EVALUATING A WEBSITE AS A SOURCE FOR LEARNING HISTORY Essay

EVALUATING A WEBSITE AS A SOURCE FOR LEARNING HISTORY - Essay Example In this regard, the Europeans exploration and colonizers made regular trips to America to deliver merchandise and collect precious metals and treasures. However, as treasures increased, so did the desire to capture more areas to gain control over the Americans. The reason for choosing this website for analysis is because it provides information on America’s history and recommends other resources rich in America’s history. Therefore, this website serves as a good source of learning history due its diverse information, including artifacts and paintings and also other suggested literatures on America’s history. This website is owned by the library of Congress, the world largest library. Through this site, the library provides diverse books, photographs, recordings, maps and many other academic resources for both teachers and students. The information provided in this website gives insights on America’s history, and it is adequately supported by finding of gre at historians such as Jay Kislak, who amassed a comprehensive collection of materials on ancient America. In the process of his exploration, Jay acquired rare collection of manuscripts and books that pertained to early America. In this vein, the objective of library of Congress was to avail diverse learning resources to the American people. Therefore, this site seeks to reveal America’s history, creativity and knowledge through both primary and secondary sources to both teachers and learners. Notably, the site has a selection of more than 3,000 rare maps, paintings, documents, prints and artifacts among others. The audience can access information on the early America, including pre-contact America, exploration and encounters and finally aftermath of the encounter through this website. In addition, the site provides more than 3,000 collections of documents, paintings, prints among others. All information accessible through this site is equally useful for a historian, but for t his particular paper information on pre-contact, America is of paramount importance. In this regard, the website provides insights on America’s indigenous culture, including their music and poetry, powerful expressive objects modeled and the hierarchical political, religious and social systems. I consider the information to be reliable since it emanates from the library of Congress whose main role is to document historical information. In addition, the information provided is fully supported by researches conducted by re-known historians such as Jay Kislak. Despite providing valuable information about America’s history, the website has some ancient drawings and objects not clearly explained. For instance, under theme and exhibition, there are various items and drawings with no clearly explanations on how they relate to ancient American culture. This poses a considerable problem since ancient items, and drawing helps to provide information on a given generation. Further , despite the support of what the website provides with works of great researchers, little is provided to tie such information with artifacts and painting shown in the website. This leaves a gap that can challenge information provided on America’s history. Certainly, I cannot say that the website does not provide the right information, but more research needs to be conducted to

Merger and Acquisitions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Merger and Acquisitions - Research Paper Example For Nvidia to acquire some other company or merge with some other formidable company to bring synergy in the operations, which cut down on operating cost, improve market penetration, or enhanced scale of operations could be a good choice. There are many companies that Nvidia may think of merging to increase the value of its stockholders; however, AMD will be a finest choice for merger over any other company. Nvidia’s old competitor ATI was acquired by AMD since then AMD has been most formidable competitor to Nvidia. A good synergy can be achieved by merging these two companies. AMD'S revenue at $6.5 billion is almost double of Nvidia's $3.5. Operating margin is almost matching at 6.25%. Merger can bring about the cost cutting in managerial and other staff cost. Unnecessary competition in many product lines can be eliminated and better price realization can be achieved. Their mergers will better be able to face competition from much larger corporations such as Intel. In the pro cess merged entity will have higher price-earnings ratio in the market place leading to higher share price. (Investopedia.com) Answer 2. The AMD’s market capitalization is $5.25 billion, which is almost half of Nvidia’s market capitalization of $10.45 billion. ... This is also known as Fixed-Shares Stock offered to the shareholders of the company being merged. Thus, the company also saves on taxes as no cash outgo has taken place. The basis of ratio could be a current market price. This would not make any financial burden on Nvidia and merged entity would have increased outstanding shares with enhanced revenues and profits. It may happen that initially Nvidia share price may move southward but within 2-3 quarters when synergistic effects start percolating on the merged entity, price of Nvidia will start moving up fast. The agreed ratio will have some effect on price of AMD share but that will get stabilized soon. (Expectationinvesting.com) Answer 3. There are some other companies that can be merged with Nvidia as second or third choice for mergers. Gaughan, (2001) has rightly pointed out that merger should be able to integrate the operations of both the companies, otherwise it would be simply a leveraged buyout and that may fail to bring any e ffective outcomes that are envisaged with any merger. Xilinx Inc. (XLNX), a California based company, being in the allied field and complementary to the Nvidia’ business line could be a good choice for merging with the Nvidia. Xilinx Inc., offering programmable logic solutions in the form of advanced integrated circuits, could provide a good fillip to Nvidia in terms of business growth and can bring some level of synergy into certain functionality. Xilinx Inc., with market cap of 8.91 billion and operating margin of 34% that generates operating cash flow of 724 million in 12 months is a cash rich company to merge with Nvidia. (Source: http://finance.yahoo.com) Microchip Technology Inc. (MCHP) is

Development of Electronic Government Policy

Development of Electronic Government Policy 1. INTRODUCTION This paper discusses policy implementation in order to explain the development of electronic government policy in the Local Government in Great Britain. In order to do this, the paper firstly provides a brief description of electronic government. This is followed by a discussion of policy implementations and its relevance in local government to e-government, as well as the analysis of the key features and roles of implementation. Finally, the paper discusses British effort to implement e-government at the local level. 2. E-GOVERNMENT E-government is a notion that has revolutionised bureaucracy and the way governments function in the twenty first century. E-Government is an approach dealing with the development of online services such as e-tax. E-government is also responsible for many innovations and improvements in the early years such as e-transportation and e-health. There are clear associations between the goals of the modernisation agenda and that of the electronic government agenda. For example, within an expected national policy for electronic government in England, the term electronic government is currently described as â€Å"exploiting the power of information and communications technology to help transform the accessibility, quality and cost-effectiveness of public services, and to help revitalise the relationship between customers and citizens and public bodies who work on their behalf† (Local Government Association 2002:XXX). 3. POLICY IMPLEMENTATION AND ITS RELEVANCE It has been claimed that the implementation of local e-government is perhaps the most diverse and complex change programme ever undertaken by local government (The Economist 2006). The process touches all public services, from social services to housing and from education to street cleansing, and every single department of local government. As a plan for change, it entails innovations in structures, processes, working practices and corporate cultures. Therefore, it has an effect on everybody who is a part of the local government including elected members, staff, citizens and local businesses. Furthermore, local electronic government is not just a matter for local authorities, as it extends to a wide range of other local agencies. This necessitates the general partnership and successful management. The transformation from plan to implementation entails the organisation of capital, and current effort in processual studies of change have accentuated on the administration of organisational politics and the implementation of power. Resources not only include money, staff time and technological infrastructure, but also leadership, relevant skills and competencies (McLoughlin Cornford 2006). 4. KEY FEATURES AND ROLES The attainment of e-government is of strategic importance for local governments. According to Murray (2005), the key features for implementing electronic government are informatics planning, informatics management, informatics development, customer chain, internal value chain, supply chain and electronic community. Informatics planning considers information audit and standardisation, process mapping and design, authority strategy and modernisation, informatics strategy, risk assessment and cost–benefit analysis. Informatics management considers the management matters that are important for the execution of the electronic government agenda, including electronic championing, the form of electronic government organisation and the nature of any benchmarking exercise conducted or planned. Informatics development reflects on the existence of a clear plan for improvement. It does this by reflection on resource matters and whether an audit of appropriate skills had been performed. Key enablers for sustaining the customer chain consist of customer relationship management, the state of the citizen WWW site, examination of whether electronic democracy has been considered and what attention has been paid to the provision of the full range of future access mechanisms and channels. Internal value chain refers to the state of the current information systems. In regards to information systems architecture the apprehension is with the integration and interoperability of information systems as well as the integration with external standards and systems. Considering IT architecture, the significant technology enablers are knowledge management, document management, content management and intranets. Enablers for the supply chain contain the existence of any extranets, evidence of tale working and plans for the implementation of electronic procurement. Electronic community pays attention to the degree to which stakeholders have provided advice on electronic service delivery as well as the form of business planning employed and the existence of any form of electronic community strategy. 5. IMPLEMENTATION OF E-GOVERNMENT IN BRITAIN The current e-government strategy in Britain is based upon e-government targets set in the 1999 Modernising Government White Paper. At the heart of this strategy is the belief that government services should be available continuously and not just during conventional working hours. Consequently, the White Paper established targets that 50 per cent of dealings with the public sector should be capable of electronic delivery by 2005 and 100 per cent by 2008 (Cabinet Office 1999). These targets were revised by a subsequent strategy statement from the newly created OeE to involve 50 per cent by 2002 and 100 per cent by 2005 (Office of the e-Envoy 2000). The targets are not restricted to central government departments or agencies but cover the entire public sector, including local authorities. Indeed, as the primary location of most day-to-day services, local government is seen as being central to the delivery of the information age strategy. According to Eiffert and Puschel (2004), the num ber of transactions involved in local government vastly exceeds those of the rest of central government put together. Informatics Planning â€Å"Some connection between their electronic government strategy and aspects of their modernisation agenda had been made by most authorities in Britain, however, there was surprisingly little evidence within the statements of the re-engineering of any current processes† (Barry 2004:37). There was little evidence of process mapping and redesign besides the general consideration of process changes required at the customer interface, apart from the general claim that electronic government change is organisational change. British local governments claimed to have an ICT strategy in place, but many acknowledged that it needed updating in the light of electronic government and needed to be more closely aligned with their electronic government strategy (Barry 2004). An initial cost–benefit analysis was also attempted, however a thorough assessment still had to be conducted by the majority of authorities. Financial analyses were also conducted, and findings were that cost sav ings were unlikely in the short term and cost neutrality was the medium-term goal for their authority. According to Barry (2004), most of the benefits of electronic government were likely to be intangible. Furthermore, the issue was also placed on inadequate resources, needed culture change within authorities and low-uptake of services as priority issues to be addressed. Informatics Management The council leader and the chief executive have been appointed by a significant proportion of the authorities in Britain as authority electronic champions. However, a variable level of support appeared for the electronic government agenda among elected members. â€Å"The general assessment seemed to be that, while a proportion of council members were interested and enthusiastic about electronic government, a substantial proportion of most council’s elected members had yet to be convinced of the case for electronic government† (Barry 2004:38). Specific structures for implementing the electronic agenda have been created, and electronic government officers for overseeing the strategy have been appointed by some governments. Most governments were only in the early stages of benchmarking their electronic service delivery and those that had completed this exercise placed their existing level of electronic service delivery in the lower quartile. Many local governments were re- using existing structures for implementing electronic government. Informatics Development Most governments in Britain had created development plans that had clearly evolved from their existing informatics infrastructure. Some authorities had aspired to consider more radical and aspirational solutions for the longer term future based on some early piloting of key technologies. Most authorities have also seen adequate resourcing for electronic government as a crucial issue. â€Å"Estimates from authorities regarding the investment required for the Welsh region for implementing the electronic local government agenda fully ranged from  £20 million to  £200 million† (Barry, 2004:39). Many of them have been actively looking towards various forms of external funding in order to finance critical components of their electronic government agenda. According to Barry (2004), one important aspect that was poorly addressed in most Implementing Electronic Government statements was the degree to which authorities believed they had the sufficient internal skills base required f or implementing the electronic government agenda effectively over the long term. The Customer Chain â€Å"Most of the planning within authorities in Britain appeared to be devoted to enhancing the customer chain† (Barry 2004:39). There was a need to re-engineer access to government services by using multiple access contact centres which are supported by sophisticated customer relationship management systems. This innovation was seen as particularly difficult for the smaller authorities, and in Wales for example, only one authority appeared to be well advanced in this area. In terms of the Society of Information Technology Manager’s four-point scale of categories (promotional, content, content plus and transactional) most authority WWW sites were currently content. The aspiration amongst most authorities was for fully transactional WWW sites, however only some authorities were using such technologies for facilitating interaction between, for instance, councillor and citizen. The Internal Value Chain â€Å"In discussions with the authorities it appeared that the enablement of the internal value chain of authorities was at a much more advanced stage than the enablement of the customer and supply chains† (Barry 2004:41). However, there was little description of the state of the back-end infrastructure and the integration and inter-operability of back-end systems in the Implementing Electronic Government statements themselves. There was also little allusion to plans for front-end/back-end systems integration in most authorities. â€Å"Most authorities seemed to be using basic technologies such as electronic mail to good effect internally, many had intranets and many had upgraded their internal communications infrastructure. However, the use of technologies such as content, document and knowledge management was variable† (Performance and Innovation Unit 2000). Furthermore, many authorities expressed concern over the increasing costs and unclear benefits of document mana gement systems. The Supply Chain Supply chain has been the least enabled theme within British authorities, even though in the private sector, electronic enablement of the supply chain was seen as critical to modernisation. Some authorities were piloting aspects of electronic procurement, but few authorities had a clear strategy in this area. Most also did not appear to be using extranets in any serious way and tele-working was being piloted only by a minority. The Community Chain The issue of the electronic community was treated differently amongst the governments. A minority of the governments oriented their entire electronic government strategy around the key idea of partnerships with the community, the community information plan was the electronic government plan in such authorities. â€Å"In the majority of the authorities, however, the electronic community was placed as one but not the only issue in their electronic Evaluating electronic local government in the UK 145 government strategy. Most authorities had consulted on electronic service delivery and, as a result, predicted low uptake of such services in the short to medium term† (Barry 2004:44). 6. CONCLUSION Local e-government in England is a hugely complex change programme that takes in almost every aspect of local government and almost everyone involved. The scale of the transformation which is envisaged, and the timescale in which it is expected to be achieved, are both highly ambitious. It is only by understanding this transformation as a both an organisational and socio-technical phenomenon and developing management practices appropriate to the emergent and on-going character of the change required, that many of the goals of e-government are likely to be realised. The effective implementation of e-government requires that the many resource gaps that exist in relation to appropriate leadership, change and project management skills are filled. Bibliography Barry, James (2006), â€Å"E-government† Unwin, London. Cabinet Office (1999) â€Å"Modernising Government†, Cm. 4310, London Stationary Office Eiffert, M. and Puschel, J. 2004, â€Å"National Electronic Government (eds)†. London : Routledge, 2004. Local Government Association (2002), â€Å"Towards a National Strategy for Local E-Government†, Local Government Association, London. McLoughlin, I. and Cornford, J. (2006), â€Å"Transformational Change in the local State? Enacting e-government in English local authorities† Journal of Management and Organisation, v12.n3, pp195(14). Murray, Smith, (2005), Implementation Strategies for E-government: A stakeholder Analysis Approach†, Centre for Innovation and Structural change, NUI, Galway, Ireland Office of the eEnvoy. (2000). www.archive.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/e-envoy Performance and Innovation Unit(2000): â€Å"E-government, 2000, Electronic government services for the 21st century. The Economist (2006), â€Å"Britain: The world in a website; E-government†, London March 11 2006 v378.n8468, pp32.

The Admirable Lieutenant in Othello Essay -- Othello essays

Othello, William Shakespeare’s moving tragedy, gives the audience a number of victims, one of whom is Cassio. But this rugged guy keeps recovering and coming back to enter the fray. Let’s talk about him in detail. Kenneth Muir, in the Introduction to William Shakespeare: Othello, explains the ins and outs of Cassio’s personality: Cassio is defined partly by the exigencies of the plot, which require him to have a poor head for drinking and to have a mistress; but his chivalric worship of Desdemona, his affectionate admiration for Othello, which enable him even at the end to call him ‘Dear General† and to speak of his greatness in heart, and his professional reputation, which only Iago impugns, build up a complex portrait of an attractive, if flawed, character. In spite of his weaknesses, we can understand why Iago should be envious of the ‘daily beauty in his life’ and why Desdemona should speak so warmly for his reinstatement. (41)    The opening scene finds Iago explaining his hatred of the general to Roderigo. Part of his bad feeling concerns Cassio, who reportedly has no military battlefield experience. In his book of literary criticism, Shakespearean Tragedy, A. C. Bradley rejects the ancient’s accusation that Cassio is an inexperienced soldier:    That Cassio, again, was an interloper and a mere closet-student without experience of war is incredible, considering first that Othello chose him for lieutenant, and secondly that the Senate appointed him to succeed Othello in command at Cyprus; and we have direct evidence that part of Iago’s statement is a lie, for Desdemona happens to mention that Cassio was a man who ‘all his time’ had ‘founded his good fortunes’ on Othello’s love and had ‘shared dangers’ wi... ...Othello’s safety, in his abstaining from taking part in the bold and suggestive comments of Iago to the two women as they wait for Othello’s ship and, a little later, in his sincere regret about the loss of his reputation after he has partaken of the wine which Iago has forced upon him. (85-86)    WORKS CITED    Bevington, David, ed. William Shakespeare: Four Tragedies. New York: Bantam Books, 1980.    Bradley, A. C.. Shakespearean Tragedy. New York: Penguin, 1991.    Coles, Blanche. Shakespeare’s Four Giants. Rindge, New Hampshire: Richard Smith Publisher, 1957.    Muir, Kenneth. Introduction. William Shakespeare: Othello. New York: Penguin Books, 1968.    Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.   

British Literature Essay

  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Prithee, go in thyself. Seek thine own ease./ This tempest will not give me : leave to ponder/ On things would hurt me more. But I’ll go in. -/ In, boy; go first.- You houseless poverty -Nay, get thee in. I’ll pray, and then I’ll sleep. [Fool exits] Poor naked wretches, wheresoe’er you are,/ That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm! How shall your houseless heads unfed sides,/ Your looped and windowed raggedness defend you! From the seasons such as these? 0, I have ta’en! Too little care of this. Take physic, pomp./ Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel, / That thou may’st shake the superflux to them! And show the heavens more just.† — Act III, Scene 4, Lines 27—41 Literal Interpretation of the Passage King Lear is being turned out of his own castle by his daughters, Goneril and Regan. A fierce tempest is raging outside the castle and the daughters heartlessly have their father thrown out. A totally depressed King Lear speaks these lines to Kent and the Fool when they lead him to a hovel to protect him from the storm raging outside. The king asks them to go into the hovel instead and seek comfort from the storm. He is already shaken and tells them that the tempest will not let him ponder on things that will disturb him anymore. For a moment, the confused king tells them that he would go in, but immediately asks Fool to enter the hovel first. He tells them that he would like to pray before he goes to sleep. Fool enters the hovel and the king’s disturbed mind extends pity to the houseless people who are exposed to the ravages of nature. He wonders how people without a roof over their heads and without proper clothing would survive the cruelty of such a fierce storm. He wonders how wretched people, who don’t even get proper meals, get protected from seasons as harsh as these. He feels compassionate towards them and regrets that he had never before thought about things such as these. He wishes for a purgative that would flush out his pomp and seeks to expose himself to the harshness of what wretches experience. He hopes to shake some of his superfluous splendor on the wretched people and thus seek justice from heaven. Symbolic Interpretation of the Passage The play gains momentum in the third act when the king is turned out into the storm. The scene starts by the king crying out to Kent and Fool about â€Å"filial ingratitude.† He expresses his shock at his own plight and cries out aloud. The raging storm symbolizes the king’s mental status, and the intensity of the scene is immense when the old king is mercilessly made to face the storm both from outside and from within. The storm symbolizes the king’s inner turmoil and the madness that is soon to overtake him. The powerful storm also stands in stark contrast against the frail king who kneels down and prays after sending Fool inside. This is the first time in the play that the king prays. Pathos reigns supreme when the king all too suddenly remembers the â€Å"houseless heads.† The king’s own limitations, where he is thrown out in the open from the luxury of the castle is portrayed here. When the king rambles about â€Å"the pelting of this pitiless storm,† he alludes to the merciless nature of his daughters who mercilessly turn him out. The line â€Å"O, I have ta’en! Too little care of this† portrays the king’s understanding that he has been stripped of all royal pretensions and that he has never ever given a thought to something like this. He reproaches himself for being heartless in not caring for the homeless before. This throws light on the humanization of the king. Moral Interpretation of the Passage This passage highlights the plight of a mighty king who is betrayed by his own daughters and is rendered homeless. The hopeless situation to which the king is exposed is well expressed in this passage. He has lost the love of his daughters, his kingdom, and is now in the verge of losing his sanity too. The king divided up his kingdom and resigned from his duty. He was also stupid in not recognizing the affection of Cordelia and in sending her out because she refused to be a part of a flattering game. This is his sin and he is simply left to lurch in the thunderstorm by his own daughters. In such a backdrop, the brewing storm kindles the human spirit in the king. Though nature is not gentle towards the king, it does arouse the gentle feelings in him. It makes the same king who was vein enough to turn out his daughter for not taking part in a flattering game, wonder about other commoners. This play demonstrates the absurd nature of vanity and its results. The king learns a great many things by being exposed to harsh nature than when he was in the cozy realms of the palace. The great suffering of the king is beautifully depicted in this passage and one can foresee the tragedy that is soon to befall the king.

Prisoner Without a Name Book Review Essay

Prisoner without a Name, Cell without a number is a melancholy novel that expresses Argentina’s terrorist state. Jacob Timerman, a well respected man of Argentina, an editor of a well know Argentinian paper, La Opinion, tells the audience his story of the terrorist state of Argentina from 1967-1978. His gripping novel both describes his personal experience being kidnapped by terrorist, while he tells us about the condition of the terrorist state of Argentina. His book is important because it tells a first hand account of the fear, the distrust, and the mere insanity of conditions in the country of Argentina during its darkest time. In Timerman’s first chapter, he opens by describing how he lives (though being locked up in a cell is not living) while being locked away in an unknown location (p.g. 4). He first describes his own â€Å"cell†. He is extremely descriptive and the reader can feel as though they are in his small, narrow, cold, wet cell. He tells his audience of a little crack in the wall, his only ventilation and only source of light, in such little detail, yet the reader can understand his isolation from light, the outside world, and his family. Timerman describes the crack as a â€Å"faint glow, night and day, eliminating time† which represents his unwilling determination and hope for freedom. Timerman’s first chapter also gives the reader a sense that through all the events he has under gone, he still remains the same strong willed person (under the circumstances) he was as he is described in the rest of the book. In addition to he crack in the wall, Timerman describes an encounter with another prisoner when the eyehole of his cell accidentally left open by the guards. He describes his encounter with such passion and emotion, yet they do not say anything,, only stare at each other. Timerman describes how their movements, their eyes blinking, represented emotion and passionate communication between the two of them. For in these conditions seeing someone who is in the same situation and somehow communicating with them was extraordinary for Timerman. This encounter that he describes is an important aspect of his book, in that it represents an encounter with another person struggling through the same pain, and same tourture that he is experiencing. This can be looked at as a simile towards the conditions in the country of Argentina. After Timerman describes his torture and isolation while under imprisonment, his next chapter tells us about the chaos that has under gone in Argentina, and her government. He explains to the readers that there are two sides in this civil war between the two parties of government, and describes all of the violence that has occured as a by-product of this war. He tells us of his encounters with the hysteria before he was kidnapped, and the disarray that was upon Argentinians. Timerman uses a quote by Luis Borges that was very interesting and nsightful, claiming that â€Å"the Argentine is not a citizen but an inhabitant; that he lacks an idea of the nation where he resides , but views it as a territory†¦Ã¢â‚¬  which is an understandable view. The people of Argentina, as Timerman describes, are scared of their government and the terrorism that is upon them. Timerman describes Argentina is such a state that there is no government, and, that the government is corrupt and that there is no trust authorities. Timerman, throughout the book, tells about mothers, fathers, relatives, and friends coming to La Opinion asking to write a letter about their loved one going missing, yet he further explains in almost every instance, that he could not do anything about it because it could get him executed. Timerman, throughout the book, always described his reasoning and perspective, in that, he said he wanted to help those people that came looking for help, yet he was already pushing his luck writing articles that no other paper would dare to write. Timerman tells the read that during his position as editor at La Opinion he received many death threats and hostile remarks due to his articles in his paper being to left sided, or too right sided political view. Yet Timmerman tells the reader that his intensions where not to support either side, but to write about the truth about what was going on in Argentina. He also wanted to stop this terrorism and find a way to halt this insanity. Timermans book does an amazing job at telling two stories, his story of survival during imprisonment for multiple years, while also telling the reader about the irrationality and absurdity of Argentina’s â€Å"government†. Though the book takes place in Argentina, those who read it will understand the universal application. It could happen else where, and that is why it is an important book to read, understand and take in. Timerman, in his book, is a witness for the rest of us.

Adobo, The National Meal of The Philippines †Culinary Essay

Adobo, The National Meal of The Philippines – Culinary Essay Free Online Research Papers Adobo, The National Meal of The Philippines Culinary Essay Philippines, like all its other Asian counterparts, is a region of mouth-watering delights. Leading the roster of Filipino delicacies are the lechon (roasted whole pig or chicken), sinigang (chicken, pork or beef soup usually prepared with tamarind and other ingredients), dinuguan (pork blood stew) and adobo (e.g. pork or chicken slow-cooked in vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaf, and garlic) Among these delectable meals, of course, adobo best fits the title, â€Å"The National Meal† along with the bamboo, mango, milkfish and carabao as other iconic symbols of the country. The fact that adobo is well-loved by Filipinos, regardless of their social standing, home, province or region can not be denied. From the northernmost stretch of islands of Batanes to the vinta-dependent islets of Tawi-Tawi, adobo is a staple cuisine along with other regional favorites like the papaitan for the Ilocanos, pinikpikan for the Ifugaos and the Bicol Express for the Bicolanos. The dish is hugely popular among our native and indigent brothers as well as it is a must-eat among average and rich Filipinos alike. Different versions of the dish are usually the most-ordered meals on the menu of Filipino carinderias and restaurants; thus, signifying the nation’s penchant for adobo. The inviting smell of adobo lingers on our dining rooms every time we have our local gatherings or salu-salo. Even Filipino immigrants and overseas workers constantly crave for adobo abroad. Satiating their guilty pleasure, of course, only entails a session in the kitchen or a phone patch from ho me asking their loved ones to cook the most delicious adobo once they’ve reached Philippine shores again. Aside from the fact that adobo is well-loved by Filipinos, the dish also makes use of many of our local ingredients giving adobo the distinct Filipino flavor. We can give credit to the pure cane vinegar for the adobo’s rich sour taste and to the locally-produced soy sauce for its savory and salty feel. Sitaw or kangkong can also be added for healthier alternative. For spicier versions of adobo, adding siling labuyo and recado enhances the over-all zest of the meal. No other Filipino dish can also compete with adobo in terms of versatility and variety. Mixing vinegar, soy sauce and spices with either chicken, pork, fish, kangkong, sitaw or even crickets would yield to different varieties of the famous Filipino dish. Adobo sa gata, adobong matamis, adobong tuyo, adobong masabaw, adobo sulipan, adobo sa pinya, adobo sa kalamansi are only a few of the many ways to cook adobo. Adobo can also fill our pandesals, siopao, and puto, be made into adobo flakes, be poured evenly into our pizzas, and be mixed with spaghetti. And if those are not enough, local food companies have recently come up with adobo sauce and adobo spread. Adobo has the support of the Filipino people, the flavor, and the versatility to be an icon of the country. The meal offers an exciting feast for the senses and is indeed most deserving of the hallmark, â€Å"The National Meal†. Research Papers on Adobo, The National Meal of The Philippines - Culinary EssayNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationThe Spring and AutumnAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaCapital PunishmentWhere Wild and West Meet19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraTwilight of the UAW

Human Resource Management in tourism

Human Resource Management in tourism Introduction Humanresource management is an important aspect of management in every institution.Most organizations have a separate department that performs the important function.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Human Resource Management in tourism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Human beings are complicated beings and thus must be dealt with understanding. Human resources are responsible for doing activities that lead to the success of an organization. They have to be motivated and comfortable to work. Human resource management is practiced in many fields that involve human beings. Among the fields is the tourism industry (Elisa et al, 2004, p. 3). The tourism industry is characterized by diversity and therefore has sensitive needs of human resource. This report will discuss how effective Human Resource Management could contribute to the successful management of organizations in tourism industry. The report will f ocus on important elements of human resource management such as the process and policies of recruitment as well as competencies. The outcomes of ICT on human resources will be discussed to emphasize its significance in the tourism industry. It will also focus outcomes of information and communication technology, work ethics and rewards. How effective Human Resource Management could contribute to the successful management of organizations in tourism industry Human resources are very important for the success of any organization. Managing them can be challenging and thus organizations must be effective to in dealing with human resources. Their efforts to produce are what determine the success of the organization in any field including the tourism industry (2010, p. 1). In his research, Nickson (2006, p. 1) points out that the human resource management in the tourism incorporates the management principles to integrate with the specific needs in the tourism industry. These needs among o thers include recruitment policies and process, outcomes of ICT (information communication technology), inequalities and management of different staff, work ethics and rewards. Recruitment process According to the UNEP (2010, p. 147) recruitment is the methods used to get human resources who have attained the qualifications and can work. The end stage of recruitment which is often confused with recruitment is selection. The process starts with advertisement where several persons who are capable of working can apply.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The advertisements can be done on the notice boards or media or in the internet. Usually internal advertisements are done before external advertisements. Additionally, the existing employees are given priority in the selection. After advertisements, applicants respond and their applications are received whether online or manually. The candidates are short listed and invite for an interview. The interview is conducted by panelists who select the best on merit. Sometimes there is a second interview after which selection is done. The successful candidates are notified and invited to start working in the industry (Torrington, 2005, p. 46). Selected candidates report and are given induction and upon completion they start working. Induction is done by the human resource representatives, departments head or a fellow worker. The employee is given a team to work with or is given office to start working. In case the panelist fails to get successful candidates, there is a re-advertisement. The process is repeated until they get the right candidate. Sometimes selected candidates fail to report. In such cases the human resource management may select another who was second in the interview performed or start from the beginning of the recruitment. Recruitment Policies Jolliffe (1989, Para 1) indicates that touris m industry has to consider seasons in the recruitment of its human resources. This is because the tourism industry has a high season when there are many tourists while in other seasons there are few tourists. Due to the seasons, the employer must hire temporary employees that are going to work during the high season and a few permanent who will work all round the year. The recruitment process must be transparent. It should enable the employer to get committed employees who are best suited for the organization. The recruiters must be qualified and credible and should be aware of the nature of the organization. They should also know the needs of the organization. There should be no discrimination due to color or background of the candidates (Nickson, 2006, p. 1). Competence Elisa et al (2004, p. 3) note that the human resource management should look for managers who will support the tourism organization to earn more revenue. The human resources efforts determine the success of the org anization and those selected must be willing to employ their knowledge and skill in the industry.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Human Resource Management in tourism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The human resources must therefore be willing to perform and participate in the expansion of the tourism industry. This is because the profits obtained from the industry will be used to pay all due for the employees and other necessities of the company. Career oriented employees tend to be of great help to the tourism industry. In their pursuit to explore and develop their career in the industry, they lead to the success of the company. Such employees can be given the opportunity to grow and advance as they contribute positively (Elisa et al, 2004, p. 3). Training of the human resources in the tourism industry can lead to successful management. Training can be done to different groups in the industry depending on their roles. Training will enable workers be motivated, know what they are expected to do and work effectively and efficiently. Training also gives opportunities for discovery and development of talent (Elisa et al 2004, p. 4). In the recent practices, the human resource management has placed more emphasis on the management of finances and the ability to market to recruit employees. Another area of competency given attention is the recruitment of workers with information technology competencies. Managers recruit those with computer competencies as a basic criterion. In most cases those with specific expertise in certain areas are recruited and trained to perform specialized tasks. This in turn lead to more rewards as well as expansion of the tourism industry (Elisa et al 2004, p. 4). Further learning of employees in the tourism industry can be encouraged. When they go for further studies, employees increase their skill and become more knowledgeable thus work with more understanding. They learn new developments in the tourism industry and can implement it to realize success. Such employees who go for further studies require little induction in the industry and are therefore in a better position to handle difficulties within the industry than fresh graduates. Outcomes of ICT The use of ICT has led to success in the management of the tourism industry. As Elisa et al (2004, p. 1) note, computer competency is a basic requirement for new recruits. The organizations also have taken initiatives to train employees on computer skills. This is because the environment has changed and people are embracing technology in businesses.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore technology is being used widely in advertising and thus expertises are required in the tourism industry. Therefore, they use their specialization to lead the organization to gain more profits and stay in the global competition. ICT has been effective in a number of areas. It has been used in the recruitment process to advertise and communicate with potential employees. It has also been used in the management of the industry. The industry has benefited in keeping relevant data about employees, the organization and communicating within and outside the organization. ICT has been a weapon in advertising and communicating with clients. For instance customers can make on line booking for a holiday in a distant location. Furthermore, ICT has opened opportunities and created employment opportunities due to expression. The outcomes of ICT have been helpful in trucking changes in the world as they happen. Through internet, a lot of valuable information can be acquired and thus it is possible to adjust the services as well as management practices to deal with the dynamic requirements of clients. The employees can learn and find relevant information about a problem and Thus ICT has led to the successful management of human resources in the tourism industry. Inequalities and management of different staff The tourism industry is exposed to diversity. Nickson (2006, p. 1) suggest that there should be equality in the selection of employees in the tourism industry without discrimination because of color or background. Thus the human resources should be accommodative to different people of different cultures. A variety of employees from different cultures can be of advantage to the tourism industry. This is because such institutions that deal with diverse clients will benefit from the different employees who may be in a better position to such clients. This may be due to the advantage of being multilingual where they can speak in the language the client understands. M anaging the staff in terms of health and having a general concern of their welfare is important. Employees with a medical cover from the organization have a sense of security. Employees with ill health have a lower input and are prone to absenteeism. A comprehensive medical cover from the institution has positive impacts on success of the company. This is because employees are catered for, can be treated and recover. Those without cover may lack funds for proper treatment hence will keep falling sick and eventually lead to low input in the company. Some medical covers cater for the immediate family members of the employee thus he is able to concentrate on the job (Nickson 2006, p. 1). Work ethics The Sustainable Tourism Online (2010, p.1) the management has to maintain good working relations in the tourism industry. It can have considerate working hours and arrangements for its employees. Additional, it can discourage violations within work and encourage respect among the employees. Such habits as use of drugs and alcohol can be discouraged. The organization can introduce beneficial leisure activities like clubs as an alternative to abusing drugs (Nickson, 2006, p. 1). There is importance in strategizing whenever there are challenges and problem among the human resources as Nickson (2006, p. 1) indicates. The management must address the grievances of employees whenever cases of violation and misunderstandings are reported. It can adopt techniques of solving problems to reconcile the parties and address issues without taking sides. Poor relationships among employs are characterized with tension and discourage teamwork. Without teamwork, the tourism industry may not realize its goals. Rewards In their research Elisa et al (2004, p. 1) revealed that rewards for the human resources are part and parcel of effective management that led to success. Their research findings suggested that employees who are compensated for their work are motivated and devoted to work. C ompensation is based on organizational levels. The top ranked managers receive a great reward than the juniors. The middle managers receive lower than the top managers and higher than the juniors. The juniors are paid least than the others. Additionally, the most experienced are considered to be valuable and are therefore paid an amount considerate of their experience. Wages of employees increase when the employees are promoted. This is because their tasks and responsibilities have been expanded. The wages increase also when the worker goes for further training and hence need to be given a more challenging task. Elisa et al (2004, p. 2) identify increase in work load as a factor that lead to addition of wages to employees. An organization may experience increased clients and thus the organization may choose to add on wages instead of recruiting more workers who may be relieved from work when the season is low. Elisa et al (2004, p. 3) note that the criterion for compensation is base d on the position of the employees more than the skills and knowledge they possess. Although they have competencies and knowledge in many areas and are experts in specific fields, their rewards reflect the responsibilities that are attached to their specific positions. This means that those with similar education qualification and are of equal competencies are paid lower because they have fewer and different responsibilities than their seniors. Consequently, the managers in charge use their superior positions to learn more skills in management and thus maintain their position. This competition makes them very effective leading to the success of the organization. Middle level managers who wish to get higher rewards use their positions to demonstrate their abilities. Since they work closely with the top managers, they ensure that they demonstrate their ability to their immediate supervisors (Baum, 2006, p. 4). In most cases they are of same qualifications as the boss and therefore the y learn from them. Whenever there are opportunities for promotion they are likely to be recommended since they have demonstrated ability and skills in the human resource management (Elisa et al, 2004, p. 3). Skills and education of an individual are important in determining the rewards (Torrington 2005, p. 45). Effective rewards dependent on the qualifications of an individual gives satisfaction to the employee. When rewarded according to his ability, the employee devotes his time to work for the tourism industry hence there is success. Underpaid professionals tend to look for opportunities in other organizations. Highly skilled individuals are usually on demand as Elisa et al (2004, p. 2) state. They include personnel in specialized areas like information technology. They demand for high wages and thus to maintain them they are paid according to their demands. Managers are in most cases responsible to reward and can be sensitive to human resources needs. The mangers can have additi onal rewards for outstanding employees. This will encourage competition in the company for excellent performance. Workers who have worked for long in the company can be rewarded for their commitment. Recognition for work well did lead to improved performance. Recommendations In future the tourism industry may investigate the rewards organization. This is because the criterion for payment in some cases is position and in other cases it is expertise knowledge. Furthermore, a balance between expertise and position to determine reward can be made (Elisa et al, 2004, p. 4). Conclusion In conclusion, the effective management of human resources is the key to success of the tourism industry. This can be achieved by adopting a recruitment process that is transparent. The process should enable the organization employ competent employees who will lead the company to realize more profits and expand. Policies that allow for diversity and equal treatment can be adopted while paying attention to c ompetence of the employee. Importance of ICT and the outcomes cannot be estimated, as already mentioned, there are changes due to use of technology hence the tourism industry must embrace technology. Technology expands the organizations in terms of business and creates working opportunities for human beings. ICT therefore makes communication possible within and outside the organization. People of different color and back ground can work together effectively and lead to the success. Thus being multi lingual brings positive outcomes in the organization. Additionally, people can learn to work with people from different culture since tourism industry is diverse in nature. Furthermore, the management can ensure that there are policies that govern the behavior of the employees to maintain good relation. It can use strategic measures to solve differences among employees. Moreover, employees must be compensated for their work adequately. This will encourage them to work hard. Reference List Baum, T., 2006. Human Resource Management for tourism, Hospitality and Leisure:  An International Perspective. Australia: Thomson Learning. Elisa, M. Kay, C., 2004. Knowledge, skills, and abilities for lodging  Management success (Human resource) business journal: Cornell hotel and  Restaurant administration quarterly. Web. Jolliffe, L., 1989. Seasonality in tourism employment: Human resource challenges.  International journal of contemporary hospitality management, vol 15, no. 6. Nickson, D., 2006. Human resource management for the hospitality and tourism Industries. Butterworth: Heinemann. Web. Sustainable tourism online., 2010. Human resource management: Recognition and Management of emotional labor in the tourism industry. Web. Torrington, D. P., Hall, L.A, Taylor, S., 2005. Human Resource Management (6th ed.).  UK: FT Prentice Hall. UNEP., 2010. Sustainable Tourism in protected areas: Human Resource planning for  Tourism for in protected areas. UK: FT Prentice Ha ll. Virbus., 2010. Human resource management. Web.

5 Illegal Interview Questions and How to Deal with Them

5 Illegal Interview Questions and How to Deal with Them When it comes to job interviews, honesty (okay, maybe enhanced honesty in some cases) is the way to go. But what if the interviewer is asking you questions they have no right to ask? Out of ignorance or slyness, an interviewer might try to get information out of you that the company is not allowed to factor into their hiring decisions. However, you’re not obligated to answer them- and in fact you shouldn’t. Your battle plan should be to figure out why they’re asking (whether it has direct consequences for the job itself), and to decide whether you should answer. In most cases, the answer is â€Å"no,† but there are ways to redirect the conversation and/or call attention to the inappropriateness of the question without alienating the interviewer. After all, it may just be someone talking off the cuff without realizing it’s actually illegal to talk about certain personal issues. Some of the hardest interview questions you’ll encounter might be illegal.Here are some examples of illegal interview question areas, and how to get around them.1. Religion/Race/Sexual OrientationDo you volunteer with your church? That’s an interesting last name, what’s your background? These questions all sound pretty harmless†¦just making small talk, right? Yet each one gives away information known as â€Å"protected class.† Employers are prohibited by federal and state law from hiring (or not hiring) based on categories like race or ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. Talking about topics like your church (or lack thereof), your spouse, or your family’s ethnic background can give information that could tip the interviewer against you if there’s a bias involved. Even if it happens in a pre-interview chat, before you get down to the brass tacks of the job itself, you’ve given information that the interviewer had no real right to ask.The way to handle this is to redirect the question. If you r efuse to answer, even though you’re in the right, it could set you up as â€Å"combative† or disagreeable in the eyes of the interviewer. It’s okay to be vague and try to channel the conversation elsewhere. On church activity: I do volunteer at my local soup kitchen- I like to give back to the community when I can. On family background: Gotta love the American melting pot, right? 2. AgeYou have a pretty long and distinguished resume, do you see yourself retiring soon? Age (particularly 40 and up) is another protected class. If an interviewer tries to get information about how old you are, he or she might be trying to suss out whether you’re likely to be a long-time employee at the company†¦or whether this job is a pit stop on your way to the golf course.You should never feel obligated to give your age. Instead, take the chance to re-emphasize your commitment to the job for which you’re interviewing: On the contrary, I’m looking forward to talking about a long and productive relationship with this company, and bringing the fruits of that experience to my work for a long time to come.3. Family StatusIf you’re pregnant, have children, or may want children some day†¦doesn’t matter. An interviewer is not allowed to use your family status as part of the hiring decision. Even if you’re eight months pregnant in your interview suit, he or she can’t ask when you’re due, or about your childcare plan afterward.In a case like this, the best tactic is to try to push it back on the asker. Without being overly antagonistic, it’s okay to ask, Can you help me understand why that matters? I just want to make sure I better understand what this job entails.4. Whether You’ve Been ArrestedConvictions are fair game for interviewers and job applications, but arrests (without convictions) are not. Even that’s starting to change in some places: New York is looking at phasing out e mployers’ ability to ask about particular kinds of convictions. For now, however, convictions are askable, but arrests are not.If you’re asked, have a simple response ready to go (taking too long can trigger the kind of reaction you’re trying to avoid): I have never been convicted of anything, no. And if you do have a conviction, it’s essential to remember not to lie about that, because a background check would likely uncover that information.5. Your Military ServiceI see from your resume that you’re in the National Guard. Does that take up much of your time? Employers are not allowed to use active military service as criteria in hiring. Basically, the interviewer can’t factor in your military service at all. If you choose to answer this one, emphasize that you’ve never had a problem balancing your service with your career.6. Disability StatusIf you don’t mind my asking, how did you get in that wheelchair? Will you be on crutch es long-term? I see you have glasses- is that a pretty strong prescription? The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is pretty clear- employers are not allowed to discriminate against employees that may need physical accommodations. Instead, they are allowed to ask if you would need any specific accommodations to do the job.If it seems like the interviewer is fishing for information about a disability, deflect it. Are you asking whether I would need special accommodations? Or, I’m not sure I see how this relates to my ability to analyze sales reports- can you clarify and help me understand?The most important thing to remember is that if you feel uncomfortable, you don’t have to answer- but you also don’t have to disqualify yourself by putting up a defensive wall or walking out of the interview. It’s fine to call attention to the reasons behind asking (in as non-confrontational a way as you can manage), then try to segue back to the interview and job desc ription as quickly as possible.If you have concerns about any of the areas outlined here, definitely check with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and know your rights as an applicant.

Business Plan for a Fruit Juice Stand Dissertation

Business Plan for a Fruit Juice Stand - Dissertation Example The plan integrates the mission, vision, aim and objectives, including research methods, market analysis, and so on. Primary and secondary researches were conducted. Primary research involved interviews to 50 respondents at Westfield Stratford shopping centre. The respondents were mostly female, aged 20 to 35 years old, who frequently spend their leisure time in the mall. Secondary research on marketing strategy, marketing mix, marketing analysis, marketing programme and the 7Ps, a 2-year forecast of the business and an analysis of future events that might happen during implementation and actual operation of the business were discussed and integrated into this business plan to provide a clear picture of the business. Questions ranged from the respondents’ likeness of the fruit juice and smoothies to their daily intake of soft drinks and packed carbonated drinks. It was astonishing to know that the students and youths have been taking soft drinks and packed carbonated drinks and that fruit juice has not been too popular to them. However, there was a sign of hope when the question mentioned of a possibility of a fruit juice and smoothies contained in beautiful glasses, in which the respondents positively answered that they would prefer fruit juice and smoothies if these are readily available in stores inside the mall. The respondents replied that they wanted to take fruit juice as a substitute of soft drinks as they have heard of its health benefits. They were also asking for the price since the reason why they were taking soft drinks was due to the low price. Convenience was also one of the reasons for their preference of bottled and packed carbonated drinks.

International Trade Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

International Trade Finance - Essay Example This report looks into various aspects of international trade finance in relation to Stainless Cookware Ltd. The report will first analyse import/inward documents against payment collection in international trade since the company also engages in inward trade that requires inward financing and documentation. The report will also identify an appropriate banking product that Mr. Gupta, the director of the company can use to finance imports. The Incoterm that is currently used in the Saudi contract will also be evaluated, and recommendation will be given on whether another alternative may be used. Furthermore, the report will highlight how else the bank may protect the company. Advantages of invoicing using the USD will also be discussed while at the same time providing the three quotes alongside their sterling equivalent. This will demonstrate a deep application of international finance in the case study. There are also some documentation and other e-commerce financial aspects that can be used in international trade. Methods of payment in international trade will further be analysed. The Stainless Steel Cookware records its imports on documents against payment (DP) collection. The DP mechanism involves the release of import documents upon payment by the buyer. It is a crucial method of payment in international transactions which can enhance faster and effective payment for Stainless Steel Cookware. In this mechanism, the exporter asks the bank to present shipping and title documents to the importer only when he pays for the bill of exchange or draft. This is cash against documents, and it ensures that the importer pays for the goods as he takes possession of them (Carr & Stone, 2013). DP is therefore an effective method of payment for Stainless Steel Cookware because it ensures that the importers of its goods pay for their imports as

Describe how the web(www.gilt.com ) is used by a real corporation Assignment

Describe how the web(www.gilt.com ) is used by a real corporation - Assignment Example The website offers various discounts to its customers and only those customers can access these discounts who have subscribed with the website. There are various ways in which the website can be helpful for various brands located within and outside United States. Real world organizations such as Saint Laurent and various other organizations can benefit from Gilt Groupe in several ways. Gilt Groupe website is similar to the local small sized retail stores that are located in various areas. These stores purchase various products from different manufacturers at discounted prices and then they sell these products directly to the customers. In return the manufacturers selling their products derive many benefits including advertisement benefit, research benefit, cost cutting benefit and targeting benefit. The organizations that connect with the Gilt Groupe website can obtain same benefits from the website (Ostapenko 64). One way through which high end brands such as Saint Laurent can use the Gilt Groupe website is that such brands can directly reach their target market without compromising the image they had developed over the years. The members who are subscribing with Gilt include individuals who are educated and at least have a bachelor’s level degree and belong to higher income earning groups (The Business of Fashion 1). Brands such as Saint Laurent sell their offerings at very high prices and the customer base of Gilt are the main target markets of these brands. Another benefit that brands including Saint Laurent can benefit from Gilt website is that they can reach a higher consumer base and can easily attract new consumers that had been previously shopping with their competitors. The target market that is catered by Gilt mostly includes those consumers who are very brand loyal and only purchase from a certain brand. But organizations such as Saint Laurent can sell their products through the Gilt website and even gain the attention of customers who

Select a grand nursing theory.Explain how application of this theory Essay

Select a grand nursing theory.Explain how application of this theory by nurse leaders and nurse managers can influence outcomes from two of the following areas - Essay Example This theory is grounded on the supposition that the founding principle of nursing is bound in caring as the root of nursing (Burtson & Stichler, 2010). Nurse leaders can use the theory of human caring in patient care delivery and increase patient satisfaction. This theory offers a structure that nurse leaders can use to reinstate the profession’s vision of care that permits care to flow from the nurse leader to other nurses and eventually to the patients (Douglas, 2011). This promotes wholeness and healing among the patients and the nurses (Boykin et al., 2003) By being caring to the staff members, the nurse leaders can rest assured that the nurses will show the same care and compassion to the patients (Burtson & Stichler, 2010). When a leader adopts and demonstrates this theory he or she then opens the door for the nurse staff to start incorporating care in a more thoughtful manner and impact on their interactions with clients (McEwen & Wills, 2014). This then improves delivery of care and the levels of patient satisfaction (Douglas,

MGT 501 Mod 2 Case assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MGT 501 Mod 2 Case assignment - Essay Example The most notable of the report is that not even Facebook or Apple made it to the list. Google has committed human resource team whose only job is to work on keeping employees happy. Irrespective of such extreme attention on the retention policies, Google still loses their workforce to Facebook or other bigger companies. But, the employee turnover rate of Google is comparatively less than that of the rival companies. For an organization, it is not just important that they have clear mission and goals. It is also important that they reach at all levels of the organization. This is exactly what we will analyze with the case of Google’s ranking. The difference in Google compared to that of other companies is that the employees are equally aware about the mission and goals of the company while in many other companies it is just the top management that are aware about the mission. In Google, the employees strive towards achieving the organizational goals. The work and leisure enviro nment at Google is considered to be the best in the industry. The essay will begin by analyzing how the job satisfaction and motivation of people at Google are influenced by its corporate values and goals concerning employees, customers and business. The essay will finally conclude by suggesting whether this business model can be adopted by every organization or not. Corporate Values and Goals Values and Goals Concerning Employees: â€Å"A company with employees aligned on goals for the future is able to reach those accomplishments faster.† (Frost, 2013) The same is true in the case of Google. Google’s value and goals concerning the employees are one of the best in the industry. Google’s values consist of 10 things that the company charted in the initial years of formation of the company. The company still holds on to those 10 values. The one point that focuses on employee values is ‘You can be serious without a suit.’ (Google, 2013a) Google’ s approach to employees is unlike the traditional organizations. Google believes that work should be fun for the employees. Google’s work culture is employee friendly compared to many other organizations. In fact, Google believes that it is the proper work culture that brings out the best from an employee. Google values the ability of the employees over their experience. For proper employee motivation and job satisfaction, the freedom to share opinions and ideas is very much essential. In Google, each and every employee gets the opportunity to be a significant contributor to the objectives of the organization. They have good say in the objectives of the organization. At the weekly meetings, employees have the freedom to shoot questions even to Larry and Sergey. It is not just the monetary benefits that motivate an employee. Almost all theories related to motivation and job satisfaction says that participation of employees in decision making will lead to higher employee motiva tion. (Ezinearticles, 2013) Similarly, a good work culture is also essential in job satisfaction and improving employee morale. This theory holds true in the case of Google. Due to its extreme focus on enabling an employee friendly work culture, Google was able to be ranked as one of the best companies to work for. It also has one of the

Nursing Administration Philosophy Statement Essay

Nursing Administration Philosophy Statement - Essay Example I uphold the philosophy of acting in line with the highest standards of ethics, efficiency, accountability, effectiveness, and openness in pursuit of the highest standards of nursing care and leadership. The paper documents my philosophy of nursing administration, which outlines proactive leadership as an essential tool to carry out change in nursing management. Philosophy of Nursing Administration Introduction In order to elaborate on philosophy of nursing, I consider that one must settle on what philosophy means to them; philosophy represents an attitude toward life and reality that envelops people’ beliefs. This definition awards one the freedom to utilize own beliefs. Caring can be considered to form the backbone of nursing, whereby without caring, nurses cannot connect with patients, and consequently, trust cannot form between nurses and patients. Philosophy outlines vision what a nursing manager views the nursing services and what he or she believed it should be. Backgro und During my childhood, my fascination with the discipline of nursing was all about white uniforms and caps; however, this notion on nursing practice has changed over the years out of the realization that a nurse is not merely an individual in a uniform, but rather a person charged with making a difference in patients’ life through caring and compassion. As a leader in women and children case management, I recognize that nurses should be recognized for their expertise and compassion in availing care to patients and communities (Carter et al., 2010). I concur that there is no other profession that avails the opportunity to implement the philosophy of caring for others into action while simultaneously availing personal and professional gratification that can be attained when one applies knowledge to enhance patient care. I practiced in an obstetric unit for three years as a labor and delivery nurse charged with the duty of caring for women during pregnancies and childbirth, wh ereby I had to assess both the mother and baby and come up with an individualized plan of care. In my practice as an obstetric nurse, I won an award recognizing my efforts developing collaborative networks with physicians. Presently, I am a case manager at the local health department charged with the duty of highlighting the clients’ needs and instituting plans to meet clients’ needs effectively and efficiently. Nurses have been at the front position of case management as it connects to moving patients via the hospital efficiently. Conflicts may arise between nurse case managers and other providers within the community. This necessitates that professional become educated on issues regarding case management programs, dealing with interdisciplinary teams, legal issues, and respecting patient’s wishes and rights (Weberg, 2010). The goal relates to ensuring that all localities have access to the care and services available to all citizens of the community. As a case manager, I encounter challenges in creating and securing sustainable funding for the programs and creating sufficient infrastructure support. Discussion (Body) Evidently, nursing leaders play a critical role in shaping the nursing profession to be highly responsive to the changing healthcare system. The state of the contemporary economic environment can be regarded as chaotic given that the external environment has

MGT 501 Mod 2 Case assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MGT 501 Mod 2 Case assignment - Essay Example The most notable of the report is that not even Facebook or Apple made it to the list. Google has committed human resource team whose only job is to work on keeping employees happy. Irrespective of such extreme attention on the retention policies, Google still loses their workforce to Facebook or other bigger companies. But, the employee turnover rate of Google is comparatively less than that of the rival companies. For an organization, it is not just important that they have clear mission and goals. It is also important that they reach at all levels of the organization. This is exactly what we will analyze with the case of Google’s ranking. The difference in Google compared to that of other companies is that the employees are equally aware about the mission and goals of the company while in many other companies it is just the top management that are aware about the mission. In Google, the employees strive towards achieving the organizational goals. The work and leisure enviro nment at Google is considered to be the best in the industry. The essay will begin by analyzing how the job satisfaction and motivation of people at Google are influenced by its corporate values and goals concerning employees, customers and business. The essay will finally conclude by suggesting whether this business model can be adopted by every organization or not. Corporate Values and Goals Values and Goals Concerning Employees: â€Å"A company with employees aligned on goals for the future is able to reach those accomplishments faster.† (Frost, 2013) The same is true in the case of Google. Google’s value and goals concerning the employees are one of the best in the industry. Google’s values consist of 10 things that the company charted in the initial years of formation of the company. The company still holds on to those 10 values. The one point that focuses on employee values is ‘You can be serious without a suit.’ (Google, 2013a) Google’ s approach to employees is unlike the traditional organizations. Google believes that work should be fun for the employees. Google’s work culture is employee friendly compared to many other organizations. In fact, Google believes that it is the proper work culture that brings out the best from an employee. Google values the ability of the employees over their experience. For proper employee motivation and job satisfaction, the freedom to share opinions and ideas is very much essential. In Google, each and every employee gets the opportunity to be a significant contributor to the objectives of the organization. They have good say in the objectives of the organization. At the weekly meetings, employees have the freedom to shoot questions even to Larry and Sergey. It is not just the monetary benefits that motivate an employee. Almost all theories related to motivation and job satisfaction says that participation of employees in decision making will lead to higher employee motiva tion. (Ezinearticles, 2013) Similarly, a good work culture is also essential in job satisfaction and improving employee morale. This theory holds true in the case of Google. Due to its extreme focus on enabling an employee friendly work culture, Google was able to be ranked as one of the best companies to work for. It also has one of the

Definition of Terms Essay Example for Free

Definition of Terms Essay AMR- Ambulatory Medical Record- An ambulatory medical record (AMR) is an electronically stored file of a patient’s outpatient medical records, which includes all surgeries and care that do not involve being admitted to a hospital. The importance of AMR’s is that they only apply to outpatient medical records. Outpatients procedures or services are performed so frequently that at times it can be tedious to keep track of them. These records allow a physician to review a patient’s COMPLETE medical history. CMR- Computerized Medical Record- Computerized medical records are the digital counterparts to patient medical records kept in paper files and folders in health care offices. The importance of CMR’s is they allow for less paper storage or use. A patient’s medical records can be an extensive file. The longer the file gets the harder it is to keep up with it. Keeping a computerized copy of what is on paper in a patient’s medical record is more than convenient, it is a more efficient method of documentation. CMS – Centers for Medicare and Medicaid- The Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services (CMS), previously known as the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), is a federal agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) that administers the Medicare program and works in partnership with state governments to administer Medicaid, the State Childrens Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), and health insurance portability standards. CMS is an important entity to US healthcare, without it, the medical coverage for  children whose parents do not have the luxury of commercial coverage and the elderly who have reached the age of retirement would not have health benefits. Medicare and Medicaid do not only supply benefits to children and the elderly but there are those citizens who are considered disable in some way, shape, fashion or form. CMS-1500 A universal claims billing form used by physicians and other healthcare practitioners to bill payers for professional services. The CMS 1500 form assists physicians especially in receiving reimbursement for the services provided. The development of a form for physicians eliminates confusion for insurance companies when processing claims. The companies need not worry about whether the charges were submitted by a physician or facility, which makes for easier and more efficient processing. CPT Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) is a code set that is used to report medical procedures and services to entities such as physicians, health insurance companies and accreditation organizations. CPT is used in conjunction with ICD-8-CM or ICD-10-CM numerical diagnostic coding during the electronic medical billing process. From a billing standpoint, a world without CPT codes is almost like a world without people. The genius idea to use a universal language of numbers to determine services an individual had performed alleviates chaos. CPT codes also give a shorter description of the services rendered. Some procedures are so extensive, all the information appearing on a claims form can cause confusion. By giving these procedures a 5 digit number which can be researched for a description creates efficiency. DRG Diagnosis Related Group any of the payment categories that are used to classify patients, especially Medicare patients, for the purpose of reimbursing hospitals for each case in a given category with a fixed fee regardless of the actual costs incurred DRG’s prohibit a facility from receiving an outrageous reimbursement for specific provided services. The categorization of patient cases into specific groups which allows for a set cost or billed amount places a cap on reimbursement to that facility for that case/patient. EPR Electronic Patient (Health) Record (EHR) -an evolving concept defined as a systematic collection of electronic health information about individual  patients or populations. Monitoring a patients’ health information in an electronic manner is a win/win for all involved. It allows the patient faster access to their records and the physician or hospital a faster method for reviewing or receiving those same records. The EPR has evolved into the EHR. The development of tracking patient health information in an electronic monitor has produced a more effective, accurate method for organizing something as lengthy as a person’s health history. HL7 Health Level Seven (HL7) a non-profit organization involved in the development of international healthcare informatics interoperability standards. HL7 and its members provide a framework (and related standards) for the exchange, integration, sharing, and retrieval of electronic health information. The 2.x versions of the standards, which support clinical practice and the management, delivery, and evaluation of health services, are the most commonly used in the world. The development of this organization is the foundation for the ability to transfer and track health information safely and without violation of a person’s personal information. Without HL7, the above mentioned term (EPR) would not exist. This organization’s importance is beyond measure in terms of convenience involved in the healthcare field. The standards set forth are a necessity in order for health information to be exchanged or shared, they provide peace of mind to the patients and physicians. ICD-9 International Classification of Disease, 9th edition A standardized classification of disease, injuries, and causes of death, by etiology and anatomic localization and codified into a 5-digit number, which allows clinicians, statisticians, politicians, health planners and others to speak a common language, both US and internationally. A 3 to 5-digit number code describing a diagnosis or medical procedure. The International Classification of Disease 9th edition is as important to billing as CPT codes. The universal language for identifying a patients diagnosis assists not only for purposes in billing but for physician and hospital communication with insurance companies. Physicians attend school to learn and become familiar with the formal name for specific diseases, injuries and other medical conditions. On the other hand, insurance companies may not be as familiar or educated as to  the formal names for these medical conditions, which is where ICD-9’s come into play. They allow for easier and more understanding within the communication aspect of physician to insurance or facility to insurance company. UB-92 Uniform/Universal Billing form 92 Managed care The official HCFA/CMS form used by hospitals and health care centers when submitting bills to Medicare and 3rd-party payors for reimbursement for health services provided to Pts covered. UB-92 billing forms have since been replaced with UB-04 billing forms. Needless to say, a universal billing form creates an efficient, more precise method of billing for hospitals. Once again it eliminates the time that would be consumed by insurance companies attempting to determine if a claim is for a facility or physician. Eliminating this step assists in jump starting the processing of reimbursement to a facility for rendered services.

Millennium Schools in Ecuador: Role to Improving Creativity

Millennium Schools in Ecuador: Role to Improving Creativity Are Millennium Schools a Solution to Improve Creativity Education in Ecuador? Abstract In this research paper we will talk about the millennium schools in Ecuador and its role to improve creativity in the countrys school. The goal is to show what the millennium schools are and explain why the government invests so much in these schools that they can not improve the creativity of education. So when we look a little deeper into this matter we can see that there are many irregularities with these millennium schools that are part of the governments flagship projects. We will identify the main problems of these schools and will explain in an easy way the reason why these are not the best option to improve the creativity in the education of the country. These are the things we will see in this research paper, from a brief explanation of the millennium schools to explain why these schools are just a waste of money. Keywords: Millennium school, creativity, education, government. Investing in education means investing in hope (Pope Francisco, 2015).ÂÂ   These words make a lot of sense for todays society because with education we can change the future and create hope for a better future. Each country has its way of investing in education in the case of the government of Ecuador was invested in a new type of schools called millennium schools. This idea of creating schools of the millennium emerged in 2005 that Ecuador along with 147 other countries subscribed to the declaration of the millennium. The government of Rafael Correa inaugurated the first school of the millennium in the year 2008. With this new type of schools it was thought to improve the creativity in Ecuadorian education and this to create a better future for Ecuador. Its objective was to change the traditional form of education that the country used. These millennium schools are very much criticized and are called white elephant, because they do not fulfill what is expected and cost much mor e money than a common school. Many people also think that it is unfair to invest a lot of money in building only a few schools and the vast majority of schools remain the same, with very poor infrastructure. Millennial schools are the same as ordinary schools and do not lead to change or improvement of education for the following reasons: firstly, millennium schools have a modern structure, but use same education system as traditional schools; secondly they are white elephant; and finally, they may be end with a new political regime. 1. Modern infrastructure but the same system First of all, we will start by talking about one of the main problems of the millennium schools, millennium schools have an excellent infrastructure compared to the other schools in Ecuador, but they have the same education system as the rest of Ecuadorian schools. These millennium schools are fully equipped with labs and classrooms but do not have teachers trained for this new type of school. In all of Ecuador there are only 64 millennium schools built totally and another 57 that are being built or is planned its construction. This means that only a small group of students in the country will benefit from these millennium schools. While investing a large amount of money in schools of the millennium the great majority of schools in Ecuador have a poor structure that needs to improve urgently. In millennium schools creativity is not encouraged as planned because these schools have the same education system as the other schools in the country. For these reasons the schools of the mille nnium do not help to increase the development of the creativity in the Ecuador because they have the same system of education. So all this investment does not change the education of Ecuador. 2. Why they are calledwhite elephant? Another problem is that millennium schools are called white elephants because people think that these schools are not going to progress and they are only a useless expense of the government that does not worry in solving the main problem of the little creativity in the basic school. The construction of the millennium schools is surrounded by many irregularities. One of these irregularities is its construction. These schools have budgeted a price and in the end always cost a few more than the initial price of construction. People in Ecuador are angry because they invest a lot in these schools alone and there are very few schools with proper infrastructure in Ecuador. For these reasons people think that this project is not sustainable and does not help the development of Ecuador. These millennium schools are just an act of populism of the government since it builds them very few. For the things written above is that many people say that the schools of the millennium are a white elephan t that is determined to fail because of its high costs of construction and because it has the same educational system that is the rest of the schools in the country. 3. The project may end with a new political regime. A very serious problem of these millennium schools is that they could end if the government of Rafael Correa comes out of power. With a new system of government the schools of the millennium would be stagnant. Currently the Ecuadorian government has many economic problems due to the low price of oil. The next government to be elected in 2017 will not have the resources to complete the construction of the millennium schools and would leave that project in the trash. This means that the following elections in Ecuador will define what will happen with many emblematic projects that the current regime has. It is very possible that the next president of Ecuador will cancel the millennium schools and other projects. Conclusion In summary there are many negative aspects in the millennium schools that show us that these schools can not be able to improve creativity in the educational system of Ecuador. The correct thing would be to invest to improve all the schools of the country at the same time and to change the educational system of education. It would be necessary to start with basic education from teachers, parents and students. In order to fulfill the goal of 21st century education, the millennium schools must change the old boring and memorable education to a new education in which the creativity of all is important. So the first thing that should be done is for the government to stop constructing new schools and to invest in improving the infrastructure of the schools that already exist in the country. When all the schools in the country have a new infrastructure, it will begin to improve creative education. In conclusion the millennium schools are very expensive to build and are not a solution to im prove the creativity in Ecuadorian education. References Compton, Robert. (2011). The Finland phenomenon. Recovered from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm1zbC18j-w Childress, Sarah (2007) A Young Tinkerer Builds a Windmill, Electrifying a Nation Segal, Susan (2016) The case for disruption in Latin Americas classrooms Ossola, Alexandra. (2014). Scientists Are More Creative Than You Might Imagine. The atlantic.

More Reserach Is Needed Before Marijuana Is Legalized :: argumentative essay, against legal pot

The effect of drugs can be harmful to the body. They can damage nerves that are used for thinking. According to the "Nation Institutes of Health"(NIH), cannabis is one of the most popular used drugs in America ranking third after tobacco and alcohol. Marijuana (the most common form used in America), is made of the dried leaves and flowers of the female cannabis sativa plant, and looks like oregano. It is usually smoked in a pipe or in hand-rolled cigarettes. Hashish (hash) is a dried-caked resin from the flowers and leaves of the plant. It is sold in chunks and cubes, and its color range from light brown to black. Hashish is often blended with tobacco and smoked. It is more potent than marijuana because it contains a higher concentration THC (abbreviation for delta-nine-tetrahydrocannabinol). THC is the main psychoactive ingredient in all cannabis preparations (NIH). The more THC cannabis contains, the stronger it is. The existance of the plant has been reported as early as 1500-1200 B.C. in China. Since then, an overwhelming number of studies have attempted to explain the physical and psychological effects of cannibis on humans. According to "The National Clearinghouse," (NCH), the effects of cannabis are similar to alcohol intoxication. Small amounts can make you relaxed and generally less inhibited. Some users say that it enhances the experiences of music, food and sex. Logical thinking tends to be slowed, but cannabis smokers often believe that their minds are flitting from thought to thought with great speed (NIH). Intoxication is more intense during the first hour after smoking, although the drug's effects may persist for three to five hours, depending mainly on the dose. According to " CESAR," regular users often develop a psychological dependence on cannabis. They have a strong desire to continue its use, to get through the day. Without the drug, they can feel anxious, or panicky. Some heavy users of cannabis experience physical dependence. Their bodies become use to the drugs. When they do not have the drug, they may go into withdrawal. Symptoms include sleeping problems, anxiety, sweating, and loss of appetite and upset stomach. Although most symptoms usually disappear within a few days, sleep disturbances may last longer. Regular use may cause a general loss of interest, motivation, memory and concentration. The user may also show a lack of concern for the future, and have problems with abstract thinking. These effects may be harmful for young people, who are still making choices about the future. Once a person stops using cannabis, symptoms tend to disappear gradually, but problems

Amazon.com Case Study Essay -- Business Marketing Management

The objective of this case study is to outline and provide a brief overview of Amazon.com’s (Amazon) mission, strategic direction, core competencies, relied technologies and their future impact of new technologies, and how management and use of consumer data will impact future business. In addition, we have analyzed Amazon’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in a SWOT analysis. Based on this analysis, and research, we have recommend a course of action as to how Amazon should respond to their weaknesses and threats and how best to leverage strengths to take advantage of available opportunities. Amazon’s Mission and Strategic Direction Amazon.com, Inc. is an internet retailer headquartered in Seattle, Washington founded by CEO Jeff Bezos. Their mission and strategy is quite simply â€Å"to offer Earth’s Biggest Selection and to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they may want to buy online and [we] endeavor to offer our customers the lowest possible price.†1 And, if they can’t help they will point the customer to a site that can. The company accomplishes this by operating six global internet sites: www.amazon.com, www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.jp, www.amazon.co.fr and www.amazon.co.uk. Through their zShops, auctions, affiliate program, Merchants@ and Amazon Marketplace programs, Amazon, and their sellers and partners, offer new and used collectibles and products in categories such as apparel and accessories, DVDs, electronics, computers, books, music, videos, cell phones, tools and hardware, the list is almost endless. In order to maintain quality, the company packages and ships all of its merchandise. They also continue to negotiate volume deals with suppliers to meet their goal of lowering prices. Additionally, Amazon has formed partnerships and alliances with publishers, other on-line retailers, technology providers, either handling their web site operations or linking brick-and-mortar entities to its virtual storefront. As part of their diversification strategy, Amazon recently acquired Internet Movie Database www.imdb.com (IMDb), which is an authoritative source of information on movie and entertainment. This acquisition is one of many Amazon is making expand its product and service offerings. The company is also preparing to sell internet domain names and already ... ...omers. Possible future partnerships could involve companies like AT&T who is currently developing a â€Å"web cents† card for online shopping. This partnership could also lead to technology developments which Amazon already uses to leverage its position. All in all Amazon should do well if it continues to stay true to its mission – the customer. References: Amazon.com, â€Å"Investor Relations,† â€Å"About Amazon.com,† â€Å"Annual Report,† â€Å"Privacy Notice,†, â€Å"Web Services,† www.amazon.com, Online, May 2003, www.amazon.com> Kaplan, Simon, â€Å"The Right Fit,† www.cio.com, Online, May 2003 www.cio.com/archive/120101/fit content.html Dignan, Larry, â€Å"The Day Ahead: Dot-coms grow up, chief execs step out,† www.zdnet.co.uk, Online, May 2003, Fool.com, â€Å"Amazon’s CEO Letters,† www.fool.com, Online, May 2003, www.fool.com/server/foolprint.asp?file==/news/foth/2002/foth021119.htm Bannan, Karen J., â€Å"Book Battle,† Media Week,† EBSCOhost, Online, May 2003, Vol. 10 Issue 9, P72, 2p, 5c Hoovers.com, â€Å"Profile,† www.hovers.com, Online, May 2003, www.hoovers.com/premium/profile/3/0,2147, 51493,00.html Fortune.com, â€Å"Amazon: Can Amazon Be Saved?,† www.fortune.com, Online, May 2003, www.fortune.com Amazon.com Case Study Essay -- Business Marketing Management The objective of this case study is to outline and provide a brief overview of Amazon.com’s (Amazon) mission, strategic direction, core competencies, relied technologies and their future impact of new technologies, and how management and use of consumer data will impact future business. In addition, we have analyzed Amazon’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in a SWOT analysis. Based on this analysis, and research, we have recommend a course of action as to how Amazon should respond to their weaknesses and threats and how best to leverage strengths to take advantage of available opportunities. Amazon’s Mission and Strategic Direction Amazon.com, Inc. is an internet retailer headquartered in Seattle, Washington founded by CEO Jeff Bezos. Their mission and strategy is quite simply â€Å"to offer Earth’s Biggest Selection and to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they may want to buy online and [we] endeavor to offer our customers the lowest possible price.†1 And, if they can’t help they will point the customer to a site that can. The company accomplishes this by operating six global internet sites: www.amazon.com, www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.jp, www.amazon.co.fr and www.amazon.co.uk. Through their zShops, auctions, affiliate program, Merchants@ and Amazon Marketplace programs, Amazon, and their sellers and partners, offer new and used collectibles and products in categories such as apparel and accessories, DVDs, electronics, computers, books, music, videos, cell phones, tools and hardware, the list is almost endless. In order to maintain quality, the company packages and ships all of its merchandise. They also continue to negotiate volume deals with suppliers to meet their goal of lowering prices. Additionally, Amazon has formed partnerships and alliances with publishers, other on-line retailers, technology providers, either handling their web site operations or linking brick-and-mortar entities to its virtual storefront. As part of their diversification strategy, Amazon recently acquired Internet Movie Database www.imdb.com (IMDb), which is an authoritative source of information on movie and entertainment. This acquisition is one of many Amazon is making expand its product and service offerings. The company is also preparing to sell internet domain names and already ... ...omers. Possible future partnerships could involve companies like AT&T who is currently developing a â€Å"web cents† card for online shopping. This partnership could also lead to technology developments which Amazon already uses to leverage its position. All in all Amazon should do well if it continues to stay true to its mission – the customer. References: Amazon.com, â€Å"Investor Relations,† â€Å"About Amazon.com,† â€Å"Annual Report,† â€Å"Privacy Notice,†, â€Å"Web Services,† www.amazon.com, Online, May 2003, www.amazon.com> Kaplan, Simon, â€Å"The Right Fit,† www.cio.com, Online, May 2003 www.cio.com/archive/120101/fit content.html Dignan, Larry, â€Å"The Day Ahead: Dot-coms grow up, chief execs step out,† www.zdnet.co.uk, Online, May 2003, Fool.com, â€Å"Amazon’s CEO Letters,† www.fool.com, Online, May 2003, www.fool.com/server/foolprint.asp?file==/news/foth/2002/foth021119.htm Bannan, Karen J., â€Å"Book Battle,† Media Week,† EBSCOhost, Online, May 2003, Vol. 10 Issue 9, P72, 2p, 5c Hoovers.com, â€Å"Profile,† www.hovers.com, Online, May 2003, www.hoovers.com/premium/profile/3/0,2147, 51493,00.html Fortune.com, â€Å"Amazon: Can Amazon Be Saved?,† www.fortune.com, Online, May 2003, www.fortune.com