Barilla Spa Case

Barilla SpA Case Table of Contents Executive Summary2 Issues Identification3 Environmental and Root Cause Analysis3 Alternatives or Options4 Recommendation and Implementation5 Monitor and Control6 Conclusion6 Executive Summary Barilla’s high stock out rates along with large average inventory numbers are the main reasons why Maggiali is looking to continue on with Vitali’s dream of implementing the Just In Time Distribution system. However, faced with great external resistance to its introduction, Magialli must look to top management to hop on board and facilitate its acceptance among all partners in the supply chain. Using internal distributors as experiments will allow Barilla to showcase better stock out and inventory results. By doing so, Barilla can gain the acceptance and approval of other distributors. With everyone participating in the JITD, Barilla will be better able to forecast demand and not over react to movements at the consumer level. Issues Identification Giorgio Maggiali, the current director of logistics for Barilla SpA, faces much resistance when he tries to implement a new manufacturing concept called Just-in-Time Distribution (JITD). Initially, this idea was proposed by the prior director, Brando Vitali, but is heavily supported by Maggiali as well. Because of the existing structure in the organization, fluctuations in demand at the end-user/customer level cause the whole system to react adversely. The result is an excess â€Å"safety stock† at all levels of the supply chain, leading to extra costs. This is commonly referred to as the â€Å"bullwhip effect. † Due to the resistance Maggiali faces, he must make a decision on whether or not the JITD is feasible for Barilla SpA and how to implement it with the unsupportive partners in the supply chain. Environmental and Root Cause Analysis The first concept we must understand is how significant pasta is in Italy. â€Å"Per capita pasta consumption in Italy averaged nearly 18 kilos per year, greatly exceeding that of other western European contries. † (pg. 2, Barilla SpA case study) Due to its dominance in the food market, consumers are very aware of price fluctuations and which pastas are â€Å"on sale. † Because of this, forecasting consumer demands is a vital component of the JITD. Without it, the traditional way of order-filling leads to common stock outs and excess inventory throughout the year. Because of the process pasta is made, Barilla cannot simply change its production on a whim. Its production plant must keep the kiln’s humidity and temperature at precise specifications for different types of pasta. As a result, sequential production is optimal to keep downtime and costs low for pasta manufacturing. The JITD was developed to address issues such as stock outs and to make inventory levels more manageable due to better forecasting. It will also allow Barilla to make the production and inventory decisions from a top down perspective rather than bottom to top reactionary chain (bullwhip effect). As shown in the Sales and Stock outs Chart at the Cortese Northease Distribution Centre (Exhibit 13, Barilla SpA Case study), stock outs are a regular occurrence due to the fluctuations in sales throughout the year. The main resistance from Barilla comes from sales and advertising. â€Å"Barilla’s sales strategy relied on the use of trade promotions to push product into the grocery distribution network. (pg. 6, Barilla SpA case study) It is with these sales that enable sales representatives to meet their target goals. If Barilla decides to implement the JITD, the need to push sales for the Distributors would cease to exist. Essentially, Barilla will be replacing sales by deciding how much inventory to stock each distribution centre with. It is quite clear that the sales department fears this system due to job secu rity issues. The external resistance plays a large factor in why Maggiali is unable to introduce the JITD. There are many unconvinced distributors that are unwilling to share their warehouse data. Also, they perceive that Barilla is trying to take power away from them (DC purchasers), and since they do not know too much about the JITD, they have a lack of faith in Barilla’s inventory management. Alternatives or Options Barilla can choose to forgo implementing the JITD and avert any risk in inter-department conflicts. By doing so, they save on any related costs to introduce the system. However, as Barilla expands, so does their manufacturing and distribution. The problem will continue to escalate as more inventory is pushed through the supply chain. Barilla’s other option is to continue pursuing the JITD which can benefit both the manufacturing and distribution process by reducing stock out rates and lowering inventory levels for the DCs. By lowering inventory levels, the DCs will be able to focus on obtaining more retailers so that they can increase the amount of inventory to be stored in the extra warehouse space. Barilla Pro and Con Comparison Table |Pro |Con | |Forgo JITD |Maintain relationships |Previous costs to develop JITD are lost | | |Save initial setup costs |Inventory problem is not fixed | | |Stick with what Barilla knows |Inventory costs continue to rise | |Implement JITD |Better forecasting |Major resistance/lack of cooperation | | |Lower stock outs | | | |Increased inventory space for DCs | | Recommendation and Implementation It is recommended that Maggiali continue pursuing the JITD due to the fact that the inventory management problem will only worsen as the company’s sales increases as well. However, Maggiali must find other ways of implementing the system rather than force distributors to adhere. Firstly, Maggiali must demonstrate that JITD benefits the distributors. Running an experiment of the system at one or more of the distributor’s sites gives other distributors an example to compare to. Once other distributors see what the system can do for them, they may be more willing to participate. A proposed idea would be to run this experiment through an internal distributor. Doing so will prompt less or no resistance and can be monitored closely. Secondly, Maggiali needs to involve top management so that JITD is not just a logistics issue. Having a company wide effort allows all members to participate and as a resuly, less resistance will be observed. Thirdly, since the distributors may think that Maggiali is trying to obtain power over them, Barilla can bring in a third party consultant trusted by both groups to perform an analysis to determine if in fact, the JITD is beneficial for all participants. Monitor and Control In order to determine if the JITD is advantageous over the old system, Barilla will be monitoring stock out rates and average inventory levels hroughout the year. If the results show positive results over previous data, a move should be made to communicate the benefits of the JITD to more distributors. Stock out rates and inventory levels for those distributors should also be collected to increase and confirm the effectiveness of the system. Conclusion By using an internal distributor to as an example, involv ing top level management, and recruiting a third party consultant, Barilla will be able to introduce the JITD system with very little resistance. The top down approach for Barilla’s supply chain will benefit all levels due to increased efficiency in inventory management. As a result, savings will be realized and passed down from manufacturer to consumers. In order to monitor success and build upon it, stock out rates and inventory levels will continue to be observed to determine optimal production and distribution of Barilla’s products. With this system in place, the bull-whip effect that is currently experienced, will be countered by the JITD’s ability to forecast consumer demand.

Longboarding

Cameron Campbell English 1010 October 25, 2012 â€Å"Longboarding† Grippy and maneuverable, longboards are safer for street surfin’ and they can give you the most bang for your skateboard buying buck. Many people in this country associate skateboarding with ollies, grinds, and other tricks made famous by icons of the sport such as Tony Hawk. However, there is an entirely different way to utilize a board with wheels attached to it which doesn’t involve any hopping or flipping, just riding it. Longboards are wonderful for those who enjoy being outside and schussing down a smoothly paved hill.Longboarding matches similar feelings and maneuvers associated with surfing and snowboarding. Instead of relying on the ocean or a snowy mountain, most people can find a decent patch of pavement for some exhilarating laid-back fun. Young people around the country purchase longboards for purposes that symmetrical skateboards struggle to perform, such as transportation over long distances and achieving sharper turns. The shape of these boards, their elevation from the ground, and their rubber wheels allow much smoother, faster riding than the characteristics of normal skateboards.Not only is the act of riding a longboard much different than that of a common skateboard, but there is also an entirely different culture for the sport. Instead of starting from scratch, trying to learn tricks that may intimidate new skateboarders, all a budding longboarder needs to succeed is balance and a little confidence. The popularity of longboarding is largely attributed to how fun it is. The rush of cruising at high velocities coupled with the friendly, carefree culture that boarders have established help make longboarding a timeless sport.

Christ Impact on My Life

CHRIST IMPACT ON MY LIFE Gary English Literature II April 7, 2013 CHRIST IMPACT ON MY LIFE How Christ has impacted my life is not really the question to ask. The better question would be how has Christ not impacted my life. Every since I gave my life to Christ everything has changed. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 it says â€Å"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold all things have become new. † Now don’t get me wrong, this change didn’t completely happen overnight. When I decided to follow Christ I wanted to follow Him wholeheartedly.In the beginning it started with a hunger for His word. I couldn’t read or study enough to satisfy that hunger. If I was going to follow Christ then I would need to know exactly what I was suppose to know and do. What changes needed to be made in my life. Now you have to understand I grew up in church. I knew who all the characters were. I had heard all the stories in the bible as a kid, however that’s all it had ever really been to me was a story. When I got out on my own I tried to live my life and do things my way. I was now a 31 year old man with a wife and a six year old son of my own.I knew that there was more to life than what I had been doing. My wife had already been attending a church for about two years without me. I decided it was time to give it a shot. I started going to this church where the people didn’t just talk about living for Christ, they acted it out too. For the first time in my life I felt the love of Christ coming from other people. The more I read about this man, the one who left heaven, became flesh, and died for me, the more intrigued I became. I am the kind of person that if I am going to do something then I am all or nothing.I decided that if Christ would die for me then the least I could do was live for Him. Anything in my life that did not line up with the Bible I tried my best to get it out. Some things took time to stop and I did struggle some. The closer I got to Christ, the more joy I had. It is a feeling that is hard to explain to anyone who has not experienced it for themselves. There is just such a freedom in following Christ. I began to feel like I had a purpose and a calling in life. Since I started following Christ life has been so much more enjoyable.I found that things that were important to me before just wasn’t that important anymore. No matter what it is you are facing in life, Christ has the answer. In the seven years since I started following Christ a lot has happened. This journey hasn’t always been a walk in the park, but it has been so worth it. Even though there was not a major event that happened to me physically that day I gave Him my life; that day was probably the most important day of my life. This new life has giving me a whole new outlook on life. I see people the way Christ sees people. I want others to experience that kind of love.I dove head first into serving others as well. I have been a part of food distribution ministry called Angel Food Ministries were we handed out food that was purchased at a much discounted price. My wife and I have taught Sunday school classes for both youth and adults. We have also had the privilege of leading the youth group which was a huge blessing for me. I really have a heart for teaching young people about Christ and just helping them with life’s problems. I have led a bible study group for men as well as been the over-seer of a married couple’s ministry.I have even completed one year of Bible College. One of the main reasons I decided to go to college was so that I could get my degree and use it to help other people. I have big dreams for my future, but an even bigger God. In Philippians 4:13 it says â€Å"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. † I really believe that with Christ on your side that you can do anything. You just have to surrender to Him and acknowledge that you cannot do it on your own. I can’t say Christ has just impacted my life, because he didn’t just impact it, He gave me a new one.

The Roaring 20's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Roaring 20's - Essay Example The US senate also rejected to agree the Treaty of Versailles which formally ended WW1 and provided for the creation of the Group of Nations. The Senate decided to reject the Treaty from the fear it may lead to the engagement of the US in future European conflicts. Americans merely do not need to cope with, nor tolerate the issues of Europe and overseas. (Pietrusza 5-10) As soon Americans place war just behind their minds that helped them to neglect the issues of European matters, and concentrate on the nation, their area, and themselves. American citizens identified themselves in a time of change, both the socially and culturally. Several think that values had crumbled entirely. Prior to The First World War, females wore their hair lengthy, had dresses touching their ankles, and very long silk cotton stockings. In the 20s, they put on shorter, tight clothes, and folded their silk tights right down to their knees. They wore fancy lip gloss and various makeup products. Ultimately, lad ies were even allowed the right to votein nineteenth Amendment. Women were never considered as an important part of the society up to that period, in American society. As soon as the women had the authority to vote, they didn't merely sit back again. The ladies of 20's worked for equal rights for both males and females in community (Pietrusza 10-15) On other hand there were numerous problems running rampant in the whole country after results of World war. Most of all Red Scare issue appeared to be the greatest problem raised. Red Scare that was noticed as a foreign communist conspiracy which was held responsible for numerous protest actions and union exercises in the years of 1919 and 1920. A lot of Americas additionally kept an eye on the growing actions of the Klu Klux Klan who were involved in terrorizing people from other countries including blacks, Jews as well as Roman Catholics. (Pietrusza 25-35) Books, fine art, and new music also mirrored the nations altering values. There were a lot of well-known writers, playwrights, music artists and performers which left their tag in the 20s. Sinclair Lewis published Main Street (1920), which reflects what he thought to be the boring lives and narrow oriented behaviors of individuals in a little town. One of the very best American authors to come up from the 20s was Ernest Hemingway. The most noted appreciated works of Hemingway includes "In to the trees" and "Across the trees" .A lot of Hemingway's best works delivered the conduct and encounters of the era's so named "last generation." During the 20's, Jazz was getting very famous. Whenever the turntable was switched on, Americans simply just had to party. It was a fresh experience of enjoyment, and satisfaction which arrived together with the origins of jazz tracks in USA. With jazz getting major, Americans move far from classic music and dancing and began discovering other kinds of new music for example jazz. The pleasant, light, simple sensation associated wit h jazz tunes was just an addition of American emotions through the 20's; wondrous and totally free spirited. (Pietrusza 40-43) Radio also popped the gates for innovative enjoyment for example evening programs for viewers to hear to. Mothers and fathers and their kids would remain close to the radio tuning in to such nightly funny shows as "Amos

Movie Reflection G.I. Jane (1997) Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflection G.I. Jane (1997) - Movie Review Example Double standard, bad attitude and stereotypes are the issues experienced by Lieutenant Jordan ONeil. Men do not treat her seriously; she is offered to use white steps during trainings and her results are not equated to her male colleagues. Nobody wants to be in one team with ONeil because men treat her as a weak woman and they do not believe that she is able to work really hard. Even though ONeil proves that she is able to achieve the same results as men, she is sent back home because of the internal investigation where she is suspected to be homosexual. In this way, discrimination and oppression of homosexuals in the US military forces is also addressed in the film. Today women have more opportunities to build career in military forces than they had 17 years ago when the film was released. The number of women in military is still small and there are many issues like rapes in military camps or gendered attitude to female officers. All issues covered in the film still exist in reality; however, more and more people are becoming aware about them. They support equal opportunities and rights for women in military and create organizations which support females who want to join military. This film has a great impact on American society as it stands for the rights of women and challenges traditional stereotypes about male and female occupations. Obviously, it is hard to watch how ONeil suffers when Urgayle beats her in front of her team. It is shocking to see how ONeils team members refuse to give her a hand when she helps them all during the training. At the same time, ONeil motivates women to achieve their goals despite all challenges. She proves that women can train hard; they are courageous and they are ready to risk their lives for the sake of others. There is one simple truth addressed in the film; neither men nor women are ready to accept equality literally. Many women still expect that

Nursing theory Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Nursing theory - Research Paper Example These systems often apply different and distinctive aspects and concepts. For instance, the personal system is pegged on self, perceptions, growth and development space, time, body and image. On the other hand, the interpersonal systems apply interaction, transaction, role, communication, and stress concepts while social system involves organization, power, status, authority, status, and decision-making concepts. Notably, these concepts are applied in the nursing profession; however, with their advantages to success in the nursing practice, the theory and its concepts has some of its challenges in application (George, 2010). King just like other professionals pursued nursing career with the aim of improving the health conditions of the patients. Towards attaining his goals, she prompted means through which patients’ improvement goals can be attained. Moreover, through her theory she provide stepped through which her desired goals can be approved. In the Theory of Goal Attendance, Imogene King focuses on the processes that are likely to improve nurse patient relationship. Her main aim was to help nurses with techniques of meeting their health goals to patients. King was born on 30 January 1923, in West Point, Iowa. She attained her nursing diploma in 1945 from St. Johns Hospital School of Nursing in St. Louis, Missouri. She later earned Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1948 from St. Louis University. Later in 1957, she completed her Masters of Science in Nursing from the St. Louis University. In 1961, she earned doctoral degree from Teachers College, Columbia University. Imogene King died on 24 December 2007 (George, 2010). In King’s career life, between 1966 and 1968, she was an assistant Chief of Research Grants Branch. During this period, she work for the Nursing Division in Washington, D.C. where she worked under Dr. Jessie Scott. From the year 1968 and 1972, she served as the director of the Ohio State University School of Nursing.

Mountain Dew Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mountain Dew - Essay Example Later named 'Gran'Pappy', he soon became a popular icon in bars, and appeared on several Mountain Dew products and merchandise, lasting for several more decades. In the 1950's the Tip Corporation, the owners of the Mountain Dew brand, distributed the drink all over the Eastern Seaboard. Several bottlers manufactured and distributed Dew, in two different sizes costing 5 and 15 cents respectively, complete with the then-famous label featuring Gran'Pappy the Hillbilly shooting at a man running out of an outhouse. Drowning despite Dew's strong sales, Tip approached Pepsi-Cola in the early 1960's to sell the Mountain Dew brand. However, the product was in direct competition with Pepsi's own lemon-flavored drink- Teem. So, the owners went back to the drawing board- they reduced the amount of carbonation and added more sugar and caffeine, as well as mixing in enough orange juice to remove it from the "lemon-lime soda" category. Thus, Mountain Dew as we know it was born, and Pepsi bought Dew's new brew on September 2nd, 1964. The revamping of Mountain dew as a brand was awarded to BBDO, a global advertising agency. The Ad campaigns were targeted on the youth segment that projected Mountain dew as one of the best brands to stick with. Mountain Dew quickly became Pepsi's second best-selling drink (next to Pepsi itself), and a new advertising campaign featured 'Willy "Gran'Pappy" Hillbilly', along with all his yokel kin, encouraging Dew drinkers to "Yahooooo- Drink Mountain Dew! It'll tickle yer innards!" By the early 70's, however, it was clear that Willy the Hillbilly had run out of steam, so Mountain Dew's image was again redesigned, this time appealing to the young outdoors-type. The bottles were changed yet again to reflect this new attitude; and the public got their first glimpse at the now-famous "wavy" logo, which would grace bottles of Mountain Dew to decades to come. Pepsi has come up low sugar and fat content beverage called "Diet Mountain dew". A Diet Dew was released in 1988; but that was nothing compared to the Dew Revolution of 1990s. It started in 1993, when Pepsi first unveiled its new tagline for Mountain Dew: "Do the Dew". Commercials were produced featuring the 'Dew Dudes', including the award-winning "Been There, Done That" Ad campaign. Mountain Dew was poised to take its place in a new generation branding by sponsoring the first-ever X-Games in 1995. The youth culture embraced the addictive yellow-green potion p. By 195 the sales generated by Mountain Dew was 3billion dollars.4 In 2001, the first-ever Mountain Dew spin-off burst onto the scene- Mountain Dew Code: Red. Combining classic Dew with 'a rush of cherry flavor', it quickly became a hot-seller incold casesacrossAmerica, alongside its older brother. Amp, a Dew-based energy drink, soon followed, and a year later Diet Code: Red was released. The summer of 2003 saw thearrival of the legendary Mountain Dew LiveWire- an orange-twisted Dew variant. It was a hit in its first limited summer release, and returned the next year- along with Mountain Dew: Baja

SAB 310 UNIT 7 ASSIGN Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

SAB 310 UNIT 7 ASSIGN - Assignment Example The requirements include a specific numbers of different sports available for women and men, participant’s minimum numbers and number of events for different sports, criteria used to schedule the games, and overall financial awards in terms athletics for the students involved. The mens football institutional teams are also grouped into 3 divisions which include within the first group I-A, group 2 or I-AA, which is related to team attendance registers and competiveness. Most competitors who have taken part in these games have not only grown with the competitions but have also enhanced their skills. The NCAA contests of championship have become the focal point of continental media through merchandising efforts. Additionally, the most institutional championships have been the Basketball Tournament for men. This is evident from the sale of broadcast rights by televisions for above game tournament which were sold in 1999 to CBS. The total cost was for $545 million per year on average. Most of the profits made on the championship and game events which include broadcast rights were directed to institutions to support athletics membership programs. This has greatly helped in managing and running championship events which support different world wide initiatives. The most common members and requirements of the NCAA body include marketing strategies, licensing requirements, and promotions that deal directly with the NCAA promotion of different brands within the NCAA championships. The NCAA membership or service division of the national office has a main responsibility of helping institutional members from different universities and colleges to comprehend comply and understand different and vital legislations in relation to NCAA. Membership functions are vital in service provision. These functions include providing the institutions and the public with available access to knowledgeable

Constantly Risking Absurdity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Constantly Risking Absurdity - Essay Example The poem has a complex structure, though exciting as the reader follows the author through the swinging motions that the poet has chosen to present the poem similar to the swinging of an acrobat walking on a thin rope. Therefore, the poet utilizes imagery and diction in comparing the process of writing a poem to the performance of an acrobat in front of a large crowd, and risks death if he falls from the wire. The author reveals to the audience that he compares writing a poem to an acrobat in line 6; â€Å"the poet like and acrobat.† This line forms the main theme of the poem and is platform on which the poem is hinged. The author does not only compare the poet to an acrobat, but also explains that the two share the same predicament, hence the use of â€Å"like and† in line 6. From this line, the author introduces the public to the death or survival of the poem, which the author compares to the life or death of an acrobat. In other words, just as the acrobat risks death by hanging dangerously on a thin wire, so does the poet risk death by facing the scrutiny of people. If the poem does not impress the public, the audience will certainly trash it and that will be the end of the poem. The author in this case warns that the work of poets faces death if they fail to impress and exceed the expectations of the audience, just as the acrobat makes the audience watch in suspense as h e do his gymnastics. Similar to the acrobat’s wire, the poet has to have â€Å"a high wire of his own† (line 8). Just as an acrobat has to use theatrics and creativity to impress the crowd and showcase his mystery while walking on the thin wire, a poet has to use similar theatrics to impress the audience. In fact, the author inline 14 states that â€Å"slight-of-foot and other high theatrics,† all which the poet has to use to impress the audience. The poet in this poem uses such theatrics by presenting the poem in swinging style, which

Cell Phone Radiation Effects on Humans Research Paper

Cell Phone Radiation Effects on Humans - Research Paper Example However, there are ongoing studies that are examining the issue more closely (How Cell-phone Radiation Works) Cellphones have revolutionized not only the communication process, but also the human life in different manners. A world without cellphones is unimaginable now because of the various types of utilities associated with it. Earlier cellphones were used for communication purposes alone; however current cellphones are capable of providing facilities like video/audio recording, camera, internet/email, multimedia, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) etc. In short cellphones are getting smarter and smarter and its influence on human life goes on increasing as time goes on. Amidst all the above mentioned utilities of cellphone, the concerns about the health problems generated by cellphones are also growing. Cellphones and cellphone towers can generate harmful radiations which can affect human health negatively. While sending and receiving calls cellphones produce different types of micr owave radiations which can cause health problems in future. Cancer, Brain tumor, Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, Autism, Fatigue, Headaches, Sleeping problems, memory malfunctions etc are some of the health problems associated with mobile phone radiations. This paper analyses the cellphone radiation effects on humans. Scientists exposed 10 female volunteers to radiation at 900 megahertz from GSM phones to simulate an hour-long phone call. They screened 580 different proteins in their skin cells and found that the numbers of two proteins were altered in all of the volunteers: one protein increased by 89 percent, the other decreased by 32 percent. This study shows that even without heating, molecular level changes take place in response to exposure to cell phone frequency electromagnetic radiation (How cellphone radiations can Affect Your Cells?) Radiations are energy forms which has both particle and wave nature. It occurs naturally from isotopes of some elements an d also it can reach the earth from sun or outer universe. Radiations can be generated from some manmade activities also. Nuclear power generators, mobile phones etc are some of the manmade radiation sources. Radiations are of different types; however electromagnetic radiations seem to be the most prominent one. Electromagnetic radiations are of two types; ionizing and non-ionizing. Ionizing radiations like gamma rays and X- rays have the ability to alter chemical reactions inside the body. Non-ionizing radiation such as visible light may not cause many problems to human health even though it can produce some heating effects. Cellphones are producing ionizing radiations in plenty and therefore the chances of a mobile users getting affected by these radiations are immense. â€Å"At high levels, radio-frequency energy can rapidly heat biological tissue and cause damage such as burns, according to a recent report from the U.S. General Accounting Office† (How Cell-phone Radiation Works). Cellphones cannot transmit or receive the ordinary low frequency sound waves. Sound waves need to be superimposed with high frequency electromagnetic carrier waves in order to send it to long distances. A process of modulation and demodulation is taking place inside the cellphones in order to send and receive audible sound waves. Modulation is the process of superimposition of sound waves with electromagnetic carrier waves whereas demodulation is the process of isolation of sound waves and carrier waves from the modulated radio frequency waves. â€Å"Modulated information-carrying radio waves resonate in biological frequencies of a few to a few hundred cycles per second, and can stimulate your cellular receptors causing a whole

Behavioral Programme Assignment Essay Example for Free

Behavioral Programme Assignment Essay Our esteemed bank was established on 11 May 1921 and went public on 11 November 1921 in the name of Nadar Bank Limited at Ana Mavanna Building, Thoothukudi. Later we renamed as Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Limited. We had only 4 branches until 1947. The bank has now 388 full fledged branches and 732 ATM’s all over the India. In order to serve the rural areas, the bank extended services more in non-metro areas. Out of 388 branches, 344 branches are located in Rural, Semi Urban and Urban areas only. GROWTH: We are one of the oldest private sector banks which is continuously making profits and paying highest dividends. This was possible only with the dedicated employees at all levels who are energetic and are enthusiastic in the growth and prosperity of the bank. This made the bank to adopt the official motto: â€Å"Totally Motivated Bank† Achievements and Awards : The financial express in its survey on India’s Best Bank 2013 has ranked our bank No.1 among the Old Private Sector Banks. TMB has been rated 2nd Best Bank in Small Banks category by Business World under India’s Best Bank 2013 TMB has received the Best Banker award in Customer Orientation and Human Resources. TMB has received ASSOCHAM India 9th Annual Summit cum Social Banking Excellence Awards 2013 – India’s Best Private Sector Bank 2013. FUTURE VISION OF TMB: Looking Ahead: The vision of the bank is to develop the bank into a much stronger bank with  the higher level of modernization to handle the business volume. Noble thoughts and high ideas of the team of management charged with dynamic spirit of action will take the bank to a greater height, achieving growth in strength and exhibit the bank as a model bank in the Banking industry. The bank has set itself a high standard, be it in operation, customer service or compliance to regulation. Technology upgradation and March towards Hi-Tech Cyber Banking are the current mission of the Bank. VISION STATEMENT: â€Å"To be a progressive bank with strong brand equity, Enhancing the value for all the stake holders through Excellence in performance and good governance† Medium Term Goal: Aiming to increase its total business to Rs 1 lakh crore in the next four years and to expand our branch network outside Tamil Nadu. At present we having a total business of Rs 41,000 crore in 2013-14, and planning to open a large number of branches in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Gujarat and Maharashtra in the next 3 years. Our endeavor is to have 30-40 branches in each of these states. We are targeting a total business of Rs 50000 crore in 2014-15, and aiming to have a network of 800 branches in four years. Our medium-term goal is to make TMB a pan-India bank. After the expansion of branch network in the southern states, we will focus on widening our footprint in the northern and eastern regions of the country. ASSIGNMENT II CISCO WORK CULTURE Todays organizations face increasing demands for responsiveness, adaptability, innovation, speed, and responsible corporate citizenship. No organization can afford to dismiss the potential benefits of having a diverse and inclusive culture. So for Cisco, building an inclusive and diverse organization is an ongoing and essential business imperative. It truly believe it is their responsibility to: Empower our teams Eliminate biases Create an environment where everyone feels welcomed, valued, respected, and heard. Commitment They aim to provide employees with all the resources, programs, and training necessary to achieve their business goals. They have been giving everyone an opportunity to operate at their best selves, and provide their customers with the best and most innovative products and services. How They Are Structured By partnering with their business leaders, human resource organizations, and key stakeholders and constituents, they have built a holistic diversity framework that is embedded in every part of Cisco. They have constructed an Inclusion and Diversity Coalition, a global team that advises and supports Cisco executives at the function and region level. Along with established inclusion and diversity ambassadors, it includes advocates in the field. The team helps to accelerate program execution by reinforcing inclusion and diversity communication and expectations. Ciscos employee engagement strategy: Ciscos employee engagement strategy has yielded several benefits through the use of collaboration tools. For example, the quarterly company meeting has gone through a total transformation. In the past, Cisco held the company meetings in a physical location, usually a local convention center near the headquarters in San Jose, California. Today the quarterly company meetings are virtual. Through the use of video and collaboration technologies, employees globally can participate in these meetings and interact with senior executives through a live chat (using Cisco Jabber ® technology). The entire event is recorded (along with chat transcripts and other documents) and shared with all employees. This approach has increased employee participation and provided a new venue for rich interaction between employees and senior executives, all of which have boosted overall employee satisfaction. Cisco uses a virtual format for other events as well such as the annual global sales experience (20,0 00-plus attendees) and strategic leadership offsite (3000-plus senior leaders). More than ever employees are conscious of their health and wellness, while employers are looking for ways to provide employees with high-quality healthcare options while keeping their costs under control. Cisco opened a state-of-the-art HealthCenter in San Jose for employees and has followed with centers at other sites. Through the use of technologies such as HealthPresence ® and unified communications, Cisco employees have access to some of the best healthcare systems around the world ASSIGNMENT III 3 Model Component of Commitment About the Model: John Meyer and Natalie Allen developed their Three Component Model of Commitment and published it in the 1991 Human Resource Management Review. The model explains that commitment to an organization is a psychological state, and that it has three distinct components that affect how employees feel about the organization that they work for. The three components are: 1. Affection for your job (affective commitment). 2. Fear of loss (continuance commitment). 3. Sense of obligation to stay (normative commitment). We can use this model to increase commitment and engagement in your team, while also helping people to experience a greater feeling of well-being and job satisfaction. Lets look at each of Meyer and Allens three types of commitment in greater detail. Affection for Your Job (Affective Commitment) Affection for your job occurs when you feel a strong emotional attachment to your organization, and to the work that you do. Youll most likely identify with the organizations goals and values, and you genuinely want to be there. If youre enjoying your work, youre likely to feel good, and be satisfied with your job. In turn, this increased job satisfaction is likely to add to your feeling of affective commitment. Fear of Loss (Continuance Commitment) This type of commitment occurs when you weigh up the pros and cons of leaving  your organization. You may feel that you need to stay at your company, because the loss youd experience by leaving it is greater than the benefit you think you might gain in a new role. These perceived losses, or side bets, can be monetary (youd lose salary and benefits); professional (you might lose seniority or role-related skills that youve spent years acquiring); or social (youd lose friendships or allies). The severity of these losses often increases with age and experience. Youre more likely to experience continuance commitment if youre in an established, successful role, or if youve had several promotions within one organization. Sense of Obligation to Stay (Normative Commitment) This type of commitment occurs when you feel a sense of obligation to your organization, even if youre unhappy in your role, or even if you want to pursue better opportunities. You feel that you should stay with your organization, because its the right thing to do. This sense of obligation can stem from several factors. You might feel that you should remain with your organization because it has invested money or time in your training. Or perhaps it provided a reward in advance, such as paying for your college tuition. This obligation can also result from your upbringing. For instance, your family might have stressed that you should stay loyal to your organization. Note: These three types of commitment are not mutually exclusive. You can experience all three, or two of the three, in varying degrees. Applying the Model at our TMB: Affection for Your Job (Affective Commitment): We are very fortunate in having dedicated employees at all levels who have been energetic and working with untiring zeal for the good growth and prosperity of the institution for the past 92 years. The name and fame of the bank are in a large measure, due to the efficient and diligent service of the highly loyal staff members and officers. This has enabled the Bank to adopt the official motto â€Å"Totally Motivated Bank†. Most of the employees in TMB are committed towards our organization. This has been proven through the  profits earned and dividends paid to the stake holders. Without the positive commitment of affectionate this would not have been possible. In TMB, employees treat themselves to be a part of the family. With this unique feature TMBian’s move forward and make the organization goals and achieve great heights. Fear of Loss (Continuance Commitment): Its important to do our best to grow affective commitment, and reduce our teams reliance on continuance and normative commitment, so that we can lead a team of people who feel passionate for their roles. In TMB, we having some Team members with continuance commitment, which not only impact their growth but also impacting other Team enthusiastic employees, or even lower the morale of the organization. To encourage positive changes, we will link peoples goals with those of the team or organization. If appropriate, we align our teams roles with their skills and interests, with techniques such as Job Crafting . Its important to help people find purpose in their work, which will help them to come out from the above commitment. Sense of Obligation to Stay (Normative Commitment): In our organization, some officers from STEP programme feel a sense of normative commitment since our organization has invested a lot in their training and development. Since they have been contracted for 5 years, they could not able to switch job even if they got better opportunity. To overcome this we are likely to develop affective commitment through explaining them about their growth in this esteemed organization and make them to feel experience positive emotions at their work. Further, we will encourage these people to thrive, and to enjoy the work that theyre doing. We make sure that we give praise regularly, and create a healthy workplace , so that these kind of people will be happy and productive. ASSIGNMENT IV Change is a common thread that runs through all businesses regardless of size, industry and age. Our world is changing fast and, as such, organizations must change quickly too. Organizations that handle change well thrive, whilst those that do not may struggle to survive. The concept of change management is a familiar one in most businesses today. But, how  businesses manage change (and how successful they are at it) varies enormously depending on the nature of the business, the change and the people involved. And a key part of this depends on how far people within it understand the change process. One of the cornerstone models for understanding organizational change was developed by Kurt Lewin back in the 1950s, and still holds true today. His model is known as Unfreeze – Change – Refreeze, refers to the three-stage process of change he describes. Lewin, a physicist as well as social scientist, explained organizational change using the analogy of changing the shape o f a block of ice Lewin’s Three-Step Model For Implementing Change Unfreeze: This first stage of change involves preparing the organization to accept that change is necessary, which involves break down the existing status quo before you can build up a new way of operating. Key to this is developing a compelling message showing why the existing way of doing things cannot continue. This is easiest to frame when you can point to declining sales figures, poor financial results, worrying customer satisfaction surveys, or suchlike: These show that things have to change in a way that everyone can understand. To prepare the organization successfully, you need to start at its core – you need to challenge the beliefs, values, attitudes, and behaviors that currently define it. Using the analogy of a building, you must examine and be prepared to change the existing foundations as they might not support add-on storeys; unless this is done, the whole building may risk collapse. This first part of the change process is usually the most difficult and stressful. When you start cutting down the way things are done, you put everyone and everything off balance. You may evoke strong reactions in people, and thats exactly what needs to done. By forcing the organization to re-examine its core, you effectively create a (controlled) crisis, which in turn can build a strong motivation to seek out a new equilibrium. Without this motivation, you wont get the buy-in and participation necessary to effect any meaningful change. Change: After the uncertainty created in the unfreeze stage, the change stage is where people begin to resolve their uncertainty and look for new ways to do  things. People start to believe and act in ways that support the new direction. The transition from unfreeze to change does not happen overnight: People take time to embrace the new direction and participate proactively in the change. A related change model, the Change Curve , focuses on the specific issue of personal transitions in a changing environment and is useful for understanding this specific aspect in more detail. In order to accept the change and contribute to making the change successful, people need to understand how the changes will benefit them. Not everyone will fall in line just because the change is necessary and will benefit the company. This is a common assumption and pitfall that should be avoided. Time and communication are the two keys to success for the changes to occur. People need time to understand the change s and they also need to feel highly connected to the organization throughout the transition period. When you are managing change, this can require a great deal of time and effort and hands-on management is usually the best approach. Refreeze: When the changes are taking shape and people have embraced the new ways of working, the organization is ready to refreeze. The outward signs of the refreeze are a stable organization chart, consistent job descriptions, and so on. The refreeze stage also needs to help people and the organization internalize or institutionalize the changes. This means making sure that the changes are used all the time; and that they are incorporated into everyday business. With a new sense of stability, employees feel confident and comfortable with the new ways of working. The rationale for creating a new sense of stability in our every changing world is often questioned. Even though change is a constant in many organizations, this refreezing stage is still important. Without it, employees get caught in a transition trap where they arent sure how things should be done, so nothing ever gets done to full capacity. In the absence of a new frozen state, it is very difficult to tackle the next change initiative effectively. How do you go about convincing people that something needs changing if you havent allowed the most recent changes to sink in? Change will be perceived as change for changes sake, and the motivation required to implement new changes simply wont be there. As part of the Refreezing process, make sure that you celebrate the success of the change – this helps people to find closure,  thanks them for enduring a painful time, and helps them believe that future change will be successful. Applying the model at TMB : At our bank we have followed the Lewin’s Three-Step Model while implementing our New Logo: Unfreeze: Even though our Bank has been established in 1921, the logo was set for the bank only in 1962. Since the logo was not competent to match to the current generation of banking and also not expressed the future face of the bank. It has been decided to change the Logo. After having various meetings with our stake holders, at last our Management got approval from our stake holders to change our logo. Our Management has started the process for changing the logo of our bank after 50 years. We are well aware that changing our established logo should be approached with a great deal of caution and forethought. Only a new logo design makeover (executed correctly) can infuse our company brand with new excitement, new blood. We are the leading private sector bank with strong development in modern banking and need a logo that is more in line with, and appealing to, our vision along with modern banking facilities. Change: After got approval from stakeholders, our bank started planning on designing the new logo which should express our vision along with modern banking facilities. The organization has ready to take risk by changing the Logo. The Dispel rumors by answering the questions asked by any one the openly and honestly and also relate the need for change back to operational necessities. Our organization has announced a contest among the staff members for creating a logo which should reflects our vision and Modern banking and also to make the staff involvement. Which made everyone feel that it’s a right time to change Logo of our bank and will give new face to our bank. Refreeze: With help of our all staff members our bank has designed a new log which described our vision and modern banking. The magenta-and-royal-blue combo is a colourful showcase of the brand’s illustrious past, where the inherent DNA of our bank customer orientation commitment to excellence takes center-stage. The complementary colours and the clear-cut typeface underline our bank’s new philosophy of staying in tune with the current generation. What holds the logo together and helps break the clutter is the clever play on the letter ‘M’. An amalgam of two upward arrows, ‘the Positive M’ clearly symbolizes our bank’s new promise – to be one step ahead of life. our New logo was created. On 03.05.2012, we have launched New Corporate Identity (New Logo) for our Bank in a grand function at Thoothukudi by our Managing Director CEO in the august presence of all the Directors of our bank. Change of our New Logo was communicated to people through various medium of communication. The New logo has brought a strong believe from the public that, our bank not only a have a traditional type of banking but also have the Modern banking.

Write from Memory Essay Example for Free

Write from Memory Essay The writer and narrator Marcel Proust is a very interesting fellow. The Overture or also called â€Å"Swan Way† describes Marcel early childhood and also opens up to him stating â€Å"For a long time I use to go to bed early.† Marcel Proust describes how difficult it was just for him to fall asleep. He then falls asleep, he then states he was reading a book prior however when he finally fell asleep imagining he is part of the book he was reading or well subject to it, but he awakes to find out that he was asleep. (Proust, 1909) The Overture is more of an autobiographical than anything else. The Overture sets the tone for the rest of his novels and the major theme is the relationship between time and memory. There is one part in the story where Marcel is drinking tea and eating sponge cake. This instantly causes a relaxation in Marcel and eventually reminds him of his past memories where he would have a similar meal back in â€Å"Combrary†. This is another example in involuntary memory as he was not trying to remember the past it just came naturally by the cue of drinking tea and eating a sponge cake. (Proust, 1909) The biggest difference from Marcel Prousts â€Å"Overture† and an more realistic novel is that it isnt organized in genuine sense or rather when Proust wrote the Overture he would talk about the future, past, and present which were laid out in memory. The main characters of the story were all introduced in the beginning. The narrative also changes from first person to third person which was unusual in writing realistic novel as the perspective generally stays the same throughout the story. The way Marcel Proust wrote his long paragraphs to sentences so he could fully tell his metaphors. When reading the Overture I cant help, but be instilled as if I was there with Marcel during that time of his telling it.

What is the Nature of External Reality?

What is the Nature of External Reality? Worldview is the way a person views the world. Worldview is not just a story or a presumption of life. It is a reality. Worldview is not an assumption of the world. It is a simple, basic belief of life. It is a framework of beliefs through which a person views the meaning of life. A worldview is the way our hearts believe, and not just a thing in our mind. A worldview is an assumption of life that could be true or false. It is a foundation that we believe and live in. There are two basic worldviews. One is based on God, and one is not based on God. A worldview is an argument or a way of guessing why things are the way they are in the world we live in. A person needs to develop his own worldview and believe in what is truth. For a Christian, truth is the Word of God. The first question in this book is What is prime reality-the really real? In Christian Theism, reality is God revealed in the Holy Scriptures. He is the prime reality and is the source of all other reality. He is infinite. He is personal. He is transcendent. He is omniscient. He is sovereign. He is good. In Deism, God created the world and left it to operate on its own. It believes that God does not interact with anyone on earth and denies the true nature of God. In Naturalism, prime reality is matter which is endures forever and is all that exists. It does not believe that God exists. It proposes that the cosmos is the primary reality and pushes God out of the picture. It believes that matter has always existed but probably not in it current state. It is only one thing without any Creator or Divine Being. In Nihilism, nothing exists. There is no God and we are nothing. The universe has no meaning. Existentialism, it believes the same at Naturalism. According to Eastern religions, Go d is in everything, and the cosmos is God. Reality is beyond distinction. They believe that the soul of everyone is actually combined to be the soul of the cosmos, which is the ultimate reality. If something exists that is not God, it is called an illusion. Everything should be combined or united to be The One. Anything that does not combine to be The One is not reality. The One is the ultimate reality. They also believe that there are many roads to The One and that chants can help you obtain ultimate reality. According to the New Age worldview, the soul or the inner being of a person is the prime reality. In other words, self is the reality. Self is important because it is the center of the universe. It is in control of reality. There are three versions which are mentioned. The occult version deals with magic, witchcraft, and similar ungodly acts. The psychedelic deals with reality under another influence to create another reality than the one perceived. The conceptual relativist d eals with the disjunction between what is objective reality and perceived reality. The symbols that society uses do not match what reality is. In Postmodernism, thinking is reality. It is interested in how a person knows rather than what a person knows. It believes that if something is not there, then it cannot be known. It is based on thinking too much. In Islamic Theism, it believes that Allah is God and He is reality. Some people think that maybe the Quran should be included in fundamental reality. The second question is What is the nature of external reality, that is, the world around us? In Christian Theism, external reality is the world that God created. He created all the rules that govern the world. God does answer prayers in relation to His world. In Deism, external reality is the cosmos God created because He created it as a uniformity of cause. It is a closed system, and no miracles are possible. In Naturalism, the universe is composed solely of matter but to human beings, external reality appears in two forms as subjective and objective. In Nihilism, nothing exists. The world is a closed system, and it only acts within itself. In Existentialism, reality is subjective and objective. In Eastern religions, Atman is Brahman that is the sole of each human being and is the soul of the cosmos. It is external reality. Some things are more One than another. Many roads lead to the One. Reality is beyond personality. In New Age religions, external reality is manifested in two dim ensions. The visible universe is accessible through ordinary consciousness, and the invisible universe is accessed through altered states of consciousness. There are three distinct attitudes toward physical question of nature. The occult perceives things in states. The psychedelic perceives things which are projections of conscious self. Conceptual relativity perceives things in which the cosmic consciousness is the consciousness of self. In Postmodernism, matter exists, but God does not exist. In Islamic Theism, external reality is God created the universe, and all its creatures are responsible to Him. The third question is What is a human being? In Christian Theism, humans are created in the image of God. They have intelligence, self-transcendence, morality, and creativity. Human beings were created good; but through the Fall, Gods image was changed in us. In Deism, human beings are a part of the time of the universe. In Naturalism, humans are complex organisms where personalities are an interrelation of chemicals. In Nihilism, humans do not really exist and are basically dead. Their lives are already determined for them so they do not really matter, and they are not responsible for anything. In Existentialism, human beings have to come into full awareness of who they are, and people make themselves who they are. Each person is totally free to determine his destiny. In Eastern religions, the human race is on the edge of extreme change of human nature. They are prototypes of the new age. In New Age, a human is God or Kosmos. They grow in awareness and are transformed. In Postmodern ism, humans make themselves who they are by learning things about themselves. In Islamic Theism, humans are the top of Gods creation. Their high standing in creation means that they have the most responsibility to live up to Gods standards. The fourth question is What happens to a person at death? In Christian Theism, a person will enter the gate to life with God in heaven or the gate to separation from God in hell. In Deism, humans may not have life after his life on earth. In Naturalism, death means the end of a persons personality and individuality. In Nihilism, death is an absurdity. In Existentialism, it believes the same as Naturalism. There is nothing special about it because we are nothing special from other objects. In Eastern religions, a person does die, but death changes nothing that is important. It believes in reincarnation. The soul or the essence of a person is eternal. In New Age religions, there is no fear of death because physical death is not the end of a person. In Postmodernism, since there is no God, then death is only language. Death is not mentioned. In Islamic Theism, a person will either go to paradise or hell. The fifth question is Why is it possible to know anything at all? In Christian Theism, God gave us the ability to learn about the world and about Him. In Deism, it says that we have the ability in us to learn about the world and about God. In Naturalism, it believes the same as Deism. In Nihilism, nothing exists. In Existentialism, it believes a person must make the value in what it observes. In Naturalism, people learn things when they come into full consciousness. In Eastern religions, the only thing that is valuable is what is Oneness. In New Age religions, things appear or disappear when a person comes into full consciousness. In Postmodernism, reality is hidden from people. In Islamic Theism, it believes that Allah has given people the ability to learn things about their world. The sixth question is How do we know what is right or wrong? In Christian Theism, In Deism, In Naturalism, In Nihilism, In Existentialism, In Naturalism, In Eastern religions, In New Age religions, In Postmodernism, In Islamic Theism, The seventh question is What is the meaning of human history? In Christian Theism, In Deism, In Naturalism, In Nihilism, In Existentialism, In Naturalism, In Eastern religions, In New Age religions, In Postmodernism, In Islamic Theism, Microeconomics: Indifference Curve, Oligopoly Game Theory Microeconomics: Indifference Curve, Oligopoly Game Theory Introduction: Microeconomics aims to cover every aspects of our economic life. This report will discuss, evaluate and assess the usefulness and limitations of microeconomic theories in reaching that aim. Microeconomics is The study of choices that individuals make and the way these choices will interact in given markets (Parkin et al. 2012, p.2) or put more simply, microeconomics is the allocation of scarce resources. There are a number of objectives of microeconomics, the foremost being; Equity, Efficiency, Growth and Stability. This report will examine the commonly used theories of; Indifference analysis, Game Theory and the market structure of Oligopoly; analysing the benefits and drawbacks and how they are applied in the real world. Indifference Curve Analysis: To answer questions about individual decision making indifference curve analysis is applied. Before looking at this model it is necessary to assume that the individual satisfies the four axioms of rational preference formulated by Savage (1954). These are; completeness, more is better, transitivity and convexity. Sugden (1991 p.761) describes these as Preferences over acts, where acts are made up of consequences. A rational consumer will of course spend their money on the mix of products that give them most pleasure (Read 2007, p.45). However this will vary for each consumer, because each consumer will have different preferences. The consumer is constrained financially by their exogenous income to only be able to purchase bundles of goods X and Y on or below their budget line. This line does not always have to be straight, and in everyday applications it often is not. This is true with perfect compliments such as right and left shoes, the budget constraint will be stepped because a consumer will not gain much util (benefit) from having significantly more right shoes than left. An indifference curve is a graph showing a combination of two different goods that give the consumer equal satisfaction. There are four main properties of an indifference curve; it is ubiquitous, downward sloping, cannot cross and cannot become less steep. The marginal rate of substitution is the rate at which the consu mer is willing to exchange one bundle, for another along the indifference curve (this is equal to the value of the slope). Diminishing marginal rate of substitution explains why the line is curved as seen in figure 1 (Perloff, 2012). The consumer will take any allocation of resources along each indifference curve (I1, I2, I3). Their utility is optimal where the indifference curve meets the budget constraint. It can be observed that I2 is tangent to the budget constraint at point e therefore that is the rational and optimal choice, although I1 does also intersect part of the budget constraint (points a and c), the equilibrium of goods will be less desirable. Therefore that leaves I2 as the rational choice. However indifference curve analysis does not take into account the consumers preference to save instead of spend. This could cause point d to be the most desirable option. An application of Indifference curve analysis is the use of the Edgeworth box; TheEdgeworth boxis a traditional visualization of the benefits potentially available from trade. When both parties have utilised the benefit that they can receive this is called Pareto optimality. If two consumers (A and B) have fixed amounts of two products (X and Y) they must find a way to trade these goods that benefits both of them without making the other worse off. This can be solved by using their preference maps to construct an Edgeworth box diagram. Figure 2 (Perloff, 2012) shows the indifference curves of the two consumers (Jane and Denise) are tangent at a number of points. If the consumers originally plan on commencing trade at point e this will give Jane 30W and 20C and Denise 20W and 60C, Hence by using IJ2 and ID2 this is more beneficial to both parties due to there being greater overall bundles in addition to a greater combination of products. This then follows both the convexity and the more is better axioms of consumer preference. A contract curve is drawn through all of the Pareto optimal points of trade, which shows the various positions of exchange of products that equalise the marginal rates of substitution of the two exchangers. One particular drawback is that indifference curves usually only focuses on two goods, whereas in real terms it would be very rare that there are only two options of what to spend income on. Although it is possible to create an indifference map that takes into account three goods this is the furthest that the model can progress. There is also no scope for risk, uncertainty, or other factors that could influence a consumers preference map, this is because this form of analysis sticks rigidly to the assumption of Ceteris Paribus. Indifference curve analysis relies upon a consumer behaving rationally, however it is quite possible for a consumer, or anyone, not to behave in a rational way. Hume (1740) argued that reason alone was not a motive to act rationally, and that passion and impulse were of more importance in decision making. Game Theory: Perhaps one of the most discussed theories in microeconomics is that of Game Theory. Perloff, (2012, p.505) defines game theory as formally describing games and predicts their outcome conditional on the rules of the game, the information that players have, and other factors. There are certain factors that must be present for a game to exist. There must be players, strategies, orders of moves (time) and payoffs or rewards for each outcome. Providing that a player behaves rationally, we can assume they will follow a dominant strategy. This is a strategy that gives the player the best final outcome in comparison to all other potential strategies. The prisoner’s dilemma is a paradox in decision analysis where two parties end up worse off by pursuing self-interest. Furthermore it shows how if all parties in a game apply a dominant strategy there will be no real winner. Tucker (1952)formalized the game as we know it today with prison sentence rewards and named it prisoners dilemma It can be seen in figure 3 (Kane, 2013) The prisoners dilemma is set up so that both parties choose to protect themselves at the expense of the other participant; this is achieved by opting to confess. Following a logical thought process to help themselves, both participants are consequently worse off than if they had cooperated and trusted each other. Evidently, receiving confessions from both players is the Nash equilibrium (where each player is assumed to know the equilibrium strategies of the other players, and no player has any advantage by changing their own strategy).It is therefore also the Pareto optimal point. This game can be expanded , giving the players 3 or more strategies each. Although this makes the game more difficult it can be solved using the method of iterated elimination of dominated strategies. This means that when a player notices that a possible strategy is strictly dominated by another strategy (all options of other strategy give a better outcome) then the strategy will not be considered. The prisoner’s dilemma is summarised well by Matt Ridley, â€Å"broadly speaking any situation in which you are tempted to do something, but know it would be a great mistake if everybody did the same thing, is likely to be a prisoner’s dilemma† (1996, p.55). A particularly fascinating application of the prisoner’s dilemma was its use in the cold war. Simplifying research by Cobb (2012). The two players (NATO and the Warsaw Pact) had to choose whether or not to build nuclear weapons. If neither chose to do so, valuable money, time and potentially lives would be saved. All players would be considerably better off if both avoided building nuclear weapons. However if one side built weapons and the other did not then that player would have a huge advantage. Therefore the only rational choice is for both sides to build nuclear weaponry. This puts both players on an equal level. However both are now financially worse off than when they started. Although it could be argued that the application of game theory has saved the world from nuclear war. Steiner and Schelling (1960, p.210) studied a similar model and came to the conclusion that world peace would be the most plausible solution. As shown in the film A Beautiful Mind (2002), the prisoner’s dilemma and Nash Equilibrium challenge Adam Smith’s (1776) marketplace model, which implies that the pursuit of self-interest results in collective benefit. One can observe many political disputes as partially flowing from disagreement regarding which model is more appropriate in a particular situation. For example when a firm or person is operating in a market with many available players, the option to cheat (confess) will not be taken as it would tarnish a firms reputation. This point is made well by Tullock (1985) and essentially implies that if you do not choose to cooperate in the short term, you may not have anyone to cooperate with in the long term. Game theorists have the assumption that players have perfect knowledge of both their own and opponents payoffs. When applied to the real world in more complicated applications this is often not true. It is often not possible to discover an outcome until the game has been played. Traditional game theory does include the factor that humans are intelligent and will often change their strategy when a game is played multiple times. It is assumed that players of a game will always apply a dominant strategy, however, this may not occur if players know each other or know that they will later come into contact with each other. Oligopoly: An Oligopoly is a common form of market structure with limited competition, in which a market is shared by a small number of producers or sellers whereas a duopoly only has two dominant firms. Many of the models used when analysing this market structure focus on duopolies for simplicity reasons. There have been a number of contrasting models for an oligopolistic market, arguably the three most important, and the three that this report will focus on, are the Cournot model, Stackelberg model and Bertrand model. In the Cournot model each firm assumes that rivals will continue producing at their current output levels. Each firm has the assumption that its competitors production levels are fixed, and will not be effected by their own production levels. This was developed by Antoine A. Cournot (1838). Each firm has a best response possible for every situation, this is the reaction function and is shown by (Perloff 2012) in figure 4. The best response curves show which output a firm will pick to maximise profit following its belief of its rivals output, Cournot equilibrium is found where the best response curves intersect. In contrast to this, the Stackelberg model assumes that firms do not decide on output simultaneously, instead, there is a price leader and a price follower. Henceforth, backwards induction is used to find the equilibrium. Cournot’s model is a simultaneous game, whereas Stackelberg’s is a sequential game. It can be seen from diagram 4 below that in the Cournot mod el, output for the two firms will be the same, however, output in the Stackelberg model is higher for the leader and lower for the price taker. If the firms are price takers then they will produce where demand equals to marginal cost. Within the Bertrand model each firm assumes that rivals will continue charging their current prices, the model was created by Bertrand (1883) in a review of Cournots model. Bertrands argument is that firms will choose the price to set rather than quantities, and that price should equal marginal cost. One problem with this model is that it assumes that consumers will always buy the lowest price product; which does not take into account factors such as product differentiation, location and the cost to the consumer of obtaining market information. The emergence of cartels is fairly common in oligopolies. This can have a negative effect on the consumer. A cartel is an agreement between competing firms to control prices and output. A cartel will form if the incumbent firms in the industry believe they can formulate higher profits by colluding together. If two firms collude, they could operate as a monopoly, therefore producing less and charging a higher price. Following Stigler (1964) many economists now accept that collusion is not a viable option in the long term as each firm has the incentive to cheat. This could be achieved by raising either price or quantity. Although cartels are illegal in most countries this has not stopped them forming. Research from Levenstein and Suslow (2006, p43-95) showed that although cartels are often successful in raising prices in the short term, most break up before five years. This is because when there is an incentive to cheat (and get away with it), most firms will take that opportunity. As shown in the recent failed cartel within the US airline industry involving Qantas (BBC 2007) In disparity to this however, an oligopolistic market does not necessarily mean that the firms will collude. Coca cola and Pepsi have a duopoly of their market, yet they are fiercely competitive and are forced to spend vast amounts each year on advertising. This level of competitiveness drives down prices through price wars, causes firms to differentiate products, and encourages innovation. Ultimately all of this is good news for the consumer. Another interesting example of an oligopolistic market is the current UK petrol station industry. Although the price of oil has fallen dramatically in the previous year, the firms inside the market are unwilling to drop their prices to match the fall in costs. This is because of price rigidity and collusion, if one firm dropped the price of petrol then all other incumbent firms would follow the price drop. This would consequently reduce profit for all firms in the industry. This shows how oligopolies can often have a negative effect for consumers. Conclusion: In conclusion the biggest problem in the application of microeconomics is the principle that consumers will always behave rationally, as previously noted, rationality is hard to define. In addition to this microeconomic theories are based on the static assumption of Ceteris Paribus which means Other things being equal. This assumption is unrealistic, the way we think and act are constantly changing, decisions can vary from day to day in response to to many different factors. Many of the microeconomic models do not go into the complexity needed to completely analyse our everyday behaviour. For example indifference curve analysis is limited to two or three products and some of the theories behind oligopolies can only be used for duopolies. However this does not make these models obsolete by any means. For the aforementioned reasons, there is no doubt that microeconomics can, if applied correctly, cover aspects of our everyday lives and give us a detailed insight into how and why we act as we do. However, this being said, microeconomic theories should only be used as one of many tools to help aid our knowledge of the economic world. The study of Microeconomic theory helps in achieving the correct allocation of resources, commodities and output mix for the maximization of the social welfare. APPENDIX Figure 1 : Consumer Maximisation (Perloff 2012, p.115) Figure 2: Edgeworth Box and Contract Curve (Perloff 2012, p.349) Figure 3: The Prisoners Dilemma (Kane 2013.) Figure 4: Duopoly Equilibrium (Perloff 2012, p.487) Bibliography A Beautiful Mind, 2002. Film. A Beautiful Mind (2001). Available from: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0268978/ [Accessed 27 Nov 2014]. BBC, 2007. Qantas admits cargo price fixing [online]. BBC Business. Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7116073.stm [Accessed 29 Nov 2014]. Bertrand, J., 1883. Book review of theorie mathematique de la richesse sociale and of recherches sur les principles mathematiques de la theorie des richesses. Journal de Savants, 67, 499–508. Cobb, L., 2012. Encylopedia of Mathematics and Society. Hackensack. Salem Press Inc. Cournot, A., 1838. Researches into the Mathematical Principles of the Theory of Wealth.The American Mathematical Monthly, 35 (8). Hume, D., 1740. A Treatise of Human Nature. (Second Edition). Oxford: Claredon Press. Kane, T,. 2013. The Prisoners Dilemma [table] United States: Available from: http://balanceofeconomics.com/2013/01/03/national-affairs-the-political-prisoners-dilemma/ [Accessed 23 November 2014] Levenstein, M. and Suslow, V., 2006. What Determines Cartel Success? Journal of Economic Literature [online], 44 (1), 43–95. Parkin, M., Powell, M., and Matthews, K., 2012. Essential Economics. European Edition. United Kingdom: Pearson Education Limited. Perloff, J., 2012. Microeconomics. 6th Edition. United States: Pearson Addison Wesley. Perloff, J., 2012. Figure 4.9 [graph]. United States: Pearson Addison Wesley. Perloff, J., 2012. Figure 10.4 [graph]. United States: Pearson Addison Wesley. Perloff, J., 2012. Figure 13.6 [graph]. United States: Pearson Addison Wesley. Read, D., 2007. Experienced utility: Utility theory from Jeremy Bentham to Daniel Kahneman.Thinking Reasoning [online], 13 (1), 45–61. Ridley, M., 1996. The Origins of Virtue: Human Instincts and the Evolution of Cooperation. London. Penguin Books. Savage, L., 1954. The Foundations of Statistics. New York: Wiley Smith, A., 1776. An Enquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. London: Methuen. Steiner, P. and Schelling, T., 1961. The Strategy of Conflict.Economica, 28 (109). Stigler, George., 1964. A Theory of Oligopoly. Journal of Political Economy, 72(1): 44–61. Sugden, R., 1991. Rational Choice: A Survey of Contributions from Economics and Philosophy.The Economic Journal, 101 (407). Tucker, A., and Kuhn, H., 1952. Contributions to the Theory of Games. Econometrica, 20 (1). Tullock, G., 1985. Adam Smith and the Prisoners’ Dilemma. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 100.

Foreclosure Essay -- Real Estate

Recent setbacks in the mortgage and financing sectors of the economy have modified the process of real estate acquisitions. Specifically, entry level investors with un-established or insignificant credit history have experienced difficulty securing collateralized loans with competitive interest rates. This is not to say that a weak credit history was disregarded prior to the real estate and bond market collapse in 2008, though, it has certainly become more difficult to attain financing for the purchase of real property.1 Fortunately, the proposed scenario for this essay indicates that I, the investor, acquired $150,000 cash to purchase a distressed property, which presents a unique opportunity from both investment and financing perspectives. However, achieving the greatest return on my investment requires a solid financial strategy, which includes: 1. Defining my risk parameters, familiarizing myself with the process of purchasing a distressed property, and performing thorough due diligence, prior to engaging in the purchase. 1. Exploring my financing options 1. Estimating a potential return on investment (ROI) For this exercise, I will focus on purchasing a distressed property to generate rental income, as a long-term investment. Therefore, the following sections of this essay will discuss my financial strategy as is relates to a distressed real estate purchase. DEFINING RISK PARAMETERS A Brief Discussion of Risk Management Regardless of investment type, an investor’s portfolio must account for risk. Whether it relates to stock or real estate acquisitions, risk directly correlates to the returns one can expect on an investment. Accepting higher levels of risk typically indicates that potential returns c... ...ategy, given $150,000, I chose to pursue an all-cash purchase of a distressed property, located in a generally stable area along the outskirts of Philadelphia. The property will likely be a two-story, 2 bedroom, tenant- occupied row home, priced between $115,000 and $125,000. The purchase price leaves approximately $25,000 - $35,000 cash, which I can use towards capital expenditures, and as a financial buffer in the event of tenant default. Additionally, from my knowledge of rental rates in the area, I am confident that I can earn $800 - $950 per month, which yields a ROI of 8% to 12%. My decisions were based on a logical and well-planned approach. Although accounting for risk is imperative, and success is never guaranteed, following my detailed financial and investment approach for acquiring a distressed property can maximize my present and future returns.

Essay example --

A libertarian would most likely be against this mandate on the grounds that a person should rightfully be compensated if they are to donate an organ and that should not be controlled by the government. A social democrat would most likely be in favor of such a mandate on the grounds that the government would not have to compensate organ donors thus essentially saving money for other practical healthcare matters. The organic view would be in favor of such a mandate on the grounds that the act of donating organs should be of voluntary nature anyways because such selfless acts would help promote the wellness of the community. I would expect a libertarian to be against such a mandate on the grounds that every person should be able to make their own personal choice as to whether they decide to wear a helmet or not. A social democrat would probably be in favor of such a mandate because it overall supports the safety of human life. The organic view towards this mandate would most likely be a favorable one because as more people use their helmets there is a higher likelihood of less casualties or serious injuries thus reducing potential healthcare costs. I would expect a libertarian to be against such a mandate on the grounds that every one person should be able to decide if their children should use safety seats and not it be forced upon them from the government. A social democrat would most likely take the stand in favor of the mandate as it promotes the safety of children’s lives. The organic view would most likely be in favor of the mandate on the grounds that these safety procedures would reduce possible healthcare costs and ultimately lead to fewer fatalities on the road. Libertarians would probably be against the prohibiting o... ... the 10 percent. At 0 percent interest rate, this project would reach a surplus revenue of 1 billion and at 5 percent it would reach a surplus revenue of 316.5 million. This is a vast discrepancy in such a small difference in interest rates. Now, if the interest rate were to be as high as 10 percent then there would be a deficit of 156.6 million. So the politician is incorrect in his statement and the interest is a huge factor in whether the government should consider funding for this project. These types of spending are most likely to occur in the federal budgeting process than individually because they are easier to hide if done so. If we are to expose the â€Å"pork† then we are more likely to see its minimal national benefit and also more likely to shoot it down. Therefore, such exposure may upset special interest groups or lobbyist who may be in favor of the â€Å"pork†.

Analysis of a Child Essay -- Papers

Analysis of a Child This assignment describes and analyses my involvement with a 13-year-old client Joe Smith, who was temporarily supported under section 25 (voluntary) of the Children's (Scotland) Act 1995 to be Looked After and Accommodated by the Local Authority. The process of intervention will be discussed from pre-engagement, assessment and gathering of information to client interaction and networking with other agencies. Using reflection, I will critically analyse how I planned and responded to the needs and risks in regard to Joe, and assess my role and the impact of my intervention. I shall also discuss my learning outcomes and the process of supervision. The theoretical knowledge gained and relevant legislation will be considered to demonstrate how I applied these in my practice. I acted in accordance with agency policies and procedures regarding the client's rights and confidentiality, by asking the family's permission to write about the case. I advised the family that the names would be changed to ensure confidentiality and that access to the assignment would be for course purposes only. (Social Worker Records Groups 1989) I also advised the family that they had a right to read my assignment in accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998) and under section (2) of the Access to Personal Files (Social Work) (Scotland) Regulations 1989 (Mays, 2001, p379) I felt it important to inform and involve the family, as a form of empowerment and to protect the agency and myself and to ensure good practice. (Orme & Coulshed, 1998,p41) Context of Placement The Area Team is situated in the periphery of a large city, whi... ...- [1] Section 3 (1)(b) Children's (Scotland) Act 1995 [2] Section 11 of the Children's (Scotland) Act 1995 [3] Section 54(b) of the C (S) A 1995. [4] Section 52 (2) (a) of the C (S) A 1995. [5] Section 25 (1)(c) (7)(b) of the C (S) a 1995. [6] Section 25 (voluntary) C (S) A 1995 Act. [7] Section 25 voluntary of the C (S) A 1995 to section 73 (4) of the C (S) A 1995 naming the Children's Unit as the place of residence on Joe's Supervision Order. (Looked After and Accommodated Children) [8] Section 17 (3)(a) C (S) A 1995 [9] Section 17 (3) (d) s. 22 (1)(b) of the C (S) A 1995, section 30 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 [10] Section 17 (3) (a) of the C (S) A 1995 [11] Two counts of Breach of the Peace. Five counts of Assault involving two male and three female members of staff.

Globalisation and the Coca-Cola Company Essay

Today, Coca-Cola is one of most well-known brands in the world. This company has continued to gain momentum and growth, capitalizing on the rapidly expanding beverage industry and ranking as the largest beverage company in the world. With its push for global market share, Coca-Cola now operates in over 200 countries with over 84,000 suppliers. Currently, over 70% of Coca Cola’s business income is generated from non-US sources (Coca-Cola Company, 2012). In over a century, Coca-Cola has grown the company into a multi-million dollar business. However, the road to success has not always been easy for Coca-Cola. Many countries have banned the use of Coca-Cola products, claiming that these products are â€Å"threatening public health† and â€Å"encouraging obesity.† Many labor practice suits have been filed against the mega beverage company with accusations of â€Å"child labor sweatshops† and â€Å"discrimination in providing health care benefits to workers.† In addition, the beverage industry has been flooded with competitors introducing new soft drink products, such as Pepsi, along with soft drink alternatives, such as Gatorade, bottled water, fruit juice, and energy drinks. Coca-Cola has faced the challenge by introducing new beverage brands including Sprite, Fanta, Minute Maid, Simply Orange, Fresca, Vitamin Water, Smart Water, Odwalla, and Powerade. In light of the obstacles Coca-Cola has overcome, the company has remained true to its commitment to provide quality, refreshing, and satisfying products to consumers. In order to ensure each product tastes the same across the globe, Coca-Cola continues to keep the beverage recipes secret with tightly controlled manufacturing facilities. CocaCola has never lost sight of its goal to be the best beverage company in the world. Now, let us take a closer look at Coca Cola’s journey to globalization. Coca-Cola’s Journey to Globalization Founded back in the 1880’s, Coca-Cola was developed by John Pemberton as an American iconic brand known for high quality and consistency. During this period in history, storekeepers demanded pre-packaged products with brand name recognition. Coca-Cola met these demands with its iconic red and white logo and brand marketing to instill confidence in the consumer that the Coca-Cola product would taste the same everywhere it was purchased. These strategies soon became the foundation for CocaCola’s plan to expand globally. In the early 1900’s, Coca-Cola started to globalize. Bottling plants were initially built in Cuba and Panama as the US military spread to these regions, causing a rise in demand for the Coca-Cola brand. These plants proved to be successful, reducing shipping and delivery costs typical in these regions. Soon after, additional bottling plants opened in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. These efforts launched Coca-Cola’s Saylor URL: www.saylor.org/bus208#2.5.6 The Saylor Foundation investment in testing foreign markets for future expansion opportunities. By 1926, CocaCola had established foreign relationships and plants around the world in support of its newly created center of global operations. Coca-Cola continued on its path of mass production and rapid expansion for the next several decades. Local branches along with local partnerships to produce and distribute the signature Coca-Cola products were established throughout the world. The ending of World War II and the Cold War marked the signature period in which Coca-Cola had established itself as a true global corporation known for its efficiency and worldwide capabilities. Next, let us take a look at three key strategies employed by Coca-Cola to support rapid growth and expansion across the globe: global marketing strategies, product differentiation, and technology. Global Marketing Strategies Coca-Cola’s marketing strategies played a significant role in successfully globalizing the company. The company’s popular advertising slogans and catchy jingles played into the hearts and minds of people around the world. Some of the most remembered advertising slogans include: Coupled with these slogans, songs were used to have consumers remember the brand. One of the company’s most popular jingles was known as â€Å"I want to buy the world a coke,† produced in 1971 by Billy Davis. The commercial featuring this song portrayed a world of hope and love produced by a group of multicultural teenagers on top of a hill. This commercial went down in history as one of the most well-known commercials of all time. In addition to Coca-Cola’s advertising efforts, Coca-Cola became the first commercial sponsor of the Olympic Games in Amsterdam in 1928. Coca-Cola continues to be an Olympic Games sponsor today. Coca-Cola has also sponsored many other sporting events such as the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), National Hockey League (NHL), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football Association (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), NASCAR, and Cricket World Cup. Saylor URL: www.saylor.org/bus208#2.5.6 Product Differentiation Another key factor that has supported Coca Cola’s globalization vision is the company’s ability to customize the product to meet the needs and wants of individual markets. For example, Coca-Cola has been able to tailor its product line to meet the needs of the younger consumer by offering Powerade and flavored Coke products, such as Cherry Coke and Vanilla Coke. Additionally, the company is meeting the needs of the health conscious, older consumer with Diet Coke, Vitamin Water, and Odwalla products. CocaCola has invested significant time and money into researching and understanding different marketing segments based on lifestyle, age, and income in order to accurately develop and market its products. Packaging differentiation has also played a key role in how adaptable the Coca-Cola product is to various market segments. Functional packaging has been used to make the products available in different sizes and forms, including glass and plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and fountain drink dispensers. The company considers various shapes and sizes of the bottles and cans to ensure easy stacking and vending machine dispensing. To promote the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability, all packaging materials are designed to be recyclable and labeled accordingly for easy consumer identification. Technology Technology advances contributed to Coca-Cola’s ability to globalize rapidly throughout the 20th century. Product transportation became more efficient and cost effective with the development of bigger and faster semi-trucks, cargo ships, jet aircraft, and trains. Coca-Cola was able to manufacture and ship products quicker and farther to market segments that were unreachable before these transportation improvements. In addition, technology advances became the driving force behind the ease and speed at which information was available. Distributors and warehouses were able to more accurately track inventory levels and fill order shipments, resulting in lower overall operating costs. Computerization also led to slashed product costs and improved efficiencies. Computerized and automated manufacturing equipment increased the speed and volume in which products were produced. These technological advances enabled Coca Cola to compete on a global scale, selling the well-known brand of products across the world at competitive prices. Summary: Coca-Cola is one of the most well-known brands in the world, operating in over 200 countries. While the global marketplace has presented numerous opportunities for CocaCola, the company has also encountered global attacks on the nutritional value of its products, along with unfair labor practice accusations. Saylor URL: www.saylor.org/bus208#2.5.6 The Saylor Foundation Founded in 1880, Coca-Cola began its journey toward becoming the world’s best and largest beverage company. Coca-Cola’s American iconic logo, brand recognition, convenient packaging, and consistent product manufacturing became the foundation for the company’s plan to expand globally. A pioneer in globalization, Coca-Cola began expanding bottling and manufacturing facilities back in the early 1900’s, establishing key foreign partnerships. Coca-Cola’s marketing strategies, including memorable advertising slogans, catchy jingles, and sporting event sponsorships, played a significant role in winning the hearts and minds of consumers globally. Product differentiation, such as offering different beverages in flexible packaging options, allowed Coca-Cola to customize the product for different market segments. Technology advances, including product transportation, telecommunication, and computerization, became the driving force behind Coca-Cola’s ability to capitalize on the rapidly expanding marketplace across the globe. References: Coca-Cola Company (2012). Wikinvest. Retrieved December 11, 2012. http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Coca-Cola_Company_(KO)

Educating the Exceptional Learner Essay

The reading week provided many new ideas and one of those was the gifted and talented, creative. Learning about children and youth with these extraordinary abilities of; elaboration, transformation and visualization. Sternberg, states in the reading that, â€Å"Individuals can be talented and may display extraordinary skills in mathematics, sports, music, or other performance areas. † I have worked with students that display these extraordinary abilities and many are also gifted with a high intelligence quotient. But, many also have no social abilities. They have no idea how to make friends or how to talk to their peers. They struggle with social interactions and boundaries. There are some exceptions and it is always a pleasant surprise to experience these exceptions. In another part of the reading, they talked about the mental age of a student. This phrase was new for me. A student’s mental age is based on their intellectual abilities. In the reading, J. P. Guilford saw intelligence as â€Å"a diverse range of intellectual and creative abilities†. This concept is very powerful because of its views on intelligence as much broader. There are many who have contributed to the definitions of giftedness. The definitions and concepts of giftedness appears to have an explanation that serves a purpose of influence; what the student is qualified for, the amount of funding and training for educators. â€Å"This is not the universally accepted definition of giftedness? † (Clark, 2008). Characteristics of giftedness are limited and are an inadequate sample of various ethnic and cultural groups, so the studies do not represent this group as a whole. Giftedness can come from many diverse sectors. The origin of giftedness has a lot of controversy. Geneticists determined that giftedness is heredity and can have environmental influences, but environmentalists allege otherwise. Plomin and Price (2003) captured it best when they said â€Å"it may well be more appropriate to think about general cognitive ability as an appetite, rather than the aptitude. It appears assessments like testing done today are being used with children for whom they were designed and children, who were once excluded, are now being included. I feel when children are included good things are bound to happen. How to use this information in the classroom is to provide students with the right type of testing. The correct testing will help discover the students’ abilities, abilities that would no rmally not be evident in everyday classroom performances.