Wednesday, December 18, 2019

A Research Study On Developmental Disability - 826 Words

According to Gail Goldsmith, BSW, who just retired from Northern Lakes Community Mental Health, NLCMH is authorized by the Michigan Department of Community Health to provide mental health services and services to those with developmental disabilities. Developmental disability is generally defined as a chronic condition, with an onset before age 22, that cause impairment in one or more areas that impact day-to-day functioning such as learning, communication (expressive and receptive language), mobility, cognitive function (information processing), self-help, health/physical functioning and independent living. Conditions such as Down’s syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, and fetal alcohol syndrome are some of the most prevalent causes of impairment. Often these conditions create a need for lifelong support. According to the Center For Disease Control, in a study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, nearly 1 in 6 children in the United States are identified as having a developmental disability. (Boyle 2011) According to Gail the demographics have changed dramatically over the years. The number of clients with autism has increased dramatically. Programs and services change with administration. Each new administration has their own interpretation of how exactly mandated programs should be run and what they are and are not required to provide eligible clients. Gail has served as a case manager for more than 25 years. Her primary role has been to coordinate servicesShow MoreRelatedMy Study For People With Disabilities983 Words   |  4 Pageswith disabilities must include their voices across their states. 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Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Challenges Faced by Taj Hotel

Question: What level of Expatriation will be required to meet Tajs Operational needs and maintain their Heritage? Answer: The Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is one of the most renowned hotel chains in the Indian hotel industry (Tajhotels, 2017). The hotel comes under the possession of Tata Group. In the Middle East also TAJ Hotel has gained a significant presence by its well-known and prestigious hotel Taj Dubai. There are several challenges related to retention, selection and recruitment of employees which have been faced by the organization. The Dubai labor market has provided opportunities to Taj Dubai to have a safe and rapid development in terms of growth, success and workforce. The labor market of Dubai experienced a comibantion of expatriates as well as working Emiratis. Because of the presence of increased number of expatriates the labor market is considered as cheap as well as easy supply of labor is there. It has also resulted in availability of labor in squat wages. But the Emiratis as the domestic workers work on high wage structure only. There has also been regulating Emiratisation Law whic h restricts the employment of expatriates in the public as well as in private sector companies (Ministry of Human Resources Emiratisation, 2016). This has also provided a benefit to the Emiratis to work only on high wages and salaries. But this creates several challenges for the organizations working in UAE. The report will focus upon the human resource issues faced by Taj Dubai, the approach used by Taj group in staffing, need of expatriation and various HR strategies to resolve and mitigate the issues prevailing in the Dubai operations. Taj Dubai Taj Dubai was established in the year 2015. The hotel is a beautiful blend of contemporary style, heritage and extravagance (Tajhotels, 2017). The hotel has been established in Dubai with one of the prime and most illustrious location i.e. Burj Khalifa. The hotel is doing enormously well. The main and the prime emphasis are led over maintenance of the Indian culture by serving in other nations. There are 296 rooms which provide the guest a luxurious and extraordinary experience of lavishness. The hotel provides a magnificent experience of Dubai culture with a fusion of Indian heritage. The points of attractions for Taj Dubai includes its eye catching location i.e. Burj Khalifa, a very short distance of 5 km from the Dubai mall and Downtown area. As well as the airport is just approximately nine miles away from the hotel (Tajhotels, 2017). Al these fascinate visitors, tourists and business associates to visit Taj Dubai. Selection of HR Approach to Staffing The Geocentric approach of staffing is a method where the employees get recruited on the basis of competence and qualities. The individuals who can serve the organization in the utmost manner will be recruited by the organization regardless of diversity in nationality, culture or any other factor. The primary and main aim of the companies using geocentric staffing approach is to have an enhanced unity among the subsidiaries as well as the headquarters of the organization. The second approach is the ethnocentric staffing approach (Colakoglu, Tarique and Caligiuri, 2009). This approach also primarily focuses upon the global recruitments in the organization. There has been done recruitment on the basis of right individuals for the right work role. The people are selected on the basis of ethnocentric staffing approach so that the individuals can easily mix with the organizational culture. As per the ethnocentrism, it is viewed that the values and beliefs of a specific system of ethnic gr oup is superior in nature in comparison with all others. And therefore the major decision power is impacted by the home standards in the controlling and evaluations taking place at the organization. A set counseling and advices are provided to the subsidiaries by the main headquarters on a regular basis (Tiwari, 2013). Taj Dubai must adopt the ethnocentric approach in its operations. The prime reason behind selecting this staffing approach is that Taj group wants to have a mixture of cultures as well as wants to safeguard the Indian culture and heritage in its establishment at Dubai also. Therefore it will be best for the organization to take use of ethnocentric staffing approach instead of geocentric staffing approach. There are several benefits which are associated withy the ethnocentric approach other that the fusion of cultures. This includes effective communication, higher control and simple structuring. Required level of Expatriation at Taj Dubai There is an extensive need of expatriates for effective management of the operations of Taj Dubai. In present scenario every organization requires expatriates for managing their international chains or subsidiaries. In a similar way, Taj Dubai also has a need of expatriates for managing the functioning and operations. In case of Taj Group, the need of expatriates is high because of the fact that the o0reganizatiuon highly emphasized on maintaining the heritage. There are several advantages which the organization will achieve if they recruit high number of expatriates in the hotel management. Cultural Integration The main and the primary motive behind the employment of expatriates are to enhance the cultural integration. If there will be employees from the host as well as from the home and other overseas countries then it will result into enhanced cultural integration. In a hospitality industry it is great to have employees from various cultures so that they can efficiently take care of the customers coming from diverse cultural groups (Scielo, 2010). Higher Flexibility The employment of expatriates will result into greater organizational flexibility. In several situation if there are employees from a similar background then there are high chances of rigidity as they have a unity amongst them. But increased expatriates employment will provide the organization with greater amount of flexibility in operations as well as management. Increased Commitment Individuals from other countries have a higher commitment with the companies as they are usually residing in other nations to have employment opportunity. So the expatriates will serve the organization in a more committed manner. Challenges Faced by Taj Hotel in Regards with Human resource Recruitment, selection and retention are three primary and key areas from where all the human resource issues arise. Taj Dubai has also faced challenges in maintaining efficiency in these human resource areas. Following are the issues related to all these three key areas experienced by Taj Dubai: Personal Factors and attitude of the employees This is the prime factor which is responsible for the occurrence of issues in recruitment, selection and retention of the competent staff. The attitude of the individuals related to the job in a hospitality industry basically at the grass root level is not so positive which can attract them to become the employees of the organization. Thus the talented and the competent individuals do not appear for the employment opportunities offered by the organization. Another major factor which acts as the barricade is the personal factors (Stephenson and Ali-Knight, 2010). People of Middle East generally preferred doing white collar jobs and that too in government organizations. This leads to decrease number of domestic staff in the private companies. As well as the type of jobs also restricts individuals to apply for the same. In many situations individuals do apply for the jobs in the hospitality sector but as soon as they get any better opportunity they tends to leave the organization. This directly impacts the retention rate of the employees. Feedback and Performance Appraisal In most of the organizations in the UAE the actual and true feedbacks are not provided to the employees. As providing true feedbacks is taken as a negative comment over the self-esteem of the employees if the feedback is downbeat and unenthusiastic. The employees do not take the feedback in a constructive way and possesses a notion that their self-esteems have been damaged. This results into attrition of the talented and the competent employees. In the Middle East countries people give more importance to their self-esteem sin comparison with their jobs (Mellahi, Demirbag and Riddle, 2011). And so organizations are unable to give a correct and effective feedback which results into inefficient performance appraisal in the organization. In Taj Dubai the employees are provided with correct feedback and this leads to negative impact over the Emiratis employees and that results into high attrition rate. Lack of Reward and Recognition In present scenario the rewards and recognitions of the employees is considered as a major tool for retaining employees in an organization. The lack of rewards and recognition to the employees results into high employment turnover in the organization. This also leads to de-motivation of the employees. The de-motivated and low morale employees have a lower degree of productivity which ultimately results into organizational loss. All these have a direct impact over decreased retention of the employees in the organization. And therefore there are difficulties in selecting and retaining the talented staff in the organization (Arasli, Bavik and Ekiz, 2006). Lack of Personal and Professional Advancement Every individual as an employee demands for opportunities which can offer personal and professional development. The organizations that provide regular and extensive opportunities to the employees generally have high retention rates (Stephenson, 2014). But in Taj Dubai the employees do not found many opportunities for their personal and professional advancement. And this acts as the barricades for the individuals to associate with the organization. This results into on effective recruitment. The employees also leave the organization because of such issue. This has a major impact over the effective recruitment and retaining of the talented staff at the organization (Pforr and Hosie, 2009). Ineffectiveness of Communication The Taj Dubai is basically an Indian organization which has expanded in the regions of Middle East. But still there are several communication gaps among the people of Dubai and the expatriate. At the higher position there are more of expatriate and this develops a human resource issue at the organization. The Emiratis employees are not comfortable in discussing their issues and this develops a communication gap in the hotel (Randeree, 2009). This communication gap poses a negative impact over the employees retention and selection. Thus there is inappropriate selection of staff and decreased retention rate of the competent staff. Pay Structure of the Organization The pay structure is one of the primary issues in the recruitment, selection and retention of the employees. Generally the national individuals of Middle East countries demands high pay structure and the expatriate are ready to work at a low pay structure also. This creates diversity in the pays. The Taj Dubai foes not allow this inequity in the pays thus the pays is similar for the expatriates as well as for the Emiratis employees. And as a result the squat pay structure restricts the employees to apply for jobs. And the one which are already employed left the organization as soon as they get some better working opportunity (Ahmad and Daghfous, 2010). Therefore there arise issues in the recruitment, selection and retention of the talented staff. Increased Number of Expatriates To maintain the heritage culture and to have higher operational efficiency Taj Dubai has employed higher number of expatriates. This creates some cultural issues among the Emiratis employees (Naithani and Jha, 2009). The issues are related to culture, communication gaps, pay structure, diversity in norms etc. all these issues gives rise to decreased retention of the Emiratis employees. And thus there is less number of people willing to join the organization. There develops recruitment and retention problems in the organization (Forstenlechner, et al., 2012). Job Insecurity The international organizations have a high wage and salary structure for the individuals but at the same time they have a very less job security for the employees. The squat or decreased job security is one of the primary reasons for the employees to leave the organization getting employed in any government organization. The Emiratis as well as the other individuals always demands for a secured job so that they do not have to face any kind of issues after serving the organization for a very long period of time due to issues such as inflation, downfall of the economy. This develops a threat of job insecurity among the employees which results into higher attrition rate (Rutledge, et al., 2011). HR strategies and solutions to Mitigate the Issues There is a need of few effective HR strategies for resolving the above mentioned issues and challenges prevailing in the functioning of Taj Dubai. Following are few of those strategies which can help the organization in achieving better human resource management. High Recognition and Rewards Top recruit and retain talented staff in the organization it is essential that Taj Dubai must restructure its rewards and recognition programs so that the morale and motivation of the employees can be boost and so they deliver increased productivity. If the efforts and hard work of the employees are rewarded as well as get recognized then it shows a positive impact over their performances as well as develops a sense of organizational commitment (Boxall and Purcell, 2011). This directly impacts their retention period in the organization. Provide Extensive number of Development Opportunities Every employee in an organization searches for opportunities which can provide them professional as well as personal advancement. It is required that Taj Dubai must provide the individuals with such opportunities. The greater the opportunities will be the more competent and skilled individuals will get associated with the organization (Nickson, 2013).The organization must also provide several benefits to the employees such as accommodation facilities, free pick up and drop services as well as free of cost meals. These additional benefits will enhance the employees commitment towards the organization. And so there will be proficient recruitment and increased retention of the employees. Job Rotation The employees are also discontented because of the cultural diversities among the employees. To have enhanced cultural integration in the hotel management it is required that there must be job rotation among the employees. This human resource strategy will benefit the organization in several ways. This will help in developing informal communication among the employees of diverse cultures or nation (P. Crick and Spencer, 2011). This will also support in building higher association among the employees which will result to improved workplace environment and increased retention rate. Offer Trainings To have great symmetry among the employees it is essential that all of them must get similar training and must be enrolled for parallel programs. There are few recognized training programs of Taj Group such as Taj management training program, HOMT i.e. Hotel operations management trainee program etc. these training programs provide base for the new employees to have an equal understanding of the work and organizational culture (Wong and Ko, 2009). This will help them resolving their issues and getting associated with the hotel for a longer time frame. Providing higher Job Security To retain the employees in the organization it is essential that the employees must have adequate job security. The threat of job security forces an employee to leave the organization. But if TAJ Dubai will provide an extensive job security to its employees then there are up surge chances that the employees will retain in the organization for longer time. This will ensure them they are a vital part of the organization and will not be detached easily (Hu, Horng and Sun, 2009). Retention Management Programs There is also a need of effective retention management program at the organization. This sort of programs helps the organization in retaining the employees as it helps in changing and improving the thoughts and view points of the employees in regards with organizational commitment. This gives an opportunity to the employees to attain greater employee engagement. And thus decrease the attrition rate of the employees (Hinkin and Tracey, 2010). Conclusion Taj Group is rapidly increasing its global presence in different overseas nations. The selection of Dubai is a potential expansion which can help the organization in achieving huge success and growth. From the above report it can be evaluated and analyzed that the Taj Dubai is doing very well in its operations. But still there is a need of improvement in its human resource management. There were several issues which have been identified in the HR operations of the hotel. These issues if not resolved may lead to extensive and deeper negative impacts over the organizational performance. The strategies provided for the resolution of issues and challenges will help Taj Dubai in attaining higher global recognition and success in its future operations. It can be concluded that if Taj Dubai adopts the ethnocentric approach and also have involvement of expatriates with the implementation of the mentioned Hr strategies then it may give constrictive results to the organization. Recommendations Following are few recommendations which can be offered to Taj Dubai for achieving improved productivity and raped achievements: The hotel must have regular programs on a monthly basis for having increased cultural integration. This will help in developing a sense of belongingness among all the employees. The involvement and employment of expatriates is a good decision but equal opportunities and authorities must be provided to all the employees regardless of their nationality and culture. The greater the perks are the higher is the efficiency in the performances. Hence it is suggested that the employees must get good incentives for their efforts and hard work (Wong and Ko, 2009). References Ahmad, N., Daghfous, A. (2010). Knowledge sharing through inter-organizational knowledge networks: Challenges and opportunities in the United Arab Emirates.European Business Review,22(2), 153-174. Alnaqbi, W., (2011). The relationship between human resource practices and employee retention in public organisations : an exploratory study conducted in the United Arab Emirates. Edith Cowan University, Pp.245, Retrieved on: 28th February, 2017, Retrieved from: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1424context=theses Arasli, H., Bavik, A., Ekiz, E. H. (2006). The effects of nepotism on human resource management: The case of three, four and five star hotels in Northern Cyprus.International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy,26(7/8), 295-308. Boxall, P., Purcell, J. (2011).Strategy and human resource management. Palgrave Macmillan. Colakoglu, S., Tarique, I., Caligiuri, P. (2009). Towards a conceptual framework for the relationship between subsidiary staffing strategy and subsidiary performance.The International Journal of Human Resource Management,20(6), 1291-1308. Forstenlechner, I., Madi, M. T., Selim, H. M., Rutledge, E. J. (2012). Emiratisation: determining the factors that influence the recruitment decisions of employers in the UAE.The International Journal of Human Resource Management,23(2), 406-421. Hinkin, T. R., Tracey, J. B. (2010). What makes it so great? An analysis of human resources practices among Fortunes best companies to work for.Cornell Hospitality Quarterly,51(2), 158-170. Hu, M. L. M., Horng, J. S., Sun, Y. H. C. (2009). Hospitality teams: Knowledge sharing and service innovation performance.Tourism management,30(1), 41-50. Mellahi, K., Demirbag, M., Riddle, L. (2011). Multinationals in the Middle East: Challenges and opportunities.Journal of World Business,46(4), 406-410. Ministry of Human Resources Emiratisation, (2016). Emiratisation Laws, Retrieved on: 28th February, 2017, Retrieved from: https://www.mohre.gov.ae/en/labour-law/labour-law/emiratisation-laws.aspx Naithani, D., Jha, A. N. (2009). Challenges Faced by Expatriate Workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries. Nickson, D. (2013).Human resource management for hospitality, tourism and events. Routledge. Crick, A., Spencer, A. (2011). Hospitality quality: new directions and new challenges.International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,23(4), 463-478. Pforr, C., Hosie, P. (Eds.). (2009).Crisis management in the tourism industry: beating the odds?. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.. Randeree, K. (2009). Strategy, policy and practice in the nationalisation of human capital:project emiratisation.Research and Practice in Human Resource Management,17(1), 71-91. Rutledge, E., Al Shamsi, F., Bassioni, Y., Al Sheikh, H. (2011). Women, labour market nationalization policies and human resource development in the Arab Gulf states.Human Resource Development International,14(2), 183-198. Scielo, (2010). Contribution of expatriates in the management of subsidiaries to the corporate governance of international firms: the case of vale(1), Retrieved on: 28th February, 2017, Retrieved from: https://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttextpid=S1807-76922010000100007 Stephenson, M. L. (2014). Deciphering Islamic hospitality: Developments, challenges and opportunities.Tourism Management,40, 155-164. Stephenson, M. L., Ali-Knight, J. (2010). Dubai's tourism industry and its societal impact: social implications and sustainable challenges.Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change,8(4), 278-292. Tajhotels, (2017). About us, TAJ HOTELS RESORTS AND PALACES MILESTONES, Retrieved on: 28th February, 2017, Retrieved from: https://www.tajhotels.com/en-in/about-taj-group/who-we-are/our-company/milestones/ Tajhotels, (2017). TAJ DUBAI, Retrieved on: 28th February, 2017, Retrieved from: https://taj.tajhotels.com/en-in/taj-dubai/?_ga=1.156121650.869678501.1488265661 Tajhotels, (2017). WELCOME TO TAJ, Retrieved on: 28th February, 2017, Retrieved from: https://www.tajhotels.com/en-in/home/ Tiwari, N. (2013). Managing human resources in international organizations.Global Journal of Management and Business Studies,3(4), 355-360. Wong, S. C. K., Ko, A. (2009). Exploratory study of understanding hotel employees perception on worklife balance issues.International Journal of Hospitality Management,28(2), 195-203.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Neve vs Astra vs OceanWP Which Theme Is Right for You

There are thousands of themes in the WordPress Directory. Choosing one for your website can quickly become overwhelming, especially when comparing high-performing, low-cost options such as Neve vs Astra vs OceanWP.Fortunately, if you carefully break down the features available with each theme youre interested in, it will usually become clear which is the best fit for you. Whether you need a sleek one-page layout or a flexible multipurpose theme you can customize extensively, youll eventually find what you need.In this post, well compare three popular free WordPress themes: Neve, Astra, and OceanWP. Well cover their key features, extensions, demos templates, and potential costs to help you determine if one of them is right for you. Lets get to it! picking your WordPress theme. The decision is all about your personal preferences and the needs of your website. Below weve compared three popular choices on features, extensions, demos and templates, and the optional costs associated with t hem.1. NeveOur attractive, professional, one-page theme has all the ingredients for a successful website baked into it. Its jam-packed with handy features for both style and performance, including:Lightweight code that will keep your site running fast (with a Google PageSpeed score of 92).Compatibility with Elementor, the most popular WordPress page builder.A mobile-first design that will keep your site looking top-notch on any screen, along with AMP support.Drag-and-drop header and footer customization, and layout control.A starter site library of templates you can use to build your site quickly and easily.Additionally, you can extend this theme by purchasing the  Neve Pro  add-on plugin. It includes several handy add-on modules such as custom layouts, a header booster with sticky and transparent menu options, a Scroll to Top button, a deeper WooCommerce integration, and more.Neves starter site library provides users of both versions with 11 free site demos, including a variety of options and templates built specifically with Elementor in mind. If youre not into custom coding and want to get your site up and running quickly, these handy tools will get the job done.The theme is free to download. Then, the Neve Pro add-on plugin starts at just $39, which lets you use it on  unlimited sites.2. AstraWith over 300,000 active installations, theres no denying that Astra is a popular choice. This isnt particularly surprising when you consider its many desirable qualities, such as:Performance optimized code that adheres to the highest standards.Multiple layout, header, and footer options for personalizing your sites design.Elementor integration for advanced customization and page building.Responsive design and mobile header creation to ensure your site is perfect at any screen size.Dozens of starter sites you can import using the free Astra Starter Site plugin.You can also extend Astra by purchasing the Astra Pro plugin. This brings features such as advanced cus tomization, white labeling, and additional starter sites to your WordPress installation. The extension will make this already flexible theme even easier to adjust to your needs and tastes.With a huge selection of demos to choose from, you also wont have to worry about custom coding or creating layouts (unless you want to, of course). Astra includes starter sites optimized for Elementor, Beaver Builder, the native WordPress Block Editor (Gutenberg), and Brizy. Youll also find blog, e-commerce, business, and other site types among the pre-built options.Astra itself is free, but Astra Pro comes in at $59 per year. They also offer a Mini Agency Bundle and an Agency Bundle for $169 and $249 per year respectively. These latter bundles are required to unlock the premium starter sites.3. OceanWPThis theme boasts close to 1.5 million downloads, and its clear to see why. OceanWP is a highly flexible multipurpose theme that can adapt to any type of site. It includes some pretty attractive feat ures, such as:A built-in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) base and excellent page speed test scores.Fully responsive design that keeps your site readable even on mobile devices.Integration with page builder plugins.Highly customizable through the use of extensions.Access to an extensive demo library, including free and premium templates.Unlike the other themes in this post, you can add on to OceanWP with individual extensions. Some are free, others are available for individual purchase, and all are included in the themes Core Extensions Bundle. Some highlights include white labeling, unique Elementor widgets, Instagram feed integration, and more.As far as demos go, OceanWP wont leave you wanting. There are one-page, e-commerce, and blog demos, with over 70 options to choose from. A handful are available for free, but others require the purchase of a Core Extensions Bundle.When it comes to pricing, OceanWP is what you make it. If you want to use the theme alone, you can build an awes ome site without spending a penny. If you want to add just an extension or two, you can keep your site affordable while adding just the high-quality features you need.The Core Extensions Bundle starts at $39 per year for use on a single site and can run as high as $129 per year for use on unlimited sites.How to decide which theme is right for youOn the surface, these themes all seem pretty similar, but upon closer inspection, there are subtle differences that may make one more suitable than the others when it comes to your site. Weve summarized our findings in the table below:Neve vs Astra vs OceanWPNeveAstraOceanWPFeaturesOne page layout, Elementor compatibility, drag-and-drop customization.Mobile header customization, unique widgets, a variety of layout and design features such as custom fonts.Has the overall most design options, flexibility for use with many types of sites.ExtensionsNeve Pro provides seven modules for additional functionality.Astra Pro includes advanced customiza tion and layouts.21 extensions available individually or as part of a Core Extensions Bundle.Starter Sites11 free starter sites.Largest library of free and pro starter sites.Over 70 demos, 13 of which are free.PriceStarts at just $39 per year for use on unlimited sites.Astra Pro available for $59 per year.OceanWP extensions available a la carte at varying prices. Core Extensions Bundle available for $39–$129 per year.In short, you wont want for features with any of these themes. Our main comparison lies with the extensions available for each, the demos they offer, and the price those elements demand.At the lowest cost and offering premium usage across unlimited sites, Neve Pro takes the cake when it comes to the most budget-friendly option at just $39 for use on unlimited sites. It also offers the unique drag-and-drop header and footer builder.In terms of the most available starter sites, Astra wins with its huge importable Site Library. Like Neve Pro, its also affordable, wi th unlimited usage costing just $59.Finally, OceanWP offers deep customization and is the best choice for those who want just one or two premium extensions without having to pay for an entire bundle. However, if you  do want all the extensions, an unlimited license will cost you $129 (though you can use it on a single site for $39).ConclusionYour WordPress sites theme has a big influence on   its style and functionality. It will play a serious role in helping users form opinions of your site, so choosing yours carefully is key. This can get tricky when dealing with comparisons such as Neve vs Astra vs OceanWP. Astra: Though the free version isnt much different than the other themes in this post, Astra Pro offers an attractive feature set from a premium standpoint and a large site library.OceanWP: Its a la carte pricing for extensions make OceanWP ideal for those who need just one or two additional features, rather than an entire premium theme.Do you have any questions about Neve or another WordPress theme? Let us know in the comments section below!Free guide5 Essential Tips to Speed Up Your WordPress SiteReduce your loading time by even 50-80% just by following simple tips.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Self Critique Essays

Self Critique Essays Self Critique Paper Self Critique Paper For many people public speaking is a very stressful task, which causes a lot of psychological pressure and anxiety. On the other hand, speaking in front of an audience is always a great challenge. Therefore, it is hard to find a person, who does not want to become a good, interesting and inspiring public speaker. Proficiency in public speaking is not only an effective tool for personal advancement, growth and development. It is also an important requirement of our contemporary life and informational culture. Usually I feel a little bit frightened before and during my public speaking. As I have discovered from my recent practices, I am extremely sensitive to reaction of the audience on my speech. If my listeners obviously like and enjoy my subject and the way I present it, I feel very much inspired and enthused. But when my audience does not express interest or appreciation of my efforts, it makes me feel frightened, so I can slightly start loosing my self-possession. I guess, my strong points are good pronunciation, good skills in expressing my thoughts and ideas clearly, as well as positive attitude towards my audience. If I have some time to get ready for public speaking, to prepare the draft of my speech and put my thoughts in order, I guess my performance is successful and quite pleasant. Probably, I just need to improve psychological background and learn how to remain calm and self-controlled. It proved to be very interesting to speak in front of the audience. Besides, I was really impressed with the performances of my class-mates as public speakers. Many of them demonstrated unrivaled eloquence, which was quite surprising to me. In addition, I’ve learnt that humor and optimistic tone of the speech are among the key points of successful public speaking. I see that after just one week of practices I could improve my presentation skills and competence in public speaking to a great extent. After giving presentation in front of the audience, I have learnt how to organize my speech more effectively, how to behave when speaking and how to reveal no anxiety and uncertainty. This experience assisted me in becoming considerably more self-confident and comfortable when speaking in public. I believe that with the help of these special practices I’ll achieve prompt progress and learn to enjoy my public speaking.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Alt as an Alternative to Alternative

Alt as an Alternative to Alternative Alt as an Alternative to Alternative Alt as an Alternative to Alternative By Mark Nichol The prefix alt-, an abbreviation of alternate, has appeared in the media lately, attached to the word right to denote a political movement supporting nationalism and opposing multiculturalism and liberal immigration policies. Although this prominence is a very recent phenomenon, the term alt-right- or, at least, its full form, â€Å"alternative right†- is not brand new: Coined in 2008, it was adopted two years later as the name of a website devoted to content espousing alt-right principles. However, it’s unclear when the abbreviated version of the term was coined; it might date back mere days or weeks at most. A dictionary entry offers this definition of alt: â€Å"Denoting a version of something, especially music, that is intended as a challenge to the traditional version.† (Alternative, in this sense meaning â€Å"not traditional or usual,† is an extension of alternate, which is ultimately derived from Latin alter, meaning â€Å"other.†) The coinage follows a format employed for a handful of terms, of which alt-rock is the most prominent: In 1979, various sources began to refer to underground music inspired by the punk rock movement with the adjective alternative; as such music, ironically, became mainstream, it was labeled, among other things, â€Å"alternative rock,† and thence alt-rock. As this movement was increasingly commercially exploited, the term’s popularity declined. However, the prefix has been affixed more recently to comedy that, like anything alt, is considered edgy or iconoclastic. Similarly, alt-fiction is the term given to novels and short stories that subvert and defy conventions of traditional fiction. There’s even alt-dating, the use of online dating websites that appeal to people outside mainstream society. Such terms are perhaps inspired in part by the use of the prefix alt in Usenet, a computer-based discussion system established in 1980, to denote groups outside the system’s conventional discussion categories. The abbreviation is also familiar to users of PC keyboards, which includes an Alt key used in combination with other keys to carry out a function distinct from that enabled by pressing the other key alone, but this term originates with alternate, not alternative. It’s quite likely that in our jargon-happy culture, the prefix may begin to appear more often, modifying additional nouns as a shortcut for signifying unconventional behavior or thought. In tandem, however, as often occurs when jargon proliferates, expect such terms to be used derisively or ironically as well as sincerely. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Useful Stock Phrases for Your Business Emails10 Techniques for More Precise Writing15 Names and Descriptions of Effects

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Best practices for Organizational Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Best practices for Organizational Change - Essay Example The quantitative research on the other hand is focused on large scale surveys and research. Here the researchers can use methods like questionnaires and structured interviews (Leedy & Ormrod, 2009, p.94). This method involves gaining responses from more number of people however this is relatively a much quicker method than the qualitative research (Leedy & Ormrod, 2009, p.95). There have been a number of discussions and arguments relating to the differences among the two methods. The two methods involve a number of similar processes like the need for hypothesis and also use of literature to develop the questionnaires and the research tools (Leedy & Ormrod, 2009, p. 94). Both methods also involve the need for collection and analysis of data and each of these methods can be used either individually or combined (Leedy & Ormrod, 2009, pg. 94). The method used can provide different results for each of the methods as well as when the methods are used combined with each other. Research Proposal: Considering a research question where the researcher aims at identifying the impact of the changes in the personnel development and the training and development efforts on the employees of a particular company. Here there are basically two sets of individuals who can provide the best inputs into the question, i.e. the employers and the employees. In the case of a qualitative research method, the researcher will attempt to meet or interview the employers and managers in the company.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Home Depot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Home Depot - Essay Example the ability is to pay labor and get credit; the less the capital, and the less able an organization is to pay its employees and borrow money (Riesman, 2009). From this regard, it is possible that more personalized selling could be the solution to some of Home Depot’s problems. There is also the attention that needs to be paid to the customer, in terms of putting them first and giving a customer-centric experience. It is the assumption of the current research investigation that intensifying the focus on the customer, while still remaining cost-effective, may be the best course for the organization of Home Depot to take. This involves an expanded awareness of, and attention to, the customer, whose loyalty will be encouraged through the presentation of a clear plan that knows what the customer expects, what they are finding in the competition that they are not currently finding at Home Depot, and other customer-centered factors. More often than not, these factors are based on the perceptions of those who hire the product or service of a large home improvement chain, with certain expectations in mind about what they are getting (and not getting). Home Depot can possibly take advantage of reducing the amount of time a transaction is going to take a customer, centralizing control of this process, and expanding operations without actually building any more brick-and-mortar branches, perhaps even by improving the customer-centric nature of its web operations. In many ways, this can be viewed as a win-win outcome for Home Depot, but there is also the obstacle of initial costs in setting up new operations and getting the operation moving primarily in a place where it can be subjected to external over-regulation. There is also the abovementioned danger of changes in the external environment. In conclusion, there are various factors and outcomes which must be realized in the context of the Home Depot situation. One must think of the worst case scenario, cost

Sunday, November 17, 2019

I have a dream Speech Analysis Essay Example for Free

I have a dream Speech Analysis Essay In his speech Dr king says that â€Å"we have come to our nations capital to cash a check† king refers to a bad check as blacks not getting their full rights. they dont get what was promised to them in the declaration of independence. king states how 100 years later the negro is still not free and still experiences â€Å" the flames of withering injustice.† he refers to the 100 years as the 100 anniversary of the signing of the emancipation proclamation signed by lincoln in 1963 which freed the slaves. king claims the bad check as having â€Å"insufficient funds† promised rights and justice. in his opening statements, king addresses thats they have come to cash a bad check. what he is referring to is the promised right in the declaration of independence. blacks were supposed to be promised rights which were guaranteed in the declaration of independence. â€Å"all men yes all men would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness† blacks were promised rights in the DOFI but these have yet to be realized . he states that america has defaulted on a promissory note. america has yet to acknowledge this fact and probably are reluctant to do it. king also addresses the bad check as having â€Å"insufficient funds â€Å" king refers to the insufficient funds as the lack of freedom and equality for blacks all across america. â€Å" so we’ve come to cash this check check, a check that will give up upon the demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice† King feels that the insufficient funds is a problem and results in great social unbalance between whites and blacks throughout america. he feels that blacks should be given the same opportunities as their white counterparts. he also states that blacks refuse to believe the insufficient funds. â€Å" we refuse to that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation† king goes further by stating how he feels justice needs to be served in order  to correct this bad check. â€Å" now is the time to make justice a reality for all of god’s children, now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice† king feels that there is a â€Å"sweltering heat of injustice† in america, full of racial segregation and inequality. he states NOW is the time because blacks have waited to long to be acknowledged by whites and have the same things they can do. in conclusion, king wants this bad check to be cashed so that whites and blacks can be one with each other and â€Å"dine together at the table of brotherhood† blacks will be have their rights that were promised to all men in the declaration of independence, get rid of the insufficient funds of the bad check and solve the injustice that has plaqued america for years. now is the time for equality, now is the time for equal opportunity and freedom. king has a dream for the future and wants to see his dream come to fruition.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Online Distance Learning Essay -- Teaching Education

Online Distance Learning Throughout the past few decades, online distance learning has become a prevalent method of teaching. Through the use of technology, the field of education has been slightly altered to fit the needs of both the educators and their pupils, by developing a communication system. For example, creating email addresses and generating websites, where the teacher and student can interact. The development of online distance learning is beneficial to the future of education because it provides more opportunity for students. What exactly does â€Å"online distance learning† mean? â€Å"A type of education where students work independently and communicate with faculty and other students via computer based communication† (Roman, Harry). Distance learning is predominately computer based but is currently being supplemented by television and two-way interactive video connections. The courses offered in the distance learning program range from basic literacy to highest graduate level programs. This unique offer allows students of all ages and abilities to participate and earn course credits. Online distance learning is a fast growing industry, there are eleven distance education mega-universities in the world, and the number is increasing rapidly. Until recent years, this would have seemed unrealistic, but because of the steady rise in technology, society has been able to grasp this concept. Online distance learning has become common throughout all parts of the United States because of the advantages that it has over traditional education. â€Å"Nobody is looking over your shoulder, there’s no commute, and the weather is never an issue† (Bowler, Mike). â€Å"The thing I like best is that you can do [schoolwork] whenever... ... 7. Setoodeh, Ramin. Technology: The Connected Classroom. September 27, 2004, MSNBC. Retrieved Oct. 16, 2004. Newsweek. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6039076/site/newsweek/ 8. Chennai. Multimedia Centres in Classrooms! October 17, 2004 Kerala Online, Retrieved Oct. 17, 2004. http://www.keralaonline.com/technews.asp?folder=Tech&file=8_704.xml 9. Attracting and Keeping Quality Teachers. (2004). National Education Association, Retrieved December 3, 2004, from http://www.nea.org/teachershortage/ 10. Feistritzer, C. E. (1998, January 28). The Truth Behind the ‘Teacher Shortage.’ The National Center for Education Information, Retrieved December 3, 2004, from http://www.ncei.com/WSJ-12898.htm 11. Krunholz, J. (1997, July 24). Teacher Shortage Emerging. National Center for Policy Analysis, Retrieved December 3, 2004, from http://www.ncpa.org/pi/edu/pdedu/pdedu162.html

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Critical Analysis of Taylor Swift’s Red Essay

Grammy award winning artist Taylor Swift debuted her first album at in 2006. Within six years Swift has grown to be one of the most renowned country pop artists ever known. With her fans craving for more from Swift, she released her fourth album titled â€Å"Red† on October 15, 2012. The album was an instant hit that sold over 1.2 million copies within the first week of being released. â€Å"Red† is one of the top selling albums in the past five years, coming only behind Mumford & Son’s recently released â€Å"Babel†. The album contains 16 tracks that are a strange mix of Swift’s country roots, modern pop, and hints of lite-rock. The highly anticipated, supposed â€Å"album of the year† turned out to be a major disappointment. At least Taylor has an easy excuse: her horrible decision to try out some new producers and song writers such as Max Martin and Shellback, who are known for creating hit radio pop songs for Maroon 5, Pink and Kelly Clarkson. These two were mainly responsible for the most disappointing tracks: â€Å"I Knew You Were Trouble† (a song that bashes ex-boyfriend John Mayer even further than she did in her album â€Å"Speak Now†), â€Å"22† (a song about enjoyment of young adulthood), and the hit single â€Å"We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together†. On the other hand, Swift did have Nathan Chapman, her longtime producer, help her with almost half the album, which includes the most notable tracks on â€Å"Red† such as â€Å"All Too Well†, â€Å"The Lucky One†, and â€Å"Treacherous†. Another plausible reason for Swift’s subpar performance in the production of â€Å"Red† is her obvious self-confusion with her own identity. When Taylor released her first album she was barely 16 years old. Now, she is 22 but is still trying to write songs about the same old heartaches and heartbreaks that she had when she was a teenager. Since she was made famous and praised for the songs about first kisses, first break ups, and dumb boys, it makes sense that she would continue to write songs about the same topics and, naturally, a true transition from a hopeless romantic of a teenager to a real adult must be out of Swift’s comfort zone and a bit intimidating. But the fact is that now Swift is no longer a teenager and therefore should not be writing about teenager-like relationships. She never discloses any intimate details about her relationships in her songs unlike most 22 year-old artists. Instead, she successfully portrays the perfect role of an untouchable, chaste virgin disguised as a serial dater looking for the next guy to write a song about. The best track on the album, that was co-produced by Nathan Chapman, is â€Å"All Too Well† which is a slower, acoustic-based ballad written all by Swift herself. The song fits Taylor’s original style perfectly, encapsulating the platonic ideal of unfair heartbreak as she also does in many songs in her previous albums such as â€Å"Cold As You† in her self titled album, â€Å"Breathe† in her second album â€Å"Fearless†, and â€Å"Dear John† in her third album â€Å"Speak Now†. â€Å"All Too Well† is about her former boyfriend, actor Jake Gyllenhaal (which of who most of the album is about), and the story of their short, but apparently serious relationship spent specifically on a weekend at his sister Maggie’s house. The song is emotional and has a powerful climax that describes how he broke up with her over a phone call, which is typical for Taylor Swift and what her fans love and expect. Overall, the album lacks originality both lyrically and melodically. As Taylor takes steps further away from her love stricken lyrics and country roots and more towards passive aggressive pop rock tunes the worse off she gets and consequently leaves her fans disappointed. Although the album does contain a couple genuinely well written and produced tracks, the general confusion of which genre Swift tries to reflect in â€Å"Red† throws off the album as a whole. Hopefully Swift will soon learn how to use all of her potential to become a true adult artist that has evolved from her past glory as a teenage country legend.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Marketing Project Essay

China with its population of over 1.3 billion and the GDP growth rate of 7.7% is obviously a major player in the global market based on its size and growth potential. In recent years, the consumer food service industry in China has significantly grown, driven by the change in consumption patterns of urban Chinese consumers amid the robust Chinese economic growth. A number of Western-style franchise chains are increasingly crossing national boundaries and looking for growth among customers in China. In provinces and regions of better economic development and faster lifestyles, quick service restaurants make up a large share of the total food-service sector. Guangdong province can be chosen as a potentially profitable market where the fast-food market contributes about 90% of the total food service sector’s revenue. Mad Mex, as a new entrant in the quick service restaurant (QSR) industry, is ambitious to penetrate this promising market with the goal to open the first franchise r estaurant in February 2014. Situation analysis: ACMR-IBISWorld (Jan, 2013) estimates that the fast-food restaurant industry in China will generate revenue of $89.60 billion in 2012, up 14.1% from 2011. The pace of urbanization and the higher disposable income urge lifestyle changes and the increase in demand for fast-food. Chinese people have less leisure time to eat in traditional full-service restaurants and prefer to treat themselves in fast-food establishments. Moreover, the rapid development of fast-food service providers and new brands and food styles with improved chain store contribute to the strong growth of the industry in China. The geographic popularity of China’s fast-food restaurants industry is consistent with China’s economic development level. Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong are three of the most developed provinces and regions in China, which account for about 45% of total industry revenue in 2012 (ACMR-IBISWorld, Jan 2013). These regions witness the relatively well developed fra nchise operations. Porter’s Five Forces Industry Analysis Figure 1: Forces driving industry competition Source: Porter (1980) â€Å"Industry structure has a strong influence in determining the competitive rules of the game as well as the strategies potentially available to the firm.† (Michael E. Porter 1980, P.3) The Porter’s Five Forces Model introduced a concept of structural analysis as a framework for understanding the five basic competitive forces in an industry. These forces, which are shown in Figure 1- new entrants, rivalry among existing competitors, threat of substitute products or services, bargaining power of buyers, and bargaining power of suppliers, reflect that the competition â€Å"goes well beyond the established players† (Porter 1980, pp. 6). Both potential and established players can influence average industry profitability. The threat of potential entrants is balanced by the entry barriers like economic of scale, product differentiation, capital requirements, access to distribution channel, etc. The intensity of rivalry determines industry attractiveness but figures out the extent to which the value created by an industry will be dissipated through competition. Sharon M. Oster (1999) asserts that subsitute products or services play an uneven role in industry dynamics. They can play a modest role in highly competitive industries or during periods of excess production. But subtitutes become significant when demand rapidly increasing or in markets with few competitors. In these cases, the availability of good substitutes influences the profits of the existing firms in a market. Buyer power is varied across markets and constituted by the most important determinants of buyer power in a market, which are the number of buyers and the distribution of their purchase, characteristics of product (for instance, standardization of products increases buyer power). In an industry, powerful suppliers can affect their bargaining power over firms by controlling prices or qualities of supply. Depending on each industry and the particular conditions of the industry, different forces will be more or less prominent in the industry competition. And the collective strength of these forces determines the intensity of competition in the industry and the potential profitability. â€Å"Knowledge of these underlying sources of competition in an industry highlights the critical strengths and weaknesses of the company, animates its positioning in its industry, clarifies the areas where strategic changes may yield the greatest payoff, and highlights the areas where industry trends promise to hold the greatest significance as either opportunities or threats† (Poeter 1980, pp.4). Once understanding these forces and their strategic implications, the company can formulate an effective competitive stratey, which enables it to defend itself from the existing array of competitive forces, affect them in its favour thereby improves the firm’s position in the market. Porter’s Diamond Model Figure 2: Porter’s Diamond Model The theorical framework, which examines the competitive position of a nation and its industries, consists of four determinants: factor conditions, demand conditions, related and supporting industries and firm strategy and rivalry. According to Porter (1998), factor conditions refer to production endowment that players need to compete in an industry. These factors are discriminated into basic factors versus advanced factors, and generalized factors versus specialized factors. A basic factor is passively inherited, for example natural resources and unskilled labour. Meanwhile advanced factors include what nations can create during their industrial growth like capital, infrastructure and highly educated labour forces. The standard for production factors is gradually rising due to the improvement of knowledge, science and technology. A nation can possess competitive advantage in an industry when it is able to create new competitive factor conditions and/or upgrade the needed factors. Demand conditions refer to the nature of home-market demand for an industry’s product or service considering in terms of quantity and quality. The size of the home market, the presence of demanding and sophisticated domestic buyers pressure companies to innovate and upgrade, meet high standards in order to respond to more diverse and higher levels of customer needs. â€Å"The presence of suppliers and related industries within a nation that are internationally competitive provides benefits such as innovation, upgrading, information flow, and shared technology development which create advantages in downstream industries† (Porter 1998). A nation thereby gains competitive advantage in an industry when it has competititve edge in the number of related industries. Another determinant is firm strategy, structure, and rivalry, referring to firms’ organizational structure, management situations and the performance of competitors in domestic market. The presence of intense rivalry in the home base is important, because it is powerful stimilus to creation and persistence of competitive advantage. Two external factors are chance and governments. Chance can discontinue the possibility of some companies to gain competitive position and some lose. Governments have an overarching effect on all the players. In many industries, government is a buyer/ supplier and can influence the competition of the industry by its policies. Government can also affect the relation between an industry and subsitutes through regulations and other means. They play a role in shaping the context and institutional structure surrounding companies and in creating an environment to support companies to gain competitive advantage. SWOT Analysis Internal analysis: Strength: Mad Mex is known as a gourmet restaurant with a healthy, fresh approach to Mexican cuisine. Its philosophy is to offer food servicing in a fast paced environment to create a high volume takeaway business but a unique and high quality product offer that is sufficient to command a premium price point. This concept will bring it the competitive advantage in food service industry relative to other global QSRs in China at present. By remaining true to the founding principles: Fresh and Healthy, Fast and Delicious, Authentic and Exciting, Mad Mex gradually broadens its business with 15 stores opened in just over four years and makes effort to arm itself with a team of business savvy, hands-on, franchisees. Weakness: Established in 2007, Mad Mex is still a baby to global giant fast-food restaurants like Mc Donald’s or KFC with its limited presence in three states of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland within Australia. It is regarded as a strange brandname to the worldwide food service industry and particularly the Chinese market. External analysis: Opportunities: Chinese consumers are believed to have a positive image of quick service restaurants (QSRs) and good perception of their meal quality and customer services. The average level of consumer satisfaction yet high loyalty of Chinese customers is attracting to Western fast food restaurants franchise to engage their business in this market. According to a study on International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management regarding perceived service quality in the fast food industry in China, â€Å"reliability, recoverability, tangibles, and responsiveness were all significant dimensions of perceived service quality†( Hong Qin, 2010). As the study mentioned, all these positive perception in turn influenced the customer behavioral intentions in the industry. Despite the increasing customer preference for Western-style â€Å"to-go† restaurants in the Chinese market, the QSRs market share accounts for only 9.8 percent of Chinese sales for outside meals (Datamonito r, 2007). This means the unprecedented opportunity for Western restaurant chains to operate in China. Threats: The segmentation of QSRs in China is witnessing a tougher competition between international brands like MacDonald’s and KFC and myriad domestic companies like Yum!Brand and Ajisen. Besides, Asian QSRs are the largest sub-sector in the QSRs in China, in which Chinese cuisine is dominant. It is explained by the fact that Chinese people prefer their tradition rice-based dishes and their price sensitivity when choosing the lower dishes in the Chinese restaurants. Furthermore, for the first time penetrating foreign market, the inability or unwillingness of the company to face dietary and cultural challenges will lead to the failure in the image of Mad Mex in the global market. To succeed in the Chinese market, Western-style QSRs are required to examine Chinese customer behaviours and develop marketing strategies that adapt to the Chinese cultural environment.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Shopping Malls Essays

Shopping Malls Essays Shopping Malls Essay Shopping Malls Essay Shopping Malls have been in existence for years. The first purposefully mall built was located in St. Petersburg in 1785. This mall consisted of hundreds of shops that were accessible under one roof. The Oxford Covered Market in Oxford, England was opened in 1774 and continues to be a service to the country. The Arcade of Cleveland was one of the first indoor shopping malls in the United States. This shopping mall set the standards for the shopping malls to come. Malls have been a significant part of our lives and are now a part of our culture. This paper will illustrate how three types of malls are in existence in todays society.Shopping has become a vital part of our culture. Shopping malls were originally designed to attract customers. It now represents more than shopping. Shopping malls represents a way of living, and designed to be both a place to purchase merchandise and also for recreational activity. The designers have created an atmosphere that has truly represented our cult ure. They designed three types of malls that accommodates diversity amongst individuals. Individuals have the opportunity to experience either a traditional shopping mall, a strip mall, or an outlet mall.In a traditional mall, individuals are entirely enclosed and surrounded by a variety of merchants in a contained and secure shopping environment. These types of malls consists of department stores, stand-alone stores, kiosks, and food courts. Over the years, these malls have developed a new attraction to the eyes of all ages. They have become a place for entertainment. The traditional mall has been afforded movie theaters, large chain restaurants, various skating rinks, merry-go-rounds and trains, andindoor playgrounds. These types of malls attract individuals from all walks of life and ages that like to not only shop but also enjoy a night at the movies or while shopping, allowing their children to have a blast on the train or playground.A strip mall is an open area where there are several stores located in that specific area that share a common parking lot. Strip malls are generally located in towns and cities that are very accessible to nearby neighborhoods and other strip malls. These types of malls have stores such as grocery stores, dollar stores, video rental stores, and bookstores. A strip mall could also have a well known large store like Wal-Mart or Target. These are usually called a power center. Also located around the strip malls are fast food restaurants, cafes, and coffee-shops like Starbucks. Strip malls are great for convenience. These types of malls are generally sought out if you need to get everyday necessities such as food, general items, and simple entertainment options.On the other hand, there is the outlet mall. In the past, an outlet store was attached to a factory or warehouse. At that time, customers were allowed to watch how the products were made and then able to purchase them in the adjoining store. Presently, outlet malls are eit her in an enclosed environment or an open area outside. The stores are typically name brand stores like Guess, Levis, and Hollister. The outlet type of store have reduced their prices on their products for various reasons such as past season merchandise or overstock in their traditional stores. Presently, outlet malls are very popular due to severals reasons such as accessibility and the economy. These types of malls generally attract all types of individuals at all age levels.Malls do standardize the way of shopping by bringing together all the wants and need of our society. Malls have been designed to attract consumers in different ways. They serve as a place to purchase products and services that needed and wanted. They also serve as social functions that provide entertainment for consumers of all ages. Malls represent more than shopping. They represent a way of living, and have created an atmosphere that represent our culture and the our way of life.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The Ultimate Study Guide for SAT Reading Strategies, Tips, and Practice

The Ultimate Study Guide for SAT Reading Strategies, Tips, and Practice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips We've created the best guide to the SAT Reading section out there. This is not just us tooting our own horns. By reading many SAT prep books as well as studying the CollegeBoard’s own resources, we've been able to take the best aspects of each and combine them into a magnificent Frankenstein’s monster of a guide. We cover each SAT Reading question type in detail, organized not by how the questions are asked, but by the essential underlying skills the questions are testing. You'll get the best SAT Reading tips and strategies available, as well as information about how to get the most out of your SAT Reading practice and prep. If you're looking for a comprehensive guide to SAT Reading and how to improve your SAT Reading score, the information provided herein is invaluable. Master all these concepts, use realistic practice questions, and learn how to learn from your mistakes, and you'll be able to increase your SAT Reading score drastically. This article is organized into three sections. We'll start with understanding SAT Reading section at a high level, followed by going into SAT Reading questions in depth and delineating the skills tested by each question type. Finally, we'll end with study plans and how to maximize your study time for score improvement. I suggest that you read the articles in order (as listed) on your first time through. In the future, you can use this guide as a reference page to come back to as you progress in your test prep. feature image credit: Enquire Within Upon Everything by Jeremy Keith, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. High Level Guidance for SAT Reading These guides lay the groundwork for your SAT Reading practice and preparation. Read on to find out how to approach SAT Reading, and what high level strategies to always keep in mind. What's Actually Tested On SAT Reading? Make sure you understand the format of the SAT Reading section- it might be different from what you expect. Get a detailed overview of what types of questions are on SAT Reading, and what people think is tested but really isn't. The Fundamental Rule Of SAT Reading(Must Read) There are many skills you need to excel on SAT Reading, but ultimately there is one rule that should guide your SAT Reading practice and prep. Using this rule, you will be able to understand the SAT Reading section and eliminate answer choices like never before. This should underlie all of your SAT Reading prep from this point on. The Best Ways To Read The Passage On SAT Reading There is no one right way to read the passages on SAT Reading. This doesn’t mean, however, that some ways aren’t more effective than others. We show you three ways to read the Reading passages and teach you to decide for yourself which way will work best for you. How To Get An 800 On SAT Reading: 10 Strategies From A Perfect Scorer Our ultimate SAT Reading guide covers motivation, study strategies, and more, based on the experience of our resident perfect scorer (and PrepScholar co-founder) Allen Cheng. Use these strategies in your studying to aim for a top score. How To Improve Your Low SAT Reading Score The strategies you’ll need to use if you’re aiming for a 30/40 on the SAT Reading section are not the same as those needed by perfect scorers. If you have a low SAT Reading score and need help getting up to a 30/40 on Reading (or a 600/800 on Evidence-Based Reading and Writing), this article can help. SAT Reading Skills These guides go into detail about major question types on the SAT Reading test. Learn about the skills each question type is testing, get strategies for dealing with these questions, read our walkthroughs of actual SAT Reading questions, and try out some practice questions. Reading Comprehension Skills and Strategies Big Picture Questions You need to be able to separate details from what’s important to find main point or primary purpose of a paragraph, series of paragraphs, or a passage. This involves being able to read a sizeable amount of text and glean from it what’s important. Inference Questions Being able to draw (supported) inferences is the most important skill to have on SAT Reading. You must be able to make logical deductions, based on information in the passage. This means that you’ll need to be able to separate out what â€Å"could be possible, depending on a few things† from what â€Å"is likely true, given the information stated in the passage.† Words in Context: Key SAT Reading and Writing Strategies The most direct way you'll be tested on vocabulary in the SAT Reading section is through questions that ask you to explain the meaning of words in context in the passage. Often, all the answer choices will be correct for a certain definition of the word- it's up to you to figure out which meaning is being used in that particular context. Evidence Support Questions One of the most common types of questions on SAT Reading, Evidence Support questions test your ability to find the answer that best backs up your answer to the previous question. We go over the different ways you'll be tested on your command of evidence, walk you through sample questions, and give you essential tips for mastering this skill. How to Analyze Data Graphics on SAT Reading On the new SAT Reading section, you need be able to interpret graphics and tables as well as passages. Discover what analytical skills you'll need to successfully answer these quantitative questions and how to train for the three to six data analysis questions that appear on every SAT Reading section. Little Picture/Detail Questions Just as important as being able to understand the big picture in SAT Reading passages is being able to locate specific details. For little picture questions on SAT Reading, you'll need to be able hunt down specific information in a passage, whether you're given a line number or not. The examples in this article are not updated for the new SAT, but you can still skim it for general reading tips that are applicable to the new SAT Reading section. Function Questions Other questions on SAT Reading ask you to define not just what a phrase, line, or series of lines says, but what it does, or what effect something like italics or extra quotation marks has on a sentence. These function questions may seem as if they're asking you to read the author's mind, which is a futile endeavor. Find out how to translate questions that seem to require psychic abilities into ones that you can actually answer! The examples in this article are not updated for the new SAT, but the tips are still applicable to the new SAT Reading section. Author Technique Questions Everyone should take a look at author technique questions, even if it’s just to get a look at how these questions are asked. For the completionist SAT Reading studier, we’ve included strategies focused on questions that ask about tone and mood. The examples in this article are not updated for the new SAT,but the tips are still applicable to the new SAT Reading section. Analogy Questions You may have thought that analogy question disappeared entirely from SAT Reading, but au contraire! They are still there, just sneaky (and rare). If you want to make sure you've covered absolutely everything you need to know about SAT Reading, you'll need to learn how to deal with analogy questions in their current form. The examples in this article are not updated for the new SAT,but the tips are still applicable to the new SAT Reading section. Max can be stealthy by Tomi Tapio K, used under CC BY 2.0/Cropped from original. Felinopomorphic representation of the stealth analogy questions on SAT Reading. Special Guides The Vocabulary You Must Know For SAT Reading The skills you need for SAT Reading are pretty different from those developed in your standard high school English literature class, but there is sometimes a little bit of overlap in terminology. If you aren’t fluent in what words like "metaphor," "anecdote," and "irony" mean, you’ll need to learn a few terms. How to Attack Paired Passages on SAT Reading This is the passage type on the SAT Reading section with some of the trickiest questions (because it includes questions that ask about multiple passages). You’ll need to make sure you have the right tools to get the job (of doing well on paired passage questions) done. The examples in this article are not updated for the new SAT, but you can still skim it for general reading tips that are applicable to the new SAT Reading section. How Science/Math People Can Do Well On SAT Reading Do you consistently struggle with your SAT Reading score, even though you do really well on the more concrete Math and Writing sections? Read this article for guidance on how to apply the analytical skills you already have to SAT Reading. Which Question Types Show Up The Most Often On SAT Reading? Not all question types show up on the SAT Reading section with the same frequency. Find out which are the questions you need to invest the most time in preparing for and which you might be able to skip preparing for altogether. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! SAT Reading Strategies and Tips Now that you understand the SAT Reading section at a deeper level, the next step is to actually apply your knowledge and work on improving your skills. The guides I've linked to below will help you structure your SAT Reading practice and make sure you're prepping in a way that will be reflected on test day. The Best SAT Reading Practice Tests If you're not going to use high quality materials for your SAT Reading practice, you're basically just throwing away your time. We've gathered for you a comprehensive list of all the SAT Reading practice tests out there (including links to free resources) and advice on which are the best and which you should avoid at all costs. Stop Running Out Of Time On SAT Reading Ever run out of time on SAT Reading? You're definitely not alone. Your ability to read quickly and thoroughly under time pressure is one of those skills that is informally tested by SAT Reading. This article has tips for those whose reading pace does not match the frenetic pace necessitated by the SAT Reading section. How to Master SAT Reading Questions: A 5-Step Process Sometimes it's hard to know where exactly to begin with finding the answers to SAT Reading questions- unlike with SAT Math or Writing and Language, there are no equations you can plug numbers into or grammatical rules to refer to. Use the five-step framework outlined in this article as a way to systematize your approach to every SAT Reading question. The Best Way To Practice SAT Reading Hey, you're a busy person. You probably have limited time for test prep (unless you can control time, in which case I have some other questions for you), which means you need to make sure you're going about preparing for the SAT Reading section in as efficient a manner as possible. Create your own SAT Reading action plan using the advice in this article. PrepScholar's Top 4 SAT Reading Strategies It's all very well and good to attack SAT Reading head on, but there is also value in strategy. Use this compilation of our best SAT Reading strategies as a reference during your SAT Reading prep. Find the strategies that work best for you and apply them as needed. 10 Essential SAT Reading Tips In need of some quick fixes you can use to improve your SAT Reading score? This is the article for you. Read through these tips if you're running short on study time and could use a quick score boost. The Best Books To Use For SAT Reading Practice When online resources aren’t always enough, students often turn to books to help with their SAT prep. But which books are the best for SAT Reading? How can you be sure? Be certain you're using the best resources available with our list in hand. Evidence-Based Reading and Writing Overview and Tips On the new SAT, your performance on the Reading and Writing sections is combined into one out-of-800 Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score. Learn what skills are tested across both the Reading and Writing sections and the most effective ways to boost your overall Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score. Vocabulary-Specific Strategies How to Study Vocabulary for the New 2016 SAT Reading The new SAT doesn't have sentence completion questions, but that doesn't mean that you don't need to know advanced vocabulary to answer certain question types. Learn about the ways you'll be tested on vocab meaning and usage on the new SAT with this article. The Best Way To Study Vocabulary for SAT Reading Do you do okay with most Reading question skills, but struggle with words-in-context questions or more complicated passages? This article covers the best way to learn new vocabulary for the SAT Reading test and gives you lists of the most commonly tested words you'll need to know. Using the method laid out in this article, you'll learn more words in less time by focusing on the words that are hard for you. The 262 SAT Vocab Words You Need To Know If you're going to make the time to study vocab for the SAT, you should absolutely study the most frequently-seen words. Use this free resource to guide your SAT Reading practice. Best SAT Reading Vocab Lists On The Web Already powered through our list of 200+ vocab words and looking for more? Go through this guide to get more sources for more SAT Reading vocabulary lists. The Best SAT Vocabulary Practice: Tips and Resources Do you struggle to learn new vocabulary just through brute-force memorization? Explore other ways to get comfortable with unfamiliar words and learn how to apply your increased vocab knowledge successfully on the SAT. What’s Next? Whew. That is a lot of information, but then again, there is a lot of information to process about SAT Reading if you want to do well. And of course, it's not enough to just read all these articles- even for SAT Reading, merely reading does not automatically boost your score. After reading these articles, you have to take the next steps: Go out and forage for high quality materials. First and foremost, this means practicing with real SATs, but it also means making sure you only use the highest quality SAT Reading practice material, like this guide (shameless plug). Diagnose your SAT Reading weaknesses and review your mistakes. Stay motivated. We have some great tips for this in our article on how to achieve a perfect score on the SAT. If all of this seems daunting, it’s worth checking out our SAT test prep platform. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Reading lesson, you'll love our program. Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Sunday, November 3, 2019

CHild abuse Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

CHild abuse - Research Paper Example It’s an underreported crime, usually due to family contingencies involved. Child abuse- A term that is associated with dire pain and agony for the child. It’s not just a harm that is inflicted on the individual or the familial basis, but if we go and look out of our â€Å"little world† scenario, we find that it’s a larger problem with a larger consequence base. Children who grow up having such experiences, in turn are more likely to inflict abuse on their own children. This becomes a vicious circle, which lingers on and on. It not just has its effect in the immediate family; it explodes and infects the society altogether with crime, drugs, disease and callousness. It’s a state of emotional, economic and sexual maltreatment meted out to a person below the age of eighteen and is globally prevalent phenomenon. According to WHO :† child abuse or maltreatment constitutes all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment, sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility, trust or power† (World Health Organization, 1999). Different connotations may be attached with â€Å"child abuse† in different cultures and socio-economic background. There are majorly 4 types of child abuse inflicted upon children. The WHO defines them as: 1. Physical abuse – physical abuse is inflicting of physical injury upon the child. This may include burning, hitting, punching, shaking, kicking, beating or otherwise harming a child. The parent or the caretaker may not have intended to hurt the child. It may, be the result of over-discipline or physical punishment that is inappropriate to the child’s age. 2. Sexual abuse – sexual abuse is inappropriate sexual behavior with the child. It includes fondling a child’s genitals, making the

Friday, November 1, 2019

Problem Solving for Johnson&Johnson (Proposal) Assignment

Problem Solving for Johnson&Johnson (Proposal) - Assignment Example Only recently, the U.S. Department of Justice has allegedly imposed a significant amount of penalties, amounting to $2.2 billion against Johnson & Johnson, for violations of the False Claims Act (U.S. Department of Justice). According to DOJ’s official website, a penalty of as much as $2.2 billion has been imposed by the DOJ to Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to resolve allegations that related to misbranding, off-label promotions, as well as off-label uses for the following prescription drugs: Natrecor, Risperdal, and Invega. Likewise, J&J was also reported to have tolerated payment of kickbacks to medical professionals (U.S. Department of Justice). These serious allegations compromise the corporate image of the organization; as well as endanger the safety and health of the consumers. In this regard, the current discourse aims to define the root cause of the problem and to propose corrective action to solve it. The problem currently faced by Johnson & Johnson is a weak control and risk management system that should proactively evaluate risks in product, as well as research and development; in conjunction with ineffective managerial oversight due to the failure of the executive management team to effectively govern the large global organization including subsidiaries and affiliates who are tasked to specialize on some products and functions. From the recent problems that emerged, an analysis of the potential causes of these problems include the inefficient product outcomes emerging from the research and development efforts for the organization’s varied products which are undertaken by groups such as the Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development (Johnson & Johnson), as well as Janssen Research & Development, an affiliate of the Johnson & Johnson family of companies (Janssen Research & Development). A brief review of Johnson &

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Formative, Summative and Confirmative Evaluation Assignment

Formative, Summative and Confirmative Evaluation - Assignment Example While summative evaluation focuses on the outcome or the effectiveness of the program. It is used to measure effectiveness of a performance intervention or evaluates if the interventions during the process have resulted into an effective outcome (Van Tiem et al., 2000, p. 157). Summative evaluation as the name suggests summarizes the result after the whole process was made by assessing whether the object can be said to have caused the outcome; determining the overall impact of the causal factor beyond only the immediate target outcomes; and, estimating the relative costs associated with the object (Trochim, 2006). On the contrary, confirmative evaluation, unlike the first two focuses on determining the adequacy of competence of the learners. Confirmative Evaluation is applied to analyze long-term performance by collecting, examining and interpreting data and information in order to determine the continuing competence of learners or the continuing effectiveness of instructional materials (Van Tiem et al., 2000, p.157-158). Compare and Contrast The benefits of using the formative evaluation include enabling the teachers to assess the students with what they need to do and adjusting in order to have a better lessons and activities. It also allows them to know if their program is working, and they allow students to know their own progress. Students are more motivated because they learn to assess themselves (Boston, 2002). Summative evaluation’s benefits are the teachers are able to determine where the student’s weak area is and they can provide a better solution. It also measures the success of their training program and it makes the students gain confidence knowing that their progress is good (Boston, 2002). Confirmative evaluation’s benefit is that it analyzes long term performance and it is able to measure whether the learners are competent and whether the materials used are effective. Formative and summative evaluation provides a fast solution while confirmative provides a solution after a period of t ime. Teachers are faced with the challenge of developing their own assessments and it’s often a challenge especially for new teachers to understand the differences between the types of

Monday, October 28, 2019

The crucial elements of gothic horror Essay Example for Free

The crucial elements of gothic horror Essay Gothic horror first started to appear in the early C19th. Gothic was applied later on by renaissance and enlightenment negatively to mean medieval critics because it was considered barbaric. As the centuries went past the term gothic was no longer the meaning of a negative connotation so it was used to refer an ancient past in a nostalgic way. At the end of the C18th the gothic movement had changed from enlightenment rationalism to horror, darkness and elements from the dark realm. The gothic movement is still but mostly horror. Common motifs used in gothic horror stories are murder, suicide, torture, madness, lycanthropy, ghosts, vampires, demons, poltergeists, demonic pacts, diabolic possession/ exorcism, witchcraft and voodoo. Im going to analyse Napoleon and the spectre, The goblins who stole a sexton and The signalman. Napoleon and the spectre is written by Charlotte Bronte, the goblins who stole a sexton and the signalman are both written by Charles Dickens. At the starting point of the Napoleon and the Spectre story Bronte already mentions that theres something or someone in Napoleons room; she writes: . in a few minutes the emperor felt his pillow becoming hard, and he got up to shake it. As he did so a slight rustling noise was heard near the bed-head. But it stops as Napoleon lies down. This indicates that a ghost is in the room and the mysterious noises also indicate that the presence of a ghost is possible. Ghosts and mysterious noises are crucial elements of gothic horror because theyre inhumane things so people are scared of them and mysterious noises are linked to ghosts, ghosts are one of the common motifs used in gothic horror. Napoleon responds to a deep groan from a closet in the corner of the apartment by crying Whos there? Speak or Ill blow your brains out. A short sharp laugh is the reply to this threat and a dead silence follows. Again this indicates that there is a ghostly presence and the dead silence is a crucial gothic element because this creates tension. When Napoleon opens the closet another rustling noise was heard but nothing was there, also indicates a ghostly presence. Bronte is describing ghostly effects. When the candlelight is obscured by a black opaque shadow another gothic element (darkness) is brought in. Darkness is another crucial gothic element because some of the common motifs used in gothic horror are associated with darkness such as vampires: they come out at night, witchcraft: witches wear black clothes etc.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Free Yellow Wallpaper Essays: The Cure is Worse :: Yellow Wallpaper essays

The Cure is Worse than the Disease in The Yellow Wall Paper  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Often times what is meant to help can hinder. Positive intentions do not always bring about desirable effects. The "Yellow Wallpaper" is an example of such an occurrence. In this short story the narrator is detained in a lonesome, drab room in an attempt to free herself of a nervous disorder. During the era in which this narrative was written such practices were considered beneficial. The narrators husband, a physician adheres to this belief and forces his wife into a treatment of solitude. Rather than heal the narrator of her psychological disorder, the treatment only contributes to its effects, driving her into a severe depression. Under the orders of her husband, the narrator was moved to a house far from society in the country, wherein she is locked into an upstairs room. This environment serves not as an inspiration for mental health but as an element of repression. The locked door and barred windows serves to physically restrain her. "The windows are barred for little children, and there are rings and things in the walls."(p218). Being exposed to the room's yellow wallpaper is dreadful and fosters only negative creativity. "The color is hideous enough, and unreliable enough, and infuriating enough, but the pattern is torturing.(p224). All through the story the yellow paper acts as an antagonist causing her to become very annoyed and disturbed. There is nothing to do in the secluded room but stare at the wallpaper. The narrator tells of the haphazard pattern having no organization or symmetrical plot. Her constant examination and reflection of the wallpaper causes her much travail. "I determine for the thous andth time that I will follow that pointless Johnston 2 pattern to some sort of a conclusion." (p221). The treatments call for isolation was a repressive factor .The narrator did not believe isolation would cure her disorder. Social contact and outside stimulation was her desire. "I sometimes fancy that in my condition if I had less opposition and more society and stimulus, but John says the worst thing I can do is think about my condition.(p217). She was cut off from society and forbidden from seeing her baby. It is not natural to be confined to little social contact for large amounts of time. Society provides a sundry of different sights, sounds, feelings and stimuli to its inhabitants.