Summary Of Oedipus Rex Essays (1019 words) - Greek Mythology

Synopsis Of Oedipus Rex Preamble: The play opens with the residents of Thebes gathering around the Theban royal residence. Oedipus the ruler leaves the Theban royal residence. He asks to a cleric with regards to why his devotees are supplicating and regretting. The cleric clarifies that they are imploring the divine beings to end the plague; which has struck their city. This plague had rendered crops pointless, squandered all the fields, and left lady sterile and unborn youngsters dead. The cleric asks for Oedipus help. Oedipus tells the minister that he feels the citys torment. He expresses the torment he suffers is more awful for he feels the torment of the considerable number of individuals of Thebes. Oedipus says that he has known about the plague for some time, and has looked through the closures of his brain for an answer. He attempts to facilitate the torment of his residents and give them trust by disclosing to them he has sent his brother by marriage, Creon to the prophet at Delphi. Creon seems bearing uplifting news, the prophet knows the reason for the revile. He says that Thebes houses foulness and just when this rottenness is ousted will the plague be lifted. The foulness is the killer of the past lord, Laios. Oedipus approaches Creon for the subtleties of the rulers demise. Creon clarifies that Laios was murdered as he left Thebes on a journey. He expresses that the main survivor said burglars murdered the ruler. Oedipus inquires as to why the homicide was not explored completely, and Creon clarifies that the Sphinx melody and the issues of Thebes requested consideration first. Oedipus pledges to discover the enemy of lord Laios, for the citys purpose as well as to guarantee his own security too. Sardinha-2 Parodos : It is now in the play that we initially meet the tune. The chorale comprised of Theban older folks, communicates a feeling of dread for what Oedipus may reveal. They continue to depict the plague and the disasters that have fallen on the city. They additionally cry to the divine beings for their intercession. Scene I: Oedipus leaves the royal residence and requests the assistance of the residents of Thebes in discovering Laios executioner. He announces that if the executioner is among them he should approach, and his sentence will be reduced. He announces that anybody lodging reality will be expelled, and doesn't reject himself from the discipline. The tune recommends Oedipus look for the assistance of Teiresias, the visually impaired prophet who can see what's to come. Oedipus expresses that he has just sent for Teiresias on the counsel of Creon. When Teiresias shows up Oedipus educates him regarding the prophets proclamations and requests his assistance. Teiresias says that he never ought to have come and requests to leave. Oedipus discloses to Teiresias that he will be an adversary to Thebes in the event that he won't help. Indeed Teiresias can't. Oedipus is enraged by the quietness and lashes out at the prophet. Teiresias advises Oedipus to search inside himself before putting fault on others. Oedipus pronounces that Teiresias is ensnared in the homicide of the ruler. Teiresias at last reveals to Oedipus you yourself are the contamination of this nation. Teiresias says I state that you are the killer whom you look for. These words incense Oedipus, he calls Teiresias blind, stupid, and silly. Oedipus accuses Teiresias of misrepresentation, and inquires as to why a prophet couldn't unravel the conundrum of the Sphinx. Sardinha-3 Teiresias closes the scene with a puzzle for Oedipus wherein he expresses the character of Laios killer. The scene closes with a tribute by the ensemble, in which they repeat these occasions of the scene. Scene II: The subsequent scene opens with Creon addressing the men of Thebes. He talks miserably of the allegations brought upon him by the ruler. The melody endeavors to clarify the rulers conduct by expressing that the allegations were made at the time of outrage. Oedipus enters and after observing Creon proceeds with his allegations. Creon begs Oedipus to put stock in him. He clarifies that he isn't after his seat. He requests that Oedipus go to the priestess at Delphi to check whether he has cited her effectively. He reveals to Oedipus that in the event that he is seen as liable of injustice to condemn him to death. Oedipus does

Critical Review of Text Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Basic Review of Text - Essay Example In the book, the writers give a convincing look, through an investigation of the infrastructure’s current vulnerabilities, security holes, and plans for its insurance, of the frameworks that have been set up. They likewise examine the alternatives that the United States has for the future, all to keep this basic framework, which is imperative assets, safe from assaults from both interior and outside fear based oppressors (Collins and Baggett, 2009). Different basic frameworks, including broadcast communications, vitality, water, dissemination of food, and farming, are talked about in the book as parts of the United States’ social, political, and financial frameworks (Collins and Baggett, 2009). The initial five parts take on giving a dense perspective on the American Department of Homeland Security. They additionally investigate how basic framework inside the United States has advanced throughout the years, audits significant and key enactments made by the US lawmaking body with respect to the foundation, mandates made by the head of state concerning the foundation, and approach the nation all in all takes while evaluating its foundation. The following five parts dig into the national infrastructural divisions that the government distinguishes as being of basic significance. At long last, the third piece of their book examines all the dangers to basic framework and their ideas, just as country security’s four columns. These four columns incorporate counteraction, readiness, avoidance, and recuperation (Collins and Baggett, 2009). The book is partitioned into three primary segments with the principal segment comprised of the initial five sections. In this area, the creators manage what job counteraction plays in making sure about the country’s basic foundation. The way wherein the nation endeavors to guarantee America is secure and safe is through improving the assurance of their basic framework to kill, hinder, forestall, or even all eviate any endeavors by fear based oppressors to misuse or pulverize them (Collins and Baggett, 2009). As needs be, the creators clarify this is done through enactment and orders from the official branch. Furthermore, the segment likewise talks about plans put, set up, to secure the country’s foundation, the jobs played by the private and open areas in concocting a national system for framework insurance, and the way wherein their general adequacy is evaluated (Collins and Baggett, 2009). The second area of the book sees the writers move further to give a definite perspective on the specific basic framework. As per the creators, basic framework can be separated into six by and large classes that are unmistakable yet associated. Vitality frameworks are the main class talked about with the creators setting hydroelectric force, atomic reactors, and non-renewable energy sources in the classification (Collins and Baggett, 2009). Their subsequent class is the transportation divisio n that incorporates air transport, rail transport, street transport, and water or marine vehicle. National symbols and offices are additionally characterized as a classification, just like the earth, which incorporates water foundation, food, and agribusiness. Electronic transmissions including the internet is likewise talked about as a class. At long last, open wellbeing and its significance as a basic infrastr

Healthcare Decisions for Capacitated Patients Research Paper

Human services Decisions for Capacitated Patients - Research Paper Example Therefore, social insurance suppliers face difficulties in such circumstances, since they routinely go to accessible formal or casual proxies as a method for communicating the best interests’ standard as they settle on wellbeing related choices for the capacitated individual. All the more in this way, contingent upon the convictions and philosophical leanings, of various people observation on expulsion of life-supporting treatment could be seen as the reason for permitting a patient to kick the bucket. All the more significantly, the regulation of educated agree was defined to speak to the legitimate right of epitome of self-assurance in social insurance cases (Kleinman,I. (1991). Accordingly, the tenet goes about as a controlling procedure of clinical dynamic as it characterizes the limitations of the patient-doctor discourse. In this way, the wellbeing professionals need to follow the unmistakable and predictable wellbeing legitimate rules that specify their orders on treatm ent impediment, and dynamic for patients who need limit despite the fact that they are capacitated. All the more in this way, the utilization of narcotics, purposelessness and doctor helped self destruction open difficulties to human services suppliers dependent on the legitimate, moral, cultural and singular qualities that are either in favor or against settling on choices for the capacitated patients. Therefore, those against settling on social insurance choices for capacitated patients agree to the way that it is morally, legitimately, and clinically better to consistently find out the degree of patient’s substantial objectives, inclinations, wishes, and qualities when contrasted with taking a quick default to a relative or other proxy chief. Regardless, those on the side of settling on choices for the capacitated patients accept choices made give wellbeing of the patient and relatives as it mitigates them from the agony and languishing. Ace Side Even however, patients are ordinarily considered to reserve the privilege to take an interest in settling on choices that identify with their consideration including instances of symptomatic and treatment mediations, ambulation, diet, day by day care, and end-of-life care. All the more altogether, wellbeing related choices that include capacitated patients uncover social insurance suppliers to a difficult circumstance since it includes the soundness of a patient who can't settle on trustworthy choices for themselves (Sessums, Zembrzuska, and Jackson, 2011). This is on the grounds that some capacitated patients are considered to have either deficient intellectual or enthusiastic capacity that will ensure the medicinal services supplier that the patient can't settle on and express free choices actually. Thus, the medicinal services supplier will rely upon either a guidance mandate that the patient recently executed ahead of time through a living will, or take the second option of accessible formal or casual pr oxies. This is on the grounds that the patient’s proxies will give or retain educated assent with respect to the clinical treatment choices accessible in the interest of the capacitated quiet who can't settle on a free choice. Regardless, such choices ought to be agreeable to the capacitated understanding in lawful, moral, cultural and singular qualities along these lines, ought to be fair-minded. Cultural and Individual Values Relevance More significantly, those for settling on a choice for capacitated

The Fight Against Samples of an Essay about Yourself

The Fight Against Samples of an Essay about Yourself Description, Interpretation and Criticism are a part of writing an important paper. Bear in mind your essay shouldn't be persuasive, but descriptive and informative. Thus, essays have come to be an inseparable portion of academics. A literary analysis essay is a form of essay which comprises an argumentative analysis of a bit of literature. Knowing about the outlines and formats for several kinds of essays is an excellent way to augment the way in which you prefer to state your opinions. There are plenty of categories of topics for you to pick from. When you're choosing an essay topic, it's important to select one which has a lot of information and statistics to back up your viewpoint, nor exaggerate any info you have chosen to write about. The topic you select should have lots of information for you to utilize in your essay. Essay writing can be rather a challenge. Writing an Essay isn't as simple as it sounds especiall y when you're in college. It is a crucial part in academe life. Writing the college application essay can be among the most daunting sections of applying to college. The Do's and Don'ts of Samples of an Essay about Yourself The second bad part is the work outlook. The sample is there to provide you with an impression on the standard of the paper. The usage of terrible grammar can severely take away from the standard of your writing and can give a poor impression of whom you are. On the other hand there's not anything wrong with getting assistance from an excellent consultant on the right outline format. The Advantages of Samples of an Essay about Yourself There's a suitable criterion you should follow while you're writing an essay and the very first challenge is to supply the comprehensive data in an established word limit given to you, and that's not a kid's play. You might even wish to consider utilizing a controversial topic like religion since it can be considered from several distinct perspectives. Regardless of what's the goal of your essay, there's a preset number of points you will be expected to handle. If you receive a subject that you aren't acquainted with, then opt for a topic that sparks an interest to you. The Nuiances of Samples of an Essay about Yourself Most samples are at no charge. It is essential to avoid the kids from the dust in the home. Consequently, students are currently being asked to be more creative in their work also. The Little-Known Secrets to Samples of an Essay about Yourself A college application essay is a considerable means of letting the panel learn more regarding the student. Professor Mitchell obtained a grant to have a category of students to Belgium so as to study the EU. Allow it to be Interesting For an instant, imagine that you're an admissions officer. 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What Samples of an Essay about Yourself Is - and What it Is Not There's no expert exam required so as to turn into a professor. You may even go for an av ailable writer to communication panel, which delivers an immediate communication between the author and the customer. The essay is where to permit the admissions office of your intended college get to understand your personality, character, and the talents and abilities that aren't on your transcript. Essay writing help is any sort of assistance available in the writing of essays either as supportive aid or complete customization help. If one paragraph appears to be weak, then the general level of your essay will be lacking. Reviewing some narrative essay examples will be able to help you to organize your information and help you decide how to compose each paragraph to acquire the best outcomes. An essay has to be composed of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. All essays follow a specific standard or format which comprises an introduction, body, and a conclusion. How to Get Started with Samples of an Essay about Yourself? Every assignment should be carried out in hi gh quality because it can. Hence, it's very imperative that you look closely at the easy college essay formatting guidelines, which are given below. Keep in mind, an admission essay sample may be good way to find out more about the writing procedure and understand the task better. In order to get rid of any of the plagiarism difficulties, it's highly encouraged you do not utilize it for you own writing purposes. Up in Arms About Samples of an Essay about Yourself? Essay examples can demonstrate the proper means to use grammar, and the way to compose a very clear and precise essay. At this time you are going to want to compose your essay. To learn about essays, it's important to realize why essays are such an important portion of academics. Your essay should be unique to you. 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Essay On The Ship - 802 Words

There I was on the ship over to America weve been at sea for months now and the conditions arent getting any better its just terrible out here its always raining and theres hardly any places to keep cover some of the men are so weak they just sit there and dont do anything. The food they give us is literally nothing theres people out there dying of starvation because of how little the quantities are its crucial. Ive made some friends from theres months we’ve been at sea but most of them cant even move as of now because of how weak they are. The ship conditions terrible to we have to sleep on the grounds and when you wake up and if you wake up, we’d have to throw the people that didnt make it off the ship. Ive thrown some of my†¦show more content†¦There has been terrible weather lately and the waves have been going crazy our ship is getting thrown around a lot of the things on our ship is falling out we are all holding on to dear life and everyone is scared and doesnt know what to do were trying to row our way out of here but its so hard and were all so weak but we can make it through if we really try. 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Skepticism in the Modern World - 686 Words

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Piano Critique Essay Example For Students

Piano Critique Essay Friday, February 21, 2014, was the first time that I had the pleasure of sitting in on a piano recital in Merrill Hall. It was a concert by Hye Jin Cho, a young lady from Korea, performing three extensive pieces of music for her graduate recital. I was fortunate enough to be present to watch this budding master at work. The pieces that she played were Joseph Haydns 52nd Sonata in E-Flat Major, Robert Schumanns Opus 11 Sonata in F-Sharp Minor (my personal favorite! and Lowell Liebermanns Gargoyles, Opus 29. As Hye Jin Cho ascended the stage, she bowed towards the audience in an introductory manner, sat down at the piano with a surprisingly hunched back, and began to play the opening of Haydns 52nd Sonata. Haydns Sonata in E-Flat Major, Hob. XVI: 52 (Written in 1794) As the recital commenced, Cho allowed her hands to fly across the keyboard with a quick tempo, evoking a sort of Tom and Jerry-esque image in my mind. Of course, having already done my homework by reading up on the pieces which I was going to be privy to during the performance, I was well aware that this particular sonata of Haydns was written in a contredanse style, meaning that it was, in all likelihood, intended for ballroom dancing. I couldnt quite imagine any aristocratic couple attempting to dance to the music, however, as the tempo was simply too quick for anyone to be able to move their feet about fast enough to keep pace with it! Playing in Allegro tempo, I was surprised to see Cho play the piece so effortlessly. Although there were a few minor hiccups during part one of Haydns piece, in which Cho seemed to slam her feet down a little too hard on the grand pianos pedals, hence causing odd loud clicks in time with her playing, she seemed to have everything else under control. Part one was played very cheerfully, and in a very upbeat â€Å"albeit irregular manner, causing the energy in the room to be magnified in intensity. As Part 2 of the piece came around, however, and was played at an Adagio tempo, I was better able to envision the pairs dance to the music. Cho displayed lots of emotion here, and the piece was filled with a lot more suspense as her fingers began veering towards the lower end of the keyboard, and she also began to hold down the keys for a quarter of a note longer than she did in part one. I could also detect quite a few keys being held down at once across several occasions. One small error was committed within this phase, as I feel that some of her notes were played a little too hurriedly â€Å"she should have held her keys down for two beats of four rather than one but other than that, she played the piece well. I could sense a conclusion arriving towards part 3 of Haydns piece, as she played in Presto. Although the piece assumed its quick tempo again, there were more definitive stops to the keys, and, as the piece ended, the last high note that was played hung in the air, and the audience clapped deservedly for Cho. Schumanns Sonata in F-Sharp Minor, Opus 11 (Written in 1835) When I first found out that Cho was going to perform this piece, I was overjoyed. I have been a fan of Schumanns work since I first began listening to classical music, and, since the age of 7, this particular sonata has been tabbed as one of my favorite pieces from the romantic era. The piece consists of four distinct movements: Introduzione (played in Allegro vivace tempo), Aria, Scherzo e Intermezzo (Played in Allegrissimo tempo), and the Finale (played in Allegro un poco maestoso tempo). The movement begins with an introduction played with a brisk, lively tempo, although played on deeper, heavier, bass-filled notes, which then flow into a much more beautiful, heart-wrenching melody. .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e , .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e .postImageUrl , .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e , .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e:hover , .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e:visited , .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e:active { border:0!important; } .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e:active , .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u116aab02d7ea9ca92b7d5a0a5a680f1e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Historical Periods in Music EssayIt was played with so much passion that I got goosebumps. Instantly, I could sense the audience sit up a little straighter in their chairs and lean forward, enraptured. As the next movement, Aria, came around, I could tell that this had to be a piece heavily influenced by some female counterpart of Schumanns, as there was no way that so much magic, so much beauty, could be filled into a piece of music such as this sans love. There was such care with which Cho played the notes that I felt like she, too, was sharing a piece of herself while playing them. As Scherzo e Intermezzo â€Å"the third movement began to play, the notes became more playful, lighter, and happier. The song in its entirety began to seem more like a story being told, where, initially (in the first two movements), it felt like Schumann was talking about longing, and then finally, in this movement, he managed to get the girl he loved so much â€Å"and thus began a happier phase of his life. Played in forte and mezzo-forte, this movement caused an aura of happiness to resonate within the room. The Finale was the longest movement in Schumanns piece. It was filled with notes, again played in mezzo-forte, but, unlike in the third movement, the keys were played here in a very masterful, majestic manner. Towards the end of the finale, the notes dipped down to notes played with a piano ? volume, and then moved back to brisker, happier notes played in forte. Cho didnt seem to get anything wrong in playing Schumanns piece, which led me to believe that she spent more time perfecting this piece than the other two, and Im so glad that she did, because she did my favorite work of Schumanns justice. Liebermanns first of four movements, Presto, begins on a sinister note, but then, quite suddenly, evolves into a very fast-paced performance. Cho worked the piece at a rapid pace, her hands practically jumping across the keyboard from the bass notes to treble notes, and I felt like I didnt know what had hit me. The performance was such a contrast to either those of Haydns and Schumanns â€Å" whose pieces were so much easier to listen to because they were so much lighter. As the second movement, Adagio Semplice, was played, I started to believe that Liebermann was a somewhat troubled individual. The piece held an air of mystery and romance to it, but created a haunting effect, so it was very hard not to be enraptured at the same time by it. The movement was played in piano ?, which an Adagio tempo. As Allegro Moderato â€Å"the third movement was played, the piece shifted to a more beautiful melody, one which flowed seamlessly, and was played well with both hands together, to give me the impression that multiple hands were playing at once. I couldnt believe that all the sounds being projected were actually emitting from the piano â€Å" Id actually assumed that a harp was playing some of those notes, somewhere backstage! It was, possibly, my favorite movement within the piece, flawed only once when Cho played the incorrect treble notes during one phase of the movement. She didnt let the slip-up affect the rest of her performance though, although she looked a tad flustered. I gathered, by the name of the final movement, â€Å"Presto feroce, that this next movement was going to be filled with mezzo-forte notes, and played with a certain ferocity. I was right. There were quick changes in the direction of the keys played, and it was somewhat hard for me to keep up with the numerous beats and shifts in notes. I gather that the end of this tale was about the adventure coming to a close, and the mystery being solved. Cho rose from her seat and bowed to the audience once more, to a standing ovation. To sum the recital off, it was nothing short of fabulous. Cho inspired us all to want to learn how to play the piano with as much passion and grace as she herself did, and, although this is only one of the many piano recitals that I will attend, it will, surely, forever remain in my memory. A short analysis of the three pieces of music (Haydns, Schumanns and Liebermanns): .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24 , .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24 .postImageUrl , .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24 , .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24:hover , .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24:visited , .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24:active { border:0!important; } .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24:active , .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24 .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue3cf05c93769e91f3fb74c76fbe79c24:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Quadrat Summary EssayHaydns piano piece was more upbeat, happy and light, and evoked an image of a time long gone by. I felt like I had been transported to the early 1900s, where the bourgeois and aristocratic socialized within a ballroom of sorts. The happiness that resonated within the room was almost tangible. Schumanns piece had a strong, romantic element to it, and it was more of a story than that of Haydns. I felt a powerful connection with it, primarily because it has been a favorite of mine since I was a child. It held so much honesty and transparency in it, compared with the other two pieces. The melody was so prominent in all four movements, and I enjoyed every minute of it. Gargoyles was an unexpected addition to the recital. It certainly shook me out of my trance â€Å" induced by Chos performance of Schumanns piece â€Å" with its powerful play of keys and its surprisingly modern melodies. Compared with the other pieces, it was haunting, mysterious, heavy and filled with adventure, making it all the more enjoyable to listen to.

Heineken Success Story Essay Example

Heineken Success Story Essay Success Story Heineken Extends Brand Equity with First â€Å"Experience Store† Background Heineken is one of the world’s most recognized brewers, with 170 beer brands that generated revenue of US$13 billion in 2008. The 146-yearold Dutch company is famous for its pioneering advertising and innovative marketing, which go beyond beer by associating the Heineken brand with socializing and having fun. In the face of changing beverage consumption, advertising restrictions, and a blurring of its positioning among self-owned and competing beverage labels, Heineken’s marketers decided to use the company’s strong brand equity to expand into adjacent markets and provide consumers with new ways to interact with the brand. Through a series of workshops, demonstrations, and relationship-building activities, the Cisco ® Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG) provided support and guidance on how technology could help Heineken achieve this vision. A major component of Cisco IBSG’s engagement was working with Heineken on a new â€Å"brand experience store† in Amsterdam called â€Å"Heineken the City. † The store is part of an overall marketing/branding strategy that combines traditional and new media to create connection points between Heineken and its customers. In doing so, Heineken is sharpening its â€Å"fun-loving lifestyle† image while increasing customers’ brand preference and loyalty. Executive Summary CUSTOMER NAME Heineken INDUSTRY Consumer Packaged Goods ChAllENgES Changingpatternsofbeverage consumption and self-owned brands were eroding Heinekens brand preference and customer loyalty †¢ Neededtoconnecttoanew, tech-savvy generation of consumers †¢ P otentialbanontraditionalbeer advertising necessitated new, technology-based marketing SOlUTIONS †¢ ntegratedmarketingstrategy I combining traditional and new media †¢ tate-of-the-artpromotionalstore S showcasing techn ology as well as products †¢ -commercewebsiteswithperE sonalized products and sports and entertainment sponsorships RESUlTS Challenges We will write a custom essay sample on Heineken Success Story specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Heineken Success Story specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Heineken Success Story specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Clearly (Re-) Differentiating the Brand: Heineken has always been a widely recognized name, but the brand had become less clearly differentiated in recent decades. In the Netherlands, where there are numerous beer brands—many associated with regions or specific target drinkers—brand preference and loyalty had eroded, and Heineken’s communications were not conveying the intrinsic values of the brand. The company believed that new media, platforms, and markets were needed to revitalize the brand and make Heineken a â€Å"lifestyle† as well as an instantly recognizable beer. Heineken asked Cisco IBSG to provide idespreadpublicityfor W Heineken the City store; 300,000 visitors the first year †¢ etter-than-expecteddemand B for customized and branded products †¢ womorestorestoberolledout T in London and Milan; technology foundation will be expanded in future Heineken projects Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG) Cisco IBSG Copyright  © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 1 Success Story guidance on incorporating new media into The City project. Cisco IBSG also recommended new strategies for the future, such as the use of personal mobile and video services. Changes in Beer-Consumption levels and habits: Another challenge for HeinekenisthatbeerconsumptioninWesternEuropehascomeunderincreasing pressure; consolidated beer volume in Europe declined 1. 6 percent in 2008, according to Heineken’s 2008 annual report. Heineken has seen marginal growth, mostly from acquisitions of new labels and brands. Economicandpoliticalissuesalsoarefactors. Whileexperienceindicatesthat beer consumption as a whole is relatively resilient in a period of economic downturn, there may be shifts from consumption in bars and restaurants to in-home consumption, and from mainstream beers to economy beers. A smoking ban introduced in the Netherlands in July 2008 caused a significant decrease in beer consumption in cafes, whereas wine and various trendy drinks aimed at younger target groups experienced increased consumption. Although the Netherlands is Europes No. 2 beer exporter, about half of all beer brewed in the country is consumed locally, making the industry sensitive to local taxation. Tax-induced price increases, together with the effects of the smoking ban, the economic recession, and an increase in home beer consumption, make the outlook uncertain. Ad Restrictions and Social Responsibility: Beer brands are increasingly expected to promote â€Å"responsible† consumption to their users and society. Moreover, many governments have placed restrictions on how beer companies can promote their products, just as they have done with tobacco. As a premium brand that embraces quality over quantity, Heineken seeks to promote a responsible drinking culture. This became an even more visible component of Heineken’s communications strategy in 2008, with initiatives aimed at raising awareness of responsible alcohol consumption. For example, Heineken displayed an â€Å"Enjoy Heineken Responsibly† tagline on promotional boards at Champions League soccer matches, which draw 850 million television viewers weekly and are Heineken’s main sponsorship platform. New Ways To Connect: Simultaneously, younger consumers increasingly are connecting with brands through the web, video, mobile devices, and experience/ entertainment locations. They are demanding personalized products and services, and they expect a two-way relationship with brands. Terms such as â€Å"push to pull,† â€Å"mass customization,† and â€Å"individualism† have been used to describe these trends. Media consumption also is changing as consumers increasingly take control of what they view and read. Traditional media such as TV, radio, and print have become less effective at reaching target markets and are losing mindshare to the web and time-shift TV. Information about a brand often is created by Prepared by Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group Cisco Systems, Inc. , IBSG Copyright  © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. â€Å" eneedednewtechW nology solutions to connect with consumers in Heineken the City and make it one of our new connection points. Withoutapartnerlike Cisco IBSG, it wouldn’t be possible to do these kinds of things. † Herwin van der Berg Marketing Director Heineken, the Netherlands 2 Success Story customers, and therefore is difficult to control. As a high-profile beer brand, Heineken needs to be diligent about how its brand is perceived and positioned by its users on blogs, wikis, and Internet forums. In the face of these changes, Heineken’s challenge was to creatively integrate traditional and new media into a holistic, immersive marketing strategy. The company used Cisco IBSG’s technical expertise to resolve two key issues: †¢ Howtodevelopacloserrelationshipwithitsmarket †¢ Howtocomplementtraditionaladvertisingandcommunicationwith innovative marketing enabled by new technology In short, Heineken needed a strategy that was consumer-minded rather than channel-driven. The intent was to build customer loyalty as a hedge against changing consumption patterns and attitudes toward beer. Heineken needs to be seen as a brand that gets it—it knows that its consumers’ habits have changed, and the company is changing along with them. Solutions A holistic and Integrated Marketing Strategy: Heineken has learned from other successful consumer brands such as Nike, Apple, and Nespresso, which have combined traditional and new media, and exploited consumer and technological trends with their â€Å"mass customized† products and integrated media campaigns. Apple, for example, has used a combination of engagement (Apple Stores), transaction (iTunes), exposure (â€Å"Think Different† TV ad campaign), interaction (Apple. com), and relationship (MobileMe) to develop multiple touchpoints and two-way relationships with its customers. Doing so has helped drive image, customer loyalty, and commercial success. Heineken has also built a holistic marketing strategy around the themes of interaction, exposure, engagement, and relationships. In combination with traditional thematic marketing communications channels such as TV spots and activation channels such as events, new customer connection points are being developed to support the reinforcement and unique positioning of the Heineken brand: †¢ Interaction: An e-commerce site, http://www. ouwheineken. nl (yourheineken), with Heineken-branded products and merchandise that can be customized and personalized by the consumer †¢ Exposure: Heineken â€Å"Saving the Planet† TV campaign, accessed through TV and web channels (such as YouTube) †¢ Engagement: Heineken the City brand experience store †¢ Relationships: Sports/entertainment sponsorships – Champions League soccer – Heineken Music Hall in Amsterdam Prepared by Cisco Internet B usiness Solutions Group Cisco Systems, Inc. IBSG Copyright  © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 3 Success Story †¢ heineken Access loyalty Program: Includes a new web/mobile entertainment portal and an RFID-enabled customer-loyalty credit card in partnership with Visa that gives Heineken customers preference for a range of Heineken products and events. †¢ heineken the City: The most visible element of the renewed branding effort on which Heineken and Cisco IBSG collaborated is a six-building brand experience store, Heineken the City. Heineken acquired a prime location in the center of the Dutch capital of Amsterdam to build a state-of-the-art promotional store where visitors can interact and engage with nonbranded products and services within the adjacent markets of travel, entertainment, fashion, and retail. No beer is sold or consumed within The City. †¢ The City is a historic location that that has been outfitted with modern technology and ultramodern interiors by some of Europe’s top designers, and is built on a Cisco technology platform. The City also is used to promote other Heineken platforms—for example, selling Champions League travel packages. The store’s offerings include: †¢Personalized collectibles, merchandise, and fashion items by well-known designers. Customers also can design customized Heineken beer labels to commemorate birthdays, weddings, or other occasions. †¢A recording studio for new bands and DJs. Music sponsorship will be represented in the store with music lessons, new-talent shows, and DJ workshops. †¢Tickets. Customers can buy tickets to concerts and for package tours to Heineken-sponsored events. Computer screens promote the events throughout the store. †¢Exclusive boardrooms. These rooms can be hired out for meetings and business events. Heineken the City provides a multidimensional media vehicle that clearly positions the Heineken â€Å"way of life† and offers branded products and services (other than beer) to its target customer segments. These include local residents who enjoy sports, music, fashion, entertainment, festivals, trendy parties, and beach clubs, and who like to discover new shops, unique products, gifts, and so on; tourists who like to travel, have new experiences, and meet other people; and explorers—tourists who are looking for cool products and enjoy contact with the local population. Amsterdam’s Heineken the City pilot store is the first of an international rollout, with other stores planned for London and Milan. â€Å" ehavecreatedthese W new connection points, and now we are looking for new possibilities, together with Cisco IBSG, to put new technology in place for the next steps. † Herwin van der Berg Marketing Director Heineken, the Netherlands Prepared by Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group Cisco Systems, Inc. , IBSG Copyright  © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 4 Success Story Cisco Solutions Heineken was looking for an innovation partner with knowledge of how technology can provide solutions to marketing problems. Cisco IBSG, through a series of workshops, demonstrations, innovation sessions, and business cases, provided a technology blueprint that Heineken’s marketing team can use to develop retail and customer marketing solutions for the near and longer term. The foundation of Heineken the City’s technology platform is a fully Cisco-based IP architecture that drives efficiency within the store and allows for the development of new solutions and connection points with Heineken’s customers. Building on this foundation, Cisco: †¢ ProvidedIPtelephonyonHeineken-brandedXMLphones,enabling efficient in-store communications and information services through a touch-screen interface †¢ IncorporatedCisco-enabledphysicalsurveillance,allowing24/7proactive, real-time virtual monitoring in high-definition video †¢ BuiltwirelessLANandWi-FiphonesonthelatestWi-Fistandards,allowing employee and customer connectivity throughout the store and providing the basis for new, context-aware applications for mobile content †¢ InstalledaCiscoDigitalMediaSystem(DMS)thatallowsrecordedandlive streaming video within the store, and is easily managed from a central location. Cisco DMS will also support personalized, customer-facing video applications when combined with RFID in loyalty cards. â€Å"It’s all about how the consumer can experience the technology. The objective is to make the consumer more loyal, and the technology is a very important part of that. † Herwin van der Berg Marketing Director Heineken, the Netherlands Projected Results/Benefits Heineken the City opened in July 2008 and received widespread press coverage in the Netherlands and abroad. In terms of revenue from merchandise and meeting room rentals, the store has hit the breakeven mark, with a return on investment within 13 months. Visitor numbers have been steadily increasing, totaling more than 300,000 the first year. The site has hosted a number of entertainment events, meetings (meeting room utilization is more than 70 percent), and reference visits from other organizations. Customized items such as beer labels have been major successes, and Heineken is evaluating how to efficiently keep up with demand. Heineken the City is not intended to be a large revenue-making vehicle, but is instead a platform for increasing loyalty and brand equity. The City has exceeded Heineken’s marketing aspirations, with greater-than-expected visitor numbers and high demand for nontraditional items such as Heineken-branded designer clothes. Prepared by Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group Cisco Systems, Inc. , IBSG Copyright  © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 5 Success Story Next Steps Having laid the technological foundations within Heineken the City, Cisco IBSG will support Heineken as it builds new solutions not only within The City, but also across other customer connection points within the Heineken holistic marketing strategy. Intheareaofmobileplatforms,forexample,dual-band(Wi-Fi-enabled /mobile network) handsets will allow users to track their friends’ whereabouts in Heineken franchise bars and cafes, and Heineken will be able to push tailored content to handsets, based on a consumer’s location. Heineken will be able to address communities or individuals with tailored messaging, thereby building even more customer interaction points. Heineken also will be able to use Cisco Digital Media Systems to recognize users with Heineken Access Cards (RFID-enabled loyalty cards), as well as to stream two-way, high-definition live video with the integration of Cisco TelePresenceâ„ ¢. This again will allow Heineken to further strengthen customer loyalty through personal interactions with customers. The convergence of entertainment locations and interactive, high-definition video channels, context-aware handsets, and social networking will be an interesting and relevant area for Cisco and Heineken to explore. Heineken has inquired about using Cisco architecture and video solutions to allow it to provide new bundled services to bars and clubs, providing additional income generators for the bar owners themselves. Cisco and Heineken share the vision of â€Å"making the world a more fun place. † AsanInternetexpertwithincreasedpresenceinconsumer,video,andWeb 2. environments, Cisco IBSG will provide support and guidance to Heineken’s vision and strategy for enriching the customer experience. In doing so, Cisco will learn from the new standards set by this marketing-savvy organization, discovering ways to apply Cisco technology in never-before-seen applicati ons. Prepared by Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group Cisco Systems, Inc. , IBSG Copyright  © 2009 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. 6 Success Story Americas Headquarters Cisco Systems, Inc. San Jose, CA Asia Pacific Headquarters Cisco Systems (USA) Pte. Ltd. Singapore Europe Headquarters Cisco Systems International BV Amsterdam, The Netherlands Cisco has more than 200 offices worldwide. Addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers are listed on the Cisco Website at www. cisco. com/go/offices. CCDE, CCENT, CCSI, Cisco Eos, Cisco HealthPresence, Cisco IronPort, the Cisco logo, Cisco Lumin, Cisco Nexus, Cisco Nurse Connect, Cisco Pulse, Cisco StackPower, Cisco StadiumVision, Cisco TelePresence, Cisco Unified Computing System, Cisco WebEx, DCE, Flip Channels, Flip for Good, Flip Mino, Flipshare (Design), Flip Ultra, Flip Video, Flip Video (Design), Instant Broadband, and Welcome to the Human Network are trademarks; Changing the Way We Work, Live, Play, and Learn, Cisco Capital, Cisco Capital (Design), Cisco:Financed (Stylized), Cisco Store, and Flip Gift Card are service marks; and Access

socrates essays

socrates essays Many things affect people and how they behave based on genetics and what type of environment they are raised in. Part of a person or animals behavior stems from behaviors which are innate or what they are exposed to in life. Socrates is a dog who has a unique mutation where he also possesses human characteristics. Several events factor why he behaves the way he does through the abusive environment he lives in, and through his dog-like nature. Socrates personality and behavior is partly influenced through the environment he lives in. In the beginning, environment plays a large role in developing Socrates. The reason he became mutated is because of the environment he was exposed to, which were the electrical X-rays at the professors house. The environment of the X-rays that Socrates and the other puppies were exposed to seemed to be the one that caused the mutation. Another factor that contributed to Socrates behavior was Jennings, who constantly surrounds him in an abusive environment. Jennings finds that Socrates is a unique dog and that he can learn tricks easily. In teaching Socrates, Jennings uses a system of punishments by whipping and beating on Socrates so that he will learn the tricks immediately. Through this environment, Socrates learns to continually be in fear of Jennings. If Socrates had lived with the professor, he would have grown to become better educated and taught more human-like characteristics . The professor would have kept Socrates away from any harm and shelter him from people like Jennings who want to have Socrates strictly for financial gain. Nature played a big part in developing Socrates behavior. Even though Socrates possessed many human characteristics, he always had his dog-like nature. Socrates still kept his loyalty towards Jennings, due to the mans best friend factor although Jennings always abused him. Even when the pro ...

Training Trends and Issues (Human Resource Class) Research Paper

Training Trends and Issues (Human Resource Class) - Research Paper Example The introduction of the internet, intranet and other multi-media devices has made training more systematic and efficient. One example of a web-based training (WBT) is the â€Å"Electronic Performance Support Systems (EPSS) that deals with the interface between people and software† (Heathfield, 2010). Heathfield however stated that there are some manual-based online courses which simply placed the training manuals online but did not take advantage of the â€Å"interconnectivity and the ability to publish real-time, up-to-the-minute information† (2010). The trend in multi-media training somehow puts pressure on the training and development practitioner. They must make sure that they are up to date with the latest software programs available. Training practitioners must also determine which of the available programs best suit their training needs and whether their companies can afford the cost of purchasing one. According to Holt, training practitioners stand to gain from these latest developments in training (Holt, 2000). He stated that first; there is the benefit of not having to wait for training schedules because the training can be scheduled anytime because the software is always available. The trainer’s schedule need not be divided among the employees to be trained. Some training practitioners are even looking into the possibility of integrating real live instructor and peer interaction in web-based or CD training (Heathfield, 2010). Second, Holt mentioned that since the training is rather individualized, the employee g oes through the program at his own pace. There is no need to wait for the slow learners or keep up with the fast learners. Furthermore, it is time efficient and it gives immediate feedback to the trainers. In the Journal of Instruction Delivery Systems (Winter, 1994) Verl E. Dennis as cited by Holt stated, â€Å"The reduction in instructional time when compared to the

Operation Iraqi Freedom Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Operation Iraqi Freedom - Research Paper Example Iraq had no link to terrorism, no weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and no legal rationale to attack. Despite this, Bush decided to invade the Republic of Iraq for causes deemed objectionable to the majority of other countries so he frequently relied on and utilized false information to rationalize it. He lied. This discussion will examine how the truth was a casualty early and often during the lead up to the war and outlines some of the consequences brought about by these far-reaching and deadly deceptions. Bush voiced his disagreement to the concept of ‘nation building’ during the 2000 presidential election debates but as president waged an undeclared war against a sovereign country that had neither attacked first nor threatened to. Immediately following and as a reactionary reply to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Bush stated the county’s intention to begin a ‘War on Terrorism’ which he portrayed as a protracted battle against those t hat would use terrorist actions in addition to the countries that enabled them. The eventual culmination of the selective legal reasoning and rhetoric concerning the ‘War on Terror’ was Bush’s order of the military to invade both Afghanistan and Iraq, an illegal action on many fronts. Bush had constantly claimed that these actions were legal. First, he argued, due to language existing within the UN Security Council Resolution 1441 regarding Iraq and secondly, the invasions were an act of self-defense which is permitted by international law. Conversely, according to Richard Perle, advisor to U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and official of the U.S. Defense Policy Board, â€Å"international law ... would have required us to leave Saddam Hussein alone.† (Burkeman & Borger, 2003). However, this option would have been â€Å"morally unacceptable† according to the Bush administration. The United Nations Charter, Article 51, Chapter Seven stipulates à ¢â‚¬Å"nothing shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self defense if an armed attack occurs against a member of the United Nations† (United Nations Charter, 1945). Article 51 allows a country the justification to â€Å"deter an act, or acts of imminent or ongoing violence† but only as a transitory solution until the UN Security Council takes the appropriate actions to ensure the protection of the affected region. By precise interpretation of this Article, the rights of self-defense a country can exercise does not comprise the right to retaliate after an attack has ceased. The U.S. defended its invasion and occupation of Iraq to the countries of the world by announce, if not substantiating, that it was a undertaking to remove WMD which endangered not only the U.S. but all other countries as well. Secretary of State Colin Powell as well as other administration officials, predominantly with the U.S. Department of State, enthusiastically endeavored to s tate their justification for aggressive military actions and make this plan as acceptable to as many other nations as they could. Paul Wolfowitz, Deputy Secretary of Defense at that time, is quoted in a Vanity Fair magazine interview dated May 28, 2003 as saying â€Å"For bureaucratic reasons, we settled on one issue, weapons of mass destruction† (Shovelan, 2003). Before to the invasion, Hans Blix, the man in charge of the UN weapons inspection team in Iraq, said unequivocally and very publicly

Information skills and system Essay Example for Free

Information skills and system Essay A system is a collection of devices that works together to archive a particular purpose. Examples include transport system, school system, digestive system etc. A system can be represented as following: Input contribution to processing of system Control commanding processing unit Processing transforming input to output Storage where content can be put away and retrieved for later use. Output the outcome of this system An information system is a system that accepts data (raw material) as input and information (organised data) as output. Examples include a computer, searchable databases etc. An information system is shown below: Purpose The use and function of the system Information process The process of converting data into information Participants All people who are involved in the system Information technology The equipment and instruction used. Data and information Data, the input (raw material), and information, the output (processed data). The information process: Collecting gathering of data from real world. Eg entering details Organising preparing data for the use of other processes. Eg arranging data into tables Analysing converting data into useful information, usually more digestible. Eg creating a graph from tables of data Saving and retrieving storing data/information for later uses. Eg saving document onto hard drive. Processing making change in data/information, including updating, correction of error etc. eg spell check Transmitting and receiving exchanging data/information with other information systems, near of remote. Eg internet, e-mailing Displaying presentation of information. Usually user-friendly, easy to understand. Eg projecting graph onto screen Digital representation of data: All data is in a central process unit is processed as electrical currents. Data is usually converted into binary decimals, consisting only 1 or 0, where 1 represents on and 0 represents off. Different data types are converted differently, and this will be discussed in tools for organising later. Binary digits: Decimal Binary Each digit in a binary decimal can only be 1 or 0. To convert from decimal x to binary: divide x by highest possible power of 2, then divide left over by highest possible power of 2, repeat until 1 or 0 is left. Eg 25 = 24 x 1 + 23 x 1 + 22 x 0 + 21 x 0 + 20 x 1; therefore 25 decimal = 11001 in binary. To convert binary into decimal you do the reverse. Eg 101011 in decimal is 25 x 1 + 24 x 0 + 23 x 1 + 22 x 0 + 21 x 1 + 20 x 1 = 32 + 0 + 8 + 0 + 2 + 1 = 43 ASCII code system: The ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange) system uses binary decimals to represent different characters. Each digit takes up memory of 1 bit; it takes 8 digits i.e. 8 bits i.e. 1byte to form a character. 1024bytes (210 bytes) = 1KB; 1024KB (220 bytes) = 1MB; 1024MB (230 bytes) = 1GB etc different combinations of any 8 bit forms a character. ASCII includes most if not all symbols, including intangible ones eg Del, Space etc Hexadecimals: Hexadecimal is used in computing when there are too many digits for binary decimal. Eg 255 have 8 digits in binary but only 2 in hexadecimal. It is used for large value numbers such as in the case of html colour panels. Hexadecimals are 16 digit based; 10 15 is replaced with A F respectively. To convert decimal to hexadecimal or hexadecimal to decimal uses the same method as binary conversion, but 16 based. Eg converting 1980 into hexadecimal 1980 = 162 x 7 + 161 x 11 + 160 x 12 Therefore 1980 in hexadecimal is 7BC Eg converting 15FA into decimal 163 x 1 + 162 x 5 + 161 x 15 + 160 x 10 = 4096 + 1280 + 240 + 10 = 5626 Therefore 15FA in decimal is 5626. Social and Ethical issues: Health of human body can be affect through use of information systems. The study of human body and technology is referred as ergonomics. The following are a few health problems the can arise form the use of information system: Tools for information process Collecting: The collecting process involves deciding what to collect, where to collect form and how to collect. Hardware for collecting different data Text keyboard, text scanner, voice recognition Numbers bar code readers, data loggers, keyboard Images scanner, web cam Video video recorders, digital cameras Audio micro-phone, Software for collecting different data Text Microsoft word Numbers Microsoft excel Images scanner software Video windows media player Audio Sound recorder Organizing Text as explained before texts are converted into binary decimals to be processed by other processes, e.g. displaying, analysing etc. Examples of file types: word document, HTML, PDF Numbers Like text, each numerical number can be converted into a binary number. Common file type: excel, word document Images An image is an electronic copy of a picture, photo, scanned document etc for display on screen. All images are made of pixels, which are the smallest controllable display element on most screens. There are two types of images: Bitmapped: each pixel is treated individually and represents bits in memory. Their size, colour, tone etc is stored and therefore takes up large amount of memory. The most common bitmapped file types are BMP (high quality images), JPEG (less memory, lossy compression method) and GIF (maximum 256 colours for cartoons, lossless compression by less colour and smaller size). Vector: end points containing information about the line (thickness, colour, gradient etc) common type of file is PNG, but not supported by early versions of internet explorer. Audio Series of sound measurements. Digital samples are created from real sound waves. The higher frequency of taking samples and the more accurate they are, the better the quality, but the larger the file. Common file types are MIDI and waveform (MP3, MP4 etc). Video A series of still images recorded at high speed, usually along with audio. Hugh in file size. Common file types include animated GIF, MPEG, Flash etc. data is organized using key frames, one for each image that forms a video/animation when played Analyzing: An example of analyzing data is creating a chart in a spread sheet. Charts and graphs are the most popular ways of analyzing data. They show relationships, trends and comparisons at a glance. The impact (use of colours and symbols to draw attention to important data), speed (obvious) and simplicity (easily understood) made it popular. E.g. software excel, calculator Saving and retrieving: Saving and retrieving is important because it allows edited data to be stored and edited later on. Most information systems have a primary storage and a secondary storage. Primary storage is used to store data/information that needs to be instantly accessible to the CPU. It uses silicon chips on the motherboard to store. RAM random access memory, where frequently used data/information and instructions are stored. When the power is cut off everything in RAM disappears. Data are accessed directly without going through other things. Cache is another example of primary storage. It has the same functions are RAM, but is temporary storage for quick access. ROM read only memory, permanent memory where instructions are stored. These instructions are not to be edited or it may distract the processing of the computer. These instructions are applied when booting the computer. Secondary storages are usually portable. Magnetic tape: long thin plastic coated with thin layer of magnetic metal. Magnetic tape can store large amount of data for a cheap price and little space. However it uses sequential memory access, which takes a lot of time. e.g. video tape. Good for back up. Magnetic disk works the same as magnetic tape, but with a circular piece of plastic/metal. E.g. hard disk / floppy disk. Uses random memory access. Optical media uses laser technology to read and write on CD, CDR or CDRE. Written with high power laser to create lots of tiny holes on disk. Flash memory is erasable memory chips e.g. USB, SD card, memory stick etc. Processing: Examples of processing software: audio editing programmes, movie maker, video editors Transmitting and receiving: Buses and ports are used for transmitting and receiving. Buses are connections between CPU and other parts. Ports are sockets that allow an external device to be installed. E.g. e-mail is transmitting and receiving mails. Displaying Printer, monitor speakers etc. most monitors are displayed in pixels. Number of pixels on the screen can be adjusted. Planning, deigning and implementation Understanding the problem This is the first stage of developing a system. It involves identifying the problem that needs to be solved and determining the requirements of the new system through surveys, interviews, analysing existing system, investigation, research etc. Draw up a project plan, specifying who, what how, when; consisting grant charts, schedules, dataflow diagrams, journals, plans etc. Making decisions Determine the feasibility (is it possible) of this new system, analysing potential solutions and makes a recommendation. A feasibility study shows: nature of problem and overview of existing system identifying problem outline constraints (economical, cost vs. benefit; technical, technology requirements and demands; schedule, time wise; organisational, fitting the goal of organization) restates aim of new system in detail analyse data collected suggest solution no change, new system, investigate etc Designing solution Diagrams such as data flow diagram or system flow chart are used to show context of new system. Data flow diagram is a graphical way of showing the flow of data within the system. O process, ? external entity, ? Data storage, ? data flow. System flow chart shows both flow of data and logic of system. Terminals, input/output, process, database, decision, flow line. Decision trees show all possible decisions and their results. External specification the appearance of new system Internal specifications providing technical support to build the system, identify process required by new system, specifications for input data. Information technology application software may be available e.g. existing accounting softwares. If not then programme has to be written and meets the exact needs of new system. Technical specification new hardware support need or not. User documentation user manual for new system. Must be user friendly. Implementing This is the stage of applying the new system. There are three ways of converting to the new system: Direct conversion where the new system is completely replacing the old system. Does not allow time to check that the new one works correctly, old system is erased. Parallel conversion the new system and old system is run at the same time to allow room for error. Phrased conversion gradual implementation of new system. Certain new ones are implemented while other old ones are still operation. Each operation is individually tested. Pilot conversion when a small part of the organization uses the new system. If new system fails, old is there to back it up. Training is needed to teach participants to use the new system. The participants include those who are learning and those who are teaching. Who needs to be trained is decided upon their existing knowledge. Testing, evaluating and maintaining System needs to be tested to ensure that it runs correctly. Results are compared to expectations and initial aims. Determines if change is required. Occurs after minor adjustments. Evaluation is the ongoing process of assessing the system to identify areas of weakness that needs to be changed. Maintaining is the modifying of system after installation, upgrading by making minor improvements. IPT year11 exams study notes

The Safety and Benefits of Creatine :: essays research papers fc

The Safety and Benefits of Creatine Topic:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Safety and Benefits of Creatine General Purpose:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To inform Specific Purpose:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To inform my audience of the safety of creatine use and also to inform them of the benefits creatine use can provide. Central Idea:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many people are misinformed on the subject of creatine use and exactly what it is and what creatine can do. Organizational Pattern:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Topical Introduction I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How would you like to be able to increase your strength or even increase your bench press by 25 pounds in less then ten days? Or how about improving your endurance. What if I were to say this can be accomplished without taking any harmful or illegal substances. These types of results have been recorded with the use of the supplement creatine. II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I first became interested in weight training when I was in high school. After poor gains from weight training alone I stumbled upon the keys to success, proper nutrition and supplementation. Creatine is a supplement I have used for awhile and strongly believe it has accelerated my strength and size gains. In three and a half years amount of time I have gained 62 pounds from 153 at the beginning of my senior year in high school to currently 215 pounds. III.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Today, I will explain how creatine use can be beneficial and also safe to use with no harmful side effects. Also, I hope to inform you of what and how natural the substance creatine really is. Body I.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How many people here have heard creatine is bad for you, or heard stories of creatine hurting someone who has taken it? A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many studies have been performed on creatine to determine if there are any adverse side effects from creatine consumption when taken at an amount of 3-5 grams. II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Creatine is a natural occurring substance. Ray Sahelian MD has done extensive research on creatine. A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sahelian states â€Å"Creatine is not an herb, mineral, vitamin, hormone, or steroid.† 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Creatine is a natural nutrient found in our bodies and the bodies of most animals. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Approximately 95% of the body’s creatine supply is found in the skeletal muscles. B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Creatine is easily absorbed through the intestinal tract and into the bloodstream. 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Creatine production occurs in the liver, pancreas and kidneys. C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From Sahelian study it is easy to see that creatine is a natural substance found in food. By taking creatine as a supplement all you are doing is increasing the amount of natural creatine the body has. III.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Creatine is not only safe but has also been found to be beneficial for overall health.

Padini

Name of the company : Padini Holding Berhad 1. Picture 1 – Padini Outlet Padini Holding Berhad engage with one of the most profitable businesses activities which is investing in shopping mall and retail industry and brand outlet especially in garments and fashion accessories. Padini Holding Berhad already create their market share in domestic and international level and some of the brand under Padini Group is well known in fashion industry. Padini Holding Berhad put a label of various brand in its product and distributed to all outlet under its name locally and even in foreign market. There is many brand under Padini Group such as Vincci, Seed, Padini Authentics, PDI, Padini, P & Co, Miki Kids, Miki Mom and also many multi – brands and some of the brand is already breach the foreign market such as Vincci/VNC, Seed and Padini Authentics. Picture 2 – Padini’s Product Padini Group usually involve in providing and production of management service, dealers of garments, ladie’s shoes, children garments, maternity wear, bags and fashion accessories. All of this product being marketed under popular brand. 2. Brands-Foreign Only| Location| 2008| 2009| Vincci/VNC Franchise StoreDealer Stores| ASEANSaudi ArabiaUAE AustraliaOmanIndiaSyriaThailand| 15184-14-11| 19207-1-112| SEEDFranchise StoreDealer Stores| Saudi ArabiaThailand| 519| 721| Padini AithenticsFranchise Store| Saudi arabia| 5| 8| TOTAL| | 82| 96| Table 1 The tables above provide a snapshot of the Group’s retail network, broken down according to their brands and market in 2008 and 2009. Chart 1 Chart 1 represents the percentage of income from two different market which is the domestic market and foreign market. For the financial year 2009, recorded Group’s domestic operations accounted for 89% or nearly RM 425. 4 million and the rest represent foreign market which is 11% and nearly RM 52. 5 million and both market contribute up to RM 477. 9 million. Exports for the year by the Group increase by some 31% or RM11. 9 million compared to 2008 and the total export value for year 2009 is up to RM50. 1 million. The entire positive outcome is due to strong marketing strategy such as: 1. The opening of new outlet 2. Improving existing outlet 3. Extension of management 4. Adapt with consumers culture Picture 3 – internationalization By using the foreign or international model to represent their product, Padini Group manage to breach the foreign market and catch a market share among the foreign nation and 11% of income from abroad can be considered as a positive outcome. 3. One of the main reasons why Padini Group is being accepted in the foreign market because of their observations through research and development to produce products based on consumers demand. Consumers demand usually being influence by their culture and comprise of lifestyle, income, weather and geographic somehow. For example for domestic market, Padini Group produce T-Shirt based on local normal size whereby not too large and maybe a bit smaller compared to the foreign size of T-Shirt that produce by Padini Group. Due to hot weather in Malaysia, the material also a dry-fit material whereby can absorb liquid and allow air to flow through the material and make user feel more comfortable. The sense of acquiring brand also influences a person to buy product from Padini Group due to highly known branded garments retailer. By knowing that most of the consumers is from middle income category and their adapt by offering an affordable price for a branded products. (example; discounts) Picture 4 – Strategy to and adapt with local market Padini Group also done the similar approach to the foreign market by considering the size, lifestyle, weather, geographic and four season (summer, winter, autumn, spring) . Most of their foreign outlet is located in the Arabian nations which is highly known a hot weather country and in order to adapt with the local need and culture, Padini Group did produce product that make the Arabian consumers feel comfortable and stylish.

Employee retention strategies in Insurance Sector - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 19 Words: 5764 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Economics Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? Increasing pressures on the corporates to cut the costs, resulting in frequent layoffs and downsizing, diminishing employee loyalty, absence of job security and increasing competition in the hunt for talent etc. are just a few reasons why the process of attracting and retaining talent has become an onerous task more than ever before. As the highly talented workforce in organizations, across various levels, enhances skills and job-hop from one company to another, managers seem to be feeling the heat in countering abnormally high attrition rates. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Employee retention strategies in Insurance Sector" essay for you Create order One of the key responsibilities of a manager or supervisor is to get the work done through the employees. Moreover, when we say work, it is not just the basic minimum work to get by, but also those tasks that are accomplished when the employees are highly motivated to succeed, excel in their work, and continue to be committed to the organization. Managers and supervisors indeed find it extremely difficult in keeping their star performers satisfied and not wanting to shift their jobs. Employee retention is important in almost all the cases. It is senseless to allow good people to leave your organization because when they leave, they take away with them the intellectual property, relationships, investments (in both time and money), an occasional employee, or two, and a chunk of the organizations future. Employee Retention Strategies helps organizations provide effective employee communication to improve commitment and enhance workforce support for key corporate initiatives. The i nsurance sector in India is rising rapidly to bring in growth and employment opportunities. Insurance companies are basically human intensive, and human resources act as an undoubted differentiator. Quality manpower and its retention would act as a Litmus test. Turnover of sales force has been high because of low entry and exit barriers. The paper addresses issues of recruitment, retention, and turnover of sales force in insurance companies. An attempt is made to integrate them to Maslows Need Hierarchy. A survey was conducted among 350 employees who worked in or had left insurance companies to analyze factors that in ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡uenced their decisions and job satisfaction. The data were treated with factor analysis. Factors such as Safety Security, Social Esteem, and Personal Work Style emerged as the in ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡uencers to join insurance companies. Primary Needs and Social Self Esteem Needs were the factors associated with job satisfaction; Stress, C areer Advancement, and Work Environment emerged as factors for leaving the companies. INTRODUCTION Intense competition and globalization of businesses has put mounting pressure on organizations to deliver more and better than before. Organizations need to develop and deploy human resources that can articulate the vision of the organization and make teams with the synergy to perform at much higher levels. Human resource management (HRM) is a strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organizations most valued assets i.e. the people working there, who individually and collectively, contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the business. Human Resource management is evolving rapidly. The terms human resource management and human resources (HR) have largely replaced the term personnel management as a description of the processes involved in managing people in the organizations. Human resource management is a business practice as well as an academic theory that addresses the practical and theoretical techniques of managing the workforce of an organization. The Human Resources Management (HRM) function includes a variety of activities, and the most important among them is to decide what are the staffing needs of the organization and the ways to fill these needs i.e. whether to hire employees or use independent contractors to hire employees to fill these needs, to recruit and train the best employees, to ensure that they are high performers, to deal with performance issues, and to ensure the organizations personnel and management practices conform to various regulations. Managing the organizations approach to employee records, employee compensation and benefits, and personnel policies are also the included activities. The small businesses whether for-profit or nonprofit ones usually have to carry out these activities themselves because they cannot yet afford part- or full-time help. However, it must be ensured by them that the employees are aware of the personnel policies, which confirm to current regulations. The HRM function and H RD profession have undergone tremendous changes over the past 20-30 years. Many years ago, large organizations looked to the Personnel Department, mostly to manage the paperwork around hiring and paying people. More recently, organizations consider the HR Department as playing a major role in staffing, training, and helping to manage people so that people and the organization are performing at maximum capability in a highly fulfilling manner Human resource builds and drives the knowledge assets of an organization, the value of which has been established to be many times more than the tangibles. In the present scenario, it is becoming important for organizations to focus on  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ nding, developing, and retaining talented employees. This paper aims to enhance understanding of the phenomenon of high employee turnover in the insurance industry and factors that lead to job satisfaction of employees. Researchers have also made an attempt to integrate Maslows Needs Hierarchy to the underlying in ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡uencers for the sales force of insurance companies to join or leave the organization. The  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ndings may be helpful for the companies to improve retention levels. OBJECTIVES: Employee turnover is a larger problem currently faced by insurance companies, as a major part of their revenue is lost. Analyzing the causes of employee turnover is imperative for insurance companies. An exploratory survey is designed, keeping in mind following objectives: To identify the factors which influence the decision to join the Insurance Industry. To analyze the factors which play a major role in job satisfaction. To identify the factors which influence the high attrition rate. To study and formulate the strategies for employee retention. EMPLOYEE RETENTION OVERVIEW: By looking in a dictionary, we are given that the word retention has synonyms like preservation, maintenance, withholding, and custody. Not just the meaning, the concept has different perceptions for the employees and organizations. Effective employee retention is a systematic effort by employers to create and foster an environment that encourages current employees to remain employed by having policies and practices in place that address their diverse needs. A strong retention strategy becomes a powerful recruitment tool. Retention of key employees is critical to the long-term health and success of any organization. It is a known fact that retaining your best employees ensures customer satisfaction, increased product sales, satisfied colleagues, and reporting staff, effective succession planning and deeply embedded organizational knowledge and learning. Why are we concerned about employee retention now, when we also are talking about a reduced state workforce? The reality of hiring freezes and possibly even layoffs during economic slowdowns means it is critical to focus on retaining and enabling our remaining people to reach peak performance. Lean organizations depend heavily on the performance and quality of current employees. Current employees have specialized, institutional knowledge. Employee retention matters as organizational issues such as training time and investment; lost knowledge; insecure employees and a costly candidate search are involved. Hence, the failure to retain an important employee is a costly affair for an organization. The importance of retaining the best talent in the organization is usually realized by intelligent employers INDIAN INSURANCE SECTOR AT A GLANCE The insurance sector in India is one of the booming sectors of the economy and is growing at the rate of 15-20% per annum. Together with banking services, it contributes to about 7% of the countrys GDP. The sector has completed a full circle in India from being an open competitive market to nationalization, and back to a liberalized market again. The government of India liberalized the insurance sector in March 2000, lifting all entry restrictions for private players and allowing foreign players to enter the market with some limits on direct foreign ownership. Under the current guidelines, there is a 26% equity cap for foreign partners in an insurance company. There is a proposal to increase this limit to 49%. With several reforms and policy regulations, the Indian Insurance Sector has witnessed tremendous growth in the recent past. According to a report by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham), a growth of over 200% is likely to be seen in Indian ins urance business by 2009-10, in which private insurance business would grow at 140% in view of aggressive marketing techniques. Insurance companies in India are growing vertically and horizontally bringing growth and new employment opportunities. Even after having so many private players in the insurance sector, still the largest company is the government owned, Life Insurance Corporation of India. Insurance sector is an intensively people-oriented business and human resources will be the undoubted differentiator. The quality of work force attracted and retained by insurers and how their abilities and ambitions are harnessed would be the litmus test for the industry. Traditionally, a large number of insurance agents, who work on a commission basis, manage the insurance business. The turnover of insurance agents has usually been high in this business. The insurance sector faces high rates of employee turnover. The highest employee turnover is at the financial advisors (agent) le vel, where the entry barriers are low but targets and work pressures are very high. The insurance companies in India are: Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company Limited Birla Sun Life Insurance Co. Ltd HDFC Standard life Insurance Co. Ltd ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co. Ltd. ING Vysya Life Insurance Company Ltd. Life Insurance Corporation of India Max New York Life Insurance Co. Ltd Met Life India Insurance Company Ltd. Kotak Mahindra Old Mutual Life Insurance Limited SBI Life Insurance Co. Ltd Tata AIG Life Insurance Company Limited Reliance Life Insurance Company Limited. Aviva Life Insurance Co. India Pvt. Ltd. Shriram Life Insurance Co, Ltd. Sahara India Life Insurance Bharti AXA Life Insurance Future Generali Life Insurance IDBI Fortis Life Insurance Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Religare Life Insurance DLF Pramerica Life Insurance Star Union Dai-ichi Life Insurance Agriculture Insu rance Company of India Apollo DKV Insurance Cholamandalam MS General Insurance HDFC Ergo General Insurance Company ICICI Lombard General Insurance IFFCO Tokio General Insurance National Insurance Company Ltd New India Assurance Oriental Insurance Company Reliance General Insurance Royal Sundaram Alliance Insurance Shriram General Insurance Company Limited Tata AIG General Insurance United India Insurance Universal Sompo General Insurance Co. Ltd VIEWS OF RECRUITERS IN INDIAN INSURANCE COMPANIES The attrition rate is about 35% in the  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ rst year of recruitment. This goes down to about 18% by the fourth year. Most of those who drop out are non-performers, as told by the Executive Director of the Kotak Mahindra Mutual Life Insurance Company; he attributes it to the high expectations on the part of the agents. Most people think that they can make a lot of money in a short span of time. It is a high-pressure job. Sustenance requires constant networking and acquiring new relationships that requires a lot of discipline. MD Kotak Life Insurance opines that it is a sunrise industry, many people just want to join the race, but cannot retain the enthusiasm till the end of a year. The attrition rate in the industry is pitched between 14% and 38% at this rate; it will soon rival the 50 per cent churn rate of the ITs-BPO sector. Country Manager, Tata AIG, argues that the industry today is more at an attraction stage; insurers are also attracting a lot of talent from bank ing, Fast Moving Consumer Goods, BPO-IT industries. Head (hr and Admin, HDFC Standard Life Insurance) stated that attrition rates are at 14% in the industry. Companies have to go beyond building a brand to offer the agents careers and let them grow with the market. While retaining employees may be a problem, attracting fresh talent is still relatively easy. The slowdown in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods and Consumer Durables sector and people trained by direct marketing companies like Amway and Ori ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡amme, too  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ nd a way into selling insurance. Head (hr ICICI Prudential Life Insurance) opines that companies cannot hold on to people, especially among frontline sales force, and this will rise as the market matures, since people are actually experiencing large amount of money coming in. Managing director and CEO (Prudential Life Insurance), the hr challenge is being addressed by offering employees learning and growth opportunities. The company offer s opportunities for cross-functional learning, skills and talent development, thereby expanding ones job pro ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ le. Further, employees also develop a sense of belongingness with the company. Recruiters explain that high employee turnover rates signi ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ cantly increase the investments that are made in the employees. The problem of losing funds in employee acquisition is prominent. Companies invest signi ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ cant amounts of money and time in training in the initial phase; but these investments do not always get converted into actual pro ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ts. In the case of the insurance industry, each agent level recruitment costs a company nearly Rs.5000, other associated costs of training and administrative service are also involved. Each agent works in a non-productive or partly productive mode in the organization for nearly the  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ rst 2-3 months. An employee leaving the organization within the  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ rst 6 months is a bad investment for the company. While most insurers were not willing to share the number of staff members they lost to competitors and other sectors in recent times, industry sources indicate that newer companies like Reliance, Bharti Axa, IDBI Fortis, Pantaloons-Generali and others have been active in fresh recruitment of officials from established companies like ICICI Prudential Life, Birla Sun Life, HDFC Standard Life. LITERATURE REVIEW Researchers have done a literature review on the issues related to the reasons for and consequences of the employee loss and how the management may deal with turnover in various industries, in order to have a fair understanding of the strategies that can be adopted by the Insurance companies. William J Rothwell (May 2008) in his article, Motivating for Retention refers to motivation as a topic of perennial interest. As organizational leaders begin a war for talent, they need to consider new ways to motivate people to stay. Since much research indicates that people often make decisions to leave because of their supervisors treatment with them, it only makes sense to consider ways of improving managers treatment of workers and this article focuses on that particular issue. While many theories of motivation have been proposed, many managers today are looking for ways to retain their most talented people. One way to do that is to focus attention on how a manager treats the workers. This article also offers some thoughts on what behaviors to examine for improvement and has provided two instruments that may be helpful in doing that. Dongho Kim (2006) in his article Employee Motivation: Just Ask Your Employees says that the imperative need of discovering, comprehending and implementing employee motivation has been a principal concern for organizations, managers and even first line supervisors, as employee motivation has been and will be the deciding factor in work performance as well as the success or failure of an organization. The purpose of this paper is to re-emphasize and analyze the necessary components of employee motivation so that the contemporary managers, especially those who are inexperienced, can enhance their knowledge and understanding of employee motivation. If a company knows as to why its employees come to work on time, stay with the company for their full working lives, and are productive, then the company may be able to ensure that all of t heir employees behave that way. The priorities of employee motivational factors change over time, and there is more than one reason why these changes occur. The reasons may be the economic conditions, change of the working environment or industries, labor market conditions, industry competitions, change in the workers attitude etc. An organization must realize that the employee motivation and its process are there to motivate its employees, and hence, the employee input must be valued and included throughout this process. In todays knowledge-based economy, the most challenging task before a HR Manager is to motivate and retain employees. Though various attempts have been made in this direction, there has not been much of success and no one knows as to what exactly is the route to employees heart. Sanjeev Sharma (22 July 2006), in his article, A Right Way to Motivate an Employee is to Win his Heart, focuses on the reasons why motivation is ignored even though it is of greater s ignificance motivation is intangible, drives all human actions, can be observed but not measured and is lost in a twilight zone; he compares motivation to that of a pop-up fly ball which can fall into cracks, if not handled or played effectively. Further, he explains the need for motivation and profile 10 areas that powerfully impact motivation which include economic rewards, promotion and transfers, opportunity to grow, challenging and stimulating work, autonomy, leadership, informal psychic rewards, goals and fun. Helping the management team optimize employees emotions will enable the organization to make significant impact on the primary sources of competitive advantage in todays market place. Beach, Brereton, and Cliff (2003) in their article Workforce turnover in FIFO mining operations in Australia: An exploratory study. examined that the term turnover refers to employee movements that create vacancies within an organizational unit. These vacancies may be the result of resi gnations, transfers, retirements, dismissals, or the completion of  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ xed term contracts. Jyothi and Venkatesh (2006), in their book Human Resource Management, have told that the application of skill or competence leads to performance and performance is the criterion for evaluating effectiveness. Therefore, a pay-for-competence program enhances productivity and product quality, reduces absenteeism, turnover, and accident rates. Campbell and Baldwin(1993), in their article Recruitment difficulties and skill shortages: an analysis of labor market information in Yorkshire and Humberside, suggest that in many industrialized countries there is a concern that skills shortages and mismatches are appearing in the labor market and that policy makers are aware that recruitment difficulties and skill shortages may reduce the competitiveness of small and large firms. Islam and Rasad (2006) in their article, Employee performance evaluation by the AHP: A case study, stu dies that employee performance appraisal has been practiced by numerous organizations since centuries. Though performance appraisal system has been debated by many, however, overall, it is viewed that performance appraisal is an inseparable part of organizational life. Wu (2005), in his article A DEA approach to understanding the performance of Taiwans steel industries 1970-1996, mentions performance management as a complex problem and it involves various kinds of judgments about which performance measure to use. Evaluation scores depend upon these criteria heavily. Hale (1998) in his article Strategic rewards: Compensation and bene ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ts management. stated that employers cited recruitment costs of 50% to 60% of an employees  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ rst years salary and up to 100% for certain specialized, high-skill positions. Bowen and Shuster (1986) in their article American professors: A national resource imperiled. stated that while all constituting elements of an organization are important for its success, it is its enhanced ability to attract and retain the best quality talent that separates it from the others. Abbasid and Holman (2000) in their article Turnover: The real bottom-line. Public Personnel Management sought to determine the impact of employee turnover on an organization and found that excessive employee turnover often engenders far-reaching consequences and at the extreme may jeopardize efforts to attain the organizational objectives. Elangovan (2001) in his article Casual ordering of stress, satisfaction and commitment, and intention to quit: A structural equation analysis. has argued that there is a reciprocal link between organizational commitment and turnover intention, i.e. lower commitment increases turnover intention, which lowers commitment further. Abdul Rahman, Raza Naqvi, and Ismail Ramay (2008) in their article Measuring turnover intention: A study of it professionals in Pakistan. revealed that job sat isfaction and organizational commitment had a negative effect on turnover intentions, whereas perceived alternative job opportunities had a signi ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ cant positive correlation with turnover intentions and is the major factor associated with turnover intention among it Professionals in Pakistan. Van Dick et al. (2004) in their article Should I stay or should I go? Explaining turnover intentions with organizational identi ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ cation and job satisfaction. have also identi ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ed job satisfaction as a predictor of turnover intention; however, they argue that it is a mediating variable between organizational identi ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ cation and turnover intention. According to their study, organizational identi ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ cation feeds into job satisfaction, which, in turn, predicts turnover intention. Gomez-Mejia, Balkin and Cardy (2003) in their article Managing Human Resources have analyzed that socialization is the process of orienting new employees to the organization or the unit in which they will be working. Socialization can make the difference between a new workers feeling like an outsider and feeling like the member of the team. Zheng and Lamond (2009) in their article Forthcoming Organizational determinants of employee turnover for multinational companies in Asia. found out that training, size, length of operation and the nature of the industry are signi ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ cantly related to turnover. Determining what constitutes high turnover is a complex issue, because there is no simple linear relationship between turnover rates and the social and/or economic performance of companies. Issues ranging from poor job  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ t, lack of recognition or support from senior management, uncertainty about the organizations future and poor management communication are some of the reasons why people start looking for other opportunities. Reasons that can be attributed to high employee turnover in the insur ance sector are: Being an insurance agent in India is seen as a societal stigma as there is uncertainty of job and income attached to it. People join insurance companies as a part time job or a gap  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ller occupation and not as a long-term career. Very few competent people want to become agents owing to low social status attached to it. It is a high-pressure job. It is expected from an agent to understand the customers needs and sell the products accordingly. This process involves a high level of persuasion and a sustained effort for a long period. A lot of people succumb to such pressures. The expectation achievement gap adds to the turnover. Many people are lured to the profession with a high earning potential. However, to earn a decent income, agents require a lot of patience, perseverance, and persuasion in the  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ eld. During early phase, the earnings of the agents are low despite hard work. This expectation achievement gap leads many of th em to break down in the initial period of joining the profession. Scarce skilled or experienced human resource in insurance market leads to wide scale poaching and head hunting amongst the competitors. The industry has yet to witness mature hr processes, like work force planning, training, motivation, and retention. The lack of preplanned recruitment leads the  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ rms to indulge in poaching human resources working in other insurance  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ rms. With insurers having a high percentage of the workforce from multiple sectors (non-domain), the chances of losing employees to other  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ elds, like Fast Moving Consumer Goods companies or other  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ nancial out ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ts, are high. Employee Turnover is perhaps paid the least attention among various employees issues. It is shrugged off as inevitable. Few companies take a proactive approach towards reducing employee turnover. It always includes substantial costs of replacing the key employee who fall into the category of high performers. Replacing includes the costs of recruitment advertisement, referral bonuses, selection testing, training costs, etc. Moreover, turnover results in loss of time and efforts, low productivity, loss of morale, loss of knowledge and so on. DEALING WITH EMPLOYEE TURNOVER Organizations that keep the front line staff motivated and equip them with the right tools are most likely to enjoy long-term superior performance (Rogers and Peccoud 2005). The challenge of creating a dynamic, enthusiastic, motivated front line environment is an opportunity in disguise for organizations. Organizations need employees who are committed,  ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡exible, and ready to participate in decision-making. Retaining such employees in the organizations is becoming imperative in todays competitive environment. Behavioral research studies show that all human activities including jobs are directed towards satisfying certain needs. Patterns of individual behavior and motivation differ, because individuals seek to ful ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ll different sets of needs in different ways as adopted from their environmental and social backgrounds. Maslow (1943) propounded the Hierarchy of Needs theory originally applied as a general theory of psychological motivation. However , the usefulness of its theoretical model was adopted by organizational theorist McGregor in 1960, who applied Maslows theory in the work place. Later on, the Hierarchy of Needs theory has been adopted and incorporated into applications in many areas in business (Shoura and Singh 1998). In the management  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ eld, it is an effective approach towards understanding motivation. Motivation is connected to several levels of the needs hierarchy of human beings. Appreciation, love, respect and ful ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ lling work are several motivators other than monetary bene ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ts that an individual looks for. An attempt is made in the paper to align Maslows Hierarchy of needs to the  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ndings of the survey to offer a better understanding of employee turnover. Maslow suggests that each individual aspires for a higher-level unful ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ lled need once they have grati ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ed the lower order need. An individuals level of aspirat ions rise when needs on lower levels are satis ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ed. The lower four layers of the pyramid are called de ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ciency needs or D-needs, physiological, safety and security, love and belongingness and esteem. With the exception of the lowest layer of physiological needs, if these de ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ciency needs are not met, the body gives no physical indication but the individual feels anxious and tensed. Various levels of Maslows Hierarchy of Needs are analyzed in the perspective of insurance agents: PHYSIOLOGICAL NEEDS: These include the most basic needs that are vital to survival, including the need for water, air, food, and sleep. These needs are the most basic and instinctive needs in the hierarchy. All other needs become secondary until these physiological needs are met. In the perspective of insurance agents, these needs are addressed by the compensation plan. Insurance companies primarily work on incentive-based compensation plans, which lead to income uncertainties. An employee looks forward to a sufficient compensation structure, which would take care of all of his/her basic physiological needs. A robust, safe, and easy to understand compensation plan may retain employees who are striving to materialize their physiological needs. It is necessary for the companies to update the compensation plan with time, so that it ful ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ lls the physiological needs of the individual and his/her family at different stages of their lives. SAFETY NEEDS: Such needs are important for survival, but they are not as demanding as the physiological needs. Desire for steady employment, health insurance, safe neighborhoods, and shelter from the environment could be a few. There are two aspects of the security, which would concern a person in the insurance business. One is the personal physical security while on  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ eld; and the psychological fear of job security with high targets is the second. SOCIAL NEEDS: Maslo w states that people seek to overcome feelings of loneliness and alienation. This involves both giving and receiving love, affection and the sense of belongingness. This need of an individual gets highly affected in insurance companies predominantly. Individuals do not gain a high status in society, which is attributed to the social stigma of being an insurance agent, and big target pressure causes separation from ones family, friends, and relatives. Employees have been found complaining about not being able to spend ample time with their family and friends. The insurance companies may compensate for this by creating a fun- ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ lled work environment and developing a conducive work environment. Teambuilding initiatives can be taken by mangers to inculcate the sense of belongingness. NEEDS FOR ESTEEM: A normal human desires to be accepted and valued by others. People engage themselves to gaining recognition, attaining a sense of contribution, feeling accepted and self- valued, be it in a profession or hobby. Imbalances at this level can result in low self-esteem or an inferiority complex. Those working as employees in an insurance company are viewed as people of comparatively less ability. The attitude is developed due to mass recruitment undertaken by insurance  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ rms, where not much focus is placed on selecting suitable candidates. This diminution in esteem leads to leaving the industry on getting a better opportunity. Many companies are focusing on creating a positive image of the industry by using the media, though much is yet to be done. Measures like change in job title and nature of the job could be positive steps in this direction. As the industry matures, the positioning needs a change from being a mere moneymaker option to an industry that provides learning and high growth opportunities. NEED FOR SELF-ACTUALIZATION: Maslow describes self-actualization as a persons need to be and do what he/she was born to do. These need s make themselves felt in signs of restlessness. A person feels on edge, tensed, or lacking something. Insurance companies are providing a career growth path and higher education opportunity for employees as a measure of retaining them. These steps are strides towards ful ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ lling the discontented Self Actualization needs of the employees. Lyon, Ivancevish, and Donnelly (1970) suggested that it is a difficult task in an organization to motivate employees in a way that produces mutual bene ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ts for both the employees and the organization. An effective motivational model can lead to an employees job satisfaction and achievement of organizational goals. According to Maslow (1971), employees are not likely to seek higher-level grati ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ cations till their lower level needs are relatively met. Maslows hierarchy of needs theory helps managers make workplaces more responsive to employees speci ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ c needs. REASONS FOR JOINING INSURANCE COMPANY A survey reveals that 60% of the employees left the insurance sector in less than 1 year; 22% employees remained in the same sector for 1-3 years; 8% of employees worked in this sector for at least 4-6years; 5% of employees remained in the same sector for 10 years, and 5% had been in the insurance industry for more than 10 years. Some variables were identi ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ed as possible reasons for joining an insurance company. These were analyzed for their importance and it was revealed that the respondents considered these 10 variables as important: Growth Opportunity Flexibility of Time Challenging Job Reputation of the Company Work Environment of the Company Attractive Salary/Incentive Plans Job Security Peer/Friends Advice Unemployment Earn an Extra Amount VARIABLES THAT LEAD TO JOB SATISFACTION The Job Satisfaction related variables were analyzed for their importance and the analysis reveals that the respondents considered these six variables as important for job satisfaction: Job Security Work Environment Accomplishments Balance in Work and Family Life Monetary Bene ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ts Career Growth REASONS FOR LEAVING INSURANCE COMPANY Some variables of reasons for leaving an insurance company were analyzed for their importance and the analysis revealed that the respondents consider the following seven variables as somewhat important as the reason for leaving the insurance company: Better Job Opportunity Better Salary Target Pressures No Time for the Family Job Insecurity Relocation Bad Work Culture Hence, it is clear from here that an individuals motive for working may vary according to the nature and potency of the unsatis ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ed portion of his/her individual hierarchies of needs. It is evident that individuals do not join an insurance company only for Fair compensation and Employment; instead, they also look for job security, ease of working in  ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡exible timing, and career advancement. They look to satisfy multiple levels of needs simultaneously and aspire for a job, which offers a good mix of primary, social, and esteem needs. Individuals leave an orga nization if they are not satis ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ed with the job, e.g. factors like stress, career advancement, and environment which forced the respondents to leave the organization. Insurance companies may consider offering a distinct proposition to successfully attract and retain the sales force. Managers may design systematic strategies rather than taking a random approach of hit and trial. Researchers conceptualized certain strategies based on the  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ndings of the survey. Different needs of the employees could be addressed from the suggestions mentioned below: BREAK EVEN PERIOD (BEP) About 60% of the sales force leaves the company in less than one year. This occurrence leads to incurring a huge cost in recruiting and training of the employees. Companies may focus on retention for a speci ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ed period of time (break-even period) so as to recover the cost incurred on the employee. This could be formally included as a process while recruiting candidates. Once the break-even period is calculated, strict actions can be taken to ensure that employees do not leave the organization before completion of BEP. One such measure could be getting a bond signed by the employee. There are two factors that have been identified as the major influencers of job satisfaction: Primary Needs and Social Esteem Needs. It is necessary for all levels of managers in sales function to understand that motivation can increase job satisfaction. Companies may focus on the work environment that enhances employee motivation for the job. This includes a conducive and fun-à ƒâ€šÃ‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ lled work environment, suiting to the needs of the young employees. This is essential for compensating the affected social life owning to the nature of the job. A few measures that can be included are: Variable pay package based on performance; Working from home when required for a short term; Sponsored vacations; Job rotation on a periodic basis. It has been revealed that Stress, Career Advancement and Environment, in ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡uence an individuals decision to leave insurance companies. It is suggested that the companies may de ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ne job roles for a clear understanding of an employee, including clear documentation of the process and the jobs performed. This would reduce the stress levels to a signi ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ cant level. Companies should focus on having education and ongoing learning for the workforce, sponsoring employees on post-graduate programs and treating applicants and employees in the same way as one treats cu stomers. The exercise would help employees in developing their knowledge base and their chances to grow within the organization. 80-20 RULE The  ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ rms concentrate on 20% of the employees who contribute to 80% of the productivity. Companies may identify such employees and their unsatis ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ed needs in order to formulate individual speci ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ c retention plans. Succession planning is needed for the critical positions in the organization for faster replacement. To reduce poaching of employees within the industry, bilateral agreements between companies should be signed. Basic norms are being put in place and the code of ethics is being stressed by the industry. A Common Database should be maintained by all players of the industry to ensure that they are not cannibalizing each others resources.