Ocean Carriers Case Study Essay

The fragmented shipping industry is one of the most essential industries for continuous globalization and growth; industry prospects are surprisingly stable in contrast to the normal logistics businesses that are highly cyclical. The factors that drive average daily hire rates are the age of vessels, market condition, the supply and demand and the size of the ships. Daily hire rates are found by the interaction of the supply and demand of vessels. The supply is influence by market demand for shipping capacity, the efficiency and size of vessels and the rate of scrapping. The demand is influenced by the situation of the world economy, technological changes and trade patterns. There is a strong positive relationship between spot/time charter hire rates and demand for iron ore vessel shipments (exhibition 5). This is due to the fact that rates are set by current market conditions and expectations that also influences investment decisions in new vessels. Spot hire rates are expected to decrease next year because there is a big number of vessels order for next year, according to exhibit 3. Compared to exhibit 2, it’s a big proportion. So the supply will be large, leading the  rates to decrease. In the next few years, there will be a large supply of new capsize vessels. And also, there will be some vessels that are over 24 years and will be scrapped. But the old vessels just total a small portion. So the influence that brought by the old vessels’ scrap is minor. Another point is, if Australia and India ore export is going well in the next few years, it would be very good for this industry and make the hire rates decrease. According to calculation, the 15 years’ plan will generate positive NPV as compared to NPV of 25 years plan. The forecast is highly optimistic about the industry’s long-term prospects with continuous growth. Real economic growth will give rise to higher demand for the commodities transported and spot rates will alienate with the ones from 2000. In fact, in 2002 the iron industry will recover, especially because of an increase in the trading volumes, thanks to the growth of the Indian and Australian market, also influenced by the efficiency gains due to gradual technological improvements. The choice of making 3 installment payments provides the company with a large non-recurring capital outflow in 2 short years that will cause grave liquidity constraints, investing $500,000 in net working capital compensates for this. However, Ocean Carriers should try to increase the payments period in order to be able to keep working capital at higher levels. Reevaluating the capital structure is strongly recommended since lower costs would decrease the discount rate and increase the NPV. The corporate strategy obviously has to be reevaluated concerning when to decommission the vessel since this makes the project not financially supported. The higher costs of operating an older vessel is obviously lower that the gains of doing so. There need to be more data to support that the firm is able to lock higher prices which would enable them to receive higher cash flows and with greater certainty. Extending the years of service for the vessels from 15 to at least a span where NPV is positive is crucial for future projects to be even considered.

Categories of Music Essay

1. What is a symphony? A symphony is an elaborate musical composition for full orchestra, typically in four movements. 2. What is a sonata? How is it related to the sonata form? A sonata is a large-scale composition that is played rather than sung. 3. What is a coda? A coda will use music from the movement, typically doesn’t does not add anything to the â€Å"argument†. 4. What are the three different parts of the sonata form? Describe each part. The three parts off sonata are Exposition, Development, and Recapitulation. Exposition is the first part of the sonata, where the composer will bring in or â€Å"expose†all of the music ideas. Development is the second part of the sonata, it is where the composer builds on the two themes from the exposition. Recapitulation is the third part of the sonata, it is where exposition is repeated. 5. What are the three different periods of Beethoven’s work? Describe each part. Critical Thinking Questions 1. What are the characteristics of the music of the Classical period? 2. How does the music of the Classical period differ from the music of the Baroque period? Baroque music tends to be for small chamber orchestras and is usually very  intricate, with many layers. Classical music tends to be for larger orchestras and for showing off virtuoso talents or entertainment rather than for praising God or presenting solemn tunes to kings, as much Baroque music was. 3. Choose one of the composers discussed in the lesson and listen to some of his work. Which pieces did you listen to? How would you describe these pieces of music? What makes the music characteristic of the Classical era? 4. What social and cultural influences impacted the music of the Classical period? Do you think today’s music is influenced by social and cultural factors? Why or why not? Both art and politics were great composers who knew what they were doing and their composings had amazing hits. 5. What was important about Vienna during the Classical period? Vienna was important during the Classical period because great civilization was developed in the past and actually in classical period.

Information on Self Nude Shooting

Group paper > ————————————————- Content Page 1. Introduction 3 2. Definition of self-nude-shooting 3 3. Reasons of the popularity of self-nude-shooting 4-6 4. Social impact of self-nude-shooting 7-8 5. Mindset of posting or sharing the photos/videos 9 6. The views from different parties in the society 10-11 7. Concluding remarks 12 8. References 13 9. Appendix 13Introduction: Definition of self-nude-shooting: Self nude-shooting means individual records his/her nude body via some kinds of medium, such as cameras. And the body is shown on photos or videos. Reasons of the popularity of self-nude-shooting: It is found that self-nude-shooting is popular in Hong Kong. The reasons behind has been classified in 4 areas, which are the advancing technology, culture and people belief, the psychological condition of teenagers altered by puberty, and the satisfaction of sexual desires a nd misunderstandings between couples. * Advancing technologySelf-nude-shooting can be carried out through several medium, such as taking photos or recording videos. When people still need a traditional camera to take photos, they needed to print the photo in shop. Compare to nowadays, people can take pictures or videos simply by a digital camera, webcam or even mobile phones and then upload to their own computer as personal collection. This big progress has encouraged people to make a record on any â€Å"memorable† moments. What’s more, the privacy has increased theoretically, thus, people would like to take photos with less ethical limits. This has explained how self-nude-shooting appears.Furthermore, communicating tool is well-developed and widely used these days. Besides putting photos into photo album, people share their photos online. They can post photos in some photo-sharing websites including blogs such as Xanga and YahooBlog, online albums like Flickr. com and Fotop. Net. If they want more interaction from others, they can even upload to the social networking website like Facebook and MySpace. If people post some striking photos, it can attract others’ attentions and get a higher click rate. Some people may gain fulfillment when people are interested in their photos. Culture and people belief The culture of a society has affected people thinking and belief. It is found that self-nude-shooting is popular especially in teenagers. After our discussion, we think that celebrity endorsement has a major impact on people. Edison Chan, the actor, is one of the infamous self-nude-shooting stars in Hong Kong. Even though the media has a cruel criticize towards his behavior, some of the teenagers view his doing as a heroic manner. Some teens appreciate his bravery. * The psychological condition of teenagers altered by puberty Puberty has a great impact on teenagers’ mental condition.During puberty, gonad will produce varies of hormones such estrogen and androgen which stimulate growth and maturate the reproductive system. What’s more, the hormones also affect the emotion. During adolescence, teenagers are more likely to make friends. They started to view their friends and influencing one another. They hope they are be respected and not to be alone. In order to join the peer group, they are asked to behave similarly. This also creates the peer pressure. For example, if their friends are doing self-nude-shooting, they maybe also asked to do t to show their friendship. * The satisfaction of sexual desires and misunderstandings between couples Teenagers are usually curious about the opposite sex. Therefore, their lovers may be the first sources to explore the sex directly. It is found that the people tend to think that showing-off good sexual ability is one way to please their partner. What’s more, during sexual intercourse, they hope they can please their partner by using different positioning in order to make more sexual excitement. However, we think this is inappropriate to seek for prolong healthy relationship.A healthy relationship should build beyond caring and respectful connection. Social impact of self-nude-shooting Teenagers and students: * Affect their attitude towards sex: 1. Immature teenagers or students imitate obscene movements. 2. Some of them trust what they see and hear on the internet without recognize what is really right or wrong. (This is because getting more and more self shoot nude pictures on the internet. They may consider this kind of behavior is normal. ) 3. As self shoot nude pictures are very popular on the internet, they can easily access this information, which affects their attitude towards sex. E. g. ome of the young people want to please their partners are willing to have nude self shooting or even photograph during sexual intercourse. 4. Encourage young people to have casual sex. (This is because those self shoot nude pictures may contain scene s of party sex or having sex with different people. ) Adult: * They imitate the obscene movement from those scenes of self shoot nude pictures or video and photograph others nude without noticing them. To the whole: * Challenge social mores. (China is a country where people are paying a lot of attention to ethics since ancient time especially the relationship between men and women.Couples must have sex in private area and our bodies should not show to the public. ) * Concept of sex has been distorted. (Sex is private. The exposed self shoot nude pictures and videos on the internet may cause illusion of open sex. ) * Infringe upon personal privacy. (Some of those shot are not voluntary or informed. ) * Distortions in gender roles. (Some of the self shoot nude photos and videos may contain homosexual sex shots. ) * As this kind of pictures or videos can be easily seen on the Internet, this affects the lives of others. (This is because not Internet users accept those pictures and video . In the long term: * People may have bad attitude towards sex. They may consider sex is open and casual. * This encourages the development of pornography. * People may get addicted to that pornography. * Social mores are being challenged. Example: Social impact of Edison Chen photo scandal * The scandal has shocked the general public and ignited debate about sexual morality. * The blanket coverage of the local press, their reporting style, and the appearance of photographs has also been met with public complaints to TELA. (TELA suspected that at least two journals violated the Obscene Articles Ordinance. * The images reached China mostly through an image-sharing service on Baidu (Tieba). * Beijing Network News Council (BNNC) held a meeting on 18 February to discuss the â€Å"romantic pictures†, and criticised Baidu for spreading the pictures. * Other web sites that actively discouraged the photo distribution, namely Sohu, Sina and Netease, were praised by BNCC. * People imit ate to take self shoot nude photos and post on the internet. * People imitate obscene movements from those pictures. The mindset of posting or sharing the photos/videos: They want to be care, be loved and be aware.They think that posting or sharing their naked photos or videos can become a hot spot and draw the others attention. People will be notified by their acts and try to find more details about them. Also they can make new friends or attract people with other sex. People will make some comments on their photos or videos and try to make friend with them. It helps reduce their loneliness and gain the identification from other. They want to show off their sex power to the others. The main reason of this action is that they satisfy with their bodies, they want to be praised and admired by the others about their bodies and poses.Also, they try to treat themselves as observers to view back their bodies from the photos. It can be regarded as one of the sexual parahillia: exhibitionis m. They find that this act is exciting, fun and safe. They are proud of their illegalized action. Besides, they think that it’s nothing matter to do this as it is a trend on the Internet, it is also safe when posting their photos or videos on their own blogs with a locked password or no one will recognize them when a nickname or anonymous name is used. Commercial reason. They can find their so call clients after posting their photos and videos on the Internet.Those clients will contact them to undergo sex services. It is well known as compensated dating. They want to fulfill their material satisfaction or gain money by means of compensated dating. The views from different parties in the society: * The public and concerned group: They deem that this act violate the tradition of moral, moral is defined as the restriction of human behaviors and the criterion for right or wrong. People showing their naked bodies to the others wantonly is obviously violating the moral as this act (posting and sharing) will definitely isturb the others, it shows no respect to the public and the naked-photo takers themselves. This kind of irresponsible behavior will badly interfere the next generation. It is easy for the children to imitate teenagers’ and adults’ action. They think that people nowadays (especially teenagers) are gradually becoming too open-minded toward sex. It seems people ignored the proper protection to their bodies. * Teachers and psychologist: Their views are similar to that of the public and concerned groups, some of the psychologists think that the reason for the action owe to the curiosity, excitation and the imitation of the others (e. g. op stars). They deemed that this action cannot prove any true love at all. The partners will be hurt mentally if the photos or videos are posted on the Internet without the consensus of them. * Parents: Parents think that people doing these kinds of behavior can be regarded as a pervert. It is the abnor mal behavior. They wonder why people don’t protect their bodies and wantonly place it online. They find it hard to educate and monitor their children if this behavior becomes a trend. It is easy for the children and teenagers to browse the related websites on the Internet anytime. Thus, much time have to be spent to reeducate them. Students: Students hold different opinions toward this action. Some of the students feel the photos or videos are disgusting and it is too open-minded toward sex. They worry that if this action becomes a trend, they will blind to follow or even they will have a negative impression on friends. (They may suspect that whether their friends had taken the naked photos before. ) However, some of the students deem that it doesn’t really matter if people voluntarily take, post or share their photos and videos. We do not have the right to intervene the others’ private life. Concluding remarks: References: http://blog. lyfhk. net/kavkiskey ttp: //jorliman. homedns. org/f2blog/rewrite. php/read-466. html http://www. singtao. com/yesterday/edu/0105go01. html http://jou. pccu. edu. tw/weekly/weekly1100-09/1102/deep/1102deep01. htm http://intermargins. net/Forum/2003/xiaxin/news/2002Jan-Jun/20020313a. htm http://www. 3boys2girls. com/viewthread. php? tid=203656&extra=page%3D1&page=13&sid=NRjkDQ http://hk. knowledge. yahoo. com/question/question? qid=7008022100122 http://jou. pccu. edu. tw/weekly/weekly1100-09/1102/deep/1102deep01. htm http://www. tcmer. com/Newscentre/shui/200802/8693. html http://news. ifeng. com/opinion/200804/0401_23_471731. shtml

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 9

Strategic Management - Essay Example Ryanair is an affordable air travel service provider that gives customers the option of using a high quality air flight service for medium and short-haul across many locations across European destinations. It commenced service as a normal airliner operating out of Ireland competing with Aer Lingus in 1985.However by 1990, having suffered heavy losses and changing five chief executives. The sixth and the current incumbent Michael O’Leary decided to follow the pattern for low cost flyers set by Southwest Airlines of USA. He was right in his assessment of the market and diagnosed correctly that this was the way to survive and succeed. Ever since its inception in 1971 Southwest Airlines has been a star. It has never suffered a loss, even during the turbulent years when almost 40% of the US Airlines either applied for bankruptcy for survival or became defunct. It is a low cost/low fare carrier that depends on its low fares, short hauls and the shortest turnaround times. The fares are at least 30% below its competition, maximum flight time is 60-90 minutes between two points, and shortest ground time that is routinely 24-27 minutes between landings and takes off of an aircraft. Fundamentally the change brought about by O’Leary has transformed the company and put it in an aggressive mode. It has not only made the competition sit up but to emulate its practices. Ryanair successfully applied all the criteria that were innovatively designed and adopted by Southwest and O’Leary has no hesitation in stating that they are his ideals too. However, Ryanair has fallen short on imitating Southwest specially in the Human Relations department where they still face some issues now and then unlike Southwest where this department is handled in an exemplary manner and where the employee is King. Ryanair appears to have a confrontist attitude and is in always some conflict or the other be it with authorities;

Congressional Oversight & Strategic Intelligence Essay

Congressional Oversight & Strategic Intelligence - Essay Example The Congress approved this procedure to limit Congress’ participation during emergency situations such as the Iran hostage crisis, as a way of establishing operational secrecy. This is to the effect that even when limited advance notification has been cut down, the President must work in consultation with the eight members of the Congress, known as the Gang of Eight. This therefore means that Congress: established operational secrecy in strategic covert action programmes; and must also participate with the President in consultation with him. This consultative and advisory role still abides, even after the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence [HPSCI] replaced the Gang of Eight, under the FY2010 Intelligence Authorisation Act (Cumming, 2011, p. 6). Although Congress lacks the authority to veto direct covert action, yet it, through the Gang of Eight Members has the mandate and responsibility of influencing the time-frame and the modus operandi of a strategic covert action programme. Through its Gang of Eight Members, Congress is also able to control funding for strategic covert actions. Initially, Congress even made annual provisions for covert actions, from the CIA’s Reserve for Contingency Fund. Presently, all it takes for Congress to control funding for covert actions is for the Gang of Eight, two Congressional committee chairmen and ranking members to agree to oppose continued funding for a specific covert action (Hastedt, 2012, p. 2). On a personal standpoint, the system is effective since it allows Congress to: play advisory roles [and thereby warding off the excesses of the executive]; [and] while also paving way for emergency situations, as is provided for by the US Law. What reforms should be made to strike the delicate balance between the executive and the Congress, so as to facilitate and give accurate meaning to strategic covert action [if the imbalance is fundamental breach to the US

Review questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Review questions - Assignment Example The sole reason of the state has the support of the assumption that no central authority reigns above the state. Only powerful and satisfied states can run their affairs in such assumptions, which prove realism as a reserve for the satisfied and powerful states. The realist worldview has such basic principles as that world politics is a struggle among self-interested states with each pursuing its self-interests (Kegley and Blanton 32). In addition, international relations involve nations’ pursuit of power to secure their interests. Thus, international relations rest on the competitive pursuit for power by states to secure their interests. The realist worldview has the advantage of enhancing state sovereignty as each state controls its power and control. On the contrary, it makes the world more susceptible to warfare and violence as each state works towards securing its interests. Additionally, it leads to unfair competition between states, which culminate into rivalry, struggle for power, and poor international relations (Kegley and Blanton 33). As each Middle East state struggles to achieve power and control of the region, conflicts erupt, leading to poor international relations, for instance, the strained relations between Iran and Iraq. The liberal worldview focuses on the use of ethics and reason, especially through the empowerment of international laws and institutions, as a means of achieving a cooperative and orderly world, with working international relations (Brink 98). As a result, states will only have good relations with other states whose characters are in line. For instance, peaceful states will gain the support and thus, form relationships with other peaceful states. As a result, if a state has peace, it will be able to attract peace, and thus, better foreign affairs with others. The liberal worldview’s basic principles include the assumption that cooperation and peace between states would achieve

Employer Branding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Employer Branding - Essay Example 20. What do you feel about the culture of your organization as an inspiration for increased satisfaction and productivity Excellent Good Average Poor 21. What do you think about the overall attitude of your company towards employees Excellent Good Average Poor 22. Could you find a good work life balance while working at your company Yes No Neutral 23. How do you rate the employment proposition of your company Excellent Good Average Poor 24. How do you rate the leadership style of your employer Excellent Good Average Poor 25. How do you rate your company's effort to attract the best talents Excellent Good Average Poor 26. How do you rate your company's effort to satisfy customers Excellent Good Average Poor 27. How do you rate the social value of your company Excellent Good Average Poor 28. Do you feel that your company offers excellent opportunities to grow along with the company Yes No Neutral 29. How do your rate your company's efforts to improve the quality of products and services Excellent Good Average Poor 30. Does the company pay attention to and work for customer loyalty Yes No References Reed, Alec 2001, Innovation in human resource management, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, CIPD Publishing. Gillis, L. Tamara, 2006, The IABC handbook of organizational communication: a guide to internal communication, public relations, marketing, and leadership, International Association of Business Communicators, John Wiley and...So, you are kindly requested to fill in all the fields to correctly mark your response towards employer branding. Gillis, L. Tamara, 2006, The IABC handbook of organizational communication: a guide to internal communication, public relations, marketing, and leadership, International Association of Business Communicators, John Wiley and Sons.

Conflict Management in Organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Conflict Management in Organisations - Essay Example There are different levels of which conflict occur in organizations: within the individual (role conflict where, for example, the individual feels a clash between his role as an executive and parent); between two immediate individuals; between persons when they are working in a group or in teams; between different groups within organisations (out of rivalry arising out of variety of reasons like resource allocation, mergers); and finally between the organization and the society when there is a mismatch between organizational goals and societal goals (e.g. environment). Given this situation, it is in the interest of the organization to see that conflict does not harm or injure the organizational process in achieving its goals. With the individual differences, of people who comprise the organization, it will be a futile to think of developing a group which will be free of conflict with members completely aligned and harmonious. The issue would be as to how to manage conflict in an orga nization so that it actually benefits out of it. Experts see potential positive benefits to the organization when conflict is constructively managed, not avoided. It is even recommended that conflict is stimulated by a better group performance. What this paper is about: In this paper, the attempt is to understand the general nature of conflict how it arises and why and how it should be managed by organizations. In order to have some focus on this huge and highly researched topic, the paper confines itself only to issues relating to the topic of conflict and its management process in a group/teams and the role of group leadership in successfully managing conflict. Group effectiveness is one of the key determinants of success of an organization. Groups in organizations are very often formal (departments and divisions) but increasingly their working is seen to be informal, where there is a large delegation of responsibility and where the group is allowed to choose its process and task breakups. "The ability of groups to benefit from cognitive conflict (that is, differences in information, knowledge, and opinions) can be a critical source of competitive advantage."(Philips and Thomas-Hunt, p 37)

High Speed Rail Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

High Speed Rail - Research Paper Example This type of rail system is preferable for passenger travel although it is also used for freight services in some countries. (Cox and Vranich) The purpose of this research paper is to give an overview of development of high speed rail transport, its benefits i.e. economically and environmentally, operation and maintenance and success or failure of such projects. Many policy makers in developed countries have backed the idea of a high speed rail transport. For instance, the Obama administration in the USA pledged to inject an $8 billion dollar fund to support high speed rail project as part of its economic stimulus program. This plan involved around 8500 rout-miles of high speed trains connecting about 33 states in 2009 and all the states connected by 2014. Â  (Vock, 2014) High speed rail is rapidly expanding across the world. Currently, more than 20 countries have a high speed rail transport with other 10 countries having such a system under construction. High speed rail transport has been operational in Japan for over 50 years with zero fatalities. Some policy makers argue that high speed rail train is expensive and only serve the elite in society. For instance, in the USA it is argued that the geography is unsuitable for such a system since its cities are less dense and far apart. (OToole) However, there are advantages and disadvantages associated with high speed rail transport in terms of sustainability, economically and environmentally. High speed trains can deliver passengers at a fraction of a second and costs and in all weather. It also provides convenient service to other forms of transport e.g. fast transport to airports hence allowing residents from lower societal level to benefit from a relatively cheap form of long-distance travel. Also, a single rail track and high speed train can carry many people at ago as compared to highways and this is not only convenient, but also saves time and cost. (Pettinger) With the adoption and running of a

Is closure of the high street businesses a key factor in the drop of Dissertation

Is closure of the high street businesses a key factor in the drop of Yell's share price - Dissertation Example Its lending operations were limited to the large corporations that could issue bonds to secure loans. When some of the money supply reached those big businesses, the owners and management utilized additional funds to similarly strengthen their balance sheets. In a survey about the SME Access to Finance conducted by the Scottish Government Chief Economic Adviser (2011, p.2), the importance of SMEs was emphasized. They made up 99% of all businesses in Scotland. â€Å"The results showed that the demand for finance (working capital) had increased but that approval rates for applications had fallen. Many firms also perceived the costs of credit to have risen†¦(p.2).† And the â€Å"Overall lending to Scottish SMEs in 2010 is lower than in 2009, reflecting a combination of weak demand and constraints in supply of lending (p.4)†. In another survey by Dr. Fraser, Stuart (2009, p.5), 2,500 SMEs were surveyed in UK. It was discovered that SMEs in UK utilize credit cards (55.3 % of SMEs from 2001-2004 and 54.4 % of SMEs in 2005-2008). Their other sources of financing were as follows: a. Invoice Financing – â€Å"3 % of SMEs in 2001-04 to 2.2 % in 2005-08† (p.5) b. Equity Finance – 3 % c. Credit from Suppliers – 33 % d. Loans from Friends – â€Å"5.6% in 2001-4 to 7.0% in 2005-08† (p.5) e. ... In the results of survey, it was discovered that 62 % had to resort to self-finance or savings to fund a business. Only 26 % borrowed from banks. (p. 19) Following are the charts showing low consumer spending, low consumer confidence, and high unemployment compared to the time before the recession. All are relevant because SMEs could not do well as a result of a poor economic climate. Yell will also feel the crunch because its customers are SMEs. (Source: Oxford Economics: UK Forecast in Detail 2011, p. 63) (Source: Oxford Economics: UK Forecast in Detail 2011, p. 62) ( Source: Bank of England Inflation Report 2011) Note that Velocity of Circulation refers to the time it takes for the banks to make funds available to the public, including SMEs, large corporations, and private individuals. Objectives: 1. To determine why the Share Price of Yell Group PLC has been declining since 2010 up to the present; 2. To establish whether or not the closure of high street businesses is a major fac tor for the decline of the Share Price of Yell Group; 3. To provide the logical evidence that support the explanation for the Share Price decline 4. To identify other factors that may be causes for the Yell Group PLC’s share to decline. Serving these objectives will lead to the utilization of quantitative tools for decision making with the pricing of stocks. Literature Review Overview A quick look at the chart and table of Yell Group PLC’s Stock value since the year 2003 up to the present ( See appended Charts & Tables.) shows a downward trend from the latter quarter of 2007 all the way to the present. A year ago, in April 21, 2010, the price index was at 59. That

Post Merger Period of Fiat and Chrysler Essay Example for Free

Post Merger Period of Fiat and Chrysler Essay First of all, they wanted to further solidify their brand presence. Fiat has been successful in the European market but lacks visibility in North America; while Chrysler does not carry a strong dealer network in the European markets. What’s worse, historically, Chrysler was referred to the â€Å"Number Three† auto manufacturer and even today, it still remains as the â€Å"Number Three† after GM and Ford. This impression links to poor brand visibility and low customer royalty. In order to change the status quo, Chrysler focused more on brands differentiation. It planned to reposition itself as an upper scale brand. In 2011, Chrysler unveiled their new Imported From Detroit campaign. It defined itself as the â€Å"import-fighter† and focused on quality, technology, fuel saving and sustainability. As for fiat, they invited celebrities to advertise for them. For example, they invited American singer Jennifer Lopez. This offered them the opportunity of a 360-degree partnership, which triggered the greatest awareness growth ever. Without being shown on television or through the networks, it gained global attention. The second problem they have is labor issues. The relationship between Fiat and labor union has never been satisfying. It suffered from the large layoffs and rigid Italian labor laws. Also, FIOM (labor union in Italy) instigated strikes in the fear that Fiat might pull out from Italys employer’s association and Italian auto market. The disputes between Fiat and Italian labor union are still in heat even today. On the other hand, the UAW (United Automobile Workers), who is the part owner of Chrysler, used to provide cheap labor for Chrysler in order to profit from low production cost. However, this happened no more because their friendly relationship broke off as Fiat and UAW were sharply disputing over the value of Chrysler’s equity. During this argument, the US workers were also fighting for better treatment that further intensified the conflict. Additionally, one of the biggest problems they encountered after the merger was how to form a new and effective management structure. In Nov 2009, two companies announced their new plan for management structure. In detail, Chrysler is ready to break even operationally in 2010; net in 2011, nd repay TARP (Trouble Asset Relief Program) by 2014. (Chrysler had operational profits in the first and second quarters of 2010 and repaid TARP in 2011). Chrysler handles large displacement and hybrid engines, as well as â€Å"all cars above C size,† for Fiat worldwide. That implies Chrysler will engineer and possibly build mid-sized cars for exports (In progress). Quality improvements will continue and extend to dealer service (Quality confirmed; dealer service, likely to take many years). In these four years, Chrysler and Fiat achieved their alliance objectives in the areas of cost cutting, technology sharing, global integration, product rationalization, and RD savings. Furthermore, since this is a trans-Atlantic alliance, two companies would encounter problems caused by cultural differences along their way of integration. For instance, Italians are used to the typically relationship-oriented culture, meaning that â€Å"relationships† come before tasks and relationships are often pre-requisites for the concluding transactions. However, Americans tend to follow the rule of law and regard legal documents as binding. As another case in point, two cultures differ in their attitude towards time. Americans usually attempt to control time, view it as a limited resource, and value it for defining what and when things need to be done while Italians, see â€Å"time† as the context in which everything take place so that we never run out of it. In conclusion, two companies would have a hard time communicating and reaching an agreement when it comes to make strategic decisions.

Institutionalise Islamophobe Essay Example for Free

Institutionalise Islamophobe Essay The insects of racial discrimination, the curse of civilization, are gradually eating up out society, dissolving harmony and affection, transforming human being in weapons of carnage. Thus the society no longer remains a better place to live in. Islamophobe is a contentious neologism distinct by some as a chauvinism in opposition to, or demonization of, Muslims. The expression is documented in use as early as 1976, but came into greater prevalence in the late 1980s and early 1990s. (King, 2001) The expression’s use has become greater than before since the September 11, 2001 attacks. It can be mentioned that this is an irrational paranoia that needs to be eradicated from the face of the earth in order to make life a bit peaceful. British authors and intellectuals like Kenan Malik have condemned the perception, calling it an allegory. According to Malik this concept bamboozles prejudice in opposition to Muslims with denigration of Islam, and is applied to silence detractors of the religion, as well as Muslims who intend to reform it. Novelist Salman Rushdie and many others signed a proclamation in March 2006, which deemed Islamophobe a desolate perception that perplexes disapproval of Islam as a religion and stigmatization of those who have faith in it. Danish politician Bashy Quraishy has mentioned that islamophobe and anti-Semitism are two faces of the same coin. In the yrar1996 the Runnymede Trust, an autonomous anti-racist think tank in the United Kingdoms, recognized the assignment on British Muslims and Islamophobe, headed by Professor Gordon Conway, the vice-chancellor of the University of Sussex. According to the report launched in November 1997 by the Home Secretary, Jack Straw, Islamophobe can be considered as a challenge for the society as a whole. It portrayed Islamophobe as concerning eight idiosyncratic characteristics such as Islam is considered as a monolithic bloc, static and insensitive to alterations. It is observed as separate and other. It does not have principles in familiar with other ethnicities, is not pretentious by them and even does not influence them. It is perceived as substandard to the West. It is observed as barbaric, unreasonable, primordial, and sexist. It is seen as brutal, violent, intimidating, encouraging of terrorism, and affianced in a clash of civilizations. It is observed as a political philosophy, designed for political or military benefit. Condemnations made of the West by Islam are discarded out of hand. Antagonism towards Islam is used to give explanation for prejudiced practices in the direction of Muslims and segregation of Muslims from conventional society. Anti-Muslim resentment is seen as usual and normal. In 1997 the British Runnymede Trust made it clear that Islamophobe as the observation that Islam has no ethics in common with other cultures, is substandard to the West, is an aggressive political ideology instead of being a religion, that its disparagement of the West have no essence, and that prejudiced practices against Muslims are justified as such. Despite the fact that Muslims do not comprise a race in isolation, the submission is that many Europeans and North Americans have an inaccurate discernment of Muslims as composing a separate a race, which in he words of Khyati Joshi is radicalization of religion. On the other hand, Muslims may be perplexed with Arabs, even though the mainstream of the worlds Muslims are not Arabs. (Lamb, 2004) There are several causes behind Islamophobe the prime among them is to perplex disapproval of Islam as a religion and stigmatization of those who have faith in it. Sociologists have time and again argued that there was a swing in forms of chauvinism in the 1990s from race-based discrimination to inequity based on culture and religion. In 2004, Anja Rudiger, Executive director of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, made it clear in an Oxford conference on Muslims in Europe that, ever since the 9/11 attacks, religion had outshined race as the most important focal point of divergence, and that an individuals religion was now looked upon as one and the same with their background. In the case of Muslims, this showed the way to another dimension of chauvinism, Rudiger argued, in that European Muslims were observed as signifying an amalgamated culture relatively different from European society, one that is strappingly correlated to certain non-European states. From Rudigers perspective, such observations are element of the course of action of classifying Islam as Europes other. Due to Islamophobe instead of engaging Muslims in debate, non-Muslims are hypothetical to sneak around them, for fear of causing felony. (Fletcher, 2005) There are several alleged acts of Islamophobia, such as Dr Amanda Wise and Ghali Hassan from GlobalResearch. ca have assumed that the 2005 Cronulla insurrection were the consequence of an atmosphere of Islamophobe in Australia. Dalil Boubakeur, a director of a Paris mosque illustrated the wreckage on a Mosque, referred to the burning of a Muslim Sanctuaries, attacks on hijabi Muslim women all over the world as Islamophobic. Muslim activists alleged that the Forest Gate anti terror raid in London was Islamophobic. France, which has a strong secular institution separating church from State, was accused of Islamophobe when the decree on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in schools was approved, which prohibits the wearing of conspicuous religious symbols in public schools. In a February 10, 2004 accounted by Al Jazeera the head of the Party of Frances Muslims, Muhammad Latreche in analysing the French decree on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in schools was referenced as mentioning that the legislation would, institutionalise Islamophobe. In Germany, the state of Baden-Wurttemberg has anticipated set of laws that necessitate citizenship applicants from the member states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference to answer enquiries concerning their outlook on domestic aggression and other religious subjects. A BBC assessment taken in the summer of 2004 estimated that employment applicants with Muslim names were far less probable to be called for an interview than applicants whose names did not appear to be Muslim. (Dos, 2006) There have been efforts in opposition to supposed Islamophobe by several organizations in various countries through out the globe. In 2006 the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) was set up as an observatory body on Islamophobe. This will keep an eye on and document activities professed as Islamophobic around the planet. Throughout the attainment talks on the subject of Turkey’s probable entry to the EU, then Prime Minister of Holland, Jan Peter Balkenende, made it clear that Islamophobe must not have an effect on the possibility of Turkeys access to the European Union. 50,000 people signed an appeal urging French President Jacques Chirac to deem Islamophobe as a new form of racism, punishable by decree. In the UK several methods directed towards limiting Islamophobe have been set up. In Tower Hamlets, a heavily populated area in London, a misdemeanour reporting system called Islamophobe† has been set up which police expect will increase consciousness of Islamophobe and facilitate them to recognize the extent of the dilemma. The British National Union of Teachers (NUT) has issued guidelines to teachers and recommending them to Challenge Islamophobe, as they have a fundamental character to play in helping to dismiss myths about Muslim communities. In 2006 the Catholic Mission Austria and the Islamic Denomination Austria formed a platform called Christians and Muslims, which endeavours against stereotypes and antagonism and intends to augment lenience and admiration. In 1991 the Islamic Culture Foundation (FUNCI) prepared, in association with UNESCO and the Institut du Monde Arabe of Paris, a worldwide symposium concerning the involvement of Islamic Civilization in European Culture. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan issued a call in 1999 to world influential to fight Islamophobe. The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) organized a colloquium on how to fight Islamophobe. (Kar, 2006) History helps out us to identify ourselves, recognize who we are and be acquainted with the origin where we come from. We over and over again shrink back from hearing about our chronological times of yore for the reason that so much of it is excruciating. Islamophobe is a dejected perception that perplexes disapproval of Islam as a religion and stigmatization of those who have faith in it. Islamophobe, a myth or a kind of racism, obfuscates bias in opposition to Muslims with disparagement of Islam and that it is used to quieten detractors and Muslim reformers. References: Dos, M; (2006); Future of Thought Process; Alliance Publications Fletcher, R; (2005); Beliefs and Knowledge: Believing and Knowing; Howard Price. Kar, P; (2006); History of Islam; Dasgupta Chatterjee King, H; (2001); International Politics Today; HBT Brooks Ltd Lamb, Davis; (2004); Cult to Culture: The Development of Civilization on the Strategic Strata; National Book Trust.

Psychology Theories for Celebrity Worship and Fandoms

Psychology Theories for Celebrity Worship and Fandoms ATHYNEA BURCHALL Outline and Evaluate what psychological research has shown about celebrity worship and intense fandom. What do you think are the real world implications? The topic of celebrity worship and intense fandom was once a media interest but this new phenomena is now a focus of psychological investigation and has been researched into by social; psychologist. This assignment is going to look into why people form parasocial relationships with celebrities sometimes with people they have never met. Intense fandom can be described as â€Å"Fandomis a term used to refer to a  subculture  composed of  fans  characterized by a feeling of sympathy and camaraderie with others who share a common interest. Fans typically are interested in even minor details of the object(s) of their fandom and spend a significant portion of their time and energy involved with their interest, often as a part of a  social network  with particular practices† wikipedia  [1] Celebrity worship is the idolisation of a celebrity or a group of celebrities, and therefore goes hand in hand with fandom, as groups of individuals come together in their worship of a specific celebrities or idols. Most of the time this fascination with their idols is a harmless activity hobby or past time however sometimes it can develop into an obsessive disorder coined as Celebrity Worship Syndrome (CWS). The term CWS first appeared in an article â€Å"Do you worship celebrities?† by James Chapman 2003 in the Daily Mail. â€Å"Celebrity worship syndromeis an obsessive-addictive disorder in which a person becomes overly involved with the details of a celebritys personal life. Psychologists have indicated that though many people obsess over glamorous  film,  television,  sport  and  pop  stars, the only common factor between them is that they are all figures in the public eye. The term Celebrity Worship Syndrome is in fact a misnomer.† Wikipedia [2] Gibson in her study goes on further to explain â€Å"Much research has been conducted about who engages in celebrity worship and what drives the compulsion. Celebrity worship for purely entertainment purposes likely reflects an extraverted personality and is most likely a healthy past time for most people. This type of celebrity worship involves harmless behaviours such as reading and learning about a celebrity. Intense personal attitudes towards celebrities, however, reflect traits of neuroticism. The most extreme descriptions of celebrity worship exhibit borderline pathological behaviour and traits of psychoticism. This type of celebrity worship may involve empathy with a celebritys failures and successes, obsessions with the details of a celebritys life, and over-identification with the celebrity. Gibson (2009)[3] Psychological research done in this area by Mc Cutcheon, Lange and Houran developed a scale on which to assess the level of obsessive behaviour a fan was exhibiting known as the Celebrity Attitude Scale. Mc Cutcheon from this study suggested that people who scored lower on the scale were â€Å"involved individualistic behaviour such as watching, listening to, reading and learning about celebrities whilst the higher levels of worship are characterized by empathy, over-identification, and obsession with the celebrity. Mc Cutcheon (2002)[4] In another study by Mc Cutcheon, he developed the absorption-addiction model to try and explain cases of celebrity worship. The study found a lack of personal identity and life fulfilment in a person’s life contributed to psychological absorption into a celebrity’s life, and could then develop into more extreme and obsessive behaviour, to try and sustain this identity that they have formed in relation to someone else. Later research done in the UK done by Maltby (2003) used a larger sample of participants for his study; found that there were 3 dimensions or levels to celebrity worship. Entertainment social, Intense personal and Borderline pathological. â€Å"Entertainment social refers to a normal degree of interest in the life of a favourite celebrity. It is manifested by, for example, a desire to discuss the celebrity with friends, and agreement that learning about the celebrity through magazines or newspapers represents â€Å"having a good time.† â€Å"Intense personal† celebrity worship involves the feeling of a strong personal â€Å"connection† with a celebrity. It is manifested by, for example, a feeling that the celebrity is a faultless soul mate, about whom the individual has frequent thoughts. Finally, â€Å"borderline pathological† worship is arguably the most detrimental form. It is manifested through a variety of bizarre beliefs such as a shared secret code through which the individual can communicate with the celebrity, a belief that the celebrity would come to help the individual in times of distress. North and Sheridan (2007)[5]. There have been various reasons attached to why celebrity worship happens, mass media has been blamed as celebrity stories are bombarded constantly by the media, via TV, magazines, and the internet, and even reputable newspaper high lighting celebrity gossip as front line news. â€Å"When we are incessantly being exposed to figures through any medium, par asocial interaction can be fostered, which is the building of an imaginary relationship between audience and the figure (Keas, 2008).[6] DNA has also been cited as a reason behind celebrity worship. â€Å"Fischoff, who has academically studied the cult of celebrity, says the very need to find an idol and follow him is programmed into our DNA.†Whats in our DNA, as a social animal, is the interest in looking at alpha males and females; the ones who are important in the pack, says Mischief. We are sociologically pre-programmed to follow the leader, he says, and notes that we are biochemical sitting ducks for the Hollywood star system; even the stars themselves get caught up in the mystique.† ABC news [7]. Also with one in three relationships now starting via the web may be social fragmentation can be contributing factor as well, â€Å" In today’s individualistic world, perhaps fantasy relationships with celebrities are easier to form than the real one Harrison,† (2006).[8] Statistics done by Ramanires in 2011 found that 1/3 of the worlds population is afflicted with some form of celebrity worship and this number is growing. What are the implications of these phenomena in everyday life? Fans who are addicted or obsessed with their idol will spend most of their time, energy, and money on following their celebrity, whether on-line, via magazines, papers or in person to find out new information, meet them, or find out what they are doing, in order to have a sense of knowing their celebrity and following their lives to be apart of the celebrity life themselves. This is detrimental to their own lives because a substitute for their own lives and is not real. It is instead of concentrating on productive activities and forming real relationship dint heir own lives. Fans are also willing to spend a lot of income on fan memorabilia, CD’s, downloads, and other promotional material. Aronowitz agrees, but also says entertainment media is at least partly to bl ame for creating the monster known as the celebrity super fan. The whole Hollywood spin machine works together to create images that are impossible for any of us to live up to. They purposefully set us up to admire and even covet something we can never have†¦. when we are completely vulnerable, they sell us the image even harder from headlines that titillate us with celebrity secrets, to the books, diets, cosmetics, foods, jewellery, and clothes that promise well be closer to the ones we adore. Aronowitz.[9] . However Houran argues â€Å"that people who worship celebrity at low level tend to be happier, more outgoing and more amiable as it is a form of social bonding, stress reduction, escapism and entertainment (Harrison, 2006)[10]. In addition, social mutual support and strong companionship can be found belonging to a Fandom group. Where fans can meet new friends with same interest through conventions, the fans club meeting or Internet, feel a sense of acceptance, support a nd belonging they don’t feel anywhere else in their lives, where they have a common interest and have something in common straight away so can communicate and form relationships easily. Like most things theres a dimensional approach here; there are some people who are fascinated by celebrities’ lives, but also involved in meaningful activities and relationships in their own lives, and for these people star watching is usually a harmless diversion, says Hollander This idolisation of celebrities and wanting to be like them as role models can have both positive and negative implications. Due to the exposure of the media a celebrity’s life is completely on display, showing the negative behaviours as well as the positive ones, such as smoking, taking drugs and drinking. Prior to Marilyn Monroe, a stars life was hidden from the public. But now, instead of a glossy ideal, we see celebritys ugly messes, including their drug and alcohol abuse, which, for many who admire these people, translates into a very dangerous message, says Aronowitz.[11] A survey done by Downing () â€Å"shows that many teenage girls confessed to changing their own opinions because of the influence of a celebrity, some even admitted to smoking after viewing smoking in movies; the same may be true for drug and alcohol use. Roughly half agree that their own peers drink or smoke cigarettes because they see their idols doing it. The survey revealed that most adolescent com pletely wants to look or going as far as plastic surgery and act like famous people. Moreover, nearly 60 percent of teens said they wanted to pierce a body part or get a tattoo because a celebrity has. And 77 percent believe that when a star loses weight, they would also do the same and loss weight. Downing ()[12]. A lot of picture found in magazines and on the internet of celebrities have been air brushed and the celebrity have had tanning, make up and hair done by professional artists. Fans try and imitate their idols, even though they do not look like this naturally in real life, and the fans will go to extreme lengths to copy them. There have been links to celebrity worship and anorexia and cosmetic surgery in teenage girls. This might explain why eating disorders are prevalent amongst teenagers to date. For some people, they are willing to undergo plastic surgery in virtue of imitating their favourite celebrity’s outlook. They believe they can have a better life like the celebrity if they look like the celebrity (Hareyan, 2006).[13] However it can be argued that then celebrities can be positive role models as well and therefore celebrity worship can have positive implications. For example living a healthy lifestyle, highlighting a cause and decreasing a stigma attached to issues suc h as Brooke Shields bringing post natal depression into the spot light. Many celebrities have used their popularity and fame to motivate people or to change their behaviour to be more positive. A Taiwanese celebrity, Chen Jian Zhou launched â€Å"a project named ‘Love Life’ to promote the important values of loving life. To date, there have been more than a hundred artistes join this project to promote ‘I Love Life’† (Wang, 2010)[14]. Giles also argued â€Å"the adoration of celebrities as role models or idols has been prevalent for many years and it can be argued that it is normal and a part of identity development within childhood and even adolescence† (Giles et al 2004)[15]. However there have also been psychological implications of celebrity worship. It starts to be mentally harmful to someone when a person starts to substitute idolising their celebrity for real life and real relationship, as they can lose focus on their own lives and became obsessed with a fantasy world escaping their reality. In North study in 2007 he found that celebrity worship can be associated with depression, social dysfunction, anxiety, stress, negative and reports of illness. Maltby also stated that celebrity worshippers have a lower psychological well-being than non-worshippers. â€Å"Though low levels of celebrity worship (entertainment-social) are not associated with any clinical measures, medium levels of celebrity worship (intense-personal) are related to fantasy proneness (approximately 10% of the shared variance), while high levels of celebrity worship (borderline-pathological) share a greater association with fantasy proneness (around 14% of the shared variance) and  dissociation  (around 3% of the shared variance, though the effect size of this is small and most probably due to the large sample size) These finding suggests that as celebrity worship becomes more intense, and the individual perceives having a relationship with the celebrity, the more the individual is prone to fantasies.† Wikipedia [16] Some fans are so obsessed that it becomes dangerous to themselves and the celebrity. For example â€Å"a dozen of Michael Jackson’s fans committed suicide after his death. One of them barely survived, yet he killed himself anyway as he wanted to be with Michael† Thompson, ( 2009)†[17]. However Aronowitz argues A lot of these people who fall deeply into celebrity worship are just abnormal pathology waiting to happen. The fact that it comes out in the form of idolization of a particular celebrity is less important than recognizing the pathology was there all along. And if it was not focused on a celebrity it would be foc used on something else, but it would still be there.[18] Aronowitz Conclusion Celebrity Worship and intense Fandom although has recently been researched by Psychologist I feel more investigations are needed into the implications of this growing phenomena as the research is based on small sample sizes, and mostly done in the UK and US. As statistics state this has become a worldwide phenomenon, which is only going to increase. Also mental health issues for the more extreme cases needs examining as the implications for these can negative and even dangerous. I feel mild forms of celebrity worship and intense fandom is harmless and can even be beneficial. As long as it doesn’t take over your life and a person is still participating in their own lives and reality. http://psychology.about.com/b/2009/09/01/the-psychology-behind-celebrity-worship.htm Abanes Richard. â€Å"Celebrity Worship.† Religions of the stars: What hollywood believes and how it affects you. n.eds. Minneapolis: Bethany House. 2009. Print. Alexander, Jeffrey C. The Celebrity-Icon. Cultural Sociology 4.3 (2010): 323-336. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. Downing, Alexandrea. Calista Flockheart And Britney Spears: Celebrity Culture And Its Role In Shaping Adolescent Identity. Conference Papers American Sociological Association (2004): 1-12. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 30 Oct. 2013. Hollander, Paul. Michael Jackson,tghe The Celebrity Cult, And Popular Culture. Society 47.2 (2010): 147-152.SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. North, Adrian C., and Lorraine P. Sheridan. Death, Attractiveness, Moral Conduct, And Attitudes To Public Figures. Omega: Journal Of Death Dying 60.4 (2009): 351-363. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 29 Oct. 2013. Parkins, Wendy. Oprah Winfreys Change Your Life TV And The Spiritual Everyday. Continuum: Journal Of Medi a Cultural Studies 15.2 (n.d.): 145-157. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=7941766page=2 Giles, D. C. (2004). Parasocial interaction: a review of the literature and a model for future research.Media Psychology. Maltby, J., Day, L., McCutcheon, L. E., Gillett, R., Houran, J., Ashe, D. D. (2004). Personality and coping: A context for examining celebrity worship and mental health. British Journal of Psychology, 95, 411428. Maltby, J., Giles, DC., Barber, L. McCutcheon, L.E. (2005). Intense-personal celebrity worship and body image: Evidence of a link among female adolescents.British Journal of Health Psychology, 10(1), 17-32. McCutcheon et al (2002). Are parasocial relationship styles reflected in love styles? Current Research in SocialPsychology, 7, 8293 North, A. C., Hargreaves, D. J. (2007). Problem music and self-harming. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior ,36, 582590. Sheridan et al (2006). Celebrity Worship, addiction and criminality. Psychology, crime and law. 13 (6) 559-571. Giles, D. C. (2004). Parasocial interaction: a review of the literature and a model for future research.Media Psychology. http://psychologicalgirl.wordpress.com/2013/01/02/the-psychology-behind-celebrity-worship/ References: Maltby, J., Giles, DC., Barber, L. McCutcheon, L.E. (2005). Intense-personal celebrity worship and body image: Evidence of a link among female adolescents.British Journal of Health Psychology, 10(1), 17-32. North, A.C., Sheridan, L. Maltby, J. Gillett, R. (2007). Attributional style, self-esteem, and celebrity worship.Media Psychology, 9(2), 291-308. http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/11/23/the-psychology-of-celebrity-worship/ Jump up^Do you worship the celebs? | Mail Online. Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-07-11. Jump up^Do you have Celebrity Worship Syndrome? | Mail Online. Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-07-11. Jump up^The Psychology Behind Celebrity Worship. Celebrities.knoji.com. 2010-07-24. Retrieved 2012-07-11. involved individualistic behavior such as watching, listening to, reading and learning about celebrities whilst the higher levels of worship are characterized by empathy, over-identification, and obsession with the celebrity. Jump up^McCutcheon, L. E., Lange, R., Houran, J. (2002). Conceptualization and measurement of celebrity worship. British Journal of Psychology, 93, 67-87. Jump up^Maltby, J., Houran, J., Lange, R., Ashe, D., McCutcheon, L.E. (2002). Thou Shalt Worship No Other Gods Unless They Are Celebrities. Personality and Individual Differences, 32, 1157-1172. Jump up^Maltby; McCutcheon, Lowinger (06/01/2011).Brief report: celebrity worshipers and the five-factor model of personality..North American Journal of Psychology13(2): Table 1. Retrieved 29 June 2013. Jump up^Moore, JD. (2006)Confusing Love with Obsession. Hazelden Books, Center City, MO Jump up^Why People Stalk Celebrities: johndmoore.net| retrieved 12-12-17 ^Jump up to:abhttp://www.uic.edu/depts/owa/stalking_profiles.html Jump up^http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/celebrity-stalking-victims-gallery-1.45896?pmSlide=1.89946 Jump up^http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/176/3/206.full Jump up^http://psychologyofstalking.wikispaces.com/Typology+of+Stalkers ^Jump up to:abchttp://www.researchgate.net/publication/10935546_A_clinical_interpretation_of_attitudes_and_behaviors_associated_with_celebrity_worship/file/d912f50d5e0f69bca6.pdf Jump up^Maltby, J., Houran, J., Ashe, D., McCutcheon, L.E. (2001). The Self-Reported Psychological Well-Being of Celebrity Worshippers. North American Journal of Psychology, 3, 441-452. Jump up^Maltby, J., Day, L., McCutcheon, L.E., Gillett, R., Houran, J., Ashe, D. (2004). Celebrity Worship using an adaptational-continuum model of personality and coping. British Journal of Psychology. 95, 411-428. Jump up^Maltby, J., Giles, D., Barber, L. McCutcheon, L.E. (2005). Intense-personal Celebrity Worship and Body Image: Evidence of a link among female adolescents. British Journal of Health Psychology, 10, 17-32. Jump up^Maltby, J., Day, L., McCutcheon, L.E., Houran, J. Ashe, D. (2006). Extreme celebrity worship, fantasy proneness and dissociation: Developing the measurement and understanding of celebrity worship within a clinical personality context. Personality and Individual Differences, 40, 273-283. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrity_worship_syndrome [1] Wikipedia retrieved 17/4/14 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fandom [2] Wikipedia retrieved 17/4/14 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrity_worship_syndrome [3] Gibson (2009 retrieved) 16/4/14 from http://psychology.about.com/b/2009/09/01/the-psychology-behind-celebrity-worship.htm [4] . Mc Cutcheon (2002) McCutcheon, L. E., Lange, R., Houran, J. (2002). Conceptualization and measurement of celebrity worship. British Journal of Psychology, retrieved 17/4/14 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrity_worship_syndrome [5] North, A.C., Sheridan, L. Maltby, J. Gillett, R. (2007). Attributional style, self-esteem, and celebrity worship.Media Psychology, retrieved 17/4/14 from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/11/23/the-psychology-of-celebrity-worship/ [6] Keas 2006 [7] Fischoff, Ph.D., senior editor,Journal of Media Psychology, retrieved 17/4/14 from http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=7941766page=2 [8] Harrison 2008 [9] Aronwitz [10] Hollander, M.D., retrieved 16/4/14 from [11] Aronowitz, retrieved 17/4/14 from http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/new-age-celebrity-worship?page=4 [12] Downing, Alexandrea. Calista Flockheart And Britney Spears: Celebrity Culture And Its Role In Shaping Adolescent Identity. Conference Papers American Sociological Association (2004): 1-12. SocINDEX with Full Text. Web. 30 Oct. 2013. [13] Hareyn 2006 [14] (Wang, 2010 [15] Giles, D. C. (2004). Parasocial interaction: a review of the literature and a model for future research.Media Psychology. Retrieved 16/4/14 from http://psychologicalgirl.wordpress.com/2013/01/02/the-psychology-behind-celebrity-worship/ [16] Wikipedia retrieved 16/4/14 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrity_worship_syndrome [17] Thompson 2009, [18] Aronowitz retrieved 17/4/14 from http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/new-age-celebrity-worship?page=4

Essay --

Tooth and Claw, by T.C Boyle, is a short story about the main character, Junior, a man who only depends on others to get by, and struggles in life because of it. In life, we all find ourselves searching for alternative reasons as to why things don’t always workout the way we hoped they would; however, more often than not, the real reason lies within ourselves, no one or nothing else. It is up to that person to make something happen, and junior fails to do this, always relying on others. As if the title wasn’t enough, the short story is packed with symbolism, one of which being that, like the wild cat he had won, Junior is nothing without someone to take care of him, and he fails to be the change he wishes to see in the world. This is displayed in multiple Scenarios throughout the short story. From the start it is clear that Junior is confused when his boss calls him and tells him not to come in for the day, but instead â€Å"take a couple days off and enjoy yourself†(Boyle 62).Without the direction of his boss and his job, Junior doesn’t know what it is he should do with himself for the day and he seems lost and turns to the comfort of drinking it away at his favorite bar, Daggett’s. Junior acts as if he needs direction of someone else, as pet would, to function. While drinking at the bar, in a haze, Junior wins a wild several that I man were trying to get rid of. This draws the attention of a waitress at the bar he has had his eyes on, Daria. When they get the cat home, they confine it to juniors bedroom, and he claims it hadn’t made a noise yet, but â€Å"†¦It’s existence communicated to me, it was there, I could feel it† (Boyle 72), showing that he connected with the animal and perhaps relates to it. Junior appears to worry greatly ab... ...egins to think of how far away and lost the cat must be, and without being certain that it had escaped, throws himself into the enclosed bedroom and shuts the door behind him, he explains â€Å"And then-and I don’t know why-I pulled the door shut behind me† (Boyle 83), in the instance, severely risking his life; however, like the several, feeling helpless and lost, he seems to be acting on impulse and not bothered by it. The title of the short story, Tooth and Claw, demonstrates the basic needs of survival in the wild, as most animals in the wild have both. While also tying into the symbolic several and metaphorically relating to Juniors life as well because he does not have the necessities to live on his own. The story has a hidden message, which portrays junior’s life lacking â€Å"Tooth, and Claw†, or necessities for survival, proving that it was eventually his downfall. Essay -- Tooth and Claw, by T.C Boyle, is a short story about the main character, Junior, a man who only depends on others to get by, and struggles in life because of it. In life, we all find ourselves searching for alternative reasons as to why things don’t always workout the way we hoped they would; however, more often than not, the real reason lies within ourselves, no one or nothing else. It is up to that person to make something happen, and junior fails to do this, always relying on others. As if the title wasn’t enough, the short story is packed with symbolism, one of which being that, like the wild cat he had won, Junior is nothing without someone to take care of him, and he fails to be the change he wishes to see in the world. This is displayed in multiple Scenarios throughout the short story. From the start it is clear that Junior is confused when his boss calls him and tells him not to come in for the day, but instead â€Å"take a couple days off and enjoy yourself†(Boyle 62).Without the direction of his boss and his job, Junior doesn’t know what it is he should do with himself for the day and he seems lost and turns to the comfort of drinking it away at his favorite bar, Daggett’s. Junior acts as if he needs direction of someone else, as pet would, to function. While drinking at the bar, in a haze, Junior wins a wild several that I man were trying to get rid of. This draws the attention of a waitress at the bar he has had his eyes on, Daria. When they get the cat home, they confine it to juniors bedroom, and he claims it hadn’t made a noise yet, but â€Å"†¦It’s existence communicated to me, it was there, I could feel it† (Boyle 72), showing that he connected with the animal and perhaps relates to it. Junior appears to worry greatly ab... ...egins to think of how far away and lost the cat must be, and without being certain that it had escaped, throws himself into the enclosed bedroom and shuts the door behind him, he explains â€Å"And then-and I don’t know why-I pulled the door shut behind me† (Boyle 83), in the instance, severely risking his life; however, like the several, feeling helpless and lost, he seems to be acting on impulse and not bothered by it. The title of the short story, Tooth and Claw, demonstrates the basic needs of survival in the wild, as most animals in the wild have both. While also tying into the symbolic several and metaphorically relating to Juniors life as well because he does not have the necessities to live on his own. The story has a hidden message, which portrays junior’s life lacking â€Å"Tooth, and Claw†, or necessities for survival, proving that it was eventually his downfall.

Shakespeares Macbeth as Tragic Hero Essay -- Macbeth essays

Macbeth as Tragic Hero      Ã‚  Ã‚   Aristotle defined a tragic character is a man who â€Å"falls into misfortune through some flaw." (Grube, 5) Shakespeare's tragic hero is a man who falls from his position of honor and respect due to a flaw in character and ultimately arrives at a fatal end. (Nostbakken, 2) Macbeth is an epitome of a tragic hero. He had a good nature, but was driven by greed and a quest for power. Macbeth had been a military hero,   loved and praised by the people, but his blind ambition resulted in his destruction, and all his past greatness and happiness were lost. This essay will explore Macbeth’s path toward destruction and show how he became the epitome of a tragic hero.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Macbeth was obviously a patriot and the protector of the king at the beginning of the play. (Slethaug, 13) We imagine him to be a good warrior with extraordinary prowess and loyalty. He defeated the insurgent troops and was highly trusted. As Duncan said, "He is a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust". (I.iv.14-15) Even the King had great love in this real hero.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   But his was controlled under the supernatural force when he met the witches of prophecy, contributing to the degeneration of this character. When the witches foretold Macbeth that he was to be Thane of Cawdor, Thane of Glasmis and King hereafter, Macbeth's ambition to the kingship had been aroused. He said, " My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical ¡K"(I.iii.140) shows that he started imagining to get the throne by evil means for the fulfillment of the promised kingship.   The imperfect speakers of misleading prophecies brainwashed him, striving up his deep ambition and leading him to step closer to the edge of dismal abyss. And later they also g... ...ed himself, to put all his possessed greatness and happiness in ruin, and ended himself in ultimate hate and demise.      Works Cited Brooke, Nicholas, ed.   Macbeth. Oxford: The Oxford University Press. 1990. Brown, John Russell. Shakespeare Macbeth. Southampton: The Camelot Press. 1965.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Coursen, H.R.   Macbeth-A Guide to the Play. London: Greenwood Press.1997. Elloway, David. Macbeth By William Shakespeare (Macmillan master guides).     Macmillan Education Limited. 1985. Grube, G.M.A, ed. Aristotle "The Poetics", Poetry and Style. Indianapolis: Bobbs Merril. 1958. Nostbakken, Faith. Understanding Macbeth. USA: Greenwood Press. 1997. Slethaug, Gordon. "Lecture Notes" for ENGL1007. Hong Kong: The University of Chicago. November 2000. Wain, John. Shakespeare Macbeth. Hong Kong: The Macmillan Press Ltd. 1968.   

Virginia Woolfs Jacobs Room - Jacob Flanders, Many Things to Many Rea

Virginia Woolf's Jacob's Room - Jacob Flanders, Many Things to Many Readers Listless is the air in an empty room, just swelling the curtain; the flowers in the jar shift. One fibre in the wicker arm- chair creaks, though no one sits there. - Jacob's Room The year 1922 marks the beginning of High Modernism with the publications of T. S. Eliot's The Wasteland, James Joyce's Ulysses, and Virginia Woolf's Jacob's Room. Woolf's novel, only her third, is not generally afforded the iconic worship and critical praise so often attached to those works of her most famous male contemporaries. Jacob's Room is seldom suggested as one of Woolf's best fiction; the novel has not generated the same encomia as her recognized masterpieces Mrs. Dalloway, Between the Acts, and The Waves. But Jacob's Room is indeed a revolutionary work in its original technical mastery, its mournful historicity, and its evocative tone. The novel is Woolf's manifesto in fiction of her unique enterprise to create character beyond the one-to-one mimetic method of conventional Victorian and Edwardian realism. Uniquely self-conscious and conscious of self, Woolf was attracted to exploring new modes of characterization, fictional consciousness, and epistemology. She is especiall y interested in exploring the nature, communication, and limits of fictional knowledge. Woolf's idiosyncratic mode of characterization in Jacob's Room is the epistemological complement in fiction to Eliot's formula for emotional expression in poetry, the objective correlative. While Eliot's description of the ideal artistic technique tries to be concise and formulaic, a direct mimetic correspondence, Woolf's technique is symbolic and metaphoric, collective, indefinite, and infinitely more ... ...Merry. "Virginia Woolf's Between the Acts: Fascism in the Heart of England." Virginia Woolf Miscellanies: Proceedings of the First Annual Conference on Virginia Woolf. Ed. by Mark Hussey and Vara Neverow-Turk. Lanham, MD: Pace University Press, 1992. pp. 188-191. Ruddick, Sara. "Private Brother, Public World." New Feminist Essays on Virginia Woolf. Ed. by Jane Marcus. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1981. pp. 185-215. Schug, Charles. The Romantic Genesis of the Modern Novel. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1979. Woolf, Virginia. The Essays of Virginia Woolf. Volume III. 1919-1924. Ed. by Andrew McNeillie. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988. -----. Jacob's Room. New York: The Penguin Group, 1998. -----. The Letters of Virginia Woolf. Volume II. 1912-1922. Ed. by Nigel Nicholson. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1976.

Great Gatsby Essay

In the beginning of Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Nick doesn’t care too much for Gatsby, but later Nick begins to like Gatsby, and by the end, Nick and Gatsby become best friends. It is sort of weird how their relationship develops, and the reason it develops. Nick and Gatsby seem to be two totally different people, but I guess opposites attract. In the beginning of Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Nick doesn’t care too much for Gatsby. Nick thinks that Gatsby is kind of odd, and mysterious. For example, on page 20, Nick says â€Å"he gave a sudden intimation that he was content to be alone†. That is kind of weird because if he wanted to be alone, why does he throw huge parties. Also Gatsby was just standing there with his arm extended looking at a light, if that isn’t weird than what is. This one encounter does not drive Nick away from getting to know Gatsby. Later in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Nick begins to like Gatsby. Later on when Nick meets Gatsby at a party he describes his smile. The way Nick described it was not normal he said â€Å"It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. †(48) You don’t describe a smile that way unless you like that person, he could have just said he had a nice smile. After that Gatsby and Nick talked a lot more and hung out a lot more after that party, I guess you could say this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. By the end of Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Nick and Gatsby became best friends. Towards the end Nick and Gatsby were always together. They went to lunch together, rode in Gatsby’s hydroplane together, and went to the city together. Nick liked Gatsby so much he said â€Å"They’re a rotten crowd,† I shouted across the lawn. â€Å"You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together. †(154) Nick also tells Gatsby’s father that â€Å"We were close friends. † (168) after Gatsby had died. At Gatsby’s funeral no one was their but Nick this showed that Gatsby had no other friends except for Nick. Even though Nick doesn’t seem to like Gatsby at the beginning the two of them end up as best friends. Even after Gatsby lies to Nick and then confesses the truth Nick was still friends with Gatsby.

Attachment Report: Kenya Seed Company Limited Essay

As per the requirement of the Bachelor in commerce and economics course structure, I was obliged to undertake an industrial attachment at an organization of my choice for a period of eight weeks. This exercise was meant to enable me glamatise with work environment, exercise skills and knowledge acquired in university and gain more competence in my area of specialization. The application process begun as early as third year 2nd semester and I must say it was not an easy task because I can’t count the number of application I made through both letters and e-mail True to say, opportunities as it has been penned down knocks ones at every mans door or a woman’s door if I am allowed to appreciate gender parity. If not so they come ones in a blue moon and as somebody with superior minds has advised, in order for one to acquire this rare ‘commodity’ he/she has to keep jumping and if any comes across in the process of jumping grasp it and capitalize on it. I would link these wise words to be me being accorded an opportunity to work and exercise the skills and knowledge that I have acquired through the years I have been undertaking my under-graduate degree programme at the Institution of Global excellence in Training, innovation and development(JKUAT). As explicitly indicated in the cover page this rare opportunity was accorded to me by the Trans-National Bank Management. I began my industrial attachment on 13th of June 2011 to 26th of August 2011.This translates to around ten weeks. The first day basically involved an orientation programme where I was taken through the various departments in the bank and introduced to the staff members. The departments that I was taken through were customer care, clearing department, cash department, marketing department and credit department where I worked under the supervision of the branch manager Jacinta Ndolo and school based supervisor Dr. Margret Oloko. I must say that it was an exciting opportunity working in an organization which forms part of the pillars of the economy. In one way or another I knew I would extend my services in economic building while there. These may probably be evidenced in the duties that I will perform. 2.0 Objectives of the attachment The main objectives of the attachment were as follows * Impact and allow the learner/ student glamatise with the work environment through partaking accorded roles and duties in the organization. This forms a good basis for their future placement in the work industry. * It acts as a measure where student or an individual can relate what has learnt and what is on the ground therefore becoming a gauge for his/her future success in the chosen field specialization * Beside what is learnt in the university, the student gets an opportunity to acquire more skills and knowledge * Gives an opportunity for an individual or the student practically exercise the theoretical part learnt in school or at the university. * Attachment is like a pace setter for an individuals or the student future work. That is the student knows where to position him-self or her-self in the market. * It also forms a good basis for the organization employee out-sourcing processes because from the interns they are able identify potential future employees for the organization. * Instill courage and sense of responsibility in the students even as they purpose to seek job opportunities in future 3.0 Mainframe of the report: 3.1 General description of the organization and the departments where attached. 3.1.2 Brief History of the organization and its role Trans-national Bank always abbreviated as TNB is a private company which came into existence in 1985 as a SACCO. In the late 80s it was fully chattered as a private bank that would provide both personal banking services and cooperate banking services in the republic of Kenya. It has excellent products for small account holders and offers congestion –free banking, innovative and responsive products and services, affordable bank charges and speed in decision making are its strong point over competition. 3.1.3 Physical Address of the Organization. Trans-National Bank (Kirinyaga Road Branch. P.o Box 69963-00400 TOM MBOYA NAIROBI, KENYA: TEL224235/6, 252188-90 Email:managerkirinyagard@tnbl.co.ke 3.1.4 Vision and Mission of the Bank The organization is driven by a number of factors which include their vision and mission. These driving forces are as out-lined below: VISION: To be the  regional financial service provider of choice MISSION: Provision of convenient financial services and solutions to customers through high standards of service while increasing stake holders’ value. 3.1.5 The Core Values of the Organization Professionalism Integrity Efficiency Innovation Team work Good cooperate governance and social responsibility. 3.1.6 The role of the organization The main and core role of the organization is simply provision of banking services in the republic plus engaging corporate social responsibilities 3.1.7 Expectation of the Organization. The bank plans to win a large personal banking clientele over the coming years and continue to expand and spread its wings across all the corners of the country. The bank also expects that its net profit is going to continually rise year in year out. Beside this it also expects that its marketing team will continually seek to come up with tailor made products for its customers 3.1.8 Structure and Management of the organization Like any other organization it has a structure of management composed of the Directors, chief Executive officer(C.E.O), Audit committee, Credit committee, strategy committee, risk committee, Assets and liability management committee, Human resource committee, secretaries, Registered Office, Auditors, Advocates, managers, operations officers and staff members. The above can be summarized by the table below: The Board of directors Chief Executive Officer Audit committee Credit committee Strategy committee Risk committee Assets & Liability committee Human resource committee Secretaries Registered office Auditors Advocates Operations Officers IT committee Tellers &cashiers other staff members 3.1.9 The Organizations Branches The head office is in Nairobi (Trans-National Plaza) city hall way. The company boasts of several branches across the country ranging from Nairobi Branch(city hall way) JKIA branch Kirinyaga Road Branch EPZ(Export Processing Zone) Mombasa Branch Mombasa International Airport Branch Eldoret Branch Nandi Hills Branch Kericho Branch Nakuru Branch Kabarak Branch Olenguruone Branch Kabarnet Branch, Sheik Karume branch among others 3.2.0 The Services and Products being offered at the Bank The Bank offers a variety of services and products ranging from Current accounts Savers Accounts Transaction Account, Mshahara Account (Salaried individuals) Mrembo Acount (Ladies Account) Msomi Account (Students Account) Angels Account ( Children’s Acount) Investment Account, Hazina Account (Self Employed Individuals) Mint Account, Fixed Deposits SWIFT Remmitances Standing Instructions, Air Time Top Up SMS Banking e.t.c. 4.0 Departments at the organization. The main departments found at the station where I was attached and I happened to traverse across were as follows. * The customer care Service * The marketing department * The clearing department * The cash Department * The credit department 5.0 General activities Undertaken in the Organization Filing of account opening forms for clients Filing of RTGS( Real Time Gross Settlement Forms) and their confirmation Memos Filing of TTS( Telegraphic Transfers Forms) Filing of clearing documents, cheque book request forms, expenses receipts e.t.c Issuing of cheque books and recording them Photocopying and printing Turning on and off the systems, setting them up and general updating of the software’s. Documents and parcels delivery between the branch and main Head Quarters at the Central Business District (C.B.D) Stock taking (That includes posting of all received stock i.e stationery in the system) Assisting clients fill the BRITACK (British American) I.P.O (Initial Public Offer) forms. 6.0 Specific activities undertaken during the attachment The core activities were undertaken at departmental level during the period of attachment and they are as stipulated below. 6.1 The customer care service Department Attending to general inquires from clients/customers. Availing account balances and statements of accounts to clients Assisting new clients open new accounts. Closing of in-active accounts. Activating of de-activated accounts upon clients request. Updating clients accounts. The Marketing Department. Marketing the organizations products and services within the branch area and Nairobi environs in general Visiting both present and potential clients at their business premises to find out their progress, challenges facing them, seeking their opinion on the level of satisfaction and possible improvements on our products and services. Preparing call reports after every marketing outing. Phone calls to unreached clients during call visits for updates or follow up exercise. Attending marketing meetings with the marketing managers. Providing a readily available, service-focused, knowledgeable and experienced point of contact for new customers. Cross-selling the bank’s products effectively. Identifying customer needs effectively and open new accounts accordingly. Managing the customer portfolio which comprises of high net worth local investors; Updating and continually maintaining KYC (Know Your customer) on all clients held in our portfolio, including up to date information on clients’ financial background. Identifying market for the organization 6.2 The clearing Department Receiving and verification of cheques Recording of unpaid cheques Issuing and recording of bankers cheques Running the cheques through Checkpoint Truncation System (CTS).This involves capturing the images of all cheques through a scanner, undertaking amount entry, verification and generating their commission. Posting of cheques in OMNI (Omni is network that allow posting of cheques online so that respective recipients can access them wherever they are. Undertaking TR (transfer) this is done for inward cheques and is simply transferring the money from drawers account to the payee account and the same applied to KRA(Kenya Revenue Authority) tax remittance by clients. Recording of received cheque books, issued ones and balancing the books on daily basis. Sorting cheques in order of bank codes and amounts in preparation for cross checking with the Outward Clearing Report (OWCLG). 6.3 The Cash Department * Organizing Cashier’s cubicle, stamps in readiness of the day. * Acquiring controlled balanced cash at the start of the day. * Scrutinizing cash withdrawal cheques and slips for correctness before accepting them. * Scrutinizing cash/cheque deposit pay in slips for correctness of technical details before receiving. * Forex transactions i.e. buying and selling of foreign echange * Verifying customer’s signature. * Paying cash within the limit and referring cheques for limit authorization. * Posting of cash deposits, withdrawals and Cheques for local clearing. * Issuing of Banker’s cheques. * Sorting of soiled notes. * Assisting in cash confirmation ready for sealing and lodgment. * Making references to the operations manual to ensure compliance. * Reconciliation of accounts as assigned by the branch Manager * Any other back office work assigned by the branch manager. 6.4 The credit Department The credit department basically deals with provisions of loans and asset financing to the clients. The core activities involved; Receiving loan application forms/documents from applicants. Analyzing, scrutinizing and assessing their loan documents which include their securities. Undertaking account statistics which included analyzing applicant’s transaction turnover, commissions, interest and ledger fees. Making call visits to applicants business premises to ascertain the following facts as part of loan lending process; The location of the business and their offices The type of business one is operating i.e. company, partnership, sole- proprietorship e.t.c The description of goods and services being offered by the business e.g. Hard-ware, stationery, Hotel, e.t.c. The major suppliers and customers of the loan applicant Whether they do any importation or exportation The mode of payment to suppliers i.e. through cash, cheques,TTs(Telegraphic Transfers) or RTGS(Real Time Gross settlement). Their new investment plan i.e. new products, fixed asset acquisition , , how long they have been in business, the expectation from the investment and if they have had any changes since their establishment. The key management number of employees and their qualification. After all this exercise I was expected make an appraisal report for the applicant in conjunction with other members in the credit department. This would then be passed to manager for approval before being forwarded Head office. 7.0 A profile of skills and competencies gained I must acknowledge that during this period numerous skills and impartment was gained and they are as outlined below: Further improved my communication skills as being most important skill through interacting with clients through marketing exercise, customer service department and general communication to clients in the departments that I worked Handling of bulk cash including verification, sorting, sealing e.t.c Never new much about loan procedures but got an opportunity to know them as has been stipulated under the activities under-taken in the credit department. Writing of bankers cheques was a key skill gained. Never in my life had I written one. More to it I learnt that bankers’ cheques permit no alteration of any magnitude because if it goes with alteration chances are high that it will bounce. Preparation of call reports and appraisals for loan applicants and new customers was also a key thing that I learned. How to identify original and fake cash by observing certain fe atures through a special cash scanner. 8.0 Activities which I applied my skills for the benefit of the organization. Being through a learning and education system, I came to agree that it is an essential and critical instrument in an individual life and as many institutions would phrase their mottos and vision, true to say education is key, light or avenue to many things in an individual’s life. Therefore to me the skills I have acquired in institutions of learning enabled me serve the organization in the following ways My communication skills enabled me to owe a number of new clients to the organization during the marketing spree and while at customer service. The computer skills that I gained earlier in my life also enabled me solve a few computer errors and software hitches at the organization. The courage I have accrued by embracing leadership positions enabled me interact with clients of all personalities. Through entrepreneurial knowledge gained in university I was able to make significant and immense contribution during marketing and other staff meetings for branch evaluation and addr essing pressing issues. 9.0 Strategy for utilization of the contacts established during attachment Serving at the branch as an intern enabled me to expand my public relation territory by a significant percentage. I have brushed shoulders with people of divergent personalities and caliber both during office work and during marketing sessions and call visits. This exposed me to the market and thus I believe was able to position myself well in the job market. Therefore the contacts, I believe will give me an edge both now and in future as I seek personal and societal establishment. The ideologies also gained through contacts will be used in constructive manner through the daily processes that I will be undertaking or engaging myself in. 10. 0 Challenges of internship. Getting the attachment in the first place was a major hurdle that was difficult to jump across. Many application were made but almost 90% were almost unfruitful Expenses incurred in the whole process of attachment ranging from application to actual working period were very high. That included the travel cost, accommodation among others proved quite challenging Uncooperative clients. Some clients at work place would fail to follow stipulated bank procedures and one had to be patient enough in directing and reminding them what they are supposed to do. Dealing with dead-lines. At times dealing with date-lines proved wanting because of bulk of work, time given to accomplish it and the labor force available to accomplish Work overload. Sometimes work was so much more especially during end-months where organizations are paying salaries to their workers and tax remittance by the organizations 11.0 Suggested solutions to the above challenges The University should chip in by liaising with various organizations to assist students get attachment. Availing of any attachment information at their disposal e.g it came to my notice that some organization needs a prior of like three months before the actual date of attachment commencement. Provision of allowances: The organizations should consider providing some allowances to interns for their upkeep during the attachment period and also act as source of motivation. Civic education on clients on organizations rules and etiquette. The organizations should organize forums where clients can be taught operational etiquette, rules, terms and conditions of operations Provide reasonable date-lines. This should put into consideration the amount of work to be done and available time and also the number of workers Increase the staff members: This would counter the problem workload and beating date-line 12.0 Analysis, observation and critiques 12.1Analysis and observation It was conspicuously observed that there was a significant relationship between what is learned in the university or in the school and what is practiced or exercised in the industry. A few of the things I have learnt and were being used in the industry included the Amortization schedules concepts, reducing balances concepts, reconciliation concepts, market segmentation concepts, partnership, competitive pricing, required improvement on existing banks products and new ones, strategies on improving the companies corporate brand strategy state of sales team and possible improvements, staffing systems e.g adequacy of staff members and skills responsive to business growth, efforts to enhance performance of staff, efforts to create a conducive and professional environment that embeds bank values, efforts to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness in customer service delivery and alternative delivery channels. If one keenly cuts across this we can conclude that quite a number of these things we have learnt in the units that we have covered so far ranging from accounting, finance, marketing, Human Resource Management among other units. Therefore if approximately analyzed I can conclude that 80% of what did was related to what I learnt in the university. 12.2 Critiques Poor communication and feedback system. I would say that there were frequent break down in communication system at place of attachment due to poor network or unstable network in the system that was being used to relay clients information. This created a lot of inconviencies both to clients and workers who had to work overtime because of such failures Under-staffing: Serving clients adequately and finishing work on time was a problem because of less labor force at the firm Lack of motivation to the staff: if one compares the staff re-numeration with the amount work done, it was not really motivating. Workers also worked over-time as late as 9pm but with no extra time allowance which was a really de-motivating experience. Lack of privacy i.e absence of closed door office. The back door offices were open that is the window panes were trans-parent allowing clients see all the transaction under-taken there therefore posing a security threat to the organization which mainly deals with fina nces. 13.0 Recommendation Interns who have successfully completed their attachment and have proved their worth in their area of specialization should be absorbed back in the organization. This would aid the organization in cutting cost on training, orientation of new employees’ e.t.c Increase the staff. The staff numbers should be increased in the organization to facilitate improvement in service delivery hence profit realization. Aggressive marketing. The organization needs still to do a lot in terms of marketing itself and its products in the republic if it needs to proof its worth in the market. Motivation should be embraced. The employees there need a lot of motivation if the organization is to up its performance in the banking industry Quick service delivery to clients should be looked into consideration and this would be solved by staff increment and improvement in the communication net-work at the organization. 14.0 Summary and conclusions. I must acknowledge that going for an attachment was one the most interesting and captivating things in my life. One of the most valuable lessons learnt from the internship is that it is of the essence that one enjoys their job. It is unimaginable that a person should go through so many years of schooling just to end up sulking each and every day of their work – such people were met during the attachment; it is not a desirable state to be in. In most of the cases,the internship served to teach more of what not to do rather than what to do. It clearly brought out the importance of integrating one’s personality and interests with their occupation, although this may not be easy in the light of the highly competitive job market in today’s world. However, it should be noted that enjoying one’s job does not necessarily imply that one has the ideal job they have always envisioned since this may be based on hypothetical beliefs and expectations; rather, it implies finding that job that brings the best out of one’s personality; that occupation that will bring fulfilment and satisfaction and that will lead to a perfection of the human person. In addition to the above, it can be concluded that flexibility in terms of career choice is necessary. It is not guaranteed that one will necessarily end up working in the specific field of study that they have undertaken in their undergraduate program; after all, job dynamics are better learnt on the job itself than in class. It is therefore important that one is open to any viable opportunities that may present themselves, other than the ideal job that may have been envisaged, provided they bring the best out of one’s capabilities.