Feminism And Gender And Ethnic Studies - 1172 Words

My Interpretation of Feminism Feminism has had a deep impact on me since I was infantile. Though she never mentioned it, my mother was an active feminist. I grew up playing with toys considered to belong to either sex. I was taught to be strong and to let my emotions out, and I was given freedom to make my own identity. This was my first experience of social feminism, followed years later by learning the definition of feminism and learning to also see discrimination politically and economically. To further my understanding of feminism, I am currently taking the class Introduction to Women’s Gender and Ethnic Studies. During the first unit, I studied more in-depth about different types of feminism, and the feminism waves throughout†¦show more content†¦I then resorted back to â€Å"girly† hobbies, such as arts and crafts or experimenting outfit styles. I still spend at least ten minutes each morning adorning my hair. As far as my initial views on feminism went, the only difference I saw between men and women were physique. I would soon learn what it meant to be a feminist. Later, in high school, I met my significant other. She grew up in a family of engaged feminists. One day she asked me whether I considered myself feminist. At this point, I had never thought much of it, so I said â€Å"No.† She taught me exactly what it meant to be feminist, not the man-hating, hateful person, but the caring, thoughtful person who stands up for equality amongst sexes, genders, and races. After that, I have always considered myself a feminist. Earlier this year I decided to take the Introduction to Women’s Gender and Ethnic studies class during my first semester of college. After studying the first unit of the class, I learned about different feminisms. I now know about liberal feminists, who â€Å"campaigned for equal rights of citizenship and for the end of discrimination,† (); socialist feminists, who â€Å"attributed women’s oppression to capitalism and focused on women’s economic exploitation,† (); and radical feminists, who â€Å"identified male power or patriarchy as the source of female subordination,† (). These forms of feminism developed new attitudes and goals throughout the different waves of feminism in the past two centuries.

The Differences Of Children With ADHD And Learning...

Individuals with ADHD, LD and RD have more learning problems than in a child with either ADHD, learning disabilities, or RD alone (Faraone, et al., 2001; Jensen, Martin, Cantwell, 1997; Smith Adams, 2006). For example, students with ADHD and learning disabilities had demonstrated poorer reading skills (Woodcock Johnson III), inferior social skills, and more behavior problems when compared to their peers with learning disability alone, and those differences persisted over time (Wei et al., 2014). Yu and Shaver (2014) found that comorbid ADHD and learning disability children had lower letter word identification scores in identification tasks, teacher and parent reports to children with only learning disabilities. Comorbid ADHD and RD†¦show more content†¦Pelletier and Astington (2004) found that children’s age, language ability, non-verbal intelligence and theory of mind influenced their narrative development. As individuals become older their level of narrative skills increases. Later language development is linked to improved discourse (Nippold, 1998). For example, connective terms (e.g. and) tend to be overused by seven to nine year olds while adults use connective terms sparingly therefore increasing the technicality of their speech (Berman, 1997). Narrative gains and presentation, in particular autographical memory, are moderated by certain factors. Harley and Reese (1999) wanted to study how children’s verbal memory development is influenced by their self-knowledge and parental styles. Fifty-eight mother-child dyads were assessed on multiple domains including their joint memory conversations, parental language skills, child’s self-recognition, and memory of past narrative skills. The study showed that maternal reminiscing style and child self-recognition style produced the quality of the child’s shared memory over time. Some have describedShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Adhd On Children s Overall Development1318 Words   |  6 PagesADHD has an effect on the child’s overall development. It doesn’t impact them as much as some disorders do, but it does take effect. It has no effect on their language and as far as my research shows, it has little or no effect on their self-help skills either, however it does effect the cognitive, and fine motor domains. About half of all the children who have ADHD also have a learning disability. â€Å"Among the children who did not have a learning disability, children with ADHD had more learning problemsRead MoreAdhd Case Study861 Words   |  4 PagesFocus Techniques for ADHD Attention Deficit/ hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a chronic mental health disorder with distinct behavioral manifestations in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood (Barkley, 1997; Barkley, Fischer, Smallish, Fletcher, 2002). 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Professionalism in the Medical Field free essay sample

Professionalism Professionalism involves maintaining a set standard of maturity, respectfulness and proficiency in one’s behaviour and attitude. This is especially relevant in the workplace or in any task that demands a certain level of maturity, respectfulness and proficiency. As a result, professionalism is an important part of being a health professional and working in a hospital, as maturity, respectfulness and proficiency are three critical attributes/requirements of a doctor. assignment help aged care Professionalism is evident through the ways we conduct ourselves in our work and through our interactions with others. It draws upon our mannerisms and our appearance (including clothing) and how others perceive this. Professional behaviour when interacting with others can involve: †¢ Actively listening †¢ Maintaining an interested and focused facial expression †¢ Engaging and participating in topics of discussion and putting forth one’s own ideas in a respectful, productive fashion †¢ Behaving in ways that aren’t perceived as rude (eg. We will write a custom essay sample on Professionalism in the Medical Field or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If eating with another person, only starting to eat if the other person has already got their food) †¢ Being aware and respectful of different cultures and their requirements/ideas of what is polite and in-polite †¢ Being dressed appropriately – in most cases this involves wearing clothing that reaches a standard of formality which denotes maturity and respect †¢ Considering the feelings of others and being conscious of others’ perception of yourself In a hospital setting, these signs of professional behaviour are especially important. It is crucial that these are displayed by a health professional both to their patients, their patient’s families and to fellow colleagues. There are numerous reasons why showing professionalism in a hospital setting is important. In the eyes of patients, appearing professional instils a sense of confidence in the doctor. This is essential for the patient to develop a trusting relationship with the doctor, which ultimately serves to improve the patient’s health. For example, an obstetrician who runs to an appointment with a pregnant lady late may loose the confidence of that patient, as the patient may fear the obstetrician would also run late to the birth or if an emergency was to occur. Similarly, a doctor who forgets the name of one of their patients may create the impression to the patient that they would forgot other important information of there’s. Or, a doctor who dresses in a casual manner to the patient may create the feeling that they act casually in their job and therefore may not respond with a level of desired seriousness to a patient’s concern. Professionalism is also important in a hospital setting because serious things occur in a hospital. Acting professional rather then casually presents the doctor as taking these serious things as important. Since the doctor has a position of high responsibility in society – dealing with people’s health and private information it is also important that they act professionally. Being professional also shows respect to other members you work with. It is a sign of respect to colleagues, mentors and students. By acting professional, one shows that they take their colleagues seriously and that they take their own work seriously. In a healthcare setting, this creates a positive environment where one’s own work and their colleagues’ work are appreciated. Lastly, professionalism is important for one’s own reputation and for the reputation of others that they represent. By behaving in a respectful, proficient and mature manner, one displays all the key elements of a character that can be trusted and valued in a healthcare setting, and this extends to how they are perceived by their fellow workers and patients.

Changes- Tupac Shakur Influences on Society free essay sample

We talk a lot about Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jar. , but its time to be like them, as strong as them. They were mortal men Like us and every one of us can be like them. I dont want to be a role model. I just want to be someone who says, this is who am, this is what I do. I say whats on my mind. Outpace Muar Shaker (T. I. P). This quote was spoken by one of hip-hops most legendary idols, Outpace Shaker. Outpace has become an Integral Icon of the hip-hop culture and will live on eternally through his dynamic lyrics and poems.Most of Tubas raps concerned growing up around lenience and hardships In ghettos, and racial inequality in the United States. He experienced many of these factors growing up, especially race related issues. For Instance, on October 1991, Outpace was stopped by two officers for allegedly jaywalking. We will write a custom essay sample on Changes- Tupac Shakur Influences on Society or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When he responded with a profanity, he was choked and beaten severely (All eyes on me). Tubas lyrics always went deep into the meaning of many political and social subjects including violence, and that is what sparked the initial response of his song, Changes.The purpose of this song was to state how everyone knows hat racial violence and Issues on the streets would never change. It shows how people have to succumb to the fact that there will always be poverty, racism, police brutality and violence in the world. This is reiterated by the lyric, Some things will never change. This song went straight to number one on the charts in many countries In Europe and around the world. This resulted In Outpace galling a broader and more receptive audience to his controversial lyrics.So imagine if Outpace had used a different method to get his message across, for example, just writing the lyrics thou music or creating a photo collage. Not only would the audience change but the message would also be effected by the deference In mediums. Transmutation refers to the process of responding to cultural texts In a range of sign systems-?art, movement, sculpture, dance, music, multimedia communication, and so on (Reading Online). Leonard Sicilian highlights the importance of engaging In transmigration when writing: Digital Information comes in multiple forms, and students must learn to tell stories not Just with words and numbers but also wrought images, graphics, color, sound, music, and dance. There is a grammar and literacy to each of these forms of communication. Bombarded with a wide variety of Images regularly, students need sharp visual-interpretation skills to Interact with the media analytically. Each form of communication has Its own rules and grammar and should be taught in ways that lead students to be more specific and concise in communicating (Utopia).So remediation a text through a different tool ultimately will change the way it is communicated to its audience. For example, Imagine the oratory medium that Outpace used to convey his hit song, Changes was instead only a written form of the lyrics. This traditional technology would not only affect the message behind the song but the audiences acc eptance of it. The second way I have communicated this song is visually. I have constructed a collage of what I thought the song was trying to convey. This leaves area for the original message to be Interpreted differently among each Individual and losing sight of the originality of it.Although these mediums are proper for some texts, I think that OFF I began my remediation process by handwriting the first verse of the song, Changes. By doing this, the audience must then adapt to the new medium. Reading the lyrics of the song instead of hearing it changes the way that it is received. More people are likely to not be introduced to the writing simply because it has been transferred from auditory to written. As a song it has exposure to the wide, variety of people that enjoy listening to music.Written on a piece of paper would affect who has access to read it causing the audience to shift from music lovers to people that just so happen to come in to contact with the text. Since it was originally presented as a song, reading the piece of work takes away the strength of the song, which is portrayed through the powerful voice of Outpace Shaker. When he raps this song, it demands the listeners attention because of the controversial lines and the way that it is spoken. Most rappers choose to rap about their money and cars while, Outpace used his words to try and make a difference.He bought much needed attention to important issues, such as racism. On the other hand, there is one key benefit to the remediation of this song. If it originally were only meant to be read, people would be able to focus more on the underlying theme of the song. The audience would not be blurred by the music in the background and could listen to its true meaning. When people think of music, they often associate entertainment with it, causing the artists lyrics to be downplayed. Presenting the song so that it is only read can ensure that the reader is affected by the lyrics.Having the lyrics distributed on paper will also help it reach a variety of people. People that may not enjoy listening to rap music, would have the opportunity to Judge the lyrics by its context not its genre. Although, remediation the song and presenting the lyrics of it changes the audience, I believe it aids in expressing its meaning. My experience of transforming the song into a collage was harder than I expected. I chose an overall background that pictured Outpace Shaker surrounded by newspaper clippings with headlines such as, When Guns Replace Words.I chose to incorporate this picture because it depicts the gun violence described in the song. Also shown is a picture of police officers fighting off a crowd. This shows their brutality towards the people. Another picture I put into the collage was of people protesting for change. They want to be heard and they demand change. Their way of achieving this is by protesting while Tubas way is through this song. While I looked for pictures that matched the song, I also tried to ensure that they expressed the deeper meaning that Outpace was trying to get across.I did not Just want to select a picture simply because the word was used in the song. I saw this as a problem because if Changes was an image that is exactly what would happen to the song. People would view the collage differently and the meaning would change. Outpaces originality would be gone and the effectiveness of the song would deplete. Of course, the main factors expressed in the song would be understood but the underlying issues discussed may be overlooked. I do believe that there is a risk for leaving a piece open for the public to discuss versus having someone directly state it.Although having the song presented s a collage gives the audience an unlimited amount of ways to interpret it, this is also one of its beneficial factors. When people are able to give their own opinions and thoughts about something, they are able to open their minds to new ideas and about a subject more in depth. A picture is worth a thousand words and therefore, more problems explained in the song are more likely to be unmasked because of an image. While experimenting with these two remediation, I learned some very important things; the way something is communicated changes its audience and affects the verbal message.

Southwest Airlines and Information Technology Essay Example

Southwest Airlines and Information Technology Paper Introduction The use of information technology has been developing for decades, but in recent years it has become mainstream in the airline industry for building company revenue. Southwest Airlines has been one of those airlines that have successfully use technology to improve operations and customer loyalty. Such use of data analytics technology to implement strategies that analyze what consumers prefer when boarding, in-flight and arrival has helped to improve customer satisfaction and in return has made possible for the airline to be profitable in this turbulent industry continually. Thus, developments have revolutionized their entire system and have profound implications for strategic and tactical management, but most importantly the have dramatically changed industry structure and altered competitiveness of the airline. We will write a custom essay sample on Southwest Airlines and Information Technology specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Southwest Airlines and Information Technology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Southwest Airlines and Information Technology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Advantages of Using IT Information Technology (IT) has become widely employed in recent years to analyze data in organizations to improve revenues and customer satisfaction to retain loyalty. One such company is Southwest Airlines where they have implemented IT to become one of the most profitable businesses in such a competitive industry. The emergence of the Internet in the 90s and development of Intranets and Extranets forced airlines to refocus their strategy on technology innovations to enhance their competitiveness, hence created data analytics.Southwest adopted the Internet and created a website where customers could use for booking flights. They understood the implication that IT would have on the company regarding increase revenue. The understanding requirement for success is understanding and satisfying customer needs and expectations. One area where IT has improved operations of Southwest is self-booking through the internet.Customers can book flights at their convenience and make any changes hours before departure.Another is the expedited services when checking in at the airport which is a b Southwest Airlines and Information Technology Essay Example Southwest Airlines and Information Technology Paper Introduction The use of information technology has been developing for decades, but in recent years it has become mainstream in the airline industry for building company revenue. Southwest Airlines has been one of those airlines that have successfully use technology to improve operations and customer loyalty. Such use of data analytics technology to implement strategies that analyze what consumers prefer when boarding, in-flight and arrival has helped to improve customer satisfaction and in return has made possible for the airline to be profitable in this turbulent industry continually. Thus, developments have revolutionized their entire system and have profound implications for strategic and tactical management, but most importantly the have dramatically changed industry structure and altered competitiveness of the airline. We will write a custom essay sample on Southwest Airlines and Information Technology specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Southwest Airlines and Information Technology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Southwest Airlines and Information Technology specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Advantages of Using IT Information Technology (IT) has become widely employed in recent years to analyze data in organizations to improve revenues and customer satisfaction to retain loyalty. One such company is Southwest Airlines where they have implemented IT to become one of the most profitable businesses in such a competitive industry. The emergence of the Internet in the 90s and development of Intranets and Extranets forced airlines to refocus their strategy on technology innovations to enhance their competitiveness, hence created data analytics.Southwest adopted the Internet and created a website where customers could use for booking flights. They understood the implication that IT would have on the company regarding increase revenue. The understanding requirement for success is understanding and satisfying customer needs and expectations. One area where IT has improved operations of Southwest is self-booking through the internet.Customers can book flights at their convenience and make any changes hours before departure.Another is the expedited services when checking in at the airport which is a b

And They Didnt Die essays

And They Didnt Die essays In her novel And They Didnt Die, Lauretta Ngcobo gives us a glimpse of the life of a South African woman during the Apartheid Era (1950s-1980s). The human rights efforts of African women had a long lasting and far-reaching effect on the future cultural climate of South Africa. They fought back against the unjust laws that had permeated their country. Were they successful? What price did they pay? Ngcobo attempts to answer these questions in her novel. In order to understand the struggles of Jezile and other South Africans, it is necessary to know the history of their country. Discrimination against nonwhites was inherent in South African society from the earliest days. With the South Africa Act of 1910 the British parliament established the dominion of the Union of South Africa, with four colonies as its provinces. South African blacks had a low status in the white-dominated state. Urban blacks lived in segregated areas and could not hold office. They had no viable unions, and technical and administrative positions were closed to them. In 1914 the National Party was founded, which emphasized Afrikaner language and culture. By 1948 the all-white National Party came to power. Segregation and inequality between races had existed as a matter of custom and practice in South Africa, but after 1948 they were enshrined in law. The National Party won the general election that year in a coalition with the smaller Afrikaner Party. The United Party became the official opposition. The United Party mainly had an urban base with substantial support from English-speaking South Africans, while the National Party's support was drawn almost entirely from Afrikaans-speaking South Africans. At the heart of the National Party's legislative agenda was apartheid, Afrikaans for separateness, a doctrine of white supremacy promoted as a program of separate development. Once in power, the National Party extended and legaliz...

Alignment of Business and IT Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Alignment of Business and IT Strategy - Essay Example However, it is yet to be determined that alignment issues exist, and if they do how to control for these gaps. The results showed that to enhance business strategy there must be a focus on the organizational vision and improvement of communication of business strategy and vision. The alignment of the two organizational elements, were concluded to be directly affected by the coherence of a business department. Overall, it was recommended that a robust business architecture be developed, and that the organization create a separate and centralized IT department. During the past three decades IT ahs become essential to business operations. Initially IT was distributed over departments; decentralized; specialized; and limited in application. However, the authors do not provide insights as to why IT "increased and spread"; only examples of how. A common solution in the past was to have a separate IT department; however this was found to limit effective communication between IT department and other departments. The suggestion of IT departments reporting directly to management can create internal "politics". Management often prioritizes the issues and this can lead to resentment of IT staff by the end users in other parts of the organization. The isolation of IT strategy can also draw a significant amount of resources away from the overall business strategy. As a consequence, non-alignment increases costs in time, money and organizational harmony. 3.0 Literature Review Since the early 1980s alignment of IT and business strategy has been realized as a critical need. The primary inhibitors identified over time have included; the IT department not prioritizing efficiently; and IT management lacking leadership. Models have been developed such as; 1) Strategic Integration Systems Planning (SISP); and 2) strategic integration across the entire organization. Solutions to date for effective alignment are; 1) communication and understanding; 2) business ownership and accountability for return on IT investments; 3) rapid strategy development driven by climatic business changes; and 4) enhance the internal competencies of the business. 4.0 Method The method used to include the Alignment of Business and IT (ABIT) department of the Fortune 50 company to aid in the coordination of the project. The ABIT department created a list of potential employees who were considered to have a "balanced perspective". This is a limitation isn't that a random sample was not selected, and so the results cannot be generalized to other organizations, as the sample is not representative of the wider population. Instead, selection criteria could have been used to operationalize what a "balanced perspective" was. Three groups were created; 1) one having a business perspective; 2) one having an IT perspective; and 3) one having a "balanced" perspective. However, a pre-test could have been done first to identify a priori knowledge and to place people in groups based on their current knowledge.The questions for the interviews were developed with the aid of ABIT to identify gaps, however no information is given as to how these items were selected and if they were tested for their reliability and validity. Each group was interviewed with questions

Vietnam Anti-War Movement Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Vietnam Anti-War Movement - Research Paper Example It was during that period that evolution of resistance started amongst Vietnamese nationalists led by Ho Chi Minh pressing for independence. The resistance resulted to the World War 1 that took place between the years 1914 to 1918. France continued to cling to its empire but Ho embraced Marxism-Leninism and built a strong following called Vietminh. The organization prepared to assume power of their territory after the occurrence of the Second World War. The war left France very weak but partly basing its strategies on racism contempt for the Vietnamese, French officials still had a believe that they could reassert their control and power over Indochina. Vietnam Antiwar Movement was a movement against the US involvement in the Vietnam War. Opposition of the Vietnam war took place in the late 1960s and early 1970. The movement took place in form of demonstrations in the year 1964 and continued to grow in terms of strength in the later years. The U.S fell in confusion between those who preferred peace and those who advocated the continuity of involvement in the Vietnam War. The biggest numbers of the participants of the movement were mothers, students, and anti-establishment hippies. Opposition developed with the participation of the African-American civil rights, Chicano movements, women’s liberation, and organized labor sectors. Other groups that joined the movement comprised of journalists, lawyers, academics, clergy, military veterans, leaders of the Civil Rights Movement and physicians. One of the physicians who participated in the movement was Benjamin Spock. Opposition of the war was mainly conducted using peaceful and nonviolent events. However, some few events were deliberately violent and provocative. In fact, some cases called for the police to use violent tactics against all the demonstrators. By the year 1970, there was a steady increase in the majority of Americans considering involvement of the US military in Vietnam as a mistake. Decades later,

Write a critical analysis of an 'Elegy for my Father' by Annie Finch Essay

Write a critical analysis of an 'Elegy for my Father' by Annie Finch - Essay Example Right from beginning her work brought recognition to how she has brought music to meter without diverging from the truthfulness of her emotions which she wants to express. This musicality in her words later shows through when she wrote libretti for operas and lieder for contemporary composers. Her work shows not only the relationship between nature and human but also the themes evolving from her religious inclinations. Calenders has works woven around the cycles in a Celtic or wiccan calendar and whether the themes are based in myth or in real life relations they broadly cover the cycles in a women’s life. The works like ‘Elegy for my Father’ show not only Finch’s poetic prowess but also how a personal moment became the inspiration. ‘Calenders’ is one of Finch’s major poetry books which includes her works from 1990s as well as some poems from 1980s and one from 1970. The poems are written around the theme of Celtic or Wiccan calendar which reflects not only the seasons though titles like Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Winter Solstice, Lammas, Imbolc but they also bring the cyclical nature of time and specially a woman’s life to the reader. Many poems varying in style and ideas are written around themes which are more feminist like a woman’s cycles, her relationship with parents, her grievances, her pregnancies and her loves but in other poems which are not around mythical, like ‘Elegy for my Father’, Finch is inspired by some moment in her life. Calenders not only has a detailed account of how and when the poems were completed but it is also accompanied by a guide which is a complete work of poetics in itself. Finch listed when each poem was eventually completed and how the book evolved. The ‘Elegy for my Father’ is written in dactylic tetrameter and is unrhymed. Finch is not someone who is limited by meter. It comes as no surprise when we see variations of dactylic meter in

The Nature of Construction Problems: Past and Present

The Nature of Construction Problems: Past and Present ABSTRACT: This paper aims at deriving a comprehensive understanding pertaining to the different construction difficulties that have been faced in the past and are being faced now in the present also. It provides a vivid analysis of why the problems were faced, the nature of the problems and how they were dealt with. It has been a long time since the first inception of architectural ideas that had crept into our ancestors’ minds. Right from the Stone Age, man has actually been into this act of constructing stuff for making his life easy. At the very juncture of the Metal Age, he got a further boost with the advent of new materials and construction techniques. Furthermore, came the times when architecture was at its peak. Everywhere in the world there was zeal to construct structures that not only made life comfortable for man, but also soothed his eyes. The classical orders of the Greeks packed the punch of serving as better structural members along with being a visual treat. The Romans had been articulate in constructing an efficient system of water supply in the form of a series of arches together being called as aquaducts. It still stands as an example people look up to design urban spaces. Egyptians were no less. They were meticulously constructing pyramids and mortuary tombs that were way beyond the human scale. They had designed the first forms of conveyor systems in building construction. Similarly, India saw the construction of a lot of architectural wonders. Right from the construction of the monolithic stone structures of the Ajanta-Ellora caves and the temples of Mahabalipuram to the Islamic structures of Taj Mahal and the Humayun’s tomb it had been a marvellous leap in the form of architectural progress. Finally came the times of controversies about architecture when Gustav Eiffel proposed the construction of an all metal structure now called the Eiffel tower. There was a lot of noise about the fact that how it would finally look when it was constructed in Paris. Many people said that it might turn out to be a scar on the face of the city. But, now fortunately it is known as the first thing that helps us identify the city of Paris. There have also been controversies about Zaha Hadid’s designs. She is one of the pioneer architects as far as t he use of fluidic forms is concerned. Her designs have almost always been at the helm of criticism by the senior architects of her times. But, she has been articulate in executing her own designs. Similarly, in the recent times Frank O’ Gehry had faced a lot of challenges in bringing up his work called Bilbao museum. He has been criticised like hell up to the level of being called the mad architect. Now as we come up to the fact of such progress in the field of construction, can we deny that there have been no difficulties in the construction of these age old structures? No will be the answer. As we go back to the times when the monolithic stone structures of the Kailasa temple was constructed, we get to know that no good technology was available at that time. However, they have managed to actually make it possible to form a massive temple out of a single rock. Imagine that how the person who started the construction, actually just used a chisel and a hammer to build such a huge temple. It is said that he started from the top and kept on chiselling till the bottom. It is evident that this wonderful construction must have taken a long time to come up. But, it has not been constructed by a single sculptor. Imagine the difficulty in passing on the same knowledge about the structure to so many artisans over the ages. There might have been several changes made to this temple structure during the construction. This must have made it even more difficult for the sculptors. Now raises the question of managing the waste that was generated in this process. How were all the cut out st ones used? Yes, they were used to make roads and for pety constructions. But wasn’t it really difficult to manage these heavy masses? Yes, it must have been tedious. A similar structure had come up previously. The Konark temple in Bhubaneshwar, Orissa had a huge contribution in raising the architectural taste of the people of the country. In this construction, they used the method of constructing sand ramps as it was being constructed towards the top end. This had actually ensured that the structure didn’t get decayed during the construction process. However, this structure had made use of a huge pole at the centre in the form of a magnet that gave the massive stone structure all its strength. This had been acquired by the British during their reign in our country. But, later on what it was used for nobody knows. Just imagine how that huge magnet was made to stand just by the use of very basic tools. This speaks of the difficulty in constructing structures belonging to the typology of stone temples. Now, when the importance of Constantinople came into existence, there was a sudden need for the construction of several public buildings. At that time there was a huge recession in the field of construction in Europe. There was a shortage of resources, funds, architects and even labourers. This thing gave rise to a new form of architecture. This form of architecture came to be known as Polymath Architecture. In this form of architecture the existing buildings were used to build several other buildings. The Roman basilicas were used to build the Basilican churches that formed the basis of Christianity. The columns of the condemned buildings were actually truncated to get a uniform size. As a result, the buildings were having a size very close to the human scale. Explicitly or purposely, this form of architecture happened to be more close to people. Even the foundations of several buildings were used to meet the needs of the times. The rotunda buildings were used to used to build bapti steries when the question of child baptism came into existence. These spaces required a kind of radiating building plan in order to accommodate the required activity. So, the unavailability of resources at that time was addressed in such a way. Now, when we come to construction of buildings that are built with the on public money, the question of minimalism comes into existence. The usage of minimum amount of resource and funds comes into existence. Taking the example of a case, when an architect is given task of designing a public building, he has to make sure that he does not raise the cost of the building to the height of making it unfeasible. Nowadays, in case of construction of public buildings, the factor of tender pops up. The person coming up with the most apt design within the least of cost frame usually gets the project. Such a case can be taken up when it comes to the Bilbao museum. It was designed by Frank O’ Gehry. He had gone through the criticism of the entire world because of his design. His design was so complex that it made use of aircraft design software. He had actually gone to the point of overusing resources. The frames of the building were made using thick steel sections. A large layer of fabri c was used to cover the building. Above this a layer of titanium sheets were used. Around twenty four thousand square meters of such were used. As a result of this, he was criticised over the fact that a similar functionality and aesthetics was achievable with lesser use of resources. But, he had paid no heed to what the people said. He has a concept of a fish just because he had memories of going to a fish market with his grandma. This vague justification brought about a lot of talks throughout the world. Luckily, the titanium prices had gone down at that point of time. So, he had the privilege of not getting the project cancelled. When residential projects are taken into consideration, there are several pety issues that come up. Funds remain limited in most cases. There have been cases when construction of a single house has gone through a ceasework period of more than a year just due to the lack of funds. Other religious issues play a vital role in our country when it comes to construction of residences specially. Several people actually back out when the architect is reluctant to listen to his specifications about how the building should be. Industrial buildings have challenges that are totally different as compared to other buildings. They should have the ability to actually justify all the government norms regarding the minute points like waste generation and hazard safety factors. They should have special anthropometric specifications but they should not use too much of space. So, as we come to conclude this, we can actually see that several issues are getting solved in this context. Several architects are coming up with innovative ideas to actually cater to the ideas of the government and the environmental impact assessment bodies to make a statement regarding this matter. So let us hope for a hassle free and green future ahead!!! References: History Of Architecture by Sir Bannister Fletcher Construction Delays: Extension Of time and prolongation claims by Roger Gibson

A Comparison And Contrast In Both As Worn By Hester And Dimmesdale :: essays research papers

A Comparison and Contrast In Both A's Worn By Hester and Dimmesdale The two A's worn in the novel by both Hester and Dimmesdale are dramatically different, yet they are born and made by the same identical sins. These letters are also differentiated by the infinitely changing emotional state and physical well being of the character, the towns views of morality and natural order, and the affecting environment. The two sins of most importance in the novel and that serve the greatest beneficiality in the appearance of the A's are--of course-- adultery and hypocrisy. The separation in the appearance of both of the A's begins with each characters own personal interpretation of the extremity of their sins. Where Hester's A is beautiful and artistically done ("fantastically embroidered and illuminated upon her bosom; pg.37) her interpretation of the extremity of her sins is one of self composure and nonchalantness. She views her sins solely as a "violation in the natural order" of the environment and therefore cannot even perceive her sin as being evil except through outside brainwashing. While Dimmesdale's personal interpretation as to the extremity of his own sins is a "violation of God's law," which is the law that he is totally dedicated to and supported by. Dimmesdale's interpretation of his sin is much more severe than Hester's, it is a breach and direct contradiction of his own self consciousness and physical existence. Therefore the appearance of his A, even though it is never directly described in the novel, must be raw, jagged, and brutally crooked (...a ghastly rapture; pg.95). Maybe Dimmesdale's self torture is so horrifying or inconceivable that it is either indescribable, (...too mighty to be expressed only by the eye of his figure; pg.95), or best left up to the reader's imagination. Unlike Hester, Dimmesdale, because of self interpretation, cannot in any way conceive his sins of being anything but evil. Although the appearance of the A's are proportional to the interpretation by each character; also the appearance of the A's is directly correlated between the consequences each character receives because of their sins, both Hester's and Dimmesdale's punishment is introduced through a new character and some sort of isolation. The new character's are a form of abstract contrasting where each new character is an extension of the sinner's "A" itself. Where as Chillingworth is a doubled extension of Dimmesdale's consciousness; Pearl is a contrast to Hester's creativity, patience, and composure. Dimmesdale's punishment through Chillingworth is one of mental bombardment and spiritual torture which supports the theory that Dimmesdale's A must be horrifically putrid and indescribable. Pearl's punishment towards

Filipino Youth Subjective Well Being

Running Head: Youth Subjective Well-Being Filipino Youth Students Subjective Well-Being Scale Kathlyn Rose Gabriel Maria Sophie Gatab Kimberly Lagumen Kristin Navalta Abstract The researchers of the present study constructed a scale that is designed to measure the perceived subjective well-being of the Filipino youth, and how they are affected by the three factors namely: life satisfaction, negative affect and positive affect. The items were constructed based on the information gathered by the researchers from journals and other sources.The researchers constructed a questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale which consists of 59 items and was administered to 200 Filipino youth participants. The data analysis revealed a Cronbach’s alpha of . 895 Filipino Youth Subjective well-being Scale The Filipino youth have their own way of satisfying their lives and how they will be contented and happy with it. The most commonly used question probing life satisfaction is: â€Å"how satisfi ed are you with your life as a whole at present? † Some are uncertain with regards to their overall happiness, while some are certain that they are indeed happy and satisfied with their life.In this study, the researchers constructed a 5-point Likert Scale that is designed to measure an individual’s perceived level of well-being. The researcher’s objective to determine which factor gives stronger influence on the subjective well-being of the Filipino youth. Does it follow that Filipino youth with parents are happier than those without? Can the researchers conclude that youth who chose to have no social networks, company, or friends, are lonelier than those with web-like affiliations? These are some of the queries that this research aimed to investigate on. Conceptual Framework vh Figure 1. Filipino Youth Subjective Well-Being Framework Subjective well-being is defined as the individual’s current evaluation of her happiness. Such an evaluation is often expr essed in affective terms; when asked about subjective well-being, participants will often say, â€Å"I feel good† (Schwartz & Strack, 1999). Measuring people’s life happiness has one that makes life interesting especially when they know that they are satisfied with what they feel. In the present study, the researchers came up with three sub-factors namely life satisfaction, positive affect and negative affect.They aimed to use these three factors to measure a person’s perceived subjective well-being. Also, they were able to know how these factors put an effect on the Filipino youth. Affect describes the emotions and feelings of a person based on his or her present life. Life satisfaction is how an individual judges his or her overall satisfaction in life (Hoorn, 2007). Life satisfaction is the measure of an individual's perceived level of well-being and happiness. It is frequently assessed in surveys, by asking individuals how satisfied they are with their own l ives.Positive and negative affect are both states and traits that have been shown to relate to personalities such as happiness and anxiety. Review of Related Literature Subjective well-being Subjective well-being (SWB) is the scientific name for how people evaluate their lives in terms of a global judgment (such as satisfaction with one's life and experience of more frequent pleasant emotions as compared to unpleasant emotions (Diener et al. , 1999). SBW is the self-evaluation of life satisfaction (Robbins & Kliewe, 2000, as cited in Vera et al. , 2008) and its cognitive evaluation is measured through judgments of life satisfaction.Meanwhile, affective components are measured by assessing the frequency of the occurrence of pleasant and unpleasant emotions. Life Satisfaction This article looks into the situation of people with spinal cord injury during acute rehabilitation and 3 months after discharge. The participants were assessed on how they can scale their life satisfaction durin g rehabilitation. The hypothesis of this study is that greater benefit finding, hope, and positive affect will be related to greater life satisfaction both during the initial acute rehabilitation period as well as 3 months post discharge.It was stated that spinal cord injury (SCI) can result to life changes. Decreased rates of returning to work (Schonherr, Groothoff, Mulder, & Eisma, 2005), poorer life satisfaction, decreased life participation, decreased independence, decreased community integration (Charlifue & Gerhart, 2004), and increased psychological distress have all been found to occur in this population. There were eighty-seven adults who were participating in in-patient; acute rehabilitation for spinal cord injury in two metropolitan hospitals completed the Satisfaction with Life Scale.The results revealed initial support for facilitators playing an important role in life satisfaction, which facilitators contribute uniquely at 3-month follow up. In summary, the results pro vide support for a predictive relationship between facilitator variable, life satisfactions for individuals with acute SCI. These findings suggest that facilitators potentially play a strong role in the rehabilitation patient’s subjective well being and provide potential avenues for interventions that could be proactively applied to facilitate positive outcomes.According to the article about science of happiness, people have their different opinion on how they live their life but most people are not contended on it. According to the Subjective- well being (SWB), defines as an indicator of people’s happiness on how they rated their life as worth- living and on how people funding on to achieve satisfaction in their lives. Another idea of what constitutes a good life, however, is that it is desirable for people themselves to think that they are living good lives (Diener, 2000).Our study concerns college students on how they rated their subjective well-being, since one of the sources of people’s subjective well-being is based on their self-fulfillment. Based on the article it was said that presents means from an international college sample of 7,204 respondents signified how students view happiness. These people asked the experimenter on how they often think about SWB and how important their SWB is for them. The results revealed that scores of the participants has a greater effect when it comes to rating their happiness.It was also revealed that it has a significant effect when it comes to their life satisfaction. The result revealed that people still wants to satisfy their lives and that they are busy finding their own happiness in life, and their basic and material needs come second to finding their own happiness. They give importance to their fulfillments, dreams and happiness. Diener and Fujita (1995) mentioned that people measure their subjected well-being (SWB) based on their physical attributes, their capability to make friends, gain em ployment, and have romantic relationships and to generally feel empowered.A person with money should not only be better able to meet his or her basic physical needs but also should be able to develop his or her talents, have more choices in terms of recreation. The co variation of resources such as money, family support, social skills, and intelligence with subjective well-being (SWB) was assessed in 222 college students (110 men and 112 women) in Midwestern University. The resources found in SWB are material, social, or personal characteristics that a person possesses that he or she can use to make progress toward her or his personal goals.Resources can be external possessions (e. g. , money), social roles (e. g. , being a chairperson), and personal characteristics (e. g. , intelligence). The experimenters used a Life Scale, and a number of interesting findings emerged from this study. First, SWB, as measured by different methods, formed strongly convergent factors. Second, family and friends rated the target participants as above average on every single resource. Third, there are certain resources that are prominently depicted in the media as being very important to happiness (e. g. money, physical attractiveness, and material possessions). They theorized that those assets are related to SWB insofar as they help individuals attain states they desire. To the extent that people differ in their desires and the resources they use to attain those desires, the effects of particular assets on SWB will differ from person to person. Happiness is a common goal toward which people strive, but for many it remains frustratingly out of reach (Buss, 2000). It was said that the best things in life are free but it was not stated how we can get them.Gaining happiness is hard to attain, and eagerness to gain happiness can frustrate people. In this article it was stated how people desire to feel happy. These include the desire to be successful, to have a good life, to have frie nds who never let them down and to gain such confidence to overcome life. When a people gain these desires, it can make them feel complete and satisfied. We as researchers conclude that fulfilling one’s desire can make a person satisfied and happy. Affect Positive affectNumerous studies show that happy individuals are successful across multiple life domains, including marriage, friendship, income, work performance, and health because of positive emotions (Diener, King, & Lyubomirsky, 2005). The researchers suggested that happiness is linked to success not only because success breeds happiness, but also because positive affect causes success (Diener, 2005). This study implies that success of happy people rests on 2 factors; one is that because happy people frequently experience positive emotions (positive affect), which makes them more likely to strive towards new goals while experiencing those emotions.Second is that people possesses skills and resources, which they have deve loped in the past while experiencing positive emotions. This study implies that positive affect is a factor for a person’s subjective well-being (happiness) which leads to the success of the person. In a study of Myers (2000), predictors of subjective well-being are revealed, which all involves positive emotions. Ed Diener (as cited in Myers, 2000) measured the subjective well-being of over 1. 1 million people over 45 nations through administering a survey.Results revealed that people who reported that they are happy seemed to look happy to their family members and close friends. The result of their daily mood ratings revealed positive emotions as well. Depressed people reported to have negative emotions and that they are less healthy, physically and emotionally, than those who reported to be happy. Overall, this article shows that emotions affect how people perceive themselves (and how they are perceived by others) in terms of their subjective well-being.Caprara and Stecaâ⠂¬â„¢s (2005) study suggests that there are two main components of subjective well-being; first, an individual’s evaluation of life satisfaction according to subjectively determined standards, and second, the predominance of positive affect over negative affect (Diener, Suh, Lucas, & Smith, 1999, as cited in Caprara & Steca, 2005). Caprara (2005) suggested that life satisfaction, self-esteem and optimism are components of subjective well-being, and all together these three shares a common dimension called â€Å"positive thinking†.However, positive thinking is more stable overtime and holds stronger relations with a variety of other indicators of well-being when compared to life satisfaction, self-esteem, and optimism (Caprara & Steca, 2004, as cited in Caprara & Steca 2005). In the work of Bradburn (as cited in Caprara & Steca, 2005), the dominance of positive emotional experiences over negative ones was stated as a core dimension of subjective well-being. Later studie s led to the suggestion that positive and negative affect are independent dimensions.As they are experienced in different life situations, the distinction between positive and negative affect are ought to be affective components of subjective well-being (Diener, 2000; Diener & Emmons, 1984; Diener, Smith, & Fujita, 1995; Diener, Suh, Lucas, & Smith, 1999; Zevon & Tellegen, 1982, as cited in Diener & Steca, 2005) Positive emotions signify that life is going well, the person’s goals are being met, and resources are adequate (Clore, Wyer, Dienes, Gasper, & Isbell, 2001).The characteristics related to positive affect include confidence, optimism, and self-efficacy; likability and positive view of others; sociability, activity, and energetic. Positive emotions produce the tendency to approach rather than to avoid and to prepare the individual to seek out and undertake new goals. In this journal research evidence supports the notion that it is the amount of time that people experie nce positive affect that defines happiness. They also identify happy individuals as those who experience high average levels of positive affect.In summary, their review of the cross-sectional empirical literature suggests that happiness is positively correlated. Their examination of the cross-sectional correlational literature thus far suggests that high subjective well-being is related to positive outcomes in many areas of life, which is brought by positive affect. Negative Affect In the article â€Å"Happiness and Stereotypic Thinking in Social Judgment†, the role of happiness and stereotyping in students' perceptions and judgments and how either negative or positive emotions affect someone’s judgments are examined.The article hypothesized that if people felt happy, the tendency would be that the judgment would be positive, and when a person’s mood is angry or sad the reaction would be negative. It was also stated that negative affect is the fuel for the fire of prejudice and stereotyping (Bodenhausen, Kramer ; Susser, 1994, as cited in O’Brien, 2008). In this study, the participants were 94 undergraduate students (21 men and 73 women). At first the experimenter explained about recalling their happy memories to set their mood and after that they were asked to read a case.After that, they were asked to respond prior to reading it. The results yielded that person who have negative mood response into the case more stereotypic comparable to the happy subjects in the present experiments. These findings collectively suggest that previous views about the connections between affect and stereotyping have been proven. We, as the researchers conclude that if people have negative feelings (sadness, anger or depression) the tendency is that they may respond to an object or situation negatively contrasting to the person who has positive affect.People who have a feeling that they’re losing living their life or life is pretty hard for them feel negative emotions such as anxiety, sadness, anger, depression, or guilt etc. These affects made them feel that they’re not living their life worthy and contended. This article entitled â€Å"Origins and Functions of Positive and Negative Affect: A Control-Process View† differentiated both affect as either positive or negative. But we the researchers would like to focus more on the negative affect. It was said that, when situations are unfavorable, people have negative feelings—anxiety, dysphoria, or despair (Carver ; Scheier, 1990).That people who are in bad mood tend to view life negatively and being in a bad mood makes people see things negatively as well. Method Item Selection and Construction In constructing the Filipino Youth Subjective Well-Being Scale, the researchers had come up with two dimensions: life satisfaction and affect (positive, negative). Each sub factor consist 20 questions. The researchers gathered data from supporting journals on cons tructing each item. After constructing the items, the researchers had it evaluated by a professional.After the evaluation, the researchers constructed the items into a questionnaire. Data gathering The researchers administered the test online to 100 participants and a hard copy of the test to another 100 participants, totaling to 200 participants with a mean age of 19. 12. The participants came from different schools such as Miriam College, St. Paul University, University of the East, T. I. P, La Consolacion College, Far Eastern University, San Beda College, Centro Escolar University, ISCHAM, Polytechnic University of the Philippines and University of the Philippines.Data Analysis The researchers came up with the decision that some of the items would be revised because other statistical reliability analyses of these items are still acceptable. Table. 1 Retained Items Items QuestionCorrected Item-Total CorrelationCronbach's Alpha if Item Deleted 1. I love spending time with my family . 457. 892 4. I enjoy being with my friends. 390. 893 6. I spend my time in doing things that really interest me .377 .893 7. I have a good grades at school. 292. 894 8. I am very passionate in everything I do. 392. 893 9. I do the things that I enjoy everyday. 46. 892 10. At the end of the day I am satisfied with what I have done . 495 .891 11. I am happy in my life right now. 494. 891 14. I always get what I want in my life to satisfy my need/s . 255 .894 15. I have accomplished more in my life, than other people . 208 .894 18. My life has a meaning. 420. 892 20. Life is full of adventure. 438. 892 21. I feel loved by my family and friends. 596. 891 22. I feel that all my friends cares for me . 496. 892 23. My family and friends are afraid of losing me. 519. 891 24. I am satisfied with the activities that I do .553 .891 25.I feel energetic. 417. 892 26. I enjoy my physical education class. 129. 896 27. I am happy with my daily routine. 499. 891 28. I am in good spirit. 507. 891 29 . I am hardly ever angry. 182. 895 30. I feel satisfied. 573. 891 31. I am proud when I accomplish something. 450. 892 32. I can deal with my problems. 497. 892 33. I feel so inspired. 497. 891 34. I am so alive. 618. 890 35. I accept myself for who I am. 535. 891 36. I am a strong person. 459. 892 37. I accept all criticism with respect. 416. 892 38. I am willing to grow and learn from my mistakes. 449. 892 39.My friends always compliment that I am a cheerful person . 354 .893 40. I am able to keep my calm in complicated situations .327 .893 41. I enjoy doing risky things. 075. 896 Table. 2 Reversed Items Item QuestionCorrected Item-Total CorrelationCronbach’s Alpha if Item Deleted 12. I find myself lonely sometimes .267 .894 16. I am not happy with my disposition in my life. 402. 892 43. I keep distance from others .260 .894 48. I’ve been in trouble with the school policies .252 .894 56. I have tried to hurt or kill myself .318 .893 58. I am not interested in having close friends .367 .893 44.When I am stressed, I get paranoid or â€Å"just black out† . 225 .895 47. My friends complain that I do not keep my commitments .225 .895 50. I often wonder who I really am .364 .893 51. Others consider me as moody or hot tempered .320 .893 54. I get into a lot of physical fights .332 .893 42. Some people are jealous of me. 080. 896 52. I find it difficult to start something if I have to do it by myself. 283. 894 53. Others will use what I tell them against me. 344. 893 59. I never forget or forgive those who do me wrong .145 .896 60. When alone, I feel helpless and unable to care for my self . 295 894 19. I feel anxious about the future without knowing why. 115. 896 45. I avoid working with others who criticize me. 138. 896 46. I can’t make decisions without the advice or reassurance of others . 227 .894 49. I make friends with other people only when I am sure that they like me .101 .896 55.I fear losing the support of my friends if I disag ree with them . 143 .896 57. I use my looks to get the attention that I need. 125. 896 2. No one listens to me. 458. 892 13. Sometimes, I feel like a failure. 442. 892 3. I do not live with my own family. 226. 894 17. I used to enjoy life, now I don’t. 54. 890 The items seen in Table 2 were reversed because of the inconsistency of the statistical results. The items were consistent to be scoring low in the item analysis that it might not be measuring the characteristics of Subjective Well-Being. The examiners considered to keep the items reversed as reliable, because it measures what it intends to measure. Table. 3 Dropped Item 5. My friends influence the way I see life .028 .895 The item seen in Table. 3 is dropped item, because the Corrected Item-Total Correlation scored low from the limit that was considered to be acceptable.Even if the item was revised the score of this item is still low. The examiners believed that if the item above is still included in the final items it will affect the reliability of the scale. The item was consistent to be scoring low in the item analysis that it might not be measuring the characteristics of a well-being of a person. Discussion The table below shows the reliability statistics of the scale when item 5 was deleted.Having a result of (~. 90 above) made the instrument good and can be an ideal instrument for a longitudinal study. The finding indicates that Subjective Well-Being scale measures what it intends to measure even though there are many factors to be considered. Moreover, the researchers established that the scores of SWB scale were on the right track to be as sensitive as it can be to measure a scale of Subjective Well-Being. An item was deleted to make the Cronbach’s Aplha increase. Now, having 59 items in the scale, with the previous item deleted, the Cronbach’s Alpha was increased to . 95 which is an indication of a higher reliability as shown in Figure 2.

The Mediating Effect of Cognitive and Emotional Satisfaction on Customer Loyalty Essay Example

The Mediating Effect of Cognitive and Emotional Satisfaction on Customer Loyalty Essay Example The Mediating Effect of Cognitive and Emotional Satisfaction on Customer Loyalty Essay The Mediating Effect of Cognitive and Emotional Satisfaction on Customer Loyalty Essay International Journal of Management Innovation Systems ISSN 1943-1384 2009, Vol. 1, No. 2: E5 The Mediating Effect of Cognitive and Emotional Satisfaction on Customer Loyalty Maznah Wan Omar Universiti Teknologi MARA Kedah Peti Surat 187, 08400 Merbok, Kedah, Malaysia [emailprotected] uitm. edu. my ABSTRACT Loyal customers are among the greatest revenue producer and are more likely to occur in a form of word-of-mouth. In the compound and vibrant Malaysian home computer retail market today, customer loyalty through word-of-mouth marketing tends to occur very slowly and is limited geographically but is a very potent method of marketing. The influence of cognitive and emotional satisfaction on the relationship between salesperson presentation skills and customer’s loyalty through intention to promote by word-of-mouth is vital. This will then lead to increased benefits for the organization in the form of customer loyalty. The cognitive evaluation of customer satisfaction was found to explain customer loyalty in a retail setting more than the emotional reaction. This finding holds importance to those retailers who have been able to generate high expectations in the eyes of their customers. Keywords: Adaptive selling skills, sales presentation skills, Customer satisfaction, Customer loyalty INTRODUCTION As competition deepens, products and services become more indistinguishable, and markets become established, it is becoming increasingly tougher for companies in retailing industries to distinguish themselves from other stores. Simply offering customers with technical solutions to problems does not be sufficient anymore to be competitive and obtain and retain market share. Various value-added services, which commence before the actual operation begins, had gone far beyond it, so as to stay competitive and develop customer loyalty. Research and business customs have shown that upholding customers through value-added services costs less than obtaining new ones (Wetzels et al. , 1998). A prevailing belief holds that an essential key to performance rests with the ability to sustain 1 www. macrothink. org/ijmis International Journal of Management Innovation Systems ISSN 1943-1384 2009, Vol. 1, No. 2: E5 ustomer relationships (Anderson et al. , 1994). Correspondingly, as relational value continues beyond price, customer bond are particularly effective when involved in long-term relationships (Wood, 1995). LITERATURE REVIEW Salesperson Behavior Performance In recent years, a number of authors have been confronted with this issue of the changing role of the sales force. Up-and-coming trends of the extent and scope recorded above require a re-evaluation of the activities that salespeople must execute in order to successfully build and manage customer loyalty. Marshall et al. , (1999), interviewed a diversity of professional salespeople to give evidence for 49 new sales activities that were not pointed out in Moncrief’s (1986) original list. These latest activities fall into the following main categories: communication technology, selling technology, activities related to adaptive and consultative selling, and team-oriented activities. Many of the specific activities within these categories involve skills and content knowledge dissimilar from those traditionally observed in the past as key salesperson success factors. This study therefore will consider how cognitive and emotional satisfaction mediates the relationship between salesperson presentation skills and customer’s intention to word-of-mouth. These situational factors have not been considered in prior research and provide new avenues for examining salesperson presentation skills in Malaysian market and its consequences. Additionally, as most studies have considered salespeople as their unit of analysis, this study will add to the small but imminent body of research that investigates performance and effectiveness relationships at the customer’s level. Formation of loyalty through satisfaction It is by and large believed that satisfaction leads to repeat purchase and positive word-of-mouth recommendation, which are the main indicators of loyalty. Marketing literature has paid much attention to the relationship between customer satisfaction and loyalty (Chi, 2005). A number of studies have confirmed a significant positive relationship between customer satisfaction and loyalty/retention (Chi, 2005). If consumers are satisfied with the product or service, they are more likely to carry on purchasing, and are more willing to spread positive WOM. Salesperson presentation skills Churchill et al. , (1997, p. 367) define selling skill as a salesperson’s â€Å"learned proficiencies at performing job activities,† and describe Salesperson presentation skills as the skills that are associated to successfully conducting the personal selling process (i. e. the series of interconnected steps that salespeople generally use to link with the influence customer). 2 www. macrothink. org/ijmis International Journal of Management Innovation Systems ISSN 1943-1384 2009, Vol. , No. 2: E5 Recognizing the importance of salesperson presentation skills, Marshall et al. (2003) gathered and ranked sales manager perceptions of â€Å"success factors† that contribute to salesperson job performance. They report that managers feel that six specific salesperson presentation skills: listening, adaptive selling, handling objections, closing, negotiating, and prospecting (in descending order of perceived importance) are highly important t o salesperson performance (Johlke, 2006). Accordingly, this group of salesperson presentation skills will be used at the heart of the hypothesized model. Customer satisfaction The importance of customer satisfaction to the success of consumer goods manufacturers (Burns Neisner, 2006) and to the success of retailers (Darian et al. , 2001) has been well documented. Customer satisfaction is regarded as a primary determining factor of repeat shopping and purchasing behavior. The greater the degree to which a consumer experiences satisfaction with a retailer, for instance, the greater the probability the consumer will revisit the retailer (Burns Neisner, 2006, p. 49; Wong Sohal, 2003). In summary, we note the distinction between transaction-specific and overall satisfaction, and for this study, we adopt the broader definition of satisfaction whereby the overall measure is an aggregation of all previous transaction-specific satisfaction, and involves both cognitive and affective components. Recently, the overall measure has been shown to be a better predictor of repurchase intentions (Jones Suh, 2000). Research Framework and Hypotheses Based on the review of literatures concerning the study variables on salesperson presentation skills, customer satisfaction, and customer’s intention to word-of-mouth, the theoretical framework for this study was developed based on Oliver’s (1997, p. 392) Cognitive-Affective-Conative Behavior pattern model. This research model has been adapted and used in this study. Relationship between Salesperson presentation skill and Intention to WOM Although a customer’s personality and the employee’s customer orientation were considered an important antecedent to relationship strength, salesperson presentation skill rather than his/her personality would perform a greater part in determining relationship strength (Foster Cadogen, 2000). Salespersons are social actors who learn behaviors that are appropriate to the positions they take up (Bove Johnson, 2000). In other words, salesperson can be motivated to adapt their behavior to situational requirements in spite of personal preferences (Bove Johnson, 2000). To date, there is a lack of studies investigating the numerous aspects of service that are imperative to customer retention (Zeithaml, 2000)? Furthermore, the different outcomes (i. e. 3 www. macrothink. org/ijmis International Journal of Management Innovation Systems ISSN 1943-1384 2009, Vol. 1, No. 2: E5 attitudinal and behavioral) of relationship strength are left predominantly unexplored in the relationship marketing literature. In addition, there is a lack of studies that explore the impact of factors such as salesperson presentation skill on customer’s intention to WOM. Conclusively, there is little empirical work investigating customer relationship economies, which is the link between attitudinal measures (i. e. salesperson presentation skill, customer satisfaction) and behavioral measures (i. e. customer loyalty, intention to repurchase, intention to WOM, and long-term customer relationship profitability), Wong and Sohal, (2006). Therefore, in line with the above reasoning’s and findings, it is conjectured that: H1: There is a direct positive relationship between salesperson’s presentation skills and intention to word-of-mouth (WOM). Relationship between Customer satisfaction and customer’s intention to WOM Customer satisfaction is important to marketers because it is usually assumed to be a significant determinant of recurring sales, positive word-of-mouth, intention to repurchase, and customer loyalty. It is worthy to consumers because it reflects a positive outcome following the outlay of limited resources and/or the positive accomplishment of prior needs. As a consequence, maximizing satisfaction is seen as a significant objective, collectively for both the firm and the consumer (Mouri, 2005). Likewise, theory suggests that satisfaction feeds back into the system to influence ensuing intentions and behaviors (Wallace et al. , 2004). Customer’s satisfaction with the shopping experience should reflect well on the retailer. An increase in satisfaction has been shown to result in increased customer loyalty (Donio et al. , 2006). From the above arguments it is hypothesized that: H2: There is a direct positive relationship between customer satisfaction and intention to word-of-mouth. H2a: There is a direct positive relationship between cognitive satisfaction and intention to word-of-mouth. H2b: There is a direct positive relationship between emotional satisfaction and intention to word-of-mouth. The mediating effect of Customer Satisfaction on Salesperson presentation skill and Customer’s intention to WOM relationship. Overall satisfaction with an experience does lead to customer loyalty (Caruana, 2002). Bearden and Teel (1983) argue that customer satisfaction is imperative to the marketer because â€Å"it is generally assumed to be significant determinant of repeat sales, positive word of mouth, intention to repurchase, and consumer loyalty†. Similarly, Bloemer and Poiesz (1989) have also argued that â€Å"satisfaction can be thought of as an important determinant of customer loyalty†, while Selnes (1993) argues that it is satisfaction with a brand or service that leads to 4 www. macrothink. org/ijmis International Journal of Management Innovation Systems ISSN 1943-1384 2009, Vol. 1, No. 2: E5 customer loyalty. This view is also supported by Dick and Basu (1994). LaBarbera and Mazursky (1983) show empirically that brand and service loyal customers had a lower probability to substitute brands or service due to higher levels of satisfaction. On the basis of the above findings, customer satisfaction is indicated as having a function and acting as a mediator in the link between salesperson presentation skills and customer loyalty (Lim, 2004). Therefore, in line with the above reasoning’s and findings, the following were hypothesized: H3: Customer satisfaction mediates the relationship presentation skills and intention to word-of-mouth. H3a: between salesperson Cognitive satisfaction mediates the relationship between salesperson presentation skills and intention to word-of-mouth. H3b: Emotional satisfaction mediates the relationship between salesperson presentation skills and intention to word-of-mouth. METHODOLOGY Sampling Design To have a representative finding, the sampling technique used must be objective. This is an important effort adopted by most researchers in order to furnish a finding pertinent to the general. To choose the sample for this study, probability random sampling was used. A probability sample is necessary if the sample is to be representative of the population (Reeves, 1992). Therefore, a two-stage systematic sampling technique is employed in this study. Population and sample size In determining the sample size for this study, sample size selected was based on the criteria set according to Sawyer and Ball (1981). According to Sawyer and Ball (1981), it is estimated that a proportion of 13% of the explained variance to effect size values is a medium effect size for regression analysis. One common measure of effect size is eta squared. Eta squared represents the proportion of variance of the dependent variable that is explained by the independent variable (Pallant, 2005). According to Cohen (1988), the strength of the effect size are interpreted as follows; 0. 01 = small effect size, 0. 06 = moderate effect size, and 0. 14 = large effect size. Thus five independent variables were used and using the statistical significance of 0. 05 (95% confidence level) and an effect size values of . 13 is found to be truly sufficient and not by chance. Goodness of Measure In determining the goodness of data for the study, factor analysis and reliability analysis were performed. Factor analysis was used to assess the convergent validity of the items used in the 5 www. macrothink. org/ijmis International Journal of Management Innovation Systems ISSN 1943-1384 2009, Vol. 1, No. 2: E5 questionnaire while Cronbach’s alpha was performed to examine the internal consistency of the factors obtained. The result of the reliability test are presented in Table 1 Table 1. Reliability Coefficients for the Variables in the Study Construct/Variables Number of Items 3 Cronbach’s Alpha . 75 Mean Std. Dev Sales Presentation skill/Knowledge 3. 78 0. 72 Customer satisfaction Emotional Satisfaction 4 . 84 4. 10 0. 64 Cognitive Satisfaction 4 . 76 3. 85 0. 58 Customer loyalty Word-of-mouth (WOM) 2 . 69 3. 93 0. 59 Note: All items used a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree) The result of the reliability analysis sum up in Table 1 confirmed that all the scales shown, reveal a high internal consistency and reliability with Cronbach’s alpha values higher than the minimum perimeter, (Cronbach’s alpha gt; 0. 60). Research Findings and Discussion Hypotheses Testing Multiple regression tests were conducted in order to test the relationship between the predictor variable and the criterion variable. Respondents’ demographic variables such as salesperson are younger or older than the customers, gender, and ethnicity were statistically controlled (Connel et al. , 2003; Hemdi, 2006). Hence, these variables were entered into the regression equation in the first step. The predictor variables were entered in the second step. The following Table’s below summarizes the result of the analyses. Regression Analysis with Control Variables The relationship word-of-mouth between salesperson presentation skills and intention to Table 2. Results of hierarchical regression analysis of salesperson presentation skills on intention to word-of-mouth Predictors Step 1: Control Variables Younger or older Gender Ethnicity 6 Model 1 Std. ? -. 05 -. 01 . 09 Model 2 Std. ? . 01 -. 01 -. 02 www. macrothink. org/ijmis International Journal of Management Innovation Systems ISSN 1943-1384 2009, Vol. 1, No. 2: E5 Step 2: Sales presentation skills R? Adj. R? R? Change F-Change Note. Significant levels: *p

What is history of america 1845 essays

What is history of america 1845 essays Citizenship means someone who has a stake in the nation and responsibilities to it, who must support it, with taxes and defend it during wartime, who is represented and respected; who can participate in the decision making process by voting, and who has a right to be protected by its government Unfortunately, according to some there were individuals who did not deserve this privilege. Between 1607-1864 there was always controversy on who was allowed to be citizen. In 1607 England ruled and as time went on colonist began to break away, they didnt want to pay the taxes England was forcing them to pay. They felt they could do better on their own and broke away from the English government. The American Revolution was the outcome and as a result elite white men who owned property and paid taxes thought they were the only ones who deserved the privilege of citizenship, but this left out 70% of the population; which included non elite white males, Indians, African Americans and Women. In the following paragraphs I hope you will see the struggles that these groups went through and show you if they ever became citizens. Non elite white males had to gain land if they wanted citizenship and to be able to pay taxes, this qualification made the process difficult. May poor white men were Indentured servants, in 1607 who never got to escape from the poverty they had sought, half of them died before every receiving the land they were promised. With the requirement for citizenship being to have land and pay taxes how would this be on an indentured servants or poor farmers salary. The Fundamental Constitution of 1667 showed us that only rich have voting rights, and citizenship. Poor whites had no rights and to gain citizenship you had to owned land. With this as an requirement the poor white where out of luck, it was impossible for them to acquire land. This made it impossible for hard working Americans to become citizens. ...

The Jacksonian Character Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Jacksonian Character - Essay Example strengths and weaknesses, offer my own opinions about the article and endeavor to show how the article relates to the materials discussed in Class 1301. Pessen says foreign visitors to America such as Tocqueville, Charles Dickens, Harriet Martineau, Frances Trollope and others viewed Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States (1829-37), as a child of the frontier, democrat, egalitarian, entrepreneurial, speculative profit seeker, conservative, conformist, violent, materialist and chaste republican. They thought these traits and values epitomized American society. While some of these visitors had such nice things to say about Americans as handsome, gentle, pleasant, trusting, and self-less (p. 30), most of them had a rather negative perception of Americans. To them, Americans were dull, cold and cruel (p. 11); violent, selfish, and thin-skinned (p. 12); and clever but shallow (p. 15). Americans were dirty, unrefined, drunkard and speculative (pp. 18-22); egalitarian, moral from outside but prudish (p. 23-24); and anti-tradition, apathetic to intellectual accomplishments, and disinterested in principles (pp. 27-31). Pe ssen agrees with the visitors that a Jacksonian American, â€Å"possibly† a materialist, entertained bigotry supplemented by cruelty and cupidity, vanity and boastfulness; he was blissfully unaware of any complex situation, disinterested in principles (p. 31). However, Pessen does not agree that a Jacksonin American was a child of the frontier, an inner-directed conformist, and a chaste republican looking longingly to the past (p. 30). Pessen’s article has three remarkable strengths. First, by presenting a whole array of views of contemporary European visitors, Pessen helps us understand American society from their perspective and experiences. Secondly, he also offers his own views so the readers have a different viewpoint to draw informed and objective conclusions. Thirdly, the article written in journalistic style makes an

A Desire to Be Seen. Family Caregivers' Experiences of Their Caring Essay

A Desire to Be Seen. Family Caregivers' Experiences of Their Caring Role in Palliative Home Care - Essay Example Mr. James does not wish to be admitted in a hospital or a nursing home, which is why Mrs. James had agreed to look after him at their home. This condition had been discussed with the General Practitioner, the district nursing team and the palliative care team, who agreed to Mr. James' conditions and chose to support his wife. She took on the role as Mr. James' informal care giver voluntarily as she values the time that she has left with her husband. However, there were instances when Mr. James was feeling severely ill and his wife was uncertain as to what needs to be done to attend to her husband. She immediately contacted the GP, the district nursing team, and the palliative care team for support. In spite of the fact that Mrs. James cherished the moments that she was able to care for her husband, there were times that she felt powerless and helpless. Her husband's condition caused her emotional and psychological stress. After several days of caring for her husband, she started to q uestion whether she made the correct decision. The team opted to advise Mrs. James to undergo a two day intensive palliative care course at the Dorothy House as a means for her to overcome her distress. She felt that she must be able to have a strong grip and command of her emotions so as not to show any signs of insecurity, fear and anger. Seeing his wife strong made a big difference on Mr. James' passing. He died a peaceful death at his home. After Mr. James' death, the palliative care team went to Mrs. James to reassure her and offer her support. The main issues of the care plan constitute of the following: pressure area care; pain; challenges in looking after home; comfort; wife's/family's stress; promise to keep, access or the availability of palliative care team as and when needed; psychological support; and management of medication. The article that the researcher has chosen is entitled "A Desire to Be Seen - Family Caregivers’ Experiences of Their Caring Role in Palli ative Home Care" by Linderholm and Friedrichsen (2010). Main Body (Part 1) The article "A Desire to Be Seen: Family Caregivers’ Experiences of Their Caring Role in Palliative Home Care" was presented clearly. The context of the study can be understood easily as the choice of words was succinct and direct to the point. The researchers began to elaborate on the definition of palliative care and the role it serves in primary health care. The researchers presented the fact that patients diagnosed with life threatening conditions who prefer to stay at home although being attended by health care professionals, require an informal caregiver in order for palliative care to be successful. The focus of the study is important because it presents the necessary care that must be provisioned to terminally ill patients in which most people are not aware of (Gerrish and Lacey, 2006). The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of an informal care giver of a dying relative who is admi tted in a primary healthcare facility. The study intended to delve into the aspects of the caring role and support rendered during and after the patient's illness. The research aim was specific and well defined. Methodology The study employed a qualitative research design that made use of a hermeneutic approach. It is appropriate that the researchers have chosen a qualitative approach because the objective of the study is to explore the experiences of the informal care giver during the patient's illness and after they died. In that regard, the data gathered were interviews concerning the first hand account narration of the informal carers (Nieswiadomy, 2008). It is applicable in answering the aim of the study

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Review of Financial Statements Paper - Essay Example for auditing Teva Pharmaceuticals’ consolidated balance sheets including its subsidiaries and various other consolidated statements such as those of income statements, equity changes and cash flows. Kesselman & Kesselman is accountable for articulating their views upon the financial statements which are considered as the prime responsibility of the Management and Board of Directors of the company (Kesselman & Kesselman, 2011). The management of Watson Pharmaceuticals is primarily responsible for the preparation of financial reporting inclusive of the structure of internal controls and formation of various consolidated statements of accounts. The financial statements are prepared according to the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. The financial statements are audited by the company’s independent registered firm for public accounting, i.e. PriceWaterhouseCoopers. The responsibility of this audit firm is to express its opinion regarding the accountability of the financial statements of the company as per the standards (Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc (WPI), 2011). PriceWaterhouseCoopers is one of the well-known firms related to accounting and auditing throughout the world. It also provides with effective and competitive planning services aimed at the betterment of the organizational operations (BioJerusalem, 2011). Kesselman & Kesselman. (2011). Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. Retrieved from http://google.brand.edgar-online.com/EFX_dll/EDGARpro.dll?FetchFilingHtmlSection1?SectionID=7731562-542814-549604&SessionID=ADoWHCg1k6TEkA7 Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc (WPI). (2011). Annual Report Pursuant To Section 13 And 15(d). Retrieved from

American Express Company Essay Example for Free

American Express Company Essay American Express Company, sometimes known as AmEx, is a diversified global financial services company headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. At present, there are 58,300 employees worldwide working in American Express earning annual revenue of $24. 5 billion. Its assets are valued at $124 billion, with $620 billion in annual purchase volume on American Express Cards and $87. 9 million cards-in-force. Each day, American Express makes it easier, safer and more rewarding for consumers and businesses to purchase the things they need and for merchants to sell their goods and services. An engine of commerce, American Express provides innovative payment, travel and expense management solutions for individuals and businesses of all sizes. Most of all, it helps the customers realize their dreams and aspirations through industry-leading benefits, access to unique experiences, business-building insights, and global customer care. It enables its customers to do more and achieve more. The vision of American Express is to work hard every day to make American Express the world’s most respected service brand. â€Å"Living up to our values is our first priority. † They believe in three operating principles they are: Offer superior value propositions to all of the customers Operate with best-in-class economics Support the American Express brand American Express is the worlds largest card issuer by purchase volume. They process millions of transactions daily as the premium network for high-spending card-members. The American Express is also known for helping mall business owners succeed by delivering purchasing power, flexibility and financial control. Adding on to its roles American Express also provides commercial payment tools and expertise that help companies control their spending and save billions of dollars, offer marketing and information management insights that help merchants build their businesses. The American Express employees are customer loyal experts with industry-leading rewards programs and platforms. They operate the world’s largest travel network serving consumers and businesses and are recognized as the most innovative company in our industries. They are dedicated to serving their customers, 24/7, around the world. The Values which they operate on reflect who the company is and what it stands for as a company. They believe in Customer Commitment, Quality, Integrity, Teamwork, Respect for People, Good Citizenship, Will to Win Personal and Accountability. Human Resource Practices at American Express Being a service industry firm, the employees form the base of all its operations and so the company gives a lot of importance to its HR practices which starts from assessing the need for new employees or new recruits. At American Express it starts with Projecting head counts, Assigning requisition number, identifying relevant profiles and estimating the number of candidates. The recruitment process starts with projecting the head counts i. e. by assessing how many candidates are required at a particular point in time in various departments. As per the requirements identified for different departments the company assigns a Requisition Number which differentiates various job requirements from one other. The Requisition Number is a unique code assigned by the company to different jobs which consists of the job description, minimum requirement for the job and the selection criteria. American Express then identifies the profiles that are relevant as per the requirements given by the Requisition Number and then estimates as to how many candidates will actually appear for the selection process. The company uses different sourcing channels for identifying relevant profiles as per its requirements. American Express uses both internal as well as external sources of recruitment. The Internal sources of the company consist of Employee Referral and Internal Sourcing Team under which the HR department asks its employees to refer the suitable candidates as per the job requirement. A candidate selected via an Employee Referral leads to the Employees getting a specific amount as a form of reward for contributing a resource to the Organization. As a part of the External sources the company contacts with External Vendors and Consultants and also goes to colleges for hiring. Beside this the company uses Job Postings also by advertising in job portals like www. Naukri. com, www. monsterindia. com etc. American Express also uses Social Networking Sites for inviting application by posting on www. facebook. com and www. linkedin. com . Beside the electronic media the company also advertise in newspapers like Times of India and Hindustan Times. American Express, for certain type of jobs, also invites walk-ins. After deciding when to hire and selecting different profiles as per the job advertisement given, the company goes for recruitment. For the recruitment process American Express generally prefers face to face interview. Face to face interview is given preference because of the fact that American Express being a service firm needs to test a candidate’s personality , his/her body language as how the person carries himself/ herself and his attitude towards work and also how he/she interacts with people. Face to face interview besides acting as a platform for assessing an applicant on the above mentioned parameters also allows the company to check the data provided by the candidate. The decisions regarding entry level staffing depends upon the attrition level of the company at a particular period of time. The entry level staffing is done in the form of bulk hiring and contacts from employment agencies are also utilized for the same. Wherein the company sends the required qualifications along with the Requisition Numbers for the vacant positions and then these requirements are matched up with the available candidates’ profiles. American Express hires students from across Campuses of local colleges if they are invited for the same by that particular college for recruitment else they don’t go for hiring in campuses by their own judgement. The interviews are usually held on Fridays, but as the need may be, sometimes they are conducted on Saturdays and Sundays as well. The turn ups on weekend drive ranges from 300-350 for Non Voice Requirements and 150-200 for Voice Requirements. For executive hiring American Express has tie ups with employment agencies wherein experienced people are searched for the Organization. Along with executive hiring American Express is into head hunting as one of its processes for executive hiring to have talented pool of people for the organization. American Express also prefers people from IITs IIMs for filling up their executive positions. In case of executive hiring American Express generally sells its profile to have good resources for the organization. Once the selection mode is finalized then the series of face to face interviews gets started as the further steps of selection process. Executive hiring is process which requires time duration of 3-4 months at least. American Express is into Bulk Hiring for Voice Process as well as Non-Voice Process. Apart from Bulk Hiring it is also into Executive Hiring. American Express follows a set process for conducting these various levels of interview. Since the number of turn ups for the Voice Non-Voice Processes are largely high they avoid taking an initial HR Screening Process; the reason behind this is lack of time. The Requisition Numbers that they get have a deadline that need to be met hence a HR Screening Process becomes too time consuming so it is avoided in the cases of Bulk Hiring. American Express is very staunch when it comes to hiring any candidate per se. Hence they believe that a Face to Face Interview interaction would be an ideal way to judge the candidate. The American Express has four Levels of Interview. First, Personal Introduction Round, where the candidate is required to give an elaborate insight into his Educational Background, his past Work Experience, a glimpse into his personality the Attitudes and abilities he possesses. Next step is the Voice Assessment Test for Voice Process and the Written Test for the Non-Voice Process. Wherein the candidates are judged upon various parameters like, their Communication, Accent, Voice Modulation, Pronunciation, Vocabulary, Spelling, Grammer etc. The reason behind doing these tests is to find the right candidate for the right role i. e. f one would suit for a Voice or a Non-Voice Process. The third step is the Operational or the Technical Round. In this the candidate is assessed on the skills that they possess and that are crucial to meet that particular job requirements. The candidate is interviewed on his Technical competencies abilities. Finally, they have something called the Offer Round. It is also called the Salary Negotiation Round. This round is all about the Compensation Discussion, a discussion between the HR Manager the Candidate over the expected compensation the industry set Compensation Level. Once this discussion comes to a pause a final compensation is decided and an offer is rolled out to the candidate. The Levels of Interview slightly differ in the case of Executive Hiring. The First step in Executive Hiring is matching the profile according to the Requisition Number. Here the one thing that we need to make a note of is the fact that, a stringent HR Screening Process is followed, where the HR Manager strictly follows an HR Screening Checklist, to check whether the candidate matches the requirement as has been mentioned in and by the Requisition Number and the Job Description. All the other levels and steps being the same the only difference lies in the fact that they do not take any Written Test or Voice Assessment Test. This Step is eliminated from the process of Executive Hiring. The reason being that, this level generally constitutes of Top Level Management Employees Officials and their mode of operation differs from the base or Ground level Employees. Rest they go through the same levels and steps of the Interview Selection Process. American Express believes in On the Spot job offer for Bulk Hiring wherein once the interview process is completed the candidate is given an offer letter. Executive Hiring or Non Bulk Hiring Offer is rolled out in 2days. (Within which the Candidate’s Confirmation is required). When the company hires the candidates in bulk then the entire process of interviewing to offer takes around 2 days and after the completion all the selected candidates are offered a job-letter. To close each Requisition an Average of 2 months is required starting from the process of selecting the forms, short-listing the candidates then conducting group discussion and PI and finally closing up of interview takes around 2 months. Niche Skills and Top Level Security Profiles take approximately an average of 3-4months. The technical skills which are niche, uncommon and difficult in nature to find takes approximately around 3 months because in this the company looks for a specific quality which can be used for further growth and development of the organization. Profiles of Vanilla Skills take 2 months to close. The American Express conducts a thorough Criminal Background Check, education verification and work experience. All portions of the check are completed before the Employee can begin his/her employment with the Organization. These checks are often used by American Express as a means of objectively evaluating a job candidates qualifications, character, fitness, and to identify potential hiring risks for safety and security reasons. The Background check at American Express is also used to thoroughly investigate the Employees Background and past information in order to get a security clearance. So this background check is extremely crucial in American Express recruitment process. They give huge importance in the same. If any of the above mentioned criteria doesn’t match in this process or a failure to adhere to the background check norms could eventually lead to the cancellation of the Candidates offer and Blacklisting of the candidate. Wherein the company cancels the application of the candidate or the candidate’s selection is being closed. Information’s which are being written in the resume has to be genuine and should be according to the actual background, experience of the candidate and basically those perfect information reflects the personality the ability of the candidate. It is very easy for the candidate to prove or perform the same on the spot and simultaneously differentiate himself as the able candidate for the respective post. The American Express out sources its Background Check process to various firms. These are Syndicate firms which does the background check for its new hires in return for a fee amount. The On-Boarding Process begins when Candidate joins them for an informative first–day orientation where they learn the ins and outs of American Express history and culture. On-Boarding involves integrating and acculturating new employees into the organisation and providing them with the tools, resources, and knowledge to become successful and productive. It is a 2 day process. On boarding includes orientation collection of documents such as the Experience Certificate or Letter, Reference Letter, Educational Documents, Identification Proof etc. Orientation at American Express is a social function which serves as a familiarization programme provided to new employees. It stands as a ‘getting to know us’ programme. So they give information about their policies and working culture means how to work with American Express. In this on boarding process the new joiners are also made to fill various forms such as the provident fund and gratuity. A Separate Training Department with group or individual training in specified areas focused on carrying out assignments connected with related field they are working in which helps in improving the skills and knowledge of the employees. Special training is given to all the candidates from Campus Recruits to Bulk Hires to Executives who are recruited. This training focuses mainly on the rules and regulations the company follows and what all are the objectives the company has to achieve. The Training Methods or Forms of Training that American Express uses are vast. It comprises of Formal Training, for all employees whether they are new hires of existing employees. All and one have to undergo a formal training session in American Express. Another form of Training that American Express follows is Lectures and Classroom Trainings where in the Employees obtain training in a traditional classroom environment as per their convenience and time. It provides the employees with an environment that includes a lab, an instructor, and a structured approach to teaching. Another mode of Training that it follows is Online Training. This method is generally used in case of training the Top Level Officials and Managers. American Express Values every second of its Employees time especially when it is related to the Top management because they are involved with the major operations of the organization. So instead of disrespecting their time by calling them for a classroom session it looks for their convenience. They take up their training programs online which is quicker, simpler and convenient for them. The next form of Training method that they apply is Questionnaire. Where in the HR Manager floats a Questionnaire to it Employees / Trainees and they collect their responses and give them the feedback. â€Å"An unusual method of training its employees but it tends to be more effective than classroom sessions† says Saumyajit K. Pal, HR Manager (MIS Analytics), American Express.