Research Study Proposal: Obesity in school-age Essay

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2015), Obesity in school-age children has increased over the past thirty years to the amount of doubling in some and even quadrupling in others. CDC statistics showed in 2012, at least one-third of the school children were large or obese. Childhood obesity continues to be a growing problem in the United States. School lunches play a significant role in the obesity issues facing children today. The school menus of today contain too many calories from simple carbohydrates and fat. Starchy vegetables instead of green leafy vegetables are served along with food containing sodium levels higher than needed for one’s daily intake. Childhood obesity can lead to health issues if action is not taken rapidly. This paper will provide a brief summary of the issues of childhood obesity and focus on the role the school lunch meals play on this growing crisis. Obesity is defined by the CDC (2015) as an individual that has extra body fat in relationship to one’s height. An easier way to understand obesity is the individual is taking in more calories than is being used. The health effects of childhood obesity have both short-term or immediate and long-term health effects. Health issues obtained later in life are believed to be linked to childhood obesity. Obese children have a greater chance of growing up to become adults with health issues such as heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol and strokes. Additionally, these individuals are predisposed to diabetes type 2 and many forms of cancer. Prevention of obesity in children diabetes is the best solution to the problem. â€Å"The U.S. Surgeon General has identified the obesity epidemic as one of the greatest health problems facing the nation today† (National Association of State Boards of Education, 2004, para 2). In 2010, the â€Å"Let’s Move† campaign was implemented encouraging children to get up and move around, or exercise and school lunches were to become healthier. Michelle  Obama was quoted in an article called, First Lady Michelle Obama: Quotes on Child Obesity and Health â€Å"†¦ Over the past five years, we have truly changed the culture around healthy eating and living in this country† (Holecko, 2015, para 4).Childhood obesity remains an epidemic health issue; the school lunches remain an issue to be researched. Reference Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), (2015). Childhood obesity facts. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/obesity/facts.htm Holecko, C., (2015). First Lady Michelle Obama: Quotes on Child Obesity and Health . Retrieved from http://familyfitness.about.com/ od/childhoodobesity /a/michelle_obama_obesity.htm National Association of State Boards of Education, (2004). The role of schools in preventing childhood obesity. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/physicalactivity/ pdf/roleofschools_obesity.pdf

Roe V Wade and Doe V Bolton

Justin Frazer Dr. Bryce Jones BSAD 234 4/10/13 Abortion is a hot debate topic. So naturally, it has generated many disputes and court cases. Two of the most famous and definitive court cases regarding abortion are Roe v Wade and Doe v Bolton. Both of these cases were ruled on at the same time. Both cases resulted in landmark decisions that would change how many states were allowed to regulate abortion. These rulings also help put into view the line between law and morals. Roe v Wade Jane Roe† was actually a pseudonym for the plaintiff, Norma McCorvey. She used this for protection and also to emphasize that she was fighting for all pregnant women. The defendant was Henry Wade, district attorney for Dallas County, Texas. McCorvey’s claim was that the Texas abortion law, passed in 1859, violated her constitutional rights. Backstory: Norma McCorvey, age 21, became pregnant in 1969. She did not want to continue with her pregnancy, as her marriage had failed and her first daug hter was in the care of her mother and stepfather.As previously stated, Texas passed a law in 1869 preventing all abortion, excluding cases in which the woman’s life was in danger. She met Sarah Weddington and Linda Coffee, two attorneys who were interested in changing the abortion law. There were two issues standing in the way: McCorvey might not have standing because the abortion law only applied to women who performed abortions, not to those who needed them. The second issue was if she passed the point in her pregnancy where it was safe to perform an abortion, the case would become irrelevant.Their argument: in a previous case, Griswold v Connecticut, Justice William O. Douglas interpreted the Ninth Amendment to mean that any rights not explicitly granted to the government were retained by the people; previously it had been taken to mean that those rights were retained by the states. At the time of this case, this meant that all previously banned contraceptives between cou ples were now legal. Weddington and Coffee could argue that this â€Å"right to privacy,† as Douglas defined, should also be applied to abortion.The first reply from Assistant D. A. John Tolle, defending D. A. Wade, claimed exactly what they had expected: â€Å"Jane Roe† had no standing since the law only affected women who performed abortions. An anonymous affidavit from McCorvey submitted to a three-judge panel on May 22, 1970, stated that she wanted to terminate her pregnancy due to â€Å"the economic hardship which pregnancy entailed and because of the social stigma attached to the bearing of illegitimate children. At the hearing, Weddington argued on Roe’s standing to sue, as well as the constitutionality of the abortion statute (on the grounds of the First, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments). After the defense argued for the unborn fetus as a child, a life, Weddington brought up the issue of the impossibility to define when â€Å"life† begins (which is still one of the main arguments between pro-life and pro-choice advocates). Finally, Tolle argued that right of a child was more important than the woman’s previously stated â€Å"right to privacy. However, the three judges found that the Texas abortion laws were unconstitutional by depriving rights dictated by the Ninth Amendment. Since this only declared the law unconstitutional and did not prevent the enforcing of the law, the plaintiffs then appealed to the Supreme Court. In October 1972, the plaintiffs and the defendants made their cases as they had before. Several things played into the Court’s following decision: the ruling of Eisenstadt v Baird, which made it legal for unmarried persons to use birth control.This solidified Weddington’s argument for the right to privacy in the Ninth Amendment; that individuals have the right to be free from government intervention in matters such as whether or not to have a child. Second, Justice Harry Blackmun, afte r reviewing the abortion statutes, ruled that they were no longer valid because they were put in place due to the dangers of abortion; this was no longer an issue, as abortion was just as safe as childbirth in the present time. Concerning the rights of the unborn as a child, Blackmun found that nowhere in theConstitution or Bill of Rights (specifically, the Fourteenth Amendment) a â€Å"person† includes the unborn. The final ruling: the abortion decision must be left to the judgment of the woman’s doctor in the first trimester. In the second trimester, the state may â€Å"regulate the abortion procedure in ways that are reasonably valid to maternal health. † After that, the state can regulate or stop the abortion. Summary Norma McCorvey wanted an abortion, but could not obtain would since it was illegal in her state, Texas.Most states at the time had abortion statutes in place proscribing abortion. She, under the alias â€Å"Jane Roe,† and the two attorne ys representing her, Sarah Weddington and Linda Coffee, filed a suit against the county of Dallas on the grounds that the abortion laws violated a woman’s right to choose under the â€Å"right to privacy,† interpreted in the Ninth Amendment in the previous case Connecticut v Griswold. The district court ruled in favor of â€Å"Roe,† basing judgment upon the Ninth Amendment.This ruling did not prevent the enforcement of the abortion laws; rather, it merely stated that they were unconstitutional. McCorvey and her attorneys, now not only representing â€Å"Jane Roe† as a person, but as all women, appealed directly to the Supreme Court. On the opposing side, there was the fact that the state believed they had the responsibility to protect the life of the unborn child. The argument against that was this: â€Å"when does life really start? † It could be said that life doesn’t begin until after the child is born; not when it is still a fetus.This r eally sparked this debate that still goes on today. Justice Harry Blackmun found that, after reviewing the Constitution and Bill of Rights, the Founding Fathers never explicitly put the unborn with the â€Å"persons† protected under our nation’s documents. However, he said that this was not absolute. He said that, though he agreed that the Ninth Amendment encompassed a woman’s right to choose whether or not to terminate her pregnancy, the right to choose was also not absolute.So, they came to a compromise: during the first trimester of a pregnancy, abortion was legal, but at the judgment of the woman’s doctor (which has changed since then). During the second trimester, the state could regulate abortions in a way that is related to maternal health. During the third trimester, the state could proscribe abortions. The general rule was that if the fetus is able to live outside the womb (with artificial aid), which was typically at about 28 weeks, then the wom an no longer has a right to an abortion. This entire case and the decisions that were made is a landmark in our history.It has sparked much debate and divided many people into â€Å"pro-life† and â€Å"pro-choice† groups. Doe v Bolton A companion case to Roe v Wade, Doe v Bolton was an abortion case that happened in Georgia around the same time (decision on the same day) that its Texas counterpart did. Much like other states with abortion laws, Georgia only allowed abortion if: the pregnancy was a danger to the woman’s life by judgment of a licensed physician, the fetus was in danger of being born with a serious defect, or if the abortion was a product of rape ( § 26-1202(a)).The woman wanting an abortion also had to qualify for the following conditions, defined under  § 26-1202(b) of Georgia Criminal Code: â€Å"the abortion [is to] be performed in a hospital accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals, the procedure be approved by the hospital staff abortion committee, and the performing physician's judgment be confirmed by independent examinations of the patient by two other licensed physicians. † Sandra Cano, a mother of three, did not meet any of these conditions. Under the pseudonym â€Å"Mary Doe,† she and her attorney, Margie Pitts Hames, sued Arthur K.Bolton, the Attorney General for Georgia. Their claim was that the abortion statute of Georgia was unconstitutional. Like â€Å"Roe,† the three-judge panel of the district court found that Doe did, in fact, have standing in this issue. They ruled that the first three conditions ( § 26-1202(a)) listed above were unconstitutional, but they upheld the medical approval and residency requirements. In addition, like Roe v Wade, they merely provided that the section of the law was unconstitutional; they did not give any injunction against enforcing the law.This is called declaratory relief. The plaintiffs then appealed directly to the Supreme Court, like Roe and her attorneys. The arguments and counter-arguments were all the same as in Roe v Wade. The Court found that the three conditions in section 26-1202(b) were unconstitutional. They found that the JCAH accreditation requirement did not pertain to the woman’s right, and did not reasonably relate to the abortion statute. The two conditions requiring the abortion to be approved by a committee and by two other physicians were found to not serve the woman’s health in any way.The committee condition violated the woman’s â€Å"right to receive medical care† from her physician, and the two-doctor condition violated the physician’s â€Å"right to practice. † These conditions were struck down. Justice Blackmun, mentioned in the previous case, said that Roe v Wade and Doe v Bolton must be read together. The former allowed the states to proscribe abortion in the third trimester. However, Doe v Bolton added that the abortion could still be allowed if it was a matter of the woman’s health, in the opinion of the woman’s doctor.This is essentially a loophole around the â€Å"viability† requirement of the ruling of Roe v Wade. Doe v Bolton and Roe v Wade together struck down state abortion laws and struck up heated debates. These were the first real challenges regarding abortion in the United States. Both declared abortion a constitutional right. Summary Sandra Cano (â€Å"Mary Doe†) and attorney Margie Pitts Hames sued the state of Georgia for its unconstitutional abortion statute. The district court found they had standing, but like Roe v Wade, they gave them only declaratory, not injunctive, relief.The plaintiffs appealed to the Supreme Court for broader relief. Georgia’s Criminal Code, section 26-1202(b), stated that in addition to the requirements to receive an abortion that a woman must be in danger from the pregnancy, the child must be in danger of severe defect from birth, or the pregnancy being a result of rape, any woman wanting an abortion had to receive one in a hospital accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals, she had to receive permission of two physicians other than her own, and the decision must also be approved by a hospital committee.The Court struck all of these requirements as unconstitutional. Additionally, the Court ruled that a woman may obtain an abortion after â€Å"viability† (as defined in Roe v Wade) if it was necessary to preserve her health. Along with its companion case, Roe v Wade, the decision was made on January 22, 1973, that abortion was a constitutional right.

A Study on Employee Attitude and Leadership Behaviour

ABSTRACT The Research titled namely â€Å"A Study on Employee attitude Leadership Style† is a research study conducted among various managers in different functional areas in Sify Software Limited Everonn Education Limited. In this research study, the researcher has made an attempt to identify the various styles followed by leaders due to different behavior among employees. The study mainly focus on the various attitudes of employee’s in different groups and its impact of the performance if individual, group or team organization. Further, the study also focuses on finding out the significant relationship between the attitude of employees and its impact of completion of module, work, deadlines, and target. This study is limited to the managers working at Sify Software Limited Everonn Education Limited. The Researcher has proposed to use descriptive type of research Analytical type of result. The Researcher has proposed to use descriptive type research, in order to collect the real facts from the respondent’s regarding the attitude of the employees. The Researcher has also proposed to use Analytical type of result to analyze the behavior of employees and its impact of deadline productivity. Once the data has been collected from the respondents (Managers), the Researcher has proposed to use various statistical tools like Percentage Analysis, Weighted Average Method, Chi-Square Method, One-Sample Run Test, etc. , and in order to analysis the various types of behaviors, the researcher has also planned to use cause and effect of diagram. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1. 1INTRODUCTION Employee values, attitudes, and leadership behavior play a very important role in enhancing employee work motivation and performance. Employee work values, attitudes and leadership behavior can carefully be adjusted to produce a strong impact on employee work motivation. It would, therefore, be interesting to examine the precise nature of their roles in influencing the intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation of employees. Individuals vary in their value systems. For example, achievement is a concern for the advancement of one’s career while concern for others may reflect caring, compassionate. Supervisory behavior may vary considerably in the same job situation. Behaviors such as encouraging other employees or helping others work on difficult tasks. A supervisory behavior may adopt democratic orientation or punishment when interacting with employees and thus may affect the work behavior. Though research on leadership styles, work values, and attitudes is concerned with finding the conclusions as to what specific leader behavior, work values and attitudes would produce a strong impact on employee work motivation and performance, no clear-cut conclusions have yet been rendered. It is, therefore, necessary to examine these issues, on a relative basis, which characteristics may act as more effective motivators in employee motivation and work performance. With such an understanding, management would better be able to use available motivational tools for their maximum impact on employee work performance. Thus the objective of this study is to examine the importance of values, attitudes and leadership behaviors in employee work motivation and performance. To gain a deeper insight into the exact nature of such influence, the roles of employee values, attitudes and leadership behavior in influencing intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation and performance are examined. Finally, the study explores the managerial implications of the findings and discusses the actions that might lead to improvements in employee motivation. VALUES, ATTITUDES AND EMPLOYEE WORK MOTIVATION The following description relates to values, attitudes, and employee motivation. VALUES Values are enduring beliefs that a specific mode of conduct or end state of existence is personally or socially preferable to an opposite or converse mode of conduct or end state of existence (Rokeach, M 1973). Some basic values, which are expected to affect the attitude and work motivation of an employee, would logically include: Family: The extent to which the job offers family well-being to the employees Recreation: The extent to which the job offers recreational facilities to the employees A sense of accomplishment: The degree to which the person feels the job gives the person a sense of accomplishment after the job is done. Advancing at the company: The degree to which the person feels the job will create opportunities for advancement. Financial security: The extent to which the job offers financial security to person. Integrity: The extent to which the job provides information accurately and emphasizes impartiality and recognizes different points of view ATTITUDES Attitudes are not the same as values. Attitudes are evaluative statements –either favorable or unfavorable—concerning objects people, or events. It has been treated both as a general attitude and as satisfaction with five specific dimensions of job: pay, the work itself, promotion, opportunities, supervision and co-workers (Smith, Kendall, and Hulin, 1969; Balzer and Smith et al, 1990). The combined effects of these factors produce for the individual some measure of satisfaction and dissatisfaction (Herzberg, Mausner, and Snyderman, 1959). Definitions of these five dimensions of the job are given as under: Definitions of key Job Dimensions Job DimensionsDefinition Work SatisfactionThe extent to which an employee is satisfied with work, including opportunities for creativity and task variety, allowing an individual to increase his or her knowledge, changes in responsibility, amount of work, security, and job enrichment (Balzer and Smith et al, 1990; Smith et al, 1969) Pay SatisfactionThe extent to which an employee forms an attitude toward pay based on perceived difference between actual pay and the expected pay. Expected pay is based on the value of perceived inputs and outputs of the job and the pay of other employees holding similar jobs or possessing similar qualifications (Balzer and Smith et al, 1990) Supervision SatisfactionThe extent to which an employee is satisfied with his or supervision, as measured by consideration and employee-centered actions of the supervisor and the perceived competency of the supervisor by the subordinate (Balzer and Smith et al, 1990, Herzberg et al, 1957) Satisfaction with promotionsThe degree to which an employee is satisfied with the Company’s promotion policy, including frequency of promotions, and the desirability of promotions (Balzer and Smith et al, 1990, Herzberg et al 1957) Co-workers’ SatisfactionThe work-related interaction and the mutual liking or admiration of fellow employees (Bazler and Smith et al, 1990, Smith et al, 1969, Alderfer, 1969) Overall Job SatisfactionThe extent to which an individual’s desires, expectations and needs are fulfilled by employment (Szilagi, Sims, and Terrill, 1977) 1. 2INDUSTRY PROFILE As the study is applicable only for e-Learning industry let us have a brief introduction about the software industry below. The current e-learning boom in India has added to the existing woes. Standards apart, the industry hangs on the edge where processes and players are dubious. Much of this blame can be put on the Indian government’s inability to put together a regulatory body. Unregulated and unstructured, the e-learning industry in India is likely to wreck havoc for the global e-learning industry as small vendors pile up huge learning garbage for clients worldwide. E-learning in India has come of age. Two decades and the nation already cherish several global e-learning players on its soil. This can be attributed to some basic reasons like cheap human resources, a large pool of English-speaking workforce and ‘business discounts’ offered by the central and state governments. Although exact figures of the size of the industry is not available, a conservative estimate shows the offshore e-learning industry at about $150 million in 2004-05, up almost by 200 percent in the last two years. In spite such impressive figures, the e-learning industry in India remains mired with a plethora of issues. Some of these issues include lack of uniform e-learning standards and workplace practices, and the lack of adequate human resources to power the spiraling upward growth. These concerns apart, government apathy has also bolstered fly-by-night e-learning entrepreneurs who eye quick bucks and increasingly deliver ‘learning garbage’ to a global clientele. Smaller vendors in India have setup e-learning business houses with paltry investments of a few thousand dollars – in the hope of getting a sizeable pie of the global e-learning business. Most of these short-term vendors run their shows from North India – from places in and around the National Capital Region of Delhi. The modus operandi for these vendors is simple. They rent in a couple of rooms in an urban area and advertise for resources in job websites and newspapers. Writers, designers and technology professionals – mostly unskilled – are hired by the dozens. The average salary of the employees ranges anything between $100 to $400 and the working hours stretch well over 72 hours per week. Next, these companies setup small sales calling teams to call up international clients asking for work. The sales pitch is often exaggerated and boasts of a few â€Å"big names†. To show their experience, these vendors cull-out a few odd CBT’s from other companies or ‘steal’ courses through their contacts. The basic quality that behooves a standard e-learning company is absent in these companies. Proprietors remain ignorant of even the most basic information that is essential to run the show. A Java programmer, for example, is asked to hone his skills in C++ or any other program since he is responsible for all ‘programming’ needs. Almost anyone who walks in for the position of writers is employed as an ‘instructional designer’, primarily because they can be asked to work for lesser salaries on the pretext that they lack instructional designing experience. Vendors also rely on these writers to validate the learning content for authenticity even when content validation remains the domain of the expert, the Subject Matter Expert (SME). The writers and designers are instructed to download content from Internet websites and ‘rewrite’ them before using it. A basic ignorance of the Internet medium on the part of the owners means that the writers are often confused with the content because no single idea or information on the Internet appears consistent. E-learning processes are virtually absent in these companies. All that offers a direct benefit to the proprietor becomes part of the practiced processes. A Project Manager, for example, may be required to recruit people, review e-learning courses, undertake marketing activities, and do just anything that catches the fancy of the owner. In some companies, it was observed that programmers were asked to work as typists. The motto: no resource should sit idle. Employees who work for more than 9 hours a day are neither paid additional remuneration nor are given facilities like cabs and food for their late stay and long hours of work. As an e-learning professional once remarked, â€Å"employees in these fly-by-night ventures reminds one of the rampant practice of human slavery in Africa and Arabian countries a few centuries back. Professional torture apart, these employees are also subjected to extremely inhuman conditions of work – congested workplace, outdated computers, stinking toilets, and the same paltry salary year after year. Employees in these companies too appear to have resigned to their fates – partly because their poor education that doesn’t stand them in good stead for jobs in big e-learning MNCs and also because most do not have a professional competence in English language. This phenomenon is rarely reported by any section of the Indian media, perhaps due to ignorance or for fear of antagonizing the international fraternity. The abysmal condition and the unplanned e-learning sector, however, have both a positive and a negative side to it. The positive side is that these e-learning ventures help to reinforce the fact that there is no alternate to quality, and quality comes from the big guys, not the fly-by-night operators. The flipside is that the employees in tiny Indian -learning ventures rarely get the exposure to standard work processes and world-class e-learning products thereby subjecting themselves to professional impairment. Unfortunate for the Indian e-learning industry, at a n era of globalization and information revolution, Indian laws too have failed to contain these IT hawks. While the existing labour laws do have provisions against inhuman practices in the private workplace, in practice they remain a mirage. Most of the employees neither have the financial resources to chase litigation nor are they willing to ‘waste’ their time. The Southern part of India presents a striking contrast to the North. Recent years have seen a rapid and strategic development of global e-learning companies in the South, in places like Bangalore and Chennai. Several global players have also setup their centers in Pune, Mumbai and Hyderabad. Not surprising, the South has become a favorite e-learning destinations for serious e-learning players because of the absence of the mayhem so rampant in the Northern part of the country. Although the same Indian laws apply to all states across India, security and infrastructure is usually better in the Southern states than in the North. Consequently, most of these global giants are reluctant to setup their operations in the North for obvious reasons: lax security, incompetent e-learning resources, and rampant corruption. However of all the paraphernalia, one primary reason that dissuades the big names in e-learning from setting bases in North India is the abysmally poor skill-sets of the workforce here. In an era of cut-throat competition, generalized skills fetch little or paltry returns. In the past companies like Tata Interactive Services, Brainvisa, Sify e-learning and Accenture have all failed to locate substantial trained workforce from the North for its setups in the South. Amidst all the rigmarole, smaller global clients seeking ‘cheap’ e-learning courses remain unconcerned about the operatives of these vile businessmen. The only thing that seemingly matters for them is ‘cheaper products’, even if it comes in poor quality or if the employees who developed them are subjected to inhuman practices. Its time that global clients shed their ignorance and act responsibly by seeking detailed credentials from smaller e-learning vendors in India on their HR processes, employee welfare schemes and workforce competence. Failing to do this will not result in the development of shabby e-learning courses. The state of e-learning in India, particularly the frenzy in North India, remains a serious concern for the industry. Either the law of the land has to haul-up the desperados or wait till the hawks eat up the industry for the worse. A regulatory authority is essential now, if the industry is to survive and prosper. Money-eyed hawks can’t be allowed to have a field day. If they hang around for long, the death of the industry in India is imminent. 1. 3 COMPANY HISTORY 1. 3. 1 SIFY SOFTWARE LIMITED Sify eLearning was formed in December 2000. With over 8 years of experience in the training domain and our speciality in Instructional Design and Interactive Multimedia Content Development, we have developed over 5000 hours of learning content comprising Web based training (WBT), Computer based training (CBT), and Instructor Led training (ILT) courses. We have close to 300 employees located in our offices in India, the US, UK, and the Middle East. In India, Sifys offices are located in Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore. Sify eLearning, which ranks among the top three eLearning Services providers in India, is a part of Sify Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ:SIFY), with a revenue of US$150 million in 2008. Sify Technologies (www. sifycorp. com) is a pioneer and leader in the Internet, networking, and e-Commerce services in India and serves more than 1500 corporate and 600,000 retail consumers. We are proud to be the preferred eLearning vendor to many Fortune 100 companies. 1. 3. 2EVERONN EDUCATION LIMITED Everonn is one of the leading educational companies in India. Everonn today is the largest VSAT education network in the World. Everonn is listed in both the NSE and BSE. With a firm belief that technology-enabled learning can truly nullify social and economic boundaries, Everonn’s achievements have helped millions of students achieve their dreams. From its pioneering VSAT-enabled virtual and interactive classrooms to its emphasis on offering only the highest-quality content to students, Everonn’s quest for excellence has enabled the company to repeatedly break new grounds in the Indian education industry. Everonn’s commitment to a better standard of education is the guiding principle behind all its activities, from making Pre-school toddlers school ready to enhancing the employability of college students and providing the best entrance exam guidance in the nation. 1. 4PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED The Research titled namely â€Å"A Study on Employee attitude Leadership Style† is a research study conducted among various managers in different functional areas in Sify Software Limited Everonn Education Limited. In this research study, the researcher has made an attempt to identify the various styles followed by leaders due to different behavior among employees. The study mainly focus on the various attitudes of employee’s in different groups and its impact of the performance if individual, group or team organization. Further, the study also focuses on finding out the significant relationship between the attitude of employees and its impact of completion of module, work, deadlines, and target. This study is limited to the managers working at Sify Software Limited Everonn Education Limited. 1. 5NEED FOR THE STUDY The need for the study is to bring out the various attitude of employee in different groups and its impact on the performance of individual, group or team organization. This research study is restricted to employees working in Sify Software limited Everonn Education Limited. Generally employees working in any software companies are from different background in the sense they are from different regions, different culture, language, belief, Qualification, religion, communities etc. , which generally varies from the employees working in other sectors. This difference in attitude of employees is a very big challenge for software companies since it leads to many conflicts among the employees that affect the conducive working environment of the organization. In this study the researcher mainly focuses on changes in attitude of employees and the level of impact on their performance. Further the researcher has made an attempt to analyze the change in leadership behavior due to changes in employee attitude. In addition, the study will also be helpful in finding out the significant relationship between the attitude of employees and its impact on completion of module, work, deadlines, and target. 1. 6OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY 1. 6. 1PRIMARY OBJECTIVE 1. To study the changes in attitude of employees and the behavioral changes of leadership at Sify software limited Everonn Education Limited. 1. 6. 2SECONDARY OBJECTIVES 1. To identify and analyze the relationship between employee attitude and leadership behavior in Sify Software Limited Everonn Education Limited. 2. To analyze the level of impact of leadership behavior on the team and performance of team. 3. To find out various ways to improve the attitude of people towards organizational commitments. 4. To identify the relationship between the attitude of employees and their performance towards their job. 1. 7SCOPE OF THE STUDY The study may help to find out the style to be adapted by leadership that may help them to effectively control the attitude of employees and also it helps to influence the workers and to extract work from them. This study may show the various characteristics of employees and its impact on the performance. Generally employees working in any software companies are from different background in the sense they are from different regions, different culture, language, belief, Qualification, religion, communities etc. , which generally varies from the employees working in other sectors. This difference in attitude of employees is a very big challenge for software companies since it leads to many conflicts among the employees that affect the conducive working environment of the organization. In this study the researcher mainly focuses on changes in attitude of employees and the level of impact on their performance. CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE SURVEY 2. 1REVIEW OF LITERATURE ?Attitudes are not the same as values. Attitudes are evaluative statements –either favorable or unfavorable concerning objects people, or events. Employee values, attitudes, and leadership behavior play a very important role in enhancing employee work motivation and performance. Employee work values, attitudes and leadership behavior can carefully be adjusted to produce a strong impact on employee work motivation. It would, therefore, be interesting to examine the precise nature of their roles in influencing the intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation of employees. ?Leadership Theory Leadership Styles: Leaders and followers each have different traits, values and levels of motivation. Theories that explain leadership effectiveness in terms of situational moderator variables are called contingency theories of leadership (Yukl 2006). Fiedler’s (1964) contingency model of leadership effectiveness is contingent upon the interaction of leadership style and situational favorableness (Liu et al. 2003). Thus, leader effectiveness is the product of many variables related to the followers, the task, and the organization (Tatum, et. al. , 2003). Transformational leadership theory emphasizes longer-term and vision-based motivational processes (Bass Avolio, 1997; Liu et al, 2003) and attempts to capture the emotional and symbolic aspects of leadership, helping researchers understand how leaders influence followers and motivate them to make self-sacrifices, putting the needs of the mission or organization above materialistic self-interests (Yukl, 2006). Researchers have found that most managers believe there is no single universal style of leadership applicable in all situations (Yun, Cox, and Sims, Jr. , 2006; Lord et al. , 2001). For example, a task-oriented leadership style may be most appropriate where a job involves psychologically immature or inexperienced workers; whereas, a relations-oriented leadership style may be most appropriate where workers are highly experienced and can be trusted to work autonomously (Tatum, et. al. , 2003). ?Group Types: Yukl (2006) defines several types of teams that can be found within an organization; two such teams include: Functional and Cross-Functional. Yukl (2006) provides the following about each team: â€Å"Functional teams are characterized by members of an organization with specialized jobs but are all part of the same basic function (e. g. maintenance, quality, etc. ). These teams operate for a long duration of time with membership that is relatively stable. Cross-Functional teams are characterized by members from a combination of functional subunits (e. g. quality, production, sales, and maintenance) working together on projects that require joint problem-solving skills. These teams operate until their task is completed. Membership may be stable over the life of the team or it may change as some functions increase/decrease in importance†. Leadership Credibility: Credibility is the foundation of leadership, and employees want their leaders to be honest, inspiring, competent, and forward looking (Kouzes and Posner, 2000). The credible leader must be seen as well informed and worthy of belief (Stoner, 1989). Credibility n urtures collaborative, cooperative relationships where employees assume responsibility for accomplishing work-related objectives voluntarily (Gabris Ihrke, 1996). For credibility to exist there must be trust between leader and follower (Kouzes Posner, 2000). Leadership credibility deals with perceived believability toward the leader-supervisor as someone an employee can trust in a supervisor-subordinate relationship (Gabris Ihrke, 1996). Organizational Justice: Organizational justice theory is intimately tied to leadership and decision processes (Tatum, et. al, 2003) and is based on the idea that a set of justice rules is used by individuals to evaluate fair treatment; and the extent to which those rules are satisfied or violated determines perceptions of justice or injustice (Mayer, et al. , 2007). Procedural justice refers to the perceived fairness of the methods used to make organizational decisions (Tepper, et. al. , 2006; Bauer, et al, 2001). In procedural justice, employees are concerned about whether the decision process is fair and the process used to determine the outcome was just (Fernandes Awamleh, 2006). Perceptions of fair procedures enhance employee acceptance of organizational outcomes (Latham Pinder, 2005), lead to organizational commitment (Lind Tyler, 1988) and satisfaction at the individual level (De Cremer, 2007). Shared perceptions of justice at the group level are positively related to satisfaction and commitment to the organization (Mayer, et al. , 2007). Just outcomes signal to employees that they are valued by the organization (Tyler Lind, 1992). Individuals experience procedural injustice when they are denied voice and decision control (Tepper, et. al. , 2006). Interactional justice is defined as the interpersonal treatment people receive as procedures are enacted (Bies Moag, 1986; Colquitt, 2001). Interactional justice is concerned with how information is communicated and whether individuals affected by a decision are treated with respect and dignity (Fernandes Awamleh, 2006). ?Group Commitment: Commitment is believed to affect organizational performance (Fiorito, et al. , 2007) and outcomes such as job satisfaction (Williams Hazer, 1986). Commitment is strongly influenced by leadership (Kouzes Posner, 2000). When employees feel unfairly treated, they may respond affectively with low commitment (Latham Pinder, 2005). The effect of leadership style on group interaction depends on both the consistency of the leadership style and the attitude group members have toward the leadership style (Kahai, Sosik, Avolio, 1997). Describing the task in a way that links it to member values and ideals, explaining why a project or task is important, involving members in planning strategies for attaining the objectives, and empowering members to find creative solutions to problems (Yukl, 2006). If members see leadership as legitimate, they should remain more attached to the team and exert more effort to benefit it (Colquitt, Noe, Jackson, 2002). ?It is readily accepted that organizational change impacts employees in a variety of ways (French, Bell, Zawacki, 2000). Consequently, the impact of organizational change on employee attitudes has received considerable research attention (e. g. Gardner, Dunham, Cummings, Pierce, 1987; Griffin, 1997; Lines, 2004; Saari Judge, 2004; Schweiger DeNisi, 1991). Research indicates that employee attitudes are related to how individuals perceive or react to change (Mossholder, Settoon, Armenakis, Harris, 2000). This is important since positive perceptions of change can enhan ce the implementation of these organizational initiatives (Lines, 2004; Armenakis, Harris, Feild, 1999). In this study, employee attitudes are investigated when organizational change is caused by the introduction of new technology. As depicted in Figure 1, salient attitudes of interest include job satisfaction, organizational commitment, intent to turnover, and job stress. The most-used research definition of job satisfaction is by Locke (1976), who defined it as â€Å". . . a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of one’s job or job experiences† (p. 1304). Implicit in Locke’s definition is the importance of both affect, or feeling, and cognition, or thinking. When we think, we have feelings about what we think. Conversely, when we have feelings, we think about what we feel. Cognition and affect are thus inextricably linked, in our psy-chology and even in our biology. Thus, when evaluating our jobs, as when we assess most anything important to us, both thinking and feeling are involved. Continuing this theoretical development, Judge and his colleagues (Judge Bono, 2001; Judge, Locke, Durham, Kluger, 1998) found that a key personality trait, core self-evaluation, correlates with (is statistically related to) employee job satisfaction. They also found that one of the primary causes of the relationship was through the perception of the job itself. Thus, it appears that the most important situational effect on job satisfaction—the job itself—is linked to what may be the most important personality trait to predict job satisfaction—core self-evaluation. Evidence also indicates that some other personality traits, such as extra-version and conscientiousness, can also influence job satisfaction (Judge, Heller, Mount, 2002) In the research literature, the two most extensively validated employee attitude survey measures are the Job Descriptive Index (JDI; Smith, Kendall, Hulin, 1969) and the Mi nnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ; Weiss, Dawis, England, Lofquist, 1967). The JDI assesses satisfaction with five different job areas: pay, promotion, coworkers, supervision, and the work itself. The JDI is reliable and has an impressive array of validation evidence. The MSQ has the advantage of versatility—long and short forms are available, as well as faceted and overall measures. Another measure used in job satisfaction research (e. g. , Judge, Erez, Bono, Thoresen, in press) is an updated and reliable five-item version of an earlier scale by Brayfield and Rothe (1951). All of these measures have led to greater scientific understanding of employee attitudes, and their greatest value may be for research purposes, yet these measures may be useful for practitioners as well. In practice, organizations often wish to obtain a more detailed assessment of employee attitudes and/or customize their surveys to assess issues unique to their firm. ?Job satisfaction is one of the most extensively researched work-related attitudes (Loscocco Roschelle, 1991). Saari and Judge (2004), however, observed that HR practitioners lack thorough knowledge of job satisfaction and related antecedents. Job satisfaction is operationally defined as an individuals assessment of the degree to which their work-related values have been achieved (Locke, 1969; Locke, 1976). Research suggests that organizational change has a discernable impact on job satisfaction (see, for example, Ferguson Cheyne, 1995) which is associated with organizational citizenship behaviors that are beneficial to organizational effectiveness (Organ, 1990). ?Organizational commitment is also a frequently studied job attitude (Lines, 2004; Loscocco Roschelle, 1991). Definitions and conceptualizations of the organizational commitment construct are numerous and diverse. Morrow (1983) observed at least 25 different conceptualizations of organizational commitment. Despite this diversity, OReilly and Chatman (1986), among others, suggest that psychological attachment to an organization is a theme underlying most conceptualizations of organizational commitment. Of particular interest in this study is the relationship between affective organizational commitment and reactions to the organizational changes since individuals with high levels of affective commitment tend to exert extraordinary effort on behalf of an organization (Porter, Steers, Mowday, Boulian, 1974). In addition, individuals with high levels of affective commitment are likely to remain with an organization because they want to remain with the organization (Porter et al. , 1974), not because they have no other alternatives or because of social pressure. CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3. 1PROPOSED METHODOLOGY 3. 1. 1FOR EMPLOYEES The Researcher has proposed to use Qualitative and Analytical type of research. The Researcher has proposed to use Qualitative type of research, to assess the behavior of various employees in different teams which has an impact on overall performance of the team. The Researcher has also proposed to use Analytical type of result to analyze the effect of behavior on their individual performance towards their relationship with peers etc. 3. 1. 2FOR MANAGERS To assess the changes in leadership behavior due to changes in employee attitude, the Researcher has used the same Qualitative and Analytical type of research design. 3. 2RESEARCH DESIGN The research design is the blue print for fulfilling objectives and answering questions of specific research problem. A research design is purely and simply the framework a plan for a study that guides the collection and analysis of the data. The research designs used in this project are listed below. 3. 2. 1 DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH To describe the characteristics of certain groups e. g. users of a product with different age, sex etc. , to determine whether certain variables are associated e. g. , age and usage of a product. 3. 2. 2 ANALYTICAL RESEARCH To analyze the behavior of employees and its impact of deadline productivity. 3. 3DATA COLLECTION METHOD In this study the researcher has proposed to use both Primary and secondary data. 3. 3. 1PRIMARY DATA Primary data will be collected through a structured Questionnaire from the target respondents.

Blog 7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Blog 7 - Essay Example It gives a clear direction on what is to be addressed in the study. The essence of a thesis in an argumentative essay is to declare a particular stand on what one believes is the correct line of thought. It is to bring about a distinction between the popular thought within the text and the other side of the story that is contrary to a particular line of argument (Bieze, 3). Consequently, it is critical to note that a thesis statement can either endorse or go against the contrary point of view. Ordinarily, a thesis statement should bring about a different line of argument that paints a different picture of what is thought to be the generally accepted knowledge (Yirinec and Vinson, 1). To develop a thesis, the research details have to be noted down based on the thought and what is to be researched on. This is a very critical step as it defines the development of the thesis. After coming up with the description, the ultimate agenda is to narrow down on the specifics of the research. It is then imperative that the sources of information gathered are listed as appropriate with respect to the study. Anything that suggests ideas contrary to a person’s line of argument should be listed. With all these steps, a thesis statement is the drafted based on the information that is necessary for the study (Yirinec, 2). The researcher has to avoid the temptation of not making a claim. This rather makes the thesis, none issue. Giving statements of facts do not make the research anything new. The thesis has the express need to come up with new ideas and arguments. Conventional thoughts and quotes should be avoided as they do not make the thesis or a line of thought anything different (Carabelli, 1). Quoting directly from an essay is only viable when the paper has been published and recommended as an important source. The paper must have passed the test of an essay that is to say that the essay must have the evidence and all that entails a good paper. The main

Can Rehabilitation be Effective Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Can Rehabilitation be Effective - Research Paper Example Earlier, or in 2007, Bonta and Andrews reported that Canada has been using a risk-need-responsivity or RNR model in reducing recidivism with an increasing success rate in assessing and rehabilitating criminals in Canada and around the world (p. abstract section). The RNR approach follows three principles: (1) match services based on the risk to offend among offenders (risk principle); (2) assess and target criminogenic needs in treatment (need principle); and (2) maximize the offender’s ability to learn from rehabilitation by providing cognitive behavioral treatment and designing specific interventions based on learning style, motivation, and situation of the offender (responsivity principle). Meanwhile, according to Murphy, in the English and Welsh Probation Service and Prison Service Programs of the United Kingdom, combines the RNR model discussed earlier and a model called the Good Lives Model (GLM). Murphy elaborated that the GLM focuses on helping offenders obtain what the probation and prison institutions termed as â€Å"human goods† or needs like intimacy, autonomy, and knowledge. Murphy stressed however that in the UK probation and prison programs that those that have adequate discharge planning, provide appropriate community aftercare services, and involve significant others have increasingly reduced recidivism. Much earlier, in 1996, Gendreau identified the principles of effective intervention: (1) services should be intensive and behavioral in nature given tangible, activity, and social reinforcers; (2) program contingencies and behavioral strategies should be implemented in a firm but fair manner.

Lord Binghams Dicta on the Principle of Legality Case Study

Lord Binghams Dicta on the Principle of Legality - Case Study Example It applied to persons who ‘cannot be deported because there is no ‘safe’ country to which they can be sent’. The detainees were able to challenge their detention under s25 and s30 ATCSA. S25 allowed an appeal to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) against the Home Secretary’s decision and Section 30 ATCSA allowed the SIAC to hear appeals against the validity of the UK’s derogation from Article 5 ECHR .Lord Bingham’s Dicta on the Principle of Legality.The House of Lords had to decide whether the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) could rely on evidence obtained under torture by a foreign power - without UK complicity - during an appeal hearing. Evidence had been obtained from third parties by agents of the United States using methods known as ‘interrogation by extraordinary rendition’ . The SIAC and the Court of Appeal (CA) held that the evidence was admissible . The CA majority decision was based on Rule 44(3) of the SIAC procedural code which allows the SIAC to review evidence which would not be admissible in a court of law . Laws LJ expressly excluded evidence obtained with the complicity of the Home Secretary or any English authority regardless of the contingency The appellants argued that:ï‚ ¾ The common law position is firmly against torture which is enshrined in s76 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984

The Renaissance Art, Literature and History Essay

The Renaissance Art, Literature and History - Essay Example This style of art was widely used in the most respected premises like the palaces and empires where the princes, kings, queens and other leaders had important occasions or even ceremonies performed and held (Pedro p. 33) In this particular renaissance art and literature, everything about the history, leadership or certain countries are brought out. The artist could use their works to illustrate realities that had passed and also the imaginary events expected to be faced by the leaders and their countries in the future. Most works done in literature by playwrights like Pedro Calderon whose hero is the Ruler of Madrid Prince Segismundo? Pedro stressing the fact that Madrid is central entertainment point of the world and prince Segismundo is the ruler (Pedro p. 99). Pedro also seemed to be influential in the sense that he is able to bring inspiration into bringing the possibility of the Plaza being rebuilt. We also have the verses being used by other artist such as Pedro Rosete who uses a collection of verses to praise the palace of Buen Retiro. He names the Poem after the ruler of the Palace with very unique composition. So many decorations of the palace were put in a way that conveyed very strong messages with some of them giving beautiful pictures of memorable events and great leaders. Some art portrayed good works of leaders and mostly victories of wars and some were showing battles. In Retiro there was the most important room which was meant to be occupied by the royals at the time of celebrations and ceremonies. The hall which was a place where the king spent time sometime to enjoy himself and to work during other moments had to be made very attractive with arts which had different strong meanings (Levin p. 56). The rooms also according to the artist had to be the most comfortable place for the king or a leader to spend most of his time. As seen from the Hall or Reams the artists did a crucial job to ensure the best outcome for the look of the palaces, all s ignificant historic portrays were used to decorate the inside of the palace, starting from the floor, the walls, and even the roof. The most beautiful paintings, showed the four kingdoms of the Monarchy of Spain. Other art painting which decorated the room were those of victories won by Phillip IV armies (Pedro p. 105) The paintings were done all over the room including on the doors. They gave a richly oriented decoration. Mostly the works done by two artist Velazquez and Maino were the best and the most unique. These were artist known for their excellent artwork hence being chosen to do the work for the most important places where royal’s ceremonies were carried out. The palace was full of arts of different beautiful illustrations from those of war, to victories such as Elizabeth in procession to black friars 1600 by Robert Peak, to images of young Prince Baltasar Carlos on horseback 1634. The artist works shows how the arts and the palace are very friendly in the sense that the kings are comfortable with the works as the decorations portray old tradition which matches the kingship old history. The arts of decorations from the great artists were done in parables, similarity and recitations. They illustrated, huge family occasions, victories made by the armies, triumphal entries, dynastic marriages, diplomatic coups through narrative way. Others like wisdom, justice among others were shown through representation or referred to

Supply Chain and Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Supply Chain and Operations Management - Essay Example Few businesses understood the entire chain of activities but where inadequately managed which ultimately delivered products to the final customers. Although the activities were brought to fulfilment, often the supply chains were ineffectively led. Supply chain management can thus be explained as the active management of activities related to supply chain in order maximise the value of the customer, thereby achieving a sustainable competitive advantage. Supply chain activities range from product development, production, sourcing to logistics (Ketchen and Giunpero, 2004). The organizations that form the supply chain are closely linked together through information flows and physical flows. Physical flow is characterized by the movement, storage and transformation of materials and goods. Information flows allow the various supply chain associates to coordinate their long term plans as well as control their daily flow of materials and goods up and down the supply chain. However, simple as it may seem, supply chain management is associated with a certain degree of complexity and with complexity comes the risk factor (Halley and Beaulieu, 2009). This topic forms the basis for this research. The following sections will involve a thorough analysis of the main characteristics of material requirements planning (MRP) and Just-in-time (JIT). Advantages and disadvantages of JIT and MRP will be stated and a detailed comparison will be done. Thereafter, the risks associated with the supply chain management will be discussed in details, followed by the ways that can be implemented in order to mitigate such risks. Finally, an overall conclusion will be provided. Discussion Supply Chain Management in Toyota Supply chain management at Toyota Motor Corporation is a constituent of the company’s operations strategy which is systematically based on the Toyota Production Systems (TPS). The supply chain management framework was developed in the 1940s by Taiichi Ohno and Shigeo Sh ingo. With the company’s success becoming attaining a worldwide coverage, the Toyota Production System was followed by other companies with keen interest. The principle idea that was followed in the company’s production system is expressed by the term ‘lean manufacturing’. The components of Toyota’s supplier partnering hierarchy are interlocking structures, mutual understanding and trust, control systems, information sharing, compatible capabilities, kaizen and learning and joint improvement activities. The Toyota production system thoroughly impotents implements the Just in Time Strategy (JIT) which is a system that arranges the resources, information flows and decision rules in such a way that it enables a firm to realise the benefits of implementing such a system. JIT is a business viewpoint for maintaining a competitive advantage which is based on the idea of incessant development and eradication of waste. This system helps to carry out work thr ough various operations by signals (called Kanban). The components of just in time system are very proactive as far as exposing problems within a company’s supply chain management framework is concerned. The components play a crucial role in reducing the problems thereby formulating an even sound supply chain management strategy. The components are based on the principles of pull production which based in Kanban, total quality management, reducing inventory by involving the suppliers in the planning process, elimination of waste, continuous

Sociology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sociology - Assignment Example Similarly G.S. Thompson notes that education is how the environment influences an individual to bring about permanent changes in the behavior as well as habits of an individual. Therefore, the term education is a pedagogical process as well as a component that nourishes the body, mind, soul of ignorance. This study focuses on different key aspects as well the as the context of education. This is coupled by objectives and importance of having education in place (Brayl & Murray, 1998). The concept of education This study views education in two aspects. These are the narrow aspect and the wider aspect. Narrow aspect In the narrow education aspect, the field of education is necessary in imparting instructions in schools or colleges. Here, there is direct involvement between the teacher and the student interacting with one another. There is a well stipulated order in which the education process has to be delivered. For instance, the key areas of focus include; objectives of education, cur riculum, teaching methodology, including discipline in the educational process as well as application of evaluation techniques. The narrower aspect of education is purposefully directed to the development of a child through schooling. ... According to Dewey, education is the progressive acquisition of experiences and abilities in which one incorporates throughout his life in the control of environment as well as reaching the limits of possibilities. These two approaches are very important in development of human beings in particular. Generally, the understanding of the concept of education can be viewed in the most appropriate way. There are two concepts of education that are most relevant in the contemporary human development. First, we have the ‘Banking concept’ and then the ‘Modern concept’. The modern concept In the modern concept of education, there is a great emphasis on the shift individual development to national development. Here, education does not only focus on the social change but also on the national development. It is believed through national revolution, there will be realization of economic gains. This is a concept that most countries have adopted and others being encouraged to adopt in order ascertain national development that is now thriving the development process of the modern countries. This has been particularly important in social, economic and political interests of national development. The banking concept The banking concept of education is teacher-student interactive concept. This is the most important in the formal or non-formal modes of education. The teacher is perceived to give or deposit knowledge while the student is the receiver of that particular knowledge. The teacher communicates and gives instructions as the student listens, memorizes and practices the communique of the teacher. Here, the teacher uses evaluation methods to find out if the communicated information was well incorporated by the student. The information that would have been well

Consumer law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Consumer law - Essay Example You must take it in the condition in which you found it. This statement by itself does not shield the seller from liability. Under section 6(2)(a) of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977, as against a person dealing as consumer, liability for breach of the obligations arising from section 13, 14 or 15 of the 1979 Act (seller’s implied undertakings as to conformity of goods with description or sample, or as to their quality or fitness for a particular purpose); cannot be excluded or restricted by reference to any contract term. Dealing as a Consumer is defined under section 12 of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977.1 An individual deals as a consumer when he neither makes the contract in the course of a business nor holds himself out as doing so the other party does make the contract in the course of a business. The second hand good was not bought in a public auction, and therefore the burden of proving that the purchase was not made as a consumer lies on the seller either because the seller did not sell in the course of business or the buyer did buy or held out to buy in the course of business. The mere fact that Andy had paid the purchase price from his business account does not lead to a conclusion that he was dealing in the course of business and not as a consumer. In fact, his intention was to use the car principally for shopping and collecting the children from school but he did expect occasionally to use it in his business for urgent collections and deliveries of materials. Under section 14(2A) of the 1979 Act, goods are of satisfactory quality if they meet the standard that a reasonable person would regard as satisfactory, taking account of any description of the goods, the price (if relevant) and all the other relevant circumstances. Furthermore, under section 14(2B), the quality of goods includes their state and condition and the following (among others) are in appropriate cases aspects of the quality of goods— The description of the

A World of Difference Essay Example for Free

A World of Difference Essay Why do people live in one geographical area all their lives? Throughout my life time, this question has always fascinated me. What is the purpose, and what are the benefits? As a young girl, I grew up in the Mid-West, the famed â€Å"bread-basket† of the United States of America. My family owned a small dairy farm, and our lives revolved around the two daily milking’s. It didn’t take long; two and a half hours at the most, but those hours felt like a prison sentence. We never traveled more than a few hours from home since the cows were required to stay on a regular schedule. As I steadily climbed the ladder to adulthood, I promised myself that I would no longer live with such restraints. Exploration and travel became my dream. At the seasoned age of eighteen, I decided it was time to spread my wings and fly the coop. I joined the Armed Forces and spent a long couple of months missing home. That soon came to an end when I had the pleasure of traveling abroad for the first time in my life. I spent my first, and only, tour in South Korea. It was quite the culture shock for the young woman who had never been out of a four-state area. I managed quiet nicely though, I partied, made good friends and I met my future husband. Before I know it, I was married and had three little ones. My adventures were over, or so I thought. I plowed through the next twelve years being an at-home Mom. My days were exciting; anyone with children will tell you that each and every day is uncharted waters. My husband was in the Military and we were required to move every couple of years. It was nice seeing new places and exploring our new homes, but we never left the States. After years with my husband, I began to feel that jail cell again and I, once again, made the decision to see the world. I was hired as a Government Contractor and, as of present, have been living in the Middle East for five years. I have the luxury of a nice paycheck and, at the same time, I’m able to provide nice extras for my children. Having the knowledge of living in several different States, as well as the Far East, nicely prepared me for my next chapter. I divorced my husband and re-married a man who shares my goals of seeing the world. I’ve had the pleasure of vacationing in some of the greatest places on Earth. We have, on occasion, taken my children with us so they are exposed to the cultures of the world. This, I feel, is one of the greatest gifts I could ever share with them. When you meet and interact with different cultures, it allows your mind to grow. No text book, movie or documentary can compare to experiencing it in person. Travel, in itself, is a great education. We’ve learned that other cultures have something to contribute, even if it’s a different philosophy than our own. No matter what far-off place we encounter one thing is always the same; people are people. Eventually, my husband and I will move on to a different region on the World. And, at that time, we will start our adventures all over again. Even though homesteading in one area all your life is appealing to some; I could never again confine myself to those boundaries. The World has too much to offer, if you’re willing to ride her magic carpet. Travel and exploration are still my greatest goal. I could never envision myself living any other way. So, in some respect, I’m the opposite of the norm. When I look back on my great adventures, I could never imagine giving up my lessons of life by living in one location for a lifetime.

Charles Dickens Great Expectations Essay Example for Free

Charles Dickens Great Expectations Essay An exploration of the ways in which issues of class and status are presented in Charles Dickens Great Expectations and L. P. Hartleys The Go-Between. Both Charles Dickens Great Expectations and L. P. Hartleys The Go-Between discuss the class assumptions of early Victorian England; around 1807-1823 is when most of the action can be dated too in Great Expectations and at the start of the 20th century, the year 1900 in The Go-Between. Both novels portray a class structure in decline or under threat, as the rise of trade unions and rights for women were to transform the quiet hierarchy that had existed for countless generations. In this essay I will draw out the similarities and differences in how the two authors present the issues of class and status to the reader. Hartley often seems to place great value in the tradition and history of an ancient, aristocratic, ruling class; Dickens regards beyond all else the value of hard work. Dickens argues that social status denotes nothing but money, whereas Hartley seems to glory in the upper-classes natural superiority, such as at sport and at music: none can match Marion in skill. Hartley warns against the social mobility that makes Marion too good for Ted despite their love for each other and subverts the natural hierarchical order and security that has existed for centuries, yet Dickens denounces a society that lavishes upon the few at the exclusion of the multitude. Dickens characters suffer under or bask in justice offered by the plot, as good characters are rewarded and bad characters condemned. Hartley shows little similar sympathys as discussed below. Dickens consciously relays no support for the idea that the upper classes are naturally morally superior; dispelling all pretentiousness to this tenuous link in the contrast between Drummle and Joe, whereas in Hartleys The Go-Between, Triningham is by far and away the kindest character, whom the reader instinctively warms to, and enchants all with his natural grace and elegance, seemingly affirming the assumption of the ancient idea of the moral superiority of the wealthy, going back to the Bible story of Job in the Old Testament, where God blessed a good man with wealth. Ironically, Triningham is already displaying the injuries already done to the aristocracy, he has been forced to rent out the home his ancestors have held for generations as he himself can no longer afford to live there; he himself has lost his wealth in his property, even though temporarily. Nevertheless, the middle classes Maudlseys do not appear to have gained by their social rise at the end. Some critics have argued that Hartley is arguing that a socially divided society is a dangerous one; that Leos evaporated enthusiasm for a new century so full of unfulfilled promise is systematic of unfounded hopes of a new Golden Age if society remains segregated between the haves and have-nots. That the Boer War, which scarred the aristocratic Triningham, protracted and disastrous for Britain with a devastating display of Britains faltering significance and importance in world affairs, is a sign of a difficult century ahead. Triningham, a representative of a dying aristocracy with unseen wounds that a display of natural elegance and grace can hide but not heal. In spite of this, I find myself wholly disagreeing with this view of Hartleys novel The Go-Between. Hartley certainly does warn of the demise of the aristocracy, yet he does not rejoice in it. On the contrary, he mourns, grieves and laments the apparent loss of nobility throughout the work. Triningham is by far and away the most gracious, righteous and gallant character presented, there is only sympathy in a reader for his early death. I certainly fall on the side of Hartley strongly defending the hierarchical social order, and the aristocracys right to lead it. Yet it is important to do discuss other possibilities. Triningham then represents the best features of the aristocracy. Unlike Marian, from the start and until the end, there was no ulterior motive to Trininghams kindness: he was as true as steel even in the eyes of the unfaithful Marian. He is patriotic to the end too and was wounded in the defence of his countries Empire. Despite all this, in the book Hartley presents Marian displaying no reverence for Teds feelings, instead she is cruelly unfaithful to him whilst engaged. Every other character in the book has faults of character or of action, but Triningham is beyond such. His demise might be Hartley warning the middle-classes of the dangers involved with usurping the natural order. Even so, the story is told from Leos point of view, and Leo admires Triningham to such a great extent that his faults may be simply hidden from the readers view, or indeed perhaps the story is told from Leos point of view in order to allow Hartley to express his admiration. Even so, Leo the adolescent is also a bad judge of character and situation and so simply may be putting forward the wrong view. Be that as it may, the point still stands.

Health and Safety Regulations for Elderly Care

Health and Safety Regulations for Elderly Care Chapter II – Literature Review Literature Review Like any other places of work, residential homes for the elderly must have everything in line with the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) regulations. It is the duty of the Management (employer) to ensure the health and safety of the residents, employees and visitors. Therefore, the Management is responsible for budgets, facilities and the purchasing of OHS equipment in order to conform to the OHSA. Moreover, the Management needs to understand its role in order to improve the health and safety performance of such homes for the elderly. Commitment and consultation is recommended in order to identify, prioritizing and act on key issues to make real improvements in OHS in this context (L.N. 36 of 2003 section 13.). The OHSA states that the Management (employer) has a responsibility to model healthy and safe workplaces for their residents, especially when these residents present medical conditions, mental health issues or a disability. It must provide information, training, instruction and supervision to enable workers to work safely and without risks to their health (L.N. 36 of 2003 section 4). On the other hand, according to section 15 of the same legislation, employees must cooperate, have the knowledge and to care for their own safety as possible and of others in accordance to the training and instructions given by the employer. This also includes reporting of incidents or hazards and also be able to conduct an evacuation in case of fires, earthquakes or bomb threats. In such environment, employers are obliged to designate persons having the necessary aptitude, capabilities, competence and training to assist in the undertaking of measures with regards to occupational health and safety and the prevention and control of occupational risks as per L.N. 36 of 2003 section 9. The employer shall designate workers who shall be responsible for the implementation of the measures required for fire-fighting and for the evacuation of workers. The names of the persons thus designated shall be entered into a register to be kept at the workplace, and the register shall be maintained and amended as necessary by the employer (L.N. 437 of 2012 section 9.4). Therefore, when organizing an evacuation that includes people with mobility impairments, effective fire safety management should ensure that sufficient people with relevant training are available to take control of the situation (Crowder Charters, 2013). However, having residents with mental health conditions or mobility impairments, residential homes for the elderly must set a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) for every resident. The PEEP explains the method of evacuation to be used by a disabled person in each area of a building (Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, 2011). Elderly people are likely to have some kind of disabling condition ranging from a mobility impairment, hearing impairment, visual impairment (blinded or partially sighted)to a cognitive impairment or mental health issues. Therefore, people with such disabling conditions have individual needs and each person should be responded to accordingly (Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, 2011). However, some might have more than one-impairment and their needs may be quite specific. For example a person with dual sensory impairment (deaf blind) may have needs which are quite distinct from a person who is either just Deaf or b lind. Therefore, in order to ensure that the emergency evacuation plans run smoothly training should include practice on how to evacuate safely each person with all the specific required needs. Regular staff is likely to know the history of each resident and it is assumed that care staff would know what kind of conditions each individual resident lives with. Therefore, they are likely to be the most physically involved if an emergency evacuation occurs. Crowder and Charters (2013) argued that these carers will be the most familiar with evacuees’ requirements and how much time and help will be needed. They therefore they will be most likely the most adequate to evacuate the elderly residents from the building. It was also pointed out that staff that interacts on a regular basis with elderly people with regards to mental health issues will have the knowledge on how to achieve an evacuation without causing undue distress to individuals. Another important role of front line staff is to have knowledge about health equipment used by some of the residents in case of acute health care treatment. Crowder and Charters (2013) stressed out that patients in acute health care premises may be attached to one or several pieces of equipment as part of their treatment or life support and that the front-line staff should be consulted on whether a person can be disconnected from any of this equipment and for how long. First Aiders Having people trained as first aiders can be instrumental since in an emergency there might be the need of immediate medical assistance before professional medical care is available. The law requisite states that an employer must have a considerable number of employees trained in basic first aid procedures; not only in case of fire emergency but for whatever emergency may arise. An employer shall ensure the presence at all times of such a number of first aiders as is adequate and appropriate in the circumstances for rendering first aid to his employees if they are injured or become ill at work (L.N. 348 of 2011 section 5.1). Evacuation In their study, Crowder and Charters (2013) argued that the time that passes between the ignition of a fire and the onset of life threatening conditions is the maximum time the occupants have to move to a place of safety. They refer to it as the Available Safe Egress Time (ASET) and the total time needed for evacuation is termed the Required Safe Egress Time (RSET). Therefore, fire detection and the alert (alarm) play an important role to have the most amount of time at hand for a safe evacuation or refuge before the scenario turns into an unacceptable hazard. Evacuation training beforehand is critically important. It has to be frequent enough in order to assure no decrease in efficiency. Crowder and Charters (2013) maintained that lack of familiarity with the task at hand would lead to incorrect handling and lifting procedures, excessive number of people being required to assist and a considerable time loss because people are unsure about their next action. McMahon (2013) argued tha t there are several steps involved in an emergency evacuation and that the primary step is the recognition of a potential threat and how to take a rapid decision about whether or not to order or request an evacuation. Therefore, fire drills and training is a formal learning experience for all those involved. The University College London (2013) illustrate that the purpose and objective of a fire drill is to: Identify any weakness in the fire evacuation plan strategy. Test the procedure following any recent alteration or changes to working practices. Familiarize new staff and occupants with procedures. Test the arrangements for disabled people. Identify weaknesses in emergency communications procedures and systems. Identify positive and negative reaction of staff with designated responsibilities such as Fire evacuation Marshals. Safe Egress All the directions of travel towards the egress must be visible and immediately apparent. Therefore, maps and signs must be posted indicating the current location and the direction of travel to the nearest exit and that each exit must be clearly marked as an exit. Permanent signboards must be used for signs relating to prohibitions, warnings and mandatory requirements and the location and identification of emergency escape routes and first-aid facilities (L.N. 45 of 2002 section 2.1.1). OSHA state that these floor maps with arrows that designate the exit route assignments should be attached in areas prominently to be seen by all employees and should include locations of exits, assembly points, and equipment (such as fire extinguishers, first aid kits, spill kits) that may be needed in an emergency. It is maintained that the employer shall take all the necessary steps to provide and maintain suitable and sufficient emergency routes and exits so that in the event of danger, workers and all persons therein can evacuate all the workplace and all parts thereof quickly and as safely as possible (L.N. 437 of 2012 section 7.1). There must also be an emergency Action Plan and this has to be kept at the work place, it has to be in writing and it has to be available to all members of the residential home for review. Therefore, it is important that training for such an emergency is performed frequently enough to be knowledgeable on how to perform a safe evacuation. All exit routes have to be continuous and unobstructed. L.N. 437 of 2012 section 7.2a states that exit routes must be kept clear at all times, and lead as directly as possible to a safe, open air, specifically designated area outside the premises, which shall be on the ground floor. Therefore, the exit access itself has to be clear at all times and not blocked or obstructed and that each opening has to be protected by a self closing fire door that will remain closed or automatically closes in an emergency according to section (8d) of the same legislation. Provided that no lift shall be used as an emergency route unless such lift has been certified by a mechanical engineer as being safe to be used in emergencies (L.N. 437 of 2012 section 2a). Such context must have lifts which can be used even in a fire evacuation alert. When you have residents with physical impairments, the most practicable way to evacuate in less time possible is to travel beds or wheelchairs to the nearest safe elevator and take them safe down to ground floor. Evacuation lifts will not only improve evacuation time’s brackets for high-rise buildings, but also provide equitable egress for persons with disabling conditions (Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 2013). Firefighting System and Appliances Fire fighting systems and appliances are the first aid emergency unit that can be used to domesticate the initial stages of fire. Fire ­ detection systems are of vital importance and a necessity at the place of work. For such environment, an addressable fire detection and alarm interface system is the ideal installation over the conventional fire system. This system is able to monitor and control the capabilities of each individual alarm-initiating and signal device (Alberta Group, 2014). This is an automated system having fire/smoke detectors, water sprinklers, air-conditioning system dampers, fire doors/stoppers and the fire alarm system all interfaced while alert signal is sent to the control panel at the main desk where it is constantly monitored 24/7. Having this system installed fire incidents are identified at their early stage and will prevent or minimize premises damages or harm to the people inside the building. Besides having an ‘intelligent’ automatic system, there must me also manual devices to put out the fire detected at first stage such as proper fire extinguishers, fire blankets, and fire hose pipes among others, depending upon the nature of the context environment as there are a wide range of devices that can be implemented. The employer shall ensure that workers are adequately instructed and trained as appropriate in the proper use of firefighting equipment as may be required for that work place by the Civil Protection Directorate (L.N. 437 of 2012 section 9.13). By means of ongoing training, drills and simulations, personnel are more likely to respond effectively to fire emergencies since they will increase their confidence. The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (2011) argue that in order to ensure that the plans run smoothly training should include practice evacuations of the premises. Therefore, training is the rehearsal of the residential home’s fire evacuation plan strategy. Provision of a fully integrated PEEP system will improve safety for everyone using the building whilst identifying any weaknesses in any existing evacuation plans (DHSSPS, 2011). In the event of a real fire emergency, such training will lead everyone to know what to do and how to act in a calm and o rderly manner. Good communication and appropriate training for staff and management regarding the fire or emergency evacuation process are vital to ensure success (DHSSPS, 2011).

My Pet :: essays papers

My Pet Would you like to live a happy and productive life? Then get pets! I must admit it is hard to believe that domesticated animals can promote mental and physical health, but many studies have shown that they can. On the other hand, you must find a pet that is compatible with you or with your life style. Maintaining good mental health is crucial for living a "normal" life. Many psychiatrists have found that patients with anger management problems can be calmer with a pet around the house. Sometimes, just the feel of a pet in the house can do wonders on the nerves and eliminate certain aggravation. I have found that having multiple pets around can be difficult, but with the hard work comes satisfaction and happiness. Personally, I own two turtles, one dog and one fish; my two turtles are in one tank, so they have company! In my fish tank, there is a predatory fish, which would endanger any other fish if I put more in the tank. Separating animals that could do harm to each other is a good method for ensuring their safety. In addition, you must remember to spend an equal amount of time with your pets†¦ even your fish, so one pet does not get jealous of the other. Many give their beloved companions names such as people Stanley, Buddy, and Mikey. By giving pets human names people feel more connected and comfortable around their animal friends. My dog’s name is Bishop, my two turtles names are Squirmy and Mojo and my fish’s name is Mr. Fish. My roommate named the dog and I named the fish because of the way they are Mojo because he’s the bigger one and Squirmy because he can never stay still longer than a few seconds. I named my fish Mr. Fish because I couldn’t really think of a good name for him. People some times are extremely attached to their pets; many cater to their every whim. Some people even bring their dogs and cats to pet manicurists and stylists to pamper their pets. This "obsession" with their pets can lead to deep seeded pain and anguish when a pet passes on. I can defenatly agree with that even if its not death and it’s a disappearance of an animal.

Animal Farm, by George Orwell :: Animal Farm Essays

According to Stephen Covey an "Effective leader is one who is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out.† In addition, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, effective means â€Å"producing positive effects†, and a leader is â€Å"one who heads an organization.† In Animal Farm, by George Orwell, Napoleon is the character who portrays these traits along with the trait of practicing utilitarianism. Therefore, Napoleon is an effective leader who increases the economy of Animal Farm and practices utilitarianism, the greatest good for the greatest number. One instance the Napoleon shows effectiveness is in the way he leads the economy of Animal Farm. This evident through Squealer’s facts about how â€Å"†¦production of every class of foodstuff [is increasing] by two hundred per cent, three hundred per cent, or five hundred per cent†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (81). This is so because Napoleon balances the mechanics involving the running of the economy producing positive effects for the farm. In addition, Napoleon leads the farm to produce â€Å"†¦the biggest harvest that the farm has ever seen...† which proves even more the effectiveness of Napoleon (24). One more aspect of Napoleon’s effectiveness shows when Napoleons makes â€Å"The farm more prosperous †¦ and better organized†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (113). Napoleon’s decisions on what Animal Farm should do prove to be effective rendering Napoleon an effective leader in the instance of producing desirable effects for the economy. Another instance that outlines the effectiveness of Napoleon adduces its self in the orders he enforces. When Napoleon â€Å"†¦accept[s] a contract for four hundred eggs a week, the price of [the eggs] pay[s] enough [for] grain and meal to keep the farm going till summer†¦Ã¢â‚¬  was clearly providing the best for the most amount of animals. By doing this, Napoleon harms only a small percentage of the animals while the majority benefits. When â€Å"†¦the animals work like slaves [for the windmill]†¦Ã¢â‚¬  this provides for the future betterment of the farm (54). Again, this is providing the greatest good for the greatest number because the building of the windmill will lead to easier lives for the animals of Animal Farm. These improvements of the farm are prime examples of utilitarianism because they benefit the future of Animal Farm.

Use of Imagery in Daddy by Sylvia Plath Essay -- Poetry Analysis

As a modern female poet, Sylvia Plath played many roles in her art: she was the fragile feminist, the confessional writer, the literary innovator. As a woman, Plath found herself with one foot in her past and the other in an uncertain future, her present an often uncomfortable combination of the two. She was at once a daughter desperate to make her parents proud and a wife eager to please her husband; an overworked, depressed teenager and a lonely, sick mother; a child who lost her father and an adult who lost her hope. Plath’s confusion between her memories and her fantasies produced the creative inspiration that spawned much of her work; the losses she suffered had the same effect. The death of her father became a theme in her poetry on which Plath would often spin her words. In the poem â€Å"Daddy,† Plath uses imagery to compare her father to a shoe, God and a vampire, to establish similarities between her father and her husband and to describe the lack of communica tion between her and her father. â€Å"You do not do, you do not do/Anymore, black shoe,† proclaims Plath in the opening lines of â€Å"Daddy† (222), introducing the world to her father, ominous in the color black and consistent in his inability to â€Å"do† anything for Plath â€Å"anymore.† This depiction of the father as an shoe instead of a man also presents Plath’s deft use of imagery to color the character of her father, this time with the shade of a black shoe. This image makes the father sound â€Å"stifling† (â€Å"Slayer† 1). The imagery of the black shoe is also powerful in explaining the nature of Plath’s posthumous relationship with her father. Shoes usually protect the foot, provide warmth for it (Goelzhaeuser 1). Shoes in the poem, however, do not invoke the sheltering, caring ... ...ountry. However, it seems likely that she died as she lived, haunted by a combination of the two, her deceased father pointing out her failures from far away in her childhood and her substitute husband becoming another one of those failures from another woman’s apartment. The imagery of â€Å"Daddy,† of her father and her husband, each her protector and her abuser in one, stands a testament of words to just that. Works Cited Barnard, Caroline King. Sylvia Plath. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1978. Goelzhauser, Nicola. â€Å"Imagery in Sylvia Plath’s ‘Daddy.’† Online. http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/8984/daddy.htm. â€Å"Oedipus Complex.† Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. 10th ed. 1993. Plath, Sylvia. The Collected Poems. Ed. Ted Hughes. NewYork: Harper Perennial, 1972. â€Å"Sylvia the Vampire Slayer.† Online. http://members.aol.com/raisans/plath.htm. Use of Imagery in Daddy by Sylvia Plath Essay -- Poetry Analysis As a modern female poet, Sylvia Plath played many roles in her art: she was the fragile feminist, the confessional writer, the literary innovator. As a woman, Plath found herself with one foot in her past and the other in an uncertain future, her present an often uncomfortable combination of the two. She was at once a daughter desperate to make her parents proud and a wife eager to please her husband; an overworked, depressed teenager and a lonely, sick mother; a child who lost her father and an adult who lost her hope. Plath’s confusion between her memories and her fantasies produced the creative inspiration that spawned much of her work; the losses she suffered had the same effect. The death of her father became a theme in her poetry on which Plath would often spin her words. In the poem â€Å"Daddy,† Plath uses imagery to compare her father to a shoe, God and a vampire, to establish similarities between her father and her husband and to describe the lack of communica tion between her and her father. â€Å"You do not do, you do not do/Anymore, black shoe,† proclaims Plath in the opening lines of â€Å"Daddy† (222), introducing the world to her father, ominous in the color black and consistent in his inability to â€Å"do† anything for Plath â€Å"anymore.† This depiction of the father as an shoe instead of a man also presents Plath’s deft use of imagery to color the character of her father, this time with the shade of a black shoe. This image makes the father sound â€Å"stifling† (â€Å"Slayer† 1). The imagery of the black shoe is also powerful in explaining the nature of Plath’s posthumous relationship with her father. Shoes usually protect the foot, provide warmth for it (Goelzhaeuser 1). Shoes in the poem, however, do not invoke the sheltering, caring ... ...ountry. However, it seems likely that she died as she lived, haunted by a combination of the two, her deceased father pointing out her failures from far away in her childhood and her substitute husband becoming another one of those failures from another woman’s apartment. The imagery of â€Å"Daddy,† of her father and her husband, each her protector and her abuser in one, stands a testament of words to just that. Works Cited Barnard, Caroline King. Sylvia Plath. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1978. Goelzhauser, Nicola. â€Å"Imagery in Sylvia Plath’s ‘Daddy.’† Online. http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Studios/8984/daddy.htm. â€Å"Oedipus Complex.† Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. 10th ed. 1993. Plath, Sylvia. The Collected Poems. Ed. Ted Hughes. NewYork: Harper Perennial, 1972. â€Å"Sylvia the Vampire Slayer.† Online. http://members.aol.com/raisans/plath.htm.

Consumer Perception on Public vs Private Bank

Consumer perception on Public Bank versus Private Bank A survey Report Prakhar Agarwal (09FN-077) Ravi Jain (09FN-090) Sachin Gogia (09FN-094) Sandeep Agarwal (09FN-099) Saurabh Kumar (09FN-101) Sunay Jain (09FN-110) * CONTENTS Particulars Page No Executive Summary Introduction Methodology Data Analysis & Findings Recommendation Conclusion Bibliography Executive Summary Regulatory, structural and technological factors are significantly changing the banking environment throughout the world.One factor that is spurring the growth of the service economy in India is the liberalisation that has been ushered in by the government in the banking sector. The financial sector reform in India was designed to infuse â€Å"greater competitive vitality in the system†. In other words, financial liberalisation has led to intense competitive pressures and retail banks are consequently directing their strategies towards increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty through improved service qu ality. Retail banks are pursuing this strategy, in part, because of the difficulty in differentiating based on the service offering.Typically, customers perceive very little difference in the banking products offered by retail banks as any new offering is quickly matched by competitors. This research endeavours to fill the gap in the service quality by exploring the dimensions of customer perceived service quality in the context of the Indian retail banking industry. A set of service quality parameters, drawn from customers’ perceptions about service quality as well as the bank marketing and service quality literature using the RATER model have been drawn up.Finally, the research has drawn upon the findings of the service quality dimensions to contend the initiatives that banks’ managers can take to enhance employees’ skills and attitudes and instil a customer-service culture. This research will thus help bankers to know the ways in which how to improve customer perception towards the services provided by them. Introduction Perception: Perception is a process by which an individual select, organize & interpret stimuli in a meaningful picture of the world Also, we can describe as â€Å"how we see the world around us†. Perception is one of the objects studied by the science of consumer behaviour.Analyzing the works of scientists studying consumer behaviour, it is possible to make a conclusion that perception is presented as one of personal factors, determining consumer behaviour. Personal factors mean the closest environment of a human, including everything what is inside the person, his head and soul, characterizing him as a personality. Customer Perception: Customer perception is an important component of our relationship with our customers. Customer satisfaction is a mental state which results from the customer’s comparison of expectations prior to a purchase with performance perceptions after a purchase.A customer may m ake such comparisons for each part of an offer called ‘‘domain-specific satisfaction’’ or for the offer in total called ‘‘global satisfaction’’. Moreover, this mental state, which we view as a cognitive judgment, is conceived of as falling somewhere on a bipolar continuum bounded at the lower end by a low level of satisfaction where expectations exceed performance perceptions and at the higher end by a high level of satisfaction where performance perceptions exceed expectations. Customer Perception on Service These characteristics of service also make service unique and different from goods as described below a.Intangibility. b. Heterogeneity. c. Inseparability. d. Perishability. e. Non-returnable. f. Needs-match uncertainty. g. Interpersonal. h. Personal. i. Psychic. Like other industries, banking and financial services companies have reached the conclusion that the relationship with the customer should not (metaphorically and lit erally) end at the bank door. Customer access after the transaction adds value to the transaction. Definition of Banking Banking means accepting for the purpose of lending or investment, of deposits of money from the Public, repayable on demand or otherwise and withdraw able by cheques, draft, order or otherwise.Banking is a crucial economic function and forms an integral part of nation’s economy. A healthy banking system is essential for any economy striving to achieve good growth and yet remain stable in an increasingly global business environment. The Indian banking system, with one of the largest banking networks in the world, has witnessed a series of reforms over the past few years like the deregulation of interest rates, dilution of the government stake in public sector banks (PSBs), and the increased participation of private sector banks.The growth of the retail financial services sector has been a key development on the market front. Indian banks (both public and pri vate) have not only been keen to tap the domestic market but also to compete in the global market place. New foreign banks have been equally keen to gain a foothold in the Indian market. Fig. 2. 1-Segreation of banking industry The Banking Sector Today Depth Countrywide coverage Large number of players Increasingly sophisticated financial markets Technology Increasing use of technology in operations Poised to expand and deepen technology usage Diversification Emergence of integrated playersDiversifying capital deployment Regulation Robust regulatory system aligned to international standards Efficient monetary management Fig. 2. 2-Banking sector Sector Snapshot Indian Banking sector is dominated by Public sector banks (PSBs) which accounted for 72. 6% of total advances for all SCBs as on 31st March 2008. PSBs have rapidly expanded their foot prints after nationalisation of banks in India in 1969 and further in 1980. Although there is a restrictive entry/expansion for private and fore ign banks in India, these banks have increased their presence and business over last 5 years.Within the group of banks, foreign and private sector banks grew at higher rate than the industry from FY03 to FY08 primarily because of lower base effect and rapid expansion undertaken by these banks. In FY09, overall growth in credit and deposits was led by PSBs. However, growth of private and foreign banks was significantly lower in FY09 due to their high exposure to stressed sectors and problem at parent level for foreign banks. Size Total assets of US$ 335 billion Total deposits of US$ 279 billion Number of banks Over 290 scheduled banks Public sector: 27 Private sector: new – 9; old – 24 Foreign: 37Over 190 regional rural banks Branch network Over 66,000 branches Public sector: 46,000 Private sector: 5,500 Foreign: 190 Regional rural: 14,400 Source: ICICI bank Fig. 2. 3-Indusrty size Measuring Customer Perception in the Banking Industry The domestic Indian economy is an i ncreasing pie which offers extensive economies of scale that only large banks will be in a position to tap. With the phenomenal increase in the country's population and the increased demand for banking services; speed, service quality and customer satisfaction are going to be key differentiators for each bank's future success.Thus it is imperative for banks to get useful feedback on their actual response time and customer service quality aspects of retail banking, which in turn will help them take positive steps to maintain a competitive edge. The working of the customer's mind is a mystery which is difficult to solve. This exercise in the context of the banking industry will give us an insight into the parameters of customer satisfaction and their measurement. This vital information will help us to know how banks can build satisfaction amongst the customers and customer loyalty in the long run which is an integral part of any business.We can recognize where we need to make changes to create improvements and determine if these changes, after implemented, have led to increased customer satisfaction. Need and Importance of the Study One of the most important developments in banking sector has been the growth of the financial industry over the past two decades. The benefits of financial industry can be seen in the form of large scale industrial development, increased employment opportunities, higher turnover as well as revenue generation to the government and also increase in export of goods and services. Investments play a vital role on the part of the customers.A real investor does not simply throw his or her money random investment. Today banks have a relationship management approach with their clients. Banks are offering more customized solutions to their clients. Everything revolves around the customer and banks via with their innovative and quality products to suit their clients. Today the bottom line for any customer is convenience understanding and evalua ting the customers perception on the service ;amp; products of a bank has without doubt become a need, which propels the body to structure itself for better performance and service.Indian Overseas Bank has ensured that whoever comes in for cash withdrawal will receive his/her cash within five to ten minutes. Fig. 3. 2-Reliability Assurance * Employee’s knowledge and courtesy and the ability of the firm and its employees to inspire trust and confidence. * Every customer treated with utmost care * Problem solved with great enthusiasm. * Customers are assured * the money they invest is secure * the interest rate that is being provided to them is at par or higher. * the money they have invested will be returned to them as and when required with proper interest. Empower their customer contact people * Regularly train them in skills to build trust and loyalty between employees and customers. * Assigned some of their staff members to build relationships with the customers by getting to know them personally. Fig. 3. 3-Assurance Tangibility The appearances of physical facilities, equipments, personnel and communication materials. * Entire premise is air-conditioned. * Computerized systems in place – quick, accurate and efficient service can be provided to the customers. * Tables and chairs are conveniently located. * Personnel always have a cheerful and helping behaviour.Fig. 3. 4-Tangibility Empathy * The caring, individualized attention the firm provides its customers. * Employees are always polite humble and helpful. * Ready to go out of the way. * Regularly holds seminars and training workshops for employees so that they can understand the consumer better and thus serve them better. Fig. 3. 5-Empathy. Responsiveness * The willingness to help the customer and provide him with immediate and fast service. * Prompt at providing customers with information and services they seek. * Prompt when it comes to resolving complaints of customers. The customers, in their feedback form, mentioned this as one of the most important factor that has prompted them to continue with this bank. Fig. 3. 5-Responsiveness Source of Data The researcher proposed to gather the required data through primary data . Primary data are those which are collected afresh and for the first time, and thus happen to be original in character. It will be collected through questionnaires method. Universe The proposed study is to find out the services rendered by the Public and Private Sector Banks to their Customers. The population is uncountable and is considered as infinite.However, the proposed sample for the study from Private Sector Banks and Public Sector Banks is 120. Sampling Method The universe of the study is the account holders of Public and Private Sector banks and the sampling technique adopted will be convenient sampling method. Statistical Tools and Techniques The collected data have been analyzed with the help of percentage analysis. Limitations of the Stu dy The time spent for canvassing the bankers and customers to get the questionnaire filled was considerable. Further, there was reluctance on the part of customers to respond the questionnaire.The cost and time factors are the other limitations. However adequate care was taken to collect unbiased data. Data Analysis ;amp; Findings We have based our survey on RATER model (given by Parasuraman), thus considering the effect of Age, Occupation and Income on various parameters defined by RATER. During our analysis we will focus on various combinations of Age, Income and Occupation and various parameters of RATER model:- During our study we have maintained weights for various options which are maintained underneath:- 1 for Strongly Disagree 2 for Disagree 3 for Neutral 4 for Agree for Highly Agree We have divided our analysis in two parts a. Those who have accounts in both Private and Public Banks and thus have firsthand experience with both the banks b. Those who have accounts with only one of the banks(i. e either in Private Bank and Public Bank) and thus during analysis we have taken their perception about other bank thus the analysis may be biased based on their perception Analysis for those who have account with both Private and Public Banks:-1. Based on AGE Group Fig4. 1-Depicting relationship between age and RATER model parameters a. For the Age Group ;lt;20 They believe that the tangible benefits are more in private banks as compared to public banks. * They are more than satisfied with the Reliability of Private Bank with respect to Public Bank * They believe that the responsiveness of private banks are notch higher than of public bank * They believe that the assurance provided by Private and public banks are almost of the same level. * They believe that the empathy shown by Private Bank employee to its customers are better than shown by Public bank Considering the above parameters and few other things they believe that overall Private Banks are slightly bet ter than Public Banks . For the Age Group 20-30 * They are satisfied with the tangible benefits provided by private banks as compared to public banks. * They are of the view that Reliability of Private Bank are in terms with Reliability of Public Banks. * They believe that the responsiveness of private banks are higher than that of public bank * They believe that the assurance provided by Private and public banks are almost of the same level. * They believe that the empathy shown by Private Bank employee to its customers are better than shown by Public bankConsidering the above parameters things they believe that overall Private Banks are better than Public Banks c. For the Age Group 30-40 * They are satisfied with the tangible benefits provided by private banks as compared to public banks. * They are of the view that Reliability of Private Bank is bit less than the Reliability of Public Banks. * They believe that the responsiveness of private banks are bit higher than that of publi c bank * They believe that the assurance provided by Private Banks is bit higher than provided by public banks. They believe that the empathy shown by Private Bank employee to its customers are almost same than shown by Public bank Considering the above parameters things they believe that overall Private Banks are satisfactory in compared to Public Banks d. For the Age Group 40-50 * They are not satisfied with the tangible benefits provided by private banks as compared to public banks.* They are of the view that Reliability of Private Bank is in terms with the Reliability of Public Banks. They believe that the responsiveness of private banks are same as that of public bank * They believe that the assurance provided by Private Banks is bit lesser than provided by public banks. * They believe that the empathy shown by Private Bank employee to its customers are almost same than shown by Public bank Considering the above parameters things they believe that overall there is not much diff erence in Private Banks and Public Banks e. For the Age Group 50-60 * They believe with the tangible benefits provided by private banks are of same level as compared to public banks. They are of the view that Reliability of Private Bank is in terms with the Reliability of Public Banks. * They believe that the responsiveness of private banks are slightly more satisfying than of public bank* They believe that the assurance provided by Private Banks is bit lesser than provided by public banks. * They believe that the empathy shown by Private Bank employee to its customers is a bit less than shown by Public bank Considering the above parameters things they believe that overall Public Banks are slightly better than Private Banks f. For the Age Group ;gt;60 They believe with the tangible benefits provided by private banks more satisfactory as compared to public banks. * They are of the view that Reliability of Private Bank is very less as compared to Reliability of Public Banks. * They be lieve that the responsiveness of private banks are in terms with responsiveness of public bank * They believe that the assurance provided by Private Banks is far less than provided by public banks. * They believe that the empathy shown by Private Bank employee to its customers is a far lesser than shown by Public bankConsidering the above parameters things they believe that overall Public Banks are far better than Private Banks Findings Based on Age Group: The Public Banks are the most preferred by the age group of ;gt;60 years with the Reliability being the highest scoring point of Public Banks over Private Banks. This may be attributed to the fact that they have been associated with Public Bank for very long time so a sort of relationship is developed between them. Also they are more prone to risk so they prefer Public Bank s as they are backed by Governments.On the contrary Private Banks are mostly preferred by age group segment of 20-30 years this may be attributed to the fact t hat most people in this group are working class and for them time is the most important factor so the services such as better Online Banking, better responsiveness provided by Private Banks make them more attractive to this segment 2. Based on Income Level Fig4. 2-Depicting relationship between income groups and RATER model parameters a. For the Income ;lt; 1. 5 L * They believe that the tangible benefits are more in private banks as compared to public banks. They are a bit more satisfied with the Reliability of Private Bank with respect to Public Bank * They believe that the responsiveness of private banks are notch higher than of public bank* They believe that the assurance provided by Private and public banks are almost of the same level. * They believe that the empathy shown by Private Bank employee to its customers are better than shown by Public bank Considering the above parameters and few other things they believe that overall Private Banks are slightly better than Public Ba nks b. For the Income 1. L-5L * They are more than satisfied with the tangible benefits provided by private banks as compared to public banks. * They are of the view that Reliability of Private Bank is slightly better than the Reliability of Public Banks. * They believe that the responsiveness of private banks are more satisfying than that of public bank * They believe that the assurance provided by Private and public banks are almost of the same level. * They believe that the empathy shown by Private Bank employee to its customers are slightly better than shown by Public bankConsidering the above parameters things they believe that overall Private Banks are slightly better than Public Banks c. For the Income 5L-10L * They are satisfied with the tangible benefits provided by private banks as compared to public banks. * They are of the view that Reliability of Private Bank is bit more than the Reliability of Public Banks. * They believe that the responsiveness of private banks are bi t higher than that of public bank * They believe that the assurance provided by Private Banks is almost same as provided by public banks. They believe that the empathy shown by Private Bank employee to its customers are slightly better than shown by Public bank Considering the above parameters things they believe that overall Private Banks are slightly better in compared to Public Banks d. For the Income ;gt;10L * They are satisfied with the tangible benefits provided by private banks as compared to public banks.* They are of the view that Reliability of Private Bank is lesser than Reliability of Public Banks. They believe that the responsiveness of private banks are same as that of public bank * They believe that the assurance provided by Private Banks is almost same level than provided by public banks. * They believe that the empathy shown by Private Bank employee to its customers are almost same than shown by Public bank Considering the above parameters things they prefer Public Bank as compared to Private Bank e. For the Income Not Applicable * They are satisfied with the tangible benefits provided by private banks as compared to public banks. They are of the view that Reliability of Private Bank is in terms with the Reliability of Public Banks. * They believe that the responsiveness of private banks are slightly more satisfying than of public bank * They believe that the assurance provided by Private Banks is bit more than provided by public banks. * They believe that the empathy shown by Private Bank employee to its customers is a bit more than shown by Public bank Considering the above parameters things they believe that overall Private Banks are much more satisfying than Private BanksFindings Based on Income Levels: The Private Banks are the most preferred by income group of ;gt;10 L. with Tangible benefits as the most differentiating Factor . This may be attributed to the fact that private banks provide customized services to the customers, also the t imings of public bank are more suited to them, the services such as mobile banking, online banking saves them lot of time which is of utmost importance to them. On the other hand Public Bank are most preferrd by middle class income group (i. e 5L;lt;Income;lt;10L) with assurance as most differentiating factor .This may be attributed to the fact that they are more prone to risk and for them safety of money is of utmost important. 3. Based on Occupation Fig4. 3-Depicting relationship between occupation and RATER model parameters a. For the Business Persons * They believe that the tangible benefits are more in private banks as compared to public banks. * They are a bit more satisfied with the Reliability of Private Bank with respect to Public Bank * They believe that the responsiveness of private banks are notch higher than of public bank * They believe that the assurance provided by Private and public banks are almost of the same level. They believe that the empathy shown by Private B ank employee to its customers are almost same than shown by Public bank Considering the above parameters and few other things they believe that overall Private Banks are almost as same as Public Banks on various parameters b. For the Service Person* They are more than satisfied with the tangible benefits provided by private banks as compared to public banks. * They are of the view that Reliability of Private Bank is slightly better than the Reliability of Public Banks. They believe that the responsiveness of private banks are more satisfying than that of public bank * They believe that the assurance provided by Private and public banks are almost of the same level. * They believe that the empathy shown by Private Bank employee to its customers are slightly better than shown by Public bank Considering the above parameters things they believe that overall Private Banks are slightly better than Public Banks c. For Students * They are satisfied with the tangible benefits provided by pri vate banks as compared to public banks. They are of the view that Reliability of Private Bank is bit more than the Reliability of Public Banks. * They believe that the responsiveness of private banks are bit higher than that of public bank * They believe that the assurance provided by Private Banks is almost same as provided by public banks. * They believe that the empathy shown by Private Bank employee to its customers are slightly better than shown by Public bank Considering the above parameters things they believe that overall Private Banks are slightly better in compared to Public Banks Findings Based on Occupation:-The Private Banks are the most preferred by students with tangible benefits is the most differentiating factor among banks. This may be attributed to the fact that students are tech savvy and the services provided by private bank in this regard is better also students don’t have much concern towards safety aspect as the amount of money involved is very small. On the other hand Business persons are indifferent to both banks as for them both are important their safety concerns (regarding huge money ) is appropriately addressed by Public Bank where as their time concerns are addressed appropriately by Private Banks .Analysis For Customers having accounts with only one type of Bank : The analysis is done for those customers who have banking accounts with either private banks or public banks but not both. Since, those customers have accounts in only one of the banking sectors i. e. either private or public; the inferences drawn will be based on their perception of the other banking sector without any practical banking experience. The inferences may have a biased opinion towards the banking system in which the customer hold an account and is thus only a suggestive indication of the customer perception towards both private and public banks.