Statement Personal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personal Statement Example It is my dream and objective to be the best in my field of experience and offer the best I can to others. In order to achieve this objective, I have to gather all the information and acquire all the knowledge I can through pursuing my education to the highest level I can. Competition is the other name for today’s world and in order to fit well, I have to be the best competitor above all the others. This therefore requires not only mediocre knowledge but knowledge that is the best and that can only be got from the best educational institution which offers all rounded education. This includes life lessons like skills inculcation through practicality. This will enable me be the best competitor around. I aim to be an employer and teacher and not an employee and listener. I believe that by the time am through with my graduate studies in this institution, I will be fully equipped to not only listen but to also tutor and share my knowledge with others. This is a way of me giving back to the society which will have played a big role in enabling me achieve that level of education. In addition to the above mentioned, I aim to change people’s perceptions and attitudes about graduates. This is especially so among the minority group who do not have higher education. These individuals are usually discriminated by the elite and they in turn develop stereotypes about them. I want to change that so that they can aim to also have the higher education to change their socialization and lifestyle. I will have the power to read and write and change all I can and that will be part of fulfilling my professional objective. Lastly, I aim to be a researcher on several unsolved theories in my field if education and especially the puzzling and contradicting issues. The aim of this is to ensure that the generations behind me pursuing the same field have an easier time of understanding the

Online Hotel reservation Essay Example for Free

Online Hotel reservation Essay INTRODUCTION Over the years, the internet has greatly changed the way people use computers and communicate today. Many Internet terms have become part of peoples everyday language and e-mail has added a whole new means through which people can communicate. By the turn of the century, information, including access to the Internet, will be the basis for personal, economic, and political advancement. The popular name for the Internet is the information superhighway. Whether you want to find the latest financial news, browse through library catalogs, exchange information with colleagues, or join in a lively political debate, the Internet is the tool that will take you beyond telephones, faxes, and isolated computers to a burgeoning networked information frontier. The pace of change brought about by new technologies has had a significant effect on the way people live and work worldwide. New and emerging technologies challenge the traditional process of teaching and learning, and the way education is managed. Information technology, while an important area of study in its own right, is having a major impact across all curriculum areas. As internet technology has improved, so have online reservation systems. Today, it is possible through online, to make a reservation for a hotel anywhere in the world. Hotels can create Web site and post new content on it every day. Technology has gone a long way, improving the lives of people. These technological breakthroughs have lots to offer, making great things in the easiest, fastest and efficient possible ways you can think of. Online hotel Reservation is very useful for the people especially for socials that they can now easily reserve a room in a hotel through online Internet. Easy worldwide communication provides instant access to a vast array of data. Project Overview Project Statement The hotel reservation system will provide service to on-line customers, travel agents, and an administrator. On-line customers and travel agents can make searches, reservations and cancel an existing reservation on the hotel reservation’s web site. Administrator can add/update the hotel and the room information approve/disapprove a new travel agent’s account application and  generate a monthly occupancy rate report for each hotel. Literature review The design of travel and tourism websites has received substantial attention by scholars (e.g.Schegg et al., 2002; Law and Leung, 2002; Law andWong, 2003; Scharl, Wà ¶ber and Bauer, 2003; Landvogt, 2004; So and Morrison, 2004; Essawy, 2005; Jeong et al., 2005; Law and Hsu,2006;Zafiropoulos and Vrana, 2006; Schmidt, Cantallops, and dos Santos, 2007).Landvogt (2004) evaluates several online booking engines over 23 differentcriteria, like overall user friendliness, payment method, instant confirmation,reliability, and invoicing function among others. These criteria present some ofsystem’s functions and design principles discussed furtherin current paper.In their study Jeong et al. (2005) find that only two characteristics ofhotel websites (information completeness and ease of use) are importantdeterminants of perceived website quality. These results are bewildering asmost studies identify more dimensions of perceived service quality to besignificant for website users. Law and Hsu (2006), for example, assess thedimensions of hotel websites (information regarding the reservation, hotelfacilities, contact details of the property, surrounding area and websitemanagement) and attributes in each dimension mostly valued by online users.Some of the most important website attributes are found to be the room rates,availability and security of payments (in the reservation informationdimension), the location maps, hotel and room amenities (in facilitiesinformation), telephone, address and e-mail of the hotel (for contactinformation), transportation to the hotel, airports and sights (for surroundingarea information), and up-to-date information, multilingual site and shortdownload time (for website management). So and Morrison (2004) applysimilar criteria for website evaluation as the preceding study but they groupthem into technical, marketing, consumer perspective and destinationinformation perspective criteria.Essawy (2005) focuses on website usability and shows that severeusability problems with interface quality, information quality, and servicequality affect negatively the purchase and revisit intentions of website users.The author identifies some of the practical tools/activities for increasing users’perceived satisfaction, purchase intention, and potential relationship building –exchanging links  with local points of interest, shorter/simpler pathways toleisure breaks, greater depth of information for room facilities and pricing,providing proactive interactions, and avoiding third-party reservation systems. In similar vein, Scharl, Wà ¶ber and Bauer (2003) assess the effectiveness ofhotel websites. Authors identify personal, system and media factors thatcontribute to hotel website adoption. In the system factors group, that is morecontrollable by the hotel management compared to personal and media factors,they identify the perceived utility of the product, speed of the system,intelligence, layout, services, languages, navigation, interactivity, reliability ofthe system.Research has also shown that trust is an important dimension of websitedevelopment (Fam, Foscht and Collins, 2004; Chen, 2006; Wu and Chang, 2006). If consumers do not trust the website they will not visit it, or will nottransform their visits into real purchases.Although much effort has been put towards evaluating the design oftourism websites and the identification of website attributes highly valued bycustomers, there is a gap in the research in the OHRS design and its specificproblems have not received enough attention in previous research with fewnotable exceptions. In series of reports Bainbridge (2002, 2003a, 2003b)discusses the practical aspects of the OHRS design (the search option in thesystems, the booking process and the date format), while Ivanov (2002, 2005)discusses the types and main characteristics of OHRSs and the major marketingdecisions to be taken by the marketing managers in their design. The review of available literature on the tourism / hotel website and OHRS design reveals the following conclusions:  · Website users are interested in easy navigation through the system.  · They want abundance of information for the services offered in textand pictures.  · Trust is vital for the usage of the system.  · Website design can significantly influence the online experience of theusers and their purchase intentions.  · Website design itself does not guarantee online purchases but it is theperceived utility of the product that attracts customers. Demographic characteristics and Internet Usage Behaviour Education level, age, income,and occupation have been found to be significantly different among Internet users. Bonn etal.(1998)[15] study showed that those who use the Internet as a travel information-gathering tool are likely to bemore educated, younger, with higher household incomes, use commercial lodging accommodations while traveling, tend to travel by air and spend more money on travel-related expenses. Weber and Roehl’s (1999)[16] study shows similar results. They found that online travel purchasers are more likely to be people who are aged 26-55, with higherincomes, with higher status occupations, and have more years of experience with the Internet than those who do not search or purchase online. The Asian demographic patterns of online purchasers tend to mirror their Western profiles. According tostudies carried out by Technowledge Asia in 1999 and 2000, cybershoppers in the four Asian regions (Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia) were found to be mainly males, in the age group of 26 to 35 years and better educated. Hence, it has been shown that an individual’s educational level may affect their susceptibility to attitude change. Intelligent people understandcomplex messages better, and as a result, persuasion by complex messages is more likely. In addition, an individual’s educational level is alsopartially a measure of their socioeconomic status. Weber and Roehl (1999)[16] study found that Internet â€Å"bookers† were more likely to have used the Internet for 4 years. Other researchers confirmed that Internet bookers spend more time online per week than those booking offline (Weber and Roehl ,1999)[16]. Finally, the intention to shop online is also influenced by consumers’ Internet shopping history (Shim et al., 2001)[17]. It is demonstrated by pastresearch findings that prior online shoppingexperiences have a direct impact on Internet shopping intentions (Weber and Roehl, 1999)[16]. There have been other studies that have supported online experience or tenure as key determinant of onlinebuying behavior (Bellman, Lohse, and Johnson, 1999[18] and Beldona et al, 2004)[19]. Findings indicate that the greater the number of years the user spent online combined with higher frequency of Internet usage; the greater was the likelihood of buying (Bellman et al., 1999[18]; Weber and Roehl, 1999[16] and Beldona et al 2004)[19]. Alwitt and Hamer (2000)[20] posit that consumers increase  their control with more time spent on the Internet, and in turn develop finer expectations of their interactions with businesses in general. Hammond, McWilliam, and Diaz (1998)[21] of users’ attitudes towards the Web. Based from the literature review of the Internet users,it is noticeable that Internet users are better educated, higher incomes, higher status occupations, have more online experience, use commercial lodging accommodations while travelling and tend to travel by air. In Malaysia, one of the profiles that had an early exposure to the culture of using the Internetfor personal and professional reasons was university residents. These may consist of students, administrators and lecturers. However, university staffs are more likely to fit the profiles of the Internet users (in terms of purchasing) due to their financial capability and mobility. Consequently, this leads to: H1 : There is a relationship between the university   staffs’ demographic factors and the determinants of  online hotel reservation H2 : There is a relationship between the university   staffs’ Internet usage behavior and the determinants of online hotel reservation

Mans Inhumane Treatment of Men in Louis Sachars Holes Essay examples

Man's Inhumane Treatment of Men in Louis Sachar's Holes The inhumanity that man shows to one another dates all the way back to the beginning of time. We read about it in the Bible, saw it during the Holocaust with the persecution of the Jews, and watched it on TV during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and still experience it today. In the book titled Holes (2002), by Louis Sachar, these actions are displayed once again. Man's inhumanity to man is a reality in society today and in the theme of Holes. Holes is about a boy named Stanley who is sent to a correctional camp for boys called Camp Green Lake. The boys are required to dig one five-by-five-foot hole per day in the 90 degree weather in order to help build their characters. In doing this, Stanley discovers that they aren't just digging for character. They are digging to uncover something for the warden: a treasure. In his attempt to uncover this treasure, Stanley observes and experiences the inhumanities that go on at Camp Green Lake. Sachar displays these everyday inhumanities in many different instances thr...

Effective Classroom Management Essay

According to James H. Stronge in his book â€Å"Qualities of Effective Teachers†, some guiding principles in classroom management are the following: †¢Consistent, proactive discipline is the crux of effective classroom management. †¢Inside the classroom, we could always expect some disciplinary problems, but some teacher could immediately handle the said problems. Instead of formulating immediate medicine for the behavioral problems, the teacher should focus on how to prevent these predicaments to occur. As much as possible, lets avoid dilemmas because it’s too pathetic for us to cry over spilled milk. †¢Establish routines for all daily tasks and needs. †¢To avoid turmoil inside the classroom, the teacher must ascertain routines from the start of the class, up to the class dismissal. This could also help a lot in saving much time and effort because their work is already in routine. †¢Orchestrate smooth transitions and continuity of momentum throughout the day. †¢As much as possible, the teacher must avoid dull moments inside the classroom to motivate the students to always pay attention to the speaker. The teacher must scheme smooth transitions of activities inside and outside the classroom throughout the day. †¢Strike a balance variety and challenge in students’ activities in the classroom. †¢There should be a variation of activities inside the classroom to avoid the students and even the teacher from being bored. †¢As classroom manager, be aware of all actions and activities in the classroom. †¢Even if the teacher is not around, she is still responsible for the students. That is why she must know the things that are happening inside the classroom and what her students are up to. †¢Resolve minor inattention and disruption before they became major disruptions. †¢Disruptions seem to be part in every classroom and in every lesson. No matter how big or small the hitch is, it could still give so much distraction not only to the teacher, but foremost to the students. That is why, if the disruption is still controllable, the teacher must try to stop it before it becomes too late for her to control the situation, and worse, it could spoil the whole transition of the lesson inside the classroom. †¢Reinforce positive behavior. †¢To motivate the students to always do the good and right thing, the teacher should always pay even the simplest compliments in her students’ actions especially to the appreciating ones. †¢Treat minor disturbances calmly. †¢If a simple rising of the voice could control the simple problem, then do it. There’s no need for you to be hysterical and over-react on something that’s just under control. †¢Work out a physical arrangement of chairs that facilitates an interactive teaching-learning process. †¢Some teachers change seating arrangement quarterly. This is to enhance interactions between the teachers and students. †¢Make good use of every instructional moment. Minimize discipline time to maximize instructional time.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 2. LONG NIGHT

â€Å"I miss you already.† â€Å"I don't need to leave. I can stay___† â€Å"Mmm.† It was quiet for a long moment, just the thud of my heart hammering, the broken rhythm of our ragged breathing, and the whisper of our lips moving in synchronization. Sometimes it was so easy to forget that I was kissing a vampire. Not because he seemed ordinary or human – I could never for a second forget that I was holding someone more angel than man in my arms – but because he made it seem like nothing at all to have his lips against my lips, my face, my throat. He claimed he was long past the temptation my blood used to be for him, that the idea of losing me had cured him of any desire for it. But I knew the smell of my blood still caused him pain – still burned his throat like he was inhaling flames. I opened my eyes and found his open, too, staring at my face. It made no sense when he looked at me that way. Like I was the prize rather than the outrageously lucky winner. Our gazes locked for a moment; his golden eyes were so deep that I imagined I could see all the way into his soul. It seemed silly that this fact – the existence of his soul – had ever been in question, even if he was a vampire. He had the most beautiful soul, more beautiful than his brilliant mind or his incomparable face or his glorious body. He looked back at me as if he could see my soul, too, and as if he liked what he saw. He couldn't see into my mind, though, the way he saw into everyone else's. Who knew why – some strange glitch in my brain that made it immune to all the extraordinary and frightening things some immortals could do. (Only my mind was immune; my body was still subject to vampires with abilities that worked in ways other than Edward's.) But I was seriously grateful to whatever malfunction it was that kept my thoughts a secret. It was just too embarrassing to consider the alternative. I pulled his face to mine again. â€Å"Definitely staying,† he murmured a moment later. â€Å"No, no. It's your bachelor party. You have to go.† I said the words, but the fingers of my right hand locked into his bronze hair, my left pressed tighter against the small of his back. His cool hands stroked my face. â€Å"Bachelor parties are designed for those who are sad to see the passing of their single days. I couldn't be more eager to have mine behind me. So there's really no point.† â€Å"True.† I breathed against the winter-cold skin of his throat. This was pretty close to my happy place. Charlie slept obliviously in his room, which was almost as good as being alone. We were curled up on my small bed, intertwined as much as it was possible, considering the thick afghan I was swathed in like a cocoon. I hated the necessity of the blanket, but it sort of ruined the romance when my teeth started chattering. Charlie would notice if I turned the heat on in August___ At least, if had to be bundled up, Edward's shirt was on the floor. I never got over the shock of how perfect his body was – white, cool, and polished as marble. I ran my hand down his stone chest now, tracing across the flat planes of his stomach, just marveling. A light shudder rippled through him, and his mouth found mine again. Carefully, I let the tip of my tongue press against his glass-smooth lip, and he sighed. His sweet breath washed – cold and delicious – over my face. He started to pull away – that was his automatic response whenever he decided things had gone too far, his reflex reaction whenever he most wanted to keep going. Edward had spent most of his life rejecting any kind of physical gratification. I knew it was terrifying to him trying to change those habits now. â€Å"Wait,† I said, gripping his shoulders and hugging myself close to him. I kicked one leg free and wrapped it around his waist. â€Å"Practice makes perfect.† He chuckled. â€Å"Well, we should be fairly close to perfection by this point, then, shouldn't we? Have you slept at all in the last month?† â€Å"But this is the dress rehearsal,† I reminded him, â€Å"and we've only practiced certain scenes. It's no time for playing safe.† I thought he would laugh, but he didn't answer, and his body was motionless with sudden stress. The gold in his eyes seemed to harden from a liquid to a solid. I thought over my words, realized what he would have heard in them. â€Å"Bella†¦,† he whispered. â€Å"Don't start this again,† I said. â€Å"A deal's a deal.† â€Å"I don't know. It's too hard to concentrate when you're with me like this. I – I can't think straight. I won't be able to control myself. You'll get hurt.† â€Å"I'll be fine.† â€Å"Bella . ..† â€Å"Shh!† I pressed my lips to his to stop his panic attack. I'd heard it before. He wasn't getting out of this deal. Not after insisting I marry him first. He kissed me back for a moment, but I could tell he wasn't as into it as before. Worrying, always worrying. How different it would be when he didn't need to worry about me anymore. What would he do with all his free time? He'd have to get a new hobby. â€Å"How are your feet?† he asked. Knowing he didn't mean that literally, I answered, Toasty warm.† â€Å"Really? No second thoughts? It's not too late to change your mind.† â€Å"Are you trying to ditch me?† He chuckled. â€Å"Just making sure. I don't want you to do anything you're not sure about.† â€Å"I'm sure about you. The rest I can live through.† He hesitated, and I wondered if I'd put my foot in my mouth again. â€Å"Can you?† he asked quietly. â€Å"I don't mean the wedding – which I am positive you will survive despite your qualms – but afterward†¦ what about Renee, what about Charlie?† I sighed. â€Å"I'll miss them.† Worse, that they would miss me, but I didn't want to give him any fuel. â€Å"Angela and Ben and Jessica and Mike.† â€Å"I'll miss my friends, too.† I smiled in the darkness. â€Å"Especially Mike. Oh, Mike! How will I go on?† He growled. I laughed but then was serious. â€Å"Edward, we've been through this and through this. I know it will be hard, but this is what I want. I want you, and I want you forever. One lifetime is simply not enough for me.† â€Å"Frozen forever at eighteen,† he whispered. â€Å"Every woman's dream come true,† I teased. â€Å"Never changing†¦ never moving forward.† â€Å"What does that mean?† He answered slowly. â€Å"Do you remember when we told Charlie we were getting married? And he thought you were†¦ pregnant?† â€Å"And he thought about shooting you,† I guessed with a laugh. â€Å"Admit it – for one second, he honestly considered it.† He didn't answer. â€Å"What, Edward?† â€Å"I just wish†¦ well, I wish that he'd been right.† â€Å"Gah,† I gasped. â€Å"More that there was some way he could have been. That we had that kind of potential. I hate taking that away from you, too.† It took me a minute. â€Å"I know what I'm doinq.† â€Å"How could you know that, Bella? Look at my mother, look at my sister. It's not as easy a sacrifice as youimagine.† â€Å"Esme and Rosalie get by just fine. If it's a problem later, we can do what Esme did – we'll adopt.† He sighed, and then his voice was fierce. â€Å"It's not right I don't want you to have to make sacrifices for me. I want to give you things, not take things away from you. I don't want to steal your future. If I were human – â€Å" I put my hand over his lips. â€Å"You are my future. Now stop. No moping, or I'm calling your brothers to come and get you. Maybe you need a bachelor party.† â€Å"I'm sorry. I am moping, aren't I? Must be the nerves.† â€Å"Are your feet cold?† â€Å"Not in that sense. I've been waiting a century to marry you, Miss Swan. The wedding ceremony is the one thing I can't wait – † He broke off mid-thought. â€Å"Oh, for the love of all that's holy!† â€Å"What's wrong?† He gritted his teeth. â€Å"You don't have to call my brothers. Apparently Emmett and Jasper are not going to let me bow out tonight.† I clutched him closer for one second and then released him. I didn't have a prayer of winning a tug-of-war with Emmett. â€Å"Have fun.† There was a squeal against the window – someone deliberately scraping their steel nails across the glass to make a horrible, cover-your-ears, goose-bumps-down-your-spine noise. I shuddered. â€Å"If you don't send Edward out,† Emmett – still invisible in the night – hissed menacingly, â€Å"we're coming in after him!† â€Å"Go,† I laughed. â€Å"Before they break my house.† Edward rolled his eyes, but he got to his feet in one fluid movement and had his shirt back on in another. He leaned down and kissed my forehead. â€Å"Get to sleep. You've got a big day tomorrow.† â€Å"Thanks! That's sure to help me wind down.† â€Å"I'll meet you at the altar.† â€Å"HI be the one in white.† I smiled at how perfectly blase I sounded. He chuckled, said, â€Å"Very convincing,† and then suddenly sank into a crouch, his muscles coiled like a spring. He vanished – launching himself out my window too swiftly for my eyes to follow. Outside, there was a muted thud, and I heard Emmett curse. â€Å"You'd better not make him late,† I murmured, knowing they could hear. And then Jaspers face was peering in my window, his honey hair silver in the weak moonlight that worked through the clouds. â€Å"Don't worry, Bella. We'll get him home in plenty of time.† I was suddenly very calm, and my qualms all seemed unimportant. Jasper was, in his own way, just as talented as Alice with her uncannily accurate predictions. Jasper's medium was moods rather than the future, and it was impossible to resist feeling the way he wanted you to feel. I sat up awkwardly, still tangled in my blanket. â€Å"Jasper? What do vampires do for bachelor parties? You're not taking him to a strip club, are you?† â€Å"Don't tell her anything!† Emmett growled from below. There was another thud, and Edward laughed quietly. â€Å"Relax,† Jasper told me – and I did. â€Å"We Cullens have our own version. Just a few mountain lions, a couple of grizzly bears. Pretty much an ordinary night out.† I wondered if I would ever be able to sound so cavalier about the â€Å"vegetarian† vampire diet. â€Å"Thanks, Jasper.† He winked and dropped from sight. It was completely silent outside. Charlie's muffled snores droned through the walls. I lay back against my pillow, sleepy now. I stared at the walls of my little room, bleached pale in the moonlight, from under heavy lids. My last night in my room. My last night as Isabella Swan. Tomorrow night, I would be Bella Cullen. Though the whole marriage ordeal was a thorn in my side, I had to admit that I liked the sound of that. I let my mind wander idly for a moment, expecting sleep to take me. But, after a few minutes, I found myself more alert, anxiety creeping back into my stomach, twisting it into uncomfortable positions. The bed seemed too soft, too warm without Edward in it. Jasper was far away, and all the peaceful, relaxed feelings were gone with him. It was going to be a very long day tomorrow. I was aware that most of my fears were stupid – I just had to get over myself. Attention was an inevitable part of life. I couldn't always blend in with the scenery. However, I did have a few specific worries that were completely valid. First there was the wedding dress's train. Alice clearly had let her artistic sense overpower practicalities on that one. Maneuvering the Cullens' staircase in heels and a train sounded impossible. I should have practiced. Then there was the guest list. Tanya's family, the Denali clan, would be arriving sometime before the ceremony. It would be touchy to have Tanya's family in the same room with our guests from the Quileute reservation, Jacob's father and the Clearwaters. The Denalis were no fans of the werewolves. In fact, Tanya's sister irina was not coming to the wedding at all. She still nursed a vendetta against the werewolves for killing her friend Laurent (just as he was about to kill me). Thanks to that grudge, the Denalis had abandoned Edward's family in their worst hour of need. It had been the unlikely alliance with the Quileute wolves that had saved all our lives when the horde of newborn vampires had attacked___ Edward had promised me it wouldn't be dangerous to have the Denalis near the Quileutes. Tanya and all herfamily – besides Irina – felt horribly guilty for that defection. A truce with the werewolves was a small price to make up some of that debt, a price they were prepared to pay. That was the big problem, but there was a small problem, too: my fragile self-esteem. I'd never seen Tanya before, but I was sure that meeting her wouldn't be a pleasant experience for my ego. Once upon a time, before I was born probably, she'd made her play for Edward – not that I blamed her or anyone else for wanting him. Still, she would be beautiful at the very least and magnificent at best. Though Edward clearly – if inconceivably – preferred me, I wouldn't be able to help making comparisons. I had grumbled a little until Edward, who knew my weaknesses, made me feel guilty. â€Å"We're the closest thing they have to family, Bella,'7he'd reminded me. â€Å"They still feel like orphans, you know, even after all this time.† So I'd conceded, hiding my frown. Tanya had a big family now, almost as big as the Cullens. There were five of them; Tanya, Kate, and Irina had been joined by Carmen and Eleazar much the same way the Cullens had been joined by Alice and Jasper, all of them bonded by their desire to live more compassionately than normal vampires did. For all the company, though, Tanya and her sisters were still alone in one way. Still in mourning. Because a very long time ago, they'd had a mother, too. I could imagine the hole that loss would leave, even after a thousand years; I tried to visualize the Cullen family without their creator, their center, and their guide – their father, Carlisle. I couldn't see it. Carlisle had explained Tanya's history during one of the many nights I'd stayed late at the Cullens' home, learning as much as I could, preparing as much as was possible for the future I'd chosen. Tanya's mother's story was one among many, a cautionary tale illustrating just one of the rules I would need to be aware of when I joined the immortal world. Only one rule, actually – one law that broke down into a thousand different facets: Keep the secret. Keeping the secret meant a lot of things – living inconspicuously like the Cullens, moving on before humans could suspect they weren't aging. Or keeping clear of humans altogether – except at mealtime – the way nomads like James and Victoria had lived; the way Jasper's friends, Peter and Charlotte, still lived. It meant keeping control of whatever new vampires you created, like Jasper had done when he'd lived with Maria. Like Victoria had failed to do with her newborns. And it meant not creating some things in the first place, because some creations were uncontrollable. â€Å"I don't know Tanya's mother's name,† Carlisle had admitted, his golden eyes, almost the exact shade of his fair hair, sad with remembering Tanya's pain. â€Å"They never speak of her if they can avoid it, never think ofherwillingly. â€Å"The woman who created Tanya, Kate, and Irina – who loved them, I believe – lived many years before I was born, during a time of plague in our world, the plague of the immortal children. â€Å"What they were thinking, those ancient ones, I can't begin to understand. They created vampires out of humans who were barely more than infants.† I'd had to swallow back the bile that rose in my throat as I'd pictured what he was describing. â€Å"They were very beautiful,† Carlisle had explained quickly, seeing my reaction. â€Å"So endearing, so enchanting, you can't imagine. You had but to be near them to love them; it was an automatic thing. â€Å"However, they could not be taught. They were frozen at whatever level of development they'd achieved before being bitten. Adorable two-year-olds with dimples and lisps that could destroy half a village in one of their tantrums. If they hungered, they fed, and no words of warning could restrain them. Humans saw them, stories circulated, fear spread like fire in dry brush___ â€Å"Tanya's mother created such a child. As with the other ancients, i cannot fathom her reasons.† He'd taken a deep, steadying breath. â€Å"The Volturi became involved, of course.† I'd flinched as I always did at that name, but of course the legion of Italian vampires – royalty in their own estimation – was central to this story. There couldn't be a law if there was no punishment; there couldn't be a punishment if there was no one to deliver it. The ancients Aro, Caius, and Marcus ruled the Volturi forces; I'd only met them once, but in that brief encounter, it seemed to me that Aro, with his powerful mind-reading gift – one touch, and he knew every thought a mind had ever held – was the true leader. â€Å"The Volturi studied the immortal children, at home in Volterra and all around the world. Caius decided the young ones were incapable of protecting our secret. And so they had to be destroyed. â€Å"I told you they were loveable. Well, covens fought to the last man – were utterly decimated – to protect them. The carnage was not as widespread as the southern wars on this continent, but more devastating in its own way. Long-established covens, old traditions, friends†¦ Much was lost. In the end, the practice was completely eliminated. The immortal children became unmentionable, a taboo. â€Å"When I lived with the Volturi, I met two immortal children, so I know firsthand the appeal they had. Aro studied the little ones for many years after the catastrophe they'd caused was over. You know his inquisitive disposition; he was hopeful that they could be tamed. But in the end, the decision was unanimous: the immortal children could not be allowed to exist.† I'd all but forgotten the Denali sisters' mother when the story returned to her. â€Å"It is unclear precisely what happened with Tanya's mother,† Carlisle had said. â€Å"Tanya, Kate, and irina were entirely oblivious until the day the Volturi came for them, their mother and her illegal creation already their prisoners. It was ignorance that saved Tanya's and her sisters' lives. Aro touched them and saw their total innocence, so they were not punished with their mother. â€Å"None of them had ever seen the boy before, or dreamed of his existence, until the day they watched him burn in their mother's arms. I can only guess that their mother had kept her secret to protect them from this exact outcome. But why had she created him in the first place? Who was he, and what had he meant to her that would cause her to cross this most uncrossable of lines? Tanya and the others never received an answer to any of these questions. But they could not doubt their mother's guilt, and I don't think they've ever truly forgiven her. â€Å"Even with Aro's perfect assurance that Tanya, Kate, and Irina were innocent, Caius wanted them to burn. Guilty by association. They were lucky that Aro felt like being merciful that day. Tanya and her sisters were pardoned, but left with unhealing hearts and a very healthy respect for the law___† I'm not sure where exactly the memory turned into a dream. One moment it seemed that I was listening to Carlisle in my memory, looking at his face, and then a moment later I was looking at a gray, barren field and smelling the thick scent of burning incense in the air. I was not alone there. The huddle of figures in the center of the field, all shrouded in ashy cloaks, should have terrified me – they could only be Volturi, and I was, against what they'd decreed at our last meeting, still human. But I knew, as I sometimes did in dreams, that I was invisible to them. Scattered all around me were smoking heaps. I recognized the sweetness in the air and did not examine the mounds too closely. I had no desire to see the faces of the vampires they had executed, half afraid that I might recognize someone in the smoldering pyres. The Volturi soldiers stood in a circle around something or someone, and I heard their whispery voices raised in agitation. I edged closer to the cloaks, compelled by the dream to see whatever thing or person they were examining with such intensity. Creeping carefully between two of the tall hissing shrouds, I finally saw the object of their debate, raised up on a little hillock above them. He was beautiful, adorable, just as Carlisle had described. The boy was a toddler still, maybe two years of age. Light brown curls framed his cherubic face with its round cheeks and full lips. And he was trembling, his eyes closed as if he was too frightened to watch death coming closer every second. I was struck with such a powerful need to save the lovely, terrified child that the Volturi, despite all their devastating menace, no longer mattered to me. I shoved past them, not caring if they realized my presence. Breaking free of them altogether, I sprinted toward the boy. Only to stagger to a halt as I got a clear view of the hillock that he sat upon. It was not earth and rock, but a pile of human bodies, drained and lifeless. Too late not to see these faces. I knew them all – Angela, Ben, Jessica, Mike†¦. And directly beneath the adorable boy were the bodies of my father and my mother. The child opened his bright, bloodred eyes.

Forensic lab questions Essays

Forensic lab questions Essays Forensic lab questions Essay Forensic lab questions Essay What evidence do you have to identify the culprit of the crime? There was a trail of glitter hair leading to the Sassy Snips dressing room 3. Who stole the hair products? How do you know? Jade stole the hair products, and I know because after her hair sample was run through multiple tests it matched with hair sample we found at the crime scene N- Squad Your second lab link can be found at http://weaverbirds. Rice. Du/stub/Games/N- Squad. Go through the three episodes and answer the following questions: 1 . Describe the crime that you are trying to solve. There was a car crash and in one car there were two teenagers, and I am trying to determine if the crash was on purpose or not 2. Who is one pioneer In autopsy? What did this person contribute to the practice of autopsies? : Alexander Settler, through various experiments and giving alcohol to dogs now allows forensic scientists to determine if alcohol consumption was related to the death 3. How does alcohol affect the body? Give specific examples from the episodes. It slows down your reaction time 4. Why is evidence important In forensic science? What evidence was Important In the episodes? Why? Evidence Is Important because It helps you determine the facts behind the crime The evidence found around the crime scene, such as the beer bottle was Important because It gives clues as to what happened

Addiction †Long Days Journey Into Night

Addiction – Long Days Journey Into Night Free Online Research Papers I chose to discuss addiction because of how greatly it effects the characters through the plot line of Long Days Journey Into Night. I found a parallel between the Tyrone family and my own family in dealing with bouts of addiction that have plagued one of my family members. On one hand you hope to go God that this time is the last time, and that everything will be alright once they return from receiving help, yet you can’t help but be suspicious. I think the suspiciousness comes rightly so. You want to help this person, but it seems they refuse to help themselves. The Tyrone family has a larger problem because the addict is the family’s matriarch. In my family the addiction came after a terrible motorcycle accident in which my family member was literally screwed back together and had to take copious amounts of pain medication. In the play Mary Tyrone becomes addicted to Morphine originally from birth complications with her second child. It is not clear whether Mary has any residual pain or has permanent physical damage which causes her to take morphine or she is just addicted. This play takes place in 1912 and for many years addiction to opiates and other narcotics has been an undertone of American society. In movies that take place in the late 1800’s you commonly see people prescribed opiates for chronic headaches and body pains, sometimes this prescription ends up in addiction. In this early era of modern America there wasn’t any reason for a doctor not to feed a patient addiction, most addicts were able to function in society, and the doctors were making money. In the case I personally know, the addict was eventually cut off from the prescription because as time passed and clinical investigation showed, there was reason to abdicate pharmaceutical pain relief. This person was still very young, and accesses to other forms of â€Å"pain relief† were readily available, especially in the 1980’s with the introduction of crack-cocaine which stemmed from the hype of cocaine. The main culprit of this story, Opium which is cultivated from the Poppy plant, has been around for almost as long as man has had anything considered civilization. The act of growing, cultivating and using opium has been passed down through the millennia from civilization to major civilization and is still used today. For the first few thousand years of its life opium was highly prized and a staple object of trade status between major ancient civilizations, it was introduced to the East a few hundred years after Christ’s death by Arab traders. Not until the Holy Inquisition, like many regular practices, was heroin first seen in a negative light. In the mid 16th century opium was first prescribed as a painkiller. Opium’s status as an effective painkiller grew into the 19th century, products produced containing opium were even administered to children as pacifiers and cold remedies. In the late 1800’s opium transformed into what we still call morphine. Although its trade had strict tariffs and was relatively expensive it was regularly used. American’s commonly came under the spell of opium and morphine addiction as clearly displayed in Mary Tyrone’s character. The second oldest narcotic still used today is cocaine, which has historically been used by the people who first discovered it in the mountains of South America as a stimulant. The natives ate the leaves of a Cocoa plant to give them energy in the high altitudes which lacked normal amounts of oxygen. Of course they didn’t know the whys or wherefores to this discovery, all they knew was that it helped. The original form used by the natives was no where near as potent as it is today, the dosage the raw leaves delivered was minimal and the chance of addiction was slim to none. In the 1850’s cocaine was enhanced to basically its current form. Cocaine was around in its more potent form for about twenty five years before it was noticed by the medical community. As time went on people in the upper levels of society began to use cocaine as an â€Å"in thing† and cocaine was well touted through the turn of the century and into the early 1900’s. Cocaine usage had much support from people like Sigmund Feud, Thomas Edison, and Hollywood film stars. Many silent films of the era contained positive messages about cocaine, all coming at a time of new things and new beginnings, consequently cocaine grew in popularity. Coca Cola even devoted a large portion of their advertising scheme to endorse the fact that their product contained cocaine. Regardless of the restrictions placed on cocaine it always managed to have a following thus creating a strong market. Through experimentation cocaine found a rebirth in crack-cocaine during the 1980’s. When â€Å"crack† hit the scene it was immediately heralded as the do all end all drug in society, dealers made massive amounts of money, and the addicts were hit hard. Crack provides the same euphoric sensations as cocaine only ten times as strong producing addictive qualities that are also ten times as strong. With such a long history of drug use and abuse coupled with addiction its clear to see how we as a society have become so hell bent of limiting the sale and use of narcotics in the United States. The effects of a serious addiction on a person’s life are devastating, sometimes fatal, and definitely destructive. In the case of the Tyrone family portrayed in Long Days Journey Into Darkness the children and patriarch do not trust their own mother and wife. The setting of the play is a short time after Mary has returned home from a sanatorium staving off her morphine addiction. It is apparent through dialogue that it wasn’t the first time she had a problem with morphine, but this time was supposed to be different. As the play progresses it becomes apparent to the characters that Mary has not beaten the addiction fully and still has a serious problem. Throughout the play she creates schemes to run off and do more morphine all the while blaming her family for spying on h er and scolds them for their distrust. It is evident that her behavior is putting monumental amounts of negative stress on their home life. The entire calamity portrayed in Long Days Journey Into Darkness I have seen for myself and wouldn’t wish it on my own worst enemies family. I personally have never dealt with an addiction of any sort but I have always believed in the virtue that a man must have a vice. When that vice begins to destroy the life around you, that’s when it becomes a problem, when nothing else but a substance or action matters to a person they should seek help. I believe drug addiction is one of the worst problems currently facing America, especially with the invention of new stronger narcotics, as seen with the recent sky rocket use of meth-amphetamine. I hope to see more plays and movies like this one so finally the millennia old problem of drug abuse can be stopped. BIBLIOGRAPHY heroinaddiction.com/heroin_timeline.html morphineaddiction.com/ Cocaine Addiction Information and Assistance Research Papers on Addiction - Long Days Journey Into NightPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesCapital PunishmentThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductGenetic EngineeringThe Spring and AutumnCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite Religion

Health Risk from Butter-Flavored Popcorn

Health Risk from Butter-Flavored Popcorn Did you know you can get a condition called popcorn lung from breathing the artificial butter flavoring from microwave popcorn? The artificial butter flavoring is a naturally-occurring chemical called diacetyl. Diacetyl causes no problems in the butter, milk, cheese, beer, and wine where its found, but when vaporized it can cause damage to the bronchioles in the lungs, eventually deteriorating them into the serious irreversible condition called bronchiolitis obliterans. If you nuke a bag of popcorn every now and then, its not a health concern for you, but workers in the factories producing the butter-flavored popcorn are at risk for lung damage, as are consumers who pop a couple of bags of corn daily. I would guess theater concession stand employees would also fall into this category. So, what should you do to avoid lung damage from popcorn? You can avoid popping the butter-flavored corn and then add liquid butter flavoring after the corn has popped or if you absolutely love that flavor of corn (like me), then just dont go crazy. Enjoy it a few times a week at most.​ How Popcorn Pops | Butter Means Something Different in Chemistry

Post natal depression - a challenging Phase for the new mothers Essay

Post natal depression - a challenging Phase for the new mothers - Essay Example If one has a close watch on these mothers, they will exhibit roller coaster of emotions leading to extreme mood swings. In a way, the symptoms of post natal depression could be similar to other mental other depression. Early Signs In most of the cases, the mothers are usually unsure of what is happening and they may not know what needs to be done to solve the problem. Literally they will be cornered. They are often filled with mixed emotions with the joy of the new born and at the same time dissatisfaction with their body conditions and other mental pressures. A common thing that will be visible most of the affected new mothers is the lack of sleep. Some of the other symptoms include low self esteem, negative thoughts, irritability, poor concentration and difficulty in making crucial decisions, loss of appetite, etc. Failure in identifying the post natal depression can cause devastating effects on both the mother and the child. Like any other depression, the post natal depression can also be cured and the patients need not panic because of their condition, as the only step they have to take is identify the symptoms early and get treated immediately. What are the factors that could lead to Post natal depression? Physical changes â€Å"New mothers are experiencing biological, physical, emotional and social changes. It is likely that postnatal depression is caused by a combination of these things.† (â€Å"The Causes for Postnatal Depression†). From the above sentence one can clearly understand that the main causes of the Post natal depression is based on the Physical changes, emotional changes and social changes a mother will undergo after the delivery of her child. Many friends of mine, who were recent mothers, revealed that they felt worn out and was tired all the time, after the delivery. This is one of the major physical changes and it can be described in the form of the exhaustions and the post operative pain, if the expectant mother had a caesa rian delivery. Also the mother’s appetite may be affected due to improper intake of food and as a result they may become physically worn-out. They feel less confident and also less attractive because of the changes in the body conditions and become less inclined to look after themselves. As new mothers will be naturally fat due to pregnancy, they will think that their beauty has all gone, and their husbands will not like them. Emotional Changes The next aspect that could cause this Post-natal depression is the strong emotional changes, which may occur in the mothers’ minds. They may not experience the same positive feelings, which they might have had or expected during the pregnancy, after they had delivered their babies. â€Å"Adapting to parenthood is daunting.† (â€Å"Better health Channel†). As per the statement the new mothers need to fulfill the constant demands of the child which is a highly tiresome process. On the other hand, the tiredness caused due to the delivery pain can also bring about depression and therefore they will not be overwhelmed with their babies. Social Changes The other vital contributing factor for the post natal depression is the social changes, when will be undergone by the mother. It seems that even the whole society could act as a ‘villain’ against the mother. That is, the arrival of the new baby might cause an upheaval in

What are the main factors contributing to low expectancy in the Essay

What are the main factors contributing to low expectancy in the developing world Investigate possible solutions to these problems - Essay Example Money can buy comfort but these people are well below the poverty line because of which they are unable to buy clothes and ultimately face the wrath of extreme climatic conditions. The government has to take initiatives to ensure that their lives are saved, it is the responsibility of the government to safeguard their lives but the truth is that very little has been done for them in the past and nothing much is expected to change in the future. Drought and famine are also two other reasons because of which several people die each year in developing nations. â€Å"Governments of developing countries have invested in improving public health measures (safe drinking water, sanitation, mass immunizations), training medical personnel, building clinics and hospitals, and providing medical care. But much remains to be done. Malnutrition, especially among women and children, is still a big problem. And communicable, largely preventable diseases still claim millions of lives. For example, the average rate of measles immunization worldwide is just 80 percent, and every year more than 1 million children die of the disease. Many of those children are in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the rate of measles immunization is the lowest- about 60 percent.† (Beyond Economic Growth) Cleanliness is another factor which plays a major part in deaths across the globe, diseases like malaria spread easily in developing countries because of lack of cleanliness and the same takes away several lives, these things can easily be avoided but nothing much has been done about it. It is high time for the government to step in and do its duty otherwise more lives would inevitably be taken away. Healthcare can play a pivotal role in saving the lives of several people, it is their right to have access to good facilities which they have been deprived of thus far, they should have access to

Life After Death by Terence Penelhum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Life After Death by Terence Penelhum - Essay Example The article opens with a brief history of the belief in immortality. Immortality of the soul predates Christianity, and therefore Christianity’s belief in life after death. Plato first describes the immortal soul in Phaedo, which details the death of Socrates. Before Socrates dies, he contemplates whether or not the soul can live without the body and if death is something to be feared. Socrates arrives to the conclusion that not only does the soul live on, but death should be embraced as it means that the soul is released from the prison of the body. Through moral reflection, people are able to tend to their soul, gradually releasing it from its physical form, but death ultimately completes this release. The aforementioned belief of death being embraced is what separates Plato’s belief of immortality with Christianity’s belief. Plato believes that death should be embraced, but Christianity, when using Jesus’ agonizing death as an example, suggests that death should be feared. Christianity perceives death as the most horrifying experience that someone can face because it is the destruction of a person. This goes against Plato’s theory that death is a release; Socrates did not fear death, but Jesus did. This concept is elaborated further when the Christian belief of resurrection is considered, which also goes against Plato’s theory of the immortal soul. Christians hope that God will completely re-create what he has permitted death to destroy. Penelhum focuses less attention on the soul and resurrection. He points out the fact that if the new body is drastically transformed from the original body, the concept of survival is defeated. The soul may be th e same, but if the new body is significantly different from the old body, resurrection is not as much of a success as people are led to believe. One’s soul cannot be identified by someone else, and if a transformed body cannot be recognized, the person did not necessarily survive. The soul living on without a body has sparked more controversy and speculation. Human intelligence, such as seeing, hearing, and being emotionally expressive, are all physical aspects and cannot be accessed with a body. If this is the case, survival is pointless and the soul would just simply exist. It is considered that disembodied survivors might have mental lives, that their thoughts can materialize in the world, but they would still lack the ability to perceive, which further points to a pointless existence. A disembodied soul may not even know if there are others nearby, nor would it be able to perceive a living human being. Self-identity of a disembodied soul is an even more difficult concept to grasp. Without physical characteristics, it becomes almost impossible to recognize a disembodied soul. There would have to be substitute for the feature that establishes an identity. We would have to use mental features instead of physical to identify someone, which may or may not be a possibility. Hume believes that humans retain some form of identity in terms of mental factors, as opposed to physical factors, which would be useful in the possibility of resurrection. He looks to memory as a method to identify a soul. Unfortunately, unless a person has concrete memories, nobody could survive a disembodied form. People are capable of remembering events that they were never part of or witnessed, which makes memory as a means of identity an uncertain method. For it to work, there would have to be something more stable beneath the thoughts, images, and feelings. Penelhum concludes that all of the theories of life

Philosophical problems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Philosophical problems - Essay Example Therefore, this could be expected to be equal and living in unity, it is often the case that most of them are in broken relationships. Human beings are in constant confrontations, a factor that derails the very need for the existence. Camus symbolizes this with a lack of optimism, repeated denial, and a conscious displeasure. Living in a state of hopelessness negates the very essence of human existence hence the connotation of absurdity (Camus 79). Human reality also attests to absurdity from the social believed process. As Camus says, the level of human intellect is one of those which adds to the absurdity in the human existence. He says while the mind is driven by â€Å"nostalgia for unity† and the ultimate desire to understand why things happen as they do; there is no way of confirming the same (Camus 107). As such, living in a world where we can only believe in our perceptions and thoughts rather than having believes based on facts suggests human existence is indeed absurd. Equally absurd is the fact that human beings try so much to have an in-dept understanding of the world’s irrationality. Camus asserts that the bid to understand the world by humans only brings forth a confrontation of thoughts and is often futile. Also the fact that humans, although living on earth lack the ability to predict the future and can only for the moment adds to the absurdity of human existence. Another element that makes human existence absurd is the feeling of independence, rebellion, and passion. Human beings live in a world where the notion of freedom seems quite high, for example; human beings believe they can make own decisions at will. The twist in this, however, is that wrong decisions often lead to condemnation. In addition, nature somehow has a way of interfering with this freedom (Taylor 7). While philosophy tries to question the very essence of human existence, it is a fact

Position paper - What does it mean to compute Essay

Position paper - What does it mean to compute - Essay Example It was decades ago that he presented the concept of a machines that would be able to calculate input variables in accordance with a function that would be provided to it. The much acclaimed Turing Test then evolved that distinguished a man from a computing machine and narrated that the better a computing machine is to the conceptual understanding of a man the batter it is. Later on, based on Turing’s principles, modern day computers were evolved from a simple calculator where the function that required to be executed is now replaced by a program. A program in itself is a series of steps that need to be executed so as to calculate or rather ‘compute’ something. â€Å"The fact is the notion of computing is a generalized concept which is essentially divorced from any physical or biological mechanism. There are two models of computation which are widely used today-both are exactly equivalent in power. One is a purely function and logic based formalism invented by the mathematician Alonzo Church called the Lambda Calculus. The other is an abstract device formalism invented by the mathematician Alan Turing called the Turing Machine.† (University of New Mexico, n.d.) The above is an excerpt from a document at the University of New Mexico Department of Computer Science website.  The models of computation discussed in the statement above were discovered in those early times when mathematicians were busy finding out ways to automate their mathematical calculations. It was then that Turing Machine became the first device that was actually attempting to compute something. It was made up of an extremely long tape. The tape was being read by a single head. There were either 0s or 1s inscribed on the tape. The concept of finite states could also be incorporated into the machine. To date, so far, no machine has been able to compute better than done on the principles of the Turing Machine. This is meaning to say that though the modern

Philosophical problems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Philosophical problems - Essay Example Therefore, this could be expected to be equal and living in unity, it is often the case that most of them are in broken relationships. Human beings are in constant confrontations, a factor that derails the very need for the existence. Camus symbolizes this with a lack of optimism, repeated denial, and a conscious displeasure. Living in a state of hopelessness negates the very essence of human existence hence the connotation of absurdity (Camus 79). Human reality also attests to absurdity from the social believed process. As Camus says, the level of human intellect is one of those which adds to the absurdity in the human existence. He says while the mind is driven by â€Å"nostalgia for unity† and the ultimate desire to understand why things happen as they do; there is no way of confirming the same (Camus 107). As such, living in a world where we can only believe in our perceptions and thoughts rather than having believes based on facts suggests human existence is indeed absurd. Equally absurd is the fact that human beings try so much to have an in-dept understanding of the world’s irrationality. Camus asserts that the bid to understand the world by humans only brings forth a confrontation of thoughts and is often futile. Also the fact that humans, although living on earth lack the ability to predict the future and can only for the moment adds to the absurdity of human existence. Another element that makes human existence absurd is the feeling of independence, rebellion, and passion. Human beings live in a world where the notion of freedom seems quite high, for example; human beings believe they can make own decisions at will. The twist in this, however, is that wrong decisions often lead to condemnation. In addition, nature somehow has a way of interfering with this freedom (Taylor 7). While philosophy tries to question the very essence of human existence, it is a fact

Management Information Systems IP Four Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management Information Systems IP Four - Essay Example The other is flash crash: machines go wild case study where the market equity in a flash, plunged to a historic low. The third is the Piloting the Valero with real-time management case study in which the Valero, a Texas-based oil refinery needed a system that could be able to display real-time data about issues concerning the plant. Reality Gets Better Case study Virtual reality is a three-dimensional space, which is a computer generated interactive space. Virtual reality immerses its users in the virtual world while the augmented reality keeps in touch with the real world. Augmented reality uses any of the three major display techniques to be able to achieve the blend of reality mixed with real-life images and graphic effects. The display techniques are hand held displays, head mounted displays that provide the virtual environment and shut out the real world, and spatial displays that mount graphical information on physical surfaces. It has been used to improve marketing in the sens e that it helps involve the customers and is able to communicate to the customers in an interesting and interactive way with relevance to them. In 2009, Esquire magazine was able to use this in their advertising where they added several stickers, which had designs that had this ability. When held up to a web camera, it started interactive video segments featuring the issue’s cover, Robert Downey Jr. (Ovide, 2009). In image guided surgery, a CT scan and MRI provides the necessary data that is superimposed on the patient in the operating room. In real estate, this has been employed to help the user find information they need on the go, since smart phones have GPS, cameras and internet. Therefore, one can just point their phone on a building and the value of the building per square meter and a small photo accompanied by a live image project from the phone’s camera, hence provide real estate information on the go (Macintosh, 2010). Flash Crash: Machines go wild case study The U.S stock markets on May 6, 2010 experienced a sudden and quick plunge at 2:42 PM, which left Dow Jones 600 points down. Twenty-five minutes later, Dow had gained almost the points it had lost. This flash crash appeared to have happened when a single mutual fund company engaged in abrupt selling activities that caused a chain reaction. The high-frequency traders HFTs are the ones now doing the work that the stock specialists used to do, including the matching of buyers and sellers efficiently, which the market makers did. In a case where the algorithm cannot handle the complexity of the event, a flash crash occurs. The algorithm in the case of Overland park on May 6 dumped 75,000 contracts and was instructed to sell them with disregard to price and time, and continued to sell and the prices dropped sharply. It would normally take five hours to sell them but this took twenty minutes (Bowley, 2010). The NYSE activated circuit breakers where the trading traffic is shifted to human stockbrokers intended to slow the trading process and to avoid the plunge (Bowley, 2010). Electronic trading simply showed that it allows the flash crash to occur over a short period of time and is able to amplify sudden market moves, which can go either side and happen faster with minimal chances of intervention (Henderson, 2009). Piloting the Valero with real-time management Valero energy is one of the largest oil refineries in the US,

Human Resource control Essay Example for Free

Human Resource control Essay I want to first start off by saying thank you for the opportunity to handle such an important and sensitive matter such as the internal control for the LJB Company. First and foremost I want you to be aware of the requirements of your company if you do decide to go public. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) which was passed by congress requires all publicly traded U.S corporations to maintain an adequate system of internal control. Corporate executives and boards of directors like yourself must ensure that these controls are reliable and effective. In addition, independent outside auditors must attest to the adequacy of the internal control system. Companies that fail to comply are subject to fines, and company officers can be imprisoned. LJB Company is currently doing some things well that I suggest they continue. The use of pre-numbered invoices allows for missing or undocumented invoices to be caught quickly. This practice is considered a documentation procedure under internal controls. Having two managers approve new hires helps ensure a good fit. It’s good that the accountant completes bank reconciliation. While using a bank is a form of control for cash, the reconciliation enables LJB to make sure there are no errors between what the bank and what they have on the books. There are a number of practices by LJB that don’t deter fraud and would need to be changed before considering going public. Segregation of duties: The duties for handling assets need to be separated amongst multiple employees. Employees that handle cash should not be involved in the bank reconciliation or invoices. Employees responsible for purchasing should not have any payment or reconciliation duties. By segregating duties, there is more than one person involved in the sales and purchasing cycle so that one person cannot be behind a fake transaction or remove cash or purchased assets without it being noticed by another. Access to assets: All employees should not have access to petty cash. The cash should be locked and those with a key should ensure proper documentation for cash distributed to be sure it is authorized. The person responsible for reconciling the petty cash should do so randomly to deter its abuse. As far the indelible ink machine I see no problem printing your own checks as long as you use pre-numbered check stock paper to write the checks. Otherwise you will not know that you have accounted for every check written. Also, this is an area of responsibility that should be segregated. The person responsible for printing the checks should not have the authority to sign them. This will help insure they are not writing checks to themselves. LJB should consider purchasing the indelible ink printer once they have the manpower to have the duties segregated. By using indelible ink, the checks printed will be harder to change once printed, which is a good physical control of cash. Paycheck Lock-Up: Although the accountant is locking the employee’s paychecks over the weekend, he should actually be locking them at all times. Anytime the accountant steps away from their desk and these checks are not locked, sensitive employee information is vulnerable. Background checks: I recommend that LJB implement the Human Resource control of conducting background checks of all employees before officially hiring. This way they will discover if the potential employee has a past that could negatively impact the company (fraud, theft, other criminal activity) Passwords: Passwords are a key control preventing employees from accessing data outside of their duties and changing transaction data from initial amounts to cover up errors, fraud or theft. Everyone should have an individual password and not reveal it to another. Changing passwords periodically is a best practice. I hope that LJB finds this report helpful and that it prepares them for potentially going public.

What Is Sustainable Packaging Environmental Sciences Essay

What Is Sustainable Packaging Environmental Sciences Essay In this section I am looking at current views and definitions of the industry on sustainable packaging. An article from the Sustainable Packaging Alliance claims that: There is no clear understanding internationally, about what constitutes sustainable packaging. Policy initiatives have tended to focus on resource and waste reduction and recycling, for example the current European Packaging Directive. (Sustainable Packaging Alliance, 2002) This is backed up by the Federal Trade Commission who justifies this with the fact that sustainable packaging is a fairly new factor for the environmental considerations for packaging. (Environmental Marketing Claims, 2011) There are a few approaches here that are worth considering to define sustainable packaging. Sustainable packaging is defined by The World Commission on Environment and Development as: Developments that meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987) What they are meaning by this is sustainable packaging can only be sustainable if at the last stage of the design cycle when the packaging has fulfilled its primary function the user can reuse the packaging for a secondary function which this in turn will decrease the environmental and ecological footprint. Jedlicka (2009) believes that you just cant tunnel vision yourself down to the final product you have to have a look at the whole picture of supply chains; from simple design functions, to marketing and all the way through to the conclusion of its life cycle then back to its rebirth. The European Commission talks about how sustainable packaging will require more analysis and documentation to look at the actual package design, the materials that are used and the whole picture of the packagings life cycle. (Environmental Marketing Claims, 2011) Bolyston (2009) has a different view and he belives that sustainable packaging dependant on the amount of sustainable energy used in each stage of the packagings life cycle. The term life cycle means the product goes through a series of stages that mold and develop the product. The life cycle would consider all of the factors from the raw materials to how its manufactured, leading onto how its distributed which finally guides it to the use and disposal of it. Throughout all of these stages there would be various transport methods used to move the product onto its next stage. To summarize all of these steps and stages is called the life cycle of the product. It is essential to look at the life cycle of packaging in order to ascertain areas and opportunities in which the packagings sustainability can be improved. Figure 8 is a diagram of the packagings life cycle from The Sustainable Packaging Coalition; this diagram aims to provide guidelines and principles for the development of sustainable packaging. The Sustainable Packaging Coalition claim that they have set themselves the mission to advocate and communicate a positive robust environmental option for sustainable packaging through functional packaging materials and systems that endorse economic and environmental supply chains. The Sustainable Packaging Coalition characterizes sustainable packaging as follows: Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Meets market criteria for performance and cost Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is beneficial, safe and healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological and or industrial closed loop cycles Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Are manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices. (Sustainable Packaging Coalition, 2010) Figure 8. Diagram of packaging product life cycles The diagram above shows the process and steps involved for packaging. It starts at the raw materials and goes to the end user. Each step in this cycle requires a form of energy but according to Boylston there are ways to cut this and reduce the amounts used. Sustainability relies on lots of different factors involved at each of these stages; these factors need to be identified in order to address them with the correct measures. For example if we look at stewardship, this is vital for helping to safeguard the environment and protecting the employees that are extracting the materials. The less distance the materials can travel in the life cycle the better, because this will mean it has taken less petrol on transportation. If we look at another aspect of using renewable energy at each stage this will add to make the packaging more sustainable. Reusability and recycling systems or compostability of packaging can additionally enhance sustainability. (Boylston, 2009) Figure 9. Diagram of packagings upstream and downstream impacts. If we take a look at the packaging product life cycle in a linear view we can additionally distinguish between upstream impacts from the extraction of the raw materials until the packaging is passed across to the consumer which is the downstream impacts, these are considered to be the impacts that occur through using the packaging and the steps leading to the end of its life. An example of this is the amounts of energy required for the recycling process at the end of the packagings life. The different recycling methods used are composting, littering, and other possibilities are waste-to-energy plants which means energy can be produced again from the waste product. A life cycle assessment is commonly used as a tool to analyse the life cycle of packaging. The aim of a life cycle assessment is to compare the full range of social and environmental damages, which can be identified to products or services, so least troublesome one, can be selected. There are lots of different types of life cycle assessments know with different scopes. The scope varies from cradle to gate to cradle to cradle approaches and furthermore there are types such as the LCA process that addresses the environmental inputs and outputs compared to other approaches that address the economic inputs and outputs. Now that I have described the packaging life cycle, we furthermore need to mention that companies such as 3M or Wal-Mart are currently developing their own definition or guide lines that drive sustainable packaging within their supply chain. Wal-Mart claims, its primary target is to be packaging neutral by 2025, this means that all packaging recovered or recycled at their stores will be equal to the amount of packaging used by the products in the shelves. Wal-Mart has introduced a set of guiding principles called the Seven Rs to help them achieve their target. These Principles are: Remove, Reduce, Reuse, Renew(able), Recycle(able), Revenue and Read. Relative to this Wal-Mart have introduced a packaging scorecard, this is a measurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate themselves relative to other suppliers, based on specific metrics. The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorable attributes announced earlier this year, known as the 7 Rs of Packaging. (Wal-Mart, Sc orecardmodeling.com, 2009) 3M uses Packaging criteria in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency, this is much the same as Wal-Mart. 3M have set minimizing packaging waste as there top aim and they are have now realised that the most waste is coming from unused raw materials, this is not just bad for the environment but is not very economical. 3M began by attempting to eliminate as much waste as possible through pollution prevention, and then the remaining waste was reused, recycled, converted to energy, or incinerated to create new energy. Regardless of the packaging life cycle assessment, there are related analytical methodologies such as ecological footprint, which is calculated by comparing the biological resources available in a given region to resource demands of a population. The network of users of the Global Footprint Network has developed standards. The standards are available on footprintnetwork.org in order to help to address calculation nuances, including conversions, measure of land/sea parcels, addressing nuclear power, varying data sources, import/export data and biodiversity among others. (Global Footprint Network, 2012) Another well-known footprint is the carbon footprint, which represents a subset of the ecological footprint and of the more comprehensive life cycle assessment. Laws and Regulations that effect packaging? Regulations are there to give companies a target or a direction to head towards. There is directive 94/62/EC set by European Commission Environment that is aimed to harmonize packaging waste, on the one hand trying to stop or prevent the damage of packaging to the environment and on the other hand they dont want to restrict or distort the competition within the community. It also contains provisions on the prevention of packaging waste, on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling of packaging waste. (European Parliament and Council Directive, 2010) These regulations or directives have focused on waste reduction and resources but they have failed to look at the social impacts of packaging. Boylston points out that we have a bigger problem to overcome before we more towards more sustainable packaging and that is with todays companies growing in size there is an inclination towards specializing, this only breaks up the different departments and isolates them. So the different department end up very incoherent with each other so they lose the connectivity between all the sectors. An example of this would be the packaging designer working next to the graphic designer, this is so they can communicate and work as a team. Materials Sustainable packaging relies upon the correct material choices. I will be conducting an investigation to look at the quantities of packaging waste along with the variety of materials that end up as waste. In addition to this I will expand and do further research on paper and plastics. Looking at the solid waste report from 2010 from the European Environmental Agency it is clear to me that out of 250 million tons of waste 30% is from containers and packagings and this is before recycling. The second pie chart indicates that paper and plastics biggest supplies to waste. Figure 10 Figure 11 The recycling and composting of packaging prevented 85.1 million tons of material away from being disposed of 2010, up from 15 million tons in 1980. This prevented the release of approximately 186 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent into the air this is the equivalent to taking 36 million cars off the road for a whole year! (European Environmental Agency, 2013) Paper The consumption of paper on a global scale is more than 350 million tons per year, that is a massive 1 million tons per day and if it takes roughly 17 trees to make one ton of paper. So its not unpredictable that the paper industry are accountable for about 40% of commercial harvesting of wood, and now trying to terrorize the last few rainforests which contain and provide a habitat for the endangered species. Jedlicka states, The paper industry is the fourth largest greenhouse gas contributor among manufacturers and a huge consumer of energy. Furthermore the paper production is associated with toxic bleaching procedures. (Jedlicka, 2009) The benefits far outrun the bad points of paper. Paper is a very versatile material; this is why it is used for packaging. The added benefits for using paper as packaging is its lightweight and easily printed on and yet it can do all this and still be durable and are easily recycled. There are more alternatives for what paper can be made from it doesnt have to be wood it can be made of hemp, kenaf straw, switch grass and it can be made from a variety or pulped fibers from plants. As bloylston describes about the massive quantities of paper that out there in the world, all of which require a high level of post-consumer waste (PWC) paper stock choices should entail the biggest priority. Paper can be recycled up to seven times. (Bolyston, 2009) One tonne of recycled paper will save seventeen trees, seven thousand gallons of water, three cubic metres of landfill space, two barrels of oil and four thousand one hundred kilowatts of electricity. The recycled paper uses sixty percent less energy to produce then ordinary paper; the energy saved would be enough to run the average home for six months. (Statistics from Recycle bank.com, 2013) In order for there to be more paper packaging, the designers have to support this. The Environmental Protection Agency has made some recommendations which will help to make packaging more sustainable, these recommendations are to use less material, eliminating toxic constituents and making it more readily recyclable (Environmental Protection Agency, 2013) Plastic Plastic packaging plays a huge role in today society, you can see this when walking around supermarkets and the selves are full of plastic containers. The word plastic is the common name given to the synthetic organic polymers. As defined plastics are usually made from high polymer mass they can contain other materials to make it cheaper or to improve its performance. There are two main types of plastic, thermosetting and thermoplastics. Thermosetting plastics can only be heated up and shaped once; because once they go cold they stay solid. Unlike Thermoplastics, which soften and melt when around enough heat, these can be shaped multiple times when heat is applied. Jedlika says that plastics have many benefits such as it is lightweight, durable, provides a gas and moisture barrier and can sometimes retain its recycling value. (Jedlika, 2009) The reason plastics are so popular is because its versatile and easy to manufacture with it is also is unaffected by water. A down side to plastic is the additives used can make the plastic toxic and materials flow is for downcycling instead of true recycling. The recycling rate of plastic has stabilized at around 25%, but this isnt an adequate amount compared to the amount that is newly produced. One ton of recycled plastic will save about five thousand seven hundred and seventy four Kilowatt-hours of energy, six hundred and eighty five gallons of oil and about thirty pounds of air pollutants. (Statistics from Recycling Bank, 2013) There is a new alternative to petrol-based plastics, which is more environmentally friendly plastic called bioplastics. These plastics are biodegradable and are created from renewable sources such as potatoes or beets and corn. Boylston argues, nevertheless, bioplastics also need the facilities for collection and must not derive from needed food sources (Boylston, 2009) There is a huge quantity of materials that could be used for packaging. There is so much information about new packaging materials and the different technologies available that there are dedicated websites and forums full of up to date information and regulations. To wrap up this section I have come to the conclusion that sustainable packaging is not just about the materials its made from but you have to look at the bigger picture just as Jedlika states If a designer just picks a random material out of his or her list of magic green materials and doesnt actually know why the material is environmentally friendly, or even how it is applied correctly, then the replaced material can cause impacts far worse. (Jedlika, 2009) Case studies and Primary research I have selected to do my case studies on these companies because they show how different sized sectors either contribute or counteract sustainable packaging. The aim of this section is not to compare to determine a 100% sustainable packaging but to look how their business delivers profitable value, the environmental improvements and customer satisfaction. Firstly, Waitrose supermarkets are a food retailer in England; they have been part of The John Lewis Partnership since 1937, the first Waitrose supermarket opened in 1955. Waitrose is one of Englands leading supermarket retailers employing over 37,000 people. Waitrose has a total of 280 branches throughout England, Scotland and Wales. Locations range from high streets to the edge of towns; the stores vary in size too. The company is dedicated to offering quality, value and customer service. In terms of packaging Waitrose has aimed to reduce food packaging by fifty percent by 2016/17, based on like for like usage since 2005. (John Lewis partnership.co.uk, 2012) Secondly, Innocent is a drinks company based in England and was founded in 1999. The companies main business is from making fruit smoothies, a selection of fruit juices and vegetable pots, all of these products are all sold in a wide range of supermarkets and tearooms nationally. Considering the company started at a music festival, they have grown substantially over the years and are now expanding into the European market. They have set their targets high when trying to be sustainable; they have achieved this by infusing sustainability into the packaging from the beginning. The company also likes to act ethically in all areas of the company. (Innocent drinks, 2012) Conclusion Within the argument of this dissertation I have tried to produce an evenhanded discourse on the implications of sustainable packaging with both positive and negative views. The research has indicated that there is enough evidence for sustainable packaging to be used in companies furthermore it will also benefit the environment and society. The research question I set out to answer was is sustainable packaging viable given the current economic and political climate.

Power and Starvation in the Novels and Lives of Emily and Charlotte Bro

Power and Starvation in the Novels and Lives of Emily and Charlotte Bronte      Ã‚  Ã‚   In the fictional worlds of Charlotte and Emily Brontà «, one of the few ways that women who otherwise have very little say in their lives are able to express dissatisfaction is through self-starvation and illness. It is noteworthy that in their own lives the Bronte sisters exhibited many eccentric habits in regards to eating, and both Charlotte and (especially) Emily engaged in self-starvation similar to the strategies used by the characters in their novels.    Anorexia is a general term that describes the decline of appetite or aversion to food, though it is most commonly used to refer to self-starvation. Anorexia was not new during the time of the Brontà «s. Although eating disorders are often thought of as being a modern day phenomenon, it is in fact only widespread diagnosis that is a recent occurrence. Those who had no other means to wield power, other than in terms of individual self-control, have long used starvation and fasting as a means of exerting control over an environment in which they felt powerless.    In his book, Holy Anorexia, Rudolph Bell sites a case of anorexia in a 20 year old girl from as early as 1686 (3). In fact, eating disorders were fairly common in the time leading up to the Brontà «'s era, although the motivations behind them were often quite dissimilar. Today, young women are often driven to starve themselves because, "they must conform to an impossible, media-driven standard of beauty which holds that 'you can never be too thin.'" (Orenstein 94) In the 18th and 19th century, however, thinness was not an ideal to strive towards, and the psychology behind fasting and starvation was oftentimes more complica... ...    Bemporad, Jules R. The Psychoanalytic Approach to Psychosomatics and Eating Disorders: The Prehistory of Anorexia Nervosa. New York: The Newsletter of the Psychosomatic Discussion Group of the American Psychoanalytic Association, Sept., 1997.    Bell, Rudolph M., and William N. Davis. Holy Anorexia. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987.    Frank, Katherine. A Chainless Soul: A Life of Emily Brontà «. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1990.    Gordan, Lyndall. Charlotte Brontà «: A Passionate Life. New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1994.    Orenstein, Peggy. Schoolgirls: Young Women, Self-Esteem, and the Confidence Gap. New York: Anchor Books, 1995.    Terris, Susan. Nell's Quilt. New York: Sunburst, 1996.    Vine, Steven. Bronte, Emily Jane. Date unknown. University of Swansea. 30 March 2002. http://www.litencyc.com/   

Samsung Electronics

Submitted by: Aneesa Amjad INTRODUCTION6 SAMSUNG VALUE AND CODE OF CONDUCT6 Business Principles7 ?We promote health and safety. 7 ?We are a socially responsible corporate citizen. 7 ?We comply with laws and ethical standards. 7 ?We maintain a clean organizational culture. 7 ?We respect customers, shareholders and employees. 7 ?We care about environment. 7 Samsung Values8 ?People8 ?Excellence8 ?Change8 ?Integrity8 ?Co-prosperity8 Samsung Philosophy9 NEW VISION9 HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT9 Vision and Mission10 HRD Philosophy10 JOB ANALYSIS11 RECRUITMENT11 Recruitment tools11 Newspapers:11 Online Recruitment (e-cruitment):11Educational Institutes:12 E-mails:12 4/5 Grade Recruitment12 Selection process12 Application Form12 Document Screening13 SSAT13 Interview13 Physical examination14 Join Samsung14 3 Grade Recruitment14 Person with career and doctorate possessors14 ?Samsung Shared Value program (SVP)15 ?Samsung Business Leader Program (SLP)15 ?Samsung Global Expert Program (SGP)15 SAMSUN G RESEARCH CENTER16 MANAGERIAL DEVEOPMENT AND TRAINING16 TRAINING AND DEVELOPING16 HRD PROGRAMS17 ?SVP New employee Orientation17 ?SVP Samsung summer festival17 ?SLP17 ?Samsung MBA Course17 ?SLP Executive development Course18 SLP Senior Executive development Course18 ?SGP18 ?SGP Regional Specialist course18 ?SGP Premier Course19 ?SGP Overseas Country Manger Development Course19 ?SGP Global Leader Course19 ?SGP Language Course19 EDUCATION IN 201020 PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL20 EMPLOYEE BENEFITS21 ?Group insurance21 ?Physical exams21 ?Financial aid for medical costs21 ?Congratulatory/condolence pay21 ?Use of leisure facilities21 EMPLOYEE HEALTH22 Employee Health and Disease Management22 ?Health Research Center22 ?Mental Health22 ?Employee Health Management23 EMPLOYEE WORK-LIFE BENEFITS23 ?Work & Life Balance23 RETIREMENT BENIFITS23 Outplacement Program23 ?Major Reasons of Retirement24 COMPENSATION PLANS24 LABOR POLICIES25 ?Child Labor and Forced Labor25 ?Labor Union Policy and Labor Counci l25 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS26 Exhibits31 Staffing Manager33 Samsung Electronics America- Ridgefield Park, NJ (Greater New York City Area)33 Job Description33 Desired Skills & Experience34 INTRODUCTION From its beginning as a small export business in Taegu, Korea, Samsung has grown to become one of the world’s leading electronics companies, specializing in digital appliances and media, semi-conductors, memory, and system integration.Today Samsung’s innovative and top quality products are world recognized. It’s a global company with approximately 190,000 employees and is operating in 61 countries worldwide. SAMSUNG VALUE AND CODE OF CONDUCT Samsung Electronics is fully committed to complying with local laws and regulation as well as applying a strict global code of conduct to all employees. With an aim to become one of the most ethical companies in the world that is respected by its stakeholders, Samsung Electronics continue to train its employees and operate monitori ng systems while practicing fair corporate management.The code of conduct includes elimination of nationality or gender discrimination, transparent disclosure of business information, customer information protection and partner collaboration. All of Samsung Electronics employees will have to follow this code of conduct in their relationship with their colleagues and customers. Business Principles Samsung Electronics announced the Five Samsung Business Principles† in 2005, and it serve as the foundation for its global code of conduct in compliance with legal and ethical standards. (Exhibit 1) These five business principles are as follows: We promote health and safety. * We are a socially responsible corporate citizen. * We comply with laws and ethical standards. * We maintain a clean organizational culture. * We respect customers, shareholders and employees. * We care about environment. Samsung Values Samsung believes that the key to good business is to live by strong values. A t Samsung, code of conduct and these core values are at the heart of every decision they make. (Exhibit 1) * People At Samsung, a company is its people and they are dedicated to giving their people a lot of opportunities to reach their full potential. * ExcellenceEverything they do at Samsung is driven by a passion for excellence and a persistent commitment to develop the best products and services on the market. * Change In today’s world due to globalization, change is constant and innovation is very important for a company’s survival. And Samsung have done that for 70 years, they set their sights on the future, predicting market needs and demands so that they can achieve long term success. * Integrity The foundation of their business is that they operate in an ethical way. Everything they do is guided by a moral compass that ensures fairness and respect for all stakeholders. Co-prosperity A business cannot be successful if it does not create prosperity and opportunit y for others. Samsung is socially and environmentally responsible corporate citizen in every community where they operate around the globe. Samsung Philosophy At Samsung, they follow a simple business philosophy: to devote their talent and technology to creating superior products and services that contribute to a better global society. Everyday their people bring this philosophy to life. Their leaders search for the brightest talent from around the world, and give them the resources they need to be the best at what they do.The result is that all of their products have the power to improve lives. (Exhibit 1) NEW VISION â€Å"Inspire the world, create the future† This new vision shows that Samsung Electronics is committed to inspire the world by leveraging Samsung’s three key strengths: â€Å"New Technology†, â€Å"Innovative Products†, and â€Å"Creative solutions. † and to promote new value for Samsung’s core networks—Industry, Partne rs and Employees. (Exhibit 2) Samsung has planned to become one of the world’s top five brands by 2020. Samsung has also established three strategic approaches in its management, â€Å"Creativity, Partnership, and Talent.HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT To achieve long term goals, human resource department plays a very important role. Employees are its most important asset. Human resource department plays a crucial role in the company’s success. Samsung Electronics believes that human resources and technology development both have separate functions and both are important to overall quality management. For the success of Samsung electronics it is very important that all employees enjoy doing their jobs and gets along with each other in the company.Vision and Mission Samsung has its own Human Resources Development Center. The aim of Samsung Human Resources Development Center is to become the world’s best HRD center and to develop people with creativity, passion and a c hallenging spirit who will make Samsung the world’s leading company in the 21st century. Samsung HRD Center devotes itself to carry the management philosophy into practice, spread Samsung Values, play a centripetal part to bring the values and actions of Samsung people toward one direction, lead the creative innovation nd change in the global era, and support the global management as the leader of the globalization. HRD Philosophy Since its foundation, Samsung has focused on and respected people with â€Å"A company is its people†. Samsungs management philosophy and traditions have become the key driving force of materializing its continuous growth and making it one of the world’s best companies. Since its introduction to open recruitment system in 1957, Samsung has developed its people in earnest. For about 50 years, Samsung has continued its history and tradition of developing people.After Samsung HRD established HoAm-Kwan in 1982 and Chang Jo Kwan in 1991 to implement â€Å"Samsung with high potentials† as the birthplace of educating Samsung people, they have played an important role of maintaining, succeeding, and developing the culture of Samsung. JOB ANALYSIS When a new position is established, the Human Resources department prepares a job analysis clearly identifying the positions responsibilities and overall relationship to the company. (Exhibit 3) RECRUITMENT Samsung Research Center intends to recruit, hire and place applicants on the basis of the applicant’s relative knowledge, skills and abilities.The decision to employ an applicant will be based solely on the individual’s qualification for the particular position along with other requisite job skills. Recruitment tools Upon getting informed the HRM Department invites a wide pool of applicants through any or all of the following mediums. Newspapers: Vacancies are advertised on leading newspapers. Online Recruitment (e-cruitment): Application forms are availa ble online at Samsung website and interested candidates can fill and submit them online. Educational Institutes:The HRM Department conducts annual job fairs in various educational institutes in which presentations about job prospects and the company is given. E-mails: Interested candidates can email their CVs to HRM Department, which are then collected in a file and consulted whenever job opportunities arise. 4/5 Grade Recruitment This is the recruitment for the production/manufacture class. It proceeds with announcement when there are vacancies. The selection process is given below: Selection process Application Form Document Screening SSATInterview Physical Examination Join Samsung Application Form The employment application is candidate’s first chance to present his qualifications to the organization. As such, it is extremely critical for his/her continued participation in the examination process. Before beginning, one has to review thoroughly what the Job Announcement spe cifies as the requirements to qualify for the position. Candidate must meet these criteria to be considered for the position; ensure that, otherwise candidate will be wasting his/her effort in completing the application.Document Screening They screen the documents provided by applicants on the basis of job requirement. Those who do not fulfill job requirements are screened out during this step. Those who are passed through this step have to take Global Samsung aptitude test. SSAT Samsung aptitude test is designed to determine level of technical and/or analytical abilities associated with the particular position for which candidate had applied. Interview The List of Eligible Candidates is established after SSAT and then it is sent to the Department(s) that is hiring to fill a current vacancy.The Department Head is responsible for setting up selection interviews. Further the management of Samsung takes three types of interviews 1. First interview is taken by the HR manager which they name as â€Å"initial interview. 2. Manager of department, HR Manager and two V. P takes the second interview. 3. Structured sequential interview is taken by HR manager and C. E. O The Department Head will be looking for the candidate with the best qualifications for the particular position. Physical examinationThe candidates who are selected to fill the vacancy will undergo a medical examination, drug screen, background investigation, and a probationary period before attaining permanent employment status. Join Samsung After checking all physical exams, medically fit candidates are called to fill the vacancy. 3 Grade Recruitment This is the recruitment for Management/the Management support department, various Research and Development organizations. It is processed with dear Samsung job advertisement. The same selection process is being followed for 3 grade recruitment as well.Person with career and doctorate possessors When there is a vacancy in each department, the resume of appli cants are reviewed by the HR department and they make contact with the applicant on the individual basis. Application Form Individually contact with applicants Interview Physical Examination Join Samsung HRD STRATEGY To create innovation and challenge, Samsung HRD center develops human resources by the following three programs: SVP, SLP and SGP * Samsung Shared Value program (SVP) To achieve â€Å"Samsung toward one direction† by sharing Samsung values (Future Management) cultivate next generation leaders Samsung Business Leader Program (SLP) To become â€Å"world leading company† by developing leaders of the next generation (Trust Management) Share core values of Samsung * Samsung Global Expert Program (SGP) To achieve â€Å"Global Samsung† by developing global competencies (Globalized Management) Develop Global Competency SAMSUNG RESEARCH CENTER Samsung Research center is an innovative organization offering unlimited opportunity to those who struggle to develo p and grow to their fullest potential. They work together to bond individual achievement with company goals.The rewards for superior performance come personally as well as professionally. To create an environment where everybody feels a close relationship with the company, understands its policies and operation is one of the priorities of Samsung research center. MANAGERIAL DEVEOPMENT AND TRAINING Samsung electronics have in- house development center (human resource development center) and universities. They combine classroom learning (lectures and seminars) with other techniques such as assessment centers. TRAINING AND DEVELOPINGSamsung Electronics assesses individual work capabilities according to job function and offers a wide range of training opportunities to nurture all employees into experts in their respective fields. To provide all employees, including those based overseas, with access to comparable levels of training programs regardless of location, they have set up a glob al education portal and mobile education system led by the HR Development Center, and diverse programs are offered through training departments according to business division and work function.There are a lot of programs which Samsungs’ HR department follows to train and develop their employees and they are as follows: HRD PROGRAMS * SVP New employee Orientation This course is to develop Samsung people for the 21st century to have the basic quality for Samsung people and proper business creed. The 4 week course helps new recruits understand the history, tradition, key values, and management philosophy of Samsung, in addition to building teamwork, creativity, and a challenging spirit through various experimental learning. * SVP Samsung summer festivalThis festival is to enhance group identity and pride as Samsung people, CEOs of affiliates, new executives, global leaders in overseas offices and branches, representatives from various classes as well as new recruits participate in this course, which is held every June, and this course acts as a cultural and value group activity for all. * SLP It develops high potentials who will lead the future of Samsung and fosters them as the leaders of the next generation. * Samsung MBA Course This course is to expand the pool of potential leaders of the next generation of Samsung.Every year since 1995, Samsung has selected qualified Samsung people and allowed them to study in famous overseas or local business schools for two years to learn practical management knowledge and global management. * SLP Executive development Course This course is to develop the leaders of the next generation who have global competitiveness and all around management competency. Qualified general managers learn global business management competency, leadership development, and problem solving in the field via action learning through this five month course. SLP Senior Executive development Course This course is to encourage the management lea ders of the next generation who have strategic thinking abilities and management insight. Elite senior executives learn business modules to boost their global competitiveness and advance leadership development focusing on value, and perform various activities through action learning in this four month course. * SGP It is Samsungs global competency enhancement program that develops global business competency and foreign language skills. * SGP Regional Specialist courseThis course is to develop global experts with global sense as the spearheads of globalization in the 21st century. Since 1990, every year, qualified Samsung people have been dispatched to the world including North America, Europe, china, Japan, East Asia, West Asia, and Central and South America for 1 year to acquaint themselves with local business customs and cultures through various experiences for localization of Samsung people. * SGP Premier Course This course is to encourage global leaders who have excellent foreig n language ability and global business competency.For foreign language ability, Samsung people focus on learning how to communicate effectively and speak in foreign languages at the advanced level. For business competency, they focus on developing their global business skills through the best practices of management and learning how to accept different cultures. * SGP Overseas Country Manger Development Course This course is to develop global leaders and executives for overseas offices. Samsung people who will be and are already dispatched to overseas offices learn the practical management and management research for their overseas offices, leadership development and global mind. SGP Global Leader Course This course is to provide overseas executives and managers with a deeper understanding of Samsung values to enhance awareness of a shared value community. The course’s highlight is to participate in the Samsung Summer Festival at the end of the course. * SGP Language Course S amsung people who will be dispatched to overseas offices or they have to handle foreign related works learn ten weeks of English, Japanese, Chinese or Spanish to enhance the foreign language ability. EDUCATION IN 2010 Samsung Electronics continues to enhance employee competencies by utilizing online and offline education programs.Education enhances the effectiveness of employees by offering more online and mobile course. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL Samsung Electronics evaluates performance of all its employees against a consistent goal. Required capabilities by position are identified, based on which capability performance is conducted. The jobs are evaluated on yearly basis under 360o method; the competent employees are rewarded in shape of promotions, bonus, increments and annual holidays and promotion. The results of an appraisal can be used to identify areas for further development of the employee.The organization also uses different questionnaires, which consist of numerous questions about the behavior of the employee, and then on the basis of these answers personality of the employee is judged. When evaluation is made the unsatisfactory performers are given warning. The employee after warning is put under observation, for some period of time and if the employees’ performance is still unsatisfied then are demoted or fired. Samsung SDI has institutional means up and running to guide fair and understandable evaluation and for the evaluated to defend themselves.If the evaluated submits an application to file a protest within five days after disclosure of evaluation results, HR committee is convened with the evaluator and the evaluated present and adjusts the results, if necessary. INCENTIVE PLANS Individual performance determines individual capability reward and group performance determines Productivity Incentive (PI) and Profit Sharing (PS). EMPLOYEE BENEFITS They offer benefits to their employees required by law as well as internal benefit programs to enh ance quality of life for employees.Both regular employees and those working on contract basis can take advantage of numerous benefits which include: (Exhibit) * Group insurance * Physical exams * Financial aid for medical costs * Congratulatory/condolence pay * Use of leisure facilities In 2010, they increased the physical exam components to promote the health of employees. Other benefits offered to employees are as follows: EMPLOYEE HEALTH Samsung Electronics makes every effort to create a safe and pleasant work environment. All of their production plants have obtained OHSAS18001 certification for occupational health and safety management system.Senior executives of the company have special interest in recent concerns on workers’ cancer risk. From July 2010, they have commissioned a leading international environment and health consultancy to conduct an epidemiologic survey to ensure objectivity and transparency in the survey findings. This objective investigation is expected to cover every possible cause and clear up suspicions completely. Employee Health and Disease Management * Health Research Center They have opened the health research center in April 2010.The Samsung Electronics Health Research Center was established under the Semiconductor Business to carry out mid- and long-term research projects related to employees’ health and wellbeing. The center is manned by researchers in health sciences, medicine, chemical engineering, pharmacology and nursing. It is conducting research into matters such as hazardous chemical substances, work environment and epidemiology, and new substance manufacturing processes. * Mental Health They have expanded psychological evaluations in the regular physical exam from 2011 to help employee’s better cope with emotional strain and stress.The evaluations will check whether employees suffer from any conditions caused by stress related to problems with work or their personal lives. If necessary, employees wi ll be able to receive professional counseling based on online and offline diagnoses. These measures help employees lead healthy and productive lives. * Employee Health Management As part of efforts to promote employees' health and maintain a pleasant work environment, they offer customized health management programs including programs for weight loss, smoking cessation and emotional health.They also operate a center for the prevention of musculoskeletal diseases which allows employees to check their spinal health. (Exhibit ) EMPLOYEE WORK-LIFE BENEFITS * Work ; Life Balance Work hours are continuously monitored at Samsung Electronics to promote work-life balance. In particular, they have introduced a flexible time program for administrative staff so they can set their own work hours to enhance quality of work life. Work hours at the global production subsidiaries are adequately managed according to local employment standards nd the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC) gu idelines. RETIREMENT BENIFITS * Outplacement Program Up through 2010, they have provided assistance for 2,216 retiring employees find new jobs or start a business through the career development centers. In 2010, they signed an agreement with the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business to help seasoned specialists find new jobs at small and mid-size enterprises. In 2011, they offered career planning courses for incumbent employees. (Exhibit) * Major Reasons of RetirementKorea Overseas 1. Study 1. Change of Occupation 2. Change of Occupation 2. Family Reason 3. Health Problem 3. Study 4. Domestic Affairs 4. Health problem 5. Contract Expiration 5. Dissatisfied with Type of Work COMPENSATION PLANSIn 2010, Samsung Electronics made upward adjustments in the salaries of all employees and applied a system of accumulated annual salary for individual workers to differentiate compensation according to performance. Samsung’s compensation scheme is based on ‘compensation wi thout discrimination and compensation for performance’ to ensure internal impartiality and external competitiveness. Those on the same position are given same amount of base salary disregarding gender, nationality, religion, social status, and age. On top of it, differentiated compensation is made according to individual performance.LABOR POLICIES * Child Labor and Forced Labor Discrimination, forced labor and child labor are prohibited in accordance with articles 4, 6 and 16 of the company’s rules of employment. In addition, they strictly abide by the 24 ILO conventions ratified by the Korean government. In 2010, there were no violations of laws and regulations related to child labor and forced labor. * Labor Union Policy and Labor Council Samsung’s basic HR policy is summarized in the following statement: â€Å"The workers and the company will cooperate for mutual advancement based on the principles of co-existence, co-prosperity and harmony. Samsung Electron ics strives to provide superior working conditions relative to its peers so that employees do not feel the need for a labor union. All of their business sites across the globe have a labor council to facilitate dialogue between labor and management. Other major communication channels include the GWP committee and safety council. Each of their business sites in Korea has a worker council. Each worker council holds at least one regular meeting per quarter. The council also gathers when the need arises to discuss matters such as salary adjustments.It enables grievances and requests to be swiftly conveyed to management so that the necessary corrective measures can be pursued. Due consideration was given to employees’ requests to improve the work environment. In 2010, the worker council addressed several issues through expanding the flexible time program, establishing infrastructure for stress relief, and improving office environment. INTERVIEW QUESTIONS ———â €”————————————- What are Samsung values and code of conduct? ————————————————- _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What tools do you use to recruit job candidates?Like do you use advertising, employment agencies, college recruiting or some other method? _________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Do you prefer outside candidates or inside candidates? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What types of test do you use to measur e a wide range of candidate attributes? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Do you check applicant’s background before selecting him? ————————————————- __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________ What is the selection process of Samsung? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What type of interviews is done at Samsung? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What is the HRD strategy of Samsung? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___ ————————————————- What is the function of Samsung Research Center? ————————————————- ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What are HRD programs implemented for training and developing employees? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________ What education programs are being offered at Samsung? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ What types of benefits are being offered to employees at Samsung? 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