Financial Statements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial Statements - Essay Example Financial accuracy and transparency is necessary for them as they would base their decision depending on the reports of the financial statement. The accurate representation of the financial statement would motivate an investor to invest, banks to lend money and the government to calculate the right amount of tax for the company. It also benefits the company by spreading their good name and increasing their goodwill in the market. Table of Contents Significance of Accurate Financial Statement for Outside Business Interest 5 Conclusion 7 References 9 Bibliography 10 Introduction The major motive behind creating a financial statement is to analyze the financial position of the company at the end of the year. It is very important to ensure that the financial statements are accurate, as the financial health of the company can be determined through the financial books of the company. It is a critical aspect for the business to create accurate statements because it is not only important for internal requirements of the company but also for the purpose of external reporting and expectation of the investors (Elmaleh, 2005, p. 105-106). The financial statements are the accounting reports which are used to communicate the financial information of the company to the external parties such as banks or the investors. If we consider it from the technical side, we can say that the financial statements help to summarize the processes in accounting and it provides a detailed tabulation of the accounting titles, and the amount of money. It not only indicated the financial position of the company, but also indicates the changes in the financial position from time to time in the organization (McCrary, 2009, p. 83-84). In the recent times, the two major areas that have been identified as the sources of inaccuracy are dishonesty and incompetency. So it can be said that if the organization wants to present a true and accurate picture of the firm, both to the internal and external stake holders of the company, then it must take measures to remove both of the aforementioned inaccuracies from the financial statements. Financial statement which lacks accurate data because of data collected from unreliable sources would be considered incompetent. Financial accuracy begins right from the time of recording the financial statements. Compromise should not be done at the time of recording the information, as it really becomes difficult for the auditor to analyze and detect the actual figures. This may also lead to miscalculations and misinterpretation of data. It is the duty of the audit firm to conduct an audit of the financial statement and ensure the accuracy of the books. During the auditing process the accounting books and the financial statements are thoroughly checked, the inconsistent recording of financial transaction and record of the entity is also ascertained according to the principles of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) or International Financia l Reporting Standards (IFRS), in the accuracy test. It is very important for companies to present an error free financial report to attract investors. Internal control system should be adequate to present a transparent image of the firm in the market. The internal control system would include the policies that organizations would adopt to prevent fraud, safeguard the assets of the firm and insert accuracy in the financial analysis. An

Examine the Concept of the State and Election Essay Example for Free

Examine the Concept of the State and Election Essay Robert Rosen wrote: I will begin by stepping back a bit, by supposing that we do not yet have a notion of state at our disposal. In effect, I will retreat to the level of percepts and perceptions and treat the self as a pure observer. The idea of state, being a concept and not a percept, thus does not yet enter the picture at all. Thus, all we have is the self looking out at its ambience. What does it see? All the self can see is a sequence of percepts, ordered by its subjective sense of time. We suppose that the self can choose which percepts it will look at (in more sophisticated language, which variables it will measure) and whether it will look continuously or sample at discrete intervals. (Subjective) time is itself a complicated concept (see AS), but it is a primitive that we can take for granted at this level. Thus, the result of the self looking at its ambience is only a tabulation; a list of what is seen, indexed by when it is seen. Such a list we shall call a chronicle. Chronicles can thus be completely arbitrary things, at least insofar as what is tabulated in them is concerned. Weather bureaus, stock exchanges, census takers, and a host of other familiar institutions provide endless streams of them. In the scientific realm, they are data. To the historian, entirely concerned with what happened when, they are the very stuff of existence.

Exile :: Literary Analysis, Julia Alvarez

The poem â€Å"Exile† by Julia Alvarez dramatizes the conflicts of a young girl’s family’s escape from an oppressive dictatorship in the Dominican Republic to the freedom of the United States. The setting of this poem starts in the city of Trujillo in the Dominican Republic, which was renamed for the brutal dictator Rafael Trujillo; however, it eventually changes to New York when the family succeeds to escape. The speaker is a young girl who is unsophisticated to the world; therefore, she does not know what is happening to her family, even though she surmises that something is wrong. The author uses an extended metaphor throughout the poem to compare â€Å"swimming† and escaping the Dominican Republic. Through the line â€Å"A hurried bag, allowing one toy a piece,† (13) it feels as if the family were exiled or forced to leave its country. The title of the poem â€Å"Exile,† informs the reader that there was no choice for the family but to l eave the Dominican Republic, but certain words and phrases reiterate the title. In this poem, the speaker expresser her feeling about fleeing her home and how isolated she feels in the United States. The poet uses four line stanzas or quatrains, and this is a narrative poem because the speaker tells a story. The speaker seems a little odd in a way because she does not know what is happening; â€Å"Worried whispers† (6) is an alliteration, and it also symbolizes the speaker’s anxiety. Both her uncle and father do not tell the truth to the speaker, instead they â€Å"Sugarcoat† it. This is similar to Emily Dickinson’s poem â€Å"Tell all the truth but tell it slant† because the children might get scared if they learn the truth right away. In the line â€Å"What a good time she’ll have learning to swim,† (11) the poet again emphasizes how adults lie to children so they do not hurt them. The speaker feels as though her parents are lying to her; however, she just trusts them because she believes that what adults do cannot go wrong. Also, â€Å"A week at the beach so papi get some rest† (15) sounds as if the speaker’s fath er has to leave the Dominican Republic because he is some kind of danger. The speaker struggles throughout the poem because she is leaving everything she has known behind, and she is going to a new land that she knows nothing about.

Bernard Shaws Mrs. Warrens Profession Essay -- Bernard Shaw Warrens

Bernard Shaw's Mrs. Warren's Profession In Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Shaw presents prostitution as a result of few economic opportunities for lower class women (rather than of hedonism, laziness, or depravity, as was commonly believed at the time this play was written) through the characters of Mrs. Warren and her daughter Vivie. When Vivie initially finds out her mother was once a prostitute, she responds in the typical Victorian fashion: with scorn and indignation. The prevailing mindset of the time was one that lauded personal responsibility. It assumed agency in each citizen that, if not complete, was at least enough so that any respectable person could avoid unrespectable vocations. When confronted with the information that her mother was, at least at one time, involved in the epitome of unrespectable vocations, Vivie says, â€Å"Everybody has some choice, mother†¦ People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I dont believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they cant find them, make them† (Norton 1831). However, Vivie’s mother responds to her daughter’s very Victorian assumption by showing just how much choice her â€Å"respectable† half sisters had. She says, â€Å"One of them worked in a whitelead factory twelve hours a day for nine shillings a week until she died of lead poisoning† (1831). The other one married a drunk. Her full sister Lizzie, on the other hand, became a prostitute and, as such, quite successful. When the two sisters ran into each other at a restaurant where Mrs. Warren was â€Å"wearing out [her] health and [her] appearance for other people’s profit† (1832) being a waitress, Liz explains to her that h... ...aying economics, rather than some personal, moral flaw, as the cause of prostitution, Shaw challenges the status quo belief that sees it as a self-contained immoral phenomenon. Without excusing its vices, he explains that it is neither a cause nor a result of hedonism and moral depravity, but rather that these are all effects of a common cause: an economic system that provides women with so few opportunities that they are forced to use their femininity as a commodity, something that hypocritical British society did not mind at all. A patriarchal society that is accustomed to wielding power over women through money and marriage, as Crofts puts it, â€Å"doesnt ask any inconvenient questions† (1843). Works Cited Shaw, Bernard. "Mrs. Warren’s Profession." The Norton Anthology of English Literature.7th Ed. Vol. 2. Ed. Abrams, et al. London: Norton, 1962. 1810-1856. Bernard Shaw's Mrs. Warren's Profession Essay -- Bernard Shaw Warren's Bernard Shaw's Mrs. Warren's Profession In Mrs. Warren’s Profession, Shaw presents prostitution as a result of few economic opportunities for lower class women (rather than of hedonism, laziness, or depravity, as was commonly believed at the time this play was written) through the characters of Mrs. Warren and her daughter Vivie. When Vivie initially finds out her mother was once a prostitute, she responds in the typical Victorian fashion: with scorn and indignation. The prevailing mindset of the time was one that lauded personal responsibility. It assumed agency in each citizen that, if not complete, was at least enough so that any respectable person could avoid unrespectable vocations. When confronted with the information that her mother was, at least at one time, involved in the epitome of unrespectable vocations, Vivie says, â€Å"Everybody has some choice, mother†¦ People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I dont believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they cant find them, make them† (Norton 1831). However, Vivie’s mother responds to her daughter’s very Victorian assumption by showing just how much choice her â€Å"respectable† half sisters had. She says, â€Å"One of them worked in a whitelead factory twelve hours a day for nine shillings a week until she died of lead poisoning† (1831). The other one married a drunk. Her full sister Lizzie, on the other hand, became a prostitute and, as such, quite successful. When the two sisters ran into each other at a restaurant where Mrs. Warren was â€Å"wearing out [her] health and [her] appearance for other people’s profit† (1832) being a waitress, Liz explains to her that h... ...aying economics, rather than some personal, moral flaw, as the cause of prostitution, Shaw challenges the status quo belief that sees it as a self-contained immoral phenomenon. Without excusing its vices, he explains that it is neither a cause nor a result of hedonism and moral depravity, but rather that these are all effects of a common cause: an economic system that provides women with so few opportunities that they are forced to use their femininity as a commodity, something that hypocritical British society did not mind at all. A patriarchal society that is accustomed to wielding power over women through money and marriage, as Crofts puts it, â€Å"doesnt ask any inconvenient questions† (1843). Works Cited Shaw, Bernard. "Mrs. Warren’s Profession." The Norton Anthology of English Literature.7th Ed. Vol. 2. Ed. Abrams, et al. London: Norton, 1962. 1810-1856.

Expressions in Horror: Dr Caligari and Nosferatu Essay

Two of the earliest examples of German Expressionism in film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Nosferatu are classics remembered as some of the best horror films of all time. These two films, directed by Robert Wiene and F. W. Murnau respectively, share several key aspects in common, while still retaining their own uniqueness that has left people debating which film is paramount, even nearly a century after their releases. This paper will examine these similarities and differences, and will seek address them in light of the German Expressionist movement they each resonate. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Nosferatu both tell the story of a young German man’s subjection to the madness of a dark overlord with seemingly supernatural powers. In Caligari, a young man named Cesare, who is a somnambulist (or sleep walker) is controlled by the powers of a crazy doctor, who orders him to kill innocent victims. In Nosferatu, a young man named Thomas Harker is sent to sell property to Count Dracula, a vampire who comes to haunt his life and town after becoming obsessed with Hutter’s wife, Nina. Though while these films share some key components in common, no one could ever call the two films the same. Robert Wiene’s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is defined by the films stage-like quality, due mostly to the unique set it is shot on. An example of German Expressionism, the director creates a world of stark lines, sharp angles, darkness, and shadows bringing the viewer into a surreal world. Unnaturally angled houses line crooked cobblestone roads. Misshapen rooms contain demented furniture. Rooftops are acutely angled to the sides. It is radically warped scenery, and helps create a genuine expressionist set. F. W Murnau’s Nosferatu, however, is shot in real world environments, but employs shadows to make small rooms appear larger then life, adding suspense and a feel of supernaturalism to the movie. The Count’s castle perhaps best conveys the expressionistic form, with its gothic architecture and abundance of shadow. Or, better still, the Count himself embodies the expressionist form, with his exaggerated features. His ears, chin and teeth are all pointed, and his stature is unique, hunched and very thin of frame. His eyes, much like Wiene’s Cesare, are darkly shaded, and his nails are long giving him a distinctly monster like quality. Both films successfully impress a dark mood by exaggerating the film’s dark aesthetic, drawing viewers into the mindscape of German Expressionism. The films also share in common a sleepwalking theme, and perhaps it was just Murnau paying homage to Wiene’s Caligari. Partway through Nosferatu, Harker’s wife Nina is described as being in a sleepwalking trance, specifically calling it â€Å"somnambulistic†. In fact, the character Nina looks surprisingly similar to how the character Jane looks in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. I don’t believe it is too extreme to suggest that perhaps Marnau played off certain motifs created by Wiene in wanting to create a horror film. However, Marnau’s depiction of Count Dracula is unsettling to this day, and many still believe that it remains the most terrifying portrayal of the character ever on film, perhaps only second to the iconic Dracula played by Bela Lugosi. Murnau certainly created his own sort of horror, so it could not be suggested Nosferatu is unoriginal. The use of shadows, especially when it comes to scenes involving the Count, create a horrifying imagine on the screen. While having never seen Nosferatu before deciding to write this paper, I immediately recognized a scene towards the end of the film, when the Count ascended a staircase to Nina’s room. Perhaps one of the most iconic scenes of early horror films, you see the shadow of the Count as he makes his climb up the staircase, hunched form, long fingernails, offsetting movement and all. It is his shadow you see climbing the steps, never his actual form, which may possibly hint at a metaphor. The German Expressionist movement was born out of the anguish following the Great War and before the birth of Hilter’s Germany. Perhaps, as suggested by James Franklin in â€Å"The Shadow in Early German Cinema†, shadows acted as a sort of â€Å"visual metaphor for evil or for the dark and threatening forces that allegedly lurked in the pre-Hitler German psyche or soul† . Both films use music to add suspense to the plot, however each film approaches it’s use in separate ways. Caligari is distinctively jazzy in nature, where as Nosferatu is more classical. Both films, however, create music that mirrors and changes with the action on the screen. In Nosferatu, music creates a terrifying feel to the movie, shaping the most horrific scenes remembered from the film. There are several instances throughout the film where silence is broken by a quite sound, almost like a heartbeat in the background, yet more off putting. While I am in no position to argue which film is the better, both have come to be the best examples of horror films to come out of this time period. Classic examples of German Expressionism at work, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Nosferatu play with the presence of shadow, the distortion of nature, and the imaginations of audiences, even today.

Gender Issue and the Feminist Movement

Gender Issue and the Feminist Movement Gender issue has been a sensitive matter in the society since the period of feminism movements. Consequently, it has become a fundamental field of study for scholars interested in gender studies. Today many scholars discuss the issue of gender and its causes while the other scholars study the manifestations of gender at workplaces, homes and in society at large.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Gender Issue and the Feminist Movement specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More That is why the story about a â€Å"genderless† baby Storm from Toronto has attracted the audience’s attention and was widely discussed by scholars and by the public. Is it possible to determine a sex, but not a gender? Changes and developments in society have given new perspectives to gender studies. Gender should not be considered as a biological phenomenon like sex because it is the achieved status. Nowadays social scientists focus the ir studies on both relationships among people and individuals in order to know the various parts of gender divisions and social systems that result in different gender orientation of individuals in society. People achieve the status of gender through cultural, sociological, and psychological means (Risman, 2004). Storm’s parents insist on his or her right to decide what gender principles to follow or not as well. Fox notes that social scientists have not paid much attention to the area of parenthood despite the fact that it is a significant field for understanding gender differences and inequality (Fox, 2001). Gender roles are plays the main role in families. Moreover, the nature of motherhood in the society puts high responsibility on women. Fox also emphasizes that motherhood is the most gender-imposing activity in the lives of women. Nevertheless, the peculiarities of the relations between heterosexual parents and the division of their roles in families can influence great ly the child’s perception of the gender roles in the future (Fox, 2001). That is why it is rather difficult to prevent Storm from becoming interested in gender roles because it is one of the most important social effects which Messner described in his work with paying attention to children’s games with gender orientation (Messner, 2000). West and Zimmerman discuss the gender issue from a perspective of usual patterns fixed in people’s everyday relations (West Zimmerman, 1987). The authors set to differentiate between sex and gender in order to understand both perspectives accurately. The scholars studied such factors as the division of labor, social subordination of women, and formation of gender identity. They noted that people begin to acquire gender status starting from the age of five years.Advertising Looking for term paper on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Their study led them to conclude that gender is routine, methodological and recurring accomplishment. Thus, we can emphasize that Storm cannot avoid determining his or her gender in our society. West and Zimmerman state that â€Å"gender is unavoidable because of the social consequences of sex-category membership† (West Zimmerman, 1987, p. 145). Therefore, if a child has a definite sex, he will be perceived in society as having a definite gender. In his turn, Joan Acker notes with references to labor and organizational hierarchy that, though feminist scholars know that hierarchical organizations are male dominated, they can be gender neutral (Acker, 1990). Ackers article Hierarchies, Jobs, Bodies: A Theory of Gendered Organization refutes these claims by feminist writers. In fact, Acker affirms that organizations are not neutral in terms of gender orientations, but instead images of mens bodies and masculinity dominate organizations processes (Acker, 1990). This only serves to marginalize w omen. In addition, men’s occupations of higher positions enhance the maintenance and promotion of gender separations at workplaces. That is why Storm is at risk to be not admitted in society in which all the roles of dominance and substitution depend on the gender hierarchy. The discussion of the question of gender has a long history. Paula England looks at some of the gender revolutions that have occurred since 1960’s (England, 2010). England highlights changes that have taken place and why gender achievements are not even. She notes that women chores have undergone some minimal changes. Consequently, women have had chances to enter into male jobs in the organizations. Nevertheless, men have no interest in entering female jobs or activities (Norman, 2011). It is the reflections of femininity and masculinity in society. As women continued to acquire status in society, some of them began to resist male dominance and imposed roles on them. It is the fact that a womanâ₠¬â„¢s body is her key weapon. That explains why feminists and social scientists like Rose Weitz can use, for instance, hair as a source of resistance and at the same time accommodation to gender issues (Weitz, 2001). Weitz notes that the body is particularly fundamental for power struggle between men and women. Men have always justified their dominance over women by claiming that women have inferior bodies and brains. In turn, this has created a unique set of activities that have created a submissive, feminine body. However, women are aware of society and cultural expectations regarding their bodies and minds. Women have realized that they can consciously seek power by accommodating or resisting cultural, and society expectations imposed on them. Occasionally, women may combine both approaches in order to get power (Weitz, 2001). Storm’s parents have declared that there are few people who know the sex of this child.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Gender Issue and the Feminist Movement specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More They have decided to complete this ‘social experiment’ because they do not what their child to suffer from any cultural and social expectations which can be imposed on him or her. Nevertheless, their child has the body which is of man or a woman. That is why all the expectations can be imposed because of the social tradition to divide people into men and women not due to their sex, but gender. In relations to the body issues, Willis, Miller and Wyn note that a theory gendered embodiment can explain the differences between men and women (Willis, Miller, Wyn, 2001). The authors argue that social construction of masculine and feminine as social practices creates a male who is more able to survive than his female counterpart. The authors established this through studying men’s and women’s attitude towards death, career, body image and meaning i n life. The authors concluded that differences in attitudes between men and women were due to social organization of society particularly in the gender division. Ridgeway and Correll maintain that hegemonic cultural beliefs about gender are too strong in our society (Ridgeway Correll, 2004). These values and their impacts are what the authors refer to as social and relational ones. According to them, social and relational aspects are among the key components that influence the gender system. The authors take into account the cultural beliefs that have become embedded to include parts of gender relations. At the same time, they look into issues of bias and performance, and their effects on the individual’s lives. Therefore, Storm cannot grow as a person without paying attention to these cultural beliefs. Ridgeway and Correll analysis of the role of social and relational contexts reveals that it affects the differences and inequality, including race and class (Ridgeway Correl l, 2004). However, they tie these roles to gender system in society. The idea of gender relation once again features in this article by Correll and Ridgeway as expressed by Fox. However, these authors note gender is the part of everyone. However, they argue that gender is significant to the extent of defining social relational among individuals. Therefore, social, relational contexts influence gender systems. Feminist scholars approach gender matters from different perspectives, but they all revolve around the issue of male dominance over their female counterparts. The gender revolution of 1960s has enhanced the status of women in society. However, women movements have not achieved much. This is because gender systems and relations in society have deep connections with the cultural beliefs. This uneven success has led feminists to derive several ideas in attempts to explain what influence the progress of women.Advertising Looking for term paper on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Some scholars note that society imposes gender systems on people at an early age, which makes the gender relations embedded in this society. That is why it is a very difficult task for the parents to bring Storm up without references to a social gender. Today our society which is based on the division of definite gender roles is not ready to admit such an idea. Even when such a strict division can be rejected, it has an impact on society. References Acker, J. (1990). Hierarchies, jobs, bodies: Theory of gendered organizations. Gender Society, 18(4), 139-156. England, P. (2010). The gender revolution: Uneven and stalled. Gender Society, 24, 149-166. Fox, B. (2001). The formative years: How parenthood creates gender. CRSN/RCSA, 38(4), 374-390. Messner, M. A. (2000). Barbie girls versus sea monsters: Children constructing gender. Gender Society, 14, 765-785. Norman, M. E. (2011). Embodying the double-bind of masculinity: Young men and discourses of normalcy, health, heterosexuality, and individualism. Ridgeway, C. L., Correll, S. J. (2004). Unpacking the gender system: A theoretical perspective on gender beliefs and social relations. Gender and Society, 18(4), 510-531. Risman, B. J. (2004). Gender as social structure: Theory wrestling with activism. Sociologists for Women in Society, 18(4), 429-450. Weitz, R. (2001). Women and their hair: Seeking power through resistance and accommodation. Gender and Society, 15(5), 667-686. West, C., Zimmerman, D. H. (1987). Doing Gender. Gender Society, 1, 125-151. Willis, E., Miller, R., Wyn, J. (2001). Gendered embodiment and survival for young people with cystic fibrosis. Social Science Medicine, 53, 1163-1174.

How to Define Project Success

How to Define Project Success Introduction Projects pose new opportunities and new challenges that are defined by their peculiarities. Projects as a phenomenon could be described by the following words: â€Å"limited, temporary, innovative, unique, and multidisciplinary† (Ika, 2009, p. 6). It is not surprising that a whole branch of management is nowadays devoted to this phenomenon. One of the related aspects that remain unsolved is that of project success and its assessment.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How to Define Project Success? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More At the dawn of the project management, it was common to define the success with the help of the â€Å"iron triangle† which consists of time, quality, and costs. However, as the scientific and empirical material accumulated, it became evident that these three characteristics, important as they may be, are not enough, and the perspectives from which a project can be as sessed are extremely numerous (Ika, 2009). Apart from that, some factors of project success can be described as â€Å"implicit†, vague (such as, for example, customer’s satisfaction), and they are particularly difficult to assess (Ika, 2009). As a result, the question of defining projects success remains open. According to Welch-Devine (2012), one of the main problems that prevent scientists from creating valid guidelines for project evaluation is the absence of a clear, consistent definition of success in general. The author proceeds to point out that most works attempting to define success remain vague. Ika (2009) describes similar difficulties and, in fact, proceeds to explain the reasons due to which success as a notion is so challenging to define. At the same time, this problem does not appear to prevent researchers from attempting to suggest frameworks of project success assessment. In fact, recognizing the opinion that the notion of projects success leaves room for interpretation seems to be beneficial for studies: it encourages researchers to take into account a bigger scope of situations. The position of Welch-Devine (2012) is understandable since the vagueness of terms is not appreciated by science, and project success could certainly be defined as a term. However, it should be admitted that the multidimensional, complex nature of the notion makes it especially difficult to provide a valid definition of success (Ika, 2009). At the same time, defining success for particular projects seems to be a more manageable task. Definitely, the results of any project need to be studied from numerous points of view, but the scope of issues that is embraced by the general notion of success is much more extensive and much less assessable. It could be therefore concluded that defining the process of project success measurement may turn out to be more manageable and important than defining the notion of project success in general.Advertising Loo king for essay on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Points to Be Criticized According to Ika (2009), it is not uncommon for project management researchers to assume that the meaning of the notion of success is obvious (p. 6). This means that the problem of its definition is simply ignored. Alternatively, it may be solved by bringing in the notion of failure, which appears to be just as vague and relative as that of success (Ika, 2009). At the same time, it should be pointed out that in the context of project management both the ideas of success and failure are not always sufficient to describe the projects outcome. This happens due to the fact that the success of a project should be regarded from different perspectives (Ika, 2009). The examples for this point of view will be provided further in the paper. Therefore, it is useless to deny that the notion of success is not defined and stays vague the time being. It is also understandable that vagueness is not scientifically appreciated. However, it should also be pointed out that the notion of success is not the only vague term that is used in scientific studies. The attempts at defining the concept are definitely worth attention. At the same time, the attempts at creating a framework for the assessment of the success of particular project can turn out to be just as useful, especially right now, when the general phenomenon is not completely defined. To prove that the studies of the process of project success assessment are just as challenging and important as those of the generalized notion of success, we are going to dwell on the relativity of the issue and the interrelation of the concepts of success and failure. Project Success Definition While the generalized notion of success is indeed extremely broad, the assessment of every project success cannot be limited to the iron triangle as well. Instead, it is a complicated issue that requires extensive research. The Relativity of Failure and Success One of the factors that complicate the process of defining any projects success is the fact that it should be regarded from different perspectives. It is obvious that the various groups of stakeholders have different aims, and the research by Davis (2014) provides a consistent illustration to this fact. According to this research, a project manager is first and foremost interested in the costs of the project, and only then in the quality, while it is of primary concern for the customer. Apart from that, according to the study, the levels of quality which can satisfy the managers do not necessary coincide with those expected by the customer. Besides, while the mentioned factors are the most important for the selected groups of stakeholders, they are not the only ones that matter.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on How to Define Project Success? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example, recent studies have underlined the importance of social and ecological outcomes which corresponds to the modern environmentalist trends and should be respected by a responsible company (Welch-Devine, 2012).  Apart from that, it could be useful to mention the difference between project management success and that of the project itself. Definitely, the two notions are interrelated, but the success of either does not immediately depend on or trigger the success of the other one (Bryde, 2003).  Still, the success of project management is, in my opinion, one of the components of the overall projects success that needs to be taken into account.  In order to provide the examples for this paper, Toyota Camry project is going to be described. Even though in 2008 Toyota officially left General Motors behind, becoming the largest car company in the world, that very year the company recalled more than 4 million vehicles. In 2010, another 2.3 million c ars were recalled, and the company admitted being in a crisis caused by the poor quality of its products (Andrews, Simon, Tian, Zhao, 2011). Technically, this crisis was caused by the mismanagement of a number of failed projects, for example, that of Toyota Camry, one of the models that were massively recalled because of acceleration problems. The first reports about these problems appeared in 1999, but the company denied being responsible for it. From the point of view of managers, at the time the project was a success: it was successfully carried out in accordance with the new cost-saving program (due to which the quality of the constituents was not exactly satisfying) and was being sold, bringing profit to the company (Andrews et al., 2011). However, such a project assessment was valid only in the short-time perspective.  From the point of view of the customers, a car with accelerating problems is a failure. Moreover, given the dangers connected to this particular kind of diff iculties, it is evident that the trust of the customers was reducing, and the reputation of the company was getting damaged. Later, Toyota further decreased customers satisfaction through a remarkably incompetent crisis management strategy. It appears, that the company refused to realize that while the success of a project can be assessed from the point of view of its management, other stages of a products life must also be taken into account. The Interrelation of Failure and Success While some of the aspects of the interrelation of failure and success have been mentioned in the previous section, there is more to be said in this respect.Advertising Looking for essay on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The big picture. Taking into account the big picture does not presuppose an unjustified broadening of the studies limits. It is obvious that the contribution of the project to the companys development is an important part of its success. The problem of Camry car project was neglected by Toyota for more than seven years mostly due to the fact that the companys success made its managers overly optimistic (Andrews et al., 2011). The company is still recovering from the damage dealt to its reputation, partially because it failed to assess the level of successfulness of their products and compare the worrisome tendency to the big picture in a proper way. A consolation prize: learning the lesson. Still, as we know, Toyota Camry has not disappeared from the market, and nor did other projects that proved to be unsuccessful from the point of view of the 2007 recall. Having learned its mistakes, Toyota pays more attention to the quality of its products and to the customers satisfaction. It ca n be proved by the fact that last year Toyota recalled more than 6.5 m cars worldwide (Rankin, 2014, para. 2). Even though this does not sound like success, it should be pointed out that the vehicles were recalled because of the problems that have been detected by the company but that had not led to any kind of trouble. To compare, General Motors also has to recall a number of cars, but this companys negligence has allegedly caused 13 deaths (Rankin, 2014, para. 14). Toyota has obviously learned the lessons of its failures and implements the new knowledge for new projects. It should be pointed out that the analysis of a project success is particularly important from the point of view of gaining experience. Scientific Guidelines All the information presented above proves the fact that the notion of project success is an extremely relative and complex issue. At the same time, it does not mean that a projects success cannot be measured. Quite the oppose: a projects success can and shou ld be measured; it is the notion of success as a whole that does not necessarily require a static definition in the context of a particular case study. Such an approach could cause difficulties and vagueness which is never appreciated in the scientific circles. However, it does not prevent researchers from finding generalized and universal frameworks for project success. For example, Todorović, Petrović, Mihić, Obradović, and Bushuyev (2015) suggest a framework that instructs a manager to take into account the key performance indicators that â€Å"represent a set of measurable data used for evaluating and measuring performances in implementation phase† (p. 774). While the authors do provide the examples of such factors, they do not attempt to enumerate them or to define the level of success for them. The resulting framework is not vague; it is schematic indeed, but it offers a structure of assessment for almost any kind of project. Being very flexible, it prov ides guidelines without constricting the researcher and encourages open-minded thinking. Conclusion Upon criticizing certain tendencies in project success assessment, the following points have been presented in this paper.  While the attempts at defining the notion of success have been made throughout the past decades, it appears that this problem has not been solved yet. Technically, the dichotomy of failure and success may be not a suitable framework for the assessment of a projects results. The assessment of every projects success is a complex process that is supposed to incorporate the investigation of its results perceived from numerous perspectives.  This does not mean that the success of a project cannot or should not be assessed. Quite the opposite: a consistent analysis of a projects success can provide the company with invaluable experience. It is obvious that if an existing framework is suitable for any particular case analysis, it should be used. Still, an analysis m ust not be limited to the usual guidelines. In case a company desires to learn and develop, its managers need to be open-minded about everything, including the assessment of project successfulness. References Andrews, A., Simon, J., Tian, F., Zhao, J. (2011). The Toyota Crisis: an Economic, Operational and Strategic Analysis of the Massive Recall. Management Research Review, 34(10), 1064-1077. doi:10.1108/01409171111171474 Bryde, D. (2003). Modelling Project Management Performance. International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management, 20(2), 229-254. doi:10.1108/02656710310456635 Davis, K. (2014). Different Stakeholder Groups and Their Perceptions of Project Success. International Journal of Project Management, 32(2), 189-201. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2013.02.006 Ika, L. (2009). Project Success as a Topic in Project Management Journals. Project Management Journal, 40(4), 6-19. doi:10.1002/pmj.20137 Rankin, J. (2014, April 9). Toyota Recalls More Than 6.5m Cars over Steering an d Seat Problems. The Guardian. Web. Todorović, M., Petrović, D., Mihić, M., Obradović, V., Bushuyev, S. (2015). Project Success Analysis Framework: a Knowledge-Based Approach in Project Management. International Journal of Project Management, 33(4), 772-783. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2014.10.009 Welch-Devine, M. (2012). Searching for Success: Defining Success in Co-Management. Human Organization, 71(4), 358-370. doi:10.17730/humo.71.4.y048347510304870

Example Sentences of the Verb Cut

Example Sentences of the Verb Cut You can cut your steak or you can cut through paper, but can you correctly use the irregular verb cut for each tense? This page provides example sentences of the verb cut in all tenses including active and passive forms, as well as conditional and modal forms. Test your understanding with the quiz at the end! All Tenses of Cut Base Form cut / Past Simple cut / Past Participle cut / Gerund cutting Present Simple I cut paper with those scissors. Present Simple Passive Paper is cut by John. Present Continuous He is cutting the figures out now. Present Continuous Passive The figures are being cut out now. Present Perfect Jack has cut out fifteen figures. Present Perfect Passive Fifteen figures have been cut out by John. Present Perfect Continuous I have been cutting out figures for the past twenty minutes. Past Simple He cut out twenty figures yesterday. Past Simple Passive Twenty figures were cut out yesterday. Past Continuous He was cutting the paper when she came into the room. Past Continuous Passive The paper was being cut when she came into the room. Past Perfect Jane had cut out the figures before they began the work on pasting. Past Perfect Passive The figures had been cut out before they began the work on pasting. Past Perfect Continuous They had been cutting out figures for two hours before they began the difficult work. Future (will) She will cut those out. Dont worry. Future (will) passive Those figures will be cut out by Jack. Future (going to) Jack is going to cut those figures out. Future (going to) passive Those figures are going to be cut out by Jack. Future Continuous We will be cutting figures out at two tomorrow afternoon. Future Perfect Jack will have cut out all the figures by the time we begin. Future Possibility Jennifer might cut class tomorrow. Real Conditional If she cuts class, the teacher will be angry. Unreal Conditional If she cut class, the teacher would be angry. Past Unreal Conditional If she had cut class, the teacher would have been angry. Present Modal You must cut these out before you begin. Past Modal Jack might have cut out those figures. Quiz: Conjugate With Cut Use the verb to cut to conjugate the following sentences. Quiz answers are below. In some cases, more than one answer may be correct. Fifteen figures _____ out by John.I _____ paper with those scissors.Jane _____ out the figures before they began the work on pasting.She ____ those out. Dont worry.He ____ out twenty figures yesterday.Jack will _____ out all the figures by the time we begin.If she _____ class, the teacher will be angry.The figures _____ out before they began the work on pasting.Paper _____ by John in our company.Jennifer _____ class tomorrow. You never know. Quiz Answers have been cutcuthad cutwill cutcuthave cutcutshad been cutis cutmight cut

Outline the psychometric approach to recruitment and selection. In Essay

Outline the psychometric approach to recruitment and selection. In what ways has this been challenged - Essay Example This paper gives an overview and description of the recruitment and selection process along with a description of the psychometric approach, its benefits and challenges. Main Body Recruitment and Selection Hiring a competent workforce has become quintessential in the midst of uncertainty in external environment, particularly changing customer expectations. Because of this, psychosocial considerations, which includes differences regarding the abilities, motivations, personality and emotions of individuals, are being taken into account while finding the correct fit for the organisation. Torrington, Hall & Taylor (2007) define recruitment as being either internal ( that is hiring of people from within the organisation ) or external (which involves advertising, approaching recruitment agencies, developing corporate websites that accept applications, using newspapers and trade press and various other methods). Furthermore, Newell defines recruitment as being a process that attracts people who possess the attributes that are necessary to perform the job (Newell 2005). Generally, promotion, retirement, transfer, redundancy and technological or customer changes drive the recruitment process (Watson 1994). While recruitment generates the pool of capable applicants that may apply to the organisation, selection involves determining the â€Å"right piece that fits correctly in the jigsaw puzzle†. Herriot (1984) defines the selection process as a social exchange whereby mutual exchange of information takes place between the company and its candidates. Organisations are, therefore, required to shape their expectations depending on the candidate’s personal experience rather than the other way round (Herriot 1984). Selection methods have further been defined as consisting of application forms, interviews as well as tests of which psychometric tests are a part. Traditionally, the recruitment process would be a three-step process involving the development of job de scription, job analysis and finally job specification (Torrington, Hall & Taylor, 2007). The last stage would require determining the human attributes that are necessary to perform the job (Marchington & Wilkinson 2000). Frameworks such as the Seven-Point Plan developed by Roger and the fivefold system of grading laid down by Munro-Fraser comprised of assessing the individual’s impact on others along with his/her qualifications, abilities, motivation and emotional strength (Taylor 2000). Both these models increasingly relied on human judgment which could be highly subjective and prone to bias. This led to the development of a competency-based approach to recruitment whereby the focus shifted on individual qualities to competencies required on the job (Newell 2005) (Redman & Wilkinson 2009). Furthermore, it was realised that traditional approaches assumed fixed personalities which was a self-defeating assumption as far as the candidate’s fit with the organisation was co ncerned. This led to the shift towards the psychometric approach whereby individual differences were recognised. The term psychometrics is merely an abbreviated version of â€Å"psychological measurement†. In other words, it attempts to measure psychological traits of individuals such as their intelligence, attitudes, personality and attributes. According to a research conducted by CIPD, approximately 45% of

Women as Spies in the Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Women as Spies in the Civil War - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that although the role of espionage has been admitted to be a very important factor through the entire course of the American Civil War in most historical records, it has been denied the deserving respect in terms of detailed narratives elaborating upon the actual significance of the roles played by spies. This holds true even more in case of women who served as undercover agents.   The author has rightly presented that this unavailability of detailed mention in records results primarily from the nature of the job itself. Often, records would be destroyed to protect the identities of the agents by themselves or by other officials. So, the historian addressing this issue would have to seek out often intentionally obscured and carefully camouflaged tracks by the agents themselves, officials of both the governments and last but not the least, time. The paper tells that proper chronicling of Civil War intelligence activities is thus a strenuo us challenge due to the absence of records, the absence of access to records, and also the dubiousness of the available records. The confederacy’s state secretary, Judah P. Benjamin burned all records related to intelligence activities that he could find when the news of the Federal troops entering Richmond came. On the other hand, till 1953, Intelligence records belonging to the Union were kept sealed in the National archives.

Performance pay at Safelite Auto Glass Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Performance pay at Safelite Auto Glass - Essay Example The proposed PPP (Performance Pay Plan) plan introduced at Safelite was initiated with the objective of increasing productivity in installation of glass units Problem arrived when it was observed that productivity in the company has become significantly low. Workers were capable of installing more but their output was not up to the mark. PPP was introduced as it can motivate workers, enhance productivity and permit the employer to differentiate among the payments to his employees. PP Plan is assumed to be an effective plan for enhancing organizational climate which was not in line with the policies of Safelite. The organizational climate determines several features of a company inclusive of responsibility, rewards, standards, flexibility, team commitment and clarity. Problems encountered in the company, are related to lower productivity and the subsequent lower sales volume. The proposed PPP is estimated to boost up the company’s morale, sales and also build long lasting relat ionship between the company and employees, partners and customers. Thus, the plan can be measured to be addressing the productivity problems encountered in the company. As evident form the case, due to implementation of PP Plan, conflict may result in between employees and managers because employees would seek for maximizing their output while managers might pay more attention towards deterioration of quality levels. Employees might pose resistance in introducing new technologies as they might feel that the new technology would have an impact on the standards of production. There might even be reduced willingness of suggesting new methods of production on the part of the employees. There can be increased complaints from the employees that machines and equipments are not properly maintained and that might arrive as a form of excuse. Experienced workers might be reluctant in helping new employees as they will have to keep high focus on their personal level of performances. All these c onsequences can lead to eminent mistrust between management and workers. Assurance of maintaining equipments all the time will be required. This might lead to increased maintenance cost for the operational department and in turn would definitely have an impact on the financial performance of the company. Solution 2 Pros and Cons of Switching from Wage-Rate to Piece-Rate Pay and Evaluation of Safelite Workers There are several advantages of piece rate system of payment that will be enjoyed by Safelite through the step that it has taken for switching from wage-rate to piece-rate system. The first advantage of piece rate system is that it encourages the efficient workers. The workers who are inclined towards working efficiently are motivated to enhance their level of performance and thus results in greater output volume for the company in turn. Through the switching decision, Safelite will be able to reduce idle time which had been an immense problem in its operation. The adopted syste m would provide incentives to workers for adopting improved method of production that will result in their improved earning as well. Safelite would be now able to determine the appropriate cost of labor per unit for submission of quotation. This system would even reduce the production cost per unit due to increased production volume. Another cost will also be reduced through this system which is supervision cost. The advantages are achievable but the switching can also result in certain disadvantages for the company. Review of the past records suggest that piece rate system is not helpful in production of quality outputs as the workers are more concerned about quantity

Why do Economies Grow Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why do Economies Grow - Essay Example Here, the capital essentially includes all production tools. More work was done by other researchers after Solow to expand his mathematical model, as a result of which, certain other factors were also found to be the driving factors of a nation’s economy. Such factors include but are not limited to human capital and land. The validity of information generated by Solow can be estimated from the fact that he was awarded â€Å"the 1987 Nobel Prize in economics† (Hardesty, 2011). Technology plays an important role in boosting the economy of a country. The following chart shows how the listed countries’ economy grew from 1973 till 2007: Economic growth in different countries from 1973 to 2007 (Kenworthy, 2011). It can be seen in the chart above that certain countries showed a greater growth of economy as compared to others in the mentioned duration. â€Å"One reason is â€Å"catch-up†: partly because they could borrow technology from the leaders, countries tha t began with a lower per capita GDP tended to grow more rapidly† (Kenworthy, 2011). Sustainability of economic growth depends on several factors like the property market, mortgage trends and interest rates etc.

E-commerce Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

E-commerce - Assignment Example 7. The former employee was the founder of the company’s email e-mail server, who arranged to have all the e-mails to the president of the company forwarded directly to him before his departure from this company. 8. In spite of being destroyed by fire, the accountant was succeeded to maintain his business because he had made electronic backup and put this in another off site file cabinet with other important files. He also arranged another accountant to hold copies of each other. 11. The unsuspecting victims often opt to pay to the extorter, otherwise the company’s computer system will be attacked by the extorter and sensitive file or child pornography will be spread out into the system by them. 12. To avoid the extortion, data access should limit to the specific person who got the proper permission to access. Additionally, proper investigation should conduct and any type of extortion should be reported. 13. The woman was prosecuted because she made numerous purchases, more than 50,000 dollars; by opening several unauthorized accounts through stealing customers account information from the company’s computer. 15. The consultants found in the Albany NY law firm in addition to a variety of vulnerability that the update had not been applied to the server, anti-virus had not been updated and license had expired. 16. In spite of not having enemy of small companies, they are being targeted by cyber attack day by day. This is because small companies are growing rapidly and having tremendous impact on business in today’s

Why do Economies Grow Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Why do Economies Grow - Essay Example Here, the capital essentially includes all production tools. More work was done by other researchers after Solow to expand his mathematical model, as a result of which, certain other factors were also found to be the driving factors of a nation’s economy. Such factors include but are not limited to human capital and land. The validity of information generated by Solow can be estimated from the fact that he was awarded â€Å"the 1987 Nobel Prize in economics† (Hardesty, 2011). Technology plays an important role in boosting the economy of a country. The following chart shows how the listed countries’ economy grew from 1973 till 2007: Economic growth in different countries from 1973 to 2007 (Kenworthy, 2011). It can be seen in the chart above that certain countries showed a greater growth of economy as compared to others in the mentioned duration. â€Å"One reason is â€Å"catch-up†: partly because they could borrow technology from the leaders, countries tha t began with a lower per capita GDP tended to grow more rapidly† (Kenworthy, 2011). Sustainability of economic growth depends on several factors like the property market, mortgage trends and interest rates etc.

Motivational strategy to an existing lesson plan Research Paper

Motivational strategy to an existing lesson plan - Research Paper Example Therefore, for learning to be effective, teachers do requires strategies and should frequently modify them while also adding new ones to the existing strategies. Hence, the purpose of this document is to examine the effect of new instructional and motivational strategy to an existing lesson plan on human brain.Lesson Plan: Effect of new instructional and motivational strategy to an existing lesson plan on human brain.Lesson 1: The BrainTeaching time: 1 hourTopic outline Teaching and Homework activities Teaching Strategies Points to not Learning objectives: To state the function of the cerebral cortex.To discuss ways scientists can map different brain’s regions to particular functions. Opportunity for practical work: carry brain models to class and let students explore the brain.  Ã‚  Notably, the brain models have a lot of information thus the teacher should help students to find areas of the brain that control specific functions.  Summarise at the end of lesson that stude nts only need to note that the cerebral cortex is a brain part that is mostly concerned with memory, intelligence, language and consciousness.Assignment: students to discuss different techniques that can be used to map functions of a brain’s different areas. Instructional strategyAfter Learning: Summarizing and note takingMotivational StrategyAfter Learning: Intrinsic motivation strategy Specification points: Students should recall that cerebral cortex is a part of our brain that is mainly concerned with memory and consciousness.

Domestic Contract on International Laws and Customs Essay Example for Free

Domestic Contract on International Laws and Customs Essay Addressing International Legal and Ethical Issues Simulation Summary In January 2007, CadMex developed a technique for the quick manufacture of some medical agent. Gentura also developed a technique called ProPrez, which is an anti-diabetic agent. Gentura is located in Candore, which is a dictatorship. CadMex decided to go into business with Gentura that would give them global marketing right to ProPez. The contract needs to have measures in place to protect CadMex interest concerning property rights and potential dispute. There are issues that are involved in resolving legal actions against a foreign business. One issue that is involved is the legal system. When dealing with a case, they may want to finish the case quickly rather than handling it with quality. Doing so may lead to evidence not being analyzed. Another issue may be the different laws between the two countries. Not having any written documents may also be another issue if contracts are done over the phone. Some practical considerations of taking legal action against a foreign business based in another country are whether they have patent law and trademark laws. Factors that could work against CadMex decision to grant sublicensing agreements would be the lack of patent rights and the fact that they did not go through the proper court process in Candore. When local customs and laws conflict with customs and laws of an organization, operating abroad the local law and customs should prevail because that is where the contract was based. The host country should have manufactures rights. For example if the United States and China goes into a contract in regards to Chinese traditional attire and there is a dispute, the Chinese should win because it is a part of their tradition and the United States assumed the risk. The issues in the simulation compares to the issues discussed in week one in terms of law, ethics, and different ways to dispute, as well as litigations. Companies should resolve domestic and international issues differently by honoring domestic and international laws and customs. Before entering into contracts both parties must agree to all the terms and ensure that the country’s legal system support those terms. Domestic contracts should be written and be on an individual basis. International contracts need to be translated if necessary and should include patent laws where possible. References Contemporary Business Law 1. (2011). Retrieved from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu//aapd/vendors/tata/UBAMSims/business_law1/intl_legal_etical/business_law1_intl_legal_ethical_frame.html Melvin, S. P. (2011). The legal environment of business: A managerial approach: Theory to practice. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Quality Systems Of Tesco Plc And Waitrose Marketing Essay

Quality Systems Of Tesco Plc And Waitrose Marketing Essay Operations management encompasses all activities in an organisation that transform its inputs into desired outputs. Operation Managements activities consist of planning, designing, implementing and controlling the firms operation through an efficient and effective use of its resources to produce and deliver goods and services so as to satisfy its customers needs (Slack, Chambers, Johnston, 2004). Quality is very important in the mind of the customer because it influences the choice in purchasing that product. A quality product is one which satisfies customer demand completely and which is done right the first time itself. The quality of a product can be classified in two categories, which is firstly the design quality and secondly the performance quality of a product. Design quality involves the purpose of a good or facility. A shopper usually classifies the quality of a product through its look, process and dependability. Furthermore, performance quality involves the extent to which products and services correspond to the plan of the design. Quality management is essential to effective operations management, particularly continuous management. More recent advancements in quality, such as benchmarking and Total Quality Management, have resulted in advancements to operations management as well. Quality management ensures that there is quality in a products and services. Although there are different approaches to solve quality issues, all the goal are the same which is to create a high quality, high performing product or services which is in conformity with customers expectations. Quality management is very important in companies for various reasons. It ensures product quality in the sense that product can be produced as per stated promise, which is durability, performance and reliability. Customer satisfaction where surveys can be conducted to understand the qualities customers want from the product, as well as how it can be improved. Increased revenues as quality products and services give the company a spotless reputation in the industry and this can lead to new customers and also selling additional products and services to existing customers. Moreover unnecessary processes can be eliminated and the employee can do the same job in less time thus decreasing the additional salary paid him. Quality management also helps to reduce wastage as companies that house inventory has to incur the holding costs and also tracking of the inventory which ultimately will be included in the price. Therefore, to keep inventory at a low level without incurring any waste, manuf acturers can work closely with suppliers using a Just-In-Time philosophy and thus becoming more responsive to customers. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research methodology is a system of collecting data for a research project which provide critical insight into the subject matter of the research. The basis upon which the research approach is selected depends upon the requirement of the research topic and its main objectives. (Fraenkel and Wallen. 1993). According to Saunders et al the two main types of research approaches are quantitative and qualitative research. For the purpose of collecting data on the quality aspect of the operational management, the researcher has adopted both qualitative and quantitative approach. Primary data was obtained from Tesco branch of Thornton Heath which was selected for this purpose and was compared with the Waitrose branch of Croydon. Research techniques such as face to face interviews using open ended questions with the store managers of both supermarkets were used. In addition observation of the processes across various branches of Tesco and Waitrose was done for a period of two weeks. These two particular research techniques were chosen because it enables the researcher to get more detail and additional information which could not have been obtained otherwise if another research methodology for example questionnaire was used. Moreover it enables the researcher to have an insight in the quality problems existing in the operation management. The information obtained during the interviews and through physical observation is used to generalise the quality system and philosophies adopted across all branches as Tesco and Waitrose because as a franchisee these supermar kets are much known for standardisation across all their levels of area of business. Secondary data is another method of obtaining data which is readily available at relatively no cost from sources such as the company website, books, and academic journals at relatively no cost. Some of the limitations of the research techniques used for this research were that the store managers refused to answer some of the questions. HISTORY OF BUSINESS TESCO Supermarkets giant Tesco was founded in 1919 after the First World War by Jack Cohen when he started selling surplus groceries from a stall in the East London and made  £1 profit from  £4 sales. Tesco got its name from the initials of TE Stockwell where he was a partner in the firm of tea suppliers and CO from his surname. He managed to cope with adverse economic conditions and subsequently with rapid changing technology, increasingly sophisticated consumers and competitions. The first official store was opened in 1929 and the company kept flourishing throughout the twentieth century. In 1992 the company launched its slogan ; every little helps, followed by Tesco value in 1993 and in 1995 it overtook Sainsburys and became the UKs largest food retailer. . It managed to become the first British trader with a companys loyalty card when the Tesco Clubcard was introduced, and has also developed many innovative products and services to make more profit. Today, Tesco has 2482 stores in the U.K and 2329 stores in other countries, with an overall staff number of 472,000 worldwide. WAITROSE Waitrose is the UK leading chain of quality food retailer and is part of John Lewis Partnership since 1937.Founded in 1904 by William Waite, Arthur Rose and David Taylor in a small town called Acton in West London, today Waitrose is the country most successful, innovative and largest chain of supermarkets differentiating itself from its competitors by providing high quality products and excellent customer services. It mainly targets the high income earners. As to date, Waitrose has 228 branches across the United Kingdom and a 4.3% share of the market, making it the 6th largest grocery retailer in the UK. Waitrose has been expanding in the domestic market by adopting a strategy of growth by acquisition and very recently it has started to franchise its licence. Its first overseas store was opened in Dubai in April 2008 and its plans to focus more on its overseas market in the near future. The main competitors of the chain of supermarket are Marks and Spencer, Tesco, Sainsbury and many more. COMPARISION OF TESCO AND WAITROSE Quality Philosophy Tesco quality philosophy is to deliver the best possible service to the customers by providing high quality products at cheaper price. Its target market is the middle income with young children. Waitrose is committed to bring the best quality of food. Its price is at a premium. It has built its reputation on its quality and the freshness of the food. Its targeted market is the high income earners and compared to Tesco, its stores are located in affluent areas. Quality systems Quality systems Even though Tesco and Waitrose cater to different segments of income group customer both the store stress on quality. They take different aspects into consideration while choosing the products that need to be displayed on their shelves. Below are the various methods that both the stores consider Tesco Tesco takes regular feedback from their customers regarding the quality of the products and the service they received from the stores. Based on the feedback, the Quality control team ensures that the products that reach the stores are of high quality. This ensures the product consistency and good value for the customers, every time. Tescos quality and life of the products are constantly monitored and sample checked across various steps in supply chain from production to the stores. According to Tesco Would I buy it strategy is employed which empowers anyone involved with the production, packaging and shelving. The persons involved in these stages have the right to reject the product which below the specification. Apart from the above methodology, the products are also tested independently every month. This ensures that the delivered product is up to the quality. They also have a technical standard guideline which has to be followed by everyone involved in the supply chain. They consult industry bodies, environmental experts and food safety experts to advise on production aspects. Tesco over the past few years has effectively introduced six sigma methodology across various departments and has successfully reduced the carbon di oxide emissions and also saving energy. Waitrose Similar to the approach taken by Tesco, Waitrose also takes the customer feedback into consideration while doing quality testing. Waitrose looks for producers who can offer quality products and sets very high standards while preparation of the food products. According to Waitrose they uphold high standards of food safety and hygiene, by the usage of latest farming techniques. These include HACCP (Hazard analysis and critical Control Points) systems, ICM (Integrated crop management) system and LIFE (Linking Environment and farming). HACCP is used in food production to identify potential hazards and to control the risks in future. ICM is used to ensure that best horticulture practices are followed and LEAF is independent charitable organisation that helps farmers to reduce the environmental impacts. Recently Waitrose have successfully implemented SAS software to improve the stockholding and cut wastes. This helps them in forecasting customer demand and ensures right product is shelved at the right time. According to Waitrose, this has helped them to reduce stockholding by 8% and wastage by 4%, thus increasing the customer satisfaction through high product availability. Quality Approaches The quality approaches of Tesco and Waitrose will be compared and contrast as follows: Quality of product Compare Quality of products depends on the requirement and satisfaction of customer. Much focus is being placed on quality of products by most of the organisation and Tesco and Waitrose are no different. Both companies offer the range of organic foods which are becoming more and more popular nowadays. The Bags for life scheme is becoming popular in supermarkets so as to cut down the number of traditional carrier bags and therefore, reducing the number ending up in landfill sites. Once the Bag for life is worn out customers can replace it free of charge. Tescos front line initiative if there is more than one person queuing at a single check out then another one is open and also customers are encouraged to give instant feedback on the service thus helping in improving the offer and the service. On the other hand, Waitrose has the quick check method where customers can scan their items and pack them as they are shopping and when finished, they pay at the quick check till without having to unpack and repack their goods. For any business to grow or to compete with others it has become mandatory to use the latest technologies across various levels. Tesco can launch an application with barcode reader integrated with Tesco club card and mobile number. The customer can select the items and scan it through the barcode reader app. At the end of the shopping he/she just scans her app on the till or enter the reference number (could be registered mobile number) provided by the app. This is automatically updated on to the customers club card. This way queues can be reduced by large at the tills. There by increasing the customer satisfaction. Also, Tesco can implement Drive-Thru shopping; where in customer shops online and pays for it online if necessary. The customer just drives at the specified time with the reference number and picks up his goods at the counter just like the Mc Donalds drive thru.

NAFTA :: essays research papers

The United States signed an agreement with all the North American countries. [The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)] This gave the U.S. the right to place their large factories in other countries, one of them, Mexico. It also gave them the right to obviously trade their products freely. So after the agreement was signed, the corporations went ahead and built their factories exclusively in depressing little â€Å"dictatorships† like Mexico. Where collective bargaining and governmental concern for anything other than the next opportunity to better up are nonexistent. Mexican/American factories continue to spew toxic filth into tributaries of the Rio Grande lined with squalid shacks housing of their underpaid employees. Many people concerned for the care of the environment think that in the absence of NAFTA, the amount of hazardous waste from Mexico would simply stop. The problem is the increasing industrial activity in the border area, with associated growth in the generation of hazardous waste. The damage to the environment and public health caused by illegal dumping of hazardous waste along the United States/Mexico border has increased. The increase in border industrial activity has led to an increase in the creation of hazardous waste, with data showing an increase in hazardous waste production since January 1994. Much waste still simply is washed down the drain. And only 70 of the 352 industries generating hazardous wastes reported proper disposal. Which I personally think is astonishing. And according to a 1995 report, one quarter of the hazardous waste from the â€Å"maquiladora† zone, approximately 44 tons daily, has an unknown end. Each year, seven million tons of toxic wastes are, without control, illegally dumped in drains and marine waters. Only one percent is under surveillance in the country, the inspection of the maquiladora industry is virtually non-existent which is a great environmental problem for Mexico. But like anyone cares. This industry both ben efits the Mexican and U.S. government. But soon both Texan and Mexican people will urge to put a moral stop to this because it causes birth defects in local areas. The incidences of neural tube birth defects have not improved since NAFTA took effect in 1994, and may actually be increasing. In December 1994 through February 1995, three cases were reported, one per month.

Essay example --

The book In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick, is an inspiring story about an Essex from Nantucket, getting attacked by a eighty-five ton sperm whale miles deep out in the ocean. In these times, going on any ocean expedition had its precautions. While much focus on food, drinking water, medication and a method to cure illness, the most overlooked impairment was the creatures of the ocean. While the men of this vessel left the docks as predators, the survivors of the ninety- three-day journey on three small harpoon boats came back as prey. This story gives a great depiction of the potential of the sperm whale as well as the devastation that they can bring. While whaling isn’t nearly as popular today, in this time many men made, or attempted to make, a living in this industry. Despite the hard work, dangerous standards and general intimidation, shipmates were lured into the industry for the high pay. When feeling protected by a large ship, weapons and a fearless captain, it was easy to forget the power of what they were hunting. The sperm whale is the largest of all the toothed whales, with males maturing at an average size of fifty- two feet and sometimes can reach up to sixty-seven feet in length. â€Å"It’s twenty-foot-wide tail pumped up and down.† (Philbrick, 2000, 82) The domain of life that the sperm whale belongs to is the Eukaryote. This is because the sperm whale is an organism that is made up of cells that contain a nucleus as well as other structures that are enclosed by the cell membrane. The kingdom that it belongs to is the Animalia. This is because they are multi-cellular organisms. These a nimals contain other distinct features including; â€Å"interior digestion of f... ...ats of the whale are still used in some of today’s industries. These parts of the whale have numerous applications in biotechnology. Some of which include, but are not limited to; candles, oil lamps, soaps, and lubricants. Even though their oils have significance in certain applications, the sperm whale is considered an endangered species. This is primarily because of being over hunted. They also have been known to get caught in fishing nets, subject to pollution, also can be severely affected by ocean debris. There are many creatures that live in the sea. The sperm whale being one of many creatures that has a huge impact on the ocean. They are very unique creators, who most people tend to forget about. The sperm whale created a huge conflict for the Essex, leaving the reading wondering what is going to end up happening. This book inspired the book Moby Dick.

Chic Soap

You are asked to help formulate the IMC approach for the entrepreneur starting Chic Soap. The concept behind Chic Soap is simple; it sets out to incorporate fashionable perfumes such as Obsession, Raffinee and Opium into a high quality white soap base. The product would then be packaged using the logo of the perfume plus a Chic Soap common background. The advantages for the perfume supplier are: a guaranteed outlet for its perfumes at full retail prices; and a low cost trial route for potential customers.The advantages for Chic Soap are: the use of already established perfume concepts to promote the soap; and access to the distribution achieved by the perfumes. You are asked to identify the segment towards which the product is directed, the product benefit that is on offer, the way in which the segment will be serviced; how the distribution channel will be supported, what promotional planning will need to be included and an outline cash flow. The distribution channels available for t he sale of toilet soaps of various qualities are independent chemists, department stores, multiple chemists, supermarkets, and grocers.There were an estimated 200,000 outlets selling soap in the United Kingdom. Most of these sold mass market products which retailed at 0. 25 per 150 gm bar. Premium soaps made up only a small proportion of the market and were available in a limited number of outlets which included independent chemists and department stores. The main competitive products in the premium sector were soaps such as Roger and Gallet, Penhaligon range, Yardley, Morley and three internationally available premium soaps. The prices for the 150gm bar for the 5 main ranges were: 1. 60, 1. 75, 1. 85, 1.95, 1. 45.There was some evidence that the price elasticity of the premium product sector was fairly low. Consumers bought the product primarily on perfume and image rather than any other product attribute. Very high prices were charged for soaps that were part of ranges such as Riv e Gauche; around 5 00 for the 150 gram equivalent. As the companies sold very little soap in these ranges they were not particularly worried about the effects of other products cannibalising brand sales. They were prepared to see Chic Soaps take on the sales of perfumed soap to a wider market.The size of the total toilet soap market was around 190 million at retail. The top quality premium soap market was estimated to be 7 per cent of the total; it was growing slowly as the deodorant market came under pressure because of the environmental problems associated with aerosol sprays; other growth factors included the expansion in showers, and the expansion in the number of single homes. Retail outlets made about 20 per cent gross on premium soaps. They tended to hold only limited stocks, and did not therefore want the product in as large a quantity as mass market products which were available in cartons containing 50 or 100 bars.Many of the independent chemists were serviced through whol esalers. Such wholesalers accounted for about 70 per cent of the market. Wholesalers expected to make around 8 per cent. There were about 100 wholesalers that serviced the independent chemist; of these around 20 national chains accounted for 80 per cent of the total business. The national department stores (around 350) bought product direct. Research suggested that the main consumer of premium soaps was female 35+, socio-economic group A, concentrated in the South East of England and in large cities elsewhere.The average purchase of the 150 gramme soap was once every 3 weeks. An increasing proportion of the soap was bought as gifts, especially at Christmas. In the previous year, around 25 per cent of the total premium soap sector was purchased during the period early November to late December. Most advertising in the sector was in women's magazines. It was estimated that it would cost around 100 to reach every 2000 consumers in the appropriate socio-economic group. The competition a dvertised heavily; average expenditure for the leading companies was around 400,000 per annum.8. A sales representative would cost around 12,000 per annum; a company car would be 3,000 per annum. Such a sales representative could visit either 500 outlets direct or deal with 15 chains of wholesalers. The costs of packaging would be high. High quality packaging with the appropriate perfume design on the label would cost 0. 14 per unit; with a minimum print run of 40,000 units. It was anticipated that gift packs of the five perfumed soaps for the Christmas season would be an additional 0. 45 to produce with a minimum production run of 25,000 units.The company had access to five of the leading perfumes in the country. These accounted for approximately 20 per cent of total fragrance sales – the market has been and will remain highly fragmented. The costs of incorporating the perfume in the soap was 0. 40 per unit based on a minimum annual quantity of 300,000 units; 0. 65 per unit based on an annual quantity of 200,000 units, and 0. 80 on an annual quantity of 100,000 units. The soap base was widely available from a number of alternative suppliers.Costs varied considerably from year to year depending on the commodity market; in the year of the plan the base costs for a 150 gram bar were 0. 08 for the highest quality. Filling, molding and packing machinery could be bought from a variety of sources. A small but complete production line would cost around 25,000; it would be able to produce 1200 units per hour, and would occupy 2000 square feet of factory space. Changing the perfume and the packaging for each new production run would take around 2 hours. The production process would require skilled staff to monitor quality.It was estimated that three individuals would be needed, with an annual base salary of 35,000. 14. Research showed that the typical consumer perceived premium soap as ‘a touch of luxury'; an element of sophistication in an otherwise borin g existence; a low cost way of giving a gift which would be appreciated. The main consumer interested in a changing range of exotic soaps was the working woman aged 25 – 45; over that age purchase patterns tended to become static. The company could use national parcel carriers to distribute the products to the customer. It would cost on average 0.50 per kilo; though deliveries outside the immediate area would be considerably more expensive.The company had initially decided to locate near to the main source of demand in the South East of England. There were a number of sites that had proved suitable for the location of the factory. The costs for the required 4000 square feet were on average 25000 per annum. The new business rate would add 5000 to these costs. Variable production costs per soap bar – in excess of raw materials and labor – were estimated to be 0. 02, consisting of energy and maintenance costs.

Emily Carr Research Essay

Emily was accepted by the Group of Seven, and by far is British Columbians favorite artist. Emily Carr was a rave girl who strode to be different and was not afraid to show off her unique style of art. Her interest and talent for art was recognized when she was still just a small girl. Emily was born on December 13, 1871 , in what was then, the small provincial town of Victoria, BC. She was the second youngest in her family Out Of the six children. Both Of her parents, Richard and Emily, were English; therefore, English manners and values were followed in Scars family.Emily had a pretty good relationship with her family during her childhood. Her mother although was almost always sick, and that left her eldest sister [Edith] to raise and discipline the younger children along with Email's father 1. All in all, Emily respected and loved her siblings, which is clearly demonstrated in her writing in â€Å"The Book of Small. † â€Å"My sister Alice was two years older than I and kn ew a lot. Leslie was two years older than Alice and thought she knew it all. My big sister did know everything. † 2 1- Maria Tippet, Emily Carr: A Biography, peg. 2- Emily Carr, The Book of small Emily began art lessons while she was still in school, receiving instructions from some resident artists of Victoria. While still a teenager her parents passed away, and finances became tight. Art was really the only thing that separated her from her sisters who couldn't understand her work or desire to pursue It in spite of their financial problems. Out of all her sisters, Emily was the only one who took art seriously. Carr didn't find school to be of any appeal to her, and she didn't want to follow in her sisters' footsteps.So at age 17, after getting permission from her legal guardian Edith, she attended the San Francisco Art School. San Francisco turned out to be just the start of Car's journey. Although it med like she learned a lot, Emily still wanted more. â€Å"l had not lear ned very much, not half what I had intended to absorb once I got into the Old country. † 3 After spending more than three years in San Francisco, Carr returned to Victoria. For six years Emily taught art to children in Victoria, while saving up enough money for her to travel to England and continue her studies.This wasn't the only thing that Emily did over those couple of years. Carr had a fascination with Indians from childhood, and it grew with her as Emily matured into a woman. After returning from San Francisco, and spending mom time in Victoria, Emily set off for a real life adventure in Clientele to spend some time living with Natives on their reserve. 4 The native people accepted her easily in their homes and lives, and she developed a special relationship with them. Emily preferred to live a different lifestyle than most Victorians; she was more interested in learning the indigenous way of life.She often traveled by boat, and spent nights alone, sleeping in a tent. As she deepened herself in the native spirituality and grew stronger relationships with the Clutter people, they named her Kale Wick, The Laughing One. Maria Tippet, Emily Carr: A Biography, peg. 63-4 4 – Maria Tippet, Emily Carr: A Biography, peg. 30-31 After a few years Carr took her savings and finally continued her formal studies in England at the Westminster School of Art, and also in private studios of a number of British watercolors. Later she traveled to France, which turned out to be more inspiring for her.Finding Paris too stressful for her, she chose to tramp through the French countryside. Staying in small towns and villages she painted, and this is where her art journey started to take on a more Post-Impressionist style. In the small town of Creche-en-Erie and later on in SST. Flame, Carr studied under Philae Gibbs. It was from him that she finally found her true art passion, learning to translate the landscape from a realistic impression to a new, abstract realizat ion, influenced by the Fauves and Cubists, then in vogue in Paris. 5 Although Carr learned a lot in France, she did not feel that she wanted to stay there for long.She was not respected by many, and she struggled to communicate with most French people, especially men. Most importantly, Emily felt homesick in this foreign land. So after spending about 14 months in France she returned to Victoria in 191 1. As it turned out, Car's art wasn't appreciated in the more traditional, strait-laced artistic world of Victoria and Vancouver. In the summer of 191 2, Carr created a great amount of watercolors paintings using her new French style. Her work didn't sell well, and she received lots of negative criticism.After that Carr almost gave up art, but her spirit changed as did her luck when an ethnologist bought two of her paintings. That same ethnologist came back 12 years later to show Email's painting to the director of the National Gallery n Ottawa. 1927 was the official year that everythi ng changed for Emily; it was the year that she traveled to Ottawa to attend the December opening of the Canadian West Coast Art show at the National Gallery. There she met the members of the Group of Seven. Even before Emily arrived, she could already feel that she was heading towards some sort of destiny.The trip did become a huge event for Carr that spun her whole life around. The painting that the 5 – http://BMW. Besmirches. Gob. BC. Ca/exhibits/teammate/gallery 1 Frames/ Carr. HTML Group of Seven presented to her caused a great impression on her. Words weren't necessary; the sight was enough to change Car's whole view on what she needed to do, and even on what she could do. That night in her diary Emily Carr confidently wrote: â€Å"Oh, God, what have seen? Where have I been? Something has spoken to the very soul of me, wonderful, mighty, not of this world. The lingering memory of Harris' art was still â€Å"surging through my whole being the wonder of it alarm like a g reat river rushing on, dark and turbulent, and rushing and irresistible, and carrying me away on its wild swirl like a helpless little bundle of recharge:† 6 Lawyer Harris later approached Carr and declared to her â€Å"You are one Of us,† welcoming her into the ranks of Canada's leading modernists despite her own self-deprecating attitude. 7 With that statement Emily Carr got associated with the group of seven. After this successful trip Carr returned to Victoria where the most fertile period of her career as an artist began. Until 1931 , she generally used aboriginal themes in her paintings. Then, taking Harris' advice, she stopped focusing so much on native art, and began to focus more on what her inner elf wanted to create. With that, her love of trees, forests and the nature of coastal skies was transferred onto her paintings. The last ten years of Email's life were her most successful as an artist. Although life started to be good to Emily, those ten years were th e ones where Carr started to experience major health problems. Still Emily didn't lose spirit, and as she worked she could finally feel that she was satisfied with her paintings.She could see clearly the main purpose of her life, and so those ten last years became the happiest for her. – Susan Cream, The Laughing One: A Journey to Emily Carr 7 – http://rust. Ca/history/Carr. HTML In 1 937 Carr experienced her first angina attack. Her doctor restricted her painting activities, and so she focused more on her writing. The following year though, Emily life showered her with happiness when her first solo exhibition took place at the Vancouver Art Gallery. In 1939 Car's health took another blow when she suffered a serious heart attack.That same year, Air Dilators, who was a teacher, editor, and conductor, agreed to edit Emily Car's stories for publication. The year later after her heart attack Carr moved in with her sister Alice, right behind their old family home. Emily Sca rs first book â€Å"Kale Wick† was finally published in 1941. It was met with great success and won the Governor General's Award for Non-fiction. Shortly after ‘The Book of Small† was published, and Emily went on her last sketching trip. During the last few years of her life, Emily felt weak, tired out, and feeble. Her poor health conditions restricted her from painting very much, but she still wrote books.Recognition of her work grew steadily as her paintings were Ewing exhibited in London, Paris, Washington, Amsterdam, and as well as in major Canadian cities. In 1 943 there was a major exhibition of her art in the Art Gallery of Toronto. Her books kept on being published one after another. Emily Carr passed away on March 2, 1945 in Victoria, shortly before she was to be awarded an honorary doctorate by the university of British Columbia. She died at peace with herself, happy to have achieved her dreams as an artist. More importantly for her was that she died hav ing discovered her true self and her main purpose in life.

Forester explored the idea of the foreigner who is reborn in Italy Essay

Forester explored the idea of the foreigner who is reborn in Italy - Essay Example The tragic comedy developed by Forester outlines various consequences faced in marriages through the example of Lilia and Gino. While Philip and Miss Abott go to fight for the custody of Lilia’s son, Italy transforms them in a positive way. Italy significantly changes Philip to an understanding and a loving person. When Lilia was to about get married to Gino, Lilia’s mother-in-law dispatched Philip, a barrister and aesthete, to go and stop the marriage only to find out that they had married. Philip’s goes to Italy amidst his dislike of the place. Forster (6) asserts that Philip never liked Italy. The author states that, â€Å"And Philip, whom the idea of Italy always intoxicated, had started again, telling her of the supreme moments of her journey- the Campanile of Airolo, which would burst on her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Forster 6). This excerpt indicates that Philip hated Italy with passion hence went upon the request of her mother to stop Lilia’s marriage to Gin o. In life, there are many times that individuals engage in actions where they are deemed not to due to challenges. Philip hated Italy with passion but accepted to go upon the request of his mother. From this excerpt, it is true that every individual who wants to achieve success and progress must endure various challenges, like Philip endured his dislike for Italy in order to stop the wedding between Lilia and Gino. Foster (6) adds that, â€Å"They all smiled steadily, excepting Philip, who was choking in the fog†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This is an indication that while he was there, Philip hated Italy. Nonetheless, he had to go and fulfill his mission despite the hatred. Every individual needs to focus on their success and progress without taking into considerations challenges associated. Had Philip followed his hatred for Italy, he would not have gone for the mission in the first place. After their return back home, Lilia wrote to them many letters from Italy. At this time, Philip still had strong hatred for Italy. However, in very few occasions, he was getting excited with Italy. For instance, when Lilia letter came from Monteriano, Italy, Philip was so excited (Foster 10). According to the author, â€Å"The letter was from Monteriano, and concluded with a not unsuccessful description of the wonderful little town†. It seems from this excerpt that Philip hated Italy before he had actually seen the place. However, after visiting the place for the first time during a mission to save Lilia from getting married to Gino, Philip started appreciating the beauty of Italy. Like scholars have asserted from the classical period, it is irrational for individuals to judge ‘books from their covers’. Philip had judged Italy without seeing the place. Having visited the place during his mission, Philip appreciated the beauty of the place to the extent that he wanted to go back again. While on their way to Italy, Philip had a chance of talking at length with Miss Ab ott. The two got involved in an intensive conversation throughout their journey into Monteriano. As Philip and Miss Abott got into conversation, they developed likings towards each other to the extent that romantic and love topics were brought into the conversation. Foster (22) clearly puts it that, â€Å"