Opinions and Social Pressure Response Essay

Summary: In the article, â€Å"Opinions and Social Pressure† by Solomon E. Asch, he states that social pressure from a majority group could influence a person to conform. Asch and his research team wanted to find out how and how much social forces constrain people’s opinions and attitudes. The researchers also wanted to find out whether or not, when confronted with an incorrect answer, individuals would conform to the group or have his own answer. The experiment starts with seven to nine young men seated in a room. The young group of men have been told before the experiment to all agree on the correct answer and continue to say the correct answer, except one person. The last individual has no idea that the others were told to state the incorrect answers the entire time. There are two cards placed in front of the members that consist of four lines, all of different lengths. The card on the left is the line you are comparing the other three lines to on the card on the right. The members would answer which two lines are identical in order from who sat down first to who sat down last. All of the young men continue to give the correct answer. On this set of trials only 1% of the time the subject would disagree with the majority. To see if the minority would continue to conform, Asch conducted a second trial. During this trial, all of the participants, except one, stated the wrong answer. When the last person answered, the subject q uickly changes his answer to the wrong answer. On this set of trials, 36.8% of the time the minority agreed with the incorrect answer. On the third trial, Asch decided to add more people to the minority. As the contestants gave their answers, those in the majority were allowed to give any answer they wanted. These results showed that 13.6% accepted the wrong answer compared to the second experiment. This sudden  drop indicates with only one person in the minority, he was more likely to conform. When there were more in the minority, participants were more likely to answer how they would and not feel pressured. In the last experiment, the member in the minority was allowed to be seated next to someone he knew personally. During this set of trials, the member in the minority ended up answering almost invariably independent. Out of all of the trials, Asch concluded that people will conform for two reasons: they want to fit in with the others and because they believe the group is better informed (on an intelligence level) than they are. Response: While there have been many psychological tests similar to this, this experiment lacks certain criteria that I believe would change the outlook of this experiment. Since this experiment was done in the 1950s, which was a time in which it was the norm to conform, this could not address to young men now based on how time has changed along with norms. Secondly, since this was done in America, this could not fully take effect in other countries because not all countries conform like we do, so the statistical evidence would vary immensely. Besides the negative, two studies have brought some more insight to this experiment that have shed light as to how time changes Asch’s results. In a conformity experiment by Richard Crutchfield, his studies found participants with high intelligence scores and leadership abilities to show less conformity than others-which is something Asch did not address. Secondly, in 1980, psychologists Perrin & Spencer replicated Asch’s study and found only one conforming response in 396 trials. They said â€Å"cultural changes over the last fifty years had led to a reduction in conformity† (McLeod). Based on all the evidence, I do believe that under certain circumstances we do conform, but not a majority of the time due to how we are raised, norms, cultural changes, and other aspects that could change how we view things.

Self-Motivation

Self motivation is paramount to success in life. You must learn how to motivate yourself. In the present situation now, it is difficult to keep our spirits up and high, but knowing the right way to focus on the positive outlook In life, we will be able to achieve our dreams. We need to encourage ourselves to accept opportunity,because If we stop beveling and trusting to what we can do In a particular situation, who else Why are we striving in life?What makes an individual work hard? I believe,each will respond,because we are all motivated with our â€Å"goals† in life,our aspirations,our dreams,all these give us the reason to stay and accept chances, for chances will always produce positive and fruitful life if it is done with trust,passion,encouragement,and willingness to improve and be successful. People think on the ways on how to make life better. One of these ways is through continued learning.If you're looking at adults going back to school whether in-campus or online,th e most successful one are those who are highly motivated. They understand that education Is a steppingstone to go far and reach the ladder of success. In order to be motivated. One must be dedicated to achieve the goals which are set as parameters in life. Life is short and there is no way we can fully enjoy it,only if it is taken care of and if we live our life in the best way we can and in the most productive way.

Industry Report – Hotel & Tourism

However, the easing of the Australian dollar has been a welcome development. The latest Mastered-OTF sentiment survey indicates that international industry sentiment remains relatively stable. Notably, however, 50% of those surveyed saw the Australian dollar as having a high impact on their business, highlighting the potential upside of the local currency easing. Growth In International visitor arrivals continues to Impress International visitor arrivals grew 4. 9% over the year to March while International visitor nights grew 7. 2%, significantly outpacing average growth of the last decade. While this growth has been largely led by the emerging Asian economies, particularly China which accounted for more than a third of total growth in visitor arrivals, there has also been a sustained pick up in visitor arrivals from the US. ; Increasing length of stay by Japanese visitors was also a key contributor to visitor night growth. The outlook for international visitors remains robust ; Des pite a marginally weaker economic outlook, Dolomite Access Economics continues to project solid growth in international visitor arrivals and nights over the next three years, with arrivals forecast to grow by 4. 5% p. A. ND nights by 4. 9% p. A. ; While the outlook for growth in Chinese visitors has moderated slightly, China is expected to remain the single largest contributor to growth, with visitor nights forecast to grow by 6. 7% p. A. Over the next three years. Overall, Asia is projected to account for two thirds of forecast growth In International violators nights. ; In an encouraging sign for the nation's larger regional tourism destinations, recent trends have revealed Chinese travelers Tropical North Queensland are now frequented more commonly by Chinese leisure visitors than by international leisure travelers generally.The domestic visitor market entities to expand After a decade of weak or negative growth, the domestic tourism market rebounded strongly in the first half of 2012. While this rapid rate of growth has not been maintained, the domestic market has continued to expand, with visitor nights increasing 2. 2% over the year to March 2013. Strengthening leisure market forecast to be the key driver of domestic growth Corporate travel has been the predominant driver of domestic tourism growth over the last decade.However a softer domestic economic outlook and signs of a continued pick-up in holiday travel indicate the leisure segment playing a more reorient role in driving domestic tourism over the next few years – particularly if the Australian dollar continues to recede. ; Holiday visitor nights grew 1 1. 6% in the March quarter and by 3. 7% over the year to March. This represents the fastest rate of growth since before the SGF and considerably narrowed the gap with outbound leisure travel, which grew by 4. % over the same period. ; Overall, Dolomite Access Economics forecasts domestic visitor nights to grow at an average rate of 1. 6% p. A. Over the next three years. Hotel occupancy rates in Brisbane and Perth ease while mailer markets record strong growth ; In a clear sign that travel associated with the mining sector is slowing, the last two quarters saw a softening in occupancy rates in Brisbane and Perth with average occupancies for the year to May 2013 around 2% lower than the previous year. However, growth in domestic holiday travel has been good news for destinations such as the Gold Coast where occupancy rates continue to improve, while Tropical North Queensland has benefited from strong growth in international visitor nights. A softer domestic economic outlook is moderating growth recasts for several major hotel markets ; Growth in occupancies and room rates in markets associated with mining-related corporate travel, such as Brisbane and Perth, is forecast to be more subdued, as the resource-related construction boom reaches its peak.At the same time, the weakening of the Australian dollar is forecast to pr ovide further support for room rates and occupancies in leisure-oriented markets. ; Nevertheless, and despite a strengthening investment pipeline, demand is forecast to outstrip supply and, accordingly, occupancy rates are forecast to grow 2% and room rates by 3. % p. A. Nationally over the three years to December 2015. Tourism and Hotel Market Outlook – Half yearly update 2013 2 The macroeconomic context with the US dollar since early 2011, the Australian dollar lost significant ground in May.By the end of May, the Australian dollar had fallen to IIS$O. 96, while the Trade Weighted Index (TWIT), which measures the strength of Australia's currency against its trading partners, fell from 78. 2 on the 1st of May to 74. 0 by the end of the month. At the time of writing the Australian dollar had fallen to IIS$O. 92 and the TWIT had fallen to 71. 2. The decline in the Australian dollar against its major trading partners was partly precipitated by the Reserve Banks decision in May to reduce the official cash rate to 2. 5%, while an announcement by the Federal Reserve of a possible tapering' of its quantitative easing strategy has caused a more recent drop against the US dollar. The decline in the Australian dollar is good news for local tourism operators. Previous Dolomite Access Economics research for Tourism Australia found that the value of the Australian dollar has a relatively modest impact on the decision to visit Australia. However, it has a more pronounced impact on the level of spending undertaken by visitors once they arrive, which is likely to be of greater importance for many tourism operators.The moderation of the Australian dollar is also likely to further slow growth in outbound travel by Australians as the overcompensation's of local destinations improves. Despite the pace of the recent moderation, the longer term outlook for the local currency remains relatively unchanged with the Australian dollar projected to remain at IIS$O. 80 from 2018-1 9. The global outlook The moderation of the Australian currency relative to the US dollar as been driven in part by an improved outlook for the US economy.The most recent figures from the US show that real GAP grew by 0. 6% in the March quarter up from the 0. 1% recorded in the December quarter. Over the year to March, US real GAP grew by 1. 8%. Moreover, the US housing market continues to strengthen, with the S&P Case Sheller 20-City Composite Home Price Index rising by 10. 9% over the year to March 2013 and housing approvals rising almost 21% since May 2012. Encouraging figures have also appeared from the US labor market, with the unemployment rate falling to 7. % in April (though it edged up to 7. % in May). However, looking beyond the headline data reveals a labor market which remains soft. This is especially evident in the employment to population ratio (capturing both unemployment and workforce participation), which remains essentially unchanged from the depths reached in late 2009. This data suggests that the falling unemployment rate has mainly been due to individuals dropping out of the labor force rather than strong employment growth.These emerging signs of recovery – along with recent improvements in consumer confidence – suggest that, although fiscal consolidation ill limit the speed of the nation's economic recovery, the US is better placed than previously to handle the impact of $85 billion in budget cuts associated with the ‘sequester' and a 2% increase in payroll tax. By comparison, the outlook for Chinese growth is slightly weaker than forecast six months ago with growth falling from 7. 9% over the year to December 2012 to 7. 7% over the year to March 2013.Growth continues to be supported by infrastructure spending and housing construction with recent growth in real estate prices prompting renewed concerns about the potential or a housing price bubble in China. Growth in both consumer spending and the longer term, China wil l need to rebalanced its growth towards higher wages and increased consumer spending, which is likely to imply a slower but more balanced growth trajectory. The COED Economic Outlook forecasts Chinese growth to remain at 7. 8% in 2013, before rising to 8. 4% in 2014 on the back of an acceleration of global trade.In Europe, fiscal austerity has continued to hamper growth with unemployment in the region climbing further. While austerity measures have increased the level of lattice instability in some member states, the European Central Banks actions in purchasing government bonds has reduced the risk of a severe collapse over the last eighteen months. The COED expects growth in the Euro area of in 2013 before recovering to 1 . 1% in 2014. By comparison, the outlook is slightly stronger for Japan as monetary easing has led to a depreciation of the yen since November 2012, although the COED is forecasting growth of only 1. % in 2013. On the whole, the global outlook remains broadly simi lar to six months ago, with more promising signs f recovery in the US being counterbalanced by a slightly softer outlook for China's economy and continued weakness in the Rezone. The domestic outlook In Australia, concerns have been growing about the capacity of the non-mining sectors to sustain growth once the resource-related construction boom peaks. The economy grew by 0. 6% in the March quarter to be up by 2. 5% over the year, but growth was largely driven by an improvement in net exports.A decline in new engineering construction in the quarter has prompted increasing concerns that the mining construction boom has begun to peak. While Dolomite Access Economics expects resource-related construction to plateau for some time before receding, alternative sources of growth must be forthcoming if an economic slowdown is to be avoided. While there is evidence that housing construction and the retail sector are beginning to grow, the recovery in both sectors has been relatively mild to date. Residential construction activity grew by only 2. % over the year to March, while retail expenditure grew by 3. 1% over the year to April. The decision by the Reserve Bank to cut interest rates to a record low of 2. 75% in May should act to Arthur stimulate the housing and retail sectors. At the same time, while the decision by the Federal government to delay a return to budget surplus to 2015-16 has been welcomed, indicators suggest business confidence has weakened in recent months due to concerns about the impending peak in construction activity in the resources sector.

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

Planning Proposal - Research Paper Example UMUC University is the learning facility for non-traditional students (including militants, federal government members and working adults). As the facility is the employer for about 2 thousand people in USA, the loss of revenue caused by decline in enrolments has a negative impact on the employees who face lay-offs and already enrolled students who receive the services provided by the staff of the campus. Taking this into account, I would like to draw your attention to this problem and offer to work on the solution as soon as possible as the students currently studying it the facility feel its negative effect on themselves having problems with receiving needed services. To my thinking, the possible solution is that the campus administration should address the government with the request to create some alternative source of funding so that there is no need to lay the staff off. Probably, it would be possible to establish some additional paid courses that would attract more students. Moreover, it is crucial to enhance and widen UMUC marketing campaign to attract more students and increase the number of

Argument on Gay Marriage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Argument on Gay Marriage - Research Paper Example Same – sex marriages have good aspects and bad aspects depending on which paradigm it is being assessed in to. The way I shall approach this paradigms are dependent on the current political discourse and on the social order of things. In the current political discourse, the Republicans are the ones who are strongly in opposition with the legalization of same – sex marriages; with the exception of Fred Karger. Fred Karger is an openly gay person who is vying for the presidential seat (Harris). He is the only in the whole nomination list of the Republicans who is in support of same – sex marriages, which is totally in contrast with his fellow Republican who are aspirants for the candidacy (2012 Republican Candidates). What makes him apart from the other nominees aside from being a supporter and part of the LGBT community? The answer is plain and simple. Each of them has separate standards. In most cases, the paradigms of the other potential bearers are mostly guide d by religious conventions. Assessing the paradigms, there are several contentions that must be engaged carefully. Political activity is considered to be free of any detrimental conditions. If there is a principle of separation of church and state in a democratic society like the United States, then there is a need to fully implement this matter. In a civil society, there is a need to secure the rights of the people because choices are part of it. Should anyone be deprived of their choice because of sexual orientation? Definitely, it should not be. Discrimination is seriously dealt with by constitutions where people should not be discriminated because of the choices made (Johnson and Kuttner 183). In this case, it can be considered that sexual orientation is also a preference that should be discriminated. Individuals have the freedom to decide what they want to do with their lives and the government must secure all the possible means to ensure that these liberties are protected. Rel igion, in most instances, has provided a fundamentalist approach when it comes sexuality due to institutionalized ethics it propagated (Johnson and Kuttner 180). This is where most of the contentions about sexuality and gender comes in. Does the religion have the right to forbade people who want to pursue their ideal as part of LGBT community? No. In order to fully understand this matter, there is a need to point out that marriages have certain types: the religious and the civil marriage. In religious marriage, sex and sexuality are means for procreation. In civil marriages, there is a need to include the freedom to choose partners. Marriage, in a strict sense, is a basic civil right (Johnson and Kuttner 186). People who are religious may opt to have a civil marriage, a religious marriage or both. All of them still boil down to the choice of those who wants to get married. Now, do LGBT couples would opt to have a religious marriage? Most likely, they would not. They would prefer to have a civil marriage where there is no religious intervention. The very act of the conservative and religious orders in preventing same – sex marriage is already an imposition. The predicament is plain and simple. LGBT marriages face double standards which can be quite problematic due to interference. In my opinion, I would even be sensitive to the LGBT couples attitudes and

Gun control Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Gun control - Research Paper Example This paper will argue in favor of right to bear arms. Citizens should be allowed to bear arms because it leads to decrease in criminal activity, it can help in avoiding mass shooting events and will provide citizens to secure themselves from the threat of experiencing losses. Body Those who argue in favor of strict laws tend to defend their stance by stating that there is a positive relationship between the number of arms owned by the citizens of a nation and the number of gun related criminal activity. In another assertion, it can be said that the number of criminals can increase if they will be psychologically be consider themselves as much powerful over others. As per the lawful clauses of bearing a gun, it is important to make use of gun for self-defense following the clauses i.e. to shoot on the leg of the criminal or making use of it to warn at the first place. By bearing arms, it might be a common behavior to make use of it without following the clauses. ... Secondly it is not necessary that the criminal activity that is being conducted with the use of guns is performed while using legally obtained guns. If citizens are allowed to bear arms, they can help in reducing criminal activity taking place in a particular region. Lott states that right to bear arms help innocent, law abiding citizens to defend themselves from the criminals and he figured out that if one extra female is allowed to carry a gun, the probability of her getting killed decreases by more than 3 times (Lott 1). Statistics quoted by Lott in his research clearly indicate that right to bear arms allows law abiding citizens to protect themselves from the threat of being killed. By discussing the opposing view regarding bearing of arms, it can be well stated that by prohibiting the citizens from bearing the arms does not justify the possibility of completed eradication of criminal activities. There are many ways in which criminal activities are recorded without using guns. Cr iminals can be violent to the level that they can beat a person to death. There are no statistical base on which it can be proven that the countries where bearing arms is prohibited have actually been able to decrease the number of criminal cases. In addition, if criminals will get to know that their actions will be resisted by a person holding proper tool for self-defense then it is more likely that they will avoid committing crime because of the fear of being caught. Another reason due to which opponents of right bear arms promote strict gun laws because they believe that criminals are not rationale decision makers and once they decide to commit crime, they will do so without thinking about it for the second time. They

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflection paper - Essay Example In addition, such a culture will attract investors that keep the share price high thus protecting the business from takeover (The Times 100, 2002). The biggest challenge that financial planners are primarily faced with is selecting the mode of compensation, this is where financial planners are categorized into two, which are commission-based planners and fee-based planners. The main difference between the two is that commission-based planners are subject to a constant commission for every transaction, whereas fee -based planners are entitled to a commission based on the assets for which they have been made responsible. The ethical dilemma for commission-based planners arises from the temptation to generate additional transactions regardless of there being no actual sales done. This is because their income is independent of any gains made on the overall portfolio of a business. As for fees-based planners, their ethical dilemma stems from the fact that their income comes from their abi lity to grow an investment. This implies that they would be motivated to make use of aggressive investment strategies that may be unethical (Cussen, 2012). Therefore, it is evident that financial planners require a tool to guide their actions and develop a relationship of trust with clients. This is because they have to make their own benefits a secondary concern to that of clients. On the other hand, they are faced with responsibility of ensuring their clients make financially sound decisions regarding their investments rather than basing their decisions on emotions. In this case, the ethical dilemma arises where the financial planner has to insist on a particular investment choice, all for the benefit of the client, but in so far as, it does not come out as fear-induced. The financial planner has to illustrate to the client the benefits of an investment decision as realistically as possible without striking fear in them. Many investment companies have resulted in making their fina ncial planners sign a disclaimer in order to protect them from clients who may come up and say that they were not given sufficient advice regarding a particular investment choice (Cussen, 2012). Nevertheless, financial planners are bound to act according to the seven ethical principles established by Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards and the Financial Planning Association. They are Integrity, Objectivity, Competence, Fairness, Confidentiality, Professionalism and Diligence; therefore, upholding these principles will create a relationship of trust between financial planners and their clients. This is because the client will be assured that their best interests will be paramount to any procedures employed or proposals made. The client does have the burden of looking into a financial planner’s prior relationships with other clients in order to evaluate their performance properly and behavior (Gambone, n.d). There are ten must-do’s for developing a financial p lanning practice that include: Selecting a practice structure- this refers to a mode of operation which may either be a sole proprietorship, corporation or partnership; depending on the financial pla

E-Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

E-Portfolio - Essay Example SLO Assessment 1 The picture above shows the Shaolin Temple in Henan Province, China. The temple is famous throughout the world and is one of the greatest Buddhist temples in the world. This temple is a famous cultural site since it encourages martial arts particularly the Kung Fu. The construction of the temple occurred during the 15th Century therefore the monastery is a center of Shaolin traditions and history. According to Shahar (184), various Chinese emperors throughout history supported the temple hence illustrating the importance of the temple to Chinese traditions. The monastery has experienced destructions and rebuilt severally throughout the years. Dynasties fights throughout Chinese history, is responsible for most of the temple’s destructions. These destructions occurred under various emperors’ reign such as the Shunzhi and Kangzi emperors (Shahar, 184). These destructions helped spread Shaolin fighting styles throughout China. This is because the monks org anized retaliatory attacks by training the locals to fight against the attackers. These destructions are common in Chinese myths and legendary stories to date. This artifact demonstrates my understanding and skills in analyzing historical trends of Chinese Shaolin culture and the Buddhist religion. The artifact shows my proficiency of Buddhism and martial arts culture in China. The above artifact is the origin of Shaolin fighting culture in China. It therefore explains the spread and popularity of the martial arts culture in China. By being conversant with the above artifact, am able to show my proficiency of origin of a common culture in China. SLO 2 Assessment The above artifact shows the migration of the Aztecs into America in the 18th century. The artifact explains the migration of the Aztecs from Mexico. It shows that the Aztecs did not migrate north of America but Southern America beginning from Utah. The artifact explains the history of some of the migrating communities into the US in the 18th century. It provides evidence to prove the Aztecs migration through North America. Boone (163) argues that presence of Uto-Azteca language throughout in South Western states during this period is a sign of the Aztec migration. In addition, the corn plantations in South Western states is due to the Aztecs migration and presence. The artifact explains the presence of Aztec/Mexican culture in Western states as well as the connection between the North Western and South Western states (Boone, 164). It explains the use of Mexican place names in some of these states. This artifact shows my expertise in multicultural literacy. This is because the artifact explains the origin of the Hispanic community in South-West states. From the artifact, I can understand the historical culture of the Hispanic community in the US. Am able to understand the high presence of the Hispanic population in states like California, New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada and Texas. The artifact al so helped me to understand the use of Mexican names in places, parks and streets in most western states contrary to the popular archeological belief that the names began during the romanticism period in the 19th Century. SLO 3 Assessment The above artifact shows people of various religious groups such as Christianity, Hindu, Buddhism and Islam. The artifact presents the concept of religious diversity in the current human life. The

Project Management Plan Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Project Management Plan - Research Paper Example Like in our case study, we are studying the Cycle City. Cycle City is involved in offering transport services. However, the company would wish to extend their services to cope with the changing customer needs. This calls for the design part of a new super cycle way project. The aim of the project is to create a connection between the proposed high-speed rail station at Toton and Nottingham City Centre. This been a project of construction, there will be requirement of management procedures that will see the project a success. The expansion project of the Cycle City Company would require materials and several resources that would be acquired from various suppliers. Apart from monitoring the project, the management’s major role will be to ensure effective and efficient procurement process. Procurement is the process of obtaining goods and services from another for some consideration. In procurement of construction materials, the procurement sector should take keen consideration of the kind of project been undertaken. The purpose and main goals of the project should remain in the mind of the person doing the procurement. In our case study, this is a transport service. Various transport considerations that are in the customers minds need to be taken in place. Comfort, convenience, cost, safety and efficiency of the services provided to the customers by the new project should be the key factors to consider in the procurement process. Various procurement routes may be employed by the company in acquisition of the necessary resources for the project. However, the selected procurement route need to be effective and meet all the aspects and objectives of the project. Procurement options can be grouped into five main categories that shares common attributes. They include traditional, design and build management, contracting, construction Management and

Supply Chain and Logistics in Fedex Research Paper

Supply Chain and Logistics in Fedex - Research Paper Example Shipping business, however, is a field of shift competition. The various means of shipment and the complexities involved in the process are highly challenging. It is further intricate, as the pricing strategy involves companies that guide price in one form of shipment such as ground and pursue in another form of shipment for instance international delivery. This study comprises different sections such as introduction, distribution system in FedEx, their strategies, process of time, cost, flexibility and quality assurance. The present process structure in terms of inventory, information, transportation, and Location, current structure, problems and weaknesses in the current process and how the method should be restructured to enlarge these capabilities etc have also been evaluated in the papers. Lastly it analyzes the implementation of the changes with company. Introduction: Supply Chain Management (SCM) entails a combination of processes, right from the arrival of raw materials at th e manufacture unit and ends when the finished commodities reach the hands of the users. FedEx is a supply chain management company that offers fastest courier services all over the world on a daily basis. â€Å"FedEx Corporation (FedEx), incorporated on October 2, 1997, is a holding company. The Company provides a portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services under the FedEx brand. The Company operates in four segments: FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight and FedEx Services† (FedEx Corp (FDX.N), n.d., para. 1). Logistic Management (LM) is the one of the main functions within SCM, which assists to arrange, carry out and coordinate forward and reverse run, storage space for goods, service and associated data from the start to the end point. The necessity for... The intention of this study is Supply Chain Management (SCM). It entails a combination of processes, right from the arrival of raw materials at the manufacture unit and ends when the finished commodities reach the hands of the users. FedEx is a supply chain management company that offers fastest courier services all over the world on a daily basis. â€Å"FedEx Corporation (FedEx), incorporated on October 2, 1997, is a holding company. The Company provides a portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services under the FedEx brand. The Company operates in four segments: FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight and FedEx Services†. Logistic Management (LM) is the one of the main functions within SCM, which assists to arrange, carry out and coordinate forward and reverse run, storage space for goods, service and associated data from the start to the end point. The necessity for qualified SCM practitioners is increasing in all areas of trade and commerce, consisting of producing commodities and service segments. SCM includes everything from the primary stage to the end stage. Various elements involved in a supply chain processes are: customers, planning, purchasing, transportation, inventory and manufacture departments etc within an organization. Supply chain should be planned, appropriately equipped and operated to be efficient. A perfect supply chain requires the exercise of systematic and scientific utilization of resources. Supply chain management is the dynamic supervision of the supply chain actions with a view to extract full advantage of resources, achieving of the consumer standards and accomplishing competitive benefits.

Discussion Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 24

Discussion Question - Essay Example The Net Present Value (NPV) indicates whether the expected rates of return is equivalent to, higher, or lower than the company’s preferred rate of return (Gad, 2014). Finally, Internal Rate of Return (IRR) refers to the interest rate that leads to value equalization of the present net cash inflows and outflows. Thus can be considered the true rate of return of a project where high IRR indicates desirable projects. A conflict among the three capital budgeting models where the NPV indicates rejection, but the IRR and Payback methods both indicated acceptance can a time occur. Such a situation can be brought about by a project having more than one IRR or the interest rate being greater than zero and a very short payback period (Gad, 2014). Analyst, therefore, should accept a situation where the present value of future cash inflow is greater than cost of initial investment. When using the payback method the emphasis are on cash and its recovery although it overlooks the time value of money and desired return rates. NPV model considers the money value but does not provide actual return rates. The IRR gives the actual return rates but they keep on changing with time. In conclusion, for a correct data that indicates negative NPV but positive IRR and payback method the most accurate decision is to reject the project. This is because NPV measure the wealth creation, profitability and the extent of wealth change expected for the shareholders. Therefore, a negative NPV indicated a significant decrease of shareholders wealth which directly affects the company cash

Share Holder Value Essay Example for Free

Share Holder Value Essay Public and private companies are under a great deal of pressure to create and sustain shareholder value by increasing both returns on capital and growth rates and company’s stock price or equity value. Share holders would like to associate with a firm whose stock prices are not depressed. Who is a Shareholder? A share holder can be defined as the owner of one or more shares of stock in a corporation, commonly also called a stockholder. The benefits of being a shareholder include receiving dividends for each share as determined by the Board of Directors, the right to vote (except for certain preferred shares) for members of the board of directors, to bring a derivative action (lawsuit) if the corporation is poorly managed, and to participate in the division of value of assets upon dissolution and winding up of the corporation, if there is any value. A shareholder should have his/her name registered with the corporation, but may hold a stock certificate which has been signed over to him/her. Before registration the new shareholder may not be able to cast votes represented by the shares. (Enhancing share holder value, Dr William . e. Broxterman Chairman/CEO Chemquest Group,unc). Shareholder value is a business term, which implies that the ultimate measure of a companys success is to enrich shareholders. It became popular during the 1980s, and is particularly associated with former CEO of General Electric, Jack Welch. ( In March 2009), Welch openly turned his back on the concept, calling shareholder value the dumbest idea in the world. The term used in several ways: To refer to the market capitalization of a company (rarely used) * To refer to the concept that the primary goal for a company is to increase the wealth of its shareholders (owners) by paying dividends and/or causing the stock price to increase * To refer to the more specific concept that planned actions by management and the returns to shareholders should outperform certain bench-marks such as the cost of capital concept. In essence, the idea that shareholders’ money should be used to earn higher returns than they could earn themselves by investing in other assets having the same amount of risk. The term in this sense was introduced by Dr Alfred Rappaport in 1986. ) In (1981, Jack Welch made a speech in Hotel Pierre, New York City called) ‘Growing fast in a slow-growth economy’ (8. 12. 1981) this is often acknowledged as the dawn of the obsession with shareholder value. Welchs stated aim was to be the biggest or second biggest market player, and to return maximum value to stockholders. Strategic planning In today’s fast-changing, often business environment, formal systems for strategic planning have become one of top management’s principal tools for evaluating and coping with uncertainty. One of the key roles of Board of directors is to approve and adopt the strategic and annual business plans, the setting of objectives and review of key risk and performance areas. Corporate board members are also showing increasing interest in ensuring that the company has adequate strategies and that these are tested against actual results. While the organizational dynamics and the sophistication of the strategic planning process vary widely among companies, the process almost invariably culminates in projected (commonly five-year) financial statements. This enables top managers and the board to review and approve strategic plans in the same terms that the company reports its performance to shareholders and the financial community. Under current practice the projected financial statements, particularly projected earnings per share performance, commonly serve as the basis for judging the attractiveness of the strategic or long-term corporate plan. The conventional accounting-oriented approach for evaluating the strategic plan does not, however, provide reliable answers to such basic questions as: †¢ Will the corporate plan create value for shareholders? If so, how much? †¢ Which business units are creating value and which are not? †¢ How would alternative strategic plans affect shareholder value? Managing shareholder value This management principle, also known under value based management, states that management should first and foremost consider the interests of shareholders in its business decisions. As shareholder value is difficult to influence directly by any manager, it is usually broken down in components, so called value drivers. A widely used model comprises 7 drivers of shareholder value, giving some guidance to manage. These drivers are, * Revenue, the amount of money that is brought into a company by its business activities. In the case of government, revenue is the money received from taxation, fees, fines, inter-governmental grants or transfers, securities sales, mineral rights and resource rights, as well as any sales that are made. * Operating Margin, the ratio used to measure a companys pricing strategy and operating efficiency, if a companys margin is increasing, it is earning more per dollar of sales. The higher the margin, the better. Can be calculated as: Operating margin=Operating Income/Net Sales. * Cash Tax Rate, the cash a company pays to governments as a percentage, while looking at an unlevered company. * Incremental Capital Expenditure, additional cash invested by a firm in its long term assets in order to generate a dollar of new sales. * Investment in Working Capital, a measure of both a companys efficiency and its short-term financial health. The working capital ratio is calculated as, working apital=current assets-current liabilities * Cost of Capital, equity and debt capital and the related discount rate. * Competitive Advantage Period, advantage over competitors by offering consumers better value either through greater benefits or lower prices. Share holder value, and the Economic value concept The value that a shareholder is able to obtain from his/her investment in a company ,is made up of capital gains, dividend payments, and proceeds from buy back programs and any other payouts that a firm might make to a shareholder. In other words share holder returns exceed the required return to equity, and the company is deemed to have exceeded the required expectation. Share holder value in recent years is being measured using the Economic Value Added Concept (EVA), a measure of a companys financial performance based on the residual wealth calculated by deducting cost of capital from its operating profit (adjusted for taxes on a cash basis). Share holder value, and the WACC concept Investors use WACC as a tool to decide whether to invest. The WACC represents the minimum rate of return at which a company produces value for its investors. Lets say a company produces a return of 20% and has a WACC of 11%. That means that for every dollar the company invests into capital, the company is creating nine cents of value. By contrast, if the companys return is less than WACC, the company is shedding value, which indicates that investors should put their money elsewhere. It measures a trend of improving or declining share holder value and it helps managers to focus on projects, businesses, product lines and activities yielding more than a firms weighted average cost of capital WACC (The return that both debt holders and equity holders expect, WACC, in other words, represents the investors opportunity cost of taking on the risk of putting money into a company. Investors use WACC as a tool to decide whether to invest. The WACC represents the minimum rate of return at which a company produces value for its investors. Lets say a company produces a return of 20% and has a WACC of 11%. That means that for every dollar the company invests into capital, the company is creating nine cents of value. Current value of a business is fairly expressed by the share price, there fore increasing EVA should move prices upwards. This means an earning return greater than its cost of capital. Value creation for shareholders through strategic acquisition Acquisitions have known to create value for share holders, however this has to be done strategically, for example in the study of industry acquisitions in 1998(1999 The Chemquest Group. Inc) describing the adhesives industry, such acquisitions have integrated a number of companies in to a single unit with a positive EVA have added significant value and enhanced shareholder value of the company. In order for an acquisition to create share holder value it must generate a positive NPV. In other words it behaves the same as a capital investment. By carrying assets that maximize long term value of the firm for example outsourcing activities such as manufacturing. Dell investments are involved extensively in marketing but out sources distribution, inventory and manufacturing. Also hiring of employees should be strategic. Share holder value and capital structure design Share holders wealth can be improved with increasing leverage by using more debt in place of equity and or dealing judiciously with debt and equity, designing a capital structure that will reduce WACC and increase the value of the firm. This is based on the fact that the composite cost of debt lies between the least expensive debt and the more expensive equity. This approach enables the maximization of corporate profits and shareholders equity. By keeping an eye on the capital market for the firm, the Financial Manager should keep an eye on capital markets for the firm, substituting methods for more effective ones which can improve the firms value and so the shareholder value. Areas such as interest on loans and normal dividend rates as dictated by the market should be examined for decisions. Share holder value and expansion and diversification A company can increase shareholders wealth by diversifying for example addition of a new product line. When BOC gases wanted to expand its business there was consideration by the board for an acquisition of a business in a similar industry, Carbacid. Although this did not succeed, the focus to grow through this product is still on and there is a plan to buy a carbon dioxide mining well. Nakumat seeks sh 1 billion for expansion and is talking with commercial banks for a syndicated loan. The loan is a long term five year loan to be used for stocking new branches recently opened in Rwanda Kigali( Business Daily pg 23). Share holder value and replacement and modernization Finlay Kenya in kericho the tea producing company has replaced a large number of manual labor, with machinery for plucking tea leaves; in a bid to modernize the labor market, to improve on productivity and to reduce labor costs and there fore shareholder value. Boc gases is evaluating an investment for an additional air separation in order to improve performance of machinery (Annual Report 2007). As a firm continues to grow, it may consider improving its retail centers, availing information to customers , displaying sales ware while encouraging caller customers to come and buy the goods in the retail shop. Investors Africa transformation fund, are trying out new methods to tap Africa Agriculture aimed at double digit returns with programmes to boost food production. ( Top News Business Daily pg 3 Dec 6 2010). Share holder value and investment decision rule Through sound capital budgeting techniques, a firm may come up with appraisal techniques to measure economic worth of an investment project for example, coming up with an unambiguous way of separating good projects from bad projects, ranking projects according to profitability, and choosing amongst a number of projects, the project that maximizes wealth. Investment decision can be divided into long-term and short-term decisions and techniques. Capital investment decisions are long-term choices about which projects receive investment, whether to finance that investment with equity or debt, and when or whether to pay dividends to shareholders. On the other hand, short term decisions deal with the short-term balance of current asses and current liabilities; the focus here is on managing cash, inventories, and short-term borrowing and lending (such as the terms on credit extended to customers), for example treasury has signed up for a new World Bank fronted bonds trading plan, which should help the central bank in diversifying its forex reserve mix and cushion the shilling against wild swings(professor Njuguna Central Bank of Kenya Governor, Business Daily Dec 6). Share holder value and discounted/non discounted cash flow methods By recognizing that bigger and early cash flows are preferred, the shareholders value can be improved. Using discounted cash flow methods such as NPV and PI. When NPV is +ve, the project should be accepted and when it is –ve it should be rejected. In the decision rule for profitability where PI is less than 1, then the project should be rejected while where PI is greater than 1 then the project should be accepted. In the non-discounted cash flow method, projects with higher ARR are preferable. In order to make the right investment decision, it is important that the project is thoroughly analyzed using available tools, remembering that the resources are minimal and can not be wasted. Increasing or liquidating part of shareholding This can be achieved by shareholders taking up shares and so increasing their investment in the business, or selling their rights and liquidate part of their investment. In theory, share splits have a positive effect on the shareholders wealth because they encourage beneficial price movements. This should be in line with the dividend policy. Cash cycle and cash management Firms should ensure that there is a match between accounts payable and accounts receivables and that payment to creditors is delayed while receivables are collected earlier. These may seem like daily chores but can cost the shareholder dearly if poorly managed. Many firms have closed down because of not managing accounts receivables appropriately. Summary In summary Strategies selected in creating share holder values should be strategic in the real sense. Strategies selected will usually cover three to five years and will incorporate the big picture. Strategies of substance that have been tested will ensure that the right programs for growth of the firms share value are selected and implemented.

Effect of Compost on White Button Mushrooms

Effect of Compost on White Button Mushrooms ElisaBeth Shrom General Mushroom Information and Life Cycle A mushroom’s scientific name is Agaricus campestris. Mushrooms have been known for thousands of years as a food, medicine, and even to create â€Å"spiritual visions† (i.e. â€Å"magic mushrooms†) This mysterious organism, often thrown into the same category as plants, is actually another species altogether. An entire underground world remains unseen to the human eye, yet has the unbelievable power to change the world, one ecosystem at a time. Mushroom production begins in spores or â€Å"seeds,† (not the technical term,) are released from the gills of the mushroom underneath the cap. However, the mushrooms visible above ground are not the whole fungi; they are merely the fruiting bodies of an underground organism called fungi mycelium. Similar to vegetables like corn or potatoes, these fruiting bodies â€Å"fruit† slowly. When mushrooms fruit under the right conditions at the most beneficial site, they will produce there year after year. â€Å"It’s the reverse of photosynthesis. Mushrooms take in carbon and consume oxygen, while plants consume carbon dioxide, and create carbon and oxygen.† (Paul Stamets, founder of Fungi of Olympia, Wash. and author of six books on mushroom culture) Due to mushroom’s many benefits, this fungi is the only one humans cultivate intentionally. It is important to not assume a mushroom is healthy to consume from the wild, because many mushrooms are poisonous and it is difficult to tell poisonous types from others. When they are safe to eat, mushrooms play a huge role in keeping the human immune system healthy. Mushrooms are a simple addition to any household and require little work to produce a large quantity of a delicious ingredient for dinnertime. The major components to control while growing mushrooms at home are humidity and temperature. They thrive when the temperature starts at a humid 70 ° while the mycelium grows, then stays humid and around 55 ° and 60 ° F. Loose or bottled spawn or ready-to-go mushroom kits can be purchased from catalog companies to simplify and quicken the at home growth process. They come infused with the required nutrients and soil in a box, simply instructing the user to keep the topsoil moisturized and to store the box in a humid section Companies that produce huge amounts of mushrooms use marker assisted selection, an improved type of selection paired alongside classical mushroom breeding techniques. Other methods of increasing mycelium fungi production are being explored and implemented to modify and transform series of mushroom strains. Genetic transformation allows possibilities of genetic integration from efficient DNA traits of other strains or species to express themselves in one quality product. Mycelium Mycelium are thin, white, thread-like â€Å"roots† of fungi that must develop fully before any fruiting bodies become visible aboveground. Mycelia communicate signals from plant to plant. For example, it might send a chemical signal that a tree is sick that causes other trees nearby to build up their immune systems and avoid the same sickness. The largest known organism in the world is a 2,400 acre mycelium growth in Oregon, US. It is not unusual for a mycelium organism to stretch for miles under forests. Mushrooms are not the only ones with mycelium. In fact, most fungi grow with mycelium. Common household fungal systems recognizable to most are easily visible mycelia that provide an example for mushroom’s underground mycelium. Mycelia grows faster where there are less nutrients to search for a site rich in food. It grows slowly where its food is abundant so that it can extract the materials needed to stay alive. The explanation for mushrooms growing in â€Å"fairy rings† lies with mycelia. It grows in a donut ring shape, rather than a pie shaped, leaving an area drained of supplies to branch outward into new regions. â€Å" mushroom mycelium is hungry. It wants to run.† (Paul Stamets) The organism expands as spores germinate and produce hypha (aka, germ tube), which are similar to branches of a tree, except they are microscopic and grow outwards from other hypha. Hypha increase in growth only lengthwise the width stays around one one-hundredths of a millimetre around. They cross-connect, intertwining, which helps transport nutrients to where they need to be. Lots of hyphae grow in bundles, or mycelial cords and each species of fungi has a different type of branching pattern. In order to produce fertile mycelium, a network of cells with two nuclei fused in the cell and two spore mating types each are required. Meiosis of these non-sister cells produces a heterokaryotic mycelia. Single spore cultures can also produce mushrooms as long as one single spore â€Å"seed† has two mating types. In the big picture, mycelium restores the environment and neutralizes toxins with it’s natural digestion of nutrients. Some mushroom’s mycelia can digest recalcitrant bonds (bonds that are resistant to the breakdown of a substance into smaller, less toxic molecular bonds.) They can separate bonds in human-produced pollutants to keep the entire ecosystem thriving. Mycelia is able to transform polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from oil wastes or coal tar into food for itself. All types of fungi do this by releasing enzymes into the soil or surrounding area to break down polymers and absorb simple sugars from the waste into their hyphal walls. Mushrooms Breakdown Toxic Materials The discovery of mushrooms’ distinct ability to break down harmful toxins and pollutants has and will continue to benefit the environment. The fact that humans can play a huge role in creating a healthier ecosystem by treating toxics with mycelium has almost unlimited benefits. In 2003, the gas stations â€Å"Chevron† and â€Å"Texaco† were reported by over thirty-thousand angry Ecuadorians to dump eighteen and a half billion gallons of toxic waste into pits in Ecuador. This damaging act of spillage resulted in the flow of harmful poison into residents water systems, and injuring the environment in more ways than one. Research projects have been conducted on many sites to conclude how the disintegration of toxins is not unlike that of other materials. Fungi secrete enzymes that break down toxins in the same way they split wood and straw’s chemical bonds. In one project, two piles of toxic soils near an oil pit were treated with different substances. After a year, the soil with mycelium and substrate had invited worms and bugs to help restore the soil. There were no signs of crude, and the toxins had been completely neutralized. The pile that had not been treated with mycelium fungi was still very toxic, and had a crude odor and felt oily to the touch. This mycelium method proves effective on large scale oil spills from companies, and is a cheaper, more ideal answer to fuel wastes in backyards or farms. The conversion of waste to mushroom development, or mycoremediation, causes hundreds of environmental and community improvements to open up. Food is provided, jobs are created, family incomes are enhanced, the burning of waste is cut back. This helps lower air pollution, lessen forest fire danger, manage environmental cleanup, protect the mushrooms, and create opportunities to effectuate mushroom substrate for compost and bioremediation. Paul Stamets meant when he said, â€Å"Fungi govern the decomposition cycles, and make it possible for natural biological systems to operate. They are tremendous allies for the health of people and the planet.† Another huge use for fungi is to turn mushrooms themselves into a substrate for other plants. Mushroom substrates replenish humus and organic matter by cutting carbohydrates in the soil in half in as short a period as one week. Mushroom compost farms are helpful for the plant the mushroom substrate will be treating. It also helps in creating an outlet for the waste disposal of the materials put inside this nutritious plant formula. More productive composts are being searched for to mix substances in a substrate to support plant growth, eliminate toxins, and keep fungi surviving. The White Button Mushroom In the United States as of 2010, 90 percent of mushrooms consumed were white button mushrooms. They are simple to grow at home, and provide several important health benefits to the human body. White button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, are valuable medicinally, but are mostly known as â€Å"portobello† and used as a soup ingredient, pizza topping, or other consumption delectable. A study on an animal-model and cell-structure experiment at Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center at Tufts University concluded that white button mushrooms support natural killer cells. The researchers found that these particular mushrooms produce many antiviral proteins and other helpful enzymes that can repair or protect tissue. They also found that white button mushrooms dendritic (transport functioning) cells to mature from bone marrow. The dendritic cells synthesize T cells, which are white blood cells that recognize other foreign materials and transport the materials from the pathogens to defense system cells. Here, the immune system cells are activated by an enzyme and begin defending against pathogens. This defense function will, when successful, defend against diseases like the La France disease that attacks white button mushrooms, and sneak-attacks the mycelium without any surfacely visible symptoms. Ideal Growth Mediums for Mushrooms New and improved cultivation techniques and the improvement of composting have been able to increase the available cultivation area of mushrooms. As more and more mushroom farms experiment, each type of mushroom’s food has been discovered and brought to its greatest potential as a nutrient. The best types of nutrients required for mushroom growth include many of the same things plants, animals, and humans need as fuel like sugars, starches, cellulose, lignan, and nitrogen. To prepare mushroom spawn before it starts to grow mycelia, grain or non-waste plants are excellent sources. Straw, sawdust, and other mixtures in a compost make good alternatives, though. A diet of horse manure and straw mixed in with the soil site for growth provides the exact nutrients mushrooms need. This method is proved to work best if the compost is first turned three or four times for a week before it is used. Another compost method involves corncobs, straw, water, leaf mold, tankage, granite dust, rotted compost, and sand combined into a multi-ingredient compost for mushroom growth. These organic materials all work perfectly, and mostly every natural material that would be found rotting into the ground is useful to provide necessary nutrients. Chopped hay, chicken, bullocks, and horse manure, cereal straw, elephant grass, or sawdust will also provide enough nurture for the organism. Fermented horse manure and chopped tobacco stems are the fastest growing substrate for Agaricus bisporus spawn. Over one hundred fifty types of waste have been tested to grow mushrooms. Depending on the type of fungi, obviously different types of compost will create more health and growth opportunities, but mushrooms will only survive where their conditions for life are met.

Problem Based Learning Reflective Account Psychology Essay

Problem Based Learning Reflective Account Psychology Essay The Problem Based Learning (PBL) exercise was entitled The relationship to change. Each Case Discussion Group (CDG), consisting of 7 trainees, had to produce a presentation on this topic. Our CDG decided to look at the relationship of the media in changing attitudes towards mental health, with a focus on the Tripartite Model (Triandis, 1971) to explain attitude formation and Stages of Change Model (Prochaska and DiClemente, 1984, cited in Sarafino, 1998) to think about the process of change. I will reflect on the process of change since starting the PBL for both myself and the group, and how this is reflective of changes that occur in clinical practice, with consideration of these two models. The PBL exercise occurred before we started on placement; as such, there are areas that we did not consider or have time to cover; for example, the relationship of the mental health service and teams in changing attitudes towards mental health, both in the community and within services, and how attitudes about mental health influence therapy. I believe these may be important aspects to reflect upon here. Though we were all of similar ages, we had one male in our group and a variety of different individual characteristics and experiences, although we all shared apprehensions about actually doing the presentation. As the group sessions progressed, there were shifts in the extent of the contributions made by different group members. Initially, I remained relatively quiet and felt quite daunted by the process. As I felt more settled and gained more knowledge about the task in hand, I contributed to a far greater extent and felt able to put my point of view across. I believe as a group we were very respectful of one anothers needs and that this developed as we grew in confidence. There was a general consensus of the title being very vague. I felt that there was a need amongst us to get something done and have something to work on, and we became very task-focused. Having watched the other groups presentations, I realised that we remained task-focused throughout the experience in comparison to other groups who largely reflected on their experiences. This may be reflected in therapeutic interventions whereby time constraints and limited sessions mean that we become more focused on the task at hand and neglect to reflect on the therapeutic process. On reflection, however, our group formed a strong bond at an early stage, perhaps drawn together by the safe environment we created to share ideas and anxieties and the shared goal of wanting to achieve, and this formed the basis of a positive experience of this learning task. As the group evolved and held trust in one another, we felt able to hold different opinions and constructively worked through these until a cons ensus was reached. This is something I feel we would not have achieved so successfully at the beginning due to a need to be liked and please one another and therefore feeling restrained and less willing to share a differing opinion. This may be reflected in clinical practice with clients who may initially feel less able to voice ideas or disagreements with our expressed understandings of their difficulties but are more able to do so as the relationship develops. This can be vital when thinking about formulation and highlights the need to reformulate with new information. Of the six formal sessions that we met together for our CDG, three were attended by our facilitator. This had an impact on the group dynamics; due to this being our first assignment and us being new trainees, there was an inherent need for us to seek reassurance that what we were doing was right and to gain approval from the facilitator when she joined us. I was much quieter when she was present, through anxieties about being evaluated and I noticed as a group, we tended to be more restrained and tentative. Part of the role of a clinical psychologist may be to facilitate groups, both therapeutically and in other settings such as group supervision. The differences that arose in the sessions where we had a facilitator compared with those when we did not may also be reflected in other group settings. Whilst the power differential cannot be removed and the way in which people interact under different circumstances will vary, I have considered how important it is to try to make people fee l as comfortable as they can in such settings, perhaps through sharing experiences and anxieties, where appropriate. This has certainly been a helpful part of my own supervision whereby my supervisor has shared her experiences and mistakes and I have felt more empowered to talk about difficult situations I have faced. However, this is still an area that I need to become more comfortable with; accepting that it is neither required nor desirable to know everything or to get everything right. As a group, we worked productively on the task in hand, setting homework tasks for each of us and to then share these with the group at the beginning of each meeting. This is highly reflective of a CBT framework whereby we were very directive and focused on achieving the goal of getting our presentation written. Through my clinical practice, I have seen how using CBT can fit very well with what some clients want, in terms of them having identified the areas they want to change and wanting practical techniques and homework tasks to enable them to do this. However, there have been other clients I have worked with for whom I have been unsure that a CBT approach was best suited to their needs. One client in particular brought with him each week complex family difficulties. Working within a CBT focused team, I felt constrained to keep to a CBT approach but following supervision and a subsequent consultation with family therapy, alongside the CBT we addressed relational difficulties and th is appeared to bring about change within his system that constituted a shift in his depression. Thinking about how we approached our PBL task, I wonder if we neglected a more holistic approach and in our focus on getting the task done, we missed opportunities to learn from the process and engage with the relationships that were forming and changing. In subsequent CDGs, we have reflected more upon how we have formed and developed as a group but it is perhaps an area we need to remain mindful of due to our apparent need to still remain more task-focused. Models of change Our group decided to look at two models relating to our chosen focus of the relationship of the media in changing attitudes towards mental health. The stages of change model (Procheska and DiClemente, 1992) proposes five stages of change: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action and maintenance, with relapse also being a feature of the change process. In the service where I am on placement, people are required to be motivated to engage and change, and are thus usually at the contemplation or preparation stage. I was struck by the contrast of these clients and the clients I spent time with when working two shifts on an acute ward as part of my induction. Here, many of the clients were less aware of having difficulties or not wanting to make any changes. I reflected on how different therapy might be with clients at different stages and how different techniques may be employed, such as motivational interviewing, at earlier stages. However, I also considered for whom there w as a problem and whether if the client is not at risk to themselves or others and not in distress, should societys representation of normal mean that such clients are forced to change? In addition, it is important to consider what constitutes significant change. Through working with a client who checks obsessively, I have found that my expectations were different to hers and that she has achieved a reduction in checking that is sufficient for her. This enabled me to consider my own attitudes and beliefs about the distress people experience and how important it is to fully listen to clients and what their goals are. We also looked at the Tripartite model which looks at attitudes and how these are influenced and changed. It suggests that attitudes are comprised of three parts, cognitions, affect and behaviour, and that attitudes can be changed by working on any one of these parts, for example through new information, direct experience or forced behaviour. I was very motivated to look at attitudes towards mental health since I feel there is still a lot of stigma attached to mental distress and was interested in the role that the media plays in both supporting and trying to address this, whilst also being aware that this can vary depending on other factors such as culture. I was surprised during my induction on the inpatient ward by the views held by some staff towards the clients whereby some clients were seen as their diagnosis, rather than as people, and were consequently infantilised and not treated as individuals. I found myself trying to get to know more about the clients than just their diag nosis by engaging with them through activities, such as playing pool. The therapeutic relationship is a vital and influential component of therapy (Roth and Fonagy, 2005). It is interesting to think about how both the therapists and clients attitudes towards mental health difficulties impact upon the therapeutic relationship. When working with clients in a therapeutic setting, I am now more mindful of seeing beyond their distress and thinking more holistically, as well as consideration of our attitudes towards the distress and drawing upon the resources and resilience clients have already. My experiences on the ward also enabled me to think more about staff and team attitudes in general. As the role of clinical psychologists changes and they take on more consultative and leadership roles, team dynamics will be an important factor to consider and thus changing attitudes may be an important factor to consider, through increased training and supervision. Final Reflections It has been interesting to reflect on the dynamics of our group. I feel that as a group we bonded very quickly and that this was significantly aided by a shared goal of getting our presentation done alongside a common theme of feeling quite anxious about getting it right. Through the experience of shared learning, we were able to draw upon a wealth of experiences and construct a presentation that employed humour to get our message across in a format that felt safe and fun for us. This very much reflected our CDG meetings which employed humour but focused on the task at hand. It has also enabled me to think about my own use of humour and how I feel that this can be an important factor in clinical practice to aid the therapeutic alliance and to enable clients to alleviate some of their distress. As a group, I think that we moved from tentative explorations of ideas to being more empowered to express and manage differing opinions and achieving an agreed consensus following discussions. With hindsight, I believe we neglected to reflect sufficiently on the process of change for us as a group during the PBL task but that we are now more aware of our need to develop these skills further. Our presentation focused on attitude change towards mental health difficulties. I believe there is a large role for clinical psychologists, and mental health teams, to consider the attitudes we hold and to consider how we view different client groups, mental health difficulties and diversity. I believe that being aware of such attitudes is an important factor in acknowledging the need for change in some attitudes, alongside training and good supervision. I hope that as my own training and confidence develops, I will feel better equipped to be able to facilitate changes in such attitudes.

The Ghosts of The Woman Warrior Essay -- Maxine Hong Kingston Woman Wa

The Ghosts of The Woman Warrior In Maxine Hong Kingston's novel, The Woman Warrior, Kingston touches upon several aspects of life common to all. Her experiences as a child were illustrated through this book. People not of the Chinese culture were seen as ghosts in this child's world. The similarities between Kingston's childhood, and the reader's help make this novel universally readable. The images created by Kinston, and the parallels between her life and others justify the creation of The Woman Warrior. When writing an autobiography, it is the goal of the author to point out the lessons of her life to others. While the lessons expressed are not always unique, each has its purpose. Parent child differences are common; caused by changing times and beliefs. Kingston not only had to deal with the generation gap, but she had to deal with the dissimilar Chinese and American mindset and traditions. Kingston often explained in detail how her mother acts in certain situations. Maxine often felt embarrassed by her mom; when they received a wrong prescription, her mother wanted retribution from the pharmacist. It would be complex for Maxine to explain the situation to the store clerk, who would not understand. As a child such a situation is confusing, explaining to mom will not help, she is not American. Those who have not encountered a similar situation can still correlate the predicament the one's experiences. Telling stories is a tradition of many cultures. Parents tell of a mystical event, or sometimes of a person. Knowing the history of one's ancestors is important. As a whole, people are always making mistakes; to correct them the error must be remembered so that the same act is not repeated. "S... ...haman who would only treat those who were not dying. This was her way of making herself appear a better doctor. No one would want to be treated by a physician whose patients died. Maxine's mother is also reluctant to show her Medical diploma from China. She said, "The sweat of hard work is not to be displayed. It is much more graceful to appear favored by the gods."(??) Modesty is an attribute to one's personality, an especially important one in Chinese culture. Kingston recalls several events during her childhood in Stockton, during The Woman Warrior. No matter where one is from, one's parent child relations have similarities to those told in this novel. In every life there are people considered outsiders, those outsiders are ghosts to certain people. The biographical events on which this book is based provide a universal foundation for Kingston's novel. The Ghosts of The Woman Warrior Essay -- Maxine Hong Kingston Woman Wa The Ghosts of The Woman Warrior In Maxine Hong Kingston's novel, The Woman Warrior, Kingston touches upon several aspects of life common to all. Her experiences as a child were illustrated through this book. People not of the Chinese culture were seen as ghosts in this child's world. The similarities between Kingston's childhood, and the reader's help make this novel universally readable. The images created by Kinston, and the parallels between her life and others justify the creation of The Woman Warrior. When writing an autobiography, it is the goal of the author to point out the lessons of her life to others. While the lessons expressed are not always unique, each has its purpose. Parent child differences are common; caused by changing times and beliefs. Kingston not only had to deal with the generation gap, but she had to deal with the dissimilar Chinese and American mindset and traditions. Kingston often explained in detail how her mother acts in certain situations. Maxine often felt embarrassed by her mom; when they received a wrong prescription, her mother wanted retribution from the pharmacist. It would be complex for Maxine to explain the situation to the store clerk, who would not understand. As a child such a situation is confusing, explaining to mom will not help, she is not American. Those who have not encountered a similar situation can still correlate the predicament the one's experiences. Telling stories is a tradition of many cultures. Parents tell of a mystical event, or sometimes of a person. Knowing the history of one's ancestors is important. As a whole, people are always making mistakes; to correct them the error must be remembered so that the same act is not repeated. "S... ...haman who would only treat those who were not dying. This was her way of making herself appear a better doctor. No one would want to be treated by a physician whose patients died. Maxine's mother is also reluctant to show her Medical diploma from China. She said, "The sweat of hard work is not to be displayed. It is much more graceful to appear favored by the gods."(??) Modesty is an attribute to one's personality, an especially important one in Chinese culture. Kingston recalls several events during her childhood in Stockton, during The Woman Warrior. No matter where one is from, one's parent child relations have similarities to those told in this novel. In every life there are people considered outsiders, those outsiders are ghosts to certain people. The biographical events on which this book is based provide a universal foundation for Kingston's novel.

Homesick :: essays research papers

Sela Ward, the author of Homesick believes her family shows her everyday what a home truly is. Keeping in touch with her Southern roots is a chronic part of her life. This paper will share with you ideas about the book Homesick in addition to how it relates to my life and English 121.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book Homesick relates to my life in many ways. Like the author I feel the best gift my parents give me is spending family time together. Another way I can relate is that I get rapture from spending time with my friends. My family is also very close-knit like Ward describes hers in the book. Manners being a critical element to success are also an element that relates to my life. My life and the book Homesick have many ways they relate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I thought the book Homesick was phenomenal. Ward used excellent writing techniques to make you feel as if you were living her life. The deep romance she feels for the South is fascinating. I enjoyed discovering about the charitable ways a successful actress has helped others. The story opens your eyes to lessons we carry with us from childhood. I didn’t want to put down this excellent book until I had read it all.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many concepts in Homesick that relate to English 121. An acquisition in English 121 is to write for a universal audience; the book Homesick can be understood by a universal audience. English 121 and the book demonstrate how crucial it is to write descriptively. The book used good â€Å"hookers† to get the readers attention like we do in English 121. English 121 and the book closely relate in ideas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book Homesick relates to the reading Coming to an Awareness of Language by Malcolm X. The book and the reading are both expressive autobiographies. Both also reflect back to a previous time in the author’s lives. Homesick and Coming to an Awareness of Language both demonstrate lessons learned by the authors. Both authors tried to emulate people they respected. There are many similarities between the book and the reading.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Homesick demonstrates many examples of definition, narration and description.

How Fairuz can increase productivity without neglecting service quality

Introduction Service quality is defined as the gap that exists between customer expectations and their perception of the service. Service productivity, on the other hand, is defined as the effectiveness with which resource inputs are transformed to produce value for customers (Barnes, 2003). In the hospitality industry, customer satisfaction is achievable through ensuring that they are provided with the best possible service quality. This will not only determine their satisfaction, but also their possibility to return or recommend the company to other potential customers. Just like quality is paramount, it is also vital to ensure that productivity is at its optimum so as to cater for all customers, especially during peak seasons (Grigoroudis & Siskos, 2009). In this regard, companies are expected to ensure that service quality does not compromise productivity, and vice versa. This report presents a proposal for Fairuz, a Lebanese restaurant that operates in London, on the approaches that can be used to increase their service quality without overlooking productivity. The restaurant serves Lebanese food, and has a seating capacity of 75 clients at any given time (Fairuz, 2014). By applying the strategies that are suggested in this proposal, the company will be able to increase customer satisfaction and reduce operation costs. Proposal There are several aspects of Fairuz that ought to be addressed in increasing service quality and the overall productivity of the restaurant. As this proposal aims to make these improvements at Fairuz, it will focus on improving the position of the restaurant in the market by making it more competitive than other restaurants of its level.Improving ProductivityThis section presents the approaches that Fairuz restaurant needs to use in order to increase its service productivity. Though there are many approaches that can be used to achieve this, this paper suggests three approaches that Fairuz can use. These include improving employee productivity, using key performance indicators to measure productivity and utilization of technology (Assaf et al., 2011).Employee productivityProductivity of employees in service companies is largely dependent on human resource practices or policies used. The collective efforts that are made by employees towards the attainment of organizational objectives vary with the effectiveness of the human resource department (Bratton & Gold, 2012). The most appropriate way in which their productivity can be increased is through applying different employee motivation strategies. These include offering reasonable remunerations, bonuses and rewards (Hartnett et al., 2011). Employees at Fairuz can also be made more productive by standardizing all processes, procedures and policies in the organization to create a sense of order. This saves time and maximizes efficiency (Medeiros et al., 2012). Even though these can be achieved at Fairuz, they may be hampered by high employee turnover because Fairuz’s budget may not allow it to compete with larger companies in terms of employee salaries. Small restaurants are always faced with the risk of losing employees to larger organizations.Measuring performance through key performance indicatorsPerformance indicators that can be used by Fairuz to measure its performance, to establish flaws and make impr ovements, vary with the different departments. In regard to staff, the restaurant has to ensure that it has a sustainable wage cost (Sainaghi et al., 2013). This can be done hiring small but sufficient number of employees to cater for the 75 guests that the restaurant targets to serve. This will reduce the wage burden in the company and also make it possible to remunerate them well. Labour or wage costs can also be minimized by ensuring that employee turnover is minimized, given that it is nearly impossible to completely eliminate it, especially in restaurants. Costs that could be used in training new staff members monthly or weekly can then be directed to more productive activities in the organization (Choi et al., 2012). Other key performance indicators that can be used by Fairuz to determine its performance include seating efficiency, stock value, costs of food and profitability (Sainaghi et al., 2013).Using Technology to increase ProductivityMost of the companies in the services sector, which include restaurants, are fast adapting to the technological changes taking place in the industry to increase productivity and efficiency in service delivery (Tzeng & Chang, 2011). Fairuz can use technology in all its departments to achieve an increase in productivity. For instance, it can acquire modern ovens or stoves for its kitchen that can be used to prepare more of food in a shorter time and on less energy. This not only makes it possible for the company to cater for many customers, but also increases its efficiency (Sloan et al., 2009). Technology can also be used to ease communication among employees within the restaurant. In this case, one of the technological equipment that Fairuz should acquire is the kitchen display system. This system provides real-time updates and information about food orders that have been made by clients and also monitors the speed of service (Katsigris & Thomas, 2008). This is quite effective and time-saving than the traditional appro ach where servers had to take orders from clients then go to inform chefs in the kitchen. This consumes more time and is prone to human error. Whilst it is expected that technology will contribute towards an increase in efficiency and productivity, Fairuz has to consider that the initial costs to be incurred in setting up these technologies and training employees on how to use them is quite high. Therefore, an analysis needs to be done to establish the most ideal technologies to implement, which will assure it of a good return on investment (Allen, 2011).Improving qualityEven as Fairuz strategizes to improve its productivity, it is also vital for it to ensure that the quality of service is not compromised. Thus, this section explains approaches that the restaurant can use to increase the quality of provided to its clients.Ensuring employee competenceRestaurants have different departments that require different skills and competencies in executing their respective responsibilities. T hey can be classified into managers, chefs, servers and miscellaneous employees (O’Fallon & Rutherford, 2011). To ensure quality, Fairuz has to ensure that it hires employees that have the required qualifications and experience needed in delivering their required duties. In addition to this regular training sessions have to be organized to improve their competencies. If employees are competent, the chances of substandard service quality are greatly reduced (O’Fallon & Rutherford, 2011). The fact that the restaurant serves Lebanese food means that the majority of clients are Lebanese. Thus, the company needs to ensure that a section of its employees are familiar with the Lebanese culture, foods and other dimensions that may affect their service perception. Being a small restaurant that mainly targets the Lebanese population, it may be challenging to hire the best talent since people with skills in this industry often target to work for larger organizations (Jang & George, 2012). Therefore, Fairuz may be limited to selecting low-income people who may not be quite competent and provide them with on-job training to improve their competence. This approach can mainly be applicable for selecting employees in positions that do not require special skills, like waiters.Utilizing quality measurement toolsIt is quite vital for organizations to ensure that they have an ideal framework that they can use to gauge their quality of service. This involves benchmarking the companyâ₠¬â„¢s current progress, identifying the problems that might exist, predicting future outcomes and using key quality indicators that are applicable in the restaurant business to establish their position in terms service quality (Barnes, 2003 ). For Fairuz restaurant, measuring service quality should be done by comparing customer expectations and their perception of service. Whereas all restaurants work to meet or exceed customer expectations, there are several factors that may limit their capabilities to attain this objective. It is thus vital for Fairuz to collect regular client feedback to enable it establish any flaws that may exist in its service delivery and make the necessary changes (Grigoroudis & Siskos, 2009). One of the most convenient ways that Fairuz can do this is through requesting waiters and receptionists to ask guests whether the meals met their expectations. The company also needs to link its website to a third-party review website like Tripadvisor, which will be vital in monitoring any customer feedback any time a review about the restaurant is made. Other approaches that can be used to do this include sending follow-up emails to clients and engaging more with clients over social media avenues. Positive feedback is an indicator of good service, while negative feedback indicates that the service offered is substandard and appropriate measures need to be taken to improve. One challenge that can be associated with this approach is that some clients’ views may be biased or in some cases, clients may provide conflicting feedback.Making comparisons with competitors in the marketPerception of services at Fairuz is relative to clients’ perceptions of services in other neigh bouring restaurants. In this regard, Fairuz will only be the preferred choice if its service quality is considered to be netter than that of its competitors (Grigoroudis & Siskos, 2009). To obtain a competitive edge over other restaurants, Fairuz has to ensure that it utilizes customer feedback so as to align its services with the customer preferences. Due to the fact that customer tastes and preferences are prone to regular change, Fairuz also needs to carry out regular customer research by collection of customer feedback to decide on what changes it should consider making (Barnes, 2003). Through tertiary monitoring websites or by visiting its competitors’ social media sites, Fairuz can be able to identify the core strengths and weaknesses of its competitors. These will be instrumental in ensuring that makes its services better than those of its competitors (Kalluri & Kodali, 2013). However, whereas it is assumed that Fairuz is only in competition with restaurants of its lev el, there could be other bigger restaurants with unmatched capabilities that may be targeting the same clients. This poses a great threat to Fairuz.Using Technology to Improve Service QualityService quality in restaurants can be improved through incorporating several technological solutions. Whereas food is a major part or determinant of customer satisfaction, the whole experience of customers in the restaurant is also dependent on several factors (Tzeng & Chang, 2011). For instance, Fairoz can ease the process of making reservations by providing an option for it on its website. In addition, free Wi-Fi can be provided in the restaurant for clients who are interested in surfing the internet when having a meal at the restaurant. Technology can also be used in the collection of customer feedback, which is vital in improving the service quality at Fairuz. The most appropriate cost-effective approach that is relevant to the present-day customer is social media sites like Facebook and Twi tter (Tuten & Solomon, 2012). Fairuz has to consider subscribing and increasing its activity on social media to monitor customer feedback. Point of Sale (POS) systems are also ideal feedback collection systems for restaurants. Though the mentioned technologies improve the service experience of customers and can also be used by the company to improve its service production, there are certain disadvantages that may arise. For instance free Wi-Fi might expose some clients to internet threats, especially those who may be unaware of how to secure their information when online (Cheema & Papatla, 2010). Conclusion Service quality and service productivity are both vital for service based companies, which include restaurants. Therefore, as companies strive to increase their productivity, it is also necessary for them to ensure that service quality is also improved, and vice versa. This proposal has provided suggestions of approaches that can be used to improve service production and service quality at Fauruz, a small scale Lebanese restaurant that is based in London. The suggestions that have been presented include effective human resource management approaches, utilization of quality and production measurement approaches, and incorporating technology in the restaurant’s operations. Though these recommendations have a high potential of increasing service quality and productivity, some of the limitations associated with them have also been provided. Whereas this proposal has provided suggestions for Fairuz, they can also be applicable to other companies in the industry. References Allen, K.R., 2011. Launching New Ventures: An Entrepreneurial Approach. Mason: Cengage Learining. Assaf, A.G., Deery, M. & Jago, L., 2011. Evaluating the performance and scale characteristics of the Australian restaurant industry. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 35(4), pp.419-36. Barnes, J.G., 2003. Establishing Meaningful Customer relationships: Why some Companies and Brands Mean More to the Customers. Managing Service Quality, 13(3), pp.178-86. Bratton, J. & Gold, J., 2012. Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice (5th edition). London: Palgrave. Cheema, A. & Papatla, P., 2010. Relative importance of online versus offline information for Internet purchases: Product category and Internet experience effects. Journal of Business Research, 63(9), pp.979-85. Choi, S., Cheong, K.K. & Feinberg, R.A., 2012. Moderating effects of supervisor support, monetary rewards, and career paths on the relationship between job burnout and turnover intentions in the context of call centers. Managing Service Quality, 22(5), pp.492-516. Fairuz, 2014. About Us. [Online] Available at: http://www.fairuz.uk.com/pages/about_us.htm [Accessed 29 April 2014]. Grigoroudis, E. & Siskos, Y., 2009. Customer Satisfaction Evaluation: Methods for Measuring and Implementing Service Quality. London: Springer. Hartnett, H.P. et al., 2011. Employers’ perceptions of the benefits of workplace accommodations: Reasons to hire, retain and promote people with disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 34(1), pp.17-23. Jang, J. & George, R.T., 2012. Understanding the influence of polychronicity on job satisfaction and turnover intention: A study of non-supervisory hotel employees. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31(2), pp.588-95. Kalluri, V. & Kodali, R., 2013. Benchmarking the Quality Function Deployment Models. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 20(6), pp.6-13. Katsigris, C. & Thomas, ?., 2008. Design and Equipment for Restaurants and Foodservice. New Jersy: John Wiley & Sons. Medeiros, C.O., Cavalli, S.B. & da Costa Proenca, R.P., 2012. Human resources administration processes in commercial restaurants and food safety: The actions of administrators. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31(3), pp.667-74. O’Fallon, M.J. & Rutherford, ?.G., 2011. Hotel Management and Operations. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Sainaghi, R., Phillips, P. & Corti, V., 2013. Measuring hotel performance: Using a balanced scorecard perspectives’ approach. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 34, pp.150-59. Sloan, P., Legrand, ?. & Chen, ?.S., 2009. Sustainability in the Hospitality Industry. New Jersey: Routledge. Tuten, T.L. & Solomon, M.R., 2012. Social Media Marketing. New York: Prentice Hall. Tzeng, G.H. & Chang, H.F., 2011. Applying importance-performance analysis as a service quality measure in food service industry. Journal of technology management & innovation, 6(3), pp.106-15.

Crime Essay Outline Essay

Critically examine the methods used to measure crime in Australia. In your answer you should discuss the following: How are crime statistics collected, collated and used? What are the strengths and weaknesses of official statistics versus unofficial statistics and alternative methods? How might these weaknesses be overcome? Introduction: By measuring crime, accurate crime data can be used for access the effectiveness of public policies, including the measurement of crime trends and the evaluation of crime control initiatives (Weatherburn 2011). This essay will discuss how crime statistics be used in Australia, the variances between official and unofficial statistics and the solutions of the weaknesses of official statistic. The definitions of concepts: Official statistics- They are produced by government institutions such as police offence information systems and Australian Institute of Criminology. Unofficial statistics – They are produced by people and agencies that are not involved in the criminal justices system. The methods used to measure crime According to Addington (2010), the main sources of crime data are crimes report from police, victim surveys and self-report surveys. Police recorded crime statistic Easy to conduct Including information about the nature of the recorded crime, location, time, what weapons were used etc. (Weatherburn 2011). Regionally and nationally Reliable Police were trained under criminological background Police are experienced Victim surveys Measure the dark figure of crime Crimes reported to an interviewer by the victim Nationally Based on sample of address (Block, C. R., Block R. L. 1984) Six index offenses Rape, aggravated assault, robbery, burglary, larceny, and automobile theft (Decker 1977) Self-report surveys Rarely reported to police Examples are illegal drug use and tax evasion (Weatherburn 2011) The advantages Official statistics Administrative data such as data from state and Territory police forces, courts, hospitals, community services (Browyn 2004). Represent an official record of crime Up-to-date information (Browyn 2004). Can be used for comparative purposes and deduction of crime trend. The limitations Official statistics Not all crimes committed are detected Not all crimes committed are reported Attitudes about the potential effectiveness of police in handing matters (Browyn 2004). Who are involved in an incident (Browyn 2004). The possible implication for victims (Browyn 2004). Not all crimes reported to police are recorded Technical difficulties A lack of sufficiently precise definitions for the phenomena to be measured (Security Publique Quebec 1993). A lack of uniformity or rigour in administrative practices used to compile the date (Security Publique Quebec 1993). Statistics only reflect the visible face of crime and do not make it possible to measure all the crimes perpetrated (Security Publique Quebec 1993). Selective use of data The lag in reporting Solutions Ensure independence (UK statistics Authority 2010) Public confidence as a target A augment that statistics needed to be at heart of policy-making and performance management Reinforce supervision on media The media plays an important role in forming people’s views on official statists (UK statistics Authority 2010). ‘The misreporting and under –reporting apparently endemic in current statistic has led to their widespread devaluation’ (Skogan 1975) Prevent from abuse of official statistics Conclusion Official statistics are more credible but need to overcome their weaknesses. There are two possible options which are ensuring independence and reinforcing supervision on media can be considered as solutions in this paper. References: Block, Carolyn R. , Block, Richard L. (1984) ‘Crime definition, crime measurement, and Victim Surveys’, Journal of Social issues, Vol. 40, No.1, pp 137-160 Browyn, H. (2004) ‘measuring crime in Australia’, crime in the community, chapter 4, pp 64-78 Decker, Scott H. (1977) ‘Official crime rates and victim surveys: an empirical comparison’, Journal of Criminal Justice, Vol. 5, pp 47-54 Lynn A. Addington (2010) ‘Measuring Crime’, Oxford Available from Oxford Bibliographies [30 March 2014] Security Publique Quebec (1993) ‘Partners in Crime Prevention: For a Safer Quebec Report of the Task Force on crime prevention’ Skogan, W. G. (1975) ‘Measurement problems in official and survey crime rates’, Journal of Criminal Justice, Vol3, pp17-32 UK statistics Authority (2010) ‘Overcoming Barriers to Trust in: Crime Statistics: England and Wales’, Monitoring report 5 Weatherburn, D. (2011) ‘Uses and ab uses of crime statistics’ Crime and Justice Bulletin, no. 153