Joomla File Upload Plugin

File  Upload  Plugin  user  manual Thank  you  for  downloading  and  use  the  file  upload  plugin  for  Joomla! ,  the  usage  of  this  extensions  is  so  simple,  you   only  need  to  activate  the  plugin  in  the  backend  and  then  open  one  published  article  and  type  at  the  bottom  {upload}   (this  especial  word  can  be  changed  in  the  plugin  parameters  for  compatibility  with  other  possible  extensions). Once  you  or  your  users  are  logued  in  the  public  front ­end  the  input  field  turn  to  visible,  if  not,  Ã‚  a  nice  message  invite   your  guest  to  register. Fig  1. If  the  user  is  a  guest  only  view  a  styled  messageFig  2. Once  the  users  are  logued  the  plugin  works  with  the  file  manager  activa te This  are  the  mandatory  steps,  later  you  can  change  many  parameters  in  the  back ­end,  this  parameters  are  explained  now: Fig  3. The  general  settings †¢ †¢ At  the  first  time  we  can  hide  or  show  the  bbcode  {upload}  when  the  plugin  are  deactivated. We  can  enable  the  mailing  system  to  notify  the  administrator  in  every  new  file  uploaded,  if  this  system  is   enabled  since  version  1. 6. 1  we  can  add  a  new  email  address  and  decide  if  the  message  are  in  html  or  text/plain   format.The  bbcode  word  by  default  {upload}  can  change  by  others,  perhaps  this  bbcode  crash  with  other  plugins,  if  so,   change  this  word  by  anyone. When  the  system  try  to  create  the  needed  str ucture  folder  you  can  decide  the  permissions  by  default  0777. The  size  of  the  input  field. The  button  value The  class  of  the  button,  by  default  Ã¢â‚¬Å"button†,  this  is  the  default  class  in  joomla! But  you  can  change  to  other. Equal  to  button  class  but  now  for  the  input  field The  maxlenght  permitted  in  the  input  field The  allowed  mime ­types,  you  can  type  as  many  as  you  want  separated  by  commas,  the  system  compare  this  list

Educational and Cultural Experience Essay

In research undertaking the methodology section is one of the crucial areas to be tackled in a proposal document. This is due to the fact that it forms the basis of the results of research findings. A research can be faced with big challenges due to a wrong choice of the method to be used. To avoid this good planning of the method is essential and more in order to get reliable results. The issue of reliability establishes that a research should have the ability to show consistency in the results even after a study is done by different researchers repeatedly. Reliability in research study can also be enhanced through good structure of the methodology. When the correct data collection methods are used, proportional samples are collected and the correct method of analysis is used in a research can achieve validity. In a research, the research problem forms the basis of research (Morgan et al. ,1980), and this is where the study should focus on. The methodology can take on either the positivist approach also known as the quantitative, or take the post positivist approach also known as the qualitative approach. The qualitative approach is a more detailed than the quantitative approach as it lays more emphasis on the finer details of the data and in most cases, it involves a researcher’s judgment and interpretation. Quantitative approach deals more with quantification like calculating the population sample, population size among others. The choice of the researcher on either the qualitative or the quantitative approach depends on whether the research/study is inclined to the natural sciences or the social sciences (Finch, 1986); (Easterby-Smith et al. 1991). 3. 1 Role of the Researcher The role of the researcher is an integral part of the evaluative process in the qualitative research. I am a certified teacher of mathematics, music and elementary education. Prior to the classroom, more than ten years were spent in insurance investigative claims work. The occupation included extensive ‘on-the-job’ training in organization, communication and interviewing skills. I was also deployed to Kuwait and Afghanistan, respectively, and have over 15 years in the United States military acquiring certain proficiency as a planner, liaison, administrator and human resource specialist. Co-operative inquiry involves at least four different kinds of epistemology; in other words, ways of knowing. Presentational knowing results from experiential knowing and provides the first form of expression through narratives and various expressions of art. Presentational knowing is expressed through ideas and theories. Practical knowing is modeling how to do something and is portrayed in a skill or competence. These epistemologies are compatible with each other. If knowing is grounded in experience, expressed through stories and images, understood through sounds ideas, and expressed in worthwhile action in one’s life, then knowing will be ‘more valid’ (Reason, 1999). 3. 2 Research Design To appropriately analyze the participant’s stories, the research will employ a narrative framework that serves as a screen through which the story of the participant may be examined. This method also becomes an avenue for which the participant may critically reflect on his own perspectives in order to construct or reconstruct meaning in his own life world. The considerable narrative analysis approach requires a level of scholarship and sensitivity which I am preparing to employ. This approach involves a human science observer that is a sensitive of the subtleties of everyday life. Ardent reading of relevant texts of the humanities, history, philosophy, anthropology and the social sciences as they pertain to the domain of interest is a main ingredient to the effectiveness of this proposed research (van Manen, 1990). For this study, the researcher actively participates in examining the experiences of a translator in the delivery of translation of language and culture amidst the socio-political challenges of the past. Qualitative research is exploratory in nature and is best suited for understanding phenomena. The approach should remain pragmatic for the researcher in order to remain in a tentative state with regard to applicable variables or desirable themes which may enable appropriate examination of the individual’s experiences. 3. 3 Data Collection Methods During my 12 month deployment as a liaison officer, I commenced amicable communication with each of the translators who accompanied me to the daily meetings. During my tenure, I engaged in many open discussions concerning cultural and social differences, nuances in communication and language disparities. After a few months, I presented some of my proposal ideas and opened discussion to the possibility of participation in a study I was contemplating. Several of the translators asked me to serve as their advocate in order to petition for the United States Special Visa. So, over the last year, many of these translators have since relocated to various communities in the United States. Both secondary and primary data sources will be used. The triangulation method of data collection will involve the use of interviews, literature review and case studies (Zikmund 2003, pp. 1-745). The primary data method that was used is the questionnaire method of data collection. Questionnaires were distributed among the Afghan officials, Liaison officers, and interpreters. There were also case studies that were conducted for other three countries to know about the experiences of interpreters in the other countries compare with the ones in Afghanistan. This also drew an insight of the various experiences of interpreters in other countries. There was the use of literature review in order gather information on the educational and cultural experiences of interpreters generally. The literature in this research included research journals, books, articles and sources from university libraries (Dick, 2000). Interviews also form pertinent component data collection methods. This enabled the getting of a clear picture of the plight and livelihood of Afghan interpreter, their mode of operations, factors affecting them and future predictions on their cultural and educational experiences. The four categories of quality management in research were highly considered. They include; validity, reliability, ethics and rigor (Zikmund, 2003). Reliability of a research is its ability to have consistence in results. This was done through controlling the sample by stratifying the population to get a more representative sample. Validity is the ability of a scale to measure what it is intended to measure but not going beyond the topic of the study. The triangulation method was used to control this aspect in research. Ethics involves adherence to the norms accepted in gathering of information. This was ensured by providing secrecy on the information collected from the subjects. The rigor of the research was directed towards efficient sample size in a critical facet in any investigation. The main purpose a researcher will utilize a sample is to reduce the charges and collect important data faster (Zikmund, 2003). The key purpose of data collection was to ensure a rich set of description was obtained. To achieve this, the interviews were transcribed in real time by the interviewer. The responses were then reduced and analyzed by adopting principles of data codification and clustering (Miles et al, 1994). 3. 4 Sources Researches normally rely on secondary data to enable them gain initial insight into the research problem. The classification of secondary sources of information is on the basis of internal or external sources referring to information acquired within the organization or outside the organization. The secondary sources are liked for their cost saving aspects and time saving. Secondary sources of information are supposed to be searched prior to conducting primary research, and usually for the literature review section of a research. This is because secondary information provides useful background that identifies main questions and all other issues that will need to be tackled by the primary research (Steppingstones, 2004). The disadvantages that are associated with the use of the secondary sources range from the unavailability of pertinent information on the research topic, to the integrity, accuracy, and reliability of some secondary sources. Other disadvantages associated with secondary sources arise where data is available in a format other than that required by a researcher, and the age of the information particularly where the information is several years old and may not reflect the present circumstances. This makes it necessary to limit secondary information to sources which are not more than six years old (Steppingstones, 2004). The data gathered for this research is from a wide range of documentary sources relating to the cultural and educational experiences of interpreters in general as well as those specifically relating to the plight and livelihood of the Afghan interpreters. These mainly included policy documents, academic and the non-academic documents. First, journals on livelihood of Afghan interpreters were searched. Second, electronic databases were searched using key words like ‘interpreters’, ‘translators’ ‘Afghan interpreters’ and ‘experiences of Afghan interpreters’. Third, Afghan government website for International communication and the website for the International Security Assistance Force were searched. Literature review included both conceptual and empirical works with about 25 articles reviewed for this study. 3. 5 Interviews Interviews in a research are useful in getting information behind a participant’s experiences. This is particularly important because an interviewer may be able to pursue in-depth information regarding the topic of study, and also the fact that interviews serve as follow-ups to responses obtained from questionnaires. Qualitative research interview should seek to give a description and meaning of central themes regarding the experiences of the subjects, by seeking to cover both the factual and meaning level. It was important that a guided interview approach was adopted so as to ensure that same general areas of information are gathered from each interviewee (Valenzuela et al. , 2004). The interviews dwelt on the following areas: †¢ Educational and cultural background of interpreters. †¢ The relationship between educational background and cultural background of the afghan interpreters. †¢ How the educational and cultural backgrounds shape the livelihood and experiences of the afghan interpreters. †¢ What the future hold for the afghan interpreters and their plight given the limited educational background as well as the rigid cultural backgrounds. Once the data is collected through the open-ended interview process, the documents will be transcribed. After transcription, to ensure a correct analysis of the data, the participant will be shown the transcription and asked if what is written is aligned with their viewpoints. The data will then be analyzed from the transcription. Qualitative research is exploratory in nature and is best suited for understanding phenomena. The approach should remain pragmatic for the researcher in order to remain in a tentative state with regard to applicable variables or desirable themes which may enable appropriate examination of the individual’s experiences.

Fresin Fries Bussiness Plan

Company Summary What is Fresin Fries? Fresin Fries sells  gourmet fries in a cone  with a   choice of sauce. We use the concept of Belgian Fries, where the fries are all made from fresh potatoes and fried twice. Our outlet also provides excellent and friendly customer service to support the ambience of fun, energetic and youthful lifestyle. Youthful and fresh surroundings We will imitate  successful establishments, such as Jamba Juice and Starbucks, which represent the majority of our core target market, between 18 to 35 years of age. Our store will feature display cooking of our featured Belgian Fries from cutting to frying. Our customers will also be able to read our in-house brochures in regards to all knowledge about Belgian Fries and our featured sauces. Our store will be decorated with fast food setting, such as a bright counter and display menu on the wall. Quality food Each  store will  offer nothing but freshly fried Belgian fries, sandwiches and variety of unique blend sauces, all served with old-fashioned home-style care. Open everyday Our store is open everyday from 10 am to 9 pm. Variety, variety, variety A different selection of sauces will be featured every three months and we will also change our Italian soda flavors to accompany our fries. . 1 Company Ownership Fresin Fries is a privately held company. It will be registered as a Limited company, with ownership 25% – Guy Fry, 25% – Sam Sauce, 25% – Carl Cone, 25% – Harry Hip. Guy Fry and Sam Sauce have more than 10 years of experience in the food industry. Both are currently employed as Corporate Staff of Co mpany A. Sam Sauce holds an MBA degree from University V. A true entrepreneur by heart, his latest entrepreneurial project is a diamond store in the heart of Singapore. Guy Fry holds a BA degree in Graphic Design from the Academy of Arts. His projects are widely varied from product design to brand development of several reputable companies. Harry Hip holds a MS degree from Institute Y. He completed several projects and served as project manager for multi-national companies in Singapore. Carl Cone holds a BS degree from University Z, majoring in Management and Information Technology. Prior to his return to Singapore, he has held several management positions in a U. S. -based IT company. 2. 2 Start-up Summary The retail outlet will be rented at one of the target location shopping malls. Our preference is Space A, for the main reason of reaching larger traffic. Startup requirements will be financed through owner investments. [pic] [pic] [pic] |Start-up | | | | |Requirements | | | | | |Start-up Expenses | | |Kitchen and Fixtures |$21,600 | |Furniture and Interior |$16,500 | |Legal |$3,000 | |Rent |$15,000 | |Packaging and Stationary |$8,500 | |Contingencies |$4,200 | Total Start-up Expenses |$68,800 | | | | |Start-up Assets | | |Cash Required |$50,000 | |Other Current Assets |$0 | |Long-term Assets |$0 | |Total Assets |$50,000 | | | | |Total Requirements |$118,800 | 2. 3 Company Locations and Facilities Fresin Fries locations will range in size from 50 – 70 meter square and will seat from  15 –  25 guests. Our first location will be on the larger end of this range. The location will feature its own originality in merchandise display and other brand building attributes. We will equip the outlet with modern furniture and  aim for  cleanliness  and an  open feeling. We are currently looking at several possible sites in shopping malls along Orchard Road. The space selection will be chosen based upon the following criteria: †¢ Community size: minimum of 800,000 people within a radius of 8 kilometers. †¢ Tourist destination. †¢ Easy access. †¢ Large percentage  of teenagers in the community. All of these qualities are consistent with Fresin Fries' goal of providing a top quality fast food experience. We want â€Å"word-of-mouth† to be our best form of marketing, where our customers value our brand as something exciting and cannot wait to tell their friends and neighbors. Fresin Fries will directly compete with several fast food joints inside the chosen shopping mall,  including Tori-Q (yakitori specialist), Bee Che Hiang (chinese sausages), Bread Talk (one of the most successful bakery franchises), and Pizza Walker (locally owned pizza chain). Products We want to focus only on selling fries. Alcoholic drinks will not be sold in our outlet, as Fresin Fries promotes a healthy and positive Singaporean lifestyle. Instead, we will offer Italian Soda  to complement the fries. In promoting  the  Fresin Fries  lifestyle, we will offer various merchandise  with our logo and colors, from hats to t-shirts to potato cutters to our signature sauces, so that our customers can enjoy Fresin Fries at home. Our signature sauce is exclusively manufactured by Company Q. They can be also purchased at selected retailers. 3. 1 Product Description Fresin Fries primarily sells fries and our  unique dipping sauces. Main products sold are: Belgian fries, Italian sodas and corporate merchandise. Belgian-style fries are available in large (choose 2 dips), small (choose 1 dip), with addition of garlic Fresin (add S$0. 25). The dips for Belgian style fries can also be served with sandwiches; they  are available in more than 20 flavors: †¢ Pesto Mayo †¢ Satay Sauce †¢ Teriyaki Sauce †¢ Thai Chili Ketchup †¢ Creamy Wasabi Mayo †¢ Roasted Pepper Mayo †¢ Lava Cheese †¢ Black Pepper Sauce †¢ Curry Ketchup †¢ Barbecue †¢ Jalapeno Ketchup †¢ Caribbean Islands Traditional Sambal †¢ Korean BBQ †¢ Hot Chili Sauce †¢ Garlic Dip 3. 2 Competitive Comparison Fresin Fries has several advantages over its leading competitors: †¢ Unique â€Å"fusion† concept of dipping sauce. †¢ We expect a high degree of enthusiasm and offer a fun store with friendly staff , that reflects the company's youthful and energetic culture. †¢ Supporting merchandise items that support the company's brand building. †¢ Our fried potato is made 100% fresh, compared to most fast food outlets that use frozen fries. †¢ Our dipping sauce is also made fresh without preservatives. Our innovative packaging will be more entertaining than our competitors; a single cone with a cup reserved for dipping sauce. |Company | | | |2005 |2006 |2007 |2008 |2009 | | |Potential Customers |Growth | | | | | |CAGR | |Young Singaporeans |15% |5,000,000 |5,750,000 |6,612,500 |7,604,375 |8,745,031 |15. 00% | |Working Singaporeans |10% |3,000,000 |3,300,000 |3,630,000 |3,993,000 |4,392,300 |10. 0% | |Tourists |20% |3,800,000 |4,560,000 |5,472,000 |6,566,400 |7,879,680 |20. 00% | |Total |15. 52% |11,800,000|13,610,000|15,714,500|18,163,775|21,017,011|15. 52% | 4. 2 Target Market Segment Strategy Fresin Fries intends to cater to the bulk of teenagers and youngsters in Singap ore. We have chosen this group for several important reasons. It is our goal to be â€Å"the extraordinary fast food place† and we believe that the age group from 15 to 25 is the primary age where brand building efforts could take place. They are on limited or fixed incomes and seek a value/price relationship that will not stretch their budgets. Our secondary target is  between the ages of 25  and 37, which are a heavy lounge/restaurant user group. They are more flexible in budgets and seek more than a value/price relationship. Our lunch strategy is dual purposed. First, we are featuring fresh fries to fill Singapore's craving for fast food as most ideas of lunch is a quick bite not a heavy meal. Second, we want to keep the price point at lunch as fair as possible to keep us in competition with other fast food outlets. At S$4. 00 for a medium size fries, we are only slightly above the segment, but we offer much more excitement than the rest of the competition. 4. 2. 1 Market Needs Fresin Fries sees our targeted market group as having many â€Å"makan† (eating) Singaporean Dollar needs. A recent Consumer Trend and Analysis by Euromonitor identified the following needs among our target markets. Our core group: †¢ Wants variety and flavor in its food, preferably something fried †¢ Looks for speed of service †¢ Wants an entertaining and fun experience Insists upon a clean, friendly, and attractive environment †¢ Adopts a global lifestyle †¢ Is computer literate †¢ Enjoys eating out †¢ Has an active lifestyle †¢ Comes from various ethnic backgrounds According to a GAIN Report published in 2000, potatoes are  the second largest commodity of US exports to Singapore after fresh fruit, valuing almost USD $13 million per annum. This is caused by the increasing ly younger demographic and rising incomes throughout Singapore that have led to lifestyle changes that are influencing consumer purchases, food, and entertainment choices. Some changes taking place include a larger professional class with more working women,  which means greater disposable incomes. 4. 2. 2 Market Trends In the past, Singaporeans preferred Western chain restaurants. This was the time when KFC, McDonald's, Long John Silver's  and Pizza Hut were dominating most of the chains. But the trend seems to have shifted in the last decade, with the success of the locally grown brands, such as Bread Talk and Bee Che Hiang. Many of these local brands grew to become  giant franchises  that dominate the Southeast Asia region. For instance, Bread Talk controls 55% of Indonesia's bakery market. The key to success for these foreign chains was mainly due to the popularity of Singapore as tourist destination for these countries. Tourists are the strongest â€Å"buzzer. † Usually after  they went back from vacationing in Singapore, they told friends and families about new things in Singapore, including new shopping malls, new boutiques, new restaurants, and new fast food joints. The fascination of Asian tourists coming to Singapore has positioned the city itself as an aspiration to modern life in the region. Many local entrepreneurs camouflaged their retail stores as an international brand in accordance to what they sell. For instance, there is a local entrepreneur who created a Japanese name to sell yakitori (Japanese BBQ meat skewers), and there is a fashion boutique named after an old Italian movie. 4. 3 Industry Analysis Despite the prolonged effects of the Asian Economic Crisis followed by political turmoil up to mid 2001, Singapore's food service industry witnessed growth over 2000/2001 at 4  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 5% in terms of units and transaction (Euromonitor). Much of this growth was contributed by the cafes/bars, fast food, and food retail sectors, whose wide appeal amongst a young population, for whom time is of a premium, led to high levels of growth. This growth is underpinned by market demand and lifestyle changes, such as seeing eating out as part of trendy lifestyle. Entry of major multi-national food service operators into major shopping destination in the late 1980s until the 1990s led to growth in competition in the marketplace, mainly from fast food chains. This stimulated the rise in the number of fast food units, both of international  and local chains, that started in the early 1990s. Although there was a  slowdown during the economic crisis in 1998,  the food service industry  recovered faster than others, particularly during 2000 and 2001. Recent bombing tragedies have also proven that  negative effects on this sector  are moderately short-term. Franchising became popular in the food service industry through the introduction and entry of multi-national food service brands, primarily U. S. -owned enterprises, such as KFC, Pizza Hut and McDonald's. Currently, there are many local chains that have also experienced growth by applying this system to their operations. 4. 3. 1 Trends in Food Service Retail According to government surveys, Singapore's spending on â€Å"eating out† is continuing to increase. Spending on cooked food as a percentage of total average food-spend reached 55% in 1998. The growth in spending in the food service sector arises from a number of factors: †¢ Increased affluence amongst Singaporeans, especially those under the age of 40 years. †¢ Increases in the number of expatriate residents, which has more than doubled since 1988. †¢ Increased convenience-seeking amongst younger Singaporeans who live in a hectic city today compared to the much slower pace of life that existed 20 years ago. When they want convenient cooked food, Singaporeans have long turned to the local hawker stalls, rather than prepared ready-to-cook or ready-to-eat processed convenience foods. As the numbers and variety of food service outlets has increased in Singapore, locals have adopted the convenient products of other food service outlets, especially the fast food outlets, as alternative sources of convenient cooked food. Younger middle and upper income group families and individuals are also frequent users of the full service restaurants, modern-style coffee shops and cafes that now exist all across Singapore. Over the past 5 years, there has been a general upgrading in the food service sector which has seen the establishment of more air conditioned food centers (food courts) that are considerably cleaner than the traditional hawker markets. At the same time, increased investment from foreign and local businesses in the sector has also produced an increase in the numbers of: †¢ Foreign chains, including chains such as Outback Steakhouse. †¢ Modern retail bakery/cafe outlets such as Bread Talk. †¢ Modern coffee shops such as Starbucks. 4. 3. 2 Competition and Buying Patterns The competition in this arena is the fiercest  in all  other metropolitan areas in SE Asia. Singapore is a compact city, but has a lot to offer. Usually there are a minimum of two of the same outlets within  a radius of less than 300 meters. For instance, Bread Talk opens one outlet inside the Ngee Ann City Shopping Centre and another just across the street inside the Far East Plaza Shopping Centre. It is quite common for retailers to implement this kind of strategy, due to the high volume of people strolling around the main area of Orchard Road. Another reason is because many retailers do not want to lose sales opportunity, as the competitors are offering substitutions and similar product categories. This phenomenon has made Singapore the best place to shop. If you just missed Haagen Dazs waffle at CK Tang Shopping Mall, there is another Haagen Dazs across the street at the new Paragon Shopping Centre. 4. 3. 3 Main Competitors Our main competitors in this segment are any food outlets within the 300 meter radius along the Orchard Road. In our location, there are Tori-Q, Pizza Walker, Starbucks, Bread Talk, and Rotiboy. Tori-Q Tori-Q is locally owned franchise who sells Japanese BBQ skewers. Established in 1998, Tori-Q had expanded its operation into neighboring countries, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Tori-Q is popular among local teenagers as it offers fast service to its customers. Commonly, Tori-Q outlets are rather small,  and can only serve a maximum of 6 guests. It is a choice for those who are in a hurry and would like to grab a quick lunch on the way. Pizza Walker Pizza Walker is a joint venture positioned as gourmet pizza joint in Singapore. Most of its retail outlets are decorated with welcoming ambience, such as flowers and see-through kitchens. Pizza Walker is a good place to hang out, and the place is always full during lunch hour. It has more than enough tables to serve a maximum of 55 guests. Its specialty is all-you-can-eat pizza! Starbucks Starbucks' strategy entering the lunch market had made some impact in Singapore. Usually, a lunch menu in Singapore consists of â€Å"fried and BBQ stuff† such as roast pork with rice or the Big Mac. Starbucks is one of the first food retailers that popularized â€Å"light and healthy† alternatives such as salad or lean sandwich as an options for Singapore's lunch accommodations. Bread Talk As the most successful franchiser in Singapore, Bread Talk is surely becoming a threat for most food retailers. Bread Talk not only rented most of the retail space along Orchard Road, but now they are doing delivery to offices and apartments nearby. Bread Talk outlets usually consist of a huge see-through kitchen, and bread trays ready for pick-up by customers, with three or four cashiers at front, to speed up the queue. Rumor has it that Bread Talk sold more than 35,000 breads each day in just one of their retail outlets. Rotiboy A Malaysian franchise. Rotiboy is quite popular in the region as it is now expanding into several cities in Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines. Rotiboy offers simplicity for quick lunch franchiser, and often considered alternatives for its long queueing rivals. 4. 3. 4 Foreign Vs. Local Franchising Around 40% of the franchises operating in Singapore are foreign. Home grown franchises are still in their maturing stages as they start to expand globally. Franchises from the U. S. account for 65% of foreign brands, with big players such as KFC, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, etc. Due to high capital investment, Singapore conglomerates tend to dominate the industry. Home grown franchises are more  often sought more by young entrepreneurs than  are their Western counterparts, as  they offer greater flexibility and lower franchise fees to operate. Unlike Western license holders, home grown franchises  are more efficient in the overall supply chain management as the basic raw ingredients are commonly found anywhere in the region. Strategy and Implementation Summary At first, we will open one outlet inside the New Paragon Shopping Centre. This will become our â€Å"market testing area,† and as we go further, Fresin Fries is planning to open another in nearby shopping malls. In attracting customers to try our fries, we will provide a see-through kitchen, so that people will see how we are committed to freshness in our products. The kitchen will also let out an aroma of our freshly fried fries into the surroundings area, so that people will come and try our products. 5. 1 Competitive Edge †¢ Our unique dipping sauces blend local taste and international into one fusion recipe for the signature sauce. Enthusiastic and friendly staff †¢ Supporting merchandise items that support company's brand building. †¢ Our  fries  are made of 100% fresh potatoes, unlike the frozen fries used by competitors. †¢ Innovative packaging will position us at the same level with foreign fast food franchises. 5. 2 Marketing Strategy Our strategy is based on serving our markets well. We will start our first outlet a s a â€Å"market tester† that could become a model of the expanding number of outlets in the future. Concentration will be on maintaining quality and establishing a strong identity in the local market. A combination of local media and local store marketing programs will be utilized at each location. Local store marketing is most effective, followed by print ad. As soon as a concentration of stores is established in a market, then broader media will be explored. We believe, however, that the best form of advertising is still â€Å"buzz. † By providing a fun and energetic environment, with unbeatable quality at an acceptable price in a clean and friendly outlet, we will be the talk of the town. Therefore, the execution of our concept is the most critical element of our plan. We will actively build our brand, through the selling of supporting materials, such as merchandise, promotional items and other marketing gimmicks similar to those of other fast food franchises. 5. 2. 1 Pricing Strategy Our pricing strategy is positioned as â€Å"generic†, meaning that S$4. 00 is the average consumer spending for a snack or light lunch in Singapore. Leveraging the volume of fries, Italian Soda, and signature style sauces to be sold, we are serving the majority of Singaporeans. 5. 2. 2 Brand Challenges Fresin Fries must establish a distinct brand to stand out from the other Western-style fast food competitors. Our logo is distinct as fresh, energetic and playful with color elements that are eye catching. †¢ Product names are geared toward the target market (teens), with items such as â€Å"Frenzy Fresin† and â€Å"Uber Fresin† which are fun and easy to remember. 5. 2. 3 Marketing Programs We will deploy three different marketing tactics to in crease customer awareness of Fresin Fries. Our most important tactic will be â€Å"word-of-mouth† and in-store marketing. This will be by far the cheapest and most effective of our marketing programs  because of  the high traffic in targeted shopping locations. The second tactic will be local store marketing. These will be low-budget plans that will provide community support and awareness of our facility. The last marketing effort will be utilizing local media. Although, this will be the most costly, this tactic will be used sparingly as a supplement where necessary. †¢ In-Store Marketing o In-store brochures containing our concept and philosophy. o Wall posters. o Design concept. o In-store viewing of making fries process from cutting to frying. o Standing signage inside malls’ lobby/aisle. o Outdoor signage (if possible). o Grand opening promotion. o Party catering. o Merchandising items. †¢ Local Store Marketing o Brochures. Free occasional t-shirts at local stores events. †¢ Local Media o Direct mail piece – containing brochures sent to surrounding addresses. o Web page – containing company philosophy, history and news. o Local magazines that target our core customers, such as Free! Magazine. o Newspaper campaign – placing several large ads t hroughout the month to explain our concept to the local area. 5. 2. 4 Positioning Statement Our main focus in marketing will be to increase customer awareness in the surrounding community. We will direct all of our tactics and programs toward the goal of explaining who we are and what we are all about. We will price our products fairly, keep our standards high, and execute the concept so that â€Å"word-of-mouth† will be our main marketing force. 5. 3 Sales Strategy The sales strategy is to build and open new locations in order to increase revenue. However, this plan will be implemented when the one â€Å"market tester† outlet showed potential growth. As each individual location will continue to build its local customer base over the first three years of operation, the goal of each store is  S$104,250 in annual sales, with the original flagship store expected to earn almost S$200,000 per year. . 3. 1 Sales Forecast We anticipate the highest peak on the months of November and December in our sales forecast, due to the holiday seasons. In November, there is Ramadan, and for non-muslim Malaysians and Indonesians, it means vacation time. Approximately 1. 5 million  Indonesians visit Singapore each year, mostly for shopping and dining. Then in December, we anticipate m ore tourists coming into Singapore; this explains the jumped of sales in these last two months of the year. [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] Sales Forecast | | |2005 |2006 |2007 | |Unit Sales | | | | |Belgian Fries |49,464 |98,928 |197,856 | |Italian Soda |27,692 |55,384 |110,768 | |Merchandising |3,889 |7,778 |15,556 | |Signature Packaged Sauces |3,356 |6,712 |13,425 | |Total Unit Sales |84,401 |168,802 |337,605 | | | | | | |Unit Prices |2005 |2006 |2007 | |Belgian Fries |$4. 00 |$4. 00 |$4. 00 | |Italian Soda |$1. 50 |$1. 50 |$1. 50 | |Merchandising |$8. 50 |$8. 50 |$8. 50 | |Signature Packaged Sauces |$2. 00 |$2. 00 |$2. 0 | | | | | | |Sales | | | | |Belgian Fries |$197,856 |$395,712 |$791,424 | |Italian Soda |$41,538 |$83,076 |$166,152 | |Merchandising |$33,057 |$66,114 |$132,228 | |Signature Packaged Sauces |$6,712 |$13,425 |$26,849 | |Total Sales |$279,163 |$558,327 |$1,116,654 | | | | | | |Direct Unit Costs |2005 |2006 |2007 | |Belgian Fries |$0. 80 |$0. 80 |$0. 80 | |Italian So da |$0. 15 |$0. 15 |$0. 15 | |Merchandising |$3. 83 |$3. 83 |$3. 83 | |Signature Packaged Sauces |$1. 00 |$1. 00 |$1. 0 | | | | | | |Direct Cost of Sales | | | | |Belgian Fries |$39,571 |$79,142 |$158,285 | |Italian Soda |$4,154 |$8,308 |$16,615 | |Merchandising |$14,876 |$29,751 |$59,503 | |Signature Packaged Sauces |$3,356 |$6,712 |$13,425 | |Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales |$61,957 |$123,914 |$247,827 | 5. 4 Strategic Alliances Our business requires a long relationship with raw suppliers as well as partner vendors. In Chinese, this relationship is called â€Å"guanxi,† meaning business bonding. We already have a long and good standing relationship with  Company V  in our previous ventures. For Company Y, Mr. Joe Shmo, the managing director,  is a prominent figure in the society and we hope to strengthen further our business relationship with him and  the company. 5. 5 Milestones During the initial set up of the company, the 4 founders (Guy Fry, Harry Hip, Sam Sauce, and Carl Cone) will conduct the planning and implementation in building the brand and the construction of our first outlet. The planning and construction will take approximately 8 months, in addition to the revision and refinement process that will take the rest of the 12 month period before our opening in early 2005. [pic] [pic] [pic] Milestones | | | | | | | | |Milestone |Start Date |End Date |Budget |Manager |Department | |Presentation materials for all |1/12/2004 |3/12/2004 |TBD |Carl Cone |Business | |stakeholders | | | | |Development | |Follow up with suppliers |1/21/2004 |3/22/2004 |$100 |Sam Sau ce |Business | | | | | | |Development | |Follow up with developers |1/21/2004 |9/8/2004 |$50 |Sam Sauce |Business | | | | | | |Development | |Printing materials |2/13/2004 |4/10/2004 |$8,000 |Guy Fry |Marketing | |Marketing communication program |2/21/2004 |6/23/2004 |TBD |Sam Sauce |Marketing | |Constructions |5/22/2004 |12/3/2004 |TBD |Harry Hip |Business | | | | | | |Development | |In store signage, POP |5/23/2004 |10/11/2004 |TBD |Guy Fry |Marketing | |Grand opening materials |6/2/2004 |10/13/2004 |TBD |Guy Fry |Marketing | |Hiring staff |7/14/2004 |8/12/2004 |$900 |Harry Hip |Human Resources | |Open second location |7/1/2005 |7/1/2005 |$10,000 |Carl Cone |Business | | | | | | |Development | |Open 3rd and 4th locations |1/1/2006 |6/1/2006 |$15,000 |Carl Cone |Business | | | | | | |Development | |Open 5th, 6th, and 7th locations|1/1/2007 |12/31/2007 |$20,000 |Carl Cone |Business | | | | | |Development | |Training staff |9/12/2004 |12/10/2004 |$1,000 |Harry Hip |Human Resources | |Totals | | |$55,050 | | | Web Plan Summary The website will, of course, show visitors everything about Belgian food culture, including the history of french fries over time. To make the website interactive, Fresin Fries will offer gift cards and promotions via the Internet, so our visitors can print the promotional coupon in PDF format and bring it when they visit Fresin Fries. Visitors can also download Fresin Fries' theme song as ring tones, or order potato cutters for delivery. Besides the traditional formats of customer service hotline and in-store form, customers can now write their comments and suggestions  on our website, which will be directed to one of our staff. So, the website itself will act as the medium between our company and our audience. In the future, our website will show information on franchising/licensing our brand name. 6. 1 Website Marketing Strategy We will leverage the visibility of our shopping mall's website by getting them to include a link to ours. We will also post  banners on an official Singapore tourism website. 6. 2 Development Requirements To adequately serve our audience, the front end strategy of our website should be parallel with our corporate color. The front end design of our website will be entirely trusted  to Mr. Guy Fry. The diversity of founders' background in our company has enabled a cost efficient development in our venture. As Mr. Harry Hip and Mr. Carl Cone are experts in Information Technology, the back end of our website will be developed by  these gentlemen. Management Summary The initial management team depends on the founders themselves, with little back-up. As we grow, we will take on additional help in certain key areas. Part of our basic philosophy will be able to run our executive management as a â€Å"knowledge sharing† fellowship. We will not add additional overhead until absolutely necessary. This will mean that the initial staff support team will have to work extra. By doing this, we will keep our overhead as low as possible, allowing us to adequately staff our outlets. This will also allow us and future business partners to recoup investments as quickly as possible and enjoy a higher return. At present time, Fresin Fries is being owned by its 4 founders. Others that have helped on the development of this business venture will be offered an opportunity to grow together with the company at the appropriate time, and when the time comes, the 4 founders’ share will be consolidated as one entity. 7. 1 Management Team Fresin Fries is currently the creative idea of its four founders. As the company is small in nature, it only requires a simple organizational structure. Implementation of this organization form calls for all four individuals to make all major management decisions in addition to monitoring all other business activities. As we expand into multiple locations, each location will have a primary site manager. 7. 2 Organizational Structure Future organizational structure will include a director of store operations when the store locations exceed four units. We hope that this individual will come out of the ranks of our stores’ management. This will provide a supervisory level between the executive level and the store management level. Current plan is to have our accounting and payroll functions done by an in-house bookkeeping. Mr. David Lu will be responsible for accounting and business development of Fresin Fries, helped by Mr. Harry Hip, acting Head of Human Resources Division. Possible positions might be added at a later date include marketing manager, purchasing manager, controller, human resources, R&D and administrative support team. 7. 3 Personnel Plan Our initial employees will  include two  cashiers, two cooks and two bus boys per location, with one of each on the premises during open hours. This is considered an ideal personnel number for a food outlet the size of our own. Each employee will work for 38-40 hours per week. In the long run, as we expand our product category and retail outlets, we will employ more people in the middle management to ensure the focus of our work, including site managers. [pic] |Personnel Plan | | |2005 |2006 |2007 | |Site Managers |$0 |$60,000 |$96,000 | |Cashiers |$36,000 |$80,000 |$144,400 | |Cook |$28,800 |$66,000 |$115,200 | |Busboy |$23,400 |$56,000 |$94,000 | |Total People 12 |26 |40 | | | | | | |Total Payroll |$88,200 |$262,000 |$449,600 | Financial Plan The company is now privately held by Harry Hip, Guy Fry, Carl Cone, and Sam Sauce. Future shares will be offered after two consecutive years of operating in Singapore. 8. 1 Projections 8. 2 Start-up Funding Currently, the company is owned by the original 4 founders, who each will contribute $200,000 for the same amount of share, 25%. This will more than cover start-up requirements, and provide the business with a cash cushion to use for expansion over the first thre e years. [pic] Start-up Funding | |Start-up Expenses to Fund |$68,800 | |Start-up Assets to Fund |$50,000 | |Total Funding Required |$118,800 | | | | |Assets | | |Non-cash Assets from Start-up |$30,000 | |Cash Requirements from Start-up |$50,000 | |Additional Cash Raised |$681,200 | |Cash Balance on Starting Date |$731,200 | |Total Assets |$761,200 | | | | | | | |Liabilities and Capital | | | | | |Liabilities | | |Current Borrowing |$0 | |Long-term Liabilities |$0 | |Accounts Payable (Outstanding Bills) |$0 | |Other Current Liabilities (interest-free) |$0 | |Total Liabilities |$0 | | | | |Capital | | | | | |Planned Investment | | |Eric Yam |$200,000 | |Martin Ng |$200,000 | |David Lu |$200,000 | |Sagita Suwandi |$200,000 | |Additional Investment Requirement |$0 | |Total Planned Investment |$800,000 | | | | |Loss at Start-up (Start-up Expenses) |($68,800) | |Total Capital |$731,200 | | | | | | | |Total Capital and Liabilities |$731,200 | | | | |Total Funding |$800,000 | 8. 3 Break-even Analysis Our break-even analysis shows that we need unit sales over 9,700 per month to break even. We do not expect to begin turning a profit until year three. [pic] [pic] [pic] |Break-even Analysis | | | | |Monthly Units Break-even |9,706 | |Monthly Revenue Break-even |$32,104 | | | | |Assumptions: | | Average Per-Unit Revenue |$3. 31 | |Average Per-Unit Variable Cost |$0. 73 | |Estimated Monthly Fixed Cost |$24,979 | 8. 4 Projected Profit and Loss As the Profit and Loss shows,  Fresin Fries will run at a loss f or the first two years, using up some of the cash reserves initially invested by the founders. As sales increase, we will expand into new locations to aggressively spread brand recognition. This increase in visibility will allow us to take up less expensive locations off of Orchard Road, while maintaining our flagship operation, the first store, in a  prime spot. [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] Pro Forma Profit and Loss | | |2005 |2006 |2007 | |Sales |$279,163 |$558,327 |$1,116,654 | |Direct Cost of Sales |$61,957 |$123,914 |$247,827 | |Other Costs of Sales |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Total Cost of Sales |$61,957 |$123,914 |$247,827 | | | | | | |Gross Margin |$217,207 |$434,413 |$868,826 | |Gross Margin % |77. 81% |77. 81% |77. 81% | | | | | | | | | | | |Expenses | | | | |Payroll $88,200 |$262,000 |$449,600 | |Marketing/Promotion |$10,000 |$10,000 |$10,000 | |Depreciation |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Rent |$174,000 |$248,000 |$298,000 | |Utilities |$2,550 |$5,000 |$8,000 | |New locatio n setup |$25,000 |$50,000 |$50,000 | | | | | | |Total Operating Expenses |$299,750 |$575,000 |$815,600 | | | | | | |Profit Before Interest and Taxes |($82,543) |($140,587) |$53,226 | |EBITDA |($82,543) |($140,587) |$53,226 | |Interest Expense |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Taxes Incurred |$0 |$0 |$0 | | | | | | |Net Profit |($82,543) |($140,587) |$53,226 | |Net Profit/Sales |-29. 57% |-25. 18% |4. 77% | 8. 5 Projected Cash Flow The following chart and table show the Projected Cash Flow for Fresin Fries. [pic] [pic] [pic] |Pro Forma Cash Flow | | |2005 |2006 |2007 | |Cash Received | | | | | | | | | |Cash from Operations | | | | |Cash Sales |$279,163 |$558,327 |$1,116,654 |Subtotal Cash from Operations |$279,163 |$558,327 |$1,116,654 | | | | | | |Additional Cash Received | | | | |Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Received |$0 |$0 |$0 | |New Current Borrowing |$0 |$0 |$0 | |New Other Liabilities (interest-free) |$0 |$0 |$0 | |New Long-term Liabilities |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Sales of Other Current Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Sales of Long-term Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 | |New Investment Received |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Subtotal Cash Received |$279,163 |$558,327 |$1,116,654 | | | | | | |Expenditures |2005 |2006 |2007 | | | | | | |Expenditures from Operations | | | | |Cash Spending |$88,200 |$262,000 |$449,600 | |Bill Payments |$244,265 |$430,245 |$599,286 | |Subtotal Spent on Operations |$332,465 |$692,245 |$1,048,886 | | | | | | |Additional Cash Spe nt | | | | |Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Paid Out |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Other Liabilities Principal Repayment |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Long-term Liabilities Principal Repayment |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Purchase Other Current Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Purchase Long-term Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 |Dividends |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Subtotal Cash Spent |$332,465 |$692,245 |$1,048,886 | | | | | | |Net Cash Flow |($53,301) |($133,918) |$67,767 | |Cash Balance |$677,899 |$543,981 |$611,748 | 8. 6 Projected Balance Sheet Fresin's projected company balance sheet follows. We expect to run at a loss for the first two years, decreasing our net worth slightly. As the operation becomes more profitable in the third year, our net worth rises again. [pic] Pro Forma Balance Sheet | | |2005 |2006 |2007 | |Assets | | | | | | | | | |Current Assets | | | | |Cash |$677,899 |$543,981 |$611,748 | |Other Current Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Total Current Assets |$677,899 |$543,981 |$611,748 | | | | | | |Long-te rm Assets | | | | |Long-term Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Accumulated Depreciation |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Total Long-term Assets |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Total Assets |$677,899 |$543,981 |$611,748 | | | | | | |Liabilities and Capital |2005 |2006 |2007 | | | | | | |Current Liabilities | | | | |Accounts Payable |$29,242 |$35,911 |$50,452 | |Current Borrowing |$0 |$0 |$0 | Other Current Liabilities |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Subtotal Current Liabilities |$29,242 |$35,911 |$50,452 | | | | | | |Long-term Liabilities |$0 |$0 |$0 | |Total Liabilities |$29,242 |$35,911 |$50,452 | | | | | | |Paid-in Capital |$800,000 |$800,000 |$800,000 | |Retained Earnings |($68,800) |($151,343) |($291,930) | |Earnings |($82,543) |($140,587) |$53,226 | |Total Capital |$648,657 |$508,070 |$561,296 | |Total Liabilities and Capital |$677,899 |$543,981 |$611,748 | | | | | | |Net Worth |$648,657 |$508,070 |$561,296 | . 7 Business Ratios The following table outlines some of the more important ratios from the  Fast Food Restaurants and Stands  in dustry. The final column, Industry Profile, details specific ratios based on the industry as it is classified by the Standard Industry Classification (SIC) code 5812. [pic] |Ratio Analysis | | |2005 |2006 |2007 |Industry Profile | |Sales Growth |0. 00% |100. 00% |100. 00% |8. 7% | | | | | | | |Percent of Total Assets | | | | | |Other Current Assets |0. 00% |0. 00% |0. 00% |37. 31% | |Total Current Assets |100. 00% |100. 00% |100. 00% |45. 97% | |Long-term Assets |0. 00% |0. 00% |0. 00% |54. 03% | |Total Assets |100. 00% |100. 0% |100. 00% |100. 00% | | | | | | | |Current Liabilities |4. 31% |6. 60% |8. 25% |17. 94% | |Long-term Liabilities |0. 00% |0. 00% |0. 00% |22. 26% | |Total Liabilities |4. 31% |6. 60% |8. 25% |40. 20% | |Net Worth |95. 69% |93. 40% |91. 75% |59. 0% | | | | | | | |Percent of Sales | | | | | |Sales |100. 00% |100. 00% |100. 00% |100. 00% | |Gross Margin |77. 81% |77. 81% |77. 81% |59. 05% | |Selling, General & Administrative Expenses |107. 37% |102. 99% |73. 0 4% |39. 24% | |Advertising Expenses |0. 00% |0. 00% |0. 00% |1. 96% | |Profit Before Interest and Taxes |-29. 57% |-25. 8% |4. 77% |1. 92% | | | | | | | |Main Ratios | | | | | |Current |23. 18 |15. 15 |12. 13 |1. 04 | |Quick |23. 18 |15. 15 |12. 13 |0. 66 | |Total Debt to Total Assets |4. 31% |6. 60% |8. 25% |50. 2% | |Pre-tax Return on Net Worth |-12. 73% |-27. 67% |9. 48% |6. 90% | |Pre-tax Return on Assets |-12. 18% |-25. 84% |8. 70% |13. 87% | | | | | | | |Additional Ratios |2005 |2006 |2007 | | |Net Profit Margin |-29. 57% |-25. 18% |4. 77% |n. a | |Return on Equity |-12. 73% |-27. 7% |9. 48% |n. a | | | | | | | |Activity Ratios | | | | | |Accounts Payable Turnover |9. 35 |12. 17 |12. 17 |n. a | |Payment Days |27 |27 |26 |n. a | |Total Asset Turnover |0. 41 |1. 03 |1. 83 |n. | | | | | | | |Debt Ratios | | | | | |Debt to Net Worth |0. 05 |0. 07 |0. 09 |n. a | |Current Liab. to Liab. |1. 00 |1. 00 |1. 00 |n. a | | | | | | | |Liquidity Ratios | | | | | |Net Working Capital |$648,6 57 |$508,070 |$561,296 |n. a | |Interest Coverage |0. 00 |0. 00 |0. 00 |n. | | | | | | | |Additional Ratios | | | | | |Assets to Sales |2. 43 |0. 97 |0. 55 |n. a | |Current Debt/Total Assets |4% |7% |8% |n. a | |Acid Test |23. 18 |15. 15 |12. 13 |n. a | |Sales/Net Worth |0. 43 |1. 10 |1. 99 |n. a | |Dividend Payout |0. 00 |0. 00

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Democracy - Essay Example Democracy has certain salient characteristics to it that makes it the most favorite and also distinguishes it from other forms of governments and rulings. Elections are held after a constant time period mostly four to five years. The prime minister is the head of state in a democratic state. A republic state is one where the President enjoys more power and authority than the Prime Minister. The rules of business are devised through a constitution which is either in written form or in oral. Parliament is the place where representatives of the people gather and discuss the local and national issues. Local parliaments are in place on state and province level. This is one of the dominant forms of government across the world. With nearly three fourth of the countries on earth being democratic. It is considered as sign of the freedom and level prosperity. The relatively progressive nations of the world are stressing for implementation of democracy in those parts of the world where dictator ship and non representative form of government is in place. India is the country with second largest population and is the largest democracy. The notable feature of Indian democracy is the fact that it has never been derailed by the forceful overthrow of the dictators and Army unlike many countries. One of the centre of attractions in Southern Asia and came into existence in 1947 along side its neighbor Pakistan with whom the ties have never been too friendly. The last elections were held in 2009. Member of the Sikh community Manmohan Singh is the prime minister of the country and represents the Congress party. Though the rising population is a serious concern yet, the stable state of institutions and direct election of people’s representatives holds the key to the progress of nation. With the economy on the rise, India is strong contender for becoming one of the might of Asia in coming years with development in the field of science and technology and education. Democracy has a considerable role in the entire state of India as it stands currently. Tunisia is situated in Africa on the coasts of Mediterranean Sea and remained a colony of France until 1950s. However it did not get to have taste of democracy for nearly three decades and was under the reign of Habib Bourguiba. He was followed by Zine al Abidine Ben Ali. His extensive rule came to an end in 2011 when an interim government was put in place. Much is expected of the interim set up with regard to hopes for a true democracy that would be representative of the wishes of the people of Tunisia. Venezuela is situated in South America. The country is rich in natural resources, mostly the oil, coal and gold. Having mentioned the natural resources, the bulk of the population still lives below the poverty line and inflation is on a constant rise. The country and its people still aspire for a true democracy with hopes of improvement in lifestyle and living, however much to the contrary the leaders most not ably the president himself is aiming at a new form of socialism. Hugo Chavez is the leader who is the lone dominant force of the entire scenario. It has been under the influence of the socialist states of the world, and most notably the former Soviet Union. The relations are quite sour on the international front, especially with the United States of America that consider the president a serious threat towards the internal stability of Venezuela and the freedom and prosperity of the people of

Homework 3 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Homework 3 - Assignment Example Hatfill and spoilt his good name as a doctor and biomedical researcher, and thereby constituted, discretely, defamation, defamation per se, and defamation by fake light." To add, the complaint suspected that Kristofs "intentional public criticism of Dr. Hatfill as the likely anthrax assassin regardless of whether Dr. Hatfill was culpable or not guilty" constituted purposeful infliction of emotional suffering. The court’s ruling does not seem to favor one value over the other because all claims were dealt with as per the law. The case is largely dependent on the use of particular terms since it has so many terms being defined to enable the reader to understand a particular term being used. The definitions used are impeccable in that they clearly simplifies this terms which makes it easier to understand. 2) What assumption allows for existing entities to be held responsible for the actions of deceased individuals? Especially in a case such as this, in which the plaintiff was present as a matter of random chance – a situation out of control of those now held responsible-what reasoning allows for assignment of culpability? Existing entities can be held responsible for the actions of the deceased because when Charles Scarlett told Lourecy that his wife was having a seizure, Lourecy took off her phone to ask for help this might have led to Charles Scarlett shooting his wife and later shooting himself while looking directly at Lourecy. Mrs. Palsgraf should not be awarded the damages because the relationship of the guards doings to Palsgrafs harm was not direct to make him accountable. I am convinced with the court’s ruling because it was difficult for the guard to have known that the wrap up was unsafe and that pushing the traveler would thereby cause a

Systems and Operation Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Systems and Operation Management - Essay Example The reason why Apple is one of the most acclaimed companies that stands out from the rest of the technology companies is the fact that it has continued to grow through the continuous redefinition of standards and techniques of innovation right from the products designed, to the way that they are marketed and also their improvement. The partnership of Wozniak and Jobs proved to be the perfect recipe for building one of the largest technology companies in the world. The former was the real technical genius who endeavored to create the first computer whereas the latter made advertisements and was involved in the marketing of the first computer. In the summer of 1976, the first computer named apple I was created. By either luck or intensive marketing, it was sold to the Byte Shop which was the premier retail customer chain in the world. The remarkable feat is that the two were able to successfully build and sell all of the first 50 computers that they made in that first summer in operati on. The official incorporation of the company occurred on January 3rd in 1977. This gave the two partners the motivation they required and in that year, they started working on the Apple II but this time with the help of some of their friends who were technically-savvy. The company image was born out of Job’s passion for computers which led to him consulting with the then retired Intel Corporation’s marketing manager, Michael Markkula who even bought a third of the company for $250,000. As the business grew, the three partners thought it prudent to appoint Michael Scott as their CEO and the first president. However, before the launch of the Apple two, it was decided that the company update its image. This led to the involvement of Robert Janoff. The design that he designed is still in use even up to today. The art director states that the only direction that he got from Steve Jobs was that he should not attempt to make the design sweet (Razl 2009). The Apple II and its antecedent the Apple I were very great successes for the company. This prompted them to start working on the Apple III. This project was the first failure for the company and it sparked a protracted battle between Scott and Jobs. This escalated when Scott unanimously, without consulting the board of directors, to sack 40 employees. This action led to his demotion to vice chairman with Jobs assuming the mantle of chairman. Markkula assumed the position of CEO and this led to Scott’s resignation in 1981. Although the tension within the company continued to escalate, the Apple Lisa was to be developed using a new Graphic User Interface (GUI) (Bellis 2009). Jobs were the brainchild behind this development after a visit to the Xerox Company and it is no wonder that the computer was named after his oldest daughter. Xerox seemed oblivious to the potential that this technology had and although they were using it in their products, they did not consider it as being viable to be used in personal computers. Jobs as the lead designer of the Lisa continued to test consumer reaction while continuously improving the interface. Markkula, being impatient with this maneuver relieved Jobs of his role as the lead designer which in turn led him to being demoted and subsequently, John Sculley was hired as the new CEO. The

The second media age (communication course) Essay

The second media age (communication course) - Essay Example (Sullivan, 2009, Internet) The Internet has practically become an effective tool of building self-esteem among people who needed to have the attention that they think they deserve and be able to gain satisfaction from life, no matter how ordinary it was. The internet was able to present a whole new world of opportunities to individuals who are specifically concerned of how they are recognized by the world. How was it possible for the internet to provide this particular source of personal self-esteem through social sites such as youtube, multiply.com, Friendster, facebook and so on and so forth The discussion that follows herein shall give a proper presentation as to how the Internet has become a proper channel of inspiration and the host of modern technology's capability to make ordinary people's lives somewhat extraordinary and more fulfilling in many ways (Buzzard, p.206). To start with, a discussion on broadcasting and how it is applied in the field of internet procedures of showcasing the people's talents over the web shall be presented in the section that follows. Broadcasting is the ba... at simply aim to present someone's capabilities to the public in an aim to inform, to entertain or to simply present something to the viewing and listening public. Before, the word broadcasting has been noted to be used only by professional network operators around the world alone. It was not that easy for anyone to simply penetrate this kind of broadcasting. The basic idea is that, for someone to be able to present himself or herself in videos through television or even through audio tools such as the radio, that individual should be able to pass some personal criteria requirements for the network owners to agree to the showing or showcasing of the said individual's talents to be presented to the public. (Hills, 2001, p. 122) However, gone are the days when people used to fall in line just to be able to get one elusive spot on television and radio networks to be able to show who they are. Gone are the days when people who are less fortunate and have the lesser financial source to spend end up in their homes frustrated over having the chance to present themselves to the public. With the introduction of the internet to the human society, it could not be denied that these worries on the part of those who really want to share their talents to the world were eased. How Through the emergence of web broadcasting (Morris, 1996, p.43). This procedure of web hosting on the major social websites that are allowing people to connect to each other provides a wide storage system which is called "memory" through the use of the internet for those who aim to become members of the said sites. Likely this large memory storage is dedicated to photos, music or audio files as well as videos that the part-owners of the site, wh o are the users, might one to show or share with their network

Beat Generation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Beat Generation - Essay Example The concluding edition was not published till six years after Kerouac wrote it in one extended paragraph in 1951. In 1957, the Beat poem â€Å"Howl† (by Kerouac’s friend Allen Ginsberg) had gained unsavory reputation; the newly published â€Å"On the Road â€Å"was proficient to ride the wave of attention in the Beats as well as make Kerouac an immediate celebrity â€Å"On the Road’s† cross-continental journeys are about Kerouac’s trips, mostly by car and bus and often accompanied by his friend Neal Cassady, the frenetic, charismatic, independent scholar from the West. Cassady’s name in the novel is Dean Moriarty. The novel begins with Dean and Sal Paradise (Kerouac) meeting in New York City and progresses through four mostly fast-paced trips, back and forth amid New York and California, up and down the Eastern Seaboard, along the Gulf Coast, and downs into Mexico, with notable stopovers in Denver and New Orleans, the latter to visit Old Bull Lee (William 3). The open road, poverty, drugs, alcohol, jazz, hunger, sex, speed, and characters met along the way create intense situations that allow the travelers to observe, react, and consider while becoming more familiar with their own identities. The novel’s two principal characters are the narrator, Sal, and his companion and hero, Dean Moriarty thinly veiled versions of Kerouac and his friend Neal Cassady. The book unfolds as a loosely connected series of episodes that document the pair’s adventures during a drunken and drug-ridden odyssey through the United States. Along the way, they meet and befriend an unforgettable gallery of American types: jazz singers, drug addicts, hitchhikers, and drifters. Their journey culminates in a revealing and darkly humorous stay in Mexico (Challi p 10). Much of â€Å"On the Road† is barely disguised autobiography, a document attesting to the

Strategic retail plan for Spinneys Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategic retail plan for Spinneys - Essay Example This paper will conduct a situation audit for Spinneys. The plan will involve doing an analysis of the company internal and external activities. This will mean doing a SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity and threats) analysis. The plan will assist in developing the mission statement and assist in developing the core values of the business. The plan will help in developing goals and suggest ways of accomplishing those goals. Spinneys require an effective, strategic plan to continue growing and improving. The plan assists in monitoring and evaluating the company capabilities. The plan will provide crucial information required to update and improve the company in general. A situation audit for Spinneys will commence with a frame work evaluating the objectives, strategy and capabilities of the company (George, 1987). The frame work will assist the company gauge its’ strength, know its areas of improvement and how to relate with the external environment. Spinneys mission statement is to create value to customers, employees, share hol ders and all partners. This mission statement is not effective as it does not give a continued direction and focus of the supermarket chain stores (Steen & Avery, 2010). A vision statement should show hope for the company and customers. Spinneys vision statement states the desire of the company to grow in Lebanon. The statement has failed in that it does not show any hope for the customer. The value statement is equally valuable in a situation audit. It depicts the fundamental values of a company. Spinneys’ value statement which include - Respect, Integrity, Customer Satisfaction, Team Spirit, Performance and Corporate Citizenship combines the interest of all stakeholders. The external analysis of Spinneys Company is favourable. The company stake holders have a positive impression. Spinneys Company enjoys volume sales. This has

Understanding Rhetorical Structures as They Pertain to Audience Essay Example for Free

Understanding Rhetorical Structures as They Pertain to Audience Essay This paper is about the understanding of the Rhetorical Structures as they pertain to audience, purpose, and context and how they affect the argument of whether taxes should be raised on higher income brackets in order to fund social programs for at-risk and underserved, low income children. I will discuss the relationship between the audience, purpose, and context to the context of the argument. Understanding Rhetorical Structures How do audience, purpose, and context affect the argument of whether taxes should be raised on higher income brackets in order to fund social programs for at-risk and underserved, low income children. I will discuss the relationship between the audience, purpose, and context to the context of the argument. Discussion The goal of this discussion is to see the relationship between audience, purpose, and context of should Taxes be raised for higher income brackets in order to fund social programs for at-risk, underserved, and low income children. The first audience for this group are wealth fortune 500 CEO’s. They are considered the in the higher income bracket in my opinion. They need to be educated on the understanding that even though most lower income families struggle, it is not because they are not trying. The economy has taken its toll on a lot of jobs here in the US over the past couple of years and even though they are working a full time job and sometimes two full time jobs, they cannot afford any kind of social program for their children. The present economy conditions are hurting the lower income families to the point that they struggle to make ends meet and can sometimes barley afford to put food on the table for their children. The higher income bracket would need to see just how little the additional taxes would take from them and what the benefits of those taxes could do for a low income family struggling to make ends meet. They still could possibly not be receptive to the idea, but giving them examples of the cost and benefits of such programs I think they would start to understand. The second audience for this group is the low income families of at-risk, and underserved, low income children. They need to be educated on the benefits that could come from the higher taxes. In my opinion, the higher income bracket can afford the higher taxes to fund some of these programs. The cost of living, food, gas, and housing all affect the income of many families in the US. If they understood what could come from the taxes, they could get some reissuance as to vote on such a bill if it came up to vote for the public. Education on the subject of the current tax laws would be a good example of what the different taxes brackets that are used today in the US. Lower income families would jump on the idea of being able to send their children to a soccer camp, or baseball camp. According to an article on â€Å"Taxing the rich is good for the economy†, raising taxes on the higher income bracket would reduce the taxes on low and middle income families. This would also allow for those families to keep more of their income to use towards these programs. All in all I think it would be a beneficial idea to entertain. The context of the economy, food, and taxes all play an important role in this argument. The higher income bracket would be resistant to the idea until they were presented with facts on the cost and the minimal decrease in income for them. The lower income families would be blessed with some relief with their children’s social experience and the ability to provide more learning resources to them.

Effect of Zn Concentration on NiZnFe2O4 Nanoparticles

Effect of Zn Concentration on NiZnFe2O4 Nanoparticles CHAPTER-7 EFFECT OF Zn CONCENTRATION ON MAGNETIC AND DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF NiZnFe2O4 NANOPARTICLES 7.1 INTRODUCTION Ni (1-x) Zn (x) Fe2O4 (x=0.2, 0.4 and 0.6) nanoparticles are synthesized by using coprecipitation method. Zinc is a known metal, its role is important in the modification of ferrite properties by redistribution over the tetrahedral and octahedral sites of the spinel lattice. Rath et al (2002) reported the effect of zinc substitution on lattice parameter and magnetic properties on Mn-Zn ferrites prepared by hydrothermal precipitation method. Arulmurugan et al (2005) studied the effect of zinc substitution on Co-Zn and Mn-Zn ferrite nanoparticles prepared by coprecipitaion method. This chapter discusses the effect of zinc concentration on structural, magnetic and dielectric properties of NiZnFe2O4 nanoparticles prepared by co-precipitation method. The detailed experimental procedure involved in the preparation of NiZn ferrite nanoparticles has been already reported in chapter IV. In this method three different compositions such as x=0.2, x=0.4 and x=0.6 were used in the chemical formula Ni (1-x) Zn(x) Fe2O4 to analyze the properties of the ferrite nanoparticles. 7.2 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 7.2.1 X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis The average crystallite size ‘t’ and the lattice parameter ‘a’ were calculated from X-ray diffraction data as reported in the chapter –IV. The values of particle size and Lattice parameter of all samples are also tabulated in Tables 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3. The particle size decreased from 24 to 12nm with the increase of Zn concentration. The same behavior of decrease in particle size with the increase of zinc concentration was also observed for the samples sintered at 600 °C and 900 °C. The decrease in particle size due to the increase of zinc concentration was 26 to 20nm for sintered sample at 600 °C and 31 to 25 nm for sintered sample at 900 °C respectively. This variation of particle size with zinc concentration at the above mentioned sintering temperature of Ni Zn ferrites nano particles is shown in Fig.7.1. The above observation shows that the presence of zinc blocks the grain growth. The surface temperature affects the molecular concentration at the surface of the crystal, and hence, the crystal growth (Upadhyay et at 2004). The formation of Zn-ferrite is more exothermic as compared with the formation of Ni-ferrite (Navrotsky Kleppa 1968). Thus, the crystal surface temperature increases with addition of zinc, decreasing the molecular concentration at the crystal surface and hence, obstructing the grain growth. The effects of zinc concentration on structural, magnetic and dielectric properties of Ni-Zn ferrite nano particles were studied. Particle size decreased with the increase of concentration. This decreasing in particle size behavior was observed for all the categories of concentration variation at different sintering temperature levels. The effect of zinc concentration on particle size showed a reverse effect compared with the effect of sintering temperature (chapter-IV), in which the particle sizes increased with the increase of sintering temperature. Table 7.1Particle size and Lattice parameter of as prepared Ni (1-x) Zn (x) Fe2O4 (x= 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6) nano particles Table 7.2 Particle size and Lattice parameter of Ni (1-x) Zn (x) Fe2O4 (x= 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6) nano particles sintered at 600 °C Table 7.3 Particle size and Lattice parameter of Ni (1-x) Zn (x) Fe2O4 (x= 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6) nano particles sintered at 900 °C From Tables 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3 it is also observed that the lattice parameter increases with the increase of zinc concentration. The lattice parameter value for as prepared are increased from 8.33 to 8.37Ã… with the increase of zinc. For the samples sintered at 600 °C the lattice parameter value for lower zinc concentration (x=0.2) is 8.63Ã… and higher zinc concentration (x=0.6) is 8.66 Ã…. The similar behavior of increase in lattice parameter with zinc concentration is also observed as 8.64 to 8.68 Ã… in the samples sintered at 900 °C. This increase of lattice parameter with zinc concentration for all sintering temperatures of Ni Zn ferrites nano particles are also shown in Fig.7.2. The addition of Zn2+ in Ni-ferrite causes the Fe3+ ions to migrate from A site to B site. The larger ionic radius of zinc (0.82Ã…), compared with ferric ion (0.67 Ã…), makes the A site and thus the lattice expands, increasing the lattice parameter. A similar variation of particle size and lattice parameter with zinc content had been observed by Joshi Kulkarrni (1986) for Mg-Zn Ferrite. Fig.7.1Variation of particle size with zinc concentration for all sintering temperatures Fig.7.2Variation of lattice parameter with zinc concentration for all sintering temperature 7.2.2 Magnetic Properties The room temperature B-H hysteresis loops of Ni (1-x) Zn (x) Fe2 O4 nano particles for different zinc concentration (x = 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6) sintered at 600 °C and 900 °C are shown in Figs.7.3 (a), 7.3 (b) and 7.3 (c). The variations of magnetic properties such as saturation magnetization (Ms), and coercivity (Hc) for different zinc concentrations (x = 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6) at particular sintering temperature were calculated from the hysteresis data and tabulated in Tables 7.4, 7.5 and 7.6. Table 7.4 Saturation magnetization and coercivity values of as prepared Ni (1-x) Zn (x) Fe2O4 (x= 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6) nano particles Table 7.5 Saturation magnetization and coercivity values of Ni (1-x) Zn (x) Fe2O4 (x= 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6) nano particles sintered at 600 °C Table 7.6 Saturation magnetization and coercivity values of Ni (1-x) Zn (x) Fe2O4 (x= 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6) nano particles sintered at 900 °C The effect of zinc concentration on magnetic properties such as saturation magnetization and coercivity of all compositions of Ni Zn ferrite nano particles sintered at 600 °C and 900 °C are shown in Figs.7.4 and 7.5. The Fig.7.4 reveals that the saturation magnetization (Ms) decreases with the increase of zinc concentration. The saturation magnetization value decreased from 29.73 to 6.98 emu/g with the increase of zinc concentration for as prepared samples. The saturation magnetization value for the 600 °C sintered samples at lower zinc concentration (x=0.2) was 32.78 emu/g and higher zinc concentration (x=0.6) was 25.80 emu/g. A similar behavior of decrease in saturation magnetization with zinc concentration was also observed in the samples sintered at 900 °C as 64.34 to 39.50 emu/g. Fig.7.3 Hysteresis loops of Ni (1-x) Zn (x) Fe2 O4 nano particles for different zinc concentration (x = 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6) (a) as prepared (b) 600 °C sintered (c) 900 °C sintered samples This decreasing of saturation magnetization with the increase of non magnetic Zn concentration is due to the interaction created by the zinc in the tetrahedral and octahedral sites. This shows the weakening of A-B interaction, whereas B-B interaction changes from ferromagnetic to antiferromagnetic state. The occurrence of minor decrease in saturation magnetization is also evidenced from the dielectric study, because it shows that there is a minor increase in dielectric constant. This reason leads to the conclusion that saturation magnetization variation with respect to concentration for 600 °C and 900 °C samples did not cause a rapid decrease in saturation magnetization like as prepared sample. Fig.7.5 shows that the coercivity values of NiZn ferrite nanoparticles decrease with the increase of zinc concentration. The coercivity values of as prepared nanoparticles decrease from 324.36 to 306.56 Gauss. Similarly the variation of coercivity values of nanocrystalline NiZn ferrite particles with increase of Zn concentration sintered at 600 °C and 900 °C are in the range of 347.31- 340.72 Gauss and 386.67-351.34 Gauss. This is due to the decreases of magneto crystalline anisotropy constant. The magneto crystalline anisotropy constant is negative for both Ni and Zn ferrites. The absolute value of magneto crystalline anisotropy constant larger for Ni ferrites than that of Zn ferrites (Verma et al 2000). The total anisotropy is equal to the sum of their individual anisotropy. So magneto crystalline anisotropy constant and hence coercivity decreases with the increase in Zn concentration. Also reasons behind the decrease in saturation magnetization and decrease in coercivity are c learly identified from the formation of smaller particle size even at the higher Zn concentration at all sintering temperatures. Fig.7.4 Variation of saturation magnetization with zinc concentration Fig.7.5 Variation of coercivity with zinc concentration 7.2.3 Dielectric properties The effect of zinc concentration on dielectric constant of all samples of Ni (1-x) Zn (x) Fe2 O4 nano particles are shown in Figs.7.6 (a), 7.6 (b) and 7.6 (c). The values of dielectric constant and dielectric loss are tabulated in Tables 7.7, 7.8 and 7.9. Fig.7.6 Dielectric constant curves of Ni (1-x) Zn (x) Fe2 O4 nano particles for different zinc concentration (x = 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6) (a) as prepared (b) 600 °C sintered (c) 900 °C sintered samples Fig. 7.7 Dielectric loss curves of Ni (1-x) Zn (x) Fe2 O4 nano particles for different zinc concentration (x = 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6) (a) as prepared (b) 600 °C sintered (c) 900 °C sintered samples The dielectric constant attained for zinc concentration x =0.6 led to a higher value for all the samples. The variations of dielectric constant with zinc concentration for all samples are also shown in Fig. 7.8. For all as prepared samples, the dielectric constant value increased from 10.92 to 25.08 with the increase of zinc concentration. The dielectric constant value for the samples sintered at 600 °C in lower zinc concentration (x=0.2) was 15.33 and it increased to 32.86 at higher zinc concentration (x=0.6). A similar behavior of increase in dielectric constant with increase in zinc concentration was also observed in the samples sintered at 900 °C as 19.37 to 48.18. Table 7.7 Dielectric constant and Dielectric loss values as prepared Ni (1-x) Zn (x) Fe2O4 (x= 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6) nano particles Table 7.8 Dielectric constant and Dielectric loss values of  Ni (1-x) Zn (x) Fe2O4 (x= 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6) nano particles  sintered at 600 °C Table 7.9 Dielectric constant and Dielectric loss values of  Ni (1-x) Zn (x) Fe2O4 (x= 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6) nano particles  sintered at 900 °C Figs.7.7 (a), 7.7 (b) and 7.3 (c) show the effect on zinc concentration on dielectric loss factor of all samples of Ni (1-x) Zn (x) Fe2 O4 nano particles. The variation of dielectric loss factor value with zinc concentration for all sintering temperatures is also shown in Fig. 7.9. For all as prepared samples the dielectric loss factor value increased from 0.59 to 1.36 with the increase of zinc concentration. For the samples sintered at 600 °C the dielectric loss factor value for lower zinc concentration (x=0.2) was 0.68 and at higher zinc concentration (x=0.6) it was 1.61. A similar behavior of increase in dielectric loss with increase in zinc concentration was also observed in the samples sintered at 900 °C as 1.34 to 2.14. In Ni-Zn ferrites Zn occupies [A] site and Ni occupies [B]site, while Fe occupies both [A] and [B] sites. When Zn2+ is added in the place of Ni2+, with increase in Zn composition x, some of the Fe3+ ions get converted into Fe2+ ions. This increases the hopping between Fe3+ and Fe2+ ions, thereby decreasing the resistance of the grain. This increases the probability of electrons reaching the grain boundary. Hence the polarization and the dielectric constant increase. Fig.7.8 Variation of dielectric constant with zinc concentration Fig.7.9 Variation of dielectric loss with zinc concentration 7.3 CONCLUSION The effects of zinc concentration on structural, magnetic and dielectric properties of Ni-Zn ferrite nano particles were studied. The increase in zinc concentration obstructed the grain growth and decreased the particles size. The larger ionic radius of Zn, increased the lattice parameter values of NiZn ferrite nanoparticles with the increase of its concentration. The non magnetic property of zinc, decreased the saturation magnetization and coercivity values of NiZn ferrite nanoparticles. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor values also increased with the increase of zinc concentration due to the increase of probability of electrons reaching the grain boundary. Low value of particle size obtained at higher zinc concentration in the present work indicated that NiZn ferrite nano particles in lower nanometer scale could be obtained at higher zinc concentration.

Cultural Diversity in the Workplace Essay

Cultural Diversity in the Workplace Essay Introduction: The worlds increasing globalization requires more interaction among people from diverse cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds than ever before. People no longer live and work in an insular marketplace; they are now part of a worldwide economy with competition coming from nearly every continent. For this reason, profit and non-profit organizations need diversity to become more creative and open to change. Maximizing and capitalizing on workplace diversity has become an important issue for management today. Human Resource management is on managing people within the employer-employee relationship. This involves the productive use of people in achieving the organizations strategic objectives and the satisfaction of individual employee needs. Where its objective is to measure target to be achieved within a certain time frame. Diversity management is management initiated, rather than required by law. This involved in integrating non-traditional employees (such as women and minorities) into the workforce and using their diversity to the organizations competitive advantage, as well as considering other workforce diversity characteristics that need to be addressed to ensure fair and effective utilization of employees. (Raymond J. Stone, 2008)Diversity in management includes: Cultural diversity is the variety of human societies or cultures in a specific region, or in the world as a whole. (The term is also sometimes used to refer to multiculturalism within an organization. Management of cultural diversity has been suggested as the human resource strategy enabling the effective management of the workforce diversity created by demographical changes generally in the late 1980s and the early 1990s. Retrieved from Oya Aytemiz Seymen(2006), according to Fleury (1999) explains cultural diversity management as an organizational answer or reaction to the need for competitiveness and to the increasing variety of the workforce. In the same resource, it has been stated that management of cultural diversity implies a holistic focus in order to create an organizational environment that allows all the employees to reach their full potential in pursuing the organizational goals. Gender diversity means the proportion of males to females in the workplace. It is a more even distribution or is the employee pool composed of mostly males or mostly females. This can have an effect on how people interact and behave with one another in the workplace and would impact culture and social environment. Similarly other demographics such as population, racial characteristics and such all contribute to the work environment. According to Kochan et al., 2003, organizations are finding that racial and gender diversity, if managed well, may even enhance performance(retrieved from Luis L. Martins and Charles K. Parsons,2007). Researchers have proposed that a greater organizational emphasis on gender diversity management programs will have a positive effect on organizational attractiveness among women, as women are the intended beneficiaries of the programs (Luis L. Martins and Charles K. Parsons,2007) Age diversity means the proportion of aged people work in the workplace. Age diversity was also positively correlated with health disordersbut only in groups working on routine decision-making tasks. Gender composition also had a significant effect on group performance, such that groups with a high proportion of female employees performed worse and reported more health disorders than did gender-diverse teams. As expected, effects of gender composition were most pronounced in large groups. Effects of age diversity were found when controlling for gender diversity and vice versa. Thus, age and gender diversity seem to play a unique role in performance and well-being. The moderating role of task complexity for both effects of age diversity and the moderating role of group size for both effects of gender diversity further suggest that the impact of these 2 variables depends on different group processes.( Ju ¨rgen Wegge and Carla Roth, Barbara Neubach and Klaus-Helmut Schmidt Ruth Kanfe r , 2008) Religious diversity is an important component of cultural diversity, which educators are now taking seriously in their pedagogies. However, cultural diversity and religious diversity are often evaluated quite differently. In our society now, there is at least a polite and superficial consensus that cultural diversity is here to stay and may enrich life. Minimally, people realize that cultural, ethnic, and class chauvinism create problems and are inappropriate, though they may be difficult to overcome. Regarding religious diversity, quite a different evaluation is often employed. Many people value the feeling that their religion is indeed superior to others and regard such religious chauvinism as a necessary component of religious commitment, or even a virtue to be cultivated among the faithful. In their official theologies, most religions have dealt with religious diversity only in a cursory or inadequate fashion. Frequently, religions have encouraged mutual hostility by teaching tha t foreign religions are not only different, but also demonic, or at least inferior. (Rita M. Gross(1999) retrieved from http://www.crosscurrents.org/gross.htm) Body: Benefits of Workplace Diversity An organizations success and competitiveness depends upon its ability to embrace diversity and realize the benefits. When organizations actively assess their handling of workplace diversity issues, develop and implement diversity plans, multiple benefits are reported such as: Increased adaptability Organizations employing a diverse workforce can supply a greater variety of solutions to problems in service, sourcing, and allocation of resources. Employees from diverse backgrounds bring individual talents and experiences in suggesting ideas that are flexible in adapting to fluctuating markets and customer demands. Broader service range A diverse collection of skills and experiences (e.g. languages, cultural understanding) allows a company to provide service to customers on a global basis. Variety of viewpoints A diverse workforce that feels comfortable communicating varying points of view provides a larger pool of ideas and experiences. The organization can draw from that pool to meet business strategy needs and the needs of customers more effectively. More effective execution Companies that encourage workplace diversity inspire all of their employees to perform to their highest ability. Company-wide strategies can then be executed; resulting in higher productivity, profit, and return on investment. Challenges of Workplace Diversity Taking full advantage of the benefits of diversity in the workplace is not without its challenges. Some of those challenges are: Communication Perceptual, cultural and language barriers need to be overcome for diversity programs to succeed. Ineffective communication of key objectives results in confusion, lack of teamwork, and low morale. Resistance to change There are always employees who will refuse to accept the fact that the social and cultural makeup of their workplace is changing. The weve always done it this way mentality silences new ideas and inhibits progress. Implementation of diversity in the workplace policies This can be the overriding challenge to all diversity advocates. Armed with the results of employee assessments and research data, they must build and implement a customized strategy to maximize the effects of workplace diversity for their particular organization. Successful Management of Diversity in the Workplace Diversity training alone is not sufficient for your organizations diversity management plan. A strategy must be created and implemented to create a culture of diversity that permeates every department and function of the organization. (Retrieved from http://www.diversityworking.com/employerZone/diversityManagement/?id=9) In preparing an organization to accept diversity, it is more important to change the corporate culture or to change structure of the organization. Organization Culture Basically, organizational culture is the personality of the organization. Culture is comprised of the assumptions, values, norms and tangible signs (artefacts) of organization members and their behaviours. Members of an organization soon come to sense the particular culture of an organization. Culture is one of those terms thats difficult to express distinctly, but everyone knows it when they sense it. For example, the culture of a large, for-profit corporation is quite different than that of a hospital which is quite different that that of a university. You can tell the culture of an organization by looking at the arrangement of furniture, what they brag about, what members wear, etc. similar to what you can use to get a feeling about someones personality. Corporate culture can be looked at as a system. Inputs include feedback from, e.g., society, professions, laws, stories, heroes, values on competition or service, etc. The process is based on our assumptions, values and norms, e.g., our values on money, time, facilities, space and people. Outputs or effects of our culture are, e.g., organizational behaviours, technologies, strategies, image, products, services, appearance, etc. (Retrieved from http://managementhelp.org/org_thry/culture/culture.htm) Identification with an organization is a fixed sense of ones role in relation to the organization. When organizational members identify with their workplace, they define themselves in terms of the organization; they internalize its mission, ideology, and values and they adopt its customary ways of doing things. Eventually the member may see him or herself as an exemplar or microcosm of the organization. Organizational identification, in other words, suggests a feeling of oneness with the organization. Diversity makes open organizational culture more rich, and insights and innovation more applicable to a wide range of contexts. High levels of identification with an organization can limit diversity by reducing communication competencies in the area of social perception skills, including the ability to pick up on the subtleties of social situations and adapt to them. This skill is essential in a cross cultural context. High levels of identification among employees can also produce a la ck of organizational flexibility and creativity, over-conformity to organizational dictates, and tyrannical behaviour on the part of leaders. Highly-identified individuals could experience a lack of risk taking, loss of an independent self, and burnout. Redding indicates that a focus on high-performance goals in a context of trust and openness make it easier for employees to manage the ambiguity of gaining their sense of identity from shared visions rather than from a physical structure. Knowledge of self and openness in relation to shared goals create a safety zone in which people feel free to explore new ideas and new ways of approaching problem solving. (Retrieved from http://workplacewellness.blogspot.com/2005/08/identity-development-and.html) Organizational Structure Diversity is often viewed as a training program, limited to a human resources initiative focused on race and gender and separate from organizational change efforts. However, as the article describes, the definition of diversity is much broader, encompassing primary, secondary, and tertiary dimensions that go beyond race and gender. The aim of diversity is to allow all individuals to contribute fully to the success of the organization. Thus, integrating diversity and organizational change efforts can enhance the success of most types of organizational change. Organization development theory and principles can also add significantly to the outcomes of diversity initiatives through the effective use of contracts, assessments, action research methodology, and other critical components. In the current competitive world, diversity and organization development must be partners in successful organizational change efforts. (Ginger Lapid-Bogda, Ph.D., 1998) The Contribution of diversity to organizational Integrating diversity and organizational change efforts can enhance the success of most types of organizational change. All major organizational change involves a cultural change, and a diversity effort is cultural change at its core. It requires an organization to search its collective soul and focus on essential aspects of its culture: seminal values; organizational demands for conformity in thought, interpersonal style, and action; power structure and power dynamics; employee participation; and inclusion/exclusion issues, to name a few. Cultural Differences In addition, most organizational changes involve diversity components. An organizational redesign, for example, may combine functions that have previously been separate, such as marketing and manufacturing. Certainly, marketing and manufacturing have two distinct cultures and a successful redesign needs to pay attention to those cultural issues involved. Diversity offers both the perspective and the technology to deal with these intercultural issues, whether they are triggered by redesigns, mergers, or global expansions. When an organization is redesigned, some of its subsystems discover they have to transact a new form of business with new, unfamiliar partners. Naturally, they assume that their established styles of doing business, their traditional practices, priorities, values, and methods, will be perfectly acceptable, perfectly functional. Thus, marketing is surprised when this assumption turns out to be invalid for manufacturing. Marketing assumes that its new partner, manufact uring, simply has not appreciated the benefits of changing and adapting to marketings traditional way of doing business. Thus, organizational redesign invariably leads to organizational conflict. A diversity perspective adds insight to the identification of and techniques for the management of such issues. Conflict, by definition, means that differences exist. These differences may be based on style, role, values, priorities, power, mental models and patterns of thinking, or culture. The diversity perspective of valuing and utilizing differences offers a positive framework from which to manage conflict. (Ginger Lapid-Bogda, Ph.D., 1998) Team Effectiveness Team effectiveness has even clearer diversity connections. For a team to develop and be effective, its members must find productive ways to both elicit and manage individual and subgroup differences. In any group development model, there is always some version of a storming stage fairly early in a groups development. The group must navigate this troublesome phase successfully to evolve toward more productive phases of development. Successful navigation cannot occur if differences are submerged or conformity is forced upon diverse members. To be effective means to acknowledge differences and to utilize them creatively to gain the teams objectives. (Ginger Lapid-Bogda, Ph.D., 1998) Organizational Cultural Shift In the case of a complex organization change (for example, going from a production-driven to a marketing-driven focus or moving toward Total Quality), a fundamental shift in organizational culture must occur. A cultural change of this magnitude and complexity poses a major challenge for most organizations because of the ambiguity involved and the enormity of the task. An understanding of diversity enables organizations to find ways not to insist on conformity in a major change process, but to encourage employees to contribute, to take a fresh look, and to continuously evolve. (Ginger Lapid-Bogda, Ph.D., 1998) Diversity oriented HRM policies It is the responsibility of the HR manager to facilitate the organizations ability to use staff efficiency and effectively to achieve strategic business objectives. The HR manager is also responsible for ensuring that all employees are rewarded fairly and equitably for their contributions to the organizations. Fair and equitable rewards not only includes wages and salaries, but also opportunities for training and career development and the provision of a work environment in which all workers are treated with respect. Ensuring that all employees are treated fairly and equitably is not only a matter of legal and ethical responsibility, but also recognises that employees who perceive that they are receiving unfair or inequitable treatment may be less committees to the organization and thus may be less productive. The HR manager can achieve these outcomes by: Identifying the significant difference in their organizations workforce and in the labour market from which they draw employees. Exploring the potential advantages to be gained from hiring persons from particular groups. Identifying relevant diversity factors existing in the present workforce. Developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating staff management practice that facilitate the ability of each employee to contribute effectively to the organization and to be rewarded appropriately. It is also the professional and business responsibility of the HR manager to establish audit measure that identify and quantify the advantage gained from diversity employment practice and that minimise the costs of diversity employment. (Raymond J. Stone, 2008)Diversity in management includes: Conclusion A diverse workforce is a reflection of a changing world and marketplace. Diverse work teams bring high value to the organizations. Respecting individual differences will benefit the workplace by creating a competitive edge and increasing work productivity. Diversity management benefits associates by creating a fair and safe environment where everyone has access to opportunities and challenges. Management tools in a diverse workforce should be used to educate everyone about diversity and its issues, including laws and regulations. Most workplaces are made up of diverse cultures, so organizations need to learn how to adopt to be successful practices. References: Stone, Raymond J., (2008). Human resource management, 6th edition Seymen, Oya Aytemiz., (2006). The cultural diversity phenomenon in organisations and different approaches for effective cultural diversity management: a literary review Martins, Luis L., Parsons, Charles K., (2007). Effects of Gender Diversity Management on Perceptions of Organizational Attractiveness: The Role of Individual Differences in Attitudes and Beliefs Wegge, Ju ¨rgen., Roth, Carla., Neubach, Barbara., Schmidt, Klaus-Helmut., Kanfer, Ruth., (2008). Age and Gender Diversity as Determinants of Performance and Health in a Public Organization: The Role of Task Complexity and Group Size M. Gross, Rita., (1999). Religious Diversity: Some Implications for Monotheism, retrieved from http://www.crosscurrents.org/gross.htm Lapid-Bogda, Ginger, Ph.D., (1998). 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