Elements of SMART goals

Elements of SMART goals The process of setting goals is integral to the strategic planning process (Berkowitz, Fredrick, Roger, Steven and William, 1998); this is because goals are very important to an organization because they help in controlling the planning process, motivate individuals and teams effort towards a common goal.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Elements of SMART goals specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They also enable a consistent approach on all the functions of the organization as they guide the formulation of strategies and tactics and form the basis of the budgeting process (Pearce and Robinson, 2009). Thus, because of their critical importance in the planning process and its impact on the success of an organization, goals must be carefully identified and selected. The SMART criterion is valuable tool that guide organization in the goal setting process; SMART is an acronym for specific, measurable, attainable, releva nt and time bound, which are considered the characteristics of effective goals (Prather, 2005). In the following section let us discuss each of these elements of SMART goals. Specific: This attribute states that goals should be clearly defined and unambiguous; its involves what is expected, the importance of the goals, who is involved in its implementation, what attributes are important and in what areas are the goal expected to take place (Prather, 2005). Thus, a good goal should provide precise information on what it wants to achieve; an example of a good specific goal is for example â€Å"to achieve 25% return on capital employed by year 2012†. Such a goal states specifically what the organization wishes to achieve which is 25% growth, in which area and by when. An example of an ambiguous ineffective goal would be â€Å"to grow our return on investments that will satisfy investors†; it is ineffective because it does not satisfy all the features of a SMART goal. Meas urable: this element states that all goals should be quantifiable so that progress can be established; this means that the inputs and outputs should be easily measured in order to establish how successful an organization is (Prather, 2005).Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More An example of an effective measureable goal would be â€Å"to gain 25% markets share in the sport shoe segment by April 2015† while an ineffective goal would be †to be a successful sport shoe company in the near future†. Attainable: this attribute states that goals should be achievable and should consider the organization’s current circumstance (Prather, 2005). That is, goals should be realistic such that those who are expected to achieve those goals should have the necessary skills and experience supported by the organization financial capacity necessary to achieve them. An effective attainable goal would be â€Å"to achieve 10% growth on our flagship brand in the next financial year while an unattainable goal would be â€Å"to achieve 40% growth in sales during a recession†. Relevance: a good goal should add value to the organization and to its employees (Prather, 2005); this makes it essential for them to be linked to the goals of the organization, departments, teams and individuals. They should also be relevant to the challenges that face the organization and should motivate and inspire the employees. An effective relevant goal would be â€Å"to increase the brand awareness of our product in the market from 12%-25% for a new product that has entered the market during our first year of operation† while an irrelevant goal would be â€Å"to create the awareness of HIV to our consumers†. Such a goal adds no value to the firm. Time Bound: goals should specify the time period within which they are to be achieved with (Prathe r, 2005); this is necessary to control for resource overuse or avoid the danger of goals becoming obsolete due to environmental changes.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Elements of SMART goals specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More A good goal would be â€Å"to increase the size of our Chinese market operations from $ 200m to $1billion between year 2011 and 2015†. An ineffective goal would be to â€Å"to triple our operations in China†. Goals setting process Goal: 1. To create and raise the awareness of the J Boag and Sons company fine premium beer brands in Western Australia to 70% in the first one year in order to achieve high brand recognition and recall. This goal has the following qualities that make it SMART; it is specific in that it states clearly what is to be achieved so as to create and raise awareness of the company’s brands. This is because it specifically states the product that is to be promoted and what it will accomplish i.e. to achieve high brand recognition and recall. The goal is attainable because the company is indeed a producer of fine premium beer brands; it’s a company that is entering the Western Australian market through use of intensive marketing campaign and use of integrated marketing communication tools such as advertising and sales promotion and is possible for J. Boag and Sons Co to raise the awareness of the market to over 70%. The goal is relevant to the firm because it’s entering a new market where it is relatively unknown and the level of differentiation between premium beer brands is low. In addition, the important parameters of the goal are all measurable and they include the desired level of brand awareness and the time period in which the activity will take place. Finally, the goal is time bound as it states clearly that it the goal should be achieved within one year. This goal addresses the company’s position as identified by the SWOT analysis. The SWOT analysis identified as a critical weakness, the low level of brand recognition and recall of the company’s brands in the Western Australian market.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This limits the company’s ability to position its product in a distinct manner in that market. Additionally as a company that is entering a new market, it is expected that its products would be relatively unknown. Thus the objective to create brand awareness in the market is a suitable and relevant first step for J Boag and So. Co. Ltd. Goal: 2. to capture 15% of the rapidly growing market among young males for premium beers in Perth in the first two years. This goal has SMART attributes in that it specifically states what the company intends to do and identifies the geographical area where the company intends to achieve this goal. It also clearly states the market that the company is targeting and is measureable as it defines the metrics that will be used to determine the effectiveness of the goal i.e. to achieve a 15% market share in the premium beer market. The goal is attainable because there is a rapid growing opportunity in the segment of young male of ages 18-30 years and the existing market is sizeable. The company has a realistic opportunity to capture the 15% market share because it has the resources to make the finest beer in Australia. The goal is relevant because the company is seeking to establish its presence in the new market and is time-bound as it states that this goal has to be achieved in two years. The goal also addresses the strengths and opportunities of J Boags and Sons co. as they were identified in the SWOT analysis. The opportunity presented by the growing market in Perth and its sizeable nature is attractive enough for the company to pursue. To achieve this, the company will use its unique capabilities of its control of the strategic resources of the finest water and hops in the world which it will use to produce the fine premium beer to compete in the new market. The target of capturing 15% of the market share is achievable and the market share is expected to grow rapidly in the next five year. Goal: 3. To challenge the domi nant position of Swan lager in the premium beer market in Western Australia and to counter its marketing campaign, it is necessary to position J. Boag and Sons Co. beer as the finest premium beer that is made in Australia in the first year of operation and to make it the preferred brand amongst 18-30 year olds. This goal is specific as it states what the organization seeks to achieve and how it will do so, it also defines in which markets and geographical area the company will challenge Swan lager and the duration it intends to do so. The goal is measurable because it states the variable that the company will be targeting in its activity namely the dominant market position of Swan lager. The goal is relevant to the company because the competitor has vowed to defend its territory and market share by invoking the made in Western Australia sentiments among its lucrative consumer base in Perth. The goal is attainable because the young male generation is less attached to their traditiona l Western Australia roots compared to the older generations. Again they are likely to embrace the new brand due to its finesse and the made in Australia label. Finally, the goal is time-bound as it defines the period within with the goal is to be achieved. This goal addresses the threat identified in the SWOT analysis and uses its strength to counter the threat. The SWOT analysis identified Swan lager as the market leader in Perth with market intentions to vigorously defend its market share. The company will use its strategic resources of fine water and hops and its position as the brewer of the finest premium brew in Australia to counter the threat posed by Swan Lager. Formal and informal controls To achieve the objectives and goals set out in the marketing plan, a set of controls are established at the planning stage that define expected performance and behavior within the firm (Ferrell and Hartline, 2011). These controls are both formal and informal; formal controls refer to any official protocols established and enforced by the firm that exist specifically to ensure that the planned strategy is achieved (Ferrell and Hartline, 2011). They include official company policies, official reporting mechanisms, performance management regimes, compensation schemes, training and development systems amongst others. Formal controls are classified in three basic categories. Input Controls: these define the type, amount and quality of inputs that must be available before the marketing plan can be implemented (Ferrell and Hartline, 2011). They include financial resources, capital expenditures, additional research and development and human resources (Ferrell and Hartline, 2011) that must be secured in order to effectively implement the marketing plan. Process Controls refer to the mechanisms that are required for the execution of the plans and include controls that govern and motivate individual behavior and performance towards achieving the marketing plan objectives (Ferr ell and Hartline, 2011). They include management training, management commitment to the marketing plan and to employees, employees’ compensation, evaluation systems, employees discipline management, and the internal communication system (Ferrell and Hartline, 2011). Output controls refer to mechanisms used to measure performance and compare it to stated marketing objectives during and after the implementation of the marketing plan (Ferrell and Hartline, 2011). They include: Overall performance standards which measure how well the overall goals have been achieved and include sales revenues, sales volumes, market share, profitability, customer satisfaction amongst other market related metrics. Product performance standards measure the quality and performance of output; they include product specification, core product quality, experiential quality, innovation, branding and positioning. Price performance standards refer to the degree at which the desired price standards are achi eved; they include revenues targets, supply and demand balance and price elasticity. Distribution standards measure the achievement of distribution goals and they include the effectiveness of distribution, supply chain integration, value arising from time, place, possession utility, collaboration with channel participants, and effectiveness of direct distribution (Ferrell and Hartline, 2011). Integrated marketing communication standards measure how well communication objectives are achieved and include brand awareness, recognition and recall, public relations and sales promotion effectiveness. Informal controls refer to unofficial company policy or influences that can be used to control the behaviour and performance of individuals and organization towards the achievement of stated objectives (Ferrell and Hartline, 2011). Informal controls are classified into three categories, individual self controls, social controls and organization wide cultural controls (Ferrell and Hartline, 20 11). Employee self control is related to individual and they include employee satisfaction, employee commitment to the company, its objectives and employee’s confidence in their skills. Social controls relate to group dynamics and they include shared organizational values, work group relationships, informal communication process and peer influence amongst others. Cultural controls refer to organization culture and rituals that have a profound effect on the implementation of the marketing plan. Organization should often audit their informal environment to ensure that it is conducive for the successful implementation of marketing strategies. After the planning process has been completed an organization undertakes to implement the plan, it is during the implementation stage that deviations often arise which had not been anticipated. Both the internal and external environments are very dynamic and as such they constantly present a challenge to the marketing planning process. A ke y variable may change and it can affect the whole planning process negatively or positively. One of the major cause of deviation is because organization lack perfect information during planning which comes into light during its implementation (McGrath and McMillan, 1995) Craven and Piercy (2006) identified the following factors which managers can use to identify problems and issues during the implementation stage by observing the following: Whether the budget of the project is within the budget limits If the progress of the project is according to the time plan If the project is functioning as expected The view of key stakeholders have been met The opinion or reaction of end users to the product must be considered as feedback from end users is very important because they are the ultimate determinants of whether the product or service will be a success. A low level of adoption of a new product or service is a definite sign of problems to come If an ordinary problem grows and become a complex problem during the implementation process, then it is clear that there are underlying problems that were not detected during the planning process. Another important tool for detecting problems is the marketing planning audits; organization should implement regular audits whereby they undertake an in-depth analysis of the organization marketing activities as they are likely to identify problems and resolve them in a timely fashion. When a problem is identified as being caused by internal failures of an organization, a re-evaluation of the SWOT analysis can help the organization to re-organize itself and its resources. The internal analysis of an organization in the SWOT analysis relates to the strengths and weaknesses elements (Jain, 2004) and a strategy failure would indicate that the SWOT analysis was not properly carried out. A re-evaluation of the SWOT and the proper identification of strengths and weaknesses can enable an organization to come up with the proper set of strategies needed to compete effectively in the market place. If the change in environment is caused by a major external variable such as change in government regulation, rapid technological change or a shift in consumers’ tastes and preferences, the company should re-evaluate the SWOT and re-develop its strategies once more. The external environment is covered in the opportunity and threats side of the SWOT analysis (Jain, 2004). When the elements of the SWOT changes for instance, a new analysis should be carried out and new strategies developed. The new strategies developed after the review of the SWOT could either be intensive investment, divestiture, or diversification (Porter, 1980). Based on this a company can use the marketing mix element to competitively react to changes in the marketing environment that is caused by external variables (Kotler, 2000). These include adjusting prices, increased promotional activities, changing the product or adjusting product variables amongst others (Kotler, 2000). References Berkowitz, E, Frederick C, Roger K, Steven H, William R. 1998. Marketing. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Cravens, D.W. and Piercy, N. 2006. Strategic Marketing. Sydney: Irwin. Doran, G. T.1981. Theres a S.M.A.R.T. way to write managements goals and objectives. Management Review, 70.11: pp. 35-36. Ferrell, O.C. Hartline, D. M. Marketing Strategy 5th Ed. Ohio: South-Western. 2011. Jain, S.C. 2004. Marketing: Planning and Strategy 7th Ed. Singapore: Thomson Kotler, P. 2000. Marketing Management: Millennium Edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall McGrath, R. G. McMillan, I. C. 1995. Discovery Driven Planning. Harvard Business  Review, 73(4): 44-54. Pearce, J. A. Robinson, R. B. 2008. Strategic Management 11th Edition. McGraw-Hill Irwin: New York. Porter, M. E. 1980. Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industry and  Competitors. New York: Free Press Prather, C. W. 2005. The Dumb Thing about Smart Goals for Innovation. Research  Technology Management, 48(5): 14-21.

Still More Words That Turn on the Root Vert

Still More Words That Turn on the Root Vert Still More Words That Turn on the Root Vert Still More Words That Turn on the Root Vert By Mark Nichol Two recent posts (here and here) dealt with many of the English words based on the Latin verb vertere, meaning â€Å"turn,† focusing on those based on the root vert. This follow-up post defines some additional words in the vertere family: those with the root vers. Versus (abbreviated vs. or, in legal contexts, v.) comes directly from the Latin adverb meaning â€Å"so as to face† and means â€Å"against† or â€Å"in contrast to.† As a Latin noun, versus meant â€Å"furrow† or â€Å"row,† alluding to how a plow was turned at the end of each row, and later acquired the sense of a line and a line of writing, hence verse. That word pertains to a line of metrical writing, a poem in particular or poetry in general, a stanza (one of two or more sections of a poem) or a similar segment of a song, or a brief division of the Bible. Interestingly, an antonym of verse in the sense of â€Å"poetry,† prose, which refers to more loosely structured forms of writing that resemble speech- and to ordinary written and spoken language or, pejoratively, something dull or ordinary (described with the adjective prosaic and the adverb prosaically)- is a contraction of proversus, meaning â€Å"turned forward.† Prose itself functions also as an adjective (as in â€Å"prose poem,† referring to a hybrid form of writing) and as a verb. Verso (â€Å"the page being turned†) means â€Å"left-hand page† or â€Å"reverse side of a page.† (The opposite term is recto.) â€Å"Vice versa,† taken directly from Latin, means â€Å"with the order turned.† Versatile (from versatilis, meaning â€Å"able to or capable of turning† or â€Å"operated by turning†) usually describes being able to turn from one thing to another, such as two distinct skills, or having variability or various applications; such a quality is called versatility. In biology, it describes free movement of an appendage or segment of an animal or plant. Version, borrowed directly from the medieval Latin verb meaning â€Å"act of turning,† refers to a variation of a description of something or a type of something, and in medicine pertains to an organ of the body turned from its normal position or to the turning of a fetus during childbirth to facilitate delivery. Anniversary literally means â€Å"year turning† and describes a recurrence of a date, whether annual or on some other scale, or refers to a celebration of such a date. Adverse, which literally means â€Å"turn against,† refers to an action or attitude that is harmful, hostile, or unfavorable; an adversary is an enemy or opponent. Malversation, literally â€Å"bad turn,† pertains to corruption or a corrupt government administration. Obverse (literally, â€Å"turned toward†) means â€Å"facing† or â€Å"opposite† but also describes something wider at the top than at the base. Transverse means â€Å"placed across† or pertains to something so positioned, while traverse means â€Å"travel across or over,† â€Å"move or pass along or through,† â€Å"examine,† or â€Å"survey†; in legal contexts, it means â€Å"deny† or â€Å"oppose.† As a noun, it describes a course or crossing or other movement, or an obstacle or something that crosses. Universe, from universus, meaning â€Å"whole,† describes, in contexts ranging from astronomy to philosophy, the entirety of existence or experience, or something similarly comprehensive or of great quantity; the adjectival form is universal, and the noun describing the quality or state of comprehensiveness is universality. The related term university, derived from the Latin phrase universitas magistrorum et scholarium (essentially, â€Å"community of teachers and scholars†), refers to an institution of higher learning, often composed of several colleges, schools, or other divisions. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:70 "Home" Idioms and ExpressionsCapitalization Rules for Names of Historical Periods and MovementsIs "Number" Singular or Plural?

Sustainable Management Futures of Ford Motor Company Essay

Sustainable Management Futures of Ford Motor Company - Essay Example Globalisation had increased the trade flow between countries by liberating trade barriers which had helped Ford to expand their sales in foreign countries. Several governments of foreign countries had developed good technological collaboration and permitted foreign ownership which had helped Ford to increase their resources and develop latest model to manage with the current market condition (Ivory Research Ltd, 2011). Economic Economical factor can influence the automotive industry. The GDP growth rate can determine the purchasing power of any country which is the most crucial factor for operating any business. Ford Motor Company operates in major economies such as China, America, the UK, India, Australia and others where the GDP growth rate and vehicle market condition are good (Ivory Research Ltd, 2011). Social Social factors such as customer attitudes, demographic factor play a vital role in automotive industry. For example, in countries such as America, people prefer large comfo rtable car, while on the other hand, people of the UK usually prefer small vehicles. These factors can affect the attractiveness of vehicle market in a particular country. From the graph below it can be seen that the demand of large vehicle had increased by 202% between the year 2003 and first quarter of 2004. Source: (Ivory Research Ltd, 2011). Technological In this era, the preferences of technological improvement had increased rapidly. People prefer more advanced and technological features in their cars. The Ford Motor Company always utilises good technology in their vehicle and it provides high quality vehicle for efficient use. It also allows customers to view the product’s features online and... The researcher states that in the 21st century, Ford Company had experienced several issues and most important issues are economic recession, usage of energy and other environmental aspects. This essay focuses on the discussion of how Ford had responded every issue and proved as one of the top car manufacturers in the world today. It has developed new technology and decreased the CO2 emission along with increased sales. It is stated that Ford is concerned for both green environment and global economy and thus it develops car which has less impact on environment and is affordable by most customer. Ford focuses on developing solution to resolve global issues and help customer live better life. Ford strives to be a leader in fuel efficient technology. The researcher states that Ford aims to create electric vehicle in order to capture the electric vehicle market. Over the years, Ford has decreased the usage of energy by initiating various programs, mentioned in the essay. Ford had made c ontinuous progress with regards to product quality, durability and security of vehicle and continued good progress in various environmental issues. In 2010, Ford was awarded as the ‘World’s Most Ethical Company’ because of good corporate social responsibility attempts and sound business practices. The researcher then concluds that Ford always provides product according to customer choice and with their convenient strategic business policy, Ford is determined to rank among the leaders of global automobile industry.

Corporate Governance and Ethical Responsibility Research Paper - 2

Corporate Governance and Ethical Responsibility - Research Paper Example When the standard of care has been breached by medical practitioners and damage can be proven as a result, patients can take appropriate legal action (Johnson, 2010). Duty of care guarantees compliance to established Federal statutes. Secondary stakeholders, internally, are the physicians and nurses accountable for ensuring compliant medical procedures and patient oversight. Dr. DoRight must work with these staff members daily ensuring adequate supervision of their activities. Concurrently, this stakeholder group maintains certain protections under employment law that mandate the extent to which Dr. DoRight can intervene and establish disciplinary procedures. A third stakeholder group is the governance board charged with overseeing hospital operations and strategic developments. The Executive Committee and Regional Compliance Manager have responsibilities for ensuring compliance to established legalities in the medical field. In tandem, the governance stakeholders must ensure alignme nt of operational activities with established hospital regulations developed internally. Conflicts of Interest with Stakeholders The first conflict of interest requiring analysis is the relationship between Dr. DoRight and the governance board members. The governance system maintains responsibility for ensuring the publicized integrity and reputation of the hospital, which is a fundamental form of corporate protectionism. Dr. DoRight’s allegations (and they are only currently allegations) of staff misconduct poses future, potential reputation problems for the hospital if investigation determines that several years have passed without taking appropriate action for criminal misconduct by nurses and physicians. The governance board and Dr. DoRight also maintain responsibility for ensuring duty of care for patients, thrusting them all into a significant conflict of interest for protecting both the hospital public image and also ensuring patient standards of care. Additionally, th e many corporations and community organizations that conduct business with the hospital pose another conflict of interest for Dr. DoRight. Dr. DoRight has received numerous accolades for excellence in executive function, including the Medical Business Executive of the Year award in 2011. Dr. DoRight must determine whether to spare his reputation that has been gleaned through years of community and corporate trust-building whilst also maintaining responsibility to expose legal non-compliance that jeopardizes patient safety and security. Dr. DoRight likely asks himself whether self-protectionism or community/corporate stakeholder needs should be considered the most primary objective when considering what he believes is occurring in the organization. Has Dr. DoRight Fulfilled His Ethical Obligations? Dr. DoRight has not fully fulfilled his ethical obligations in this case. He certainly took the appropriate steps by informing his superiors (those with power to investigate and punish the se acts) which does speak toward his maintaining some form of ethical foundation and ethical value system. However, tort law can also provide potential consequences that give him personal

The Great Gatsby Essay Example for Free

The Great Gatsby Essay Throughout the novel The Great Gatsby there are several symbolic meanings of colours that Fitzgerald has incorporated. Specific colours in the novel contrast several different meanings and representations. Yellow is one colour in the book that Fitzgerald has incorporated for many reasons. The main representation of the colour yellow in the book is death. Death contrasted in yellow has been a main factor during the novel as in the end, basically the only yellow thing that has not been a part of death was Daisy. For example, George Wilson’s home in the valley of ashes is made of yellow brick and is the place where George and Myrtle live. Their house represents death in multiple ways as it was right outside of their house where tom and Daisy hit Myrtle and killed her. It was also the place where tom had told George that it was Gatsby’s car that had struck Myrtle, which resulted in him shooting Gatsby. Also, Gatsby’s yellow car is symbolic of death as it hits Myrtle when she runs out into the road. Lastly, nearing the end of the novel when Gatsby is in his pool, and quote the chauffeur asked him if he needed help, but he shook his head and in a moment disappeared among the yellowing trees. The yellowing trees represent death because the colour was a sign of alert which Gatsby did not realise. Also, because just as the Chauffeur disappeared â€Å"among the yellowing trees†, so did Gatsby’s life when shortly after getting in the pool, he was shot by George and killed. Yellow today represents caution just like a street light which turns yellow, which indicates caution to slow down. In the novel Fitzgerald is indicating that money and wealth cannot solve your problems. Throughout the novel Tom, Daisy and Gatsby get themselves into a lot of issues and think that their money can resolve their problems as evident from the previous examples, it cannot. Another symbolic colour that Fitzgerald has incorporated is the colour gold. Gold represents wealth. Throughout the novel wealth has been represented in several different ways. As Gatsby lives in west egg, he represents new wealth, and as tom and daisy live in east egg, they represent old wealth. Gatsby wants to be rich with old wealth so he can win the affection of his true love, so he buys a yellow car. But daisy did not want to give up the life and money that tom had, Gatsby did not have old wealth. Jordan and Daisy are represented by gold throughout the novel as quote Jordan’s slender golden arm resting in mine and high in the white palace the king`s daughter, the golden girl. The golden girl is of course Daisy. New money, which Gatsby has, represents more of the colour yellow which is why Daisy will not get back together with him. Gatsby tries to show daisy that he represents wealth several times during the novel by his appearance when quote Gatsby in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold-colored tie hurried in. Also, Gatsby`s parties where quote turkeys bewitched to a dark gold. Gatsbys effort to impress daisy throughout the novel represents his love for her but daisy only cares about money and realised that tom is more wealthy. Throughout the novel, there have been many symbolic representations of the colour blue as well. The colour blue represents loyalty, patience, love, and the sky. For example, as blue represents loyalty, ironically tom is the opposite if loyal. For example, tom takes his blue car to the Valley of ashes to go have affairs with myrtle, as well he is a racist. Also, although blue can represent love, it can also represent sadness and unhappiness as seen through the relationship of tom and Daisy. As Daisy is â€Å"the Golden Girl† she sets her relationship with tom based on money instead of love, which proves to us that their relationship is undoubtedly blue. I also believe that blue is symbolic of patience and dreams because the blue lake is the separation between Gatsby’s house and Daisy’s house and one day he dreams of reuniting with her. As well Gatsby’s blue garden represents patience because every Saturday when Gatsby holds his elegant parties, he hopes that one day daisy will come to one, and just like nick and Jordan first met Gatsby in his backyard which is located by the blue garden, he hopes that he will find Daisy there as well. Finally, the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg. Eckleburg’s eyes represent the sky, as they are the colour of the sky, as well the connection between the eyes and god only exists only in George Wilson’s mind. I feel that blue today represents unending possibilities, which is what Fitzgerald had incorporated throughout this novel as the reader was never sure of what was going to happen between tom and daisy, Gatsby and daisy, as there could have been the possibility that Gatsby and daisy would get married.

Sharks - Rulers of the Ocean :: Personal Narratives

Have you ever seen Jaws? Do you remember that blood-curdling scream as one of the girls was being attacked by the great white? That is how I felt as the sharks started to circle us. You could see the fear in our eyes. You could feel the ocean shudder as we all shook from excitement and trepidation. This is how most people feel about sharks. That is why researchers are trying their hardest to dispel all of the rumors about sharks. The only problem the researchers have is the local governments. They setup regulations banning people from coming in contact with any endangered animal. Sharks are not quite on the endangered list, but they are threatened by man. Until we find out everything we want to know about these animals we will be ignorant to their unique place in the balance of life. I wanted to know more about sharks, so I took the first step; I went to the ocean. This part of our trip to Fiji was the main attraction. All of the other dives led up to this one. We were sitting at the bottom of a reef head, which was about 100 feet below the surface. As we descended, all we could see was this huge tornado of fish and sharks. One kind of fish, the jack, was huge. They were about a foot and a half tall, about six inches wide and about two feet long. There were also about 8 potato groupers. The potato grouper is about a foot long to about three feet long, sometimes weighing in at over 100 pounds. There were hundreds of fish. When we were settled on our perch, the show really began. They came in from the deep blue abyss. Slicing their way through the ocean currents, they judged us with their grayish eyes as they passed. They were testing us, as they got closer every time. The sharks would come in and out of our field of view, passing inches over our heads, as they glided through our bubbles. We could see their scales they were so close to us. Every time they passed, I could feel them brush me with the water. Their tails were so strong that I was pushed over by the water that they moved. Their colors were as different as a person’s skin tones, from gray to blue for their upper bodies, but for their lower bodies it was an off white; almost gray.

Stomata Density

Stomata are tiny pores found on the epidermis of the leaf, surrounded by guard cells. [1] Their main function is gas exchange [1] for photosynthesis and respiration. The development of stomata on the leaves of a plant is determined by interaction between different genes and environmental factors. A few studies have been conducted in order to establish a relationship between stomatal densities and given environmental factors. Research has shown that stomatal densities are controlled by environmental conditions during leaf development, but are fixed after the leaf matures. [2]The article â€Å"The influence of light on stomatal density of a tomato† by A. P. Gay and R. G. Hurd describes their findings that plants grown under high light intensity have more stomata per 1 mm 2 than plants grown under low light intensity. [3] The purpose of my investigation is to determine whether there is a correlation between the light intensity and the stomatal density on lavender leaves and wheth er the initial height of the plants influences the stomatal densities. The hypothesis is that an increase in the light intensity will lead to an increase in the stomatal density of the lavender leaf.The first aim of this investigation was to find whether there is a significant correlation between the stomatal density of lavender plants and the light intensity under which they are grown. The second aim of the investigation was to find out whether the initial height of the plant influences its stomatal density. Cuttings were taken from lavender plants to ensure that all the plants were genetically identical and that the only changes occurring in the stomatal density would be due to environmental conditions. Four cuttings were short (3 cm initial height) and four were tall (6 cm initial height).The cuttings were put under compact fluorescent light bulbs with four different power ratings (8, 11, 14, and 20 W). One short and one tall cutting were put under each of the four light bulbs fo r 28 days in order to grow them. Both the short and the tall plants showed a positive correlation between their stomatal densities and the light intensity. The correlation was statistically significant at a 0. 025 significance level according to the Pearson product-moment correlation test.The short and the tall plants grown under the same light intensity did not show any  statistically significant difference between their stomatal densities. The first aim of this investigation was to find whether there is a significant correlation between the stomatal density of lavender plants and the light intensity under which they are grown. The second aim of the investigation was to find out whether the initial height of the plant influences its stomatal density. Cuttings were taken from lavender plants to ensure that all the plants were genetically identical and that the only changes occurring in the stomatal density would be due to environmental conditions.Four cuttings were short (3 cm ini tial height) and four were tall (6 cm initial height). The cuttings were put under compact fluorescent light bulbs with four different power ratings (8, 11, 14, and 20 W). One short and one tall cutting were put under each of the four light bulbs for 28 days in order to grow them. Both the short and the tall plants showed a positive correlation between their stomatal densities and the light intensity. The correlation was statistically significant at a 0. 025 significance level according to the Pearson product-moment correlation test.The short and the tall plants grown under the same light intensity did not show any statistically significant difference between their stomatal densities. When trying to explain the correlation, it is important to consider what stomata are in the first place and what their most important functions are. Stomata are tiny pores [1] found on the epidermis of the plants and their main role is gas exchange between the leaf and the environment. Although stomata l development is essentially controlled by different genes, the environment also has a significant effect on stomatal development.Using plants that are clones in the investigation means that they all have the same genetic material and any changes in stomatal density on their leaves should be due to environmental factors. [9] Both light intensity and carbon dioxide concentration have been shown to influence the frequency at which stomata develop on the leaves of plants. [8] Plants can respond to changes in environmental conditions by changing their stomatal frequency. Recent research has shown that signals from older leaves can influence the development of stomata on the younger leaves.In that way, if the environmental conditions to which the older leaves are exposed change, then the younger leaves can increase or decrease their stomatal density; this physiological adaptation can help the plant cope with the changing environment. Why is the increased light intensity leading to increa sed stomatal density? Photosynthesis is the process by which plants synthesize glucose from carbon dioxide and water. The energy of the reaction is supplied by the sunlight. However, there are two main stages in photosynthesis – light-dependent and light-independent stages.The light-dependent stage depends on the light because the energy from the light is used to split water in the process of photolysis and excite electrons in the chlorophyll. [11] The products from the light-dependent stage are ATP and the electron acceptor – reduced NADP. [11] The products from the light-dependent stage are fed into the light-independent stage of photosynthesis, the Calvin cycle. [11] Carbon dioxide is fixed in the light-independent stage and converted to glucose; in the Calvin cycle, the products of the light-dependent stage are needed. So, more ATP and reduced NADP will result in an increased rate of carbon fixation.If the rate of carbon fixation increases, the rate at which carbon dioxide diffuses in and out of the leaf will increase. The light intensity is simply the energy per second per unit area carried by the incident light and it is proportional to the number of photons per second carried by the incident light. [12] Higher light intensity means more photons per second resulting in more electrons per second that would be excited during the light-dependent stage of photosynthesis, and more ATP and reduced NADP are produced. Therefore, increasing the light intensity will increase the overall rate of photosynthesis.The rate of gas exchange will increase as a result. Coming back to the main function of the stomata, increasing the rate of gas exchange may lead to increased stomatal density on the epidermis of the leaf. The adaptation leads to higher carbon dioxide assimilation as the results of recent studies have shown. [2] However, the energy of the incident light arriving per second is also proportional to the wavelength of the light. Therefore, the light intensity depends on the light wavelength. Plants have combinations of chlorophyll pigments [11] that absorb sunlight from the visible spectrum.The light of wavelengths 400-500 nm and 650-700 nm [11] is absorbed the most. These are blue and red light, respectively. Lavender grows well under compact fluorescent light bulbs. [13] By placing colored filters in front of the light bulbs, it can be established which color of light is most suitable for growing lavender and whether the color of light affects the stomatal density. To determine whether there is a statistically significant difference between the stomatal densities on the tall and short plants grown under the same light intensity, the Mann-Whitney U test is used.The null hypothesis is that there is no statistically significant difference between the stomatal densities of the tall and the short plants grown under the same light intensity. The null hypothesis may be rejected if the calculated value of U is equal to or smaller th an the critical value. The critical value for U for 10 sets of data is 16. [7] Looking back at the results section, all the calculated values of U are bigger than the critical value, so the null hypothesis is accepted. The initial height did not seem to influence the stomatal development in my investigation.

Greenmonkey Organic Baby Food Essay

Background Christchurch, New Zealand was the home town of 100% organic baby food company, Green Monkey. Founded by sisters, Lizzie Dyer and Charlotte Rebbeck in 2002 (Green Monkey Ltd, 2013). The two sisters set out to create 100% organic baby food that was traceable and sourced from only certified New Zealand producers. No other baby food manufacturer within the New Zealand market could claim these same principles, creating a unique opportunity for Green Monkey (Bradley, 2011). Mission. Green Monkey uphold a strong mission, to see a sustainable way of producing their products without harm to the environment, but also to take the most of what the New Zealand pristine environment has to offer (Green Monkey Ltd, 2013). Allowing the customer to trace where the products primarily come from is key to Green Monkeys mission statement. Value Proposition Green Monkeys value proposition is to offer information about each part of the sold product, allowing customers from around the world to see what is in the product. Offering a product that is affordable and of a high standard for small children is one of Green Monkeys founding principles. Size Five employees make up the vital role of managing, marketing and maintaining the highest quality Green Monkey products. Production of Green Monkey is out sourced to a factory in Christchurch, New Zealand, due to high demand. Type of products Green Monkeys product range covers products such as growing up milk powder, meat and non-meat baby food pouches (Appendix 1). All of the products offered by Green Monkey are 100% Organic with no additives. Target customers. The target customers that Green Monkey focus on are in a niche market where parents are concerned about what is in their babies foods. Green Monkey uphold top customer relations to ensure the security within the niche market. Segmentation Base As Green Monkey cannot compete on price alone, their demographic has adapted to high to middle income families in Australia, China, Dubai and New Zealand (South, 2012). Green Monkey follow a differentiation focused strategy as they are in a niche market. According to VALS psychographics research innovators are more like to purchase organic foods (Strategic Business Insights, 2009-2012). Appendices Appendix 1: Example of Green Monkey products Sourced from business. newzealand. com: http://business. newzealand. com/vBY4ddA/media/1185202/GreenMonkey_Event. jpg ? Reference List Bradley, S. (2011). Green Monkey Organic Baby Foods Happy Planet – Happy Monkeys. Retrieved April 7, 2013. from Bord Bia Irish Food Board: http://www. bordbia. ie/industryservices/brandforum/CaseStudies/Green%20Monkey%20Organic%20Baby%20Foods. pdf South, G. (2012). Small Business: Making it in China – Green Monkey. The New Zealand Herald, [online] 28th September. Retrieved from: http://www. nzherald. co. nz/business/news/article. cfm? c_id=3&objectid=10837054 Ecofind. co. nz (2013). Green Monkey – organic baby food | ecofind. co. nz. [online] Retrieved from: http://www. ecofind. co. nz/food-drink/green-monkey-organic-baby-food/ Greenmonkey. co. nz (2002). Green Monkey | Organics born naturally. [online] Retrieved from: http://www. greenmonkey. co. nz/ Strategic Business Insights. (2009-2012). Sample demographic and behaviours. Retrieved April 7th, 2013. from Strategic Business Insights: http://www. strategicbusinessinsights. com/vals.

Ready Or Not Here It Comes! Professor Ramos Blog

Ready Or Not Here It Comes! For a young child, learning how to swim can be scary and overwhelming at the same time. Having someone there to guide you can make it much easier. It took me a lot of courage and persistence to get comfortable with the water but when I finally got the hang of it, I fell in love with the water and it was hard to get me out of it. I was two years old when my mom left my two older sisters, my brother and I in Nicaragua with my father to come to California. She left to establish something for us so we could have a better life because our country was in civil war at the time. My mom started her own housekeeping business cleaning upper class homes where she made really good money in those days. She was able to save and send us money at the same time. When my mother had all the money she needed, she was able to bring my dad, my siblings and I to the United States. A year later, my parents got hired at an apartment complex in Claremont where my mother cleaned the apartments and my father painted them to get them move in ready. My siblings and I had access to a pool which was great because back at home we did not have one and I wanted to learn how to swim. Before we were allowed to get in, my parents would put each of my siblings in change to help clean a section of the apartment. I was always in charge of taking the plated off of the outlets, wash and dry them and screw them back on. My parents would take us with them over the weekends so they could teach us how to work for our money. We were just kids though and we only cooperated because we wanted to swim. When we were finally done they would allow us to spend the rest of the day at the pool where I learned how to swim. When my parents first started letting me get in the pool, they would only allow me to be on the steps with my floaties around my arms. I felt dumb and embarrassed because most of the children my age at the pool were already swimming at the eight feet with no floatation devices. I was stuck at the stairs where the babies were being carried by their mothers. I wanted to swim in the deep end like the rest of the kids. I remember walking up to my second oldest sister Pal and asking her â€Å"sis can you please teach me how to swim? I don’t want to wear my floaties anymore!† Pal was always the one I went to when I wanted to learn something and every time I asked her she would teach me with no problem. She then asked me with one eyebrow up â€Å"are you sure you’re ready to learn how to swim?† I was not sure what she meant by that with that look in her face but I answered her yes. At that very moment she took my floaties off and threw them to the side, grabbed me and threw me in the eight feet like nothing. I remember struggling in keeping my head above water and swallowing the water at the same time. I began screaming for help and all I could hear is my sister Pal laughing her butt off and my parents yelling at my sister to help me. All the response I got from my sister was her saying to me â€Å"peddle your hand and feet faster!† She obviously did not comprehend that I barely knew how to peddle. When she finally realized that I was drowning she jumped in to get me. Crying hysterically I asked my sister Pal â€Å"why did you throw me in the deep end like that I could have drowned!† She answered â€Å"if you want to learn how to swim you have learn how to keep your head above the water.† I am not sure why my sister chose that method to teach me how to swim not grasping that it was dangerous but I had no choice but to trust her if I wanted to how to swim. As weekends went by my siblings and I going to help our parents, my sister Pal continued to teach me how to swim by throwing me in the deep. My sister’s harsh way of teaching me how to swim finally paid off. I was the one throwing myself in the eight feet, swimming all the way to the bottom touching it and swimming all the way back up and holding myself up. I was swimming like a fish in the sea. From then on, I started to make friends around my age and played Marco Polo with them. We also raced each other to see who would make it to the other side of the pool first or we would throw either a coin or rock in the pool and see who would get it the fastest once it reached the bottom. It felt great finally knowing how to swim and getting the chance to interact with kids my age at the same time. The way I learned how to swim was probably not how most would learn or even the best way to learn but it sure did teach me pretty fast. Even though I look back and think to myself as an adult that I would probably would never teach a six-year in that way, but I still thanked my sister for taking the time to teach me how to swim. I love to swim even more now than I did then. I love summer because I get to go to the beach often, catch some waves and swim most of the day. If anyone knows me, they would know to invite me if they were going to a pool, beach or river. What can I say, I’m just a fish in the sea.

Critical Thinking Exercises for Students

Critical Thinking Exercises for Students Critical thinking is a skill that students develop gradually as they progress in school. While the skill becomes more important in higher grades, some students find it difficult to understand the concept of critical thinking. The reason critical thinking can be difficult to grasp is because it requires students to set aside assumptions and beliefs to learn to think without bias or judgment. Critical thinking involves suspending your beliefs to explore and question topics from a blank page point of view. It also involves the ability to distinguish fact from opinion when exploring a topic. These exercises are designed to help develop critical thinking skills. Critical Thinking Exercise 1: Tour Guide for an Alien This exercise provides an opportunity to think outside your normal way of thinking. Pretend that you have been assigned the task of conducting a tour for aliens who are visiting the earth and observing human life. Youre riding along in a blimp, viewing the landscape below, and you float over a professional baseball stadium. One of the aliens looks down and is very confused by what he sees. You explain that there is a game going on and he asks several important questions. What is a game?  Why are there no female players?Why do people get so excited about watching other people play games?What is a team?Why cant the people in the seats go down on the field and join in? If you try to answer these questions fully, it will quickly become apparent that we carry around certain assumptions and values. We support a certain team, for instance, because it makes us feel like were a part of a community. This sense of community is a value that matters to some people more than others. Furthermore, when trying to explain team sports to an alien, you have to explain the value we place on winning and losing. When you think like an alien tour guide, you are forced to take a deeper look at the things we do and things we value. Sometimes they dont sound logical from the outside looking in. Critical Thinking Exercise 2: Fact or Opinion Do you think you know the difference between fact and opinion? Its not always easy to discern. When you visit websites, do you believe everything you read? The abundance of available information makes it more important than ever for students to develop critical thinking skills. Additionally, its an important reminder that you must use trustworthy sources in your school work. If you dont learn the difference between fact and opinion, you may end up reading and watching things that continue to reinforce beliefs and assumptions you already own. For this exercise, read each statement and try to determine whether it sounds like a fact or an opinion. This can be completed alone or with a study partner. My mom is the best mom on earth.My dad is taller than your dad.My telephone number is difficult to memorize.The deepest part of the ocean is 35,813 feet deep.Dogs make better pets than turtles.Smoking is bad for your health.Eighty-five percent of all cases of lung cancer in the U.S. are caused by smoking.If you flatten and stretch out a Slinky toy it will be 87 feet long.Slinky toys are fun.One out of every one hundred American citizens is color blind.Two out of ten American citizens are boring. You will probably find some of the statements easy to judge but other statements difficult. If you can effectively debate the truthfulness of a statement with your partner, then its most likely an opinion.

International and Comparative Employment Law Assignment

International and Comparative Employment Law - Assignment Example The labour laws provide protection for the relationship between the workers and the employers. Laws of contract formed the legal basis for protection of workers. The employment contract provided protection to the full-time employees (Casale, 2011). However, those workers without any contractual relationship remained unprotected during the engagement with their employers. Workers are protected against unfair dismissal and are expected to continue working for the same organization permanently or seasonally and they have right to join trade unions. The standard work arrangement remained in force until 1970s when global economic changes brought forth intense competition and uncertainty between enterprises (Barnard et. al., 2004, p.46). Employment was regulated by restrictive employment protection legislation and collective agreement between workers unions and the employers in the post-war Europe (Blanpain & Baker, 2010). Due to intense global market pressure firms started pushing for larger profits and flexibility of contracts with workers and responding to consumers’ needs. The changes in a global market have necessitated for more flexible and secure labour market that can offer satisfaction to employers and workers needs simultaneously. The International Labour Organization (ILO) had a view that flexibilization of labour market resulted in erosion of workers’ rights which affected their earnings security and the steadiness of working and living conditions (Lansky, 2013). The economists put forward a suggestion t o compensate diminishing job security by expanding employment opportunities and social security. Therefore, it was necessary to protect the labour market by ensuring stable and secure jobs in the marker. The quest to provide flexible and secure labour market in the European States has been adopted as European Employment Strategy (Blanpain & Baker, 2010).

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 138

Essay Example The initiative was launched in 2004 for the companies who agree to follow minimum security procedures. As per this initiative, the companies need to allow audits to ensure that the security procedures are followed. The C-TPAT also enforces on importers that their vendors, suppliers and manufacturers are undertaking security audits on their businesses. The Container Security Initiative (CSI) is a Customs program initiated by the US government to inspect high-risk cargo at the foreign ports before shipping into the US. This necessitates on foreign ports to use tamper-free containers and screen all high-risk containers. Currently, 37 foreign ports follow CSI procedure of cargo security that constitute 60 percent of all the cargo shipped into the US each year. European Union cargo security rules did exist since 2003; however, the security rules and procedures have been further augmented making it effective from April 2010. The European Union has initiated air cargo security that aims at establishing the security control of consignments and securing supply chain. Accordingly, the cargo not handled by regulated authorities will be physically screened before its loading into aircraft. Various methods are used such as X-rays, physical checks, sniffer dogs or trace-detection. Every product must pass through customs where a multilayered risk management approach is applied that include an "Authorised Economic Operator" (AEO) program for traders. All members will have detailed monitoring system and regular checks on known consignors (European Commission, 2010). The secure supply chain in the European Union is identified as known freight forwarders that fall in the category of regulated agents. They are obligated to meet strict standards of controls such as background checks on staff, training aspects and legal compliance. This is to facilitate faster clearance without additional security controls such as screening. By end 2013,