My Hero-Muhammad Ali David Ramsey 10A Essay

My hero is Muhammad Ali who first came into the public eye as Cassius Clay when he won a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Rome in 1960. In 1964 he stunned the boxing community with his defeat of Sonny Liston, the heavyweight champion, and shocked the world yet again when he changed his name to Muhammad Ali after the fight. During the Vietnam war he was ordered to go and fight but he refused on religious grounds, but his decision was not met with ease, he was branded a draft-dodger and threatened with prison. He was stripped of his title and was effectively banned from boxing. Despite this, he never gave in to the American Government and stuck to his principles and during the years of exile from boxing he spent time studying his religion and public speaking. It was evident that he was sincere in his beliefs and he started to reclaim the respect of the American public, especially as the horrors of what was happening in Vietnam began to be shared more widely.When he was 28 and after 3 years band from the sport he loved, he was able to resume his boxing career. He eventually regained his title and went on to fight in some of the most breathtaking fights the world has ever seen. During his career, his influence on the world of boxing changed the sport forever. He took the world heavyweight championship away from it’s traditional New York City venue and took it to Canada, Britain, Germany, Zaire, Malaysia and Manila, as well as the United States. He used his position to speak out against inequality and always helped people who were less fortunate than himself. He is still an ambassador of his religion and continues to try to give people hope. After he came back from suspension, he started with a mission to reclaim his title, he was granted a title shot against Joe Frasier in 1971, he underestimated Joe’s ability however, and lost the fight, it would now be even harder to become champion again. The world said that he was too old and past his peak when he was beat again by Ken Norton in 1972. Joe Frasier was beaten by George Foreman so Ali knew that if he was once again to become the Greatest he would have to beat Ken Norton, which he did and then he made an amazing comeback against Joe Frasier in the rematch in 1974. Ali had earned his title shot, the stage was set for Zaire (the Rumble in the Jungle) Ali vs Foreman. Muhammad Ali was very old and although he had made amazing comebacks against Frasier and Norton, neither of these were the fighter that George Foreman was, even Ali’s own trainer asked Foreman to take it easy on Ali because he was an `old man`. But yet again Muhammad Ali proved the world wrong yet again by knocking out George Foreman out in 8 rounds to regain his title. He reigned as champion for 4 years until he was beaten by Leon Spinks, now Leon was thought to be the greatest and the world expected him to become the next Muhammad Ali, he repeatidly taunted Ali until the rematch when Ali taught him what it meant to be the greatest! He was the first man to win the title 3 times. His flamboyant style has made him a legend, and his slogans `I am the greatest` and `float like a butterfly, sting like a bee` became catch phrases. Ali’s lifestyle was plagued with divorces and failed relationships but stayed loyal to his religion and his fans. Ali was president Carter’s special envoy to Africa in 1980 (attempting to persuade nations to boycott the Olympics). Muhammad Ali has lots of personal qualities and values. He spoke for civil civil rights against discrimination of black people in America on numerous occasions and refused to go to Vietnam for 2 reasons: he remained loyal to Islam and he refused to murder innocent people. This shows dignity and independence because he wouldn†t get drafted into the army when he didn’t want to. I admire Ali’s determination and strengh of character in this act even when he was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment and had his boxing license revoked he would not submit to the American Government. Ali has got to be the most entertaining sportsman ever, his humour, charisma and skill in the ring earned him the sportsperson of the century award. I admired his boxing skills when I first learnt about Muhammad Ali but as I progressed in learning about his life I was amazed to find out how much money he donated towards charity, he held many fundraisers for under priveliged children on the streets of America and Africa. Ali was very endurant because he has always been the only boxer to dance around the ring for a whole 15 rounds during a fight. He was always confident in his ability’s and always optimistic. Ali has great ambition, ever since he started boxing he said he would be the greatest and went in the right direction to do so because he is widely known as the greatest boxer ever. Ali has the courage to stand up and fight for what he believed in because he became a muslim whilst getting alot of criticism off muslims themselves, and changed his name to Muhammad Ali to suit his religion even when his own family disapproved of it. Now, Muhammad Ali is suffering from Parkinson’s disease, which attacks the nervous system, there is no cure for this disease and Ali has suffered immensly as a result of it. Despite this he still finds the energy to fund the Black Muslim campaign and other charities. Muhammad Ali has certainly influenced my life for the better because he has taught me to never give up on my dreams. Muhammad Ali is a perfect example of that if you work hard enough and never give up you can achieve just about anything, just as he did. The world might never have known Muhammad Ali if his bike hadn’t been stolen when he was 12. He set out an aim to be the greatest ever and worked extremely hard but never gave up, even when he was deemed too old to fight again, he beat George Foreman, against all odds, in Zaire. In conclusion, Muhammad Ali is my hero because he has proved the world wrong again by defeating other boxers against all odds (and still leave room for his witty humour). I will remember Muhammad Ali as someone who stood up for his beliefs always and was indeed the greatest.

My Most Exciting Vacation Essay

In the beginning of my holidays was very Boring, my family and me were at home the only interesting that we had had was watch some movies and get a delicious healthy dinner(pizza, hamburgers, tacos, etc)And stay like a happy family. My mom was very chili that was great for everybody because always she get stress all the time my dad as well then we got visit my grandmother and get to sleep there and celebrated my sister’s birthday with all my cousins’ uncles and aunts. We got there for 2 days only because my dad had work but before this I visited all the village, and I feel like a rich guy because everything there was very Cheaper and I can travel myself by a Moto taxi that his cost was 2 pesos to anywhere I can? t complain because y get a lot fun during those days later I went to a lot of friends’ parties because I’m very social(Obviously:D) and in those days I woke up like at 1:00 pm I was very lazy at the vacation but something that I enjoyed a lot was read in my room and get there for hours or almost all the day because it? my favorite hobby. I went out with my friends to Plaza for watch a movie, eat something and talk a little, even passing the time because all were boring at home and have a lot of free time and it was amazing passing time with all of them. Something that I didn? t like was that my Grandpa Can? t stayed with us because he died since 2 years it? s very sad; and I didn? go out of Chiapas as well was something that butters me because previous years we traveled to anyplace. At the end it wasn’t like I imagine but it was good for me because I passed the time with my family friends and people do I care and passing the time with my books and staying in the computer talking and checking my Facebook and finally before enter to classes all my family get a big dinner and saw the soccer game.

Succubus Shadows Chapter 7

â€Å"You're right,† said Roman the next morning, ruminating over what had happened with Gavin. â€Å"I didn't like that.† I was standing in the bathroom, going over my hair with a flat iron. It was a pain in the ass compared to shape-shifting, but I liked the challenge. Plus, I could always fine-tune the frizziness away afterward. â€Å"Not like it's the first time it's happened,† I pointed out, my eyes on the mirror rather than where he leaned in the doorway. â€Å"You used to never mind.† â€Å"Didn't I?† he asked dryly. â€Å"Well, being with him distracted me from wallowing in self-pity. Not that it made me feel that great either,† I admitted. â€Å"But it kept my†¦whatever†¦away. And hey, it couldn't have been as nasty as what you saw Simone do.† â€Å"True, but now that guy's just going to come trolling around all the time. He'll be showing up to borrow cups of sugar in the hopes he can score some more action.† â€Å"I'll deal with him. I've got a little practice in pushing guys away.† â€Å"Don't I know it.† I paused to shoot him a glare. â€Å"Will you lay off the attitude this morning? You're starting to sound like you're jealous or something.† Roman snorted. â€Å"Hardly. Why in God's name would I be jealous over the woman who got my sister killed and tried to unleash the forces of Heaven and Hell to destroy me?† Fair point. â€Å"It's a little more complicated than that.† â€Å"Oh, yes, I'm sure.† He crossed his arms and stared down at the floor. â€Å"But maybe the next time you're looking for distraction, we could rent a movie and microwave some popcorn instead of fucking the neighbors.† â€Å"You have horrible taste in movies,† I mumbled. But that closed the conversation, and Roman wandered off. A few moments later, I heard the TV turn on. I had to work today, but it was an afternoon shift. I was up and ready to go early because I wanted to visit Erik. I should have felt secure in Jerome's ability to figure out what was going on, as well as Roman's protection. But I'd had too much shit happen to me in the past to ever fully trust anyone. Erik had always proven a valuable resource. Roman went with me, covertly, but it took a while for me to actually get some quality time with Erik. He had customers in the store – which was great for him, but I could hardly discuss immortal affairs with others around. When the people finally thinned out, Erik turned his attention to me, ready with his typical friendly smile. His color looked better, and his movements weren't as jerky. He was still weak, just not as weak. â€Å"Your cold's cleared up,† I said. His smile grew. â€Å"Yes, I told you it was nothing. A mere cold isn't going to kill me off.† His voice was light, but I couldn't help a small frown. There had been something in his words – something I couldn't quite put my finger on – that made it sound like he did know what was going to kill him. A chill ran down my spine. I didn't like to think of those sorts of things. I sat down at his little table with him but declined tea. â€Å"I just wanted to see if you'd learned anything else.† It was a nervous impulse on my part. I knew he would have contacted me if he had discovered something. â€Å"No, but as I said, the information we have is vague enough for it to be any number of things.† â€Å"That's what Jerome said.† Erik looked pleased. â€Å"I'm glad he knows. I've always said that your own people are more likely to know better than me.† I couldn't help a small laugh. â€Å"Debatable. I might have something to make it a little less vague.† Briefly, I explained my recent encounter and how it had occurred to me that this force only visited when I was troubled and depressed. â€Å"It's like†¦it's like it's preying on my weakness. Trying to lure me in with promises of comfort.† â€Å"Then you must be careful not to give in.† If Roman had said that, I would have snapped at him for stating the obvious. â€Å"It's easy to say that now, in the cold light of logic, but when it happens†¦I don't know. I lose my grip on the world. Reason's gone. Hell, half the time I don't even know what's happening until afterward. It's like†¦sleeping. Sleepwalking. Whatever.† â€Å"And it always appears as a type of doorway?† I pondered this for several seconds. â€Å"I don't know†¦kind of. I don't know how to describe it – and I know I keep saying that. And how useless it sounds. I'm not sure if it's a door, exactly, but it's definitely trying to pull me into something.† Erik had made himself tea and sat for almost a minute sipping it, his brow knit in thought. â€Å"I'll think about all of this. In the meantime, I'd just advise†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He hesitated. â€Å"Well, let me put it this way. You are a delight, Miss Kincaid, and I always enjoy my time with you. However, you are also – how can I say this – someone frequently given to darker moods.† â€Å"Is that your polite way of saying I'm always down?† I teased. â€Å"No†¦not exactly. But if this thing is seeking out those in emotionally depressed states, then I'd say you are particularly susceptible. If it's at all possible, you should try to stay away from those moods.† I thought about it. One of my best friends was marrying my ex – an ex whom I was starting to fall for all over again. An ex whose soul I had inadvertently damned to Hell and who was now being stalked by another succubus. My own soul had long since been Hell-bound, and I was committed to an eternity of sleeping with men whom I often didn't like. Oh, yeah. Let's not forget that my roommate was given to sociopathic tendencies and had me on his hit list. â€Å"That might be easier said than done,† I told Erik. â€Å"I can imagine,† he said ruefully. â€Å"But it may be the only way to protect yourself. That and your own willpower – the strength of which I firmly believe in.† Erik's faith in me warmed up a piece of my heart, even though the rest of today's insight hadn't been all that insightful. I thanked him for his time and headed off to work, grateful Roman offered no â€Å"witty† commentary during our drive. At the bookstore, Seth worked alone in the caf? ¦. Simone was nowhere in sight, which was one bonus. The fact that it was Maddie's day off also improved my mood. Maybe staying away from my usual glum state wouldn't be as hard as I thought. â€Å"Yo, Kincaid.† Doug found me putting stickers on our rack of clearance books. They mostly consisted of out-of-print coffee-table books, things like Stone Arches of Tuscany and The Complete Book of Bridal Cross-stitch. I wasn't entirely sure what that last one was, but maybe it'd make a good wedding present for Seth and Maddie. The price was certainly a bargain. We'd reduced it three times now, and still no one wanted to buy it. â€Å"What's up?† I asked. â€Å"I've got news that's going to rock your world. And make you think I'm even awesomer than you already do.† â€Å"That's a bold statement.† He paused, apparently trying to decide if he'd been complimented or insulted. â€Å"I just found out that Gabrielle's a fan of Blue Satin Bra.† â€Å"She never struck me as that type. I figured all of her lingerie would be black.† Doug gave me a withering look. â€Å"No, Kincaid. I don't mean that she wears one. I mean that she likes the group. Haven't you heard of them?† â€Å"There's a group called Blue Satin Bra?† I shook my head. â€Å"Sorry. I can't keep up with every new garage band in Seattle.† â€Å"They aren't a garage band! They're the hottest thing to hit the metal scene. They're going to make it big.† I tried to hide my skepticism. Doug himself was in a band called Nocturnal Admission, and whenever he spoke about local bands, it seemed like everyone was on the verge of making it big. â€Å"What's this got to do with Gabrielle again?† Doug was clearly growing frustrated with me. â€Å"She's a huge fan – and they've got a concert tomorrow night. Unfortunately, it's all sold out. She was pretty bummed about it.† Despite his annoyance with me, I could sense the smugness within him. â€Å"Here it comes†¦.† Pride lit his features. â€Å"I'm friends with the bass player and managed to score some tickets. If your pal Cody approaches her with them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I paused in my stickering. â€Å"You're right. You did just get awesomer.† â€Å"You've got to go too, you know.† â€Å"I – what?† Me trailing along didn't sound romantic in the least. Doug shrugged. â€Å"He can't just ask her out for an actual date. Not yet. He'll spook her.† â€Å"Then what exactly is he supposed to ask her out for?† â€Å"I do the asking. I'll just be all like, ‘Hey, Gabby, I got some extra tickets to the show. You want to go along with me and my friends?' Then she's off guard. She comes along, Cody's there, magic happens†¦.† â€Å"Wow,† I said. â€Å"Looks like you've got it all figured out. And I don't think she likes to be called Gabby.† â€Å"This is a good plan.† He was clearly very pleased with himself. â€Å"I've been around, Kincaid. When you get mad romantic skills like me, you'll understand.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"We can only hope. So how many friends are going along exactly?† â€Å"I scored four tickets. So: you, me, Cody, and Gabrielle.† â€Å"Sounds suspiciously like a double date. You trying your mad romantic skills on me?† It wouldn't be the first time. â€Å"Hell no. Do I look suicidal? You're already claimed.† For a minute, Seth came to mind, then Doug added: â€Å"I'm not getting on the bad side of that guy you're shacked up with. I mean, I can hold my own in a fight, but he looks like he could seriously fuck someone up.† â€Å"You have no idea,† I muttered. No doubt Roman – lingering nearby invisibly – was loving this. â€Å"But we aren't involved. He's just my roommate.† â€Å"For now,† said Doug ominously. He began a retreat. â€Å"I'll go invite Gabs. You tell Cody the deal and that you're going to be his wing-woman.† I shook my head after Doug left, wondering what I'd gotten myself into. His absurd comments about mad skills and wing-women aside, the whole casual group thing might be a gateway outing to get Gabrielle closer to Cody. I just hoped word of his Goth getup the other day hadn't gotten around to her. I also wondered what kind of experience I was getting myself into with Blue Satin Bra. Doug's bizarre industrial alternative music had grown on me over the years, but I had a feeling this concert would be a very different experience. About an hour later, I was in my office when some unexpected guests popped their heads in. Well, one wasn't entirely unexpected. I'd found that even when Maddie wasn't working, there was never any real security. You couldn't count on her absence, not when her boyfriend and brother were often in the store. I could feel some safety when we didn't have the same shift, but I'd long accepted that Maddie could really show up at any moment. No, the real surprise was that Maddie was in my office with Brandy Mortensen, Seth's niece. He had five of them, and she was the oldest. When Seth and I had dated, I'd grown pretty attached to that brood. My longing for children and the girls' total adorableness made it easy for me to love them. They'd grown close to me too. Of course, at fourteen, I suspected Brandy wouldn't appreciate being called â€Å"adorable.† She stood with Maddie, who was holding a garment bag on a hanger. Brandy wore a surprisingly sullen teen expression. She seemed taller to me than when I'd last seen her. Just like with Erik, time was passing quickly for these humans. â€Å"Hey, guys,† I said, setting my paperwork aside. â€Å"What's up?† â€Å"More wedding errands,† said Maddie cheerfully. â€Å"We just came by to pick up Seth. We went back to that shop and got a dress for Brandy. She's a bridesmaid too.† Maddie lifted the edge of the bag, revealing the same dress Maddie had bought me the other day. â€Å"How embarrassing,† I told Brandy. â€Å"We're going to show up in the same outfit.† She gave me the ghost of a smile but stayed silent. â€Å"We also went and talked to some florists but didn't really come up with any ideas on what to get. If I get something purple, will it be too monochromatic? And if I get a different color, will it look weird?† â€Å"Hard questions,† I said solemnly. Ones I didn't want to answer. â€Å"Maybe you can come back with me and take a look at some of their books?† Maddie was giving me that hopeful, cheery smile that was so good at inspiring guilt in me. â€Å"I don't know,† I said vaguely. â€Å"Depends on my schedule.† â€Å"Well, let me know. Let me go grab Seth – maybe he has some ideas.† Good luck with that, I thought. Seth was notoriously awful at offering opinions, and he'd seemed particularly non-committal about this wedding stuff, no pun intended. Maddie left Brandy with me, and I gave her a genuine smile. â€Å"So how's it been going?† I asked. â€Å"Did you have fun shopping?† Brandy crossed her arms over her chest and tossed her blond hair over one shoulder. She was wearing a formfitting Rocky Horror Picture Show T-shirt. Really, I thought. She was one step away from turning into her uncle. â€Å"No,† she said bluntly. I arched an eyebrow in surprise. Last I'd known, shopping and having people buy you clothes was pretty sweet when you were a teenage girl. Maybe I was out of touch. â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Because,† she said dramatically. â€Å"This wedding is a joke.† I cast an uneasy glance at the doorway. â€Å"Better not let them hear you say that.† Brandy looked unconcerned. She wasn't exactly scowling, but it was pretty close. â€Å"Uncle Seth isn't supposed to be marrying her.† â€Å"Why not? They've been dating for†¦well, a while.† That was kind of true, guilt-induced engagement or no. â€Å"He proposed. She accepted. Easy as that.† â€Å"She's not the one,† said Brandy stoutly. â€Å"He's supposed to be marrying you.† Yeah, I really wished the door was closed. â€Å"Brandy,† I said, pitching my voice as low as I could. â€Å"Your uncle and I broke up. That's how it is. People move on.† â€Å"You two weren't supposed to. You guys were in love.† â€Å"He loves her too.† â€Å"It's not the same.† This was not a discussion I'd ever expected to have. I'd known Seth's nieces still liked me, but I'd hardly thought I'd left this sort of impression. â€Å"Do you not like Maddie or something?† Brandy gave a half-hearted shrug and averted her eyes. â€Å"She's okay. But she's not you.† I didn't say anything for several moments. I wondered if Brandy's resentment toward the wedding was because she had greater devotion to me than Maddie – or if it was part of some romantic ideal girls her age often had about love and soul mates. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said. â€Å"Love in the real world doesn't usually work out the way stories make us think it should. We don't always get fairy-tale endings. People split up and move on. Just because you love someone doesn't mean you can't love someone else.† I shivered. This was remarkably similar to a conversation Carter and I had once had, shortly after the (first) break-up with Seth. â€Å"It's still not right,† said Brandy obstinately. Seth and Maddie retrieved her shortly thereafter, for which I was grateful. I really didn't want to have to play devil's advocate and defend a marriage that I was hardly thrilled about myself. I felt that sorrow that always seemed to plague me when I thought about them surface†¦and then remembered Erik's comments. Don't give in to it. Stay away from it – that was what kept leading me into trouble. Easier said than done, just as I'd told him. Distraction seemed to be the key to it all, and I just didn't feel up to another liaison tonight. I certainly didn't need the energy. â€Å"Distract me,† I murmured when I was seated in my car. â€Å"Annoy me with your ‘wit,' or just make me outright mad.† No physical evidence of Roman appeared – no signature, no physical appearance – but his voice answered me back just as softly. â€Å"Go see your friends. Aren't they going to that bar tonight? You need to tell Cody he's going on a double date.† â€Å"It's not a double date,† I growled back. But Roman had a point. I probably should let the young vampire know what was in store tomorrow. I was also kind of curious how Roman even knew about the bar outing. I'd received a voice mail message earlier today that one would think would have been out of Roman's hearing range. He'd either been standing really close, or nephilim just had superhuman hearing. And, well, seeing as they were superhuman, I supposed that wasn't too far off. Another idea suddenly came to mind about tonight's social gathering, one that would most definitely provide a distraction – and possibly take care of a nuisance. â€Å"The bar it is,† I declared. I drove down to Pioneer Square, Seattle's historic district, and sought out the Cellar, a dive of a bar located in a basement akin to its name. It was a favorite place for immortals – well, hellish immortals. Since most angels didn't drink – Carter being the exception – you didn't usually find them hanging out in bars. They were more likely to be found at upscale coffee shops. For inexplicable reasons, a number of them also liked to hang out at the restaurant on top of the Space Needle. Maybe they thought it was bringing them closer to Heaven. And, indeed, as I walked down the stairs into the Cellar, I felt Carter's signature, along with those of my usual clique. Best of all, there was an additional signature I'd been hoping to find. â€Å"Hot damn,† I said, striding toward the table where Simone sat with my friends. She burned with the glow of energy that succubi stole from their victims. I hated to admit it, but hers was brighter than the one I still sported. I assured myself that it was just because she'd probably bagged someone today, rather than last night. Hugh scooted to make room for me, and I pulled up a chair from a neighboring table. â€Å"Didn't think you'd show tonight.† I waved a waiter over and ordered a vodka gimlet. â€Å"You know I can't stay away from you guys.† â€Å"You're just in time,† said Carter. His face was neutral, but I caught a mischievous glint in his eyes as he sipped his bourbon. â€Å"Simone was just regaling us with tales of the Underground Tour. Did you hear that Seattle burned to the ground and was rebuilt a century ago?† â€Å"Only every time I take the tour,† I replied. Which had been about a dozen times. It was a tourist hotbed, and I'd taken friends and out-of-town victims on it often. I gave Simone a curious look. â€Å"Did you do that today?† She nodded. â€Å"Figured I should take in the city while I'm here.† She was still using that librarian voice, but I had to admit she looked more like a succubus than the last time I'd seen her. Her neckline was cut so low, it was a wonder her nipples didn't show. Her lips were fuck-me red, and unless I was mistaken, her hair was longer and more voluminous than before. I couldn't decide if she looked like an angel or a beach bunny. And speaking of angels†¦Simone had her chair pushed right next to Carter's, so close that she couldn't help but brush her arm against his each time she reached for her drink. I suspected her leg was pressed up to his as well. He glanced over, giving her a look that wasn't exactly romantic but filled with deep interest I felt certain was feigned. â€Å"I find Seattle's history fascinating. I haven't been here that long, so it's great to keep learning new things.† Simone beamed. Across the table, Hugh choked a little on his drink. Carter had been in Seattle for a couple hundred years. True – not that long for an immortal like him, but he'd most certainly been here for the Seattle fire. Hell, considering how he'd once accidentally burned down my Christmas tree, he might have been the one who set the city ablaze, for all I knew. My gimlet appeared, and I took a long drink of liquid courage. â€Å"From what I hear, you've been checking out some of our local celebrities too,† I said sweetly. Simone dragged her adoring gaze from Carter and fixed me with a frown. â€Å"I don't think I've run into many celebrities.† â€Å"Well,† I said, still smiling like a fool. â€Å"I guess it depends on how you define ‘celebrity.' I certainly consider best-selling authors celebrities. You've been chatting up one quite a bit.† Immediately, Cody, Hugh, and Peter eagerly snapped to attention. They could sniff female conflict a mile away and were undoubtedly bracing themselves for a cat fight. â€Å"Oh, that,† she said dismissively. â€Å"I thought you meant like an actor or something. Yeah, he's just someone on my radar. One of many. Pretty cute. Nice enough.† â€Å"And a friend of mine,† I said. My voice was still cheerful, but I could see in her eyes that she was well aware of the escalating tension. â€Å"Still, fair game,† she replied with a shrug. â€Å"And what do you care? His soul's already tainted. He's not that good a catch. Not like I can do much more damage.† That wasn't true. Seth might currently be Hell-bound, but he wasn't beyond redemption – even though the odds of that were allegedly slim. If by some crazy chance Simone got him to cheat on Maddie again, his soul would grow darker and kill any lingering chances to save him. Plus, sin aside, Simone would shorten his life – which was something I was definitely against. â€Å"So, he's just a random guy you scoped out?† I asked. The politeness was fading from me. It was disappearing from her too. So. Bland Simone wasn't quite as oblivious as she played. â€Å"The fact that he's a friend of mine and someone I used to date makes no difference?† â€Å"You make it sound like I'm trying to get you back for something. I don't even know you. I'm just here on vacation. Getting guys is part of our life – and you don't have any territorial control like them.† She nodded toward the vampires, who had very well-defined hunting grounds. â€Å"Unless,† she added smugly, â€Å"you've got some kind of arrangement with Jerome.† I certainly didn't. In fact, my boss had made it extremely clear that he didn't care about what happened to Seth. â€Å"No, but I'd think you'd do it as a courtesy when you're visiting someone else's city. It's the nice thing to do.† My smile returned, filled with ice this time. â€Å"And it ensures that your visit stays nice too.† Maybe using her favorite adjective would drive home my message. Simone stiffened, attention totally on me now. â€Å"What is this, some kind of warning that you'll come after me if I don't back off?† I shrugged and finished my drink. â€Å"Just friendly advice.† She stood up and slung her purse over her shoulder with such force that it nearly hit Carter in the head. Apparently, he wasn't on the radar anymore. Well, at least for now. â€Å"I'm not going to stay and listen to thinly veiled threats. Especially ones over inconsequential men. If I want him, I'll get him.† â€Å"You'll be missed,† I muttered as she stalked away. â€Å"Oh,† said Hugh brightly. â€Å"There is nothing I like better than when succubi fight. Puts Dynasty to shame. You could have cleaned the floor with Tawny, but Simone might give you a match.† â€Å"Hardly,† I said. â€Å"And she'll have about as much luck with Seth as Carter.† Carter raised an eyebrow, apparently not agreeing with my statement. â€Å"She's really hitting on Seth?† asked Cody. â€Å"Yup. In a shy, starry-eyed fan girl kind of way.† â€Å"Isn't that how you won him over way back when?† asked Peter. I shot him a glare. â€Å"It's irrelevant. It won't work.† â€Å"Then why worry?† asked Hugh slyly. â€Å"Because an ounce of prevention – oh, never mind,† I groaned. â€Å"I need another drink.† Hugh and the vampires were clearly amused by all this and weren't particularly concerned. I think they too believed Seth would prove immovable; they just liked the idea of me making another succubus irate. The sad part was that I'd probably just encouraged Simone to try even harder. Two drinks later, I decided to head home. I was sufficiently angry that I didn't fear the siren song's comfort. Before leaving, I informed Cody about his impending date. Unsurprisingly, he freaked out. â€Å"What? I†¦I can't. What will I say? What will I do?† â€Å"Frankly, my dear†¦Ã¢â‚¬  began Hugh in an undertone. â€Å"You'll be fine,† I said. â€Å"Just stop stressing and be yourself.† â€Å"Sounds like a double date,† said Peter. â€Å"I can get more black hair dye.† â€Å"No,† I warned. â€Å"Do not even think about it.† I could still see faint streaks that hadn't entirely washed out from Cody's blond mane. â€Å"Just dress like you are now. I'll meet you at the club.† I started to turn, and then a thought came to me. â€Å"Carter, can I talk to you?† His lips twitched slightly. If that was his sign of surprise, I couldn't say. â€Å"Anything for you, Daughter of Lilith.† He followed me outside the bar, where we stood amid all the Pioneer Square partygoers. Once clear of the building's non-smoking interior, he promptly lit a cigarette. â€Å"If you're jealous of my relationship with Simone,† he said, â€Å"I can assure you, we're just friends.† â€Å"Oh, be quiet. You know that's not what this is about. Look, she was lying, right? About Seth being a coincidence?† Carter took a long drag before answering. Angels could tell when others were lying. â€Å"Yep. But she seemed pretty sincere in the last comment about going after him regardless.† I grimaced. â€Å"Why? Why would she target Seth? Is it some kind of way to assert dominance over the local succubus?† â€Å"Not sure. The ways of succubi – and all women – are a mystery to me.† â€Å"Jerome originally thought she'd come to spy. He had Roman follow her, but nothing came of it. She never reported in or anything. He pulled Roman from her – † I paused, suddenly turning over the events and analyzing them in a way I hadn't considered before. â€Å"But it wasn't until I told him Simone was hitting on Seth. It seemed like that was the moment Jerome pulled Roman. He seemed pretty adamant about leaving her alone.† â€Å"Did he now?† Carter inhaled on the cigarette again, but I could see thoughts churning behind his eyes. â€Å"What?† I asked. â€Å"Just a musing,† he said. A half-truth, typical of angels. â€Å"Did Jerome do anything else after that?† â€Å"Yeah, he put Roman on me.† This elicited surprise. â€Å"Why?† Apparently, Jerome and Carter hadn't been hanging out recently. I gave Carter the rundown on my latest bizarre situation. â€Å"That is weird,† he admitted. â€Å"Do you know what it could be?† â€Å"Any number of things.† He spoke flippantly, but I knew I'd piqued his curiosity – maybe even his concern. I sighed. â€Å"I wish people would stop saying that. No one's really helping.† â€Å"I'll help you,† he said, dropping the cigarette and stamping it out. â€Å"I'll follow Simone.† That was not at all what I had expected. â€Å"Why would you do that? Are you going to stop her from making the moves on Seth?† This earned his amusement. â€Å"You know I can't interfere with that kind of thing. But I am curious about Simone's activities.† An uneasy feeling bubbled within me, one that had troubled me since I'd first met Seth, and Carter had begun taking an active role in my life. â€Å"Why? Why do you care so much about Seth? You've always been curious about what he does – and how we interact.† â€Å"I'm interested in the creative process of a great artist. It's fun to watch.† â€Å"Another half-truth.† Like always, he answered the question without really answering it. I was astonished at the desperation in my voice when I spoke next. â€Å"I'm serious. Why, Carter? How does Seth – and me being with Seth – concern you?† He chucked me on the chin. â€Å"You've got better things to do than worry about the goings-on of a curious angel. Besides, wouldn't you feel better if someone was reporting back to you on Simone?† â€Å"Well, yeah,† I admitted. â€Å"But – â€Å" â€Å"Then it's settled. You're welcome.† He turned quickly away and disappeared into a crowd of partiers. I knew better than to go after him because he'd probably literally disappear once no one was paying attention. I sighed yet again. Fucking angels.

Questions-Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Questions-Communication - Essay Example Diversity within an organization can take a number of different forms such as diverse cultures, religions, nationalities and job groupings (Shockley-Zalabak, 2002; Mor-Barak, 2011). In my organization, the implementation and maintenance of programs that value diversity is generally undertaken using a number of approaches, key among them is review and re-writing of policies so as to create a division within the organization tasked with prompting inclusion and workforce development (Mor-Barak, 2011). This division is mandated to undertake a special recruitment policy that is designed to seek to promote diversity within the organization. To this end, training programs are conducted to promote the adoption of diversity among the employees. The division also implements a variety of internal mentorship and internship programs that are designed to prepare some of the internal candidates both for competition with outside job applicants and upward mobility to prevent their being marginalized by the special recruitment program (Mor-Barak, 2011). The diversity valuing programs practiced by my organization are seen to be quite effective at increasing both the awareness and valuing of diversity in the workplace. They are designed to increase the organization’s diversity via the special recruitment policy while simultaneously promoting the competitiveness of the existing employees through the internal mentorship and internship programs (Mor-Barak, 2011). However, there are a number of changes that can be made to increase the overall effectiveness of these programs. While increasing the awareness and integration of diversity within the organization is seen to be primarily dependent on employees at every level of the organization working at fulfilling their roles, it is also critically important for the organization’s leadership to increase both the amount of resources and the level of guidance and support it lends to these programs (Mor-Barak, 2011). Reference: Mor-Barak, E. M. (2011). Managing diversity: toward a globally inclusive workplace. Los Angeles: SAGE. M4A1: The communication style used by a past leader in my organization, its relation to his leadership style and its suitability to our workplace and culture When I joined my organization, my direct supervisor primarily used to employ the use of an assertive communication style. His role of directing the new recruits on how to perform their duties necessitated that he used the style to ensure that he was able to portray himself to be in authority when working with the recruits (Shockley-Zalabak, 2002). The assertive communication style is seen to have been quite appropriate to the supervisor a suitable to our workplace as it perfectly complemented his transactional leadership style. In line with his leadership style, the manager used to provide us with a number of pre-agreed tasks to perform and would then punish or reward us depending on how these tasks were performed (Shockley-Za labak, 2002). In the event that one of us would continually fail to adequately perform the assigned task, the supervisor would then undertake to provide more intensive and closely supervised training to the employee and would then encourage the employee by providing the employee with bonuses if they managed to register performance improvements. However, the communication style used by the supervisor could have been drastically improved if the supervisor undertook to try and listen more to the input provided

MKTG CLASS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MKTG CLASS - Essay Example Although it is a very old brand (154 years), it needed a lot of restoration work in the present economic climate. She says that in the planning stage many basic questions were asked. New plans were devised to come up with better products. The customers were segmented on the basis of their geographical locations. After the planning, she removed much inefficiency within the company. Millions of pounds were saved but not at the cost of staff. Instead the company spent more money on renovating the stores and making them look more attractive. The presentation then focuses on the ‘soft strategies’. New methods were devised on the backbone of digital technology in order to lure the customers. Burberry now frequently organizes fully choreographed live webcast. The video shows people all around the world watching runway shows live in the Burberry showrooms. All the crucial information about new products, stores, shows etc is provided on the internal website. Travelling road shows are also organized as a part of CRM. The focus of the presentation then shifts towards the human element of the company. Angela says that they hire smart and like-minded people for their brand and organize awards in order to appreciate and motivate them. The company wants to project its modernity through every aspect of its business. For this reason, the Burberry headquarter has a futuristic look with energy saving features to it. But the innovation doesn’t stop with the building. The company has created its own social media website. Customers throughout the world are kept informed through Facebook and live stream shows. The presentation then ends with Angela assuring the audience of her team’s sincerity towards making Burberry a hugely successful

Sainsburys Supermarkets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sainsburys Supermarkets - Essay Example Using a combination of common management tools in a wide range of areas, from stocking its shelves full with items customers want to buy to executing on a complete revamp of its information technology and supply chain management systems, a new senior management team is revitalising the whole organisation from top to bottom. This brief history helps us analyse the period 2003 to 2006, during which Sainsbury's hit the dust with their first-ever revenues slump in history (in the year ended March 2005) and then as nimbly picked itself up and began staging a comeback. We can learn how they are doing by studying the company's annual reports which are the "official" snapshots of the whole corporation each year. Just like any other company at the mercy of its stakeholders (Freeman, 1984), Sainsbury's is expected to behave to satisfy everyone. Identify significant areas of the accounts for 2006 where judgment has been used in determining the appropriate accounting policy for the company (for example depreciation of fixed assets). Critically discuss how such judgments have materially affected the accounts in terms of valuation and profitability. There are several portions in Sainsbury's 2006 report indicating where judgment has been used to determine the appropriate accounting policies. ... From the long list of accounting policies, we note the following that in our opinion materially affected the accounts in terms of valuation and profitability: The 2006 reports are the Group's and Company's first financial statements prepared under IFRS and therefore, IFRS 1 'First-time Adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards' was applied. The last statements under UK Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("UK GAAP") were for the 52 weeks to 26 March 2005. An explanation of the transition to IFRS is provided in Note 42. A comparison of the GAAP-based 2005 and IFRS-based 2005 reports showed that whilst non-current assets declined by almost 3 billion, total equity declined by only 33 million thanks to adjustments in net current liabilities of over 2.9 billion. This shows how numbers can surprisingly appear and vanish like magic. Early adoption of the standard Amendment to IAS 19 'Employee Benefits' is effective for annual periods beginning 1 January 2006, i.e. beginning 26 March 2006. However, Sainsbury's elected to early adopt this amendment and has applied the requirements of the amendment to the financial statements for the 52 weeks to 25 March 2006. This led to gross actuarial gains of 128 million (Note 42, p. 95), cutting the pension deficit from 672 million to only 375 million due to a deferred income tax asset. This allowed Sainsbury's to conveniently finance the pension fund and contribute towards improving employee motivation. The treatment of Subsidiaries and Goodwill allowed Sainsbury's to manufacture current year profits growth from its sale of Shaw's in 2004 by recycling 123 million of the goodwill write down from its 2005 results (p. 96), adding net 86 million to profits (See note on p. 95). Goodwill is now not allowed under

Market analysis in Abu Dhabi Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Market analysis in Abu Dhabi - Research Paper Example Abu Dhabi is the biggest of all seven emirates in UAE as well as the capital of the country. The population of the city is about 1.3 million out of 3.8 million of UAE and also covers the 87% of the entire area. The city has a booming retail real estate market for residential buildings, offices other tourism places. The real estate market condition in the United Arab Emirates is, as a whole, facing a boom. It has the most secure and profitable market in whole Gulf region. Abu Dhabi is currently enjoying real estate investment from all over the world. The Abu Dhabi market possesses number of opportunities in the real state sector. It has been difficult for the authorities to meet the ever rising demand for real estate projects in the city.This paper presents an overview of economy, demographics and real estate of the retail market growth in the UAE region. It primarily illuminates the major retail real estate markets of Abu Dhabi, reflects on existing and future demand and supply, and provides recommendation for stabilization in the sector.UAE came into being as a result of alliance of seven emirates and Abu Dhabi was made the capital of the state. Abu Dhabi has supremacy in almost all fields i.e. economically and geographically etc. Abu Dhabi covers approximately 87% of total UAE area. According to a census that took place in 2005 the official population of UAE was 3.8 million approximately while the Abu Dhabi population was around 1.3 million. 300,000 people were those non-nationals who did not become a part of the census (Emirates: Abu Dhabi-Country Profile). Economy UAE is one of largest oil and gas producing countries of the World. It has 9% of oil reserves and approximately 5% of gas reserves. Abu Dhabi has the predominant share in these reserves i.e. 95% and 92% of oil and gas reserves. Like almost every Middle East country natural resources are the back bone of economy of UAE. The IMF report says that the GDP group of UAE is around 12% in 2005 and expectedly more in near future (Emirates: Abu Dhabi-Country Profile). The government of UAE, however, does not want to rely completely on oil and gas due to the fluctuation in its prices. It has been focusing on minimizing the country's economic reliance on oil and gas exports. With the government efforts and local and foreign investment in real state retail, tourism and industry the 64% of GDP now consists of non oil and gas sector. The government put huge investment and established Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and that has been handled by the Tourism and Development Investment Company (TDIC) to promote tourism and real estate sector. Hence, the economy is moving towards the right dimension in the whole UAE and especially Abu Dhabi, which is undergoing rapid economic growth due to huge foreign and local investment in the country from banks and financial institutions (Emirates: Abu Dhabi-Country Profile). . Real Estate The current boom in the real state market of the United Arab Emirates took place over the last few years and has made a significant difference to the economy. The ratio of real state was 2.5% of the economy which has reached to10.5% (Walters, Kadragic and Walters 78). The real estate is one of those sectors contributing heavily to the overall economy. This huge investment reflects the government interest in the development of real estate market. The whole Gulf region is showing its keen interest in developing its economy while supporting the real estate sector. Abu Dhabi attracts abounding investment from the region in its real estate market. Al-Futtaim is going to launch project of $9.5 billion. That would take approximately 10 years to be done. The project includes residential, commercial, hotel and several office towers (Woods) REAL ESTATE RETAIL MARKET IN ABU DHABI . Abu Dhabi is a different market than any other market in the region for instance Dubai, Sharjah etc. The city is ideal because of its property market and pricing that also

Secondary Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Secondary Research Paper - Essay Example And most of the time, service provide are seen taking the lead to offer exceptional plans which may include abundant amounts of air time and even less rates with regard to international roaming. Further, getting online too is being made easy through the cellular handset, which the fixed line telephone user can never dream of. With the internet turning out to be an important part of everyday life, mobile phones most of the time, while on travel or on holiday, help the customer log on to the World Wide Web without much hassle. Customer experiences have also given the thumbs on this, complaining that the fixed phone lines often turn out to be too noisy to allow a modem connection at any speed.   Ample research done on this suggests that the mobile telephones have overtaken fixed telephones in terms of subscribers. So is the case with traffic and revenue. Besides, fixed-line operators have begun having to face competition from new entrants in local, national and international long-distance telecommunications and Internet markets, as well as substitution from their mobile counterparts. In such an event of fixed line phones facing an era of being obsolete in the near future, it would be important to study what causes this phenomenon, and to look at what really ails the fixed-line telephone sector. The ever increasing spread of mobile phones and easy access to voice over internet protocol (VoIP) facilities have stood in the way of fixed line operators, ever since these technologies began to blossom. More subscriptions meant more revenue for service providers. As more customers began logging on to these new-age technologies, users diminished with regard to fixed line operators. More important was the cost involved. Long distance calls came for peanuts, as compared to the costs involved in making such calls over the fixed phone. Many a mobile phone company took the leap toward more revenues seeing the vast opportunity before them. More customers

Research Proposal a Study on Web Portals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Research Proposal a Study on Web Portals - Essay Example Web portals enable people to connect with each other on the internet and share ideas, access useful information and other resources online. Portals are usually available throughout and can be accessed at any time by users. The databases are often updated regularly with the latest information. This study seeks to find out more information about web portals, their use and role in education and business as well as their impact on human communication. A Study on Web Portals Introduction The World Wide Web has been experiencing unprecedented growth since its inception and has been reinvented regularly to meet new demands and requirements of the business and social life making it to become the leading internet application (Erl, 2005). To many people, the World Wide Web has even become synonymous with the internet. One of the biggest reinventions of the World Wide Web is the introduction of web portals. Web portals have had a huge impact on creation of web pages for both corporate businesse s and education institutions such as universities and colleges (Hazra, 2002). Web portals have also greatly altered the way people access information on the internet through the web pages. There are various types of web portals, each serving a different purpose. The most common types of web portals include corporate portals, vertical and horizontal portals, regional and government portals, hosted and domain specific portals. Horizontal portals are those that cover a wide area while vertical portals are only based on one functional area. Regional portals are used for accessing local information about a place such as the weather forecast. Government portals on the other hand are used for storing government records Businesses can use web portals to interact with their clients and customers, or let their customers interact with one another, sharing information about available products. Clients and customers can easily access the businesses website and make enquiries about products and s ervices, place orders or make recommendations to the business (Erl, 2005). This has made online businesses easier to manage and helps corporate organizations interact with the outside world. The fact that web portals are available on the internet gives businesses an edge in that their customers and clients will still be able to access business information beyond working hours. The government can also use the web portal to keep its records and make them available to the public, especially in this era of democracy where people feel the urge to access government information. Government records can safely be stored online and accessed by interested individuals. Another area where Web portals have had a huge impact is in education. Web portals are very effective tools for inculcating scientific knowledge and other information in schools. Users can connect with one another on web portals to form learning communities where they can access relevant information, resources and expert knowledg e and assistance. Web portals also allow users to share and exchange ideas, engage in useful discussions and conduct activities that promote their learning. Online libraries and catalogues are often regularly updated with the latest information. Web portals have made simulation of education in real life much easier as compared to other types of web pages. A web portal can serve as scientific as well as an educational tool for its uses. It provides a platform whereby resources, information, and experts in science can meet and exchange ideas. Moreover, it will create an online opportunity for researchers to further their fieldwork and establish a bridge between class work and field work. The web portal is aimed at enriching its information through accepting contributions from people

Importance of Composition courses for First Year Students Essay Example for Free

Importance of Composition courses for First Year Students Essay An important aspect of education is to enable students to read, write and think critically, so that they develop these vital skills. There is substantial debate over composition courses for first year students and the overall purpose of these courses. Proponents argue that these courses are essential to engage students in academic discussions and to facilitate the practice of close and critical reading among them (Lindemann, 1993). Lindemann (1993) asserts the importance of composition course stating that these courses enable students to â€Å"become aware of their own development as writers† so that they can learn to write effectively to benefit their careers and lives. Writing courses expose students to a variety of writings by different writers and this in turn helps students to choose the best writing styles so that they can use it in future. Through these courses, students are exposed to different writings and products which will provide meaningful examples concerning the writing process. It is also believed that first year students need substantial support and help from their peers and teachers since â€Å"learning to write is not an individual task† (Pinter, 1995). The development of â€Å"voice† is one of the important outcomes of writing course in the first year which occurs when teachers provide students with â€Å"diverse and plentiful writing exercises and experiences† to express themselves in the best possible manner in a â€Å"variety of settings†, academic as well as nonacademic (Pinter, 1995). Thus, writing courses are an essential aspect for the cognitive and overall academic development of students and provides them with the ability to express their thoughts feelings and emotions in meaningful ways through effective writing. contact dearbpk(at the rate)yahoo. co. in for feedback References Lindemann, Erika. (March 1993). Freshman Composition: No Place for Literature. College English 55. 3: 311-16. Pinter, Robbie Clifton (1995). First Year Writing Courses: Whats the Purpose?

Varieties of Market Segmentation

Varieties of Market Segmentation MARKET SEGMENTATION Market segmentation is the process of categorizing the market into several groups on the basis of various factors such as demographic, geographic, psychological, and behavioral factors. This is to ensure that the marketers can understand their target audience better so as to make the marketing more effective and get more satisfied customers. Thus, the marketers can gain a great advantage over the competitors. There are different ways by which market segments can be categorized. It can be done by categorizing the preferences of the consumer. Based on this, market can be categorized as homogeneous preferences, diffused preferences and clustered preferences. In homogeneous preferences the customers roughly have the same preferences whereas it varies in case of diffused preferences. When a group of consumers have shared preferences it leads to the formation of natural market segment which refers to clustered preference. While marketing a product three areas of marketing must be taken into consideration, i.e, mass marketing, product differentiated marketing and target marketing. Mass marketing takes into account mass producing, mass distributes and mass promotes on product to all buyers. It is important to realize the great variety in individual customers and therefore the marketers use this type of segmentation to customize their marketing programmes for each customer. In product differentiated marketing more than one product with different features, style, size, and quality is introduced. In target marketing, on the basis of the market segments the products are developed and customized. Market segments can be differentiated in various ways. Some of them are demographics, geographics, psychographics and behavioural segmentation. Demographic segmentation Demographic factors are age, gender, income, occupation, education, religion, generation, nationality, family size, family cycle, social class etc. Based on these demographic values, the customers are divided into various segments. This type of segmentation is suitable because the variables are easy to measure and as they provide description of the target customers therefore media buyers and others can target a desired target market. Some of the important variables while segmenting markets are: Age and Life cycle segmentation As the desire and need of customer change with their age therefore age and life cycle is a good factor in order to determine marketing approach. One of the examples is of a 70 year old person using landlines instead of mobile phones due to lack of technological knowledge. Therefore marketers need to take this into consideration and guard against stereotypes. This can also be associated with buying pattern and behavioural characterstic. For example, as married people have various economical obligation therefore they tend to spend less on luxury items whereas on the contrary, single people tend to purchase new fashionable items as they don’t have such economic obligations. Gender Segmentation As the needs and wants of men and women are different therefore gender segmentation is being applied from a long time in terms of clothing, hairstyle, magazines, cosmetics. But the marketers must not define a product as being masculine or feminine as metro sexuality has become a common gender-factor. Income Segmentation This type of segmentation can be seen in automobiles, financial services, travel, clothing, and cosmetics. Usually the high income customers are the target but it should be considered by the companies that just the income cannot be suitable criteria to determine the customer as they might have different preferences and priorities while selecting a product. Even the lower income groups are targeted as the competitive pressure reduces and the consumer loyalty is gained. Generation Segmentation Various significant events, many a times characterize a particular period. These influential factors can be music, politics, movies etc. Therefore the marketers must make use of the images and icons of a particular generation in order to market their product. Social class Segmentation Most of the companies design their product for a specific social class. It divides the customers on the basis of their preferences towards cars, clothing, leisure activities, home furnishing, retailers, reading habits etc. Demographic segmentation thus assumes that people with different backgrounds and other differences are likely to share same values and behaviour. Geographic Segmentation In this method of segmentation, customers can be categorized on the basis of countries, nation, state, region, city, and neighborhood. But a company must consider the fact that the data might vary due to population shift. Various sales and purchases are based on the geographical variables as the purchasing behaviour of the customers are influenced on where they live or work. Sometimes there are also differences in the location where the product is marketted due to cultural factors, tradition, politics. These differences can be significant in one segment whereas in other segments there might just be minor differences. Globalization plays a major role in linking socio economic and demographic characteristics. This type of segmentation is referred to as geodemographics. It therefore combines the target customers with where they live. Instead of comparing the consumers by their occupation, the consumers are compared on the basis of where they live, hence the companies are more capable of predicting consumer behaviour. Psychographic Segmentation There are two types of customers, personality profiles and lifestyle profiles. The psychological variables provide the marketer opportunity to get additional information about traditional, geographical, demographic bases like sex, age, income. Psychological profiles are often used as a supplement to geographics and demographics. Therefore on the basis of their attitude, values, lifestyles, interests and opinions people are divided in psychographic segmentaton. Behavioural Segmentation There are various behavioural variables such as occasions, benefits, status, usage rates, loyalty, attitude, buyer readiness (which will be discussed in detail) which determine behavioural segmentation .These variables are considered the best starting points in constructing market segments which are mainly based on the customers attitude towards the use and response to a product. Occasions Customers are divided into segments according to the time on which they get the idea to buy a product. The time can be a day , a week, a month or an year. An example for this situation is the variation in market strategy for Christmas and Valentines day. Benefits As different kind of people look for different benefits in the same product, this segmentation divides the customers based on this. People tend to look for the benefits provided by different brands and accordingly they make their choice. Here casual factors play a major role rather than descriptive factor like demographics. User status This type segmentation is done on the basis of the category of users , i.e potential users, non users, ex-users, first time users, regular users etc. The marketing approach varies according to the type of users. Usage rate Based on the usage of the product, the customers are divided into various segments like non users, heavy, medium, light product users. The basic strategy followed by the company is to target one heavy user instead of several light product users because the heavy users account for a high percentage of total buying although they constitute a small percentage of the market. But the other users must not be neglected as even they may provide better future prospects. Usage rate further divides the customer according to time which means that the product to be sold may vary according to time. Buyer readiness stage It depends on the factors such as people’s awareness and interest in the product. A person might be aware of the product and he also may not be. The difference lies in whether they are just informed about the product or interested in buying the product or they desire to buy the product or just intend to buy the product. In all the cases, a customer must be lead along so that he finally gets convinced to buy the product. For example, a person belonging to a different place might not be aware of the products particularly sold at one place hence the marketing strategy should be different at that place and the product should be promoted more. Loyalty status Based on the loyalty of the customers, they can be categorized as hard core loyals, split loyals, shifting loyals and switchers. Hard core loyals tend to stick to a particular brand for a long period of time without even considering other brands. Split loyals have preference towards two to three brands and they keep switching in these. Shifting loyals stay with a particular brand for some time and then change it. Switchers do not have any specific choice and they keep changing the brands from time to time. Attitude People can have an enthusiastic, indifferent, positive, negative, or hostile approach towards a product. Based on these factors people can be divided into various segments and hence the company can get a good idea of the market and the strtegy to be followed. To improve the targetting strategies and get a clear picture of the market, it is important for the marketers to combine different behavioural variables. A marketer must reach all buyers in all segments by defining its target audience. By taking into account various concepts such as demographic segmentation, geographic segmentation, the psychographic segmentation and the behavioural segmentation, a company must decide which is the most appropriate concept while designing the market strategy. For example , demographic and behavioural segmentation are the most appropriate one’s while designing market strategies of a telephone as the ages of the customers is an important factor. Apart from age, attitude is also an important factor. Once the target customers have been defined, the next step is to evaluate the market segments and decide in which segments the marketing strategy should be directed. Market targeting is the second stage of the segmentation process.

Stereotypes And Preconceptions In Workplace Cultural Studies Essay

Stereotypes And Preconceptions In Workplace Cultural Studies Essay Stereotype is a natural function of the human mind, it is standards of person who was set to identify a outside nature of person or any a group through images. When applied to people, stereotypes refer to forming immediately or fixed image of a group of people, usually based on restriction or incomplete information. Stereotypes often lead to results is to form preconceptions, negative comments about others. Stereotypes and preconceptions are the reason of failure in communication, moreover lead to action or bad feeling. Preconceptions based on limited images, negative stereotypes can result in bad consequences such as discrimination or violence. Because any society has different orientation, it is limited and it owns its benefits. Therefore nobody can not comment any personal according to their attitude and viewpoint that he or she is bad or good and vice versa. It is often suggested personal that individuals run follo ­w by their own merits and isolated group, so people always censure that person who has promoted collectivism unconsciously. In my opinion, I think in cultures follow individualistic, organizations are tools. They are set and designed to serve individuals, groups, staffs, employees and customers. Members of the organization established in this relationship that is abstract, follow by the law and stipulated of contract. Organization is a means and foundation in order to each member of organization performs their desires. They cooperate together because their own interests that are threatened. Each member of organization represents a particular special function and received an award from the outside for that. The ability is proceeding from the capacity of personals on order to complete their tasks, and knowledge of personals are used to help their organization work effectively. Meanwhile, the culture in group or organization is not tool for sharing that was created by the founders. The organization is often compared with a family, community, it develop and bring up members who can exist long term. The development and prosperity of the organization are not considered good luck for the individual shareholders or the  ­way to make money illegally for directors, which is the valuable purpose. However, this aspect is not entirely accurate, because sometimes there have cases will need to have acumen and harmony, it will not a rigid stereotype. And the example of Japan will show this aspect in the example part. Discuss on examples Case in America One case occurred at a university in the U.S. in 2009, now it has not resolved because the discrimination problem In New York, a professor has just been fired  ­who claimed that he was discriminated because of his Hungarian origin. He is male and not gay, but his boss just like colleagues gay, and he lost his job because he complained about it That professor is Marosan Csaba (53 years old), who graduated from Budapest medical university, currently lives in Williamsville, New York (USA), taught at Trocaire medicine college which  ­is a small private school locate in Buffal, founded by o The Sisters of Mercy. His denunciation of the two dignitaries, Robert Mock and Thomas Mitchell has sought to discipline and forced him to resign. The human rights investigators found the evidence to support accusations from Marosan, that he was really fired because he submitted a complaint of discrimination. Documents of the investigation team wrote that the evidence shows unprecedented problems in behavior as well as the quality of the complainants, until after he brought the complaint. Even the evidence als o shows that people can promote Marosan with current qualities. April 2009 Marosan has filed the first complaint to the New York State Department of Human Rights (Human Rights Division), argue that managers  ­as critical Hungarian voice and his hungarian customary behavior. They proved to like other young workers, less capacity than, but also treated him with less favorable than female teachers. By December 2009 he was expelled, and last April he has complaints agian, this time adding discrimination based on gender trends. He report, there are two male employees under groups of Robert Mock and Thomas Mitchell has been promoted to director of the scientific field, although they have less experienced, less qualified than anyone in department. In fact, it would be very difficult to predict how the results  ­would. But this isnt the first instance of reported discrimination against heterosexuals. Fox News reports a recent Google policy that allegedly pays homosexual employees with domestic partners more to make up for the taxes they are required to pay on their health insurance. United States is a country with cultural multi-ethnic, multi-cultural. But hide after that multiculturalism curtain still exist discrimination, racism. It can be public or hidden subtly and discreetly that no fewer immigrants living in America understand it. Whatever case of Marosan has been reflecting on the existence of discrimination in situation of American business about gender, race, age, etc which are ­ factors that social and the law are condemning. In terms of Trocaire College is Trocaire dealing  ­with damage of its brand name, if the problem went worse, the risk of this school to be closed by other teachers will quit because of working in an environment of discrimination. Morover, students will not register on this school. A good teaching group is a valuable asset of a school, providing quality, brand name for the school. Thus Trocaire School should have a change in behavior, especially in the management of diversity, respect for differences. http://dantri.com.vn/c25/s119-442091/my-apple-bi-kien-phan-biet-doi-xu-voi-nhan-vien-cao-tuoi.htm KKK cai nhom do la nhung nguoi My Trang ho ghet My Den cho nen ho thuong hay kiem chuyen voi nguoi MY den va co khi thi giet nua Case in Europe Recently in Europe, there are two suicides shock at Disneyland Paris. France opened an investigation after two ­Ã‚ ­ suicides of employees at this park that related to w ­eak working conditions of Disney. In early April 2010 a chef of Disneyland hanged at his home near Paris, at the time he expected to return to work after a period of sick leave. This man is not only a unique chef of Disneyland suicide. At Febuary 21, there is a 30 years old chef also suicides at the park in which related to working conditions. Also in late 2009 Disneyland was sued with because of discrimination in the recruitment process. Accordingly, Disneyland only hired recruit who have white skin with the reason that talmost tourists come here also have white skin. Candidates applied for jobs might w ­rite in recruitment form of Disneyland Paris which including detail part of nationality, skin color, place of birth. Even extremely recruiting section extremely allergy with profiles came from the Indian Ocea n and the Caribbean because of dark skin color. This scandal is completely true because the criteria of the Disney Paris mostly serve for the Europeans, white race, and only little tourists are other skin color from Asia, Africa. Thus Disney Paris had basis for explain their action that aimed to serve to visitors. But they violated completely racial discrimination laws in Europe while European has been vehemently eliminating stigma through Acts, especially in France. DisneyParis knew ­Ã‚ ­ that because it has business experience in Europe nearly 20 years. Mean while there was a big scandal of  ­Adecco in 2005 about Discrimination. Increasingly Disney is less famous, it affect the business situation in France and instability in personnel management. Recalling the historical development of the Disney Paris we will partially understand the understanding of its  ­weak diversity management. Founded in 1992 originally called Euro-Disneyland, located in Paris the capital of France be cause France is a potential market with high welfare policies and there ­ was over 17 million people living around Paris with less than 20 minutes driving, which is added to the large volume of potential customers in EuropeBut the lack of understanding of European culture created barriers for Disney executives to succeed. Due to differences in habits between Americans and Europeans, most of the Disney executives are American and workers are mostly French, after that recruiting more staff across Europe. However there al ­ways has disagreement and discomfort of staff due to different habits of European and American. Approximately 1,000 employees who come from countries in Europe (accounting for 10% of total) had gone away within the first nine weeks ­. They said that training here as brainwashing and Americans did not know any thing about Europe. As the result more than $ 2 billion, data was reported in late 1994. Besides that the process of entering to European market was also fail completely because of lack of cultural understanding. The implementation of Euro Disney went completely the wrong direction with the actual needs of the Europeans. After two first years of failure, in 1995 Euro Disney might realize mistake and starting to change its organization, first of all renaming of Euro Disney to Disney Paris. Moreover, in the first time Disney Paris had the seeds of race discrimination, most black people were just doing a poor job and the team of actors  ­as almost not there. How Disneyland in Anaheim, California, and Tokyo organized as well, Disney Paris did much less. The reason might be because of stereotypes in the application of business forms. Disney had applied what has been successful in the U.S., Japan to the European market, but not mentioned much about cultural differences. I think Disnyland is a type of entertaining bussiness that existed on cultural diversity. Its main asset is not the machinery or anything that is good will. To get good s ervice for all the visitors, it needs to have a staff really good as actors, chefs, service staffs and both security guards. To achieve this, the first elements of Disney need to respect of differences. In order to limit the conflict and discord on staffs and litigations bring legal factors affect brand name. http://vietbao.vn/The-gioi/Cong-dong-Hoi-giao-chau-Au-doi-mat-voi-nan-phan-biet-doi-xu/30158565/159/ Case in Japan Another example comes from Asia, but no mention of discrimination anymore, issues around the harmony between individualism and collectivism, in other words, this example will illustrate the concept of stereotypes and preconceptions. The story told about Jean Safari, an inspector is investigating a serious mistake by an employee working at the Japanese subsidiary of a multinational company in the U.S. A division was installed wrong and both series have to dismantle reinstall the system. Cost pay for this mistake is very high. But when Jean asked the plant manager here about information of people who caused the incident and the penalty for that person, but the manager confirmed that he did not know anything. He told Jean that all working groups will be responsible, they did not talk to him about women employee might be responsible and he did not also asked them about that. Even supervisor also does not know and if he knew he would not tell the director. Jean said that if all of workers had been responsible. In fact, noone wanted, they are simply protecting mistake of others blindly. After that the manager has negative comments what she said politely but firmly, I understand that employee was very sad, she would ha ve tried to resign. The group also knows she must take responsibility and she felt ashamed. That group also knew that she was a new staff, moreover she is Korean and they were not helping her or considered that she has been trained properly or not. That is the reason why the group might apologize. I have their letter here. They are willing to say appology you openly. Jean really did not want that, she did not need apology, what she really wanted  ­that these mistakes would not happen anymore. Jean wondered if she should be investigated for the culprit or not? If that employee should be punished or not? And shes been founding out a way to change perspectives of the staff here, could be related to culture. In this example, the group would never reveal who has caused mistakes. The perpetrator of mistake will escape punishment. That depends on the group support or oppose in high quality and high productivity. If the group support the objectives of directors and thus the community associated  ­together, peple make mistakes will be ashamed. She would rather resign than face colleagues. But the crux of the problem is that members of the group should helpe her learn about what they know. And above all, directors should have the acumen to manage thier working groups, creating a tendency of working group correspond to the companys environment. The case of this company has had integration of individualism and collectivism. But it  ­went to bad tendency while the group did not share between individuals and did not give clear targets that need personal responsibility leaded to success. Untill mistakes occur, hold of the group was only responsible and apologized while individual make mistakes felt ashamed w ­ith the group and tried to resign. Both director and supervisor even did not know anything about the internal situation othe offending team, exactly they did not also want to know. All of these things were based off wrongful stereotypes. Conclusion Barriers of Communication are inevitable in the workplace. These barriers ­ alter the normal flow of information. The factors make distort the process of communication is called Interference. Interference can occur at any time, any stage in the communication process. Managers should be aware of the importance of understanding the communication process at work, outlines the good direction, the strategy correspond to context of a company legally, avoid cases of discrimination, stereotype and preconceptions.

Equity in Human Resource Management Essay -- Equity Theory, Need-Hiera

Equity in Human Resource Management Introduction The effective Human Resource Management in an organization requires an exceptional standard set for motivation, job design, reward system and equity. Nowadays, people are more willing to avoid unfair treatment in the workplace than any other aspect. The fundamental concept behind Equity is an attempt to balance what has been put in and taken out at the workplace with a feeling of justice being served. Unconsciously, values are assigned to many various contributions made to the organization, hence causing an air of misbalance in the environment. There has always been a disparity in the view on the desirability or the cost effectiveness of policy measures. The importance of equity or reducing discrimination has gained a lot of attention in the labour market (Milkovich, Newman & Ratnam, 2009). History The importance of Human Resource management is associated with the beginning of mankind. As the knowledge of survival had begun including safety, health, hunting and gathering, tribal leaders passed on the knowledge to their youth. However more advanced HRM functions were developed as early as 1000 B.C and 2000 B.C. Since the modern management theory took over, the working environment was transformed into a more friendly and safe work place. The workers were termed as most valuable resources. While some companies took the human side of employment seriously, there were others who did not find it mandatory. Hence they faced huge labor unions and factory shut downs (Henning, 2001). The first ever corporate employment department formed for labor concern was created by the B.F. Goodrich Company during 1900. In the 1960s and 1970s the federal government enforced fair treatment of... ...ir conflicts resolutions and motivations. Some measures which can help a human resource management department to impart equity would include but not limited to competitive salary, fringe benefits, career progression, gender, personal development, promotion etc are few variables which HRM require to look after to keep employees motivated. Through such measures, the companies can reduce the probability of employee dissatisfaction, non compliance with the standards and regulations and hence reduced chances of legal actions. It is essential that if organizations need to keep their employees motivated through managing equity, they are required to constantly monitor their employees through various surveys and research tools. Latest techniques emerging from the research may be applied on human resource so that they have direction and motivation for the organization. 

Public Relations :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How many people really do dream? Everyone dreams, whether the dream is remembered or not. Throughout the night, there are many stages of sleep that everyone goes through. These stages include light sleep, deep sleep, and dream sleep. Nightmares are also considered dreams, just caused by different emotions. Scientists also have many electrical appliances and have done many tests to study dreams.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dreams are very complex things. Scientists have a hard time trying to understand why people dream. Although recently, neurosurgery’s precise methods of research and invention of sophisticated electrical appliances, have enabled the scientists to increase their knowledge of the human brain, nervous systems, and the body’s biochemistry (Strachey 20). The invention of the electroencephalograph, otherwise known as an EEG, has made it possible for a trained operator to read the brain’s reactions during wakefulness, rest, and sleep (Schneider). The machine detects and enormously amplifies the very faint electrical impulses produced by the brain; placing electrodes against subjects scalp (Freud). â€Å"Professor Nathanial Kleitman of Chicago university, discovered that babies have a sleep rhythm of fifty to sixty minutes after which they are inclined to wake up, although obviously they can’t always†(Freud). As children grow, the body be gins to develop the ninety-minute cycle associated with adult sleepers. The pattern of sleep is acquired and controlled by environmental and social conditioning. However, as people grow older the body tends to revert to the naptime habits of babyhood (Freud). Yet, though people more or less choose when to sleep, the basic ninety-minute rhythm remains. It is biological and not controlled by consciousness, rather as a healthy person’s metabolism functions autonomously (Parker 93). â€Å"Eugene Aserinsky noticed that after an infant fell asleep it’s eyes moved beneath the closed lids. Also, at intervals during sleep and was the first movement when the baby began to wake†(Freud). Kleitman and Aserinsky decided to investigate whether such a pattern could be found in adult sleepers as well (Freud). By attaching extra electrodes from the EEG machine to areas around volunteer sleeper’s eyes, the two scientists were able to monitor brain impulses and movements, wh ile measuring respiration and body movements (Freud). The scientists concluded that there were two types of eye movement. Slow as found in babies and very fast movements, this could last from a few minutes to over a half an hour (Freud). These rapid eye movements, which are commonly known as REMs appeared to occur at intervals throughout the night (Beare).

Water Supply Project Brief

Contents Table of Contents†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 1 Task†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2 List of Abbreviations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 TASK2 1. 1Project Title4 1. 2Introduction4 1. 3Project Location Map5 1. Terms of Reference6 1. 4. 1Project Details6 1. 4. 2Reporting Structure6 1. 4. 3Personnel Duties7 1. 5Schematic Layout7 2. 1DELIVERABLES8 2. 1. 1Dam8 2. 1. 2Water Treatment Works9 2. 1. 3Elevated Steel Tank10 2. 1. 4Water Transmission10 2. 1. 5Metering11 3. 1Project Management Process12 3. 1. 1Initiating12 3. 1. 2Planning12 3. 1. 3Executing13 3. 1. 4Controlling14 3. 1. 5Closing14 List of references†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 16 List of AnnexureAnnexure 1 – Project Budget Annexure 2 – Work Breakdown Structure Annexure 3 – Project Network Diagram Annexure 4 – Project Gantt Chart Annexure 5 – Project Summary TASK You are a consultant of a firm that has won a tender to develop a turnkey water project in Kajiado County. Using necessary tools including Ms Project prepare a WBS, and do a schedule of project tasks, their resources and assume a tracking of the project progress. Hence do a status report in a PDF file. The completed work should not exceed 20. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS WBS- Work Breakdown StructureWARMA – Water Resource Management Authority NEMA – National Environmental Management Authority ToR – Terms of Reference GI – Galvanized Iron RCC – Reinforced Cement Concrete 1. 1Project Title Proposed Water Supply Project in Kajiado Town 1. 2Introduction A project is one-time, multitask job with a definite starting point, definite ending point, clearly defined scope of work, a budget and usually a temporary team. A project is therefore a series of activities which are meant to achieve particular goals or objectives using specifi ed resources and in a specified period of time.A turnkey project refers to a project that is built and handed over ready for use. The proposed water project in Kajiado County being a turnkey project will entail the consultant to take up construction from the initial stages of the project and hand it over when water has been connected to individual residents and/or users. Kajiado town lies at the intersection of the Nairobi – Kajiado road along the A 104 highway, and the railway line that serves Magadi Soda Company in Magadi. The town is situated 80 KM South of Nairobi. It is the administration centre for Kajiado County.Kajiado Town has a mean annual rainfall ranging from 450mm to 900mm. The major rivers found in Kajiado are among others Athi River, Ewaso Ngiro South River, Olekejuado River, Nool-Turesh River, Esokota River. The project involves construction of a dam along Olekejuado River, a water treatment plant, an elevated tank, a generator room, water transmission and dis tribution lines and water meter chambers. The presenter intends to use tools of Project Management Information Systems including MS Project 2010 software in achieving the implementation framework.The paper will be guided by Project Management processes of Initiating, Planning, Executing, Controlling and Closing to achieve set deliverables of the proposed project. 1. 3Project Location Map Figure1 – Map of Kajiado County 1. 4Terms of Reference This contractual document outlines the terms and conditions for the contracted project team. The process of initiating a project starts when the Client contacts the Contractor either with an already drawn ‘Terms of Reference' or with intent for a joint process in drawing the Terms of Reference. 1. 4. 1Project DetailsEmployerMinistry of Water and Irrigation Funding agencyGovernment of Kenya (Development Vote) EngineerGeneral Manager (Design & Construction) ConsultantsKiama Consortium Limited Contract No. MOWI/001/2011-2012 Contract A rea20 Square Kilometres Water Meters2000 Residents Contract Value (USD)USD 2,000,000 Capacity Required2,000,000 Litres/day ContractorPentacon Limited Award Date2 December 2012 Commencement Date1 January 2013 Completion Date4 October 2015 Project Duration2 Years 1. 4. 2Reporting Structure 1. 4. 3Personnel Duties The following will be the Key personnel for the project: Project Manager – Overall supervision of the project ?Financial Controller – Financial supervision ?Human Resource Officer – staff recruitment ?Procurement Officer – acquisition of resources (material) Monthly and Quarterly reports will be submitted to the client. The monthly report shall be submitted by the 5th of every month while quarterly report shall be submitted after every three months of the project duration. 1. 5Schematic Layout 2. 1DELIVERABLES Deliverables are the end results or outputs of undertaking a project. They may include reports, manuals, actual working systems or actual pr oducts.In this project deliverables include a dam, a water treatment plant, an elevated water tank, water distribution mains and water meters. 2. 1. 1 Dam ?Diversion of River The dam is designed to hold 10,000, 000 liters of water at its full capacity. The dimensions shall be 100m x 100m x 2m. During the construction of the dam, River Olkejuado will be temporarily blocked up stream and water diverted until the dam construction is completed. ?Intake Chamber The intake will be constructed and an allowance velocity of 0. 45m/s will be provided that will direct water to the pumping station. ?Spill WayThe spill way will allow water to overflow in case the dam fills up excessively. ?Embankment An embankment will also be constructed to safeguard the walls of the dam from failing. Reinforced Cement Concrete retaining wall works will be done as an embankment to safeguard and strengthen the dam walls. ?Pump House A pump house shall be constructed to provide for a stand by generator to cater f or 50% of the maximum pumping capacity and incase of power failure. It should also be noted that a generator can work for a maximum of 16 hours a day, therefore that should be considered in case of a total power failure in case of electrical faults. . 1. 2Water Treatment Works The assumption is, the water being harvested contains 50 – 50, 000 coli form count, a figure that requires water to undergo full treatment before consumption. ?Coagulation Tank This is the first tank, where water is chemically coagulated by adding alum and soda ash. The tank contains flocculation chambers. The water passes through baffles so that it can mix up well with the chemicals. ?Sedimentation Tank The sedimentation process will be aided by addition of alum in the coagulation tank. The baffles help the formation and in turn settle finer particles such as silt and colloids.The sedimentation tanks designed as upward hydraulic velocity and downward settling velocity enable sludge concentration. The d esign flow rate is proposed at 222m3/hr and the surface loading rate velocity is proposed at 1. 5m3/m2/hr. The allowed detention time is 3 – 4 hours. ?Rapid Sand Filter The proposed rapid gravity filters are back washed with air and water. The design flow rate is recommended at 222m3/hr and a filtration rate of 5m3/m2/hr. The storage time is about 10 – 20 minutes. ?Disinfection Tank pH correction will be done by adding soda ash.It could be due to dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) or excess amount of alum was added into the water during the coagulation process. Disinfection of the water will be necessary to lower health risk and infection with water borne diseases. In that case, Calcium Hypochlorite will be added to the water as per the calculated quantity depending on the volume. ? Reinforced concrete storage tank After water has been successfully disinfected, it will be pumped to the storage tank and allowed for chemical reaction for about 30 minutes before it is pumped to the elevated water tank ready for distribution. . 1. 3Elevated Steel Tank The elevated water tank is dependent on the highest level in the region. This also allows for water flow by gravity therefore, there will savings of electricity and fuel cost that might have been used for pumping water. 2. 1. 4 Water Transmission ?Transmission Main Galvanized iron (GI) pipes of 250mm diameter are preferred since they withstand high water pressures. The pipe velocity is set at 2. 0 m/s and set at a depth n. e. 1000mm deep below the ground level. Reflux valves are allowed at a distance of 3-4 km spacing to ease repair and maintenance. ?Distribution MainThe minimum diameter of pipes recommended is 100mm diameter. uPVC pipes shall be used and the maximum 60m and minimum pressure of 10m. The pipe velocity is set at 06 – 1. 0 m/s, and service valves are set every 1km for ease of inspection, repair and maintenance. 2. 1. 5Metering Meters are installed in all 2000 houses or users to monitor water consumption. This will also helps in billing as per the actual amount of water consumed. The Meters will assist in curbing vandalism of water. 3. 1Project Management Process Project management is the process of initiating, planning, executing, controlling and closing a project.The project goal is the desired outcome it should be short and simple yet clearly communicate scope, time frame and budget. To achieve the goal of supplying water to 2000 users in Kajiado county, the management process outlined above will be adhered to. 3. 1. 1 Initiating It involves recognizing that a project should begin and committing to do it. Feasibility concerning technical, financial, operational, legal, environmental and social aspects of the project shall be carried out. Using MS Project 2010 the project start and finish date were identified. Legal issues such as NEMA and WARMA licensing were identified and dealt with accordingly.Approval of the project by the County council was also sought. The start date was 1st January 2013 while the expected completion date is 4th October 2013. The budget for the project was also drawn; it is envisaged that the project will cost Ksh. 179,445,100 (USD 2,000,000) This is shown in annexure 1 of this paper. 3. 1. 2Planning Initially, the project scope was defined and the appropriate methods for completing the project were determined. Following this step, the durations for the various tasks necessary to complete the work were listed and grouped into a work breakdown structure; this is attached in annexure 2.The logical dependencies between tasks were defined using an activity network diagram as shown in annexture 3 that enables identification of the critical path. Float or slack time in the schedule can be calculated. Then the necessary resources were estimated and costs for each activity allocated to each resource, giving the total project cost. At this stage, the project schedule was optimized to achieve the appropriate balance between re source usage and project duration to comply with the project objectives. Once established and agreed, the project schedule became the baseline schedule.Progress will be measured against the baseline schedule throughout the life of the project. Planning Involves devising a workable scheme of a schedule of tasks and resources. In the planning process, the project activities were identified and entered in the Gantt Chart. Timelines for the activities were drawn and subdivisions identified, milestones were also noted. Restrictions and relationships of predecessor and successor activities were also considered. Resources were then assigned to the tasks identified. The Gantt chart is shown in annexure 4 of this paper. ?AssumptionsWhen planning for this project, a few assumptions were made. They include the following: i. Land for the development of the dam and excavation of trenches for pipes’ distribution is already procured by the Olkejuado County Council. ii. River Olkejuado is a temporary river and the dam is being excavated during the dry season. The river does not, therefor, need diversion but, only blocking. iii. The electrical work cater for all the structures iv. Each tank will have a booster pump. v. All hired machines and equipment comes fully with operators vi. The shilling is exchanging at the dollar rate of 90 Ksh. ii. The dollar sign in the budget represents Kenya Shillings. 3. 1. 3Executing This phase will involve carrying out the scheduled plan while coordinating the people and resources to achieve the project goal. It will also involve reporting on a monthly and quarterly basis as stated in the ToR. Reporting will involve progress, resource usage, achieved milestones and challenges encountered if any. Milestones and Critical Path are shown in annexure 5. Creating project records and presentations will also be done at this stage. Adherence to the drawn out plan will be key to achieve the desired results. henever necessary, changes will be reque sted and improvements recommended. 3. 1. 4Controlling It ensures that the project remains within the objectives, tracking performance and taking necessary corrective measures. During this phase, achieved progress is compared to the scheduled progress and any slippage is noted. Tracking for activities especially at the preliminary stage of the project has been assumed. The tracking Gantt Chart has been observed to give progress in percentage. Corrective measure suggested in case of slippage is crashing of the project activities.Crashing will involve identifying activities with float and slack times and interrogating the resource allocation and dependencies therein. (24 hour days in shifts) Though it may imply increase in project cost, it may be the only way to ensure timely finishing of the project. Ensuring timely procurement of materials and hiring of equipment whenever required is also key in controlling the project. Effects of weather changes will also need to be taken into consi deration. 3. 1. 5Closing It involves formalizing the acceptance of the project and bringing it to an orderly end.Users are trained and handover of the project is conducted together with necessary documentation which aid in support and maintenance in future. The project audit and commissioning has been scheduled for the last month of the project duration as indicated on the Gantt chart shown in annexure 4. This being a turnkey project, cut-off handover is proposed. List of References www. imestopedia. com/terms/r/risk. asp en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Risk breakdown – freecover. blogpost. com www. mastery-project-management. com/project closure,html Uher, T. (2003) Programming and Scheduling Techniques, UNSW Press, Sydney