Human service professional Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human service professional - Essay Example Hence, strong networking skills and communication become vital tools to build constructive relationship with the employees to gain their trust. In the era of rapid globalization, workforce is distinct in its diversity. To create a cohesive and empowered team, cross cultural understanding is very important issue. I need to be more proactive in my effort to not only gain the confidence of workers but also ensure that workers also develop understanding of different cultures and teamwork is enhanced through mutual respect and collective decisions. A cohesive workforce is able to make valuable contribution to the goals and objectives of the organization. This was proved when there was conflict of views between two workers who were from different culture. I was able to resolve the issue primarily because I had understanding of their cultures and was able to convince them as to how they can together work for improved result. This was also a prime case of clash of values: personal and professional values. One of the workers was of Chinese origin and other was American. American professionals give great credence to time and efficiency whereas Chinese believe that developing personal relationship greatly improves outcome. So when new product was to be launched, American executive was quite upset with his Chinese counterpart as he was insisting that people who would be the prospective users need to be informed about it. He believed that prior relationship building effort would help to give clue to develop better marketing strategy. While time is important factor but relationship building is equally critical. Bringing them together and sharing each other’s concern helped to resolve the issue. The launch was a thumping success. One of the most urgent needs of the organizations is to create a learning environment for its workforce. I have strong networking skills and therefore, it becomes easier

Police Brutality, Have Times Really Changed Essay Example for Free

Police Brutality, Have Times Really Changed Essay The history of Police Brutality for minorities; especially people of color has left America wondering have times changed. Police brutality has deemed the opportunity for socioeconomic advancement or access to good and services for many Black/African Americans dating back as far as 1955. The system of Police brutality has affected many realms of society for minorities’ employment and family life. After some scholarly research, police brutality is still prevalent in the Black/African American community; moreover, it comes in many different forms and fashions. Police brutality is the use of excessive and/or unnecessary force by police when dealing with civilians. Excessive use of force is a means of force well beyond what would be necessary in order to handle a situation. This research seeks to understand the history of police brutality and how it continues to be prevalent; if not, more prevalent in presently than in the past. The history of police brutality dates back to slavery, encompasses the civil rights movement, and defines the growing accounts of modern situation in which Blacks/African Americans have been treated wrong by law enforcement. Elijah Anderson (2000) claims, â€Å"the idea of the race man goes back to the segregated Black/African American community, in fact all the way back to slaver† (Elijah Anderson, 2). Modern leaders like Jesse Jackson could be viewed as a race man; meaning, his help is deeply imbedded when he feels the Black/African American community has been treated unjust. As a leaders of the Black/African American community, there is always a time to become actively involved in the community, especial pertaining to police brutality. Secondly, Emmett Till is another example of police brutality, but in another form. Note, Emmett Till was not beaten by the police; however, his brutal beaten came from a group of white men in Money, Mississippi. I define this travesty as police brutality due to the milestone of social inequality that police brutality has fed off of. Bob Blauner (1992) reveals, â€Å"Chicagoan Emmett Till in Mississippi has been awakening to the end of social equality (Bob Blauner, 1). Instances such as the brutal killing of Emmett Till led to the civil rights movement. The civil rights movement was geared toward  helping not only Blacks/African American community, but helping America dismantle discrimination, segregation, lynching, double standards of laws and rules, police brutality and overall equality. The civil rights movement was filled with many acts of police brutality. For instance, a woman in Riverside, California was shot several times by law enforcement officers. They claim they were threaten by her, but had no idea this woman was engulfed in a diabetic coma. Legalized Cop Violence (1999) shares, â€Å"Dontae Dawson was sitting in his car and was ordered to raise his hands, when he did he fatally shot and killed the officer claims he thought the young man had a gun† The New York News, 12). The civil rights era proved that law enforcement officers did not serve the poor, the powerless or the un-influential. The legalized violence that was committed throughout the civil rights era has drastically changed; however, police brutality is still presently evident. For instance, officers of the law are servants of the state. They hold deeply to the interest of capital, wealth, and government to corporate figures. Currently, Black/African American leaders are still dealing with the vicious killing of two youth. These two particular situations has rocked the nation. First, Trayvon Martin, who was seventeen years old was walking from a community store in Sanford, Florida and was shoot to death at close range. No, he was not shot by the police; moreover, this situation has ignited once again racial inequality which is no stranger to police brutality. Although Trayvon Martin’s assassin was found not guilty, laws in the State of Florida allows citizens to stand they ground if they feel threaten. The 2014 State Statues of Florida 76.013 reveals, â€Å"home protection; use or threatened use of deadly force; presumption of fear of death or great bodily harm† is permitted. Despite the important racial progresss our society has made since Emmett Till’s death, from the civil rights era, to present increase of police brutality has still left the Black/African American community in shadows of segregation. The second most recent shooting of teenager Michael Brown has left citizens in ongoing battles with law enforcement officers of Ferguson, Missouri. New Statement (2014) reports, Missouri police similarly attempted to retain control of the narrative, claiming Brown had stolen cigars, and then paying for them, and then claiming he was a bad child and attacked the officer who shot him† (New Statement, 21). Brown autopsy reveals he was gun less and shot six  times. Police brutality is not solely about Ferguson, Emmett Till, or the civil rights movement, but it is simply about the history of capitalism and police brutality in America and having many forms of it. Which leads us to the question has times really changed are is police brutality still very surreal. Granted we talked mostly about Emmet Till, Trayvon Martin Michael Brown, and the civil rights these are not the only men or eras in time where police brutality has and still to this day is taking place. A few others who have suffered and died from police brutality include: Ezzel Ford who was mentally disabled and John Crawford III who was playing with a toy gun in the toy section of Wal-Mart. I know there are more people and time eras that have faced police brutality but these are just a few that are having a major impact on the world as we see it today. Which rises brings us to the question is Police Brutality the problem or as we as African America/ Blacks causing the problems and then when police are called to settle or solve the problem we over react or act as if we have done nothing wrong. Some cases in which police were called to a scene and they were hurt or out in danger include in July of 1920 five police were called to a home in New York to settle a dispute between two brothers where in return all five of the cops were injured, another time is in September of 1991 when three of duty officers in the state of New York were in a argument with a 18year old who in return pulled out a box cutting razor knife slashing one of the officers. Now I am not saying that because of these incidents this gives cops a reason to act the way that they do, but my question again is are we as African Americans/Blacks completely innocent or do we sometimes react to situations when cops are just doing their jobs that make them feel threatened so they have to kill. Yet there are more and better ways to deal with situations. Just like we the people should not always resort to violence and killing and committing black on black or white on white crime police need to and should follow the same rules of the world. Every man woman boy and girl should be treated how they would want to be treated. I’m sure the way police treat African Americans/Blacks when we commit crimes is not how they would want their family and or friends to be treated. There are some people who think that the way to downgrade police brutality is to adopt more white ways specifically the white perspective and to manifest intensively. Granted this is true; however, I do believe that just like us African Americans can  sometimes over react and over step our boundaries, I believe that cops have a bad habit of doing this as well. Yes your job as a police officer is to protect and serve the communities that you are in but moreover we are all humans and at this day in age no one is better than the next person no matter what race ethnicity sex or community you live in we are all said to be treated equal but are we treated as equals? If we were would there be so much police brutality and hostility toward police. Since the Trayvon Martin, and Michael Brown case I can see and understand why so many people have so much hate in their hearts. Although Trayvon Martin was not shot by a police officer he was shot by â€Å"a watchman of the area† Which in my opinion means if you are here to watch our neighborhood and protect us then he should of known \who Trayvon was he should have been tolerant t figure out if Trayvon was really a threat to the neighborhood or if he was just â€Å"overreacting and looking for somebody to shot† and the same with Michael Brown who was actually shot by police men were the jumping the gun and did not take the time to find out if he really was stealing or if there was a miscommunication which I believe that’s what it was. Which leaves us to the question with the belief that slavery has ended and that all people are equal; then why is that police have and continue to get away with the brutally killing of African Americans. Works Cited Abu-Jamal, M. (1999). Legalized Cop Violence. New York: The New York Amsterdam News. Anderson, E. (2000). Beyond the Melting Pot Reconsidering. International Migration Review , 1-7. Anderson, E. (2014). Emmett and Trayvon. Washington: The Washington Monthly. Blauner, B. (1992). Talking Past Each Other: The Black and White Language of Race. The American Prospect , 1-6. Edwards, B. (2014). 4 Dead Unarmed Men and the Police: What You Need to Know. The Root. Penny, L. (2014, August 20). Welcome to America, Where Police Shoot an Unarmered Black MAn Six Times-and then call him a Villain. New Statesman , pp. 22-28. Tucker, W. (1993, January). Is Police Brutality the Problem? Commentary , pp. 23-28.

Do Cleaning Chemicals Clean As Well After They Have Been Frozen :: essays research papers

Do Cleaning Chemicals Clean As Well After They Have Been Frozen Problem:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The researcher is trying to determine whether or not cleaning materials will clean as well if they have been frozen solid and subsequently thawed out until they have returned to a liquid state of matter.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The researcher will use Dial Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner, Clorox Bleach, and Parson's Ammonia, applied to simple bacon grease, to determine which chemical is least affected by the glaciation. Hypothesis:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The researcher feels that the process of glaciation will degrade the ability of these three household cleaning chemicals to breakdown the most common kitchen cleaning problem - grease.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For example, the freezing, thawing, and then freezing again of ice cream puts the substance through the freezing process. The result is a separation of heavy and light substances which breaks down the food. The researcher feels that the same end result may happen with the cleaning materials. Experimentation Test Concept:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to determine weather the glaciation process affected the cleaning chemicals, it is first important to establish its potency prior to freezing. Accordingly, two test sets were created by the researcher. The purpose of the test was to determine how well the chemicals could break down household grease before and after the substances were frozen. The first test set would focus on unfrozen chemicals, while the second was set up for previously frozen chemicals. The Test:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To start the experiment the researcher fried four pieces of bacon until there was enough grease in the skillet to perform the test. He then put a quarter teaspoon of the grease onto two nine by thirteen casserole dishes. Each casserole dish was set up for three frozen and three unfrozen chemical cleaners. A measured amount of cleaner (both frozen and unfrozen) was added to each spot of grease. After approximately two minutes of breaking down the grease, the dishes were raised to a uniform height at one end and the broken down grease was allowed to run. By measuring how far the grease ran, the researcher could then determine how much the cleaner broke down and therefore which cleaner was

Cultural differences in communication with groups and teams Essay

The process of passing information from one person to another is complex and a subject of discussion. This is because effective communication is essential for the development of any organization yet it has been marked with many problems, which have far reaching effects. Over time, communication has developed progressively from oral communication to written communication and now to the media and websites but still marked with the same complexity. It is in this interest that this paper is written. It focuses on defining communication, identifying its problems and there causes and giving the possible solutions and recommendations to this problems. Definition Communication refers to an act of passing information from a given source to a recipient through a given medium (Hulkkonen, et al, 2010). It may also be defined as a connection that provides accessibility of two agents or places. For effective communication to occur there must be a source, a medium of transferring the information and a recipient. All the parties involved in communication should have a common interest of passing and receiving information otherwise there will be poor presentation or misinterpretation between the two and the common goal of transferring information will not be achieved (Texas Christian University, 2010). One common mode of communication is oral communication which includes direct speeches, poetry and songs. Secondly, we have nonverbal communication which involves the transfer of wordless information. This can be achieved through body languages such as facial expression and gestures or object communication such as symbols graphics and clothing. Lastly we have media communication which includes the radio, websites and telephones. The choice of the mode of communication to be used depends entirely on the type of information to be transferred, the number of recipients to be involved and the distance between the source and the recipient (Hulkkonen, et al, 2010).. Communication problems Although communication is essential in any society or organizational groups and teams, which is conscious of achieving its goals, many people still continue to struggle to communicate and unfortunately finds they are unable to express their thoughts and ideas efficiently or even lack proper listening skills (Wood, 2009). This inability to communicate effectively can result to misunderstanding and can cause conflict and even war at its worst amongst members with different cultural backgrounds. Another problem of communication is incompetence. Poor interpretation of instruction due to poor presentation of information can lead to misunderstanding in groups and teams or resulting into wrong actions being taken (Yarbrough & O’Rourke, 2009). Still, Poor communication can lead to endless and unnecessary arguments, which are time and energy consuming. The can result to dissatisfaction and lack of commitment among members of a given group or team. Lastly, mistrust among the members can amount to tension in groups and teams further leading to lack of coordination or total collapse of such groups and teams if proper action is not taken.. Causes of communication problem One major cause of communication problem is fear. It is a common trend of human beings to protect their interest. This renders communication impossible because the need to protect our own interest is accompanied by lack of openness (Penn State University, 2007). This can amount to an endless and unnecessary argument because every body will be after his own interest. Another major cause of communication problem is misaligned expectation (Gupta, 2009). This occurs when different members of a given team have different opinions on how things should be done or handled and all thoughts are not properly taken into consideration or harmonized. This can result to a conflict because no matter how they communicate they will never understand each other. Another cause of communication problem is incompetence. It is advisable to have the message clear and specific so that it can be accepted and acknowledged by the recipients. Lack of knowledge of the subject matter can lead to lack of this clarity and specification in the message and hence poor communication (Wood, 2009). Lastly is poor communication skill. Some effort must be put to make sure that the message is effectively passed to the recipient and that it cannot be misinterpreted Alternative solutions to communication problems One way of preventing communicating problems is to build trust among group members. This is aimed at overcoming fear, which was described earlier on as major cause communication problem. Trust is built when one does exactly what he/she is expected to do. In addition to this, it is important to learn good communication skills, appreciate your differences and attain a consensus based on a common goal (Wiethoff, Lumsden, & Lumsden, 2009). Strategies for implementing and evaluating the chosen solutions The above solutions will be declared effective if there will be efficient communication among the involved agents. There should be no misinterpretation of information, unnecessary arguments, any form of confusion or conflict. In addition to this, each and every member of a given team should be satisfied, committed and encouraged to participate for the common goal of the team (Texas Christian University, 2010). All this would be a sign of effective communication in teams and groups. Conclusion In conclusion therefore, effective communication is essential for the better running of any organization in the society. It is therefore important to put more effort in developing good communication skills that will eliminate the above discussed problems and their causes References Gupta, P. (2009). Five Things You Can Do to Manage Cultural Differences in Virtual Teams. Retrieved July 22, 2010, from http://ezinearticles. com/? Five-Things-You-Can-Do-to-Manage-Cultural-Differences-in-Virtual-Teams&id=2634314 Hulkkonen, J. , et al. (2010). Cultural Differences in Multinational Team Communication in an IT Service Organization. Retrieved July 22, 2010, from http://www. outshore. org/LinkClick. aspx? fileticket=9uZxktWCVoc%3D&tabid=58&mid=387 Penn State University. (2007). Building Blocks for Teams: Tips for Effective Communication. Retrieved July 22, 2010, from http://tlt. its. psu. edu/suggestions/teams/student/communicate. html Texas Christian University. (2010). Communication in Groups and Teams. Retrieved July 22, 2010, from http://www. cpeng. tcu. edu. tw/teaching/951/comm/1212-comm. ppt Wiethoff, C. , Lumsden, D. , & Lumsden, G. (2009). Communicating in Groups and Teams: Sharing Leadership. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. Wood, J. (2009). Communication in Our Lives. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. Yarbrough, B. , & O’Rourke, J. (2009). Leading Groups and Teams. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

How to Deal with Difficult People

I work at JC Penney's and I hear griping all the time from other associates and definitely from customers. Even I gripe about how work does not get finished. My job is to bring out merchandise from the stockroom so I can hang them up on racks. Every morning after I clock in we have to get our bags so we can put our money in the registers. Right as I leave to get my cart from the stockroom a customer always has a return. It never fails that someone has to return. This customer wanted to return a pair of jeans without a receipt or tags. It is hard to explain to a customer our policy if she doesn't want to listen. I told her the policy was that if she wanted to return something she would have to have a receipt or the tags. She wanted me to call management since she knew someone that worked there. I call the operator and ask to see if there were any managers available. The operator told me that there was no one available until noon. I knew after I hung up the customer would not be happy. The irritation arose when the customer said, â€Å"Well I don't have until noon I want my money now! † After telling her again that no one was available she was just standing there with her arms crossed wanting her money back. After a few minutes I finally decided to tell her that she can exchange it for the same thing she had. You aren't supposed to do that but that was the only thing I could think of right then. That idea had worked. I could finally get her off my back and get on with my work. She went to get another pair of jeans. She wasn't happy with what she got but we both apologized for the mess and that was it. I finally made it to the stock room to get my cart. Most of the clothes I put out needs to have a security ink tag on the sleeve. The people who work in the stock room are supposed to hang and put one on each article of clothing. I can not take anything out of the stock room until they are hung right and ink tagged. I went over to the associate and asked her why they haven't been ink tagged. She gave me a nasty look and said that I could do it. That part takes up to much time so I can't get my work finished. I told the lady I wasn't going to take out the cart until it was done right. There were about eight people working in the stockroom at the same time so you would figure the cart would be finished. Another lady decided to quit what she was doing to complete the job. While I was back out on the floor arranging for the clothes to all fit on the racks she brings the cart out to me instead of me having to go back there and get it for myself. She told me that the other girl that didn't do the tagging wasn't feeling to well and wanted to get out of there as soon as possible so that was why she didn't do it. I told her that I was mad or anything I just wanted to get this cart out so I could get another cart. The phone rang as I was getting ready to put shorts out and it was my manager. She told me over the phone that if they don't have time to do something in the back that you should be able to finish the job on your own. I told her that it wasn't our job to ink tag the clothes. Even the people in the back were told from management that they had to do it. I didn't even have any ink tags to do it anyway. She told me that it was ok and I went on with my work. Later in the evening when my work was just about complete I was ringing up a customer and this lady stormed up to the register with an New World Order wrestling shirt. The shirt was from the Children's Department and I work in the Men's Department clear on the other side of the store. I asked her if she needed any help. She started complaining about how these shirts are a disgrace to our children and shouldn't be sold in stores. Waiting to check out about she was preaching to me and the other customers of how it will influence children to fight and get hurt. As I was just standing there I could feel the heat arise in my body because I didn't know what to tell her. I just told her that this is the in-thing and it is a big seller for kids. She snapped back at me wanting to speak to a manager. I called management and they came right away. The customer started going on and on to her about the same thing and the manager told her she was sorry how this clothing has an effect on her and should not buy it if she doesn't like it. We are not the only store that sells this article of clothing. The manager offered her a ten-dollar gift certificate but the customer refused saying she will never shop here again. She simply threw the shirt on the counter and everyone in line was staring at me. The next person in line said that I shouldn't have to put up with people like that. That lady was rude to cut in line to argue about some clothes. I was talking to her how there were stores all over the world selling wrestling shirts. The griping customer saw that I was busy so she came to interrupt my work. I just forgot about what happened and went back to doing my work. Gripers today are found every-where you go. If you want to quit griping just try to keep whatever you want to gripe about to yourself and then there won't be any problems or arguments.

5 Types of Usage Errors

5 Types of Usage Errors 5 Types of Usage Errors 5 Types of Usage Errors By Mark Nichol Words can be misused in a variety of ways, as illustrated in the following examples, each followed by an explanatory discussion and a revision. 1. A massive diffused bomb sat in the middle of the courtyard. One form of erroneous word usage is use of a similar-sounding word, as in the case of effect in place of affect, or as shown in this example: â€Å"A massive defused bomb sat in the middle of the courtyard.† 2. Passwords can be harvested from keystroke loggers and other malware on publically accessible computers. Another type of error with word usage is misspelling of an inflected ending, as with extention instead of extension, or the misspelled adverbial form of public: â€Å"Passwords can be harvested from keystroke loggers and other malware on publicly accessible computers.† 3. This policy engenders an altruistic comradery. A third category of mistakes in word usage is to misspell a word adopted from another language based on how it â€Å"should† be spelled analogously with established English words- for example, â€Å"per say† in place of â€Å"per se† or how the last word in this sentence was spelled: â€Å"This policy engenders an altruistic camaraderie.† 4. A collaborative approach is comprised of four stages. This sentence deploys the reference to the whole before that of the parts, which is correct when comprise is concerned, but â€Å"is comprised of,† though it has an entry in the dictionary, is not considered proper English. The technically correct wording is â€Å"A collaborative approach comprises four primary stage gates,† but in this case (and many others), â€Å"consists of† works just as well or even better: â€Å"A collaborative approach consists of four stages.† 5. Economic conditions in markets we currently serve may significantly restrict growth opportunities for our organization. Some adjectives and adverbs are almost always extraneous. For example, different, as when it appears in such phrases as â€Å"several different factors,† is already implied in the reference to a plurality of factors, and a current state is generally understood in such statements as â€Å"Economic conditions in markets we serve may significantly restrict growth opportunities for our organization.† (Redundancy is not an error, but it is annoying enough to earn honorary error status and therefore inclusion in this post.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Avoid Beginning a Sentence with â€Å"With†"Gratitude" or "Gratefulness"?Charles's Pen and Jesus' Name

Biography of Abigail Adams, Wife of John Adams

Biography of Abigail Adams, Wife of John Adams Wife of the second President of the United States, Abigail Adams is an example of one kind of life lived by women in colonial, Revolutionary and early post-Revolutionary America. While shes perhaps best known simply as an early First Lady (before the term was used) and mother of another President, and perhaps known for the stance she took for womens rights in letters to her husband, she should also be known as a competent farm manager and financial manager. Known for: First Lady, mother of John Quincy Adams, farm manager, letter writerDates: November 22 (11 old style), 1744 - October 28, 1818; married October 25, 1764Also known as: Abigail Smith AdamsPlaces: Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., United StatesOrganizations/Religion: Congregational, Unitarian Early Life Born Abigail Smith, the future First Lady was the daughter of a minister, William Smith, and his wife Elizabeth Quincy.  The family had long roots in Puritan America, and were part of the Congregational church.  Her father was part of the liberal wing within the church, an Arminian, distanced from Calvinist Congregational roots in predestination and questioning the truth of the traditional  doctrine of the Trinity. Educated at home, because there were few schools for girls and because she was often ill as a child,  Abigail Adams learned quickly and read widely. She also learned to write, and quite early began writing to family and friends. Abigail met John Adams in 1759 when he visited her fathers parsonage in Weymouth, Massachusetts.  They carried out their courtship in letters as Diana and Lysander.  They married in 1764, and moved first to Braintree and later to Boston.  Abigail bore five children, and one died in early childhood. Abigails marriage to John Adams was warm and loving‚- and also intellectually lively, to judge from their letters. Journey to First Lady After almost a decade of rather quiet family life,  John became involved in the Continental Congress. In 1774, John attended the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia, while Abigail remained in Massachusetts, raising the family.  During his long absences over the next 10 years, Abigail managed the family and the farm and corresponded not only with her husband but with many family members and friends, including Mercy Otis Warren and Judith Sargent Murray.  She served as the primary educator of the children, including the future sixth U.S. president, John Quincy Adams. John served in Europe as a diplomatic representative from 1778, and as a representative  of the new nation, continued in that capacity. Abigail Adams joined him in 1784, first for a year in Paris then three in London. They returned to America in 1788. John Adams served as Vice President of the United States from 1789-1797 and then as President 1797-1801. Abigail spent some of her time at home, managing the family financial affairs, and part of her time in the federal capital, in Philadelphia most of those years and, very briefly, in the new White House in Washington, D.C. (November 1800 - March 1801). Her letters show that she was a strong supporter of his Federalist positions. After John retired from public life at the end of his presidency, the couple lived quietly in Braintree, Massachusetts.  Her letters also show that she was consulted by her son, John Quincy Adams. She was proud of him, and worried about her sons Thomas and Charles and her daughters husband, who were not so successful.  She took hard her daughters death in 1813.   Death Abigail Adams died in 1818 after contracting  typhus, seven years before her son, John Quincy Adams, became the sixth president of the U.S., but long enough to see him become Secretary of State in James Monroes administration. It is mostly through her letters that we know much about the life and personality of this intelligent and perceptive woman of colonial America and the Revolutionary and post-Revolutionary period.  A collection of the letters was published in 1840 by her grandson, and more have followed. Among her positions expressed in the letters was a deep suspicion of slavery and racism, support for womens rights including married womens property rights and the right to education, and full acknowledgement by her death that she had become, religiously, a unitarian. Resources and Further Reading Akers, Charles W. Abigail Adams: An American Woman. Library of American Biography Series. 1999.Bober, Natalie S. Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution. 1998. Young adult book.  Cappon, Lester J. (editor). The Adams-Jefferson Letters: The Complete Correspondence Between Thomas Jefferson and Abigail and John Adams. 1988.  Gelles, Edith B. Portia: The World of Abigail Adams. 1995 edition.  Levin, Phyllis Lee. Abigail Adams: A Biography. 2001.Nagel, Paul C. The Adams Women: Abigail and Louisa Adams, Their Sisters and Daughters. 1999 reprint.Nagel, Paul C. Descent from Glory: Four Generations of the John Adams Family. 1999 reprint.  Withey, Lynne. Dearest Friend: A Life of Abigail Adams. 2001.

Copyright Notice and the Use of the Copyright Symbol

Copyright Notice and the Use of the Copyright Symbol A copyright notice or copyright symbol is an identifier placed on copies of the work to inform the world of copyright ownership. While the use of a copyright notice was once required as a condition of copyright protection, it is now optional. Use of the copyright notice is the responsibility of the copyright owner and does not require advance permission from, or registration with the Copyright Office. Because prior law did contain such a requirement, however, the use of a copyright notice or copyright symbol is still relevant to the copyright status of older works. The copyright notice was required under the 1976 Copyright Act. This requirement was eliminated when the United States adhered to the Berne Convention, effective March 1, 1989. Although works published without copyright notice before that date could have entered the public domain in the United States, the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA) restores copyright in certain foreign works originally published without copyright notice. How Is a Copyright Symbol Useful Use of the copyright notice may be important because it informs the public that the work is protected by copyright, identifies the copyright owner, and shows the year of first publication. Furthermore, in the event that a work is infringed, if a proper notice of copyright appears on the published copy or copies to which a defendant in a copyright infringement suit had access, then no weight shall be given to such a defendants defense based on innocent infringement. Innocent infringement occurs when the infringer did not realize that the work was protected. The use of the copyright notice is the responsibility of the copyright owner and does not require advance permission from, or registration with, the Copyright Office. Correct Form for the Copyright Symbol The notice for visually perceptible copies should contain all the following three elements: The copyright symbol  © (the letter C in a circle), or the word Copyright, or the abbreviation Copr.The year of first publication of the work. In the case of compilations or derivative works incorporating previously published material, the year date of first publication of the compilation or derivative work is sufficient. The year date may be omitted where a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, with accompanying textual matter, if any, is reproduced in or on greeting cards, postcards, stationery, jewelry, dolls, toys, or any useful article.The name of the owner of copyright in the work, or an abbreviation by which the name can be recognized, or a generally known alternative designation of the owner. Example: copyright  © 2002 John Doe The  © or C in a circle notice or symbol is used only on visually perceptible copies. Phonorecords Certain kinds of works, for example, musical, dramatic, and literary works may be fixed not in copies but by means of sound in an audio recording. Since audio recordings such as audio tapes and phonograph disks are phonorecords and not copies, the C in a circle notice is not used to indicate protection of the underlying musical, dramatic, or literary work that is recorded. Copyright Symbol for Phonorecords of Sound Recordings Sound recordings are defined in the law as works that result from the fixation of a series of musical, spoken, or other sounds, but not including the sounds accompanying a motion picture or other audiovisual work. Common examples include recordings of music, drama, or lectures. A sound recording is not the same as a phonorecord. A phonorecord is a physical object in which works of authorship are embodied. The word phonorecord includes cassette tapes, CDs, records, as well as other formats. The notice for phonorecords embodying a sound recording should contain all the following three elements: The copyright symbol (the letter P in a circle)The year of first publication of the sound recordingThe name of the owner of copyright in the sound recording, or an abbreviation by which the name can be recognized, or a generally known alternative designation of the owner. If the producer of the sound recording is named on the phonorecord label or container and if no other name appears in conjunction with the notice, the producers name shall be considered a part of the notice. Position of Notice The copyright notice should be affixed to copies or phonorecords in such a way as to give reasonable notice of the claim of copyright. The three elements of the notice should ordinarily appear together on the copies or phonorecords or on the phonorecord label or container. Since questions may arise from the use of variant forms of the notice, you may wish to seek legal advice before using any other form of the notice. The 1976 Copyright Act overturned the strict consequences of failure to include copyright notice under prior law. It contained provisions that set out specific corrective steps to cure omissions or certain errors in the copyright notice. Under these provisions, an applicant had 5 years after publication to cure omission of notice or certain errors. Although these provisions are technically still in the law, their impact has been limited by the amendment making notice optional for all works published on and after March 1, 1989. Publications Incorporating United States Government Works Works by the U. S. Government are not eligible for U.S. copyright protection. For works published on and after March 1, 1989, the previous notice requirement for works consisting primarily of one or more U. S. Government works has been eliminated. However, use of a notice on such a work will defeat a claim of innocent infringement as previously described provided the copyright notice also includes a statement that identifies either those portions of the work in which copyright is claimed or those portions that constitute U. S. Government material. Example: copyright  © 2000 Jane Brown.Copyright claimed in Chapters 7-10, exclusive of U. S. Government maps Copies of works published before March 1, 1989, that consist primarily of one or more works of the U. S. Government should have a notice and the identifying statement. Unpublished Works The author or copyright owner may wish to place a copyright notice on any unpublished copies or phonorecords that leave his or her control. Example: Unpublished work  © 1999 Jane Doe

Conoco phillips Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Conoco phillips - Essay Example Furthermore the company is vertically integrated and is actively engaged in operations from upstream (oil exploration and production) to downstream (oil refining and marketing). From its vast operations base ConocoPhillips has seen its revenues steadily increase over the past few years as shown in Figure 1 below: The energy industry – in particular oil – has been experiencing slow growth which has led to intense competition among the existing companies. Also, due to its capital intensive nature and the limited options of converting existing equipment to other use implies that even where a company is facing difficult times, there are high exit barriers to overcome. Probably the only viable alternative for companies in this industry is to merge or acquire others so as to derive economies of scale. Nevertheless, in spite of the intense competitive rivalry, ConocoPhillips and its competitors are in an industry with minimal threat of new entrants to either its upstream business – which requires huge investment in equipment, research and technology, and strategic sites – or its downstream business – that requires huge investment in distribution, logistics and marketing. The fact that the major players (ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and BP) are vertically integrated increases the barriers to entry further. Another great advantage of the vertical integration to these three major players is that it gives them great bargaining power over both their suppliers and buyers. However, the latter may be significantly better placed than the former in the sense that oil is now considered a commodity. This means that oil products from BP or ConocoPhillips of ExxonMobil do not significantly differ thus the buyer has some leverage to seek lower prices and better contract terms (â€Å"The Industry Handbook: The Oil Services Industry†). Finally, although renewable energy sources have

Describe one social work method and how you could use it in practice Essay

Describe one social work method and how you could use it in practice - Essay Example Social case work is identified as a form of ‘one to one relationship’ based on which social workers make efforts in terms of understanding the factors resulting to complications within human lives (Sajid, 2012; Schwartz & et. al., 1975; Richmond, 1922). In this context, to adopt social case work in practice, I would perform social case work with the assistance of social workers in the community. The practice of social case work would be based on certain procedure that include assessment, study, evaluation and application of appropriate procedures based on which social case work activities are to be conducted. Additionally, the practice of social case work should be conducted in accordance with guiding principles and standards that include ethical values and knowledge among others (National Association of Social Workers, 2013; Perlman, 1957; NCBI, n.d.). It can be comprehended that social case work acts as a comprehensive tool in terms of developing the overall situation of individuals having difficulties in aligning with surrounding environment both in terms of physical and social perspective. In this regard, the practice of social case work is required to be conducted on the basis of certain procedure, so that care and treatment is offered appropriately. LinkedIn Corporation, 2014. Social Case Work. Celebrating the Dignity & Worth of Every Individual. [Online] Available at: http://www.slideshare.net/srengasamy/social-case-work-main [Accessed September 22, 2014]. Social Care Institute for Excellence, 2014. End of Life - Ideas for Practice: Case Study the Importance of Social Work Support. Home. [Online] Available at: http://www.scie.org.uk/adults/endoflifecare/ideasforpractice/socialworksupport.asp [Accessed September 22,

Juvenile Interrogation - Admissibility of a Juvenile Confession Essay

Juvenile Interrogation - Admissibility of a Juvenile Confession - Essay Example Hence, prompt the police investigators holding this false confession as an absolute truth and valid meant for presentation in the court. However, the court has set guidelines, which all the involved parties during juvenile’s interrogation ought to observe. Similar to other offenders, juvenile once they break the law ought to undergo the same procedure but treated differently while in custody. This is especially during the interrogation where there ought to be an attorney or a parent (Sherman, 2011). Since, this is the vital process whereby due to the child’s age and state of mind, certain parties may end up doubting the information’s validity presented in court as an evidence or confession. Therefore, the court cites that the only admissible confession is from a juvenile who is above 14 years and not below that age (Maynard & Sumner, LLC, 2012). Since the court presumes one at that age he or she can make informed decisions while aided by either an attorney or a parent. This is to ensure the police investigators do not result by other means meant to compel the child against his or her wish into confessing (Sherman, 2011). However, the wish to have either a parent or an adult assistance always depends on the child whereby t he involved parties ought to respect the offender’s waiver rights (Sherman, 2011). If this is the case, then confessions via the appropriate procedure are admissible in court. Nevertheless, police investigators ought to attest beyond doubt that the confession was made in the absence of coercion, which is via using visual aids like videos (Sherman, 2011). In addition, despite the police investigators employing the right procedure meant to attain the child’s confession, still, face numerous challenges. For instance, the child may end up giving false confessions (Leo & Liu, n.d). This is due to either the parent or an attorney’s insistence advising the juvenile to tell the â€Å"truth† whereby their inclination is on one side, which is admitting the offence.  

Individual Income Taxes - Tax-Deductible Losses Research Paper

Individual Income Taxes - Tax-Deductible Losses - Research Paper Example Casualty loss is not deductible if the damage or destruction is caused by accidental breaking like glassware, fire that was set willingly and finally a car accident is neglected or willingly act caused it. Keeping adequate records is one of the most important things a taxpayer can avoid a potential IRS audit doesn’t result in any assessment of additional tax, penalties and interests. This method helps you defend yourself against IRS audit. According to the United States internal revenue code, there are certain losses that are considered for tax purposes. This means that the loss can’t be compensated by Insurance and it must be sustained during the taxable year. If the losses are casualty or theft of personal, family, the loss must result from an event that is identifiable, and damaging or unusual nature. Losses incurred in a business or a profit-seeking activity are deductible whether if not they are due to casualty or theft (Pratt & Kulsurd, 2012). Under the current tax laws a casualty loss deduction is allowed if the extent of the loss is not reimbursed by insurance. This law was enacted because of the natural causes that frequently happen and the insurance companies are not fully equipped and able to pay for the massive damages caused. The tax-deductible losses have been modified for years, allowing losses under the tax code. In the 1880s deductions were allowed for losses related to fire and shipwrecks. In the 1990s it covered natural disasters and other casualties and theft. The federal government has responded in so much losses by offering aid to help cover by removing debris and rebuilding areas hit hardest Some people are covered by insurance but the insurance doesn’t cover the entire loss fully, if a tax payer doesn’t have insurance, he/she can be compensate by the federal income tax return for the casualty loss related to disaster.

What Impact Did Second World War Have On Canadian Society Essay

What Impact Did Second World War Have On Canadian Society - Essay Example It was due to the war that the country realized the importance of a strong naval background accompanied by a good number of officers and sailors. There were only 35,000 officers and sailors serving the navy at the time of the war. Even with this handful of officers the navy did not hesitated in serving the country and the Canadian warships continued providing support to all the soldiers landing on the beaches and seas. They also used to escort groups and provide protection to them from enemy submarines flowing in the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas. (http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Militaris/index.html) At the beginning of the war the Canadian army on land comprised of very few permanent soldiers and a large number of part time workers. The soldiers were also not equipped with latest war weapons and had very poor and outdated rifles and guns. When the war broke out in 1939 the Canadian soldiers were sent to Europe for training purposes. These handful of soldiers were also very eager to fight for the defence of their country and as the number slightly reached half million, Canada decided to send some of its troops to France. But they were soon called back due to the fall of France to German forces. Other Canadian troops were sent to Iceland and south East Asia with the intention of helping the British forces and protecting Hong Kong. It also took part with British and American troops in a deadly operation that took place in 1942, which took away lives of majority of the soldiers and wounded quite a big number of them. Canadian Air Force was a small department at the beginning of the war that participated with only limited number of bombs, aerial combats, hunting submarines and air fighters. The Canadian fighters and bombers used to guide European flyers throw missiles and bombs on enemy troops on the ground and fight with German aircrafts. Keeping in view such heroic acts of the air force, the bombers formed a vital part of the 2nd Tactical Air Force. (http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Militaris/index.html) Relations with United States improved after the war as Britain started to turn away. A declaration was signed with the US in the 1940 known as the Ogdensburg Declaration, which made the two countries allies as trade partners and work towards common goals. Both the countries collaborated in military matters after the Hyde Park agreement. Their common enemy was the German dictator, Hitler. France had just collapsed and its security was dear to both Canada and US. (Anthony 47) Canada gained equally for the sacrifices it made in the war. Around 50,000 men laid their lives and close to 1 million families served voluntarily. Those at home did not suffer too much. Their routine life might have been disturbed by restricted travel laws and rationing of food for a brief period of time during the war. The buying power was influenced and heavy taxes were applied but there was very less unemployment and the average salary was adequate. The industrialization provided jobs and sparked economic growth. (Anthony 55) After the war, Canadian citizens achieved their separate identity by the establishment of Canadian Citizenship Act initiated by Mackenzie King in 1945. The act came into effect in 1946. Although, technically they were still part of the British Empire but as a citizen of Canada

Individual Income Taxes - Tax-Deductible Losses Research Paper

Individual Income Taxes - Tax-Deductible Losses - Research Paper Example Casualty loss is not deductible if the damage or destruction is caused by accidental breaking like glassware, fire that was set willingly and finally a car accident is neglected or willingly act caused it. Keeping adequate records is one of the most important things a taxpayer can avoid a potential IRS audit doesn’t result in any assessment of additional tax, penalties and interests. This method helps you defend yourself against IRS audit. According to the United States internal revenue code, there are certain losses that are considered for tax purposes. This means that the loss can’t be compensated by Insurance and it must be sustained during the taxable year. If the losses are casualty or theft of personal, family, the loss must result from an event that is identifiable, and damaging or unusual nature. Losses incurred in a business or a profit-seeking activity are deductible whether if not they are due to casualty or theft (Pratt & Kulsurd, 2012). Under the current tax laws a casualty loss deduction is allowed if the extent of the loss is not reimbursed by insurance. This law was enacted because of the natural causes that frequently happen and the insurance companies are not fully equipped and able to pay for the massive damages caused. The tax-deductible losses have been modified for years, allowing losses under the tax code. In the 1880s deductions were allowed for losses related to fire and shipwrecks. In the 1990s it covered natural disasters and other casualties and theft. The federal government has responded in so much losses by offering aid to help cover by removing debris and rebuilding areas hit hardest Some people are covered by insurance but the insurance doesn’t cover the entire loss fully, if a tax payer doesn’t have insurance, he/she can be compensate by the federal income tax return for the casualty loss related to disaster.

Little Red Riding Hood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Little Red Riding Hood - Essay Example Patience had an adventurous spirit. Her friends called her ‘Red’ due to her hair color and fearless character. However, her father was always worried that her daring personality would lead her to trouble. Her mother thought otherwise. One day, Red was sent by her mother to the neighbor’s house to take some gifts since it was Christmas season. â€Å"Please hurry child. You know it is not safe for a girl out there alone,† she said. â€Å"Don’t take too long, I’ll start getting worried.† Red was delighted. At last the chance had come for her to explore further. She knew the cruelty of the Amaltheans but she was not afraid – or so she thought. Immediately she turned the first corner down the street, she hid the gifts in a small bush across the road and ran in the opposite direction towards the alien town. The experience was amazing. She saw floating homes, high-speed trains, spaceships, robots and all kinds of toys and dolls in malls. She came to the close of the road and realized she could not trace her way back. She panicked. â€Å"Little earthling, you must be lost, right?† she heard a voice behind her and turned quickly to see a big Amalthean staring down at her. â€Å"Umm†¦no sir, I was just taking a walk. I think I’ll just go back now.† She replied, trying hard not to look scared. â€Å"Well, to me it seems you are lost. You crossed the boundary into our territory several miles back. As a good Amalthean, I’ll not eat you up. Instead, I’ll take you to our king; he’ll know what to do with you. Come, now.† â€Å"No, please don’t. I’ll just find my way back,† Red pleaded. â€Å"Please don’t take me to Janus; he’ll kill me.† However, her pleas fell on deaf ears. The Amalthean threw her in his gunny bag and started his way to the Royal Palace. Red tried to plead with him along the way, but he refused to let her go. She knew she had to try a different approach, or she would die. â€Å"If you are a good Amalthean, you would

Personal experience Essay Example for Free

Personal experience Essay Few experiences in one’s lifetime have the capacity to transform. It takes an event of such immense magnitude to shake up ones’ frame of mind but when this occurs, one’s life never remains the same. Before the occurrence of such an event in my life, I was less concerned as the plight of refugees and I cared even less about the reasons behind their refugee status. However, I soon realized that these reasons were not as far fetched as I thought and that our country has a great role to play in these foreign nations. (Harries, 2004) The experience  During the month of July 2004, my family decided to visit some close relations at a neighboring districts; I had never been in that area before. Our intention was to stay there for two days. Our journey was uneventful but pleasant and we arrived there in one piece. Upon arrival, our hosts gave us a warm reception and asked us to feel at home. This was rather difficult owing to the fact that their house was much smaller than ours. I was beginning to ask myself just how long I could bear being so far away from home. These selfish feelings were quickly thrown aside when I noticed unusual family members joining us in the living room. Some young men probably in their mid twenties entered the living room and politely greeted us. I noticed that they had a foreign accent; one I had never heard before and this immediately sparked my curiosity. We began chatting with them and continued to so for one hour. They told us that they had been in the country for ten years and so they knew their way around our cousin’s neighborhood. Actually, I found out that my cousins (who are considerably older than I am) had adopted them seven years ago so we all shared second names. After a while, I got tired of staying indoors and asked the two guys to take me around; one was called Andrew and the other Gregory. I wanted to find out what had prompted Andrew and Gregory to leave their country that I assumed was in Africa. Andrew was more talkative than Gregory and the former began telling me the story of his life. He revealed that he was born and raised in Rwanda until the age of fifteen. Before coming to our country, he had been living a relatively normal life with his family and friends. However, in the year 1994, something happened in their country to change all this. Their prime minister who happened to come from the Hutu tribe was assassinated and all hell broke loose. Andrew told me that the political assassination was merely the straw that broke the camels back because there were ethnic tensions between the two Rwandese tribes from as far back as the colonial times. Andrew narrated that everything changed in a flash, the national radio was taken over by the Hutus (the majority tribe) and they used it to spread hate speech about the minorities who were the Tutsi. Andrew told me that he was a Tutsi and was therefore a potential victim of these extermination crimes. He explained that killings began in different parts of the country and they eventually reached his village. He had managed to hide from the exterminators because a member of the other tribe was protecting his family in a church. But the exterminators learned of this, and entered the church; they were armed with machetes and guns exclaimed ‘come out you little cockroaches! ’ Andrew watched as his family members were killed one after the other. He was lucky that the bullets never got to him since dead bodies covered him. The attackers went around to ensure that no one was left alive. When they got to Andrew, he had so much blood from other people that they assumed he was dead. The same thing had happened to Gregory. Andrew told me that he had remained under those piles of dead bodies for a whole week. What I learnt from the experienced Andrew and Gregory were one of the lucky Tutsi survivors who were enrolled in refugee programs with our country through an NGO. They stayed with this non-governmental organization until my cousins learnt about their story and volunteered to adopt them. I learnt many things from my experience with Andrew and Gregory. First of all, I learnt to appreciate the peace and freedom, that exists within our country because it gave hope to people who had lost it completely. These two young men had a chance to start their lives all over again because a country like ours was open to their experience. (Hamilton, 2000) However, I was deeply disturbed by the role that the rest of the world could have played in their country. Many people have suggested that had the world intervened in the Rwandan genocide much earlier, then the hundreds of thousands of lives lost would have been spared. This was a modern – day Holocaust and every government in the world; including ours turned a deaf year to their plight. The Rwandese killed themselves for four months without outside intervention even from the UN. This issue got me thinking about our government’s role in peace keeping missions around the world; especially those ones that have the danger of spiraling out of control. The citizens of this country may be living in relative peace but as international citizens, it is the duty of our government to protect the lives of innocent citizens such as Andrew and Gregory. I would never have thought of this issue, if my family had not taken that trip to visit our cousins. Through their kind actions, I began asking myself whether the government itself can demonstrate such good neighborliness today especially with regard to troubled countries. (DuBois, 2005) Political and social significance of the event This event was a revelation to me as I hope it will be to the rest of the class because I saw our government through different eyes. Andrew explained that if there had been outside help, then they would not have to deal with some of the problems that they were undergoing at the time. The world has become increasingly global; through information technology, we can now hear, watch and even analyze political and social issues in other countries. In contrast to the mid nineties, news of any nature can reach individuals in different parts of the world at the touch of a button. Consequently, our country and its citizens are firmly aware of the issues prevailing in almost all parts of the world. The government therefore has a platform for looking into the prevailing problems of the world. While our government has tried giving assistance, to certain countries, it would be nobler if the government extended their role in humanitarian crises of the world by participating in preventative initiatives. (Kissinger, 2001) One such illustration occurred earlier this year when an East African nation; Kenya began engaging in post election violence. The clashes and killings were as a result of ethnic and political tension prevailing in that country. The world did not watch as these people continued killing one another because the US government sent its secretary of state who strongly suggested a government of national unity; their interventions saved that nation. Other countries also intervened and the violence was immediately halted. Our government should adopt such a strategy its foreign policy. It is not responsible to simply turn a blind eye to other countries when there is something that our government can do. Arnold, 2001) Another example of a country at war is Sudan; this country has been undergoing a lot of turmoil especially in the Darfur region. Many western or foreign countries have taken a hands-off approach to the plight of the Sudanese because they have assumed that these problems have nothing to do with them. However, as citizens of the world and also as responsible citizens, it is the duty of the government to ta ke part in such initiatives a little more. We cannot operate in isolation because we all need one another. Had governments in the world been more vigilant about helping one another, the situation in Rwanda would not have catapulted into such magnanimous levels. Consequently, similar events in other countries can also be prevented if the government was keener with taking part in peacekeeping missions. Indeed our country’s foreign policy should be viewed a social work because we are our neighbor’s keepers. (Mandelbaum, 2002) Change starts from within and it then spreads to other parts of the world. If our government was to take up its international responsibility today, then the lives of many innocent people could be changed forever. Conclusion The event that changed my life occurred four years ago when I took a trip to my cousins’ place at a nearby district. During my stay there, I met some adopted nephews of Rwandese descent. They told me about their story and how they lost their lives. This meeting with them changed the way I perceived our government’s role in international affairs because I realized that it is not doing enough. Our government needs to exercise more corporate citizenry in order to prevent horrendous occurrences like Andrew’s and Gregory. If our government had been more participatory, then these Rwandese boys would still have relatives today. (Turner, 2001)

Developing a Safe Scientific Workplace

Developing a Safe Scientific Workplace In a scientific workplace there are many various aspects that enable workers to do their job safely knowing they are protected from various precautions and laws. These aspects can be split up into the following sections: hazard symbols and hazcards, risk assessments, protective clothing and equipment, COSHH, CLEAPSS and HSE, general laboratory practises and quality standards. Hazards symbols and hazcards Harmful This is a substance that will most likely cause harm to the body if it comes in contact with the skin or ingested. An example of a harmful substance is chloroform, for the safety in a work place this substance would be stored in a tightly close and sealed container in a well-ventilated room as it can give off harmful fumes. Explosive This is a substance that combusts with a lot of energy when exposed to heat or a flame. An example of a substance that is explosive is ammonium nitrate, explosive substances must be stored in a durable box with a tight lid away from any heat source, as well as this is must be stored low down in case it is an impact explosive. Oxidising Oxidising is a substance that do not burn by themselves but they provide oxygen for flammable substances to burn. An example of a substance like this is potassium nitrate, for oxidising substances like this they must be placed in a tub/bottle with a lid on and store away from any flammable materials for the safety of people working with this product. Flammable A flammable product is when a substance is subjected to a high heat it produces a flame. An example of a flammable substance is gasoline/petrol which is highly flammable in liquid and vapour form. To store this and many other flammable substances it must be placed in preferably a durable metal container with a tight lid on so no substance or fumes will be let out, it also must be kept away from high heat or any source of flame. Corrosive A corrosive substance has the ability to deteriorate and burn away a surface, this is usually the skin in a science workplace. An example of a corrosive substance is hydrofluoric acid, this is a liquid as are most corrosive substances so they are stored in similar ways, they must be stored in unreactive plastic containers that have a tight lid on to avoid spillages. Irritant An irritant substance closely relates to harmful but doesn’t cause as much harm, an irritant causes irritation to the surface of the skin therefor can cause red marks. An example of this is acetone, this must be stored in a tough bottle with a safety lid that is usually stored on a shelf or in a cupboard. Toxic Toxic is labelled to substances that if exposed to it can cause death if enough is in contact with the body. An example of this would be ricin which is extracted from a bean off a plant, it is usually in powder form. For this particular substance and many other toxic substances it must be stored in a container with a secure lid and store in a locked cupboard, safe or room. Biohazard A biohazard is used in the labelling of biological materials that carry a significant health risk to humans. An example of this would be carmine which is a natural red pigment. To store biohazards they must be stored in a bottle or tub with a safety lid on which is locked away from humans and non-workers. Radioactive A radioactive substance emits energy as electromagnetic waves or moving subatomic particles causing ionization. An example of a radioactive material is uranium, all radioactive material must be stored within a radioactive proof area like in lead which stops radioactive particles from passing through, keep in a safe which also stops radiation. Environmental hazards Environmental hazards can cause harm to the environment meaning both plants and animals. An example of this would be mercury, mercury is a highly toxic metallic liquid. To store this place in a plastic bottle with a secure cap on top, as well as this keep it away from any drainage source as well as animals, plants or the outside. Risk assessments There are 3 categories under risk assessments, these are chemical hazards, physical hazards and biological hazards. Risk assessments are usually taken before an experiment, practical or before a job is undertaken. The following example risk assessment of the 3 categories is from when I completed the preparation of aspirin. Chemical hazards Chemical hazards are chemicals that can cause harm to the body if exposed to the skin or ingested. An example of a chemical hazard would be a corrosive burn from concentrated sulphuric acid, this would be a high risk and as a precaution you should wear gloves and carefully use, make sure to use in fume cupboard to avoid spillages on work surfaces, wear lab jackets too to protect core body, wear safety glasses to protect eyes. This would be the same for another chemical hazard which is irritation for ethanoic anhydride which unlike sulphuric acid is a low risk. In the case of the substance being in contact with the skin wash off quickly and put the area affected in ice or cold water. Physical hazards Physical hazards are something that can cause harm to the body excluding chemicals or biological substances. For example slipping on water spillages, this can be seen as a moderate hazard if equipment isnt set up correctly or if carelessness occurs. To avoid this make sure apparatus is in the middle of a flat bench and make sure if it uses water to connect it properly so avoid leaks, in the case of a spillage simply mop up using paper towels, if the slipping occurs then if injured get a first aid officer to check you. As well as this another example could be cuts from glass breakage which is once again a moderate risk if not properly cleared up, to avoid this make sure to handle equipment carefully, do not grip too hard or too little to avoid shattering, place in the middle of benches to avoid knocking off, keep a brush and glass bucket in case of breakage. In the case of cuts happening wash the wound and cover in a plaster, if deep then go to hospital to get stiches. Biological hazards A biological hazard is a substance that causes a threat to the health of a person, in the practical I did there was only one biological hazard which was the product aspirin itself, it caused a low risk but a moderate risk if ingested as we made it ourselves. To avoid this make sure to wear disposable gloves in case the product gets on your hands, if products gets on skin wash off and to no put product in the mouth. In case any of it is ingested you must go hospital as it wasn’t commercially made. Protective clothing and equipment Protective clothing equipment more commonly known as personal protective equipment is pieces of clothing or equipment that will protect the user against health or safety risks at work. It can include items such as safety gloves, eye protection such as goggles, visors and glasses, safety footwear and lab coat. Lab coat A lab coat is made out of cotton which absorbs the chemicals spilt onto the coat, because of this it is used to protect the core body and arm and stops yourself from being damaged in many different laboratory situations. Protective gloves Protective gloves are worn when there is a chance if a substance can harm your hands, the gloves are made out of neoprene or latex that are resistant to chemicals and are used to protect your hands when using something potentially harmful. Goggles These are used to give extra protection to the eyes, it covers all of your eyes including top bottom and sides, they have a PVC frame with polycarbonate lenses giving it strength whilst protecting eyes at it is unreactive. Visor These are used to cover whole of the face when using something potentially reactive/explosive, like the goggles they have a PVC frame with a polycarbonate visor giving it strength and protecting the whole face from chemical splashed due to the unreactive nature. Safety glasses Used to cover the front of the eyes and are used in all experiments as a safety precaution, like the previous two protective equipment, they have a PVC frame and polycarbonate lense giving strength and an unreactive ability. Safety boots Used to protect your feet when working around heavy objects that can potentially fall, safety boots are made out of leather and have steel toe caps, leather as a high resistance to chemicals, heat and flames and steel has a high breaking strength protecting the toes. COSHH, CLEAPSS and HSE COSHH, CLEAPSS and HSE are all laws that enable working in a scientific workplace to be carried out safely. COSHH COSHH is a law that requires employers to control substances that are hazardous to health. Most businesses use substances, or products that are mixtures of substances. Some processes create substance which could cause harm to employees, contractors and other people so must be disposed of properly. CLEAPSS CLEAPSS is an advisory service providing support in science and technology for a consortium of local authorities and their schools. The law includes: Independent schools, post-16 colleges, teacher training establishments and curriculum developers. CLEAPSS stands for Consortium of Local Education Authorities for the Provision of Science Equipment. HSE The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the national independent watchdog for work-related health, safety and illness. It acts in the public interest to reduce work-related death and serious injury across Great Britain’s workplaces. The Act makes sure to secure the health, safety and welfare of persons at work, for protecting others against risks to health or safety in connection with the activities of persons at work. General laboratory practises General Laboratory Practice includes a set of codes that provides an outline within a laboratory in which studies are planned, performed, monitored, recorded, reported and archived. These studies are undertaken to help assure regulatory authorities that the data submitted is a true reflection of the results obtained during the experiment/practical that has been completed and can therefore be relied upon when making assessments. This is part of a quality assurance procedure which is aimed at ensuring that products are consistently manufactured to a quality appropriate to their intended use. They provide guidelines for quality control and assurance in testing laboratories. Quality standards Quality standards look into all ranges of care, these can include examples like public health, healthcare, social care. Evidence relating to effectiveness and cost effectiveness, peoples experience of using services, safety issues, equality and cost impact are also considered. Although some standards are area-specific, there will often be substantial overlap across areas and this is considered during building of the standard. Where appropriate referrals are combined and developed as a combined quality standard. Many of the quality standards are started by the international standards organisation. Other commonly known organisations originating from the international standards organisation include: British Standards which is mostly used in the UK and Europe.

The Country Dancing Hall :: Descriptive Essay Examples, country, dance

The Country Dancing Hall "Get down, turn around, go to town, Boot Scootin' Boogie!" This is a familiar piece of music sung by Brooks and Dunn that is regularly heard at my favorite place, "Boot Scootin' Thursday" at the Dubuque County Fairgrounds. Many people believe that country music is just singers whining about their divorce, the death of their dog, etc. In reality, however, it is much more than that. Country music is all about life experiences. This place allows people of all ages to be free, spend time with those they care about, and just have fun. This is because they can dance the night away, either with the standard style or with their own style, talk to their friends, relieve stress by not thinking about what is on their mind, but by only thinking of having fun, and/or do whatever they would like to do!! This is the only place that I know of where people of all ages can go to do all of these things at once. "Boot Scootin' Thursday" is held on Thursday nights from seven o'clock to eleven o'clock in the ballroom of the Dubuque County Fairgrounds. It is a huge room that could probably hold (and has held) a couple thousand people. It is a dark room, with the exception of stringed lights that hang the ceiling of the building and the light that is on the stage where the music is played from. The dance floor is wooden and surrounded by carpet that has tables and chairs for the dancers to rest and people to talk. In the middle of the dance floor is a disco ball, that is usually lit during the slow songs. To the right of the stage is the bar, where one can buy pop, water, alcohol (if twenty-one), or juice. In the snack area, which is located to the far right corner of the ballroom, one can buy food ranging from candy bars to a piece of pizza or popcorn. Country line dancing has become one of the most popular forms of dancing in this country. Many people say that it is just a phase like disco was back in the seventies, but those of us who are regular country dancers, feel differently. For us, it is a way to free oneself from the struggles of life and get in shape; it is a physical thing.

Myth and the World of C.S. Lewis Essay

C.S. Lewis and his series The Chronicles of Narnia have long been children’s favorites. The books envelop children into a world of good and evil, action and adventure, chivalry and honor. Lewis takes his readers on an astonishing trip that embodies his own values, dreams and beliefs. Fascinated by other myths, Lewis borrows a variety of creatures from different places, constructing an entire world that children delve into and love. From the Greek and Roman myths he takes creatures such as fauns, nymphs, and dryads, and from the Norse mythology, dwarfs and giants. His first book, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, was written soon after World War II, in 1950. He went on to write six more stories in the Chronicles of Narnia series. Many scholars have thoroughly studied Lewis’s books and great controversy has erupted from different interpretations of the symbolic meanings in his books. A devout Christian in the latter part of his life, Lewis draws parallels between the world of Narnia and the Bible. By illustrating the creation of Narnia in his first book, and establishing the laws of Narnia in a subsequent novel, C.S. Lewis creates a compelling myth around the fantasy world of Narnia. The Chronicles of Narnia begin with The Magician’s Nephew, an ingenious story of a curious young boy and his friend as they stumble upon the creation of another world, Narnia. This novel serves the purpose of the cosmological function of a myth, in which â€Å"myths describe the â€Å"shape† of the cosmos, the universe, our total world.† In The Magician’s Nephew, we first encounter the godlike lion, Aslan. The creator of Narnia, he also bestows life onto the creatures in it, booming, â€Å"Narnia, Narnia, Narnia, awake. Love. Think. Speak. Be walking trees. Be talking beasts. Be divine waters† (116). The majestic lion continues to say, â€Å"Creatures, I give you yourselves. I give to you forever this land of Narnia. I give you the woods, the fruits, the rivers. I give you the stars and I give you myself† (118). As God did in the book of Genesis, Aslan crafts the world, breathes life into â€Å"Adam† and bestows the world on him. However, in The Magician’s Nephew, there is no â€Å"Adam†. Aslan gives his world to his newly created talking beasts, a creation story with a new twist. Myths not only reveal the story of creation but also the laws by which the new society exists. In the sociological function, â€Å"myths pass down ‘the law’, the moral and ethical codes for people of that culture to follow, which help define that culture and its prevailing social structure.† The laws of Narnia become apparent in Lewis’s second book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. In this book we learn more about the fundamental nature of Narnia, its customs and traditions. The White Witch enlightens the reader about one of Narnia’s ancient laws after capturing Edmund, one of the four central characters. She claims that Edmund’s life is hers to take: â€Å"You at least know the Magic which the Emperor put into Narnia at the very beginning. You know that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have a right to kill† (128). This law has been in Narnia since the beginning of Narnia’s creation, cannot be broken and is essential to the balance between good and evil. Lewis also embeds the codes of chivalry into his novels; honor is to be won on the battlefield, and this code of honor is violated at your own peril. The codes of honor hark back to the chivalry of medieval knights and are fundamental to the culture and traditions of Narnia. The Narnia Chronicles incorporate the elements of a classic myth – the concept of creation and a set of laws to which the society should adhere. The books set out for children black and white images of good and evil, right and wrong. The values of honesty, courage, loyalty, friendship and strength of family are clearly stated. The impact of The Chronicles lies in its ability to develop an alternative, fantasy world with its strong ethics and moral code and thus influences both the readers and scores of writers who have followed in C.S. Lewis’ footsteps. The Narnia books are, and always will be timeless classics of fantasy and wonder.

Fastenal Case Essay

The comprehensive document is an overview of Fastenal Canada LTD and how it relates to sales management. The document first provides an introduction to the problem and company background of Fastenal, which includes a description of various views of Fastenal. It further goes into detail about the recommendations that relates to the two main parties involved, which are the customers and the company itself. The document also includes an in-depth implementation plan, which is broken down into short, medium, and long-term tasks to accomplish. Through out the document there is a mention of the vendor managed inventory model (VMI). By using VMI, we were able to use a different approach to avoid risks associated with the â€Å"bricks and mortar† approach. Fastenal should choose to implement the following business plan because a well thought out analysis went into determining the problem and coming up with a solution for the future growth of the company. All decisions were made with the company in mind and focusing on the strong relationship between the costumer and Fastenal. Introduction Fastenal Canada LTD is a subsidiary of Fastenal Company, which was founded in 1967. Fastenal Canada LTD operates as a wholesaler and retailer of industrial and construction supplies in Canada. They have over 200 stores across Canada, 66 of which are in the western region. Fastenal’s growth strategy has always relied heavily on new store opening because the high demand for its products and services across Canada (Fastenal, 2012). It tends to be risky as well as costly when opening stores using the â€Å"bricks and mortar† approach. The introduction of the vendor managed inventory model (VMI) has been advantageous. Fastenal receives an electronic data via email, informing them of its distributor sales and inventory stock level. This system makes it fast and efficient for the customers and sales associates. Fastenal interprets the electronic data and there is an automatic responsibility of maintaining the inventory level for the customer. Fastenal is looking for a different expansion model approach to be used as a growth driver in Western Canada. Our new proposed strategy gives Fastenal the ability not only maintains its desired identity but it gives them the ability to increase the market share and tap into a fresh new market. Our goal is to assess the situation in hand and work in the given environment to keep the strong customer relationships since it is an important component in the company. Problem Definition How can Fastenal use its new vendor managed inventory model to increase its market share? End market sales during the months of 2012 grew 19.8% from the manufacturing customers while the residential construction customers grew 17.9% (Fastenal, 2012). The advantage to VMI is that it releases the customer of having to worry about the level of their inventories. Fastenal interpret the electronic data and automatic take control of the responsibility of maintaining the inventory level for the customer. How can Fastenal reduce financial risk? Every scenario where there is a change in the way things are done or achieved there is always risks to failure or loss. In many cases where there is loss or failure, there is often a way that it could have been avoided or done differently to avoid the negative outcome. Fastenal needs to avoid these situations by planning ahead and finding ways to avoid the risks that may pose problems or loss in the near future. â€Å"Bricks and Mortar† approach induces many financial risks so another approach is necessary to prevent them. Situation Analysis Customers and the sales force are the stakeholders who are most affected. Strong customer relationships are the essence of Fastenal’s success and form an important component of their competitive advantage. The problem arises due the to lack of education the customer has about ordering online which deceases the efficiency PartStore has to offer. Ordering online reduces rushing the parts to the counter or waiting on the phone. Customers are also able to check parts availability and prices, as well as place an order. However when PartStore was introduced there was some confusion with it. Creating a frustrating relationship between the customer and sales person. Recommendations Consignment Inventory Consignment inventory usually involves the supplier, placing inventory at a customer’s location without getting rid of its ownership of the inventory. Since the owner retains the ownership of its products the customer does not pay until it is sold or used. However, before we examine how Fastenal can benefit from our proposed consignment program it is important to first examine some potential market of interest. The City of Edmonton According Edmonton’s 2012 budget report, almost all municipalities across Canada face a significant infrastructure deficit. Neighborhood renewal occurred periodically with funding from other orders of government, yet it failed to address the full life-cycle requirements of preventative maintenance, rehabilitation, and reconstruction. Over time, the condition of roads, sidewalks and sewers deteriorated, resulting in more frequent collapsed sewers, increased sidewalk hazards, and dramatically increased maintenance like pothole repairs. The Office of Infrastructure and Funding Strategy highlighted the need for ongoing funding for neighborhood infrastructure to overcome an anticipated $2.2 billion funding gap in neighborhood roads and related infrastructure. This situation provides a tremendous opportunity for Fastenal to penetrate and serve this market. Market potential The total number of potential infrastructure that needs to be fixed in any given time is the market. The market potential for Fastenal products in units would be equal to the number of potential infrastructure that require repairing, assuming that each infrastructure repair would use Fastenal product. Fastenal can benefit for inventory consignment within the city of Edmonton, however administration is important to understand how the current business model can be used to Fastenal’s advantage in delivering the services. FAST 5000 is a vending machine that provides workers with immediate access to materials and equipment’s. The FAST 5000 machine is installed at customer sites and Fastenal keeps them filled with needed products ranging from safety equipment’s, cutting tools & supplies to office supplies. Fastenal handles everything from the delivery of the machines to the installation and restocking of the machine whenever the inventory level becomes low. Through the flexible web reporting system Fastenal customers are able to view and manage the machine’s inventory usage. Cory Jansen, Fastenal’s Vice President of Internal Operation have claims that having the FAST 5000 have reduced production consumption in many cases by more than 30 percent (City of Edmonton, 2012). In the midst of 2.2 billion dollar worth of infrastructure repairs that the city of Edmonton needs, someone will have to supplies this market with their required materials and tools to complete the repair work. Fastenal should approach the city of Edmonton with a proposal outlining how the FAST 5000 can be beneficial to the construction site and within the city offices. The city of Edmonton as a corporation serves a population of more than 750,000 residents; the corporation is segmented into seven different departments each department is responsible for providing a particular service to Edmonton residents. We suggest that Fastenal concentrate on the four main departments within the corporation that is more likely to benefit from the FAST 5000 or the FAST 3000 services, which are the: Office of the City Manager, Sustainable Development, Transportation Services and Infrastructure Services. Office of the City Manager will benefit from the FAST 5000 if Fastenal stocks them with office supplies, such as pens, pencils, papers, etc. Since each development must akin to a strict budget the FAST 5000 can provide the solutions to maintaining those budget, by reducing product consumption, having on-hand inventory, and administration costs, while providing new insight into usage and spending habit that can be used toward next year’s City budget. Fastenal can implement the same strategy within other municipalities across Canada. Implementation Fastenal needs to place a unit in each site under the City of Edmonton. We believe it to be reasonable to set one to three year goal to place a FAST 5000 machine in each site over the next three years. First step is to write up a proposal to bring to the Simon Farbrother, who must approve it. He is the city manager and makes the major decisions in these cases. This process can take up to three months to be able to present the proposal. This also creates awareness of the product to the potential client. The proposal must go through other levels of approval and be voted on by the city council, therefore this may take another three months. Once the plan is approved the production and distribution can be put into motion. The city of Edmonton has many different branches and sites in the Edmonton area. The marketing department in Fastenal will start to put together the proposal and presentation. The marketing department will create a miniature FAST 5000 as part of a press kit along with a formal written proposal. The press kit will also open up and contain testimonials from previous clients Fastenal has worked with. It will also have a brief description of the key factors and attributes of the FAST 5000 and what sets it apart from prior units. Once the plan is approved, Fastenal will be required to submit the bet to the city manager. Since Fastenal is the sole provider of the vendor managed inventory systems (FAST 5000, FAST 3000). This implies that there is only one supplier that can fulfill the requirement and that any attempt to obtain bids would only result in one supplies being able to bid on the contract which is Fastenal. The bid will contain the benefits and costs of going through with the deal and the estimated completion date of placing the units in different sites throughout Edmonton. Once the city has awarded them the contract they will immediately move forward, and Fastenal will provide the services as stated in the proposal. Fastenal will place the minimum required machines in each site as outlined by the contract. Time Line Immediately| Delivering units| Week 1| Submitting a bid| Week 2| Proposal| 3 months| Meeting with Simon Farbrother | 3 months| Vote by city council| 6 months| Full Approval| TBA| Expansion into further sites and markets| Budget Since we do not have any costs that are being associated with this project our cost is zero, therefore the budget is not present. Risk and mitigation Risk| Mitigation| Underperformance of sales force | * Bring on a skilled team * Have the team mentor new people * Make teamwork part of the culture * Hire skillful and enthusiastic employees | Sales loss on FAST machines| * Proper training * Information to customer about store * Finding good location| Unrealistic customer and schedule expectations| * Make the customer feel comfortable and at ease * Set schedule goals around frequent deliveries | Conclusion The problems we wanted to address were â€Å"How can Fastenal use its new vendor managed inventory model to increase its market share?† and â€Å"How can Fastenal reduce financial risk?†   Our new proposed strategy gives Fastenal the ability to not only maintains its desired identity but it gives them the ability to increase its market share and tap into a fresh new market. Strong customer relationships are the essence of Fastenal’s success and have formed an important part of their competitive advantage. Our business purposed plan intended to keep the strong customer relationships. Through our implementation approach we have demonstrated how Fastenal can transform it’s current solution into a continued transparent business model. Fastenal’s opportunities will be awarded by the skill and creativity they have to meet the customer demands. Reference City of Edmonton. (2012). Budget. Retrieved April 2012, from http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/budget_taxes/budget-2012.aspx Fastenal. (2012). Fastenal . Retrieved April 2012, from http://www.fastenal.com Mackenzie, H. (. (2008). Sales Managment in Canada (1st Edition ed.). (D. Thompson, Ed.) Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Person Prentice Hall.

Customer Relationship Management of Tesco Essay

This study explored the customer relationship management of Tesco. Tesco is the leading retailer in UK. It manages over a thousand supermarkets, hypermarkets, and convenience stores in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Central Europe and Asia. The study analyzed the customer relationship management, changes in consumer behavior, business environment, and PESTEL, which is very important in strategic and competitive study of an organization, especially in the retail and service industry. Since the retail industry undergoes very diverse change almost everyday, it is just right that Tesco’s strategy on change examined. In analyzing how Tesco is competitive, the study also utilized the SWOT analysis and Porter’s five forces for the industry attractiveness. The study arrived to the conclusion that customer relationship management system help organizations improve the profitability of their interactions with current and potential customers while at the same time making those interactions safer and friendlier through individualization and personalization. The systems goals are to enhance customer service, improve customer satisfaction and ensure customer retention (Tesco, 2010). Tesco still needs the aid of Michael Porter’s five forces, generic studies and cost leadership in order to stay on the top in the retail industry. This report is aimed at critically analyzing customer relationship management, changes in consumer behaviour, macro, meso, and micro business environment of Tesco, one of the largest food and grocery retailers in the world, operating around 4,331 stores. Customer relationship management system and strategic evaluation tools such as PESTEL, Porter’s Five Forces, SWOT analysis have been used in order to achieve this aim. Tesco- Company Overview. Tesco is among the largest food retailer in the world with revenue in excess of 54 billion pounds in 2009 and employing over 470,000 people. According to Datamonitor (2010), the commercial network portfolio of Tesco comprises: over 960 Express stores which sell approximately 7,000 products including fresh foods at suitable localities; 170 Metro stores which sell a variety of food products in town and city centres; and 450 superstores which sell both food and non-food items including books and DVDs. Tesco also provides online retailing services trough their website tesco. com and Tesco Direct. In addition, they provide broadband internet connections and financial services through Tesco personal Finance (TPF). The comparative positioning of Tesco’s market share with respect to other leading players in the market has been illustrated as follows (Euromonitor, 2010): Fig 1: Share of Leading Players in UK Food Retail Market Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a business strategy that is facilitated and enabled by specialized technology.  In conjunction with deploying new technology and initiating information engineering and knowledge management, no project of this scope should be launched if its does not address re-engineering processes across the service delivery model and the enablement and optimization of the people and the leadership that oversee it. It is an evolution that is enabled by web-technology that will allow the creation of micro-segments, precision targeting and full view of the customer across all the contact points across an enterprise. One of Tesco’s key weapons in the battle for retail supremacy has been its Clubcard loyalty scheme and the subsequent launch of the Clubcard plus debit card. These have shown Tesco taking a clear initiative and then building rapidly on its advantage (Tesco, 2010). One footnote to this is that loyalty cards should be seen as a longer term marketing tool since they enable retailers to learn more about their customers’ shopping habits and respond accordingly with tailored offers. Tesco’s Clubcard enable the retailer to communicate with the customer on almost a one-to-one level and develop an offer which can be heavily focussed towards individual consumers according to their purchasing patterns. Moreover, customer retention and customer loyalty are major benefits of CRM systems to the organization as it is working to retain existing customers by managing relationships with them will generally increase revenues and reduce costs. Positive outcomes can include a larger share of a customer’s businesses as a result of activities such as cross-selling and up selling. When CRM works, it helps to solve this problem by meshing everyone together and focusing the entire organization on the customer. CRM requires commitment and understanding throughout the company not just in marketing as it adds to a sense of expectation and loyalty being instilled within the consumer and the development of a relationship between company and customer that competitors find hard to break. Furthermore, the club card and customer retention can be linked through the use of the internet, as internet is now the most popular means of reaching and interacting with customers having such rewards of increased customer retention, growth and profitability with the most proficient at managing their relationships with their most valuable customers with the potential to tighten connections with better service, remember customer histories and requirements to deliver personalized solutions, and improve the synchronization of dispersed points of customer contact. The study of consumers helps firms and organisations improve their marketing strategies. It is the study of individuals, groups, or organisations and the processes they use to select, secure, use, and dispose of products, services, experiences, or ideas to satisfy needs and the impacts that these processes have on the consumer and society (Perner, 1999). Consumer loyalty cannot be fixed because they are constantly changing and consumers are correspondingly unpredictable in their behaviour. The shifting nature of the symbolism of consumer wants and needs makes it seem apparent to marketers that consumers do not know what they want, but only what they do not want. Moreover, what is symbolic today may not be symbolic tomorrow or alternatively it may symbolize something that is unattractive. The task for marketers is to predict what will be a fashionable symbol tomorrow, and equally important, when tomorrow will be. Moreover, business competitors may copy or improve on a product or service but they still have to make the customers switch brands. Brands loyalty or resistance to switching can be based on lack of motivation to change from the existing brand, a genuine liking for an existing brand or the actual cost of switching. Switching costs reflect the sunken investment that has to be sacrificed in order to switch from one brand to another. Switching costs will be lower for fast-moving consumer goods but clearly higher for durable consumer white goods. An existing base of loyal customers provides an enormous sustainable competitive advantage. It reduces the marketing costs of doing business since existing customers are relative easy to hold whereas getting and retaining new ones is more difficult. The loyalty of existing customers represents a substantial entry barrier to would-be competitors. Excessive resources are required when entering a market in which existing customers must be cajoled away from an established brand with which they are well satisfied. The profit potential for the tentative entrant is thus reduced. Furthermore, competition is strong and the costs of getting new customers are high. Customers that have been with a company for some length of time tend, on average, to spend more on each transaction, offer more opportunities for selling them other products and services and give better recommendations to their friends and colleagues than other customers. Customer loyalty is considered to be an important driver of success and increased profitability. However, customer loyalty and customer retention need to be distinguished from one another. Customer retention reflects only repeat purchase behaviour. Customer loyalty, however, is more to do with how customers feel about the firm whether they trust the firm, whether they actively want to do business with the firm and whether they will recommend the firm to others. Customer loyalty is closely related to customer satisfaction. While retention can be obtained through discounts for repeat purchase and so on, getting high customer loyalty requires greater long-term investment. It involves emphasis on achieving excellent in the service activities that augment the basic product offering. The PESTEL framework below analyses the dynamic and unpredictable environment in which Tesco operates by identifying the forces that have the most impact on Tesco’s performance: Political China’s accession to the WTO has promised a free flow of foreign trades by removing all barriers encouraging Western companies, including Tesco, to make way into the world’s most profitable market encompassing over 1. 3 billion people (Straits Times, 2010). In 2009, an agreement was signed by Tesco to set up a premeditated series of joint ventures for the development of shopping malls in China. This joint venture included three malls: Anshan, Fushan and Qinhuangdao (Tesco, 2009). Furthermore, there have been promotion of free trading blocs by governments to benefit from globalisation (Lynch, 2003). There have been also immersion of 10 further countries into the European Union (EU) which took place in 2004 promoting trade between Western and Eastern European countries (BBC, 2009). This has provided Tesco with a platform to expand its retail network across the EU. Economic Economic factors are a matter of concern for Tesco since they impact directly on the buying behaviour of customers. Although, the UK economy was declared officially under recession in 2008, the government’s substantial reduction in interest rates helped to minimise further rises in unemployment during 2009 (Euromonitor, 2010). As a result of this, the spending power of consumers is again on a steady rise as they are more confident about their current financial situation. However, there is still a lot of financial uncertainty meaning that consumers are likely to spend less on premium products, encompassing organics and ready prepared meals, which will adversely affect both sales value and margins (Keynote, 2010). However, the positive aspect of recession is that the customers eat out less and eat more at home which provides opportunities for grocery retailers like Tesco to increase their output (Guardian, 2010). It must be noted that food is the last thing that customers will cut back on. The percentage of overall consumer spending on food has risen considerably over the years, as shown below (Euromonitor, 2010): Fig 2: UK Spending on Food as % of Overall Consumer Spending 2004 to 2008 The economic downturn has been brought to light with the assistance of the following GDP growth graph since 1989 (Mintel, 2009):  Fig 3: UK GDP Growth 1989-2009 Social UK population analysis shows that there are more retired people than children representing the Baby Boom generation (Herald Scotland, 2010). The ageing population is discouraging for the food retailers older people tend to eat less. They are less likely to travel to supermarkets to shop compared with the younger generation. Although, internet literacy level drops over the age of 65 years within the population (Turban et al. , 2001), it has nevertheless een predicted that the ageing population would find on-line shopping more convenient. In addition, consumers’ attitude towards food is incessantly changing as they have become more health-conscious. An increase in the demand for organic food has been accommodated by Tesco to reflect this change in demand. Payment by cheques and cash at the checkout was first made possible by Tesco. Technological Technology is one of the key macro-environmental variables that have directly influenced the supply chain operation and processes of grocery and food retailers. Subscriptions to the internet have grown by over 50% and it has been estimated that the internet is being used by 70% of the population in the UK (Office for National Statistics, 2010). In addition, mobile technology has also taken off as a platform for distribution within food retailing. New Wine App developed by Cortexica Vision Systems, for example, has been used by Tesco since 2009 via which the customers are directed to Tesco Wine enabling them to buy the selected wine directly from their mobile phone (Tomlinson & Evans, 2010). Moreover, loyalty programs are being introduced through information technology which discourage customers from switching over to their competitors (Sun, 2009). Environment Tesco has introduced its Greener Living Scheme to give consumers advice on environmental issues including how to reduce food waste and their carbon footprint when preparing meals (Yuthas, 2009). Moreover, consumers reusing bags, recycling mobile phones and aluminium cans and preferring bagless deliveries are being rewarded through Tesco’s green Clubcard points (Tesco, 2010). Tesco has added carbon footprint data on dairy products, potatoes and orange juice, and aims at expanding it to bread and non-food items in 2010 (Tesco, 2010). Legal It has been stipulated that VAT would have to rise to 20% since the government has to finance a huge budget deficit (HM Treasury, 2010). This will affect the non-food sectors of Tesco, such as clothing. Moreover, drawing upon the Low Pay Commission Report (National Minimum Wage, 2009), the 2008 and 2009 combined up-ratings have resulted in an increase in the minimum wage of 15. 5%. This will result in an increase of operating costs of supermarkets.