Tuesday, December 24, 2019

The Effects Of Renewable Energy On The United States

Renewable Energy In the 1960’s and 1970’s a movement regarding the physical environment began, this movement focused on a few environmental issues and disasters caused directly or indirectly by pollution. As the years progressed, this movement grew into a multifaceted activist movement gaining more attention in the US, more often referred as â€Å"Environmentalism† or â€Å"Environmental Activism†. As the human race realized the physical environment is fragile and thus must be protected, scientists started to look for more efficient and ecologically safe energy sources. The introduction of renewable energy brought to light all of these issues, giving a viable alternative for the nation’s energy future, implementing resources that are naturally replenished and also, eco-friendly. When talking about environmentalism, it is vital to recognize the main factors that caused this movement to start; those factors are also, the biggest contributors to pollut ion in the United States, and even around the globe. But what exactly are those? Nonrenewable resources, Mostly fossil fuels, such as oil, natural gas and coal because their use is not sustainable due to their formation taking billions of years. (Morse) These resources have caused irreparable damage to the planet and its atmosphere, affecting the ozone layer, thus causing climate change. The Deep water Horizon oil spill (also referred to as the BP oil spill) began on 20 April 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico. This unfortunate disaster had aShow MoreRelated The Federal Governments Effect on Renewable Energy in the United States4121 Words   |  17 PagesThe Federal Governments Effect on Renewable Energy in the United States In an article posted by Reuters on October 24, 2006, the global conservation group, formerly known as the WWF, stated that â€Å"humans are stripping nature at an unprecedented rate and will need two planets worth of natural resources every year by 2050 on current trends† (Blanchard). The report indicates that, if every other country were to use the same amount of energy as America does, five planets worth of resourcesRead MoreThe Effects Of Renewable Energy On The United States And Around The World1864 Words   |  8 PagesThe switch to clean energy in the United States and around the world is a difficult necessity that must be met within the subsequent five to six decades. The prolonged use of damaging fossil fuels and other unsustainable forms of energy are greatly damaging the planet. These sources of non-renewable energy are bound to run out in the following century. Millions of square kilometers of Arctic ice has melted so far, the sea level is rising, and the CO 2 levels present in the atmosphere are drasticallyRead MoreHow Technology Has Tremendous Positive Spillover Effects On The United States1631 Words   |  7 Pagesdifferent forms of green technology, the one that can end up affecting the U.S. the greatest is renewable energy. Long term, renewable energy will cost less, making energy consumption cheaper, and in turn making production increasingly cost effective. With green energy being a cutting-edge technological field, it will take a great deal of innovation and creativity to create superior green products. The United States would benefit greatly from discovering more innovative ways to produce these products andRead MoreCivic Engagement: Fossil Fuels and Renewable Energy1631 Words   |  6 PagesEnergy production has always been a hot topic in the United States. More specifically, Oklahoma has been on the forefront of energy production. Oklahoma is viewed as a front runner in the energy industry, and the United States is always t urning to Oklahoma when in need of creating new sources of energy; an example being compressed natural gas. The United States hopes to influence the nation to climb aboard the train that leads to reliable sources of energy by generating new public policies. ManyRead MoreThe Ethics Of The Corporation1518 Words   |  7 Pageselectricity is not a requirement of the ITC. Moreover, the ITC reduces the depreciable basis of the project owner’s property and presents more incentive options for investors. Also, unlike the PTC and the Section 1603 cash grant, the ITC remains in effect until December 2016. However, if the PTC gets renewed, project owners may only take advantage of either one tax credit. Thus, if a project owner wants the ITC, he or she forgoes the benefits of the PTC. THE SECTION 1603 CASH GRANT The third kindRead MoreRenewable Energy As A Replacement For Their Energy Needs914 Words   |  4 Pagesare dependent on fossil fuels for their energy needs. However, the cost associated with fossil fuels is very unstable and has caused many to seek alternative sources. Countless experts think, that alternate source has been realized in the form of renewable energy. These types of energy have shown potential for sustained demands, economic growth, and environmental benefits. Consumers should consider renewable energy as a replacement for their everyday energy needs as they are a better and more beneficialRead MoreImpact Of Technology On The United States1191 Words   |  5 Pagestechnological. With renewable energy and green technology being new, the technology is simply not as efficient as it is required to be (New York Times, Arthur Ochs). Energy means nothing if there remains no long term way to store it, â€Å"Energy is most useful to us when it is concentrated, transportable and storable† (Powering Planet Earth, 41). So a larger capacity and longer lasting battery would be greatly beneficial to green technology as well as the outside that market due to the spillover effects. ThoughRead MoreThe Energy Consumed By The United States1153 Words   |  5 PagesRoughly 81% of the energy consumed in the United States in 2015 was produced by fossil fuels including coal, natural gas, and petroleum oil (EIA, â€Å"U.S. Energy Facts Explained†). A study on the consequences of coal revealed that the burning of coal produced over 100 million tons of solid waste, and the readying of coal to be burned creates nearly 90 million gallons of slurry, a muddy waste product, in the United States every year (Sierra Club 2011). In 2015, 2,413 petroleum oil spills were reportedRead MoreThe Long Term Effects Of Increasing Demand For Renewable Energy1690 Words   |  7 Pages Renewable Energy Wind, Water, Sun: Energy for the long run Prepared by Mashfik Shamir Midterm Proposal BUS 160W – An Introduction to Business Writing Queens College August 1, 2013 Professor Denise L. Miller Mashfik Shamir 8531 129 Street Richmond Hill, NY 11418 August 1, 2013 Prof. Denise Miller CUNY Queens College 65-30 Kissena Blvd. Flushing, NY 11367 Dear Prof. Miller: I am submitting this proposal to provide some information on the long term effects of increasing demand forRead MoreWhat Makes A Carbon Tax?1347 Words   |  6 Pagesis encouraging investment in clean energy. It is widely agreed that implementing a carbon tax would encourage investors to work towards cleaner fuels, nevertheless, the U.S. remains widely against additional taxes. Finally, the last obstacle is technological. With renewable energy and green technology being new, there are certain barriers that are holding back green technology from being beyond the current level of production (New York Times, Arthur Ochs). Energy means nothing if there remains no

Monday, December 16, 2019

Mauryan Empire Free Essays

SYLLABUS OF FIRST PAPER OF TET Paper II (for classes VI to VIII) Elementary Stage: 30 Questions I. Child Development and Pedagogy 15 Questions a) Child Development (Elementary School Child) †¢ Concept of development and its relationship with learning †¢ Principles of the development of children †¢ Influence of Heredity Environment †¢ Socialization processes: Social world children (Teacher, Parents, Peers) †¢ Piaget, Kohlberg and Vygotsky: constructs and critical perspectives †¢ Concepts of child-centered and progressive education †¢ Critical perspective of the construct of Intelligence Multi Dimensional Intelligence †¢ Language Thought †¢ Gender as a social construct; gender roles, gender-bias and educational practice †¢ Individual differences among learners, understanding differences based on diversity of language, caste, gender, community, religion etc. †¢ Distinction between Assessment for learning and assessment of learnin g; SchoolBased Assessment, Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation: perspective and practice †¢ Formulating appropriate questions for assessing readiness levels of learners; for enhancing learning and critical thinking in the classroom and or assessing learner achievement. We will write a custom essay sample on Mauryan Empire or any similar topic only for you Order Now b) Concept of Inclusive education and understanding children with special needs 5 Questions †¢ Addressing learners from diverse backgrounds including disadvantaged and deprived †¢ Addressing the needs of children with learning difficulties, ‘impairment’ etc †¢ Addressing the Talented, Creative, Specially abled Learners c) Learning and Pedagogy 10 Questions †¢ How children think and learn; how and why children ‘fail’ to achieve success in school performance †¢ Basic processes of teaching and learning; children’s strategies of learning; learning as social activity; social context of learning. †¢ Child as a problem solver and a ‘scientific investigator’ Alternative conceptions of learning in children; understanding children’s ‘errors’ as significant steps in the learning process. †¢ Cognition Emotions †¢ Motivation and learning †¢ Factors contributing to learning personal en vironmental II. Language I. 30 Questions a) Language Comprehension 15 Questions Reading unseen passages- two passages one prose or drama and one poem with questions on comprehension, inference, grammar and verbal ability (Prose passage may e literary, scientific, narrative or discursive) b) Pedagogy of Language Development 15 Questions †¢ Learning and acquisition †¢ Principles of language Teaching †¢ Role of listening and speaking; function of language and how children use it as a tool †¢ Critical perspective on the role of grammar in learning a language for communicating ideas verbally and in written form; †¢ Challenges of teaching language in a diverse classroom; language difficulties, errors and disorders †¢ Language Skills †¢ Evaluating language comprehension and proficiency: speaking, listening, reading and writing Teaching-learning materials: Textbook, multi-media materials, multilingual resource of the classroom †¢ Remedial Teaching III . Language- II 30 Questions a)Comprehension 15 Questions Two unseen prose passages (discursive or literary or narrative or scientific) with questions on comprehension, grammar and verbal ability b) Pedagogy of Language Development 15 Questions †¢ Learning and acquisition †¢ Principles of language Teaching †¢ Role of listening and speaking; function of language and how children use it as a tool †¢ Critical perspective on the role of grammar in learning a language for communicating deas verbally and in written form; †¢ Challenges of teaching language in a diverse classroom; language difficulties, errors and disorders †¢ Language Skills †¢ Evaluating language comprehension and proficiency: speaking, listening, reading and writing †¢ Teaching-learning materials: Textbook, multi-media materials, multilingual resource of the classroom †¢ Remedial Teaching ____________________________________________________________ _____ SECTION 2 Section-I CHI LD DEVELPOMENT AND PEDAGOGY 1. Raja, a student of your class, is very tense due to the acne on his face. What will u do? (1) Ignore him. 2) Tell him that it is normal and is due to hormonal changes. (3) Tell him to go to a doctor as it is a medical problem. (4) Scold and tell him not to waste time on these issues. 2. A student wants to share his personal problems and asks for permission to call on u at your residence. What should be your response? (1) Avoid giving time. (2) Give an appointment readily. (3) Tell him that u do not encourage students to visit at the residence. (4) Ignore the child. 3. If you come to know that a child of your class is facing problems related to parents’ separation at home, what would you do? 1) Do not talk to the child on this issue. (2) Treat her/him sympathetically. (3) Talk to the parents. (4) Be indifferent to the child. 4. If you come to know that the father of a student has been tested HIV positive, what will you do? (1) Disclose the inform ation to the class. (2) Make the child sit separately. (3) Ask the parents to withdraw the child. (4) Let him continue with the studies like others. 5. Kavya a student of your class, is visually challenged and you have a function coming up. What will you do? (1) Give her the part of a narrator. 2) Ask her to stay at home during the function. (3) Discourage her from participating. (4) Give her a less important duty. 6. Manjusha is very interested in sports and wants to pursue her career in sports. What will you suggest to her? (1) Girls have no future in sports. (2) She should put in hard work to achieve her ambition. (3) Ask her to be focused only in academics. (4) Girls cannot excel in sports as they are not physically strong. 7. Twelve year old Radhika has begun to imitate the style of talking of her teacher. This form of behavior is known as- (1) compensation (2) transference (3) sublimation (4) egocentrism 8. For conducting a social science class in an interesting way, teachers should- (1) give notes (2) give written homework (3) use role-plays effectively (4) encourage extra reading 9. A 11-12 year old child generally faces more problems related to- (1) eye hand coordination (2) anxiety about studies. (3) need for peer approval (4) understanding mathematics. 10. Which of the following is most essential for learning? (1) Good parent child relationship (2) High intelligence (3) Good school (4) Desire to learn 11. Which of the following is not good for quality learning? (1) Making notes (3) Extra reading (3) Using guide books (4) Self Study 12. Which of the following may damage a low achieving student psychologically? (1) Making children maintain record of the class test marks. (2) Discussing the marks of individual students in the class. (3) Discussing the correct answers in the class. 4) Making children correct their own notebooks. 13. When most of the students in a class do not understand a concept clearly, the teacher should- (1) repeat the lesson once again. (2) conduct hands on activities on that concept. (3) Ask students to take help from parents. (4) ignore and move to the next concept. 14. To correct the stammering problem of a class VIII student, a teacher should (1) ignore the child. (2) provide more opportunities for speaking. (3) c heck the child whenever she/he stammers. (4) seek professional help. 15. Which of the following statements about the role of a teacher is correct? 1) Teacher should be a critic only. (2) Teacher should favour good students. (3) Teacher should have a friendly attitude towards students. (4) Teacher should maintain a distance from students. 16. For ensuring and improving class discipline, the teacher should- (1) arrange regular parent- teacher meetings. (2) Call authorities to the class. (3) be strict with students and punish them. (4) evaluate the methods and approaches used in the class. 17. To address the diversity in academic achievement, an effective teaching method can be – (1) dictating notes (2) cooperative teaching. 3) lecturing (4)giving tests. 18. In which stage of cognitive development is a child, when she/he is able to work out problems logically and can do multiple classification? (1) Pre operational stage (2) Formal operational stage (3) Concrete operation stage ( 4) Sensori-motor stage 19. Gaurav of class VII gave a letter to his classmate Seema saying that he loves her. What should the teacher do? (1) Ignore the issue (2) Punish Gaurav (3) Counsel Gaurav appropriately (4) Let the Principal handle the issue 20. Children from the under privileged sections of the society can benefit more if they are (1) provided with training for self employment (2) exempted from homework and class tests. (3) provided with richer learning environment in school. (4) given simpler learning tasks. 21. Students in classes VII-VIII face problems mostly related to (1) identity crisis. (2) emotional sensitivity. (3) low interest in academic. (4) hyperactivity. 22. The term comprehensive evaluation implies- (1) evaluation conducted at several points of time. (2) evaluation by a group of teachers. (3) Several tests for long hours. 4) evaluation of scholastic and Co-scholastic aspects of pupil growth. 23. Talking to children of classes VI to VIII about â€Å"Growing up† is – (1) not required (2) essential. (3) counterproductive (4) detrimental 24. Which of the following statements about teaching is true? (1) Teaching is a prerequisite of learning. (2) Teaching facilitates learning. (3) Teaching restricts initiative of learners. (4) Teaching is necessary for good learning. 25. Sandhya and Mamta of class VII are bright students but are extremely jealous of each other. How will you, as a teacher, handle them? 1) Not bother as they will outgrow it. (2) Talk to them discreetly about healthy competition. (3) Discuss this with the whole class. (4) Convey your disapproval to them. 26. In a class, a student asks the teacher a question and the answer is not known to the teacher. As a teacher you should- (1) scold the child for asking such questions. (2) ignore the child and continue teaching. (3) tell the child that you will look for the answer. (4) feel ashamed that you did not known the answer. 27. A student who had misbehaved with the teacher in class VI, comes to the same teacher in class VIII. S/He avoids interacting with the teacher due to his/ her behavior. The teacher should (1) ignore the child. (2) remind the child of her/his past behaviour. (3) reassure her/him in a personal discussion. (4) call the parents and report the incidence. 28. Raju, a student of your class, is being teased by his classmates for his dark complexion. What do you need to do as a teacher? (1) Ignore this issue (2) Reprimand the class. (3) Tell Raju not to pay attention. (4) Talk to the class about individual differences. 29. Salim is very good in music but is not able to do well in Mathematics. As a teacher of Mathematics, how will you handle Salim? (1) Tell him that Music does not have a future. (2) Tell him to leave Music and study Maths. (3) Call his parents and talk to them. (4) Tell him that he can do well and explain the concepts to him. 30. While teaching if you realize that what you have taught is not correct, you should- (1) leave the topic unfinished and shift to another. (2) Tell the students that it was a mistake and correct it. (3) divert the attention of the students. (4) Scold students to finish the remaining tasks. How to cite Mauryan Empire, Papers

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Student Life and Fun free essay sample

Student life is said to be a best period for any person. There are many ways by which students can be successful in their student life. Many professors recommend that goal setting should be a regular mental exercise. This enhances chance for success in academic career. Success depends on numerous factors no matter which school or college they Joined. The first important factor is to make a list of priorities. This may depend on the way of life students have or the one yet to be attained. Unconsciously, you have already set priorities and lived them. This is the time students have to be ware and set definite goals. The next step is to set specific, measurable, and realistic long-term goals. It is not enough to realize that I want to do well in examination. It is the aim of all students. Students must understand what is good or what is great or what is satisfactory. We will write a custom essay sample on Student Life and Fun or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They can start by thinking on a grade they want to achieve. Is it 95% or 100%. They must be realistic and rational. If a student has never received a general grade higher than 85%, grade of 98% may be unrealistic, albeit admirable, but not impossible. They must also set short-term goals. It is important to study ccording to short term goal because long-term goals are impracticable to achieve without short-term goals. For example, if student want to get A grade in mathematics, he need short-term goals. They can do it by completing all assignments, attending all classes, finding a study partner, completing course readings on time, studying hard for the mid term and final exams. They must also set social, personal, and academic goals. Some of the social ambitions may include getting along with roommate, becoming more culturally aware, and learning to feel more comfortable in social situations. This will boost up students mood and they will more concentrate on studies after some entertainment. Personal goals include, exercising, keeping a balanced diet, or saving money for a future purchase. It is important to be regular and revise goals set for studies and career. Students must continually strive to meet their goals. They can find examples of successful people who achieved their dream of becoming a general manager of a big company, or a successful sportsman such as Sachin Tendulkar. However, by prioritizing, by setting practical long-term goals and by achieving them through short-term goals, students can accomplish what they dream.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

What Career Transitions Are You Likely to Face in The Next Ten Years

The individual needs a career transition in the next ten years. The research focuses on the effects of career transitions in the next ten years. The research includes the importance of theory and concepts to manage the changes. The individual is likely to face the fast food transition in the next ten years.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on What Career Transitions Are You Likely to Face in The Next Ten Years? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More First, the one has to prepare for a smooth transition to the service industry. The service industry includes the engaging in the fast food business. The fast food business is one of the most profitable businesses. Patrick Montana (2008) emphasised Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs dictate that a person is has three basic needs. Basic needs include necessary needs. Necessary needs means a person cannot go without such needs. According to Maslow, the first group of manâ₠¬â„¢s needs is the physiological needs. Maslow’s hierarch of needs influences a person’s job transition decision. The first group of needs called the physiological needs. The physiological needs include food, breathing, water, sex, sleep, homeostasis, and excretion. In addition, the second group of needs is the safety needs. The safety needs include the security of the persons’ body, resources, morality, employments, family, property, and personal health. The third group of human needs is the love and belonging needs. The needs include the friendship, sexual intimacy, and family needs. The fourth group of needs is the esteem needs. The esteem needs include the self –esteem, confidence, achievement, respect of other persons, and respect from others. The last group of human need is the self- actualization need. The self-actualization needs include the morality, creativity, spontaneity, acceptance of data, problem solving, and lack of lack of prejudice need. The transition to the service business caters to the first group of human needs. Setting a fast food store would cater to the people’s need to fill their stomachs. The store cannot sell to a prospective client who has just eaten a full meal.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The fast food chain cannot sell to a prospect client who is allergic to the fast food chain’s food choices. For example, the diabetics must watch for sugar-based products. The hypertensive fast food chain customer must avoid foods that trigger a hypertension attack. The person having a rheumatic disease must avoid foods that trigger one’s rheumatism attacks. There are different types of fast food stores. Stephanie Watson (2008) insists one type of fast food store caters to the hamburger market segment. McDonald’s continues to offer different hamburger types. The hamburger types inc lude the hamburger, cheeseburger, Big Mac and one pounder. The McDonald’s chain of stores also offers breakfast meals to the busy office worker. McDonald’s successfully sets up branches in major cities in the United States. McDonald’s profitably sets up its fast food chain stores in many Asian countries. The McDonald’s fast food chain sets up its branches in the United Kingdom (2008). Second, another type of fast food chain fills the needs of the fried chicken market segment. Some of the community residents refuse to eat hamburgers. Thus, they prefer to eat fried chicken meals. James Watson (J. Watson 2005) stated Kentucky Fried Chicken has been very successful in filling the needs of the fried chicken market segment. In terms of fried chicken, Kentucky Fried Chicken different recipes. The company sells the popular chicken recipes. The company also sells sandwiches, snacks, sweets, and other side dishes. Third, another type of fast food chain caters to th e hotcake market segments. Usually, hotcakes are best serve during the morning. Specifically, the fast food store serves hotcakes during breakfast. The secret to the success of the hotcake fast food business is the food taste. The inclusion of sauces, butter, and other secret ingredients contributes to the high demand for hotcake products. The hotcake prepared using eggs and special flour (2006).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on What Career Transitions Are You Likely to Face in The Next Ten Years? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Fourth, another type of fast food chain serves the food needs of the restaurant clients. The restaurant business caters to the above average income market segment. The restaurant’s food prices are higher than the McDonald’s food prices. The restaurant cooks the food after the restaurant tells the restaurant waiter of the customers’ preferred menu choice. On the other hand, the restaurant orders a pre-cooked food in the McDonald’s fast food chain. The clients spend more time in the restaurant compared to visiting the nearest McDonald’s fast food chain. This is the very reason why restaurant prices are higher than the McDonald’s fast food chain menu prices. Fifth, another type of fast food chain serves the needs of the pizza market segment. The pizza fast food chain caters to the people who love to devour pizzas. Pizza Hut caters to the pizza cravings of the community. Pizza hut has a promotional campaign called create your own pizza. The creative clients would proudly show off their pizza creations to their fellow pizza friends. The customers choose the toppings cooked on the pizza crust. There are also different sizes of pizza food choices. There are different kinds of pizza. The pizza choices include plain pizza, cheese pizza, Hawaiian pizza, and other pizza types (Ghani 2009). Sixth, another type of fast food chain fills the discriminating needs of the spaghetti market segments. Some clients prefer the tomato taste of spaghetti. Some clients prefer one serving of spaghetti. Other spaghetti lovers would order a large plate of luscious spaghetti. Some say that eating spaghetti translates to wishing to have a longer life on earth. The Spaghetti Warehouse caters to the spaghetti needs of the spaghetti market segment. The fast food chain would sell pre-cooked food. The food would sell to the average income employees. Some entrepreneurs set up a fast food chain in order to fill the food needs of the average income employees. The fast food chain caters to the busy office workers. Most precooked must be sold within a few hours in order to avoid selling spoiled food products to the fast food chain’s valued clients. The fast food business caters to diverse clients. First, some fast food chains cater to the Chinese clients. The clients have their own unique tastes. The Chinese taste precipitates from th e Chinese’s cultural taste. Home country culture is the basis for the unique culture Chinese taste. The Chinese food culture includes diverse colour themes.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Chinese food taste includes the addition of two or three ingredients using different colours to complement the main food ingredient. The Chinese food taste shows aesthetic value. The Chinese love to devour food that has three basic characteristics. The three characteristics are colour, luscious taste, and mouth-watering aroma. In terms of colour, the Chinese food uses bright colours to display the warmth of the fast food chain’s management (McDonald 2007). Second, some fast food chains cater to the Vietnamese market segment. The Vietnamese have another set of taste. The Vietnamese taste includes Gia, alum, ash, clove of garlic, Ammonium Bicarbonate, curry powder, chili powder, caramel, and cayenne. The Vietnamese food clients would prefer to eat Vietnamese cuisine to the unfamiliar African American food choices. The Vietnamese normally dislike eating Indian food choices. Third, other fast food chains supply the needs of the African American clients. The African American f ood clients prefer â€Å"soul† foods. The African Americans brought their food culture with them around the world. The African American food taste includes pork, cornmeal, and vegetables. Other food favourites include grains and corn. The African Americans love to take molasses as part of their food itineraries. Specifically, many African Americans add small amounts of molasses to their tea as sweeteners. The African Americans brought their favourite foods like okra, sesame seeds, rice, and peas to their destination country. The African Americans brought their foods to the new destinations because they are not accustomed to eating the unfamiliar new food choices found in the destination country. Fourth, another group of fast food chains serves the needs of the Mexican clients. The Mexican food is full of colour. The Mexican food includes many spices. The group’s food includes plenty of colourful ingredients. The United Nations classified the typical Mexican food as an intangible cultural heritage. The Mexican food includes corn and beans. The Mexicans call their corn masa. The Mexican food love tortillas, oregano, cinnamon, and cocoa. Rice and corn are favourite Mexican food choices. The Mexican food includes the sweetness of honey, herbs, and spices. Fifth, another group of fast food chains fills the needs of the Muslim clients. The Muslim clients do not eat some food types. Specifically, the banned Muslim food type includes all foods taken from pigs. The Muslim religion requires that the Muslim devotee to avoid eating pig products. The pig products include ham. The Muslim food has to be Halal- approved. The Muslim stores include Masjid. The Halal groceries sell non-pig products. The Muslim restaurants hire Muslim chefs to cook the Halal foods. Some restaurants cater to the Italian food clients. The Italian cuisine is part of the growing social change as well as political revival of their group. The Italian cuisine includes trimmings from Etrusc an, Ancient Roman, Byzantine, and Arab foods. The Italian food metamorphosed as time traversed. The current Italian food includes potatoes, tomatoes, maize, and bell peppers. The Chefs prepare the Italian food taste in simplicity. The food includes an average of six ingredients. The Italian Chefs include wine and cheese as part of the standard Italian food menu. Coffee, especially espresso coffee is a major part of the Italian clients’ food choices. The Italian food includes vegetables, fruits, fish, sausages, pork, and cheese ingredients (Meara 2010). Sixth, some of the fast food restaurants cater to the French clients. French fast food chain clients prefer haute cuisine. Fish is one of the favourite French food choices. Champagne, Alsace, and Lorraine are favourite French food choices. In addition, the other French food favourites include Burgundy wine and river crabs, snails, beef, blackcurrants, cake, and poultry (Drescher 2007). Seventh, some of the fast food chains serv e the food needs of Koreans. Korean food focuses on the four seasons. Each season has its own set of food preferences. The ocean offers the most food ingredients. The Koreans use devotion and love in the preparation of their cultural food. The Koreans cook the food to help invigorate the customers. The Korean restaurant sells healthy foods to its discriminating fast food chain clients. The success of the Korean food choices is the inclusion of the Korean food preparer’s devotion for the safety and health of the food clients. In addition, the Korean meals include tea and a traditional cake. Sometimes, the Korean restaurants offer fruits to delete the taste of eaten food. The fruits are influential in leaving the Korean fast food chain’s clients with a fresh and invigorating feeling (Drescher 2007). In terms of selling the fast food chain products, the transition includes implementing a strong marketing plan. First, the fast food chain must sell quality products. The cus tomer would prefer higher-priced products to lower-priced products if the product quality of the higher-priced product were far better than the quality of the low priced fast food chain products. The clients would constantly return products that easily break when bought. Some clients will sue the company for selling them low quality products and services. Some clients would advertise the fraudulent practices of companies selling low quality products. Low quality products include selling stale food. Low quality includes foul-tasting food. Low quality includes using lesser ingredients in the preparation of food products. The company must avoid selling products that incorporate low quality raw materials. The company should not hire workers who are not able to produce high quality products (Etzel 2001). Second, the fast food chain must sell the products are reasonable prices. The fast food chain must sell the foods at prices that most current and future customers can afford. The custome rs normally prefer the lowest priced products. This is true in the fast food chain business. The customers would compare the food prices of the different fast food chain competitors. The customer would highly prefer to enter the lower priced stores. Economics offers the reason for the current and future customers’ price preferences. As the prices of goods increase, the demand for the products will correspondingly decrease. Thus, the current and future customers prefer the lower priced hamburgers to the higher priced hamburgers if the product quality is similar. However, some clients prefer quality to price. Some rich clients prefer the costlier food products in exchange for the privacy of the food place, some clients prefer to eat at restaurants. The reason is that the current and future customers of the high price restaurants prefer the serenity and comfort of the restaurant chairs and tables (Hartline 2011). Third, the fast food chain must sell the products near the reachab le arms of the current and future customers. The fast food chain must set up different branches in strategic locations. The company should not set up a fast food chain in the middle of the lonely dessert; no one is around to enter the fast food chain and order its food products. The company must set up a branch in departments stores where a large volume of shoppers frequent. The company should set up a branch in the busy city street corner. The busy street corner brings many current and future customers to the fast food chain’s doors. The fast food chain can set up a store on board cruise ships. The cruise ships have cruise clients who need fast food chain products to quench their thirst and fill their hungry stomachs (Goodbody 2008). Fourth, the fast food chain must promote its fast food chain products. The promotion includes advertising the various food product choices and services in the newspaper media. Promotion includes announcing the benefits of buying the fast food ch ain products through the television media. The company can advertise the benefits of buying the fast food products using the radio program media. Lastly, the fast food chain can create a strong demand for the fast food chain products through the internet. The internet continues to compete with the normal advertising media. The three advertising media are through the radio, television, and newspaper advertising spots (Goodbody 2008). To proceed with the fast food chain business, one must get financing. First, one can borrow money. The fast food chain entrepreneur can borrow money from the bank. In turn, the bank earns interest from lending the money to the fast food chain entrepreneur. The entrepreneur or businessperson can borrow money from moneyed friends. The entrepreneur or businessperson can easily borrow funds from close associates, or relatives. Relatives can easily trust a relative who borrows money over a complete stranger who borrows money. In the same light, close associat es do not need excessive persuasion. The close associates are familiar with the borrower’s financial capacity and other relevant information. The lender can choose a friend or close associate over a complete strange in terms of loans. There is lesser resistance when close associates and friends borrow money (Freyman 2006). The entrepreneur or businessperson can invest funds in the fast food chain business. Some entrepreneur or businessperson has many cash. They have more than enough funds to set up their own fast food chain business. In addition, the entrepreneur or businessperson can set a partnership. In the partnership, two or more persons contribute money, property, or industry to the partnership with the sole aim of distributing the company’s profits among themselves. Normally, one or more of the partners will contribute their industry to manage the fast food chain business. In other occasions, some partners prefer to remain silent partners. Silent partners do not manage or make decisions in the fast food chain business (Montana 2008). On the other hand, the entrepreneur or businessperson can set up a corporation. Under the corporation, five or more persons can contribute money to set up the fast food chain business. The investors own shares stocks of the fast food chain business. The investors contribute money, property, and industry to the fast food chain corporation. Consequently, the investors will divide the net profits among themselves (Hartline 2011). The understanding the theories and research will aid the entrepreneur or businessperson manage the transition or changes. Marketing books will explain the intricacies of the marketing process. The marketing books will explain that the fast food chain business must prioritize filling the needs of the discriminating clients. The marketing books will explain the importance of creating products that will outshine or outsell the competitors’ fast food chain products and services. The m arketing books will explain to the entrepreneur or businessperson how to choose the best location to set up the next fast food chain branch. The marketing books discuss how to divide the community into targetable market segments. The marketing books will discuss how to use the supply chain process to ensure the early delivery of the fast food chain products to its branches in other cities and locations (Hartline 2011). The management books will explain the proper management concepts. The entrepreneur or businessperson will learn that managing a fast food chain restaurant entails implementing a strategic plan. The fast food chain manager must gear the stores to wards generating and increasing fast food chain revenues. The management books entails explaining how the fast food chain managers can organize the scarce human and raw material resources to achieve the fast food chain’s goals and objectives. The management books explain how the fast food chain managers must control all expenses and costs in order to generate a net profit. The management books will explain how to choose the best fast food chain crew or workers. The management books will also discuss the importance of coordinating with all employees and interested parties in order to achieve organizational goals and quotas (Khan 2006). The accounting books will display the proper way of recording daily fast (Ehrhardt 2011). food chain business transactions. The accounting books will discuss how to designate cash payments as assets. The same accounting books explain the meaning of liabilities encountered in the fast food chain business. The accounting books include a discussion on how to use the income statement to generate the monthly revenues. The accounting books explain the importance of recording all sales in the proper accounting period (Khan 2006). The human resource books will help the fast food chain management hire the best workers. The human resource references will teach the fast food ch ain management to obey the labour laws institute. The same human resource references focus on giving seminar to improve the customer- based work attitudes of the fast food chain employees. The fast food chain must comply with human resources laws. The environment references focus on compliance with environmental laws. The environment books state that the fast food chain must not throw the fast food chain garbage on the crystal-clear waters of the nearby stream. The environment books inform the fast food chain to ensure the kitchen does not generate polluting substances. The environment books ensure that the fast food chain management complies with all other environmental laws of the United Kingdom (Raven 2009). The economics books explain the importance of economic concepts in all the fast food chain business operations. The economic principles discuss the effects of inflation on the fast food chain’s revenues. The economic principles explain the effect of unemployment on the fast food chain sales. The same economic principles explain the effect of the current economic depression on the fast food chain revenues and profits. T he economics reference explains the importance of pricing on the fast food chain’s customer demand prediction. The same economics references explain the effect of monopoly of the prices of the fast food chain’s ingredient and other supply suppliers (Baumol 2011). Based on the above discussion, the individual must accept a career transition within the next ten years. The career transition in the next ten years greatly affects the individual. The theories and concepts are important tools needed to manage the changes within the next ten years excellently. Indeed, the individual is likely to face the fast food transition in the next ten years. References: Baumol, W. (2011). Economics. London, Cengage Press.s Etzel, M. Marketing. (2001). London, Wiley Sons. Freyman, S. (2006). Fast Food. London, Levine Press. Ghani, K. (2 009). Integration of Supply Chain Management. London, GBMR Press. Gilbert, S. (2010). The Story of McDonald’s. London, Wiley Sons. Goodbody, S. (2008). Fast Food: Slowing Us All Down. London, Crabtree Press. Hartline, M. (2011). Marketing Strategy. London, Western Press. Khan, M. (2006).Management Accounting. London, McGraw-Hill Press. McDonald, M. (2007). Marketing Plans. London, Wiley Sons Press. Meara, M. (2010). Italian Food. London, Hardie Press, Montana, P. (2008). Management. London, Barron’s Press. Raven, P. (2009). Environment. London, Wiley Sons Press. Torrington, D. (2008). Human Resource Management. London, Prentice Hall. Watson, J. (2005). The Cultural Politics of Food. London, Wiley Press. Watson, S. (2008). Fast Food. London, Rosen Press This essay on What Career Transitions Are You Likely to Face in The Next Ten Years? was written and submitted by user T0adMen to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Not for Ourselves Alone essays

Not for Ourselves Alone essays In many ways, women were not allowed to play an important role in society during the 1770s. For the most part, it was illegal for women to receive any form of higher education. Thus, their involvement in the affairs of government was very limited, including of course, that they were not allowed to vote, but the voice of the women could not be ignored. Abigail Adams helped plant the seeds that would start women and men thinking about women's rights and roles in a country that had been founded on the ideals of equality and independence. She was a small town girl who traveled the world. She had no education, but she is known for writing letters. She grew up serving men but she ended up strongly challenging the male controlled system. This is the story of Abigail Adams, a most unusual Revolutionary era woman. Abigail Adams was born in 1744 in Weymouth, Massachusetts. She had two sisters, and one brother. She was never able to go to school because she was often, sick and her parents were afraid to send her. Abigails father, Reverend William Smith, was the town minister of Weymouth. He taught Abigail to love books and reading. Abigails mother, Elizabeth Quincy Smith, came from a family of local community leaders. Hearing conversations in her home about the growing tension in the relationship between the American colonies and England, made Abigail curious about political issues. She began to read newspapers and ask questions. At age 17, she became interested in a young lawyer named John Adams who had begun to visit her fathers library.1 In 1764, just before her 20th birthday, Abigail was married to John Adams and settled in Braintree near her family. A year later, Abigail and John had their first child; she was nicknamed, Nabby. In 1767, they had their first son; he was named John Quincy. Abigail moved to Boston right after John Quincy had his first birthday. She wanted to be with John in th...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Chemist Profile and Career Information

Chemist Profile and Career Information Heres a look at what a chemist is, what a chemist does, and what type of salary and career opportunities you can expect as a chemist. What Is a Chemist? What Do Chemists Do? There are a lot of different employment opportunities open to chemists. Some chemists work in a lab, in a research environment, asking questions and testing hypotheses with experiments. Other chemists may work on a computer developing theories or models or predicting reactions. Some chemists do field work. Others contribute advice on chemistry for projects. Some chemists write. Some chemists teach. The career options are extensive. More Careers in Chemistry Job Outlook for Chemists analytical chemistry Chemist Salaries federal executive branch: $88,930scientific research development: $68,760chemical manufacture: $62,340pharmaceutical manufacture: $57,210testing laboratories: $45,730 Chemist Working Conditions Types of Chemists Organic Chemists - work with carbon and carbon-compounds, many of which come from plants or animals. Organic chemists develop drug, petrochemicals, fertilizers, and plastics.Inorganic Chemists - deal primarily with non-carbon chemistry involving metals, minerals, and electronics.Analytical Chemists - examine substances. Analytical chemists identify materials, measure quantities, and evaluate properties of elements and compounds.Physical Chemists - work primarily in the field of energy research. Physical chemists look at chemical and physical changes and examine the relationships between matter and energy. Chemist Educational Requirements in a career in chemistry Advancement as a Chemist chemist with a masters degree How to Get a Job as a Chemist studying chemistry often accept co-op positions with companies so they can work in chemistry while getting their education. These students often stay on with the company following graduation. Summer internships are another excellent way to learn whether or not a chemist and a company are a good fit for each other. Many companies recruit from campuses. Graduates can learn about jobs from college career placement offices. Chemistry jobs may be advertised in journals, newspapers, and online, though one of the best ways to network and find a position is through a chemical society or other professional organization.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Moving Beyond Customer Service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Moving Beyond Customer Service - Essay Example 2. The communication techniques used by the staff of the hotel, including those at the front desk and at Ballroom A, were very courteous. Unfortunately, the general manager of the hotel was arrogant and disrespectful to the hotel guests. A potential conflict may be avoided if the general manager did not express his emotions with regards to how frustrated he has become with regards to persons with disabilities. Escalation of conflict from potential to actual may be prevented by considering how the client must feel that he could not attend the wedding because his wheelchair could not pass through the function room. A pleasing tone in communicating to the guests may also prevent the escalation of the conflict. 3. One conflict involved the non-availability of a room for one hotel guest, despite her presentation of a confirmation number for a reservation that was made two weeks earlier. A solution to this problem would involve the immediate provision of a room for this particular guest and possibly an additional feature, such as a free dinner from the hotel’s dining room, free of charge. The other conflict involved the inability of a disabled guest to get into the function room of a wedding. A possible solution to this conflict would involve the movement of tables in the function room and be assisting the guest in getting into the wedding reception. 4. The staff members of the hotel did not take full responsibility for resolving the conflicts because they called on the general manager for solutions to these problems. Conflicts could have been prevented if the front desk clerk provided a room for to the first hotel guest. In the case of the wedding incident, the situation could have been improved if the hotel assistant took the responsibility of assisting the guest in getting through to the wedding reception without the help of the general manager.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Critical thinking Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Critical thinking - Article Example Brief Summary The authors Edwards and Hewitt enumerated the three possible options on how to therapeutically respond to patients who self-harm. These include preventing self-harm, allowing self-harm and supervising self-harm. The first option, to prevent it, presented two advantages which include a) prevention of inflicting harm and b) demonstration of commitment to patients which make them feel important. However, these positive arguments were countered by four criticisms. The first is that it will lead to increased risk of suicide. Another argument is that it will increase the risk that patients will self-harm covertly that they will become desperate to try more drastic forms. Third criticism points that removing this coping mechanism of patients means their self-integrity will be undermined. Lastly, this option sends the message to the patients that they cannot be trusted. The second approach, non-interference or to allow it, gives the patients their sense of control over their si tuation and at the same time respects their autonomy. However, this approach may cause more damage and unforeseen harm which might eventually lead to suicide, as well as lessen their self-worth due to abandonment and may also desensitize the nurses to this disturbing situation. The authors supported the last option, to supervise self-harm, because they believe that this will not compromise the autonomy of the patients as well as make them feel being cared for and the nurses will also understand the patients by befriending them. The article As the authors Edwards and Hewitt discussed and evaluated the three contending options on how to deal with patients who self-harm, it can be said that they really are aiming to recommend the last option of supervising patients and being with them during self-harm. This is because as they presented the advantages of preventing and allowing self-harm, there were more arguments against these two choices. There weren't any sustainable evidences that w ill prove the effectiveness of the above mentioned approaches. This poses a problem because it can be said that these advantages are merely claims without any proof to support. However, the flow of the article is clear and straight. There is no long discussion of any other topics aside from those needed to create this article. The aim of the Edwards and Hewitt were achieved so as to ensure that the readers will be convinced to support the supervision of self-harm as against preventing or allowing it. The approach can be considered as biased because during the introduction of the article, opposition and arguments of allowing and preventing self-harm were already being pointed out by Edwards and Hewitt. The authors questioned if suppression and noninterference are justifiable. The authors failed to provide more support and evidences to their claim that supervising the patients during self-harm is the most effective. This poses a questionable conclusion. However, the arguments of the a uthors are consistent. They have clearly stated from start to end of the article that they supported the supervision of self-harm rather than the two other strategies that they explained. There is clear hypothesis and problem stated. The authors claimed that of the three options, the prevention strategy is the least plausible while there is a clear support to a supervised self-harm. This is because according to the qualitative exploration of Hume and Platt as presented by

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Human Resource and Management Essay Example for Free

Human Resource and Management Essay It is widely accepted that functions involving management include planning goals of the organization, organizing its employees so that efficiency can be achieved, leading involves employee motivation and influence, whereas control function makes sure that all other functions help bring success to the organization . Another viewpoint is that there is a fifth function which is staffing. Staffing involves the HRM department making sure that the appropriate people with valuable skills are placed on jobs (Bartol, 2004). Human resource department has become more important today as it is integrated and much more strategically involved. The HRM department sees it very important in order to be successful as an organization much effort should be put on recruitment of employees, then they should be motivated to perform their task, and trained to execute their responsibilities effectively. To built an efficient work force and maintain it on that level the HRM needs to influence employee behaviour when they seem off track. The few ways in which they can do is by organizing which includes job design/redesign, remuneration and benefits, training and development, and performance management. Job Design Job design is method which involves organizing employee tasks and giving them responsibilities. It also focuses on changing duties of employees so that job satisfaction is gained, which therefore increases efficiency. It focuses on the content of job and effect it has on employee motivation and effectiveness. If job satisfaction is achieved productivity can also be achieved, some people prefer jobs which they feel comfortable at, identifying what makes a good job for the employee can be helpful in improving performance, this can make difference on cost resulting from absenteeism and low turnover. The job fit matches characteristic of people with characteristic of jobs. A person not fitting a job can be disastrous for the company and the employee. By re-designing the job the person/job fit can be may be improved, this can affect employee motivation as the job becomes favourable for employee, catering to their need of job-related satisfaction, for example a person who does not likes to talk much may find it awkward and frustrating at a bank teller job because there he may have to interact with people all day long (Keaton, 2001). Read more:Â  Areas of Human Resources Management Business The ways to re-design a job includes job enlargement and job enrichment, this involves reducing the problems faced by the employee on job. Broadening the scope of the job by expanding the tasks to be performed may reduce the monotonous job experience, as their would be new tasks for the employee to perform, this may help influence behaviour as the employee may achieve job satisfaction and also feel more important as a part of the organization. Job enrichment deals with the employee given more responsibility then before, by adding planning, controlling and evaluating to his job function. Job enrichment may include giving the employee the entire job rather then a part of work, expanding the assignment so that the employee can learn from new tasks, moreover developing new areas of expertise. It may also include giving the employee more autonomy so that he can organize work according to his will, along with giving feedback to higher officials. The more these characteristics are in the job the more motivating it becomes. For the employees motivational value comes from job enrichment due to the feeling of employees that work is now more meaningful, due to the fact that they are more responsible for outcomes. These changes therefore satisfy the employees need for growth, work motivation, work satisfaction, and work effectiveness (Schuler, 2008). Remuneration and Benefits The HR department has also the responsibility of setting employee remuneration, which is the financial payment to employees for their work. This can be used in influencing employee behaviour, it is necessary for the organization to reward employees fairly. If the employee feels he hasn’t been rewarded well he will be de-motivated. Organizations work towards keeping their skilled employee the time, they do not want to lose employee who have worked with them and are good at what they do, also for motivating employees to be more effective and efficient at work HR department tries to best set the wages inline with the expectance of the employees. Well paid employees feel more satisfied with work and are also more willing to give something extra to the organization, in long term this can increase employee commitment and built a trusted relationship between employee and employer. The other option which the HR department uses in influencing behaviour is the benefit system. Employee benefits are does part of the process that reward in addition to cash pay. These benefits may include insurance, medical, pension schemes, a company car or loan, and paid holidays. These benefits care for personal security and needs (Armstrong, 2000). The aim of employee benefits is to contribute to a competitive reward package, also to provide tax-efficient method of remuneration. This is also to provide for the employees need and also for their request for financial help, thus demonstrating that they are part of a caring organization so in turn they can be motivated to carry out work. This also increases the commitment of employee to the organization. The benefit strategy should be directed at the goal of achieving objectives of the business by ensuring it has high quality, committed people in their ranks. A flexible benefit plan helps employee choose between two or more benefits. An employee will be more motivated if he has a say in his benefit package, this way employee can gain better appreciation for the value of benefit he is be being rewarded. Benefits can also be aligned with work, such as giving paid holidays, this can be helpful in achieving short term targets of organization (Robert, 2008). The HR department has therefore the responsibility to work out the best reward system so that employees can benefit and feel satisfied with their work effort (Armstrong, 2000). Training and Development Training and developing employees so that they can deliver their best to the organization is one of the main functions of HR department. The HR department has to continuously work towards perfecting their work force, training them so that they can adapt to the changing business environment. HR department uses training and development to bring about a permanent change in the employees behaviour. Training is defined as helping employee do their current or future work better, where as development involves acquisition of knowledge, skills, personal development, and the right attitude so that the employee is prepared for future opportunities (Bacal, 1998). Training is used in altering the behaviour of the employee in a direction that will help achieve organizational goals. Training helps employees master their present skills or acquire new skill for the execution of another job. Learning is a part of training which brings about a permanent change in employee behaviour. Before training the personal analysis should be conducted so that it could be determined who requires training and their readiness for training. For training to be successful immediate reinforcement is needed so that appropriate behaviour is learned. The learner must be awarded in ways which satisfy needs, such as pay, promotion and recognition. Standards of performance should be set for the employee, as when these standards are met the employee gets a feeling of accomplishment. The training should be meaningful and should also give employee enough time to absorb. The employee should be encouraged to practise the behaviour again and again so that he could perfect his skills. This way a permanent change is brought about in the employee’s behaviour. There are different approaches to training, which includes on-job training and behavioural modelling. On-job training is that an employee is placed in a real work situation and is showed the job and tricks of the trade by a supervisor. This method widely uses the employee’s learning capability to understand and retain the task execution. The other method is behaviour modelling. This is used in increasing interpersonal skills by observing an experienced employee. These methods help bring about a favourable response from the employee. For this training and development procedure to be successful the HR department should ensure that training is linked to business objectives so that everyone is pointed in the same direction. The training should be focused on outcomes and not activities, also allowing employees enough time to adapt. Training should be motivating so that employee expectations could be met, of providing career pathways, increasing job satisfaction and also improving job security. Employee must be shown how to acquire new competencies and what are the benefits of gaining them The HR department should ensure that not only the organizations needs are respected but also the employees and what they want to achieve, so that positive change is brought about in behaviour. Performance Management and Appraisal The HR department knows how much it costs to acquire employees and retain them as a good working unit, they want to be sure that the outlay on staff is achieving an appropriate return. For this HR departments concentrates on performance management and appraisal, which is about creating relationships and ensuring effective communication within the organization. HR department cite as a process which ensures success for everyone, valuing the effort put in by the employees and also influencing and motivating them for their hard work, they feel it helps asses the employees so that they could be rewarded fairly. This is a communication process between employees and their supervisors, which helps built a clear understanding about the job function and what the employee is expected to do. How they can work together to build, improve or sustain employee’s positive conduct. It focuses on employee’s achievement on the preset objectives and how he can bring about a change in his behaviour so that necessary results can be achieved, with continued reviewing of performance against the plans the HR department ensures that objectives are met. The process of discussing work in progress, and how employees can enhance productivity with regular feedback can help determine where the employees stand, and also assess their accomplishments. Appraising an employees job makes them aware of how a task should be executed, also giving them a degree of empowerment which is the ability to make day-to-day decisions. It also helps employees on how to enhance performance, which in turn presents a chance to the employee to develop new skills and appropriate attitude towards work. If the employee understands his duties he can act more freely within the given framework. Performance appraisal is a part of performance management, it is a judgemental process of the performance of the employee on job. It is mainly done for the employees behaviour is moulded according to the companies determined objectives (Bacal, 1999). Performance appraisal brings about favourable attitude of the employee, in the form of commitment and motivation. This is why it important to appraise employees, its importance can be identified as a development to clarify why it is essential to have an effective training program (Banfield, 2008). It is also important for reward purpose as it identifies the deserving employee to receive a reward and who should be trained to achieve high efficiency. Employee motivation is the key behind his compliance to change and this appraisal system stimulates effort to perform better. Employees can be given a legally acceptable reason for promotion or reward and also in case of discharge or transfer so that the employee can’t feel of being treated unfairly. The basic compliance to change of behaviour for an employee comes with monetary incentives, therefore this system helps identify what to pay the employee. This system also encourages communication so that a sense of trust builds between the employee and supervisor, this can be beneficial for the organization as they can work towards carefully shaping the behaviour of the employee so that needs of the organization are catered for, as the employee will respect his supervisor’s decision and will work with commitment and desire. Conclusion The employees are the most important resource of any organization, their commitment and sincerity to the organizations objectives is much sought after. The HR department’s role in this is significant as it sets a benchmark of high standards for the organizations employees. Ensuring that change in behaviour they want is achieved in manner which is acceptable to the employee. The HR department first has to identify the lacking, if it’s concerned with the job they can use job design to influence employee behaviour as an inappropriate person/job fit can be de-motivating for the employee and costly for the organization. If they feel their employees value monetary benefits more they can alter their remuneration and benefit packages according to the need of the employee to generate a feeling of importance in the employee, thus motivating them to achieve organizational goals. The HR department can also analyse the skill level and competence of the employee so that any lacking can then be corrected by employing training and development methods, thus equipping their workforce with new skills and knowledge, readying them to face the challenging business environment. Lastly HR department can use performance management to mould the behaviour of employee according to the need of the organization. With a continuous judgmental system employee motivation and work efficiency can be measured, and then rewarded accordingly. A motivated workforce is the key to any achievement for the organization, so this is what organizations should continuously strive to achieve employing the discussed techniques to influence them.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

feminaw Edna Pontellier’s Predicament in Kate Chopins The Awakening :: Chopin Awakening Essays

Edna's Predicament in The Awakening Dr. Mandelet, speaking more as a wise, older man than as a medical authority, seems to understand Edna's predicament. When Mr. Pontellier asks for his advice concerning the strange behaviour of his wife, the doctor immediately wonders, "Is there any man in the case?" (950). While Edna thinks she is expressing her independent rights, Dr. Mandelet knows her heart is still tied to the need for a man in her life, and to an uncontrolled submission to sexual passion. After her self-proclaimed release from her husband's narrow world of prescribed gender roles, Edna begins to act spontaneously, without considering, as Leonce would wish, "what people would say" (977). During a visit to Mademoiselle Reisz, she boldly displays her new attitude, refusing the more modest hot chocolate in favor of a "man's drink": "I will take some brandy," said Edna, shivering as she removed her gloves and overshoes. She drank the liquor from the glass as a man would have done. Then flinging herself upon the uncomfortable sofa she said, "Mademoiselle, I am going to move away from my house on Esplanade Street." (962) However, she will be moving "[j]ust two steps away" (962), she admits, betraying the fact that her feminist step forward will be hindered by at least two steps back. Her new assertiveness will not be enough to shield her from the difficulties of her changing life. Although she expresses herself to Robert in what she deems an "unwomanly" style (990), she is still a victim of societal conditioning, wanting to surrender her identity to another person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cristina Giorcelli writes that "Transitional states are inevitably states of inner and outer ambiguity. In her quest for her true self, Edna loses, or enhances with the addition of the opposite ones, her original gender connotations and social attributes" (121). Such a reading, however, risks simplifying the story in its attempt to clarify exactly that which is ambiguous. Although Giorcelli agrees that the story's message is blurred, she seems to contradict herself when she argues that, Through her androgyny Edna succeeds in achieving the wholeness of a composite unity, both integral and versatile, both necessary and free. Triumphing over sex and role differentiations ontologically implies sub- jugating that which substantiates but curtails, and ethically it entails mastering the grim unilaterality of responsibility. The bourgeois crisis that Edna endures--the discrepancy between duty toward others and right toward herself[--] .

Monday, November 11, 2019

In the “Clearances” collection, what is revealed about Seamus Heaney and his relationship with his mother, and his thoughts and feelings about other

One of the most moving and emotional of Heaney's works is his collection of sonnets called ‘Clearances'. These sonnets were written in dedication and memoriam to his mother Margaret Kathleen Heaney, who died in 1984. The eight sonnets are filled with lively, detailed and vivid memories, but the strong and loving relationship between Heaney and his mother is constantly referred to also. Heaney has no difficulty in expressing openly the love felt for his mother, both by him and his family, as we see in the invocation at the beginning of the collection; ‘She taught me what her uncle once taught her'. Here we immediately see how his mother has taught him simple but great life wisdom, how to live and deal with problems in everyday life. This immediately identifies a clear picture of love and devotion towards her son, illuminating right from the beginning their strong mother/son relationship. This life wisdom is reflected again in sonnet 2, whereby she commands him on various rules before entering the house she grew up in; ‘And don't be dropping crumbs. Don't tilt your chair'. This yet again shows the close bond Heaney and his mother share, as she warns him in order to avoid him getting into trouble, showing that she is concerned over his welfare and wants to avoid upsetting him in any way possible. The fact that Heaney remembers this visit to his grandparents so vividly is also an indication of how important his mother and her family background was to him, as he shows a keep interest in all aspects of the visit. Despite this, the true reveal of the close bond shared by both mother and son is seen most apparent in sonnet 3, whereby Heaney describes the activities shared between them on times where it was just the two of them alone. In sonnet 3, he mentions himself and his mother preparing Sunday dinner; ‘I was all hers as we peeled potatoes. They broke the silence, let fall one by one'. The close bond between them is easily spotted here, as peeling potatoes is seen as a feminine image, yet Heaney is eager to help and share quality time with his mother, emphasising the importance she has in his life. The fact that there is silence is also an indication of their loving relationship, as neither feels the need to speak as they are enjoying just being in each other's company. ‘From each other's work would bring us to our senses', this yet again shows the unifying element between the both of them, almost as if they are part of one another, showing how alike they are. The change in mood in the second stanza emphasises Heaney's great pain at the loss of his mother. Yet despite this, they are still united as they were in the first stanza, ‘her breath in mine', once again highlighting the closeness shared between them. The final line in the third sonnet is a clear confirmation of the strength in the bond placed between Heaney and his mother as he feels the closest he has ever felt to her at a time when he should feel most distanced; her death, ‘never closer the whole rest of our lives'. A similar pattern of silence is shown in sonnet 4, where Heaney writes about his mother and how she dealt with her son being very intellectual despite only coming from a loving farming background. In the sonnet, Heaney mentions the silent fear felt by his mother at the thought of people thinking of her as a snob, the fear of thinking that her family will think she's above herself, ‘Fear of affectation made her affect. Inadequacy whenever it came to pronouncing words ‘beyond her'. Bertold Brek'. This shows us the discomfort felt by Heaney's mother by being torn to stay at her family's intellectual level or progress in order to be the same as her son. Read also Intro to Public Relations Notes We gain knowledge from the sonnet that she is slightly more knowledgeable than she decides to show, ‘well-adjusted vocabulary'. The result of her choice here illuminates the close bond between her and Heaney, as Heaney shows respect towards her by ‘governed my tongue in front of her'. He speaks as she would in order to keep to his background and make her feel less uncomfortable, which shows that he thinks about her thoughts and feelings and puts them before his own. Despite this, Heaney's education is affecting them as the ‘grammar which kept us allied and at bay'. This illuminates the problems faced by Heaney and his mother, despite speaking less intellectually for the right reasons, at the same time neither are being true to themselves, and are lying about the real person inside in order to please each other. The devoted bond between Heaney and his mother is illuminated again in sonnet 5. In this sonnet, Heaney talks again about another female activity that he is helping his mother with, helping her to fold sheets that have newly come in off the line. The intimacy between them is revealed once more as their hands ‘end up hand to hand'. This shows yet again the closeness between him and his mother as they are together in such an emotional way by performing such a simple task. There is a slight flaw again in their relationship in this poem however, as we begin to see the differences faced by both Heaney and his mother with Heaney's education seems to overpower his mother, ‘and pulled against her; suggesting that as he grows and becomes more intelligent, it is slowly pushing them away from each other. Sonnet 6 shows a change in Heaney's age, and it becomes clear that he is in his teenage years. Despite the change however, his relationship with his mother seems unaffected. He compares his mother with the book Sons and Lovers. The title of the book immediately shows us the deep love felt for his mother during these years, and their closeness is still confirmed as they kneel ‘elbow to elbow' in the church at Easter time. Heaney sees this as important and shows us that mother and son are both entering a different phase, they are both now devoutly religious. At a time when their views should differ however, Heaney and his mother remain allied, a true indication of the emotionally powerful shared between them. The ultimate reveal of the unconditional love and strength between Heaney and his mother is show in sonnet 7, the sonnet describing the death of his mother. On her deathbed, Heaney, along with other members of his immediate family show his mother the affection she longed for and deserved, ‘he called her good and girl'. Here, Heaney shows the most affection he ever has to his mother, revealing true feelings he has towards her. The fact that Heaney feels a ‘space' after she dies is also a key suggestion to the closeness of their relationship, that the woman he has loved and adored has left him and he feels emptiness, as if nothing can replace her, showing how highly Heaney thought of his mother. ‘It penetrated Clearances that suddenly stood open. High cries were felled and a pure change happened', yet again here, the flawless relationship shared between Heaney and his mother is shown as despite her spirit leaving her body, her ways have been passed on to him, and the use of the word ‘kept' suggests that Heaney will never forget her. The end of this sonnet, with the use of the word ‘felled' links sonnet 7 with sonnet 8, the final in the collection. In it, Heaney talks about the tree that has been removed from the garden in which he lived by new owners. I thought of walking round and round a space', this shows the emptiness felt by Heaney after his mother's death, and the tree is symbolic of the loss of his mother also. The closeness of the relationship between them is reflected in the feelings felt by Heaney after his mother's death, he, like the tree, also feels like he has been cut, both physically and emotionally, ultimately illuminating the desperation he feels now that his mother is not around, emphasising the closeness between them. Despite the focus of Clearances being on the experiences of Heaney and his mother, we are also informed of Heaney's thoughts and feelings towards other members of his family. In the invocation, we are made aware of Heaney's ancestors, including his uncle and other, present day family members who are working on the farm. Heaney shares his fear of being different to his family ‘to face the music'. It is clear that he is different to them, an academic gem, and it is clear that he is of the opinion that his family are being who they are supposed to be, and he believes that he is putting himself in danger by going against family tradition. This shows the respect he feels towards his family, and he takes their feelings into consideration, as he does not want to hurt them emotionally or cause them any unnecessary pain. The next family member we are introduced to is his great-grandmother in the hard times when she married outside the tribe and changed her religion. Heaney doesn't see her actions as anything unacceptable and sees it as an inheritance ‘to dispose of' after his great-grandmother's passing. He is ultimately respectful to his past family members and sees the ‘exonerated stone' as a mark of triumph not embarrassment. He shows great support and respect towards his great-grandmother and is brave enough to speak against what other people think are right, illuminating the support and love felt for his great-grandmother. In sonnet 2, we are introduced briefly to Heaney's grandparents. Yet again, Heaney feels respect towards them and sees their way of life as organised and traditional, a successful way to be. He clearly feels great affection and love towards them as he listens to his mother's imperatives in order not to upset them and make things easier for his mother, ‘to welcome home a bewildered homing daughter'. The final member of Heaney's family that we are introduced to is his father. In sonnet 3, Heaney sees and portrays him as a quiet man, a man who does not speak much, ‘hammer and tong at the prayers for the dying'. There is also a hint that Heaney's father is a man of few emotions, at the suggestion that he is not crying at his wife's bedside. However, in sonnet 7, Heaney sees him in a whole new light. His father describes his mother as ‘good' and ‘girl', and talks about the early days of their courtship, and finally shows her affection by bending down to her ‘propped-up head'. Heaney is overjoyed at this, ‘she could not hear but we were overjoyed', as his father finally feels like he did towards his mother. It is possible that Heaney feels a slight closeness towards his father at this point, that both are united in their grief. He clearly feels love towards his father, and his comforted by the words spoken by him at his mothers deathbed.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Organizational Control

Organizational control is the systematic process through which managers regulate organizational activities to make them consistent with expectations established in plans, targets and standards of performance (Kuratko, 2001). These organizational expectations are a collection of goals and accountabilities represented in the budget, which help establish performance metrics, document actual performances, allow comparison between the estimated and actual performance, and allow for corrective actions (Jones-George-Hill, 2003). Measures of financial performance are those ratios against which actual performance can be meaningfully measured against the expectations of the budget. These measures are objective measures of performance, and a careful analysis of a combination of these ratios may help dis ¬tinguish between firms that will eventually fail and those that will continue to survive, sometimes as early as five years before a firm fails trouble can be detected from the value of these financial ratios (Keating). These performance ratios measure profit, liquidity, leverage and activity and the combination tell a significant story as to the overall health of an organization. Profitability ratios demonstrate the efficiency of the use of resources to generate profits from organizational inputs of materials to value added activities (Jones-George-Hill, 2003). These are Return on investment and Gross Profit Margin. ROI, or â€Å"return on investment,† measures competitive advantage because it allows managers to compare performance against other similar organizations. Although firms will differ on how that calculation is reached internally and what activities are considered profit drivers. For instance, in her 2010 book Open Leadership, Charlene Li argues that a social media campaign goes beyond marketing in that it reduces other costs by not only building affinity but can reduce other costs using Ford Motor Company and Comcast as an example (Li, 2010). Gross Profit Margin is the difference between the amount of revenue generated from the product and the resources used to produce the product. For the current quarter, Apple Computer is projecting an increase in GPM from their expectations of 36% to 37% with further expectation that will increase to 38% next quarter (Barrons, 2011). The iPad generated $4. 4-Billion in revenue last quarter with 80% of the Fortune 100 deploying the computer (Goldman, 2011). With strong business acceptance and revenue performance for a market that didn’t exist a year ago, the GPM associated ith such a product increases far more quickly. Real Networks, on the other hand, has had significant difficulty maintaining its gross profit margin indicating it either cannot control costs or that it has been forced to lower prices (Phillips, 2011). Apple has had no downward price pressure and costs have been kept under control (Hadhazy, 2010). Liquidity ratios measure the overall organizational preparedness to meet the short-term obligations of the organization. The higher the ratio, the greater the organizational ability to cover short-term debts, but a high liquidity ratio also indicates a significant proportion of assets are being used in non-productive ways (Yahoo Finance). Two common liquidity measures are the current ratio and the quick ratio. The current ratio is the difference between current assets and current liabilities and it speaks to the question of whether there are enough assets to pay claims on short-term debts without selling inventory. The ratio expression indicates how much money is available versus how much short term debt is outstanding. A ratio of 2:1 indicates $2 in assets for every $1 in debt. The Motley Fool dissects Real Networks stock performance while determining whether or not to sell the stock. One positive sign for the company is a high current ratio – 3. 13 (Phillips, 2011). However, while the company has â€Å"miniscule† debt, the company’s equity has been shrinking over the past 5-years, so a question to ask is do they have too high a current ratio, bearing in mind that represents non-productive assets? There are enough assets to pay short-term claims, but the stock performance lags the S&P by almost 2/3 – raising the question in my mind if they have too much non-performing assets on hand which need to be reevaluated. The quick ratio answers the question of whether an organization can pay claims without selling inventory. Inventory is not necessarily worth the amount represented on the books, and removing it from this calculation gives a better view of whether or not an organization has liquid assets available. If a company has too much of its liquidity tied up in inventory, it will be dependent on selling that inventory to finance its operations and will have a low quick ratio (Motley Fool). Leverage ratios measure the use of debt or equity to finance operations, with the use of debt becoming problematic if profits cannot cover the interest on the debt (Jones-George-Hill, 2003). Two common such ratios are debt-to-assets ratio and times-covered ratio. Debt to assets shows to what extent the organization is financed with debt, with a lower number being more favorable. With a low number, an organization and its investors can be more confident a company can weather difficult times. Real Networks, as discussed earlier, has a debt to equity ratio close to zero, largely because there is close to no debt – this is a company which can weather some difficult times, however while the debt remains low, the equity is decreasing as well signaling there may be some continuing difficult times (Phillips, 2011). The times-covered ratio measures the extent to which a company's can meet its current debt obligations with available net income. If the times-covered ratio declines to less than 1, then the company is unable to meet its interest costs and is technically insolvent (Jones-George-Hill, 2003). Activity ratios are a measure of an organizations utilization of resources to create value. For a company to be profitable, it must be able to manage its inventory, because it is money invested that does not earn a return. So, inventory turnover measures how well a company is moving its inventory so the assets are not carried as non-performing assets and days sales outstanding measures how quickly that inventory is converted to payment on what it owed. I worked for a small printing company which was dependent on its ability to collect on outstanding projects – age of account was an important measure of the company’s health and much effort was placed on collecting. Inventory was not an option as each job was unique to the client and was good only for that client. These measures help direct the activities of the organization and help set the goals of the organization. The indicate the health of the company, by measuring the management effectiveness in meeting the organizational goals.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Free Essays on The Power Of Surveillance

Today’s world is a world of total surveillance. Video cameras, secret shoppers, and thumb print scanners are only the beginning of a long list of devises that are used today to keep society â€Å"in check†. In Staples essay, he argues that surveillance has engulfed our cultures and has infiltrated every aspect of society, raising the question, â€Å"Who holds ultimate power?†. Michel Foucault, a French philosopher of the 20th century, who uses opposing ideas of the Enlightenment in attempt to prove human worth and identity, has also addressed this question. Foucault states that man is not autonomous by nature, but rather tied into an episteme. His idea on power and knowledge displaces the human subject from the central role of domination. Consequently, arguing that knowledge is no longer the â€Å"autonomous intellectual structures that happen to be employed as instruments of power† (Foucault, 219), but rather tied to systems of social control. Oâ₠¬â„¢Rourke’s documentary Cannibal Tours, examines the lives of the Iatmul Indians living in Papua New Guinea by filming the interaction between the natives and the western tourists who visit them, ultimetley bluring the boundaries between self and other. The cameraman juxtaposes interviews with the natives about the tourists and vise versa, in attempt for the audience to see both perspectives constructing and expressing their views of the â€Å"other†. Because of the panoptic power that the cameraman holds, the views of a presupposing audience are moldable, resulting in a society susceptible to manipulation. Through clever filming techniques, O’Rourke is able to capture the essence of the interactions, many of which closely parallel Foucault’s ideas of surveillance. Foucault’s concept of the panopticon instills a fear of the unknown into the lives of the watched. First devised by Jeremy Bentham in the 1800’s, its clever mediation of mass control quickly became a popular survei... Free Essays on The Power Of Surveillance Free Essays on The Power Of Surveillance Today’s world is a world of total surveillance. Video cameras, secret shoppers, and thumb print scanners are only the beginning of a long list of devises that are used today to keep society â€Å"in check†. In Staples essay, he argues that surveillance has engulfed our cultures and has infiltrated every aspect of society, raising the question, â€Å"Who holds ultimate power?†. Michel Foucault, a French philosopher of the 20th century, who uses opposing ideas of the Enlightenment in attempt to prove human worth and identity, has also addressed this question. Foucault states that man is not autonomous by nature, but rather tied into an episteme. His idea on power and knowledge displaces the human subject from the central role of domination. Consequently, arguing that knowledge is no longer the â€Å"autonomous intellectual structures that happen to be employed as instruments of power† (Foucault, 219), but rather tied to systems of social control. Oâ₠¬â„¢Rourke’s documentary Cannibal Tours, examines the lives of the Iatmul Indians living in Papua New Guinea by filming the interaction between the natives and the western tourists who visit them, ultimetley bluring the boundaries between self and other. The cameraman juxtaposes interviews with the natives about the tourists and vise versa, in attempt for the audience to see both perspectives constructing and expressing their views of the â€Å"other†. Because of the panoptic power that the cameraman holds, the views of a presupposing audience are moldable, resulting in a society susceptible to manipulation. Through clever filming techniques, O’Rourke is able to capture the essence of the interactions, many of which closely parallel Foucault’s ideas of surveillance. Foucault’s concept of the panopticon instills a fear of the unknown into the lives of the watched. First devised by Jeremy Bentham in the 1800’s, its clever mediation of mass control quickly became a popular survei...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

OptionParser Command-Line Options the Ruby Way

OptionParser Command-Line Options the Ruby Way Ruby comes equipped with a powerful and flexible tool to parse command-line options, OptionParser. Once you learn how to use this, youll never go back to looking through ARGV manually. OptionParser has a number of features that make it quite appealing to Ruby programmers. If youve ever parsed options by hand in Ruby or C, or with the getoptlong C function, youll see how welcome some of these changes are. OptionParser is DRY. You only have to write the command-line switch, its arguments, the code to run when its encountered, and the command-line switch description once in your script. OptionParser will automatically generate help screens for you from this description, as well as infer everything about the argument from its description. For example, it will know the file [FILE] option is optional and takes a single argument. Also, it will know that [-no]-verbose is really two options and will accept both forms.OptionParser will automatically convert options to a specific class. If the option takes an integer, it can convert any string passed on the command-line to an integer. This cuts down on some of the tedium involved in parsing command-line options.Everything is very contained. All of the options are in the same place, and the effect of the option is right along-side the definition for the option. If options have to be added, changed or someone simply wants to see what they do, the re is only one place to look. Once the command-line is parsed, a single Hash or OpenStruct will hold the results. Enough Already, Show Me Some Code So heres a simple example of how to use OptionParser. It doesnt use any of the advanced features, just the basics. There are three options, and one of them takes a parameter. All of the options are mandatory. There are the -v/verbose and -q/quick options, as well as the -l/logfile FILE option. Additionally, the script takes a list of files independent of the options. #!/usr/bin/env ruby # A script that will pretend to resize a number of images require optparse # This hash will hold all of the options # parsed from the command-line by # OptionParser. options {} optparse OptionParser.new do|opts|   Ã‚  # Set a banner, displayed at the top   Ã‚  # of the help screen.   Ã‚  opts.banner Usage: optparse1.rb [options] file1 file2 ...   Ã‚  # Define the options, and what they do   Ã‚  options[:verbose] false   Ã‚  opts.on( -v, verbose, Output more information ) do   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  options[:verbose] true   Ã‚  end   Ã‚  options[:quick] false   Ã‚  opts.on( -q, quick, Perform the task quickly ) do   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  options[:quick] true   Ã‚  end   Ã‚  options[:logfile] nil   Ã‚  opts.on( -l, logfile FILE, Write log to FILE ) do|file|   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  options[:logfile] file   Ã‚  end   Ã‚  # This displays the help screen, all programs are   Ã‚  # assumed to have this option.   Ã‚  opts.on( -h, help, Display this s creen ) do   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  puts opts   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  exit   Ã‚  end end # Parse the command-line. Remember there are two forms # of the parse method. The parse method simply parses # ARGV, while the parse! method parses ARGV and removes # any options found there, as well as any parameters for # the options. Whats left is the list of files to resize. optparse.parse! puts Being verbose if options[:verbose] puts Being quick if options[:quick] puts Logging to file #{options[:logfile]} if options[:logfile] ARGV.each do|f|   Ã‚  puts Resizing image #{f}...   Ã‚  sleep 0.5 end Examining the Code To start off with, the optparse library is required. Remember, this isnt a gem. It comes with Ruby, so theres no need to install a gem or require rubygems before optparse. There are two interesting objects in this script. The first is options, declared at the top-most scope. Its a simple empty hash. When options are defined, they write their default values to this hash. For example, the default behavior is for this script to not be verbose, so options[:verbose] is set to false. When options are encountered on the command-line, theyll change the values in options to reflect their effect. For example, when -v/verbose is encountered, it will assign true to options[:verbose]. The second interesting object is optparse. This is the OptionParser object itself. When you construct this object, you pass it a block. This block is run during construction and will build a list of options in internal data structures, and get ready to parse everything. Its in this block that all the magic happens. You define all the options here. Defining Options Each option follows the same pattern. You first write the default value into the hash. This will happen as soon as the OptionParser is constructed. Next, you call the on method, which defines the option itself. There are several forms of this method, but only one is used here. The other forms allow you to define automatic type conversions and sets of values an option is restricted to. The three arguments used here are the short form, long form, and description of the option. The on method will infer a number of things from the long form. One thing is will infer is the presence of any parameters. If there are any parameters present on the option, it will pass them as parameters to the block. If the option is encountered on the command-line, the block passed to the on method is run. Here, the blocks dont do much, they just set values in the options hash. More could be done, such as checking that a file referred to exists, etc. If there are any errors, exceptions can be thrown from these blocks. Finally, the command-line is parsed. This happens by calling the parse! method on an OptionParser object. There are actually two forms of this method, parse and parse!. As the version with the exclamation point implies, it is destructive. Not only does it parse the command-line, but it will remove any options found from ARGV. This is an important thing, it will leave only the list of files supplied after the options in ARGV.