Investigating the Effects of Surface Area on the Rate of Reaction Essay

Aim: To study the effects of changing the surface area on the rate of a chemical reaction Hypothesis: This hypothesis is based on the Collision Theory, where in order to react, the two particles involved must: 1. Collide with each other 2. The collision must be energetic enough to overcome the activation energy of the reaction 3. The collision must bring the reactive parts of the molecule into contact the correct way – they must collide with appropriate geometry (the reactive parts) Considering that the surface area of a particle is a factor that mainly affects the collision rate of particles, it would be safe to assume that as the surface area increases, the reaction rate increases. The graph should turn out to be something like this: 1. the reaction is the fastest at the start 2. The reaction is slowing down here 3. No more product is formed Amount of product Time Variables: Variable Factor What is manipulated Dependent Time The time it takes for the reaction to complete depends on the surface area of the compounds being used, because it determines the rate in which the reaction will occur. Independent Volume of the gas collected (H2, CO2) The amount of gas collected for each experiment will depend on the Controlled 1. Mass of Calcium Carbonate (both marble chips and powdered form) 2. Mass of Magnesium (both ribbon and powder) 3. Volume of Hydrochloric Acid 4. Apparatus Used 1. The masses of the substances utilized will remain constantly fixed during the experiment 2. 50 cm3 of HCl will be used for every trial – 550 cm3 in total 3. The apparatus used will remain the same throughout the whole experiment Chemical Reactions: Mg + 2HCl → MgCl2 + H2 1. Magnesium ribbon 2. Hydrogen Gas will be the gas collected 1. 3 Trials will take place 1. Mass of Magnesium ribbon in: 1. Trial 1: 0.064 grams 2. Trial 2: 0.063 grams 3. Trial 3: 0.065 grams CaCO3 + 2HCl → CaCl2 + H2O + CO2 1. Marble Chips 2. Carbon Dioxide will be the gas collected 1. 2 Trials will take place 1. Mass of Marble Chips in: 1. Trial 1: 3.998 grams 2. Trial 2: 3.988 grams Na2CO3 + 2HCl → 2NaCl + H2O + CO2 1. Sodium Carbonate (Powdered) 2. Carbon Dioxide will be the gas collected 1. 2 Trials will take place 1. Mass of Sodium Carbonate 1. Trial 1: 0.504 grams 2. Trial 2: 0.505 grams Apparatus: 1. Eye-Protection – 1 pair of Safety Glasses 2. 1 pair of Scissors 3. 1 Electronic Scale 4. 1 Conical Flask (100cm3) 5. 1 Single-holed rubber bung and delivery tube to fit conical flask 6. 1 Measuring cylinder (100cm3) 7. Stopwatch Chemicals: 1. 12cm of Magnesium Ribbon 2. 550 cm3 of Hydrochloric Acid 3. Marble Chips 4. Sodium Carbonate (Powdered) Method: 1. Set up apparatus as shown 2. Fill the conical flask with 50cm3 of HCl 3. Insert the end of the syringe into the hole on top of the stopper 4. Add the magnesium ribbon 5. Seal the flask with a rubber stopper as quickly as you can, at the same time have someone else present to start the stop watch once the magnesium ribbon has been added to the hydrochloric acid 6. As the reaction takes place, note down the time it takes for the gas collected to reach a multiple of 5 (i.e. 5mL, 10mL †¦.50,55,60,65 etc) 7. Keep measuring until the reaction has stopped, or you are unable to measure anymore 8. Repeat each experiment 3 times, just to be sure the data collected is accurate 9. At step 4, replace the underlined compound with the next compound after one experiment is completed Conclusion Unfortunately I was unable to create a graph using time as the independent variable, because the lab that I had utilized did not have the equipment available to accurately to record the data if time were to be the independent variable. Another factor that played into my decision was the fact that the smallest calibration of the glass syringe I used was 5 cm3. Since the only visible measurements shown on the syringe were multiples of 5, it would only seem reasonable that I switch around the variables, making time the dependent variable, and the volume collected the independent variable, since I couldn’t exactly measure how much gas would be collected every 5 seconds; otherwise the relationship the graph would depict would be completely incorrect. As you can see on the graphs, the slightly steep slopes show when the reaction is the quickest, as it should be in the beginning. The curve shows the reaction slowing down, but unfortunately the curve continues. This is because the reaction is still taking place. I was unable to record the rest of the data because the measuring tools that were available weren’t able to record to such a high degree. In some cases though, like in the powdered sodium carbonate experiment, the reaction began so quickly that I wasn’t able to record the time in most cases, so I just stuck with those that I had managed to note down. In other cases, there were so many distractions in the lab that it was difficult to remain focused. My classmates kept removing some if the items that I was using. The idea was to see how the rate of reaction changed when the surface area of a substance was increased. Initially, my plan was to react magnesium ribbon and magnesium powder with 1 mole of Hydrochloric acid; so I could compare and contrast how the surface area of the substance affected the rate of reaction. I had planned to keep everything about the two substances the same. Its element, mass, the amount of Hydrochloric acid I was going to react with it; the only thing different would be its surface area. Unfortunately the Lab didn’t have any available. So I decided to do the same experiment to Calcium Carbonate, this time using marble chips and powdered calcium carbonate. To my dismay I found that the powdered calcium carbonate wasn’t reacting at all. So I had to change it to sodium carbonate. There is skepticism about using different elements, seeing as they have different orders of reactivity. These factors, including the concentration of the acid used, could also affect the rate of reaction. However, the same acid concentration was used for all experiments, in all trials; so we can dismiss that. However, sodium is much higher up the reactivity series than calcium, which is higher up the reactivity series than magnesium. This is the problem with this experiment; the elements positions in the reactivity series could have really altered the rate of reaction. However, the experiments still prove that when the surface area of a substance is increased, the rate of reaction increases as well. This happens because, when two substances react only the surface particles of the substances can come into direct contact with the reactant particles. Increasing a substance’s surface area, like turning big solid chunks of calcium carbonate into powder, leaves more solid particles available to react. The more particles available to react at one time, the faster the rate of the reaction. Like this: Only atoms on the surface can react If you break the substance down, more atoms are exposed and ready to react. Evaluation Considering the lack of material available, I think I was able to manage the experiment fairly enough to produce results. However, I am not pleased with the factors that may or may not have affected my results, and the circumstances in which I had to switch my variables around. Therefore I would like to state a few things I would like to alter, if ever I got the change to do this experiment again. 1. Apparatus 1. Next time, instead of using a stopwatch, I would like to use a digital device, like a laptop for example, that was somehow connected to the glass syringe, which was programmed to record the volume of the gas collected every 5 seconds. This time the graph would turn out the way it should be. 2. Instead of using a measuring cylinder, I would replace it with a burette, as it takes more accurate measurements of liquids. 1. Chemicals Used 1. I would try and used the same element next time; the only difference would be the surface area. For example, if I used magnesium, to study the effects of surface area on the rate of reaction, I would only you magnesium ribbon and magnesium powder. Studying different elements with different reactivity’s would dismiss any data already collected because an element’s position on the reactivity series may also determine the rate of reaction. Use the same element. 1. Amount of People involved in the experiment 1. If I had to do the experiment again, with the same apparatus, I think I would like to have 3 people participating in the collection of data. 1 person would be watching the syringe rise and call out to record whenever it rose, the 2nd person would time it, and the 3rd person would record it. This time, the data may be even more accurate, because no one is taking their eye off the experiment, like I was doing during my experiment just to record data. I feel that altering these aspects of the experiment would increase the level of accuracy, as to get more substantial data to calculate the order of reaction. Unfortunately with the data I have so far, I am unable to derive the concentrations of the substances I had utilized in my experiment. However, as the objective was to investigate whether or not different surface areas affected the rate of the reaction, I think that I have produced enough data to support my theory.

The Sons Veto

The Sons Veto Thomas Hardy was an English novelist and poet and his story ‘The Sons Veto’ is based on the rigid class system popular in Victorian England. At that time, women were perceived as having a diminutive purpose with little independence. The restrains of society were clearly seen in Sophy’s character. Hardy opens the story with a detailed description on a woman’s hair. He comments on the fashion of that time. Her name was Sophy and she was born in the country village of Gaymead in a remote nook of North Wessex.As a young girl, she worked as a parlour maid in the house of the reverend, Mr. Twycott. Sophy had a young man named Sam Hobson, a gardener in the village. After a few months, Sophy wanted to leave her job and marry Sam but couldn’t do so after Mr. Twycott’s wife died. She decided to stay back and also had a quarrel with Sam regarding her decision. As time progressed, Mr. Twycott realized how dependent he was on Sophy. He became ill and whilst he was ill, Sophy brought his meals to him.One day, she slipped on the stairs while taking the tray down. She twisted her foot in the fall. Mr. Twycott’s health became better although Sophy was no longer able to walk. The parson felt guilty for her and asked her to marry him; she felt as though she was unable to refuse and felt obligated to marry him in order to be socially accepted. She married the vicar out of respect and not love. She was more concerned over her future and knew that any marriage would mean that she would have a home and a good lifestyle in the imminent years.As the story progresses, Mr. Twycott dies and Sophy raises a son all by herself. The author sets up a social detachment between Sophy and her son, Randolph through the language they speak. Sophy could not formulate sentences correctly and her incorrect grammar would blatantly annoy Randolph. Sophy as a woman had her deficiencies. One day while sitting by her window, she found her childh ood friend Sam. They get together after so many years and after a few days he proposes to her.When she talked to her son he was positive about the idea of remarriage but became angry when he found out that the man was a farmer. In a fit of rage, he made her swear on the cross that she would never marry Sam. One may also interpret it to be Sophy’s fault, which wouldn’t be incorrect, however Randolph gains a sort of power over her eventually leading to her death that could have been avoided had he not been so full of pride for himself.

Description of microbial journal article review Essay

Description of microbial journal article review - Essay Example screening, even before the advent of sexual activity in young girls can serve to enlighten people about prevention strategies and the need for vaccination. However, there are many factors which prevent the participation of susceptible young people in screening programs. Agurto et al, 2004 in their study have endeavored to identify the barriers to cervical screening that exist among Latin American women, a region where cervical cancer is rampant. The authors have hypothesized that unknown factors exist which prevent the populations in these countries from participating in cervical screening programs. The authors have tried to identify the barriers which prevent populations in the Pan American countries from participating in screening programs, which they feel need to be removed, as screening programs in other countries such as the US and Canada have succeeded in reducing the incidence of HPV ( Agurto et al, 2004) By following a common theoretical and methodological approach, the authors conducted five separate qualitative studies in Venezuela, Ecuador, Mexico, El Salvador and Peru which incorporated questionnaire based study protocols aimed at the affected females; their male partners as well as the healthcare professionals as the prime focus groups to identify their perception of the existing barriers which prevented the people from participating in screening programs. Appropriate statistical tools were used for the analysis. The main barriers encountered as per the responses of the interviewed focus groups in the region were anxiety, negligence on part of the sufferer as well as healthcare professionals, poor accessibility to healthcare facilities, lack of education and financial resources, examination at public places for the Pap smear test, lack of follow up and poor management by local healthcare professionals. Diagnostic tests were believed to be unreliable by many interviewed people who felt that the results were not conveyed in a timely manner. The

Proposal Letter Adult learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Proposal Letter Adult learning - Essay Example Through this program, a drastic improvement has been recorded with most of the learners increasing their reading ability from two to three grade levels. Problem posing and problematization in overall learning processes: In this proposal, a reflection on the role of posing questions while learning processes are ongoing has been made. This is one of the best teaching methods for adult learners. Question posing in learning processes is an implicit aspect of many modern cognitive psychological theories and parody, which are the psychological parody of action and interacting. Learning and teaching of mathematics, for example, must start with the students’ discourse (dialogical attitude). My potential focus concerning adult learning relies on the knowledge of my own cognitive processes. My study of problem posing has been precisely motivated by a desire to approximate a process of problematization to come up with an effective argument for advocating problem posing as a means of attaining knowledge. Lastly, my beliefs and complexities in relation to problematization in adult learning are based on reflections, which underlay the problematization process. In order to synthesize problematization in the adult learning, questions such as why did I choose to investigate problematization as a means of learning and teaching of adults and why did I opt for problematization or problem posing in the planning of daily classroom activities must be critically analyzed. Belzer, Alisa. Improving Professional Development Systems: Recommendations from the Pennsylvania Adult Basic and Literacy Education Professional Development System Evaluation." Adult BasicEducation 15.1 (2005): 33-55. ProQuest. Web. 30 June 2015. Internet Source. Golbeck, Amanda L., Carolyn Ahlers-Schmidt, and Angelia M. Paschal. Health Literacy and Adult Basic Education Assessments. Adult Basic Education 15.3 (2005): 151-68. ProQuest. Web. 30 June 2015.

Infatuation versus love Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Infatuation versus love - Essay Example It is believed that infatuation is a feeling that is not long lasting and keeps on decreasing with time whereas love on the other hand keeps on increasing with time and the emotional bond keeps on strengthening with the passage of time (Wheat et al 1980). Love and infatuation are both characterized by the want to engage with your loved one but they have possess different aspects. It is analyzed by sociologists that infatuation is basically a path that leads to love. It is considered to be the first step towards falling in love. Infatuation is an emotion where a person becomes occupied with the thoughts of the person that he admires. It is believed that infatuation is determined more from the physical outlook of the admired person rather than the character and the personality of the person. It is considered to be a constellation of emotions for the person being loved with respect to extreme intimate desire and obsession. It is argued that infatuation is basically an immature feeling a nd aspect of love. It tends to be away from the real world and a person stays in a different preoccupied world neglecting many realities. It is believed that infatuation is directed more towards all the good aspects of the person who is liked and it does not tend to see the person as a whole with all his negativities (Cox 2005).

The Patriot Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Patriot - Movie Review Example Imdb (2009) says that one of the reasons Harrison Ford to decline the leading role was because he has got the feeling that the Revolutionary war is depicted as "one-man's-revenge". I believe that even though the plot of the film is centered on the American Revolution, the film focuses around the personal drama of the main character, rather than accurately describing the historical events. Even though the character of Benjamin Martin is slightly based on real life of the soldier Francis Marion, the film resembles a melodramatic performance by Gibson (Harvey 2000). Garabedian (2009) comments that the film gets too personal and does not maintain the balance between the film's action and the main character's revenge. The director missed to represent the historical events in depth. Instead the audience witnesses ongoing bloody battles, where people are chopped off and killed all the time (Garabedian 2009). The bloodshed seems to be endless. What is ignored is some brief explanation about the historical background that the movie is representing. The fighting scenes are very unsettling. Harvey (2000) observes that the overuse of slow motion photography in most of the battles distort the senses of the viewer, as they can witness soldiers being struck by musket ball and the blood that spatter. Such a super slow motion was not necessary. Why do you think the film was made when it was, and for what underlying purpose, if any I believe that the film was filmed in order to instigate pride in Americans and to show how they built up their patriotism. The underlying purpose for me was also to see the Revolution through the eyes of one man who was led to take part in the war, out of his duty to protect both the land and the people from the British. What do you think might have been happening in the contemporary climate when the film was made that could have influenced how the movie portrayed the past The movie release data was in June 2000. If the movie was filmed two years from then, I presume that the focus will not be on one man only. After the events of September 11, I think that the patriot theme will concentrate around how the whole nation fights against its independence, instead of showing one evil man - Col. William Tavington against the inspiration of the good - Benjamin Martin. What does the movie say both about the historical past it depicts and about the historical present when the film was made In my opinion the movie goes too much into personal details and melodrama, interpersonal conflicts and aspirations rather than clarifying the historical circumstances that led to the American Revolution. The fight for freedom is not the fight of a nation, but the fight of a family, or several people trying to intercommunicate why they do it. The film reminds us that it is made is modern times, thanks to the violent, battle scenes that can shock any viewer. However, filmmakers beautifully recreates the atmosphere of the late 1700 with original South Caroline landscapes and cottages. How receptive do you think audiences at the time might have been to see a movie like the one you

Business law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Business law - Assignment Example Such professionals prevent embezzlement of funds and ensure that the business operate effectively to meet its goals. At the same time, it is advantageous to have proper power legislation systems such as the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB). The board acts as an oversight commission that manages the activities of any firm. Even though such mechanism can be adopted in the system, there is no 100 percent assurance that the system will be effective. This is based on loopholes and cartels that operate in the corporate society. With the increase in the number of corruption cases in the prosecution system, it is hard to apprehend all aggressive violators of white collar-crimes. Constitutional protections apply to different persons charged with crimes. However, this statement does not imply that a person guilty of business crimes should be given a lighter sentences than those found in burglary cases. This is based on the fact that evaluations of the accused are done prior to the sentencing. In addition, most common law criminal penalties were created in order to exercise fair trial in a court of law. Therefore, individuals should be convicted in regard to the magnitude of their judicial cases (Twomey & Jennings,

Urban planing and policy law Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Urban planing and policy law - Coursework Example Most cities across the world carry almost more than half of the total population, hence the decisions made by governments, business community and individuals have fundamental impacts on cities consequently on the populace. This requires policies to moderate such decisions and subsequent policies. Secondly, critical challenges need to be solved to secure lasting production and sustainability. Te complexity of these urban issues calls for a national approach, which is articulate and well understood to guide city development and expansion for the sole purpose of improving urban lives. For continued prosperity and wellbeing of the city population, the governments should ensure that, the cities meet the needs of the present and future cohorts and sustaining economic expansion without compromising the natural resources. For these reasons, the National City policy becomes a fundamental element of having a healthy city population. Transportation Policy Pressure of the continued growth of pol lution adds pressure on the existing resources and facilities. In the past, high population in cities has congested roads and this led to expansion to fit the ever-growing population. However, this option is proving to be unsustainable due to the growing cost of building roads. In addition, there is less appropriate land for new roads. According to the vision 2030, most nations across the globe have resolved that urban transport policy and development should not be a one-body orientated, but instead distributed to diverse organizations to help come up with viable policies, which can solve the current trends in transport (INTERNATIONAL ITF/OECD SYMPOSIUM ON TRANSPORT ECONOMICS AND POLICY, 2010). These efforts might not provide the same service to every person but each urban resident will enjoy access to a reasonable standard of service. It is imperative to note that, incorporation of regional and local transport systems promotes competent modes of the transport. For instance, the pas senger reform policy is fundamental in planning transport services at the municipal borders and across other regional. This uniformity across municipals and other regions help in improving the universal level of transport systems and thus adding the value of attractiveness of public transport services to users. Urban polices on transport systems are significant both in the main cities and around the suburbs. Majority of the populace lives in the city suburbs, which are far from the services and jobs. This implies the as day counts, journeys to work, schools, supermarkets, social places among others are increasingly becoming distant. Hence, policy development on transport systems should be concentrated on solving challenges such as a reduction of dependency on the car and stopping urban fragmentation (INTERNATIONAL ITF/OECD SYMPOSIUM ON TRANSPORT ECONOMICS AND POLICY, 2010). The overall essence, of the transport policy should be focused on land use planning, which will provide consid eration on the impacts on traffic and divide between diverse modes of travel. Some of the fundamental aspects of urban transport policy include Vehicle efficiency and emission

Critically discuss how ratio analysis can help in the prediction of Essay

Critically discuss how ratio analysis can help in the prediction of bankruptcy - Essay Example t on the basis of financial ratios and used for predicting company’s bankruptcy are: logistic regression, multiple discriminant analysis, and probit models (Ramana, Azash, Ramakrishnaiah, 2012). By analyzing and interpreting financial statements using different ratios and techniques shareholders, potential investors, bankers, analysts and all other potential stakeholders can gain valuable information about the financial status of a company, its borrowing power and solvency position (Yap & Yong, 2010). Financial ratio variables are used for assessing the financial information and historical trends of financial performance of a business, which in turn serve as good indicators of financial troubles ahead (Yap & Yong, 2010). However, there are also some criticisms of accounting-ratio-based models. Some researchers suggest that the accounting ratios have limited capacity for predicting bankruptcy as accounting information is usually formulated to describe the financial condition of the company, assuming that it will not go bankrupt (Hillegeist, Keating, Cram & Lundstedt, 2004). Thus, for example, Hillegeist, Keating, Cram & Lundstedt (2004) have concluded that traditional accounting-based measures (such as accounting ratio analysis) are not sufficient enough for predicting the probability of bankruptcy. Ramana N, Azash S, Ramakrishnaiah K, 2012. ‘Financial performance and predicting the risk of bankruptcy: A case of selected cement companies in India’, International Journal of Public Administration and Management Research, vol. 1(1), pp. 40-56. Yap B, and Yong D, 2010. ‘How well do financial ratios and multiple discriminant analysis predict company failures in Malaysia’, International Research Journal of Finance and Economics, 54,

The Value of Digital Privacy in an Information Technology Age Research Paper

The Value of Digital Privacy in an Information Technology Age - Research Paper Example In the wrong hands, unauthorized access to information may lead to the destruction of vital information or usage of information for destructive purposes. Another way through which individuals can access private information is through phishing. Spear-phishing, in particular, has become increasingly common. It involves hacking individuals’ computers or accounts by sending e-mails to individuals’ accounts. These e-mails often get citizens to provide sensitive information. They are personal, crafty and deceitful messages that easily pass security protections. According to security software maker RSA, about one in every 300 emails in 2011 was a phish. Data cables are also used to access private information. Network cabling companies collect personal and non-personal information. Different cabling companies have different terms of use in regard to privacy. The companies, through their websites, collect information ranging from names, physical address, e-mail address, age, pas sword and other information necessary to conduct business with these companies. This information may then be used to facilitate citizens’ use of websites, to send information to citizens and to conduct business. ... Access to private information may lead to crimes such as identity theft, fraud, defamation, slandering and discriminatory practices. Also, gaining access to confidential information increases the risks of such information being disclosed. This causes dissatisfaction and encourages mistrust in individuals. In America, identity theft has become increasingly common and it destroys an individual’s financial reputation. Invasion of personal privacy shows inefficiency on the government’s part and other organizations that keep citizens’ records. Access to private citizen information through computer applications has greatly facilitated investigations into financial crimes, drug crimes and sex crimes (Soghoian, 2011, 18-20). Therefore, law enforcers are able to track crimes across borders. Because criminals have established highly complex networks across the globe, computer applications enable law enforcers to deter international crimes. Technological advancements go a g reat length in facilitating security and policing. Through soliciting â€Å"suspicious information†, the police and law enforcers can prevent crimes that threaten humanity and the dignity of humanity such as terrorism and identity theft. Determine what measures citizens can take to protect private information or information they do not want to be disclosed. To guard private information, citizens can implement measures that recognize the dangers of unwarranted access to private information. Preventive measures should be promoted to limit these dangers.

What it means to be a poor Filipino Essay Example for Free

What it means to be a poor Filipino Essay In every country of the world, the poor people are never absent. They occupy the lowest strata of social stratification. Due to differences in geographical location, economic standing, technological advancement and other social factors, the poor in every country however does not look or live the same way. In the Philippines, a country in the South East Asia, it is easy to identify   the poor people through   the places where they live, the kind of houses they occupy,  Ã‚   the food they eat, the job they are engaged in, their physical appearance, and how and where they spend their free time. In Philippine urban cities, the poorest of the poor are found in congested slum areas. In Manila, its capital, the biggest slum is in Tondo. Here, all sorts of people take residence; the ex-convicts, robbers, drug addicts and prostitutes  Ã‚   mixed with decent poor people.   Some of the poor people in the slums came from other provinces looking for a job in Manila. They spoke different dialects but they understand each other when they use their national language, Tagalog. As one enters the slums, children playing in the narrow alleys usually greet him. He may also found himself in places littered with garbage. What is repulsive at times is that some undisciplined children disposed of their waste on the streets. As one looks around, he will observe that the houses   Ã‚  are closely built   Ã‚  Ã‚  together. Inside these cramped spaces lived a family or two. Most of the owners of the house used one of the rooms for renting. In fact, the slums are the best place for a cheap rent in Manila. What makes life hard in Tondo is that the water are rationed, residents had to wait for a schedule usually late at night to early morning for the water in the faucet to flow. Nights in the slums are noisy due to karaoke bars (bars for singing). Men (and sometimes women) drinking along the alleys contributed to the noise. Nights are also the time for some people to throw their garbage in a nearby river. In the daytime, a mini-market stand sells vegetable, fish, meat, eggs and other food. Often, the vegetables, fish and meat are no longer fresh. The other slums in other cities were much better in Manila although they also have their own sanitary problems to solve. Those who were not able to live in the slums lived under the city bridges or near the train railways. When the train passed by, their houses shook. Many people died as they were run over by a passing train. The poor who did not live in urban cities are much luckier.   In the provinces, not only is it safe, they have a small space of their own, away from the crowds and noise. The houses in the slums are either made of wood or     cement.   The design of the house is very simple, just a door, a room and few windows. They are often very small for there is not enough space. In fact, others do not have rooms at all.   They eat, sleep and entertain in only one place. The dilapidated houses may have streamer cloth, sackcloth or cardboard as covers for the walls. Thankfully, there is no winter in the Philippines or else people living inside will freeze with cold.   In addition, some houses may not have access to windows especially if they were squeezed between other houses so that they have to turn on the light and electric fan most of the time. Inside these houses are a few furnitures: a table, a stool, maybe a sofa, a wooden bed and a cabinet.   The usual appliances are TV, electric fan (for it is hot there especially in the summer), some pots and pans and a burner stove. The poor in the provinces fared much better for even though their houses may be small or they had no electricity, the houses   are usually constructed far apart and equipped with windows and stairs.   The roofs of their houses may be made of nipa, a kind of palm tree that grows in swamps (Peplow, 1991). The Filipinos eat three times a day with rice and a dish that goes with it. The poor however, can only afford to eat twice or once a day. Along with rice, they eat with dried salted fish sold plenty in the market. The other viand is what they call â€Å"bago-ong†, small salted fishes that were left to ferment in a few days inside closed containers. The bago-ong is much cheaper than the dried salted fish( Shead, 2006). For a foreigner, the former may look like fishes left to rot. Other poor popular dishes are vegetables. Cabbage, string beans, cucumber, carrots, and other green and leafy vegetables native in the Philippines can be easily bought in Filipino markets.   The snack of the poor, on the other hand, is usually banana cue sold in nearby food stalls.   They also love to eat fish balls sold by vendors on the street. Fish balls are mostly made of flour mixed with a little fish meat. They are then cooked in a pan full of oil. In cooking, the balls should float in the oil. A matching sauce is served with the fish balls. The poor in the provinces are mostly farmers. On the other hand, the poor in the urban areas engaged in various low-income jobs like working as a laborer, waiter or store attendant. Some work in numerous beauty parlors to cut or trim hairs, paint nails, or do body massage. The poorest of them collects empty bottles, metals, etc from the garbage, and sell their find in the junkshop. In the government, the poor work as Metro Aides (people who sweep the streets) or as garbage collectors. The others work in various offices as clerks, computer encoders and call center agents. Many of these poor people now have parents working as skilled workers all over the world. In a way, their way of living had improved. Many children of the poor now study as caregivers, nursing aides or nurses in the hope that someday they will be able to work in other countries. Those who do not have any relatives abroad to support their studies financed their studies as working students. The interest for medical courses is prompted by the fact that Filipino medical professionals are now in demand all over the world. They endured the loneliness of being away from home as long as they are able to support their families financially. There are some sad stories, however, for some married couples who went away or were left behind find other partners so that there are many broken families in the Philippines right now. It is easy to distinguish the poor in terms of their physical appearance. They usually dressed simply. The teenagers wear jeans and T-shirts. Older women sometimes wear a blouse and a skirt, but most of the time they also wear jeans and shirts. When they have errands or have to go to the city, they usually wear a fake  Ã‚   jewelry.   In spite of their simplicity, they often looked and smell clean for the Filipinos love to take a bath, sometimes twice a day. The only exceptions of course are the beggars and street children in the streets. They really do dress the part; unclean tattered clothes, unkempt hair and they looked as if they had no taken a bath in months! One thing noticeable about the poor Filipinos, especially the teenagers, is that most of them have cell phones. They love to text their friends.   But they have to be careful because there are many snatchers in the street. Only the rich can afford new models, though. Filipino men love to play basketball. In the slum areas, they may not have formal basketball courts but they hang a ring anywhere; in walls of houses, buildings or posts, just to play the game. The space is limited so they contended themselves with only one ring. Sometimes this can cause contention with the neighbors, for a bouncing ball may hit the windows or furniture inside the houses.   Some neighbors also complained of noise. The teenagers on the other hand love to hang out just anywhere, in the plaza or sometimes ,if they have the money, in   internet cafes. The Filipinos love to socialize, even if they have little money, they still find a way to connect to their friends through rented computers. Meanwhile, older men entertain themselves not in fancy restaurants but in karaoke bars. The Filipinos love to sing and there are many karaoke bars to choose from. On Sundays, they love to go to cockpits to watch or bet on cockfights. The government discouraged the poor from taking part in cockfight betting because most of their meager incomes were lost this way (Peplow, 1991). The greatest setback in being a poor Filipino is the little access to medical care. They just cannot afford to pay hospital bills. The medicines were also costly. Some of them just died in their respective homes even though their illnesses were curable. Many of the poor suffered from tuberculosis. This is curable but since it took six months of medication, it became a burden to the poor. For most, without medicine, they just grew worse and eventually died.   The government is now making an effort to lower down the cost of medicines (Peplow, 1991). Being a poor Filipino is not easy for he is deprived of the many comforts of life. Most poor Filipinos live in uncomfortable dwelling houses or places. They do not eat nutritious foods nor own many material things and had to satisfy themselves with cheap entertainments. References: Peplow, Evelyn. (1991). Introduction to the Philippines. Hong Kong: The Guidebook Company Limited. Shead, Michael P. (2006) â€Å"Filipinos poor; Happy†. Living the Philippines Incorporated. Retrieved February 12, 2008 from http://www.livinginthephilippines.com/art_why_filipinos_are_happy2.html

Lord of the Flies - novel by William Golding (1954) Essay Example for Free

Lord of the Flies novel by William Golding (1954) Essay In this essay I will be comparing the three approaches to the incident of Piggys death. This is a very significant moment in the Lord of the Flies and symbolises how outcasts are treated in a broken down society. I will be comparing the novel by William Golding, with the film by Peter Brook and the film by Harry Hook. The original book was written directly after World War 2, which had a great influence on how Golding decided to plan and write his book. The original book is the true Lord of the Flies, and the films are adaptations of the original novel. The film that was made in 1961 by Peter Brook was a very close interpretation of the original novel. The characters are the same, the setting is same, and the whole story loosely follows the same pattern as the book. Brook used thirty boys, aged eight to fourteen with non-acting backgrounds, as they all came from a randomly picked London school. He took them to an island off Puerto Rico for 3 months, in which time he filmed this masterpiece, which was ground breaking at the time and closely followed the book. It was original and daring, and was filmed in black and white with restricted amount of equipment. In contrast, the second film produced by Harry Hook in 1994, which was based on the same idea, but was set in different situations. The audience he was attracting needed much more action and adventure, which the old version doesnt show and would probably be laughed at by Hooks audience. The film needed to be original, which it was to his audience, but he cleverly used the book and the other film as a basis on which to build his ideas. The film, Lord of the Flies by Harry Hook was filmed in colour, with American actors playing as army cadets with mod cons such as army knives and watches. Changes such as including adults in the story and use of strong language add a twist to the original novel, and which isnt portrayed in the 1961 version. It moves completely away from Goldings original narrative, and his initial intentions. The opening shot is similar in the three versions of Lord of the Flies, but also has differences. The differences between the two films become evident at the opening of the scene. As the thundering waves are hurled against the sharp, jagged rocks with the darkness and savagery within them, the scene becomes clear. Brook turns to the boys walking along, you just know that something is going to happen. In the Peter Brook film, the coastline is the main feature, with the boys looking small, walking along. The faces of the boys are not so easy to depict until they get close enough. Ralph, Piggy and SamnEric, are looked down on by the camera, with the commanding rocks and the roaring sea all around. However, the boys dont seem to be put off by this and look positive and intentional in their visit. In comparison, the Hook film shows the shot to be not so dark and suspicious, but more religious and sacrificial. The background noise of the crashing waves is substituted with choral singing. This time, we only see Ralph and Piggy approaching the rocks. Piggy is wearing full cadet uniform and appears not to be having problems with his sight. The boys are at the same level, and the darkness and savagery seems to be lost from this film. Both films have followed the idea of the book, Hooks version more loosely than Brooks film. Neither mentioned how much Ralph was injured or his ragged appearance as in the novel, Ralph went first, limping a little, a spear carried over one shoulder. The films left this out because it may well have not appealed to their audiences, as the hero doesnt look perfect, especially with the later film. Hook also left out SamnEric in the advancing bunch. Golding, who wrote the original Lord of the Flies, starts this scene by retelling some of the plot. He reminds the reader how such a beautiful island has been effected by society, and how individuals can ruin things for everyone. The sky and the mountain were at an immense distance, shimmering in the heat; and the reef was lifted by mirage, floating in a kind of silver pool half-way up the sky. This little interlude reflects on the past, and will maybe add more impact to the incidents to come. Golding also mentions fire, which reminds the reader of how Jack stole the glasses off helpless Piggy, to use for their own comfort and as a aid for a cooking fire. The first sign of conflict between Jack and Ralph is when they meet. They start to argue and quarrel, and tension is built up within this period. This is the same with all three texts. Ralph intentions are clear as he approaches, but Jack wants none of it. In the novel, Golding has built up the tension with words he uses, Ralphs temper blazed out. The sentences are short, and not very descriptive. The main feature of the scene, the fight, is portrayed similarly in all three texts. They attack each other vigorously, and the real conflict and anger between the two groups is apparent. In the film, by Brook, the camera can be used to aid the build up of tension as well as the dialogue. The short camera angles used reflect Goldings staccato language. The camera looks up to Jack, and down to Ralph. He appears in a definite commanding position. The camera follows Jacks face, which appears dark against the rock, and is hidden whenever Ralph speaks to hide his thoughts. He wears a mask to hide his face, which is savage and evil. Prior to the fight, the camera sways to Jacks barbarous face, with him holding his spear, with only the point showing. This shows the wildness and spite within Jack. This is shown similarly in the Hook film, but Jack doesnt wear a mask, so we see more of his face. However, Hook has decided to use stronger language to convey the anger between the two boys. Hook chose similar camera movements and patterns to Brooks film, as they seemed to show the positions of the characters well and would appeal to his modern audience. Ralph and his gang are portrayed as the lower, weaker force, and Jacks rabble are shown as being in control. The main feature, the fight, is depicted equally in the three texts. Both sides seem angered, and in Hooks film, the loss of society is also shown. Ralph, usually the well-balanced, even-tempered individual, is lowered to such means as fighting. On the other hand, that is Jacks usual way of settling things. Roger has a strong influence on Piggys death and plays a significant role, in all three interpretations of the Lord of the Flies. Roger is first introduced into the scene in the novel, when he starts to toss rocks at Ralph. His physical appearance is kept a secret and is only released when he pushes the lever, Roger, with a sense of delirious abandonment, leaned all his weight on the lever. Roger is introduced earlier on in Brooks film. What we see of Roger is a godly figure, with his face outlined to the sky. Hook shows us a close up of Rogers face from below. He is painted with black paint around the eyes and mouth, which looks like deep hollows in which evil is to be found. He is a symbol of evil and power and as a slight grimace creeps along his face, the audience is shocked by this terrifying image. His intentions become clearer as the scene advances. A longer period of time is spent on him, so does the amount we see of him. When the camera shows us his hand going towards the lever, the anticipation is built up, with the climax of him releasing it with great force, pounding down onto Piggys head. Roger is not so well shown in Hooks film. Most of the time he is hidden by the cliff edge and the other savages, but once the stone is released, Rogers face is no longer mysterious, but is clear. This makes the audience feel suspicion and fear towards Roger. Piggy is the main character in the scene, and is based on the character first developed in Goldings novel in both the book and the films. Piggy has similarities and differences in the films, but the main feeling of Piggys character is conveyed quite well. In Peter Brooks film, Piggy is uneasy about the situation, poised on the steep rocks which seem to fall into hell. He is wearing full uniform, showing his intentions to keep rules. The camera is overhead, and makes us feel pity for Piggy who is helpless. In the build up to the death, the camera focuses on short close-up shots of Piggys face to show his hopelessness and anxiety. Piggys voice is blurred by the natural sounds of the roaring of the sea crashing against the rocks. Ralph forgets what he came for, and Piggy knows this. This has an effect on the audience to feel empathy for Piggy. Harry Hook has changed Piggys character, to fit his wants and his audiences wants. He doesnt make Piggy as disabled as Brook does in his film. He allows Piggy to be able to see fairly well and able him to stand on the same level platform as Ralph. Piggy isnt left out or forgotten during the fight, and can be seen in the shots of the fight, standing in the background. In the book, Piggy seems extremely scared and worried of what was about to happen as he clings onto the steep sided rock face. Am I safe? quavered Piggy. I feel awful-. Brooks film is better on picking up on the idea that Piggy is supposed to be very disadvantaged. Piggys emotions are shown well in all three texts, as a close up in the film, or as strong description in the novel. The murder is the main feature in the scene we are studying. It has a strong impact on the audience in all of the texts and is transmitted differently in each. In the novel, Piggys death is compared to a pig after his death, which is rather ironic, Piggys arms and legs twitched a bit, like a pigs after it has been killed. The language used here is very severe and looks as thought Golding doesnt really care about what has just happened to Piggy. After this there is a silence all around, until it is disturbed by a little speech between Jack and Ralph, followed by Jack throwing his spear at Ralph, which then leads him to run away, with spears coming at him from all directions. This isnt shown in either of the films, and in Brooks film, nothing is said, and Ralph just flees. Brook has a lengthy build up to his death scene in his film. Hints are dropped all the time, with the camera continually looking at the rough sea and jagged rocks, then at Piggys confused face. Brook supports Goldings language, with only a few minor changes. In the build up to the climax, the camera continually switches between Piggy and Roger, with longer shots to Roger as we get ever closer to the climax. Also, the noise of the jeering boys gets louder, and sounds more and more like air raid sirens, which adds to the effect of anticipation. This is obviously significant because it indicates the society the boys have just left, and shows the links to situations of which Golding has just witnessed before he wrote his novel, and of the tragedy of war. However, this is something that Brooks audience may not clearly remember so wouldnt be so obvious in his film. The final shot of Roger is of him pushing down on the lever as with Goldings novel. The face looks emotionless until the rock is released, when a wide, evil smirk smears across his face. The camera stays still to make Roger look as though he is pushing harder, as he moves out of the shot. We see the rock rolling down, and then we see Piggys viewpoint of the rock above, coming straight, bang down onto his head. Immediately as the rock hits Piggy, the jeering comes to a halt, and all is left is the roaring sounds of nature. All, including Jack seem shocked, but Roger is not. The camera switches between the characters showing their disbelief of that which Roger had just done. To end the lengthy scene, Brook has a shot of Ralph looking in commiseration down to Piggy. The camera is then just left still as Ralph scurries over the rocks. Harry Hook has changed the death scene in his film to suit his modern audience. Brook has kept close to the language with Piggys speech, and has only changed a few parts to suit more to his audience. In the shot where Roger releases the rock, the director shows the shot from Ralphs point of view. As the rock falls, Ralph shouts NO! in a slow motion speech. Piggy is oblivious to the situation due to his eyesight. He says nothing, and just falls flat onto the rock and lies there in a pool of blood. This loosely follows the original text by Golding. Golding described how Piggy was knocked into the water and got washed away, whereas there was no sight of this in Hooks film. Youre not gonna get away with this says Ralph after the death. Jack thinks logically and says that Ralph was on his own, which he most definitely was. The speaking is then terminated by the boys throwing stones at Ralph as he speeds away along the beach. All three versions of the Lord of the Flies are interpreted differently, but use the same original story line written by William Golding. All are effective, but some are more so than the others. Personally, I think that Peter Brook directed the best film. This is because it was more appealing to the audience at that time, it was more successful and it follows the book much closer than the other film, which was directed by Harry Hook. However, I do like the book for the detail and originality within it. To me the text vividly describes the sights of horror and the dramatic feelings of loss and grief felt by the societies at this particular time of World War 2. At the time the book was written, which was just after the war, total communities had witnessed such devastation as was described in the book. They could relate directly to the savagery and the way the murder was committed in cold blood. I feel the book also cleverly puts the characters into stereotypes of the time, showing how certain communities and their structures can be so easily destroyed.

External Environment Factors In Human Resources Commerce Essay

External Environment Factors In Human Resources Commerce Essay Human Resource Management according to Laurie J. Mullins (2007) illustrates as the involvement of management decisions and practices that directly influence the people or human resource, who work for the organisation. This could be seen as the aspect of developing people to get the best out of them as well as improving their potential for better performance at the work place. It could be said as well that it is a design, implementation and maintaining strategies to manage people for a proper business performance which also include the development policy and it also contributes to the evaluation of the people operating in the business or organisation. A more detailed definition was given by Torrington et al. In 1995 remains unchanged today and it states, Human Resource Management is a series of activities which enables working people and the organisation and it also uses their skills to agree about the objectives and nature of their working relationship and also ensure that the agreement which was made by the both practice is fulfilled. Human Resource as it is seen is said to be the most important aspect of any existing organisation and it has a clear objectives that has to be followed in other to get an expected goals set out for the organisation. This is also a means of motivating the people working in an organisation by seeing to their needs as; motivation, responses to grievances, training, recruitment and selection. To mention but a few at this time, more will be analysed as the study of HRM continues in this assignment. The activities should be clearly stated in order to achieve an expected goal as earlier stated. There is also a hierarchy that needs to be followed which are Managers, Supervisors and Operations. This could be seen as the levels of which the activities of any organisation are carried out with its policies. As this assignment continues in the subsequent pages, the role HR plays taking into consideration the changes in the external environment and how it will help organisation gain competitive advantage. External Environmental Factors To develop and implement effective human resource strategies, you must first understand the environment context in which human resource operates. The external environmental factors i.e. the STEP factors outlined below can have both positive and negative effects on this business. Neglecting the external environment can have devastating effects on an organization. Entire civilizations have vanished for failing to address external environmental factors and the need to adapt in an ever-changing environment. The most important part of HR planning regarding the external environment is environmental scanning, a means to study the environmental climate to identify opportunity or potential dangers to an organization Jackson and Mathis, (2008). As we move into the next century, the necessity to adapt, change, and update will be more important than in the past. Political environment-: The administrative and legal environment in a country provides a framework within which an organization operates. In some countries this environment is very restrictive and has significant impact on all aspects of the organization; in other countries the administrative/legal context is more permissive. Understanding the administrative/legal environment is essential to determining if organizational change can take place. The administrative context within which the organization operates may be shaped by a unique combination of forces, including international, governmental, nongovernmental policy, legislative, regulatory, and legal frameworks. An organization is affected by the policy or regulatory context that gave rise to it. This includes specific laws and regulations that support or inhibit the institutions development. There are a number of reasons why the legal environment is important to any business, According to (Brassington and Pettitt (2006) there are three main forces within the political and legal environment ie national, local government and EU and various regulatory bodies. These forces are important and necessary because the problem with self- regulation is that its creates tension between what is socially desirable and what those in the industry may consider to restrict commerce improperly. Organizations have to exist and operate according to the laws the societies within which they do business and thus in addition to the more general laws of contract and commerce, product have to conform to safety laws, patents protect innovation. EXAMPLE 1. UK GOVERNMENT INCREASE RETIREMENT AGE THE UK government increased the retirement age of male workforces from 65-70 years. It will deprive organisation from employing fresh blood, but HR can put up a back-up plan like voluntary retirement and early retirement programme. This measure will also help when company is facing redundancy in other to minimise the negative effect on organization. EXAMPLE 2. EUROPEAN POLICIES ON AGRICULTURE AND REGULATION RELATING TO COMMERCIAL FISHING. New employment legislation carries implication for organisation, e.g. the rules that outlaw ageism'(introduced in 2006); for a wider overseas trading context, international agreed sanction may curtail, or even outlaw, the trading of companies in one country with companies in another, especially if the latter country is said to be involved in terrorism or human rights abuses. Recent examples include the way in which the Saudi Arabian government has applied pressure to Britain to cease its investigations into allegations of corruption by British Aerospace in a securing of defence contracts, and the widespread disapproval of the child labour practices endemic in some part of the world. Economic environment Economic changes are concerned with the influence of regional, national and international economic conditions upon the fortunes of large organisations. Sometimes the economy is optimistic and in a state of boom and plenty, unemployment is low, industrial and high-street spending are high and property value soar. At other times the economy dips and the highs just mentioned go into reverse. Organisations have to adjust to alternative peaking and dipping of the economy, and internally and must prepare themselves for these in evitable situations. When the organisation context is global, on the other hand, the influence of economic factors is much more complicated, because if one country or region is experiencing a period of prosperity, it is quite likely that in another part of the world there is a recession. Whether the organisations are literally global or not, large or small, they are not immune to the consequences of globalisation: according to HR specialists must keep an eye on thes e economic pressures and seek where possible to minimise the negative impact and seize the advantages when they occur. When organisations expand during a period of prosperity, for instance, there are usually staff shortages, especially of rare technical skills; conversely, if organisation over- reach themselves they may have to close facilities, make people redundant, or shift some of their operations to other part of the world where are lower (e.g. take customer services and IT to India or China). EXAMPLE 3. BRITISH AIRWAYS UNION AND VIRGIN AIRLINE UNION As seen in the BBC news few months ago Virgin airline HR manager was able to put a strong argument down for the rationale for the job cut and hours reduction of the employees due to economic downturn and promise to reverse the decision as soon as thing improve. In the case of British Airways the argument was not that strong and was not acceptable, that has led to series of strikes action by the employees and this development had cost British Airway to loss millions of pound. Social and cultural environment-: it is very important to consider changes such as population growth, movement and age distribution, as well as changes in cultural values and social trends such as family size and social behaviour. Factors to consider might include consumer life styles, education, and religion. Social and cultural forces at local, national, and often regional levels have profound influence on the way organizations conduct their work and on what they value in terms of outcomes and effects. For example, the mores of an indigenous culture have a bearing on the work ethic and on the way in which people relate to one another. Undoubtedly, the most profound cultural dimension is language. EXAMPLE OF HOW SOCIAL CULTURAL AFFECTS SAINSBURYS In Sainsbury current trends indicate that British customers have moved towards one-stop and bulk shopping, which is due to a variety of social changes. sainsburys have, therefore, increased the amount of non-food items available for sale. Demographic changes such as the aging population, an increase in female workers and a decline in home meal preparation mean that UK retailers are also focusing on added-value products and services. In addition, the focus is now towards; the own-label share of the business mix, the supply chain and other operational improvements, which can drive costs out of the business. National retailers are increasingly reticent to take on new suppliers (Clarke, Bennison and Guy,1994; Datamonitor Report, 2003). The type of goods and services demanded by consumers is a function of their social conditioning and their consequent attitudes and beliefs. Consumers are becoming more and more aware of health issues, and their attitudes towards food are constantly changing. One example of sainsburys adapting its product mix is to accommodate an increased demand for organic products. The company was also the first to allow customers to pay in cheques and cash at the checkout. Technology environment-: the technology environment includes the level of advancement in technical knowledge and equipment and rate of development and application. At the same time the business have to look at the nature of their products and cost effectiveness as well as their performance in relation to competition. Factors might include new technology processes, energy saving techniques, better equipments, new product development, new materials and substitutes for existing materials.New approaches to doing new and old things, and tackling new and old problems do not necessarily involve technical factors, however, technological factors are vital for competitive advantage, and are a major driver of change and efficiency. Technological; factors can for example lower barriers to entry, reduce minimum efficient production levels, and influence outsourcing decisions. New technology is changing the way business operates. http://www.ivoryresearch.com/sample5.php EXAMPLE OF HOW TECHNOLOGY HAS POSITIVE IMPACT ON TESCO In tesco technology is a major macro-environmental variable which has influenced the development of many of the Tesco products. The new technologies benefit both customers and the company: customer satisfaction rises because goods are readily available, services can become more personalised and shopping more convenient. The launch of the Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) initiative provided the shift that is now apparent in the management of food supply chains (Datamonitor Report, 2003). Tesco stores utilise the following technologies: Wireless devices Intelligent scale Electronic shelf labelling Self check-out machine Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). The adoption of Electronic Point of Sale (EPoS), Electronic Funds Transfer Systems (EFTPoS) and electronic scanners have greatly improved the efficiency of distribution and stocking activities in tesco, with needs being communicated almost in real time to the supplier (Finch, 2004). THE USE OF HRM PRACTICES HRM practices as expected in this assignment can be viewed as the concerns of every manager in any existing organisation. It is seen as a modern and highly competitive times which proves to be just one successful way out for an organisation most times it has to deal with human resource issues. The need for people in any organisation is a very important aspect because without people in the organisation, there will be no work done. Julie Beardwell and Tim Claydon(2007) In HRM practice the consideration of people, performance, enlightenment, progress and commitment is expected for a better performance. For a better performance these points listed below will be considered: Derek et al (2002) HRM strategy Recruitment Selection Organisational structure Training / Development Rewards at work HRM strategy as seen with these authors Beardwell Holden (2001) Human Resource Management in explanation suggests that a strategy is seen as a defining feature for HRM as it emerged in the 1980s. It has come to play a role in planning of organisations not just the literature aspect but also in practitioner activity as well. Two strategic approaches were mentioned that has gone a long way to enhance performance in HRM and are listed below and an additional one that is needed in the strategy as well. Macro strategic issues and locations within the organisational structure Better recruitment and selection Job design The macro-strategic issues and locations within the organisational structure is been said to be an issue to be considered and put in place in other to yield an expected result. As the case study of this assignment has specified that one of the importance of HRMP are identified to be the organisational structure, this is to an extent a fact because if the organisational structure is not in place then there will always be matters arising from this aspect all the time. This is said to have emerged in a contemporary explanation for HRMs strategic positioning in the use business focus. HRM is expected to link up with this to illustrate the range of organisational activates, looking at the example of the NHS. EXAMPLE 4 NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES (NHS) An illustration was given on how the use of HRM strategy has helped the management in the NHS to achieve a reasonable goal. It shows a major factor that HRM practise has achieved by stimulating a closer linkage by the realisation that variability of treatment rates between different hospitals may be as much to do with the management of the clinical personnel as with their access to medical technology. With this the health service provides an excellent example of the strategic positioning of HRM. EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT AND RELATIONS The use of the employee involvement and relations is a very important aspect to be considered and involved in any organisation because it makes the employee feel involved and increases the restricted manner a way of addressing some individual and collective aspects of employment relations in the workplace. Looking at this aspect, Bratton Gold (2007) interprets this that it denotes an assortment of employer and government initiates for improving a two way communication in the organisation between employee and management and this is to engage employee either directly or indirectly in decision-making in matters that affect them, for protecting employee rights for securing employee compliance with management rules through disciplinary action. Employee relationsFOUR IMPORTANT DIMENTION OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS Employee rights Employee discipline Employee involvement Employee communication Source: John Bratton Jeff Gold (2007) Human Resource Management (Theory and Practice) JOB DESIGHN Job design can also be used as HRM strategy. According to Beardwell Holden (2001) it is the product of management initiative. This also has now become a contested terrain, the contingent product of what some call a structured antagonism (Edwards, 1986) between capital and labour. This brings up the study of human relations at work as a way of thinking about how jobs could be designed to secure some accommodation between the need of employees. Mayo, Roethlisberger and Dickson, the UK-based studies emanating from the Tavistock Institute, and the various movements addressing the quality of working life, arose in response to the perceived failures of Taylorism. This is seen as a change and moving things from one place to another and also gains commitment to change. Culture is said to develop over a period of time and not to be imposed and it is likely to emerge from a conflict of values and beliefs. It has been proven that HRM has been embraced by many working within the theory and practice of job (re) design is still founded on the prediction and promise that individuals need to be provided with stimulating and enriched jobs, which tap those intellectual and cognitive domains left dormant by the traditions of organisation and management. This will encourage them to perform far more varied and skilled jobs. EXAMPLE 5 UK JOBS AT RISK AFTER US CUTS In September 11, 2008 it was reported that more than 11,000 British jobs could be at risk after the Defence of US Department cancelled a contest bidding job worth of a  £20bn for a fleet of new air refuelling tankers. This could be seen as one of the practices of HRM in an organisation, getting information and finding a solution to it before it gets out of hand or have an adverse effect on the organisation. Recruitment according to humanresources.about.com is the process of finding candidates, reviewing applicant credentials, screening potential employees. Finding those candidates or employees as stated that will fit the purpose of the organisation. To achieve an effective result of this exercise getting those employees who are skilled, experienced and good fit with the organisation as stated, also those who will be loyal to the organisation should be giving a consideration by using the preferred method. There are several methods of recruitment which are social network, job center plus, newpapers, employee referral scheme, search consultants, commercial job boards etc. These few mentioned are methods of recruitment and most times it has turned out to be the best option or medium of recruitment. Using the social network could be either good or bad because most people not knowing using their pictures and slangs to portray them selves could be rejected by such acts without them knowing. In recruitment there has to be a consideration of the individuals that are being recruited to see how the performance can be and development as well as expected in the human resource cycle. The means of employing and managing people includes a trial of techniques stretching from job analysis through selection, pay, appraisal, training and so on Peter Boxall John Purcell (2003). EXAMPLE 6 A HIRED CRIMINAL AS POLICE CONSTABLE As seen in the case of Metro in August 13, 2004 the case revealed how this fellow was employed and has been working with the Scotland Yard police force. He lied about his past and was given the position of patrol officer to go through the streets of Belgravia, West London. As the case shows he faced dismissal and has been taken away from the street till his case will be finalised. These are responsibilities of HRM to carry out some checks in terms of recruitment and selection. EXAMPLE 7 THE M16 RECRUITMENT ON FACEBOOK This social network site revealed by Metro, September 29, 2008 began operation in 2006; they were mainly using radio and newspaper adverts. They now use face book to recruit secret agents as part of its drive to find operational officers and the aim was specified by the Foreign officer was to reach a wide variety of people, it also targets pools of talented representatives of British society. Most people have decided to use this site as fun and time keeping network and will be reminded at a time like this that it could ruin or benefit them to a greater height. It has also resulted to face book sacking of an employee as stated in one of the newspapers, the employee forgot that the manager is one of his friends on face book and was telling another friend on how she hate her job and the Manager as well and called him a name pervy. As a result of this act, she was sacked. Every one should be careful the way they behave outside work place because any thing can lead to a bad outcome if car e is not taking at the work place. EXAMPLE 8 HOLIDAY INN BOSS THAT QUITS OVER CV LIE BY JAYNE ATHERTON (2008) This was an issue that has brought to light that most people fake their c vs. no matter the level. Just at the point where this fellow Patrick Imbardelli will join the board of directors he was discovered to have lied about his qualifications and ha admitted it as well by resigning immediately this was discovered. Though he was appreciated in the company and has impacted a lot in the organisation according to the report, it still did not erase the fact that he lied and claimed to have got the qualifications hat was not anywhere to be found. These issues should be taking a serious area of concentration in recruitment and checks should also be carried out SELECTION Selection after a careful thinking on how the recruitment method has gone through, the consideration of selecting those who have the potential of doing the job as expected and can fit in the culture of the organisation. This will be considered through the behavioural and coordinating style of the individual who will be selected. Selection according to Heery Noon (2001).pg 320 explains that, it is the process of assessing job applicants using one of a variety of methods with the purpose of finding the most suitable person for the organisation. Arguments have been made according to D. Nickson (2007) that most times that the selection of staffs should be seen as an important aspect of HRM practise in organisations and needs to be considered effective if applicable. The use of various selection methods should be considered so as to get it the first time round before the go on cost problem by training more than required. He stated that the selection process could be two aspects namely The organisation have the power in the process of selection The selection criteria It has been stated that every organisation have the power in the selection process and to an extent this is true because, the rules as in policy of the organisation has to be strictly followed and if the individual cannot comply with it , then they do not get the job. The selection criteria is also very important because the person involved has to be fit for the job and job interaction is also to be put in consideration. The ability to work in teams will also be examined because it will go a long way to help. In most organisations team work has been considered as a vital aspect and has brought about job efficiency in most organisations. Methods of selection could be: Interview, the most popular Psychometric testing Presentation Assessment centre Telephone screening Application form Self assessment These methods mentioned above will be profitable for all organisations if applicable and it will be considered successful and consideration on fairness on candidates, cost effective, user friendly, and acceptable to both organisations as well. Must be reliable and valid EXAMPLE 9- THE USE OF ASSESSMENT CENTRES BY EASY JET In this case study, it was stated that in (2002) as a major airline, easy jet is concerned in getting it right at the stage of recruitment especially pilots, and it is said to be one of the companies most expensive resources in terms of salary, training and career development. This was introduced in 1999 and has now been extended to the recruitment of cabin crew and call centre employees. In this study the pilots face a lot of challenges and help them to cope under pressure, ability to adhere to standard and technical knowledge. They are also accessed in leadership and decision-making criteria. In HRM practice recruitment and selection is been considered as an important aspect because that is the means of getting those who are fit and qualified and can also help the organisation in profiting and expanding which leads to competitive advantage against competitors. ORGANISATINAL STRUCTURE According to J Mullins (2002) Organisational structure is the pattern of relationships among positions in the organisation and also members. The structure could be seen as a means of creating a command and a framework of how activities of the organisation can be planned, organised, and direct and controlled. The structure is said to define tasks and responsibilities in the organisation as well as work roles, relationship and channels of communication. This is very important in every organisation because the task, responsibility and authority will be clearly seen for a proper work guide and environment. The need for organisational structure review should always be a paramount thing in the organisation to ensure growth and development amongst employees. EXAMPLE 10 British Gas by Richard V. Giodano, Chairman British Gas plc. The decision taken by the government to introduce competition in the entire gas market in Great Britain has stimulated a rapid change in structure and regulation of the gas industry. The new systems and business practices had to be designed and implemented throughout our organisation and cultures and values which served the company well in the past and had to adapt to the company. This is most times important for every organisation because it will specify the task and also reveal the responsibilities and will also monitor the activities, give accountability and it also provides the criteria for structural effectiveness. Structure, thought is not an end in itself but a means of improving organisational performance. TRAINING / DEVELOPMENT A four-stage training model by John Bratton Jeff Gold (2007) Identify training needs and specify objectives Design activities Implement activities Evaluate activities Training with regards to Armstrong (2009) is the use of systematic and planned instruction activities to promote learning. The approach can be summarized in the phase learner-based training. This he said is one of several responses an organisation can undertake to promote learning. As Reynolds (2004) points out, training has a complementary role to play in accelerating learning. It should be reserved for situations that justify a more directed, expert-led approach rather than viewing it as a comprehensive and all- pervasive people development solution. The illustration also suggested that the conventional training model has a tendency to emphasise subject-specific knowledge, rather than trying to build core learning ability. Training as it is seen has a great impact in the organisation and the staffs that is trained is always efficient in their job and performance. EFFECTIVE TRAINING PRACTICES The effective training practice is seen to be using the systematic approached defined above with an emphasis on skills of analysis. In terms of the behaviour required, it should be clearly as a result of training and can be explained as on completing this training the participant will be able to identify the expected behaviour and provide the basis for evaluation, which is an essential element in the achievement of successful training. Types of training given by Armstrong (2009) are listed below: Personal skills Training in organisation practices e.g., induction, health and safety, performance management, equal opportunity or managing diversity policy and practice IT skills Supervisors story Manual skills, including modern apprenticeship Management training Interpersonal skills, e.g. leadership, team-building, group dynamics, neuro-linguistic programmes In training and development, it is to an extent a way of developing an individual for a better fit in the organisation. It an employee is trained such individual is meant to develop in several area both practical and theory. Personal development should be seen as carrying out a planning by individual with guidance, encouragement and help from their managers as required. Training and development with Nickson (2007) now seek to emphasize adaptability, flexibility and continuous development to ensure that organisations can survive and compete in an ever more competitive environment. Training and development is not just for organisation but also for lifelong learning for individuals as well. Increasingly in the UK in the 1980s and 2990 there was an emerging consensus from government, policy makers and practitioners that training should be encouraged within organisations for greater good of the importance of training and the need to encourage it to foster an effectiveness in the organisation. EXAMPLE 11 DELCO-REMY COMPANY LTD Delco-Remy trained its employees in participative management,it succeeded in differentiating itself from all competitors in the eyes of Honda and others. The successes of this training and resultant competitive advantage is described by Delcos Keith W. Wander: EXAMPLE 12. MERCEDES MOTORS has trained mechanics in service garages (their servicers)throughout the United States in order that Mercedes can offer 24-lourservicing anywhere in the United States. EXAMPLE 13. NISSAN MOTORS AND HONDA MOTORS Offer extensive training programs to their parts suppliers in order to enhance the quality of their products (both them as well as the suppliers). EXAMPLE 14.McDonalds McDonalds uses its intensive training program at Hamburger University to ensure. that its franchisees or distributors run as efficiently as possible. Although training is also done in order to attain consistent quality, its competitive advantage from training is attained from a cost/efficiency thrust. Offers extensive training to their franchise owners (i e their distributors/servicers). IMPROVING TRAINING AT PONTIS This company is a British company that has a number of holiday centres which are catering primarily for families. Majority of their workers are seasonal and they all work for a short period of time. Despite the high turnover of staff that they always have the opportunity to improve and no matter how short they stay with the company. As a result the drawing of the lip guidelines the company now has a structure which means that all employees have the opportunity to a personal development file with job description and aims, access to NVQs, access to funding for vocational training, assistance with professional equalisations and assessment of aims and goals and help achieving them. EXAMPLE 15 INVESTING IN PEOPLE AT WHAT COST? AMANDA Scott, the then General Manager of the Copthorne Hotel in Glasgow, suggests that in many respects lip embodied what any good manager should be doing investing in their people. A lot of criticism was also mentioned. Most companies who have attained this lip standard often already got goo HR system and procedures in place so gaining the award may simply be nothing more than a badging process. This points out that the costly nature of lip accreditation could be particularly important for smaller companies who predominate in tourism and hospitality. The CIPD has come up with the total cost of  £5000- £15000 depending on the size of the organisation and how much co

Social Security :: essays research papers

Just having a Social Security number is no longer a symbol of adulthood, the numbers use is no longer confined to working and paying taxes. Government agencies, business and schools rely on Social Security numbers to identify people in their computer systems. Many people receive their Social Security numbers when they start their first job. It is the first step into becoming an American citizen and, to pay taxes. Since the beginning, in 1935, the Social Security number has become more and more important, to make even the simplest purchase, to have to supply one. However many people are not comfortable with handing over this valuable asset. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has become aware of this growing concern through the years, but unfortunlly there is no law prohibiting their use by business and government. Banks and other financial institutions use this number to report interest earned on accounts to the IRS. Other government agencies use these numbers in computer matching operations to stop fraud and abuse. Although you can't prevent others from asking for the number, it does not give the use the right to access you Social Security records. The privacy of these records is guaranteed, unless by use of the government for health or welfare programs. Each Social Security number comes in 9 digits, and has 3 parts. The first three digits indicate the state shown in the mailing address on the original application. The lowest numbers were assigned to the New England states, and the number grew higher in the south. But, in recent years, this relationship has been disrupted somewhat by the need to allocate numbers out of sequence as state populations change. The middle two digits do not really mean anything, but serve to break numbers into blocks. Social Security :: essays research papers Just having a Social Security number is no longer a symbol of adulthood, the numbers use is no longer confined to working and paying taxes. Government agencies, business and schools rely on Social Security numbers to identify people in their computer systems. Many people receive their Social Security numbers when they start their first job. It is the first step into becoming an American citizen and, to pay taxes. Since the beginning, in 1935, the Social Security number has become more and more important, to make even the simplest purchase, to have to supply one. However many people are not comfortable with handing over this valuable asset. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has become aware of this growing concern through the years, but unfortunlly there is no law prohibiting their use by business and government. Banks and other financial institutions use this number to report interest earned on accounts to the IRS. Other government agencies use these numbers in computer matching operations to stop fraud and abuse. Although you can't prevent others from asking for the number, it does not give the use the right to access you Social Security records. The privacy of these records is guaranteed, unless by use of the government for health or welfare programs. Each Social Security number comes in 9 digits, and has 3 parts. The first three digits indicate the state shown in the mailing address on the original application. The lowest numbers were assigned to the New England states, and the number grew higher in the south. But, in recent years, this relationship has been disrupted somewhat by the need to allocate numbers out of sequence as state populations change. The middle two digits do not really mean anything, but serve to break numbers into blocks.

James Joyce Essay -- essays research papers fc

In selecting James Joyce's Ulysses as the best novel of the twentieth century, Time magazine affirmed Joyce's lasting legacy in the realm of English literature. James Joyce (1882-1941), the twentieth century Irish novelist, short story writer and poet is a major literary figure of the twentieth-century. Regarded as "the most international of writers in English ¡K[with] a global reputation (Attridge, pix), Joyce's stature in literature stems from his experimentation with English prose. Influenced by European writers and an encyclopedic knowledge of European literatures, Joyce's distinctive writing style includes epiphanies, the stream-of-consciousness technique and conciseness. Born in Rathgar, near Dubtin, in 1882, he lived his adult life in Europe and died in Zurich, Switzerland in 1941. The eldest of then children, Joyce attended a Jesuit boarding school Clongowes Wood from 18888-1891 and Belvedere College, another Jesuit school from 1893-1898. In 1902, Joyce graduated from University College and went to live in exile in Europe unable to tolerate the narrow-mindedness of his native country. Ironically, Ireland and Irish people become the subject of his short stories and novels. The two central preoccupations of his work are a sense of betrayal. Ireland, dominated both political and economically by Britain and religiously by the Catholic Church caused Joyce to regard them as "the two imperialisms" (Attridge P. 34). Roman Catholicism is an integral aspect of the novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. In 1917, the English novelist H.G. Wells in a review of the novel in the New Republic wrote, "by far the most living and convincing pic ture that exists of an Irish Catholic upbringing." Joyce's focus on betrayal was a consequence of the downfall in 1889of the Irish leader Charles Stuart Parnell when he was attacked by the Irish Catholic Church when named a correspondent in a divorce case. This treachery left an indelible mark on Joyce's mind. 	Joyce literary talent emerged at Belvedere as he began to read the work of European writers and in particular the Norwegian dramatist, Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906). At the age of eighteen, Joyce wrote an essay entitled "Ibsen's New Drama" which was published in the Fortnightly Review. When Ibsen sent him a note of thanks, "the awestruck Joyce resolved to learn Norwegion... ... days the about life span of his characters-as Joyce world do in 'The Dead' in Ulysses, and perhaps in Finnegan's Wake." (Atteridge p.65) There was an increasing concentration on form and language in Joyce's five novels. In A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Joyce in a few lines, describes Stephan, Dedalues's mood and characters. Works Cited 1. Arnold, Armin. James Joyce. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1969. 2. Attridge, Derek. The Cambridge Companion to James Joyce. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1990. 3. Benstock, Bernard. "Joyce, James." Twentieth Century Authors. New York: HW Wilson Company, 1942. 4. Cahalan, James M. A Critical History. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1988. 5. "Joyce, James Augustine Aloysins." Microsoft Corpuration. Encarta. CD-Rom. Encarta. 1993-1996. 6. Kalasky, Drew. Short Story Criticism. Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1995. 7. Kenner, Hugh, Fritz Senn, E.L. Esptein, Robert Boyle, SJ. A Starchamber Quiry: a James Joyce Centennial Volume, 1882-1982. New York: Methuen & Co. Ltd, 1982. 8. Rice, Thomas Jackson. James Joyce: Life, Work, and Criticism. Frederiction: York Press LTD., 1985.

NLM Analysis :: essays research papers

Part I Logistic Business Transportation, Process to manufactures & 3 keys Shipper needs to ship product or goods by using Carrier to Receiver 3rd Party Logistics Provider / Service Shipper   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Receiver   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Type of 3PLs   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Asset-Based  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Non-Asset-Based Revenue   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   100%  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   100% COGS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  80 – 85%  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  70 - 74% Gross Profit Margin  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15 – 20%  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  26 – 30% Asset-Based: Owned its own fleet of transportation vehicles i.e. truck, airplanes, railroads and ocean freighters Non-Asset-Based: without any of their own physical assets. Freight Transportation Multiple shipments: air, water, truck, and rail  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Truck segment: Ryder, Penske, and Emery Freight to small owner-operated trucking firm  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In competition: smaller firms developed specialty service or served niche markets  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Large firms expanded into multiple modes of transport and provide service across a wide range  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All shipper demanded Goals be transported safety& timely fashion  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Price importance all companies (especially large, automakers) want to reduce cost of delivery to customer  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Big 3 automaker (Ford, GM, Daimler Chrysler) looking to better management of supply chain (the series of transaction & interaction between suppliers, buyers, and intermediaries) to minimize costs while improving quality  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All parties – manufacturers, 3PLs, suppliers – could participate in EDI (electronic data interchange) NLM Overview National Logistics Management is the only North American Third Party Logistics provider to specialize solely in premium freight for manufacturing industries, including automotive manufacturers. It is non-asset based and has a unique business model that employs its proprietary software to utilize the Internet to determine optimal shipping modes; export shipments to its vast carrier base including ground, air freight, and air charter; receive bids back form its carrier network; evaluate the lowest bids and carrier quality ratings; and coordinate shipments based on best price and carrier quality ratings all within a 30-minute window. Company profile Founded in 1991 Over 1.3 Million shipments successfully managed. Network in North America: 200+ Assembly and Manufacturing Plants 6,800+ Suppliers and 300+ Ground, Air Freight, and Air Charter Carriers Financial Information †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1999 Revenues:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $ 7.3million No debt †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Total share:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  $ 825 million (10% MKT Share) †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Employee:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  111 –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  65 in Detroit, Michigan Office –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  36 Logistic coordinators & Supervisors –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7 Audit Team –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 Marketing & Business Development –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2 IT Team Business Model Business to Business NLM to Big 3 automaker (Ford, GM, Daimler Chrysler) NLM manages the return of containers to over 130 suppliers throughout North America. The returnable container program is part of an industry-wide greening strategy to reduce landfill use and decrease production-source pollution. Suppliers ship their products to the plant in returnable, reusable plastic containers. Most containers are returned to the suppliers within a 12-24 hour period. NLM determines release quantities and ship frequencies for containers and monitors supplier inventories.

Mamma Mia! the Musical: History and Music

Mamma Mia! is hit Broadway musical that celebrates the music of ABBA, a 1970’s Swedish pop group.   It includes over 20 original ABBA songs, the most famous of which is Mamma Mia, which lends itself to the title of the musical.   The musical is based on a book written by British author Catherine Johnson, and the music was primarily written by Benny Andersson and Bjà ¶rn Ulvaeus of ABBA. ABBA began in the 1970’s in Sweden, and became famous when the group won the 1974 Eurovision song writing contest.   It consisted of four members: Benny Andersson, Bjà ¶rn Ulvaeus, Ani-Frid Lyngstad, and Agnetha Faltskog.   It is from their first names that the group’s name came.   They wrote songs that became extremely popular world-wide, including Dancing Queen (which was number one on charts across the world, including the US.   It was only song to become number one in the US), Waterloo (the song that won the Eurovision contest), and of course, Mamma Mia.   All of these popular songs, and more, are included in the show that became Mamma Mia! (Mamma Mia official site). Catherine Johnson’s book tells a story about a daughter (Sophie) who is about to get married, but she doesn’t know who her own father is.   She is living on a Greek island paradise, and invites the three potential candidates to the island to see her – the first time they’ve all set foot on the island in 20 years (Harry, Bill, and Sam).   She tries to figure out which one of these men is her father while hiding this from her mother, Donna, who won’t talk about her past.   Her goal is to have her real father walk her down the aisle. Ultimately, her mother walks her down the aisle because everyone realizes that they don’t know who her real father is, but that it doesn’t matter – they will all be a part of her life.   She also realizes she doesn’t actually want to get married, so her mother ends up marrying one of the three men (Sam) instead, and Sophie and her fiancà © go off to travel the world (Wikipedia). The musical is interspersed with songs like Does Your Mother Know, Super-Trouper, Lay All Your Love on Me, and more.   Many of the songs are not used in their original context, but are used in key parts of the musical.   For example, the original lyrics in Does Your Mother Know are sung by a man who is asking his underage date if her mother know she’s seeing him.   In the musical, it is sung by women and used to ask Sophie if her mother knows she’s invited these men to the island (Wikipedia). The original idea for the musical was conceived in 1989 by Judy Craymer, and was to use popular ABBA songs in the new context of a musical.   Bjà ¶rn and Benny had attempted to write their own musical in the 70’s, consisting of songs like Thank You for the Music (now used in Mamma Mia!) and others, but it was never completed.   Lending songs to a musical that was completed and performed was obviously something they were interested in.   In May 1999, 10 years after the original idea, Mamma Mia! was born, and made its debut in London theaters.   While the creators and producers were initially worried about audience reception, it was an instant success, and went on to play all over Britain, and then in the United States on Broadway. The U.S. debut was in 2000, and has since played in many Broadway and off-Broadway theaters throughout the country.   It is playing simultaneously in more theaters than any other musical.   Today, it is estimated that over 20 million people have seen the show (Mamma Mia official website).   The show has toured all major US cities and many minor ones as well, and continues to play on Broadway.   There are several casts that are performing the show at any given time. The show is now playing world-wide, including in Japan, Sweden, and other European countries.   It is estimated that 1.3 million people have seen the show in one of these countries.   The show has swept not only the English-speaking countries, but the entire world.   The soundtrack is also available in different languages for the diverse audience members. Typical advertising lines include â€Å"People are singing in their seats and dancing in the aisles† when they see the musical.   Also, audience members are encouraged to sing along during the encore, which consists of three songs sung earlier in the musical; there are 22 unique songs in all.  Ã‚   Audiences consist of people of all ages, as the musical is family friendly and the music is loved not only by the older generation that grew up with it, but also by the younger generation becoming familiar with it for the first time (Mamma Mia! official site). The combination of familiar, well-loved songs with a new, exciting story is what makes Mamma Mia! what it is.   Many of the adults in world were growing up during the 1970’s and spent a lot of time listening to ABBA music.   Their songs topped charts around the world from their debut in 1974 straight through the mid-80’s.   They produced several greatest hits CDs, include ABBA Gold and More Gold, which together include over 40 songs.   ABBA continues to play on â€Å"oldies† radios today, and their music has been passed down to younger generations. The music is so upbeat and exciting and perfect for the stage that when it was combined with the cute and interesting story by Catherine Johnson, it was well-received and well-loved.   Mamma Mia! will likely continue to play in theaters throughout the country for several more years, as it continues to be an exciting, fun show for all to enjoy. Bibliography â€Å"Mamma Mia!† Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.   Modified Dec. 8, 2006.   Accessed December 12, 2006.   Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamma_Mia! â€Å"Mamma-Mia Official Website.†Ã‚   Accessed December 12, 2006.   Website: http://www.mamma-mia.com/