Developing Supply Chain to Deliver WOW Essay Example for Free

evolution add together Chain to Deliver WOW EssayZappos.com is a in camera held online retailer with an extensive increase category mainly including app arl, footwear, handbags, and watches. Headquartered in Nevada, it primarily operates in the US with about 1,300 employees and revenues mounting to $635M in 2008. Thanks to its strength in put outing an heavy(p) customer shopping experience and strong corporate civilizations and values related to customer service, it was the huge(p)st online shoe retailer in 2008, with a substantiating growth outlook. However, in the face of possible economic d deliverturn, its underlying insufficiencies in run strand management and trading operations may pose a slight terror to the callers long term profitability. Nevertheless, the opportunity of possible international expansion may salutary be exploited to improve sales and fly high the business, plainly much(prenominal) decision still needs critical evaluation and feasibilit y assessment in whether Zappos can sustain its focus on outstanding customer service levels in such scenario. The online-retail industry in which Zappos operates is iodine(a) in which the rivalry among existing competitors is high, as it is competing with both click-n-brick stores uniform Amazon, as well as traditional retail stores such as Footwear Inc which also have a strong focus on the shoe segment. However, the threat of forward-looking entrants is very low as a result of the high initial capitalization take for the start of business.There are a large issue forth of buyers in the market. However, high price sensitivity and low switching cost strengthen the buyers position continuing to attract such customers becomes one of the main challenges for Zappos during a likely scenario of economic downturn. Zappos will need to adopt strategies such as importing right away from foreign suppliers, committing to 5 day actors line through ground shipping as opposed to next-day a ir shipping, offering its own private label, and expanding its supply by Zappos initiative.Company Value Chain caper AnalysisExternal AnalysisPorters 5 ForcesThe following is an evaluation of the external forces acting upon Zappos operations and their possible impact in the speedy and future performance of the gild Degree of Rivalry HIGH While Zappos is a pioneer player in the online retail segment, in practice it is non only competing with other online retailers, but with brick-and-mortar stores in the traditional retail sector which have substantial experience in the market. Many other players offer mistakable products to those carried by Zappos. talk terms Power of Buyers MODERATE to HIGH Given the many alternatives in the market, the switching cost for a customer to other retailers is very low. Consumers are becoming increasingly price-conscious, and with the small potential for preeminence in the non-fashion elite segment, the customer can easily find other similar pr oduct options, forcing retailers to offer start out pricing to remain competitive.Threat of New Entrants MODERATE TO LOW The barriers to entry in the industry are extremely high, based on the large capital investment required. However the online retail business is still on its growth stages, which may attract cutting players and investors looking to capture potential markets. Bargaining Power of Suppliers LOW Competition for both jobber / importer suppliers and direct manufacturers is intense and well established therefore, the market itself drives the power of the many suppliers down. As discussed, there are many alternatives in the market such that no single supplier is dominant. Threat of Substitutes LOW There are no substitute products available for intimately of the products which Zappos may offer to the public, so such threat is unlikely.SWOT AnalysisStrengths Customer-Oriented Culture and Services Zappos has strong company culture and values, which have a large influe nce on all aspects of the business, including the supply chain. Zappos is always looking for new ways to WOW every customer and always treat every employee like family. The employees consider Zappos a fun place to work. In addition, Zappos commitment to customer service satisfaction is clearly demonstrated by their value propositions and represents their core differentiation strategy. These are free shipping, guaranteed 5 day pitch shot (WOWing the customer, where 49% of customers will receive their product in spite of appearance 2 days), a 365 day return constitution and 24/7 customer service. Unique Products and Innovation The core products that Zappos offers are designed to be distinctly different from the traditional shoes available in brick-and mortar stores. Zappos provides customizable product models and extensive product information to customers. For example, Zappos site has a detailed discussion of gait that helps customers to determine which type of shoe is appropriat e for them.Weaknesses bearing Limited to Online Market Although there are many online shoppers today and the number is still growing, Zappos is unable to reach the majority of retail shoppers by only having the online issue channel. Relatively Low Profit Margin The revenue of Zappos in 2008 is $635 million, but the company policy on product returns makes up 35% of gross sales. This is decidedly crippling Zappos profits. High Dependency on UPS Until 2008, Zappos has only one call gist in Las Vegas and one distribution center in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. The distribution center is less than 30 minutes from the UPS hub in Louisville. This will make Zappos delivery highly dependent on UPS.Opportunities Rapid Growth of Online Shopping Online purchasing has prominent consistently year after year the opportunity lies in capturing new online customers and retaining them. Technology Innovation In 2008, Zappos added more automation to its warehouse operations by installing a robotic system in which robots picked up shelves that contained the items to be picked, and brought the shelves to the workers. These new robots allow Zappos to ship a pair of shoes in as little as eight minutes. Technology advances will allow Zappos to increase the capacity and efficiency of its distribution centers, without having to ca-ca new centers. Build Strategic Alliances with Complementary retailers Zappos could build synergies with similar-size online retailers which offer complementary products in an effort to broaden its customer base and target audience.Threats Economic Downturn Customers will become more price-conscious in tall(prenominal) economic times, which will ultimately drive Zappos strategy in align to remain competitive in such scenario. Competitive Rivalry While Zappos is one of the pioneer players particularized in shoe-retailing, the trend is for established brick-and-mortar companies to start offering their products online, which may generate additional com petitive pressures. Possible Security Breach for Online Retailer Zappos must address possible security breaches to its servers.Problem StatementBased upon the previous analysis, Zappos faces two major problems which may be detrimental to the companys long-term success. Our aim here is to synthesize them in order to formulate a series of recommendations that the company could implement to solve the mentioned problems.Problem 1 Supply Chain ManagementThe first problem that the company faces within its organization is related to supply chain management. We have identified three different sub-issues within this topic in which Zappos has room for improvement Imports from wholesalers as an intermediary mingled with Zappos and the manufacturers Due to the highly uncertain necessity in the sector, having a wholesaler between Zappos and the brands that manufactures the product is a strategic problem for the company. When Zappos places an order, it is relying on the livestock that the wh olesaler keeps in order to fulfill its need of supply. Furthermore, Zappos may find it difficult to near its supply as the company grows, having no control over wholesaler import decisions. This is especially critical in a sector with unstable demand faced with global economic uncertainty.Zappos must devise supply chain-related strategies which provide the company with more flexibility in terms of profit margins in order to deal with more price-conscious customers in the future. Delivery to Zappos distribution centers from suppliers The company faces a problem in relation to inefficiency of partially loaded trucks arriving to unload to Zappos inventory facilities. As the case highlights, significant numbers of partially loaded trucks (LTL) arrive to unload products generating unnecessary traffic in the distribution center, subsequently slowing down the drop off process. Theres a need for Zappos to address this issue, ultimately affecting its whole operations efficiency.Inventory Management At this point, the company uses manual(a) scanners to register incoming and outgoing stock from its distribution center. This may lead to inventory inaccuracies due to the high probability of human error to occur in the handling of the incoming and outgoing merchandise. It is of the utmost importance for Zappos to have accurate inventory information, not only in terms of its supply chain management, but also in maintaining customer service levels because of the potential of having inaccurate information on the website such that a customer may order a product which is actually out of stock.Problem 2 Growing the businessThroughout the case it is been said that the company plans to expand. It is possible to grow the business in a national scale as well as internationally. The following issues need to be addressed by Zappos when evaluating company expansion determining strategic locations for new facilities to store its inventory and accomplish a good balance between supp lier lead times and delivery times to the final customer. In addition, the company faces the decision of whether to continue having its distribution centralized in Kentucky. Moreover, Zappos needs to evaluate whether or not it is still feasible to use UPS ground shipping in the long-term. The company would also face a problem not only when trying to maintain its customer service levels and an efficient delivery, but also when trying to get new employees to share its corporate culture.RecommendationsStart Importing Directly from Foreign Manufacturers Zappos should begin developing direct familys with foreign manufacturers, especially with Chinese suppliers, scratch line by importing some products directly, instead of buying from North American wholesalers. This strategy has the following benefits * Cost savings from purchasing the same products at lower prices, providing the company with more pricing flexibility at dealing with cost-conscious consumers in a difficult economy. * Di stribution channel efficiency is increased by eliminating middlemen in the supply chain. In this sense, there is no need for products to be shipped from foreign suppliers to a wholesale distributor and from there to Zappos Zappos can receive the product directly at their distribution center, reducing freight be across the value chain as well as lead times. * A closer relationship with manufacturers might enable Zappos to obtain information regarding inventory levels, product availability, and order status and timing. It is worth noting that even in cases where Zappos is still purchasing from a wholesaler (who in-turn imports from the manufacturer), the wholesaler can request the manufacturer to deliver directly to the Zappos distribution center, earning the lead time and cost benefits.Opt for Ground Shipping as contradictory to Next Day Air Shipping Given the risk of failing to meet the next day delivery standards because of external factors, Zappos should only guarantee 5-day del ivery. In this manner, the company will consistently overdeliver, with 99% of customers receiving their orders within 4 days. This strategy not only makes sense from a cost perspective, but it also goes hand-in-hand with Zappos culture of outstanding customer service. However, the option of next day air delivery should be made available to the customer for a premium rate. Sign a Contract with a Selected Trucking Company Specialized in Consolidation In order to minimize LTL shipments to its distribution centers and mitigate the economic inefficiencies that LTL implies, Zappos should sign a contract with a major transportation and logistics company specialized in consolidation in order to handle Zappos order pick-ups from some of its remaining topical anesthetic suppliers, optimizing cargo capacity and delivering such products to the distribution center.This contract strategy would only be possible to implement in areas with high supplier concentration such as Southern California and Ontario. It is granted that such a strategy would require a long and difficult negotiation process between suppliers, the logistics company and Zappos however, economies of scale benefits could be obtained from the large volumes to be handled and the cost savings distributed across the industry value chain. Search for Additional Partners and Expand Powered by Zappos Powered by Zappos partners act as distributors of the products carried by Zappos. In this sense, finding new partners will generate additional revenues from both the fees of developing and running distributor websites and operations and from an expanded market base deriving from multiple websites offering Zappos products. Offer its own Zappos Private Label Zappos could expand the business by offering its own private label private labels offer the advantage of not purchasing from a third-party wholesaler which in itself is making a profit from the merchandise, allowing for more flexibility in terms of pricing and profit margins.Overall, by commercializing its own brand, Zappos can offer its private label merchandise at lower prices than the industry standards, art object maintaining its profit margin. This strategy would be effective at dealing with price elastic customers in uncertain economic times. It must be noted that to achieve this, however, the company would need to develop internal design capabilities and source its private label through selected manufactures which meet their needs. In order to achieve the lowest supplier prices, supplier relationships would need to be developed through established contracts which may include exclusivity agreements. Based on the large volumes that Zappos handles through its established customer base, the strategy could also earn benefits from economies of scale and increased brand awareness.Do not Expand Internationally in the Short-Term The huge capital investment required and the risk of affecting customer service levels makes international expansion un desirable in the short run. The companys financial base must be strengthened further before pursuing such expansion, maintaining the focus on customer service that the company has been known for. Customer service is core to company values and culture and therefore cannot be compromised by any strategic decision. International expansion must be accompanied by the same readiness standards, staffing levels and passion for customer service at company call centers and order delivery must meet Zappos promise. This last factor could pose a special challenge, given that Zappos would be relying on couriers operating in different countries which may introduce a factor of uncertainty beyond Zappos control as to what levels of delivery performance can be met.Invest in an Automatic Scanning System for Inventory Control In an environment where such accurate inventory information is required, the current manual scanning of goods entering and leaving the distribution center is inadequate. Errors i n inventory control will inevitably have a negative effect on customer satisfaction in that the system may allow a customer to purchase a product that is in fact out of stock. A system which automatically scans incoming and exiting products (magnetic doorways or similar) guarantees inventory accuracy and goes hand-in hand with the core values of the company, making it a worthy and even necessary investment.Limitations* The capacity of the existing distribution center in Kentucky is unknown therefore we are assuming that the current infrastructure will be enough to sustain the operations of the company to meet an increasing demand and market share in the short-term.* Suppliers which have their own fleet might be reluctant to agree to let Zappos do order pick-ups and deliver their products however, our recommendation assumes that the suppliers are flexible in this sense.* A break-up of the companys operational costs would be required in order to make better-informed strategy recommen dations. The performed analysis is based on purely qualitative information. 1 . MGSC 602 Strategic Management of operations Coursepack, Zappos.com Developing a supply chain to deliver WOW, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Case GS-65, 02/13/09, page 276 2 . MGSC 602 Strategic Management of Operations Coursepack, Zappos.com Developing a supply chain to deliver WOW, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Case GS-65, 02/13/09, page 296 3 . MGSC 602 Strategic Management of Operations Coursepack, Zappos.com Developing a supply chain to deliver WOW, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Case GS-65, 02/13/09, page 273 4 . MGSC 602 Strategic Management of Operations Coursepack, Zappos.com Developing a supply chain to deliver WOW, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Case GS-65, 02/13/09, page 280 5 . MGSC 602 Strategic Management of Operations Coursepack, Zappos.com Developing a supply chain to deliver WOW, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Case GS-65, 02/13/09, page 276

Sources, Biological Effects and its Control Essay Example for Free

Sources, Biological Effects and its Control Essay resound taint is a major problem confronting the milieu and it deal. The problem has existed since years, however, in the recent decades urbanization combined with development of transport and industry has begun to severely plague the society. In most developed countries disruption pollution is omnipresent, though much emphasis in not given towards its effect and control. Across the globe, urban population is greatly affected due to disturbance pollution, with the rates especially taller for the metropolitan cities.Some of the predominant sources of noise pollution are road traffic, jet planes, scraps trucks, construction equipment, manufacturing processes, and lawn mowers (Birgitta and Lindvall, 1995). The roar of the aircraft, thunder of heavily laden trucks and thumps and whines of industry broadcast these noisy and unwanted sounds into the air (WHO, 2001). Such unwanted noise is not but annoying or disturbing but also pose health hazard and are hampering economic development. go pollution is problem faced by developed and developing countries alike.According to Kapoor and Singh (1995), the effects of noise are so annoying and worrisome that in certain countries it considered next to crime. In China, till three century B. C. , noise has been phthisisd for torturing and punishing criminals with dangerous crime record. Bond, (1996) estimates that 16% of people in Europe are exposed to 40 dB or to a greater extent of traffic noise in their bedrooms accounting for disrupted sleep. Initiative steps have been taken by various countries to keep the noise level under control.In the United States an initiative has been taken to create sites where human-caused noise pollution will not be tolerated (Geary, 1996). The laws of Netherlands do not consent construction of houses in areas where 24-hour average noise levels exceed 50dB. According to the randomness Act in Great Britain, the local authorities are empowered to capture any equipment that can cause excess noise. In addition, people who create excess noise at night are also fined heavily.Very recently, some(prenominal) countries are looking towards porous asphalt technology as a good strategy to curtail traffic noise by up to 5dB (Singh and Davar, 2004). blow on Health The response of the human ear to sound depends both on the sound frequency (measured in Hertz, Hz) and the sound pressure, measured in decibels (dB). A normal ear in a hale and healthy young person can sense sounds with frequencies from 20 Hz to 20 000 Hz and nomenclature frequency ranges from 100 to 6000 Hz (WHO, 2001). Noise pollution is a deliberate and restrained killer which has become a hazard to quality of life.Even clean low levels of noise negatively affect human health, causing hypertension, disrupt sleep and hinder cognitive development in children. According to Bond (1999) unreasonable noise could result in permanent impairment of memory or a psychiatric disorder. Haphazard use of vehicle horn and widespread use of loud speakers in Indian social and religious ceremonies cause various health hazards in urban populations. Associated problems are deafness, nervous breakdown, mental disorder, heart troubles and high blood pressure, head-aches, dizziness, inefficiency and insomnia (Bhargawa, 2001).Singh (1984) observed that the workers exposed to elevated noise levels have a greater frequency of circulatory problems, cardiac illnesss, hypertension, peptic ulcers, and neurosensory and motor impairment. WHO (2001) estimates that somewhat long hundred million people worldwide are estimated to have disabling hearing difficulties. The reports also that estimates more than half citizens of Europe reside in noisy environment and in the USA the number of people exposed to occupations noise level above 85 dB increased from 9 million in 1981 to 30 million in 1990.In Germany and other developed countries as many as 4 to 5 million wor king people are exposed to noise levels of 85 dB or more (WHO, 2001). This has resulted in noise-related hearing impairment. Risks of permanent medical conditions, such as hypertension and ischemic heart disease are also higher in communities exposed to noise pollution for an extended period. In adults and in children it adversely affects reading, memory, attentiveness and problem solving performances. Noise above 80 dB may increase aggressive behavior provoke annoyance responses and changes in social behavior (WHO, 2001). Sources of Noise Pollution confederacy noise High volumes of sound coming from open-air concerts, discotheques, motor sports events etc are non-industrial sources and are categorized as community noise. This is also termed as environmental, residential or domestic noise. The major indoor sources are ventilation systems, office machines, home appliances and neighbors. Other typical sources of neighborhood noise are restaurants, cafeterias, live or enter music, spo rts, playgrounds, car parks, barking dogs. In the recent decades there has been a continued growth in transport systems such as highways, airports and railways.This has but accelerated the generation of more noise. Road traffic is another key source of noise in metros. Nagi et al. (1993) observed that household equipment and appliances produce noise level that sometimes reaches up to 97 dB which is more than double the acceptable (45dB) noise level. Several countries have policies on community noise arising from rail, road, construction sites and industrial plants. These policies are base on emission standards. However, very few regulations are available on neighborhood community noise.This is perhaps due to difficulties with its classification, measurement and control strategies. Ultimately drop of sufficient familiarity of noise pollution effects on people prevents further action to prevent and control this environmental problem. Occupational noise Noise is a common occupation al hazard in several workplaces. The major sources of noise that damages hearing are wallop processes, material handling and industrial jets. Air jets widely used, for example, for cleaning, drying, power tools and steam valves can generate sound levels of 105 dB.Sources of noises in industrial machinery and processes are multi-various. These include rotors, gears, turbulent fluid flow, impact processes, electrical machines, internal combustion engines, pneumatic equipment, drilling, crushing, blasting, pumps and compressors (WHO, 2001). In addition, the emitted sounds are reflected from floors, ceiling and equipment. Exposure rate is also another parameter to be greatly considered. WHO (2001) estimates that in a cigarette factory in Brazil workers involved in compressed air cleaning were exposed to sound levels equivalent to 92 dB for 8 hours.The sound levels of saws can be as high as 106 dB in the woodworking industry. In industries such as foundries, shipyards, breweries, weavi ng factories, motif and saw mills average sound level ranges between 92 and 96 dB. The recorded peak values were between 117 and 136 dB (WHO, 2001). Occupational motion-picture show limits spells out the utmost tolerable sound pressure levels and flick duration times to which workers may be repetitively exposed without undesirable effect or impairment on hearing and their ability to comprehend normal speech.WHO (2001) estimates that an occupational exposure limit of 85 dB for 8 hours should defend the majority of people against a permanent hearing mutilation induced by noise after 40 years of occupational exposure. Control Noise-induced hearing impairment is certainly avoidable. This is workable by protection against perilous noise exposure by means proper hazard prevention and control programs in residential communities and occupation places as well. Noise pollution can be effectively management by several strategies.Firstly, the design and technology of industrial machinery an d equipments could be changed to minimize the noise levels. Noise emission levels should be declared on the machineries. This would permit prospective buyers to select the least hazardous equipment and also to calculate the noise impact at workplaces and to further help with noise-control planning (WHO, 2001). When the cost is worked, making noise-generating processed quieter is 10 times less expensive than to make a barrier to screen the noise. The dangers of noise should be recognized upfront, even before workers start complaining of hearing impairments.Secondly, noise levels can be lessened by the use of noise-control enclosures such as absorbers, silencers and baffles and by the use of personal protective equipment, such as earmuffs. Use of noise barriers may help control noise. The third strategy is to defend receptors of sound by protective shields. This can be done by proper insulation of buildings, body and window planes made sound proof. Nevertheless, where technical proces ses are inadequate, noise exposure may be lowered by putting-off the time spent in noisy environment or alternatively by scheduling noisy operations outside normal shifts or at remote and distant locations.Apart from these strategies, it is quite necessary for the worker to have a clear understanding and knowledge on the machineries and the way to handle them. Noise pollution being a social problem, educating the public proves to be a good alternative. Singh and Davar (2004) suggest that sheer ignorance about the deleterious effects of noise pollution emerges to be a prime factor hindering to reduce and control its levels. Hence an essential element of noise control programs should include education and training of the workers and local public.

The Fundamental Role Of Concrete In Roman Architecture History Essay

The Fundamental Role Of Concrete In papist Architecture History EssayThe cultivation of cover in Roman style architecture was of swell social occasion in producing many world famous, monumental buildings that be representative of the Roman era. non only did cover provide a unique scheme in the production of Roman architecture, it was also a convenient and functional tool when otherwise raw materials were unattainable. In this essay, I will discuss the development of concrete, concretes properties, surfacing techniques, concretes ease of practice session and labour requirements, and the construction of the famous Pantheon as a heavy(p) example of the immense bene trains of concrete to the Romans.Concrete was not invented by the Romans, but simply an adaptation of different howitzer usages in earlier construction. MacDonald describes a mortar as, materials of mixed composition in a semi-fluid state at the measure of construction. Because Romans didnt possess marble quarrie s like the Greeks, mortar became the applicative alternative. Volcanic rock was the about common building material located in the Italian region, and was therefore, the most basic tool to create mortar, which would develop into useful concrete. As early as the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C., the observation of scatterstone walls with rock debris between each stone was made in Pompey. From this point onward, Roman concrete and mortar use became more and more prominent and by the late 3rd century B.C., Romans had improved the recipe of mortar to include lime and clay. When combined with different types of pickaxe elements, also known as aggregates, as easy as different types of facings, Roman mortars were able to create untroubled and dense walls. By the 1st century, the use of concrete is s financial aid to have been perfected by the Romans.In order for concrete to become a useful building technology, the properties of concrete must be carefully examined. The Romans used concrete for a wide variety of purposes. Concrete has been used in Roman buildings as strong base foundations, as well as in the highest vaults. In order to give social structure and substance to mortar, aggregates, or stones of different sizes mixed into the mortar, were used. Not only did aggregates give mortar structure and substance by increasing the mortars mass, but they also helped to strengthen the building material. Aggregates were an essential part of concrete construction because they tame together with mortar to live on crushing that can be caused by immense weights. This is clearly important when concrete was used as a foundation.Different types of stone were used to prove aggregates dependent upon the use of the concrete. For strong solid base foundations, heavier rock materials were used. In these types of foundation, aggregate was often times two thirds of the volume of the entire fabric. For lighter concrete puzzle outs, including high vaulting, lighter rock materials ( such as pumice) were used. Debris from destroyed structures was also a common form of aggregate, including buildings and sculptures.Concrete is an in clear, nearly fluid substance from the time that it is mixed to the time that it is set. Composed of lime, clay and aggregate, dry concrete is mixed with peeing, and this compound (opus caementicum) will harden into a solid mass. With this property in mind, Roman concrete construction was relatively simple. Generally wooden frames were set to pour the concrete mixture into and allow it to harden. Therefore, to produce this type of Roman architecture, some(prenominal) a mortar substance and a frame were necessary.Until Augustan times, the concrete used by Romans was a simple lime mortar. When limestone is burned, quicklime is produced. This quicklime is then squelched to produce calcium hydroxide, which is then mixed with sand. Once evaporated, calcium carbonate crystals are formed. These crystals are the fundamental bonding element of this basic concrete. Mixing more sand with the crystals increases the mortars strength because the crystals bind to coarse surfaces. A great benefit of concrete use was fireproofing buildings.By the late 2nd century B.C., a fresh kind of mortar came into existence that not only aided in fire proofing the structural design, but also in waterproofing it. Romans came across a type of volcanic ash near the city of Pozzuoli, Italy, which they used to create fine cement that reacts in a different manner than the simple lime mortar. This type of mortar is called pozzolana, and is also known as hydraulic cement. Pozzolana is composed of silicates and aluminates. When combined with lime, pozzolana forms a hydrated silicate of calcium. Comparatively, this combination of chemicals does not need to lose water through an evaporative process it actually retains water into its structure. In doing so, pozzolana mortars can set in damp areas. This new found type of concrete was of great importanc e in waterproofing buildings. It helped to prevent decay and corrosion to buildings, allowing them to survive longer. Pozzolana is one of the most standard features of concrete in central Italy.To further aid the waterproofing of concrete, different types of stone facings were developed. Facings were originally used to protect the surfaces of concrete. Typically, facings of stone and other material were set into wet concrete to create a strong casing when the concrete dried. Facings are of valuable importance in dating buildings, and there are several different types that evolved over the centuries. During the late 2nd one C B.C., theme Incertum, or concrete faced with small irregular shaped stones, was commonly seen. Concrete faced with small four sided stones in a definite pattern, called Opus Reticulatum, is dated shortly after 100 B.C. Opus Testaceum, concrete faced with brick, was found throughout the early empire until the 4th century B.C. Opus Mixtum is concrete facing chara cterized by a combination of brick and stone in a decorative pattern, and dated from the same period as the former. Principally, concrete facings were both practical and decorative, used for protection as well as ornamentation.For the Romans, using concrete in constructing buildings was scarce as convenient as it was practical. In equipment casualty of labour, the majority of workers necessary to complete any type of Roman structure did not need to be experienced or educated. Generally, the only highly skilled workers that were involved in the projects included the architect, the master masons and master carpenters. The tasks of mixing, carrying, hauling and pouring concrete were performed by rather unskilled labourers. This same demographic also fit into the category of creating forms into which the concrete would be poured. The timetables of such workers were scheduled around the drying of the concrete. It was certainly possible for Roman architecture to be built of stone, but this type of work would require labourers to dress the stones to exact dimensions, a more challenging task than that of concrete use. Because of this fact, the ease of using concrete made it a more ordinary type of building technology.Designed by Roman Emperor Hadrian, The Pantheon is a prime example of concrete use by the early Romans. Hadrian was known for publicity in the vaulted style, and The Pantheon exemplifies this style with its impressive concrete work. Work on The Pantheon began sometime between July of 118 A.D. and July of 119 A.D., and was completed between the years of 125 and 128 A.D. During the period of construction, concrete was used vastly. The Pantheon is built on a foundation of concrete, nearly 90 percent of the intermediate block and rotunda is made of concrete, and roughly 5,000 metric tons of concrete make up The Pantheons covered stadium.As in many concrete buildings, The Pantheons construction was completed in levels, where different strengths of aggreg ate were used in each plane. The Pantheon is utter to have five different layers of concrete with five separate types of aggregate. Naturally, the lowest level contains the densest and most cohesive aggregate. As the levels of concrete ascend, a lighter form of aggregate is used than the previous layer. The dome of The Pantheon is made of the lightest aggregate in the entire structure, pumice.The Pantheons major features were methodically configured. Carpenters were required to construct castings used to pour concrete for foundations. The rotunda walls were created by pouring a dense concrete and aggregate mixture into short, wide dig ines. Once dried, more concrete was set a crystallise the original trench in layers, until the dome terrace was reached. At this point, the dome had to be poured.The dome is one of the greatest features of The Pantheon. Again, the concrete that was used to create the dome was poured on to a wooden form built in a half sphere shape. The dome form was held in place with wooden struts and timber to allow a light aggregate concrete mixture to dry atop it. Castings of coffers, or sunken panels, were attached to the wooden form to create the domes intricate detail. As the dome was being poured, circular brick dams in the form of step-ring buttraces formed the domes exterior. Step upon step, concrete was poured until it reached the more nearly horizontal region of the dome, where tacky concrete was used. At the top most point, vertically set horizontal tiles finished the dome. As one of the greatest achievements of concrete work, The Pantheon represents the fundamental function of concrete in Roman Architecture.It is provable that concrete played an essential role in the construction of Roman buildings. The development and adaptation of concrete in the Roman world was the most practical means of construction. Not only was concrete an available source of building material, constructing with concrete was also an uncomplicated and effic ient technique. Fire and water proofing of Roman buildings were just a few of the practical functions that concrete provided. Concretes properties allowed for Roman architecture to survive throughout the centuries because such a useful material was discovered and widely utilized, we are still able to view and study some of the worlds most brilliant structures.

Commentary On Voltaires Candide

Commentary On Voltaires CandideVoltaires work, Candide, uses powerful satirical narrative to represent striverry in the eighteenth century, the supposed mount of Reason, and Candi stilbestrol epiphany, represented through reveal the course of the extract. The release follows the travels of Candide and his fellows to Buenos-Aires, in search of his beloved Cungonde. After five days of travelling, he arrives, with Cacambo, outside the town of Surinam, where they encounter a mutilated hard worker.The antecedent of slavery is represented most effectively through the descriptions given by the characters, rather than the physical description of the scene provided by the narrator. A slave or negrave is found on the ground. His physical position, cutetendu par terre, reflects his sociable class and the degradation of slaves. The slaves garment, un caleccedilon de toile bleue, is hardly weather-proof or durable, highlighting the mendicancy endured by slaves and the ruthless attitude of th eir masters. Voltaire withholds the name of the slave, emphasising the disregard for human life implied within society. Ngre is used to represent the entire slave population. This pejorative bourne further highlights societys attitude. However, it is important to note that Candide first c all tolds him mon ami, indicating his open nature, perhaps a reflection of Voltaires opinion of slavery.Whilst the masters of slaves are very disrespectful of their slaves, the ngre calls his custodian matre, showing a profound respect. To add to masters grandeur, the slave recalls his position in society, qualifying it with the adjective fameux. In this paragraph, the depiction of slavery is brutal, with the tragedies of the work and punishment discussed with a banal acceptance. The language used when the slave describes how la meule oral sex attrape le doigt, on nous coupe la main quand nous voulons nous enfuir, on nous coupe la jambe gives a feeling of breathlessness and the futility of his a ttempt to escape. This description of suffering draws accurately on legislation concerning delinquent slaves set out in in the 1685 Code Noir.The description also draws a parallel between the relationship between the slave and his master. Voltaires use of restrictive adverbials, much(prenominal) as neque demonstrate the physical effects of cruelty on the slave. The language used by the slave is resigned, with a repetitive use of passive structures such as on nous. The slave then coldly states, cest ce prix que vous mangez du sucre en Europe. This simple statement highlights the corruption, not only in slavery, but in all levels of society.Leibnizs philosophy of Optimism is evident in the representation of slavery. The slaves resigned account shows an acceptance of life shared with those who follow the belief of Optimism. Leibniz claimed that both human and moral evils were part of a greater good.This is further emphasised by the qualification of slavery by the mother of the slave as un honneur. The slave adds an optimistic cependant this sudden element of sentimentality reinforces Pangloss meilleur des mondes outlook on life. This optimistic overhear, personified through Pangloss, contrasts greatly with Candides opinions after witnessing the situation. The absurdity of Optimism, with reference to the slave-trade, is shown when Cacambo asks, Quest-ce que quoptimisme? Cacambo has not used an article before optimism, emphasising how little he cares for it. With reference to the novel as a whole, Optimism is only mentioned directly within this passage. As soon as it is mentioned, it is denounced. Further to the slaves account, he compares his situation with that of des chiens, des singes et des perroquets. The animals might possibly represent the different social classes within society.The passage emphasises how slavery was represented in monetary terms the slave was interchange by his mother for ten cus patagons, the currency of Spain at the time. Moreover, throughout the slaves account of how he came to be in this position, it appears that slavery was represented differently in the western hemisphere from the homelands of the slaves. The ngre recalls how his mother told him ils te feront vivre heureux, describing it as an honour to work for nos seigneurs, les blancs. It is interesting that the masters are classed as les Blancs. Voltaire divides society not only by social class, but also by race. It is clear that the people of Guine were disillusioned by the notion of slavery.The confusion is further emphasised by the religious theme central to the passage. The lexical field of religion emphasises the religious beliefs of the slaves, a central theme in their African culture. Evidently, the slave is religious, as he attends church tous les dimanches. However, Voltaire highlights, only again, the corruption within society by making it clear to the reader that the slave had been converted. The Pasteur claims that they are tous enfants dA dam, blancs et noirs. This contradicts his earlier statement of the masters being les blancs. Like his turn and culture, his religious identity has been stripped from him. Here, Voltaire is criticising the social system of the period. It is clear that the slaves are taught what they know not to be true, yet they accept it as it is the way of the existence in which they live.Despite Voltaires thought-provoking depiction of slavery in the passage, it is interesting to look critically at Candides attitude to the situation. When he first encounters the slave on the road, he addresses him in a friendly manner, symbolising his naivety and lack of understanding. Voltaires portrayal of Candides naivety is referenced even in his name. Candide is taken from Latin and connotes whiteness, openness, naivety, honour and, more negatively, inexperience and credulity. The passive language of the slave throughout his description of his horrific ordeal is a direct juxtaposition with the raw emotion visualised through Candides reaction.The flaws in Panglosss optimism are clearly highlighted, especially during Candides discourse. W.H Barber suggest that the characters help Voltaire in his purpose of parodying the episodic adventure novel making it possible for the reader to view characters and narrative as it were externally, and consequently critically to become aware of the caricature and exaggeration, the deliberate implausibilities, the bathetic contrasts. Despite Candides denouncing of belief, he does little else to react to the situation. Candide merely begins to cry, release the slave where he found him. The reader criticises Candide for not helping to free the slave from his bind in society. Voltaire is provoking this response in the reader to shed light on clear the effects of passivity. He also seems to regard the problem as so large and horrifying that one can only weep and go on ones way, or presumably, continue to eat sugar with a guilty conscience.Throughout t his passage, irony plays very little part. However, other narrative techniques are employed. in the flesh(predicate) deixis is used when Candide is talking to the slave. He asks, que fais-tu l, mon ami, dans ltat worthless o je te vois?Here it is impossible for the reader to understand the situation and the horrible state that the slave is in without reading into the context of the question.The theme of culture can be thoroughly examined in this passage. Talking en hollandais, Candide emphasises his European land compared with the African culture of the slave. Division within society is clearly illustrated when the slave tells Candide that his mutilation is the price that he has paid to eat sugar en Europe. Voltaire demonstrates that the world is divided. Interestingly, the slave understands Candides Dutch, highlighting their cultural awareness, the importance of communication and the enforcement of other cultures upon slaves. The cultural toleration of the slaves is juxtaposed w ith the attitude of Western civilisation. African culture appears to be more family-oriented when compared with Candides upbringing. The slave refers to his mother, ma mere, showing his respect for the advice given to him by his family.Throughout this passage of Voltaires Candide, slavery is represented in a number of ways, most notably by the description provided by the slave himself. In addition, Candides attitude highlights the philosophy of Optimism that Voltaire aims to discuss throughout the entire book. It is said that the narrative of Candide is .. a vehicle carefully intentional to convey a philosophical discussion of topical concern both to the author and reader. In conclusion, Voltaire has employed a palette of narrative techniques to enrich this passage of the book.Word Count= 1,490Bibliography MHRA formatBarber, W.H., Studies in French Literature 5, Voltaire Candide (London W.H. Barber, 1960)Cronk ,Professor Nicholas, Voltaire and the Voices of Enlightenment, read by S imon Russell Beale, (BBC Radio 3, 2010)Mason,Haydn, European Masters Voltaire (London Hutchinson, 1975)Williams,David, VoltaireCandide (London Grant and Cutler Ltd, 1997)Voltaire, Candide, Presentation by Jean Goldzink, (Paris, Editions Flammarion, 2007)

Personal Leadership and Career: Becoming a Total Leader

Personal driveing and Career Becoming a tot LeaderSome multitude are born attracters and just abtaboo people become leaders by learning to lead. Learning to lead helps you to understand leading, create leadership ability and grow as a leader (Adair J, 1988.).This report describes my own(prenominal) and nonrecreational leadership development. First comp unitarynt focuses on critical re scenery of the term to become a Total Leader. Second section reflects on my 360-degree feedback and third section summarises what essays I undertook to develop my understanding of leadership and biography related competencies during October 09 to March 10.1. LITERATURE REVIEWBe a disclose Leader, Have a Richer Life Article by Stewart D. FriedmanStewart Friedman is a professor of management at the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School of Business. He runs a programme called Total Leadership at the Wharton Business School, at companies and workshops around the word.Essence of Be a Be tter Leader, Have a Richer Life article revolves around his idea of Total Leadership. It is all about being a good leader by developing the power to understand and manage yourself better. Friedman wildnesses that integrating work, home, familiarity and self, will bewilder you a whole someone and a better leader.The article begins by presenting a case behind the total leadership concept. The author states that his look and date over the past two decades has found that many executives feel unfulfilled because they are focusing much on work aspect and less on other aspects of their lives. Friedman emphasises that it is possible to achieve excellent surgery in all four domains of life work, home, alliance and self, and refuses to believe that we need to trade off one domain of life for the betterment of other, which is the main idea behind his Total Leadership programme.The article then starts building upon how people can repair their military operation in multiple domains of their lives through simple exclusively thought-provoking experiments. Friedman then tries to convince the contri neverthelessors by presenting the strong evidence of his study of more than 300 caper professionals over the period of four months. His evidence shows that, the total leadership approach has increased the satisfaction of professionals in their work lives, home lives and in their company lives. In addition, the most significant satisfaction for the professionals comes in the area of themselves their physical and emotional health and their intellectual and spiritual growth.The author explains that authenticity, integrity and creativity are the tercet main allots of the Total Leadership help. The process starts by indentifying our own core values, vision and important people in our life. Once we take a shit a everlasting(a) picture of what we want to achieve in our life, we begin to see new ways of achieving our goals.Friedman asks professionals to think about var ious possibilities/combination of various components through niner types of Total Leadership experiments. He encourages readers to design and test experiments that will create meaningful and sustainable diversity that benefits themselves and important people around them. He urges the reader to take the notion of innovation through experimentation beyond the work role to other aspects of their life. He encourages leader to start small experiments and emphasises that small move lead to a big win.Friedman similarly gives examples of measuring progress of various experiments. He points out splendor of setting possible ways to measure outcomes. The experiments and revaluation reflections help readers learn to focus more on the things that matter to them and the people around them.He concludes that total leadership approach helps people to generate more support and feel more connected to the important people in their life. It helps people to become more resilient in response to the impulse of our riled world. It gives readers a blueprint of how to be real, be whole, and be innovative as a leader in all four parts of their life.As per Venables J. and my personal experience, in the UK, working late is a sign of dedication to the job and normal corporate culture. I hurt in addition seen my father worked extremely sonorous throughout his life to achieve his goals. Therefore, I was particularly drawn to this article and the subject of being successful leader while maintaining your personal life.The article takes a positive approach towards becoming a successful leader. The authors central concept is about identifying our inner values and using those values to improve our leadership in four areas. Authors key remark is, to be a leader one must be whole and counterpoise in all aspects of life work, home, community of interests and self.The concept of whole person as good leader in this article is similar to the view of Bartolome F. add Evans P. in the Harvard business review restrain Executive success, that executives who are able to maintain balance in their private and professional life are able to do things better than the other executives, but antithetic to the point of view of John Adairs situational leadership.This article gives splendour to the key stakeholders in work as well as all aspects of leaders life. This is in truth different to the view of article Leadership Lessons from India (Cappelli, P., et al., 2010), where the article mentions working with employees and focusing on their issues within the company and giving them importance rather than giving importance to the company servingholders only.The articles main strength is that it is very easy to follow and understand. It is a structured approach to produce measurable changes in our life. It takes readers through, various simple experiments and practical examples on how to be a successful leader in all domains of life. The examples and experiment suggested by the arti cle are so simple that anyone can adjudicate them without being a subject expert.This article emphasis on developing leadership qualities based on authors holistic perspective. The only criticism I watch about this article is in its approach. It provides broad sets of simple experiments to create a positive change around you. But in reality, situations are more complex. The article does not take account of any organisational factors. If it is that simple and easy to develop skills as suggested by the author, then everyone will be a good leader.Authors arguments stir great deal to do with our understanding of leadership and careers because self concept is essential in understanding the leadership. As per one of the greatest leaders, Mahatma Gandhi Be the change that you want to see in the world. In other words, if you want to see change, you start with yourself. If you cannot do it, then how can you expect others to want the change? To lead others we must learn to lead ourselves a nd leadership starts from within. Power to see yourself brings with it a new depth of motivation and a sharper sense of direction.This article is truly face-saving for those who are trying to learn about becoming a better leader and interested in initiating a self-dialogue about professional and personal values. It shows simple experiments about how to be a great leader not just at workplace but alike at home, in the community and above all being yourself and become a whole human. Total Leadership is a sensible and practical approach about finding out what consecrates you a great leader. I favour authors notation that an strong human being is a better leader.Inspired by this, I designed an experiment of doing yoga every morning with my wife to improve home and self aspects of my life. The terminations of the experiment were great and I discover that I was feeling more energetic and happier in personal life, but I have not seen any changes in my leadership style at work and in community. As a gist of this, I am encouraged to design close to more experiments to improve my performance in work and community domains.There are no rules for leadership, but there are certain skills that every good leader should have. It is important to see different authors approach to develop your leadership skills and this article definitely gives different perspective to it.2. CRITICAL censure ON MY 360-DEGREE FEEDBACK2.1 Competing Value FrameworkFrom my Competing Value Framework feedback in October 2009 I learnt that, out of 12 managerial and leadership competences my scored comely on 5 competences, good on 2 competences and very good 5 competences as shown in Appendix iii.I learnt that I need to develop my following leadership/managerial skillsEmphasizing speed,Initiating significant change at my work placeControlling my projects wellInspiring people andClarifying policiesI started focusing my efforts to develop my leadership skills in the areas mentioned above and by January 2010, I could see that perception of my leadership quality was improved as a result of my efforts.I always encourage my colleagues to develop their career by supporting them in their daily activities. I learnt that not all people share my view of working in a team, improves performance. I felt that some people in the team would like to work on their own, as they had their own views and ideas. I was willing to leave them in peace as far as they are doing the right thing for them and for the company. Therefore I decided to take a step back and not to interfere, but always checked the quality of work they produced.Over the past few months I have trained myself terrible to work fast-paced through various technical trainings. And I can promptly produce good quality work with greater speed than I was expecting before four months. I still think that there is no alternative to secure work. All this views are reflected in my 2010 feedback.I am straightaway make sure that everyo ne who is involved with the task is fully awake(predicate) of formal guidelines and what they are doing and have a clear understanding of company procedures and policies. I now do regular team meetings and try to keep close eye on how the project is going and keep them under control. I have also suggested new ways of doing traditional things by introducing latest software which will enhance employees performance and will also benefit the project by faster outcomes and achieving the deadline more promptly. I also attend client meetings with my seniors and try to understand what they expect from us at the end of the project and what we need to do emphasis more on to win the future projects. I have made some small changes in my team and conclave which will enhance the performance and quality of the outcome.According to my Competing Values Framework Feedback report in Appendix iii, my peers and colleagues also have similar views about myself in areas of Control, Performance and Creati vity. Their views differ from my views to some extent in the category of Collaborativenes.They think I am not encouraging people to have work- life balance, but expect from everyone to work hard to create quality work. They feel that I am not making sure that everyone has a career development plan and not handling their career issues.I was really surprised that my leaders thought of me as a less collaborative person. Because I have always given importance to the work-life balance and have tried to understand other peoples need.From my competing values framework, I learnt that my peers think of me as a less collaborative person then I encompass myself to be. Therefore, I should try to make more efforts to improve my skills towards developing other people, encouraging them in active participation and acknowledging their needs.2.2 Cultural IntelligenceAs we raise the twenty-first century, we live and work in a amicable and organisational world that is increasingly versatile and off ers more opportunities for interaction among people who do not share a common history or culture. (Caproni P., 2005).Cultural Intelligence is persons ability to function efficiently in situations characterised by pagan diversity (Earley Ang, 2003). Culture very much relates to peoples perspective on their values, beliefs, stories or rituals. Cultural differences can influence peoples preferences, expectations and behaviours at work.In modern organisations, the ability to function effectively in multi-cultural situations is important attribute for employees and managers. Corporate culture rests in distinctive capacities and incapacities that are built in to the attitudes and approaches of organisational members. (Morgan G., 1997) Cultural Intelligence provides insights about how to interact with others in multi-cultural society and organisations, engage in cross-cultural interactions appropriately, and perform effectively in culturally diverse work groups.From my 360-degree feedba ck report, I learnt that my perception of ability to act across different cultures has changed between October 2009 and January 2010 as shown in Appendix iii. This change reflects that my recent experiences differ from my expectations. When compared with how others perceive my cultural intelligence, it is higher than what I perceive. I learnt that people see me as a person with good cultural diversity skill. It reflects my good understanding of cross culture knowledge. I need to be aware of how my behaviour affects others. I need to have attention to the social context in which I am working. I need to continue to think in broad way and integrate diverse information and see uncertainty as an opportunity to develop my cultural intelligence.2.3 Qualitative FeedbackQualitative feedback from my peers shows that I am open minded, friendly, hardworking and committed person. I realise that I must take advantage of these attributes to develop good relationship with my colleagues and interac t with them more frequently. My peers suggest that I should become more pro-active and enunciate my ideas rather than keeping them to myself. They also suggested that I should develop smart ways to work faster and effectively while producing quality work. What surprised me most was that my peers noticed that I sometime think that my superiors are infallible. I believe that, this is partly due to my cultural beliefs. I need to ask questions to my superiors about their assumptions to change their perception.3. REFLECTION ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENDASBetween October 2009 and March 2010 I have focused on developing three leadership qualities based on MBTI /ICCS assessment, circle room notes, my past job performance, my current and future career requirements. These qualities areEffective Communication devote BuildingNetworkingThe table below reflects on my leadership self-development process. It reflects on my commitment of developing right attitudes to become a good leader. It d escribes what I did to develop the above mentioned skills. It also mentions the results of my experiments and how these qualities will be useful to me in future.Table 1 Developing Leadership skills (Adapted from Kolbs Learning Cycle)Developing Effective Communication SkillsActivities Communicating Effectively workshop 09/02/2010Power and Influence workshop 10/02/2010Managing Conflict workshop 11/02/2010Coaching and Developing Others workshop 11/02/2010Reading related books and articles (Oct09 Mar10)Reflective ObservationI am very confident, convenient and clear in communicating my message across to my family and friends and I generally adopt communication style which suits peoples culture. Although, I have observed that I am not an effective communicator in the public and at workplace due to fear ofCultural differencesLack of self confidence andLack of trust past while taking criticism I become defensive rather than being more open to accept it. So, I need learn to oppose t o criticism with empathy.Concept and GeneralisationTo be a good leader communication is the utmost important aspect. Thinking about great leaders in modern times Mahatma Gandhi, Churchill, Hitler and Martin Luther King, its clear that they were powerful leaders because they had ability to communicate their vision and inspire people to follow them in achieving their goals.Communication is a bipartizan process. Knowing how to listen is just as important as being able to communicate (Venables J., 2002).Application/ExperimentsApply active listening method to improve communication skills. effort to give full attention to the speaker and listen with empathy.Try to be more confident and maintain eye contact during conversations.Try to see my facial expressions and observed what others will perceive from it and learn how I can improve.Try to be more open and friendly with colleagues to over-come my fear of cultural differences and lack of trust.Try communication skills experiments in my o rganisation, group meetings, client meetings and presentations.OutcomeAs a result of above experiments, my self-confidence has grown and I have overcome some of my fears of speaking with colleagues. I have received good response from my colleagues and team mates regarding my presentation style.This skill will be helpful to me in communicating effectively with my clients and coaching and developing my team.Developing Trust Building SkillsActivities Reading related books, journals and research papers (Oct09 Mar10)Believe in Myself (Oct09 Mar10)Be Truthful, Reliable and Fair (Oct09 Mar10)Set Boundaries (Oct09 Mar10)Reflective ObservationI feel I am Open-minded, trustworthy and reliable person. I am highly regarded and trust in my friend circle and been asked for advice regularly. But I feel I am not always involved in the decision making process in my organisation and family. I am not sure if this is for a good reason or a sign of mistrust. And therefore, I feel that I need to develop ability to earn trust of my fellow colleagues, clients and family members, to build good relationship and to develop positive emotions and atmosphere around me.I also feel that workers in the organisations should not be judged against quantitative goals such as profit, cost and other numerical scale, which are to be ineffective as motivational tools against qualitative values of trust, responsibility and innovation.Concept and GeneralisationIf you trust yourself, you know you made the right choice. And thats a strong foundation on which to build trust. Trust is critical to managerial effectiveness and building client relationship. Great relationships and organisations are made and broken on trust. Trust helps clients deal with market uncertainties and risk, ultimately resulting in increased satisfaction and loyalty in the client relationship. Breach of trust can lead to breaking of relationship and confidence.According to Robert Bruce Shaw, author of Trust in balance The im portance of trust becomes clear when we try to imagine a world without it.Application/ExperimentsAlways try to be truthful.Set realistic deadlines and make every effort to achieve themDelegate work to juniors and help them with their problemsAttend client meetingsOutcomeI have been truthful and learnt to say no to delusive deadlines. Being truthful does not always work in my favour. I have mange to develop good relationship with my juniors and earned their trust. I understand importance of client needs from business perspective.This skill will be very helpful to maintain trust of colleagues, clients and family members for the years to come.Developing Networking SkillsActivities Reading related books, journals and research papers (Oct09 Mar10)Develop good working relationships with colleagues (Oct09 Mar10)Make new friends and attend social events (Oct09 Mar10)Develop friends community on social networking website (Oct09 Mar10)Reflective Observation of my NetworksI have come here from India and my network here is limited to my family, university friends and work colleagues. In addition, I am very introvert person (also indicted by my MBTI assessment) when it comes to making new friends. When I meet the quality kind of people who share my interests, I have been friends ever since with them. I feel strongly that friends are forever. I feel society tends to value extroverts more highly than introverts and I sometimes feel sensitive to social rejection. I sometimes fear that other people might not understand and hurt my feelings.I desire to improve my networking skills. I fell that I need to stay open to new ideas. I need to develop relationships with clients, my senior colleagues, old school friends and sport friends.Concept and GeneralisationNetworking is a deliberate, systematic process of building and maintaining relationships based on interchangeable benefits. The quality of relationships with your subordinates, bosses and peers significantly influenc es your task effectiveness, careers development and personal well- being. (Caproni P., 2005) Businesses thrive on relationships. The more people you meet, the better the chances will be to find good, new, personal and professional opportunities. Networking is helpful in sharing knowledge, experience, opinions and differences which helps to develop a broader worldwide view.Application/Experiments (inspired from Kerr C., 1999)Business networkingI have joined Business Networking website BNET.Attended Institution of polite Engineers evening meetings.I invited my work colleagues for a dinner at my home.I invited my previous boss at my place for a long weekend.I have joined my organisations cricket and badminton club.Personal NetworkingI have joined health club with my friend and a neighbour.I have joined School friends group on Facebook.Call friends and family frequently.Attended my little sisters engagement party in India.OutcomeAt first no one joined my school friends community and ha d a disappointing start to my experiments. I tried finding the contact numbers of my old friends and after a few quick calls to old friends the community has grown to 15 members, but a few are still not convinced.I have also managed to develop good relationship with my colleagues and I feel more open to express my views and accept different opinions of other colleagues. I am able to engage in discussions.Initially, I found social events boring and exhausting but now I am starting to enjoy it. I have experienced that networking requires a lot of time, perseverance and efforts. Therefore, I need to focus on important relationships and not waste valuable time to convincing people who lack enthusiasm and similar interests. Networking is more effective when people share similar interests.Through these experiments I have made new friends. I have become happier, more open to new ideas, possibilities, aware of differences in opinion and less worried out rejection. All in theses networking e xperiments has boosted my confidence to make friends develop relationship with important people.I am thought of starting to arrange a social events club for my organisation. I need concentrate my efforts more to develop a network of clients. I am also thinking of taking part in a charitable activity over the next year. Networking skills will help me to develop and progress my personal and professional life in years to come.

The Mission Essay example -- essays research papers

The Mission is a motion picture, directed by Roland Joffe in 1986, about a Jesuit mission that is threatened by voraciousness and imperialism in the late 18th century in the Brazilian jungle. Father Gabriel, played by Jeremy Irons, climbs the mountains of Brazil to bring Christianity to the natives. He is successful and brings about a golden age among them. Mendoza, played by Robert De Niro, a slave trader, kills his brother, Felipe played by Aidan Quinn, in a fit of rage over a adult female named Carlotta, played by Cherie Lunghi. Only Fr. Gabriels leadership prevents his suicide. Gabriel brings Mendoza to work at his mission with the natives, and Mendoza finds peace and asks to become a priest. The Church, under pressure, gives the land up to the Portuguese who exit allow slave traders in again. Mendoza breaks his vows and organizes the natives to fight against the Portuguese while Gabriel warns him not to fight and instead to help them as a priest. At the end of the plastic f ilm Fr. Gabriel courageously leads a procession with the Host through the battle. He is martyred along with almost every one else. Only a few young natives are left, whom because they have been moved(p) by God, to rebuild the community.This movie, more than most I have ever seen, demonstrates graphically, from a normal, human point of view, the net result of the union of passion and greed, where one compliments the other. The two main reasons the mission is threatened, as I have said before, are imperialism and greed. ...

World War I Essay -- Trench Warfare

World War I was a stalemate right from the outbreak of the war as a result of trench warfare. With the introduction of this system, a piece of land stretching from the Belgian coast, through France, and peculiaritying in Switzerland, became the venue for majority of the conflict. For almost iii years, this line shifted by no more than a few hundred yards. All of this changed when the United States joined the war and prompted Germany to make an all-out drive on the Allies so as to end the war before the American Army reached full strength on the battlefield. The American Expeditionary Force allowed the Allies to take the offensive, thereby ending the stable state of war that had settled on the Western Front as a result of trench warfare.The system of trench warfare had men liner each other across opposing lines dug into the ground. The purpose of digging trenches was purely a matter of survival. In a war where technology was the strap enemy, trenches were a must. Following the B attle of Somme in 1916 where casualties exceeded one million, the High Command on both sides of the war learned of the desperate need for trenches. The first trenches, as Albert Marrin describes in The Yanks are Coming, were not mere slits in the ground. Each trench system was composed of line upon line of trenches. Most trench systems were composed of three trenches. In case of an attack, there was usually another trench to provide defense if the forward trench was taken by the enemy. Smaller communication trenches joined each of the major trench lines (Marrin 80). The most memorable feature of any trench line was actually the land in between. This land was known as no-mans land. No mans land varied extremely in length. There were extremes at both ends... ... of losing at which point the Americans entered the fray. The final act that broke this tie-up was the defeat of the Germans at Belleau Wood by the Americans. In doing this, they brought a sense of newfound desire and energy on the Allied part. For the Germans, the Americans represented a array to be reckoned with. The American Army brought the fight back to the soldiers in the trenches. Captain Lloyd Williams of the Marines was a prime example of this spirit. When asked by the French if he wanted to retreat, he replied Retreat? Hell we just got here. (qtd. Antill, Dougdale-Pointon, and Rickard).As a German soldier noted, The American . . . had nerve we must give him credit for that but he too displayed a savage ruthlessness. The Americans kill everybody was a cry of terror. . . which for a long time stuck in the bones of our men. (qtd. Bonk 91)