William Howard Taft The Reluctant President Essay

The 27th President of the United States was born William Howard Taft on the 15th day of September, in the year 1857 to Alphonso and Louise Taft, of Cincinnati, Ohio. As he was the first of their sons to survive past infancy, his mother did not mind that he had outgrown all the baby clothes she had sown for him when he was only seven weeks old. Due to his large size he was given the nickname of â€Å"Lub† or â€Å"Lubber† which only fueled his desire to succeed in school and on the playing field. He later became to be known as the largest president in the history of United States, weighing in at 320 pounds. Although it was rumored that due to his large size he actually got stuck in the White House bath tub. It took six aides and a gallon of butter to†¦show more content†¦They both shared a love for reading and books and soon fell in love but there was no talk of marriage. Then in 1882 Williams’ father was appointed the judge ambassador to Austria-Hungary and William was appointed the collector of Revenue for the first district in Ohio, thus his political career seemed to be off to a good start. That is until he was asked by the Republican Party to do something unethical and he refused. He resigned in December and took a position at a law firm that was headed by a former associate of his dad. The following summer he visited his parents in Austria and traveled about Europe but he soon became anxious to return home as he could not stop thinking about Nellie. They courted for a year before William finally asked her to marry him. They were married on June 19th in 1886. They honeymooned in France, England, and Scotland before settling down in Cincinnati, OH. Nellie became the driving force behind William, pushing him into politics. In 1900 president McKinley promised him a position as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court if he would consent to be the civil governor of the Philippines. He took the position organizing civil government and proved to be an excellent executive and administrator. During service to the Philippines he was offered two positions as Chief Justice which he turned down in order toShow MoreRelatedWilliam Howard Taft : The President Of The United States2349 Words   |  10 PagesWilliam Howard Taft served one term as the 27th President of the United States from 1909 until 1913. While he is perhaps best known for his plump figure and the embarrassing bathtub incident he endured while in the White House, Taft is also the only person in United States history to have held both the offices of President and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Prior to securing the Republican Party’s presidential nomination and subsequently winning election in 1908, Taft served in various judicialRead More The Progressive Period1544 Words   |  7 Pages In 1901, America welcomed the youngest president to ever rule, President Theodore Roosevelt. At forty-two years old, the former New York governor dominated the news unlike any previous president had done. His many exploits, such as boxin g and horseback riding, led the press to gain interest in him. Known for being very outgoing and likable, Roosevelt used his personality and popularity to advance in his programs. â€Å"His leadership and publicity campaigns helped create the modern presidency, makingRead MoreTheodore Roosevelt : The First Modern President Of The United States Essay1187 Words   |  5 PagesTheodore Roosevelt is widely thought of as the first modern President of the United States. The influence that the office has today began to develop during Roosevelt’s time in office. 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Roosevelt enforced the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, which limited anticompetitive practices. Still, Roosevelt did not hunt down every monopoly he encountered, for he believed there were necessary monopolies and corrupt ones. His successor, on the other hand, William Howard Taft more than doubled the number of monopoly break-upsRead MoreThe Court Of The Supreme Court Essay2598 Words   |  11 Pagesare nominated by the President, and confirmed with the advice of consent from the senate. The cases and hearing go from 7 to 8000 a year. The Supreme Court goes way back to 1935, they were at many different places during the war. It was first made in the Old Senate Chamber from 1861 to 1935. The place was not so big and it did not have many seats with a huge table. All the judges during this time would all eat in the robbing room. 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In January 1898, President William McKinley ordered the U.S.S. Maine to Havana ostensibly on a courtesy visit but actually as protection for American citizens. The following month an explosion sent the battleship to the bottom of the harbor. A U.S. Navy court of inquiry concluded

Brave New World By Aldous Huxley - 1147 Words

Brave New World Essay -Deepali Singh Brave New World is a dystopian fiction by Aldous Huxley, published in 1932. It takes place in a futuristic society, which is shaped by a political ideology, shared by all. The society’s (World State) motto – â€Å"Community, Identity, Stability†, sums up the purpose of the entire society. Although the novel was written several decades before, one can explore many similarities and differences compared to the modern society we live in. Furthermore, one can even analyze this once fictitious society by Huxley, to an ideal modern world society known as the caliphate, created by a terrorist group known as ISIS. The primary setting of the novel, The Brave New World, is the World State, which is a sterile and futuristic society governed by the ten world controllers. The World State derives from the fact that it is a unified government that governs the entire planet, with few exception, thus the name â€Å"World State†. The World State is similar to the world we live in, in several different aspects, however, the similarities are only present to an extent in our world; it’s in fact nowhere near the extreme level presented in the novel. However, there definitely are few limited sense of similarity. First of all, the reproduction done in the World State is pretty similar to the ones done in the world today in certain cases. For example, the reproduction in the World State is done in a fertilization room entirely, basically, manufacturing the humans andShow MoreRelatedA Brave New World by Aldous Huxley668 Words   |  3 PagesIn Brave New World, there are similarities that have a deeper meaning that we can understand. There are personal effects in Aldous Huxley life that contribute to what he has written in the book. Aldous Huxley throughout his life have seen, done, and events have happened to him, just like all of us, but he has expressed it in his book. So when Aldous wrote the he had so many ideas. I have read the book; it’s notRead MoreBrave New World by Aldous Huxley811 Words   |  3 Pages Brave New World is based around characters who gave up the right of freedom for happiness; characters who ignored the truth so that they could live in a utopian civilization. The deceiving happiness was a constant reminder throughout the book. Almost every character in Brave New World did whatever they could to avoid facing the truth about their own situations. In this society, happiness is not compatible with the truth because the World State believes that happiness was at the expense of theRead MoreBrave New World By Aldous Huxley1525 Words   |  7 PagesA Brave New Feminist The novel Brave New World written by Aldous Huxley in 1932 is known for its social satire, utopian values, and unusual standpoints on stereotypical gender roles. In this time where futuristic technology has completely taken over, and men and women are given the same opportunities for everything, â€Å"the genders appear equal within the social order; both men and women work at the same jobs, have equal choice in sexual partners, and participate in the same leisure pursuits† (MarchRead MoreA Brave New World by Aldous Huxley664 Words   |  3 Pagesfor the fact being in the future and in the past time has changed and many differences were made. In his Dystopian Society Huxley portrays masses of niches where the government produces clones for specific reasons. Huxley decides throughout Brave New World that cloning humans is unethical. He then becomes in contact with the society’s most powerful Alphas and Betas clones. Huxley suggest in BNW that lower class groups in clo ning humans to act like servants to terrorize them into working hard conditionsRead MoreA Brave New World by Aldous Huxley1189 Words   |  5 Pages In the world of sex, drugs, and baby cloning you are going to be in many situations where you feel like the world we live in should be different. In the story Brave New World, they had sex with multiple partners along with a very bad use of drugs. It is weird that Aldous Huxley wrote this book in 1931 about the world he was living in during that time and how it is similar to the world we live in today. Nowadays, drugs are still being used and people are still engaging in sexual encounters withRead MoreBrave New World By Aldous Huxley968 Words   |  4 PagesAldous Huxley’s utopia in Brave New World foreshadowed and illuminated the complications within modern day society. Upon its release, the narrative became widely banned all over the United States due to the unorthodox thoughts and actions of multiple characters in it. Early readers, as well as modern day audiences, feared and rejected the ideals that Huxley incorporated into his perfect society; however, our society today is heading towards the dark paths the older generations desired to avoid. Read MoreA Brave New World by Aldous Huxley895 Words   |  4 Pagesthe novel Brave New World, Aldous Huxley tells of a society where everyone is the same but, compared to t oday’s society, everything is different. Huxley tells of a world where everything that happens or takes place is because of one’s own desire and nothing more. The hero in the novel, a â€Å"savage† named John, is Huxley’s main focal point. It is through his eyes and mind that the reader sees what’s going on. Now when I read this novel, I began to think, â€Å"Could this perfect, conformed world actuallyRead MoreA Brave New World by Aldous Huxley1684 Words   |  7 Pagesimperfect world and is usually only a hopeful dream. These types of worlds can greatly be described in detail through the world of science fiction. Aldous Huxley was an English writer who lived during a time when war and chaos were engulfing the world. His works reflect his view and thoughts on a dystopia, which is a false utopia, and describes what could occur in possible governments of the world. The ability to understand and dive into the thoughts of the author is what make s world literatureRead MoreA Brave New World by Aldous Huxley614 Words   |  2 Pagesthem truly happy. What if someone were to tell you that what you thought was true happiness was all an illusion. In a Brave New World by Aldous Huxley people in the world state are conditioned and drugged up by soma to not experience true happiness. In a world that is perfect, human beings do not have to depend on drugs to keep our world in balance. In a Brave New World by Aldous Huxley there is always a perfect drug called soma that keeps everyone happy, which they have based their society on. ThisRead MoreA Brave New World by Aldous Huxley948 Words   |  4 PagesWelcome to a world were â€Å"Brave† is not just a word; It has a true meaning. This is a story were everything as you know it, doesn’t seem to be right and will completely change your way of thinking. When this story was written, life was very harsh for many people†¦.Mostly for the author who wrote â€Å"Brave New World† During this time (1930s) they didn’t have much sexual content Living The Future Of The Past In The Present†¦.. In the air; But Aldous made a future full of sex for them and we are the

Report on Business Level Strategy free essay sample

Any given organization may comprise a number of different businesses. Each operating in distinct markets and serving different customers. A market is defined by demand conditions and based on an organization’s customers and potential customers. Industry is determined by supply conditions and based on production technology. Business level strategy is a means of separating out and formulating a competitive strategy at the level of individual business unit. This is sometimes referred to as a Strategic Business Unit (SBU). A Strategic Business Unit is a distinct part of an organization which focuses upon a particular market or markets for its products and services. The parent company sets the overall or corporate strategy. The role of the business unit is to devise a strategy which allows it to compete successfully in the marketplace and to contribute to the corporate strategy. A sustainable competitive advantage is about performing different activities or performing similar activities in a different ways. We will write a custom essay sample on Report on Business Level Strategy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In other words, the firm must be capable of producing value for the customer that is recognized as being superior to that of its competitors. Michael Porter (1980) developed three generic strategies to help an organization outperform rivals within an industry, and so successfully position itself against the five forces. These strategies are referred to as generic because they apply to different types of organizations in different industries. The first of these three strategies is called Overall Cost Leadership. A cost leadership strategy involves a firm being the lowest cost producer within the industry. This allows the firm to outperform the rivals within the industry because it can charge lower prices and its lowest cost base still allows it to earn profit. In effect, this firm can charge the lowest price within the industry which the rivals simply cannot match. Therefore, a cost leadership strategy allows the firm to make superior profits. A Differentiation Strategy is based on producing products or services which are perceived by the customers as unique or different. A differentiated product has the opportunity to meet different customer needs more closely. It is the difference that is the basis on which the customers are prepared to pay a premium price. Clearly, the cost of producing differentiation must not outweigh the price being charged. Or, put another way, customer should be prepared to pay a price which exceeds the costs of differentiation, thereby allowing the organization to earn superior profits. The third Strategy is referred to as a Focus Strategy. A Focus Strategy allows an organization to target a segment of niche within a market. The segment may be based on a particular customer group, geographical markets, or specific product lines. Unlike overall cost leadership and differentiation strategies which are industry-wide, a focus strategy is aimed at serving a particular target market efficiency.

The New Concept of Strategic Sourcing and Its Implications

Executive summary In the business environment today, making decisions on an effective strategic sourcing method to adopt has become one of the key supply chain management challenges that managers are faced with as they seek better sourcing methods which favor them against intense global competition, short product life cycles and increasingly demanding customers.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The New Concept of Strategic Sourcing and Its Implications specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In strategic sourcing, the decision to adopt in-sourcing, near-shoring or on-shoring plays an important role in enhancing the performance of an organization. When a manager in an organization decides to adopt a framework for sourcing, what will determine the concept to be used are the advantages or gains a business intends to make. Studies point out that increased effectiveness and efficiency in a business is a factor that h as a close relationship with cost. In-sourcing, on-shoring and near-shoring decisions have been identified as important key drivers of long-term approach towards saving current cost challenges on supply functions facing businesses. As such, owners of business with complex products and high changing demands must ensure that they decide on sourcing strategies that do not interfere with their business’ total output. In terms of hiring workers, the decisions to in-source are advantageous in saving cost as employees can be hired via intern practices with other local business organizations, and mentoring activities for newly hired employees can be done internally. In-sourcing decisions allow managers to standardize their local systems and tools by effectively and efficiently using their local stuff saving cost of hiring multiple specialists from elsewhere to perform roles. From a theoretical perspective, the effective operations of a business rely on decisions to adopt effective so urcing strategies to foster gaining of competitive advantage. Flexibility and capacity have become some of the key benefits that businesses which have adopted in-sourcing, on-shoring and near-shoring are enjoying. Research has shown that many business supply functions for companies that are outsourcing and off-shoring are susceptible to threats, dangers and loses. Analysts point out that the new concepts of sourcing strategies that businesses have adopted today have cushioned them from technicalities presented by outsourcing and off-shoring. Effective and efficient service improvement has become one of the key factors that have caused most companies that were using the contemporary outsourcing and off-shoring strategies to decide on in-sourcing and near-shoring methods to improve service quality.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In decision making, during the process of requesting for proposals (RFP), evaluating the tangibles of a supplier is the simplest process. Engagements, number of members of staff, and financial figures are some of the quantifiable information that scored and reported easily. Neoclassical economists point out that in all competitive markets, cost management, consolidation, cost reduction and cost cutting are central for a maximization of profits, business growth and development. Abstract Making managerial decisions that enhances the growth of a business has become an important practice that many managers are faced with today. Of critical importance to this paper is decision making on sourcing strategies to adopt. As the market for commodities and services is increasingly becoming global, many businesses that have been using the contemporary outsourcing and off-shoring methods have now adopted new strategic perspectives of in-sourcing, on-shoring and near-shoring to improve the overall performance of their businesses. The methods have been effective in cutting supply costs and boosting profits of businesses. Besides, in-sourcing aids businesses in sustaining organizational resources and minimizing technicalities related to time and distance. Introduction In the business environment today, making decisions on an effective strategic sourcing method to adopt has become one of the key supply chain management practices that managers are faced as they seek better sourcing methods which favor them against intense global competition, short product life cycles and increasingly demanding customers. As market for services and products is increasingly becoming global, many businesses that have been using the contemporary outsourcing and off-shoring methods have now adopted new strategic perspectives of in-sourcing, on-shoring and near-shoring to improve the overall performance of their businesses. As this paper shall analyze using general trade theory, organizational supply management theory and congruency theor y, these new concepts are vital for lowering costs, demand flexibility, process capability, strategic risk and gaining competitive advantage. This paper shall examine why managers are deciding to adopt the new concept of strategic sourcing, their implications and long-term impacts on the operations of the supplies function.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The New Concept of Strategic Sourcing and Its Implications specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Definition of strategic sourcing concepts In strategic sourcing, the decision to adopt in-sourcing, near-shoring or on-shoring plays an important role in enhancing the performance of an organization. Bakker and Kamann (2007) point out that many managers in organizations are opting the new concepts of strategic sourcing with a bid to re-design and optimize their supply systems or supply chain. It is imperative to point out that these decisions could have been pro mpted by imitation of other business leaders, attempts aimed at cutting cost or competitive pressures. Studies on transaction cost economic points out that the type of strategic sourcing a given organization adopts is based on economic governance structures. This are characterized in terms of uncertainty, transaction-specific investments and dimensions of frequency. Factors and costs When a manager in an organization decides to adopt a framework for sourcing, what will determine the concept to be used are the advantages or gains a business intends to make. Barnes and Lea-Greenwood (2006, p. 260) point out that this involves substituting the contemporary practice of out sourcing with the new concepts of either in-sourcing, near shoring or on-shoring. The following are some of the important factors that deciding to adopt in-sourcing methods might bring to a business in terms of costs and related benefits. Higher cost effectiveness in the emerging global business operation dynamics Cai and Yang (2008) point out that increased effectiveness and efficiency in a business is a factor that has a close relationship with cost. In-sourcing, on-shoring and near-shoring decisions have been identified as important key drivers of long-term approach to saving current cost challenges on supply functions facing businesses. They also indicate that due to the aforementioned concepts, cost effectiveness has been demonstrated through lean thinking, and has seen most business reengineering their services with an aim of increasing productivity. As such, businesses have maintained service quality and reduced expenditure. It is important to note that in the present business environment, in-sourcing decisions have been lauded by many analysts as the best strategies for driving business efficiency on a long-term basis. Process adherences Studies indicate that owners of business with complex products and high changing demands must ensure that they decide on sourcing strategies that do not interfere with their business’ total throughput time. The studies further point out that any interference with the normal supply chain may easily affect the reliability and reputation of a business towards customers. As such, businesses with an understanding of the difference between low cost and low prices of operations as well as costs of total life cycles should substitute outsourcing and off-shoring practices with in-shoring and near shoring methods.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Figure 1: Figure showing how in-sourcing enhances process adherences In his publication, Carter and Rogers (2008) point out that decisions to replace outsourcing with in-sourcing has become important in process adherence in the sense that the new concepts have not only effectively lowered cost of supplies or production, but have also improved performance criteria by taking into account quality, flexibility, reliability and speed. Labor arbitrage In terms of hiring workers, the decisions to in-source are advantageous in saving cost as employees can be hired via intern practices with other local business organizations, and mentoring activities for newly hired employees can be done internally. Carter and Rogers (2008) argue from the perspective of transaction cost theory by indicating that on average, the decision to in-source workers ensures that compensation cost, hiring and burdened salary costs drop due use of rural resources and not having to hire workers from large cities where the cost of living is high. It is imperative to note that there are many individuals who are skilled and may want to work in a rural environment near their homes. This when compared to outsourcing, may be beneficial in lowering compensation costs as a manager cam manage labor locally and not halfway across the globe. Figure 2: A graph showing how in-sourcing is increasingly being used in the US to hire workers Skilled resources In-sourcing decisions allow managers to standardize their local systems and tools by effectively and efficiently using their local stuff saving cost of hiring multiple specialists from elsewhere to perform roles. By using skilled personnel within a company, hiring contract specialists will not be necessary, and if needed may be done on part time basis. Besides, many medium and small sized companies do no require enterprise architects and project managers. Figure 3: Figure showing the effectiveness of in-sourcing service jobs Source:  The atlantic.  U.S. In-Sourcing.  2009. Web. For competitive advantage From a theoretical perspective, the effective operations of a business rely on decisions to adopt effective sourcing strategies to foster gaining of competitive advantage. International management textbooks illustrating general trade theories clearly exemplify that a sourcing strategy, with particular emphasis on in-sourcing, is critical to a supply business’ competitive advantage in terms of innovativeness, labor cost and price (Christopher, 2000). Gaining a competitive advantage requires identifying and deciding strategic sourcing methods that are appropriate. According to transaction cost theory, being able to supply high quality products at a low cost and still maintain a competitive advantage requires that companies restructure their sourcing strategies and capabilities in such a way that supply functions are done at a low cost possible (Christopher, 2000). Increased flexibility and sustainability capacity Flexibility and capacity have become some of the key benefits that businesses which have adopted in-sourcing, on-shoring and near-shoring are enjoying. Brege, Brehmer and Lindskog (2010) point out that the in-sourcing method has offered many businesses that have adopted it flexibility they need in carrying out their supply functions. In the rapidly changing business environment, it has aided businesses to respond faster to circumstances and policies that keep changing, without being tied to procedures that can be expensive to alter. Basing the argument on congruency theory, businesses adopt a sourcing strategy depending on the complexity of their products and the environment they are in. To sustain expertise and capabilities In his publication, Asta (2005) points out that adoption of in-sourcing strategy by most companies has facilitated their ability to sustain expertise and capabilities in policies, organization and processes (POP), and has aided them to respond to business agenda that keep changing. As such, supply management, how it is selected, evaluated, managed, valued and differentiated as marketing strategy functions have been made easier. In addition, in-sourcing is important since they enable a business to provide flexible, responsive and cohesive local services. Through it, businesses which are in the retail industry have become innovative and adopted a transformative approach that have enabled them to be efficient in service delivery, and as such, have made quick efficiency gains. Figure 4: A pie chart showing how in-sourcing sustains a countries expertise ans capabilities Enhanced simplicity and guaranteed risk minimization Research has shown that many business supply functions for companies that are outsourcing and off-shoring are susceptible to threats, dangers and loses (McKenna Walker, 2008). The study further indicates that for that reason, most businesses have resorted to shift from outsourcing to in-sourcing in order to minimize risks and simplify service delivery. It is worth noting that contractual, consultancy and negotiation process when out sourcing can be costly and time consuming. To manage this, in-sourcing, on-shoring and near-shoring have been considered by analysts as best strategies to tackle the processes as they are less complex and have minimum risk levels. To cushion a business from technicalities McKenna and Walker (2008) point out that the new concepts of sourcing strategies that businesses have adopted today have cushioned them from technicalities presented by outsourcing and off-shoring. One of the major disadvantages includes communication problems. For instance, a company in Kenya intending to supply or buy from Asia may find it cumbersome to contact a supplier due to cultural differences and language barrier. Studies derived from network literature indicates that individuals and partners with general cultural and language differences often fail to succeed in their ventures due to the potential problem o f reaching an agreement, (Alguire Frear, 1994). Therefore, it is imperative to note that since the new concepts of sourcing strategy works within a nation, adopting them will make the issue of communication ceases to be an issue of concern. Effective and efficient service improvement to deliver added value Effective and efficient service improvement has become one of the key factors that have caused most companies that were using the contemporary outsourcing and off-shoring strategies to decide on in-sourcing and near-shoring methods to improve service quality. Barnes and Lea-Greenwood (2006) point out that in-sourcing has been one of the current concepts that most supply businesses have used to bolster local economies, create employment opportunities and boost training. As such, through service improvement and value addition, they have enhanced their local customer base. For instance, studies on APSE indicate that through its supply chains and strong local employments, it generate s  £1.64 to the local economy from the £ 1 of money that it receives from the taxpayer. This has enhanced its customer base and aided it in gaining competitive advantage. Figure 4: A figure showing how in-sourcing boosts effective service delivery Measurement In decision making, during the process of requesting for proposals (RFP), evaluating the tangibles of a supplier is the simplest process. Engagements, number of members of staff, and financial figures are some of the quantifiable information that scored and reported easily. Best measurement practice for evaluating in-sourcing activities can be achieved by looking at the capabilities and key questions in the RFP. To determine the sourcing relationship of the intangibles, careful selection is necessary and which include looking at cultural affinity, supplier engagement and growth with a client over the years. Getting measurements to such questions require applying methods such as interviews where vendors, reference clients and colleagues asked questions to provide essential answers that will help in measuring intangibles. Analysis Neoclassical economists point out that in all competitive markets, cost management, consolidation, cost reduction and cost cutting are central for a maximization of profits, business growth and development. Edward argues that minimizing losses due to outsourcing and can be achieved by adopting the cost cutting in-sourcing methods. According to Keynesian paradox of thrift saving cost through better sourcing methods will boost aggregate output and income of a firm. Analysts with mainstream thinking argue that Keynesians are wrong in their arguments because by insisting that business adopt means that cut costs impacts on a business’ spending and hurt its revenues and profits. The argument is that cutting costs does not lift profits, instead as people save, the economy runs into a slump. Indeed, they are right because as a business use in-sourcing methods to save costs of certain aggregate income levels, consumption in other areas decreases. However, what is wrong with trimming costs through in-sourcing methods to enhance profits? Is cost cutting not an effective means a business can enhance its profits? It is undoubtedly true that a business that uses in-sourcing methods and not outsourcing efficiently cuts costs and transitions into profits since it is using its own or local resources. In a nutshell, a company that decides to adopt in-sourcing creates real wealth and generates positive results. Conclusions To sum up, this review has based its arguments from the thesis statement â€Å"In the business environment today, making decisions on an effective strategic sourcing method to adopt has become one of the key supply chain management practices that managers are faced with as they seek better sourcing methods which favor them against intense global competition, short product life cycles and increasingly demanding customers†. From the review, it is evident that many businesses are shifting from contemporary outsourcing and off-shoring methods to in-shoring, in-sourcing and near sourcing for the numerous advantages analyzed in the paper. Besides, it is imperative to note that different companies differ in organization, style, size, market position and strategy. As such, dynamic sourcing with a design that is less expensive is required. References Alguire, M. Frear, R. (1994). An Examination of Determinants of Global Sourcing Strategy. Journal of Business Industrial Marketing, (9:2) 62-75. Asta, S. (2005). Managing Supplier Relations in Western Purchasing from China. Proceedings of the 14th IPSERA Conference, Archamps, France, 925-936. Bakker, E. Kamann D. (2007). Perception and Social Influence as Influencing Supply Management: A Research Agenda. Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 13(4): 304-316. Barnes, L. Lea-Greenwood, G. (2006). Fast Fashioning the Supply Chain: Shaping the Research Agenda. Journal of F ashion Marketing and Management, 10(3): 259-271. Brege, S., Brehmer, P. Lindskog, H. (2010). Sourcing, insourcing and two times outsourcing: four phases of procurement of telecommunications services within the Swedish public sector. Strategic Outsourcing: an International Journal, 3(2)144-162. Cai, S. Yang, Z. (2008). Development of Cooperative Norms in the Buyer-Supplier Relationship: The Chinese Experience. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 44(1): 55-70. Carter, C. Rogers, D. 2008. A Framework of Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Moving Towards New Theory. International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, (38:5)360-387. Christopher, M. (2000). The Agile Supply Chain. Industrial Marketing Management, (29)37-44. McKenna, D. Walker, D. (2008). A study of out-sourcing versus in-sourcing tasks within a project value chain. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business 1(2): 216-232. This research paper on The New Concept of Strategic Sourcing and Its Implications was written and submitted by user Carlee U. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

In the World of My Own Editing the Snatches of Peoples Lives

In the World of My Own Editing the Snatches of Peoples Lives The place where life is brighter than anywhere else, cinema proves that sometimes life without drama becomes incomplete. Like no other art, it can convey the most important ideas in the most unobtrusive way, helping the screenwriter to communicate the most essential ideas in a two-hour movie.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on In the World of My Own: Editing the Snatches of People’s Lives specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Rain Man by Barry Levinson is one of such pictures. Despite the difficulties concerning the fusion of a complicated plot with no less complicated process of shooting the film, the crew managed to create a film that incorporates the intriguing plot and the impeccable editing. Taking a closer look at the picture, one can see clearly that the movie creates a continuity that is interrupted only at specific moments to make the scene ever more intense and gripping. Split in several parts, the movi e still represents a whole that cannot be broken. Another aspect to consider is the rythmics of the movie. A long shot, then a shorter one, to be interrupted by a continuous episode through which the narrator conveys the peculiarities of each character. If considering each piece a cadence of sounds, the entire movie could be compared to a musical piece by Teleman or Vivaldi. Surprisingly, the film does not offer a variety of transitional effects. The one that the editors resorted most often to is the jump cut. However, such maneuver does not seem a drawback of the movie – on the contrary, it adds a certain tint of incompleteness and abruptness of the film. As a life switches its tunes from mellow ones into harsher and rougher melodies, the movie marks the end of each phase of the characters’ growth with these abrupt endings. Moreover, these transitions seem completely unnoticeable despite their sharpness. Perhaps, the flow of the plot does remind of the way life goes, which helps the spectator get ready for another turn of the plot. With help of these tiny transitions, each spectator can feel the enchanting rhythm of the movie – the rhythm of Rain Man. There is one more thing that deserves being discussed here. Considering the masterful match cuts in Rain Man, one can realize that without this trick, the movie would have lost half of its charm. Although there are only a few that create the specific atmosphere in the movie and switch the spectator’s attention to the necessary details, these several cuts produce intense effect.Advertising Looking for assessment on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One of these is the episode when Raymond watches the matches falling on the floor. Since he is autistic, his eyes are rarely fixed on certain object, and this specific eye-line match cut emphasizes the importance of the moment, showing separately Raymond casting his sight right on the floor, and then the floor with the matches scattered on it. Filled with intense strain, this episode reveals certain peculiarities of Rain Man’s character. Another piece of the movie in which match cuts play the crucial part is the episode when Ray copies the pattern on the floor into a sheet of paper. Revealing the incredible abilities of Rain Man, the editor utilizes the method of graphic match cut. At the very beginning of the scene, the spectator can see Ray scribbling something on a snatch of paper. In several seconds, the paper fallen on the floor is the size of a painting, with the precise copy of the carpet pattern. The last, but not the least comes the match-on-action cut that also conveys peculiar ideas concerning the movie characters and their adventures. The shot in which Ray and his brother walk down the hall is interchanged with the picture of a highway, cars moving up and down it. This is one of those subtle hints on what a life actually is – a journey to the future, where the driver and the passenger hardly know each other. With help of each of these amazing shots, the editor provided spectators with a spectrum of unforgettable feelings. Watching the movie, one can notice that the laws of editing – at least, the Hollywood variant of this art – are somehow violated. Since it only adds the specific fleur of authenticity and genuineness to the film, there is no doubt that these rules have been neglected on purpose to create even greater impression. One of such is the scene of Charlie Babbit and his girlfriend, Susanna, quarreling. Although logically, the entire scene was supposed to be a master shot, it was often split, the camera swaying from one person to another, often capturing certain objects and leaving the characters out of its focus. Unlike the rest of the shots, this one does not create the impression of the movie integrity, which is extremely important. With help of this approach, the e ditor has managed to depict the scene when the worlds of the lead characters collapse – Susanne loses her faith in Charlie, whereas Charlie realizes that he is losing the last person he can rely on. Without this support, he will feel deprived of his own self, which is evident from the scene. With help of the numerous editing tricks and approaches, the creators of the movie managed to convey the very essence of the picture without exposing it to the whole wide world. Only watching the movie from the very beginning to the very end, one can feel the specific air of loneliness that the film is shot through.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on In the World of My Own: Editing the Snatches of People’s Lives specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There is no doubt that without these elements, the key issue of the film would have remained a mystery to the public. The sparkle of understanding and even sadness in Rain Man’s eyes is the perfect touch to a perfectly touching story of friendship and devotion.

Music Influences the ecomony essays

Music Influences the ecomony essays We have the opportunity to create a personal jukebox in the house and car. This is the takeoff point for the music business (A Little Net Music, 34). These statements by AOL Chief Executive Stephen M. Case reflect the latest trend in the music industry for the distribution of recorded music. Advances in technology now allow individuals to record their own digital copies of music, with its high fidelity, from numerous Internet web sites. In 1999 approximately 100,000 music downloads were officially recorded, by 2004 these downloads are projected to reach over 1.2 billion. The music industry is big business and its actions influence the nations Gross National Product (GNP). Universal Music Group had revenues of $3.75 billion in 1999 (Turning Traitor, 32). But thats a fraction of the $40 billion that the recorded music industry racks up in sales (A Little Bit of Net Music, 34). The cost of doing business in the music industry is very high and the music companies are trying to figu re out new ways to get their products to consumers and for them to buy them. This trend in music (switching to Internet based systems) can influence the economy by changing the traditional methods of retail sales and increasing the companys sales and profit and by exploring new methods of distributing its products to consumers. The music industry maintains its control over the music it distributes by the use of copyright laws. These laws allow the originator (or owner) of the music (also books, pictures and movies) to control its release and reproduction. People and companies that want to reproduce or use the music must pay a fee to the owner of the music. When the most common way to own a copy of a particular piece of music was a vinyl record, the music industry was not overtly concerned about unlawful duplication of its products. Improvements in tec...

Analysis Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Analysis - Article Example Physicians opted to use early screening in identifying yellow flags and develop intervention guidelines as well as achieve secondary preclusion. Although various psychological factors have been found to be support prognosis of yellow flags, questions still linger as to which strategies work best either individually or in combination and to what extent yellow flags influence outcomes in patients with acute pain. Although previous research indicate that targeting yellow flags especially when they are high significantly affect the obtainment of positive results than providing ominous interventions. The authors conduct this research with the aim of unraveling the mystery surrounding the yellow flags and formulate concrete and solid conclusion that will enhance the operations in the health care industry and embolden management of yellow flags and back pain (Gray et al., 2011). Apparently, various psychosocial factors including personal and work allied factors play a significant role in delaying return to work and continuation of symptoms in people with back pain. Commonly, people complain of excruciating back pain that makes them wince with the discomposure but apparently, they can engage in many activities that can ostensibly be considered light. When handling such persons, physicians wonder as to whether the pain is musculoskeletal or has merely been caused by psychological factors. As part of back pain management, it is, therefore, imperative that physiotherapists have the enthusiasm and abilities to evaluate and manage psychosocial issues. The authors’ main intentions were to methodically assess and encapsulate literature on the skills and perceptions that physiotherapists have when gauging and treating Yellow and Blue Flags in patients who experience back pain that often causes them discomfiture. The authors candidly concentrate on the narrowed

Starbucks valuation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Starbucks valuation - Essay Example her people who are keen on the financial statements of the company are the creditors of the company who are concerned with the debt ratios of the company. The creditors of a company concentrate on the financial statement of the company so that they can determine the amount of debt that should be forwarded to the company. My paper will deal with the financial analysis of Starbucks Company. The used of the horizontal and the vertical analysis are the 2 simplest ways of analyzing the financial statements of a company. Vertical analysis usually shows the relationship that exists between components that are found in the financial statements of the company. They are measured in the form of percentages. In the balance sheet, all the components are shown as a percentage of the total assets of the company in that particular financial period. In the income statements, the items are shown as a percentage of the net sales or the net revenue of the company. Horizontal analysis shows a way that can be used in the comparison of numbers that are found in different accounting periods. From the vertical analysis, the company is doing goods in terms of the gross profit since most of the revenue is been converted to profits. However, there is a large of revenue that is been channeled to selling expenses. The company should work towards the reduction of the costs of the company so that the profit that is attributable to the company should increase. The percentage of net income as compared to the total revenue is a good percentage; however, with the reduction in costs and an increase in the sales, the company will earn more net profit. From the vertical analysis of the balance sheet, cash and its equivalents take a large portion of the company total assets. That will imply that the company is more liquid. The liquidity levels that are high are usually appealing to creditors that are short term since that will imply that the company has the ability to cater for its short term

Vincent Van Gogh Essay Example for Free

Vincent Van Gogh Essay Vincent Willem Van Gogh was born 30th March 1853 in Zudert, Netherlands. He is generally considered the greatest Dutch painter after Rembrandt ( known for his Baroque style painting ), though he had little success during his life time, Van Gogh produced all of his work (some 900 paintings and 1100 drawings ) during a period of 10 years before he succumbed to mental illness ( possible bipolar disorder) and committed suicide. His fame grew rapidly after his death especially following a showing of van Gogh’s paintings in Paris on March 17 1901 (11 years after his death). Vincent grew up in a very catholic area, he was the oldest child of Theodous van Gogh, a minister of the Dutch reformed church, and Anna Cornella Carbentus. He was given the name after his grandfather, and of a brother stillborn. As an adolescent Vincent was serious, silent and thoughtful he attended Zudert village school from 1860, where the single catholic teacher taught around 200 students, he was also home schooled with his sister and later attended a school 20 miles away. As a teen he was distressed to leave his family and on 15th of September 1866 ( 13 years old ), he went to the new middle school, Willem II College in Tilburg. Constantnijn C. Huysmans, an artist from paris taught Van Gogh to draw. He continued drawing through his teens and young adult hood until he decided to become an artist. In march 1868, van Gogh abruptly left school and went back home and in july 1869, his uncle helped obtain a position with the art dealer Goupil and Cie in the Hague. After his training, Goupil transferred him to London, where he worked at Messrs. This was a happier time for him and he was successful at work and was at a young age earning more than his father. He fell in love with his landlady’s daughter, Eugenie Loyer, but she rejected him. He became increasingly isolated, and his father and uncle arranged for him to ne transferred to Paris where he became resentful at how art was treated as a commodity, on april 1st 1876, Groupil terminated his employment . He returned to england for unpaid work, the arragments didnt work so he left to become a methdist ministers assistent. At christmas he returned home and found work at the local book shop. His religious state frew he felt he needed a vacation, to support his efforts to become a pastor, his family sent him to amsterdam to study theology in May 1877 he studied for an enterence exam, which he then took and failed, feeling like a failier he went in a post missonary in a tiny village, where he wasnt happy people would say they heard him crying at night in his hut. He was later dismissed fro his dutys, and travelled back home for a year then left because of frustrations with his parents and a slight conflict between him and his father.

The Hot Zone Essay -- essays research papers

In 1980 a man named Charles Monet went on a trip with a girlfriend up to Mountain Elgon in West Kenya. They spent the night there and went to a large cave called Kitcum cave. Three days after his return home, Charles began to have a headache. A few days later he went to the doctors and they told him he should go to a bigger/better hospital in Nairobi. So Charles flew to Nairobi. During the flight to Nairobi Charles found himself vomiting blood with a black liquid. Charles finally reached the hospital only to wait. While he was waiting and he lost all sense of balance. Charles started to go into shock. He started to throw up even more blood. The people who were there said the only sound was the choking in his throat from his constant vomiting. Then the horrid sound of his bowels opening up was also heard by the witnesses. Blood mixed with his intestinal lining then leaked out of his body. This was a dying process which happens to nine out of ten people who come in contact with the deadly disease is called â€Å"crashing and bleeding†. Samples of his blood were flown to all the major disease labs in the world. The disease was identified as Marburg Strain. In Sudan the same type of virus was wiping out whole tribes. So Gene Johnson (the one in charge of the Reston operation, and discoverer of Ebola Sudan) flew over there and worked with the sick members of the tribes to try and find a cure. This strain of Marburg was called Ebola Sudan because of where it was found. Later on in Zaire, missionaries would give vaccine shots and penicillin to local tribes to help reduce the number of outbreaks. One of the nuns whose name was unknown there became sick with a similar disease. She had the very first recorded case of Ebola Zaire which is the most dangerous of the three strains. She died and her blood was sent to disease labs all over the world as well. The strain was called Ebola Zaire since it was discovered in Zaire. In Reston, Maryland there was a monkey house that would ship monkeys all over the United States to labs for medical experiments. Suddenly the monkeys started dying. Peter JahlringHe was a disease expert at Fort Detrick from fort Detrick came and took a look at the monkeys and took some blood samples. Jahlring and Tom Geisbert then looked the samples, thinking it was just a monkey virus and accidentally exposed themselves to the virus. They looked at it un... ...tely be a very large panic. The virus would also spread so quickly and do so much damage in a very short period of time. The virus would basically wipe out our population if it weren’t contained/controlled properly.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book presented this problem, with the virus being dormant for a while, and then starting to contaminate a population. The book also has the virus being spread within a lab holding monkeys (used for experiments) that was located in the United States. This creates fear in the reader’s mind, because one would think it is just a matter of time before the virus gets out into the â€Å"real† world. The book deals with the problem by locking up the lab and getting rid of the virus by placing chemicals into the building with the monkeys. Because this is a true story, I believe that this would be the most logical solution to the problem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Overall, I felt this was a very interesting book to read. It was able to keep my attention and kept me from putting the book down. Some of the parts seemed to be a little graphic and were gross. I would recommend this book to anyone who wanted to read a good true story about viruses.

A child & mom Essay

A child enters your classroom crying and screaming not wanting mom to leave. He has just been told, this morning, his daddy is leaving his mom and two brothers to live with another woman. What would you do? Why? To address this concern, what I can do is to approach the child with a smiling face and ask him a question in a soft voice about the cause of his crying. Based on the reading, it is necessary to communicate with a child which promotes an interest about his current situation (Maine Cooperative Extension, 2008). I can start with a simple â€Å"Hello† and ask him â€Å"May I please help you? † If the child will respond in a positive way, I can directly ask him why he is feeling bad even though I know the situation. I can come out of the classroom and accompany him to his mother outside so that the three of us can have a conversation and to let the child see that I am interested to accommodate him by having a scripted talk with his parent. One very good approach is to tell the child in front of his mother that all the kids inside the classroom are actually waiting for him to become their new friend. Having a conversation with him in front of his parent can boost his confidence with me since he will identify my presence with his mother that I am a person whom his she can trust upon his welfare. The aspect of saying to him that the whole class is waiting can entice the child that there are other people interested in him apart from his parents. Also, I could tell the child that each of the students in the class also had to cry loud during their first days in school but when they were able to meet their new friends, they had to tell their moms to leave because they know that parents cannot be involved in child’s play because they are too big which is something funny. This approach can help the child realize that he is not actually alone and that crying is a normal experience during the first day in school. Moreover, the comedic aspect of â€Å"parents playing with the class† can provide a deviation that it is actually funny and will not impose a shame effect on the part of the boy. When he calms down and after I have gained his trust, I will invite him inside the classroom and offer him a seat. I will not open up the issue about his family concerns since this may just complicate his feelings towards interacting with other people. It is much appropriate to have him forget his internal family problems at least inside class so that he can be more productive in learning. Scenario # 2 Your students keep getting up from their desks during journal writing time to sharpen their pencils. As they walk between the tables, they are constantly disrupting the other children who are working quietly on their journals. The students that finish first are also talking and laughing. The remaining students are having trouble concentrating on finishing their assignment. What should you do? Why? First of all, it would be effective to impose a technical resolution in a funny way of teaching them the appropriate behavior in doing their personal tasks. Since it is too embarrassing to pinpoint a single child who disrupts others when writing journals, I can first get the attention of the whole class and tell them that I have a funny story to tell. This will involve a make-up scenario on what disruptive walking can induce to other people. I will try to tell the story of a fictional previous student of mine while demonstrating them how it is problematic to disturb others while walking. I could create a scene where I will get a volunteer who will be writing on a table and then I will exaggerate my walk bumping my hips to the child’s table while making funny faces. Of course, I will intend to overdo the act so that it will be very obvious for them to see that the child volunteer will have hard time writing on his paper due to my actions. This funny scenario will induce laughing all over the classroom but will also let them realize that walking in a prim way between the tables is essential so that other students will not be disturbed. On the part of the noisy children who finish first, I could set up a simple guide that will separate them from those who are still working on their journals. I could allocate a small space at the back of the room complete with tables and chairs for a few students. Then I will tell them that it is sometimes very good to have non-verbal communication and it is more exciting to exchange thoughts by sending small notes even if the person you are talking to is right beside you. I could hand them small scratch papers in which they can write what they want to say to each other so that they will not need to talk verbally. The procedure can bring them excitement since they will need to write first on a piece of paper before they can send their messages to another person. This will not only minimize noise inside the class but will also enhance their writing and comprehension skills. Overall, the other students who are still working on their journals will be able to finish their work without any distractions. References Main Cooperative Extension. 2008. Winning Ways to Talk with Young Children. University of Maine. Retrieved February 6, 2008 from http://www. umext. maine. edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/4077. htm.

Fairy tale Literature Essay

Literature (from Latin litterae (plural); letter) is the art of written work. The word literature literally means â€Å"things made from letters†. Literature is commonly classified as having two major forms—fiction & non-fiction—and two major techniques—poetry and prose. Literature may consist of texts based on factual information (journalistic or non-fiction), a category that may also include polemical works, biography, and reflective essays, or it may consist of texts based on imagination (such as fiction, poetry, or drama). Literature written in poetry emphasizes the aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language—such as sound, symbolism, and metre—to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, ordinary meanings, while literature written in prose applies ordinary grammatical structure and the natural flow of speech. Literature can also be classified according to historical periods, genres, and political influences. While the concept of genre has broadened over the centuries, in general, a genre consists of artistic works that fall within a certain central theme; examples of genre include romance, mystery, crime, fantasy, erotica, and adventure, among others. Types of Literature Here are some of the popular categories of books and stories in literature. An autobiography is the story of a person’s life written or told by that person. Bill Peet: An Autobiography A biography is the story of a person’s life written or told by another person. Eleanor, by Barbara Cooney A fable is a story that teaches a moral or a lesson. It often has animal characters. The Tortoise and the Hare Fantasy novels are often set in worlds much different from our own and usually include magic, sorcery and mythical creature. The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling A folktale is a story that has been passed down, usually orally, within a culture. It may be based on superstition and feature supernatural characters. Folktales include fairy tales, tall tales, trickster tales and other stories passed down over generations. Hansel and Gretel A legend is a story that has been handed down over generations and is believed to be based on history, though it typically mixes fact and fiction. The hero of a legend is usually a human. King Arthur and the Roundtable. A myth is a traditional story that a particular culture or group once accepted as sacred and true. It may center on a god or supernatural being and explain how something came to be, such as lightning or music or the world itself. The Greek story of the Titan Prometheus bringing fire to humankind Science fiction stories examine how science and technology affect the world. The books often involve fantasy inventions that may be reality in the future. The Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula Le Guin 1. Narrator| The person telling the story (not always the same person as the author or writer)| 2. Setting| The place and time period in which the story takes place| 3. Characters| Protagonist – the main character; the â€Å"good guy†Antagonist – the one opposing the main character; the â€Å"bad guy†| 4. Plot| Plot Development:| Exposition – The situation at the beginning of the storyRising Action – Complications that occur after some sort of conflict is introducedClimax – The turning point in the storyResolution – The situation after the conflict is resolved| | Types of Conflict:| Character vs Self (internal dilemmas, psychological issues, etc.)Character vs Character (personal enemies, villains, criminals, etc. )Character vs Society (governments, cultural traditions, etc. )Character vs Nature (weather, natural disasters, animals, etc. )Character vs Supernature (gods, ghosts, zombies, etc. )Character vs Machine (technology, artificial intelligence, etc. )Character vs Destiny (one’s fate, whether real or imagined)| 5. Theme| The main idea or lesson in the story|

Deep Time and Geologic History

Deep Time and Geologic History Deep time refers to the time scale of geologic events, which is vastly, almost unimaginably greater than the time scale of human lives and human plans. It is one of geologys great gifts to the worlds set of important ideas. Deep Time and Religion   The concept of cosmology, the study of the origins and eventual fate of our universe, has been around as long as civilization itself. Before the advent of science, humans used religion to explain how the universe came into existence.   Many ancient traditions asserted that the universe is not only much larger than what we see but also much older. The Hindu series of yugas, for example, employs lengths of time so great as to be meaningless in human terms. In this way, it suggests eternity through the awe of large numbers. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Judeo-Christian Bible describes the history of the universe as a series of specific human lives, starting with Adam begat Cain, between the creation and today. Bishop James Ussher, of Trinity College in Dublin, made the definitive version of this chronology in 1650 and announced that the universe was created starting in the evening of 22 October in 4004 BCE. The biblical chronology was sufficient for people who had no need to concern themselves with  geologic time. Despite overwhelming evidence against it, the literal Judeo-Christian creation story is still accepted as truth by some.   Enlightenment Begins The Scottish geologist James Hutton is credited with exploding that young-Earth chronology with his painstaking observations of his farm fields and, by extension, the surrounding countryside. He watched the soil being washed into local streams and carried out to sea, and imagined it slowly accumulating into rocks like those he saw in his hillsides. He further supposed that the sea must exchange places with the land, in a cycle designed by God to replenish the soil, so that the sedimentary rock on the ocean floor could be tilted and washed away by another cycle of erosion. It was obvious to him that such a process, taking place at the rate he saw in operation, would take an immeasurable amount of time. Others before him had argued for an Earth older than the Bible, but he was the first to put the notion on a sound and testable physical basis. Thus, Hutton is considered the father of deep time, even though he never actually used the phrase. A century later, the age of the Earth was widely considered to be some tens or hundreds of millions of years. There was little hard evidence to constrain speculation until the discovery of radioactivity and 20th-century advances in physics that brought about radiometric methods of dating rocks. By the mid-1900s, it was clear that Earth was about 4 billion years old, more than enough time for all of the geologic history we could envision. The term deep time was one of John McPhees most powerful phrases in a very good book, Basin and Range, first published in 1981. It first came up on page 29: Numbers do not seem to work well with regard to deep time. Any number above a couple of thousand years- fifty thousand, fifty million- will with nearly equal effect awe the imagination to the point of paralysis. Artists and teachers have made efforts to make the concept of a million years accessible to the imagination, but its hard to say that they induce enlightenment rather than McPhees paralysis. Deep Time in the Present   Geologists do not talk about deep time, except maybe rhetorically or in teaching. Instead, they live in it. They have their esoteric time scale, which they use as readily as common folk talk about their neighborhood streets. They use large numbers of years nimbly, abbreviating million years as myr. In speaking, they commonly dont even say the units, referring to events with bare numbers. Despite this, its clear to me, after a lifetime immersed in the field, that even geologists cant really grasp geologic time. Instead, they have cultivated a sense of the deep present, a peculiar detachment in which it is possible for the effects of once-in-a-thousand-year events to be seen in todays landscape and for the prospect of rare and long-forgotten events to occur today.

Collision of Two Monorails in Walt Disney World Resort

Collision of Two Monorails in Walt Disney World Resort Introduction At approximately 2.00 am 5th July, 2009, an accident occurred at the Walt Disney Resort. It involved a collision of two monorails that were moving on the Epcot beam, next to the Concourse station in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The accident took place after one of the monorails (the Pink monorail) reversed via an improperly aligned-beam, in effect hitting the Purple monorail (National Transportation Safety Board 2). Although the six passengers did not sustain any injuries, the operator was seriously injured and he later died.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Collision of Two Monorails in Walt Disney World Resort specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, the Purple monorail only had the operator as the sole occupant. He was rushed to hospital and upon examination, was discharged (National Transportation Safety Board 2). At the time of the accident the weather was very clear. The damage as a re sult of the monorail accident was estimated to have amounted to $ 24 million. Cause of the accident The federal investigators who were commissioned to initiate a probe into the probable cause of the monorail accident reported that lack of sufficient safety protocols may have contributed to the occurrence of the two monorails in Walt Disney Resort. These investigations were conducted for almost two-and-a-half years. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a 14-page report on the accident, in which a couple of employee errors were highlighted as the main causes of the accident (National Transportation Safety Board para. 1). This report appears to somewhat contradict with the investigations conducted by the federal government investigators, who noted faulted the lack of standard operating schedules at the Walt Disney World Resort, arguing that this could have played a significant role in establishing an unsafe environment, in effect causing the accident when the train reversed and hit the other one. How the monorail system in Disney World works There are two areas set aside to facilitate servicing of the monorails in Disney World. The first designated area is referred to as the Epcot, while the second designated area is referred to as Magic Kingdom Park. On the one hand, the Magic Kingdom Park service area is made up of two monorail beams. The two monorail beams run parallel, effectively forming a complete loop (National Transportation Safety Board 4). The Express beam is on the outside, while the Lagoon/Resort beam is on the inside. On the other hand, the Epcot service area is made up of the Epcot beam. The Epcot beam has also formed a complete loop.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More When the accident took place, there were a total of five monorails operating at the Walt Disney Resort and they were identified the Purple, Pin k, Red, Coral, and Silver colors (National Transportation Safety Board 6). A spur beam acts as a link between the two service areas. Switch beam 9 lies at one end of the spur-beam, while switch-beam 8 lies at the other end. If you want a monorail to move from one beam to another, all you have to do is reposition them accordingly. The closure of the Magic Kingdom Park does prevent the monorails from undertaking their duties as there is a time allowance allocated to facilitate this. By and large, the Express beam monorails may operate for about an hour once the park has closed. After 3 hours following the closing of the park, the monorails on the Resort beam can no longer work, and this have to be returned for nightly maintenance at the mechanical facility via the Express beam. When this particular accident took place, three monorails were operating on the Epcot beam. They include the Purple, Pink, and Coral monorails. Because all the passengers had already disembarked from the Pink m onorail, it was directed to the Express beam first so that it could be serviced overnight. It is important to note that the Pink monorail could have only accessed the mechanical facility via the Express beam. At approximately, 1.53 am., the central coordinator of the monorail issues instructions to the Pink monorail operator to enable him get onto the Express beam and back to the mechanical facility. However, the Pink monorail did not stop until it had moved beyond the switch-beam 9. That is when the operator communicated with the central operator and told him that switch-beam 9 had been cleared. This prompted the central coordinator to get in touch with the shop panel operator so that he could line switch-beams 8 and 9 to the spur-line with power (National Transportation Safety board, 2009). Power was then switched from the Epcot beam to facilitate the switch-beam realignment. Upon conducting further investigations, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that the shop p anel operator may have failed to position switch-beam 9 properly, and this could have led to the collision. The board also took issues with the monorail manager who is supposed to play the role of a central coordinator in determining the position of switch-beam 9 prior to authorizing the driver of the Pink monorail to reverse. The investigations further revealed that once the operators had switched off power to the beam, there was no prompt initiation of the switch-beam realignment. The shop panel operator received a call from the operator of the Silver monorail at 1:55 Am., so that he could be guided while entering the mechanical facility. At 1:56 Am., the shop panel operator received another call from the Red monorail operator who also wished to enter the facility but he was requested to first hold at a given location (Orlando Business Journal para. 4).Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Collision of Two Monorails in Walt Disney World Resort specificall y for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More During the interrogation, the shop panel operator told the investigator that the reason why he switched on power to the Epcot beam was because according to his understanding, there was proper alignment of the switch-beam. At 1:57 Am., the Pink monorail operator was given the clearance to reverse by the central coordinator, having been informed by the shop panel operator that Switch-beams 8 and 9 are on the spur-line with power (National Transportation Safety Board 6). When the operator of the Pink monorail started to reverse, switch-beams 9 and 8 were yet to be repositioned and as a result, he ended up colliding on the Epcot beam. It is important to note that the Pink monorail was previously travelling on the Epcot beam, and the Purple monorail was also following the same beam. Verdict of the investigators The National Transportation Safety Board has also taken issue with Walt Disney over the accidents on three fronts. According to the investigations, employees from the World Resort are not obliged to observe specific operating guide. This means that monorail drivers are not obliged to shift to the back cab first before they can drive in reverse. This way, they are in a position to drive the trains in a ‘forward-facing’ position (National Transportation Safety Board 8). Moreover, the investigator noted that the management at Disney World had not implemented a rule that would ensure that the central coordinator did not leave the central tower. At the tower, there is an emergency shutdown switch and a grid that shows the alignment of all the monorail beams and as such, the central operator would have been in a position to prevent the collision had he been at the control tower when the collision occurred. Finally, there were no procedures at the resort that demanded monorail shop operators to certify that indeed the beam had already been aligned once they had activated the switch command (National Transportation Safety Board 9). Although there are video monitors at the shop that enables the shop operators to view the positions of the switch beams, nonetheless, the shop operators informed the investigators that they mainly used the monitors when they needed to determine if there was any train on the beam prior to activating the switch, as opposed to certifying if there had been a realignment of the track once the command had been entered.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conclusion Investigations into the collision of two monorails at Walt Disney Resort confirmed that the accident took place due to the failure by poor operating procedures by the personnel in-charge of the monorail maintenance shop that is charged with the responsibility of controlling the switches at the track system. Also, investigations revealed that at the time of the accident, the central operator had left the central tower and as such, he could not have been able to manage the accident promptly. From the control tower, the monorail systems coordinator would have been in a better position to detect that there was an improper alignment of the track system, and this could have prevented the collision. National Transportation Safety Board.2009. Railroad Accident Brief. 2009. Web. https://www.ntsb.gov/Pages/default.aspx National Transportation Safety Board. 2011. NTSB releases final report on 2009Â  monorail collision at Walt Disney World. 2011. Web. Orlando Business Journal. 2011 . NTSB issues report on Disney monorail crash. Web.

Edwige Danticats novel Breath, Eye and memory - significance in Essay

Edwige Danticats novel Breath, Eye and memory - significance in relation to the story of Haitian-American culture, the relationship of the women, and the burden of inheritance - Essay Example It is a case of honor for her. She believes in personal commitments and implies that it takes much more than a piece of paper for keeping memory. She derides Atie and Louise's trip to officially register themselves in the city archives. She tells stories of the baby's birth and Ti Alice's rendezvous showing her wider experience and a kind of special literacy she is aware of. She has the capability of forming an entire story from the night's whisperings and the blinking of lights on the hill. In the stories she attempted to frighten her daughters knowing well the harshness of the society and the cruelty on women who do not adhere to the mold. For Ife, Brigitte's face evokes generations of ancestors. She attempts to arrange reconciliation of the estranged family; her two daughters and granddaughter, she is well aware of the stakes. She knows that the family must stay strong and stay together if its daughters are to bear up under the weight of the world. Atie is characterized by the traditional duty bound Haitian woman, who had her own share of 'test'ing of her hymen as a proof of her virginity and purity. She has the traditional duty of looking after Sophie, her sister's illegitimate daughter. She gives all the love and affection of a mother to Sophie, in the process makes Sophie regard her as her own mother. Sophie wants to give her the mother's Day card. But a dutiful Atie would have none of it. She wants to save the younger generation from the political turmoil of Haiti. She wants Sophie to follow the Haitian tradition; a daughter should follow her mother, insisting her to go to her mother Martine, as she herself is going to her mother Ife as a duty to look after old mother. She is heartbroken by the treachery of Monsier Augustine, but hides it well. Till Sophie was with her, she refused to learn reading and writing, even inventing her own method of communication with her sister by exchanging cassettes, recording their own messa ges. But after Sophie's departure she not only learns reading, she starts maintaining notebook. She is heartbroken by the treachery of Louse who leaves her even without informing. She once again feels that she has been used for her company, her body, her presence, but was not loved actually. She feels that Sophie is the only person who did not betray her, and tells Sophie about how she has loved Sophie as her own child. But at the end she liberates herself in her own Haitian way. She shows her freedom by her alcoholism, going out at night, going to graveyard, doing things on her own, at her will. The character of Martine gives us different shades of human nature. She is true believer of her Haitian traditions. She cannot adjust her life after loosing her purity by rape. Martine's rape by an unknown man, possibly a Macoute, is the defining event in her life, bringing with it overpowering feelings of fear and self-loathing which she passes on to her daughter Sophie. The nightmare of loosing her purity haunts her all her life. She lives the agony of rape every night. Her daughter Sophie is a regular reminder of her rape, as she feels that the

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Human Resourcse question - Essay Example Evaluation of training requires persistence, adherence towards industry’s best practices and compliance to follow the details. When such measures are undertaken, training will be imparted in a corrective fashion, where the objective will be to mentor rather than merely passing time. Hence the objective of training evaluation is to draw parallel with how things shall be constructed and where anomalies can be resolved in a quantifiable manner. The critique of training is established by understanding that the organizational strategy requires a proper cover towards measures and steps which shall go a long way in developing how matters will be taken care of within the business concerns. It is the responsibility of the management and management alone has to be accountable to all other departments within the realms of a business (Sims, 1998). This training should be comprehensive and must cover areas which are deemed as inappropriate today but might be taken as significant in the fut ure. Training can be evaluated by making use of different questionnaires and testimonials from people who would require training for improving their professional settings. Questions could be asked of them to solicit their replies so that training can be adjudged as being fairly significant from one context or the other (Brewster and Pickard, 1994). The need is to learn where training is making headway and how it is on the weaker side. Actions are taken to address the latter points at the earliest. The return on expected outcomes is fairly simple to estimate. If the training modules cannot bring any significant change, then there are ought to be several problems that one might find with training. However, if the training is comprehensive, then the expectations that people have of it are fulfilled. When training is being undertaken to achieve sound results, the key performance indicators or KPIs for short are realized easily. However, when the training regimes have some weaknesses or grey areas within them, then it becomes a Herculean task to resolve the difficulties which stand in the way of achieving these KPIs. If the business has invested a great amount on training alone, it must make sure that this return on its investment comes with the passage of time. A training undertaking which goes wrong would not suffice as far as investment viability issues are concerned. Hence it is always a good idea to have a very realistic figure of the return on investment as far as training within an organization is concerned (Schuler, 2004). As Bramley, 1996 suggests, the actual criteria for training evaluation should always be built upon the activities of training right from the very beginning. This would mean that the initial phase of training will be able to draw results; otherwise it would not be seen as a feasible option. Sadler – Smith et al (1999) raise another important consideration with regards to training. This research points out that training evaluation is for the larger part made use of within feedback towards individuals as well as to inform and educate the process of training and slightly lesser for the return on investment as discussed earlier. This could have a completely different scenario than what was delved upon in the above paragraphs. After all, return on investment has always been a much imperative disposition on the part of the training regi

Leadership and Self Deception Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership and Self Deception - Essay Example According to Warner (2002), individuals who are in a state of self deception normally live and work as if they are trapped inside a box. Consequently, they remain in the same position and experience minimal or no change. According to Warner (2002), there is a solution to self deception and most individuals in leadership positions can always work towards solving it. People find the knowledge of self deception very liberating since it increases happiness and satisfaction, enlivens the desire for team work, increases accountability, sharpens vision, reduces feelings of conflict and magnifies the capacity to achieve results. Self deception therefore appears to enclose many good attributes in an individual. It is therefore important that individuals are enlightened on it for purposes of liberation. According to Arbingel Institute (2002), self betrayal on the other hand occurs as a result of being insincere on what you know is the right thing to do. In most cases, people tend to rationalize and justify their actions when they don't want to do what is considered as right so as to protect their egos. This results to transference of one's blame unto others as well as considering them as hindering objects. Self betrayal is very common among individuals in the society and results to interpersonal problems either at home or school. In reference to chapter one-Bud, it a... Consequently, they focus on giving their best in order to benefit the company and their fellow workers. The tricky thing that comes in is that their motivation is normally flawed; deceiving others into subtle ways and making them think that they are the right ones for the right reason. Self justification then becomes such an ingrained habit that it becomes hard to break free of it. The box The authors of the book have created a hypothetical situation whereby Tom Callum, a recently hired senior executive is settling into his new duties at Zagrum Company. It comes as a surprise to him when he realizes that part of his orientation involves identification of the box. The box has been used as a metaphor implying an enclosure and captivity. It also resembles apparel and people carry it wherever they go irrespective of the circumstance. In most instances, people create boundaries which normally limit their potential and eventually end up as failures. Confusion as a result of other's opinion Tom's conversation with the fellow workers as he sought to know what the meeting between him and Bud was all about portrays a clear picture of self betrayal among the workers since they were all insincere and did not give the right answer. Instead their explanations ended up confusing Tom. The confusion came about due to numerous opinions from different people. Their self betrayal resulted into self deception. Self deception in reference to one's performance On his way, to meet Bud, Tom reviewed his performance in Zagrum and he was quite sure that he was on the right track since he always arrived early for work and left very late in the evening. He did all that so as to outshine his fellow coworkers and compete for the

Indian Business Environment Essay Example for Free

Indian Business Environment Essay Abstract One of the major objectives of Indian banking sector reforms was to encourage operational self-sufficiency, flexibility and competition in the system and to increase the banking standards in India to the international best practices. The second phase of reforms began in 1997 with aim to reorganization measures, human capital development, technological up-gradation, structural development which helped them for achieving universal benchmarks in terms of prudential norms and pre-eminent practices. This paper seeks to determine the impact of various market and regulatory initiatives on efficiency improvements of Indian banks. Efficiency of firm is measured in terms of its relative performance that is, efficiency of a firm relative to the efficiencies of firms in a sample. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) has used to identify banks that are on the output frontier given the various inputs at their disposal. The present study is confined only to the Constant-Return-to-Scale (CRS) assumption of decision making units (DMUs). Variable returns to scale (VRS) assumption for estimating the efficiency was not attempted. It was found from the results that national banks, new private banks and foreign banks have showed high efficiency over a period time than remaining banks. II. Reforms and Banking system In the post liberalization-era, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has initiated quite a few measures to ensure safety and consistency of the banking system in the country and at the same point in time to support banks to play an effective role in accelerating the economic growth process. One of the major objectives of Indian banking sector reforms was to encourage operational self-sufficiency, flexibility and competition in the system and to increase the banking standards in India to the international best practices 4. Although the Indian banks have contributed much in the Indian economy, certain weaknesses, i.e. turn down in efficiency and erosion in profitability had developed in the system, observance in view these conditions, the Committee on Financial System(CFS) was lay down. Reserve Bank of India has implemented banking sector reforms in two phases. The first reform focused on introduction of several prudential norms, major changes in the policy framework, and formation of competiti ve atmosphere. The second phase of reforms began in 1997 with aim to reorganization measures, human capital development, technological up-gradation, structural development which helped them for achieving universal benchmarks in terms of prudential norms and pre-eminent practices. The Financial sector reforms were undertaken in 1992 based on the recommendations of the CFS. Later, The Narsimham Committee has provided the proposal for reforming the financial sector. The committee also argued that ‘economic reforms in the real sector of economy will, however, fail to realize their full potential without a parallel reform of the financial sector. It focused on several issues like, releasing of more funds to banks, deregulation in interest rates, capital adequacy, income recognition, disclosures and transparency norms etc. However, financial sector reforms focused on improving the competitive efficiency of the banking system. The financial reform process has commenced since 1991 which was made the banking sector healthy, sound, well- capitalized and become competitive. The competitive pressures to improve efficiency in the banking sector has resulted in a switch from traditional paper based banking to electronic banking, use information technology and shift of emphasis from brick and mortar banking to use of ATMs. INDIAN BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT IN BANKING INDUSTRY Indian banking industry, the backbone of the country’s economy, has always played a key role in prevention the economic catastrophe from reaching terrible volume in the country. It has achieved enormous appreciation for its strength, particularly in the wake of the worldwide economic disasters, which pressed its worldwide counterparts to the edge of fall down. If we compare the business of top three banks in total assets and in terms of return on assets, the Indian banking system is among the healthier performers in the world. This sector is tremendously competitive and recorded as growing in the right trend (Ram Mohan, 2008). Indian banking industry has increased its total assets more than five times between March 2000 aThe overall development has been lucrative with enhancement in banking industry efficiency and productivity. It should be underlined here is financial turmoil which hit the western economies in 2008 and the distress effect widened to the majority of the other countries but Indian banking system survived with the distress and showed the stable performance. Indian banks have remained flexible even throughout the height of the sub-prime catastrophe and the subsequent financial turmoil. The Indian banking industry is measured as a flourishing and the secure in the banking world. The country’s economy growth rate by over 9 percent since last several years and that has made it regarded as the next economic power in the worldnd March 2010, The Indian banking industry is measured as a flourishing and the secure in the banking world. The country’s economy growth rate by over 9 percent since last several years and that has made it regarded as the next economic power in the world. Our banking industry is a mixture of public, private and foreign ownerships. The major dominance of commercial banks can be easily found in Indian banking, although the co-operative and regional rural banks have little business segmentIn the post liberalization-era, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has initiated quite a few measures to ensure safety and consis tency of the banking system in the country and at the same point in time to support banks to play an effective role in accelerating the economic growth process. One of the major objectives of Indian banking sector reforms was to encourage operational self-sufficiency, flexibility and competition in the system and to increase the banking standards in India to the international best practices. Although the Indian banks have contributed much in the Indian economy, certain weaknesses, i.e. turn down in efficiency and erosion in profitability had developed in the system, observance in view these conditions, the Committee on Financial System. Reserve Bank of India has implemented banking sector reforms in two phases. The first reform focused on introduction of several prudential norms, major changes in the policy framework, and formation of competitive atmosphere. The second phase of reforms began in 1997 with aim to reorganization measures, human capital development, technological up-gradation, structural development which helped them for achieving universal benchmarks in terms of prudential norms and pre-eminent practices. The Financial sector reforms were undertaken in 1992 based on the recommendations of the CFS. Later, The Narsimham Committee has provided the proposal for reforming the financial sector. The committee also argued that ‘economic reforms in the real sector of economy will, however, fail to realize their full potential without a parallel reform of the financial sector. It focused on several issues like, releasing of more funds to banks, deregulation in interest rates, capital adequacy, income recognition, disclosures and transparency norms etc. However, financial sector reforms focused on improving the competitive efficiency of the banking system. The financial reform process has commenced since 1991 which was made the banking sector healthy, sound, well- capitalized and become competitive. (CFS) was lay down. Liberalisation of India’s banking sector †¢ Liberalisation of India’s banking sector begun since 1992, following the Narasimhan Committee’s Report (December 1991) †¢ Important recommendations of the Committee were – [i] reduction of statutory pre-emptions (SLR and CRR) [ii] deregulation of the interest rates [iii] opening up the sector to foreign and domestic private banks [iv] adoption of prudential regulations relating to capital adequacy, asset classiï ¬ cation and provisioning standards Service firms such as ITC Hotels and ANZ Grindlays Bank found direct marketing very effective in retailing customers and weathering competition. †¢ The Indian banking system is growing in a robust manner. †¢ The Indian banking system complies with international standards of prudential regulation. †¢ The Indian banking system is opening up for entry of foreign banks. †¢ Despite the growth, Indian banking system is not entirely inclusive. †¢ There is good opportunities for the banking industry – domestic and foreign – for expansion to ï ¬ ll the gap. A decade after the Narasimham report was published and in the light of new challenges from the norms laid down by the WTO and Basel II, it is imperative to have a close look at the performance of banks in the last decade or so to assess the success of the reform process. INDIA inherited a very weak banking system following Independence. However, the nationalisation programme (1969) helped this sector achieve remarkable success in many respects. The stability among depositors, penetration into rural India and the consequent reduction in poverty and diversification out of agriculture were some of its laudable achievements. Given the predominantly bank based nature of financial system, the banking industry gained the reputation of one of the most protected in the country. However, in the 1990s a chain of events such as introduction of modern technologies, competition from new players in the liberalised market place, and enhanced emphasis on governance to protect shareholder interest changed the way banks conducted business. The Indian banking sector with its diversity of ownerships — State Bank of India and its associates, nationalised banks, private domestic banks and foreign banks also faced a similar set of challenges. Although the public sector banks acquired a dominant presence thanks to the regulatory environment, several of them performed poorly in the late 1980s. To preserve the soundness of the financial system, especially the banking segment, the Government set up the Narasimham Committee. The Committee (in 1991) made far-reaching recommendations that formed the basis of banking reforms. Some of the comprehensive reform measures suggested included: Stricter income recognition and asset classification, higher capital adequacy ratio, phased deregulation of interest rate, lowering statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) and cash reserve ratio (CRR), entry deregulation, and branch-de-licensing. These measures mainly aim to improve the efficiency/profitability of banking industry. A decade and half after the Narasimham report was published and in the light of the World Trade Organisation and Basel II norms, it is imperative to have a close look at the performance of banks in the last decade or so to assess the success of the reform process. Performance indicators Commonly-used measures to assess the performance of the banking industry are: Return on Asset (ROA), Operating Profit Ratio (OPR), Net Interest Margin (NIM), Operating Cost Ratio (OCR) and Staff Expenditure Ratio (SER). The first two are generally considered profitability measures, while the others, the efficiency indices. These five measures have been considered in this analysis for two sub-periods: Pre-liberalisation (1992-1995) and post-liberalisation (2000-2003). The total number of banks considered for two sub-periods were 64 (eight State Banks, 19 nationalised banks, 19 private banks and 18 foreign banks) and 87 (8, 19, 28 and 32 respectively). Overall performance improvement A comparison of performance indices during the study period reveals that the reform measures helped to improve the overall performance of industry. This is reflected in the improvement of all performance indicators barring the net interest margin (see Table). Interestingly, the ROA, treated as a proxy for risk-adjusted return, increased from (-) 0.28 per cent in the pre-liberalisation period to 0.79 per cent (against more than 1 per cent in other merging markets such as Singapore, Malaysia and Korea) post-liberalisation, indicating a significant rise in the ability of banks to convert their assets into net earnings. Another interesting aspect is that despite a marginal fall in the net interest margin from 2.84 to 2.73 (which might be due to policy change), the banking industry has managed to improve its OPR by increasing its non-interest fee-based income and reducing its operating costs/staff expenses. The evidence indicates that after the reform initiation period, the banks have increasingly been providing off balance sheet items such as derivatives, which generate major part of non-interest income. The proportion of operating costs/staff expenses has declined mainly due to computerisation and the voluntary retirement scheme. The property rights theorists believe that the private banks are more efficient than their counterparts in the public sector. This view is corroborated by the public choice theorists who argue that the specific X inefficiency factors are more prevalent in the public sector, irrespective of market conditions. Further, many cross-country findings report an increased government ownership as a deterrent to the development of the banking system. The Indian banking scenario seems to be consistent with the above, as the privately owned (foreign as well as domestic) banks seem to be superior to their public counter parts with respect to all performance indicators except the NIM. Despite a fall in their OPR and NIM between 1992-95 and 2000-03, the private banks successfully managed to reduce their operating expenditures, particularly the staff expenditures, thereby successfully maintaining their status. Among private banks, the foreign banks seem to be superior in terms of three out of five the criteria used. Within the public domain, the State Banks tend to be superior with respect to ROA, OCR and SER, while the nationalised banks seem to show better performance in terms of OPR and NIM. Thus, although there is a significant improvement in the overall performance of banks as one moves from the post-reform period to the late-reform period, one finds certain anomalies such as a fall in the NIM (except in the case of the nationalised banks), a fall in the ROA of private domestic banks, a reduction in the OPR of private domestic and foreign banks and a rise in the OCR/SER of foreign banks. Convergence or divergence Apart from the overall improvement across the board, another important criterion to evaluate the success story is to check whether the competitive force has led to any convergence in the performance of different ownership groups in the post-liberalisation period. Exposure to the competitive forces is often argued as a panacea to shake poorly performing banks out of their slumber. Although the public banks compared poorly with private banks during the initial period, they made a significant improvement in the later period by responding well to the new challenges of competition and consolidation, mostly following a gradual and cautious approach. The pay off is well reflected in the increase in their ROA, OPR and NIM. Some possible reasons for the better performance of public banks could be they still undertake most of the government borrowing programmes, thereby generating significant fee based income; the market discipline imposed by the listing of most public sector banks has also probably contributed to this improved performance; and ï‚ · the reform measures have changed their business strategies particularly greater diversification of non-fund based business and emergence of treasury and foreign exchange business. The study reveals that the OPR across four ownership groups tend to converge. The NIM tend to converge across private and public sectors while the OCR continues to remain significantly different across ownership groups. The above analyses indicate that the banking sector performs reasonably well with respect to the goals set by the Narasimham Committee, particularly in the context of the poorly performing banks and showing some encouraging signs to meet the Basel II norms by 2006. However, one should not go over board in reading these numbers to evaluate the success of the Indian banking sector, particularly from the perspective of a developing economy such as ours. Policy-makers should be extra cautious in giving free a reign to the banking sector in pursuing profit and risk based strategies. Recent trends in non-synergy based consolidation, growing disinclination to lend money towards productive purposes and to the unprofitable sectors such as agriculture, self-help groups, infrastructure and to small and medium sized enterprises, its growing engagement in non-productive treasury operations and conspicuous consumer lending will seriously impair the role of banks as public instruments of development. Therefore, maintaining a balance between these two objectives will remain a challenge to the banking sector for some time to come. Bibliography- * www.thehindubusinessline.com * iimahd.ernet.in/assets/snippets/ *