Written Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Written Assignment - Essay Example The implication of this is that the principles of war are not universal as every general can choose to develop their own depending how best their strategies work for them. Based on this, this essay will delve in to Sun Tzu statement that an army man tends to be the man in charge during a war and the fate of the people meaning that they fall under the mercy of the general in charge. In any war, consequences or effects are inevitable and the people tend to suffer more because things can never be normal again depending on the general that is commanding the war. In the case of the leadership of a country, the country may have a good performing economy or one that is unstable depending on the leadership styles and characteristics of the ruler (Roe 5). By applying and understanding this principle, this can be an effective way of exercising power by being familiar with the consequences of their decisions. The implication of this is that a nation may either have a failed democracy, unstable economy and vice versa depending on the type of leader that is in power. A nation’s prosperity may be uncertain as this tends to be the breaking or success moment for such a nation meaning that the type of leadership qualities that an individual may have can have a direct influence subjects. Peace in such a nation can prevail if the man in charge of a country has a clear plan of his intention to maximize on the nation’s resource by not creating enmity, as they carry out this activity. However, the leader chooses to be selfish and inconsiderate to the subjects in a country then this is likely to experience hostility, which can influence the war. Therefore, a leader can use this principle to their advantage, but also making sure their interests prevail with the least amount of force and no enemies created in the process. Nevertheless, the army men can never be in charge in a country because they also take orders

Family and Consumer Behaviour Literature review

Family and Consumer Behaviour - Literature review Example All of these factors contribute significantly in the decision-making process of a person. In this paper, we will discuss the impact of family on overall consumer behavior. â€Å"An individual’s immediate family members play an essential role in influencing his/her buying behaviour† (Management Study Guide n.d.). Family is the most important factor that affects consumer decisions (Yuvarani 2009). We will discuss different factors concerning family that may influence a person’s decision regarding purchase of a produce or a service. Different members of a family play a significant role in the purchase decision of a person. Therefore, we will discuss the role of each family representative in detail to know how he/she can make a person purchase or leave a product. The structure of the report will be such that we will start from the head of a family and will move downwards to the youngest member of the family to know the influence that each of they may have on the buyi ng decision of a person. 2. Roles To Be Discussed There is rarely any individual who does not discuss anything with any of his/her family members before purchasing something new. â€Å"The family is the most important consumer buying organization in society, and family members constitute the most influential primary reference group† (CiteMAN 2006). Family members sometimes support the decision to buy a particular product, sometimes stop him/her due to different reasons, and sometimes suggest better alternatives (Management Study Guide n.d.). The roles that will be discussed in this paper include parents, siblings, spouse, and grandparents. 2.1 Influence of Grandparents The influence of grandparents varies on an individual’s buying decision from product to product and age to age. In today’s world, people are getting more and more self-dependent and they hardly consult their grandparents when they have to buy some new product of any kind. The role of grandparents in buying decisions has been minimized to a large extent. For example, if someone has to buy a new cell phone, he/she may hardly consult his/her grandparents. Similarly, if someone has to buy a new t-shirt or a pair of shoes, there is hardly any evidence that one would consult it with grandparents because these are personal decisions which have nothing top do with the advice of grandparents. On the other hand, when a person makes some big decisions, such as, buying a property or selling a property owned by the grandparents, he/she has to consult it with the grandparents because big decisions always need consultation with experienced family members. In western part of the world, the role of grandparents is very little in the buying decision of a person. On the other hand, in eastern countries, their role is comparatively more influential. When a person is young and does not have any source of income, he/she has to rely on parents and grandparents to buy any desired product. For examp le, in third-world countries, parents usually make their children live with grandparents when they have to go out for work. In such cases, an emotional attachment between children and grandparents develops and children do everything with the approval of their grandparents. For example, if they have to buy a new pair of shoes, they may request their grandparents to make parents agree on this because they know that their

Culture, Behaviour and Management in field of Construction Project Essay

Culture, Behaviour and Management in field of Construction Project Management - Essay Example The potential effectiveness of these ideologies is tested through the London Olympics 2012 construction projects. It is proved that such ideologies can be effective in the construction industry but only the terms that they are appropriately supported in all their aspects. 1. Introduction In the last decade, the rapid expansion of globalisation in countries worldwide has caused a series of changes in traditional organizational practices and frameworks. It is in the context of this trend that the recent credit crisis appeared. The specific crisis has been related to a series of mind-sets and ideologies. In this way, the management of the effects of the credit crisis is not an issue of organizational practices but rather of ideologies and behaviour. The role of mind-sets and ideologies in the development of the recent credit crisis is examined in this paper; emphasis is given on the potential use of these mind-sets for handling the effects of the crisis on the UK construction industry. The construction projects of the London Olympics 2012 are used as indicative examples for highlighting the potential value of mind-sets in handling problems related to the financial crisis – especially cultural and behavioural problems. ... It is recommended that project managers involved in the particular construction projects – those related to London Olympics 2012 – emphasize more on the use of mind-sets for resolving the cultural and behavioural problems of these projects. At the next level, these practices could benefit the construction projects developed in markets with different characteristics, such as the Thai market. 2. An explanation of the recent ‘credit crisis’ taking the perspective of ‘ideologies and mindsets’ to account for the phenomenon. The recent credit crisis proved the inability of leaders in organizations of all industries to take the necessary measures for increasing the strength of their firm towards the market pressures. As noted in the study of Dotlich et al. (2009) in order to be able to face the developments in the global market, modern leaders should ‘develop four mind-sets: a) a global mind-set, b) an innovation mind-set, c) a virtual mind-set and d) a collaborative mind-set’ (Dotlich et al. 2009, p.36). The above mind-sets could be further explained as follows: a) the first (global) mind-set would help leaders to understand the conditions in the global market and set the appropriate strategic priorities, aiming to help their firm improve its position in the international market, b) the innovation mind-set would refer to leaders who are able to identify and promote creative ideas; these ideas could help organizations to increase their competitiveness or, at least, to avoid major losses in periods of severe crises, like the recent one, c) the virtual mind-set refers to leaders who are able to communicate effectively with external providers established in other countries worldwide (Dotlich et al. 2009, p.36), d) the collaborative mind-set reflects the leader

Inheritance Taxes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Inheritance Taxes - Essay Example â€Å"Death tax† label came about during the debate in the first years of George W. Bush’s presidency when those who saw the inheritance tax as a tax on wealth—their wealth—wanted it repealed. Using terms such as â€Å"death tax,† and framing the inheritance tax as a â€Å"double tax,† the small minority, approximately 2% of Americans, won the repeal. It did not hurt having a president set not only to inherit but who also has heirs to a sizeable fortune, and who wanted to please his â€Å"base,† deep-pocketed conservatives. In all actuality, the inheritance tax is a wealth tax: it taxes estates willed to heirs that net worth exceeds $5 million, so only the wealthy are affected by it. Even David Joulfaian of the U.S. Department of the Treasury admits that it is a wealth tax. â€Å"The estate and gift tax is the only wealth tax levied by the federal government. The estate tax was first enacted in 1916 and applied to the wealth of decede nts with estates in excess of $50,000. It has undergone numerous changes, especially in 1976, 1981, and 1997. Significant temporary changes were introduced in 2001 and are set to expire in 2011†. Yet even many poor people oppose it because they believe it will somehow affect them, and that has to do with the way those who the tax will affect marketed the idea to the masses. Conservatives succeeded in their efforts to have the estate tax temporarily repealed mainly because of the way they presented their argument. They framed the argument against the estate tax as though it would affect everybody who would inherit any sum of money or property upon a relative’s death including the heirs of small business owners and farmers. These people fear that, should they die, their business or farmland would be worth more than the $5 million dollars where the estate tax kicks in, and then their heirs would not be able to keep the business or land, which would affect the future income of the heirs. Small business owners and farmers, who subscribe to the conservative view, fear that if they die suddenly their families would be left in poverty because the government would tax them out of their source of income. But, conservatives not only emphasize the fact that heirs would not inherit the full worth of a business or farm they include the presumption that small business owners are so concerned over the estate tax that it affects their hiring practices. The website, Nodeathtax.org, says, â€Å"The United States economy has endured a severe recession and is currently growing too slowly. Accordingly, it is imperative that policy be focused on generating the maximum possible pace of economic growth. The estate tax is an important element of pro-growth tax policy. Recent research indicates that the estate tax has significant impacts on asset accumulation (and, thus, balance sheet repair), as well as the payroll and

The Seven I Am Statements of John Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Seven I Am Statements of John - Essay Example ld with the bread of life, and that bread of life is Jesus Christ who will soon bring order and peace to the world, and would eventually reunite the sinful world back to Him (29). This posits a subtle point that what the world needs is Jesus, and that He is the only bread of life (29). The next â€Å"I Am† statement can be found in John 8:12-59. John’s scriptural and circumstantial objective is to demonstrate that Jesus came to be the light of the world (Lavin 21; Wiersbe 47). While in Jerusalem during the Feast of the Tabernacles, Jesus states publicly the following words â€Å"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (NIV, John 8:12). The statement implies that Jesus is the lone requisite and road to deliverance (Lavin 23). During the concluding night of the Feast of Tabernacles, one lamp was not lit up to signify that salvation is yet to arrive in entirety. The next Jesus Christ’s â€Å"I A m† statements take place while He declares and perceptibly manifests that He is the final and definitive completion of the Feast of Tabernacles when he restored the blind man’s sight (Morris 114). However, a probe was carried in order to shed light on why the healing took place on a Sabbath day. The satirical gist of the story is that Jesus delivers a man from darkness to light while the Pharisees believes that they are in lightness yet are living in darkness. In John 10:7, Jesus speaks about metaphorically that He is gate for the sheep (Vieths 33). Jesus is conveying the truth that He alone can lead humanity into the Father; that only through Him does mankind have access to the Father. Jesus is more than willing to reconcile humanity to God (29). Jesus had the characteristic of eternal life, which means that He... Jesus comforts Martha by telling her about the truth of resurrection and life. In John 11:25-26, Jesus declares to Martha "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" The verses signify that only Jesus realizes this function for those who believe in Him; and Jesus "does not provide it, but rather is this" (Morris 117). This assurance of a new life is just in close proximity, and is ever nearby (117). Jesus employs this particular claim in order to confirm his rule over life (117)John 14 draws a fascinating conversation between Jesus and His disciples, talking about where Jesus is departing in a little while. The only way and access to God is through Jesus Christ. His declaration of Him being the only way and the truth demonstrates how accurate, reliable and unfailing His teachings are (Lavin 30). Jesus does not pronounce His precepts as the only way or means, but that "He is the Son of God" (Wiersbe 24; Larsen 110). In most cultures, the tie between a father and a son is very strong. In other words, this strong connection allows the kind of sharing [of things, etc.] that only exists between a father and a son. Hence, in the simplest analogy, in order for humanity to completely know the Father, it must first get itself acquainted with the Son. Humanity must know Jesus. Finally, John 15 tells us about "The True Vine". The chapter starts with â€Å"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener†

Why do consumers love GreyGoose Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Why do consumers love GreyGoose - Research Paper Example The winning answered the consumer’s long asked question of whether expensive vodka tested better than cheap vodka. Consequently people felt justified for buying expensive vodka (Rothbaum 60). Following the cosumer’s loving for greygoose, we developed an urge to conduct a research. The research was to explain why consumers love greygoose. We used ZMET procedure to carry out our research. We chose on ZMET because the procedures involved draw out the deepest feelings, thoughts, recognitions and undisclosed perceptions of the respondent concerning the topic being interviewed. ZMET is the best choice for researchers willing to investigate consumer behaviors concerning a given product (Chang 279). We recruited our informants from France. Since many people were willing to participating in our interview, we carried out screening criteria on consumers who were interested in participating in the interview. We conducted in-depth interviews and carried out the convenience sampling to choose our interview participants (Chang 279). We were gender-sensitive thus we selected one male and one female. Therefore we had two informants for our data collection process with whom we carried out two interviews. The female informant was a 45 year old house-wife while the male informant was a 28 year old employed young man. We used two tape recorders to record the data conveyed by the respondents in the two interviews (Gofin, Lemke and Koners 49). After the interview, there was need of understanding the informants’ information on why consumers love greygoose. We critically analyzed the collected data to identify the metaphors that the greygoose consumers use about this vodka. We focused on obtaining metaphors because through them we could gain a better understanding of the consumers’ thinking. We transcribed the information collected from the two interview tapes into text for deeper analysis (Gofin, Lemke and Koners 49). From the data, we identified metaphor e xpressions and categorized them into thematic metaphors, conceptual metaphors and deep metaphors. Thematic metaphors described various aspects of the informants’ attitudes towards consumers’ love for greygoose. Conceptual metaphors played a role in data reduction and organization. We obtained deep metaphors by analyzing the thematic and conceptual metaphors (Belk 401). The informants revealed that greygoose consumption made them think of France, their home. We used resource as a deep metaphor to show the informants’ claims that greygoose consumption is a source of entertainment (Belk 401). The study showed that consumers considered greygoose consumption as a source of entertainment after engaging themselves in strenuous activities. The informants affirmed the entertaining ability of greygoose increased their trust in the brand. The statement we recorded from these claims was, â€Å"greygoose gets me high†¦it entertains me, I trust the brand!† The vod ka also reminded them of the great times they shared with their friends and family members back in France. Greygoose made them think of the tragic accidents and people lose caused by alcohol consumption. The informants stated that sometimes they met new people during greygoose consumption process hence making new friends. We used intimate as a thematic metaphor to show greygoose consumption as a source of memories. Conceptual metaphors obtained included anarchy, messy, France, friends and family. The informants revealed of how greygoose consumption connected their memory to the upscale greystone club. They reaffirmed that the packaging of greygoose was classy and gave them a sense of psychological ownership of the brand. Greygoose also gave them a sense of belonging. The following verbatim from the male respondent indicated this:

Assessing Infants and Toddlers Essay Example for Free

Assessing Infants and Toddlers Essay Assessing infants and toddlers is commonly used to determine if children are meeting their developmental milestones or if they are showing any signs of developmental delays or disabilities. Many types of standardized tests are available for use with infants and young children; all are psychological tests, whether they measure abilities, achievements, aptitudes, interests, attitudes, values, or personality characteristics (Wortham, How Standardized Test Are Used with Infants and Young Children, 2012). There are many types of assessments and the key is using the proper one to answer the questions you need, assessment that involves observation of the child, interviews with parents and caregivers, developmental and social history, and interaction with the child using game-like materials, toys, questionnaires, and tasks (Logsdon, 2012). Teachers should be asking what methods should be used, which one should a teacher select from the children they are teaching, and how will the information be obtained? In this paper I will explore these questions and how that effects the ever fast changing pace of early childhood education. A developmental assessment is a process designed to deepen understanding of a childs competencies and resources, and of the caregiving and learning environments most likely to help a child make fullest use of his or her developmental potential, according to New Visions (Tips for Surviving Child Development Assessment, 2012). As a teacher you will consider why you should engage in assessment. For some programs it is part of their policies and procedures, for some it is state mandated, and for others it may be federally mandated. For some teachers the choice is theirs and they choose to for the best interest of the child. Through assessment the teacher can determine where the child is in development, show progress through ongoing assessment and have information to share with the child’s parents. The main reason for assessment is to pinpoint any disabilities or developmental delays, to assess the child’s school readiness, to assist the teacher in planning their curriculum and lesson plans program, to provide feedback to parents and being able to show the effectiveness of the program. The first thing is choose the type of assessment that is appropriate for the children that you engage with daily. There are two types of assessments: formal and informal assessments. With formal assessments the teacher is comparing the child against developmental norms or to other children. Informal assessments are observations that can be obtained through observation in a methodical way and is usually not compared to others. The majority of standardized tests that are in use today are designed to be administered and interpreted by trained professionals. Most programs use a combination of assessments when gathering information about the children they work with each day. The benefit of standardized tests is that the results can be compared to another child or children finding the common factors of developmental norms. A norm is an average result in a group of sample children within that age group or classroom. The second advantage is can be the ability to predict validity of the tests. Children whom do well on these assessments tend to do well in assessments as the move into the school readiness in Kindergarten. A common test used for preschoolers include the Battelle (Logsdon, 2012). There are disadvantages when using standardized test as well and one of the major ones is how the data will be interpreted that is obtained. The results from the teachers and administrators must be considered and compared to similar children in similar circumstances. The comparison is not easy to achieve, for example the cultural bias of early developmental tests. Also the predictive validity of standardized tests can be a disadvantage for their ability to forecast the future achievement in kindergarten. There are other formal test that are being explored that can measure what is developmentally appropriate within their focus and approach. Standardized tests have information regarding their validity and reliability that can give the teachers a way to evaluate if the test is appropriate and if it is being used for its intended use. The reliability information should be able to produce the same result when measuring the same thing with different groups of children. This will help the teacher to be able to determine information that will be obtained. It should be considered when using formal test that they should be used with trained professionals, although they are available for purchase openly they should not be used without training and experience. When using formal test they should be given in a controlled environment for the results to be valid. Even when the test are given properly the results can be interpreted inconsistently and the norms not valid. For example the test could be for both boys and girls but could end up being used with a majority of one or the other or compared to just one variable due to the majority of whom is taking the tests. If that was confusing to you as it was to me then can you imagine the results you will get. When using informal methods to assess children the test as more teacher derived and the tools used are usually checklist, engagement and interaction and open-ended questions. Many teachers already use anecdotal records, a strategy that records actions of the children, in which short episodes of a child’s behavior are recorded and kept for comparing change in behavior over time, in the child’s portfolio and used when meeting with parents for a conference. One of the main reasons for this method is ease of use. Anecdotes can be recorded in virtually any environment at any time throughout the day with limited materials needed. Other informal methods used in classrooms today are time sample, checklists, rating scales, interviews, and videotape or audiotape recordings. The teacher should include the following five key things when using anecdotes: frequency of the behavior, duration of the behavior, notes describing when and where the observation took place, and the date and time. Another form is the child’s portfolio which is any variety of works thought to be representative of the individual. With young children, this usually includes drawings and writings, photographs and stories dictated to an adult. A portfolio can also include information about the child contributed by teachers, and other professionals. A portfolio can be used as a springboard for reflection with children themselves, parents, or other professionals. Discussions with children around a portfolio could reflect on what the child drew (â€Å"tell me more about,†). With parents and professionals the portfolio offers a variety of information about the child, in which they can use as a springboard for discussion at parent conferences. The problem with this type of assessment it can leave the parents confused with the information that comes from it and how it related to their child. When a teacher is choosing which method to use they have to consider what purpose will it serve? The teacher should ask themselves why is this information needed, what is the purpose, and what information will be helpful for the teacher, child and parent, when and how will this information be obtained and how am I as the teacher going to ensure that the information gather is accurate and valid? Also, if this method is choose is it appropriate for the children I work with? Two things that I feel the teacher should ask themselves are: is this age and developmentally appropriate for the children I work with and is relevant to the background and daily circumstances of the child that I work with? When considering the choices you must also consider am I as the teacher able to administer this test properly. When considering this I must consider the how the test will observe a child and how will this be done without pre-formed ideas about outcome. When we are able to be objective then the teacher reports only the facts, and then interpret those facts by what is observed, rather than feelings or attitudes about the child. In today’s society more and more teachers are moving away from traditional methods of assessments and moving towards methods that are relying instead on techniques thought to be more holistic and developmentally appropriate. This could include innovative approaches that observe more on behavior that happens in natural settings and assessments that reflect the complete set of circumstances surrounding the child. While conducting an assessment the teacher should make every effort to use the information in ways that are respectful of the child. In any case the teacher must remember to pay attention to issues such as consent and always remaining confidential. Confidentiality means that it will only be discussed in professional settings, and the information will conceal identities and results are revealed only to the intended audience. Consent means that the teacher obtained the permission from the parent to observe, evaluate and assessed a child. A lot of times parents give such consent at the time of the program enrollment if they sign a form indicating that they realize such activities will be occurring. Otherwise, you should always obtain permission prior to engaging in ongoing assessment projects, even if informal measures are being used. One practice to avoid is the temptation to label children based on assessment results, such as â€Å"this child is special† or â€Å"this child is challenged.† Children placed in these categories very early on have difficulty overcoming them later. In the 21st century, assessment practices are likely to become more holistic and innovative in their approach. For example, we are beginning to hear more of the term â€Å"authentic assessment.† Authentic assessments are when the environment is taken into account surrounding the evaluation of individual children. Another term being used more today is â€Å"performance-based assessment.† Performance-based assessment is when the teacher is focusing on the daily activities and skills already being performed in the classroom setting. Family involvement in assessment, such as parent reports and observations or even them being present, has not been really considered in mainstream early childhood settings. These strategies will gain popularity in the coming years. Although assessment holds great potential to help caregivers understand the children they care for, it can be challenging to assess infants and toddlers, especially if one views assessment as a one-on-one testing interaction (Ditchtelmiller, 2012). In the past assessments have been more of what the child cannot do and today they are becoming more of what the child can do now and has accomplished. This approach to assessment will benefit the child as an individual and abilities rather than disabilities. As a teacher, such approaches will help us maintain positive attitudes concerning the child development. Besides identifying and correcting developmental problems, assessment of very young children is conducted for other purposes. One purpose is research. Researchers study young children to better understand their behavior or to measure the appropriateness of the experiences that are provided for them (Wortham, Assesment in Early Childhood Education (6th Edition), 2012). â€Å"Teachers and child-care providers want children to feel a sense of accomplishment while in their care. The more a child-care provider knows about a childs academic, social, and emotional development, the more theyre able to meet the childs needs. Teachers and child care providers may use this resource for developing strategies to track a childs progress† (Checking Childrens Progress, 2012). We know that rather the assessment is formal or informal early childhood professionals are going to perform them. Through assessment we can screen for disabilities, assess kindergarten readiness, help the teacher developing curriculum and lesson plans, evaluate the effectiveness of a program, and aide the teachers when conferencing with the parents. Both parents and teachers want to know that their child is obtaining goals, showing progress and gaining new skills and what other way to know this other than assessment. References Checking Childrens Progress. (2012, April 25). Retrieved September 26, 2012, from Head Start ECLKC: eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta- system/teachingllecd/assessment/ongoing%20assessment/edudev_art_00409_060906.html Tips for Surviving Child Development Assessment. (2012). Retrieved September 26, 2012, from Zero to Three : www.zerotothree.org/child-development/mental-health-screening- assessment/tips-for-surviving-child-development-assessment.html Ditchtelmiller, M. L. (2012). One Programs Experience. Retrieved September 27, 2012, from Infant/Toddler Assessment: www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200401/ditchtel.pdf Logsdon, A. (2012). Infant and Toddler Development Tests Learning Disabilities. Retrieved September 26, 2012, from Testing for Infant and Toddler Development: http://learningdisabilities.acout.com/od/intelligencetests/p/battelledevelop.html Wortham, S. (2012). Assesment in Early Childhood Education (6th Edition). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson. Wortham, S. (2012). How Standardized Test Are Used with Infants and Young Children. Retrieved September 27, 2012, from Education.com: http://www.education.com/prints/standardized-tests-infants-children/