Sulfuric Acid Applications Essay Example

Sulfuric Acid Applications Paper Sulfuric acid is one of the most important industrial chemicals; more sulfuric acid is produced each year than is made of any other manufactured chemical. More than 40 million tons of it was produced in the United States in 1990 and was heavily manufactured in nearly every other country. It has widely varied uses and plays some part in the production of nearly all manufactured goods. The major use of sulfuric acid is in the production of fertilizers, e. g. , superphosphate of lime and ammonium sulphate, as well as this it is widely used in the manufacture of chemicals, e. g. in making hydrochloric acid, nitric acid. Sulfuric acid is also used in the creation of everyday products such as synthetic detergents, dyes, pigments, small explosives, and drugs. Sulfuric acid is also widely used for industrial purposes such as petroleum refining which washes impurities out of gasoline and other refinery products. Sulfuric acid is additionally used in processing metals by pickling (cleaning) ir on and steel before plating them with tin or zinc. Sulfuric acid serves as the electrolyte in the lead-acid storage battery commonly used in cars or other motor vehicles (often called battery acid). Sulfuric acid also creates materials such as Rayon which is mainly used in thread. I support the fact that sulfuric acid is one of the most important chemicals in the world, as it is so widely used for so many purposes, ranging from industrial, chemical to the creation of materials. Although I would not entirely support the reliability of the second part of the statement, this is because some countries do not manufacture products which involve the use of sulfuric acid. Some countries could manufacture goods which involve a high amount of sulfuric acid, these would give misleading results if you were using sulfuric acid production as an indicator of a nation’s economic productivity and for these reasons I think that while you can measure results accurately for the most part, it is not completely reliable as some countries may use excessive amounts of sulfuric acid while others can use little or none while still producing many goods. We will write a custom essay sample on Sulfuric Acid Applications specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Sulfuric Acid Applications specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Sulfuric Acid Applications specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer

How to Control Japanese Beetles

How to Control Japanese Beetles Japanese beetles do twice the damage of ordinary insect pests. The larvae, called grubs, live in the soil and feed on the roots of grasses and other plants. The adult beetles feed on the leaves and flowers of over 300 trees, shrubs, and herbs. Japanese beetles are the bane of the rose garden and will devour prized hibiscus and hollyhocks, too. Control of Japanese beetles requires an understanding of their life cycle and a two-pronged attack- one strategy for the grubs, and one for the beetles. The Japanese Beetle Life Cycle To control Japanese beetles effectively, its important to know when theyre active. Using a pest control product at the wrong time of the pests life cycle is a waste of time and money. So first, a quick primer on the Japanese beetle life cycle. Spring:  Mature beetle grubs become active, feeding on turfgrass roots and damaging lawns. They will continue feeding until early summer.Summer:  Adult beetles begin to emerge, usually in late June, and remain active throughout the summer. Japanese beetles will feed on garden plants, doing considerable damage when present in large numbers. During the summer, the beetles also mate. Females excavate soil cavities and deposit their eggs by late summer.Fall:  Young grubs hatch in late summer, and feed on grass roots through the fall. Mature grubs become inactive as cold weather approaches.Winter:  Mature grubs spend the winter months in the soil. How to Control Japanese Beetle Grubs Biological Control: Lawn areas can be treated with an application of milky disease spores, spores of the bacterium Paenibacillus  popilliae  (aka  Bacillus  popillae). The grubs ingest these bacterial spores, which germinate and reproduce within the grubs body and ultimately kill it. Over several years time, the milky spore bacteria builds up in the soil and acts to suppress grub infestations. No chemical pesticides should be used on the lawn simultaneously, as this can affect the milky spores efficacy. Another naturally-occurring bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis japonensis (BTJ) may also be used to control Japanese beetle grubs. BTJ is applied to the soil, and grubs ingest it. Btj destroys the grubs digestive system and ultimately kills the larva. A beneficial nematode, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, also works to control Japanese beetle grubs. Nematodes are microscopic parasitic roundworms that transport and feed on bacteria. When they find a grub, the nematodes penetrate the larva and inoculate it with bacteria, which quickly multiply within the grubs body. The nematode then feeds on the bacteria. Chemical Control: Some chemical pesticides are registered for control of Japanese beetle grubs. These pesticides should be applied in July or August when young grubs are feeding. Consult a pest control expert or your local agricultural extension office for specific information on selecting and using pesticides for grub control. How to Control Japanese Beetle Adults Physical Control: Where there is one Japanese beetle, there will soon be ten, so hand picking the earliest arrivals can help keep numbers down significantly. In the early morning, beetles are sluggish and can be shaken from branches into a bucket of soapy water. If Japanese beetle populations are high in your area, beetle control may include making smart decisions about what to plant in your yard. Japanese beetles love roses, grapes, lindens, sassafras, Japanese maple, and purple-leaf plums, so these plants should be avoided if Japanese beetle damage is a concern. Garden centers and hardware stores sell pheromone traps for Japanese beetles. Research shows these traps are generally ineffective for use in the home garden, and may actually attract more beetles to your plants. Chemical Control: Some chemical pesticides are registered for control of Japanese beetle adults. These pesticides are applied to the foliage of susceptible plants. Consult a pest control expert or your local agricultural extension office for specific information on selecting and using pesticides for Japanese beetle adult control.

Summary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 50

Summary - Assignment Example King advocated peace by the application of non-violence tactics because he did not want to associate violence to his achievements. He reversed the traditional approach of using militant groups such as black panthers to seek freedom and power. He instead, initiates the spirit of non-violence and diplomacy as an ethical way of solving conflicts. He also advocated non-violent movements such as marches, boycotts, and political and economic organizations as weapons to justice. He rejected the use of violence as a way to end violence claiming that self-defense would distract attention from the actual fight King and Malcolm X’s had different ideas towards the achievement of justice and equality. Both had different opinions on ending the oppression of blacks in America making their platforms oppositional. That was evident in 1963 when Malcolm X regarded a Blackman, who did not possess violent revenge notion against their oppressors as a traitor to the Negro community. Non-violent campaigns introduced by King were a breakthrough to freedom as most of the differences resolved diplomatically by negotiations. Non-violence has succeeded in peace in very many countries

Corporal Punishment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Corporal Punishment - Essay Example The message that violence is a way to solve problems is surely not lost on children. Parents who were beaten as children end up beating their own children. Teachers who attended schools in which corporal punishment was an accepted practice may in a like manner find it natural to turn to it themselves, although other people, beaten as children, react adversely to the notion of using physical force themselves (Straus and Donnelley 2004). Critics (Straus and Donnelley 2004) explain that the parents of children who are victims of the "battered child syndrome" are mentally ill. While corporal punishment applied by teachers is usually not so extreme in intent or result as the abuse inflicted on children by their own parents, its use by teachers who experienced corporal punishment as children suggests a tendency to "identify with the aggressor" which characterizes the authoritarian personality The use of force on children stems from an inherent cultural belief that violence is an acceptable way to solve problems. Carried far enough, that position could suggest that the society itself is "mentally ill," judged by its approach to violence (Straus and Donnelley 2004). Corporal punishment is ineffective because it has extremely negative impact on learning and child development.

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 35

Summary - Essay Example I improved my business writing skills by doing assignments on routine messages, persuasive messages, and indirect messages. I worked on the graded and revised versions of all these types of messages to know their significance in business communication. For routine messages, I learned three key steps to make the messages effective. Those steps included stating the main idea, providing details, and ending on a positive note. I learned the importance of ‘you’ orientation in sending routine messages to companies and clients. In homework related to persuasive messages, I learned that the basic purpose of such messages is to change the perception of the targeted people. I learned that persuasive messages, whether graded or revised, should focus on the influencing the mindset of the audience in order to be effective. In case of indirect messages, I learned that evidence leads to the main idea of the message. I also learned that indirect messages provide a good chance for the se nder to communicate his/her

Challenges Of The Hr Specialist Management Essay

Challenges Of The Hr Specialist Management Essay As a HR specialist, what are the challenges you may face and what HR intervention mechanisms would you consider using in an attempt to drive individual and organisational performance in a multinational company? Critically evaluate this question by utilising the appropriate academic literatures. This thesis proposed the challenges of the HR specialist when there engage in attempt of increasing the individual and organisational performances in Multinational Companies through developing a set of coherent HRM best practices, especially relating to employee recruitment and selection, performance management and staff retention. Since the organizations are multinational number of concerns are arises such as dealing cultural issues with the organizational goals as well as individual goals. Furthermore organizational behaviors and tools such as engagement, motivation and empowerment are basically highlighted; without those it is merely a dream to achieving the business goals. Basically Multinational companies are aiming profits and there for individual and organisational performance are very vital for their existence. HR has been organized in a different ways over the years. Some functions have emphasized delivery by location or by business structure. In these models an integrated HR team has serviced managers and employees at specific location or with in specific businesses units, with some more strategic or complex tasks reserved for the corporate centre. The degree to which these different arms of HR were centralized or co-located and the question of whether they were managed by the business unit varied. Within the HR teams, depending up on their size their might have been specialization by work area (especially for industrial relations in the 1960s and 1970s) or by employee grade or group (responsibility, say, divided between those looking after clerical staff from those covering production) The advancement of personal management starts around end of the 19th century, when welfare officers came in to being. This creation was a reaction to the harshness of industrial conditions, coupled with pr essure arising from the extention of the franchise, the influence of the trade unions and the labour movement and the campaigning of enlightened employers, often quakers, for what was called industrial betterment. (CIPD Research Role of HR) Personal Management(PM) is mainly concerned with obtaining, organizing and motivating the human resources required by the corporation (ARMSTRONG, Michael, 1977) PM includes a range of activities which deals with the workforce other than the resources and also more administrative in nature. HRM deals with soft issues rather than administrative tasks of personnel management and explain a wide vision of how management would like the resources to organise to the success of the organization. Becker and Gerhart (1996) and Wright,Dunford and Snell (2001) have concluded that although the traditional view as HR acost to be minimised (Becker Gerart,1996:779)is being challenged by the rise of strategic HRM, the conventional view is still prevalent in the professional domain. Wright, Dunford and Snell(2001)expand on this by stating that the HR function hasconsistently faced a battle in justifying its position in organisations (Wright,Dunford Snell 2001:701) and during times of economic hardship, the HR function is usually the first function to feel the full effect of organisational streamlining and cost cutting efforts. There are various models exists to explain the peoples role in an organization. The business oriented approach to people management described by Storey (1989) as Hard HRM emerged as a method of responding to and supporting the enterprise culture of the 1980s. Hard HRM and Soft HRM are two contrasting styles that helps to tackle workforce in an organization. Hard HRM mainly focused on achieving organisational goals while Soft HRM deals with more insightful functions like Human Resource Education, Leadership Development, Organization Culture, Relationship building while the achieving organisational goals. More recently the importance of involving and developing people which is characteristic of current approchches to personal management has been emphasized by the resource based theory of the firm formulated by Barney(1991). This explains that competitive advantage is achieved if a firm can obtain and develop human resources which enable it to learn faster and apply its learning more effectively than its competitors. An approach based on this concept will aim to improve resource capability(Kamoche,1996)achieving strategic fit between resources and opportunities and obtaining added value from the effective deployment of these resources.(The name has changed but has the game remained same, Armstrong) Ulrich described how HR practitioners employ in a set of roles defined along two axes: strategy versus operations and process versus people. The four key roles that become known from these two dimensions are Strategic partner, Administrative Expert, Employee Champion, Change agent. Strategic Partners help to successfully accomplish business strategy and meet customer needs. Administrative Experts continuously improve organisational efficiency by reengineering the HR function and other work process. Employee Champions maximize employee commitment and capability while Change Agent delivers organisational transformation and culture change. (CIPD Resarch Of HR, 2007) There have been considerable tensions around the conceptualizations of roles and how the work of Ulrich and others has been interpreted. According to Ashton and Lambert (2005),while Ulrichs original four roles have been influential, whether and how they are put in to practice varies. (The changing HR functions) There are some organizations where HR is seen as a central, corporate function with little advancement to business units. Some other organizations position themselves in the opposite direction, with a very small corporate centre and all the activity distributed to business units. The question of best structure is how the function best organizes itself between the pulls of centralization and the pushes of decentralization.(The changing HR functions) The HR assumptions and HR practices observed in high performing firms are the key elements to the formation of the Best Practice theory. Employment security, selective hiring, self managed teams, high pay contingent on company performance, extensive training, reduction of status difference, and sharing information are the key element of the theory. However less concern about the organisational goals and culture are given as draw backs for the theory. According to the best fit theory a firms that follows a cost leadership strategy designs narrow jobs and provides little job security, whereas a company pursuing a differentiation strategy emphasizes training and development. In other words this argues that all SHRM activities must be consistent with each other and linked to the strategic objectives of the business. Selective hiring of new employees are greatly support to achieve both individual and organisational performance. Recruitment and selection is more or less subjective in its nature, with the objectives of any given business at the forefront of process. To select the best fit there is no specific way. It is clear that combining techniques greatly increases accuracy. The combination of intelligence test or work sampling leads to a substantial improvement in validity (Shmidt and Hunter(1998)). Comprehensive recruitment and selection policy will be enable an organization to become competitive with in the market and also, with right people in the right place at the right time, will lead to a high performing culture with in the organization while adding extra value to the organisation. The main focus of Employee Recruitment is to generate a pool of appropriate candidates for the selection process. This to be carried out in cost effective way and while remain in lawfull. Organizations can de cide whether to select externally or internally. Internal recruitment may not always be beneficial. Ex: no one suitable or stagnation. Best way is to recruit both internally and externally (Torrington, Hall Taylor, 2008). But many organisations prefer to look to recruit internally first especially when this represents a promotion (Newall Shackleton, 2000) To select the best fit there is no specific way. It is clear that combining techniques greatly increases accuracy , the combination of intelligence tests with structured interview, integrity test or work sampling leads to a substantial improvement in validity (Schmidt Hunter (1998).) At the interview stage attitude based competencies should give more priority in order to select the best candidate. In addition during the recruiting and selection process psychological contract between employer and the employee is distinct and specify. According to the report Engaging for Success: enhancing performance through employee engagement,engaged employees have a sence of personal attachment to their work and organization; they are motivated and able to give of their best to help it succeed and from that flows a series of tangible benefits for organization and individual alike'(Macleod Clarke 2009:7) HRM uses various technologies to direct employees behavior towards objectives and tasks that deliver approved organisational performance. Many organizations try to frame these levers with an overall performance management system, and attach incentives and rewards to achievements of objectives and targets within this. In recent years PM has become massively popular. The basic idea was to fix behavior to targets and attach financial rewards. Howe ever performance related pay was not always introduced for the best reason; there was a preoccupation with defining measures to which individual rewards could be attached and the connection with performance was often tenuous (IPM/IMS, 1992) For many line managers PM is still means no more than the appraisal process and it seen as time consuming, bureaucratic, paper driven and top down with little reference to organisational performance and goals.(Egan,1995) Despite significant efforts to present performance management as a systemic process and to raise managers sights (eg.Armstrong,1994;Hartle, 1995) many fundamental problems remain. A PMS may, indeed, support employee development, but this is often undermined by number of problems, among the most important which are, The link between individual behavior and business objectives, Defining and aligning objectives, Motivation theory and managers own assumptions and beliefs, Performance management as a management process, The impact on the employment relationship etc.. A analysis of above issues highlights fundamental questions about performance linkages and how rewards are attached to these and how the motivation to control unnecessarily and inappropriately vitiates the design of rewards and incentives.(Human Resource Management Journal, vol 10-No-3) In addition people performance is vitiated by the obsession with control and therefore is liable to undermine, rather than contribute to, performance. It should only be done within a context of strict attention to corporate business objectives and limited number of specific improvement goals. Engagement is a crucial organisational tool that can generate both individual and organisational performance and can be defined as a set of positive attitudes and behaviors enabling high job performance of kind which are in tune with the organization mission'(Storey, Wright Ulrich 2008) Recent research concluded that there are 3 broad groups of employees. Engaged (loyal, productive, would recommend their organization to friends) , Non-engaged (productive but not bonded, tempted by job vacancies, instrumental, focus on hours JDs), Disengaged (physically present but psychologically absent, negative, uncooperative, hostile, uninvolved) (Buckingham (2001) What a waste PM October) We can perhaps distinguish between two types of employee turnover: Functional vs Dysfunctional turnover functional turnover serves to promoted ideas and methods and can thus renew a stagnating organisation (Carrell et al, 1995, 177). According to Hom and Griffeth (1995), functional turnover is more common than dysfunctional: In addition, high turnover is often less troubling in relatively low skill occupations; especially customer-service related ones (fast-food restaurants, telesales, etc). Kearns (1994) suggests this is because organisations want to harness short-term enthusiasm. Thus, empl oyee turnover may not be a bad thing, however, there is likely to be a point beyond which it is unhealthy. Taylor (2008) suggests this is a rate of 5-10%. The more valuable the employee to the organisation, the more damaging the resignation especially if he/she chooses to work for a competitor Indirect concerns/costs include:-Productivity losses,Impaired quality of service,Lost business opportunities, An increased administrative burden,Employee demoralisation Direct costs include: Recruitment costs (advertising, admin, etc),Induction/training costs,Other admin costs associated with new hires,Overtime/ cost of temporary workers,Reduced productivity during induction Taylor (2008)-The employee turnover decisi Evaluate existing job, Experience job dissatisfaction, Think of quitting, Evaluate expected utility of search for new job and cost of quitting, Decide to search for alternatives, Search for alternatives, Evaluate alternatives, Compare best alternative with present job, Decide whether to stay or quit, Quit on process Mobley(1977), ten stage model. There are ways to investigate why employees leave from the organisation.,Exit interviews (89%)Anon. exit questionnaires (28%),Word of mouth (25%),Extrapolate from staff attitude surveys (23%),Exit interviews external consultant used (2%),Surveys of ex-employees (rare) (CIPD survey 2009) Following ways are considered as most effective way to address staff retention.Realistic job previews, Job e nrichment, Workspace characteristics (environment), Induction practices, Leader-member exchange, Employee selection, Reward practices, Demographic diversity,Managing inter-role conflict (Hom Griffeth, 1995) Multinational Corporation has its facilities and other assets in at least one country other than its home country. Such companies have offices and factories in different countries and usually have a centralized head office. Nearly all dominant multinationals are American, Japanese, or Western European such as Nike, Coca-cola, Wal- Mart, AOL, Toshiba, Honda and BMW. MNCs may take any of four forms: a decentralized that has a strong home-country presence; a global and centralized corporation that can acquire a cost advantage through centralized production; an international company that builds on the parent companys technology or research and development; or a transnational enterprise that combines all three of these approaches. In the modern world the capabilities and the knowledge incorporated in an organisations human resources are the key to performance. So on both the cost and benefit sides of the equation, HRM is crucial to the survival, performance and success of the enterprise. For MNCs, the additional complications of dealing with multicultural assumptions about the way people should be managed and differing institutional constraints become important contributors to the chances of that success. A culture is a set of basic tacit assumptions about how the world is and ought to be that a group of people share and that determines their perceptions, thoughts, feelings and to some degree, their overt behavior. Culture manifests itself at three levels. The level of deep tacit assumptions that are the essence of the culture, the level of espoused values that often reflect what a group wishes ideally to be and the way it wants to present it self publicly and the day to day behavior that represents a complex compromise among the espoused value, the deeper assumptions, and the immediate requirements of the situation. (1996)(Sloan Management Review/fall 1996) Geert Hofstedes theory of cultural dimensions describes the effects of a societys culture on the values of its members, and how these values relate to behavior, using a structure derived from factor analysis. The theory has been widely used in several fields as a paradigm for research, particularly in cross-cultural psychology, international management, and cross-cultural communication. The original theory proposed four dimensions along which cultural values could be analyzed: individualism-collectivism; uncertainty avoidance; power distance (strength of social hierarchy) and masculinity-femininity. (task orientation versus person-orientation) With compared to UK Asian countries characterized by high power distance and week uncertainty avoidance. The HRM approach in Asia generally accepted as being humanists rather than materialistic. Therefore MNCs in Asia focus much concentration on personal growth and development of employees. In return for an organization creating opportunities, employees reciprocate with increased commitment and lower levels of absenteeism and turn over. (Ayree, Chen and Budhwar,2004) In European context highly focus on Individualism and masculine with low power distance and week uncertainty avoidance Hofstede,1980). Performance Appraisal Systems (PAS) basically aimed towards being achieving individual-level targets for employees and preparing cutting edges to identifying performance ratings for rewards. Individualism is more common in western cultures unlike Asian culture is more parental. Therefore western HR practice may be not measured the required standards in Asian MNC employees performance if it not ideally matched for the cultural and organisational targets. However some argues that the world is becoming more globalised, all aspects of business and HRM are becoming more alike which indicate the convergence divergence debate. In conclusion there is evidence to suggest that including the practice out line within this thesis organisational behaviours and tools can used to drive organisational and individual performance in Multinational companies. It is essential to have suitable recruitment and selection process, Performance Appraisal System and Staff Retention plan to ensure the right people, In the right place, at the right time with right attitude. Training and development is also vital to improve HR performance. In addition HR Specialists role will be more specific when these techniques applying in to multi cultural environments where people perceptions and behavioral patterns are different from each other.

The Power of Delegation Essay -- Delegate Engineering Management Essay

The Power of Delegation Delegation is a management tool that can be used to empower or when abused can be a detrimental force in a company. Delegation can aid employee growth and development while getting the job done efficiently. The true purpose of delegation is to accomplish the task by assigning it to someone else (Blair, 1992). Many misunderstand the concept of delegation and therefore either will not delegate or improperly apply the principle which provides unsuccessful results.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The primary reason to delegate tasks is to get the work done. The manager must be wise enough to know that he or she cannot be everywhere and do everything. A manager must also realize that along with the assignment of the job to the subordinate, the authority to complete the task must also be given. The delegation of authority is the hardest, most difficult part for some in management positions. If the task is assigned without the authority to use independent discretion the result is frustration and incomplete production. The manager must clearly communicate the expected result also ensure that the subordinate is properly trained and/or has the required skills needed to accomplish the assigned task.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Communication is a major component of successful delegation. A system of regular exchanges of information between management and employees ensure that each party is aware of what others are doing (Blair, 1992).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My current employer is a nonprofit organization, which is run by a Chief Executive Officer/President who was hired 22 years ago. Her background is in education, as a principal, with a master’s degree in Education Administration. The CEO answers to a board of directors, which have been very good at delegating the responsibilities of running the corporation to the CEO. The board meets monthly to receive reports on the activities and financial status of the facility but other than that have no real hands-on role in the management of the company.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The CEO has a very different approach to delegation than the board of directors; she tends to micro-manage her staff. Her idea of delegation leans more to assignment of a task and proceeding to dictate exactly how she desires the task to be accomplished or assigns the task without giving authority to carry it out. The CEO makes assignments to members of her Corporate Leadership Team (program direct... ...tion for his staff. The director is not confident in his own competency yet feels the need to improve upon the work his staff produces. This is not a simple problem because the director, a vice president in the company, needs to work out personal issues in order to stop the offending actions. He can however recognize that the problem exists and redirect his interference. Overall this company would benefit from formal training in the functions of management along with methods of applying the principles of management in their own jobs. A section on delegation would need to consist of the definition of delegation, the importance of communication, developing effective and efficient controls, how delegation aids in employee development, how to maintain proper access or assistance to the delegate and awareness of the possible outcomes and failures when using delegation as a management tool (Blair, 1992). References Blair, GM, The Art of Delegation, IEE Engineering Management Journal, vol. 2, no. 4, pp. 165-169, Aug 1992. Retrieved August 19, 2005, from University of Edinburgh School of Engineering and Electronics web site: http://www.see.ed.ac.uk/~gerard/Management/art5.html

Data Collection †Business Research Essay

Introduction The experience of focus group and semi-structured interview were gained during my data collection research. I conducted one focus group and one semi-structured interviews, due to participants time limit and busy schedule I was not possible to conduct more interviews. I have designed the interview procedure including questions prepared for each interview to capture different group and individual. I have given participants consent form to sign and ask for their permission to audio tape recorder, simultaneously I was taking note. This type of interview was more suitable for my data collection research because it allowed face to face assurance and explanation of the importance, aim, and necessity of the research. I have enjoyed the interview exercise and my learning reflection about data collection process is addressed below. How well did the research instrument address the research questions and meet the goals of the study? Using focus group and semi-structured interview instruments to collect data helped keeping track of what I observed and how to analyse it. Methods of recording information gathered during focus groups and interview for collecting unbiased information have helped to gain credibility as an accurate and useful source of information collection. Focus group and semi- structured interviews were effective in communicating a desire to obtain meaningful and honest information, both instruments were well designed that helped the conversation develop in line with my research questions. I was able to use technique for collecting data as a combination of an audio tape recorder and note taking which allow me to capture all of the essential information in an unbiased manner, I was also able to capture nonverbal behaviour of group participants, i.e. reactions of other participants after a participant statement may indicate consensus or disagreement. Both instruments are valid and reliable in collecting data, and questions and observations accurately assess what I want to know. What specific advantages and disadvantages can you see from using this particular method? Semi-structured individual interviews are more efficient than focus groups and interviewers are typically able to cover more ground interviewing one person versus a group. While focus groups may actually get less information than one hour individual interview, the dynamic interchange between the group members may result in more in depth and unbiased information concerning a particular topic. A potential weakness of focus groups may occur when members do not express their personal opinions and conform to a popular opinion or agree to a particular group member. In semi-structured interview there is no significant time delay between question and answer, the interviewer and interviewee can directly react on what the other says or does. An advantage of this communication is that the answer of the interviewee is more spontaneous, without an extended reflection. But due to this type of communication, the interviewer must concentrate much more on the questions to be asked and the answers given. Especially when semi-structured interview list is used, and the interviewer has to formulate questions as a result of the interactive nature of communication. Interview also has the advantage that the interviewer can make more use of a standardisation of the situation. On the other hand this type of communication of time and place can bring with it a lot of time and costs. Social interaction in the focus group provides more free and complex answers, interviewer can ask for clarification, problems as to whether the group represents a larger population and difficult to assemble the group. What issues did you face in data collection and compilation? In my situation, I needed to obtain an appropriate permission or approval to collect information from the senior management of the company I have done my research on. I had to allow time to work through the proper channels and it was stressful process to know whether they will provide me with an approval to conduct my interviews and collect data. One of the problems encountered by me was the limited time allocated as the questionnaires were process oriented and it took time to complete some of the questionnaires while each interview was allocated 45 minutes only, in addition, the geographical location of the company was presented a difficulty as I had to travel more than 30 minutes to reach the company’s premises. I had to visit the company twice to conduct a focus group with one team and a semi-structured interview with another team manager. I believe there is no issue in data integrity or accuracy that was provided to me by the team during both interviews. However, compilation of data has been time consuming process due to documenting all notes taking as well as referring to the audio tape recorder to ensure that I haven’t missed anything out. I did not encounter any non-response or outright refusal from the participants. The response from the leaders and officials was also encouraging. How would you change the research instrument based on the data you collected? I believe the answers I have got are as good as the questions I asked, I may need to expand on my research instruments techniques and get the best answers that fit my questions, or follow formative research process that will help me think through which questions I want to ask of which people. For example, asking good questions of the wrong people or asking the right people bad questions will provide me poor and unusable results. Even if focus group and semi-structured interviews are the best method for collecting my data, I will consider changing how to do them, collecting the best data possible is to separate research instruments into smaller rounds instead of trying to get all answer for the questions at once. Later rounds can build on information from earlier rounds. For example, I would use one round of the interview to help me determine a target group, understand their roles, skills and knowledge around using systems and processes and then a second round to investigate more deeply into the group’s thoughts and feelings. What lessons have you learned about collecting data? I believe collecting data for this study or MRP research is way more stressful than other data collection I have experienced. First of all, the stakes are higher, if I don’t get it right I will continue to be in purgatory. All what I needed is to hear from my potential participants about whether they are participating in my research study. I got tons of questions from the senior management asking details of the research study and proposal. This, however, does not mean that they are going to participate in my study. So, I had to be very careful about how I answer their questions and how to interact with them. I learned to be always prepared to get tones of questions. I also had to send my participants a reminder about the date and time of the interviews and accommodate them, otherwise they will forget as they are busy people. I learned to keep my spirit high, and I needed to remind myself that things are going to be OK. I needed to continue providing information, checking in, reminding, answering questions, sending e-mails, making phone calls, and running my research study with a smile on my face. Even though I was exhausted, tried to keep my energy high, and didn’t let my participants feel the stress I felt inside. At the end, I was grateful to have each and every participant I had and enjoyed the experience with them. And finally I learned to be patient, collecting data is a slow process and I was focusing on how to achieve the big goal of interviewing participants and collecting data, while I forget to pay attention to what I achieve everyday towards getting my data collection complete. What thoughts do you have about the importance and relevance of your project based on the data collection experience? Data collected during the focus group and interview is adequate to be analysed for my process improvement project purpose and to make decisions about important issues. I will be able to present findings and analysis based on data collected from interviews and that subsequent decisions based on arguments embodied in the findings are valid. Data collection process will help my project identifying area for improvements, analysing and assessing the importance of systems and processes. Quality and type of data play a vital role in supplying objective information for the problems in process improvement project so that some analytical understanding of the problems and hence solutions can be obtained. Making decision on the basis of poor quality data is risky and may lead to disastrous results. My project requires data that is valid and reliable, and in this study data was collected using a variety of research methods, such as interview and focus group were participants debriefed to ensure interpretive validity in order to determine if data was being interpreted correctly.

Uses of the Past Participle

Uses of the Past Participle Uses of the Past Participle Uses of the Past Participle By Maeve Maddox Participle is a grammatical term I fling about quite often. A recent reader’s comment made me realize that not everyone is completely clear about what the word means. Instead of trying to cover both participles in one post, I’ll focus on the â€Å"past participle† in this one and save the â€Å"present participle† for another time. The word participle comes from Latin participium. The definition of the Latin term also applies to the English participle: â€Å"a non-finite part of a verb, having some characteristics of a verb and some of an adjective.† The past participle is one of five basic verb forms called the â€Å"principal parts of the verb.† All the tenses are constructed from these five verb forms: Infinitive: to write Simple Present: write Simple Past (preterite): wrote Past Participle: (has) written Present Participle: writing Only two of these principal parts can be used â€Å"as is† in a sentence: the simple present and the simple past. They are fully functional verbs because they show tense (time). Because their forms contain the idea of time, they are called â€Å"finite verbs.† The other three forms, including the past participle, do not show time. Verb forms that do not show time are called â€Å"non-finite verbs.† Because they cannot function as complete verbs in themselves, they are called verbals, â€Å"words related to verbs.† As a verbal, the past participle retains some functions of a verb while functioning as an adjective. In the following example, written is an adjective qualifying a noun phrase. At the same time, it is modified by prepositional phrases: Written in code between 1660 and 1669, the diary of Samuel Pepys was first published in 1825. The past participle of a regular verb is identical in form to the simple past: both end in -ed: Infinitive: to live Simple Present: live Simple Past (preterite): lived Past Participle: (has) lived Present Participle: living Here, drawn at random from one of the Cadfael novels by Ellis Peters, are some examples of the adjectival use of the past participle: FitzHamon’s marred face curdled into deeper purple. Even thus, frustrated like a mewed hawk, she had a graceful gait. Prior Heribert, shocked and dismayed, fell to prayer. Bewildered and confused by so sudden a reversal, the prior confided and obeyed like a child. He went out through the frozen garden to his herbarium. A common error with this use of the past participle is the â€Å"misplaced modifier.† For example: Stacked by the entrance to the stables, we made our delivery of hay bales. This type of error can be avoided by rewriting the sentence to place the word being described by the participle closer to it: We left our delivery of hay bales stacked by the entrance to the stables. Stacked by the entrance to the stables, the hay bales showed that we’d made the delivery. 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 Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Punctuating â€Å"So† at the Beginning of a SentenceItalicizing Foreign WordsGrammatical Case in English

buy custom Role of Allusion essay

buy custom Role of Allusion essay Essentially, Allusion is a reference within a particular literary work, to another film, work of fiction, real event or even a piece of art. An allusion serves as a subtle or succinct way of drawing on an outside work to provide a greater meaning and context. Furthermore, allusion serves to add resonance to the works of various artists. T.S. Eliots poem The Wasteland relies heavily on allusions to pass its massage. Additionally the use of allusion is also witnessed in Fritz Lang's film Metropolis. The primary aim of this research paper is to explore the role of allusion in Fritz Lang's film Metropolis and T.S. Eliots poem The Wasteland. In Langs film, makes use of allusion in various scenes. The illustration of oppressed and demoralized workers in the underground stream plants is a very vivid example of the use of illustration in this film. As the workers start embarking on the slavery of their jobs, the film outlines a vivid depiction of an Egyptian pyramid, with slaves being forced and whipped to work. The role of this allusion is to depict the fact that the workers in metropolis are working and experiencing the same desolate, depressing and hopeless situations similar to the slaves in Egypt. On the other hand, allusion has been used greatly in T.S. Eliots poem The Wasteland to underline and depict a strong aspect of religion, that is, the allusion is used to underline the theme of religion. Religion is widely used in the What the Thunder Said, which is the last section of the poem. In the poem religion is taken from different areas Hinduism, Christianity and some aspects of fertility can also be seen interlaced within the poem. Buy custom Role of Allusion essay

Organization and religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Organization and religion - Essay Example ligion have been the result of an effective organization/or ineffective management.1 Naturally, one cannot blame organization and cohesion upon all the different branches of religion that exist; however, understanding the role that organization plays in defining and effectively constraining the responses and approaches of believers goes a very long way in helping the individual to understand the powerful and dynamic role that organization has within religion. A secondary way through which organization can be seen as having a powerful impact upon religion is with regards to doctrine. For instance, considering the case of Islam, core doctrines stipulate the attitudes and behavior that proper Muslims should exhibit to one another and to the outside world. In a matter speaking, the organizational constraints that are oftentimes adopted by religious organizations have to do with the risen or canonical laws that are the result of a particular holy book, relics, or prophecy. In such a way, these written approaches oftentimes are uniquely similar to the way in which a business entity operates under a set of guidelines and standard operating procedures. Without these procedures and guidelines, the business would not have a grounding or anchor with respect to the way in which to engage and understand the situations that present themselves within the day-to-day interactions that take place. Similarly, without a level of doctrine and written belief that creates a distinct aspects of cohesion within the believing communities, religious organizations would lack the same qualities that have been previously described with respect to the business world. From the information that is thus far been engaged, it is clear and apparent that organization plays a prominent and extraordinarily important role with respect to the way in which religious conviction and practice is carried out.2 Although this has only been analyzed with respect to the major world religions of Islam and

Strategic Management of International Enterprises ( Adidas ) Essay

Strategic Management of International Enterprises ( Adidas ) - Essay Example Moreover, establishing strong brand image and a sustainable business position in the global business environment is also a common and widely practiced motivational factor for the multinationals, which can frequently be observed in the recent pace of globalisation2. In keeping with the unconventional trend of internationalisation of the multinationals, the primary aim of this report is to critically analyse the strategic directions and practices of Adidas Group, a German based footwear manufacturing giant in the present global business environment. In order to critically assess the strategic direction of the company, the report would focus on examining the international operations of Adidas that led the company to sustain its dominant position in the global footwear manufacturing and marketing industry. Moreover, the report also critically evaluates issues surrounding its future strategic endeavours. In this context, the report focuses on identifying potential issues driven by the current business trends and develops effective measures that can enable Adidas to uphold its competitive position in the global footwear business industry. Founded in the year 1920, the Adidas Group (Adidas) is a highly valued and a renowned brand operating in the industrial periphery of manufacturing footwear and sports apparels for both men and women. The company is highly envisioned with the aim of being as the dominant marketer in providing best portfolio of sports brands to the customers across the different global markets3. The corporate strategy of Adidas significantly incorporates a wide range of strategic measures that ensures to build its strong and sustainable position in the competitive sports goods business industry. In relation to the current business performance of the company, the corporate strategies can be observed to play a crucial role for Adidas to build its strong brand position in the present