Monday, November 25, 2019

Family-Related Vocabulary for English-Language Learners

Family-Related Vocabulary for English-Language Learners One of the most important categories of words for English learners to master is the group that includes family-related terms. Family members are likely the people that students interact with early in life and most often. Explain to students that the words and phrases below are used when talking about family and relationships. Each word is categorized and is used in an example sentence to provide  context for understanding. Families Learning words that describe family members  is  must for students who want to master English.  The table gives the word for the family member on the left, and a sample sentence using that term on the right. To make it easy to find just the term you want, the family-related words are presented in alphabetical order. Family-Related Word Example Sentence aunt My aunt tells me funny stories about my mothers youth. brother My brother is very competitive. cousin My cousin left for college last year. daughter She has one daughter and one son. father My father spent a lot of time on the road for work. grandchild That 90-year-old woman has 20 grandchildren! granddaughter / son His granddaughter gave him a birthday card with a bunny. grandfather / mother Do you remember your grandmothers and grandfathers? great-grandchild She has four great-grandchildren and is very happy to be alive and to have met them all! husband She sometimes argues with her husband, but thats normal in every marriage. ex-husband She had to divorce her ex-husband because he cheated on her. in-laws Many people dont get along with their in-laws. Others are happy to have a new family! son-in-law, daughter-in-law Her daughter-in-law told her to mind her own business. mother Mother knows best, or at least thats what my mother always said. niece His niece works in a shop in Seattle selling eyewear. nephew I have a nephew who lives in town. Its nice to have lunch every once in a while. parents All of us have two biological parents. Some people grow up with adopted parents. sister His sister drove him crazy with her constant complaining about the parents. son Many people say that sons are harder to raise than daughters because they cause more trouble. stepfather, stepmother She gets along wither her stepfather, but she prefers to not call him Dad. stepdaughter, stepson If you marry him, youll have two stepdaughters and one stepson. twin Its amazing how similar some twins are. They look, act, and talk alike. uncle My uncle lives in Texas. Hes nothing like my father. widow She became a widow 20 years ago and never remarried. widower The widower is very sad because hes all alone now. wife My wife is the most amazing woman in the world because she puts up with me. ex-wife His ex-wife took all his money. Marital Relationships Marriage brings change. Tell students that these words describe the state of relationships: Divorced: Jennifer is divorced, but shes happy to be single again.Engaged: Helen is engaged to be married next June. Shes making plans for the wedding.Married: Ive been married for over 25 years. I consider myself lucky.Separated: In many countries, couples must be separated for more than a year in order to divorce.Single: Hes a single man living in New York.Widowed: Hank became widowed last year. He hasnt been the same since. Becoming Family These verbs describe the process of becoming family: Get divorced (from):  My husband and I got divorced three years ago. Now, were best friends, but we know our marriage was a mistake.Get engaged (to): I got engaged to my wife after just two months of dating.Get married (to): Were planning on getting married in May.Marry someone: She married Tom 50 years ago today. Happy anniversary!Start / end a relationship with someone: I think we should end our relationship. Were not happy with each other. Family Vocabulary Quiz Use the context of each sentence to help your students find an appropriate family-related word to fill in the gaps. The answers are provided below. My father has a brother and a ______, so that means I have one _____ and one aunt on my fathers side of the family.Someday, I hope to have a lot of ______. Of course, that means that the children of my children need to have more children!After five years of marriage, they decided to get _____ because they couldnt get along with each other.  Upon her husbands death, she became a _____ and never married again.  My mother remarried last year. Now, Im the _____ of my stepfather.Peters _____, but he would like to get married and have children one day.  We started our ______ in Germany after we had met at an English-language school.  My _____ looks exactly like me, but I was born 30 minutes before she was.  He has an excellent relationship with his _____. They still celebrate holidays together with their children despite their divorce.Im ______ to be married in June! I cant wait! Answers: sister / unclegreat-grandchildrendivorcedwidowstepdaughter or stepsonsinglerelationshiptwinex-wifeengaged To continue practicing family-related vocabulary, create a  family relationships lesson plan  to further your students knowledge of this important vocabulary.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

A preliminary market analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A preliminary market analysis - Essay Example The Middle East is the other promising market. However, success depends on detailed market analysis and entry strategy formulation. Thus, it is desirable that the Strategic Officers Steering Committee of Walden International should kindly permit a thorough study of a business plan for the global market entry of Able Corporation. Abel Corporation has succeeded in proving itself in the domestic market and domestic consumers have a high regard for this organization as a manufacturer of power tools, lawn products and appliances. However, despite a global financial crisis that is apparent from the data released by the International Monitory Fund, opportunities are available for the future in global markets (International Monitory Fund, 2008, â€Å"World Economic Outlook Update†), (Deneen, 2006, Pp. 1) and (Bharat Book Bureau, 2004, Section 1,1). Business researchers predicted that the global electric household appliances market would cross 498 million units by the year 2010 (Electronics.ca, 2008, â€Å"Global Market for Major Electric Household Appliances to Cross 498 Million Units by 2010†). In addition, business research had suggested that the global demand for lawnmowers would show a substantial increase by the year 2011 and the global demand for power tools would increase to a value of US$ 29.2 billion in 2009. Thus, it is possible that a global expansion will provide benefits for Abel Corporation. However, it is important to know which markets are worthy of attempts at entry, what timing of entry is likely to prove to be of the greatest benefit and what entry strategy is likely to work best for specific markets. In addition, it is also important to know if the current financial crisis warrants a revision of the previously mentioned forecasts and what is the likely state of the markets now. Thus, it is important to conduct a comprehensive market analysis leading to a well thought strategy for

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The Bagman's Father Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Bagman's Father - Essay Example The task of killing Master Smythe was assigned to the Bagman, while instruction to Smyth was given to pour that extra vengeance within the Bagman. According to the underworld tenet, murdering a target does not end the task. The boss must ensure that he does not get into trouble in near future. For this reason, the hired assassins are murdered after they finish a couple of assignments. This is also done to ensure that they are not double crossing their respective underworld agencies or getting too much access to information and business associates. Ordo Ramachandran is one the characters who is introduced in the very beginning of the story. Though most of the story revolves around the letter or parcel that is to be delivered to him, he exists just as a name most of the time. It is only in the climax that he is introduced to the readers. He appears as a flat character without any special attribute or features. He remains as a minor character along with Bertie, ratha, Verigible Smythe a nd other associates of Ramachandran. Avila Schond is the lady with command. Though she is the only female character in men’s world, she makes it a point to get respect from each one of them. Her character is never revealed fully, and all the time she appears to be shrouded in mystery. However she is woman with feminine qualities and this is evident from the way she treats the Bagman at the very end by wishing for his wellbeing. Bagman’s father after whom the story is named, never but twice comes into limelight. However, both the times, he marks his presence. The readers find in him an affectionate guardian and apparently a gentleman with great appetite associated with Religious Matters. At the closing of the story he becomes a doting father ready to accept his bustard son. However it is the character of Bagman himself which appears to be most convincing. He is a man highly dedicated to his task or duty. Though it seems that morality or conscience has entirely dried up in him, he displays association for people- for instance, with his father whom he affectionately calls ‘Dad’. He has an inner voice which often connects to him in form of ‘crab fish’ or ‘Died happy’. He feels for his father more than himself while confronting Master Smythe. Bagman is the protagonist who narrates the story in first person to the readers. He is a character who cannot be predicted but a man of manners who knows how to present himself in front of his Father and women. Both he and Avila might change after they set for Feris or Americia. At no point the character of Bagman seems unreal. The actions and the stream of consciousness within the Bagman makes the readers aware that he is but an ordinary man whose profession makes him seem unreal. The plot is finely formed and the actions are tightly knit. In the very beginning, the readers get an apprehension that something is going to happen by the drab and somber setting of the restauran t. The story takes place in an unreal land of Feris but mention of ‘Madras’, ‘Ghee’- rolls, implies that the place exists. One might find the details and settings a little exaggerated when the story begins. A crowd of uncouth people signify that the action of the story is not a bright one. However, the actions are not set in regular pattern. Once the action starts, it does not cease. Scenes of being summoned by Avila, killing a man, secretly opening messages, searching for Ramachandran, escaping from being shot and

Monday, November 18, 2019

Children's views, needs, wishes and feelings are at the heart of Essay

Children's views, needs, wishes and feelings are at the heart of national legislation and international agreements and convent - Essay Example From such international law, the Convention on the Rights of the Child has been specifically drawn. The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action also provide various legal guidelines on the protection of children’s rights and welfare. For various states, specific provisions are laid out, including the Equal Protection Clause in the US, the basic rights of children as protected by the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution. More provisions on the protection of these rights are also specifically indicated by various countries. These laws and policies seek to protect children from human rights violations, treating these children as vulnerable members of society. This paper is based on the premise that children’s views, needs, wishes and feelings are at the heart of national legislation and international agreements and conventions. In relation to current policy, this essay shall critically discuss the implications of such premise for early years’ practice among chil dren. First, an initial overview of childhood needs, views, and feelings in relation to national laws and conventions will be presented. Secondly, a discussion on children’s human rights as guaranteed by the UN and other legislative bodies shall also be presented. Thirdly, this essay will also provide the considerations made for children’s feelings and needs in relation to the specific laws and conventions. Fourth, the No Child Left behind Policy of the US will also be discussed in order to detect current trends in children’s rights policies. Fifth, a relationship between the NCLB and the international conventions will be considered. Sixth, the impact of these laws on the improvement of children’s welfare shall be presented. Finally, this essay shall end with a summary and a conclusion of the different points discussed and detailed. Body Overview of childhood needs and feelings Children’s feelings and needs have been brought sharply into internatio nal focus and attention during the First World War when millions of children experienced significant hardships as a result of international human conflicts (Fortin, 2003). In effect, the sufferings of these children served as the foundation for children’s rights. Eglantyne Jebb had a crucial role in the establishment of the 1924 Declaration of the Rights of the Child (Glendon, 2002). These rights were primarily based on her Christian faith (Glendon, 2002). The foundations of children’s rights then were on the protection and nurturing of the child, securing their moral privileges including their need for love and understanding (Fortin, 2003). Various rights are granted to humans, especially as soon as they reach the age of majority. One of the most important rights granted to these humans include the right to vote; however, children or minors below the age of 18 are not granted this right. In general, children do not seem to have control of the things which happen to th em or the matters which concern them (Fortin, 2003). This is very much apparent in daily situations and activities including school, religion, and upbringing. School subjects are compulsory for them to attend and study, mostly based on their location; moreover, for most children until the age of 14, their religion must be that which is inherited from their parents (Fortin, 2003). Parents decide,

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The importance of maintaining confidentiality

The importance of maintaining confidentiality Abstract Confidentiality is a protection and assurance of the right to privacy to the fullest extent. This report discusses the findings of my research into the importance of maintaining confidentiality. I investigated the situations where disclosure of confidentiality is appropriate in todays workplaces. The transmission of data and handling of patients medical records and personal information is still a big area of debate. When handled incorrectly the penalties that can be enforced are very stiff. Information handled in an inappropriate way can be damaging and costly. Costly to the company, in respect to cost of litigation, and costly to the customer due to private information being shared with the unscrupulous people! This report will set out to discover some cases of law related to the workplace, I will look at some of the examples of when confidentiality is not maintained, and investigate what big corporations are doing to train their employees on the importance of maintaining ethical st andards which contain guidelines for confidentiality in the workplace. Keywords: Confidentiality, workplace, Research, Importance, Medical, Privacy. Maintaining confidentiality in the work place is a big deal for corporations, major amounts of time and expense is devoted to training and documentation. All major businesses implement â€Å"Codes of Ethical Conduct† into the employment agreement for everyone that works for the company. Failure to maintain the policy could result in termination for the employee, and legal repercussions for the company. Confidentiality is based on four basic principles: Respect for an individuals right to privacy Respect for human relationship in which personal information is shared Appreciation of the importance of confidentiality to both individuals and society Expectations that those who pledge to safeguard confidential information will do so Confidential information may contain, but is not limited to, address, phone number, names of family members, medical information, etc. Confidentiality is very important in maintaining trust and building a strong employee relationship. This type of ethical behavior spans the globe, and is not just an American ideology. Here is an example from an Institution of higher learning at the University of South Australia, http://www.unisa.edu.au/hrm/forms/workplace.asp these types of policies are being implemented around the world. Information is power, and if not protected, can be abused. (University of South Australia accessed 11.24.09) Present situations where disclosure of information confidentiality is well stated is the medical field, the government has enacted The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA). Under these guidelines which they have named, final privacy rules, â€Å"covered entities must keep individually identifiable health information against deliberate or inadvertent misuse or disclosure. Consequently, health plans and providers must maintain administrative and physical safeguards to protect the confidentiality of health information as well as protect against unauthorized access. These entities must inform individuals about how their health information is used and disclosed and ensure them access to their information. Written authorization from patients for the use and disclosure of health information for most purposes is also required with the exception of health care treatment, payment and operations.†(http://www.hhs.gov accessed 11.24.09) Those entities that misuse personal health information can be penalized. Under final HIPAA rules, the HHS Office for Civil Rights, which is responsible for implementing the Privacy rules can impose civil monetary penalties and criminal penalties for certain wrongful disclosures of protected information. Civil penalties can be imposed up to $25,000 per year and criminal penalties can range from $50,000 and one year in prison to $250,000 and ten years in prison.(HHS.gov accessed 11.24.09) The Health Care Industry had been lobbying the former administration to change or dismantle HIPAA regulations, while consumer privacy advocates view the rules as a breakthrough that provides comprehensive federal standards, rather than conflicting state standards for patient medical privacy. At this time, it is unclear whether or not the current administration will fully implement HIPAA and how these final rules will affect everything over the long term. Keeping customer and employee information confidential is an important duty of all professionals. Employee data such as the information obtained and store to hire, pay, and manage is by nature sensitive. Keeping information that is discovered in the workplace confidential is also very sensitive, whether it is company related or customer based. SOURCES U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Mercer Consulting LLC University of South Australia

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Using Technology to Cope with Terrorism :: War Terror Essays

Using Technology to Cope with Terrorism Each one of us has our own unique story of where we were when we learned of the attack on the World Trade Center towers. It’s a story we’ve told to friends and a story we’ll continue to tell as this event transforms from a living reality to a historical one. Some were awoken by roommates, others informed by colleagues passing through the hall, and others happened to turn on the television and watch with horror as the World Trade Center towers burned and finally collapsed. As word spread, though, Americans became united in their need to know exactly what had happened. We turned on the television, we paused to listen to radios filtering out of cars, we visited Internet news sources again and again, clutching and grasping for facts, hoping that some sort of clarity would calm us. Hour after hour we sat by the television trying to make sense of it all. Unconfirmed reports were treated as facts by frantic news anchors, sketchy reports of hijacking were announced and t hen confirmed. The news changed by the minute. A nation in shock began calling loved ones across the country, just to check in and to share the horror together. Cell phone networks were inoperable in many areas of the country, not just in New York. Web-traffic became so congested that viewing CNN’s web page became virtually impossible. We used these fleeting news sources as a way to grasp reality. But for many it didn’t become a reality until we saw it the way our parents and grandparents had in years past; black and white banner headlines announcing the tragedy in a format that couldn’t be refreshed, revised, or corrected. It was permanent, and it was true. The unimaginable had happened. And for those of us outside of New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington D.C. we used the technology around us to begin to comprehend. Trying to understand what it was like when the building collapsed, we listened to and read countless witness testimonies. Though weary with despair we felt that it was our duty to experience the agony of watching the collision and the collapse over and over again, as if we could alleviate some of the New Yorkers’ suffering by taking some of it on as our own. We watched around-the-clock coverage from ground zero; we contributed to discussion boards and listservs on the Internet, we held countless discussions among family members and friends.

Monday, November 11, 2019

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque Essay

1. Title: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT 2. Author: ERICH MARIA REMARQUE 3. Published: 1929 4. SUBJECT: This book is written by a German veteran of World War I, who describes the German soldiers’ extreme physical and mental stress during the war, and the detachment from civilian life felt by many of these soldiers upon returning home from the frontlines. 5. OPINION: I think this book tells a tale of honor and courage, two of the three core values of the Marine Corps. The author brings his own experiences to light through the main character, Paul Bà ¤umer. Furthermore, I believe that the author is trying to characterize his generation, the young men who fought the Great War and who were destroyed by it. The group of men which Paul Bà ¤umer fights with reminds me of the camaraderie that lies within the Marine Corps ethos. 6. INTRODUCTION: All is Quiet on the Western Front begins with Paul Bà ¤umer’s company at rest, five miles behind the front lines between Langemark and Bixschoote. They have had very little sleep for the fourteen days since they relieved the front line and seventy of their one hundred and fifty men are dead at the hands of Russian gunfire. The cook, Ginger, has fixed rations for the one hundred and fifty and, after arguing with the lieutenant, grudgingly consents to give all the food to the eighty soldiers left, including double rations of smokes. As the narrator remarks, â€Å"Today is wonderfully good.† In All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque creates Paul Bà ¤umer to represent a whole generation of men who are known to history as the â€Å"lost generation.† Eight million men died in battle, twenty-one million were injured, and over six and a half million noncombatants were killed in what is called â€Å"The Great War.† Throughout the story, I feel that the generation has gone through an event that steals the memories of their childhood. As early as the second chapter, Paul Bà ¤umer describes the difference between his generation, his parents, and the older soldiers. They had a life before the war, a life where they felt comfortable and secure. But Paul’s generation never had a chance at that life. Even when the story begins, all Paul has known is death, horror, fear, and suffering. He and his fellow classmates are only nineteen and twenty years old; the age of the average Junior Marine today. However, they feel nothing, believe in nothing, and see no future because of their experiences in the war. Apart from being deprived of the sweet memories of childhood and the hopes of a bright future, this generation felt a terrible sense of betrayal by their parents, teachers, and government. The myths of the older generation become apparent when Paul goes home. A sergeant-major reprimands Paul for not saluting him when Paul has spent a good share of his life in the trenches killing the enemy and trying to survive. Many Marines can relate to this reference, as many find it difficult to transition back into garrison after being in country for so long. As the war story unfolds, Paul and his friends become cynical towards death and horror all around them, that the inhumanity and atrocities of war become part of everyday life. The author describes the atrocities, the terrible consequences of weapons of mass destruction, and how soldiers become hardened to death and its onslaught of sensory perceptions during battle. Atrocities are simply a part of the inhumane business of war. In chapter 6, Paul and his men come across soldiers whose noses are cut off and eyes poked out with their own saw bayonets. Their mouths and noses are stuffed with sawdust so they suffocate. This constant view of death causes the soldiers to fight back like animals. They use spades to slice faces in two and jab bayonets into the backs of any enemy who is too slow to escape. Their callousness is contrasted with the reaction of the new recruits who give in to front-line foolishness described over and over again in scenes of the front. Despite all the terrible stories of death and gore, the author revisits a redeeming quality: comradeship. When Paul and his friends ambush Corporal Himmelstoss and beat him up, I laugh because he deserves it and they are only giving him his due. As time goes by, however, the pictures of camaraderie relieve the terrible descriptions of front line assaults and death, and they provide a bright light in a place of such terrible darkness. A recruit becomes gun-shy in his first battle when a rocket fires and explosions begin. He goes to Paul and cries and Paul does his best to comfort him. This reminds me of when I was deployed and my fellow Marines would make me feel better and tell me we would be home soon when I was feeling homesick. Through thick and thin, battle and rest, horror and hopelessness, these men hold each other up. Finally, Paul has only Kat and he loses even this friend and father-figure in Chapter 11. This man, this hero, this father, this life — has been closer to Paul than his own blood relatives and yet Paul must say, â€Å"No, we are not related.† Remarque says that this novel â€Å"will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped shells, were destroyed by the war.† If words can touch what men hold to be dear in their hearts and so cause them to change the world, this book with its words of a lost generation, lost values, and lost humanity is surely one that should be required reading for all generations. LESSON: I think that this book is great insight into what soldiers went through during World War I. It really captures the essence of basic Marine Corps Values, such as honor and courage. The main character Paul Bà ¤umer shows great courage in that he takes care of his fellow soldiers and pushes forward, despite all the day to day atrocities. Paul and his friends show honor by sticking up for what is right and being there for one another. Lastly, my favorite quality displayed by the characters was camaraderie. This is something that Marine Corps has taught me and that will always remain with me even after I get out, because it has showed me that no matter what, your peers will always be with you, during wartime and during peacetime.

Friday, November 8, 2019

The Restructuring of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited Essays

The Restructuring of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited Essays The Restructuring of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited Essay The Restructuring of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited Essay Application Exercise Strategic Management Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), where I am employed, is engaged and exploration, refining, distribution and marketing of petroleum product across the country. In downstream product marketing BPCL, has bouquet of products on offer, ranging from Petrol, Diesel, to Aviation Fuel, to Cooking Gas to Auto Lubricants. It is a global major and ranked 225th in the Fortune Global 500 rankings of the worlds biggest corporations for the year 2012. The ChangeOpening up of the Indian economy in the nineties brought with it more competition and challenges to BPCL, kindled by the phased dismantling of the Administered Pricing Mechanism (APM) on petroleum products and emergence of additional capacities in the region in refining and marketing. Increasing globalisation, new products and services, and innovative marketing resulted in a very market savvy consumer. The production-based success philosophy of marketers was replaced by a customer-oriented philosophy.Bharat Petroleum took cognisance of this situation well in time and took radical steps to keep itself attuned to the changing times, realising that the future belongs to those who listen and adapt to their customers. Application of 7-S Framwork To assess the effectiveness of the implementation approach in BPCL in late 90s, I have applied below the 7-S Framework, which is based around seven key elements of any organisation, with the view that in order for it to operate successfu lly, all the elements in this model must align synergistically together.The factors are split into two groups: hard or soft. The hard elements are those that can physically be seen when in place, whereas the soft are more intangible and cannot readily be seen. Hard Elements| Soft Elements| Strategy| Shared Values| Structure| Skills| Systems| Staff| | Style| Shared Values Shared values are the pinnacle of the model and therefore in any organisation. They form the underpinning culture, strategy, effectiveness and performance, linking to every other element in this framework.They link all that is of the organisation: how people behave, the structure, its systems and so on. Getting this balance right means getting the culture right. In 1996, Bharat Petroleum went through a process of visioning, involving people at all levels, which evolved a shared vision and a set of shared values. Visioning exercise started with the board, facilitated by external consultants. The exercise was extended across the organization in a snowball approach flowing from top management to the junior management, facilitated by the external experts, specifically trained for this purpose.Thus emerged the core of the vision for BPCL which was owned by every management staff. The core of vision as articulated by the organisational members across the organization is given below – Be the Best| Make the workplace exciting| Improve boundary management| Fulfill social responsibilities, be ethical| Apply the best technology| Make systems strong and dynamic| Establish first-class brands and corp. image| Excellent customer care amp; service| Go for excellent performance and operational efficiency| Make people source of improvement|The visioning exercise the provided for articulation and aspirations of the people. The process brought the whole organization out of lethargy, increased the energy levels and expectations on individuals, teams and the organizations. Since, the vision was iterated thro ughout the organization, there was greater buyin for the change. Strategy Bharat Petroleum recognised that all strategic initiatives must conform to the overall vision of the Corporation and improve the economic value.Based on the assessment / visioning exercise carried out across the BPCL, following strategic gaps and opportunities emerged – 1. Collective dissatisfaction with status quo 2. Low customer focus and customer orientation 3. Huge gap between the vision and capabilities to achieve it a. Increase refining capacities to reduce the dependence on other oil PSUs for product support. Invest in refineries to cater to marketing aspirations in south, east amp; north India. b.Backward integration to invest in exploration and production to make up for the margins pressure in down stream activities. BPCL relentlessly worked towards fulfilling these gaps by taking following initiatives – Product Security Initiatives: To improve product security, BPCL acquired two standal one refineries – Kochi refinery (9. 5 MMTPA) in South and Numaligarh Refinery (3 MMTPA) in Assam. Investment in 9 MMTPA refinery in joint venture with Oman Refineries in Madhaya Pradesh to cater to Northern India, where BPCL was dependent on other PSUs for product support.Backend Integration Initiatives: Bharat PetroResources Ltd (BPRL) was incorporated as a wholly owned subsidiary company of BPCL with the objective of implementing BPCL’s plans in the upstream exploration and production sector. The exploration and production activities of BPRL and its subsidiary companies extend to 26 exploration blocks where they hold participating interests (PI). Of this, 11 blocks are in India and 15 are abroad. Besides India, BPRL has blocks in Australia, Brazil, East Timor, Indonesia, Mozambique and the United Kingdom.BPRL’s total acreage in all these blocks is around 68,000 sq. km, of which approx 89% is offshore acreage. These blocks are in various stages of exploration w ith definite finds. Brand Initiatives: In the highly competitive scenario, it has become imperative to own dominant brands. BPCL introduced new generation branded fuels Speed, Hi Speed Diesel and Speed 97, to introduce premium fuel brands in the Country, keeping pace with the technological advancements in the automobile industry leading to introduction of new generation vehicles.BPCL also recognized the customer need for pure quality and correct quantity of fuel for their vehicles and launched the flagship initiative of Pure For Sure (PFS) offering the guarantee of pure quality and correct quantity of fuel to our customers. The petrol pumps displaying a prominent Pure For Sure signage became landmark destinations. Automotive Lubricants Initiatives: Bharat Petroleum launched the full range of Automotive Engine Oils, Gear Oils, Transmission oils, Specialty Oils and Greases under the umbrella brand MAK, offering range of benefits to the users of present day modern vehicles.Structure Th e older structure was functionally organized. There were mainly four functions – Refineries, Marketing, Finance, and Personnel – each headed by a Functional Director. Other support departments like corporate affairs, legal, audit, vigilance, coordination and company secretary were directly under Camp;MD. Whole of India was divided into four regions and further in 22 divisions. Each region was headed by Regional Manager who was incharge of all activities within the region. Across the marketing function, every individual and role was focused on multiple customer segments.Hence, there was low customer awareness in terms if unique needs of different customer segments and marketing strategy was formulated by people who were far from the customer and had low understanding of customers they were targeting. Thus the old structure had created a bottleneck between strategy formulators and implementers in terms of regional structure and between the field staff and the corporate o ffices and the refinery. The early traumatic experience of huge loss in market share amp; profitability in auto lubricants, after it’s deregulation in 1990, forced the strategists for due reflection.BPCL then embarked upon the journey of restructuring. Bharat Petroleum realised that, in the long run, success can only come with a total reorientation and change in approach with the customer as the focal point. In a proactive move to adapt to the emerging competitive scenario and support the emerging strategy (discussed earlier), function-based structure was carefully dismantled and replaced with a process-based one. This made the company more responsive to its customer needs. BPCL therefore was restructured into a Corporate Centre, Strategic Business Units (SBUs) and Shared Services and Entities.The organisational design comprising of five customers facing SBUs, viz. Aviation, Industrial and Commercial, LPG, Lubricants and Retail and one asset based SBU, viz. Refinery, is based on the philosophy of greater customer focus based on the specific needs of each customer segments. Systems Bharat Petroleum has always been on the forefront of harnessing technology initiatives for BPCL has been on forefront in harnessing technology, maximising efficiency and achieving greater customer satisfaction.Bharat Petroleum became the first PSU to implement Enterprisewide Resource Planning (ERP) solutions SAP. The challenge of SAP implementation was to ensure that all the integrated elements work seamlessly across the length and breadth of the country, including the remote locations. Bharat Petroleum reaped huge benefits of the integrated system in many areas of its operations like, tracking customer-receivables, monitoring credit-management, inventory management, besides easing the operations in a large number of areas. SkillsAs a Strategic Business Partner, HR supports skill-upgradation and multi-skilling of staff by identifying target segment and requirements from each SBU, evaluation of on the job performance post deployment in the job requiring those skills sets. BPCL designed Structured Standard programs’ which is implemented across the organization on BPCL Core Values amp; Culture / Identification and Development of Talent / Coaching Skills / Understanding of PMS Process and its timeliness / Understanding of New Manager Assimilation Process for Senior Managers having experience of handling a team.Impact of training is assessed and evaluated through proper framework. HR designed integrated Talent Management process with 360 degree assessment of all management staff on competencies, engagement and aspiration. Based on these inputs, individual development plans are designed. The purpose of the exercise is to ensure that talent is retained, encouraged and groomed to take over leadership position in near future. Staff Various HR initiatives were also taken by BPCL. Some of them are listed below –Engaging Employees: BPCL realizes tha t event based engagement is not sufficient instead employees needs continuous engagements so that their grievances are addressed, they are hand held, if needed, feel secured and appreciated and get committed to their work and corporation. Performance Planning amp; Appraisal System: PMS system in BPCL facilitates achievement of the Vision and Business Plans of the Corporation and foster development of every management staff, thereby gaining competitive advantage in the industry.The objectives of PMS in BPCL is to create awareness of Corporate and SBU/ Entity goals, translate such goals into tangible objectives and measures at the individual level through discussions between Appraiser and Appraisee, identify managerial attributes/ competencies for each role necessary to achieve the goals, establish a formal process of continuous feedback on performance and identify developmental plans to enhance performance.Manpower Planning: Based on inputs from SBUs / Entities, HR either relocate th e already employed resource from other facility, based on the strength of the employee and the job requirement or initiate the process of recruitment. Career Planning: To bring HR closer to work place, BPCL has embedded HR with each SBU / Entity, who hand hold these set-up in HR matters in consultation with central HR set-up.Every year, embedded HR, alongwith corporate HR to discuss the talent development, career planning of individual staff to decide on inter-functional movement and short to long term career path. Conclusion The Quantitative impact of re-structuring, which placed BPCL ahead of its time among Oil PSUs, has been amazing over the period of time and helped it embark on path of successive progress.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Marketing Plan for Chain of Pro Shops Located Within Ice Arenas

Marketing Plan for Chain of Pro Shops Located Within Ice Arenas Executive Summary Pro shops are businesses involved with selling sporting equipments that are required in the sporting facility. The chain of pro shops is situated in an Ice Arena and offers a wide range of hockey equipments as well as bags, apparels and coaching products among others. The chain has a single supplier and for this reason, the products are similar and range within the same price.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Marketing Plan for Chain of Pro Shops Located Within Ice Arenas specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These shops are dedicated to ensure that the players, coaches, fans and other interested shoppers get the greatest services and high quality goods. One of the main aims of the company is to increase the awareness among the customers of the available services and products as well as develop trust and loyalty for the growth of the shops. Increase in promotional tools will be used as a marketin g strategy, as well applying proper inventory management techniques. Market Overview The current market status of the pro shops is determined by the players and the individuals who visit the arenas. While the customers have been mainly the fans and the teams using the arenas, there is a need to increase the scope to reach even those who watch the game at home. The new strategy is meant to include online customers, who would access the shops’ products and purchase online. While there is a problem with congestion of shops in one arena, the strategy is to start specializing in certain products in order to avoid competition. Teams’ Model The arenas are used by both schools and professional teams. The amount of customers is therefore at a constant flow as a result of large number of tournaments. While the neighborhood has some other arenas, the specific arena within which these pro shops are located is one of the biggest. There is therefore a better chance of increased cust omers’ inflow as compared to the other ice arenas. With these considerations, the target customers are those attending the matches as well as those from the neighboring arenas, who should be encouraged by the new marketing strategy.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Target Market Growth The popularity of ice hockey has been increasing significantly. According to the TalkOn (2008) guide, Ice hockey is increasingly gaining popularity and for this reason, there is potential for increased customers in not only the United States, but also the rest of the world. With effective online marketing strategies, the shops will have the potential to increase their products awareness to potential customers and hence increase the sales of the sporting equipments and associated products. Marketing Objectives One of the major objectives of the pro shops is increasing the awareness of their products to not only the local customers but also international fans. Increase the seasonal revenues to over $ 1 million collectively. SWOT Analysis Strengths One of the strengths of the pro shops is that the arena is state-of-art and hence encourages more fans than most other arenas. There is therefore a chance of increased demand of the products in the pro shops. The pro shops retail in many products and they combine a variety of products from different teams. This allows the fans an opportunity to get the specific products that they require. Weaknesses One of the major weaknesses with the company is the concentration of many pro shops within one arena. This creates unnecessary competition and affects the returns generated. Opportunities The increasing use of online marketing and financial transactions will allow for increased and expanded sales to not only the local-based customers but also the international ones. Threats The increasing popularity in other games like basketball and soccer may lead to reduced interest in Ice hockey and hence lead to reduced demand for ice hockey products. Pricing Strategy Some of the products in the pro shops are considered to be overpriced. The shops will try to adjust the prices by considering various cheaper sources and this will require the diversification of supply chains.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Marketing Plan for Chain of Pro Shops Located Within Ice Arenas specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In addition, to avoid price competition, the pro shops will develop a strategy that will have the different shops engage in different products to avoid unnecessary competition. This will allow for the comparison with other competitor prices in different arenas in the region (Mondschein, 2009). Through appropriate and timely promotions, the pro shops will ensure that the customers are given a chance to purchase at reduced pric es (Smith, Smith, 2011). Some services will be introduced that will be meant to save the customers’ spending, while still contributing to the shops’ returns. One of such will be skates’ repair and sharpening in order to tap those individuals who would not afford new pairs of skates. Through this strategy, the shops will create another way of increasing the customers without compromising on the shops’ returns. Marketing Communications Plan To increase the customers’ awareness of the available products in the pro shops, it will be essential that proper communication strategies be implemented (Masterman, Wood, 2006). One of the strategies that the shops will adopt is the use of brochures and leaflets during tournaments. This will ensure that the customers will spread the information about the shops’ products as they leave the arena after matches. In addition, the shops will develop personal links that will help the interested customers to gai n access to their sites for information about the available products and the prices (Meyerson, 2005). The creation of online databases will also occur in line with the development of online payment options that will save the customers the hustles of making physical contacts with the company. Advertisement will also be made through print and electronic media in order to ensure that the public knows about the products. The internet for example will be great since it is expected to reach a large number of potential customers (Masterman, Wood, 2006). Sales and Marketing Channel Plan The products would need to be introduced to the potential customers through effective sales and marketing channels. This would ensure that rather than knowing of the existence of the products, the customers will be persuaded through appropriate means to purchase the products. One of the important aspects within this strategy is the workforce (Mathur, 2006).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While the chain has three sales persons in each shop, it will be important to increase the number of sales persons to five, especially during tournaments. This will ensure that there will be broader coverage and hence increased sales. The sales teams will also be positioned in the online channels in order to communicate directly with the customers and offer help and ideas about the available products (Meyerson, Scarborough, 2007). The shops will set sales goals in terms of distributed brochures and leaflets per individual match. This will proceed to be cumulatively reflected at the end of fiscal period, which should also coincide with playing season. In each match, the sales persons will strive to distribute around 5, 000 brochures in each game. This will make it easier for the awareness campaign to speedily get integrated into the interests of potential customers. In addition to the brochures’ distribution, the sales team will strive to increase the number of promotions to one per week throughout the ice hockey season. Product demonstration will also be started. The management will start demonstration initiatives by looking out for pro skaters to demonstrate the use and application of some of the products like skates and goalie sticks. In addition, the management will find opportunities to demonstrate the effectiveness of some coaching equipments in order to encourage not only the players and fans, but also the coaches. While the communications plan is effective enough to increase the number of customers, it will be important to maintain proper records for the sake of customers’ trust. In addition, the inventory will ensure that the management knows of the available products and those that need to be added. This will prevent customers from making orders that are out of stock. One of the most effective ways of managing the inventory is by use of bar codes and radio frequency Identification (McCraven, 2011). These types of technologies count the products as they are purchased and sold to customers. It therefore makes it easier for the marketers to know the products that are on the shelf, how many they are, and the ones already sold. The radio frequency identifiers may be incorporated into the database of available products to evaluate the rate of purchases and hence estimate the demand and supply. These tools will help in reducing chances of mismanagement and missing records since they can affect a lot the credibility of the shops. Since the shops will contemplate on diversifying the supplier chain in order to avoid monopolistic dependence that would affect the pricing strategy, keeping record of the purchases would be a must. The inventories will thus help in restructuring the marketing strategies hitherto applied by the pro shops. References Masterman, G., Wood, E. H. (2006). Innovative marketing communications: strategies for the events industry. Burlington, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann. Mathur, P. (2006). Sales And Market ing Management. New Delhi: Ishar Books. McCraven, S. (2011). Inventory Control Comes of Age. Retrieved from https://precast.org/2011/04/inventory-control-comes-of-age/ Meyerson, M. (2005). Success secrets of the online marketing superstars. Chicago, IL: Kaplan Publishing. Meyerson, M. E., Scarborough, E. (2007). Mastering Online Marketing. Upper Saddle, NJ: Entrepreneur Press. Mondschein, K. (2009). Advertising, Sales, and Marketing. New York: Infobase Publishing. Smith, T. J., Smith, T. (2011). Pricing Strategy: Setting Price Levels, Managing Price Discounts, Establishing Price Structures. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. TalkOn. (2008). An Introduction to Ice Hockey. Web.

Monday, November 4, 2019

Qatar National Vision 2030 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Qatar National Vision 2030 - Research Paper Example As far as the living conditions are concerned, the vision aims at developing beyond the production of oil. Basically, vision 2030 Qatar aims at impacting the human development, social, economic and environmental development. Human development is an aspect of the vision that Qatar aims at bringing it to life. The aspects that have been outlined in the human development include the health of the people of Qatar and their political well being. According to General secretariat for development (2012) the vision aims at improving the health of a citizen of Qatar by coming up with a system of healthcare provision that is well integrated. Technology is the order here and, therefore, healthcare services will deploy the latest technology for the good of the health of the people of Qatar (National Health Strategy, 2011). In addition, the people managing the healthcare services will be well trained to meet the high world-class standards. The services will be made accessible to everyone and, ther efore, no one will be left out in any case. The world-class healthcare provision will not only serve the existing generation, but also the generations to come. The political aspect of human development shall be based on the constitution to help in the resolving of the political leadership of the citizens of Qatar. The aspect of human development is a key pillar to the achieving the vision 2030 because, people make a very precious asset to the country (Qatar Tribune, 2011). If the investment are well established in the people, full participation to economic, social and political aspects will be guaranteed. As a result, the entire society will prosper. Human development also stresses on the improved education and full participation in the Qatar workforce. With human development the vision is achieved because, healthy living will dictates productivity, improved education improves on knowledge while improved participation results into sustainable economic growth. Social development is a lso a pillar onto which Qatar vision 2030 is built. Social development aims at projecting components such as the social welfare of the Qatar citizens and also protection to the citizens. Social development also aims at motivating the citizens of Qatar to actively participate in the development of national unity. Social development also entails equal opportunities to access education, career development and employment opportunities without basing on factors such as ethnic groups, age, social status or people’s background. Social development also aims at providing adequate social care and protection. In essence, it aims at developing families that are dedicated enough to offer protection and care to its members while taking into account the moral standards of the society at large (Ng and Khalaqi, 2011). Social development is a stepping stone to the achievement of the Qatar vision 2030 as with it, a well developed social structure will be formed and hence enhancing the internati onal cooperation. This hence means Qatar will stick to its international role, and hence sustainable growth. Economic development is also a pillar that plays a crucial role in the attaining of the vision 2030, of Qatar. Economic develop

Saturday, November 2, 2019

The analysis of thymine and its derivatives by electron-ionisation and Essay

The analysis of thymine and its derivatives by electron-ionisation and chemical-ionisation mass spectrometry - Essay Example Aromaticity of Thymine is due to the alignment of conjugated double bond and empty orbital of Nitrogens in the ring. Resonance also plays part in stabilizing the molecule. Thymine exists in different tautomeric form but the lactam form is the most stable and the form present in DNA structure. Thymine has the structure of an aromatic heterocyclic ring with two carbonyl attached to 2nd and 4th Carbon. A methyl group is attached to 5th Carbon. The first and third position of the ring is a Nitrogen atom. Both Nitrogen has unoccupied orbital that participates in stabilizing aromatic property of the molecule. Coupling of Thymine and 2-Deoxyribose creates the nucleoside Deoxythymidine which is commonly called Thymidine. One common mutations found in DNA are two adjacent pyrimidine bases commonly Thymidine that upon irradiation with UV-light will cause mutagenesis and therefore inhibits the process of translation. Thymine Thymidine Mass Spectrometry A mass spectrometer produces a spectrum of masses based on the structure of a molecule. The mass spectrum is not a spectrum with respect to electromagnetic radiation, as in the case or IR and NMR. Instead, it is a spectrum of plot of distribution of ion masses corresponding to the formula weight of the molecule, fragments derive from the molecule, or both. For the past years, advances in technology leads to well developed and precise mass spectrometric technique primarily used for structure determination and quantitative work. Mass spectrometers for structure elucidation can be classified according to the method of separating the charged particles. Most common methods are Magnetic Field Deflection, Quadrupole mass Spectrometry, Time of Flight, Ion-Cyclotron resonance and MS/MS (Tandem Mass spectrometry). The general procedure for a mass spectral analysis comes in subsequent steps. Feedingof sample in the Mass Spectrometer and undergoes vaporization. Vaporization is required if the starting substance is in liquid form. In mo st cases, this comes from an HPLC unit. GC-MS has been widely renowned for its convenience and accuracy. Components are then ionized using variety of techniques. This step is the determining factor for which kind of substance the mass spectrometer can effectively analyze. Biological sample are often ionized using Electron impact, Chemical ionization and the most recent Electron Spray Ionization. Contact with ions creates charge to various species of the sample. They are then separated according to their mass to charge ratio in a mass analyzer. The ions are detected by a transducer and then reported as spectral lines in mass spectra. Mass Spectral Analysis of Thymine Mass Spectra using Electron Ionization technique for Thymine has Molecular Ion peak at 126 m/z at almost 100% abundance. The intensity of the molecular ion peak depends on the stability of the molecular ion. Thymine is an Aromatic molecule so has the greatest stability of the molecular ion. M+1 ion is also evident as con sequence of using Electron Ionization technique in ionization step. Lower m/z lines were due to fragments of Thymine. Mass Spectroscopic Analysis of Thymidine Derivatives Oxidation of Thymine in DNA Changes in DNA structure such as oxidations in DNA bases pose a major role in mutagenic initiation and degenerative diseases. Peroxyl radicals (ROO) has been found to cause must of the oxidations in the body. The