Brand Community A Community Of Brand Followers And...

Brand community is considered to be a community of brand followers and customers, fastened together by similar behavioural attachment towards the brand. As drastic innovation on the leading platforms reduces down, marketers become progressively limited in their influence, brands are requiring to move laterally to lodge their customer-centred needs. Brands are considering onlookers connected by the synchronization of their brand interest, rather than the unity of their social real world connections. The communities are trained on social media which bid amusing new opportunities to squeeze brand sensibility. Taking the commitment of the brand to a fully preserved community makes comprehensive sense in a customer-centred strategy. Marketers can build up brand communities by assisting in shared consumer experiences and strengthening the trustworthiness to the brand as an amalgamation towards the brand (McAlexander, Schouten, Koenig, 2002). In the emerging consumer culture fuelled by ind ustrial revolution, the sense of community and interpersonal bonds and unimagined fellowship is necessary for the growth of the brand and the manufacturers (McAlexander, Schouten, Koenig, 2002). (Kalman, 2009) Context Brand communities minimum requirement is a unique brand as well as a techniques to bring together the consumers who are committed to the brand. The point to which consumers may adopt a brand’s principles and procedures even if they do not exemplify them initially, is theShow MoreRelatedUsing Photo Sharing From A Global Community Of Over 300 Million Active Users1329 Words   |  6 Pagesto use photo sharing app used by a small group of people has exploded into a global community of over 300 million active users. An amazing 70 million photos and videos a day are now shared on Instagram by both consumers and brands. 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Introduction to Business Law and Ethics Free Essays

Introduction to Business Law and Ethics Susana Silvestri Grand Canyon University BUS-340 October 17, 2010 Introduction to Business Law and Ethics Statutory interpretation was critical to the Supreme Court of Colorado’s resolution of a 2007 case, Pringle v. Valdez. Using an online source or sources, locate the Pringle decision. We will write a custom essay sample on Introduction to Business Law and Ethics or any similar topic only for you Order Now Then do the following: 1. Read Justice Bender’s majority opinion and prepare a case brief of the sort described in this chapter’s appendix on â€Å"Reading and Briefing Cases. 2. Read the dissenting opinion authored by Justice Coats. Then prepare a one-page essay that (a) summarizes the principal arguments made in the dissenting opinion; (b) sets forth your view on which analysis—the majority opinion’s or the dissenting opinion’s—is better; and (c) Provide the reasons for the view you have expressed in (b). 1. Case Briefing Pringle v. Valdez 06SC92 (2007) Court: Supreme Court Class: Civil Facts: Pringle lost control of the vehicle while taking Valdez home. Valdez was not wearing his seatbelt causing a series of injuries when ejected of the vehicle. Valdez requested compensation for impairment and disfigurement, and noneconomic losses. The argument lays on the â€Å"Noneconomic losses† which might fall under the â€Å"pain and suffering† under the seatbelt defense. Issue: The wording used involving â€Å"pain and suffering† and â€Å"noneconomic damages† referred to in the Seatbelt defense provision Holding: Awarding of $400,000 for physical disfigurement and impairment. Rule: The wording in dispute â€Å"pain and suffering† and â€Å"noneconomic damages† will be further evaluated. Analysis: â€Å"Pain and Suffering† and â€Å"noneconomic damages† are many times considered to be similar and by studying the demand of the case it can be ruled as been the same but using a different name. Conclusion: Non-award of $100,000 for noneconomic damages. Award of $400,00 for physical impairment and disfigurement. Pringle v. Valdez is obviously at first a case of Majority Opinion which in an appeal court was turned into a dissenting opinion. Part of the case held while the other was discussed, studied and adjust for an accurate ruling, in order to explain and grant a decision by the jurors and the judge according with the Statutory Interpretation of the case. Mallor, J. P. , Barnes, A. J. , Bowers, T. Langvardt, A. W. , 2010, p. 24 http://www. courts. state. co. us/Courts/Supreme_Court/opinions/2006/06SC92. pdf Jerrie Gray worked at a Tyson Foods plant where she was exposed to comments, gestures, and physical contact that, she alleged, constituted sexual harassment. Tyson disputed the allegation, arguing that the behavior was not unwelcome, that the complained about conduct was not based on sex, that the conduct did not affect a term, condition, or privilege of employment, and that proper remedial action was taken in response to any complaint by Gray of sexual harassment. During the trial in federal court, a witness for Gray repeatedly volunteered inadmissible testimony that the judge had to tell the jury to disregard. At one point, upon an objection from the defendant’s counsel, the witness asked, â€Å"May I say something here? The judge told her she could not. Finally, after the jury left the courtroom, the witness had an angry outburst that continued into the hallway, in view of some of the jurors. The jury awarded Gray $185,000 in compensatory and $800,000 in punitive damages. Tyson believed that it should not have been liable, that the awards of damages were excessive and unsupported by evidence, and that the inadmissible evidence and improper conduct had tainted the proceedings. What courses of action may Tyson pursue? Tyson Foods entered a trial in a Federal Court after a sexual harassment case was filed. Tyson Foods follow protocol and tried to solve the issue ahead of time. During trial the witness continued to make comments that were dismissed which were then awarded based on comments made after the hearing was completed and the company was liable to pay almost $1,000,000. 00. Based on Tyson Foods believes they should appeal the Federal Court decision due to the fact that the claims were unsupported by evidence. Also they should add the fact that the inadmissible evidence and improper conduct of the witness had tainted the proceedings issuing an unfair ruling. You own a consulting firm with 32 employees and annual billings of $29,000,000. One of your clients, whom you bill an average of $1,200,000 annually, has asked you to hire her grandson. You know that the grandson has been recently graduated from a top-20 business school. He is 31 years old, has a solid academic record, and possesses the personal and professional skills to be successful as a consultant. You also know, however, that he is a recovering cocaine addict, having struggled with the addiction for five years prior to his attending business school. Your firm has a strict no-drugs policy, which you usually interpret to exclude those who previously abused drugs. Using justice theory, justify a decision to exempt the grandson from your firm’s no-drugs policy. Could you make the same decision as a profit maximizer? This decision can doors to law suits for discrimination to previous applicants which applications had been denied. On the other hand, the company has the risk to loose a good client. As owner, I will first make sure to read, examine and adjust any clause related to hiring and the no-drugs policy. The words â€Å"recovering† and â€Å"recovered† are different. Hiring someone in the recovering stage, the company is breaking the no-drugs policy. If adjustments are made to the policy to accommodate applicants from this point on that are â€Å"recovering† or â€Å"recovered† drug addicts, it will be to implementing random drug tests weekly. This will be costly to the firm but will guarantee the no-drug policy to remain unbroken; the potential new employee must agree to this practice and the consequences based on the results. Justice Theory is based on â€Å"the protection of those who are least advantaged in society† (Mallor, J. P. , Barnes, A. J. , Bowers, T. Langvardt, A. W. , 2010, p. 5), making changes and adjusting the policy will fall under this category. Giving a second chance to those in disadvantage in society. Maximizer â€Å"requires a decision maker to maximize a business’s long-run profits within the limits of the law†(Mallor, J. P. , Barnes, A. J. , Bowers, T. Langvardt, A. W. , 2010, p. 95) i f this potential employee is capable to obey the policy and continue a successful recovery it could mean a win-win situation. You are assigned by your employer, Jay-Mart Corporation, an international discount retailer, to supervise the construction of ten new retail superstores in Shanghai, China. All construction is being done by a Chinese-owned contractor in compliance with Ja to those iny-Mart’s construction standards. After an earthquake in China kills over 70,000 people, China’s legislature passes a statute requiring new buildings to have a greater ability to withstand a large earthquake. The Chinese contractor has approached you and suggested that the new Chinese construction standards are unnecessarily high, that Jay-Mart’s construction standards are sufficient to protect against any earthquake likely to occur, and that the cost of complying with the new Chinese construction standards will increase construction costs 20 percent. What do you do if you believe that ethical behavior requires you to maximize Jay-Mart’s profits? A â€Å"profit maximization results in ethical conduct because it requires society’s members to act within the constraints of the law. A profit maximizer, therefore, acts ethically by complying with society’s mores as expressed in its laws. † (2) (Mallor, J. P. , Barnes, A. J. , Bowers, T. Langvardt, A. W. , 2010, p. 7) With this in mind the supervisor of the construction site, the decision has to be made were the company’s profit could be reduced to 20% due to the increase of the construction. This change should be shown to the company’s finance department. The profits at short term could be affected by going with the construction based on the laws standards. By actually continue with the original plan the company could be liable to law suits if another natural disaster occur and the construction standards were not followed, this could affect th e long run profits of the company. There are many ways to cut expenses; one that could be proposed can be to build 8 stores instead of the 10 originally proposed, this will absorbed the 20% increase to maintain the project under the stipulated budget without affecting the short term profit. References Mallor, J. P. , Barnes, A. J. , Bowers, T. Langvardt, A. W. (2010). Business Law (14th ed. ). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Irwin http://www. courts. state. co. us/Courts/Supreme_Court/opinions/2006/06SC92. pdf (Retrieved October 12, 2010) How to cite Introduction to Business Law and Ethics, Essays

Shares and Dividends free essay sample

Forms of payment Cash dividends (most common) are those paid out in currency, usually via electronic funds transfer or a printed paper check. Such dividends are a form of investment income and are usually taxable to the recipient in the year they are paid. This is the most common method of sharing corporate profits with the shareholders of the company. For each share owned, a declared amount of money is distributed. Thus, if a person owns 100 shares and the cash dividend is USD $0. 50 per share, the holder of the stock will be paid USD $50. Stock or scrip dividends are those paid out in the form of additional stock shares of the issuing corporation, or another corporation (such as its subsidiary corporation). They are usually issued in proportion to shares owned (for example, for every 100 shares of stock owned, a 5% stock dividend will yield 5 extra shares). If the payment involves the issue of new shares, it is similar to a stock split in that it increases the total number of shares while lowering the price of each share without changing the market capitalization, or total value, of the shares held. See also Stock dilution. ) Property dividends or dividends in specie (Latin for in kind) are those paid out in the form of assets from the issuing corporation or another corporation, such as a subsidiary corporation. They are relatively rare and most frequently are securities of other companies owned by the issuer, however they can take other forms, such as products and services. Other dividends can be used in structured finance. Financial assets with a known market value can be distributed as dividends; warrants are sometimes distributed in this way.For large companies with subsidiaries, dividends can take the form of shares in a subsidiary company. A common technique for spinning off a company from its parent is to distribute shares in the new company to the old companys shareholders. The new shares can then be traded independently. [edit]Reliability of dividends There are two metrics which are commonly used to gauge the sustainability of a firms dividend policy. Payout ratio is calculated by dividing the companys dividend by the earnings per share. A payout ratio greater than 1 means the company is paying out more in dividends for the year than it earned. Dividend cover is calculated by dividing the companys cash flow from operations by the dividend. This ratio is apparently popular with analysts of income trustsin Canada. [citation needed] [edit]Dividend Dates Dividends must be declared (approved) by a company’s Board of Directors each time they are paid. For public companies, there are four important dates to remember regarding dividends. These are discussed in detail with examples at the Securities and Exchange Commission site [1] Declaration date is the day the Board of Directors announces its intention to pay a dividend.On this day, a liability is created and the company records that liability on its books; it now owes the money to the stockholders. On the declaration date, the Board will also announce a date of record and a payment date. In-dividend date is the last day, which is one trading day before the ex-dividend date, where the stock is said to be cum dividend (with [including] dividend). In other words, existing holders of the stock and anyone who buys it on this day will receive the dividend, whereas any holders selling the stock lose their right to the dividend.After this date the stock becomes ex dividend. Ex-dividend date (typically 2 trading days before the record date for U. S. securities) is the day on which all shares bought and sold no longer come attached with the right to be paid the most recently declared dividend. This is an important date for any company that has many stockholders, including those that trade on exchanges, as it makes reconciliation of who is to be paid the dividend easier. Existing holders of the stock will receive the dividend even if they now sell the stock, whereas anyone who now buys the stock will not receive the dividend.It is relatively common for a stocks price to decrease on the ex-dividend date by an amount roughly equal to the dividend paid. This reflects the decrease in the companys assets resulting from the declaration of the dividend. The company does not take any explicit action to adjust its stock price; in an efficient market, buyers and sellers will automatically price this in. Book closure Date Whenever a company announces a dividend pay-out, it also announces a date on which the company will ideally temporarily close its books for fresh transfers of stock. Read Book Closure for a better understanding.Record date Shareholders registered in the stockholders of record on or before the date of record will receive the dividend. Shareholders who are not registered as of this date will not receive the dividend. Registration in most countries is essentially automatic for shares purchased before the ex-dividend date. Payment date is the day when the dividend checks will actually be mailed to the shareholders of a company or credited to brokerage accounts. [edit]Dividend-reinvestment Some companies have dividend reinvestment plans, or DRIPs, not to be confused with scrips.DRIPs allow shareholders to use dividends to systematically buy small amounts of stock, usually with no commission and sometimes at a slight discount. In some cases, the shareholder might not need to pay taxes on these re-invested dividends, but in most cases they do. [edit]Dividend Taxation [edit]Australia and New Zealand In Australia and New Zealand, companies also forward franking credits or imputation credits to shareholders along with dividends. These franking credits represent the tax paid by the company upon its pre-tax profits. One dollar of company tax paid generates one franking credit.Companies can forward any proportion of franking up to a maximum amount that is calculated from the prevailing company tax rate: for each dollar of dividend paid, the maximum level of franking is the company tax rate divided by (1 company tax rate). At the current 30% rate, this works out at 0. 30 of a credit per 70 cents of dividend, or 42. 857 cents per dollar of dividend. The shareholders who are able to use them offset these credits against their income tax bills at a rate of a dollar per credit, thereby effectively eliminating the double taxation of company profits. This system is called dividend imputation. [edit]UK The UKs taxation system operates along similar lines: when a shareholder receives a dividend, the basic rate of income tax is deemed to already have been paid on that dividend. This ensures that double taxation does not take place, however this creates difficulties for some non-taxpaying entities such as certain trusts, charities and pension funds which are not allowed to reclaim the deemed tax payment and thus are in effect taxed on their income. [edit]IndiaIn India, companies declaring or distributing dividend, are required to pay a Corporate Dividend Tax in addition to the tax levied on their income. Dividend received is exempt in the hands of the shareholders, in respect of which Corporate Dividend Tax has been paid by the company. [edit]Criticism Some believe that company profits are best re-invested back into the company: research and development, capital investment, expansion, etc. Proponents of this view (and thus critics of dividends per se) suggest that an eagerness to return profits to shareholders may indicate the management having run out of good ideas for the future of the company. Some studies, however, have demonstrated that companies that pay dividends have higher earnings growth, suggesting that dividend payments may be evidence of confidence in earnings growth and sufficient profitability to fund future expansion. [3] Taxation of dividends is often used as justification for retaining earnings, or for performing a stock buyback, in which the company buys back stock, thereby increasing the value of the stock left outstanding. When dividends are paid, individual shareholders in many countries suffer from double taxation of those dividends: 1. he company pays income tax to the government when it earns any income, and then 2. when the dividend is paid, the individual shareholder pays income tax on the dividend payment. In many countries, the tax rate on dividend income is lower than for other forms of income to compensate for tax paid at the corporate level. In contrast, corporate shareholders often do not pay tax on dividends because the tax regime is designed to tax corporate income (as opposed to individual income) only once. The shareholder will pay a tax on capital gains (often taxed at a lower rate than ordinary income), only when the shareholder chooses to sell the stock.If a holder of the stock chooses to not participate in the buyback, the price of the holders shares should rise, but the tax on these gains is delayed until the actual sale of the shares. Certain types of specialized investment companies (such as a REIT in the U. S. ) allow the shareholder to partially or fully avoid double taxation of dividends. Shareholders in companies which pay little or no cash dividends can reap the benefit of the companys profits when they sell their shareholding, or when a company is wound down and all assets liquidated and distributed amongst hareholders. This, in effect, delegates the dividend policy from the board to the individual shareholder. Payment of a dividend can increase the borrowing requirement, or leverage, of a company. [edit]Other corporate entities [edit]Cooperatives Cooperative businesses may retain their earnings, or distribute part or all of them as dividends to their members. They distribute their dividends in proportion to their members activity, instead of the value of members shareholding. Therefore, co-op dividends are often treated as pre-tax expenses.Consumers cooperatives allocate dividends according to their members trade with the co-op. For example, a credit union will pay a dividend to representinterest on a savers deposit. A retail co-op store chain may return a percentage of a members purchases from the co-op, in the form of cash, store credit, orequity. This type of dividend is sometimes known as a patronage dividend or patronage refund, as well as being informally named divi or divvy. [4][5][6] Producer cooperatives, such as worker cooperatives, allocate dividends according to their members contribution, such as the hours they worked or their salary. 7] [edit]Trusts In real estate investment trusts and royalty trusts, the distributions paid often will be consistently greater than the company earnings. This can be sustainable because the accounting earnings do not recognize any increasing value of real estate holdings and resource reserves. If there is no economic increase in the value of the companys assets then the excess distribution (or dividend) will be a return of capital and the book value of the company will have shrunk by an equal amount.This may result in capital gains which may be taxed differently than dividends representing distribution of earnings. [edit]Mutuals The distribution of profits by other forms of mutual org anization also varies from that of joint stock companies, though may not take the form of a dividend. In the case of mutual insurance, for example, in the United States, a distribution of profits to holders of participating life policies is called a dividend. These profits are generated by the investment returns f the insurers general account, in which premiums are invested and from which claims are paid. [8] The participating dividend may be used to decrease premiums, or to increase the cash value of the policy. [9] Some life policies pay nonparticipating dividends. As a contrasting example, in the United Kingdom, the surrender value of a with-profits policy is increased by a bonus, which also serves the purpose of distributing profits. Life insurance dividends and bonuses, while typical of mutual insurance, are also paid by some joint stock insurers.Insurance dividend payments are not restricted to life policies. For example, general insurer State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company can distribute dividends to its vehicle insurance policyholders. [10] Policy holders of participating insurance policies are charged a grossed up premium, and the dividend is actually a return of the over payment. It is for this reason that insurance policy dividends are generally not taxed. They are merely a refund of overpaid premiums.

Working Condition Problems in Amazon Company

Introduction Even as companies strive to change the working conditions of their employees to enhance innovation and improve individual performance in the workplaces, the problems of poor working conditions are still on prevalence (Littler, 2013).Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Working Condition Problems in Amazon Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The recruitment processes, the empowerment plans, the promotion strategies, and other employee retention practices of some American companies have faced discrimination allegations. Surprisingly, the majority of these companies are mega industries that appear in the Fortune 500 and other big publications due to their enhanced corporate performances (Abel, 2013). Cases of poor working conditions in some mega transnational companies continue to attract legal, economic, social, and international discourses, which are disheartening the employees and employers (Higgi ns, 2014). With such allegations are in a steady increase, even as the performance of these companies enhances. Fundamentally, this essay uses the case of Amazon Company to focus on analyzing the working condition problems highlighted in some online publications, and uses the SWOT analysis to discuss the problems. Overview of the Articles Several online articles and newspapers have focused on the employment issues that workers experience at Amazon. This analysis involves five recent articles that have dominated the websites and exposed the public discontentment about the Amazon Company. The first article came from the Seattle Times Newspaper of America, and it exposed the forced labor practices of the Amazon Company, contrary to its labor policies.Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The second article was the Consumer Affairs Magazine that explored the revelations of the Brit ish Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) concerning the dilapidated physical working conditions at Amazon. The third article was a write-up from the AlterNet Newspaper, which exposed the mandatory security checkpoints and the underpayments imposed on the Amazon workers. The fourth article was a BBC publication that expressed concerns about the likelihood of the Amazon workers to face mental health problems. The last article is a publication of the Westlaw Journal that described a variety of workplace problems at Amazon. The Identified Working Condition Problems Forced Labor Practices in the Amazon Company– The recent employment wrangles in the Amazon Company associate with the illegal issues of forced labor practices in the company (Bernton, 2014). Reports indicate that the Amazon Company has recently resorted to forced labor in its outlets that operate in the Latin America regions. Notwithstanding its efforts in establishing an Amazon code of standards, that encompasses regulation s against forced labor and child labor, the practice of forced labor has been pervasive in the operations of the Amazon Company (Bernton, 2014). In the regions of Latin America, India, Asia, and most parts of the United States, the Amazon Company has been practicing indirect forced labor practices against its workers. Menial workers who operate in the Amazon warehouses have complained against the poor working conditions that include excess overtime, forced overtime, strenuous jobs, and forced labor during the off-duty days (Bernton, 2014). These menial workers complain about workplace harassment, coercion, intimidation, and strenuous assignments.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Working Condition Problems in Amazon Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Underpayment in the Amazon Company- Aside from the forced labor and poor working conditions practiced by the management of the Amazon Company in its different outlets, employees complain about low compensations and wages. According to Hsieh (2013), the company management considers the menial workers to be illiterate individuals who do not have rights to access better working conditions. Last year, the company faced an excruciating challenge concerning the deplorable compensations offered to its workers in Germany. Over 100,000 warehouse workers from Germany and America have complained about forced individual productivity, even as the company keeps its workers waiting for clearance at the security checkpoints without paying their daily wages (Hsieh, 2013). In the regions of Asia, Latin America, and parts of Europe, the company paid its workers meager salaries and wages, and retained the hourly wages to cater for any allegations of damages reported at the warehouses (Hsieh, 2013). Pay cuts and demotions to reduce the wage bill are common practices that Amazon dishonestly practices. Deplorable Workplace Conditions- Amazon has recently faced allegations concerning its behavior of exposing workers to terrible working conditions within the warehouse. The company has left its workers to struggle within the warehouses that have poor working conditions, pitiable carton arrangements, and extreme summer temperatures (Abel, 2013). In a recent 2013 case, investigative reports at Pennsylvania concerning the working conditions at the Amazon warehouses revealed that the company often exposes its workforce to extreme workplace problems that include exposure to extreme temperatures (Abel, 2013).Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the case of Pennsylvania, the company arranged a number of paramedics and ambulances outside its warehouses and stores in preparation for any case of a dehydrated or an injured worker. The International Labor Organization and independent analysts in China confirmed these allegations through an assessment of China during the summer. In China, Abel reveals that the Amazon Retail Online Company exposed the Chinese warehouse workers to extreme warehouse temperatures that consequently led to health complications and deaths to some workers (2013). Workplace Racial Discrimination- One of the most upsetting human resource practices of the Amazon Company is its illegitimate behavior of practicing racial prejudice against the immigrant workers. According to Higgins (2014), foreign expatriates and menial laborers of the Amazon Company have reported workplace problems concerning racial discrimination that is eminent in most of its regional and global outlets. In the year 2012, some outlets o f the Amazon Company at Swansea and Wales violated the workplace regulations of the local employment tribunals that are against racial discrimination (Higgins, 2014). In certain cases in America, foreign workers and other employees from the minority ethnicities complained about the persistent discriminations at the Amazon warehouses and offices. Concerning the waiting hours spent during the mandatory security checks imposed on the menial warehouse workers, most of them are the racial minorities who live in America (Higgins, 2014). In France, China, Latin America, and Spain, the Amazon workers maintained that rank promotions, compensations, empowerment, motivation, and recognition often favor the native whites. Gender and Disability Bias- Gender and disability bias are among the major concerns related to the working condition problems at Amazon (Higgins, 2014). Significant evidence from the workers has proven the presence of workplace gender discrimination at Amazon. In the year 2013 , several former employees claimed that the Amazon Company exposed the female workers to discriminatory practices (Littler, 2013). In the same year, some former workers of the Amazon Company attested that the company never recognized employees with disability despite the fact that some disabilities were due to the awful working conditions at the warehouses and stores. Reports have revealed that the company unfairly dismisses the female employees because of their family related issues (Littler, 2013). Female employees who seek maternity leaves remain unfairly dismissed and on wrong allegations. According to Higgins (2014), the disabled workers and those with minor physical health problems fail to secure job positions at the company or remain dismissed from the company on wrong allegations. SWOT Analysis of the Employment Problems Strengths- the strength of Amazon concerning the present allegations about the deplorable working conditions is its market dominance in the online retail st ores. Amazon has a swift shipment process, a well-maintained rapport with consumers, and a reliable shipping process that makes it marketable regardless of the working condition problems. Weaknesses– the weakness of Amazon concerning the discussed issues is that the company has lost several class lawsuits, racial lawsuits, human rights lawsuits, and employment lawsuits from its former and current workers. Opportunities– Amazon has several opportunities to counter the current employment concerns. To its advantage, the Amazon Company still enjoys a remarkable online retail experience with its business partners, which makes it possible for the company to form some firm joint ventures to stabilize its foundation. Threats– The most disturbing concern about the allegations is that the Amazon Company is currently facing a tough regional and overseas market competition from the companies that offer attractive online purchasing services. Conclusion Although the global le gislations concerning the promotion of fair workplace treatment among workers are against discrimination, poor payments, poor physical working conditions, and forced labor, some companies are still against these laws. Amazon is one of the American transnational companies that have promoted the unequal treatment of workers and excessive mistreatment of workers. International newspapers and magazines have placed the company in the public limelight concerning its insensitive employment practices against its workers. The company has been practicing a series of malpractices against its workers. Amazon has imposed unfair promotion practices, exposed workers to deplorable physical working conditions, has compensated workers unfairly, and has practiced racial prejudice. Using a SWOT analysis to assess the repercussions of these allegations that have gone public through the newspapers, the company may remain dominant due to its swift and reliable shipment processes, but may lose its reputati on. Its experienced workforce may not help to counter the imminent competition. References Abel, J. (2013). BBC Reports Poor Working Conditions in Amazon Warehouses. Web. Bernton, H. (2014). Amazon’s Overseas Labor Policy: Trust us. Web. Higgins, D. (2014). Employment: Litigation News and Analysis. Westlaw Journal, 28(17), 1-22. Hsieh, S. (2013). Amazon Warehouse Workers Forced to Wait at Security Checkpoints Without Getting Paid.  Web. Littler, A. (2013). Amazon Workers Face ‘Increased Risk of Mental Illness. Web. This article on Working Condition Problems in Amazon Company was written and submitted by user Kevin Randall to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Cortar Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, and Examples

Cortar Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, and Examples The Spanish verb  cortar  means to cut or to cut off. It  is a regular  -ar  verb, so to conjugate cortar use the same pattern as other -ar  verbs, like  ayudar  and cenar.  The tables below include  cortar conjugations in the present, past and future indicative, the present and past subjunctive, the imperative, and other verb forms like the past and present participles. Using the Verb Cortar In Spanish, cortar  can be used like the verbs to cut or to cut off in English. For example,  Voy a cortar el papel  (I am going to cut the paper), or  Tengo que cortar un pedazo de carne  (I have to cut off a piece of meat). A more informal use of  cortar  is to talk about breaking up a relationship. For example,  Pedro y Ana cortaron la semana pasada  (Pedro and Ana broke up last week). In addition,  cortar  can be used when referring to ending a conversation, especially on the phone. For example,  Yo cortà © la llamada porque llevbamos mucho tiempo hablando  (I ended the call because we had been talking for a long time). Other verbs that have meanings similar to cortar are partir (tu cut, break apart, or divide) and picar (to chop). Cortar Present Indicative Yo corto I cut Yo corto un pedazo de papel con tijeras. T cortas You cut T cortas un trozo de queso para el almuerzo. Usted/l/ella corta You/he/she cuts Ella corta el cordn umbilical del beb. Nosotros cortamos We cut Nosotros cortamos el csped del jardn. Vosotros cortis You cut Vosotros cortis pelo en el saln de belleza. Ustedes/ellos/ellas cortan You/they cut Ellos cortan las flores para hacer un arreglo. Cortar Preterite  Indicative The preterite  tense can be translated as the simple past in English. It is used to talk about completed actions  in the past. Yo cort I cut Yo cort un pedazo de papel con tijeras. T cortaste You cut T cortaste un trozo de queso para el almuerzo. Usted/l/ella cort You/he/she cut Ella cort el cordn umbilical del beb. Nosotros cortamos We cut Nosotros cortamos el csped del jardn. Vosotros cortasteis You cut Vosotros cortasteis pelo en el saln de belleza. Ustedes/ellos/ellas cortaron You/they cut Ellos cortaron las flores para hacer un arreglo. Cortar Imperfect  Indicative The imperfect tense can be translated to English as was cutting or used to cut. It is used to talk about ongoing or habitual actions in the past.   Yo cortaba I used to cut Yo cortaba un pedazo de papel con tijeras. T cortabas You used to cut T cortabas un trozo de queso para el almuerzo. Usted/l/ella cortaba You/he/she used to cut Ella cortaba el cordn umbilical del beb. Nosotros cortbamos We used to cut Nosotros cortbamos el csped del jardn. Vosotros cortabais You used to cut Vosotros cortabais pelo en el saln de belleza. Ustedes/ellos/ellas cortaban You/they used to cut Ellos cortaban las flores para hacer un arreglo. Cortar Future  Indicative Yo cortar I will cut Yo cortar un pedazo de papel con tijeras. T cortars You will cut T cortars un trozo de queso para el almuerzo. Usted/l/ella cortar You/he/she will cut Ella cortar el cordn umbilical del beb. Nosotros cortaremos We will cut Nosotros cortaremos el csped del jardn. Vosotros cortaris You will cut Vosotros cortaris pelo en el saln de belleza. Ustedes/ellos/ellas cortarn You/they will cut Ellos cortarn las flores para hacer un arreglo. Cortar Periphrastic Future  Indicative The periphrastic future is formed by three components: the present tense conjugation of the  verb  ir  (to go), the preposition  a  and the infinitive of the verb.   Yo voy a cortar I am going to cut Yo voy a cortar un pedazo de papel con tijeras. T vas a cortar You are going to cut T vas a cortar un trozo de queso para el almuerzo. Usted/l/ella va a cortar You/he/she is going to cut Ella va a cortar el cordn umbilical del beb. Nosotros vamos a cortar We are going to cut Nosotros vamos a cortar el csped del jardn. Vosotros vais a cortar You are going to cut Vosotros vais a cortar pelo en el saln de belleza. Ustedes/ellos/ellas van a cortar You/they are going to cut Ellos van a cortar las flores para hacer un arreglo. Cortar  Present Progressive/Gerund Form The present participle (gerundio  in Spanish) is used to form progressive forms such as the present progressive. To conjugate progressive tenses  you need an auxiliary verb, which in this case is the verb  estar. Present Progressive of Cortar   est cortando  Is cutting Ella est cortando el cordà ³n umbilical del bebà ©. Cortar Past Participle The past participle can be used as an adjective, or to form compound tenses such as the present perfect. Compound tenses include the verb  haber  as an auxiliary verb. Present Perfect of Cortar ha cortado  Has cut Ella ha cortado el cordà ³n umbilical del bebà ©. Cortar Conditional  Indicative The conditional tense is used to talk about possibilities or hypothetical situations, and is translated to English as would verb.   Yo cortara I would cut Yo cortara un pedazo de papel con tijeras si fuera necesario. T cortaras You would cut T cortaras un trozo de queso para el almuerzo, pero ya se acab. Usted/l/ella cortara You/he/she would cut Ella cortara el cordn umbilical del beb si el doctor se lo permitiera. Nosotros cortaramos We would cut Nosotros cortaramos el csped del jardn, pero no tenemos cortadora. Vosotros cortarais You would cut Vosotros cortarais pelo en el saln de belleza si hubiera espacio. Ustedes/ellos/ellas cortaran You/they would cut Ellos cortaran las flores para hacer un arreglo, pero es prohibido. Cortar Present Subjunctive Que yo corte That I cut La maestra pide que yo corte un pedazo de papel con tijeras. Que t cortes That you cut La nia quiere que t cortes un trozo de queso para el almuerzo. Que usted/l/ella corte That you/he/she cut El mdico permite que ella corte el cordn umbilical del beb. Que nosotros cortemos That we cut Mam quiere que nosotros cortemos el csped del jardn. Que vosotros cortis That you cut La estilista recomienda que vosotros cortis pelo en el saln de belleza. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas corten That you/they cut La florista quiere que ellos corten las flores para hacer un arreglo. Cortar Imperfect  Subjunctive There are two options for conjugating the imperfect subjunctive (which is also called the past subjunctive). Both options are correct. Option 1 Que yo cortara That I cut La maestra peda que yo cortara un pedazo de papel con tijeras. Que t cortaras That you cut La nia quera que t cortaras un trozo de queso para el almuerzo. Que usted/l/ella cortara That you/he/she cut El mdico permita que ella cortara el cordn umbilical del beb. Que nosotros cortramos That we cut Mam quera que nosotros cortramos el csped del jardn. Que vosotros cortarais That you cut La estilista recomendaba que vosotros cortarais pelo en el saln de belleza. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas cortaran That you/they cut La florista quera que ellos cortaran las flores para hacer un arreglo. Option 2 Que yo cortase That I cut La maestra peda que yo cortase un pedazo de papel con tijeras. Que t cortases That you cut La nia quera que t cortases un trozo de queso para el almuerzo. Que usted/l/ella cortase That you/he/she cut El mdico permita que ella cortase el cordn umbilical del beb. Que nosotros cortsemos That we cut Mam quera que nosotros cortsemos el csped del jardn. Que vosotros cortaseis That you cut La estilista recomendaba que vosotros cortaseis pelo en el saln de belleza. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas cortasen That you/they cut La florista quera que ellos cortasen las flores para hacer un arreglo. Cortar Imperative   The imperative mood is used to give direct orders or commands. The tables below show the positive and negative commands. Positive Commands T corta Cut! Corta un trozo de queso para el almuerzo! Usted corte Cut! Corte el cordn umbilical del beb! Nosotros cortemos Lets cut! Cortemos el csped del jardn! Vosotros cortad Cut! Cortad pelo en el saln de belleza! Ustedes corten Cut! Corten las flores para hacer un arreglo! Negative Commands T no cortes Dont cut! No cortes un trozo de queso para el almuerzo! Usted no corte Dont cut! No corte el cordn umbilical del beb! Nosotros no cortemos Lets not cut! No cortemos el csped del jardn! Vosotros no cortis Dont cut! No cortis pelo en el saln de belleza! Ustedes no corten Dont cut! No corten las flores para hacer un arreglo!

Top-25 Chemistry Features and Articles

Top-25 Chemistry Features and Articles What are visitors reading? ThoughtCo. has you covered with this handy list of all of the top chemistry topics readers are perusing. Included in this top-25 listing are brief explanations of what youll find if you click the links. Using the periodic table  - The periodic table of the elements contains a wide variety of information. Most tables list element symbols, atomic number, and atomic mass at a minimum. The periodic table is organized so you can see trends in element properties at a glance.Chemical and physical changes  -  Chemical and physical changes are related to  chemical and physical properties.  Chemical changes take place on the molecular level. A chemical change produces a  new substance, as this article explains.Printable periodic tables  - Sometimes its nice to have a paper version of the periodic table of the elements that you can refer to when working problems or doing experiments in the lab. This is a collection of periodic tables that you can print and use. Additional specialty tables are also available.Chemistry glossary  - Find the definitions to terms in this ever-expanding glossary.  The comprehensive glossary offers definitions for terms which are commonly used in ch emistry and chemical engineering. Printable chemistry worksheets  - Print worksheets to practice chemistry problems.  The collection of chemistry worksheets is available in PDF format.Facts about acids and bases - Learn the essential about acids, bases and pH. The link provides the top 10 facts ranging from definitions to the  common test of whether an unknown is an acid or a base.Baking soda vs. baking powder  - Baking powder contains baking soda, but the two substances are used under different conditions.  Learn about the difference between the two and how to make substitutions while baking.Can you drink too much water?  - In a word, yes.  Learn whether its possible to drink too much water, how much it takes, and what happens.Chemistry problems  - Learn how to work problems by using examples.  This collection contains worked general chemistry and introductory chemistry problems, listed in alphabetical orderCrystal meth  - The chemical n-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-2-amine is called methamphetamine, m ethylamphetamine or desoxyephedrine. The shortened name is simply meth.  Learn about the chemistry of this well-known illegal drug. How to write a lab report  - Lab reports are an essential part of all laboratory courses and usually a significant part of your grade.  Here are step-by-step instructions on how to prepare a lab report for chemistry.List of elements  - This is a list of all the known chemical elements.  The names and  element symbols  are provided in this comprehensive list.How to calculate concentration  - Calculating the  concentration  of a chemical  solution is a basic skill all students of chemistry must develop early in their studies.  Learn how to determine the concentration of a chemical solution.Heterogeneous vs. homogeneous  - Heterogeneous  and  homogeneous  refer to mixtures of materials in chemistry.  Find out the difference between heterogeneous and homogeneous mixtures and get examples.How to balance equations  - A chemical equation describes what happens in a chemical  reaction.  Learn how to set up a balanced equation.Acid-base indicators  - An   acid-base indicator  is a weak acid or a weak base.  Information in this article includes common indicators, with a table showing pH ranges, quantities and colors. How to calculate theoretical yield  - Before performing chemical reactions, it is helpful to know how much product will be produced with given quantities of reactants.  Learn how to calculate the theoretical yield of a chemical reaction.What is borax?  - Borax is a natural mineral with a chemical formula Na2B4O7   10H2O.  Find out what borax is and how it cleans and kills bugs. Learn whether its safe to use.Independent vs. dependent variables  - The two main variables in an experiment are the independent and dependent variable. Learn to understand the difference between independent and dependent variables in a scientific experiment.Firework colors  - Creating firework colors is a complex endeavor, requiring considerable art and application of physical science.  Learn how the colors are formed with a table of common colorants.Periodic table quiz  - Use information about the elements found using a periodic table to answer the questions to this multiple-choice quiz.Nat ural mosquito repellents  -  You can avoid being bitten by making sure you arent attracting mosquitoes by using a repellent and avoiding actions that diminish the effectiveness of the repellent.  Find natural alternatives to help repel mosquitoes and other insects. Chemistry quizzes  - Look here for all of the quizzes and self-tests and for links to quizzes at other sites.  This collection of chemistry test questions is grouped according to subject.  Home experiments  - Whether you are homeschooling or simply looking for chemistry activities that you can do with everyday materials, this link will help. The link includes everything from holiday-themed experiments to steps for building a volcano.Science fair experiments  - Get instructions for setting up your own project.  This list of science fair project ideas is grouped according to topic and educational level. Learn how to make a poster and give a presentation judges will love.

The korean War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The korean War - Essay Example Member states were called on to deploy military aid, and this was followed by the first US troops landing in South Korea. The Korean conflict lasted for three years until a truce and agreement was reached in 1953 Based on the literature I have read with regards to this subject and my logical interpretation of the events preceding and following the Korean conflict, I am convinced that Truman was totally justified in relieving General MacArthur of his duties. MacArthur (as recognized by many scholars) was a fighting man; he did not know how to quit and even viewed a stalemate as a loss (Halberstam, 2007). I cannot fault General MacArthur for his reasoning, but the time was very wrong for an international nuclear war considering that it had been only 5 years since the end of World War II. I therefore believe that Truman was totally justified in relieving General MacArthur of his duties and hence promoting the greater

Introduction on polymers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Introduction on polymers - Essay Example Thermosetting polymers the chains become cross-linked so that the solid materials are produced that can not be softened and that ca not flow. Polymers are usually made in one of two polymerization process. In condensation-polymerization the linking of molecules creates a by product, which is usually water nitrogen or hydrogen gas. Thermoplastic polymers consist of a series of long-chain polymerized molecules in which all the chains are separate and can slide over one another. Thermoplastic polymers The long chains of thermoplastic polymer are connected by weak forces alongside the chemical bonds extremely strong. When they are heated the walls weaken and the polymer becomes soft and flexible at a high temperature and becomes a viscous melt. The cycle can be reversed by cooling of the materials. Thermoplastic elements usually can be of semi-crystalline structure or amorphous structure. Civil engineering materials such as polyester, nylon 66 and polycarbonate are the best examples of a morphous thermoplastic polymers. The developments polymers technology has led to high performing types of polymers such as polythersulphone which is amorphous in nature and polyetheretherketone which are semi crystal-line. The above two are more efficient than the normal thermoplastic, although they are not employed in civil engineering due to high costs. Thermosetting polymers They can be used in two separate ways firstly as a composite that is when combined with fibrous materials and secondly when as an adhesive and maybe as epoxies. They are formed in two stage chemical reaction when a polymer such as polyster, vinylester or epoxy is reacted with a curing agent. The reaction can be performed in a normal room temperature or the application of either controlled heat or pressure. Thermosetting polymers are strong in nature and can be affected by heat. The two procedures used to polymerize the thermosetting polymers used in civil engineering are the cold system that are cured at ambi ent temperatures and the hot cure system whereby polymerization is performed at elevated temperatures. Polymer science The research on polymer science continues to come up producing new products in the market. The polymer science and engineering are marching together although they are more interested on new materials being produced. Poly was scientifically born to understand how rubber and plastic works and they can not be separated. Polymers are now forming the basis of clothing and automobiles among others. New elastomeric, plastics, adhesives, coatings and fibers among others are being invented by the use of new technology in science. The scientific theory accepts the relationship between polymer structure, physical property and their behavior. Polymers are playing a very important role in processing of other industrial products. Anisotropy in thermoplastic polymers plays a significant role in thermal conductivity. Highly drawn semi-crystalline polymer samples can have a much hig her thermal conductivity as a result of orientation of the polymer chains in the direction of draw. For amorphous polymers, the increase in thermal conductivity in the direction of the draw is usually not higher than two. Many polymers experiment a viscous reaction as an elastic response towards stress and strain. Combinations of some elastic and various viscous elements are being used to determine the melting behavior of polymers. The above characteristics make them be classified under the

Global Climate Change Essay Essay Example for Free

Global Climate Change Essay Essay Global Climate change is a term used to describe a gradual increase or change within the average temperature of earth’s atmosphere and its oceans. Global climate change is a rising issue in today’s society. There are various factors as to why the climate is changing; the factors are both human and natural. The human activities that cause climate change are burning fossil fuels, driving cars, and deforestation. The human causes are widely discussed but nobody ever considers the natural causes. Natural causes that contribute to global climate change are animal and plant respiration, volcanic eruptions, and the melting of ice caps. Although human activity is a main cause we still need to consider the natural causes because they are a huge factor when it comes to Global climate change. One natural effect of Global climate change is through animal and plant respiration. When a plant or an animal dies their bodies will decay into the ground. Once their bodies decay all of the C02 that was in their body is released into the atmosphere and the ground. The plants and animals that are buried deep underground will become fossil fuels millions of years later. Which is another leading cause of global climate change when humans burn them. All the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from the death of an animal or plant causes climate change. Carbon dioxide is a green house gas, which is a gas that traps heat into the atmosphere. Green house gases are essential for human, animal, and plant life but the amount that we have on earth is negatively affecting our climate. The earth hasn’t held this much carbon for 420,000 years. Another natural effect of global climate change is through volcanic eruptions. When a volcano erupts it releases aerosols, which are a cooling agent for earth. But the volcanoes also release carbon dioxide a green house gas. This may seem like it’s not a problem because the cooling will keep the  heating in balance. But that’s not always the case, the cooling agent can leave our atmosphere and go into different layers of the earth. The further it goes into the layers determines how long it will take for the cooling to effect our atmosphere. For example, if the aerosols reach the stratosphere it can take years until it is released back onto the earth. While the release of co2 is an immediate effect because it’s trapped in the atmosphere. Below in image one, there is a graph that shows the affect a volcano has on the earth. As you can see in 1975 before the volcano erupted earth’s temperature was significantly lower. But in the 1980’s before it fully erupted earth’s temperature was rising, due to co2 being released. But once the volcano fully erupted in 1991 temperatures have not been below the +.01 mark, but they are still dropping and rising. This up and down effect of the temperature has caused cold temperatures, which lead to crop failures, which in return lead to extreme famine in the North American region. The last natural cause of global climate change that I will be discussing is the melting of ice caps. The melting of ice and snow seems like good thing because water is being absorbed back into our atmosphere, but in reality it isn’t a good thing at all. When the sun hits a bright surface, like snow it goes through a albedo process. The albedo of the snow causes 95% of the suns energy to be reflected. Below in image 2 it shows exactly how this process works. First the suns rays are reflected on to a surface to be reflected back into the space. But with all the snow melting the suns rays are being absorbed into the atmosphere causing the earth to heat up more. Before I fully researched global, I thought it was an event that was strictly caused by humans. But from the information that was provided you can see that that isn’t the case at all. Natural causes of global climate change affect the earth in a very significant way. Although the human causes of global climate change do outweigh the natural causes some scientist believe that this is just a natural cooling and warming event that goes through.

citizern kane :: essays research papers

CITIZEN KANE Throughout the whole movie, the viewers got a feeling that Kane never had emotions and nothing could affect him, well this is until we learn of Rosebud. A childhood is something Kane was deprived of. When he was about 8 years old his parents sent him away to be educated and becoming something big in life, but what they did is take something away from him that no parent should take away; a childhood. Love is something that was not apparent in the opening scenes of the movie, his mother seemed so cold and stern, believing that is was in his best interests to leave home and become successful. Did this success make him a happy man, well later we learn the answer and that is no. Kane had everything a man could want in life, a wife who was not all ways loving but still there for him, an extravagant social life and last but not least billions of dollars. Kane had all this but he still never seemed to be pleased. He was demanded more and the best out of what he had. Kane had nearly fooled himself that these materialistic posesions made him happy, but what we really find out is; all he wanted was a normal life. His house was cluttered with senseless ornaments that probably mean the least to him. Kane’s amazing lifestyles with everything so big and exuberant was in a way his cure to a lonely soul. He never could determine who were his friends and who weren’t, once he dies we find out: many weren’t. If Kane had been brought up with a childhood, with the love and fun most children experience, maybe he wouldn’t have been so cold and brutal. The attraction of money wore out for him after a few years but it had already done its damage, and then we find him stuck, with nothing to do and most of all nothing that pleases him in life anymore. The key to understanding Kane was not in what he found pleasurable nor what interested him, it was his weakness. Kane always seemed tough, like he never gave a second thought about what just happened, he just did what he had to do and he did it swiftly but like all people something did affect him. Superman had Kryptonite and for Kane it was memories. Many memories that he should've had, that he missed out on.

Critically evaluate whether flexible working arrangements are beneficial for employers and employees?

Flexible work options provides an alternative approache to getting work done through non traditional work hours, job structures ,and locations. The availability of flexible work options grants an opportunity for individuals to mould their careers in order to optimise their work and personal commitments. As for organisation it promises an increase in productivity,boost ‘employer of choice’,reduce fix cost. However flexibility is also reputed as costly for employers and favours unequal treatment in terms of pay and benefits for employees.This essay aims to examine the nature of flexibility and further highlight the different types of flexibility throught the flexible firm model(Atkinson) . In the 1990’s up til present day flexible work practices has become a central point for Uk government policies with Fagan et al (2006) believing globalisation; competition,productivity,active ageing; the long hours culture were particularly the source for the rise of flexible work ing practices.It is important to note that this belief remains the same today, except that advancement in technology is an additional influencing factor. Atkinson’s model of the flexible firm is an arrangement in which mangament offers employees different forms of flexibility practices namely functional,numerial and financial flexibility in order to optimize the use of human resources and quality of work. It is mainly focused on dividing the workforce into core and peripheral groups. The core group entails full time,well paid,secure professional jobs,functional flexible and difficult to replace.Whereas the peripheral group consist of employees who are numerically flexible(Legge) because their skills are abundant in the labour market hence relatively despensible thus low job security,consequently may lead to low productivity due to low morale or they are only needed to complete particular task e. g lawyers. From the employees view,it is better to be part of the core than the p eriphery since the former provides job security,increase career opportunities and better work conditions.Alteration in job design grants the core workers the benefit of soft HR practices implemented to achieve high performance, high commitment and high motivation and thus loyalty to the organisation despite managements persuasion to work across demarcation line as it reduces cost for them. But on the other hand it enhances the ‘its not my job syndrome’in employees(Mcdonals,2010). If employees don’t practice their new skill regularly they loose it. Therefore the cost of training and retraining does not serve the purpose significantly.However in the Uk there is a liking for numerical and temporal flexibility at the expense of functional flexibility(Macdonald,2010). This can be witnessed in an increased use of part timers,short term contract,cleaning agencies. This facilitates the firms ability to adjust the level of labour inputs to meet flunctuations in output(Jen kins,2004). However campos and Cunhas highlights the downside of outsourcing as there is a loss of control over proprietary information and less job security. Nontheless numerical flexibility through part timers helps to reduce costs for employers, for example, workers can be employed when they are needed.It is not necessary to pay for workers who are not productive. This helps attract inward investment. Unlike temporal flexibility it relates to variation in the number of working hours. Flexi time gives employees control over their work schedule thus not only benefiting the employee in terms of achieving a work life balance,job satisfaction but the employer too as it reduces absentism(Lee,1991) therefore higher productivity. Furtheremore teleworking allows employees individual choice in the location of work and covers the possibility to work from home and cutting down job related expenses e. g food,clothes,communiting expense.However Brannen (2005) argues that what appears on the su rface to represent a ceding of control by management to empower employees actually results in a loss of control,because flexible work arrangements unsettles what is a ‘reasonable amount of time’ to spend at work. This is because individuals find it hard to disengage from work. Hence critics of the flexible firm model by Legge. She believed there is a hidden agenda in the flexible firm model,which craftiliy promotes flexibility is good,but the real question is for whom? Futhermore there tends to be a pattern of professional isolation(Macdonald,2010).To conclude one can note that flexibility promises to provide organisations with a competitive edge by cutting down cost for employers,boost employer choice,increase in productivity and assure employees job satisfaction,motivations,work life balance. However,there still appears to be many unresolved issues relating to the flexibility debate. This is highlighted by legge’s critism of mixed empirical support for the flex ible firm model and the advantages of the flexibility is not equally shared. Notedly due to unequal treatment in terms of pay and increased job insecurity for workers.

Foundations of Behavior Essay

The field of psychology is expanding and credit is due to the numerous research studies being conducted. These research studies utilize different methods and each method has its own advantages and disadvantages. In this paper, five popular research methods will be compared based on their characteristics, objectives, strengths and weaknesses, research techniques, validity, and reliability. These research methods are case study, naturalistic observation, survey research, correlational research, and the experimental method. The case study is a focused study on a person or a specific group or a particular situation. Its research design involves five components, which are the study questions, the propositions, the units of analysis, the logic linking the data to the propositions, and the criteria for interpreting the findings (Tellis, 1997). Case studies have varying purposes. Some case studies are conducted to either confirm or challenge an existing theory, while others are carried out to describe either a special or an extreme case. A case study obtains information from documents (letters and newspapers), archival records (service records, survey data), interviews, direct observation (done when field visits are needed), participant-observation, and physical artifacts (instruments and tools). One of the most established techniques in case studies is called pattern-matching, in which the data is linked to propositions. The reliability of case studies is relatively high, especially when protocols are established. However, validity, especially construct validity, sometimes becomes questionable because the researcher might be subjective in his decisions and interpretations. This can be minimized by utilizing multiple sources, by setting up a chain of evidence, and by asking major informants to review a draft of the case study. The common criticism against case studies is that its results cannot be used to arrive at generalizations. But the greatest strength of case studies is that it can present an in-depth and holistic knowledge about a particular situation, group, or person. The naturalistic observation is unique from all other types of observation in that the researcher does not hinder, interrupt or influence the environment being studied. One of the vital things to consider in conducting naturalistic observation is to record as much detail as possible, which includes smell, sound, taste, time, place, number of participants, and feelings. This is why journals and a variety of writing materials are utilized. But the use of any recording device, such as video cameras, is not allowed because it violates the privacy of the observed individual. The reliability of this research method relies on the accuracy of observation. One technique of increasing reliability is to have several observers (Hesse, 2003). The greatest advantage of naturalistic observation is that it is considerably less expensive than other methods. But, the subjects being studied may act differently because of their awareness of the presence of the observer. This will significantly reduce the validity of the results (Piercy, 2007). The survey research is characterized by its major means of collecting information. The researcher usually goes out and asks questions. The questions can be oral or in written form. And the respondents can be chosen in many ways. Some respondents are chosen at random while others must possess certain characteristics. For example, if a survey research is about elementary teachers, then a high school teacher will not be asked to answer the questionnaire. The techniques involved in survey research lie in the analysis of the collected data. The reliability and validity of survey research are affected by several factors, such as the quality of the sets of questions or the questionnaire, the amount of data collected, and the accuracy in using measures of central tendencies and variability. Ideally, the questionnaire must be standardized. Greater reliability and validity is achieved if the sample represents a greater part of the total population. One advantage of the survey method is that it is relatively cheap and easy. Unfortunately, it is also subject to human error and biases (Government of Saskatchewan, 2002). The correlational research is essentially the discovery of a relationship between two variables. Unlike the previously described methods, correlational research is quantitative in nature. The different techniques used in a correlational research are regression and prediction, multiple regression, factor analysis, and systems analysis (Davis, 2004). The greatest advantage of using this method is that its results can be used to formulate predictions and generalizations. This is due to the nature of the research techniques. But the greatest danger of this method is to over-generalize. It must be remembered that an established relationship between two variables does not mean a cause-effect relationship between them. If a researcher wanted to establish a cause-effect relationship, then the research method to use is the experimental method. Similar to the correlational research, it is concerned with variables, which can be either independent or dependent variables. The independent variables are usually manipulated so that there will be two groups being studied, the experimental group and the control group. These two groups have the same characteristics except for that one variable which is being tested. The difference between these two groups can be found in the dependent variable. The reliability of this method is increased by conducting the same experiment for several times. Its validity lies in the accuracy of the procedures and the careful handling and analysis of results. The greatest advantage of the experimental method is that it can present an explanation to a certain phenomenon. But it takes great skill and experience on the part of the researcher in order to conduct a good research experiment. One problem of experimental method is the issue of ethics in conducting experiments using human subjects. Any of these research methods can be utilized to examine an issue or phenomenon in psychology. The basis of choice usually depends on the goal of the research. The task of the researcher is to maximize the advantages and minimize the disadvantages of the chosen method. Bibliography Davis, J. (2004). Correlational research methods. Retrieved October 12, 2007 at http://clem. mscd. edu/~davisj/prm2/correl1. html Government of Saskatchewan. (2002). Psychology 20: Social Psychology: A Curriculum Guide for the Secondary Level. Retrieved October 12, 2007 at http://www. sasked. gov. sk. ca/docs/social/psych20/support_materials/faqnaturalistic_observation. htm Hesse, B. E. (2003). Issues in naturalistic observation. Retrieved October 12, 2007 at http://psyc. csustan. edu/bhesse/psy2020/Lectures/Fall03/p2020U2L5. pdf Piercy, J. (2007). Research methods. Retrieved October 12, 2007 at http://courses. cvcc. vccs. edu/Psychology_Piercy/research_methods1. htm Tellis, W. (1997). Introduction to case study. The Qualitative Report. 3(2). Retrieved October 12, 2007 at http://www. nova. edu/ssss/QR/QR3-2/tellis1. html

Societys Cave essays

Society's Cave essays No matter who you ask, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau or any other great philosopher they will always tell you that Plato was and always will be the greatest philosopher. Plato is known for great thoughts and feeling about the government and the way their social and political issues are handled. He used a very effective and intelligent way of writing his thoughts. He used a technique of exoteric and esoteric writing. The exoteric level being a level that everyone could understand and the esoteric level was only comprehended by the intelligent. By doing this he protected himself from the government. He learned from Socrates whose life was ended when the government had enough of his ridicule and rebellions. Plato was much smarter and got his point across without the government ever knowing. For example, Platos "Allegory of the Cave" from The Republic, which was a childrens story about a cave, but it also had a esoteric meaning that was letting the intelligent know what the government was doin g. Platos technique has been effectively repeat many times and his messages apply to many of the current issues in todays society. The exoteric level of the story, which comprehended by most, is about an underground cave which is pitch black except for a dim fire. There are some men bound by the neck and ankles, totally restricting movement, in the bottom of the cave. They have been faced towards the wall of the cave and all they can see is the flickering light from the fire behind them. Occasionally they can see the faint shadows of other men standing in front of the fire. The men can also hear their voices echo off the wall which they are facing. The sounds and visions that the men hear and see are both false, they are not the actual thing. The echoes are reflecting off the wall as well as the shadows that they are seeing. One man finally breaks free and makes his way up the cave, it is a hard and long climb but he makes it out. ...

Learn What a Dipole Is in Chemistry and Physics

Learn What a Dipole Is in Chemistry and Physics A dipole is a separation of opposite electrical charges. A dipole is quantified by its dipole moment  (ÃŽ ¼). A dipole moment is the distance between charges multiplied by the charge. The unit of the dipole moment is the Debye, where 1 Debye is 3.34Ãâ€"10−30  C  Ã‚ ·m. The dipole moment is a vector quantity that has both magnitude and direction. The direction of an electric dipole moment points from the negative charge toward the positive charge. The larger the difference in electronegativity, the greater the dipole moment. The distance separating  opposite electrical charges also affects the magnitude of the dipole moment. Types of Dipoles There are two types of dipoles electric dipoles and magnetic dipoles. An electric dipole occurs when positive and negative charges (like a proton and an electron or a cation and an anion) are separate from each other. Usually, the charges are separated by a small distance. Electric dipoles may be temporary or permanent. A permanent electric dipole is called an electret. A magnetic dipole occurs when there is a closed loop of electric current, such as a loop of wire with electricity running through it. Any moving electric charge also has an associated magnetic field. In the current loop, the direction of the magnetic dipole moment points through the loop using the right-hand grip rule. The magnitude of the magnetic dipole moment is the current of the loop multiplied by the area of the loop. Examples of Dipoles In chemistry, a dipole usually refers to the separation of charges within a molecule between two covalently bonded atoms  or atoms that share an ionic bond. For example, a water molecule (H2O) is a dipole. The oxygen side of the molecule carries a net negative charge, while the side with the two hydrogen atoms has a net positive electrical charge. The charges of a molecule, like water, are partial charges, meaning they dont add up to the 1 for a proton or electron. All polar molecules are dipoles. Even a linear nonpolar molecule like carbon dioxide (CO2) contains dipoles. There is a charge distribution across the molecule in which charge is separated between the oxygen and carbon atoms. Even a single electron has a magnetic dipole moment. An electron is a moving electrical charge, so it has a small current loop and generates a magnetic field. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, some scientists believe a single electron may also possess an electric dipole moment! A permanent magnet is magnetic because of the magnetic dipole moment of the electron. The dipole of a bar magnet points from its magnetic south to its magnetic north. The only known way to make magnetic dipoles is by forming current loops or via quantum mechanics spin. The Dipole Limit A dipole moment is defined by its dipole limit. Essentially this means the distance between charges converges to 0 while the strength of the charges diverges to infinity. The product of the charge strength and separating distance is a constant positive value. Dipole as an Antenna In physics, another definition of a dipole is an antenna that is a horizontal metal rod with a wire connected to its center.

Business plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Business plan - Assignment Example This makes the incoming businesses have a competition disadvantage within the industry. In spite of the fact that completion increase cause adverse effects to existing businesses, it is also helpful as it will help Good health fitness center become more efficient and thus provide quality services (Abrams, 2003). According to the Good Health Fitness Center, it is evident that the power of suppliers merely has an effect on the business. This is because the ways of transacting is service oriented. To offer a service in the fitness center, instructions get and the only material supply needed is readily available in its market. These supplies include things like weights, food and gym instructors (Cyr, 2007). The target market for Good Health Fitness Center mainly comprises of the middle aged and the old who want to reduce their weight. A case study of Canada would show that they make the largest share of the population. This means that, it is a threat to the business because of the large number. Baring in mind that this is the technology era, Good Health Fitness Center may face several other threats in the market. Substitutes for health fitness exist. However, the business will survive this threat by launching a campaign against the substitutes which include steroids and slimming pills. It is imperative to let the public and potential customers, of the impending danger, and side effects of using the substitutes. This way, the business will survive the threat (Abrams, 2003). Within the fitness industry in Canada, for example, there are many businesses with the same goal of having as many customers as possible. However, the intensity of rivalry does not seem too intense as customers can choose which programs best works for them from different centers (Abrams, 2003). Good health fitness center has various sources of competitive advantages. One of the sources would be by ensuring a well-equipped and developed marketing team. This forms a good competitive

Philosophy ethical theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Philosophy ethical theory - Essay Example But recently, there has been a renewal of the interest in virtue ethics to the point where today it is one of the main ways that are employed in dealing with substantive philosophical ethics. This new interest has been generated from the dissatisfaction with the manner in which moral philosophy has been done in the contemporary time and particularly recently. This is because the contemporary and modern philosophy has insisted on moral responsibility and moral law while it ignored the sources of morality in the inner life and the character of the individual (Crisp & Slote, 1997). As is the case in many other areas in philosophy, precise definitions are hard to arrive at but the main contrast comes in the forms of ethics that are based on moral laws, rules and principles. In the case of virtue ethics, the focus is mainly on individual that is supposed to have these virtues and the inner traits that the individual possesses, their dispositions and motive that make the person eligible to be virtuous. Philosophers in the contemporary world perceive moral life as a matter of connecting properly to moral rules as opposed to the traditional virtue ethics where the understanding of moral or ethical life generally needs requires the understanding of what it is to be a virtuous person, or what it entails to have a particular virtue. This is considered to be an inner trait or a disposition that is associated with the individual (Crisp & Slote, 1997). There is a widespread conviction that is associated with virtue ethics that it does dictate what to do. In some instances, this conviction is seen only in the expressed theory that virtue ethics in being agent-centered rather than art-centered is more direct at â€Å"being† rather â€Å"doing†, with good and bad character rather than right and wrong action. Taking this supposition, virtue ethics doesn’t therefore come out as a normative opponent of practical and deontological morals. In

Sociology of Gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sociology of Gender - Essay Example The next summary is of the film, Two Spirits, directed by Lydia Nibley and produced and written by Russell Martin and Lydia Nibley. It traces the real life story of Fred Martinez, a Navajo teen, whose life came to an abrupt halt at 16 years, when he was brutally murdered by another young man named Murphy. The film interestingly follows a historical timeline as it explores Fred’s carefree and brave life as a nadleehi (a male-bodied individual with a female personality) and at the same time investigates traditions that were once extensively prevalent among the indigenous people of North America. With the looming threat of an entire tradition being wiped out from among the natives, the film slowly returns to the brutal crime that took place on 16th June, 2001 in Cortez. It explores the murder site where Murphy, viciously bludgeoned Fred to death with a rock, just for being different and later bragged about it to his friends saying he, â€Å"bug-smashed a fag†. Following na rratives by Paula Mitchell, Fred’s mother, Richard La Fortune, activist of the Yupik tribe, and Cathy Renna, a leader in the LGBT community, the viewer gets a very clear picture of the vile nature of the hate crime that was meted out to young Fred. This film is created so that people can understand, accept and be compassionate about issues of gender diversity and at the same time recognize and celebrate it, in view with the wiser, traditional American cultures. The director’s attempt through this film seems to be – ‘to transform through sharing’. The last article for review is the introduction chapter of the book titled, ‘The Lenses of Gender: Transforming the Debate on Sexual Inequality’ written by Sandra Lipsitz Bem. ... This chapter reviews the historical transformation of America’s social consciousness with regard to philosophy and treatment of women. It traces historical beliefs regarding women in religious light and how it later took biological leanings. It depicts how these beliefs were further challenged by the women’s rights movement in the mid-nineteenth century and later by feminist advocacy in the early 1960s. However, the author believes that even within these changing times there exist â€Å"lenses of gender† which seek to infuse male power into social institutions and social reality, methodically and invisibly. Identifying the three lenses of gender as being – androcentrism, gender polarization and biological essentialism, the author considers them to be ways by which culture is reproducing male power. If a path can be devised to stop these discourses and enculturation, the author trusts that the feminist agenda in America can finally be achieved. Why do men h old the most powerful economic and political positions across the globe? Functionalist theorists believe that society is made up of interdependent parts, each of which plays their part in maintaining the smooth functioning of society. Their inherent belief in stability and social control is further enhanced by the common values and belief systems that the people share. This conviction in the idea of social equilibrium is asserted by values regarding family, marriage and gender roles. The conflict theorists are often viewed as being complete opposite to functional theorists because of their view that consensus is only achieved in society through exercise of power and control. They view patriarchal systems as

Globalization and how business is redefined

Globalization and how business is redefined PART 1 Project objectives and overall research approach 1.1. The reasons for choosing project topic area and choosing the particular organisation as a focus of research work 1.1.1. Reasons for choosing the project topic A phenomenal development in the concept of globalisation has been observed over the last couple of decades. Globalisation can be explained as a multidimensional concept that is expressed through several ways by many theorists. The significance of globalisation cannot be denied hence it has increasingly gained ever- growing supremacy that in the modern businesses today. Due to the increasing significance, need and requirement of globalisation to be adapted by organisations / and businesses, the author of this report is particularly interested in further exploring the concept of globalisation in context to financial institution such as Barclays Bank plc. The author also understands that globalisation had been explained with various perceptions where as parameters of the concept are hard to define because of several factors influencing the conceptualisation of globalisation. For example, the political, environmental, social, technological, legal etc. factors influence how firms globalis e and operate their businesses. Therefore, this research study is also interested in identifying a valid explanation of globalisation that must be adapted along with the subsequent practices. In addition, it has also been observed that globalisation brings in new challenges and transformations that must be adapted by businesses in context to new risks and opportunities at the same time. Therefore an important question that emerges here is that how does globalisation influence on an organisational capacity of defining its business. In order to explore and examine these questions pertaining to and dimensions of the concept of globalisation, the author chooses the subject of globalisation to be explored in context of UK financial sector. 1.1.2. Reasons for choosing Barclays Plc. Due to the global economic recession, the most affected business sector has been the financial sector. As evident, the recent economic recession claims high influence on the banking sector of the world. The after effects are established leaving the stakeholders of the global banking industry with high concerns such as whether or not the returns on their investments made into the financial sector and specifically financial institutions will be returned. Secondly, stakeholders are also equally concerned with business challenges faced by financial institutions such as Barclays plc. These challenges have been observed as loss of customers, high employee redundancy, loss of market share, loss of global supremacy of the bank in the global financial sector and so on. It has been further observed by analysts that these challenges are a result of misconduct of US Federal reserves (Protchard, 2008). According to the bank these challenges are likely to result in increasing inflation affecting t he financial assets of the bank and financial sector. The increasing challenges thus claims immeasurable influence with an increasing deteriorating circumstances leading the stakeholders in a grey area concerning the future of the bank and investments made by the stakeholders in the bank. Summing up the challenges, this research study aims to explore and identify the effect of globalisation on the bank in context to the challenges while redefining its business. The particular reason for choosing Barclays Bank plc is that it is one of the leading banks across the globe that has been successfully adapting globalisation long before other businesses had realised the opportunities to globalise their business operations. Secondly it is also intended to assess that how does a global giant redefines its business in order to address the challenges posed by globalisation. This particular bank has also been chosen because it operates in the global financial sector that has been immensely affected by the global economic recession. 1.1.2.1. Introduction to Barclays Plc. Barclays Bank plc is one of the major global banks that have been providing financial products and services in commercial, and investment banking and retail banking for over a period of 300 years. It is listed on New York and London stock market, whilst operating in 50 countries across the globe including United States, Asia, Africa and Europe. Employing 156,000 people across the globe and serving 48 million customers, the bank has developed its to business clusters that are: a) Commercial Banking and Global Retail and b) Investment Management and Investment Banking. These business clusters are made up of world-class financial and businesses brand portfolio. During the worst period of recession i.e. 2008, the bank announced a profit of  £ 6.1 billion before tax (Barclays plc Sustainability Review report, 2008). The bank is headquartered in the UK and is called as Group Centre facilitating functional operations (Group.Barclays.Com, 2009). 1.2. Research objectives and research questions This paper aims to discuss tasks of defining an organisation mission influenced by globalisation. The objectives of this study are: 1.2.1. To identify globalisation influencing on how firm redefine its business. 1.2.2. With in the same context, what remains compelling now and what must be adapted and 1.2.3. Why redefining business mission and subsequent practices is significant and must be adapted. 1.2.4. To make recommendations. The research questions are: 1.2.5. What is globalisation and how does it affect the businesses in redefining their business? 1.2.6. What factors are influential upon managements decision on redefining businesses due to globalisation? 1.3. Overall research approach and research framework developed to address the project objectives and research questions The overall research approach (Walsh and Wigens, 2003) that has been adapted by this study is explained as: a) identify research subject, b) obtain and review contextual / background information of the subject, c) identify research questions, d) define research strategy, e) identify the process and techniques of collecting data, f) carry out pilot study, g) analyse and interpret data, and h) draft research report. The data sources used for the purpose of this study are primary and secondary, where as the research strategy is the case study and survey strategy. Deductive approach of logical reasoning has also been implied along with using qualitative data analysis techniques. The research study has been underpinned by appropriate theories. PART 2 Information gathering and business techniques The data and information that has been collected concerns the subject of globalisation and its impact on the business operations of Barclays bank plc. The primary and secondary data sources enabled the researcher to collect information regarding impact of globalisation on business operations of the bank. The researcher also concentrates on evaluating current business operations of the bank by means of using three business research tools, which are Porters value chain analysis model (Katisioludes, 2006), Porters five forces analysis model (Ahlstrom and Bruton, 2009), and Porters model for competitive advantage (Porter, 1998). Utilization of these business tools directed the research study towards making analysis and evaluation of the current business global practices adapted by Barclays bank plc. Once the process of analysis and evaluation is completed, the generated information was drawn to identify those factors that influence business operations in context of globalisation as well as impact of globalisation on the bank. This information has been further used to recognize and determine the need to redefine the business mission and subsequent strategies and practices. The last step was to make recommendations through which the bank can possibly address to the changing needs of the global market specifically customers and stakeholders. 2.1. The chosen business techniques 2.1.1. Sources of information The research data has been obtained from primary and secondary sources. Primary data source is formed of survey research study that has been carried out for the purpose of this specific study. In addition to primary research data surces, secondary data sources are formed of academic books, research journal articles, online newspapers, company published reports, independent reports published by organisations such as Datamonitor etc. 2.1.2. Description of the methods used to collect information, including online access 2.1.2.1. The data has been collected through implying two research tools i.e. a) survey research questionnaires and b) using and reviewing secondary sources to obtain background information regarding the context of subject of globalisation and Barclays Bank plc. The survey questionnaires are designed as open-ended and semi- structured in order to draw in-depth analysis concerning the participants experiences, viewpoints and opinions along with addressing the research questions. The strength of survey questionnaires lies in drawing out perceptive responses, exceptional characteristic and contradictory (if any) views of the participants. Secondly survey research method also draws out interpretive standpoint of the survey participants (Mack and Woodsong, 2005; Marshall and Rossman, 2006). This technique of primary data collection is cost-effective and efficient. The primary data was collected through a self-administered e-mail platform and the survey participants were randomly selected. An estimated number of hundred employees of Barclays Bank plc were contacted and invited through e-mails to participate in the survey research study. The purpose, objectives and outcomes of the survey research were explained. Only 35 of these contacted employees replied positively, demonstrating their interest and commitment in participating in the survey research. A pilot study was first conducted through inviting 10 respondents. The comments and feedback (explaining the validity and viability of questions, ease of understanding the questions, possible interpretations of the questions by the participants etc.) of these respondents were valuable in reforming the final survey questionnaire. Once the final questionnaire was designed, it was sent to all survey participants through e-mail. The respondents were provided with a period of four weeks to fill in the questionnaires and return it to the researchers provided e-mail address. 2.1.2.2. The secondary data was collected through reviewing research journal articles accessible through databases such as Emerald, Sage Journals, Informaworld, ScienceDirect, Willey Science, Datamonitor etc. Secondary data was also collected through reviewing reports published by Barclays Bank plc, along with reviewing online newspapers. The data was reviewed and analysed to extract valuable information concerning the subject. 2.1.3. Research limitations while gathering information While collecting the information certain limitations have been encountered by the researcher such as possibility of biased reviews regarding the organisational performance of the bank that is likely to mislead the researcher while forming opinions. Secondly while carrying out the primary research, it is expected that the survey participants may be influenced by certain factors that can affect the quality and validity of their replies. Lastly the researcher aimed to contact at least 75 employees in order to draw significant research findings, however due to limited survey population it is expected that the research findings and analysis may not be viable due to the fact that sample population may not represent the actual population. Drawing on these limitations, it is expected that the data validity can be challenged. 2.1.4. Identification of any ethical issues that arose during information gathering and how such issues are resolved While carrying out the primary research, researcher was particularly focused towards maintaining the integrity of the collected data. This means that all the data and information collected as a result of primary research must be protected against any misuse of information. For example the research explained the survey participants that the collected data will only be used for the identified purpose and objectives. In order to maintain the researchers claim, it is crucial that the data stays with the researcher where as the name, contact details such as email addresses etc. of survey participants are kept confidential. The data integrity has also been maintained which means that data has been interpreted and analyzed through avoiding any biased views of the researcher towards the studied organisation and collected data. Secondly, while referring to the secondary data collected for the purpose of this study, the researcher was particularly focused towards ensuring that all the previous research studies used for this study are appropriately and sufficiently referenced, credited and acknowledged. For this reason, the researcher ensured that all the data provided by previous researchers have been appropriately referred and acknowledged. For that reason, this report is free of plagiarism, where as all the previous research studies have been appropriately referenced and credited. 2.1.5. An explanation of business techniques that have been used, including a discussion of their limitations. The business research techniques that have been used for this research study are case study and survey strategies, qualitative data analysis techniques and deductive approach of logical reasoning. 2.1.5.1. The case study strategy is explained as strategy of carrying out research including practical examination and analysis of a specific contemporary phenomenon as explained within its real-life business scenarios through implication of multiple sources of data validation (Robson, 2002). The limitation of this strategy is to draw perceptive meaning out of the collected data that can vary from researcher to researcher. The perception of the data can also be influenced by the context of the research subject (Yin, 2004). The survey research strategy is explained as carrying out survey research by means of involving a sample of population to answer provided questions. The limitation of this strategy is that the researcher is solely dependent upon the data provided by the survey participants, hence the research findings and analysis is a result of data provided by the participants that may not be validated if required. 2.1.5.2. The data analysis technique adapted by this research study is qualitative data analysis technique. The qualitative technique enables the researcher to determine information that is extracted according to the constructivist perspective or participatory perspective or even both. Constructivist perspective has been explained as research built upon several interpretations of various understandings collected by the researcher with an ambition of establishing a theory or research pattern. On the other hand, participatory perspective has been explained as constructing upon issue- related, change oriented or combined perspectives (Creswell, 2003). This research study adapts the constructivist perspective of data analysis technique. The limitations of this technique experienced by the researcher are a) difficulty in making structured comparisons while analyzing and interpreting data, b) process of data analysis is dependent upon the skills of the researcher, c) time-consuming process and d) relatively less easy to generalise the data. 2.1.5.3. In addition to above technique, deductive approach of logical reasoning has been implied by this study. This approach is directly associated with research environment. Deductive approach of logical reasoning has been utilised by means of using following pattern: a) making observations, b) observing research patterns, c) testing hypothesis and d) testing the theory involved (Miles and Huberman, 1994; Cooper and Schindler, 2006). The limitation of this approach as experienced by the researcher is that conclusions are made based on assumptions drawn through empirical evidences that can be different within the context of different research environments. PART 3 Results, analysis, conclusions and recommendations 3.1. A description of the results that have obtained and any limitations This section of the report aims to present all the collected data and information, based upon which, analysis and research findings have been presented in the following section. This section identifies global challenges faced by the bank while operating globally. Upon identifying these challenges, the adapted practices of the bank are examined in redefining its global business mission resulting in subsequent strategies and practices. The limitations faced during the data collection and data analysis process are same as identified in the previous section of this report. 3.1.1. Challenges faced by Barclays Bank plc as a result of globalisation Globalisation has been explained as a multi- faceted phenomenon carrying different viewpoints as has been realised by the review of the literature (e.g. Rapley, 2004; Meffert and Bloch, 1991). This means that the dynamic nature of the phenomenon is likely to raise challenges such as global warming, carrying out ethical business, addressing social responsibility issues, paying back to the communities where the business operates and so on. These challenges were not known about 50 years ago before the advent of globalisation. Similarly, even though Barclays Bank plc has been increasingly expanding its global business, nevertheless the aforementioned issues increasingly and continually keep challenge the bank. In addition, other economical challenges such as poverty and taking strategic steps to combat poverty require competent economic policies to be adapted that supports the business policies at the same time (Fischer, 2003). Therefore, Barclays is increasingly challenged to not only d eliver business performance excellence but it is also challenged to serve back the communities by means of addressing issues such as fighting poverty with in the communities where it is operating. Secondly the economic challenge faced by the bank is addressing to the issues of credit crunch. The recessed economy restricts economic development of countries where it is currently operation. As a result of which, management has to take decisions such as job redundancies. For that reason it is argued that despite of the fact that globalisation fosters equality, the results of integration of global economy, and the consequences of flow of capital across national boundaries is likely to threaten the global financial structure of the economies (Fischer 2003; Lloyd and Demos 2001; Baldwin and Winters 2004). Another issue that is faced by the bank is technological advancement, which is considered to be a dominant driver for the changes experienced by the bank in the due course of process of globalisation (Mulgan, 2007). The same researcher states that those organisations which were household names with in last 20 years time of time period, are now web- based organisations with established and fundamental fears that Internet could further advance into more commercialised and develop in to inaccessible commodity then it can be realised today (Mulgan, 2007). Upon identifying these challenges, the researcher now aims to examine the business operations of the bank in context to creating its value chain and competitive advantage. This identification leads the researcher towards assessing how the effect of global age, and globalisation resulted in defining the business mission and subsequent strategies and practices by Barclays Bank plc. In context with the above challenges faced by the bank due to adaption of globalisation as a fundamental business need, the research study now aims to analyse and evaluate current value chain of the bank and industrial competitive forces in order to identify how these challenges influence the redefinition of business mission and subsequent strategic practices of the bank. 3.1.2. Implying the value chain analysis as proposed by Porter (Katsioloudes, 2006), following findings and analysis has been presented. The data of Barclays Bank has been extracted from Barclays Bank PLC Sustainability Review (2008) and primary data collected through survey research questionnaires (see appendix 1). 3.1.2.1. Inbound logistics Suppliers of the bank are required to attend to challenges such as supply chain risks, business integrity, human rights and environmental issues so that a sustainable supply chain steering group can be established that will be accountable to improve business processes, tools and techniques along with addressing training and development needs of its employees as well as supply chain partners in order to operate successfully in the global market. 3.1.2.2. Operations The UK and the European business operations of the bank equalized operational carbon emissions as well as reduced energy consumption per employee by a rate of 2.1 per cent. The same carbon operations had been executed and practiced across the global operations by the end of year 2009. Secondly the bank demonstrates its commitment to stabilize economies those extending beyond its own operations and procurement strategies so that a distinguished role of the bank can be recognised in developing long-term relationship with its customers and stakeholders. 3.1.2.3. Outbound logistics The bank capitalizes on the advantages laid by new regulations on the banking and financial sector to secure a handful of distributors. Previously, the bank was connected to one provider and regulated by the legislative requirements, however today it is tied to 6 distributors such as fund managers, life insurance and so forth. 3.1.2.4. Marketing and sales The bank has been observed and reported to be supporting small and medium enterprises in the UK even though the local economy had been under financial distress that resulted in an increment of 6 per cent in its lending to the small and medium enterprises. In context of its global operations, the bank also announced and executed a debt repair line for South African customers who were facing financial difficulties. Further on with an ambition of attending to the changing customer needs and demands, the bank has been increasingly observed and reported to be developing its customer relationship along with investing in innovation and technologically enabled and advance services and products. Customer relationship have been improved through implying customer relationship management practices, however drawing on the collected data, such practices needs to be further developed and improved. 3.1.2.5. Services Due to innovative products and services offered by the bank during the recessed economic situation, the bank reported an improvement in its financial records. For example during the year 2008, more than 57,000 employees of the bank were engaged in volunteering and fundraising activities with a purpose of serving the community such as collecting donations for charitable causes. In addition to this, the market share of the banks mortgage lending also increased from 8 per cent to 36 per cent, whereas the income rate of the bank also increased up to  £ 23.1 billion by the end of year 2008. As suggested by the value chain analysis model, the above strategic system obtains further support through business infrastructure of the bank that has been assessed below: (Data source: Group.Barclays.com, 2009; Primary research see appendix 1) 3.1.2.6. The infrastructure The bank has also been reported to form partnerships and alliances with micro-finance firms, technical providers, local charities and government so that the needs and demands of its customers and stakeholders can be addressed. The bank also cultivates a performance- base management system supported by organisational culture that regulates and facilitates target- oriented performances to be delivered by the employees and subsequently the bank. 3.1.2.7. Human Resource Management The bank also practices diversity (cultural, ethnical and gender- based) while recruiting employees across the globe, solely based upon their talents. Secondly, the hard efforts and good performances of employees are rewarded and recognised. Most importantly the bank reports that women fill 25 per cent of senior managerial positions. This proportion has increased from 2 per cent from year 2007 up to 25 per cent during the financial year 2008. An estimated number of hundred and fifty three thousand employees are employed by the bank across the globe. Most importantly the bank claims to practice work- based diversity. 3.1.2.8. Technological development The bank employs technology- based equipment in order to generate clean energy, reducing gas and carbon emissions along with reducing use of electricity and water. In order to further reduce the consumption of paper, it offers mobile banking services in India, UK etc. In South Africa, the bank offers services and products that help government welfare beneficiaries to obtain inclusion in the financial system. 3.1.2.9. Procurement Barclays Bank plc also adapts to industrial best practices in supply chain monitoring in order to evaluate supply chain verification along with deploying tools and techniques that are aligned with adapted business strategies. The supply chain stretches across 50 countries where the bank operates. The strategic intent is to employ competent supply chain management practices so that the strategic and long-term business benefits can be obtained. 3.1.3. Upon assessing the value chain of the bank, their researcher and now aims to examine five competitive forces responsible for redefining business strategies. In order to do so Porters (1998) tool of assessing five competitive forces have been implied: 3.1.3.1. The force of threats of new entrants has been evaluated at a moderate level because the bank obtains its increased share of 36 per cent mortgage market in 2008, which is an increase from just 8 per cent market share in the financial year 2007. The bank had also obtained higher customer satisfaction rate in the UK raising from 64 per cent in 2007 to 67 per cent in 2008. Nevertheless, the bank also demonstrates increasing potential to bring this force to minimum because of the strategic practices it has adapted such as business diversity, employee diversity, environmental consumption, inclusive banking and strategic supply chain management initiatives. 3.1.3.2. The industrial force of bargaining power of suppliers has been evaluated to be low due to the banks policy of development and deployment of supply chain through carrying out strict screening policies so that the business vision of the suppliers are in line with the business vision of the bank. It has also been observed that because of its dominant market presence, strategic market positioning along with banks investments made into developing its supply chain, Barclays is privileged to be the first choice of suppliers thus making this force low. 3.1.3.3. The bargaining power of buyers has been evaluated to be at a modest level because buyers have other substitutes (banks, and financial institutions etc.) to attend to their banking needs. These needs can also be addressed by the competitors such as ABN Amro, Lloyds TSB, Royal Bank of Scotland, Standard Chartered and so on. It has also been assessed that this force can be lowered through banks continued commitment towards addressing customer demands and conducting ethical business. 3.1.3.4. The threats of substitutes have been evaluated as low because of the distressed economic situation that makes it intricate for the substitutes entering into new markets that are regulated by cash starved economy. On the other hand, emerging economic nations such as Brazil, Russia, China and India could be a potential market for substitutes that are likely to promise positive results. This can induce competition for the bank with in the emerging / and developing economies. 3.1.3.5. The industrial force of market rivalry among the financial organisations has been evaluated as extremely high because of the volatile banking sector resulting from mergers and business acquisitions, business alliances etc. that had been recently experienced by banking giants such as HBOS and Lehman Bros. In addition to this, the global economic distressed situation increases rivalry among financial institutions, services and products that are offered in the market since they are closely associated with economic conditions and interest rates, governed by the individual governments. 3.2. A critical analysis / evaluation of results including an explanation of significant research findings 3.2.1. Competitive advantage of Barclays Bank plc as a result of redefined business mission, strategies and practices Utilisation of competitive advantage model as proposed by Porter (table 3.1) while evaluating the banks competitive advantage demonstrates that the bank keeps an ambition of producing innovative and unique products and services by means of using innovative and technologically enabled organisational resources. In addition the organisation resources and subsequent competitive advantage that has been achieved by the bank adds value to the business by means of the adapted practices of supply chain management (section 3.1.2). Along with, the bank also provides inclusive banking services and products. Inclusive banking has been explained as â€Å"helping those who are excluded from the financial system to join and benefit from it† through opening 1.77 million accounts for low-income customers (Barclays Bank PLC Sustainability Review 2008, p12). The bank also concentrates to exercise ‘sustainability strategy by means of demonstrating its commitment towards stabilizing and devel oping those economies where the bank operates. In addition the bank also concentrates on carrying out ethical business (such as reducing water gas and electricity usage, lowering down carbon emission, making communal investments, practicing diversity at work etc.). In particular the bank has also been observed as developing relationships with its stakeholders (employees, customers, shareholders, supply chain partners, business creditors and investors, community etc.) Conclusively the competitive advantage of the bank has been assessed as to differentiation and focused according to the Porters model of competitive advantage as illustrated in the table below. Table 3. 1. Porters model for competitive advantage Competitive advantage Low cost Differentiation Competitive scope Broad target Cost leadership Differentiation Competitive scope Narrow target Cost focus Differentiation focus 3.2.2.   Drawing on the above analysis and evaluation, following factors have been identified that influences the redefinition of business mission and subsequent strategies and practices: 3.2.2.1. The globa