Risks management analysis during Construction stage and Operational Term Paper

Risks management analysis during Construction stage and Operational stage of the Channel Tunnel Project - Term Paper Example This serves to mitigate the risk of resource shortage for the project, through the application of the principle of maximizing utilization of the resources, to ensure that they fit into the project schedule. Program monitoring and control is yet another vital risk mitigation concept under the construction phase, which entails consistent and regular evaluation of every single aspect of the project and the timely correction of any errors, to ensure that the construction process progresses without safety threats (Yan-juan, Ding-li, & Jian-jun, 2009 p3). This calls for the full adoption and implementation of the principle of project management discipline, which requires that he project, is monitored consistently in every single activity and aspect of implementation, to notice and eliminate all the issues that could be a risk factor to the project. This is meant to avoid future problems, which could have been addressed at the earlier stages (Clifton, 2011 p49). Operational Phase The operat ional phase entails the active implementation and management of the benefits of the Channel Tunnel Project, which entails the control of excessive hierarchical bureaucracy, to ensure that the whole project is achieved without any undue complexities, which emanates from following the hierarchical order within an organization (Eisner, 2000 p14). The minimization of the bureaucracy of the project ensures that unnecessary delays are not experienced. The effective management of bureaucracy and hierarchical order of the project management process helps in the effective application of scheduled time and resources, thus mitigating the risks associated with resource shortages for the project. Focus on details forms another fundamental risk mitigation activity during the operational phase, considering that there is a high risk that issues that are of significance to the project might be overlooked during the operational stage, which are then set to cause problems after the closure stage of th e project lifecycle (Canonico & Soderlund 2010, p795). The complete application of all details of the project operation can only be achieved through the implementation of full coordination between the project implementers. While people are working on different activities of the project, there is always a tendency to assume that the other party will undertake a certain activity, and thus one party ignores the same (Winch, 2013 p5). This can only be overcome through full coordinated operations. Proposals for improvement The first proposal touches on the management of the benefits obtainable from the project, since the benefits are a major source of conflict, especially between the implementers and the actors (Stannard, 1990 p47). The aspect of project benefit management extends beyond the construction and making the project operational, since it looks at the aftermath of having the project in place. The proposal is that project benefit management should be introduced as incentive towa rds making the project operational, by setting benefit realization as the main goal (ProQuest, 2012 p5). While the work of the project managers ends at the closure stage of the project lifecycle, the operation management, regarding the realization of the benefits from the project should be a continuous process, which ensures that all the parties to the project continuously reap the

Case Analysis - Allied Electronics Essay Example for Free

Case Analysis Allied Electronics Essay Robert Venter, second-generation Chief Executive (CE) of family-owned Allied Electronics Corporation Ltd, considered the pros and cons of more clearly linking the firms compensation system to sustainability performance. In June 2011, Altron, a multinational headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, controlled more than 200 companies in Africa, Europe, the US, the UK, Australia, and the Far East. More than 14,000 employees designed, developed, manufactured, and marketed a range of telecommunications, electronics, power electronics, and information technology systems and products. Having made a clear commitment to sustainable development, Venter was confident that the commitment was shared across the senior management team. However, there appeared to be a higher acceptance in the operating units for meeting financial targets than for meeting sustainability targets. There was a clear difference between Venter and his predecessor, Dr. Venter. Dr. Venter adopted a value-based culture in the company, ensuring that the mission and vision of the company were followed and reviewed after every year. The codes of ethics were maintained and that the company responded quickly to changing external forces and trends. Dr. Venter was mostly the sole decision maker at that time and whatever his decision was, was accepted by the organization. At the time Dr. Venter was in charge of the company, it was mostly bottom-line drive; focusing mostly on profits. No doubt that with the family oriented approach that Dr. Venter had and the sole responsibility that he had undertaken for all decision making made the company soar to new heights. But with the global changes in the corporate world took place and the way corporations did business shifted, a change was needed to handle this change. This was the perfect time that Robert Venter took over the company. He differed from his father in many ways, the biggest being; he concentrated more on sustainable development. He believed that the company should be more transparent and everyone’s views mattered. He created a more participative decision-making process that involved a process by which the idea would float and if the ideas clicked on each level of the process, it would be implemented. This not only empowered employees, but lead to more ideas being generated. Carbon Footing: Even though Venter focused more on the sustainability goals of the company, most of the senior managers were still focused on the financial bottom line. With the new process for feeding new idea to the company, Johnston came up with a business case for a carbon footprinting concept. The main idea of this concept was to link the end-goal of a sustainable goal with a tangible success. Johnston set-up to develop a case on the shift from bottom line to sustainable goals and how they were suppose to implement this. The following considerations and steps were performed: * Why they needed the change * Culture of the organization * Risks facing the change * Whether they had the proper systems and the structure for the change * How they would bring about the change in the organization and how to educate the employees about the change The carbon footprinting brought a change for the greater good in the company, the reporting system became more transparent and numbers and reports were being shared and used in different decision making processes. This led to better decision making and found out where the company lacked how proper steps could be followed to make the company having a better standing in its operations. This system also led the company to incorporate broad-based black economic empowerment, which gave a good image to the company in the eyes of the public as well as the government. A compensation plan was drawn up which was based on key performing indicators, this was linked to the annual performance bonuses. After the success of the carbon footprinting across Altron, it was evident that if a proper research, methodology and the respective steps were followed they could bring about a change in the organization and change its structure, the way they did their work and better efficiency in their operations. King III and the How Altron embraced change With the new legal requirement, known as King III, in South Africa required organizations to publish their integrated reports, Altron had an edge on its competition since it had already started publishing its report a year before the legal requirement. As mentioned in the case, Venter, chief executive of Altron, find this to be satisfying since it put the company in a proactive position. Altron was able to adapt with the new legal requirement faster than the other companies. This adaptation to the evolving reporting environment led Altron to come up with a new, better and a more integrated corporate strategy. There was an increase in the strategic themes from 8 before the new reporting system to 11 with the implementation of the new reporting system. Even though most of the strategic themes of the company were the same, they were now looked upon with a broader perspective. Along with the 8 existing themes revitalized and broadened, three important themes were added which were essenti al for the growth and sustainability of the company. These themes include: * Human capital * Environment * Corporate governance Venter believed these new themes were critical for future sustainability of the organization. All three themes were essential to give the company an edge on the competition as well as show the public the greener, environmental friendly and public friendly the company was. If these three factors were incorporated properly in the company strategy it would lead the company to new heights in the eyes of the employees and the public. With the new strategy that was being implemented in Altron, a lot of different changes were to be made and Altron faced different challenges in designing the new corporate strategy keeping in mind the 11 new strategic themes. Also, they had to come up with a payment policy aligned with the strategy of the company based with the individual performance of the employee. There were mixed reviews about the change in the compensation policy of the company, some employees were reluctant to the change of the already existing compensation policy while others were ques tioning the existing policy and looking forward to the change. Embracing Change As mentioned in the case, the King III regulation was an opportunity for Altron to rethink its strategy and closely incorporate sustainability into its strategy, something that Venter had wanted since he had become the CE of the company. Yet again, Johnston steeped up to the task to come up with a case that would allow the company to embed sustainability into the company’s strategy. For this purpose he assembled a team and carried a research on the different aspects that are already mentioned in the above section (why they needed change, risk involved in the change, manpower and organizational culture etc.). Altron was one of the first companies to start the integrated reporting and the following quote explains why Venter thought it was important for them to do so: â€Å"Integrated reporting focuses management and others on looking forward rather than only backwards, which has historically been the case with most reporting. It creates a complete and accurate picture of the company.† â€Å"Not necessarily more detail, but greater insight into the strategy, risks and value creation of a company.† – Robert Venter (Reference: http://www.kpmg.de/docs/20110912_Integrated_Reporting.pdf). As the quote above explains that the research led Johnston and Venter to identify various risks, value creation factors and the strategy that is being used. It put everything Altron was doing in perspective and evaluated where the company stood, locally and globally. After the evaluation of the research and the decision to broaden their strategic themes, to embed sustainability into their strategy, they came up with the 11 new strategic themes. Not only that but they also; * Defined targets * Timeframe, for every task to be done and operations to take place * The measure of performance of an employee that was going to take place on the basis of the 11 strategic themes An analysis of the Compensation Strategy With the changes taking place and sustainability being implanted into the strategic goals of the company, Venter was uncertain about the incentive structure and what kind of message it would send about the sustainability-oriented corporate strategy that they had come up with. With the already existing compensation plan focusing on rewarding consistent long term individual, it drove employee’s energies and activities towards key business goals, creating a competitive and a challenging work environment. This also led to the alignment of shareholders interest with the; * Operational requirement * Strategic direction * Business-specific value drivers of the employees 5 compensation policies were introduced in Altron that focused on: * Attracting talent * Motivating employees * Rewarding employees on their work * And retaining the high-caliber people The 5 policies that Altron came up with were supposed to be transparent and were to link the compensation plan with the sustainability of the company. These 5 policies were explained in details so that employees and managers to sure about the factors they had to follow in order to get a high compensation in a year. Although the compensation plan was a good one, there were a lot of managers and employees that were not happy with this new plan which led Venter to ponder on the effectiveness of the compensation plan with the new sustainability approach the company had took. Analysis: With the company being a market leader and one of the most successful and highly respected companies in South Africa, this new change from focusing on bottom-line to sustainable growth was an important because of the developing markets around the world and the increasing competition. Altron had the right attitude and the right pace to maintain the market leader status because of the efficiency in their work pattern and them doing work according to the rules and regulations that they had come up with. Not only that, but Altron considered both the internal and external factors before bringing forward a new idea or a change. With the new change that was being implemented and the broadening of the strategic themes of the company, Venter had to consider the sustainability drivers and how they were going to implement that change. In the case the highlight is on the compensation plan of the employees and the managers, this maybe because Venter feels that one of the biggest assets the company has is its employees. No doubt in the market that companies exist in there are very minute difference in products and services and it all comes down to the people that work for the company create a difference between one company to the other. In our view, the better the more motivated the employees are the better they would perform and bring forth and change in the company. Venter believed that the employees working for Altron were going to bring a change in the strategy of the company due to which he had to align the compensation plan with the new strategic themes they had come up with. These compensation policies that he had come up with had different criteria’s that an employee or a manager had to fulfill in order to get a good bonus. This involved individual performance and the performance of a certain departmen t. Even though these policies were carved wonderfully, there were employees and managers that were not happy with them. Statistics from exhibits show that even though the company was maintaining a good financial position, employee turnover had increased. This could result in a problem for Altron. With the 11 new strategic themes focused on different areas, Altron realized the importance of having strategic themes for the employees and the customers. Overall we think that these policies were necessary and would bring a change in the working environment of the company and help people work efficiently in order to get a bonus. Although employees were reluctant to the change there were some pros and cons in the policies: * Adopted a total cost of employment policy. * Performance evaluation of employees twice a year, which would lead to detecting problems earlier and whether the goals of the company were being met or not. * Feedback to the employees, which is essential in the growth of the company and the employee. * Aligning interests of the employees and managers with the interests of the company and the stake holders. | * The 70/30 ratio for the financial and non financial KPIs was a bit high. * The performance evaluation and group evaluation at an 80/20 rate, respectively, as high as well. * | Recommendation and Conclusion Although we are in favor of the new policies being implemented because they take in account all the aspects that are needed for the company to grow and different evaluation techniques that should be used in order to come up with the compensation and bonuses that the employees should get, we recommend that: The financial and nonfinancial KPI ratio is lowered, so that people don’t only worry about the financial outcome of the task they perform but also focus on the nonfinancial work they do. In fact there would be departments such as the customer complaint department, which would not know how their financial outcome would be determined since there suppose to interact with the customers rather than increase the sales or make profits. Each department should be given their own set of KPIs that would be used to evaluate their performance. One of the biggest concerns we have is the 80/20 ratio that Altron is thinking of incorporating. This would mean that employees would rather work on their own than work with each other. Department synergy would be destroyed because everyone would rather work to get a better evaluation that his colleague. This ratio should be kept at 50-50 because with the new integrated report system Altron is using it is very important for departments and employees to work together rather than just focus on their individual performance.

Violence On Television :: essays research papers

Violence on Television   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Since its introduction, television has increased in popularity to such an extent that the TV has become the electronic member of the family. The TV can hypnotize us and lure us into worlds of fantasy and adventure as we escape from our worries and cares. It can also inform us and bring us up to date on the latest news. The TV can be a teacher, a friend, and a source of knowledge and information, or it can have a negative effect on our behavior. No matter what effect television has on a person, it is often possible to know someone's lifestyle by observing the way he watches TV.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the television was first introduced, critics claimed that it would be mind numbing, addictive, and utterly passive. These critics were describing the stereotypical TV watcher, the Addict. As his name implies, this person's life revolves around watching television. TV is like a drug to him, and he cannot get enough of it. He epitomizes the couch potato and the â€Å"boob† in boob tube, and can often be described as intellectually empty, especially while he is watching TV. The Addict lives hand to mouth from the potato chip bag. He is lazy and will often go for hours without moving from the television.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If the Addict is not glued in front of the TV, he is most likely to be found paging through his latest issue of TV guide, carefully selecting the shows which he will watch that week and marking them off with a highlighter. On an average day the Addict will come home from work or school, put off all responsibilities, and escape into the world of TV. In this world, the Addict has no demands or responsibilities. The TV becomes his only focus of attention, and all of his energy goes into staring at the TV. While watching one of his favorite shows, the Addict becomes totally oblivious to the world around him. He will not answer his phone, talk to his family or friends, or do anything else which may distract from his viewing pleasure. He lives to watch TV.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Just as the Addict emerged with the invention of the TV, the Surfer arose with the invention of the remote control. When a Surfer sits down to watch television, he first grabs the remote before anyone else can get to it. He turns on the TV with the remote, and it does not leave his grasp until he is finished watching. He is constantly changing the channels and will pause on a particular show only for a moment.

Media essay comparing Essay

The use of this threat, which suggests cannibalism, something that still horrifies a lot of people, is particularly effective and still used in films such as â€Å"Silence of the lambs†. Pip certainly portrays an effective show of fear. In the 1997 version Finn, rather looks well cared for and certainly able to defend himself. When Robert De Niro enters as Magwitch he does look rather rough and his use of very graphic language is meant to be representative of the fact that he is not well educated where as in the David Lean version even though Magwitch was ill mannered he did not swear. When grabbed by Magwitch Finn doesn’t look quite as scared as he is meant to. He is not able to answer question except to nod or make some gurgling noises as Magwitch’s hand is covering his mouth all the while. As the 1944 version follows the novel closely the convict is able to pick Pip up and place him on a tombstone and tilt him back to a position where he (the convict) is Pip’s only support and the fact that throughout the whole rough treatment he gets from Magwitch he is constantly polite and uses the respectful title â€Å"sir†, when it is quite clear that Magwitch is no gentleman makes the audience feel even more sympathetic towards him. As the 1997 version of the movie is shot at a beach there is no way that Magwitch could have picked Finn up and place him on a tombstone, although in my opinion he could have tilted him back from the boat nearby so that if Magwitch let go he would fall into the ocean. As for body language on the whole I think that Pip was able to demonstrate his fear far better than Finn in the 1997 version. I found the actions and body language of Magwitch equally daunting in both films. In the 1944 version we do not get to see the Convict’s face properly which leads the audience think of him as a very sinister and frightening figure, as on could imagine him in anyway they like. To oppose that we see Pips face quite clearly and the fear etched into it. In the 1997 version we have only a fleeing vision of the convicts face before the camera zooms in on Pips face and w can only see the convict’s hand which is covering his moth. I believe the 1944 version was more successful in creating a Magwitch that was fearsome to all. I believe casting had a hug part to play in this as well, because I had grown p watching Robert De Niro movies and I have seen him appear in many of my favourite movies in the role of many of my favourite characters and it was very hard for me to think of him as the evil and sinister looking Magwitch as I had other impressions from him. On the other hand as the 1944 version was made years before I was born I had no idea who the actors were and I had no impressions of them before I watched the movie and I am sure if I come across a movie with Finlay Currie cast in a different role I would still think of hi as Abel Magwitch. People usually go to movies to escape their reality for a brief spell of time, the fact that David Lean chose to have his cast wearing Victorian customs makes it easier for the audience to feel transported into another era easier than the 1997 version where the director chose to have the costumes modernized along with everything else. On the whole I think that David Leans version of Great Expectations was more successful in creating tension and suspense. The fact that the movie is in black and white and that it portrays grim and harsh surroundings as opposed to the beautiful and sunny location of the 1997 version of the film where it was very hard for me to feel the slightest bit of tension although there was a considerable amount produced by the sudden appearance of the convict I didn’t feel it was enough or that it did any justice to the book which in my opinion is one of the best ever written and nowadays I often come across writers who have tried to reproduce novels the same way Dickens did. I preferred the 1944 David Lean version because I felt it did justice to the book and gratified my expectations in creating a cataclysm of mounting tension. Niloofar Bozorgi 10R 1 Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Great Expectations section.

Pas vs Euthanasia

Every human being has the power to make decisions throughout the course of his or her life. People make choices every day, and it is the control that people have over their own lives that allows them to do so. This ability to have options and be able to make decisions should not cease to exist as a patient approaches the end of life. People have the right to believe strongly in personal autonomy and have the determination to control the end of their lives as wished (DeSpelder 238). Toward the end of life, people should still be given the chance to make decisions, in order to allow them some form of control in a life.The option for Physician Assisted Suicide allows for those, who are approaching death, to end their lives without losing any dignity. Physician Assisted Suicide is when a physician intentionally assists a person in committing his or her own suicide by providing drugs for self administration at a voluntary and competent request (Oliver 2006). With Physician Assisted Suicid e, the physician provides the patient with a prescription for a lethal dose of medication, and counseling on the doses and the methods the patient must follow through with to complete the act (Sanders 2007).The physician may be present while the patient self-administers the medication, although this is not legally required. Also, the physician, or any other person, cannot assist the patient in administering the medication (Darr 2007). Physician Assisted Suicide should not be confused with Euthanasia. In the practice of Physician Assisted Suicide, it is the patient who makes the final administration of the lethal medication. As far as Euthanasia is concerned, it is a deliberate action done with the intention to hasten or cause the death of an individual (Sanders 2007).Physician Assisted Suicide is only legal in the state of Oregon, while Euthanasia is illegal across the United States. Even though Euthanasia is illegal, it was performed casually by a physician by the name of Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Dr. Kevorkian would typically start an IV running saline, and allow the patient to then initiate the flow of barbituates and potassium chloride which would result in death (Darr 2007). After having assisted in the deaths of nearly 130 people over the course of ten years, Dr.Kevorkian was found guilty of having given a man a lethal injection which caused the man’s death, and Dr. Kevorkian was sentenced to prison. Although some may see Dr. Kevorkian’s work as wrong and immoral, others support him and his symbol as the public debate on ethical and legal issues surrounding Physician Assisted Suicide (DeSpelder 238). There are many different types or forms of Euthanasia. These types of Euthanasia are: passive euthanasia, active euthanasia, active voluntary euthanasia, and active involuntary euthanasia.Passive euthanasia is the occurrence of a natural death through the discontinuation of life-support equipment or the cessation of life-sustaining medical procedures . Active euthanasia is a deliberate action to end the life of an individual. Voluntary active euthanasia is the intervention of lethal injection to end the life of a mentally competent, suffering individual who has requested to have his or her life put to an end. The last form of Euthanasia is active voluntary euthanasia in which a physician has intervened in such a way to cause the patient’s death, but without the consent from the patient (Scherer 13).One may wish to experience Euthanasia to end his or her life for many reasons. Many patients wish for control and influence over the manner and timing of his or her own death. He or she may also wish to maintain his or her dignity and wish to have relief of severe pain that may be caused by a terminal illness. Other thoughts that may affect the choice for Euthanasia involve wanting to avoid the potential for abuse from his or her doctor, family, health care insurance, and society (Scherer vii).On the other hand, a patient may w ish to pursue Physician Assisted Suicide, or a hastened death, because of an illness related experience such as agonizing symptoms, functional losses, and the effects of pain medications on his or her body. The patient may also feel that the mystery of death is a threat to his or her sense of self, and wish for some sort of control over the matter. Also, patients may fear for the future as far as the quality of life is concerned. A negative past experience with death, and the fear of becoming a burden on amily and friends, can greatly influence a person’s choice to seek Physician Assisted Suicide. As the end of life is approached, care can become much more involved, placing strain on those who are responsible for caring for the dying (Quill 93). In caring for the terminally ill and those near death, certain medications may be prescribed to reduce pain and a patient’s experience with suffering. When administering such medications in an attempt to control symptoms, a phy sician or nurse may inadvertently cause a person’s death. This occurrence is known as ‘double effect’ (Oliver 2006).The doctrine of double effect states that ‘a harmful effect of treatment, even if it results in death, is permissible if the harm is not intended and occurs as a side effect of a beneficial action’ (DeSpelder 238). Because the dosage of medications may need to be adjusted to relieve pain at specific periods of end-of-life, it is likely that respiratory distress may occur soon afterward, leading to death. This has become known as ‘terminal sedation’, yet the Supreme Court has ruled that such instances do not account for Euthanasia or Physician Assisted Suicide because the main intent was to relieve pain (DeSpelder 239).It may appear at times as though the law and medical profession hold strong views that oppose assisting death, but in many ways, they have also shown that under certain circumstances, hastening death can be ju stified. Hastening death through interventions which do not take place in the context of clinical complications, errors, negligence, or deliberate killing have been demonstrated by the legal and professional acceptance of particular cases.Both the law and medical profession allow for the right of a competent adult to refuse any type of treatment, including one which may save his or her life. Doctors are given the right to withdraw or withhold any treatments that he or she sees as futile or not in the patient’s best interest; this includes life saving and life prolonging treatments. As mentioned previously, Doctors are legally also given the right to use their discretion in administering high-dose opiates in the context of palliative care (Sanders 2007).In looking at such scenarios, it is difficult to understand why Physician Assisted Suicide is illegal in all states aside from Oregon, yet similar procedures and actions, that end in the same outcome, are legal in all states. T he only state in which Physician Assisted Suicide is legal is the state of Oregon. Oregon passed the Death with Dignity Act in 1997 which allowed the terminally ill to end their lives voluntarily through the self administration of lethal medications, prescribed by a physician, for this exact purpose (Death).Any physicians, who are against aiding someone in ending his or her life, may refuse to prescribe the lethal medications, but each is given the ability and choice to participate (DeSpelder 237). Although Oregon is the only state in which Physician Assisted Suicide is legal, California, Vermont and Washington all hope to follow in Oregon’s footsteps in legalizing this practice (Ball 2006). Since Physician Assisted Suicide is legal in the state of Oregon, it may be feared that too many people will take advantage of such a utility and that it has potential for abuse (Quill 6).This is not necessarily true. In Oregon, an average of 50 people take full advantage of Physician Ass isted Suicide each year; yet many more than this actually receive the lethal medications and choose not to use them (Oliver 2006). Perhaps it is the feeling of having these medications to fall back on that gives people comfort. People who receive a prescription from their physicians for these lethal medications know that if they ever get to the point where they feel as if they cannot live any longer, they do not have to.Some other facts about patients who choose to follow through with Physician Assisted Suicide are that the majority of those who took the lethal medications were more likely to be divorced or never married rather than married or widowed, had levels of education higher than general education, and had either HIV and AIDS or malignant neoplasms (Darr 2007). Although Physician Assisted Suicide was made legal in Oregon, there have been many instances where the United States Supreme Court has attempted to give Physician Assisted Suicide a bad image.In 1997, the Supreme Cour t compared two cases related to Physician Assisted Suicide. The cases were Washington vs. Glucksberg, and Vacco vs. Quill. In the comparison of these two cases, the Supreme Court looked at withholding and withdrawing treatments against Physician Assisted Suicide. The Court concluded that ‘the right to refuse treatment was based on the right to maintain one’s bodily integrity, not on a right to hasten death’ but when treatments are withdrawn or withheld, ‘the intent is to honor the patient’s wishes, not cause death, unlike PAS where the patient is â€Å"killed† by the lethal medication’ (DeSpelder 237).After examination of such cases, the Supreme Court confirmed that states had the right to prohibit Physician Assisted Suicide, or allow it under some regulatory system. In order to be eligible for Physician Assisted Suicide, there are certain criteria that need to be met. First, the patient must be at least eighteen years old and a legal r esident in the state of Oregon. The patient must be diagnosed with a terminal illness which is determined to provide the patient with less than six months to live.This terminal diagnosis must be confirmed again by a consulting physician. The patient must also be able to communicate his or her health care decisions. A patient is determined to be mentally incompetent in making such decisions, as stated by the Mental Capacity Act of 2005, if he or she is unable to understand information that is relevant to the situation or decision, is unable to retain this information being provided, cannot use or weigh information as part of the natural decision making process, and cannot communicate his or her decision in any manner (Dimond 2006).The request for Physician Assisted Suicide must be a voluntary request, with at least one written request, signed in the presence of at least two witnesses, and two verbal request, both of which must be at least fifteen days apart. If either the attending o r consulting physician feels as though the patient may be depressed, a complete psychiatric examination is done. In addition to these criteria, the physician must also provide information to the patient about hospice care and other comfort measures that may serve as alternatives to Physician Assisted Suicide (Ball 2006).It is important to explore all possibilities for pain management and palliative care to the fullest extent in order to set aside Physician Assisted Suicide as the final resort to ending pain and suffering (Scherer 118). The request for Physician Assisted Suicide is also a prime opportunity for health care providers to examine, explore and address a patient’s fears for the end-of-life (Darr 2007). It is important to hear the request and the feelings behind it, because this could also be a patient’s means for expressing a fear of being kept alive by technological treatments, or even a way of expressing depression.A patient may feel as though it would be e asier to put an end to his or her life rather than to deteriorate (Oliver 2006). Because these possibilities may be so, it is important to analyze a patient’s behavior and requests for death carefully. These requests may not be a true wish to die, but rather what is thought to be an easy way out, or a deep lying psychological issue. It is also recommended that the physician and patient have formed a previous relationship so that there is a clear understanding of the patient’s history and future medical treatment wishes.There must be a discussion between the physician and patient. This discussion facilitates the physician’s understanding of the meaning of the request which will then allow him or her to respond to the patient’s request with both concern and compassion. If both concern and compassion can be developed within the physician-patient relationship, then it is more likely that the physician can accept the patient’s request without encouragin g the patient’s decision to pursue Physician Assisted Suicide (Scherer 118). There are many arguments both for and against the use of Physician Assisted Suicide.The argument for Physician Assisted Suicide is focused primarily on the support of a person’s autonomous decision to end his or her life. It is believed that any person who at the end of his or her life is experiencing unbearable symptoms or distress and feels as though he or she has a poor quality of life, should be able to request assistance in ending his of her life (Oliver 2006). If we are to respect a patient’s wishes, then it is thought that we too should respect a patient’s choice of when and how to die.If a patient has the right to make informed decisions about medical treatment, then this right should naturally extend into his or her informed choice to choose a medically assisted death (Sanders 2007). Those who are against Physician Assisted Suicide believe that a patient’s autonom y should be limited when its exercise has a negative effect on others, and that it undermines a patient’s ability to trust a doctor as a healer (Sanders 2007). Many people also believe that ‘life is a gift from God and no human being has the right to take that gift away’ (Heintz 2007).Fears or worries may arise with the legalization of Physician Assisted Suicide. As health care workers and providers, the job at hand is viewed as maintaining life and improving a patient’s physical condition while performing Physician Assisted Suicide may remove this image. If legalized, the public may find it fearsome that the health care system has become somewhat inconsistent. This is demonstrated when a patient is asked to trust a health care provider in maintaining or improving his or her health while that same provider may be assisting other patients in committing their own suicides (Darr 2007).I chose the topic of Physician Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia because it i s something that I find interesting. There is a constant struggle going on as to whether or not these procedures and actions are ethical, and I thought that it would be interesting to learn more about the topics in order to better develop my own view on the matter. Through my research, my opinion of Physician Assisted Suicide did not change. I had originally viewed Physician Assisted Suicide as a person’s choice and right.Now, I still have the same input on the topic, but I feel as though I could better argue my decision of being for Physician Assisted Suicide rather than against it. I have learned a lot about Physician Assisted Suicide. I find it most important that my sources of information were from both sides of the discussion. This made it helpful for me to understand both views on Physician Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia. Upon completing my research, I developed stronger feelings for the case of Physician Assisted Suicide as being a patient’s choice.This is an i ndividual’s choice, and for anyone to vote against such a procedure does not seem OK. Nobody has a say in what goes on in another person’s life. If this really is the case, then why should anyone be able to say that people who are suffering and nearing death cannot take a lethal dose of medication to kill themselves. It all comes down to Physician Assisted Suicide being a patient’s choice and right to have the opportunity in front of him or her if he or she deems it necessary. In conclusion, the ending of one’s life should be left in the hands of that one individual and nobody else.It will always be said to people that â€Å"it is your life, do with it as you will†, but why should this phrase change when it is applied to someone’s death? People should be free to determine their own fates by their own autonomous choices, especially when it comes to private matters such as health (Quill 39). No one person’s life should be at the mercy o f what other people believe would be best. Life or death and the way they will be carried out or ended, should be nobodies choice but the individual. Resources Ball, S. (2006).Nurse-patient advocacy and the right to die. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, 44, 36-42. Retrieved February 28, 2008, from the MEDLINE (through EBSCOhost) database. Darr, K. (2007). Assistance in dying: part II. Assisted suicide in the united states. Nexus. Ethics, Law, and Management, 85, 31-36. Retrieved February 28, 2008, from the MEDLINE (through EBSCOhost) database. Death with dignity act. OREGON. gov. Retrieved February 15, 2008 from http://oregon. gov/DHS/ph/pas . DeSpelder, L. , Strickland, A. (2005). The last dance: Encountering death and dying.New York: McGraw-Hill. Dimond, B. (2006). Mental capacity requirements and a patient’s right to die. British Journal of Nursing, 15, 1130-1131. Retrieved February 28, 2008, from the MEDLINE (through EBSCOhost) database. Heintz, A. (2007). Quality of dyin g. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology, 28, 1-2. Retrieved February 28, 2008, from the MEDLINE (through EBSCOhost) database. Oliver, D. (2006). A perspective on euthanasia. British Journal of Cancer, 95, 953-954. Retrieved February 28, 2008, from the MEDLINE (through EBSCOhost) database.Quill, T. , Battin, M. (2004). Physician assisted dying: The case for palliative care and patient choice. Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press. Sanders, K. , Chaloner, C. (2007). Voluntary euthanasia: Ethical concepts and definitions. Art and Science Ethical Decision-Making, 21, 41-44. Retrieved February 28, 2008, from the MEDLINE (through EBSCOhost) database. Scherer, J. , Simon, R. (1999). Euthanasia and the right to die: A comparative view. United States of America: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc.

MBA 711 CVP Project Essay

MBA 711 CVP Project Essay MBA 711 CVP Project Essay 1. What are some examples of overhead costs that are incurred by Toll Brothers? Overhead costs can be anything that is that is not associated with direct materials or direct labor (Noreen-Brewer 2nd Ed, pg.176). As stated Toll Brothers, headquartered in Horsham, PA,. is in the business of designing, building, marketing, and arranging financing for single family detached and attached home in luxury residential communities (10K,pg.1). Some of these overhead costs would include operations of (10k, pg.2): Land development Architectural Engineering Mortgage Title Landscaping Security monitoring Lumbar distribution House component assembly Manufacturing They also develop, own and operate golf courses and country clubs associated with the master planned communities they work on and even invest in joint ventures to develop land for the sole use of the venture participants. All of the above will amount to overhead costs that must be covered under the company overhead. â€Å"We own a manufacturing facility of approximately 300,000 square feet located in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, a manufacturing facility of approximately 186,000 square feet located in Emporia, Virginia and a manufacturing facility of approximately 134,000 square feet in Knox, Indiana.†(10K,pg.17) Many of these costs are fixed and involved employment of supervisors and managers that work on salary which also add to the overhead costs. â€Å"We lease, from an unrelated third party, a facility of approximately 144,000 square feet located in Fairless Hills, Pennsylvania. At these facilities, we manufacture open wall panels, roof and floor trusses, and certain interior and exterior millwork to supply a portion of our construction needs. These facilities supply components used in our North, Mid-Atlantic and South geographic segments. These operations also permit us to purchase wholesale lumber, plywood, windows, doors, certain other interior and exterior millwork and other building materials to supply to our communities. We believe that increased efficiencies, cost savings and productivity result from the operation of these plants and from the wholesale purchase of materials.†(10k,pg.17) The equipment used for the manufacturing, property taxes, factory insurance, depreciatio n of property value and utilities required to run the company will also contribute. Moreover, direct land acquisition, development, construction costs, costs with interest, real estate taxes and direct overhead related to development and construction are contributing factors to overhead. REFERENCES (1). Wikipedia, (n.d). Toll Brothers, Inc, retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toll_Brothers (2) Noreen,Eric,et. al (2010). MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING FOR MANAGERS 2nd EDITION. McGraw-Hill. Week 3: Discussion Team 1 ______________________________________________ Managerial Accounting (MKTG711) September 13, 2013 Question #1: Would Toll Brothers be more likely to use process costing or job-order costing? Why? Process costing is utilized when a company produces many units of the same product, making one unit undistinguishable from the next. Because of this identical nature, the same average cost per unit can be assigned. Contrary to this technique, a job-order costing system is used when companies produce many different products or when they are â€Å"made to order†. Because each unit is unique, job costs must be assigned and traced to each specific job in order to determine the total cost of each unit. Based on this information, Toll Brothers would be more likely to use job-order costing. As stated in Toll Brother’s Form 10-K for 2010, â€Å"Each of our single-family detached-home communities offers several home plans, with the opportunity for home buyers to select various exterior styles. We design each community to fit existing land characteristics. We strive to achieve diversity among architectural styles within a community by offering

Overview of the No Child Left Behind Act

Overview of the No Child Left Behind Act The No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 (NCLB) was initially legislated for 5 years, and has been since temporarily extended, but not officially reauthorized. Senate Democrats were divided were divided on reauthorization, while most Senate Republicans heartily despise NCLB. In May 2008, Senate reauthorization was put on the back-burner while legislators pondered hundreds of reform ideas. In early 2010 and again on March 14, 2011, President Obama said he will seek to reauthorize NCLB, but modified to be similar to his $4.35 billion Race to the Top initiative, which requires five major education reforms for K-12 public education, and pushes states to compete for education funding, rather than automatically receiving it based on a formula. At Race to the Top, Obamas 2010 Education Grant Initiative, read a summary of Obamas controversial five reforms which are a model for his planned reform of NCLB. NCLB is a federal law that mandates a number of programs aimed at improving U.S. education in elementary, middle and high schools by increasing accountability standards. The approach is based on outcome-based theories education that high expectations goal-setting will result in greater educational achievement for most students. Supporters of NCLB Supporters of NCLB agree with the mandate for accountability to educational standards, and believe emphasis on test results will improve the quality of public education for all students. Proponents also believe that NCLB initiatives will further democratize U.S. education, by setting standards and providing resources to schools, regardless of wealth, ethnicity, disabilities or language spoken. Opponents of NCLB Opponents of NCLB, which includes all major teachers unions, allege that the act hasnt been effective in improving education in public education, especially high schools, as evidenced by mixed results in standardized tests since NCLBs 2002 inception. Opponents also claim that standardized testing, which is the heart of NCLB accountability, is deeply flawed and biased for many reasons, and that stricter teacher qualifications have exacerbated the nationwide teacher shortage, not provided a stronger teaching force. Some critics believe that the federal government has no constitutional authority in the education arena, and that federal involvement erodes state and local control over education of their children. Current Status In January 2007, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings published Building on Results: A Blue print for Strengthening the No Child Left Behind Act, in which the Bush Administration: Asserts that the Act is challenging our students to succeed and our schools to improve.Claims that 90% of teachers have met NCLBs highly qualified teacher requirements... At-risk students are getting help earlier... children with disabilities are receiving more classroom time and attention... Spellings report admitted problems that NCLB has identified and not cured, including:Between 1999 and 2004, reading scores for 17-year-olds fell 3 points, and math scores fell 1 point.U.S. 15-year-olds ranked 24th out of 29 developed nations in math literacy and problem-solving, in 2003.1 million students annually drop out of high school before graduation. Changes Proposed by Bush Administration To strengthen the No Child Left Behind Act, the Bush Administration proposes: * A stronger effort must be made to close the achievement gap through the high school standards and accountability. TRANSLATED: More testing, and tougher tests. * Middle and high schools must offer more rigorous coursework that better prepares students for postsecondary education or the workforce. TRANSLATED: Tougher and more basics-focused courses in middle and high school. Also, clearer differentiation between college bound and non- college bound students. * States much be given the flexibilities and new tools to restructure chronically underperforming schools, and families must be given more options. TRANSLATED: The most controversial new proposal would enable students at failing schools to receive a voucher to transfer to a private school. Thus, the Bush Administration is proposing that public school funds would be used to pay private and religious schools. Until now, students at perennially failing schools had the options to either transfer to another public school or receive extended tutoring at the schools expense. Background The 670-page No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) was passed with strong bipartisan backing by the House of Representatives on December 13, 2001 by a vote of 381-41, and by the Senate on December 18, 2001 by a vote of 87-10. President George W. Bush signed it into law on January 8, 2002. The primary sponsors of NCLB were President George W. Bush and Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, a decades-long advocate for raising the quality of public education for all American children. NCLB was partially based on education reform strategies instituted by President Bush during his tenure as Texas governor. Those Texas education reforms were reputed to result in improved standardized test scores. Subsequent inquiry revealed test-rigging by some educators and administrators. Margaret Spellings, Former Secretary of Education One of the principal authors of NCLB was Margaret Spellings, who was nominated to Secretary of Education in late 2004. Spellings, who holds a B.A. in political science from University of Houston, was the political director for Bushs first gubernatorial campaign in 1994, and later served as a senior advisor to Texas Gov. Bush during his term as 1995 to 2000. Before her association with George W. Bush, Spellings worked on an education reform commission under Texas Governor William P. Clements and as associate executive director for the Texas Association of School Boards. Prior to her nomination to be Education Secretary, Margaret Spellings worked for the Bush Administration as Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy. Margaret Spellings has never worked in a school system, and has no formal training in education. She is married to Robert Spellings, former Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the Texas House, now a prominent attorney in Austin, Texas and Washington D.C., who has actively lobbied for the adoption of school vouchers. Pros The primary positives of the  No Child Left Behind Act  include: Accountability standards are set and measured annually by each state to foster educational growth and achievement. All results are also annually reported to parents.Standards are set for teacher qualifications.NCLB links state academic content with student educational outcomes, and requires school improvement be implemented using scientific-based research methods in the classroom, parent programs, and teacher development courses.NCLB emphasizes reading, writing and math.NCLB measures educational status and growth by ethnicity, and helps to close the achievement gap between white and minority students.NCLB requires schools to focus on providing quality education to students who are often underserved, including children with disabilities, from low-income families, non-English speakers, as well as African-Americans and Latinos.Parents are provided annually with a detailed report of student achievement, and explanations are provided of achievement levels. Cons Major drawbacks of the  No Child Left Behind Actinclude: Federal Underfunding The Bush Administration has significantly underfunded NCLB at the state level, and yet, has required states to comply with all provisions of NCLB or risk losing  federal funds. Said Sen. Ted Kennedy, a sponsor of NCLB and Senate Education Committee Chair, The tragedy is that these long overdue reforms are finally in place, but the funds are not. As a result, most states have been forced to make budget cuts in non-tested school subjects such as science,  foreign languages,  social studies  and arts programs, and for books, field trips and school supplies. Teaching to the Test Teachers and parents charge that NCLB encourages, and rewards, teaching children to score well on the test, rather than teaching with a primary goal of learning. As a result, teachers are pressured to teach a narrow set of test-taking skills and a test-limited range of knowledge. NCLB ignores many vital subjects, including science, history and foreign languages. Problems with NCLB Standardized Tests Since states set their own standards and write their own standardized NCLB tests, states can compensate for inadequate student performance by setting very low standards and making tests unusually easy. Many contend that testing requirements for disabled and limited-English proficient students are unfair and unworkable. Critics allege that standardized tests contain cultural biases, and that educational quality cant necessarily be evaluated by  objective testing. Teacher Qualification Standards NCLB sets very high teacher qualifications by requiring new  teachers  to possess one (or often more) college degrees in specific subjects and to pass a battery of proficiency tests. Existing teachers must also pass proficiency tests. These new requirements have caused major problems in obtaining qualified teachers in subjects (special education, science, math) and areas (rural, inner cities) where schools districts already have teacher shortages. Teachers especially object to the Bush 2007 proposal to allow districts to circumvent teacher contracts to transfer teachers to failing and poorly-performing schools. Failure to Address Reasons for Lack of Achievement At its core, NCLB faults schools and curriculum for student failure, but critics claim that other factors are also to blame, including: class size, old and damaged school buildings, hunger and homelessness, and lack of health care. Where It Stands Theres little doubt that the  No Child Left Behind Act  will be reauthorized by Congress in 2007. The open question is: How will Congress change the Act? White House Kicks-Off Reauthorization Discussions A meeting was held on January 8, 2007 at the White House to mark the 5th anniversary of the No Child Left Behind Act, and to kick-off Bush Administration discussons with Congress regarding reauthorization of the act. Attendees at the meeting with President Bush and Education Secreatary Margaret Spellings were Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Chair of the Senate Education Committee; Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), ranking Republican on that committee; Rep. George Miller (D-CA), Chair of the House Education Committee; and Rep. Howard McKeon (R-CA), ranking Republican on that committee. According to Sen. Enzi,  There was agreement we should proceed, and an agreement in principal on what needs to be done. Religious, Civil Liberties Groups Propose NCLB Changes More than 100 religious denominations and  civil rights, education and disability advocacy groups have signed on to the  Joint Organizational Statement on NCLB, calling for changes to NCLB, and stating that: We endorse the use of an accountability system that helps ensure all children, including children of color, from low-income families, with disabilities, and of limited English proficiency, are prepared to be successful, participating members of our democracy... ... we believe the following significant, constructive corrections are among those necessary to make the Act fair and effective. Among these concerns are: * over-emphasizing standardized testing, narrowing curriculum and instruction to focus on test preparation rather than richer academic learning; * over-identifying schools in need of improvement; using  sanctions  that do not help improve schools; * inappropriately excluding low-scoring children in order to boost test results; * and inadequate funding. Overall, the laws emphasis needs to shift from applying sanctions for failing to raise test scores to holding states and localities accountable for making the systemic changes that improve student achievement.

Study, Learn, and Read

Study, Learn, and Read Study, Learn, and Read Study, Learn, and Read By Maeve Maddox Some ESL speakers have trouble with these verbs. To study is to apply the mind to the acquisition of knowledge. Books are the first avenue that comes to mind, but as the object of study is the acquisition of knowledge, other means include observation and experiment. Play is a form of study for children. Although the word learn is closely associated with study, the following sentences have completely different meanings: I am studying German. I am learning German. Many a student studies a subject in school without learning it. To read has several meanings. The most common is â€Å"to scan written or printed words and get meaning from them.† One noteworthy usage difference between British and American English is the use of read in reference to postsecondary education. In the U.S., students go to the university â€Å"to study history† or some other subject; in England, they go to university â€Å"to read history.† The idiom â€Å"to read up on† means â€Å"to study.† For example, â€Å"Before you travel to India, you may want to read up a little on the culture.† Idioms with read: to read between the lines: to draw conclusions not apparent from surface appearances. â€Å"She tells them that she cares for them, but when she turned down their last three dinner invitations, I could read between the lines.† read my lips! Ordinarily, this expression is used to emphasize a speaker’s sincerity and resolve: â€Å"Listen carefully!† â€Å"Pay close attention!† â€Å"Take my word for it!† In 1988, the phrase became closely associated with G. H. W. Bush, who said, â€Å"Read my lips: No new Taxes!† when accepting the presidential nomination. Because Bush did raise taxes during his presidency, political writers often use the phrase ironically. to read someone like a book: to understand a person’s character and thoughts by studying outward signs. to read a person’s mind: to guess what a person is thinking or intending to do. to read the Riot Act: The phrase originated in reference to an 18th century Act passed by the British Parliament following several serious riots. The Act authorized local officials to disperse any gathering of more than 12 people who were unlawfully, riotously, and tumultuously assembled together. An official would confront the group and read the part of the act that spelled out the consequences for refusing to obey. Nowadays the expression is used by adults in reference to noisy children: â€Å"Sounds like they’re getting pretty wild in there; you’d better go read them the Riot Act.† Idioms with learn: to learn by heart: to memorize learn by rote: to learn by means of repetition, the way one learns the alphabet, the multiplication tables, and scientific phyla. A learning curve is psychological jargon that has found a place in the general vocabulary. It means â€Å"the rate of a person’s progress in learning a new skill.† The expression derives from is a curve on a graph illustrating the rate of learning by a lab subject. Modern usage distinguishes between learn and teach, but in Shakespeare’s time, learn was used in the sense of â€Å"teach†: The red plague rid you for learning me your language! Caliban, The Tempest I:ii (1611) This use survives in some dialects, but not in standard usage. Fewer idioms with study come to mind: study a face: to look closely at a face, as if to memorize its features. study the options: to consider possible solutions to a problem or course of action. be in a brown study: â€Å"A state of mental abstraction or musing; gloomy meditation. The word brown originally described a color so dark as to be almost black. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:35 Synonyms for â€Å"Look†55 Boxing IdiomsWhat the heck are "learnings"?

Frank Luntz Lections on Beliefs, Attitudes, and Values Essay

Frank Luntz Lections on Beliefs, Attitudes, and Values - Essay Example Similarly, there are certain aspects in the manner he makes his presentation which needs to be corrected so as to make it even better. Luntz is very keen on involving his audience in his presentation. He does not simply stand on the podium and give a speech. Rather, he occasionally asks questions which are very important in keeping the audience much engaged and alert. He interludes his talk with a number of very interesting questions which effectively connect with the audience. This is certainly an important part of making a successful speech and ensuring that the audience is motivated to listen further. In the same way, Luntz does not just stand in one place at the podium during his talk. He greatly moves around the podium and as he walks across and talks. This makes people very engaged and not bored. The focus in this regard is to ensure that the audience is not fixated and subsequently bored. In this regard, Luntz is very effective in the context of audience adaptation. In making his points, Luntz uses plenty of relevant examples which the audience can easily associate with. He does make his presentation full of theory and abstract reasoning. Rather, he talks about the daily things which his audience relates with. In a way, Luntz has a great sense of humour which helps in keeping the audience alert and greatly involved. This humour is not actually far-fetched but is drawn from the very situations which the audience experience daily. Luntz makes a comparison between the performance of Obama and McCain in the 2008 election campaigns. He attributes Obama’s success to the ability to easily connect and relate to the audience while making his speeches. On the other hand, McCain is presented as somebody who highly depends on the teleprompter and does not thereby clearly connect with his audience. Luntz maintains a proper eye contact with the audience and also greatly applies gestures in driving his points.     

Launching a New Product A variant of Red Bull Waking a new market Essay

Launching a New Product A variant of Red Bull Waking a new market - Essay Example Typical time lines for launch: Pre-launch activities: Month 0 - 3 Product completion By Month 3 at latest Launch planning Month 4 - 6 Launch Month 7 -10 Sometimes a company actively markets the right product or service to the right people in the right media. But the marketing effort flops - all because of poor timing. To get the most mileage from the marketing efforts, you must be keenly aware of the right and wrong times to get the word out. To gain a bit of insight, consider the following: To launch a product on a limited budget, the best bet is to market when the competitors have eased up so that the product can gain the largest share of target audience attention with the smallest investment. That may mean marketing during what are typically slow months in your industry. But because this is when one can attract the most attention the fastest, it's worth it. The product should be launched around Christmas when the people have the time to go shopping and watch television along with family. This way the product would get maximum attention. Word of mouth would also work for it as the people who have seen the prelaunch activities might discuss with friends and relatives over dinner. Also this is the time when health and family welfare are highest on the consumer's agenda . Estimated Budget Budget For Energy Drink Price per Unit 85p Variable Cost 10p Gross Contribution( PPU-VC) 75p Sales Volume(Estimated Units) 10,00,000 Sales Revenue 85,000,000 Gross Contribution Margin(GC*SV) 75,000,000 Over Heads 20,000,000 Net Contribution(GCM-OH) 55,000,000 Advertising and Promotions 10,000,000 Sales Force and Distribution 8,000,000 Net Operating Profit(NC- Adv-Sales force distribution) 37,000,000 After the product concept is...Plan to distribute the releases two to three weeks before the product's launch day. Sometimes a company actively markets the right product or service to the right people in the right media. But the marketing effort flops - all because of poor timing. To get the most mileage from the marketing efforts, you must be keenly aware of the right and wrong times to get the word out. To gain a bit of insight, consider the following: To launch a product on a limited budget, the best bet is to market when the competitors have eased up so that the product can gain the largest share of target audience attention with the smallest investment. That may mean marketing during what are typically slow months in your industry. But because this is when one can attract the most attention the fastest, it's worth it. The product should be launched around Christmas when the people have the time to go shopping and watch television along with family. This way the product would get maximum attention. Word of mouth would also work for it as the people who have seen the prelaunch activities might discuss with friends and relatives over dinner. Also this is the time when health and family welfare are highest on the consumer's agenda . After the product concept is prepared , in order to evaluate business proposal attractiveness , one needs to prepare sales

Criminal Justice System Bachelor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Criminal Justice System Bachelor - Essay Example The social-science evidence points strongly to the influence of parents as the chief underlying cause of juvenile crime. In England, 27 per cent of prison inmates had been in care and 47 per cent had run away from home as a child. But it's not just broken families. Criminal parents are much more likely to raise criminal offspring: a recent survey found that 43 per cent of prisoners had family members who had been convicted and 35 per cent had a family member who had been in jail. But family breakdown is important, especially when parents contradict each other - thereby providing no clear moral lead - or compete for affection by being lax with their children. Such conflict is more likely in disrupted families, when one parent is absent, or when a new partner or step-parent appears.[1] An answer could be found in the root causes of disrespect and irreverence. Has society targeted the reasons for disrespect and irreverence in search of an answer, or is the singular aim to "get tougher" on social malfeasance an answer in and of itself This paper will take a telescopic look at the root causes of criminal behavior in our society's youth and the legal policies that affect it. It is noted in this work that the purpose of enacting legal policies is to deter crime and reduce the rates of recidivism ("repeat offenders") that peter through the criminal justice system. On closer inspection, the ... Youths caught in the system are a portrayal of that which comes from parents and peers, or outside related or non-related other adults. Juvenile delinquency is the stuff of which intrinsically learned self-hatred (a common cause of suicide), or the extrinsic form of taking out self-hatred on others is made. Children often want others to "feel their pain" as badly as they do and therefore commit offenses on some level, whether minor or serious; or whether aimed at attacking themselves or attacking others. Sometimes, but less often, the deviant behavior reflects an attempt to close the missing relationship gaps-to get attention, or to find some comfort or solace in material "things," which they will steal. There is the situation in which the stolen item could have been purchased, but the child or older teen takes a certain delight in the rush of possibly getting caught. Adults have only to look to their own behaviors-'disrespect and irreverence of life'-to explain the root causes of juvenile offenses and ultimately juvenile crime. (Juvenile Crime, 1999)[2] In England and Wales, a minor is anyone under the age of 18, and the "age of criminal responsibility" (or defense of infancy) is age 10. When minors break the law, they are dealt with directly by the Youth Offending Team, which is overseen by the Youth Justice Board. The Youth Offending Team (YOT) is a statutory, multi-agency team that followed the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act (CDA) set up by the English Parliament. In 1998, the CDA implemented the following policies: (1) with regard to anti-social behavior "(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both; or (b) on

Chapter 10 and 11 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chapter 10 and 11 - Assignment Example Actually, Wilson invoked the principle of confidentiality and sought to use it against the mandate of the rule of law.   Particularly, Nixon sought to exploit the idea that the principle of confidentiality was abstract enough to conflict the rule of law.   Thus, to defend his decision not to hand over the documents, Nixon argued that the right to confidentiality was the most paramount legal term. It is a fact that by 1972, Nixon’s appeal had started to wane. This follows the fact that he had been elected in 1968 mainly because of his â€Å"Nixon Secret Plan† that would have seen him stop the Vietnam War immediately he became president. Because Americans were decisively against the Vietnam War, Nixon secured the largest victory in 1968. However, four years later, he had not yet stopped this war. Growing nationwide antiwar protests and demonstrations which Nixon described as ‘a tiny but vociferous’ minority was an indicator of this waning popularity. To counter this unpromising development, Nixon controversially stated that there was a silent majority that understood the need for his administration to keep the war going, as an end to peace and honor (Chafe, 2009). The recession that raised inflation and interest rates to double digits also helped puncture Nixon’s popularity. The Watergate scandal also serves as a clear testimony that Nixon himself seriously considered his waning popularity a reality. At the time, there was a serious economic recession that caused interest rates and the rate of inflation to soar. The situation was deplorable to an extent that even Nixon’s imposition of price and wage controls miserably failed. High rates of unemployment, the falling supply of oil that made oil became subsequently expensive and an array of environmental crises and serious catastrophes such as the 1979 Three-Mile Island Nuclear Accident aggravated this feeling of helplessness in America.    It was also at this time that the War in

Development and Diversification of Living Organisms Assignment

Development and Diversification of Living Organisms - Assignment Example The complete set of genes within a living organism’s cell is called genotype. On the other hand, the complete set of physical characteristics that make up the structure of an organism is called phenotype. The limitations of these factors will inhibit the reproduction process, which of course results differ from one species to another because of the differences in characteristics that are inherited and environmental influences. This variation is also the result of a process called mutation, which is caused by radiation, viruses, and errors during DNA replication. Genes that arise by mutation and found at the same place on a chromosome is known as an allele. Thus, it can be said that evolution is the result of two opposing forces. According to Hardy-Weinberg’s Theory, the genotype and allele frequencies of a population will often remain in equilibrium, unless disturbing influences, such as mutation, is present. The equilibrium state is only possible when the genotype and allele frequencies do not change. This happens when a population has a large size, which prevents the occurrence of genetic drift, bottlenecks and founder effects. The equilibrium state also occurs when there is no mutation, as explained earlier and that random mating takes place, which is explained below. However, this is hardly the case. In other words, if the equilibrium state is violated by factors such as those mentioned above, then evolution will take place. The genotype and allele frequencies are influenced by environmental and cultural events. A given genotype frequency can occur with random mating in a single generation as this causes the evolution of a given species, which in turn produces a new equilibrium within that one generation. For instance, continuous random mating of a black-haired population will result in homozygotes. Such violations include inbreeding, assortative mating, and small population size. On the other hand, a change in allele frequency can occur when selection, mutation, and migration happen.

The Performance of the Global Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The Performance of the Global Marketing - Essay Example In this regard, studies that serve the purpose of linking marketing activities to firm performance and stock value are exceedingly necessary. Undoubtedly these have been reasons for the Marketing Science Institute to list Marketing Metrics among top research priorities. The organization of this proposal is the following. Firstly, a description of the project is presented. Secondly, the methodology is proposed. Thirdly, an approximated time schedule of research is developed. Finally, a provisional table of contents is suggested. In reference to academic relevance, this research pretends to support empirical evidence to the field of marketing metrics in a global context. The suggestion of Rust et al. (2004) about search for empirical support to the chain of marketing activities has been taken into account. According to Holmstrom and Tirole's (1989:65) definition, a theory of the firm must address two central questions: (a) why firms exist, and (b) what determines their scale and scope. In the case of this thesis proposal, there are two theoretical perspectives central to explaining the relationship between Marketing Strategy and firm's performance in a global context: the Industrial Organization (IO) Theory and the Resource-Based View (RBV) Theory. Both of them postulate that the purpose of the firm is to maximize profits. Having fulfilled the first question of Holmstrom and Tirole (1989:65), the logic of this theoretical framework is to connect the drivers of the two theories to the relationship between marketing strategy and firm's performance. 2.1.1. Industrial Organization Theory The IO theory focuses on the external market to identify drivers of a firm's strategy which will consequently affect its performance (Zou and Cavusgil 2002). According to the IO framework, external market and industry environment (structure) determines a firm's strategy (conduct), which in turn determines its performance (Porter 1980). Under IO theory, the development of the marketing strategy has to allow for the structure of the external market and industry, hence being coaligment to environment for getting positive effects on performance (Venkatraman and Prescott 1990) and survive and prosper (Collis 1991). 2.1.2. Resource-Based View

Development and Diversification of Living Organisms Assignment

Development and Diversification of Living Organisms - Assignment Example The complete set of genes within a living organism’s cell is called genotype. On the other hand, the complete set of physical characteristics that make up the structure of an organism is called phenotype. The limitations of these factors will inhibit the reproduction process, which of course results differ from one species to another because of the differences in characteristics that are inherited and environmental influences. This variation is also the result of a process called mutation, which is caused by radiation, viruses, and errors during DNA replication. Genes that arise by mutation and found at the same place on a chromosome is known as an allele. Thus, it can be said that evolution is the result of two opposing forces. According to Hardy-Weinberg’s Theory, the genotype and allele frequencies of a population will often remain in equilibrium, unless disturbing influences, such as mutation, is present. The equilibrium state is only possible when the genotype and allele frequencies do not change. This happens when a population has a large size, which prevents the occurrence of genetic drift, bottlenecks and founder effects. The equilibrium state also occurs when there is no mutation, as explained earlier and that random mating takes place, which is explained below. However, this is hardly the case. In other words, if the equilibrium state is violated by factors such as those mentioned above, then evolution will take place. The genotype and allele frequencies are influenced by environmental and cultural events. A given genotype frequency can occur with random mating in a single generation as this causes the evolution of a given species, which in turn produces a new equilibrium within that one generation. For instance, continuous random mating of a black-haired population will result in homozygotes. Such violations include inbreeding, assortative mating, and small population size. On the other hand, a change in allele frequency can occur when selection, mutation, and migration happen.

Symbolism in Hemingway's Cat in the Rain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Symbolism in Hemingway's Cat in the Rain - Essay Example A knock at the door brings the maid with a cat in her hands which the hotel owner asks her to bring to American wife. This short story of Hemingway clearly illustrates one chapter of marriage life which is enriched through the use of symbolism. The story starts with the beautiful description of the place outside the couple's hotel with the view of the sea and the picturesque panorama that artists cannot resist to paint. After this, Hemingway starts to build the situation where the couples are-"rain dripped from the palm trees (Hemingway 1)," "motor cars are gone (1)," and "empty square (1)"-which are all in contrast to the previously depicted beauty of the place. This description can be seen as Hemingway's illustration of the husband and wife. When they first got married, everything seems to be so well between them. However, they are now faced with the hardship of making their relationship work because of their individual differences which is further portrayed in the succeeding paragraphs. Hemingway's use of cat which is "trying to make herself compact that she would not be dripped on" (2) can be directly linked to the emotional suffering that the woman is going through. It should be noted that like the cat, she is battling the coldness of her husband and is trying to make him understand what she wants.

Eeoc Paper Essay Example for Free

Eeoc Paper Essay The purpose of this paper is to go over a lawsuit that was filled by the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The paper will cover who the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) is and their role in the lawsuit. It will go over whether or not the lawsuit promotes social change. The paper will also go over how the EEOC as well as other news groups released information about the case to the public. I will then give my take on how I would implement new strategies to make sure the problem does not come up in the workplace again. A description of the compliance issue that led to the lawsuit The lawsuit that I have chosen is about a company not hiring someone because of their race. Tyeastia Green sued Alliant Techsystems, Inc. (ATK) because they did not hire her due to her race. A recruiter for ATK initially told her that she had gotten the job, later ATK rejected her and hired a while male instead (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2012). A brief Summary of the functions of the EEOC According to U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2012), the EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information† (Aerospace and Defense Manufacturer Rejected Applicant on Racial Grounds, Federal Agency Charged). The EEOC investigates charges of discrimination against employers who are covered by the law. Their role is the fairly and accurately assess the allegations in the charge and make a finding. The EEOC also works to prevent discrimination before it happens by offering education and technical assistance programs. The EEOC’s role in this lawsuit The EEOC’s role in the lawsuit was to find out whether or not the claim was valid. Once they decided that the claim was valid, they tried to settle the charge in a pre-litigation settlement. Since ATK did not want to settle, the EEOC filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2012). Whether or not this lawsuit promotes social change and reasons I do not believe that this lawsuit promotes social change. I believe this because I do not believe that this was a real discrimination due to Tyeastia Green’s race. According to Stych (2012), the recruiter asked her to take out her braids to appear more professional. Tyaestia did take out her braids but later put them back in before she got hired on. I believe that the company was not trying to discriminate against her. They asked her to do something to look more professional. The company does not have the right to tell her how she should wear her hair, but I do not believe they didn’t hire her because of her race. I think that they didn’t hire her because she didn’t comply with how they thought a profession person should look. A comparison of the EEOC press release to the news item The EEOC’s press release was not very informational. It did not give much detail on how the company discriminated against Tyeastia Green. The press release just said that ATK did not hire her because of her race. It also said that the company will pay $100,000 and furnish other relief to settle the race discrimination lawsuit filed by the EEOC (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2012). The article written by Ed Stych for the Minneapolis/ St. Paul Business Journal went into more detail on what happened that lead to the lawsuit being filed. The article said that a recruiter asked Tyeastia to take out her braids to look more professional and that they set up an interview with the company’s information technology director and asked that she came to that interview the same way, without the braids (Stych, 2012). What accounts for the differences? I think that the reason they are different is because the EEOC has a privacy policy where they are not allowed to release certain information about the case. Other news groups on the other hand do not have a privacy policy. They write as much as they know in their articles. The Business Journal wanted the public to know why the lawsuit was filed and what lead up to the lawsuit. Strategies for ensuring inclusion in multicultural workplace If I was a senior manager at ATK, I would make sure that I specified how I believe the company’s image is displayed properly. I would make sure that everyone would be treated equally. I would make sure that all of the managers make everyone feel at home in the workplace. I would give classes to the managers and the recruiters on how to prevent discrimination in the workplace. I would also make sure that the recruiters learn how to talk to people without discriminating against them. Conclusion This paper has gone over the lawsuit that was filed by the EEOC. It also went over who the EEOC is and what their role is in the lawsuit. It also went over how the EEOC’s press release and the Minneapolis/ St. Paul Business Journal articles different. I have learned that employers need to watch what they say and be more specific on how they say things to people as well. I think that if the recruiter has just explained better on why they did not want her to have her braids, things might have gone a little better. If I was Tyeastia, I would have waited until after my final interview to put the braids back in. They asked her to take them out and she did, then they asked her to come looking just like that to the meeting with the information technology director and she didn’t. I think that both parties are at fault in this situation. References U.S. Equall Employment Opportunity Commission. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/11-27-12b.cfm Stych, E. (2012). Mineapolis St. Paul Business Journal. Retrieved from http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/news/2011/09/29/atk-sued-eeoc-for-racial-discrimination.html

To what extent do the detective fiction stories looked at imitate Essay

To what extent do the detective fiction stories looked at imitate The Murders in the Rue Morgue in terms of the character and the creation of tension? Question: To what extent do the detective fiction stories looked at imitate 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' in terms of the character and the creation of tension? This essay will explain, discuss and examine the effects of Edgar Allen Poe's 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' had on other authors writing detective stories during the 19th century. 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' was a new kind of story and Edgar Allen Poe had many authors imitate him. Take Arthur Conan Doyle's detective, Sherlock Holmes, for example. Holmes quickly became one of the most famous detectives of that time and his stories were, and still are, loved all around the world. But not forgetting all of the other detective writers of that time too. To an extent, most detective stories of the 19th century have copied the original aspects of Poe's 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue.' This essay will examine Poe's influence on his successors. 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' was one of the first detective stories ever written. Because of this, Edgar Allen Poe has set a trend for other detective writers to follow. Poe has used a number different of 'points' in his story to create suspense and tension, which can be found in other detective stories of that time. For example, in Dorothy L. Sayers writing about 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue', she writes that 'The story features a combination of three typical motifs. The wrongly suspected man . . . . the sealed death chamber and the solution by unexpected means.' These examples can all be found in most of Arthur Conan Doyle's 'Sherlock Holme... ...man who was murdered, Cadogen West, had taken the papers. In conclusion to this essay, we can see that throughout the stories that we have read, how often the writers have imitated Poe's original six points. We can see that the writers have imitated the classic six points quite well. Some of the stories might not contain all of the six points, but the points they do contain have all added to the creation of suspense and tension in the mind of the reader. All of the writers we have looked at, in one way or another, have all tried, and successfully incorporated the basic character of Dupin into their own. It is evident that the most successful story that we have read has to be 'The Problem of Dressing Room A.' It has included all of the classic six points that Sayers mentioned about 'The Murders in the Rue Morgue' and the outrà © character of the detective.

William Faulkner’s novel As I Lay Dying :: William Faulkner, As I Lay Dying

I have both negative and positive things to say about William Faulkner’s novel As I Lay Dying. In the book Faulkner uses a very unique approach for narration. He has very strong sentences and vocabulary, but the story itself was too strange and warped for my enjoyment. Nevertheless there is a vibe given off in this Faulkner Novel that make it a timeless classic.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I started reading this book it only took me the first few chapters to notice that the vocabulary and sentence structure are superb. Faulkner puts the words in his sentences so perfectly it strikes me as a work of art. Descriptive sentences like this with outstanding vocabulary give the reader a distinct image of what Faulkner is describing â€Å"It wheels up like a motionless hand lifted above the profound desolation of the ocean; beyond it the red road lies like a spoke of which Addie Bundren is the rim† Faulkner uses a myriad of descriptive adjectives, vocabulary and metaphors in this an many of his sentences to give the novel a true ring.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Faulkner novel indeed does have its disturbing strangeness however. The entire family acts as if they each are from a different species of human. Their awkward personalities and strange minds give an unpleasant shutter to the tone of the story making it somewhat uncomfortable to read and even more uncomfortable once you put the book down because it leaves you somewhat bewildered. Perhaps the story would have been better if it were from one narrator’s point of view instead of a plethora of them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Positive or Negative it’s a tough argument to deny that this is truly a classic novel. The artistic sentences and the demented minds of the characters create a whirlwind in the readers mind, sucking them into the book and making them feel as if they were part of the story.

Analysis of Data Mining

ITKM Analysis of Data Mining The article Data Mining by Christopher Clifton analyzed how different types of data mining techniques have been applied in crime detection and different outcomes. Moreover, the analysis proposed how the different data mining techniques can be used in detection of different form of frauds. The analysis gave the advantages and disadvantages of using data mining in different operation. The major advantage was that data mining enables analysis of large quantities of data. This is important since such data cannot be analyzed manually since the data is often complex for humans to understand.However, data mining techniques have been used for deceitful purposes such as inappropriate disclosure of private information. The article analyzed different data mining techniques. Predictive modeling is one such technique used in estimation of particular target attribute. Descriptive modeling was another technique, which entails dividing data into groups. The other techniq ues described include pattern mining used in identification of rules relating to different data pattern and anomaly detection, which entails determining the unusual instances that, may arise when using the different data-mining model. ) What is the title and what was the objective of the study/analysis) The title of the article was data mining. The article focused on skills in knowledge discovery can be used in analysis of large volumes of data sets. According to the article, data mining was invented about one and a half decades ago due to the advances in artificial intelligence. Discovery of expert system, genetic algorithms, neural networks, and machine leaning led to develop ways to adapt these schemes and use them for data mining purposes. Related article: What Business Can Learn From Text MiningThe objective of the article was to give a history of data mining, the different types of data mining and the application of data mining in different fields such as business, scientific research, as well as by security agents in detection of crimes and terrorist activities (Clifton Web). Regarding the history of data mining, the article stated that data mining was first implemented in credit card fraud detection. The 2) What data mining algorithm was used (i. e. cluster analysis, decision tree, neural network, other) and describe the algorithm?The analysis used both decision tree algorithm and clustering algorithm. By using decision tree algorithm, the information regarding data mining techniques was grouped by making use of predefined knowledge. The analysis entails description of different crime detection techniques. Moreover, the most appropriate technique for detection of different types of crimes was suggested based on the profitability of using any single technique. Using clustering technique, the data was divided into different groups to obtain certain patterns. Such pattern included classification to data mining techniques based on their uses.This was used to develop ways in which the different techniques can be applied in business (Clifton Web). 3) What was the outcome of the analysis, and how did it benefit the business, if there was a benefit? The analysis identified the various data mining techniques, their applications, strengths and weaknesses. The analysis was important to the business world. For example, the analysis on use of data mining in detection of credit card fraud identified the challenges involved on the process. This was crucial since it gave insights on how different techniques can be developed to make data mining more effective in credit card fraud detection.Another reason why the analysis was important to the business world was that it analyzed the different data mining approa ches such as predictive modeling, descriptive modeling, pattern mining, and anomaly detection. The analysis explained how the different techniques work. Moreover, the analysis was crucial since it provided insights on how different techniques can be used in detection of fraud crime in different types of business transaction. Moreover, it highlighted the shortcoming on the different techniques. This is crucial since it provided intuitions on areas that can be improved to make the techniques more effective (Clifton Web).An additional reason why the analysis was important is that it pinpointed the issues that arise when using data mining techniques in fraud detection. One such issue is privacy concern. This was crucial since it gave insights on how the business world can continue using data mining techniques to combat crime without risking loss of reputation. Moreover, the companies can use data mining for fraud detection crimes while making less error such as those of biasness (Clifto n Web). Conclusion Data mining has undergone modification with technological advancement. Data mining play a great role in enabling detection of problems such as frauds.This is because it enables analysis of large and complex quantities of data. In the article about data mining, Clifton used both decision tree and cluster analysis to assess the different types of data mining. By using decision tree, the author group data mining based on the techniques used. By using clustering, the data was grouped to obtain certain patterns. The analysis was important to business world since it provided insights on how the different data mining techniques work. Works Cited Clifton, Christopher. â€Å"data mining . † Encyclopedia Bratanicca (n. d. ): 1-3. Web. .

Gawai Day or Gawai Dayak

Gawai Day or Gawai Dayak is a festival celebrated in Sarawak on 1 June every year. It is both a religious and social occasion. The word Gawai means a ritual or festival whereas Dayak is a collective name for the native ethnic groups of Sarawak (and neighboring Indonesian Kalimantan): the Iban, also known as Sea Dayak and the Bidayuh people, also known as Land Dayak. Thus, Gawai Dayak literally means â€Å"Dayak Festival†. Dayak would visit their friends and relatives on this day. Such visit is more commonly known as â€Å"ngabang† in the Iban language. Those too far away to visit would receive greeting cards. It started back in 1957 in a radio forum held by Mr Ian Kingsley, a radio programme organiser. This generated a lot of interest among the Dayak community. The mode of celebration varies from place to place. Preparation starts early. Tuak (rice wine) is brewed (at least one month before the celebration) and traditional delicacies like penganan (cakes from rice flour, sugar and coconut milk) are prepared. As the big day approaches, everyone will be busy with general cleaning and preparing food and cakes. On Gawai Eve, glutinous rice is steamed in bamboo (ngelulun pulut). In the longhouse, new mats will be laid out on the ruai (an open gallery which runs through the entire length of the longhouse). The walls of most bilik (rooms) and the ruai are decorated with Pua Kumbu (traditional blankets). A visit to clean the graveyard is also conducted and offerings offered to the dead. After the visit it is important to bathe before entering the longhouse to ward off bad luck. The celebration starts on the evening of 31 May. In most Iban longhouses, it starts with a ceremony called Muai Antu Rua (to cast away the spirit of greed), signifying the non-interference of the spirit of bad luck in the celebration. Two children or men each dragging a chapan (winnowing basket) will pass each family's room. Every family will throw some unwanted article into the basket. The unwanted articles will be tossed to the ground from the end of the longhouse for the spirit of bad luck. Around 6 pm or as the sun sets, miring (offering ceremony) will take place. Before the ceremony, gendang rayah (ritual music) is performed. The Feast Chief thanks the gods for the good harvest, and asks for guidance, blessings and long life as he waves a cockerel over the offerings. He then sacrifices the cockerel and a little blood is used together with the offerings. Once the offering ceremony is done, dinner is then served at the ruai. Just before midnight, a procession up and down the ruai seven times called Ngalu Petara (welcoming the spirit gods) is performed. During this procession, a beauty pageant to choose the festival's queen and king (Kumang & Keling Gawai) is sometimes conducted. Meanwhile, drinks, traditional cakes and delicacies are served. At midnight, the gong is beaten to call the celebrants to attention. The longhouse Chief (tuai rumah) or Festival Chief will lead everyone to drink the Ai Pengayu (normally tuak for long life) and at the same time wish each other â€Å"gayu-guru, gerai-nyamai† (long life, health and prosperity). The celebration now turns merrier and less formal. Some will dance to the traditional music played, others will sing the pantun (poems). In urban areas, Dayaks will organise gatherings at community centres or restaurants to celebrate the evening. Other activities that may follow the next few days include: cock-fighting matches, and blowpipe and ngajat competitions. On this day, 1 June, homes of the Dayaks are opened to visitors and guests. Traditionally, when guests arrive at a longhouse, they are given the ai tiki as a welcome. From time to time, guests are served tuak. This would be called nyibur temuai which literally means â€Å"watering of guests†. Christian Dayaks normally attend a church mass service to thank God for the good harvest. Gawai Dayak celebrations may last for several days. It is also during this time of year that many Dayak weddings take place, as it is one of the rare occasions when all the members of the community return home to their ancestral longhouse. Up till 1962, the British colonial government refused to recognise Dayak Day. Gawai Dayak was formally gazetted on 25 September 1964 as a public holiday in place of Sarawak Day. It was first celebrated on 1 June 1965 and became a symbol of unity, aspiration and hope for the Dayak community. Today, it is an integral part of Dayak social life. It is a thanksgiving day marking good harvest and a time to plan for the new farming season or activities ahead.