What is knowledge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

What is knowledge - Essay Example The paper examines the practice of knowledge management and how it has helped Japanese companies to gain a competitive edge. Porter (1998) gave the structure of the Five Forces Analysis that gives companies a sustainable competitive edge in a market. While the structure allows analysts to form a grouping of manifestations and market forces such as threats of suppliers and substitutes, power of buyers and barriers for new entrants, the framing is not a mantra that yields solutions. Kadapa (2006) argues that after employing tools such as PEST and SWOT, analysts still have to find a way to solve problems and the industry is interested in solutions. At such junctures, when easy solutions are not obvious, it is knowledge management practices that help to provide the means to achieve competitive advantage. Again Drucker (1981) tried to provide answers to the phenomenal success that Japanese industries have achieved since the Second World War when the country was reduced to rubble. The author argues that just by using oriental philosophy, it is not possible to explain how the country went ahead in all fields of industries such as automobiles and electronics. The author suggests that the main secret lay in sharing knowledge and information among the workers and diffusing it to the people who need it, that helped Japan to achieve its success. A rigorous mindset, good knowledge of mechanical and electrical engineering that existed from the pre war days and the insight to apply it effectively helped the country to go forward. By extensively reading the works of the author, it is obvious that he is explaining a culture where knowledge is continuously being recycled and redistributed. Drucker (1999) speaks of the management challenges for the future and speaks of how organizations need to ap ply and reapply their learning and knowledge if they want their competitive advantage to be sustained. Meyer

Business - Affirmative Action Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Business - Affirmative Action - Research Paper Example It is an act to increase the representation of minority by giving them preference on the basis of gender, color, origin, sexual orientation etc. Moreover, this act is also done to increase the participation of the under representative part of the society to showcase what they are capable of. Historical Background: General Background History The term ‘affirmative action’ was first used in 1935 in a National Labor Relations Act (29 U.S.C.  §Ã‚ §151–169). The usage for it was not for race but to provide remedy for employers to avoid discrimination of union members. However, in books the origin of this term was mentioned to root from the United States. During the presidency of John F. Kennedy, it first appeared in Executive Order 10925 and it was signed by the President on March 6th 1961 (Jain and Ratnam). It was used to refer to methods used to achieve non-discrimination policy implementation. In 1965, Executive Order 11246 was issued by the President Lyndon Johnso n which stated that federal contractors should use affirmative action to avoid discrimination while employing a person. Hiring should be made irrespective of race, religion and national origin. The 1964 Civil Rights Act implemented this clause that no race discrimination by statute should be carried at the workplace. Title II of 1964 act stopped places which were public, such as restaurants or hotels from discriminating on the basis of race. Gradually in 1968, gender was also added to the list. Purpose of Affirmative Action Since the Civil Rights Movement, much has been changed in a positive manner and a great contribution to it was the introduction of Affirmative action. This attempt was to achieve a better and more equal society. It was started as a ‘Corrective measure for societal and governmental discriminations against groups that have been at a disadvantage and subject to prejudices’. However, much has changed since its inception. Supporters of Affirmative Actionà ‚   There are many people, organizations and societies supporting the inherent goodness of affirmative action. Some of them are given below: According to a report published in 2007 by Pew Research Center, support for affirmative action in the American public has increased to 70% in 2007 compared to 58% in 1995. The US Military is another endorser of affirmative action. In 2003, many high ranking officers of Army, Navy, Air force and Marine Corps planned a rally in support of affirmative action for a Supreme Court case Grutter v. Bollinger. The fortune 500 companies have been a popular endorser of affirmative action. More than 60 leading companies in fortune 500 which encompasses 3M, GE, HP, Kraft Foods, Coca-Cola came out for the support of affirmative action in 2003. Universities have been a popular supporter of affirmative action. Harvard University, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, Yale University and Dartmouth College provided their support for race-conscious a dmission programs. They wanted to promote diversity in all forms and, therefore, in 2003 they showed their popular support for it. Popular athletes are endorsers of affirmative action. Many of the Michigan’s leading sports athlete including Tom Izzo (Michigan State University), Joanne P. McCallie (Michigan State University), Tommy Amaker (University of Michigan) and Ernie Zeigler (Central Michigan University) spoke about the importance of affirmative ac

The ring - difference between western movies and eastern movies Essay

The ring - difference between western movies and eastern movies - Essay Example However, this has not stopped film industries, the world over, from remaking some of the famous films that once belonged to other cultures (Waseda 173). This paper will examine one such film, and bring out the relative differences between the cultures represented in both cases. In every film, and depending on where it comes from, there are different roles exhibited by every character. It is the producer’s/director’s task to identify these roles and place them in the film. Different cinematic beliefs exist in the film industry, and they assist in determining how every individual relates to the film being produced. Individual behavior and disparities in marriage unions may also be impacted by the manner in which these films capture the audience (Waseda 174). It is, therefore, fair to say that remaking a film that was based in another region may take time before it is fully accepted by the original owners. The Ring, a film that was originally produced and directed in the h eart of the Japanese culture, had a remake from the American film industry based in Hollywood, USA. It is a well-known fact that Japanese films are often done for domestic purposes, and do not have outside sales except for festivals. They are often rich in Japanese culture, history, and mindset. ... Hollywood, due to its American and international reach, may make the film a box office success. Japanese horror films are not the first to be raided by the Western film kings. In the recent past, French classics have also had the same problem as America made remakes of some of their films. American remakes threaten to take away any foreign influence that comes with their films. This is to display dominance over their counterparts who came up with the idea in the first place. The American content that is often displayed in these remakes is done with the aim of eliminating any native content that might have been present in the original film (Waseda 182). The national identities and integrity of different regions are being stolen through these remakes as times go by, and it is through advancement in technology that individuals are getting to realize how this is happening. Going back to the earlier mentioned film, The Ring, it is clear to see that in the Japanese culture, the fear, stren gth, and understanding of the supernatural is more ingrained. This is more than in some cultures, especially the American culture. So where or how did the adaptation of the film make its way to the western screen, and how well did it fit in with the audience? In the original film, the culture and spiritualization of the Japanese people was brought out in the film. However, in the Western adaptation, some of these elements were not present. This is because they do not take these spiritual and supernatural matters as seriously as other cultures. The western adaptation had a few cinematic elements than the original version because it was required to attract an American and global audience (Waseda 184). They, therefore, tried to make it more materialistic. In the

Voluntary assumption of liability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Voluntary assumption of liability - Essay Example Nonetheless, such acts fail the English legal system’s interpretation of what constitutes justice, fairness and equity, in contracts. Edwards, Edwards, and Wells (2011) argued that an application of a ‘genuine’ assumption of liability as the premise upon which extra-contractual risks are based can repair the damages resulting from the injustice. Sykes (2012) pointed out that this effectively circumvents the legal challenges arising from the wider interpretation of a binding contract.The second legal hurdle relates to the fairly wide confines within which a binding contract falls (Gruidl, 2008). In Tort, however, Best and Barnes (2007) averred that numerous limitations face the English judicial system. For instance, time constraints in the acquisition of claims, narrowly explained vicarious liability, and the amount of damages may hinder the handling of claims in a fair manner, especially claims stemming from direct business between two parties in cases where a bin ding contract cannot be implied. In such situations, the generous provisions guiding the establishment of contracts do not apply (Horrigan, 2012).Lastly, a party may use the idea of assumption of liability to claim liability for issues that were part of a contract (Sykes, 2012).   In fact, the doctrine of assumption of responsibility was introduced into English law to settle extra-contractual liability arising from â€Å"non-intentional† injury other than physical injury to any individual party. These include; psychological injury, economic damages and nervous shock.... Lastly, a party may use the idea of assumption of liability to claim liability for issues that were part of a contract (Sykes, 2012). In fact, the doctrine of assumption of responsibility was introduced into English law to settle extra-contractual liability arising from â€Å"non-intentional† injury other than physical injury to any individual party. These include; psychological injury, economic damages and nervous shock (Edwards, Edwards, and Wells, 2011; Horrigan, 2012). Difficulty in compensation Best and Barnes (2007) suggested that these kinds of injury are hard to remedy. In effect, the defendant and the wider society would find it hard to withstand the losses. But, the researchers added that a blanket refusal of liability is unacceptable. Therefore, English law was created to provide grounds for a new platform for the application of logical, narrow responsibility in tort, for such damages. Harpwood (2008) contend that such provisions of English law seek means of narrowi ng the application of responsibility in negligence which, hitherto would only be proved by foreseeable injury. In English legal system the concept of assumption of liability is today clearly employed separately within the province the Duty of Care in Negligence (Horrigan, 2012). Additionally, the idea is slowly being outmoded by the three-fold-test under the Duty of Care, and the slow evolution of the key facets of the common law, which focus on expanding liability. Rights of Third Parties Act 1999 Gruidl (2008) noted the significance of the Rights of Third Parties Act 1999, which expanded the infamous narrow understanding of contract and the liabilities that may arise thereof under English law. The new legislation repealed the

The Iran Iraq War Essay Example for Free

The Iran Iraq War Essay World History: Mr. Ricky Waldon| Iran – Iraq War | Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) The Iran-Iraq War permanently altered the course of Iraqi history. It strained Iraqi political and social life, and led to severe economic dislocations. Viewed from a historical perspective, the outbreak of hostilities in 1980 was, in part, just another phase of the ancient Persian-Arab conflict that had been fueled by twentieth-century border disputes. Many observers, however, believe that Saddam Husseins decision to invade Iran was a personal miscalculation based on ambition and a sense of vulnerability. Saddam Hussein, despite having made significant strides in forging an Iraqi nation-state, feared that Irans new revolutionary leadership would threaten Iraqs delicate SunniShia balance and would exploit Iraqs geostrategic vulnerabilitiesIraqs minimal access to the Persian Gulf, for example. In this respect, Saddam Husseins decision to invade Iran has historical precedent; the ancient rulers of Mesopotamia, fearing internal strife and foreign conquest, also engaged in frequent battles with the peoples of the highlands. The Iran-Iraq War was multifaceted and included religious schisms, border disputes, and political differences. Conflicts contributing to the outbreak of hostilities ranged from centuries-old Sunni-versus-Shia and Arab-versus-Persian religious and ethnic disputes, to a personal animosity between Saddam Hussein and Ayatollah Khomeini. Above all, Iraq launched the war in an effort to consolidate its rising power in the Arab world and to replace Iran as the dominant Persian Gulf state. Phebe Marr, a noted analyst of Iraqi affairs, stated that the war was more immediately the result of poor political judgement and miscalculation on the part of Saddam Hussein, and the decision to invade, taken at a moment of Iranian weakness, was Saddams. Iraq claimed territories inhabited by Arabs (the Southwestern oil-producing province of Iran called Khouzestan), as well as Iraqs right over Shatt el-Arab (Arvandroud). Iraq and Iran had engaged in border clashes for many years and had revived the dormant Shatt al Arab waterway dispute in 1979. Iraq claimed the 200-kilometer channel up to the Iranian shore as its territory, while Iran insisted that the thalwega line running down the middle of the waterwaynegotiated last in 1975, was the official border. The Iraqis, especially the Baath leadership, regarded the 1975 treaty as merely a truce, not a definitive settlement. The Iraqis also perceived revolutionary Irans Islamic agenda as threatening to their pan-Arabism. Khomeini, bitter over his expulsion from Iraq in 1977 after fifteen years in An Najaf, vowed to avenge Shia victims of Baathist repression. Baghdad became more confident, however, as it watched the once invincible Imperial Iranian Army disintegrate, as most of its highest ranking officers were executed. In Khuzestan (Arabistan to the Iraqis), Iraqi intelligence officers incited riots over labor disputes, and in the Kurdish region, a new rebellion caused the Khomeini government severe troubles. As the Baathists planned their military campaign, they had every reason to be confident. Not only did the Iranians lack cohesive leadership, but the Iranian armed forces, according to Iraqi intelligence estimates, also lacked spare parts for their American-made equipment. Baghdad, on the other hand, possessed fully equipped and trained forces. Morale was running high. Against Irans armed forces, including the Pasdaran (Revolutionary Guard) troops, led by religious mullahs with little or no military experience, the Iraqis could muster twelve complete mechanized divisions, equipped with the latest Soviet materiel. With the Iraqi military buildup in the late 1970s, Saddam Hussein had assembled an army of 190,000 men, augmented by 2,200 tanks and 450 aircraft. In addition, the area across the Shatt al Arab posed no major obstacles, particularly for an army equipped with Soviet river-crossing equipment. Iraqi commanders correctly assumed that crossing sites on the Khardeh and Karun rivers were lightly defended against their mechanized armor divisions; moreover, Iraqi intelligence sources reported that Iranian forces in Khuzestan, which had formerly included two divisions distributed among Ahvaz, Dezful, and Abadan, now consisted of only a number of ill-equipped battalion-sized formations. Tehran was further disadvantaged because the area was controlled by the Regional 1st Corps headquartered at Bakhtaran (formerly Kermanshah), whereas operational control was directed from the capital. In the year following the shahs overthrow, only a handful of company-sized tank units had been operative, and the rest of the armored equipment had been poorly maintained. For Iraqi planners, the only uncertainty was the fighting ability of the Iranian air force, equipped with some of the most sophisticated American-made aircraft. Despite the execution of key air force commanders and pilots, the Iranian air force had displayed its might during local riots and demonstrations. The air force was also active in the wake of the failed United States attempt to rescue American hostages in April 1980. This show of force had impressed Iraqi decision makers to such an extent that they decided to launch a massive preemptive air strike on Iranian air bases in an effort similar to the one that Israel employed during the June 1967 Arab-Israeli War. Iraqi Offensives, 1980-82 Despite the Iraqi governments concern, the eruption of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran did not immediately destroy the Iraqi-Iranian rapprochement that had prevailed since the 1975 Algiers Agreement. As a sign of Iraqs desire to maintain good relations with the new government in Tehran, President Bakr sent a personal message to Khomeini offering his best wishes for the friendly Iranian people on the occasion of the establishment of the Islamic Republic. In addition, as late as the end of August 1979, Iraqi authorities extended an invitation to Mehdi Bazargan, the first president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, to visit Iraq with the aim of improving bilateral relations. The fall of the moderate Bazargan government in late 1979, however, and the rise of Islamic militants preaching an expansionist foreign policy soured Iraqi-Iranian relations. The principal events that touched off the rapid deterioration in relations occurred during the spring of 1980. In April the Iranian-supported Ad Dawah attempted to assassinate Iraqi foreign minister Tariq Aziz. Shortly after the failed grenade attack on Tariq Aziz, Ad Dawah was suspected of attempting to assassinate another Iraqi leader, Minister of Culture and Information Latif Nayyif Jasim. In response, the Iraqis immediately rounded up members and supporters of Ad Dawah and deported to Iran thousands of Shias of Iranian origin. In the summer of 1980, Saddam Hussein ordered the executions of presumed Ad Dawah leader Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Baqr as Sadr and his sister. In September 1980, border skirmishes erupted in the central sector near Qasr-e Shirin, with an exchange of artillery fire by both sides. A few weeks later, Saddam Hussein officially abrogated the 1975 treaty between Iraq and Iran and announced that the Shatt al Arab was returning to Iraqi sovereignty. Iran rejected this action and hostilities escalated as the two sides exchanged bombing raids deep into each others territory, beginning what was to be a protracted and extremely costly war. Baghdad originally planned a quick victory over Tehran. Saddam expected the invasion of the in the Arabic-speaking, oil-rich area of Khuzistan to result in an Arab uprising against Khomeinis fundamentalist Islamic regime. This revolt did not materialize, however, and the Arab minority remained loyal to Tehran. On September 22, 1980, formations of Iraqi MiG-23s and MiG21s attacked Irans air bases at Mehrabad and Doshen-Tappen (both near Tehran), as well as Tabriz, Bakhtaran, Ahvaz, Dezful, Urmia (sometimes cited as Urumiyeh), Hamadan, Sanandaj, and Abadan. Their aim was to destroy the Iranian air force on the grounda lesson learned from the Arab-Israeli June 1967 War. They succeeded in destroying runways and fuel and ammunition depots, but much of Irans aircraft inventory was left intact. Iranian defenses were caught by surprise, but the Iraqi raids failed because Iranian jets were protected in specially strengthened hangars and because bombs designed to destroy runways did not totally incapacitate Irans very large airfields. Within hours, Iranian F-4 Phantoms took off from the same bases, successfully attacked strategically important targets close to major Iraqi cities, and returned home with very few losses. Simultaneously, six Iraqi army divisions entered Iran on three fronts in an initially successful surprise attack, where they drove as far as eight kilometers inland and occupied 1,000 square kilometers of Iranian territory. As a diversionary move on the northern front, an Iraqi mechanized mountain infantry division overwhelmed the border garrison at Qasr-e Shirin, a border town in Bakhtaran (formerly known as Kermanshahan) Province, and occupied territory thirty kilometers eastward to the base of the Zagros Mountains. This area was strategically significant because the main Baghdad-Tehran highway traversed it. On the central front, Iraqi forces captured Mehran, on the western plain of the Zagros Mountains in Ilam Province, and pushed eastward to the mountain base. Mehran occupied an important position on the major north-south road, close to the border on the Iranian side. The main thrust of the attack was in the south, where five armored and mechanized divisions invaded Khuzestan on two axes, one crossing over the Shatt al Arab near Basra, which led to the siege and eventual occupation of Khorramshahr, and the second heading for Susangerd, which had Ahvaz, the major military base in Khuzestan, as its objective. Iraqi armored units easily crossed the Shatt al Arab waterway and entered the Iranian province of Khuzestan. Dehloran and several other towns were targeted and were rapidly occupied to prevent reinforcement from Bakhtaran and from Tehran. By mid-October, a full division advanced through Khuzestan headed for Khorramshahr and Abadan and the strategic oil fields nearby. Other divisions headed toward Ahvaz, the provincial capital and site of an air base. Supported by heavy artillery fire, the troops made a rapid and significant advancealmost eighty kilometers in the first few days. In the battle for Dezful in Khuzestan, where a major air base is located, the local Iranian army commander requested air support in order to avoid a defeat. President Bani Sadr, therefore, authorized the release from jail of many pilots, some of whom were suspected of still being loyal to the shah. With the increased use of the Iranian air force, the Iraqi progress was somewhat curtailed. The last major Iraqi territorial gain took place in early November 1980. On November 3, Iraqi forces reached Abadan but were repulsed by a Pasdaran unit. Even though they surrounded Abadan on three sides and occupied a portion of the city, the Iraqis could not overcome the stiff resistance; sections of the city still under Iranian control were resupplied by boat at night. On November 10, Iraq captured Khorramshahr after a bloody house-to-house fight. The price of this victory was high for both sides, approximately 6,000 casualties for Iraq and even more for Iran. Iraqs blitz-like assaults against scattered and demoralized Iranian forces led many observers to think that Baghdad would win the war within a matter of weeks. Indeed, Iraqi troops did capture the Shatt al Arab and did seize a forty-eight-kilometer- wide strip of Iranian territory. Iran may have prevented a quick Iraqi victory by a rapid mobilization of volunteers and deployment of loyal Pasdaran forces to the front. Besides enlisting the Iranian pilots, the new revolutionary regime also recalled veterans of the old imperial army, although many experienced officers, most of whom had been trained in the United States, had been purged. Furthermore, the Pasdaran and Basij (what Khomeini called the Army of Twenty Million or Peoples Militia) recruited at least 100,000 volunteers. Approximately 200,000 soldiers were sent to the front by the end of November 1980. They were ideologically committed troops (some members even carried their own shrouds to the front in the expectation of martyrdom) that fought bravely despite inadequate armor support. For example, on November 7 commando units played a significant role, with the navy and air force, in an assault on Iraqi oil export terminals at Mina al Bakr and Al Faw. Iran hoped to diminish Iraqs financial resources by reducing its oil revenues. Iran also attacked the northern pipeline in the early days of the war and persuaded Syria to close the Iraqi pipeline that crossed its territory. Irans resistance at the outset of the Iraqi invasion was unexpectedly strong, but it was neither well organized nor equally successful on all fronts. Iraq easily advanced in the northern and central sections and crushed the Pasdarans scattered resistance there. Iraqi troops, however, faced untiring resistance in Khuzestan. President Saddam Hussein of Iraq may have thought that the approximately 3 million Arabs of Khuzestan would join the Iraqis against Tehran. Instead, many allied with Irans regular and irregular armed forces and fought in the battles at Dezful, Khorramshahr, and Abadan. Soon after capturing Khorramshahr, the Iraqi troops lost their initiative and began to dig in along their line of advance. Tehran rejected a settlement offer and held the line against the militarily superior Iraqiforce. It refused to accept defeat, and slowly began a series of counteroffensives in January 1981. Both the volunteers and the regular armed forces were eager to fight, the latter seeing an opportunity to regain prestige lost because of their association with the shahs regime. Irans first major counterattack failed, however, for political and military reasons. President Bani Sadr was engaged in a power struggle with key religious figures and eager to gain political support among the armed forces by direct involvement in military operations. Lacking military expertise, he initiated a premature attack by three regular armored regiments without the assistance of the Pasdaran units. He also failed to take into account that the ground near Susangerd, muddied by the preceding rainy season, would make resupply difficult. As a result of his tactical decision making, the Iranian forces were surrounded on three sides. In a long exchange of fire, many Iranian armored vehicles were destroyed or had to be abandoned because they were either stuck in the mud or needed minor repairs. Fortunately for Iran, however, the Iraqi forces failed to follow up with another attack. Iran stopped Iraqi forces on the Karun River and, with limited military stocks, unveiled its human wave assaults, which used thousands of Basij (Popular Mobilization Army or Peoples Army) volunteers.

Assessing Flooring Options For Hotel Environment

Assessing Flooring Options For Hotel Environment The purpose of this assignment is to explore the types of flooring available suiting to the conditions desired and the decisive factor prior to selection of any kind of flooring according to the need of the floor. At the end I would give my suggestions and opinions and legitimate reasons for his recommendations. In this essay the areas under considerations are, the Coffee Shop, Main Reception and the Employee locker room. For choosing any kind of suitable flooring some factors require high value of pre selection consideration such as the location of the hotel, weather conditions and the flow of guests. As hotel is located near by the ocean so the weather tends to be tropical as the winter stays mild but summer remains warm, so the people who wished to stay in hotel mainly like to swim or to go to bank of the ocean, as the hotel also have two swimming pools in its premises. People pass the main front desk every time in order to get in the hotel or to go out of the hotel. Most of the t ime they use bathing suits and one can expect from them the dripping water from their swimming costumes and the sand particles along their clothes or shoes. Some may use coffee shop in the same robe. As the staff is using rare door for staff entrance only so is less likely to pass through main desk but in the event of rain it is most likely that staff also carry a bit of water and sand with their clothes and shoes, even staff member change their uniform and use the locker room to put their belongings. The locker room is situated near to changing room. House keeping is the department having the main duties of keeping the hotel clean not only the work area but the guest area as well as the guest rooms. As this is the main department, generating revenue for the hotel, advocates its responsibilities and the significance of undertaking its operations within the federation. Being an executive house keeper it becomes vital to select the flooring by keeping in view the durability, beauty, attractiveness and the interiors of the hotel along with the fulfilment of the desired purpose in different areas of the hotel With the changing time and continuous unpredictability of globalization and the recent steep growth in hospitality and tourism industry resulted in often visits in hotels where expectations are high and high level of comfort is desired by the customers. It has become challenging and mandatory to satisfy customers needs and to devise strategies at every level of management. Now I will discuss the types of different floorings which can be used in commercial and non-commercial outlets and at the end I will propose the selection of the best flooring for those specific areas required. What is flooring? Flooring is the general term , covering the floor permanently or the work of installing for the floor covering. It is a term to describe any finish material work applied over a floor structure and make it for walking surface. There are different kinds of materials can use for floor covering include wood flooring, stone, ceramic tile, terrazzo and various other seamless chemical floor coatings. Flooring can make the attractive difference in the appearance on floor especially in the hotels and also contribute to the ambiance of the hotel. Flooring plays a very important role for the hotel appearance and also has to satisfy many things because it needs to be attractive, durable, and easy to maintain and also be the cost effective. In these technological days floors have been updated to address the requirements needed in hotel flooring. There are many kinds of floorings for the hotels; restaurants and homes there are some kinds of flooring style from which to choose for the floor. Types of flooring Carpet flooring Carpet is a common choice for any hotel flooring especially in the colder climate it is permeable therefore it can stain, but the luxury and warmth it provides still make and this is a popular choice. It is one of the best insulators against sound which is important factor in a hotel setting. There are so many colours, design and also the variety therefore carpets can be one of the least expensive for flooring option it depends the size and quality of the carpet. The installation of the carpet usually done in less time than other alternatives. Carpet does need change more often that the other flooring but involves high cost. Concrete flooring Concrete flooring can be used in a hotel setting; it is really durable but one of the more expensive and easily cleaned and will not be discoloured when used. The out lasts many other choices of flooring such as tile, wool and carpet. We can also add the colour tints in concrete which make the more choice in decorating schemes. Ceramic Tile flooring It is another choice which offers durability and visual value and easy to clean and retain. If broken, can easily be replaced by another. A ceramic tile adds a feeling of quality and worth of any room. A ceramic tile is one of the most expensive but it can be used longer and is also available in different colours and shapes, offer options for any type of furnishings. Vinyl flooring Vinyl is other popular choice for hotel flooring. These are easy to clean, stain resistant and durable and also serve both the purposes of practicality and aesthetics. These tiles have the huge variety in designs and colours. The imitation of natural material can offer an economical way to have appeared of a more expensive floor covering. This choice allows you to have the look of wood, slate, brick for a division of the cost of the real thing. Rubber Flooring These types of tile are naturally hygienic and water-proof. It also offers the sound proofing, cushioning and insulating properties to the rooms of a hotel. It is stain-resistant, durable and easy to clean. It is not the most deluxe looking choice but it will fir in well when going for the minimalist look that is popular in these day. It is reasonable price not to much expensive and can last longer than the other choices. Bamboo flooring Bamboo flooring is one of the new flooring in flooring industry; it is more environmentally friendly than hardwood because it is not wood it is actually the grass therefore it is very graceful, durable and flexible. The colour of bamboo flooring is naturally variations there it is unique and usually use in a honey brown colour or light tan. Laminate flooring Laminate flooring are the fastest growing in America now a days it is not too much expensive than the hardwood flooring and easy to maintain. It comes from Europe but is increasingly popular in United States. Laminate flooring is almost resistant to burn, chipping and scratches. Cork flooring Cork flooring used over a thousand years before but mostly people think that its new. It is a naturally harvested and comes from Portugal and Spain. It retrieved only from mature tress and is harvested every 9 years, therefore it is very economical. It is available in different styles, sizes and colours. It also helps to insulate against sound and is rot-resistant and non-slip, even when it wets and also soft and comfortable to walk on as well as being warm underfoot. Stone flooring Stone flooring includes many options, such as limestone, marble and slate and also has a price valve out of most peoples price range. Naturally, it is resistant to wear tear and completely waterproof. It is very cold underfoot and also hard. It is very slippery when wet and especially when polish. Flooring for hotel Flooring for hotel and all other places in hotel is of utmost important it is not only the matter of the tear and heavy foot traffic but it must also be easy clean and maintain and also stain resistant. In the past there was not the variety of flooring and therefore luxury hotel often had match the flooring such as marble and tiles but now a days there are so many types of flooring and because of it most modern and luxury hotels want more cost effective options, to choose the floor with the current trend. There are a lot of choices of floor when choosing the flooring and it is also an expensive part of decorating the floor but the decision of flooring is very important for the hotel because the right decision for flooring save the money and also the long life. It is not easy to place the flooring for twice a year because the lot of money involved in it and therefore decision making is important for make the life easier. Stone, bamboo and cork tile flooring offering the natural beauty and tough wearing surfaces but laminate, resilient vinyl flooring easy to maintain and fit for budget and ceramic tiles are hardwearing and classic. Significant criteria of selection Now days every thing is improving fast and in every thing there is a competition and especially in hotel and tourism industries this industry is moving forward day by day therefore in hotel every hotel have the plan in every department before starting the construction of hotel. flooring is one of them before that there is no main concept of flooring and every organization and hotel used just the limited type of flooring but now flooring is also the main aspect because every it involve the high volume of foot traffic and flooring make the attraction for any place and people feel very easy to walk on floor. There are so many places in the hotel where a hotel can use the different types of flooring and these flooring can be different in every area according to the situation because in the open area like main reception, where the people came first on the front office for reservation flooring can be different from the hotel guests room and also the restaurant, gym, bars, etc. On the other hand kitchen flooring and employee lockers room flooring will different for the other flooring. Locker room for the hotel staff is not very useable staff just came to change their dresses and keep their other stuff therefore kitchen and staff locker room is the behind the scenes area and hotel lobbies, swimming pools, main entrances is the good example of the front of the house. One more thing is important for flooring in the hotel is that the hotel can choose the different types of flooring in every department but it is important that every floor should be match with each other in which style, theme and colour because in my opinion if these things are not match able each other that looks not the beautiful although hotel have the many choices for flooring therefore I should be considered that each flooring appearance looks the same like the other flooring. Here I have the task for the signification criteria of selection of flooring for the coffee shop, main reception area and staff locker room. Coffee shop and the main reception there are the places where people come and go every single moment specially in the coffee shop where people not only come but also sit there for coffee and talking each other but staff locker room where staff just come to change their dresses and mostly they came there twice first when they start their job and second when they finished. Therefore the hotel considers the some basic points before selection the new flooring. Now we will see these points for each of them Main points for coffee shop Types of material which they will use Capacity of the people Nature of business Location (where the hotel is it is located in the city centre or near the sea side) Style of hotel Designed Colour (which they used is the match with design and style of hotel) Comfortable for walking Easy to clean According to the budget Warranty of flooring (flooring which will use how long it will) Maintenance after fixing If the little damage in any place easy to replace Resistant against stains If wet but not slippery Easy to dry Main points for main reception Main reception and the coffee shop as we discuss is the place where people come and go in every time the only difference is that on the main reception people will not stay more than but in the coffee shop people stay their to talk each other and also for drinking coffee therefore there is not to much different in these two area the main points for main reception is Attractive Durability Easy to maintain Cost effective Easy to clean Comfortable Stain resistant Floor does not fade Not slippery Traffic Safety Water moisture Style (formal informal) Floor material condition Significant criteria for locker room As we know that the hotel is one of the fastest industry and therefore hotel have the so many staff they came in the hotel in different time because hotel is almost 24/7 jobs and therefore well standard hotel have the many employee and hotel provide their employee locker room facilities to change clothes and contain locker for the storage of their clothes and others stuff during the shift. Locker room is just use for the hotels employee therefore it is not important to spend the extra money on the flooring therefore in this area the point can consider before selection of flooring is that Economical Comfortable Water proof Long term durability Resistant against stains Design Colour Recommendation In my opinion as the executive house keeper I will suggest that kind of flooring which really match according to the condition of the Florida weather condition and the floor should be the long term durability and also easy to clean and look more attractive for the hotels customers. It is also in the budget of the hotel and colouring should be more beautiful for every customers. The flooring is matter of a lot of money therefore I tired my best as the executive house keeper to spend the less money and get the long period benefit. Now I will recommend the different types of flooring for coffee shop, main reception and also the employee locker room. Flooring for coffee shop Ceramic tile After front office and restaurant coffee shop is the third main department in the hotel to increase the hotels revenue. Coffee shop is that place where people come with their friend, family, and children, talking each other and spending some time on there. As we know the weather condition of the Florida there fore we cannot choose the carpet or rubber flooring for the coffee shop because coffee shop is the place where lot of people come and go every time and also the people come with their wet clothes and water falling down on the floor therefore if we will use the carpet for the coffee shop it will always wet and look completely rubbish there fore ceramic tile for my opinion is the best suggestion for the coffee shop. As we discuss flooring is the matter of the lot money therefore we should to use that flooring which is also if one of the breaks it is simply to replace and coffee shop is the place where internal and external customer come and on the other hand if we will use the carpet or rubber flooring it no matter a lot of chance of damaging and if the carpet will damage of cut of any place we cannot replace it therefore in my opinion ceramic tile is the best for the coffee shop. Some advantages of ceramic tile Choice of colouring Easy to clean Easy to dry Durability Stain resistant Easy to replace one of them Available larger and smaller size Easy to maintain Use in hygienic material Smooth surface Flooring for main reception Main reception or front office is the most important place in the hotel because when the customer comes in the hotel they come straight forward on the main reception and from there they can easily guess the atmosphere of the hotel service standard and also the behaviour of the staff. Therefore in the hotel the hotel should to make the well attractive and more beautiful main reception area for the hotel, Resort hotel are that hotel where people comes to spend their holidays and want to enjoy every moment and resort hotel in Florida where the weather condition is totally different in each season the choice of floor should be given the same result for both season. As the executive house keeper I would suggest the vinyl tile for the front office because it is a little bit rough on the top of the floor and it is available in many design and colour. We cannot use the carpet or wood en type of flooring and also the marble tile because the marble tile is the slippery and people come on the front desk with wet clothes. Rubber tile is also the not good because the condition of the weather is not good for the rubbing flooring and rubber flooring tile is not good in the hot weather but the vinyl tile is better in hot condition and as well as in cold weather. It is made with the curtain type of stone that keep the maintenance of the tile in every weather. It is also available in wide range and has the lot of variety. The main advantages of that tile are that: Huge variety Lot of colouring Easy to maintain Easy to clean Not slippery Stain resistant Elegant appearance Affordable cost Comfortable under foot Flooring for locker room Locker room is the place where the hotel employees come to change their dresses when they come on the job and finish there work. As we know that the hotel is the growing fast industry in the whole world and hotel also provided the best facilities of their customers as well as they provides the facilities their staff as well therefore the hotel maintain their standard they provides the best facilities of their staff. As the hotel standard staff locker room should be the clean and tidy because if the staff locker room will clean it creates the good impact on staff performance and also the staff locker room should be the according to the government law health and safety law. As the executive house keeper I would suggest the carpet flooring for the locker room because the locker room is the place where staff not to use too much and not for the other two places where the customer comes with wet clothes but in locker room employees just come and go therefore in my opinion I will suggest the carpet flooring for the locker room. The advantages of carpet flooring are Huge variety durability Lot of colour Easy to clean Easy to cover Not to clean every day Safety and comfort Steam cleaning Easy to maintain Affordable

Human Growth And Life Span Development Sociology Essay

Human Growth And Life Span Development Sociology Essay There are eight characteristics in the life-span development (John Santrock, 2009). Development is a lifelong process, whereby throughout the whole process we will go through different phases which will allow us to be exposed to different challenges in life. For example, a baby who is learning how to walk will need a lot of physical guidances within this period of basic learning phase. A teenager in his/her adolescence phase tends to seek for more family love, as it is a transit stage between being a child and an adult in which he/she will have to handle both physical and emotional issues (eg. Puberty). A working adult who enters the working society will tend to juggle both financial and marriage issues. An elderly who is not as feeble as how he/she used to be, will tend to be more concerned with health issues. So at different stages of our life, we have to handle different types of various issues throughout. Development depends on history and context. Each and every individual is exposed to different physical and social environment that is why each of us is different and unique in our own way. It is somewhat impossible to have two individuals going through a same series of events at the same time and having the the same pace within that period of time. For example, two friends of mine who are twins, whom may have been brought up under the same conditions given at the point of time, have grown up and picked up different likings, interests etc as time goes by. Development is multidimensional, in which several factors like biological, cognitive and socioemotional are involved and they affect us in many ways. Within these factors involved, each of them has their own different aspects. It is like a multi-factorial process, in which overlapping of concepts is involved. Take for an example, Timothy, a toddler who loves to eat banana, started to stop eating bananas after a choking incident. Even having tried several attempts to get him to eat bananas again, none work out. And ever since then, he is very particular with what he eats and only consumes food that he feels safe to eat. It is somewhat as though this choking incident has affected him psychologically, which affects his eating habits and how his body responses to different food. Development is multidirectional, in which certain dimensions or aspects in life which used to be of a certain great concern to us may gradually be of a less concern as time goes by. For example, teenagers in their adolescence phase will be under extreme peer pressures and will tend to do what their peers do, so as not to be seen as being out-casted if he/she decided not to join in a certain event. They will eventually spend more time with their friends, instead of spending more time at home with their family, whom he/she used to spend time with before reaching the puberty stage. Development is plastic or pliable, which refers to the tendency to change or readiness for a change in life. The elderly may have this issue of not being able to comprehend certain complicated concepts eg. Using of computer software. They may be able to do basic computering tasks after going through certain upgrading or training, however the capacity for such changes is somewhat limited. Development is multidisciplinary, in which different groups of professional experts are all sharing a common interest in this area of life-span development. And when analyzing a situation, it is necessary to consider many different dimensions which are related or might have contributed to such problem in life. Take for instance, Thomas who has a drinking addiction; could it be simply just because of peer pressure from family and friends or he did it out of curiosity and leading it to a habititual act? Development is contextual, and it is one critical factor that affects life-span development as a whole. We respond to different changes in life and it is considered as an on-going process throughout the life-span development. There are three types of contextual influences, and they are normative age-graded influences, normative history-graded influences and non-normative life events. In normative age-graded influences, we make comparisons; determine issues and sourcing solutions within the same age group, who has a higher likelihood of going through a particular same event eg. Puberty, menopause or retirement. In normative history-graded influences, we make comparisons; determine issues and sourcing solutions with the same group of people from the same generation based on past history experiences eg. World War II, SARS period. In non-normative life events, it is more likely to address the issue based on individuals needs, as such events may not happen for everyone but they do affect the individuals life in many different ways eg. Death of loved ones, suicidal cases. Development involves growth, maintenance, and regulation. At different stages in life, we have different goals to address. For example, a toddler has a lot to learn at the initial stage which what we called growth eg. Learning to eat, toilet-trained, and as a toddler grows up and reaches adulthood, issues like maintaining and regulating of his/her own development aspects is of a major one eg. Prevention against cancer, knowledge upgrading to facilitate understanding of a concept. Theme 2 Biological, cognitive, and socioemotional processes (25 marks) There are three developmental processes and periods in the life-span development, and they are biological processes, cognitive processes and socioemotional processes (John Santrock, 2009). Each of us will go through these three processes (they are interlink to one another), in which allow us to be different from the others distinctively. Biological processes refer to the scientific process whereby an individual develops from a baby to a full-grown adult, starting from the most fundamental, genetically stage in which makes us all different since birth to the most complicated stage of hormonal changes, and lastly reaching the final stage of ageing. We have to understand the biological changes for every stage, as well as understanding how it can affect an individual both emotionally and physically. Take for an example, a teenager who is going through puberty might have a tendency to be temperamental which may be due to a series of hormonal changes in the body. Adults in the middle adulthood (35-45 to 60s) will undergo a stage called menopause, which may lead to depression if it is not diagnosed early. For both cases, getting supports from family and friends plays a very crucial role. Cognitive processes refer to how an individual thinks, reacts and processes information at different stages in life. Almost everything that we do everyday requires us to think and react accordingly. How we response to an event affects us in many ways, both negatively and positively. Take for an example; a teenager may not be able to see the importance of studying hard at that point of time, but gradually realized that in order for him/her to enter the working society, a certain qualification or relevant background is required. Socioemotional processes refer to how an individual feels towards the people around him/her, and how well he/she can cope with his emotions. Most of us decide and do a certain thing based on intuition and feelings. However sometimes, we tend to overlook certain issues and make mistakes which may affect us inevitably. Take for an example, a married couple who used to believe that they were once in love and are meant to be together, decided to end their vows and go on separate ways. Family issues like this not only affect the husband and wife involved, but also affect their children and their other loved ones. It is important to understand the different life stages and processes involved, and also finding out the various roles that each and every client is playing, in order to understand their problems better. Theme 3 Developmental issues (nature vs. nurture; stability vs change; continuity vs discontinuity) (25 marks) Personally, I am a strong believer that the stage of nurturing plays a very critical role, and how much to an extent, an individual is being nurtured determines his/her entire attitude towards life. The environment around us and the biologically aspects in us do play a part on how we react to certain issues. But having no personal experiences and proper nurturing system, it is hard to overcome many major issues in life. For instance, a child who comes from a rich family background may not be born to be intelligent. Parents who are able to send their kids for adequate enrichment courses may be one way in which parents can help their kids to cope with their studies. The children that I work with are mainly autistic children, they are very good examples as to why I personally feel nurturing plays a bigger role than nature itself. Most of the children come from well to do families, and their parents believe that it is not an ending phase for their children even though they are diagnosed with a learning disability. Humans are always constantly on the go, and they are forced to meet up with various demands in life, and thus having changes is somewhat inevitable. I also believe that most of us have the tendency to change to a different person, given the fact that we are constantly looking for means to become a better person, or at least become someone he/she feels the most comfortable to be. A very good example would be myself. Before I entered the working society, I used to be a very isolated person. I have interaction issues with people, and I had very low self-esteem. After the first year of working, I gained a lot of experiences at work, and it somewhat boosted my confidence level which allows me to see what I can actually be doing and contributing to the company. Even till today, I still have doubts in myself when dealing various issues eg. Dealing with parents etc. I still have a lot to change to become a better individual in the time to come by. Since I am a supporter of nurturing, I am also a believer in continuity. I personally feel that it takes time for most of us to be able to accept certain concepts in life, as well as, getting used to the changes that will be on going throughout the life-span. Gradual changes is an inevitable phase that all of us will have to go through. Even if it is a major, sudden change that occurred, and which in return affects someone involved, it still requires a period of time for him/her to mould slowly to an altered situation. An ex-student of mine from a Primary School Student Care Centre, who used to stay in Girls Home, was always constantly giving the school teachers and the student care teachers many disciplinary problems. It took her almost a year (from the day she was released from the Girls Home) to realize that she has to stop all those rebellious acts and that she has to place her focus in her studies (as she will be taking her PSLE in the following year). On contrary, nature and nurture; stability and change; continuity and discontinuity, do work hand in hand in some cases. However, to a great extent, I still believe that nurturing, changes and continuity are factors as to why a person is unique in their own way, as it is a way to identify themselves from the others as they grow up and enter different phases in life. Theme 4 Theoretical approach (ie., Theory of Development) that appeals the most to you in crafting your very own life-span development perspective (25 marks) I personally feels that all the various life-span theories mentioned in John Santrock, 2009, add up in all to explain the human development, as each and every of the theories are based on a point of view and they are mainly focused on just one or two areas in general. The most appealing theoretical approach that summed up my own life-span development would be the Eriksons Psychosocial Theory. Ericksons Theory is based on how humans behave psychologically towards a social aspect eg. Interacting with the others throughout the entire human life span. It is a more completed and detailed theory as different stages of human development are elaborated in some forms of psychosocial linkage. It is also a theory that leads us to understand how a person finds his or her identity amongst the rest. The eight stages of Ericksons Theory are as stated: Trust vs. mistrust (1st year of life) My mum is a babysitter and observing how a baby stop crying when his parents or my mum carried him, shows how a baby is able start distinguish the different people around him. He will also giggle whenever my family members or his parents play with him. Autonomy vs. shame and doubt (1 to 3 years old) The most basic tasks that he has to be trained are mainly being able to tell my mother whenever he wants to pass motion or urinates, as well as having to get him to eat on his own from his bowl with a spoon. Initiative vs. guilt (3 to 5 years old) Introducing of a rewarding system is being used at this stage, as a way to encourage him to get him to take the next step to learn more and do more on his or her own initiatives. Industry vs. inferiority (6 years to puberty) My cousin who used to be under my mothers care when he was around 7 years old, was being enrolled to take up piano classes and he was doing quite well in that area. He used to be a shy boy and interacting with other peers at the kindergarten was always an issue. He completed the piano course and obtained grade 8 for piano, and ever since then, he will perform for the family during gatherings. Identity vs. identity confusion (10 to 20 years) My cousin (as mentioned above) did not continue in the area of arts, in which he excels rather well in. He was in a dilemma deciding which diploma course to take up, and having to make a major swop in interests was a tough and confusing phase for him. He was not sure what identity he would want to be seen as at that point of time. Intimacy vs. isolation (20s, 30s) Marriage is the key word for this phase. This is a phase whereby most of my friends are attached, and break free from being single to being in a relationship. Those who are still singles are mostly still searching for their sole identity and sense of belongings. I have met a lot of single parents at my previous work place (Student Care Centre), and most of them feel that seeking isolation or singlehood is still a better option for them. Generativity vs. stagnation (40s, 50s) This is another stage of life, whereby families will be completed with children. Imparting of knowledge and beliefs to the next generation is the next phase, in order to kill the stagnant livelihood at this stage. Those couples who are not able to conceive will go through a rather stagnant life as compared to those who are able to. I have met couples who are not able to conceive (due to late marriages), and most of them feel that it is not a completion of a family, and there are times in which they have thoughts of adopting children to break the monotonous life. Integrity vs. despair (60s onwards) The last phase of human life span is to be termed as having any regrets or fulfilling all tasks in life before death. My grandfather passed away 3 months ago, and certain issues were brought up eg. (Did we, as his family members, manage to fulfill his dreams and spend quality time with him when he was still around? Was he waiting for death or hoping to get his loved ones to care for him and leave without any regrets?).