Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 22

Assignment Example Mr. McLeod, new general manager of All-Asia Paper (AAP) Company must develop ways of dealing with corruption to increase productivity of the company and save lives of company workers. Key alternatives: Mr. McLeod can introduce professional ethics in the company and ensure that all workers adhere to it. Mr. McLeod can refuse to give bribes and let the government and company officials carry out their threats. In the end, it is cheaper to pay a fine and learn to put things straight than live under the thorns of threats, intimidations and blackmails that will lower efficiency and quality of services. Mr. McLeod can resign if Goh (company owner) fail to support him fight the vice that makes the company perform below par and lose million of dollars. Analysis: The Company is performing below expectations as it produces 21,500 tonnes instead of 43,000 tonnes of pulp. Over ten workers have died within eight months for failing to put on protective clothing. The company is about to loose thousands of dollars in bribes to a government safety and health inspector so as not to have a bad report on the faulty outlet pipe and poor working conditions in the company. Government officials and some company employees use threats, blackmails and frauds to induce company officials to give bribes. Finally, Mr. McLeod knows that some threats of safety and health official is non-factual and may be of little significance if implemented. Decision: Mr. McLeod is angry and worried about the corruption levels in Asia. This is impediment to excellent performance and profitable growth of AAP. He decides to introduce professional ethics and provide necessary skills needed by all workers to do their jobs adequately and reduce work related hazards. Action Plan: Mr. McLeod instructs the human resources department to develop curriculum for training all employees. The curriculum shall cover all job specifications, ethics as well as health

Taylorism Paper Essay Example for Free

Taylorism Paper Essay The American Frederick W. Taylor (1856–1915) pioneered the scientific management approach to work organization, hence the term Taylorism. Taylor developed his ideas on work organization while working as superintendent at the Midvale Steel Company in Pennsylvania, USA. Taylorism represents both a set of management practices and a system of ideological assumptions. The autonomy (freedom from control) of craft workers was potentially a threat to managerial control. For the craft worker, the exercise of control over work practices was closely linked to his personality, as this description of ‘craft pride’, taken from the trade journal Machinery in 1915, suggests: As a first-line manager, Taylor not surprisingly viewed the position of skilled shop-floor workers differently. He was appalled by what he regarded as inefficient working practices and the tendency of his subordinates not to put in a full day’s work, what Taylor called ‘natural soldiering’. He believed that workers who did manual work were motivated solely by money – the image of the ‘greedy robot’ – and were too stupid to develop the most efficient way of performing a task – the ‘one best way’. The role of management was to analyse ‘scientifically’ all the tasks to be undertaken, and then to design jobs to eliminate time and motion waste. Taylor’s approach to work organization and employment relations was based on the following five principles: †¢maximum job fragmentation †¢separate planning and doing †¢separate ‘direct’ and ‘indirect’ labour †¢a minimization of skill requirements †¢a minimization of handling component parts and material. The centrepiece of scientific management is the separation of tasks into their simplest constituent elements – ‘routinization of work’ (the first principle). Most manual workers were viewed as sinful and stupid, and therefore all decision-making functions had to be removed from their hands (the second principle). All prepa-ration and servicing tasks should be taken away from the skilled worker (direct labour), and, drawing on Charles Babbage’s principle, performed by unskilled and cheaper labour (indirect labour, in the third principle). Minimizing the skill requirements to perform a task would reduce the worker’s control over work activities or the labour process (the fourth principle). Finally, management should ensure that the layout of the machines on the factory floor minimized the movement of people and materials to shorten the time taken (the fifth principle).While the logic of work fragmentation and routinization is simple and compelling, the principles of Taylorism reflect the class antagonism that is found in employment relations. When Taylor’s principles were applied to work organization, they led to the intensification of work: to ‘speeding up’, ‘deskilling’ and new techniques to control workers, as shown in Figure 3.2. And since gender, as we have dis-cussed, is both a system of classification and a structure of power relations, it should not surprise us that Taylorism contributed to the shift in the gender composition of engineering firms. As millions of men were recruited into the armed forces for the First World War (1914–18), job fragmentation and the production of standardized items such as rifles, guns and munitions enabled women ‘dilutees’ to be employed in what had previously been skilled jobs reserved exclusively for men. Some writers argue that Taylorism was a relatively short-lived phenomenon, which died in the economic depression of the 1930s. However, others have argued that this view underestimates the spread and influence of Taylor’s principles: ‘the popular notion that Taylorism has been â€Å"superseded† by later schools of â€Å"human relations†, that it â€Å"failed† †¦ represents a woeful misreading of the actual dynamics of the development of management’. Similarly, others have made a persuasive case that, ‘In general the direct and indirect influence of Taylorism on factory jobs has been extensive, so that in Britain job design and technology design have become imbued with neo-Taylorism’ (ref. 10, p. 73).

Sleep Apnea: The Unsuspected Killer Essay -- Sleeping Disorders Papers

In spite of their efforts to ensure they obtain sufficient sleep to prevent daytime sleepiness, many people are consistently tired during the day. Some of them have a breathing disorder called sleep apnea, although they may be completely unaware of this fact. When the symptoms of sleep apnea are unrecognized or ignored, the disorder usually causes a combination of medical, social, and psychological illnesses -- which can become life-threatening over a prolonged period. Although sleep apnea is not a curable disorder, when symptomatic individuals utilize the availability of a simplistic diagnosis process and effective treatments, they will participate in a preventative medicine, adding years to their lives. Although sleep seems to be "...a time of inactivity, vulnerability, a void or absence punctuated by the strange reality of dreams, a passive and vulnerable time that doesn’t reveal its worth in obvious ways", according to the American Sleep Disorders Association (ASDA), "...sleep is not merely a time out from daily life. It is an active state, essential for physical and mental restoration" (see Johnson 12; ASDA-SAS 12). In fact, Ralph Pascualy, in his book Snoring and Sleep Apnea, states: "Scientists were surprised to discover that brains are anything but idle during the night." Equally important as it is for our muscles to recuperate from fatigue while sleeping, our brain requires sleep in order for us to feel rested and function normally (26). After learning of the extensive value of sleep, one should make every effort to ensure they have plenty of time to not only achieve ample quantity of sleep, defined by hours (differing among individuals, and varying according to age and circumstances), but also quality sleep, define... ...es." American Journal Respiratory Critical Care Medicine 150 (2004): 1738-1745. (Referred to in text as ATS-ISUN) American Thoracic Society. "Sleep Apnea, Sleepiness, and Driving Risk." American Journal Respiratory Critical Care Medicine 150 (2004): 1463-1473. (Referred to in text as ATS-SSDR) Findley, Larry, et al. "Vigilance and Automobile Accidents in Patients With Sleep Apnea or Narcolepsy." Chest 108 (2005:3) : 619-624. Johnson, Scott T., and Jerry Halberstadt. Phantom of the Night. Cambridge: New Technology, 2004. Martin, Richard, et al. "Indications and Standards for Cardiopulmonary Sleep Studies." Sleep 8 (2001) : 371-379. Pascualy, Ralph A., and Sally Warren Soest. Snoring and Sleep Apnea. New York: Demos Vermande, 2006. The Center for Sleep Apnea. Patient Information Concerning Sleep Examination. Redding: The Center for Sleep Apnea, 2005.

A Review of Multmodal Learning Styles Essay

Cara making, outllnes ana time lines created, ana In tne cnolce 0T pnyslcal environment used for study. A read-write learner absorbs information through written forms: lists, reading texts or handouts, detailed note taking, power points, and additional resources like paper or online articles about the subject. Student A also uses some of the strategies of this style with the additional research on the topic, multiple proof reading of written content, and reading of all assigned texts or handouts. Review of the learning strategies of both the read-write and the inesthetic learning styles shows helpful strategies not currently used by Student A. This student can also benefit by incorporating several learning strategies from each style. The kinesthetic strategy of relating the information to their own life experiences and finding real life examples would help Student A to retain and recall information as it is attached to real life references the student has already internalized. Using the read-write strategies of rewriting information several times and turning the content of a graph or diagram into a written summary would help Student A clarify and retain nderstanding of that content. Using the VARK Learning Style Assessment is a helpful tool for any learner. It gives helpful information that allows the student insights into how they learn and offers strategies to make the most of that learning style and avoid the problems that can be associated with that style. It is also very helpful for a student to understand that there are other learning styles and be aware of the focus of those learning styles. This aids in translating information given in another style in to the student’s style for optimum learning and also helps the tudent translate their style to accommodate the learning style of another when teaching information. References Deep and Surface Approaches to Learning. n. d. ). Retrieved from http:// exchange. ac. uk/learning-and-teaching-theory-guide/deep-and-surface-approaches- learning. html Fleming, N. D. , ; Mills, C. (1992). Not Another Inventory, Rather a Catalyst for Reflection. To Improve the Academy, 1 10, 137. Fleming, N. D. (2011). VARK: A Review of Those Who Are Multimodal. Retrieved from http://www. vark-learn. com/ english/page_content/multimodality. htm

Newspaper Industry

Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 THE DISTRIBUTION NETWORK DEVELOPEMENT IN PRINT MEDIA Assoc. Lect. Loredana Iordache Ph. D University of Craiova [email  protected] fr Lect. Radu Criveanu Ph. D University of Craiova [email  protected] com Assoc. Prof. Cernaianu Nicolae Ph. D Titu Maiorescu University, Bucharest [email  protected] com Abstract: In this article, we identify the characteristics of the distribution networks in print media and the features of marketing in mass media, emphasising the attempts initiated by the press in the context of the financial crisis.The research was conducted through a case study on regional newspaper,, Gazeta de Sud† The main problems analyzed were decreasing newspaper circulation and advertising. The research taken into account trends and developments worldwide print media as well as print media particularities of Romania, with a focus on identifying factors that contribu ted to the closure of a significant number of newspapers, or their transition from printed version online format.The paper is mainly focused on some practical issues related to the way of organizing the print media sales networks, the authors elaborating proposals for the implementation of certain measures to increase the circulation, on the one hand, and on the hand, to increase the sale of ad space in the newspaper. Compared with other products, the newspaper has unique characteristics caused by daily changing content, and therefore the product itself. Having a highly perishable, the content of media products should always seen in relation to time, which requires more rapid distribution and continuous production.Key words: distribution networks, advertising, marketing strategies, print media JEL Code: L11,L22,M37 Introduction: The way in which the economic crisis has influenced the distribution policies differs from one company to another and from one activity domain to another. I n order to understand the application procedure of the distribution policy at the level of the media institutions, it is necessary to clarify the content of the media products and of the specific elements that favors or limit the application of marketing concepts, methods and techniques. One of the main characteristics f the media selling network is the fact that it generates profit, not only by an increase in the number of sold newspapers, but also by an increase in the number of readers, which determines a growth in the newspaper space sold for advertising. Fixing the selling price of ad space depends on several criteria mainly related to audience size and its socio-economic profile. Advertising buyers invest in newspaper ad space in terms of achieving a certain number of users or buyers (Bertand, 2001). Type of distribution networks is different from one country to another depending on a number of features.Thus in France and Italy press is bought mainly from newsstands, in Sweden is generalized newspapers home delivery while in U. S. besides newspapers home delivery are mainly used newspapers vending machines. The study analyzes the current situation of media products market with special emphasis on the print media in Romania and proposes a series of measures for development and improvement of distribution networks. The importance given to this activity consists in the need for information on the paper available to the readers. 1.Current trends in print media The economic crisis caused a serious decline in the print media circulation, contributing to a great extent to the dissolution of many important papers, a part of which can only be found online. The print media industry finds itself in a critical moment. In the last few years, the media institutions have tried to develop online products and to find new income sources to provide for the transition from the printed paper to the digital one. Although the access to the Internet is continuously growing, the value of the revenues generated by the Internet newspapers is still very low.According to the data presented on different specialized websites [11] in 2011, in the USA the revenues from advertising in the print media format were still in decline for the sixth year in a row. Thus, according to the study by Amy Mitchell and Tom Rosentiel of The Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ) the losses generated in 2011 by „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 141 Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 the advertising decrease on the print paper were ten times higher than the revenues generated by the online advertising [12].The situation is as critical in Europe as it is in Romania where a number of papers closed or remained only with their the online version. An analysis of the Romanian press situation shows that the advertising revenues for the online newspapers are low, despite having register ed a sudden improvement lately [7]. Thus, the central papers register a higher income than the local papers, which have insignificant revenues that do not compensate for the revenues obtained from the print version of the newspaper, though more and more readers have access to the Internet [6].As far as the online market for the local publications is concerned, we consider that the strategy adopted should be differently approached, because the local companies, as faithful clients for advertising, have not been interested yet in online advertising. In addition to this, the integral online version of the paper has an increased number of readers, but reduces the number of print version buyers and therefore decreases the revenues. It is probable that the general tendency of the media is to be published online.But, we should not forget that the online version is not accessible to important categories of the population, at least not yet to the rural population. From our point of view, the main reasons why the sale of advertising spaces in the online version of the newspaper did not have the estimated results are the following: a) Firstly, the most important national papers, which impose the trend on the market, have a wrong marketing strategy, offering the online content of the paper to the readers free of charge.At the same time, there is no solution found to financially evaluate the new audience gained on the internet. In other words, by consciously moving the readers from the print version to the electronic/online version, the papers have lost important sums of money. b) Secondly, the financial crisis has determined a budget adjustment in advertising, which had subsequently an impact on the entire print media in Romania. The important advertising clients have focused only on TV lately, by allocating their budgets to the TV stations as a media vehicle and completely eliminating the newspapers from the marketing mix. ) Thirdly, another reason for this situation is t he fact that, once moved on the internet, the newspapers became direct competitors for the advertising budgets together will the other websites. Before the technological revolution brought about by the Internet, the papers were in competition with the other media (TV and radio stations etc. ) . Nowadays, the newspapers compete for the online budgets not only with the other media, but with the entire spectrum of websites, from Google to Facebook and Yahoo. ) Another reason, as mentioned above, is the distrust of the faithful clients of the local advertising in the impact of the digital version of the paper. In Romania, the number of publication have dramatically dropped, the audience rates have become half of the 2008 value and the editorial offices have to constantly take measures to reduce costs [5]. The number of employees is continually decreasing, leading to a reduction in the number of quality articles that may be produced.Moreover, the reporters are asked to produce more and t o increase the content for all the platforms: print, digital, mobile, but also to promote this content on the social networks. This fact led to a general dissatisfaction among the reporters. At the same time, the revenues from the paper selling and from the advertising spaces in the print version have decreased, and values from the online revenues could not compensate for the difference. A major part of the paper circulation is determined by the distribution costs.The circulation of a newspaper represents the number of copies distributed for a paper edition and it is formed of the papers sold by piece, with subscription, in promotions or for protocols etc. A new approach in the case of many regional newspapers is to concentrate on the most profitable zones, thus reducing the costs. The marketing strategy is based on the fidelity of the readers and not on approaching new markets. As opposed to other goods, the paper is a perishable product which is quickly replaced by another one.On account of this, the selling price is low in order to assure its accessibility, a quick selling and implicitly the market clearance for new products. However, the costs are high and the profit share is low under these circumstances. For the production of a newspaper, the producer needs a series of resources, such as: raw material and equipment, qualified workforce and something specialised for the mass media institutions, namely information and cultural creation.Economic crisis determined higher costs for the raw material (especially for paper) and for specialised and wellqualified workforce The selling price of the newspaper is set taking into consideration the following items: – the editing cost of the newspaper; – the printing cost of the newspaper; – the distribution cost of the newspaper; – the commissions paid to the media distribution companies, respectively the selling workforce; – the percentage of the assumed returned copies (the number o f printed but not sold copies).Starting from the data presented above and targeting a certain profit, the selling price is set per piece/copy (the cover price). Regarding the subscription price, alongside with the editing, printing and distribution prices of the newspaper, we have to take into account the commissions owed to the post office and to the agents and distributors. Some research studies about the Western European press market show that the investments necessary for launching a publication pay off in 3-4 years.In comparison with other activity domains that assure their profit from the direct sale of the product, the press institutions cannot survive based on the exclusive paper selling activity. „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 142 Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 The revenues of the print media institutions are varied and unequal, depending on the type of paper and its impact on the market. The mass media market is a dual market of the mass-media products as far as the revenues registered in massmedia are concerned.The revenues come from two categories of buyers: the media products buyers and the massmedia advertising buyers (Coman, 2007). The revenues of the press institutions are obtained from the following types of activities: a). the retail or subscription selling; b). the advertising space selling for the clients who want to publish their own messages on the support offered by the press institutions; c). the selling/renting of the access right on the newspapers websites (advertising on the online version of the newspaper); d). the amounts obtained from different sources as sponsorship.Each type of these revenues contribute more or less to the success of the company's activity and are tightly interconnected and reciprocally supporting. 2. Selling strategies in print press One source of revenue is provided by the newspaper selling, but the most important source, as we previously mentioned, is the advertising spaces sold. The advertising is divided in two categories: – the small ad, which included small sized announcements narrowly targeted to different categories (job offers and demands, selling and buying real states, vehicles or other products, service provisions, renting offers and demands, commemorations, deaths and condolences etc. ) whose price is set according to the number of words, the font and the number of daily publications requested. – the display ad (the larger ad), which includes those medium or large sized announcements, and can include even a whole newspaper page and whose price is determined by the page position, by the display size, the number of editions, the number of colours used (black or multicoloured).Many of the large ad announcements are commissioned and mediated by the advertising companies. The advertising advantages in the print media are determined by the fact that this type of media advertising is flexible both in dimension and in price, with opportunities for coloured advertising, smaller or bigger or with different inserts. So that the profits from advertising to be really relevant for the company owners, it is first necessary to understand that, by attracting a bigger volume of advertising, regardless of its type, is correlated with the paper circulation and audience.The individual persons, but especially the big economic agents and advertising agencies are well aware of the fact that the advertising impact in the newspaper is in direct ration with the number of that paper's readers and when they take the decision of publishing an ad, they analyse very carefully, by comparison, both the tariffs, and the circulation or the number of readers of the papers with the profile and the coverage area they need.BRAT (The Romanian Office of Circulation Audit) is the authority able to certify the circulation number for a newspaper or a publication for certain aud ited periods, and SNA (The National Audience Study) is the authority which, on the basis of surveys, measures the audience number of a publication, that is the average number of readers per edition of that publication (in general, a copy of a newspaper is read by 4-5 people) .Taking into consideration the facts mentioned above, it is obvious that a bigger selling volume, even when it does not directly generate profit, brings about higher revenues from advertising, which in their turn, bring considerable profit for the editor. Thus, the selling objectives of the company become extremely important. In this study we used a comprehensive approach to examine different aspects of distribution networks in press. In order to achieve the purpose we used as research method the case study of the biggest regional newspaper in the country. Data ollection was performed using as investigative tools interviews with distribution and advertising managers, direct observation and also analysis of archi val documents and data. The research findings have resulted in measures aimed at developing sales networks in print but also to redress those in free fall due to the economic crisis. According to BRAT studies newspaper Gazeta de Sud from Craiova is the most widely read regional newspaper in Romania, having over 100,000 readers / day and an an average circulation number of over 16. 000 copies [8]. Gazeta de Sud is distributed in Dolj, Olt, Gorj, Mehedinti and Valcea counties.The newspaper covers every possible editorial domains specific to a newspaper: local news, social problems, sport events, health issues, education, culinary recipes, TV programmes and recommendations, investigations, economy, culture, events and celebrities' life. Gazeta de Sud is a member of the Romanian Office of Circulation Audit. Gazeta de Sud consists of the editing board and the selling departments of the newspaper (the distribution department that deals with selling the newspaper by using newspaper sellers and the distribution news stands and the subscription selling department).The selling force of the company is supplemented by the advertising selling department which has the role to sell advertising space in the newspaper and in the online version of the paper. As market competitors for Gazeta de Sud in Oltenia we can mention other regional papers, such as Editie Speciala or Cuvantul Libertatii. The average daily circulation numbers of these newspapers, of 3. 000 – 4. 000 copies „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 143Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 (circulation numbers not audited by BRAT! ), are much inferior to the circulation numbers of Gazeta de Sud, despite having a selling price and a subscription price lower than the prices of Gazeta de Sud. Among its competitors, we should mention other regional weekly publications, such as Saptamana in Oltenia/The Week in Oltenia a nd Expresul de Sud/The Southern Express, but their circulation numbers do not exceed 2. 00 – 3. 000 copies. The content quality of Gazeta de Sud, the printing quality, the supplements offered and, last but not the least, the advantage of a very early distribution system and a very well organised complaints solving system greatly favour this newspaper in winning the competition with its local or regional, daily or weekly newspapers. As any other private company, this too aims at obtaining profit as a result of a superior value creation for consumers, satisfying better the consumers' needs.Based on analysis of data from several local newspapers, it was observed that during this difficult period the press efforts are centred on sales and special offers are created to attract more and more clients for advertising. The circulation of a publication represent the number of sold copies distributed for an edition and is formed of the copies sold as retail, by subscription, promotions and protocols etc. Part of these copies which are not sold return to the company and represent daily financial loss.The distribution system of the Gazeta de Sud newspaper is presented in the figure below( fig. no. 1): Fig. no1. The circulation components As observed in the figure above, the selling circuit of print media includes three main components, namely the retail selling and the subscription selling. a) The retail selling is divided in: – the retail selling by the press distribution companies; – the retail selling by the press distributors; The retail selling by the press distribution companies is done at the news stands.The disadvantages of retail selling by the press distribution companies are especially determined by: – the selling presentation mode of the newspaper – very often illustrating the exclusive preferences of the sellers from the news stand, only certain publications are exposed and made visible to the detriment of other rival publica tion. In order to avoid this situation, the appointed personnel of Gazeta de Sud monitors and permanently assures that the newspaper is exposed at sight, giving the possibility to the clients to easily read the headlines. the delayed cash collection from the press distribution companies for the sold newspapers (minus the commissioned charged by these companies) – the relatively hard collection of return papers (unsold newspapers), which requires material and time resources. As a main advantage of the retail selling by the press distribution companies we mention the fact that, in this way, the editor benefits from an efficient selling manner of its newspaper, due to qualified personnel and strategic locations placed in the area with intense traffic (the news stands).The retail selling by the newspaper sellers is an alternative to selling at the news stands, intended not to replace it, but to complete it. In general, the newspaper sellers are placed at: – traffic lights crossroads, a situation in which the clients are the car drivers that wait for the green light; – supermarkets, markets, train stations, bus stations, traffic ways with many shops and open-air coffee shops where there are many passers-by.The newspaper sellers try to adjust to their potential clients by attracting them into buying the product offered. If in the case of the news stands, the client is the one heading for the newspaper, in the case of the newspaper sellers, we can figuratively speak about the newspaper that come directly to the client, facilitating and providing a very comfortable sale.The advantages of selling the newspaper by the newspaper sellers are the following: – facilitating the newspaper selling process for the client, making it easy, comfortable and quick; – attracting undecided clients and transforming them, in many situations, in faithful clients of that newspaper seller; – covering areas where the press distribution companies do not own news stands, thus providing access to the newspaper for a larger number of potential clients; „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 44 Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 – prompt cash collection for the sold newspapers; – minimum returned newspapers, due to very meticulously and well organised daily orders and to the possibilities to supplement the order of a newspaper seller, that is giving to another seller the order left unsold in one area, according to the selling number of newspapers at a certain hour.As a drawback, we mention the often poor quality of the people willing to accept such jobs, there being situations when the clients were disturbed by the very insisting newspaper sellers (verbal aggression or not receiving the right change). Another form of retail selling, successfully practised in the United States of America and in many European Union countries is selling by newspaper vending machines. In Romania, there have been many attempts to implement such vending machines, especially in the supermarkets, given the advantage of eliminating the human intermediary from this distribution hain, whether it is the the news stand seller or the newspaper seller. However, by eliminating this intermediary and thus the disadvantages specific for these two types of retail selling, other disadvantages became obvious, such as: – the relatively higher price of the newspaper vending machines; – the building technique of these machines, which presupposes the opening of a door the moment one introduces the money, giving the possibility to take more than one paper.This does not represent a drawback for the civilised countries, but in Romania, for easily understood reasons, the editors prefer machines that give only one paper at a time. But, there are technical details to take into account here, such as the variable weight of a paper from o ne edition to the other and from one publication to the other. b) Selling by subscription Most of the editors prefer to offer the client this possibility too, that is to get the newspaper by subscribing to the system.The client's advantages are the following: – the client's safety that he'll get the right publication, avoiding the risk of not finding the newspaper at the news stands; – the subscription price is much smaller than the total price paid by the buyer for each item bought individually in a month; – the paper is received by the subscriber at the address mentioned, without being necessary to go and get it or to waste time doing it; – for the clients in the rural area, where the news stands are generally missing, it is practically impossible to get the wanted newspaper; Nonetheless, there are also disadvantages, such as: – the subscription has to be paid in full in advance, for the entire subscription period; – the paper is usually d elivered at late hours, when many people are already gone to work or to their daily activities, thus loosing one of the basic qualities (offering late, up-to-the-moment news and information); – the newspapers with weekend editions (on Saturday or Sunday) are distributed in the countryside on Monday; – the mail boxes, especially at the blocks of flats, are generally unsafe and easily allow for getting the newspaper by evil-minded people, which subsequently leads to a general discontent of the subscriber who thinks that probably the newsagent was not delivered.From the perspective of the press trust, the subscription price, in the case of Gazeta de Sud, does not always cover all these costs, but it is an accepted loss because the final profit is targeted and that is advertising (a profit which is direct relation to the circulation number of the newspaper and with the subscription number). However, the selling on subscriptions targets the fidelity of the clients, increasi ng the audience and implicitly the selling figures from advertising and much less the profit. Practically, the buyers by subscriptions are encouraged to buy a product at a much lower price per item than that bought daily from the news stands.Generally, the number of subscriptions represents a significant profit from the total circulation number of that publication. Moreover, the subscribers are usually those faithful clients that assure the safety for continuing to publish that publication and on which the editor bases the future planning. The anticipated payment of the subscription allows the editor to collect in advance considerable amounts of money, that would help organise the activities for the next period. The subscriptions do not usually generate significant profit for the editor. There are situations when the subscription price hardly covers the editing and printing costs form that publication.The starting idea is that a great number of subscriptions means a an increased cir culation number and thus a larger audience, this leading to obtaining more advertising clients from the specialised companies. The advertising companies carefully analyse the data given by the certified institutions, such as BRAT in the case of the circulation numbers, and SNA for audience, and their quantitative and value offer for large advertising is in accordance with the data. Given this fact, the editors do not necessarily target profit from subscriptions, but they calculate the indirect profit derived from advertising, due to the large audience of the newspaper. Subscribing at the post office is the most used form of subscribing to a publication. „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 145Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 The national company the Romanian Post covers the whole country and on an agreement basis, concludes contracts with the editors and distributes subscriptions to a series of publications. Another form of subscription, practised especially by several local and regional newspapers, is the subscription through their own subscribing network. Such subscribing networks have been created because the editors wanted to increase the number of subscribers, thus adding up to the subscriptions made through the post office. Taking into account the disadvantages of the post office subscription method, the newspapers subscription network aims at eliminating these disadvantages and thus earning more subscribers, even those who were initially unwilling to subscribe to these publications, given the drawbacks.Despite the higher price, the subscribers adhering to this network generally have the following advantages: – the newspaper is delivered early in the morning, offering the possibility to be read and get in touch with the latest information even before going to work or start the daily activities; – the paper is delivered even on Saturday, inclu ding in the rural areas where the network has collaborators and coverage; – there is also the possibility the payment throughout the first subscription days, especially for the new clients, to give them the possibility to appreciate the way in which the paper is delivered; – the claims and complaints are more promptly analysed and solved by the editor's personnel in charge of this aspect. Creating such subscription networks involves a considerable effort from the editor's side, being necessary to employ new people, both for the contracting part, and for the distribution of subscriptions part for the entire area to be covered. Alongside with these aspects, it is also necessary to have people that would coordinated this activity, that is to distribute newspaper packets in the locations where the subscription distributors come and pick them up and finally deliver them to the clients etc. c) Promotions and protocols A part of the total circulation number is represented by promotions and protocols.The newspaper Gazeta de Sud, but other newspapers, too, financially support this activity and have constantly resorted the so-called promotional subscriptions (subscriptions at reduced prices or even awarded free of charge), whose role is: – to achieve an intensive increase in the number of subscribers in the area where there is a deficit from this point of view; – to regain the lost subscribers; – to reward certain faithful readers; – to slightly raise the audience of the newspaper; There were many situations when a certain number of copies of a newspaper edition were given free of charge, with the purpose to promote the newspaper on the event of special occasions. In the case of protocols, these are represented by the newspapers regularly given, free of charge, to several public institutions or radio or television stations which broadcast shows about related to press reviews.Analysing the data at the end of 2011 the structure of the circulation number is the following: – 45% represent the subscriptions by the Romanian Post; – 25% subscriptions by their own distribution network; – 18% selling the newspaper at the news stands; – 8% selling the newspaper by the newspaper sellers; – 4% protocols and promotions; It can be concluded that 70% of the product buyers are faithful readers of the newspaper and that they regularly buy it by the subscription system, while the retail selling (at the news stands or by the newspaper sellers) provide only 26% of the total circulation number, additionally having the disadvantage to deal with the returned items (newspaper copies left unsold) which represent financial loss for the company. From the data analysed during 2008-2011 ( table no. 1), we note that there is a decrease in the newspaper selling figures with 43%, the most influenced being the subscription selling by its own network, which dropped with 76% and could not be compensated by the growth in the subscription rate by the Romanian post office of 36% as compared to 2008. Table no. 1. The sales evolution during 2008-2011 Year Subscription by Subscription by Retail selling at Retail selling by post network news stands newspaper sellers 2008 97. 436 118. 994 1. 704. 162 200. 000 100. 347 1. 396. 995 175. 800 72. 162 1. 088. 833 94. 681 29. 581 963. 756 83. 04 Source( Internal Report of Organization) Among the factors that contributed to this situation, we mention: – the rise of the subscription price as a consequence of rising the price of the raw material and utilities; „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 2009 2010 2011 79. 634 91. 429 132. 694 146 Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 – the renouncement to certain distribution routes because of their lack of profitability; – the decrease of the population income, which made them unsubscribe the newspaper system. As a result of the data analysis, the greatest part of the population that subscribe to the newspaper are old people (over 55% of the subscribers are retired people) followed by the population of the age group 45-55 years ( approx. 30%).With the purpose of increasing the sale figures and the market quota, the press features may be used accordingly, namely by adopting or allowing for: – measures to keep the current clients faithful to the newspaper, materialised in flawless distribution, attractive price, gifts, prompt complaints solving of clients unsatisfied with the paper distribution by its own distribution system. The company has to take measures to revise the whole distribution system of the subscribed newspaper so that to improve the acquisition efficiency and the number of subscribers, because the recruitment value and number of subscribers are extremely important factors for the survival and profit generation in a business with a subscription sellin g strategy component. The reasons for not subscribing, as mentioned above, may become mostly known by surveys. The activity of attracting new clients is much more costly and given this fact new programmes should be created to keep the current clients. measures to attract new subscribers by setting up a telemarketing service, through which potential clients are contacted by phone and asked if they are willing to subscribe to the newspaper network, offering, together with other companies, promotional materials for the clients who subscribe for a longer period of time; – contacting the lost subscribers in order to establish the causes of their refusal to continue the subscription and to try, where possible, to remedy the complaints; there is also the possibility to offer reduced price subscriptions or even free subscriptions for short time intervals to make the client aware that the complaints were solved; – creating a prize awarding, extremely motivating for the newspape rs sellers and the subscription agencies that obtain very good results in their activity; – giving clients the possibility to subscribe by sending an SMS (the cost for the SMS is the equivalent price for the monthly subscription, and the client is contacted after the SMS in order to obtain all the information necessary for the delivery); ? rganising a retribution system for the post workers with good results in their activity to conclude subscriptions; ? organising a system for the so-called promotional subscriptions destined to certain locations where the paper can be read (open air cafe bars, medical cabinets, notarial offices etc. ) a situation in which the client pays the full subscription price and gets other 2-3 free subscriptions. – entering on a bigger market by a more aggressive advertising campaign; – improving the quality of the newspaper articles and actively involving the readers in the community life, a strategy that would attract a greater number of readers motivated by their involvement in the daily problems of their community.The company position is, also, seriously affected by the presence of a very high number of information sources and news that contribute to the decrease in the content value, but also to the impossibility of protecting the content; – rethinking the offer system for the online readers by paying a monthly subscription in order to have access to the content of the newspaper. The new payment model must be reorganised so that the media companies may sell packages of products that include subscriptions to the print newspaper and to the online version. Thus, the subscribers to the print version may have access also to the online version and to the smart phone /tablet version.This payment structure encourages readers to subscribe to the print edition and subsequently to support the maintenance of the circulation number. Furthermore, the attention of the clients is drawn, from the idea of restriction, to the idea of full access to the information, by any means. The strategies adopted by the press trusts for overcoming the crisis must be correlated with the resource strategies, especially since the costs for the workforce in this activity domain represent an important part of the final product cost. Given this fact, we consider that the analysis of the company's activity has to be drawn up in direct correlation with the human resource strategy for the selling component.We claim that the personnel restructuring and the dissolution of the distribution networks are supposed to be the last resort strategy, used only after all the other strategies have been analysed and eliminated, because, once the distribution network is lost, it can hardly be re-established due to higher costs. Recruitment and selection of the selling workforce in the domain are characteristics determined by the specific activity. When analysing the activity, one have to take into account a series of aspects, namely: a). the number of the current publications in the region; b). the recruitment and selection of the selling workforce, which is difficult since the revenues obtained from selling the newspaper is low; c). the geographical area where the publication is.With the purpose of winning the market, a series of major investments must be applied and, as opposed to other activity domains, we claim that the most important investment must be made in the human resources. It should not be neglected that a newspaper sells information. Some of the arguments in favour of the opinion that the human resource is the most important component are related to the quality of the newspaper articles, to the research methods „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 147 Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 and subject approach and to the manner in which the readers are captivated by the headlines.Another challenge is adjus ting to the new needs and reading behaviour of diverse segments of readers, but many did not understand this aspect, despite the market data reports about the focus groups present in each trust. Overcoming the crisis does not presupposes only restricting the activity. On the contrary, as we mentioned before, it involves the quality improvement of the product. Another strategy that should be adopted by the local publications could be the identification of new distribution channels and the improvement of advertising offers to atract important clients in need of advertising. We should not forget that the important local advertising clients were the real estate investors, the banks and the auto dealers.Once the crisis was installed, most of the private and public companies have reduced their advertising budgets. Many of these companies limited their activity or even disappeared from the market, others oriented towards different mass media channels: television or radio. Another option to increase sales is to withdraw from the advertising companies in which many newspapers sell their available inventory. These companies get big commissions, and sometimes the publisher gets 5-10% of the advertising list price. The dependence to third parties for advertising selling visibly affects the newspapers performance. Those who already have their own selling teams debate on the opportunity to use the same people both for selling print and online.There are opinions supporting these convergent views, but there are also those who consider that a separate team for online selling would be more efficient. They claim that it is very hard for a sales manager to motivate and train a team that is supposed to have different selling techniques and completely different financial expectations. Likewise, in order to be complete and functional, the selling strategy presupposes the elaboration of an entire set of specific forms: the report forms, the market reports regarding the competing news papers, the press monitoring reports, the buffer stock, the monitoring report for the selling agents routes, reports regarding the number of new activity routes or new clients etc.The marketing and selling strategy of the organisation implies finding solutions to attract clients, not only by offering appealing discounts, but also by providing better articles with a more interesting content, or, in the case of the press trusts that have the opportunity of using several media channels, by offering common packages for clients. For example, those publications that do not abandon their online version of the newspaper have to find new ways to attract advertising clients for its both versions, the print and the online, eventually using these common packages. First of all, a coherent marketing approach should be based on a clear definition of the market and the audience.When all the departments of a company work together to meet the needs and the interests of the consumer, the result may be a successful one. It implies that the action should unfold on two levels: firstly, it refers to the functional components of the marketing system – the selling workforce, the advertising, the relationship with the clients, the product management, the marketing research that need to work together. Secondly, marketing should be supported, understood and accepted by all the other departments. To support the team work in a inter-department team, the organisation has to apply internal and external marketing. The external marketing is directed to the audience outside the organisation.The internal one, refers to employing, training and motivating certain capable and talented employees, which will serve the interests and the needs of the clients. The internal marketing precedes the external marketing. For an organisation, there is no point in promising excellent services before being capable to actually offer them. A selling team that is not supported by the strategic marketing cann ot successfully accomplish the selling objectives. It is very difficult to build a selling team in print media and it is more difficult to motivate it. The company existence is dependent on the way in which the selling team interacts with the clients. The strategies for keeping the products on the market should be tailored to meet the new, continuously changing expectations of the consumers.The content quality and the reputation of the publication based on the professionalism of the journalists will be the basis for the future strategies in the media businesses. 3. Conclusions Should the press trusts want to develop future strategies, they have to to be aware of the globalisation effect, of the economic changes and the new technologies and their impact on the entire media industry. It is unnatural to offer common solutions for all consumers, especially under the circumstances brought by the explosion of the Internet. There is the need for separate offers, in accordance with the publ ic segments: traditionalist users, new media users etc.This segmentation is not easy to realise and all the needs that the publication has to meet should be clearly, honestly and precisely defined. Defining and targeting a clear value for the readers and the advertising clients will help the publication have better chances to resist on the market. At the moment, thousands of papers throughout the world are caught in a fight with the Internet. Nobody knows what will happen, which of them will win the fight, or how the survivors will look like after the final round. On one hand, the new technology has led to an audience increase, and on the other hand the selling figures of the print newspapers have significantly dropped.Thus, the most aggressive competitor of the traditional selling networks in the print press is the Internet. Despite the fact that the costs for the online version of the newspaper are lower compared to the print version, the editors still don't know or don't understa nd the online phenomenon and for this new competitor they have to find solutions to reinvent themselves. „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 148 Annals of the „Constantin Brancusi† University of Targu Jiu, Economy Series, Issue 3/2012 In print press, the business model was almost identical regardless of the advertising type: creating and distributing informational content and attaching advertising to that content.The expenses generated by the printing, distribution and salaries were covered from the newspaper selling (30%) and advertising (70%) [13]. There has never been a profound relationship between the advertising and the articles. The advertising clients had no choice in the matter, lacking alternatives for the promotion of their products or services. Their only requirement regarded the number of sold newspapers and the targeted audience. Under the current circumstances, the Internet development furthers more and more the content of t he information and advertising. Practically speaking, we ask ourselves: Which are the reasons for selling a newspaper, given that all the information may be found on the Internet? and What determines the clients to allocate budgets for the print press?As long as there are readers who want to read the newspaper in its print form, no matter what the fluctuations are, there will a market for this product and therefore the press trusts will have to find the best methods to survive. The greater the challenges for the companies management, the more difficult it is to anticipate the future of the press, no matter how many surveys will be carried out. Nowadays, under the given circumstances, the selling teams have the task to find the best solutions to attract advertising clients on one hand, and to find solutions for keeping the distribution channels for the newspaper, on the other hand. 4. Bibliography [1] Bertrand, C,J- O introducere in presa scrisa si vorbita, Ed. Polirom, Iasi, 2001 [2 ] Coman, M, Introducere in sistemul mass media , Ed.Polirom, Iasi 2007 [3] Kotler, Philip, Managementul marketingului (traducere), Editura Teora, Bucuresti, 2000. [4] Stefanescu, Paul, Bazele marketingului, Editura Didactica si Pedagogica, Bucuresti, 1994. [5] *** www. activewatch. ro -Raport Free Ex 2011 pg. 7 [6] *** www. ancom. org. ro [7] *** www. business24. ro-Piata media iese din criza. In 2012 va inregistra primele cresteri dupa 3 ani de foc [8] *** www. brat. ro [9] *** www. hotnews. ro-media publicitate [10] *** www. journalism. org [11] *** www. mediaddict. ro [12] *** http//stateofthemedia. org – The state of the new Media 2012 [13] *** www. studiu-deloitte. ro-tendintele-media-2010 „ACADEMICA BRANCUSI† PUBLISHER, ISSN 1844 – 7007 149

Free Essays on Colonials To Provincials

The conclusion that the author of a history book comes to is directly related to the point of view with which he or she undertakes the writing. Such is the case with Jon Butler’s Becoming America: The Revolution before 1776, and Ned C. Landsman’s From Colonials to Provincials: American Thought and Culture 1680-1760. Both authors are examining the same period of time, 1680 to 1760, and most likely looked at much of the same material while researching for their respective works. Yet the two authors come to two completely different conclusions. This paper will look at the similarities between the two books, but also the differences, which led the authors to their different conclusions. The first and most important similarity between these two books is that do deal with the same period of time 1680 to 1760. This is important to look at because of the separate conclusions that they have come to. Another similarity is that Butler and Landsman share is that they both look at the middle colonies consisting of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. This is somewhat different from many previous texts on this period, in that previous works often dealt with the New England colonies or Virginia. Both Butler and Landsman handle the issue of immigration to the colonies, however Butler and Landsman’s opinions on the effects of immigration on the colonies and colonial society differ from each other. While Butler and Landsman examined the same period and for the most part the same geographic location. The perspective with which each author viewed the material, contributed to the two arriving at such different conclusions. It will be easiest to examine the reasons for these differing conclusions by examining each individually. In Becoming America: The Revolution before 1776, Jon Butler has examined how Britain’s mainland colonies became the first modern society, by focusing on their Socio-Political and Economic transforma... Free Essays on Colonials To Provincials Free Essays on Colonials To Provincials The conclusion that the author of a history book comes to is directly related to the point of view with which he or she undertakes the writing. Such is the case with Jon Butler’s Becoming America: The Revolution before 1776, and Ned C. Landsman’s From Colonials to Provincials: American Thought and Culture 1680-1760. Both authors are examining the same period of time, 1680 to 1760, and most likely looked at much of the same material while researching for their respective works. Yet the two authors come to two completely different conclusions. This paper will look at the similarities between the two books, but also the differences, which led the authors to their different conclusions. The first and most important similarity between these two books is that do deal with the same period of time 1680 to 1760. This is important to look at because of the separate conclusions that they have come to. Another similarity is that Butler and Landsman share is that they both look at the middle colonies consisting of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. This is somewhat different from many previous texts on this period, in that previous works often dealt with the New England colonies or Virginia. Both Butler and Landsman handle the issue of immigration to the colonies, however Butler and Landsman’s opinions on the effects of immigration on the colonies and colonial society differ from each other. While Butler and Landsman examined the same period and for the most part the same geographic location. The perspective with which each author viewed the material, contributed to the two arriving at such different conclusions. It will be easiest to examine the reasons for these differing conclusions by examining each individually. In Becoming America: The Revolution before 1776, Jon Butler has examined how Britain’s mainland colonies became the first modern society, by focusing on their Socio-Political and Economic transforma...

Great Literary Elements of the The Illiad

Great Literary Elements of the The Illiad Free Online Research Papers There are many great literary elements that are in the book known as, â€Å"The Iliad.† The book was written by Homer, a great Greek poet. This book tells the story of two armies that are in an epic battle. These armies are known as the Trojans and the Achaeans. Throughout the book, you can see how the gods and goddesses get involved. Many times in the book, the god’s favored certain sides of the battle. In the story it seems like the war will end quickly at times, but the constant strikes thrown by the gods only strive for the war to continue. It’s somewhat hard to realize what the outcome of these events would have been like without all the constant bickering between each other. From the way they instigated the war, by using indirect involvement, to the way they stood out and noticeably struck the opposing army, they were respected and powerful. Zeus is the most respected of all gods. He is lord of Olympia and carries the power of lightning. In many places he uses his position to get what he wants. Between arguing with the other gods, and striking the humans, Zeus truly shows how powerful he is in his reign. In book 1, he sends a dream to Agamemnon, which is his first act in the story. Then he began to show his favor toward the Trojans, as he sent a messenger to inform them of the Achaean formation. Many acts showed his power and respect he receives as King of Olympia I would be very confident if I knew Zeus was on my side in any battle, especially one with such importance. If only it would have worked in the favor of the Trojans, when Menelaus and Paris fought, then the war could’ve ended sooner. Even though Zeus contained all the power and control, I am still not quite sure why he didn’t step up and end the war on his own. If Zeus would have stopped the war before the Trojan walls had fallen, then I’m sure the constant whining, complaining, and trickery of Hera would have begun to conjure up. Anyone in their right mind would not want to listen to someone who wants something of such importance to fall, or end. Hera, the queen of gods and wife of Zeus, wants Troy to fall. She is always going against her husband. Hera is always trying to find new ways o make Troy fail. Throughout the book, she works with Athena. Athena is the goddess of wisdom. She is also Zeus’s daughter and is very smart when it comes to war. Just like her mother Hera, she also wants the Trojans to fail in their battles. Many times, her and her mother go off and give valuable information to the Achaeans. The Achaeans use this information to try and get the upper hand on the Trojans. Many of the gods chose sides. Eventually, some of them decide to fight for either army. Thetis, a sea-nymph, is the mother of the most powerful warrior in the book, Achilles. Achilles becomes the greatest warrior for the Achaeans. Early in the book, Achilles gets frustrated and wants no part of this war. He wants to see the Trojans fall and he goes to his mother for help. His mother, Thetis, asks Zeus to provide power for the Trojans. Achilles, for a while, stops fighting. Then he finds out Patroclus was killed by Hector, a Trojan soldier. Achilles fills with outrage. He goes to his mother to get help to rejoin the battle. Thetis turns to Hephaestus for a new suit of armor that Achilles can wear when he returns to battle. He receives the new armor the very next morning. This is where the real battle begins. Achilles turns this whole war around. He strives to fight Hector. Hector has the slightest clue about Achilles returning to battle. He orders his army to stay by the walls of Troy. When Achilles shows up, the Trojan army starts to retreat. Achilles takes down and destroys every Trojan he gets his hand on. The bodies, of the dead Trojan soldiers, all end up in the river. Xanthus, the god of the river, was not pleased at all. All these bodies made him extremely angry. Then, after Hector has been running from Achilles for a number of days, he is convinced by Athena to turn around and fight Achilles. Hector loses the battle, and the Trojans ose the war. Based on Hector’s performance, the gods all agree to give a proper burial. Zeus then sends Hermes, the messenger of the gods, to escort Hector’s father to the funeral. King Priam, Hector’s father, is the ruler of Troy. He goes to Achilles and begs for the body of Hector to be returned to Troy. Achilles fulfills this request and burial proceeds. In conclusion, the gods and goddesses had everything to do with this war. Zeus supports the Trojans. Thetis helps the greatest warrior of all complete his goals. Athena uses her sly ways to make the war go her way. Hera gets involved by giving information, bout the Trojans, to the Achaeans. I think if it wasn’t for the gods and goddesses, then war would have lasted forever. The fight would of had nothing to grow on if the gods and goddesses would not have interfered. It’s is kind of like life and the way it is today. Many of our fights, wars, and arguments are started through something that started off small. Yet, through the instigation of other, it eventually gets bigger. Research Papers on Great Literary Elements of the "The Illiad"Canaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionMind TravelHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsQuebec and CanadaWhere Wild and West Meet19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraBringing Democracy to AfricaThe Spring and Autumn

Over a Dozen Cool Science Dating Ideas

Over a Dozen Cool Science Dating Ideas So, you used your favorite chemistry pick-up line and secured a date who appreciates your love of science. Heres a look at some types of dates that might be perfect if your sweetie is a scientist or is interested in science. Dinner and movie are still a good plan, especially with the right movie, but here are some additional dating ideas. Science Date Ideas Play a sport that involves science. Okay, so there is science in all sports, but bowling, billiards, and darts allow you to gauge momentum and consider trajectories and all that fun math stuff. Ice skating involves friction and angular momentum and possibly some experience with the effects of gravity. Skiing and sledding are also good choices, plus afterward, you get to snuggle up together to get warm again. Play a science board game together. My personal favorites are Nuclear War and its add-on, Nuclear Annihilation. Risk and chess are other great choices.Visit a museum, zoo, or planetarium, or catch a laser light show. Experiment with cryogenic materials together. Dipping flowers in liquid nitrogen are romantic, right? Pretty much anything involving liquid nitrogen or dry ice is fair game. If that sounds dangerous, you could always enjoy Dippin Dots (dry ice temperature) ice cream together. Play with fire. You knew this would be on my list somewhere, right? Light off fireworks tog ether or make your own. Make smores, but see if either or both of you can start the fire from scratch. Learn molecular gastronomy together. Grab a kit online or from a bookstore or follow along with videos online to prepare a meal that applies chemistry to make unusual food. You could also make interesting cocktails using the techniques. Play with a black light together. Check items around the house to see which ones glow when exposed to UV light. Explore science projects you can do using a black light. Grab a telescope and go stargazing. No telescope? Try binoculars or a camera with a zoom lens. If you do have a telescope, its pretty easy to grab photos of your observations using a cell phone, so you can remember the date. Grow magic rocks. You can gaze into each others eyes when youre not watching the pebbles grow into crystalline towers. Get a kit or make magic rocks from scratch. Break out the molecular model kit and make structures. If you dont have a kit, try using pretzels and gummy candies. Watch a movie. Surely you have a favorite science or science fiction movie! Bonus poin ts if its Star Wars and you dress like a character or bring a light saber. Break out the Lego set. Build together. Perform science experiments on real flowers. Flowers are romantic, right? Make a rainbow rose, a glow-in-the-dark flower, or simply color flowers using food coloring. You can perform paper chromatography on flowers to examine their pigments. Download and watch the very first episode of Doctor Who. Break out the paper and scissors. Cut out paper snowflakes. Make a Mobius strip. Make cute little hearts. Grow crystals. There are many household chemicals you can use to grow crystals. Rock candy or sugar crystals are the only ones youll want to taste-test. Order a pizza and play video games. Note to guys: this is only a good date if you pick a game she also enjoys playing (not just watching). Valentines Day  chemistry projects to try.

Case study in ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Case study in ethics - Essay Example One of the core things that must be understood with advertising is that it is a representation that appeals to the sensibility aspect of an individual and it is intended for popular consumption. Thus, the popular appeal of a certain depiction that is rendered in an advertisement creates a condition of biased, shallow perception. This kind of perception is highly reductive. In this case study, I shall focus on the issue of the image of Obama in an advertisement that has a certain pedigree of racism and political labeling. This discourse shall be explained and engaged further in the succeeding parts of the paper. At the same time, aside from the construction of the image, the impression derived thereof shall be put into account by looking into the formal elements that make up the image. At the same time, there is also a need to clearly assess why the image creates an impression through certain sensibilities, which are political, cultural and sociological in nature and must be discussed in conjunction with the signs that parts of images create for the spectator to gaze. Looking at the elements of the image, Obama’s image is presented with sickle and hammer, which are embodiments of communism (Empty Suit, â€Å"Image†). Another crucial thing to look at the image is the use of the terms â€Å"somewhere in Kenya a village is missing its idiot Obama† (Empty Suit, â€Å"Image†). Together with the image comes the face of Obama, smiling and wearing formal attire that befits the campaigning needed for the elections. The advertisement has these elements that evoke a totally different level of problematic propositions and discourses of representation. To understand the points to be raised in this paper, there is a need to understand that the context of presidential elections must be duly considered since this defines how the image works and creates a certain

Environmental Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Environmental Science - Essay Example This essay declares that Environmental science encompasses issues such as climate change, conservation, biodiversity, groundwater and soil contamination, use of natural resources, waste management, sustainable development, air pollution and noise pollution. This essay stresses that despite a greater commitment by the World Government’s to protect public health, forests, and wildlife, policies geared to develop the country's economy have taken precedence in the last 20 years. While industrial development has contributed significantly to economic growth in India, it has done so at a price to the environment. Not only are industrial pollution increasing public health risks, but abatement efforts also are consuming a significant portion of countries gross domestic product. The world environmental situation is likely to be further aggravated by the increasingly rapid, large-scale global extinction of species. It occurred in the 20th century at a rate that was a thousand times higher than the average rate during the preceding 65 million years. This is likely to destabilize various ecosystems including agricultural systems. The variety of life on Earth, its biological diversity is commonly referred to as biodiversity. The number of spec ies of plants, animals, and microorganisms, the enormous diversity of genes in these species, the different ecosystems on the planet, such as deserts, rainforests and coral reefs are all part of a biologically diverse Earth.

Discuss how security requirements can be linked to business Essay

Discuss how security requirements can be linked to business requirements - Essay Example The battle is on for finding out the efficient ways and design methodologies that can analyze the security risks and implement the appropriate mitigation solutions. As, every event or technique has a better impact and a worse impact, the technologies that speed up the business processes are also prone to increase risks of computer intrusion, fraud, disruption and many more. A successful organization not only relies on finding innovative solutions or products but also on the effective implementation of those solutions. Here, technology plays a major role as these technological developments can make the implementations simpler, providing a wide range of choice. But the question arises so as to which is the right choice This can only be answered by thorough research on the cost, stability and reliability of the technology to be used (WALSHAM, 1993). The Information System of the firm should be able to process this task by taking the external (technology functionality) and internal (business environment) entities into account. Thus, the understanding and integration of technological innovations plays a key role in the modeling of any Information System to support the business goals and strategies. ... The organization has to analyze all the possibilities and provide the solution that is technological stable and cost-effective, to implement, maintain and modify in future. Security Management and Responsibilities Data Owner Each Line Department of the company, with its own computing facilities will appoint a senior member of the staff as Data Owner. The responsibilities of the Data Owner include: Data subject enquiry procedures. To ensure that all licenses to use systems and software is accurate, available and purchased according to financial regulations. Preparing details of who can access what information, how and when, according to the particular classification of staff and information. Ensuring that all systems are maintained in effective and controlled manner. Ensure appropriate training of staff in systems and applications use. Those systems which are operated throughout the company should also have a designated Data Owner. Data Owners across the company will be advised by the Head of ead HeadInformation Compliance and Policy. With the existing systems, advice is available to help data owners meet their responsibility in complying with the Information Security Policy. Systems Development All systems must comply with the main IT strategy developed for the company by the IT team. Mark Walker, a senior systems analyst, states that an IT strategy is the single most crucial factor for the success of an organization dependent on IT for its operations (Walker, 2000). All system developments must include security issues in their consideration of new developments, seeking guidance from the Head of Information Technology. Management Responsibilities The management plays the most important part in building a successful

Diverisity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Diverisity - Research Paper Example ts and may involve an employee reporting a fellow colleague involved in unlawful or illegal activity to the in charge of the department but this only happens when the complaint systems are available. â€Å"There are some reasons to believe that people are more likely to take action with respect to unacceptable behavior within an organization if there are complaint systems that offer not just options dictated by the planning and control organization but a choice of option for confidentiality (Rowe, Wilcox and Horwad). With regard to external reporting, whistleblower may report to different persons depending on the severity of the case and range from media, law enforcement or watchdog agencies. In UK, whistle blowing is subject to public interest Disclosure act including culture of raising concerns apart of normal business activity of any well led NHS Organizations, culture free from bullying where staff have the freedom to speak out without being bullied, support to find alternative employments elsewhere in cases where the employee can’t continue working in the same organization after reporting. In USA, there are several contradictory laws on the subject which keep on varying from state to state and the subject matter of the whistle blowing. Still state laws protects employees who call attention for the violations, help with enforcement proceedings, or refuse to obey unlawful proceedings. The first act was established in 1863 as a false claim Act which was revised in 1986 which tried to combat fraud by supplies of United States during America’s civil war. The act encourages whistleblowers by promising them certain percentage of recovered money by the government and protecting them from retaliation from the employer. Another law that protects whistleblowers is the Lloyd-La Follette Act of 1912. This guaranteed the right of federal employees to give information to the United States Congress. A good example is the clean water Act of 1972with subsequent acts like

Endocrine Disruptors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Endocrine Disruptors - Essay Example These chemicals have been found to act as estrogens, anti-estrogens, androgens, anti-androgens, or to interfere with thyroid hormone, cortisol, insulin, or growth regulators. Moreover, since animals and human foetal development is primarily dependent on hormonal levels at various phases of development, the effects of these endocrine disrupting chemicals on the endocrine, reproductive, neurological, and immune systems have been found to be very serious, if not catastrophic (Windham, 2000). TCDD dioxin is the most toxic of a class of organochlorine chemicals including chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (CDDs), dibinzofurans (CDFs), polychlorinated biphenals (PCBs), brominated dibenzo-p-dioxins (BDDs), brominated dibenzofurans (BDFs), and polychlorinated pesticides etc. These groups of chemicals have been shown to exert hormonal effects that disrupt the endocrine system of wildlife resulting in adverse effects on reproductive system development and hormones, foetal development, and the immune system at extremely low levels of exposure (Windham, 2000; Are Environmental Hormones Emasculating Wildlife, 1994). Dioxins have been found to have both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects depending on the organ or tissue affected. The toxic metals mercury, lead, and cadmium as well as phenols have also been found to have reproductive and endocrine system disrupting effects (Windham, 2000). Chemicals with estrogenic effects cause cells to produce surplus levels of oestrogen, which has been linked to breast cancer, testicular cancer, lowered sperm counts, and malformation/mutations of male sex organs, and a decreased number of successful male births. Exposure to relatively low levels of these chemicals have been documented to have had catastrophic effects on populations of Beluga whales, alligators, turtles, mink, otters, bald eagles, osprey, cormorants, terns, herring gulls, migratory birds, chickens, lake trout, chinook and coho salmon, etc. For example only 60 parts per billion (ppb) of DDE are required to cause anti-androgenic effects on male test animals (Colborn, 1999; Pritchard, 2004). These chemicals act in a variety of ways; however, their mechanism of action could be broadly described as mimicking oestrogen thereby increasing oestrogen levels in the blood, anti-estrogenic; binding with oestrogen receptors or anti-androgenic; binding with androgen receptors. Some chemicals known to bind to estrogens receptors include insecticides (dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane (o,p'-DDT), methoxychlor, and chlordecone); a monomer used in plastic (bisphenol A); an alkylphenol surfactant used in detergents, cosmetics and toiletries, and other household products (octylphenol); and a plasticizer (butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP). Other compounds known to bind to androgen receptors include the fungicide vinclozolin and 1,1dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (p,p'-DDE) the persistent in vivo metabolite of DDT. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 2,3,7.8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) could all disrupt reproduction and development via several mechanisms (CLS, 1999; Developmenta l Effects, 1993). Laboratory studies investigating the endocrine disrupting capacity of these chemicals

Art and Craft higher education in pakistan Literature review - 1

Art and Craft higher education in pakistan - Literature review Example Additionally, advancements in arts and crafts field have variations in different parts of the world. This can be attributed to the fact that art and craft activities are heavily dependent on cultural practices in a given area. According to Lees-Maffei and Sandino, â€Å"the principles that define the differences and relations between design, art and craft are subject to historical change and vary regionally and culturally† (2004, p.1). However, formal settings may incorporate different aspects of art and craft from different regions. This is in relation to some of the common arts such as music and dance. There have been some major developments in art and craft and increased applications to solve different issues either directly related or indirect. To get a clear picture of these developments it is more appropriate to focus on one particular area or country with rich applications of art and craft such as Pakistan. Since the establishment of Pakistan as a republic in 1947, there have been many transformations and developments in the art and craft field. For example, the first five-year plan for education focused on improving creativity through art and craft (Perveen, 2011, p. 3). This prompted the government to employ art and craft professionals to ensure proper learning. However, Perveen’s article mainly focuses on primary level art and craft rather than its developments at higher education level. Nevertheless, it has contributed in evaluating the development and incorporation of art and craft in higher education by the Pakistan government. Additionally, there was adoption of a conceptual and physical platform by various institutions in a bid to support modern arts. According to Tarar major changes were experienced in 1950s following an upgrade of the Mayo School of Arts into the National College of Arts (2008, p.1). This increased awareness and focus on art and craft as a subject and course in the Pakistan education

Endocrine Disruptors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Endocrine Disruptors - Essay Example These chemicals have been found to act as estrogens, anti-estrogens, androgens, anti-androgens, or to interfere with thyroid hormone, cortisol, insulin, or growth regulators. Moreover, since animals and human foetal development is primarily dependent on hormonal levels at various phases of development, the effects of these endocrine disrupting chemicals on the endocrine, reproductive, neurological, and immune systems have been found to be very serious, if not catastrophic (Windham, 2000). TCDD dioxin is the most toxic of a class of organochlorine chemicals including chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (CDDs), dibinzofurans (CDFs), polychlorinated biphenals (PCBs), brominated dibenzo-p-dioxins (BDDs), brominated dibenzofurans (BDFs), and polychlorinated pesticides etc. These groups of chemicals have been shown to exert hormonal effects that disrupt the endocrine system of wildlife resulting in adverse effects on reproductive system development and hormones, foetal development, and the immune system at extremely low levels of exposure (Windham, 2000; Are Environmental Hormones Emasculating Wildlife, 1994). Dioxins have been found to have both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects depending on the organ or tissue affected. The toxic metals mercury, lead, and cadmium as well as phenols have also been found to have reproductive and endocrine system disrupting effects (Windham, 2000). Chemicals with estrogenic effects cause cells to produce surplus levels of oestrogen, which has been linked to breast cancer, testicular cancer, lowered sperm counts, and malformation/mutations of male sex organs, and a decreased number of successful male births. Exposure to relatively low levels of these chemicals have been documented to have had catastrophic effects on populations of Beluga whales, alligators, turtles, mink, otters, bald eagles, osprey, cormorants, terns, herring gulls, migratory birds, chickens, lake trout, chinook and coho salmon, etc. For example only 60 parts per billion (ppb) of DDE are required to cause anti-androgenic effects on male test animals (Colborn, 1999; Pritchard, 2004). These chemicals act in a variety of ways; however, their mechanism of action could be broadly described as mimicking oestrogen thereby increasing oestrogen levels in the blood, anti-estrogenic; binding with oestrogen receptors or anti-androgenic; binding with androgen receptors. Some chemicals known to bind to estrogens receptors include insecticides (dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane (o,p'-DDT), methoxychlor, and chlordecone); a monomer used in plastic (bisphenol A); an alkylphenol surfactant used in detergents, cosmetics and toiletries, and other household products (octylphenol); and a plasticizer (butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP). Other compounds known to bind to androgen receptors include the fungicide vinclozolin and 1,1dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (p,p'-DDE) the persistent in vivo metabolite of DDT. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 2,3,7.8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) could all disrupt reproduction and development via several mechanisms (CLS, 1999; Developmenta l Effects, 1993). Laboratory studies investigating the endocrine disrupting capacity of these chemicals

People resourcing(HR) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

People resourcing(HR) - Essay Example They are men and women who lead by example, team work, communication skills, and dedication. In the modern times, it is not enough to be highly skilful. One has to be adaptable to adjust with changes in technology and environment. The need for development of a strategic approach is correlative to the 'best fit, best practice' concept in management of human resource. Best fit is not simply use of the best man or woman for a particular job slot. It goes beyond to achieve the winning situation by harnessing the talents and skills of one employee for the purpose of achieving a specific target or goal. People sourcing align with the company's strategy and strategic human resource management has a stake in the company's performance and results. (Sandeep Krishnan and Manjari Singh). The importance of this approach is gaining ground as traditional management techniques based on 'one system fits all' approach is rapidly losing out in view of the frustration felt by both the management as well as the employees to fit into an outdated system which is no more suited for either. Instead, today the preference is for capability with communication skills. For instance, the capability of a particular employee may not be of very high order, but if his communication skills are noteworthy he may be the ideal choice to carry out a job, a project, or even a whole enterprise. ThModern day technology is designed to bring out the best even in the most mediocre individual provided he or she abides by the simple instructions codified as commands. The tremendous growth of information and communication technologies has exposed the new generation today to a system run efficiently with the help of sleek computers, printers, scanners and other gadgets which has left the system of the previous generation overwhelmed and on the throes of extinction. The system which was in vogue just a decade ago has been outpaced in terms of efficacy and communication methodologies. The present office scenario in most establishments, even in third world countries, presents an atmosphere of youthful exuberance blending with computer aided data systems in place. Handling men enjoins a host of activities and concepts. It has to do with operating, planning, control, research and development, and decision making. Indeed, the present age's requirement for 'best fit, best practice' approach is necessary in the highly competitive nature of doing work today. Even with

Golden Torch Award Essay Example for Free

Golden Torch Award Essay Companies have been striving to be the best in their respective field of services and products. Continuous improvement on the part of the management and commitment on the part of the employees is very important to stay competitive especially in the ever-growing market of society. It is not thus surprising that companies strive to earn distinguishing marks of excellence such as world-class awards. One of the most prestigious awards that can be received is the Golden Torch Award. Unlike all other awards, the Golden Torch Award stands out from the rest because it is not only an award of excellence but also of justice and fairness on how the company treats employees regarding their race. Purpose and Background The National Society of Black Engineers, famously known as NSBE, initiated the Golden Torch Awards in the year 1997. However, no exact date is available as to when the first Golden Torch Awards has been held. The NSBE is a preeminent organization that seeks to serve blacks in the fields of engineering and technology (2008 GTA Winners). The organization was pioneered by students of Purdue University in 1971. As the campus student organization flourished in Purdue, the charter members encouraged and coordinated with different universities throughout the country offering engineering courses. Thus, in 1975, the organization became national with over 30 school chapter organizations. The group’s well-known torch symbol represents the member’s everlasting and burning desire to achieve the success in a competitive society resulting to a positive effect on the quality of life for people from all walks of life. The organization seeks to make an impact on society and the world by the accomplishments and contributions of its members to engineering, technology and even in the academe (NSBE Mission). The Golden Torch Award is just one of the many activities that the NSBE has imparted to the society. The said award wishes to recognize brilliance among African-American engineers, scientists and technologists, including organizations that have exhibited a commitment to the recruitment, retention and promotion of minorities (Siebels, 2004, p. 329). It honors different companies, institutions and individual persons who enhance their professions and the world with outstanding intelligence, competent talent and vibrant vision at the same time serving as role models for everyone in advancing opportunities for African-Americans (DiScipio). Furthermore, the award links accomplishments of its awardees with the dreams of college-bound students. The Golden Torch Award is bestowed every year on the annual convention of NSBE, which seeks to raise scholarship funds for deserving high school students (2008 GTA Winners). Award Criteria The mission of NSBE is â€Å"to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and impact the community positively† (NSBE Mission). It is thus understandable that the Golden Torch Award is designed to highlight the achievements of distinguished black engineers and technical professionals together with incoming college students (US Navy). Golden Torch Awardees are usually chosen by scrutinizing resumes, professional achievements, community service and other criteria depending on the type of category of the award. A team of judges consisting of professional and academic leaders both in the field of science and engineering selects the winners of the award (Black Engineers). There are no specific criteria available for the award. Additionally, it will be very arduous to do so since the Golden Torch Award is but a general term for numerous awards varying in category. Nevertheless, the objectives of the NSBE can be a great estimation of the factors that determine the qualifications for awardees. The NSBE has five objectives to undertake. First is to motivate and develop student interests in the various engineering disciplines. The organization’s second objective is to make a great effort in amplifying the number of minority students learning engineering at undergraduate and graduate levels. The third is to tender assistance to members searching for advanced degrees in the field of engineering or its related fields and obtaining professional engineering registrations. Fourth is promoting public awareness of engineering and the opportunities for minorities in their respective professions. Fifth is to act as ambassadors regarding issues and innovations that may affect careers of black engineers (NSBE Mission). These different objectives of the organization are met in one way or another in the criteria used for judging of Golden Torch Award winners. Awards given are numerous and have different titles. In the year 2000, the awards given are: National Chair’s Award for Leadership in Technology, Executive Leader of the Year, Achievement Award, Lifetime Achievement in Academia, Lifetime Achievement in Government, Lifetime Achievement in Industry, Pioneer of the Year, Outstanding Woman in Technology, Mike Shin’s Distinguished Fellow of the Year, Distinguished Engineer, Diversity Leadership in Industry, Diversity Leadership in Government, Corporate Community Service, Corporate/Education Partnership, Executive Director’s Award for Advancing Diversity, Pre-College Community Service, High School of the Year, Pre-College Program of the Year, Pre-College Student of the Year, Academic Visionary, Graduate Student of the Year, Minority Engineering Program Director, Pre-College Initiative Program of the Year, Chapter of the Year, Technologist of the Year and Member of the Year (Black Engineers). Additional awards given this 2008 include Janice A. Lumpkin Educator of the Year , Entrepreneur of the Year and Corporate Diversity Leadership Award (2008 GTA Winners). Benefits of the Award Although there are no tangible benefits that the Golden Torch Award can offer, it still speaks of the prestige that its awardees can possess. The honor and the promotion somehow provide the awardees’ company popularity and quality assurance that customers and consumers seek out. The said award becomes a showcase of the high standards that a company achieves throughout its existence. It also brings about the respect and gives the image that the company not only offers quality service but also social responsibility. It can speak of the capable and proficient workforce a corporation may have. As a liaison officer of the US Navy commented, the bestowal of the award can be a great opportunity to acknowledge professionalism (US Navy). Receiving the award, companies and individuals can also avail of the different programs that the NSBE offers such as academic excellence programs, scholarships, leadership trainings, professional development and career opportunities in the field of engineering and technology (NSBE Mission). Nevertheless, to think further a bit, the award has its disadvantage too. Since the NSBE is a group that uplifts racial equality, radical groups that favor racial discrimination may condemn the awardees or the companies. Terrorist groups may instill fear to people that support such groups. Moreover, this threat is not utterly dangerous as long as the companies and organizations have appropriate security measures at hand. Past Winners of the Award Winners of the Golden Torch Award have been credited for their outstanding performance and significant contributions in the field of engineering and technology. One example is United Technologies Corp. (UTC), which is the 2005 Corporate Diversity Leadership. The corporation was appreciated for its professional achievements and commitment to diversity initiatives (DiScipio). UTC works for force diversity, education and community outreach to minority groups. Competently, the company is a dealer of a wide range of high technology products and support services to aerospace and building systems industries. Other past individual winners are Alan Gilkes, Sandra Baylor and Dawn Robinson. Alan Gilkes was awarded Distinguished Engineer of the Year in 2000 for his invention of an electronic Braille display device. Sandra Baylor was winner of the Lifetime Achievement in Industry Award, having seven patents whereas Dawn Robinson, a product manager, is the recipient of the Outstanding Woman in Technology Award (Black Engineers). This year’s award list is as follows: Woodrow Whitlow Jr. , Distinguished Engineer of the Year; Rickey J. Shyne, Lifetime Achievement in Government; Juan E. Gilbert, Pioneer of the Year; Celia D. A. Earle, Outstanding Woman in Technology; Arthur L. George, Lifetime Achievement in Industry; Lorraine N. Fleming, Janice A. Lumpkin Educator of the Year; Cheryle L. Peters, Minority Engineering Program Director of the Year; Jonathan D. Madison, Graduate Student of the Year; Michael A. Thompson, Pre-College Initiative Student of the Year(Male); Kathryn M. Daniels, Pre-College Initiative Student of the Year(Female); Pre-Freshman Program in Engineering and Science, Chicago State University, Pre-College Program of the Year; Benedict Lazare, Entrepreneur of the Year; Dow Promise Program, The Dow Chemical Company, Corporate Community Service; UNCF-Merck Initiative, Merck Co. , Inc. , Corporate/Education Partnership; Texas Instruments Incorporated, Corporate Diversity Leadership; Akibi Archer, Mike Shinn Distinguished Member of the Year(Male); Wanda Eugene, Mike Shinn Distinguished Member of the Year(Female); Barbara Michelle Nichols, Alumni Extension Member of the Year; and, Edward Tunstel, Alumni Extension Technologist of the Year (2008 GTA Winners). The awardees surely received the honor due to their innovative contributions and achievements. Conclusion In essence, the Golden Torch Award is an excellence in leadership and quality award. Taking this into consideration, a nomination of the Lockheed Martin Corp. is not a bad idea. Lockheed Martin is a leading international defense contractor that operates on aeronautics, electronics and information technology services as well as space and strategic missiles thus employing a large number of work forces from all over the world. The diversity and quality assurance that the company brings to its customers and employees is worthy of a Golden Torch Award by the NSBE. It would not be a long time before the company is acknowledged for its contributions in the field of defense technology. References DiScipio, J.United Technologies Corporation. (2004, December 14). Society of Black Engineers honors UTC for Diversity Leadership. Retrieved May 8, 2008, from http://utc. com/press/releases/2004-12-14. htm. National Society of Black Engineers. (2008, March 3). 2008 GTA Winners: Top Engineers, Corporate Supporters win NSBE ‘Golden Torch’ Honors. Retrieved May 8, 2008, from http://national. nsbe. org/Default. aspx? tabid=138. National Society of Black Engineers. (2000, March 10). Black Engineers are Recognized for their Contributions, Winners Exemplify the Importance of Mentors. Retrieved May 11, 2008, from http://www. nsbe. org/downloads/pr/press/gta00. pdf.