Management Information Systems IP One Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management Information Systems IP One - Essay Example It enhances transparency, reliable and also ensures lower energy consumption. To manage information flow in smart grids, technology is required. There is need to establish network and switches for power management, sensor and monitoring gadgets to follow energy usage and supply trends. The grids should also require systems to supply consumers and suppliers of energy with usage data, communication systems to transmit data along the whole energy supply system as well as systems to run programmable devices when energy is cheaper. The most probable challenge that could hamper the development of smart grids is opposition by consumer advocates. Consumer advocates are out to stop smart grids if it increases energy cost for consumers who are unwilling or unable to pay to use Web portals. Their argument is that smart grids interfere with consumers’ right to use devices without revealing facts about their usage to others. The implementation of smart grids will ensure sustainability of e nergy supply through facilitation of uses of renewable energy sources (Friedrichs, 2011). I would want my house or community to be fitted with smart grids for many reasons. It is believed that smart grids enable smart decision-making on energy consumption. It reduces energy cost and pollution. Smart grids can also detect sources of power outages faster and precisely at individual house level, which will enable utilities to respond swiftly and efficiently to problems. It will allow households to generate their own power. CASE STUDY 2: Collaboration and Innovation at Procter & Gamble Procter & Gamble’s business strategy is to develop new brands and maintain brand recognition with distinct business innovation. Collaboration and innovation facilitate development of new ideas, which is crucial for product development and improvement of existing products to meet emerging market needs. Because the company’s business centers on brand creation and administration, it is crucial for the company to establish collaboration between researchers, marketers and administrators. Procter & Gamble focuses on consumer goods, which demand extensive research for better innovative approaches to develop new ideas. For a giant corporation like Procter & Gamble, identifying effective collaboration approaches is often an intimidating task. For this reason, the company has established information systems that promote effective collaboration and innovation to facilitate product development ideas. The collaboration technologies that the company is using include: e-mail: this is a presumable tool for communication that enables the sender to control information flow. Many people are accustomed to e-mails. Blogs: this collaboration method is open and permits any interested party to access its contents. It also enables interested users to comments on the blog contents. SharePoint: it enables to share bookmarks and tag content with descriptive phrases that feature in successive sear ches and enhance social networks of coworkers to enable them locate and share information effectively. InnovationNet: contain numerous search related documents (5 million) in digital format accessible through a browser gateway.

Customer Satisfaction In The Hotel Industry Tourism Essay

Customer Satisfaction In The Hotel Industry Tourism Essay The Study mainly reviews and discusses the topic of customer satisfaction and its application to the Hospitality and Tourism industries. Defines the concept and analyzes its importance to services and its importance to serves in general and to hospitality / tourism services in particular. Following a discussion on the dimensions and attributes of satisfaction, lists the main methods of measuring satisfaction and concludes with a review of global and cross-cultural issues that affect satisfaction in hotel industry. Customer satisfaction is the leading decisive factor for determining the quality and standard which is actually delivered to the customer through the product, service or by the accompanying servicing. (Vavra, 1997); Its simply stated, Customer satisfaction is essential for corporate survival Several studies have found that it costs about five times as much in time, money and resources to attract a new customer as it does to retain an existing customer (Neumann, 1995). This creates the challenge of maintaining high levels of service, awareness of customer expectations and improvement in services and product. Hayes states that Knowledge of customer expectations and requirements is essential for two reasons it provides understanding of how the customer defines quality of services and products, and facilitates the development of a customer satisfaction questionnaire (Hayes, 1997, p7). Furthermore, customer satisfaction is recognized as of great importance to all commercial firms because of its influence on repeat purchases and word of mouth recommendations (Berkman and Gilson, 1986). The researcher interest is to carryout a study of customer satisfaction at Express by Holiday Inn, London. Research Problem Customer satisfaction research is not an end into itself. The purpose, of course, in measuring customer satisfaction is to see where a company stands in this regard in the eyes of its customers, thereby enabling service and product improvements which will lead to higher satisfaction level. Satisfaction is not a universal phenomenon and not everyone gets the same satisfaction out of the same hospitality experience. The reason is that customers have different needs, objectives and past experiences that influence their expectation. The results of a customer satisfaction survey need to be evaluated to determine what needs to be improved. Goals should be as specific as possible. Hotels are often challenged on how to best increase guest satisfaction, and how to optimize both price and occupancy. Employee satisfaction, guestroom cleanliness, amenities, appearance, food and services all contribute to customer satisfaction, and increase customer satisfaction is a proven driver of guest retent ion and higher occupancy rates. Understanding customer experience through research is widely recognized as a key factor in improving long-term business performance. Express by Holiday Inn Hotel had a requirement to obtain daily feedback at an individual level by rooms/reception questionnaire in general for its GSTS (Guest satisfaction tracking system). It has to introduce web based questionnaire survey to create an opportunity to built feedback interface for general public to get provided a cost-effective and practical methodology so hotel future guest see the reviews in term of past feedbacks. In the customer arena, we believe that regular, quantitative measurement of customer satisfaction provides a much better lead indicator of future organizational health than profitability of market share change (Tom Peters, Management guru) Objectives of the Study The main objective is to conduct the customer satisfaction and its measurement in the hotel industry with special reference to Express by Holiday Inn Hotel, London. Subsidiary Objectives Analyses of costs demonstrating that customer retention is substantially less expensive than customer acquisition. Customer behaviourists in the area of lodging, restaurant, food services and tourism. Customer satisfaction is a psychological concept. Customer purchase goods and service with pre purchase expectations about anticipated performance. Assessment of satisfaction is made during the service delivery process. Satisfaction is not a universal phenomenon and everyone is not getting the same satisfaction out of the same hospitality experience. Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance, Empathy and Tangibles. Significance of Study Customer Satisfaction measurement (CSM) consists of on two major roles Providing Information Enabling Communication with Customer The initial or primary reason for taking the time to measure customer satisfaction is based on to collect the information. It means that what customers say that need to be done differently or on the other hand to assess how well an organization is currently meeting its customer needs or requirements. But the secondary is not less important function of CSM in hospitality industry that by surveying customers. An organization is emphasis its interest in communicating with its customers. In hotel industry, its always finding out customers needs, pleasures, displeasures and overall well being. Though it is impossible to measure the satisfaction of every single customer needs. The customer satisfaction may different from organization to organization or hotel to hotel. Here we would like to quote Neumann (1995) five objectives suggestions as follows: To get close to the customer Measure continuous improvement To achieve customer driven improvement To measure competitive strengths and weaknesses To link Customer Satisfaction Measurement (CSM) data to internal systems Hypothesis Customer Satisfaction is a psychological concept. Customer purchase goods and services with pre purchase expectations. Assessment of satisfaction is made during the service delivery process. Satisfaction is not Universal phenomenon. Recognition of the employees who contribute to the Customers satisfaction Customer based improvement goals Plans for improving operational variables Incorporation of customer satisfaction skills into employees training programme Measurement and plan for improvement of employee satisfaction Importance of my Study To satisfy each and every customer or to meet his / her expectation every time is not an easy task especially in hotel industry. This work is to investigate and examine the psychology of the customer, their expectations and behaviour. Methodology My methodology of research will be based on experience, day to day operation of the hotel, customer complaint, customer satisfaction standard, theory, hypothesis, observation and confirmation. Universe of the Study The research would be conducted Hotels based in London, utilizing my own experience but the mainly focused on the Customer Satisfaction Measurement. Sample Design My sample will be comprised of the Customer Satisfaction Measurement in Express by Holiday Inn Hotel, London Data Usage In my research I would like to go for primary data collection, secondary data collection, quantitative and qualitative data collection. Tools of data Collection The data collection would include the use of questionnaire, scheduled interviews, guest feedback, and management feedback, guest services track system (GSTS), guest survey, and personal experience along with personal observation. In the questionnaire design, I will use the respondent completes short closed ended questions and long open ended questions. In the interview design, I would like to use personal forms, sharing their experience and work directly with the respondent. In the guest feedback, I would like to get the guest feedback while they are checking out from the hotel, compare their past and current experience. In the management feedback, I would like to get the information from management regarding the standard and complaint level of the guest activities in the hotel. Hypothesis Testing My hypothesis is Customer Satisfaction is a psychological concept. Customer purchase goods and services with pre purchase expectations. Assessment of satisfaction is made during the service delivery process. Satisfaction is not Universal phenomenon. I would like to test this hypothesis with my proper research along with my personal experience with respect to the Customer Satisfaction Measurement theory. Research Design and Timing Feb 2010 In the month of Feb 2010 I will finish my primary data collection (questionnaire, interviews, guest feed back, and management feedback, guest services track system, guest surveys, personal observation and experience) Feb 2010 In the month of Feb I would like to finish my complete data collection and I will systemize the data in the proper form according to the distribution of report. March 2010 In the month of July I would like to finish my final report writing and I will make it ready for the submission at the end of March 2010. Structure of the Report Chapter No 1 : Introduction Chapter No 2 : Literature review Chapter No 3 : Theory base (all theoretical background) Chapter No 4 : Analysis of the findings Chapter No 5 : Discussions Chapter No 6 : Conclusion and Recommendations Monitoring and Evaluation Feb, 2010 by Researcher Feb, 2010 by Supervisor March, 2010 by Researcher March, 2010 by Supervisor Literature Review My literature review comprises of theories, models, customers satisfaction surveys and related information. Brief and summarized form of my most important literature review is given below: Satisfaction Theories: Satisfaction Models: Satisfaction Surveys: Express by Holiday Inn Hotel Experience of Guest Satisfaction: Recently, numerous researchers have attempted to apply CS theories developed by consumer behaviorists in the areas of lodging in order to investigate CS applicability to the hospitality and tourism industries. The majority of these theories are based on cognitive nine distinct theories of customer satisfaction. The majority of these theories are based on cognitive psychology; some have received moderate attention, while other theories have been introduced without any empirical research. The theories include: Expectancy Disconfirmation Assimilation or cognitive dissonance Contrast Assimilation Contrast Equity Attribution Comparison level Generalized negativity Value precept Cognitive state of reward Customer satisfaction can also be defined as satisfaction based on an outcome or a process. Outcome definition of customer satisfaction characterizes satisfaction as the end-state resulting from the experience of consumption. This end state may be a cognitive state of reward, an emotional response to an experience or a comparison of rewards and costs to the anticipated consequences. Vavra also puts forth a definition of customer satisfaction based as a process, emphasizing the perceptual, evaluative and psychological processes contributing to customer satisfaction. In this definition, assessment of satisfaction is made during the service delivery process. Expectancy Disconfirmation Theory Richard Oliver has developed the expectancy disconfirmation theory in 1980. According to his theory, customers purchase goods and services with pre-purchase expectations about anticipated performance. Once the product or service has been purchased and used, outcomes are compared against expectations. When outcome matches expectations, confirmation occurs. On the other hand when there are differences between expectations and outcomes then disconfirmation occurs. Negative disconfirmation occurs when product / service performance is less than expected. Positive disconfirmation occurs when product / service performance is better than expected. Satisfaction is caused by confirmation or positive disconfirmation of consumer expectations, and dissatisfaction is caused by negative disconfirmation of consumer expectations. Basically we may say that Customer satisfaction is a psychological concept that involves the feeling of well-being and pleasure that results from obtaining what one hopes for and expects from an appealing product and/or service. Satisfaction is not a universal phenomenon and not everyone gets the same satisfaction out of the same hospitality experience. The reason is that customers have different needs, objectives and past experiences that influence their expectations. Therefore, it is important to gain a clear idea of the customer needs and objectives that correspond to different kinds of satisfactions. This necessitates the segmentation of the market, because no service or product can offer everyone the same degree of satisfaction. Experience may result from changes in the perception of the actual quality of outcomes received, or from changes in the expectations against which these outcomes are compared. The components of satisfaction Most hospitality experiences are an amalgam of products and services. Therefore it is possible to say that satisfaction with a hospitality experience such as a hotel stay or a restaurant meal is a sum total of satisfactions with the individual elements or attributes of all the products and services that make up the experience. Reuland Model of Satisfaction There is no uniformity of opinion among marketing experts as to the classification of the elements in service encounters. Reuland suggests that hospitality services consist of a harmonious mixture of three elements: The material product in a narrow sense which in the case of a restaurant is the food and beverages; The behavior and attitude of the employees who are responsible for hosting the guest, serving the meal and beverages and who come in direct contact with the guests, The environment, such as the building, the layout, the furnishing, the lighting in the restaurant, etc. Reuland et al. (1985, p. 142) Czepiel Model of Satisfaction On the other hand, Czepiel suggests that satisfaction with a service is a function of satisfaction with two independent elements, the functional element, i.e. the food and beverage in a restaurant, and the performance-delivery element, i.e. the service. To prove the independence of the two elements from each other, the authors claim that restaurant clients are quite capable of having responses to each element that differ one from the other: The service was great, the food poor or conversely. (Czepiel et al) (1985. P. 13) David and Stone Model of Satisfaction Davis and Stone divide the service encounter into two elements: Direct Services Indirect Services For example, direct services may be the actual check-in/check-out process in hotels, while the indirect services include the provision of parking facilities, concierge, public telephones for guests use, etc. (Davis and Stone (1985, p.29) Dimensions of satisfaction In service organizations, the assessment of the quality of a service is made during the actual delivery of the service usually an encounter between the customer and a service contact person. Parasuraman identified the following five generic dimensions of service quality (SERVQUAL) that must be present in the service delivery in order for it to result in customer satisfaction: Reliability the ability to perform the promised services dependably and accurately. Responsiveness the willingness to help customers and provide prompt service. Assurance the knowledge and courtesy of employees as well as their ability to convey trust and confidence. Empathy the provision of caring, individualized attention to customers, and Tangibles, the appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel and communication materials. The model conceptualizes service quality as a gap between customers expectations (E) and the perception of the service providers performance (P). According to Parasuraman that service quality should be measured by subtracting customers perception scores from customer expectation scores: (Q = P E) The greater the positive score represents the greater the positive amount of service quality or vice versa. The gap that may exist between the customers expected and perceived service is not only a measure of the quality of the service, but is also a determinant of customer satisfaction/dissatisfaction. Measuring the gap between expected and perceived service is a routine method of utilizing customer feedback. Measuring service quality via customer satisfaction Hayes states that Knowledge of customer expectations and requirements is essential for two reasons: It provides understanding of how the customer defines quality of service and products and facilitates the development of customer satisfaction questionnaires. (Hayes, 1997) Customer satisfaction is recognized as of great importance to all commercial firm because of its influence on repeat purchases and word of mouth recommendation (Berkman and Gilson, 1986). Satisfaction, reinforces positive attitudes towards the brand, leading to a greater likelihood that the same brand will be purchased again, but on the other hand dissatisfaction leads to negative brand attitudes and lessens the likelihood of buying the same brand again (Assael, 1987) Guest Expectation from Express by Holiday Inn Hotel Expectations can be described as a mutable internal standard which is based on a multitude of factors including needs, objectives, past personal or vicarious experiences with the same establishment restaurant, with similar establishments, and the availability of alternatives. To recapitulate what we have established by now is that an individuals satisfaction with outcomes received from a hospitality experience results from a comparison of these outcomes with expectations. Some hotels / restaurant attributes are more likely to earn guest complaints than compliments. Availability of parking, hours of operation, traffic congestion, noise level, and spaciousness of the establishment all appear in the top-ten complaint list. In contrast, guests express appreciation for high performance in some areas, but rarely complain when performance is so-so. The survey results suggest that guest react favorably to a clean neat restaurant, neat employees, ample portions, and responsiveness to complaints. The quality and quantity of service, food quality, helpfulness of the employees, and the prices of drinks, meals and other services appear in both the list of most frequent complaints and the list of the most frequent compliments. Cadotte and Turgeon attribute model of performance Cadotte and Turgeon divided the attributes into the following four categories: Satisfiers Dissatisfiers Critical Neutral Satisfiers were those attributes where unusual performance apparently elicited compliments and satisfaction, but average performance or even the absence of the feature did not cause dissatisfaction or complaints. Large-size food portions, smartly dressed employees, clean and neat restaurants are all examples of a restaurant satisfier. Normal food portions, regularly dressed employees and not so neat restaurants do not cause dissatisfaction. In contrast, large food portions and well-groomed and smartly dressed employees please the restaurant guest. Satisfiers, represent an opportunity to shine, to move ahead of the pack, and to stand out from the crowd Dissatisfiers were more likely to earn a complaint for low performance or absence of a desired feature than anything else. But an operation that exceeds the threshold performance standard apparently will not receive compliments on the attribute. Parking and excessive noise are good examples of dissatisfiers; they have to be provided and maintained at a minimum or sufficient level. But efforts to achieve a higher performance level will not be appreciated by customers nor will it cause them satisfaction. Dissatisfiers particularly require management control to prevent poor performance. Minimum standards should be established, and the focus should be on maintaining these standards. Be as good as your competition, but do not waste resources trying to be better. Critical attributes were capable of eliciting both complaints (dissatisfactions) and compliments (satisfactions), depending on the situation. Quality of service, food quality and helpful attitude of employees ranked high in eliciting both complaints and compliments. Critical factors deserve special attention, because of their potential for both hurting and helping a business. Like dissatisfiers, minimum standards must be set to avoid negative responses to your service. For the critical attributes, the objective is to raise performance beyond the norm Neutral attributes neither received a great number of compliments nor many complaints, therefore probably indicating that they were either not salient to guests or easily brought up to guests standards. Cadotte and Turgeon draw our attention to the fact that the classification of these factors is not permanent but constantly changes. Some dissatisfier type attributes were probably critical at one time. Higher industry standards, though, may have improved performance to the extent that most restaurants are able to meet guest requirements on these factors. For example, in warm climates, the availability of reliable air conditioning in hotels or restaurants was a critical factor; today, with the advent of modern refrigeration technology, all hotels and restaurants in such climates will have it. Having more of it will not satisfy anyone, but when air-conditioning breaks down, suddenly everyone becomes dissatisfied. Resources I would like to use limited resources for my research. I will use internet, complete media library, company visits, interviewing with different guests who are staying in different hotels or regular guests and frequent flyers, news papers, journals, books, telephone and other possible resources which are easily available and easily accessible. Possible outcome of my study I would like to say that my research work on Customer Satisfaction Measurement will bring new turn and increase the satisfaction level in Central Park Hotel Hyde Park, London. More importantly, my study will analysis the guest satisfaction level and will point out the main causes, how to improve and bring the level of customer satisfaction up to the mark. Limitations of the Study My study on Customer Satisfaction Measurement in hotel industry will be limited only as well as on Express by Holiday Inn, London and other Hotels in London.

The Beet Queen :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Louise Erdrich, the author of The Beet Queen, is the oldest of seven children. Erdrich, was born in Little Falls, Minnesota, on June 7, 1954. The daughter of a French Ojibwe mother and German American father, Erdrich is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. Erdrich's large extended family lived nearby, affecting her writing life from an early age. Her father introduced Louise to William Shakespeare's plays and encouraged Louise and her sisters to write their own stories. Erdrich attended college at Dartmouth and John Hopkins before marrying author and anthropologist Michael Dorris. When she married Dorris, he had three adopted children and later the couple had three more children of their own. When the two separated in 1995, Erdrich moved six blocks down the street in order to share custody of their children. On March 29, 1997 Dorris committed suicide. Erdrich now lives in Minneapolis, MN with her three children.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On a spring morning in 1932, Mary age eleven and Karl Adare age fourteen arrive in Argus, North Dakota. Having parted and going separate ways Mary having gone to live with her aunt, while Karl goes on to explore and live on the wilder side. These children were orphaned in a strange way; their mother took off with an airplane stuntman. Haunted by disturbing images of her mother, Mary seeks refuge and stays with her mother's sister Fritzie, which with her husband Pete, run a butcher shop. This begins the forty-year saga of abandonment and unstinting love.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The novel, The Beet Queen, deals with the elements involved to create plot movement. First off is exposition, since every chapter in The Beet Queen is narrated by a different character in the book it tells the story of each character in first person and in great detail chapter by chapter. It tells you the story from their point of view. It is very effective it allows you to be in their mind thinking along with them seeing what they are going through and feeling. At the conclusion of each chapter you want to keep reading to see what will happen to a specific character when it is there turn to narrate again. One event in The Beet Queen is when Sita is put into a psycho ward because she pretended to lose her voice, and ever since then her neighbors and everyone she came in contact with would have to read her lips.

Pollution and Poverty Essay

Authorities on the environment claim that a wealthy state could also be a polluting state and affluence can constitute a serious threat to the environment. The movement for protecting the environment commenced with a slogan of conservation and gradually changed into an anti – technology movement. It opposed the activities of the government, oil companies and the nuclear industry. The impetus for the movement included several contrasting factors, such as developments in the physical sciences, which resulted in the capacity to detect very small amounts of chemicals; the Vietnam War; and the decisive book on this subject by Rachel Carson, namely, Silent Spring. The movement against the use of nuclear energy was stimulated by the proliferation of nuclear weapons. However this movement had exaggerated the dangers to the world, by expressing unfounded fears over minute traces of radiation in the environment, caused by the nuclear energy programs (Hollander, 2003. Pp. 251).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is important to consider the Montreal Protocol, which was the first international consensus reached on prohibiting the use of certain chemicals. This Protocol was inspired by the movement, which had opposed the operation of supersonic aircraft for transportational needs. The operation of supersonic aircrafts damages the stratospheric ozone layer of the atmosphere. The documentary Against Nature depicts the views of wealthy Western nation environmentalists who argue that providing help to poor nations will compel them to increase production, which would make the world less sustainable. Those advocates of elitism demand that the poor nations should continue their traditional way of life such as agriculture, to be powered by animals or humans and not by tractors, and that energy should be produced by using cow dung rather than oil.   These comments address the social issue of population growth. However, population growth depends on the rate of fertility, which is continuously declining in every country. Thus, population growth should not be considered as a long – term global problem (Hollander, 2003. Pp. 251).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the case of fisheries such a viewpoint would be incorrect, because nearly a fourth of the world’s fisheries have been over exploited. There is a severe depletion of fish resources all over the world. In order, to address this problem there should be adequate institutional systems to ensure property rights. This arrangement could also prove to be unendurable for the poor people who live in the coastal areas and whose principal source of living is fishing (Hollander, 2003. Pp. 251).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Just a century ago, fundamental elements like water and air were unsafe in the rich countries. For instance, there were killer smogs half a century ago. However, efforts were undertaken to provide better health to the public and that goal was achieved. Politicians have actively involved themselves in matters relating to measures that seek to reduce the pollution of the air, acid rain and stratospheric ozone depletion. These areas are fully controlled by political ideology, with little or no leeway for science and economics. For instance, in the year 1973 there was an oil crisis due to the vicious control exercised by OPEC on oil production. This was the creation of politics. There will be no shortage of oil in the coming years, because there are still unexplored deposits of heavy oil and tar sands. The earth contains vast resources of oil, which have not yet been explored. Such a measure involves a high cost factor (Hollander, 2003. Pp. 251).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Sophistication in science results in new types of automobiles such as hybrid – electric cars and fuel – cell technology based cars. Consumption of fossil fuels such as coal is increasing every year and the burning of coal provides eighty percent of the energy requirements of the US. Nearly half of the electric power derives from the consumption of coal. In the US, eighty – five percent of the fossil fuel reserves consist of coal. Even if the consumption of coal continues at the current rate, it will be available for another two hundred and fifty years (Hollander, 2003. Pp. 251).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Solar energy is an abundant natural source of energy, but producing energy from solar power is not cost – effective. All the same, the utilization of solar energy is gradually on the increase. This is due to its high cost and the government’s reluctance to encourage its use by subsidizing it production and reducing costs. Uranium based nuclear fission energy is also a renewable energy source. The drawback with this source of energy is its cost and the requirements of technological infrastructure, moreover, the poor countries would not be able to afford nuclear fission plants (Hollander, 2003. Pp. 251).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is on the increase. This leads to global warming. However, it is very difficult to evaluate human contribution to the warming process, amidst natural temperature variations. In the period between 1940 and 1975 there was a thermal cooling of the atmosphere and this phenomenon defied a proper explanation. The analysis of satellite data has revealed that there was no global warming in the last two decades. At this juncture, it can be stated that human contribution to the global warming process is of lesser significance. The theories, which attribute global warming to human activities, do not clearly integrate various atmospheric changes and properties. The meteorological experts are in agreement with the fact that there are uncertainties in the atmospheric temperatures. Changes in the climate could be dealt with by making certain adjustments. Such adjustments are easily available to the affluent nations. Poor nations would have to face much difficulty, in switching over to alternative adjustments provided by the Kyoto Protocol. Natural calamities such as floods, droughts, hurricanes and earthquakes affect the poor countries more severely. The economies of the poor countries would be damaged further, with the result that the impoverished countries become much poorer There has been a prediction that the sea level would rise if the snow caps melt due to global warming, but that is a natural process, which is not dependent on human contribution (Hollander, 2003. Pp. 251).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The remedial actions agreed to in the Kyoto Protocol would require the US to curtail its fossil fuel consumption by thirty percent in the next ten years. This would require the US to spend more money on other energy sources and would not achieve any tangible results. The estimated cost to be incurred by the US, if it was to go in for non – fossil fuel sources of energy, would be of the order of $2.3 trillion. The remedial actions provided by the Kyoto Protocol to mitigate the problem of global warming, energy rationing schemes and the adoption of stricter measures after 2012, would only serve to curtail the economic growth of the poor countries.   (Hollander, 2003. Pp. 251).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The sophistication of science and improved living standards provide an opportunity to mitigate the problem of environmental pollution. Poor people do not attach much importance to problems arising from pollution. This is because they encounter more immediate problems to be resolved. Despite, affluence being a contributory factor to pollution, nevertheless, it provides an opportunity to address such problems   (SWAN, September 1972).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In poor nations, basic requirement like food, water and shelter are difficult to fulfill. Only on the fulfillment of these basic needs, will there be any devotion of thought to issues beyond such immediate requirements. The rich countries are at the moment opening their factories, on a very large scale, in the poor countries. This is because the labor there is cheap and abundant, and more importantly, the laws regarding environmental pollution are lax or non – existent. This permits the rich nations of the world to totally ignore all safety measures in such countries, while causing immeasurable damage to the environment of those countries. Such an incident transpired in 1984, in the city of Bhopal in India. The Union Carbide Company operated a battery plant in that place, without paying heed to safety regulations and with scant regard to the safety of the inhabitants. A large amount of methyl isocyanate gas leaked into the atmosphere, causing a large number of deaths and physical impairment. In the event of the existence of uniform standards, in the context of environmental pollution, such malpractices will be curtailed. From the foregoing discussion it is evident that it is essential to maintain the same environmental standards throughout the world. References    Hollander, J. M. (2003. Pp. 251). The Real Environmental Crisis: Why Poverty, not Affluence, Is the Environment’s Number One Enemy. Berkely, California: University of California Press. SWAN, J. A. (September 1972). Poverty, Prosperity, Pollution. Annals of Internal Medicine , Vol. 77. Iss. 3, Pp. 465 – 465 .

Productive and Counterproductive Behavior

Productive and Counterproductive Behaviors An organization will have employees with one of two behavior types. They can either be productive or counterproductive. The root cause of counterproductive behavior can be rooted in employee turnover, attendance issues, or lack of training. It is up to the organization to make an attempt to identify what the causes of their employees’ counterproductive behavior and attempt to find a workable solution. Productive Behavior and its Impact on an Organization Employers want productive behavior out of their employees because productive employees create revenue for the organization. However, employees tend to think just because they are doing â€Å"something† and not idle they are being productive. Their way of thinking would be incorrect. Productive behavior is â€Å"employee behavior that contributes positively to the goals and objectives of the organization† (Jex & Britt, 2008). As we can see merely doing something to occupy ones time is not being productive. Whether or not an employee is being productive can be measured by the cost associated with the employee’s performance and how effective they are. For example, there are two employees in a shoe store with similar sales figures and they sell the same number of shoes each month. The only difference in these two employees is that employee A works ten hours per day and employee B works a six-hour day. Employee B is the more productive employee because employee B accomplishes the same goal in fewer hours. There is a lower cost associated with employee B making him the more productive employee. Efficient employees are productive because they complete large amount of work in a short period of time. When employees are being productive they are concentrating on performing â€Å"core tasks† (Jex & Britt, 2008) and are bringing in revenue for the organization. An organization with productive employees will see less employee absences and in their turnover rate. Counterproductive Behavior Counterproductive behavior is â€Å"behavior that explicitly runs counter to the goals of an organization† (Jex & Britt, 2008). Employees who are counterprodtive may be employees who have issues with absenteeism or frequently tardy, substance abuse, they may steal from the employer, or simply have â€Å"ineffective job performance† (Jex & Britt, 2008). Any behavior that prevents an employee from conducting their job and producing for the employer is considered counterproductive. An Employee who take all day to complete a task because they are there all day and getting paid by the hour is an employee that is counterproductive. Another behavior that is counterproductive is an employee that uses unsafe practices at work. By not following safety rules employees can cause an injury to themselves or to another causing the employee to miss work. As previously stated, absenteeism is a counterproductive behavior. Strategies to Increase Productive Behavior To increase productive behavior in an organization and decrease counterproductive behavior an organization must investigate the cause. Sometimes the reason an employee is counterproductive are out of the employees’ control. For situations that are within the employees’ control, the organization must clearly outline their expectations for their employees. An organization must also outline the consequences for such negative behavior. Drug and alcohol testing and an attendance guidelines policy can be established. These policies will let the employee know what is expected of them and the consequences for not complying. The organization should also make efforts to understand why their employees are not coming to work (Associated Content, 2007). There are times when a personal issue can have its affect on an employees’ behavior. An organization can begin an employee assistance program that would offer counseling to employees if such a program were within the organizations budget. Lack of training and the appropriate tools for performing necessary job functions are factors that are out of the employees’ control. The organization needs to ensure all of their employees have all the proper tools. They can easily do a visual survey and question employees asking them what tools they could use to better perform their job function. Organizations must also ensure all of their employees have the proper training. If employees are not adequately trained they do not know how to perform their job functions. Organizations must adequately train or retrain if necessary any and all employees that require training. At times performing follow up training with all employees ensures employees are all on the same page as far as what their specific job functions are. Performance appraisals also need to be performed on all employees in order for them to know how they are performing in according with their job expectations. These performance appraisals will also serve as a tool to help the employee improve their performance and productivity. A performance appraisal should also be used to praise employees and let them know what they are doing that makes a positive impact on the organization (hrVillage, n. d. ). Both of productive and counterproductive behaviors have their impact on an organization. There are a number of reasons an employee can be counterproductive. Once the root cause has been identified an organization can begin to turn the counterproductive behavior into productive behavior. References Associated Content. (2007). Call Centers: 6 Steps to Improving Employee Attendance and Performance. Retrieved, March 29, 2010, from http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/189770/call_centers_6_steps_to_improving_employee. html? cat=31 hrVillage. (n. d. ). Employee Productivity. Retrieved, March 29, 2010, from http://www. hrvillage. com/human-resources/employee-productivity. htm Jex, S. M. &Britt, T. W. (2008). Organizational psychology: A scientist-practitioner approach, 2nd ed. New Jersey: John Wiley and sons.

The case of Jones v Padavatton Essay Example

The case of Jones v Padavatton Essay Example The case of Jones v Padavatton Essay The case of Jones v Padavatton Essay Essay Topic: Law The case of Jones v Padavatton concerned whether or not a legally enforceable contract existed between the parties, in this case a mother and daughter. The judgements of Salmon LJ and Fenton Atkinson LJ, although reaching the same conclusion have very different reasoning. Salmon LJ considered that two main factors needed to be addressed; whether or not the parties had intended a legally binding contract, and whether the terms of the contract were sufficient to be legally enforceable. The English law operates generally on an objective approach based on what a reasonable person in the position of the parties would have intended. Salmon LJ follows this approach in his judgement, stating it is a presumption of fact that when arrangements are made between family members, they are not intended to create a legal relationship but are rather based on mutual ties of trust and affection. This presumption was established by Atkins LJ in his explanation of the case Balfour v Balfour and is cited by Salmon LJ, however he does go on to accept that in some circumstances just because a, Contracting party is unlikely to extend his pound of flesh does not mean he has no legal right to. I consider that the principle illustrated by Balfour v Balfour, although fundamental for many cases, may not be so relevant considering the circumstances of this case. In a society of increased domestic disruption, illustrated through statistics such as rising divorce rates, it is very arguable that family arrangements are becoming more likely to be intended as legally enforceable. In considering the very special circumstances of this case, I consider it is possible to distinguish it from that of Balfour v Balfour and rather follow the approach of Fenton Atkinson LJ, studying the specific intention of the parties rather than the presumption derived from the case of Balfour v Balfour. Salmon LJ considers the second factor to be addressed is whether the terms of the agreement were sufficient enough to be legally enforceable. He considers the intentions of the daughter were clear- to leave Washington and study for the Bar in England, but did not consider the mother would have intended to give up all her rights concerning the house. The arrangements were too vague to have contractual intent. Similarly there is no evidence that the mother ever intended her daughter to receive any more than $200 in West-Indian terms, a month maintenance support. On this point I agree with Salmon. In English law, if the terms of an offer are not certain, the resulting agreement can fail. I do not consider that the terms were certain enough to ensure a legally binding contract, and here agree with the explanation from Fenton Atkinson LJ, that the responsibility was for the daughter to establish a contract in relation to the house and she totally failed to do so. Salmon LJ considered alongside this, that the terns of the offer could not possibly exceed five years from 1962 considering all circumstances of the case, and thus the daughter was entitled to nothing further under the original agreement Salmon LJ concluded his judgement by addressing the counterclaim referred to by the CCJ, and states that a reasonable compromise should be reached on the figures, so as not to exacerbate ill feeling between parties. This view in considered too by Fenton Atkinson LJ. Fenton Atkinson LJ addresses the issues of consideration and intention in his judgement; issues which I have to consider are far more relevant to the specifics of this case. He addresses several points in his judgement, firstly whether the agreements made between the parties were intended to be legally enforceable, secondly did the mother intend to be legally bound to support her daughter for an uncertain period of time, and thirdly did the daughter assume a contractual obligation to complete her studies. Fenton Atkinson LJ concludes that consideration was given by the daughter in the form of executed consideration, evident through her move from Washington to London, but does not consider that here consideration can determine whether the parties intended a legally binding contract. The courts generally apply an objective approach when studying intention, however I agree with Collins, who states that this objective approach conflicts with reality. Fenton Atkinson LJ, following this approach, states that it is the history of this case which most accurately points to the intentions of the parties, and highlights three important factors. Firstly, that the payments of $200 were accepted by the daughter without any indication that the mother was contractually bound to a larger sum, secondly, that when in 1964 The mother bought the property, many matters had been left open, such as the control of rents, and occupation boundaries. The final factor highlighted, and which I consider to be of huge significance, is the behaviour of the daughter when her mother visited. The daughter was evidently extremely upset that the issue had become litigated, and stated that a mother does not normally sue her daughter. This is perhaps the strongest indication that the daughter had never intended legal consequences to arise from the agreement. Fenton Atkinson LJ was satisfied that no legally binding contract had been intended, and the arrangements had been based on mutual trust. He held that the mothers claim for possession should succeed, and the appeal allowed. Although Salmon LJ and Fenton Atkinson LJ reached the same final judgement, I do not consider that the reasoning of Salmon was as relevant to this case as that of Fenton Atkinson LJ. As I have mentioned above, the objective approach applied by Salmon LJ cannot be applied in every case and may in fact be becoming outdated. The approach adopted by Fenton Atkinson LJ must be considered more appropriate for the very special circumstances of this case, and I agree that the intention of the parties was best determined through the behavioural history of the mother and her daughter rather than the judgement of Balfour v Balfour. I do not deny that the reasoning of Salmon LJ is that which the majority would be likely to adopt, and agree with many other factors he addresses, such as the judgement of reasonable time not exceeding five years. I cannot however conclude that his reasoning is of such relevance to this case, as that of Fenton Atkinson LJ.

Essay about Learning and Sales Assistant

Essay about Learning and Sales Assistant Essay about Learning and Sales Assistant TASK 2: Employability, Personal & Communication skills. Sales Assistant job in Bentalls (Kingston) Employability Skills:- Employability skills Assess why each employability skill is important to Bentalls for a sales assistant and any job in general Why must HR look for this employability skill when interviewing? How important are employability skills to the successful running of the centre? Rate from 1-5 (1=most important & 5=least important) Apply situations within the daily running of the centre How do good employability skills ensure employees keep their jobs? suitable qualifications For sales assistant a suitable qualification would be C+ in Maths and English, this is because they would have to know calculations off by heart and also they have to know basic English to communicate with the customers. HR must look for this employability skill even before interviewing to ensure that the candidate has the qualification so that they can process the application and call them through for the interview. 2- It would be important because this is what they would require the most when applying for the job as this decides if you have the qualifications to apply or the job or if you are suitable for the job. Because they would require someone who can speak English and can do basic maths otherwise they would struggle to communicate or if calculating something manually. experience in similar role This is required so the candidate have knowledge of what they will be doing, and what they want each sales assistant to be like. HR must look for this skill to see if the candidate has had any sort of experience so they can see if the candidate is capable of the job. 2- It would be important because the candidate would need some sort of experience and idea of what they will be doing. If they don’t have any sort of experience then it would be difficult for them to work in a retail environment. Knowledge of products/services This would mean that the candidate would already have the skill and this is not necessary in training. HR must look for this skill to know if the candidate has any sort of knowledge of the products to be able sell it to a potential