Leadership - Ministry of Defence (MOD) - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 9 Words: 2655 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? Abstract As an organisation the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is like any other organisation in that they have to implement training and development strategy. This strategy will be a driving force in the success of that organisation. The need for training must be identified and communicated to all individuals within the organisation. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Leadership Ministry of Defence (MOD)" essay for you Create order This training and development must be relevant and contribute to the growth of both the individual and the organisation. This assignment identifies how good management of training contributes to the success of the training and development, the importance of recognising that individuals have differing learning styles and that training does not come in a one size fits all approach. This, along with applying a balanced approach to training by incorporating multiple delivery methods will increase the effectiveness of the organisations training and development strategy. 1 Introduction 1.1 Executive Summary Learning is one of the most fundamental functions of human beings, it is a measure of growth. This growth can either be in individuals, organisations, or society, it can be the defining element of any of these groups as to whatever they success or fail. The importance of the management of training within the organization should not be overlooked. This needs to be incorpor ated within the organisations HRM strategy and must be used with a top down approach and incorporated at all levels within the organization. It is recommended that the management of training within the workplace adopts a planned and systematic approach, (Mullins, 2001, p.504). As the organisation needs to ensure that the full benefits of the training are achieve. This management of employee training like most management strategies needs to be grasped at the strategic level so it can be filtered down through the organisation. Learning styles/preferences of both trainers and trainees plays a crucial part in the success of training being delivered. Trainers need to be aware that all trainees learn differently and more importantly be aware that their own learning style or preference will have an impact on how training is delivered. It is recommended that organisations need to understand the criticality that learning styles have on the training aspect of the organisations Human Resour ce Management (HRM) policy (Bird Cassell, 2013, p.79). The trainer needs to realize and have the fore front of their mind when designing training packages that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“your own preference can infect the way you design your trainingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Bird Cassell, 2013, p. 92). Not being aware of this can make the training you design and deliver in theory worthwhile and beneficial to the trainee but in reality can be unbalanced to all learning styles and detrimental to your audience. Striking a balanced approach to training will ensure that the training being delivered is worth wile and productive. This approach whilst seems to be à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“common senseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  seems to be forgotten as trainers and course designers become single minded in the way they develop training especially in this ever digital social world. It is recommended that adopting a blended learning approach to training and training techniques, (Bird Cassell, 2013, p.13). which adopts face to fa ce exposure in the classroom with other related activities. This approach is best used and incorporates the benefits of both the individual and the organisations needs are both met. (Egan, n.d). 1.2 Assignment Aim The aim of this assignment is to distinguish between different learning styles and strategies that can be employed within the workplace to enable the author to design and deliver a training package for Equipment Table (ET) Sponsors to attend prior to a new version of the application being rolled out across Defence. This is due as a result of a major software application upgrade within the Defence Equipment Table arena which was a result of a budget savings measure bought about an organisation change was brought into service in September 2011. 1.3 Assignment Limitations Due to a project delivery over run, the course design and associated manuals are based on a version that is imminently about to go live. The training was thus conducted by ET Sponsors on a system that was not in service. Depending on the length of project over run this training may need to be re-run to ensure application familiarity when the system goes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“liveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . To carry out this assignment, two areas of research were acknowledged; the research of reports, internet, journals and texts and the development of training materials in order to deliver a course for application users. These are all secondary sources and will provide qualitative information. Information was used to gain knowledge within the organisational learning and training arena, then subsequently used to understand how we learn and design and deliver a software application training package to Equipment Table Sponsors (ET Sponsors) as a demonstration of this knowledge. By co-relating these methods together it is envisaged that the author has gained sufficient materiel to inform the discussion and produce a coherent and comprehensive training package. 1.4 Assignment Background The Equipment Table Information System (ETIS) Project began on 2 May 08 and was delivered at the beginning of September 11. The requirement was identified due to the obsolescence of the old Army Equipment Table Production Centre (ETPC) FoxPro application (Adams, 2012, p. 7). Subsequently due to the manner in which the project was managed, the requirement for an upgraded version was quickly identified to satisfy the current application versions capability shortfalls. As a direct result of the implementation of this new version, a planned change was envisaged by the project manager and the customer in the way that future business was going to be conducted. Despite this change requirement, the training line of development had been overlooked and the user community has been left with an application upgrade which is significantly different than the previous version which, in turn, replaced the legacy application with no formal training or user manuals. The project board for this applica tion did not foresee the requirement for a training plan but as the project has moved forward, this requirement has been identified as a shortfall within the project. This has shown a lack of configuration control within the project but also how to manage the change of business process and keep the senior user and key stakeholders involved in the process (The Office of Government Commerce, 2009, p. 95). 1.5 Assignment Methodology Due to the restriction that the application is not yet live and will be after submission of this assignment due to technical issues with other Defence IS applications connectivity, the author decided to pilot the training to ensure that the training package was available once the application is live. Prior to the training being delivered, the author decided to conduct a pilot run. This was done using the authorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s previous experience of conducting surveys and using a similar process of conducting pilot surveys. Polit, Beck Hungler, (2001, p. 467) state that a pilot study can be used as a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“small scale version or trial run in preparation for a major studyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . The purpose of this pilot training was to validate the survey and to serve as a dry run ensuring that any logistical qualitative issues pertaining to the training are resolved prior to the main survey being deployed. De Vaus, (2002, p. 54) advises researchers to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“check to see if there are any ambiguities or if the respondents have any difficulty in respondingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . By piloting the training it is envisaged that the author has managed to avoid misleading, inappropriate or redundant training. The pilot training was conducted by two colleagues who work within Defence Inventory Management. They were invited to complete the training and provide any feedback on the survey paying particular attention to the following areas: Training Order. Wording/Terminology. Time taken to complete the training. Ease of use of the ETIS User Process Guide. Whilst the sample population should be a portion of the population to be surveyed, (Polit, Beck Hungler, 2001, p. 234), the author decided to use a sample population that did not work within the field of British Army Equipment Tables nor use a sample population that is representative of the population being trained. The author believes that the chosen personnel would provide a completely impartial and objective assessment of the survey. As they work within Defence Inventory management the sample is similar to the population being trained, this has assisted in ensuring that any training bias is kept to a minimum (Polit, Beck Hungler, 2001, p. 234). The pilot sample size represents 6.06% of the total population the final training package will train. On closure of the pilot training package, 100% of those invited to participate responded to the user feedback. Respondents found the training easy to follow but as the training was conducted without access to the application able the y were unable to say if the training combined with the application would run smoothly but could see how the interaction of PowerPoint ® and the application would work, in principle. An area of feedback was the inclusion of a progress counter. As a result of this feedback the author changed the layout and added a progress bar to each page. The author also added a more comprehensive brief about the user process guide at the beginning, explaining how the guide can be used and how it can be used a desk top guide outside of this training. The training package can be found at Appendix A of this report. The feedback from the piloted training package commented on the following areas: PowerPoint ® theme. It was noted that the main theme for the presentation should be changed from our corporate theme to another theme as we as a Top Level Budget (TLB) do not own this training package, just have complied it. The training package will be owned by the Defence College of Logistics, All Arms Wing (DCLAAW). Instructor Notes. The screen shot contained within the instructor notes were particularly small, making their value negligible and was suggested that they should be larger. The author was complemented on the fact that as a package 100% of those who piloted the training said à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ that with a modicum of preparatory revision, they could present the courseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . The author, after some reflection, looked at the comments made from the piloted survey and has made the following amendments to the training package prior to delivery once the system has gone à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“liveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . PowerPoint ® theme. The author having taken this information on board contacted the DCLAAW and had a discussion with them about ownership of the training package. At the end of the discussion it was agreed that they would sponsor the package, as it was related to a Logistic IS application. But the content of the training was owned by the Senior User within the community and they would be responsible for future updates and package delivery, which the Senior User has agreed too. This resulted in the user adopting the PowerPoint ® theme for DCLAAW. Instructor Notes. Having had a discussion about the PowerPoint ® theme, the author then addressed the issue of the pictures in the lesson plans for each slide and the fact that the pictures were on the small side. The pictures in the lesson plan are to give the instructor, especially inexperienced, a quick reference guide to what slide is coming next, a visual guide in the presentation. Whilst the author disagrees with this and believes that they add little value to the trainer. The author is somewhat restricted in removing these from the training plans as this layout is standard practice within the DCLAAW and as they are the sponsor of the training package. The author felt obligated that they should keep within the spirit of the training establishment and retain the pictures. The author verbally thanked the pilot participants for their assistance and for their kind words of encouragement. The author recognises that once the training is formally delivered to the user community more amendments from the post course evaluation will have to be incorporated to the training package. 1.6 Literature Review This literature review only covers learning theories, whilst the author has had to research and develop knowledge in other disciplines, the author feels that the focus on one discipline for this review is sufficient as this may make the literature review become too wide and varied and lose relevance to this assignment. The author has noted that the field of learning styles is not unified as one but comes across in 3 different fields of study: theoretical, teaching and commercial. This brought complications for the author and was somewhat unexpected. These problems can be seen as: This is a multi disciplined area and has authors from fields including but not exclusive to psychology, sociology, business studies, management and education. This comes with its own issues as the authors will interpret the various evidence in their own discipline terms and possibly be steered by their own subjects theories and possibly tailored to suite their own subjects perspective. Commercialism is promoting certain, models, styles or inventories. This has led to certain models becoming more popular than others. In the UK for example Kolbà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Learning Style Inventory (LSI) and Honey and Mumfordà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Learning Styles Questionnaire (LSQ) are widely known and used. The gains for the creators of these models is huge but also any critical activity into the theory and empirical elements of their model claims are seen as unfavourable (Coffield, Moseley, Hall Ecclestone, 2004a, p. 2). Research is completed for differing purposes. Some aim to contribute to theory and do not intend for their model to be used in mainstream use, whilst others develop to be used by individuals in all disciplines. The author was presented with a very large amount of information available for the literature review, this made it difficult to review especially as the author is not a specialist in any of the aforementioned disciplines. This meant that the author was hit by a wave of unknowing what was relevant, current etc . This was further emphasised by the Learning and Skills Research Centreà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s 2004 study (Coffield et al, 2004a, p. 1) which identified 71 models of learning styles and was initially used by the author to try and get a firm appreciation of the task at hand. Due to this the author became more aware of overlap between learning styles and other learning aspects. This was further put into context, (Reid, 2005, p.56) who explained that learning styles were connected to seven other aspects of learning and depending and as each area had different interpretations which may cause confusion. The author certainly believes that this is true and learning is a subject that does not fit neatly into its own box but in fact is a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Russian Dollà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . This was typified by Curryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s 1987 evaluation of learning styles by the use of the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“onion model of learning stylesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , (Coffield et al, 2004a, p. 8). Whilst Curryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s model is referencing learning styles you can clearly see his model used to explain the interconnections of learning styles (at the centre of the onion) and the seven other aspects (the next seven layers of the onion) so as you peel away each layer or another aspect you get closer to understanding the subject at the core of the subject, in this case learning styles. Kolb defines learning theory as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience. Knowledge results from the combination of grasping and transforming experienceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Kolb, 1986, p. 38). His model places experience as the core element of the l earning process. The author agrees with this but also believes that the theory fails to explain the importance of knowledge to complete the learning cycle. Just because an individual experiences activity does not necessarily mean that the individual has understood what has been done or more importantly why or how it works in relation to other activities especially if it is part of a system. This is due to having to choose which continuum is applicable for that learning experience, grasping or transforming, (Dochy, Gijbels, Segers, Van Den Bossche, 2011, p. 57), as the learner is forced to choose as they cannot do both simultaneously.

The Islamic State Of Iraq - 854 Words

An increase in terrorist attacks across the globe by a group being called the Islamic state of Iraq in Syria has sparked up a debate about President Obama’s administration plan to bring Syrian refugees into the United States. There has been so much talk referring to the subject about Syrian Refugees. Limiting the time frame between Obama’s first term and now coming up to his last few months in office, President Obama has addressed to make changes for all of Americans in the United States including the ones born and the ones residing in the states. The United States was built as the land of the free and was raised by immigrants from all over the globe. President Obama on the date of November 19, 2015, stated that â€Å"The refugees from Syria are no different†¦the overwhelming numbers who have been applying are children, women, families, themselves victims of terrorism.† That is actually correct because 67% have been children under the age of 12 and women according to State Department data. (Flack) If you and your family were trying to escape a country that perhaps was dangerous to your well-being, would you not want protection for your life? These are actual human beings trying to get away from tragedy. People should come together to aid other needing countries and not be hypocritical and biased about bringing â€Å"terrorists† into our country. Everyone is aware of the terrorist incidents happening globally. Obama agreed to accept 10,000 Syrian refugees, but after the attacks inShow MoreRelatedThe Islamic State Of Iraq Essay1751 Words   |  8 Pagesoriginate? Honestly, no one really knew when ISIS came to be. Some sources trace the group back to 1999 (Miller, 2016), while others say that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria emerged around 2011. The most common belief is that ISIS stemmed from the group Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). AQI was formed after the United States invasion of Iraq in 2003. Al-Qaeda in Iraq was backed by the Shiite militia of the Sunni tribes until 2007 when the government of Baghdad encouraged citizens to no longer support AQI.Read MoreThe Islamic State Of Iraq1604 Words   |  7 Pagesage, the United States faces a new evil which has risen from the ashes of â€Å"Al-Quada In Iraq.† It has taken the place of other insurgent groups where we deployed military forces in the Middle East and beyond. Th e atrocities caused by this group may go down in history on the same level of Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany during World War II, Khan, Stalin, and the Crusades. As stated above, the so-called â€Å"Islamic State† began as Al-Queda in Iraq, evolving into the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and theRead MoreThe Islamic State Of Iraq1762 Words   |  8 PagesThe Islamic State has been created in 2003 during the invasion of Iraq by a Jordanian in order to expel Americans. The movement has been linked to Al-Qaeda but has been weaken by the American offensive. However since 2011 the organization has used the Syrian civil war to regain influence and territories. In 2013 Al-Qaeda rejected the movement because of its violence. They tried to create an alliance with Al-Nosra which refused because of its violence too. The Islamic State has been known under severalRead MoreThe Islamic State Of Iraq And Syria1592 Words   |  7 Pages The radical Islamic terrorist organization, recently re-titled â€Å"the Islamic State,† has existed under several names since the 1990s. Its history is an epic of how modern terrorism progressed from a religious and political ideal into an obliterating cult. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is a properly-armed group that is a threat to the global security. ISIS, whose merciless members delight in murdering innocent people, must be destroyed before its fanatical followers carry out furtherRead MoreThe Islamic State Of Iraq And Syria1702 Words   |  7 Pagesevolved into a post-Al Qaeda era in the Middle East, a new threat has emerged from the ashes of the 2003 invasion of Iraq and later in the 2011 war in Syria. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS, ISIL or Daesh) has rapidly become the most pressing foreign policy concern in the Middle East for the United States. In the last four years, Daesh has gathered swaths of territory in both Iraq and Syria, although it has been driven back thanks to coalition efforts to counter the group. The coalition in placeRead MoreThe Islamic State Of Iraq And Syria1388 Words   |  6 Pagesthere is a new extremist organization that rivals even al -Qaeda (Beauchamp 1). This terror group is named the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria., or in short, ISIS. Three years ago, ISIS did not exist but now it controls parts of Iraq and Syria and has made its own state. Terror organizations like al-Qaeda are merely terrorists groups while ISIS has captured and created their own state. ISIS is a well developed organization that has shown their handiwork repeatedly on social media and YouTube (KhederyRead MoreIslamic State Of Iraq And Syria1547 Words   |  7 Pagesstands for â€Å"Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.† This group is a radical Sunni muslim terrorist group whose primary goal is to restore the Islamic State in the region consisting of Syria, Israel, Jordan, Pakistan, and Turkey. The rise of the Isla mic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), has struck fear into the hearts of leaders around the world. One of the scariest aspects about this, is teenagers from all different countries (including the US) are being targeted by propaganda from the Islamic State. RecruitersRead MoreThe Islamic State Of Iraq And The Levant1656 Words   |  7 Pagesmany terrible acts since then. ISIS was originally an al-Qaida group in Iraq and was known as the ISI (Islamic State of Iraq). It later expanded to Syria in April of 2013 and then received the name of ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), with another name for the group being the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. ISIS was removed from the al-Qaida group because they were too extreme for them. â€Å"The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) is so hardline that it was disavowed by al-Qaida sRead MoreThe Islamic State Of Iraq And Terrorism1615 Words   |  7 Pagesmilitant insurgencies have escalated the dangers and unpredictability of an already unstable government in Afghanistan. The agenda of these jihadist extremists is the takeover of the Afghan and Pakistan governments in favor of the more stringent Islamic ways of the Taliban, and the destruction of anyone who opposes them. These groups, professing to do the work of God, are perpetrating a coarse and distorted interpretation of Islam and the Quran. Violent acts that have been committed by insurgentsRead MoreThe Islamic State Of Iraq And Syria1746 Words   |  7 Pages The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is the newer and more intimidating version of the famous terrorist group Al Qaeda. The group makes an appearance in the news almost every day. Over the past couple of years, they have multiplied in numbers. Not limited only to the Middle East, there are people all over the world who have proclaimed allegiance to ISIS. The Islamic extremist group has set out to destroy anything or anyone that comes in their way or do not agree with what they stand for. In

Life Experience free essay sample

When they first saw me they knew I was going to be the one! That special girl, who after graduating from high school would go to college. My brother never finished high school, and my sister just graduated and decided to start working. There last hope for having a daughter that goes to college was me. But they just didn’t know that first I was going to go through a rough time! In elementary, I was an A student, I would always pay attention, do my work, and turn it in on time. Yes, sometimes I would get tired of being that little good innocent girl, so that’s when I started to do badly. All my problems started right when I had started middle school. My A’s became C, D, or even F’s, and my attitude towards teachers went from sweet and nice to I didn’t care. We will write a custom essay sample on Life Experience or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page After my first school fight in 7th grade, I didn’t care at all about my grades or anything else! â€Å"Mija yo lo unico que quiero esque termine la escuela para que valla al colegio! Y asi despues puede aser algo con su vida, y ganar mucho mas dinero que yo!† (My dear daughter, the only thing I want you to do is go to school graduate, then go to college! After that do something with your life, so you could make way more money than I do!) My dad would tell me. These few words would be in my mind for few hours then they would fly away. My freshmen year, that’s when everything went down the toilet! Being a cool kid was one of the important things. But in that time I didn’t know that it was wrong. I would talk back to the teachers, have attitude, be late to class, and never do my work. Damn I was good at those things! That whole year I didn’t care about anything. â€Å"Mija no sea pendeja! Usted cree que si yo hubiera tenido la oportunidad de acavar la escuela no la hubiera acabado? Claro que SI! Pero parese que a usted no le importa! (Daughter doesn’t be stupid! You really think that if I had a chance to finish school I wouldn’t have took it? Well you’re wrong, yes I would! But it looks like you don’t care about it!)† My dad would tell me when he knew I was walking through the wrong path. Half a quarter was left before I realized that everything I had done that year wasn’t worth anything. But it was already too late, ? of the year had already past; the only thing I had left was try to and make the best of the last quarter. Now that I’m a junior and have one more year to graduate, I see everything very different. From me being able to graduate on time as to being accepted to a college! This last two years I have been trying all my best to do good so that I could graduate with a good backgroun d. Even though I had screwed up many times in my past, my past is my past and right know the most important thing to me is making sure that everything is right and as ready as it can be so that I could get that chance and opportunity to go to college. Make my parents and my dreams come true, but that all depends on the choice that I make! Life Experience free essay sample My first friend told me that she felt bad when I was sitting alone and decided to pursue me because of that. Thinking back to this makes me remember where my dislike of school came from. She was blonde and seemed to get along well with all of the people around her. I took her as my social role model. She was athletic and played soccer so I changed my wardrobe to all athletic clothes and joined the local soccer team. I liked playing for a while but then it started to take up too much time for the small amount of enjoyment I got out of it. So as middle school started, my first friend slipped away. There I found the pretty, stylish, admirable new social role model. She made it seem easy talking to other people she didn’t even know yet. She wore so-low sweat pants and juicy sweatshirts so made my mom go out and buy these pricey clothes. We will write a custom essay sample on Life Experience or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This all gave me the idea that I would fit in but I soon realized that my new friend was more interested in making friends other than me. I decided to give up on my social role model technique and just be myself for once. Not caring about what others thought of me helped me improve in school and get over my fear of class participation. Though there was a while were I felt alone, I looked at it in a positive way and figured I would rather be myself than conform to what everyone else is doing around me. After all, the most famous artists, mathematicians, and philosophers were all non conformists. At least that’s what I kept telling myself. There were a few obstacles along the way but they all shaped the person I am today. After ditching my over analyzing thoughts as to why I wasn’t fitting in, I met my best friend of almost six years and no longer feel like I’m putting on an act for anyone else by changing the way I dress or joining any sports teams that I was una ble to fully commit to. There is finally a balance in my social life and my new found interest in my subjects continues to reward me.

Job Analysis of Public Information Officer

Introduction The position of a public information officer working for a police precinct entails a combination of journalism, communication and police work in order to properly disseminate information to the general public which can consist of a variety of important announcements that may impact their safety in the near future.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Job Analysis of Public Information Officer specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is based on this that this paper will examine what is necessary to hold such a position, what its necessary methods of evaluation and what can be done in order to encourage employee performance. While proper training can create an adequate employee, however, it is methods of organization development that will create a satisfied employee that will do their job spectacularly. Job Description The general duty of a public information officer is to communicate information deemed re levant by the department to the general public especially in cases involving special incidents (i.e. natural disasters, terrorism, or a serial killer on the loose). The following are a list of the general duties associated with this particular type of job: Conducts publicity and informational activities (Clapper, 2010) Assists with community training and education activities (Clapper, 2010) Assists with the coordination of the district’s use of community service volunteers (Intercity, 3) Regularly reports to the district manager and fire chief (Clapper, 2010) Follows district ordinances and policies As for the number of hours required for this particular position it must be noted that events never truly stop and that they can happen at any time (Education Portal, N.A.). Due to this, a public information officer has to be ready to immediately work 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get y our first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand the job does entail normal working hours (9 to 5) and as such can be considered average in terms of the degree of time pressure levied on people within this particular job type. History of the career In terms of the relative â€Å"age† of this particular career choice it must be noted that it was only created within the past few decades as a response towards the necessity of interacting with the general public and the media regarding various cases and aspects of police work. As such, this particular career type is specialized to the extent that its capacity is one where accuracy of the information given must be taken into consideration on a daily basis while at the same time applying sufficient prudence in terms of giving only what’s appropriate (i.e. not starting a panic within the general population). Recruiting Plan On average there is approximately 1 public relations officer for each precinct and as such the number of people currently employed in this particular career field can be approximated by the number of police precincts currently in operation within the U.S. Of particular interest is the fact that various reports examining job growth for this particular type of career path have emphasized that the number of public information officers is expected to grow by at least 24% within the upcoming years and as such is indicative of the relative importance of the position. When it comes to the qualifications of workers for this particular job it must be noted that there is no precise sex, age, or physical requirement rather individuals who pursue this particular career path merely have to have a bachelors degree in an appropriate field such public relations, journalism or marketing (Frederick, 1). Thus a recruiting plan for this particular strategy would consist of an initial internal evaluation of officers within a particular precinct in order to determine whether any had prev ious media related experience or had taken up a journalism/communications/media related course while in college.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Job Analysis of Public Information Officer specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More If I find that the local precinct lacks candidates an external search of other precincts will be accomplished to see whether they may possess the type of candidate I am look for. In the instance that such a search yields no viable candidates, it is only then that an external method of recruitment will be implemented wherein the usual ads placed in classifieds or online job listings will be utilized. In order to get the right kind of candidate for the job the classified ads will specify that only candidates who prior experience in media/public relations will be accepted in conjunction with an education profile that suits the needs of the job. Furthermore, the job description will indicate th e rigors that the candidates will encounter on the job which should help to discourage all but the most adamant workers for the position. Selection Strategy The selection strategy will consist of examining which of the applications received show candidates with the right amount of experience and education for this particular type of position. Ideally the candidate should have 3 years prior experience in public relations/communications or a media related position where they have to process and disseminate important information on a daily basis. Furthermore the candidate must have a college degree that emphasizes some level of public communication, this can be waived though if the candidate shows that they have accumulated enough relevant experience in public communications to be able to the job as needed.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Once a select group of candidates has been determined from the number of the applications they will all be invited for preliminary interviews in order to determine their overall level of compatibility for the job. During the interview what will be examined is their communication skills, their ability to properly create detailed explanations with limited data as well as their interpersonal relation skills. This is to weed out individuals that may have the necessary knowledge and experience to the job but lack the necessary skills to be able to carry it out to the degree that is necessary. After the preliminary interview has been concluded, the candidates that have passed the first stage will be asked to come in for a test to confirm the skills noted in their resume. This will consist of a series of written and case based examinations meant to determine how they work under pressure and the methods they would utilize in order to do the job properly. It is expected that after going thro ugh the various interview and testing procedures a viable candidate should emerge that will be able to do the job adequately. Job Performance Evaluation One of the bet methods of evaluating an individual’s performance is to utilize solid data and metrics to determine whether they are accomplishing the job in the way that they are meant to. While a public information specialist position may appear to have relatively few instances where metrics can be applied this is not necessarily so. The first metric to be applied in this particular type of position would be the rate of information dissemination. This takes the form of how long it takes for information sent to the employee to be edited, reviewed and then sent to the necessary parties in order for the information to be properly communicated. What you have to understand is that the information that normally passes through this position normally consists of emergency broadcasts, crucial updates, announcements regarding criminal s within the vicinity as well as a plethora of other types of information deemed important to the public at large. The longer the information is retained the more likely that the lives of local residents will be adversely impacted and as such it is important to process and distribute the information as fast as possible. The second metric that will be necessary for this particular position is the overall level of responsiveness of the employee. This takes the form of his/her ability to be on call during the weekends, being able to get to work on time and ensuring that all work backlogs are completed as necessary. Without this level of responsiveness to the job it is possible that information backlogs may occur, if this does happen information that is vital towards public safety my not be transmitted at all resulting in possible civilian deaths. The last metric for this job involves compliance to district ordinances and policies regarding methods of information dissemination. This is both the easiest yet the most important of the metrics since compliance to the various rules and regulations is an absolute necessity for this particular type of position. It must be noted though that given the right amount of training this particular type of metric can easily be met. Training Necessity of Ethics Training Aside from ordinary methods of training an employee, it must also be noted that ethics training is an important component in the training solutions implemented by any organization due to the proliferation of decidedly unethical actions within corporations and a variety of organizations. The article â€Å"Ethics Training and Businesspersons’ Perceptions of Organizational Ethics† by Sean Valentine and Gary Fleischman is an investigation into the influences of corporate culture, ethical codes of conduct and ethics training into the level of job satisfaction, performance and ethical practices that employees bring to the workplace (Valentine Fleischman, 2 004). The researchers were able to present the importance of ethics training as a means of encouraging and facilitating proper ethical practices within the workplace. Furthermore, they indicated that ethics training allows a workforce to be more aware of the ethical codes of conduct that a company abides by and as a result enables them to be far more likely to conduct themselves in a manner that is in line with the highest standards of moral and ethical behavior (Valentine Fleischman, 2004). The main theoretical underpinnings of the study is the concept of ethical training and existing ethics codes being the best way in order to ensure ethical actions among the employees of a company. Such a theory has been backed by various studies such as those by Craft (2010) which explain that by creating an environment where employees are constantly exposed to ethically progressive ideas, notions and behaviors, eventually they will be influenced in the same fashion (Craft, 2010). This theory a ddresses the â€Å"social notion† behind working within an organization by creating the impression that since everyone within the company is following and advocating the use of ethical behaviors then as an employee of the company a person should also implement such aspects into the work that he/she does. Taking the information that has been presented into consideration it is thus necessary to implement some form of ethics training for the individual that will occupy the public information officer position. This can come in the form of external training sessions that can the employee can be placed in or a variety of digital presentations given in order to highlight the necessity of ethics in everything that he/she does for the organization. Other methods that can be implemented in this regard would be to provide an employee manual where specific ethical codes of conduct are outline with the express notion that they must be followed at all times within the workplace environment . Earnings On average the median salary for being a public information officer is $56,000 per annum. Overall, the salary is not that bad when taking into consideration the fact that the expected output for the job is not that taxing. On the other hand it must be noted since one aspect of the job is to be on call 24/7 in order to respond to any possible emergency that needs to be relayed properly to the public this job as a result entails a certain degree of stress and lack of sleep given the tumultuous times we live in at the present. It must be noted though that this job does come with a certain degree of expense due to the fact that establishing proper connections with various members of the journalistic field is necessary in order to gain â€Å"allies† so to speak within the private and public sectors to help disseminate news in the manner that is most appropriate. Employee Training and Development When it comes to employee retention and performance, job satisfaction is th e deciding factor behind such principles of corporate human resource development and as such should be examined from a multilevel perspective in order to ensure employees continue to perform adequately and stay longer within a particular organization. One method of doing so, based off of Herzberg’s Two Factory Theory, is to implement the concept of continuous training and development as a means of ensuring continued job satisfaction by enabling employees to develop different job skills while at the same time continuing to keep them interested in their job. When it comes to continuous training development programs, it is interesting to note that researchers indicate that by continuing to develop employees in order for them to accomplish multiple tasks, this actually results in a greater degree of job satisfaction since it takes away factors related to repetitious actions that actually cause job dissatisfaction. From the perspective of various studies, an employee actually lose s satisfaction with their job over time unless some degree of variability is included in order to make the job more interesting. It is recommended that continuous training development programs which allow employees to assume different job roles as well as sufficiently progress in their career are an optimum method for increasing job satisfaction since this enables them to â€Å"reset’ their marginal utility so to speak as they are placed into new roles. This creates continued interest, the desire to learn and improve which in the end results in high degrees of job satisfaction. Conclusion Based on the information provided it can be seen that proper training can create an adequate employee, however, it is methods of organization development that will create a satisfied employee that will do their job spectacularly. Even if the best employee candidate can be chosen, their ability to succeed at their job is limited by the methods of organizational development employed that are meant to retain their interest and ensure their satisfaction with what they doing. Reference List Clapper, C. (2010). Public information officer job description. Web. Craft, J. L. (2010). Making the case for ongoing and interactive organizational ethics training. Human Resource Development International, 13(5), 599-606. Retrieved from https://www.ebsco.com/ Education Portal. (N.A.). Glossary of career education programs rss feed subscription  glossary of career education programs / communications and journalism / public  information officer: Job.. public information officer. Retrieved from https://study.com/articles/Public_Information_Officer_Job_Description_Duties_and_Outlook.html Valentine, S., Fleischman, G. (2004). Ethics training and businesspersons’ perceptions of organizational ethics. Journal of Business Ethics, 52, 381-390. Retrieved from https://www.ebsco.com/ This term paper on Job Analysis of Public Information Officer was written and submitted by user Taraji E. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

A extensive book revew on Animal Farm by George Orwell and its symbolism to the Russian Revolution

A extensive book revew on Animal Farm by George Orwell and its symbolism to the Russian Revolution Book Review: Animal Farm: A Fairy StoryBy George OrwellPublisher: Harcourt Brace Company; 1946The content of the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell is satirical to the RussianRevolution. The narrative is developed by means of an establishment of events that correlatedirectly to changes that occurred in Russia [mainly] in the early 1900's. The events andcharacters in the book are comparative to important figures and affairs in the RussianRevolution. Although Orwell wrote the book to clearly reflect that distinct era, this novel can alsobe viewed as an allegory on any revolution. Through this generalized approach to thepresentation of the novel, Orwell creates a more identifiable way in which to explore thehappenstance of the Russian Revolution, while simultaneously creating a completely individualtrain of events.The novel takes place on a farm called "Manor Farm". In the initial stages of the book,the power over the farm is directly in the hands of a certain "Mr.Stalin's Grave by the Kremlin Wall NecropolisJones" who in recent times hastaken up alcohol consumption. Mr.Jones is parallel to Tsar Nicholas II as suggested by hisantipathy toward his people (the farm animals, in Jones' situation) and his denial of the currentbureaucratic state. Before his abdication in 1917 (as is parallel to Jones' escapement from hisspiteful farm of animals), the Tsar is known to have partaken in excess alcohol consumptionalong with his men. It was for this same reason that Jones has lost control of the farm, whichinitiates the ideal of revolution to the animals. Old Major stirs the other animals by showing hisdisagreement as per Jones' selfish method of running the farm. As quoted in the book, "Manis the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not...

Words with the -ster Suffix

Words with the -ster Suffix Words with the -ster Suffix Words with the -ster Suffix By Mark Nichol The suffix -ster originated in Old English as -ister, serving to turn a verb into an agent noun, one describing a person who (or thing that) performs an action. Beginning its linguistic life as the feminine equivalent of -er, it survives in the specifically feminine noun spinster- originally, â€Å"a woman who spins,† but now a label for an older unmarried woman. In Middle English, the suffix lost its gender-specific function. Surnames that were originally agent nouns denoting occupations include Baxter (â€Å"baker†), Brewster (â€Å"beer maker†), and Webster (â€Å"weaver†); linguists are divided about whether these terms were exclusively applied to female practitioners of various crafts or referred to men as well. Another occupational term, teamster, originally referred to a wagon driver and later to a truck driver; this profession gave its name to the trade union called the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, which includes workers in many other trades. Other words that we hardly notice include the suffix include gangster and mobster, both referring to members of criminal organizations. (Bankster is a recent play on the former word, alluding to allegedly felonious acts of bank executives.) A slang term for one who plays basketball is hoopster, and young and old people are referred to as youngsters and oldsters respectively. Less common words include chorister (a member of a chorus), pollster (someone involved in developing or carrying out polls), and tipster (an informant). Most -ster constructions are neutral in tone, but two derisive appellations are hipster, referring to a person who self-consciously follows an alternative lifestyle, and scenester, someone who is ostentatiously immersed in a trendy social scene. Various words for people who practice various forms of humor include gagster, jokester, prankster, punster, and quipster. Trickster refers to a dishonest person or to one who, like a stage magician, uses tricks to benignly deceive others; in folkloric studies, the term denotes a type of god or other supernatural figure who is cunning or who practices deception. Two terms that refer to things rather than people are dragster (a car used in drag races) and roadster (a convertible sports car). Although lobster is likely an agent noun- from loppe, an Old English word meaning â€Å"spider,† and -ster, its name is folk etymology based on the Latin word locustra (also the origin of locust)- some words that end in -ster are not related. Monster, for example, is based on the Latin term monstrum, meaning â€Å"monster† or â€Å"omen.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:5 Uses of InfinitivesA While vs AwhileWords That Begin with Q

Kipling's White Man's Burden Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Kipling's White Man's Burden - Essay Example Rudyard Kipling is trying to show the negative attitudes of Europeans towards imperialism. Africans were considered as savages and a burden by them. This is a racial point of view. Africans are considered as crazy, devilish, and dumb people. Africans are treated as a burden of the Europeans, but at the same time, they also think that it is their responsibility to help Africans out. Kipling is simply justifying American’s coming in Africa and taking over the African lives. This reflects that he does not believe in the concept of equality. For him, not every person holds equal rights and some have fewer rights than others, simply because they are less humane. He is encouraging the concept of imperialism. He believes that the Africans are simply ungrateful people. Help is being granted to them, yet they are retaliating against it. 2. Kipling addressed this poem to the Americans in relation to their recent colonization of Philippines. I believe that Kipling really thinks that it i s the responsibility of the civilized nations to those they have conquered. While using the term â€Å"white man’s burden†, he is trying to explain the fact that the European ancestry (or the American one, for that matter) has more opportunities and chances for better education and has more political influence than the natives had. Had Kipling written this poem earlier, he would have argued against colonial imperialism. He was born in the time when native people have already been conquered. It seems as if Kipling is trying to get across the message that no gratitude or corporation in return for the improvement of the lives should be expected. When Kipling uses the phrase â€Å"Take up the White man’s Burden†, it has two meanings. It is naturally considered a duty towards the primitive, impoverished people and that the do-gooder has to bear the resulting ingratitude. Kipling’s assumption regarding the laziness and backwardness of the Filipinos might be considered as racist and patronizing to many modern day readers. But it simply was not meant to offend the people. Kipling was simply trying to explain the difficulties which the Americans faced. The issues, which were then raised by Kipling, seem to be relevant in today’s world. The world is not made a better place without sacrifices and hard work. In addition, the welcome mat is not always rolled out for those who want to change the world for the better. 3. Kipling has offered defense throughout the poem. He thinks that imperialism can work out for the best if it is executed correctly. The poem was meant to discuss not only the American response to the Philippines but also towards the European countries – that they should share medicines and wealth to reduce the misfortunes, illnesses, and famines which are polluting Africa. At first, imperialism might seem to be very striking, but it can have various definitions, depending on the way it is being executed. So muc h emphasis on the execution is placed so that dual meaning is not derived out of Kipling’s prose. He strongly believes that if imperialism is implemented in the correct way, than it can preserve cultures. It is possible only if the wealth is shared and medicine is practiced properly. However, it was not seen the way Kipling had interpreted. The wealthy defined civilization. White men are considered wealthy and hence

Reasons for the Decline in Union Membership and Density in the 21st Research Paper

Reasons for the Decline in Union Membership and Density in the 21st Century - Research Paper Example Over the past decade, unions have used their political clout to advocate legislation and establish regulatory agencies that supersede entirely or greatly circumscribe the scope of collective bargaining on many issues of significance to employees. When deciding whether or not to form or join a union, workers balance the costs of doing so, such as union dues, against the expected benefits, such as better working conditions and pensions. While the costs of joining unions are seemingly unaffected by most labor legislation, the potential benefits of doing so decline. Because they are already buying labor protection and mandated fringe benefits with tax dollars, workers have less incentive to join unions. The political success of unions in the past has surely played some role in undermining their future prospects, as in the case of VBY union. It is no secret that labour unions have been declining in membership and influence for many years. The number of unionized workers in Europe was only 16.7 million in 1990, which is approximately 16 per cent of the workforce. This is less than one-half the per cent unionized in the mid-1950s. Some managers view the decline of unions with glee. To them unions are non-productive, combative adversaries interfering with the harmonious and efficient operation of the company. Some of them have adopted the idea that this is pay-back time for the punishment management suffered in the sixties and early seventies when rising wages, automatic cost of living adjustments, ever-increasing benefits, strikes, and Byzantine work rule arrangements seemingly were the rule.  

Video games are good Essay Example for Free

Video games are good Essay In this 21st generation, video games are one of the most entertaining and one of the most popular ways to enjoy time. Video games are electronic human interactive games, which can be played in different types of consoles in a variety of ways. Have you ever thought about video games being beneficial? Or not just something which helps pass time or something that is a bad addiction? Video games are so popular in today’s world that, the video game business earns billions of dollars on releasing a game or a type of console. In 2010 the play station brand hit 155 million units sales of their ever so famous console, â€Å"the play station 2,† which is also known as the â€Å"PS2. † Video games are not just an entertainment but, it has turned into something much bigger, it has turned into a business and also a living for some people. Many people state that video games are bad for us, like there is a topic posted in debate. org, where people who think video games are not of any good, and surprisingly to my benefits of my opinion 67% of the people who rated the discussion disliked it! Many people also have related violent behavior to violent games, like the tragic massacre that took place on the December 12th 2012, when 20 year old Adam Lanza fatally shot 20 children and 6 adult staffs, in Sandy Hook Elementary School. Many have said that, Violent video games was one of the main motivations for Adam’s violent act, A TV and a radio host, named Glen beck stated that the, â€Å"Sandy Hook Massacre,† was caused by video games. He also states that, â€Å"video games are a gateway drug for our kids and instead of a high, they get numbness, they get an indifferent heart and a mind that cannot tell the difference between fiction and reality. † I strongly disagree with his point; there was violence before video games. I believe the Sandy Hook murderer was a mentally ill and an unstable teenager. If video games was the case, there are a lot of children play violent video games, like the first person shooting game â€Å"Call of Duty Black Ops II,† is a violent war game and the game is really realistic and it is brutal. The game went to gross $ 1 Billion in the first 15 days of availability. With so many people playing violent games there should have more than at least 50 massacres yearly according to my calculation. I mean if a normal human being plays a violent video game for maybe even more than 12 hours a week, it wont motivate or trigger us to go kill someone, you have to have some kind of a mental illness or a violent angst, to go fling around guns in public. Video games are not harmful for someone, and many parents and critics are very judgmental about it, as many kids are not properly guided and supervised while playing video games. Video games, are surely fun but an individual should be self discipline and even the parents should be able to handle and guide their children on how much they play their video games. An article by Health Central also suggests that video games are bad. It tells the readers that it makes people un-social, obese, and also it causes them to have bad grades, aren’t these reasons all about self-disciplinary? Are video games the main cause of this? Video Games are even in fact educational, like the game Civil-war, teaches us and gives us like a first hand experience about the American civil war fought in 1861. It also gives out facts and important dates about the civil war in the loading screen. Maybe even someone who has a hard time making friends, get along with others, while playing video games or them having the same interest in video games. â€Å"A growing body of university research suggests that gaming improves creativity, perception and also decision making† (Hotz par. 1). Experts of health central said that, video games causes people to be obese, anti-social and perform bad in schools, but I believe it is the fault of those gamers who get to addictive to video game and their lack of self-discipline. Video games cannot be blamed for those reasons. If we put it like that anything we do excessively is harm to us. Playing video games is not a bad thing at all; it instead helps us pass time more entertainingly and has benefits to it as well. A research showed that people who played video games made better decisions 25% faster than those who did not play video games. A research by University of York aimed to discover if video games improver hand-eye coordination. † In order to discover this, they compared the brain activity of participants who played video games for at least 4 hours a week with the results from participants who did not play video games. The study showed that the participants who did not play video games relied mostly on a part of the brain that controls hand eye coordination. In order to complete the games, the men who were not accustomed to playing video games had to focus a large amount of mental energy on coordinating what they were seeing on the screen with the physical actions they were making on the controller. Besides hand eye co-ordination, active games like the, â€Å"Nintendo Wii has promoted where you have to do things physically which has proved to improve your physicality and give you enough exercise† (Wittman par. 5). As I mentioned before video games can be a way of living for someone nowadays, an article by Kyle Russell states that, â€Å"over 60 gamers earn more than 100,000 US dollar without counting the sponsorship deals and streaming their practice games. † Even I have experinced how drastically video games improve you reactions and hand eye cordination. When I was in middle school, we had to play indoor games during the winter as it used to be really cold outside to play soccer, which was really sad for me as I love soccer and I kind of didn’t like to play indoor game. We were made to play table-tennis, and I used to hate it as I was really not that good. Around that time was when I started playing video games and as soon as that, after two months or so, I really felt myself improving in table-tennis drastically and without practice. My reactions were really fast, I later then realized how video games had a big role in that. Video games have many benefirts, In an article by Drew Guarini posted in the Huff post says â€Å"a study by a group of Italian researchers proved that video games helps dyslexic children read better. Many may still argue that, even after all these benefits video games are not worth its cost, but if we look at the long run it might save us a lot of money, a anti video game mom, Jo Ashiline also re-considered getting a video game, she said, â€Å"This dilemma led me this Christmas to consider getting a video game system, at least a Wii that we could all play together. The kids pointed out that I spent $82 the last time we all went bowling, and with the Wii, we could bowl at home for free (Ashline, par. 7). Ultimately, it is apparent that video games are a lot more beneficial than many people think, video games have had its prejudices created by all the critics those have very invalid reasoning like how some said, Video games are the reason for mass massacre, or even maybe how video games causes bad-grades and obesity. Those reasons are not because of the video game, but because of lack of supervision and self-disciplinary. I think that Video games are a wonderful way to spend time while having many benefits to everyone. For the old folks who may think that video games are only for the younger one, you may want to re-consider. A study this year conducted by University of Iowa found out that, Playing brain-teasing game for just two hours a week may help slow the degree of mental decay associated with the natural aging process. (Guarini D, par. 10). Work Cited FYI: Video Game Statistics by the Entertainment Software Association. Critical Gaming Project. Word Press, n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. Are Video Games Bad for Children? The Premier Online Debate Website. N. p. , n. d. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. Sandy hook shoting article Sandy Hook Shooter Motivated by Violent Video Games, Norway Massacre (Report). The Hollywood Reporter. N. p. , 18 Feb. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. Feraligatr, Caz. Glenn Beck: Video Games Are A Drug That Killed 28 People! Blog by CazFeraligatr IGN. IGN. N. p. , 22 Feb. 2013. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. Main Menu. Dependable Video Games. N. p. , 19 Sept. 2012. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. Video Gaming Increases Physical Activity. The Journal of Extension (JOE). Journal of Extension, n. d. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. Russel, Kyle. The Highest-Paid Professional Video Gamers In The World. Web log post. Business Insider. N. p. , n. d. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. Guarini, Drew. 9 Ways Video Games Can Actually Be Good For You. The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost. com, 07 Nov. 2013. Web. 18 Nov. 2013. Work Cited Ashline, Jo. Video Games Were Invented by the Devil OC Moms: The Mom Blog : The Orange County Register. OC Moms: The Mom Blog. N. p. , 27 Dec. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2013.

Burton Snowboards Business Analysis Essay -- Business Marketing Analyz

Burton Snowboards Business Analysis Burton Snowboards takes surfing to the mountains, with premium snowboards and equipment. Jake Burton, the world’s first snowboard maker, founded the company in 1977 in Londonberry, Vermont. Despite it being small and privately owned, Burton is the industry leader in snowboards and equipment controlling 40% total market share in the winter sports industry. Burton is a global business with its main headquarters in Vermont, Japan and Austria and worldwide distribution capabilities in over 35 countries. Burton Snowboards operates three factory outlet stores in Vermont, Massachusetts, and Austria. To create buzz marketing, Burton encourages newbie’s to experience the slopes with its Learn To Ride (LTR) line of equipment and programs at ski resorts nationally. In the past few years, Burton has started independent companies, which have their own individual identities and products. Burton has also created one of the most extensive online shopping experiences for its clientele. (www.burton.com) Strengths   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Burton attributed to the development of the sport of snowboarding, as it was the first and oldest manufacturer. The company has a loyal customer base and an established retail distribution channel. Burton provides customers with an interactive online website. In order to provide help to mountain resorts to attract and retain snowboarders, Burton’s primary customer base, they have created integral relationships with resorts by providin...

Ralph Lauren Strategy Paper Essay

Module 2: Mission, Goals, and the Strategic Management Process The mission of Ralph Lauren is to provide quality product, bringing different worlds together and inviting people into their dream and vision (McAllister, 2012). They are the true innovators of lifestyle advertisements that tell a story and the first to create stores that encourage customer participation in that lifestyle (McAllister, 2012). Ralph Lauren has 3 major goals: †¢ Build and extend the brand by uniquely showcasing the world of Ralph Lauren through advertising and marketing. The Ralph Lauren Company also plans to expand and extend the Ralph Lauren lifestyle through new products, in new categories, and in new parts of the world. (Johnston, Watkins, & Wright, 2005) †¢ Keeping its specialty retail is also extremely important. Polo continues to increase the amount of exclusive or limited-distribution product in its Ralph Lauren stores. They also plan on making significant advances in how it operates its retail stores by adding experience and strength to the leadership of the specialty retail group and coupling it with the right merchandise and marketing support. (Johnston, Watkins, & Wright, 2005) †¢ Expanding its international presence so that they can broaden their reach through increasing direct brand ownership and control with new specialty retail store openings. (Johnston, Watkins, & Wright, 2005) Yes, the firm has long–term goals that might become challenging. For instance, expanding internationally especially in Europe has been challenging. Sales in Europe have shown little growth, therefore; Polo Ralph Lauren is currently finding new ways to reduce costs through changes in its infrastructure. (Johnston, Watkins, & Wright, 2005) Polo Ralph Lauren’s main strategic plan to grow the company is creating new stores because it makes up for almost one-third of its revenues. Creating new stores is a part of intended strategies because the company carefully plans where they want their store according to the amount of business the company plan on acquiring in a particular area. (Johnston, Watkins, & Wright, 2005) Module 3: External Analysis In the macro environment, Ralph Lauren Corporation has and will be impacted by all the changes that will occur. In the macro environment the company is impacted by the political, economical, sociocultural, technological, ecological and legal factors. Political factors are the actions of government that can influence the behavior and decisions of firms. These factors can have a direct impact on the way businesses operate. In the United States business firms face more regulations then other nations (Viking, 2009). According to (Viking, 2009), employee rights in the United States have a large effect on business, and with the apparel industry requiring much labor and work employee laws are significant. Employee laws are minimum wage, over time, benefits and health and safety regulations. This means Ralph Lauren has to pay employees at least minimum wage and for overtime worked. The company has to offer benefits to full time employees and follow OSHA regulations when it comes to safety. Also the company has to adhere to trade regulations when importing and exporting goods overseas. Economic factors impact the economy. Some ways Ralph Lauren can be impacted economically are through growth rates, interest rates, and levels of employment, price stability and currency exchange rates. (Viking, 2009) states that for the apparel industry in the United States, such as Ralph Lauren, the future does not look promising. Wage and salary employment in the apparel industry is expected to decline which leads to lost jobs over the period. The Decline in employment can be attributed to increase in imports, new automation machinery, and cost-cutting pressure from increase global competition (Viking, 2009). Along with this the economy is in a recession, which means high unemployment, hi gher taxes on every one and low incomes (Viking, 2009). With this most families cannot afford the prices that Ralph Lauren has to offer. Sociocultural factors are society’s norms, cultures and values. This may impact Ralph Lauren because the company has to learn the demographics of different areas. The demographics show the different characteristics and attributes of people so companies such as ours can understand the buying power of the people. When the company learns this information they can determine whether or not products will appeal to customers and how many potential customers for these products might arise. Also with the growing trends of people and different styles Ralph Lauren has to make various pieces to fit all their needs. Technological factors capture the application of knowledge to create new processes and products. With new technology the apparel industry’s productivity has been given a boost. There has been an increase in automated machinery that has improved production and manufacturing facilities such as Ralph Lauren Corporation (Viking, 2009). Now they have new faster computerized sewing machines in order to make production go faster. Also new computer software has been a big plus for Ralph Lauren because now that can create and design new garments with no problem (Viking, 2009). Along with this technology allows them to be able to market their clothes online through their website which ralphlauren.com. This way people can get what they want through technology. Ecological factors concern broad environmental issues such as the natural environment, global warming and sustainable economic growth. Ralph Lauren can be impacted by these factors because the company manufactures cotton clothing. With cotton it comes from various vendors, but in order for it to grow it has to have a good environment to grow in. If farmers don’t get good weather then crops may be lost and there will be no clothes for Ralph Lauren. Lastly, Legal factors capture the outcomes of the political processes and court decisions. Because Ralph Lauren is a highly noted fashion designer he is hit with lawsuits and legal issues all the time. They had to sue US Polo Association for infringement on their brand (Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, 2010). Another popular brand, Levi Strauss sued Ralph Lauren because they had similar stitching in their jeans. Also Ralph Lauren along with twenty one other major companies was sued over having sweatshops and knowing of their wrongdoings (Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation, 2010). With the five forces model we can learn about the nature of completion for our company. To begin Ralph Lauren is faced with the threat of new entrants into the industry. With the rise of different trends there will always be a threat of new entrants into fashion retail. This task will be difficult and expensive because of the degree of Ralph Lauren. The company has overpowered the fashion industry by selling popular designs and creating the best styles (Johnston, Watkins, & Wright, 2005 p. 12-13). The threat of substitute products plays a big role in Ralph Lauren’s marketing strategy. Some of the company’s competitors try to market and sell new and different styles in order to increase demand, while other companies try to copy the designs of Ralph Lauren (Johnston, Watkins, & Wright, 2005 p. 12-13). So the company remains a well-known fashion designer of quality clothes and expands into other markets in order to compete. Ralph Lauren is a brand name that appeals to consumers and is very profitable. Then the bargaining power of buyers also tells the nature of competition for Ralph Lauren. The customers of the company know that when buying the company products they are buying quality. Although these brands are quite expensive, they are sold at a cheaper price at retail outlets. This bargaining power is good for consumers who have a smaller spending power than others. The bargaining power of suppliers is a bit vast for Ralph Lauren (Johnston, Watkins, & Wright, 2005 p. 12-13). Reason being they require a lot of supplies for operating the business, and get lots of bids from sellers of fabric and packaging. Also providers of cotton and other fabrics lead to a result of competition with suppliers and the company chooses the vendors with the best reasonable price (Johnston, Watkins, & Wright, 2005 p. 12-13). Lastly in the five forces model rivalry among existing firms shows the nature of competition in Ralph Lauren. According to (Johnston, Watkins, & Wright, 2005 p. 12-13) the company has several competitors, but has managed to keep a large portion of the market by introducing new designs and going into new markets. Ralph Lauren is growing and gaining more overseas retail stores. And with new technology and online retail sales, the company has gained more sales opportunities and increased development of online marketing (Johnston, Watkins, & Wright, 2005 p. 12-13). Competing with a company such as Ralph Lauren can be a difficult task. Companies in the fashion industry have noticed that this competition is hard to do. In the apparel industry along with Ralph Lauren there are other strategic groups that exist. These groups are Liz Claiborne, Jones Apparel Group, and Tommy Hilfiger. The Liz Claiborne Company is the leading competitor of Ralph Lauren. They manufacture name brands such as Juicy Couture, Lucky Brand Jeans, and Kate Spade. They have expensive brands like Ralph Lauren. Liz Claiborne is so close in competition to our company that they had revenues of $3.984 which is $1 billion less then Ralph Lauren (â€Å"Ralph Lauren’s Rivalry,† 2010). Jones Apparel owns brands such as Nine West and Easy Spirit. Their revenue was $3.6 billion which is $3 billion less than Ralph Lauren (â€Å"Ralph Lauren’s Rivalry,† 2010). Tommy Hilfiger has been Ralph Lauren’s biggest competition for twenty years. Sales began to decline because the brand wasn’t becoming as popular as the leading competitor. They had revenue sales of $3.4 billion which is $5 billion less than Ralph Lauren (â€Å"Ralph Lauren’s Rivalry,† 2010). Most of these products now are in retail stores and in private boutiques. According to (â€Å"Ralph Lauren’s Rivalry,† 2010), Tommy Hilfiger wants to try and compete with other high end fashion designers by moving away from the mainstream.

“Yamaha Fiore” 2NE1 †Celebrity Endorsement

Celebrity endorsement is commonly used to market products, it is a strategy which gives a â€Å"face† to a brand, to which the consumers can relate and aspire to. Yamaha has decided to promote its Fiore scooter Thailand with widely popular Korean pop group 2NE1. Their strategy was to reach out to urban Thai’s who follow foreign trends, music and fashion. While many urban Thai’s certainly are fans of the Korean fashion and pop music it remains unclear as to what effect the campaign has had on the purchase decision making and increased market share if any; however the effort did position Yamaha’s scooters as a trendy and youthful. Across European cities scooters are a very popular and low cost means of transportation. In Thailand, and a number of other emerging markets most consumers will aspire to owning their first car and will go to great lands to acquire one such as extending significant loans, whereas motorcycles/scooter are generally used and perceived as necessity for low income market segment. Furthermore, in Bangkok it is apparent that there are very few scooters being driven by the middle to upper market segment consumers, some of the reasons being as mentioned earlier and due to the traffic congestion and pollution which is considered to be dangerous to drive a scooter in. Yamaha is one of Thailand’s largest motorcycle manufacturers with a market share of 26% – expecting to reach 30% in 2011 (Bangkok Post, May 5, 2008) and Honda leading with an impressive 68% (Bangkok Post, May 5, 2008) market share. A large portion of this is assigned to rural areas where people use scooter as common means for transportation whereas in urban areas people will rely on public transportation, own a car or other. The key challenge would remain in changing people’s (middle, upper segment) perception of using scooters as a way to commute, run errands or go to a nearby store rather than solely relying on using car most of the time. This may be achieved by endorsing a local celebrity which would be ideally living in a modern condominium or a housing village also known locally as moo-ban. This would be a more â€Å"practical† approach to promoting a lifestyle people could more easily relate to rather than pop stars. The end result being many of the middle to upper income market segment might acquire a scooter in addition to owning a car to drive around their housing village or condominium and go to a nearby store or a restaurant. In the sportswear industry celebrity endorsement is used probably more often than in others. It is a great way to establish the brand as it is used by professional athletes and draw the consumer’s attention. Nowadays a great deal of sportswear is also worn as casual wear and not only on tennis courts, golf terrains or running track which has significantly widened and expanded the market. A very successful, charismatic athlete can portray a brand with many positive attributes. However, while there are many encouraging factors in using celebrity endorsements across many industries the marketing and advertising campaign could eventually result in negative or less attractive brand perception. Examples include when athletes are found to be using drugs, misbehaving in public or in competition. As mentioned earlier these individuals provide a â€Å"face† to the brand and in this light the public will think of a given brand. Tiger Woods has been one of Nike’s endorsed celebrity which has virtually established the brand in the golf industry. It is one of the prime examples of a success when a brand is tied in with a successful and charismatic athlete who also has the â€Å"star† power. It is also a very direct and relevant persona in the golfing industry which has attracted many first time golfers to purchase Nike equipment and other sportswear. The previously examined case of 2NE1 pop music group would be more fitting and is more commonly used if the endorsement was used to promote fashion, perfume, makeup and other similar products as they are more fitting with feminine attributes of beauty and attractiveness. In this respect Nike has established a firm brand perception with a person who is very relevant in the industry whereas a few years from now most likely very few people will remember the 2NE1 and Yamaha joint campaign. However it is important to note that there are also certain risks when a brand strongly relies on single celebrity as is in the case of Nike/Tiger Woods who has been through a personal scandal which has dramatically affected the golfers perception in public view and who has suffered a loss of a number of endorsements by energy drink makers and telecommunications company, Gatorade and AT&T. And we are yet to see if the company will continue to carry the golfers name in the nearby future.

Reflection on Hamlet Essays

Reflection on Hamlet Essays Reflection on Hamlet Essay Reflection on Hamlet Essay Essay Topic: Hamlet In regards to the Shakespearean play Hamlet, over the years as interpretations of a variety of elements have changed the structures, features and the timeless issues have remained similar in content. These timeless issues are untouched by context as the human condition and the quest for satisfaction has remained unfaltering. In relation to context there are two major differing contexts in which the play can be viewed. These are the Elizabethan viewpoint and that of todays society. To the Elizabethan audience the play of Hamlet was a text of moral instruction whilst the context of todays society is that Hamlet is the study of the individual. This essay will outline what has been learnt throughout the course of Hamlet with references to the two main differing contexts. The Elizabethan context conveys a theme of Christian Redemptive message where Gods plan always prevails no matter what obstacles were presented. Therefore sin was punished and virtue rewarded. My understanding of this is in Hamlet it is that of rationalizing of behavior before impulsive action that affirms the values of the era. This is apparent through a variety of quotes such as to be or not to be, Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth to dust. This shows Hamlets journey through the Christian message. Although the character of Hamlet procrastinates it is justified by his duty to God and religion. Through the quotes of or that the everlasting shows his devotion to God and fails to commit suicide. Another example is whilst Claudius is praying; although he fails to repent Hamlet is unable to murder him (whilst seeking vengeance) because Claudius appears to be repenting his sins. Hamlet is the study of the individual and how they attempt to balance internal desires and external pressures. Regardless of time/place the individual will always struggle with the balance of internal vs. external pressures. This is also apparent in Hamlet as the character Hamlet is unable to commit suicide as he has a duty to God. gainst self-slaughter. And thus he fails to suppress his internal desires too end it right now. Through humanity it is clear that there are many issues the individual face, these include suicide, duty, death and individuality/reality. These pressures provide the characters with a mean to express their viewpoints. In regards to the play, the characters of Polonius has suppressed his internal desires and replaced it with that of external pressures. He tells everybody what they want to hear as thus enables his own desires to be satisfied in an obscure manner. The quote very much like a whale, shows this and enables the audience to see the contrast in his character. The play has remained relevant over the years as the elements of human nature have remained constant. These elements include, quest for individuality, quest to understand death, quest for balance in life, pressures exerted on us both by internal and external forces. As human beings develop there is always a pursuit for satisfaction in life, the belief that there is something more to life than our selves. This is also apparent in the play Hamlet. When an audience member dwells upon the ideas that are present within the play, such as suicide, duty, illusion, death/heaven/hell, love, faith/religion it is clear that your personal understanding will make you question and re-think you ideas about them. To conclude it is clear that throughout time the themes, structure and relevance of the play has remained constant. The ever-changing values of the audience have changed, shifting the ideas that they bring forth thus creating new meanings. Although the play Hamlet can be seen in a variety of manners it is apparent that through the exploration of the characters/themes many new understandings of things in your own day to day life such as death/duty/reality enable us to perceive them in a more in-depth manner.

Saying So-so; Mediocre in Mandarin Chinese

Saying So-so; Mediocre in Mandarin Chinese The rules of etiquette in Chinese culture state that compliments must be rejected. Therefore, if someone tells you that you speak Mandarin well, a good way of responding would be, â€Å"Not at all, my Mandarin is very poor.† One way of saying this is with the Mandarin Chinese phrase mÇŽmÇŽhÃ… «hÃ… «. This could be prefaced with nÇŽli nÇŽli, which means â€Å"where?†- as in, â€Å"Where is my good Mandarin? I don’t see it.† MÇŽmÇŽhÃ… «hÃ… « is made up of four Chinese characters: é © ¬Ã© © ¬Ã¨â„¢Å½Ã¨â„¢Å½/é ¦ ¬Ã© ¦ ¬Ã¨â„¢Å½Ã¨â„¢Å½ (the second is traditional Chinese). The first two characters mean â€Å"horse† and the second two characters mean â€Å"tiger.† This makes the phrase very easy to remember, but why does â€Å"horse horse tiger tiger† mean â€Å"mediocre?† It’s neither one nor the other- it’s so-so, mediocre. Example of Mama Huhu Click on the links to hear the audio. NÇ  de guà ³yÇ” shuÃ…  de hÄ›n hÇŽo.ä ½  Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¥Å"‹è ªÅ¾Ã¨ ª ªÃ¥ ¾â€"Ã¥ ¾Ë†Ã¥ ¥ ½Ã¤ ½  Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¥â€º ½Ã¨ ¯ ­Ã¨ ¯ ´Ã¥ ¾â€"Ã¥ ¾Ë†Ã¥ ¥ ½Your Mandarin is very good.NÇŽli nÇŽli - mÇŽmÇŽ hÇ”hÇ”.å“ ªÃ¨ £ ¡Ã¥â€œ ªÃ¨ £ ¡ é ¦ ¬Ã© ¦ ¬Ã¨â„¢Å½Ã¨â„¢Å½Ã¥â€œ ªÃ©â€¡Å'å“ ªÃ©â€¡Å' é © ¬Ã© © ¬Ã¨â„¢Å½Ã¨â„¢Å½Not at all- it’s very bad. It should be noted that this phrase is very common in many beginner textbooks, but that few native speakers actually use it and it might come across as a bit strange or out-dated. Its a little bit similar to textbooks in English as a second language having its raining cats and dogs because its a cute expression that students like, but very few people actually say that. Its fine to use, of course, but dont be surprised if you dont hear other people saying it all the time.

International Business Strategy assignment Term Paper

International Business Strategy assignment - Term Paper Example As a result, the Turkish market realized a 35% decline in domestic demand for household appliances. At this juncture, the company is forced to revise its strategic potentiality in promoting its key goal of international expansion. This case study will explore Arcelik’s principal motives for international expansion. It will also evaluate different tactics that would assist the firm to achieve this aim. Principal motives for international expansion The major international growth motive that drives Arcelik is its intention to achieve economies of large scale operation. While sales increase, there would be a proportional increase in profitability also. In order to increase total sales volume, it is necessary for the firm to deal with large scale production processes that would in turn assist the firm to cut down various expenditures. When the company involves in large volume production, it is forced to purchase raw materials in bulk quantities which would aid the firm to earn the benefits of more cash and trade discounts. This strategy would also enable the company to take advantages of transportation costs and warehouse charges. Efficient use of capital equipment and employment of specialized labor are other objectives that lead Arcelik Home Appliances to set international expansion as the key aim. ... It is obvious that international expansion directly contributes to international identity or brand reputation in the global market. When the firm earns a good market stature, it assists them to raise cheaper credits at the time of contingencies. Since large business houses leveraged with stable and potential financial sources and other special reserves, creditors generally believe that these business entities have the potential to repay the money even in the times of difficulties. Therefore, banks and other financial institutions are willing to provide them credit facilities at cheaper rates without having much legal procedure. However, the international expansion and thereby low cost of credit would benefit Arcelik to reduce cost of production. Presently, Arcelik is highly dependant on the volatile local market; it will certainly impede the further economic growth of the organization. Hence, access to international market is Arcelik’s primary motive for international expansio n. Since Arcelik deals with household appliances, it would get prospective markets anywhere across the globe. Anyhow, America and Europe will be the most prospective markets for Arcelik as they are considered as the focal points of world’s trading. Ghemawat (2008) reflects that Turkish government eliminated tariffs on imports of household appliances from the European Community in 1996. This liberalization policy intensified imports from Europe and it severely affected Arcelik’s domestic market demand. It also drives them to enter international market. In 1970s and 1980s, the firm acquired technologies from General Electric and Bosch-Siemens; but these companies imposed many restrictions on Arcelik. By the end of 1990s, Arcelik developed its own appliance designs and hence it wished to

Death of a Salesman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Death of a Salesman - Essay Example According to the study Charley who is Willy’s neighbor has been kind and generous enough to lend some money to him every other month so that the latter’s expenditures could be somehow or the other curtailed but Willy in all seriousness is too proud to agree to all this -- a job from him. This paper highlights that time is one such issue, which has been particularly taken care of here, and an effort is made to focus on the very problems that led to his untimely death at the hands of a suicide. Taking into perspective, his fight with loneliness, time and old age, he said, "After all the highways, and the trains, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive. Also, the manner in which his son Biff has been talking to him of late concerning Willy’s brother’s death a while back, has made matters all the worse for Willy whereby by his standards, he has started to think that no one takes him seriously and everyone’s avoiding him due to one reason or the other. This forces him to give up his life and he seriously starts to think about it. In the end, he does so what he had planned and he gives up his life by hitting his car with a tree at full speed. He gives his life because his age cannot cope up with the changing tides of the time and hence he decides that he has got no role in this world, therefore, death is the only way out (of misery and loneliness).  

None Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

None - Essay Example The Church, normally respected by the Americans, considers that when imitating evil spirits, people take over demonic disposition and destroy their appearance that was given to them by God. Such behavior contradicts Christian foundations; however the Americans never cease being true believers. Also there are usually acts of â€Å"petty vandalism† which the Church also does not approve of – children break glasses, burn trees, etc. Though in the 1920s the scouts called to introduce the practice of â€Å"trick or treat† instead, sometimes people still like to commit something they would not usually do in their normal life. Respectable businessmen are likely to turn over garbage bins, stewardesses (mainly on domestic flights) dress up like a witches or fairies, teachers have no less fun than their students. It is really an unusual tradition – to wear a mask and play a role quite opposite to what one is in the society. Both children and grown-ups enjoy themselves and have fun meeting November in the costumes of witches and vampires, throwing eggs, taking part in the â€Å"best costume† competitions, and eating pumpkin dishes. It reveals the Americans being in need of throwing away from time to time their â€Å"normal† social roles and taking up something quite uncommon. It would be incorrect to state that the Americans are the only nation incorporating both pagan and Christian traditions into their culture. However, in order to answer this question it is important to have a look at how the feast of Halloween reflects the peculiarities of American mind and culture on the whole, and at what it reveals about the Americans. There is no other feast that would be as dear to each American’s heart as Halloween is. To my mind, it is based upon the national tendency to enjoy trick effects and shows. It should also be mentioned that celebrating Halloween is a part of American death-denying culture pointed out by Mitford, as it teaches –

Buckling Experiments Laboratory Report

Buckling Experiments Laboratory Report BUCKLING EXPERIMENT The experiment entails subjecting loads to a strut along its centroidal axis. The effects of length, shape, material and fixing conditions on buckling were observed. An analysis was then done basing on the results obtained and graphs drawn to establish various relationships measured and calculated. The buckling load was also determined theoretically for all the struts basing on the geometry and material properties. This was then compared to those found experimentally. Buckling is an instability of a material when subjected to loading which eventually leads to failure. It is characterized by sudden sideways deflection of the structural member. When load is applied on a material, it will become large causing it to become unstable and consequently causing change in shape and this can be said to have buckled. This can happen even when the stress subjected on the material is below that needed to cause failure. Bending and buckling can cause change in shape but the difference comes in the method of applying the load. For the bending case, the load is applied perpendicular to the centroidal axis while in buckling, the load is applied axially causing compressive stress and eventual sideways failure. This feature can be measured as the buckling load. Materials having different properties have different buckling loads which is a function of the length of the column and the second moment of area of its cross section. Buckling loads can be determined experimentally or by way of a prediction without actually loading the material to critical load. Southwell plot is a chart of used to experimentally determine the critical load of a structure without subjecting it to its critical load. It is a non-destructive testing method for buckling. Southwell plot is a graphical representation of deflection(y) against deflection by load applied(y/L). This should in return show a linear relationship and a slight curvature at low values of deflection. Further analysis can be done to obtain buckling load. Critical loads can thus be obtained without actually buckling the load itself reducing risk of damaging the strut. The intercept represents the total eccentricity of the strut which is the eccentricity within the equipment and the strut together with the imposed eccentricity. To compare the theoretical and experimental buckling loads of struts in order to test the theory and show its limits. To show how to use the Southwell plot to find the buckling load and eccentricity of a strut. The potential hazards was assessed and it was observed to be majorly from the experiment   handling of the strut in loading and unloading. This has a potential harm to the colleagues and the staff in the laboratory. This hazard was considered by performing the experiment heavily. Plastic inserts were also used to reduce the adverse possible reaction of the strut on loading. The load was applied slowly with full concentration on the reaction of the material under loading so as not to exceed the buckling limits. The strut was also released by unloading swiftly. Experiment 1 The Load Display was connected and switched on. It was then given some few minutes for the display and the load cell to warm up. The load measuring end was tapped to remove any effects of friction and the display zeroed. The digital calipers was then used to obtain the dimensions of the 750 mm steel strut and its second moment of area calculated. The strut was then fit into the rig with the pinned ends condition. Plastic inserts were then inserted in the channels adjacent to the center of the strut such that when load was applied the strut would not come into contact with the inserts. The large hand wheel was used to load the strut slowly. As the wheel was turning, the load reading and the deflection of the strut was observed heavily. The plastic insert was used to ensure that the strut does not buckle further than 15mm.The peak load on the display was recorded and the hand wheel turned to release the load. This is the reading for buckling on its natural direction. A light load was then applied and gently pushed on the center to force it to buckle in the opposite direction. The load was then increased until the strut buckled end the peak load recorded. The load was then released. The mean of the two buckling loads was thereafter calculated. The procedure was repeated for the other steel struts No 2 to No 6. And for one strut made from a different material and the other shape. For strut No 4, the experiment was repeated with a fixed to pinned end condition and strut No 3 with fixed to fixed end conditions. The curve of length against average experimental buckling load was plotted for steel struts 1 6. Theoretical buckling load was then calculated for each length and then plotted on the graph. Comments on the effect of length, end conditions, material and 2nd moment of area on the buckling loads were then made. Experiment 2 The Load Display was connected and switched on. It was then given some few minutes for the display and the load cell to warm up. The load measuring end was tapped to remove any effects of friction and the display zeroed. The 750 mm steel strut was obtained. The strut was then fixed on the pinned ends condition. The deflection gauge was then fitted at the midspan of the strut while ensuring that there is 15mm of travel in the natural buckling direction. The strut was then tested in the natural buckling direction while recording the load at deflection intervals of 0.5mm. The table of results was then filled. The Eccentric End fittings were then fitted to strut number 2 with both fittings set to give the smallest eccentricity (5mm) Strut number 2 was fitted and the position of the deflection indicator adjusted to allow for the offset. The test was then repeated with the same strut. The end fittings at both ends of the strut were reversed to give larger eccentricity. The indicator was adjusted and the test repeated. A chart was then created showing load on the vertical axis against deflection on the horizontal axis. The results from each strut was added to the chart. A chart for a Southwell plot was created, deflection (y) against (y/P) where P is the load. The results from each strut was then added to this chart and further analysis done RESULTS AND CALCULATIONS Experiment 1 Theoretical buckling load (N) 174.70 240.40 306.10 280.52 397.56 339.33 332.99 826.75 304.39 359.29 Average Peak buckling load(N) 189.5 198 236 257 286.5 327 283 279 559 1068 Peak buckling load 2(N) 212 204 251 251 288 334 294 292 579 1187 Peak buckling load 1(N) 167 192 221 263 285 320 272 266 539 949 Strut Details 2nd Moment of area 48.103 57.649 63.311 53.636 70.055 50.244 180.746 170.974 53.636 63.311 d 3.11 3.20 3.41 3.23 3.54 3.15 4.84 6.46 3.23 3.41 b 19.19 19.25 19.16 19.10 19.44 19.39 19.13 _ 19.10 19.16 K value 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.7 0.5 Fixing conditions P-P P-P P-P P-P P-P P-P P-P P-P P-F F-F Youngs modulus (N/mm2) 207000 207000 207000 207000 207000 207000 105000 207000 207000 207000 Material Steel Steel Steel Steel Steel Steel Brass Steel Steel Steel Shape Rect Rect Rect Rect Rect Rect Rect Round Rect Rect Working length 750 700 650 625 600 550 750 650 600 600 Strut no 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 J 4 3 Experiment 2 Deflection (mm) Eccentricity=0 Eccentricity=5mm Eccentricity=7.5mm Load (N) Defl/Ave Load Load (N) Defl/Ave Load Load (N) Defl/Ave Load 0 0 _ 0 _ 0 _ 0.5 50 0.0100 21 0.0238 8 0.0625 1 74 0.0135 27 0.0370 17 0.0588 1.5 95 0.0158 40 0.0375 24 0.0625 2 108 0.0185 48 0.0417 30 0.0667 2.5 116 0.0216 55 0.0455 35 0.0714 3 125 0.0240 53 0.0566 40 0.0750 3.5 131 0.0267 66 0.0530 45 0.0778 4 135 0.0296 71 0.0563 49 0.0816 4.5 139 0.0324 75 0.0600 54 0.0833 5 141 0.0355 81 0.0617 58 0.0862 5.5 144 0.0382 82 0.0671 59 0.0932 6 147 0.0408 88 0.0682 65 0.0923 6.5 149 0.0436 90 0.0722 69 0.0942 7 150 0.0467 92 0.0761 72 0.0972 7.5 152 0.0493 96 0.0781 73 0.1027 8 153 0.0523 97 0.0825 77 0.1039 8.5 154 0.0552 98 0.0867 80 0.1063 9 156 0.0577 103 0.0874 82 0.1098 9.5 157 0.0605 107 0.0888 84 0.1131 10 158 0.0633 107 0.0935 86 0.1163 10.5 159 0.0660 112 0.0938 89 0.1180 11 160 0.0688 113 0.0973 91 0.1209 11.5 160 0.0719 115 0.1000 93 0.1237 12 161 0.0745 117 0.1026 94 0.1277 12.5 161 0.0776 119 0.1050 96 0.1302 13 162 0.0802 120 0.1083 98 0.1327 13.5 162 0.0833 122 0.1107 100 0.1350 14 163 0.0859 123 0.1138 101 0.1386 14.5 163 0.0890 124 0.1169 103 0.1408 15 164 0.0915 125 0.1200 104 0.1442 Moment of inertia (I) of a circle and rectangle were obtained using the formula; DISCUSSION Below is the graph of working length against buckling load for the first experiment. It is observed that as the working length was increasing, the buckling load was decreasing. For the second experiment, A graph drawn for load against deflection shows a nonlinear relationship between the load applied and the deflection of the beam.   The second graph is of deflection(y) against (y/P) where P is the load. This is the Southwell plot for the beam used. A line of best fit drawn in the Southwell Plot indicates that the points obtained are having an almost linear relationship except at low values of deflection which has a small curvature. The slopes of the graphs, Euler buckling load, were obtained for different eccentricities together with the points of intersection with the y axis which indicates the eccentricity of loading. This represents the imperfection of the strut and the equipment used plus the imposed eccentricity. Southwell plot results Eccentricity (mm) Gradient y-intercept 0 178.18 -1.301 5 164.32 -5.0783 7.5 170.12 -9.6389 Southwell plot; The experiment was a success as the strut was subjected to different loads to determine the buckling load. The effect of material, length of the specimen, shape and fixing conditions were observed. Different graphs were drawn from the results obtained which enhanced further analysis. The Southwell graph was also drawn which was used to obtain eccentricity values and the struts theoretical/Euler buckling load. Wang, C.M., Zhang, Y.Y., Ramesh, S.S. and Kitipornchai, S., 2006. Buckling analysis of micro-and nano-rods/tubes based on nonlocal Timoshenko beam theory. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 39(17), p.3904. Akgà ¶z, B. and Civalek, -., 2011. Strain gradient elasticity and modified couple stress models for buckling analysis of axially loaded micro-scaled beams. International Journal of Engineering Science, 49(11), pp.1268-1280. Roorda, J., 1967. Some thoughts on the Southwell plot. Journal of the Engineering Mechanics Division, 93(6), pp.37-48. Mandal, P. and Calladine, C.R., 2002. Lateral-torsional buckling of beams and the Southwell plot. International Journal of Mechanical Sciences, 44(12), pp.2557-2571. Singer, J., 1989. On the applicability of the Southwell plot to plastic buckling. Experimental Mechanics, 29(2), pp.205-208. Cowper, G.R., 1966, June. The shear coefficient in Timoshenkos beam theory. ASME.