT Writing Grammar, Strategies, and Practice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips This complete guide includes everything you need to know about SAT Writing.As experienced tutors, we’re all too familiar with the shortcomings of most test-prep materials, so we've created our own free guide to SAT Writing,which we believe is the best available (even compared to expensive books from big-name companies!). To create this guide, we carefully analyzed real SATs, read the best SAT books we could find, and thought carefully about what you actually need to know to succeed on SAT Writing.Rather than trying to condense all the info we came up with into one page (which would be insanely overwhelming!), we’ve created this article to serve as a table of contents and take you through the different parts of the SAT Writing section. The first part of our guide covershigh-level ideas about the test,such as general structure and important big-picture concepts. The second part outlinesevery grammar skill you’ll need to knowand the best strategies for approaching SAT Writing questions. The final section rounds upall kinds of strategies and tipsthat you can use both on the test and as you study. It also includes detailed explanations of how to plan your prep time, and suggestions for where you can find further practice tests and study material, should you need them. How you use this information will depend on what you’re hoping to get out of it. This guide is designed to work as a complete walkthrough of the SAT Writing section,the same as you would find in a test-prep book- simply read through each guide and practice the skills they explain. If, however, you’re only looking to brush up on specific topics or find some helpful tips for test day, just scroll through this page to find what you need! High-Level Guidance for SAT Writing One of the key ideas you must understand about the SAT is that it's completely different from the tests you take in school.SAT Writing might test some of the same grammar rules that you've learned in the past, but it does so in its own unique way. In order to do well on SAT Writing, you need to understand how it's structured. These guides will help you do so. What Is SAT Writing and Language? 5 Tips to Excel What’s Tested on the SAT Writing Section? Grammar and Questions The first step to succeeding on SAT Writing is knowing what’s on it. These two guides outline all the basics, including how the SAT Writing section is formatted, what kinds of reading passages it has, and which grammar rules it tests. What Is SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing? On the SAT, Writing makes up half of your Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) score (the other half is the Reading section). This guide goes over how the two sections are scored together, and gives you a few tips on how to excel on both of them. The New SAT Writing: What's Changing? The SAT underwent a big redesign back in 2016, which included a makeover to the SAT Writing section. If you're curious about how the current Writing structure differs from the old one, check out this guide. The Best Way to Read the SAT Writing Passages Since all SAT Writing questions are based on passages, it's important to be able toread passages both fast and effectively. We explain the best ways to approach passages on SAT Writing so that you'll save time and give yourself a better shot at choosing the right answers. The 12 SAT Grammar Rules You Must Know The main point of the SAT Writing section is to test your understanding of English grammar. Read this guide to learn the 12 most important grammar rules likely to appear on test day. Words in Context: Key SAT Reading and Writing Strategies This question type (and subscore) on SAT Writing asks you to improve word choice and syntax in sentences selected from passages. Use this guide to learn how often you can expect to see these questions on the test and the best way to approach them. Command of Evidence: 3 Key SAT Writing Strategies Another subscore on SAT Writing is Command of Evidence. These questions deal with choosing evidence to support your answers and making sure the answers you select accurately reflect the information in the passage. Organization Questions on SAT Writing: Tips and Tricks These Writing questions ask you where to place a certain sentence or paragraph in a passage. But knowing where a certain sentence fits can be difficult. This guide covers how to recognize these questions and offers a step-by-step approach you can use on the test. Add/Delete Questions on SAT Writing: 6 Steps to Answer With these questions, you must figure out whether to add or delete a sentence from a passage. This article touches on what these questions look like on the SAT and gives clear guidance on how to solve them. How Often Is "No Error" Correct on SAT Writing? The "No Error" option is a source of stress for many students. Make sure you know how frequently you can expect it be the right answer on SAT Writing. SAT Writing Grammar and Punctuation Skills Don't fall into the trap of thinking you can just listen for the errors because you speak English, after all. SAT Writing tests specific grammar and punctuation topics in specific ways, and you need to know them to do well on the test. We've written guides for each topic on the test (listed roughly in order of their importance). The Complete Guide to SAT Grammar Rules Above, we gave you a link to our guide on the 12 most important grammar rules- but these aren't all the grammar rules you'll see on the test. This guide summarizes every possible grammatical structure you can get on SAT Writing. SAT Punctuation: Tips for Commas, Colons, and Dashes In addition to grammar, punctuation plays a major part on SAT Writing. Read this guide to learn all the most important comma, colon, and dashes rules you'll need to know, as well as how to spot them on the test. Possessives and Apostrophes on SAT Writing: 4 Key Tips Aside from commas, colons, and dashes, you'll need to know how to use apostrophes correctly if you wish to get a high score on SAT Writing. This guide expands on the punctuation one above by specifically going over how to identify apostrophe problems on the test. Complete Parts of Speech for SAT Writing SAT Writing doesn’t explicitly ask you to identify parts of speech, but you’ll need to know the grammatical basics in this article in order to understand the rest of our skill guides. Start here to begin building your foundation in grammar. SAT Writing: Word Choice and Diction Errors Diction questions, which deal withpickingthe right word for a given context,pop up often on SAT Writing. These questions are tricky because the exact words they test vary. Transition Questions on SAT Writing: Tips and Examples Remember how your teacher used to tell you to use transitions to connect different ideas? Well, the same basic principle applies to the SAT. These questions require you to choose the correct transitional word (such as "therefore," "however," etc.). Take a look at this guide to learn what kinds of transition-related words and questions will be on the test. Sentence Fragments and Run-ons in SAT Writing: Tips and Questions Fragments and run-on sentencesappear a loton the SAT Writing section.Learn the telltale signs of these types of errors with this guide. Wordiness and Redundancy in SAT Writing Questions One of the key rules is that given more than one grammatically correct answer,the right answer will likely be the most concise one.Make sure you know what this means in the context of SAT Writing. Verb Tenses and Forms on SAT Writing Verb issues in general, and verb forms specifically, are also tested on SAT Writing. It’s especially important to make sure you understand how to use gerunds (â€Å"ing† verbs such as â€Å"jumping† and â€Å"celebrating†). Subject-Verb Agreement on SAT Writing: Strategies and Practice The other type of verb error is subject-verb agreement issues, which occur when the subject is plural but the verb is singular, or vice versa (e.g., â€Å"he talk† or â€Å"they is yelling†). This guide walks you through the different ways this error can appear on the test, many of which you might not expect. Pronoun Agreement on SAT Writing: Tips and Practice Pronoun errors come in a few different forms, but, generally, they occur when you use a pronoun that doesn’t match the noun it’s referring to, such as in the sentence "The doctor couldn’t believe their cooking class was canceled" ("their" should be "his" or "her"). Pronoun errors can be among the hardest to spot because we routinely misuse pronouns in everyday English. Pronoun Case on SAT Writing: Tips and Practice Questions Pronoun-case questions, which deal with the difference between subject (â€Å"I†) and object (â€Å"me†) pronouns, appear less often on SAT Writing than pronoun-agreement ones do. Nonetheless, it’s important to know how to answer these questions, especially if you want a high score. Parallelism for SAT Writing: Tips and Practice Parallel structure questions require you to recognize that all the words or phrases in a list need to be in the same form.Though they aren’t the most common topic on SAT Writing, they’re still important to know. Faulty Modifiers on SAT Writing: Grammar Rule Prep Faulty modifiers, which include both danglingmodifiersand the less common misplaced one, occur when a modifying word or phrase is placed in the wrong part of a sentence. They are one of the trickiest topics on SAT Writing because we often make these mistakes when we speak and write. All the SAT Idioms You Need: Complete List Idioms can be a couple of different types of phrases (including common sayings such as "one step forward, two step backs"). But on SAT Writing, the term refers to questions about consistent preposition, conjunction, and gerund use (e.g., "I’m excited to go to Disneyland† rather than â€Å"I’m excited going at Disneyland"). Illogical Comparisons: The Weirdest Topic on SAT Writing Faulty comparisons are another weird error you might not be familiar with. They occur when you compare two things that aren’t of the same type, such as â€Å"Juan’s favorite band† and â€Å"Tim.† Adjectives vs Adverbs in SAT Writing: Practice + Tips Occasionally on SAT Writing, you’ll see an adverb (e.g., â€Å"sadly†) used where an adjective (e.g., â€Å"sad†) is needed, or vice versa. This guide explains how to spot these errors as well as those with superlatives and comparatives. Relative Pronouns Questions specifically about relative pronouns (who, which, where, etc.) aren't super common, but these words play important roles in other types of questions. Make sure you understand how to use them correctly. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! Building an SAT Writing Study Plan Now that you've got a basic understanding of the test, you probably want to start doing some SAT Writing practice. Great! The guides in this section will help you understand how to make your SAT Writing prep as efficient and effective as possible. SAT Writing Prep: The Best Methods and Strategies If you’re studying for the SAT independently, it can be hard to figure out how to best organize your SAT Writing prep. This guide lays out everything you must know to study effectively on your own. Where to Find the Best SAT Writing Practice Tests Complete Official SAT Practice Tests, Free Links All the prep time in the world won’t do you any good if you’re using bad materials. We’ve collected all the best SAT Writing practice tests, for free and for sale, and explained what qualities to look for and what to avoid in practice materials. You can also practice with any official SAT practice test. The Best Prep Books for SAT Writing Best SAT Prep Books 2018 If you’re looking for further reading on grammar rules or how to read passages, these two guides have got you covered. We’ve reviewed the best SAT prep books out there, for both the Writing section in particular and the test as a whole. Use these books to guide your study sessions. SAT Writing Tips and Tricks In this section, I've collected all our best test-day tips and general advice to help you ace SAT Writing.Read these to understand how best to approach questions on this section, and get advice on how to attack tricky questions and how to navigate the unique structure of the test. The Top 9 SAT Writing Strategies You Must Use This article rounds up key big-picture strategies for studying SAT Writing. For the best results, be sure to incorporate them into your practice. How to Improve Your SAT Writing Score: 8 Key Strategies If you’re struggling with a low score, this guide can help. Here, a perfect SAT scorer offers histop eight strategiesfor raising a low SAT Writing score closer to (or even beyond) the 600 (30) range. How to Get 800 on SAT Writing: 9 Strategies From a Perfect Scorer Aiming for a super high Writing score? This guide, written by a 1600 scorer, explains thetop nine strategiesyou need for a perfect score on SAT Writing. You'll also learnhelpful tips for keeping yourself motivated and focused. The 8 Most Common SAT Writing Mistakes Students Make There are a few mistakes that routinely bring down students’ SAT Writing scores. Make sure you know how to avoid them with this guide. The Top 7 SAT Writing Tips to Boost Your Score These suggestions can help raise your SAT Writing score even if you’re taking the test tomorrow, but they’ll be even more helpful if you use them every time you practice. How to Analyze Data Graphics on SAT Reading and Writing On SAT Writing, you're guaranteed to see at least one data chart; thus, it's extremely important to be able to read charts and other data graphics. This guide tells you how to do just that on both the Reading and Writing sections. How to Ace SAT Writing for Math and Science People If grammar and punctuation aren't your fortes, you'll need to come up with a different approach to SAT Writing. This guide, which specifically targets math and science whizzes, offerstons of helpful tipsfor attacking the Writing section head-on and getting the score you want. The 12 Hardest SAT Writing Questions Ever This article explains the answers to some of the hardest SAT Writing questions. If you’re shooting for a score below 700 on EBRW, you will likely want to skip these types of questions. But if you’re aiming for a high score, make sure you know how to attack even the most challenging questions. What's Next? You hopefully have a good idea what your next step should be: practice!Reading about the SAT can only teach you so much. To really understand SAT Writing, you have try out these strategies and tips on a real test. Before you go over your practice test, make sure you know how to review missed questions. The fastestway to improve is tolearn from your mistakes. This guide includeseverything you need to build an effectiveSAT Writing program for yourself, but if you're feeling overwhelmed by the idea of doing it all on your own,consider giving our prep program a try.Built by Harvard grads and SAT full scorers, our online SAT program learns all your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics and then customizes your program to your needs to give youthe most effective prep possible. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Writing and grammar lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

How to Improve Your SAT Score by 100 Points in a Month

How to Improve Your SAT Score by 100 Points in a Month SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Preparing for the SAT a second or third time is common. Back when I studied for the SAT, the first couple of strategies and study approaches I tried didn't actually work. It took me a few times before I finally foundthe method that bumped up my SAT score 200 points- toa perfect score. If you'reretaking the SATand want to ensure you improve this time around, this guide will show you how to do just that! Who Is This SAT Guide For? "How can I improve my SAT score in just a month?" This is a common question I get from students. Roughly paraphrased, it looks like this: Hey, Fred! I'm John, and I've gotten scores of 600 in both Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. I've taken the SAT a couple of times already, and I need to improve by just 100 points the next time I take it for a total of around 1300. I've tried other test-prep companies and racked my brain for ways to improve my SAT score. I've memorized vocab and taken practice tests. This isn't my first try at the SAT by far. Do I have any hope of raising my score by this many points?This will be my third time taking the SAT, and I don't want to take it again after this! Please help! This request for help raises an important question:who exactly is this SAT guide for?If, like John, you're studying for the SAT a second or third time and your Math and EBRW scores are currently around average (400-600), this guide should work well for you. Now that we've clarified who this guide is for, let's look at the six crucial steps you'll need to take to raise your SAT score by 100 points in one month. Step 1: Improve Your Math Score For the SAT Math section, you'll need to prioritize your time so that you're spending less time on questions you know how to solve and more on those that are hard for you. At your score level, I'd do what I call the "two-pass" method on both the No Calculator and Calculator sections. First, let's look at the basics of the Math No Calculator and Calculator sections: Section Total # of Questions Total Time Time per Question Math No Calculator 20 (15 multiple choice, 5 grid-ins) 25 minutes 75 seconds Math Calculator 38 (30 multiple choice, 8 grid-ins) 55 minutes 87 seconds As you can see, you'll get more questions, more total time, and more time per question on the Math Calculator section than you will on the Math No Calculator section. Now, let's look at how to use the two-pass method on each of the Math sections. Math No Calculator Section: Two-Pass Strategy On your first pass through the No Calculator section, do only the questions you know how to approach within about five seconds of reading them.You don't need to solve each question in five seconds, but you do need to know exactly what solving each question entails. If you know how to approach a question, try to solve it within 55 seconds. On the other hand, if you can't find a solution approach within five seconds, skip that question for now! By the time you finish your first pass, you should have tried about 10-15 problems and spent 10-15 minutes in total on the section. This gives you 10-15 minutes left to attack the rest of the section. Now, it's time for round two: reread all the problems you didn't solve. Because you've already looked at each of them for five seconds, you should have an idea of which ones are easier and which ones are harder. Do these questions in order of your personal difficulty. Once you only have about a minute left in the section, go through your scoring sheet and confirm that you've filled in an answer for each No Calculator question. Remember that it's OK to guess on a few since there's no penalty for incorrect answers! Math Calculator Section: Two-Pass Strategy With the Calculator section, do only the questions you know how to approachwithin about 10 seconds of reading them.Like the No Calculator section, you don't need to solve each of them within 10 seconds, but you should recognizehow to solve them right away. If you know how to approach a problem, try to solve it within 60 seconds. If, however, you can't figure out how to solve it within 10 seconds of reading it, skip it for now. Once you've finished your first pass, you should have attempted about 25-30 questions and spent about 30-35 minutes on the section. This means you'll have about 20-25 minutes left. Next, for round two, use your remaining time to go back through all the questions you didn't solve on your first pass. Since you've already looked at each question for 10 seconds, you should be able to identify which ones are easier and which ones are harder for you. Do these questions in order of your personal difficulty. When you have about a minute left in the section, check that you've put down an answer for every question. Again, there's no penalty for incorrect answers on the SAT, so it's recommended you fill in something, even if you have to guess! Step 2: Improve Your Reading Score Some say your SAT Reading score is the hardest to improve, and in some ways it is. You've got to read lengthy passages and be able to identify where you've found answers to certain questions. By far the easiest way to improve your Reading score is to practice an effective passage-reading strategy.Our recommended strategy involves the following steps: Quickly read the questions first, identifying the types of questions being asked. Read the information blurb at the beginning of the passage. Read/skim the passage, paying attention to the last line of the introductory paragraph (i.e., the thesis) and opening sentences in body paragraphs and the conclusion. Answer the questions. You should also practice our #1 tip, which is to always look for the 100% unambiguously correct answer choice.Essentially, this is the same thing as the process of elimination. Even though many answer choices can sound right, only one will completely and accurately answer the question. Knowing this fact will help you be better able to pinpoint which choices are clearly wrong. Step 3: Improve Your Writing and Language Score Besides knowing all major SAT grammar rules, remember this key tip: don't just use your ear! So many students try to detect grammar mistakes relying only on how sentences sound. While this strategy might work for the easiest problems, the only way to ultimately master SAT Writing and Languageis to understand grammar on an analytical level. What does knowing grammar analytically mean, though? It's not only knowing grammar rules but alsobeing able to cite which rule is being broken.If you can identify what rule is being broken, you'll know exactly how to fix the sentence so that the rule is not being broken. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! Step 4: Record Your Weaknesses Now that you've shored up your baseline skills for each section, it's time to study in a way that attacks your unique issues with the SAT. Here's how to do this: take two official SAT practice tests. As you take them, circle all the problems you're not sure of, regardless of whether you get them right or not. At the end of the tests, copy the problems you circled into a mistakes journal. Some of the best tutors I know recommend making three mistakes journals, one for each section of the test. They also recommend- for students with more time- taking more than two practice tests for these mistakes journals. After all, the more data, the better! Step 5: Identify Your Weaknesses With all your mistakes written down, start tagging them with keywords.Examples of keywords include the following: Vocab issue Careless mistake Ran out of time Didn't understand author's intent Each question in your mistakes journal should now be tagged with one or more keywords explaining why you think you got it wrong. Next,tally up these reasons tocreate a list showing the number of problems you missed for each reason. Here's an example of what your list might look like: Vocab issue: 4 questions Careless mistake: questions Ran out of time: 13 questions Didn't understand author's intent: 8 questions And so on. Step 6: Fix Your Weaknesses For each weakness, come up with a method to fix it.For example, if you missed a few vocabulary questions on the Reading and Writing sections, you might want to study more words. For authorial intent, you could practice by reading short passages and thinking in the author's shoes. After going through the first few items on your list, your score should now be much higher! This method of journaling and analyzing your weaknesses works wonders.It helped me improve my own SAT score by 200 points! The best part of this method is that it's scientific: itworks by targeting your weakest issues first to ensure that your overall SAT score improves by a lot- ideally, 100 points- in the month you've got left before test day! What's Next? Want a system that automatically does the tallying for you? Then check out our online SAT prep program.We use advanced computer analysis to figure out your weaknesses and help you target them effectively in your prep. Not sure what SAT score you need to be aiming for?Read our in-depth article on how to set an SAT goal score based on the colleges you're applying to. For more SAT help, take a look at ourour expert guide to improving your SAT score,and try out our month-long SAT study plan.

James F. OGorman and Vitruvius Architectural Ideals Essay - 3

James F. OGorman and Vitruvius Architectural Ideals - Essay Example Design of buildings has been computerized to incorporate software that will come up with perfect designs. The architect and the client come up with the most viable design after considering costs, space and other limiting factors that may operate in the building process. A building program will enable the architect to come up how best to erect the building while considering the needs of the client and the state rules to be followed. This paper will elaborate on how the architectural design of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities compares to the Architecture by James O’Gorman and Vitruvius ideals. James O’Gorman ideals explain that the foundations of a building need to be firm so that the building is stable. Weak foundations will mean that the whole building will be weak hence it may collapse or repair will be expensive in case of damages on the building. The building program will entail a written expression of the building, and from this, the builders will incorporate the ideas to erect a stable building. The architect will work on the program to change it to a three-dimensional figure, which is the building. The shapes and sizes of the rooms in the building will be determined by the needs of clients of the building. The shape is determined by the type of building type, its purpose and the timeline the building is built (Gorman, 21). The Gothic cathedral is an example of a building in the historical context that applies the use of planning on the space of buildings. Symmetry is used in the designs to come up with buildings that will stand out as works of superior archi tectural designs. For buildings to be excellent works of architecture, symmetry needs to be applied to make buildings appealing to the viewer's eyes. The University of Minnesota twin cities express the idea of, firmness, symmetry, beauty  and space in its design.  

Tampa Urban Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Tampa Urban Development - Essay Example In the United States, the evolution of urban regions has been dramatic. Numerous situations have congregated over a number of years in the US, and in present days almost 80% of the countries’ residents live in metropolitan regions that occupy below 20% of land area. The amount of urbanized land inside these metropolitan regions is much less. The urban population development started gradually, enhanced in the 19th Century, and after that the development sustained gradually during the following hundred years. The methods and causes for urbanizations have transformed significantly over time. Urban Development in America American metropolises have developed progressively but remained comparatively small in geographic region and population. Major urban developments are situated beside ‘transportation access points’ at docks, navigable tidal, important national rivers, seaways, and great lakes. During the civil war the form of urban development had started to change. Th e capitals have become the hearts of industry for accessing domestic and national natural resources. Trains are one of the leading transportation mediums in the country which is the most inexpensive way to carry materials for construction. After the World War II, suburbanization gained importance in older capitals. Numerous aspects have promoted the spread of suburbanization. The improvement of highway system lets individuals to travel for their occupations in the metropolises from outside civic limitations. This tendency has started in the period of 1920s and enhanced significantly after 1940s. Several multilane highways had developed which contributed to further suburbanization. The suburbanization offers a way of linking small towns with metropolitan lifestyle (Auch & Et. Al., â€Å"Urban Growth in American Cities†). Geographical Analysis of Tampa Development Tampa is situated in the harbor of west and middle Florida with an area of 1030 square kilometers. It is regarded a s one of the biggest open water bays in the southeastern side of America (Xian & Crane, â€Å"Assessments Of Urban Growth In The Tampa Bay Watershed Using Remote Sensing Data†). The width of water bays is almost 400 square miles and the size of drainage area is almost six times more. Tampa is affected by rapid development of human population and it is the second major metropolitan region in the US with almost 2.3 million people. It is anticipated that the population of metropolitan region will rise by approximately 20% by the year 2015. In the period of 1950s, the urban development of Tampa resulted in substantial corrosion in the water quality, environment and natural resources. Urban developments have transformed approximately 50% of Tampa’s original coastline. About 40% of Tampa’s sea-grass has been wiped out because of urbanization (Olsen & Ricci, â€Å"Introduction†). Urban Development of Tampa Development and urban extension have become a major conc ern for America. Throughout past 100 years, several towns have developed from small remote inhabitants to huge organized urban economical geographies. According to survey of ‘US Census Bureau’, almost 79% of American people live in urban areas. One of the major urban development’s of the US is Tampa which is situated in Florida. Tampa has been experiencing improvement since 1800. Several housing spaces were established in ‘

According to Cronon, when and why did the contemporary American Essay

According to Cronon, when and why did the contemporary American conception of wilderness emerge, and why does he consider it dangerous to environmentalism - Essay Example part, have always defined the wilderness as being an environment in which ordinary human beings struggled to be able to provide for themselves and their families. Moreover, this unrealistic notion disregards the fact that the American Indians lived comfortably in that supposed ‘harsh wilderness’ for virtual centuries; only to be unceremoniously cast out of it so that pampered tourists could continue to take pleasure in the illusion that they still had places in their nation which were preserved in their original and pristine state. Cronon openly avows that the notion of the preservation of the wilderness is actually a myth of mainstream cultural construction (Cronon, LoPrete and Demos, 2003). The supposedly ‘American Wilderness’ was once the home of American Indians who farmed the land to produce food and lived on it as well. They also freely owned this land. Today, the notion of hunting societies gaining sustenance from the wilderness is in direct conflict with the statutes sustained the concept of environmentalism. Environmental dualism holds that environmentalists have a duty to safeguard â€Å"unspoiled† environments. This means that the natural inhabitants of these lands who farm or hunt in them are viewed as being threats to the natural condition of the

History of Wireless Electricity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

History of Wireless Electricity - Research Paper Example When Maxwell presented a theory about electro-magnetic theory it stimulated the scientific environment and scientific investigators from all over the world started to look for its experimental proof or authentication. In fact, the scientists and investigators were sure about that it can be survived and achieved in an environment of keen anticipation, strangely encouraging to the response of any proof to this conclusion. Without a doubt, the history of science reveals that ideas and concepts are unpreserved. In fact, every new idea and concept beings improved perspective and understanding of nature and the environment and as a result of this improvement our thoughts and concepts are adapted and improved (Tesla, 2006; Bomber, 2006; Shinohara, 2010). Actually, in the 1891, Dr. Hertz did not present a new theory or an opinion. On the other hand, he just presented his ideas regarding equipment and how it supports to the theory which had already been presented by some other scientists. If we would have taken notice of it then it was not surprising that an electric circuit, processed through an interrupted current, release a wide variety of space signals, however nobody else ever tried to understand their character. So, Dr. Hertz was the first who actually presented a practical authentication that there were transversal signals and waves in the atmosphere. In this scenario, the majority of people considered this thought as his huge achievement. However, in actual fact it can be seen that the eternal value of this theory or idea was not so much in this theory as in the getting the concentration of investigators on the actions are being performed in the ambient means Hence, it gave the Hertz-wave theory a huge importance in the history of wireless energy transmission, in view of the fact that its charming control over the thoughts, had hushed resourceful endeavor in the wireless energy sector as well as retained it for more than twenty-five years (Tesla, 2006; Bomber, 2 006; Shinohara, 2010). However, in contrast, it does not seem feasible to allow too much for the positive and valuable consequences of the influential motivations that it has given in a number of fields. In fact, with regards to the transmission of signals and wires without using wires, the use of these radiations of this operation was absolutely clear. In addition, many times Dr. Hertz was asked the questions about the feasibility and usefulness of such kind of transmission model, and he never thought so, however in the end he was accurate in his prediction. In this scenario, one of the best ways that someone might have anticipated was a way of transmission of signals and communication like the heliographic and causes to experience the same or even more restrictions (Tesla, 2006; Bomber, 2006; Shinohara, 2010). Figure 1Tesla Tower, Image Source: (Mohammed, Ramasamy, & Shanmuganantham, 2010) It was the spring of 1891 when Dr. Nikola Tesla delivered a presentation using a high freque ncy machine at the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) at Columbia College. This demonstration actually formed the basis of an original and hopefully departure. Even though, at that time there had been presented a large number of theories and laws on the subject of electrical resonance, however none of the theory actually focused on experimental and practical authentication of these facts. Hence, it is believed that the experiments performed by Dr. Nikola Tesla are believed to be the first public demonstration

The Connection of The Metabolist Movement With Traditional Japanese Essay

The Connection of The Metabolist Movement With Traditional Japanese Architecture and Urban Design - Essay Example This was accomplished through defying the traditions of space, creating new forms and functional features within the structures. In the pamphlet Metabolism 1960: The Proposals for a New Urbanism, the proponants of the movement presented through the philosophies that defined the thoughts of the architects who were discussing the concepts. The philosophy of Metabolism are founded in the ideas of Buddhist worship, combined with thoughts about impermanence and change as they related to the losses in space that the population explosion was revealing for the future (Kurokawa 6). The ideas behind the development of the design are sometimes considered to be technocratic as much as they are still entrenched in the movement of the avant-garde. The technocrat is someone who lends expertise without the influences of politics in order to solve problems for a society. Crowther and Vunsche write that â€Å"the heterogeneous Japanese Metabolism Movement is significant for its incorporation of moder n science and mathematics into a philosophical exegesis of nature† (173). They go on to explain that the structures with their mass and density for their function were intended to reflect the technological advancements through a technology dominated habitat (Crowther and Vunsche 173). Metabolism is also concerned with nature. ... One of the things that Kurokawa wanted to avoid was repeating the aesthetics and structures found in the West. In the aftermath of the war Japan had been torn apart with much of its original architecture lost to the bombs and destruction of war. Kurokawa wanted to see a Japanese reinvention of building, placing the works in harmony with both the modern and the surroundings in which it would exist. The Description Internal The Nakagin Capsule Tower was built by Kisho Kurokawa in 1972 in order to solve a problem of too many traveling business men without enough economical space to house them when they visited Tokyo (Figure 1). The work looks like a pegged game, something like Jenga that has been slotted together in the best possible configuration. For the Metabolism Movement, the work is small having only 144 modules that can be stacked and rotated around a 14 story core. The building can be changed by removing or adding modules that are connected by four tension bolts to the core buil ding. The pieces were built and pre-made in a manufacturing plant in Shiga, making the units replaceable. The space is small, but efficient allowing for the perfected small space for an individual to live (Svievan). Figure 2 Nakagin Capsule Tower (Svievan) Description External The period of time when the Metabolism Movement was active was one in which social issues and the increases in the population were of high interest. The aftermath of World War II on the Japanese was to shift their ideas from military conquest to technological conquest. The Nakagin Capsule Tower reflects this idea through economy and efficiency. The inside of the building in relationship with its economy is reflected on the exterior through its modular and changeable

Supernatural literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Supernatural literature - Essay Example The author of the fantastic literature of subversion, Rosemary Jackson, depicts and explores the use of the transcendentalist approach, theoretical perspectives, and assumptions as the basis of supernatural literature (Marcus, 2006). Supernatural literature involves the tracing of the hidden truths, the unsaid and the unseen of culture that lie unnoticed by the law, and the dominant value system. The reversal of this perspective exposes a situation whereby there is a sudden change in the dominant value system. The marginalized groups take the center stage in the dominant value system, with whatever that was central to the dominant system thrust aside. Supernatural texts tend to reveal the contents of the dominant system and its values, in the perspective of the marginalized (Friesen, 2010). Supernatural literature involves a comprehensive account of debates on the Marxist aesthetics, and proposes that Marxism is the lone major sociological tradition, and that sociology has failed to theorize the phenomenon of art. This argues out on the purpose of Marxism, and the perception on socialism and capitalism. Rosemary explores on the casual connection between the real world and the theories. There is the question of realism, in the perception of knowledge and the scientific inquiry in the real world. Fantasy is both theoretical and descriptive, i.e. comprehensive and scholarly, account of the literature of the literature of the fantastic, and a polemic calling for its recognition as a potentially subversive literature (Zipes, 2011). Supernatural literature explores the characteristic themes of fantasy, i.e. transformations or changes, invisibility, doubles and disappearances. Rosemary Jackson’s Fantasy: The literature of subversion explores questions and interrogates the relationships between reality and unreality, self or not self and conscious and unconscious. This is on the basis of the reversed perspective. The silenced in a

The Connection of The Metabolist Movement With Traditional Japanese Essay

The Connection of The Metabolist Movement With Traditional Japanese Architecture and Urban Design - Essay Example This was accomplished through defying the traditions of space, creating new forms and functional features within the structures. In the pamphlet Metabolism 1960: The Proposals for a New Urbanism, the proponants of the movement presented through the philosophies that defined the thoughts of the architects who were discussing the concepts. The philosophy of Metabolism are founded in the ideas of Buddhist worship, combined with thoughts about impermanence and change as they related to the losses in space that the population explosion was revealing for the future (Kurokawa 6). The ideas behind the development of the design are sometimes considered to be technocratic as much as they are still entrenched in the movement of the avant-garde. The technocrat is someone who lends expertise without the influences of politics in order to solve problems for a society. Crowther and Vunsche write that â€Å"the heterogeneous Japanese Metabolism Movement is significant for its incorporation of moder n science and mathematics into a philosophical exegesis of nature† (173). They go on to explain that the structures with their mass and density for their function were intended to reflect the technological advancements through a technology dominated habitat (Crowther and Vunsche 173). Metabolism is also concerned with nature. ... One of the things that Kurokawa wanted to avoid was repeating the aesthetics and structures found in the West. In the aftermath of the war Japan had been torn apart with much of its original architecture lost to the bombs and destruction of war. Kurokawa wanted to see a Japanese reinvention of building, placing the works in harmony with both the modern and the surroundings in which it would exist. The Description Internal The Nakagin Capsule Tower was built by Kisho Kurokawa in 1972 in order to solve a problem of too many traveling business men without enough economical space to house them when they visited Tokyo (Figure 1). The work looks like a pegged game, something like Jenga that has been slotted together in the best possible configuration. For the Metabolism Movement, the work is small having only 144 modules that can be stacked and rotated around a 14 story core. The building can be changed by removing or adding modules that are connected by four tension bolts to the core buil ding. The pieces were built and pre-made in a manufacturing plant in Shiga, making the units replaceable. The space is small, but efficient allowing for the perfected small space for an individual to live (Svievan). Figure 2 Nakagin Capsule Tower (Svievan) Description External The period of time when the Metabolism Movement was active was one in which social issues and the increases in the population were of high interest. The aftermath of World War II on the Japanese was to shift their ideas from military conquest to technological conquest. The Nakagin Capsule Tower reflects this idea through economy and efficiency. The inside of the building in relationship with its economy is reflected on the exterior through its modular and changeable

The Affordable Health Care Act Essay Example for Free

The Affordable Health Care Act Essay The Affordable Health Care Act Introduction            This paper puts into a critical and analytical focus the diversity and benefits of the Obama care. It seeks to answer fundamental questions about the advantages and necessity for the act. The affordable healthcare act mirrored with both merits and demerits deciphers its complex nature. The bill signed into law on twenty-third of March 2010 to make critical reforms in the health sector. The health care provision has attracted much of sharp reactions especially from the wealthy society protesting hefty taxes.            The goal of the Obama care is to give access to all Americans quality and affordable health care. This plan focuses on the reduction of growth in health care spending. A significant percentage of the benefits will accrue to the low and middle-income families and citizens. It achieves this through consumer protection, subsidies, taxes, regulation and insurance exchanges. Fundamentally, the Obama care provision is not a replacement to Medicare, private insurance or Medicaid (Wilensky, 2012). The primary focus of the health care facility is regulation of health insurance and practices that affect the sector.            Nevertheless, the contrasting fact is that the Obama care posse’s a lot more significant bunch of questions. Is there a need for health insurance for the richest country in the world? Is it the best the government can offer for the needs of Americans? However, the complexity of the answer to these questions is not a fragment of a sentence. Therefore, before the induction of such a debate some ground rules are principal (Mulligan, 2014). First is an agreement of the fact that the government cannot have an individual approach to protecting the desires of every citizen. Secondly is that the health cover such as the Obama care primary target, is the vulnerable middle class and poor society.            The wealthy society though consistently and constantly complaining about the plan also will benefit from the program. An optimistic look at the system ensures the acknowledgement of certain advantages. The policy prevents against gender-based discrimination, unjustifiably high insurance rates. Significant benefits worth discussion with regard to the annual limits imposed by insurance firms, as well as the right to rapid appeal of the insurance company decisions. This benefits cut across the divide from the middle class to the wealthiest in the society.            The health care industry has seen to the growth in wealth and stature of many fraudulent characters. This includes one who prescribes very expensive drugs even though the cheaper ones can work just for profits (Tate, 2012). The doctor who insistent on surgery whiles a consistent observation of the patient will ensure recovery. A doctor is busy ensuring the readmission of patients who he can monitor at home. Some companies sell machinery at extraordinary hiked prices just for profits. These cases among others ascertain an advantage of the rich over the employed middle class and the poor.            This trend in the health sector increases the cost of living since most Americans are profoundly concerned about their health. A critical look at the developed world countries alienates the United States in health insurance policies. Most of the developed world has a medical insurance policy. In contrast, one of the most riches of them argues about, politicizing the fact that it is a necessity. Fact remains that the multinational companies and big business have created their wealth through the citizens. Most of them are taking advantage of the smaller businesses or the society’s lack of knowledge. Through the articulation of the health care, the businesses get to give back to the society. This may deem improper by many who are in this class, but to some extent, it is a kind gesture.            However, the consideration of certain healthcare statistics is important. A significant 30.1 million people purchase private insurance. Many of them have had their plans cancelled by the company since it does meet the ten essential health thresholds. The cost of replacement of such is very high due to services such as maternity that they may not need. A significant 4 million people could lose their company sponsored health care plan (Wilensky, 2012). This is because many companies will prefer paying the fines and allow their employees to buy their plans. Conclusion            There is a genuine sense in negative approaches to affordable health care. Nevertheless, framework solutions created specifically will solve these issues. A trivial approach to the impediments may have worse negative repercussion to the minority in the society. This will result to the upwelling of negative economic growth. The return of the United States to the set-up of insurance policies existent before will not solve problems in the health sector. Rather a degradation and increase in fraud in the health care section will form complete dominance. The health care program will be successful if approached with a positive mindset and inclusion of all individuals with equality. References Mulligan, C. B. (2014, September 8). The Myth of ObamaCares Affordability. The Wall Street Journal . Tate, N. (2012). ObamaCare Survival Guide . West Palm Beach: Humanix Books. Wilensky, G. R. (2012). The Shortfalls of Obamacare. The New England Journal of Medicine , 1479-1481. Source document

Four Functions of Business: Case Study of Asda and Kwik-Fit

Four Functions of Business: Case Study of Asda and Kwik-Fit Functional areas of business operation Introduction This paper studies four distinct functions of business and how they interrelate. The chosen areas are human resources, distribution, marketing and customer services. Human Resources The function of human resources is to provide a focus and strategy for the efficient management of business employees. Employee management is a primary task of modern corporations. If not dealt with appropriately, employees can have an adverse effect upon the success of the business (Alan Price 2003). Employee satisfaction affects all areas of the business. For example, if an employee is happy at work it will show in the customer service they provide. It also helps promote the business, justify the marketing and promotion message and ensure the smooth running of the distribution function. Distribution Distribution is the function by which the product or service is moved from the manufacturer to the end user (P. Kolter 1991), ultimately the consumer. This can be represented by physical methods, such as transportation and storage or, in a service industry, the method by which that service is packaged and delivered. A breakdown in the distribution process affects customer services, as the business may not be able to deliver the product or service required. The marketing function would be undermined, as promises made cannot be kept. Ultimately, this situation would de-motivate employees, as they are the ones receiving consumer complaints. Marketing Effective marketing and promotion is essential as a method of ensuring the message regarding products or services attracts the attention of the consumer. (George Belch 2004). The marketing function is to deliver a message that is seen, believed and remembered. A successful marketing campaign is heavily reliant upon the efficiency of other business functions. If the business cannot deliver the goods, customers will stop listening to the promotional message. Similarly, if the employees have not received training in customer care, a marketing campaign suggesting consumer care is paramount will not be believed. Customer Services Delivery of customer services is probably the most crucial function. The consumer adds value to the success of the business by purchasing their product or service (Sean Kelly 2005). Therefore, every business has to build and maintain a close relationship with consumers. They have to deliver what the customer needs at a quality and price that meets their requirements. In a competitive marketplace, the correct level of customer service is essential if a business is to achieve a growth in market share. Two organisations, Asda Plc., and Kwik-Fit Insurance Services have been chosen to demonstrate how these functions work in practice. Asda The Asda supermarket chain is a subsidiary of the American Wal-Mart retailer, one of the UK’s leading supermarket chains, with over 150,000 employees. Human Resources Asda’s HR strategy is built on the basis that every employee (All about Asda, 2006) â€Å"plays a part in making the business a success.† To achieve employee satisfaction, retention and succession, Asda runs a programme that provides training covering every area of the business, including in-store and external processes, as well as company policy and customer care. The business is committed to achieving in house succession and to promote this aim, it includes management training as part of its HR programme (See Asda Website Training page). Understanding the need for employees to feel an affinity with the business, Asda encourages staff to take an active part in work meetings, which take place in-store, regionally and nationally, where views can be expressed and discussed. The core of its HR function is to gain the best from employees by encouraging involvement with the business at all levels. Distribution Asda works closely with suppliers to maintain efficient distribution services. This ensures levels of goods required are fed through warehousing centres and to individual stores in a manner that maintains consistent product availability for customers. To allow for regional variances, the business delegates an element of the distribution decision-making process to local store management. Marketing Faced with changing consumer demands (Sean Kelly 2005), Asda now focuses its marketing and promotion on the dual aspect of quality at the right price. This has enabled the business to achieve second position within the grocery industry. Customer Services Asda has consistently sought to improve its customer services. In addition to staff customer care training Asda has expanded the product range throughout its stores. Internet shopping and expansion of till services, including self-service options, are other areas of the business where customer service improvements have been introduced. Kwik-Fit Insurance Services KFIS is an insurance call centre based in Glasgow. Although it was founded with the view to concentrating on the motor industry insurance, the business has expanded into more general areas of insurance. Human Resources To compete with other local call-centre operations, KFIS had to completely revise its HR strategy. This was partially achieved through improving the working environment. Like Asda it introduced training programmes to improve employee standards and encourage involvement. In addition, KFIS operates a â€Å"guardian angel† scheme (Jill Boulton, 2004), where existing staff act as mentors to new recruits. It also appointed a â€Å"minister of fun,† to organise staff social activities. The success of these measures has been reflected in business results. Distribution Unlike Asda, KFIS does not have a need for a physical distribution function. The distribution element here is to ensure the insurance products offered are designed to match consumer requirements. As the service KFIS offers is distributed through call centre operators, the importance of staff and producer knowledge levels is essential in distributing the correct range of products to the end user. Marketing Whilst much of its marketing is directed through Kwik-Fit auto centres, and dependent upon the quality of their service, a significant proportion of promotion is undertaken through advertising and the call centre operators. For example, when engaging with a customer an operator may attract them to other insurance products. In this business the interaction between employee and customer is an integral part of the marketing process (George Belch 2004). Customer Services The customer service aspect of KFIS is more directly linked to the reaction of the employee than with Asda. In a call centre situation consumers instantly judge the services they are receiving by their perception of the operator. The operator’s reaction, explanation and provision of the most appropriate product, and efficiency of service, will determine whether the customer is satisfied and will remain loyal to the business. HR director (Keren Edwards 2006) believes that the strategy in place in the business is contributing to the success in terms of customer retention. Conclusion From the information within this paper it is clear that every function described is dependent upon, and influenced either positively or adversely by the others. If one function, for instance, customer services, does not perform at its most efficient, the result will affect the other functions. Customers will stop believing the marketing, resulting in fewer products sold, parts of the distribution function becoming redundant and a reduction in employee moral and efficiency. References All about Asda (2006). Asda People. Asda Plc. Retreived 19 January from http://asdacares.gpalm.co.uk/people/people_load.html Armstrong, Michael (2006). A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice. Kogan Page. UK. Price, Alan (2003). Human Resource Management in a Business Context. Thomson Learning, UK. Kotler, P. (1991). Marketing Management. FT Prentice Hall, 7th Ed. UK Belch, George. E (2004) Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Perspective. McGraw-Hill Inc. U.S. Kelly, Sean. (2005) Customer intelligence From Data to Dialogue. John Wiley Sons Ltd., UK Boulton, Jill (2004). Kwik-Fit hires fun guy to keep staff smiling. The Scotsman, Friday 21 May 2004. Edwards, Keren (2006). Keep Fit Scheme. People Management Scheme. UK. 6th April 2006. Caffà ¨ Nero: Strategy and Balanced Scorecard Caffà ¨ Nero: Strategy and Balanced Scorecard Introduction The aim of this essay is to design a strategy and two balanced scorecards for a coffee shop company called Caffà © Nero to compliment their mission statement. This will be done after conducting extensive secondary research to gain a clear insight into what a balanced scorecard involves as well as looking into how Caffà © Nero operates. This will hopefully provide knowledge of potential benefits and difficulties to consider when attempting to successfully implement scorecards for both Headquarter and Store Levels for Caffà © Nero. In addition to this, for each scorecard, a strategy map is used to demonstrate how each key performance indicator (KPI) contributes to the overall vision of the company. Finally both levels are then assessed on its contributions to Cafà © Neros strategy and a conclusion is drawn on the main points outlined throughout the essay. What is the Balanced Scorecard? Kaplan introduced the balanced scorecard in 1992 with the aim to translate strategy into action, he stated, The balanced scorecard translates an organisations mission into a comprehensive set of performance measures that provides the framework for implementing its strategy. (Kaplan Norton, 1996: p88). Having understood an organisations vision and strategy, the balanced scorecard aids to develop creative objectives to help measure performance. These objectives can be split into four main perspectives: Financial, Customer, Internal Business Process and Learning and Growth all of which link together to form a strategy map. Implementation of the Balanced Scorecard Benefits and difficulties Bourne Bourne (2007) presents reasons to why once implemented the balanced scorecard can fail. It is beneficial for Caffà © Nero to be conscious of potential problems that may arise in the near future when implementing their balanced scorecards. Looking at the difficulties and problems portrayed by theorists and other organisations experiences should present Caffà © Nero with a competitive advantage. The opportunity of being able to use other organisations failures and theorists advice to overcome the issues presented is valuable. It is particularly important as large amounts of time and money from the company are being invested into this performance management tool. One potential problem is the complexity of the system, resulting in unachieved objectives which will affect the overall vision and strategy of Caffà © Nero. Organisations are faced with de-motivated staff as they steer away from the main objectives that are originally assigned. Although, this is a common problem for the majority of companies when introducing the scorecards, Caffà © Nero is aware of this problem and can therefore take this into consideration throughout the design stage. In particular consideration would be beneficial, in terms of the strategy map when linking the objectives together, so that they are easy to follow and comprehensive for the whole company. As for overcoming the complexity issue, Caffà © Nero can focus on their employees with training, conferences, group and one to one meetings to ensure that every employee within the organisation fully understands what a balanced scorecard is. Their objectives and how they are being measured as well as how each pers pective interlinks in achieving Caffà © Neros strategy. Drury (2004) suggests another difficulty with the scorecard, he identifies that the assumptions of the cause and effect relationships are being excessively vague as well as lacking empirical support. Further research has concluded that is it difficult to link non financial data with future financial performance if at all. Caffà © Nero needs to consider this, as their main objective is to achieve future revenue growth both within the UK and internationally. So perhaps with measures and objectives that are assigned, should be more focused around revenue and financial aspects where possible. An additional difficulty concerning the perspectives shown within the management tool is that it does not factor in other aspects of the business to incorporate customers, employees, suppliers and other environment perspectives. Although Caffà © Nero is not restricted to adding additional perspectives, it could complicate the scorecard further making it difficult to achieve all objectives assigned and some may overlap with existing objectives. Traditionally, when implementing a scorecard the assumption is, the decisions sit with the senior management throughout the design stage as they fully understand the ins and outs of the organisation. Although this may be the case, it is not always in the best interest of the organisation to design a scorecard that only looks at all levels of the business from a top heavy approach. To overcome this Caffà © Nero can be smart and ensure that all functional representatives of their hierarchy from store-level to headquarter level are included within the design. This in turn will show teamwork in working together to understand where each individual fits in to the overall strategy in order to meet the companys objectives. Although the scorecard demonstrates various difficulties that Caffà © Nero should be aware of. Not all is bad; the on-going popularity of the balanced scorecard from other organisations makes it extremely hard to not notice some of the benefits of this management tool. One important trait of the scorecard is its use of effectively combining all the separate elements of the company into one simple model, with help from the strategy map. The tool is also able to help employees and the company to understand how everything interlinks and contributes to the overall strategy. For example, looking at how employees from Caffà © Nero store-level are able to contribute and work with headquarters objectives by improving customer service at store-level in aid to reduce customer complaints for headquarter level at the other end. This management tool is also enabling managers to consider all objectives and measures together as a whole by looking at the bigger picture. Therefore Caffà © Nero can take advantage of these benefits and make necessary improvements to the costs of the company with cost reductions at headquarter level. Lynch (2009) comments that the real benefit of the scorecard is the linkage between strategy and implementation. Most theorists argue that the main goal of the majority of organisations is a form of shareholder value added. Caffà © Nero should consider this when implementing both scorecards. By looking into both quantitative and qualitative measures within the strategy, they should hopefully determine the expectations of their shareholders within performance measures in their strategy and scorecards to achieve growth in shareholder value. Caffà © Nero Strategy Grant (2008) outlines various strategies an organisation can adopt when trying to achieve growth. Having viewed this, Caffà © Nero is more geared towards a business strategy, as it concerns the company with competing within a particular coffee shop market. To prosper within this market it is important to concentrate on establishing a competitive advantage over rivals. To support this Caffà © Nero should base their strategy around product differentiation, by providing customers with quality ranges of espresso that is exclusive to Caffà © Nero stores, will only contribute to concreting a competitive advantage for the company. It also works on shielding Caffà © Nero from their prices being levelled down to the bottom part of the price spectrum, due to potential competitive price wars of the same product between their competitors. This is an important strategy to implement as due to the increase of popularity of coffee shops it is likely for these price wars to occur. As a result, Caffà © Nero can look to improve further, with the quality of their products as well as launching new products in the future as part of their strategy. This can be achieved with product innovation to cater to larger consumer base within the market, hopefully contributing to the growth in both revenue and size within the UK and internationally. Cafà © Nero is well known for its acquisition of Aroma which increased the amount of sites they owned to 106 by 2002; this made them the largest independent owned coffee shop. The company now has 400 stores operating in various locations within the UK, Turkey and the Middle East. Caffà © Nero should now look towards the future of the company, by expanding the number of sites owned. Therefore it is important that part of the strategy should reflect in achieving expansion both internationally and UK based. Caffà © Nero will incorporate this in the scorecard within the financial perspective at headquarter level, as Kaplan and Norton (1996) states that the designing of the strategy of the company is combined with the process of the balanced scorecard. However Caffà © Nero may be faced with great difficulty with trying to implement their strategy due to the diversity of locations they operate in. As it is harder to standardise a scorecard for all site levels throughout the business internationally, as culture and expectations of customers and employees may be different throughout locations. This can be said the same about different locations within the UK. For example Londons objectives may incorporate a faster pace of service to compliment their busy, on the go customers in comparison to another site in a quieter location that may prefer much more of a mellow approach, at a slower pace and friendlier atmosphere where everyone is a community. Caffà © Nero tries to incorporate all of these elements within the overall strategy. Balanced Scorecard Strategy Map The following models demonstrate Caffà © Neros scorecards for both headquarter level and store-level. As well as strategy maps to illustrate how each objective will link together. It is important to note that although the scorecards produced are for the same company, they may differ in objectives for each level, to incorporate all personnel throughout the company. Objectives of headquarter level will focus more on the overall performance of the company, in terms of how they can grow in revenue, size and customers. The model will also focus on innovating products and retention rates of employees and customers. Where as, with the store-level objectives will be more centred around individual stores in terms of customer service, delivery times and empowering and motivating staff with training and incentive programmes. Once the following scorecards have been implemented for Caffà © Nero, it is then important to ensure that everyone throughout the company understands the balanced scoreca rd and where they are contributing to achieving Caffà © Neros vision. As well as considering how all of the objectives from each level will interlink between the two scorecards. This can be done through training centres, conferences and meetings. Scorecard Evaluation Having designed both scorecards (Figure 1 and 2) an evaluation will be conducted to explore both the similarities and differences presented within each models. Additional to this, supporting evidence will add weight to justify reasons for selecting objectives and indicator to contribute to Caffà © Neros overall strategy. Financial Perspective The first objective shown in the financial perspective (figure 1 2) is revenue growth this relates to achieving an increase in growth in some form or another. To drive revenue growth Caffà © Nero objectives concentrate on diversifying into new markets internationally and within UK. As well as branching out into new customer markets and increasing the number of stores owned by Caffà © Nero. Each of these objectives chosen all tie in with Caffà © Neros overall strategy of expansion of the business in the near future. The key performance indicators incorporated into this perspective help to measure each objective for the company. The main similar measure here is (F1 F4) percentage of increase in revenue growth in the overall company and individual store-level (F5). To achieve these objectives they would have to be based upon implementing bonus and incentive schemes for employees so that they are motivated to achieve targets set. They would also need to target larger segments of new customer markets by advertising in new locations such as near to universities to appeal to students or offices to appeal to the working customers. However a drawback of this measure is due to the population suffering from the effects of the recession and the economy resulting to a decrease in disposal income. Meaning growth in revenue for Caffà © Nero will be delicate as new potential customers may not be as opened to trying new coffee shops then their norm as well as lifestyle changes that will affect the amount of r evenue that each store generates. This is why a mark up % was not included in aid to limit other problems such as the affect on shareholder value, as incorporating percentages would put further pressure on the company in case they were unable to achieve resulting to shareholders expectations to decline. Another important objective within the financial section is (F6) improve operational efficiency, which is reducing wastage costs for the business. It is important to achieve this objective as it saves the company money and better for the environment. This can be done by providing more awareness of how to reduce wastage i.e. not leaving taps of water on just for the convenience element for coffee shops. Being aware of waste problems presents benefits as in turn this will maintain the companies overall brand image, which links in will the customer perspective (C3 figure 1) of maintaining brand image. Customer Perspective It is important to measure this objective (C3), as it involves the public with collating feedback and results in reference to how the general public perceive Caffà © Nero as a company. This objective also gives the company an opportunity with participating in charity and environmental work that will help several organisations as well as portraying a better image for the company. This is with the intention to increase in revenue and customer satisfaction, as customers like to be involved in supporting good causes. This is why it was important to incorporate this within the headquarter scorecard. Figure 2 also looks at customer retention (C5), customer satisfaction (C6) and customer profitability (C4) as main objectives to achieve. Each of these objectives link with each other, for example if the customers are satisfied with the service and products offered by staff then they are likely to come back time after time. Creating customer loyal will result in increasing customer retention rates hopefully leading to customer profitability. Therefore ensuring customers are provided with great customer service and high standards of quality products will cement this relationship with customers and employees. Where the employees are concerned this is incorporated into the internal process and learning and growth perspectives. It is significant to note that both levels differ in objectives as the store-level is more involved with direct customer improvement as they adopt a more personal approach with more of a face to face relationship. Therefore objectives will be focused around the service element. In comparison to the headquarters that will look more to indirectly improving service by site quality, reducing complaints and activities involving improving brand image. However one similarity between them is that they are measured by customer feedback in one form or another. Internal Business Processes Perspective The first objective presented in figure 1 is (IP1) innovating products involved, this objective is important for businesses to maintain as their strategy and brand image pride themselves on producing unique high quality products in espresso and food. Therefore it is important for Caffà © Nero to innovate new products in order to compete within such a popular market. To measure this objective Caffà © Nero will look at increase in sales from new products in order to measure if they are successful or not. For that reason employee should be aware of the new products that are available by offering them at pay out areas in order to advertise new products, which links into objective (IP4) developing internal product knowledge. This will be achieved by daily staff meeting and work booklets to test staffs knowledge. Again, this perspective demonstrates some similarities between figures 1 2. Objectives are set to improve on delivery times for customers (IP2 IP5), this is aid of achieving h igh quality of service to link to customer satisfaction (C6), retention (IP3) and profitability (C4). If customers are dissatisfied they will go elsewhere which will affect growth in revenue (F1). To measure delivery times, focus as obtain comparing where Caffà © Nero are in terms of the market, as customers will have a certain level of expectations. However if Caffà © Nero are able to excel over this, it will create customer satisfaction which in theory will lead to more business from that customer. Also by ensuring there is a balanced customer to employee ratio in each site helps to improve delivery and customer service for customers as waiting times will decrease. Learning and Growth Perspective This area focuses on employees in terms of creating objectives to maintain training, in aid of retaining employee loyalty (LG1), improving both job and employee satisfaction (LG2), increasing employees capabilities in skills (LG4) as well as motivating and empowering employees (LG5). In theory these objectives should participate to maintaining a customer centric focus (LG3). Within this perspective, there are many differences between the scorecards as store-level focus on individual needs of employees to drive employee satisfaction. In comparison to headquarters which looks at overall achieving programmes to assist employee satisfaction, presenting a common objective in both scorecards. To measure these objectives appraisal and one to one meetings are used to assess their performance and how to improve in growth in revenue for the business. Each level is assessed by individual employees at store-level and individuals stores for headquarter level. Olve (2003) looked into how incentive and reward programmes can be aligned with scorecards in order to promote realization of intended strategy. This has been incorporated into the learning and growth stage of the scorecards. In aid to attract employees attention, to perform well at store level, contributing to the overall objective of increasing revenue growth for the company. Although there are many differences between the models as each scorecard targets a different audience, it is important to note that they both interlink to together to achieve Cafà © Neros objectives. As store-level focuses on direct customer service it is important that they get it right to achieve sales, retention as well as maintain a happy working environment for staff as getting these objective help to achieve objectives set for headquarter level. In terms of employee retention, training programmes, customer profitability and satisfaction as well as product innovation Conclusion To summarise the main points of this essay, it is essential to consider the information available in order to successfully design and implement a scorecard for a company. As statics show that 70% of balanced scorecards fail due to lack of research within their own individual company and the scorecard. The second point was to fully understand what Caffà © Nero wanted to achieve in regards to their strategy, as it is vital to not incorporate everything as this will only present more problems then benefits. Thirdly, when designing the scorecards for Caffà © Nero, it was crucial to ensure that they were easy to follow for all members of the organisation, as every objective interlinks and filters up the model in a form of a chain. If one objective is not met then this will affect the rest of the model creating a cause and affect relationship throughout the scorecard. For example consequences may lead to losing customers due to bad customer service, lack of high quality products and product knowledge due to limited training. As to measurements within the scorecards Caffà © Nero tried to be realistic so that they are able achieve their strategy as unrealistic measurements can disadvantage a business, as the costs of implementing balanced scorecards is a large investment to make as large amounts of money and time is needed. It is also important that Caffà © Nero adopted a trial and error approach so they could keep reviewing their scorecards to ensure they were aligned with their strategy. Overall a balanced scorecard is an affective management tool to translate strategy into a vision. Word Count: 3299