Politics in the Arab world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Politics in the Arab world - Essay Example According to Bennis, the Israel-Palestinian crisis started in 2000 after the collapse of Camp David summit. However, Ariel Sharon’s decision to match with Israeli troops sparked an uprising. The Israelis stepping-up of their weapons has increased the intensity of the crisis while Palestinians have also escalated the weapons they used from during the first intifada. Although Israel has every right to arrest anyone who threatened citizens, there is no justification for military occupation. On the other hand, while most Palestinians do not participate in the attacks, the few who attack civilians meets the definitional criteria for terrorists (Bennis). Nevertheless, can we justify that Palestinians are just fighting for their freedom from Israels occupation, which is akin to colonialism? As descendants of native Palestine, some Palestinian Arabs remained in Israel while some fled during the creation of Israel. However, their rights in the country are not at par with the Jews though some serve in the Knesset (Bennis). On the other hand, Israelis constitute the Jewish community, which is about 80% of Israeli population, while the rest of Israelis are descendants of Palestine Arabs. It is crucial to point out that, the Jewish led to the creation of the state of Israel, which Bennis noted defines â€Å"itself as a state of the entire Jewish people.† Therefore, a Jew is a very different person from an Israeli. The Jewish people came from various parts of Europe after running away from persecution, which resulted to Zionism. Using military occupation, which is a â€Å"complete Israeli control over every facet of Palestinian civil and economic life† the Israelis occupy some territories meant for Palestinians (Bennis). In this case, these territories are 22% of the land formerly under the British Palestine Mandate (Bennis). It is crucial to point out that,

Computer science and information technology Essay Example for Free

Computer science and information technology Essay The hard work and determination to create opportunities for change remains to be the main inspiration of man towards the attainment of his personal goals and objectives. They use these experiences as motivation and strength to further advance in their respective fields. Not only does it enhance their capabilities as an individual, at the same time it provides the necessary stepladder in attaining success. With these, I wish to express my intention to apply for a PhD degree in Web Engineering Technology. The realm of computer science and information technology has always fascinated me. It stimulated my mind of this complex processes that happens within for a particular system to work. This complexities and possibilities have made me keen of the possible opportunities that are yet to be discovered or formulated. This however, can only be facilitated by further education and research. Looking at my educational background, I finished my Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. After this, I began teaching students about the things I had learned during my study. Given my good academic standing, I was given a full scholarship by my country to study in the United States. This proved to be too good to be true for me as it can help me achieve my long term goals better my skills and competence in the field. Being an international student, I was faced with numerous struggles and difficulties adjusting. But my hard work paid off. Now, I am currently finishing my last semester to complete my Masters degree in Computer Science. I can say that this experience enhanced my interpersonal and leadership skills which I can effectively apply in practice. Now, it is my utmost intention to pursue a PhD program and focus on the field of Web design Technology. I chose this specialization because I am greatly interested in the increasing number of techniques and strategies available in Web Design. Likewise, I had familiarized myself with this study and hope that in the future I can be able to provide a lot of research in my chosen field of profession. In the end, this stepping stone is a vital process towards my personal fulfillment and professional success.

Possibilities for a Better World :: Kurt Vonnegut Cats Cradle Essays

Possibilities for a Better World The picture painted of the world and humanity by Kurt Vonnegut in Cats' Cradle is not a positive one. It is not the utopia that so many of the novel's character's are striving for. It is a ridiculous world where truths are based on lies and the balance of good and evil is a manufactured state. If Vonnegut's attempt is to "poison minds with humanity†¦ to encourage them to make a better world," it is only through showing the reader the follies of man, the foolishness we live with daily, that maybe we can change our outlook and make a "better world." Within the 191 pages of Cat's Cradle Vonnegut manages to slam nearly every mode of life, every motivating factor, every convention of modern man. The strongest attacks are on our ways to knowledge: science and religion. Science is shown as a field led by madmen who do not comprehend the consequences of their research and creations. Religion is shown as being all lies developed to keep man happy. The characters of the novel are not unscathed either. Most are shown as greedy, uncompromising, and unsympathetic. They are led by unknown forces to do bad things, foolish things. Vonnegut "poisons" the reader with these examples of mankind. He examines, with wit and comedy, the selfish and foolish nature of humanity. One can look at the actions of the characters and their actions, along with the consequences of those actions, and draw from it a conclusion about the futility of living. Vonnegut can certainly be seen as a cynic for the image that he gives us of humanity. He takes it one step further, though, by showing us all of the absurdity of our modern lives. He wants us to see that we live by lies. Even the words on the page are lies. There is no truth. And in this way we are not bound to live the life that Vonnegut portrays. There may be a better end for us than there is at the end of Cat's Cradle. Maybe then it is possible for us, all of mankind, to make it a "better world." With Vonnegut's poisonous attacks on all our sacred systems he may be trying to show us that there is a better way to live. I will continue to argue that Cat's Cradle goes beyond satire, and gives us a truly cynical look at the world and humanity.

Good Relationships

Good Relationships Many people have different prospective on good relationships. Relationships are not just two people who are in love and are married. A relationship can be shared between parents and child, best friends, and couples. To have an understanding or good relationship there should be trust, good communication, and respect. Trust is a key ingredient in building a good relationship. Loyalty and honesty fall into the trust category; they play a huge part in trust. Trust is something that has to be earned in any relationship. It takes time to build trust; it is not given to anyone overnight it has to be earned overtime.Many people do not know that communication plays the biggest part in a relationship. Not having communication in a relationship can be a huge problem. It can lead to a lot of misunderstanding. In order to have a healthy relationship, there must be communication. Talking your problems or situations out will resolve many issues and conflicts. For example to resol ve most of the issue try spending a day together, going out, or having a dinner. In communicating you have to listen and get an understanding for one another. Respect is what we extend understanding to another person. In any relationship respect should be extended.If respect is not shown, or a lack of respect is given in the relationship; it should be bought to a discussion, and made clear. Effective communication, trusting each other, and having or giving respect are the main keys in building a good and effective relationship. If you are having problems in your relationship look at the three keys and ask yourself if any are ineffective, or needs to be worked on more. If yes, then work toward trying to change and fix the problem and to eliminate whatever the situation maybe. In building and rerouting your relationship keep these keys in mind. You will be sure to have a great relationship.

Benefits of Internship

One of the highlighted part as a graduating college student was conducting On-the-job training or internship. This Training exposes us to the real environment of a certain organization. Thus, adjusting oneself and mingling others is a must to cope up with different standards and attitudes of every individual in a particular field of industry. In furtherance, OJT will be a bridge to enhance our skills in communication and technical activities that makes it a plus point the sooner we landed a job and help ease the culture shock while dealing with different specialized people of their expertise.May 30, 2012 was the date when I started my on the job training at The Nielsen Company, located at Edsa Mandaluyong City. It is an international publishing and information company that is active in the markets for consumer and professional information. In line with my course, I was assigned in IT Department of the Company. Our task has something to do with Networking and Troubleshooting. And as a n OJT technical support, we also assemble lines and switches for local area networks (LAN), creating connections between several workstations by using cables and also wireless technology.We ensure the proper function of computer networks by making certain components are connected properly throughout the LAN/WAN infrastructure and by monitoring server deployment and security. We are also tasked to set up and configure computers. My first day as intern is not that easy, mixed with excitement and unexplainable fear, it is my first time to enter the reality of our chosen field. Since my schedule starts from 9:00 in the morning, I have to awake as early as 7:00 am.At first, it is a big challenge for me to wake up that early, but as the days goes by, I learned how to cope with that situation. At first, our supervisor oriented me on what to do and exposed to other employees as well. As the days pass by, I learned to adapt new things with this kind of environment. This was serve as a bridge for more learning. To tell you honestly, I have a lot of first time in my stay in Nielsen including my first time to have a conversation to a foreigner. All employees are very nice to be with , made my stay very easy.After finishing my internship here at Nielsen, I may now say that I am ready for my future career in the field of ICT. The knowledge and experiences that this company shared to me will help me in the future to become a successful engineer. In 5 months of being an intern here, I gained more confidence and learned how to communicate well with other people. Therefore I conclude that being an intern here at Nielsen is far more enjoyable than I expected. I will treasure all my experience and learnings for the rest of my life.

Get Excellent Tips on Writing a Healthcare Term Paper

Get Excellent Tips on Writing a Healthcare Term Paper Before exploring the structure and the elements that characterize your term paper, it is essential to define what constitutes healthcare studies and the objectives of writing a term paper in this field. A term paper in healthcare is a project professors assign students to fulfill course requirements. You can also be assigned a term paper to assess and track expected knowledge outcomes about healthcare courses. As opposed to the essays in the field of healthcare, term papers require significant research and use of technical writing skills. Your healthcare term paper should focus on a single topic or interrelated topics in healthcare and must be organized, well-written, coherent, logical, and well-researched to reflect your knowledge of the chosen topic and area of study. The term paper should meet your professors requirements and adhere to the writing requirements observed in healthcare and social science studies. Often, your lecturer may provide the term paper topics. Conversely, the professor may allow you to explore different topics in healthcare, depending on the area of healthcare studied in the course and the course requirements. In such a case, you need to understand how to select an appropriate topic for your healthcare term paper. Since a term paper serves as a commitment to a continual dialog between the professors and students, your lecturer may use the healthcare term paper to explore your understanding of healthcare issues and interpretation of theories and concepts in healthcare and uncover your ability to synthesize course readings. Writing a term paper may be challenging. However, this guide will provide you with the step-by-step guidelines that should make your writing process less tasking. Selecting a Topic for Your Healthcare Term Paper When selecting a topic for your healthcare term paper, you should always consider the following: Length of the paper. Term papers in healthcare have a varied scope of content because the issues in this area intertwine with the individual, social, political, and economic concepts. Thus, some healthcare topics may be either too narrow or too broad. To come up with an appropriate topic that exhibits the scope of your paper, always consider the required length of the term paper provided by the professors. You should respond to the questions like â€Å"Will the paper be long, like eight pages, or short, like three pages?† or â€Å"How many words are required for the term paper?† Once you ascertain the required length of the paper, it should be easy to find and choose the topics that match the required number of words or pages. In this case, if the required length of the term paper exceeds five pages, choose a broad healthcare topic. Conversely, select topics that are narrow if the term paper should be less than five pages. Topic complexity. Depending on the level of study, (college, undergraduate or postgraduate), some healthcare topics may be quite complex. You do not need to choose the topics that you cannot handle. Therefore, select the topics that you can handle with ease. In cases when it is impossible to focus and write about simpler subjects, ensure you are able to explain the chosen area of focus regardless of its complexity. If stuck, ask your instructor to explain and help you clarify certain areas of the topic that you find complex. Resource availability. Check available literature resources, such as healthcare books, articles, and online sources to gather ideas on topics and ensure that a chosen topic has readily available and sufficient materials for reference when writing the term paper. Magazines and healthcare related news articles are also essential sources that provide different perspectives concerning healthcare issues. Examples of healthcare topics for your research paper include: Effects of Fast Foods on Adolescents; Explore the Difference Between Wholesome Foods and Healthy Foods; Examine the Benefits of Promoting Vegetable Intake on Human Health; The Socio-Economic Impacts of Lung Cancer; Evaluate the Benefits of Offering Universal Health Care Coverage. Pre-Writing Tips You Should Consider Even with clear prompts, topic, ideas, and literature materials for reference, starting off a term paper can still be challenging. Everyone faces the dilemma of translating thoughts into a coherent and carefully articulated paper. Before beginning the writing process, seek clarifications if needed and go through the provided instructions. Planning, brainstorming, clustering, and outlining ideas are among the essential health care term paper pre-writing tips that will ensure you write a stellar healthcare term paper. Since pre-writing involves planning and outlining information to ensure effective writing, it is possible to select the prewriting strategy of your choice. You can also use multiple prewriting strategies to come up with a refined topic and term paper in general. Planning. A healthcare term paper requires appropriate articulation of facts without including unfounded information and speculating on concepts. Therefore, planning is a must as it helps to determine the paper timeline, allocate time to different parts of the paper writing process, and craft a resource outline to ensure plentiful reference materials are available. Brainstorming. Ponder over the possible topic ideas as soon as you settle on a topic. Write every point that comes to your mind in no particular order to keep track of all thoughts and ideas that pop up in your head. Brainstorming will present you with new avenues to explore concerning the term paper topic. Freewriting. Free writing is similar to brainstorming as it helps you transfer your thoughts onto paper. You do not need to worry about grammar, spelling or punctuation at this point since the purpose is to write as many ideas as you can about the healthcare topic. You can set a time limit of ten minutes and free write your thoughts and ideas. However, free writing should entail writing ideas about the healthcare topic in more formal sentences that only need editing and referencing. Clustering. It is important to use the clustering strategy, especially if your ideas regarding topics and ideas are scattered. Clustering involves simple mind mapping and allows you to explore the way ideas you have developed fit together. You can cluster your ideas by writing your healthcare topic at the center of a blank paper and drawing outer circles that you should complete with ideas on your chosen topic. How to Craft Your Thesis Statement Choosing a creative and compelling topic for the term paper is only a single aspect of writing a healthcare term paper. A thesis statement summarizes the claim or the main point of the term paper. It should inform your intended audience about the importance of your healthcare subject matter and provide a roadmap for the entire paper. If the term paper is about cosmetic surgery and cost implications, the thesis statement should provide a claim for or against undergoing cosmetic surgery and the way to understand the concept. Thus, a thesis statement should: Make a disputable claim or interpretation; Be written as a single sentence at the end of the introduction to present the writer’s argument; Tell the reader your opinion about the term paper and what it will prove; Serve as the organizing principle of the term paper; Direct your audience to the major pieces of evidence you will explore in the paper. The body of the term paper should organize information and evidence that convince the reader of the logic of the thesis statement claim. If the term paper topic asks you to develop a claim about abandoning Obamacare, you should convey that claim in the thesis statement. Crafting an appropriate thesis statement may be challenging. Thus, you have to follow the guidelines below to learn how to craft one. The following steps help with developing an appropriate thesis statement. Read and compare sources. Gather and organize information found in books, journals, articles, and online sources on the chosen healthcare topic. Look for relationships between ideas and concepts that constitute the topic and analyze the significance of the established relationships. Draft the thesis and consider the counter-arguments. Draft a statement that presents the basic argument that results from the analyzed sources, and that you can support using scholarly evidence. Since you are likely to take one side of the chosen argument, consider the other side of it, i.e., the counterclaim. The latter helps to refine the thesis statement. Notably, this strategy is more effective when it comes to writing an argumentative term paper. Healthcare Term Paper Outline that Gets You an A+: Our Writers Know Their Business A healthcare term paper may be persuasive, informative, or argumentative. Regardless of the type, the purpose and the structure, it should be well-organized, logical, and clear. The outline should entail: Cover page. The cover page text contains name, course, date, and instructor’s name. Some lecturers prefer term papers with a cover page while others insist on the omission of the cover title. The formatting style should also dictate whether or not you should include a cover page. Abstract. The abstract is usually half a page long or approximately 150 words, and it describes the term paper, its content, and its significance. Similar to the cover page, tutor preferences will indicate whether you should include an abstract or not. Introduction. The introduction is the first main part of the term paper. It begins with a hook and a statement about the topic. The elements that characterize the introduction include: A short statement of the paper objective, thesis, and questions that the term paper will answer. The place that specific healthcare topics take in the broader context but in a way that represents the paper arguments. The description of relevant and current literature on the healthcare subject of analysis. The clarification of terms typical for the healthcare discourse. Body. The body of your term paper should present a synthesis of the paper research and provide information about the topic to broaden the reader’s understanding of the healthcare issue you are exploring. The structure of the body segment depends on the goal of your term paper. Consequently, no solid conventions dictate the aspects that need to be discussed or the manner in which they should be analyzed. Important elements of the body section are: Divide the body text into segments and subsections that represent the main ideas and supporting evidence. Each unique idea or argument should be in its own paragraph. Take note that one sentence does not constitute a paragraph. Use the paragraphs and topic sentences to develop your paper argument comprehensively and without repetitions. Provide evidence for your arguments by quoting existing literature on selected ecology topics. If the paper is argumentative, quote certain claims and contrast them with your opinion or disapprove the claims. Do not forget to provide reasons for disapproving a claim. Reference all the analogous and literal text quotations. If the further clarification and comments are needed but their inclusion would disrupt the paper fluidity, insert the content as footnotes. Keep in mind that the presence of footnotes will depend on the specified term paper writing convention. The composition of your text should be clear and logically comprehensible. The structure will depend on the aspects typical for the chosen ecology topic. Provide the reasons for your idea and criticism instead of summarizing existing literature and gathering quotations. Moreover, provide only information that is essential to understand your term paper issue. Conclusion. In some ways, the conclusion of your term paper is similar to your introduction. The conclusion should restate your thesis and summarize your main points of evidence for the reader. You should restate the topic briefly and explain why it is important. Ensure your prose is concise and clear. Rewrite the thesis statement because it should not appear or sound exactly as it does in the introduction. If possible, it should be narrowed and focused on your healthcare topic. A Few Post-Writing Tips The Job Is Done! Proofread. The term paper is not complete until you proofread it to correct grammar, sentence structure, and content errors. While all the errors can be corrected during the first proofreading session, it is important to read through the paper twice or thrice to check for specific issues at each period. For instance, go through the paper to check grammatical errors and sentence structure mistakes. During the second reading session, read the paper aloud to identify incoherent content and sentence structure. Finally, assess the term paper to ensure clear content meaning, coherence, and logical flow of ideas. Finally, ensure the paper is free from nested sentences, passive constructions, and unreferenced content.

38 Letters of the Alphabet

38 Letters of the Alphabet 38 Letters of the Alphabet 38 Letters of the Alphabet By Maeve Maddox Daniel’s post on the letter Z certainly had the readership hopping on April 1! Most readers quickly got the joke and joined in on the April foolery, but a few seemed to be really annoyed with us. The comments are still coming in and make enjoyable reading. A â€Å"perfect† alphabet would have one letter for every speech sound. As everybody knows, and nearly everybody loves to point out, English does not enjoy a perfect alphabet. Of the 26 letters in the English alphabet, only 14 stand for a single speech sound: b, d, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, r, t, v, w, z If we want to think about getting rid of â€Å"unnecessary† letters, the best candidate is not z, but c. C has no sound of its own, but is an alternate spelling for the sounds /k/ and /s/ as in camp and cent. The next least necessary letter is q. Alone it represents the sound /k/. With a u it stands for the sound /kw/: Iraq, queen. Of the five remaining consonant letters, f, g, s, x, and y, four represent distinct sounds of their own, but can also represent consonant sounds already represented by other letters: f: fun, of g: go, giraffe s: sin, miser x: fox, xylophone The letter y can stand for either a consonant or a vowel: y: yellow, gym As for the vowel letters a, e, i, o, and u, the sounds they represent number at least 12 (In American speech, the vowel sounds of father and on are the same): a: at, ape, father e: Ed, be i: in, ice o: on, no, to u: up, uke, put That takes care of the 26 letters of the English alphabet, but that’s not the end of the story. Much of the confusion regarding English spelling comes from pretending that English is spelled with the 26 single letters of the alphabet. The truth is, we use letter combinations as extra letters to represent speech sounds that are not represented by any of the single letters. Here are 12 combinations that represent distinct speech sounds: ow: cow oi: oil aw: law ar: car or: for er: her sh: ship wh: wheel ch: church th: thin, this ng: sing si; vision Any way you cut it, English spelling is complicated, but knowing about the combinations that represent sounds not in the alphabet can clear up a lot of the confusion. As for getting rid of any of the letters, the Defense of Z on April 1 shows how popular that idea would be! NOTE: Alternate spellings exist for the sounds /ow/, /oi/, /aw/, /er/, and /sh/. Alternate spellings also exist for many of the sounds represented by the single letters. The subject of alternate spellings is best reserved for another post. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 Classes and Types of Phrases8 Writing Tips for BeginnersSupervise vs. Monitor

Ways to Build Relationships With Colleagues at Your First Job

Ways to Build Relationships With Colleagues at Your First Job Your first job out of college is full of new experiences. It may be the first time you earn a salary, the first time you’re in charge of a project and the first time you’re introduced to office politics. Establishing a good first impression is important, but it’s the weeks and months after that that will determine a lot about how you feel about your job. Cultivating working relationships with colleagues is an important part of your professional life. Exchanging ideas with others in your field can lead to great developments in your career. 75% of employers rate team work and collaboration as â€Å"very important† but 39% of employees believe that their organization doesn’t collaborate enough. The point is that both employers and employees believe that exchanging ideas is essential to doing good work. Improving your relationships with your co-workers is helpful to both you and your organization. So what are the best ways to grow business relationships in the workplace? Here are some tips for recent graduates: Ask Someone Out for Lunch Conversations and experiences outside of the workplace take the relationship out of the office context and create a deeper bond. Maybe you’re working with someone on a project and would like to develop more of a friendship with them. Why not extend an offer for them to have lunch with you? You can use the project as a springboard to talk about other subjects or keep the conversation to business. Ask Someone to Mentor You You’re new in the office and still have a lot to learn. If there’s a colleague whose business style and knowledge you admire, don’t be afraid to ask them if they would mentor you. The worst they can say is no, and the best they can do is show you the ropes of a business you’re just starting out in. Invite Co-Workers to Social Events Throwing a party at your apartment or inviting people out on a Friday night can help you get to know your colleagues better. Conversations are likely to migrate from work to personal life and you’ll be able to find common ground with your co-workers, discover more about where they’re from, what their hobbies are and hopefully develop some friendships. Say Yes to Invitations Likewise, if someone in the office extends an invitation to you, make sure you accept unless you have a prior commitment you absolutely can’t break. If someone invites you to their home, bring a gift such as flowers or a bottle of wine or something that you know they like. Create a Company Sporting Event If you enjoy a particular sport such as Frisbee, soccer, volleyball or any other sport, you may want to invite the rest of the office to participate with you. That way you can combine an activity you already practice with the rest of the office. Hopefully it will be fun and spark some healthy competition. Remember People’s Birthdays You’re likely to add most of your co-workers to your social networks so pay attention when someone’s birthday comes up. A simple â€Å"Happy Birthday† said in person can be a nice gesture. Likewise with other celebrations such as anniversaries and other holidays. It may not sound like much but just going out of your way to extend a greeting to someone on a special day can go a long way. Bring in Some Treats How does that old saying go? The way to a co-worker’s heart is through their stomach? Well, even if that’s not the way it goes, it’s still true. Bringing in some home-made snacks can score you points with your colleagues. Ask Someone to Collaborate on a Project With You If you’re working on something alone but think the project can be served better by combining with another co-worker’s talent, ask them if they would like to come onboard. Of course, get your supervisor’s permission first, but if they say yes, it could be a great way to enhance your professional relationships and get more experience working as a team. Above all, be polite, respectful and friendly and you’ll be making office friends in no time.

Plant Physiology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Plant Physiology - Essay Example White sorghum plants are sweeter than red sorghum plants, and they are used as grain crops. Red sorghum plants are less tasty than white sorghum plants. However, red sorghum plants are beneficial to farmers in that birds are less likely to attack and eat them, and they make good beer. Sorghum plants are usually planted directly from the seeds in rows, and they are planted in the spring. The plants grow in a variety of soils and are drought resistant. However, sorghum plants will grow better in soil that has been fertilized on the preset. The characteristics of sorghum plants having originated in hot temperatures of Africa, being field crops, having the appearance of "cane-grass" and being drought resistant make the plants susceptible to stressful environments because the sorghum plants have the capability of being clustered together in a group, meaning that the plants are close enough where they can generate energy from the other plants. Also, they have the appearance of "cane-grass" helping them to be tall enough to withstand and guard the neighboring plants from the harsh temperatures. Also, since the sorghum plants are drought resistant, they have the capability to go without water for long periods of time.

To write a news release( Exxon mobile- new plan to invest 75% of Essay

To write a news release( Exxon mobile- new plan to invest 75% of profits into development of alternative energy source) - Essay Example 2008 will be the start of a new era for the energy industry and ExxonMobil will be taking the lead and showing other companies the way to do it. [Body] The world is hungry for fuel and ExxonMobil has been proud to supply oil, gas and petroleum for much needed industrial development across six continents. These services will carry on while the company and its affiliates engages in a radical transformation process over the next two decades. Their first commitment is to reduce exploration for fossil fuels in the next 10 years and explore instead alternative energy sources. The ExxonMobil world renowned research and development facilities are engaged on a rapidly expanding programme that explores every avenue of sustainable and renewable energy sources. Aside from the hybrid car types that are already well on the way to commercial success, there are plans to harness the earth’s own massive power which is currently locked into the wind, the waves, and geo-thermal sources. Many people are urging the politicians and the industrialists of the developed world to rethink priorities and create a new blueprint for energy provision. In collaboration with the government ExxonMobil is stepping up to this challenge. They have worked out a plan to invest a staggering 75% of their own profits along with some federal tax credits into the EarthSafe initiative. This demonstrates a deep commitment to the future of the whole planet which ExxonMobil sees as a far more worthy goal than short term profits. They are determined to leave a legacy of fossil-free energy provision within the next 20 years. The next generation will benefit from this exceptional leadership now, and Exxon Mobil is calling on other fossil fuel companies to join with them in this bold move. Strategic planning director Jim Witson said today that â€Å"out of these courageous beginnings a tremendous new chapter will soon be underway. We are making a historic pact with the planet, and we do

Port Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Port Management - Assignment Example One source of sustained competitive advantage, which is very followed by academics, is the firms' resources and capabilities that is the Resource-Based view (Azevedo). Competitive value of the resources can be enhanced or annulled by changes in the technology, by changes in the competitor's behavior, or by changes in the buyers' needs.(Porter) All these aspects would be neglectful whether the analysis focus was only centered in the internal resources (Porter). According to Chandler and Hanks resources and capabilities create a satisfactory base for formulating competitive strategies. An important factor that assures a long-term competitive advantage is the sustainability of the firm's capabilities or their core competences. Sustained capabilities are those that are not easy or quickly reproduced by the competitors and must form the base of firm's strategy. These resources and capabilities are the key for the achievement of competitive advantage and should be protected. Being so, they have a significant role in the ready for action strategy of an association. In consecution of such strategies and to keep the dignity of port in the business of transport and freight for long term, the competent authorities are developing the Special Economic Zone. In the accent of Leman The SEZ has also become a key offshore distribution center though... Leman has serious apprehension for the developments of the ports for keeping the pace with rivalry for long run. When he says 'its container terminals already face competition from lower-cost facilities in Shenzhen and will soon have to compete with Nansha in Guangzhou and deepwater ports in the Yangzi delta.' it is evident that the need for benevolent priority to such project is soaring. The need of strategic plan is on towering demand for maintaining a sustain competition for the benefit of port. Wernerfelt Learned, et al. and Porter adopted RBV from a strategic point of view considering a resource as a strength that firms can use to formulate and to implement their strategies. The resources and capabilities of the firm are the main competences for formulating strategy (Grant). Many of the authorities from around the world have adopted such plan for the purpose. In consultation with regional partners, this Strategic Plan has been developed by the Board of Directors of the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority (Port Authority) with the goal of providing a long-term strategic roadmap for the organization. According to Port Authority this roadmap clarifies the Port Authority's mission, defines the Port Authority's role and provides a strategic framework for the substantial decisions that will set the course for its investment in the regional economy. They claim that This Strategic Plan serves as an overarching foundation for activity over the next 25-year period. The Port Authority has identified several goals for the period from 2008 to 2033. This shows that the port has minimum probability for not sustaining in the long run for the business associated with ports. The Authority has a plan to involve in

Welfare state Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Welfare state - Research Paper Example This essay discusses that If evidence shows that high numbers of individuals leave the welfare system within a period of fewer than 6 months, it would greatly validate my claim that individuals do not feed on the welfare system and resist coming off of it.   In addition, it would be important to find qualitative information from welfare recipients that explain the reasoning for them entering into receiving welfare as well as their reason for coming off of it.   One struggle with this qualitative examination is the emotional struggles endured that cause member of society to enter into welfare or to remove them from receiving welfare benefits.   Such emotional struggles can be attributed to psychosocial, environmental and familial shame as previously mentioned.    It is my wish to find evidence that will support or refute my original claim that welfare programs, specifically those of food stamps and unemployment benefits, are beneficial for society as a whole and help individua ls re-enter society’s workforce while coping with unfortunate circumstances.   Likewise, I seek to find information to support to refute my claim that individuals do not wish to stay on welfare benefits and will work hard to come off of them because of psychosocial, environmental and familial shame that is associated with being on welfare.   Historical evidence will be drawn to help understand the origination of the welfare system and previous empirical data will help to analyze the trends associated with individuals that have received welfare benefits.   Ã‚  

Are the documentary filmmakers trying to persuade you of a certain Assignment

Are the documentary filmmakers trying to persuade you of a certain point of view - Assignment Example This power to persuade comes from the fact that documentaries deal with raw reality and in doing so, it becomes more convincing and powerful in many ways. It is not the camera as a passive recording device, but the man behind the camera, with his particular likes and dislikes that makes us attracted to a piece of documentary. From the very beginning, there were distinctly two types of filmmaking. The first one tries to portray the film as a tool of magic, in which we see what is possibly not seen in real life. A larger than life, magical representation. This method was pioneered by George Melies (1861-1938). The second one portrayed film as a capturing device that captures time in the form of image and sound. It captures reality as reality itself. This method was pioneered by Lumiere Brothers (Auguste Lumiere-1862-1954 and Jean Lumiere- 1864-1948). Thus Lumiere Brothers can be considered to be the father of documentary filmmaking. In the documentary mode of filmmaking, the man behind the camera captures the elements inside his frame, but at the same time, he is excluding most of the reality and portraying only a small portion of it. This very act of elimination gives the documentary filmmaker his particular power to emote, persuade and sometimes even provoke. By editing the film, the maker constantly persuades the audience to go through a recording of a series of events in a particular time sequence. We must remember that the very invention of film is based on the fact that somebody wanted to document motion in pictures and this gave rise to the motion picture or film. The very first piece of film by Lumiere Brothers is called: â€Å"Workers leaving the Lumiere Factory†. It was screened on 22nd March, 1895. It was a documentary footage of the workers leaving a factory after work. This film presented to the world the idea that reality can be captured and played back by the device of cinematography. The term ‘documentary’ was first used by Joh n Grierson in 1926. He was writing review for Robert Flaherty’s film â€Å"Moana†. He wrote that the film had ‘documentary’ value. Thus from the very beginning ‘documentary’ meant a very specific type of film. The propagandist approach can be seen from very early approaches like Dziga Vertov’s â€Å"Kino Pravda† (literally means cinematic truth) newsreel series. Vertov believed that a certain sequence of shots taken from samples of real life, will create a meaning, not observable by the naked eye. Thus by interpolating shots and inter-titles, he tried to etch meaning out of seemingly normal life. In the Nazi propagandist films during the time period between two World Wars, like Leni Reifenstahl’s â€Å"Triumph of the Will† (1935) we see groundbreaking techniques of aerial photography, camera movement, wide-angle lenses and coupled with that a fantastic use of music to create movement and rhythm. It contained excerpt s from speeches delivered by various Nazi leaders including Hitler, interspersed with footages of the gathering of about 70 million Nazi supporters. The film actually tried to portray a vision which was envisioned by Hitler: Germany as a great power having Hitler as its great leader. Thus over the ages we have noticed a tendency in filmmakers to make films where truth is portrayed in a peculiarly forceful manner. The film â€Å"Who Killed Vincent Chin† directed by Christine Choy and Renee Tajima-Pena begins with the testimony of the stripper Starlene who was

Dual Process Theories of Reasoning and Judgment Research Paper

Dual Process Theories of Reasoning and Judgment - Research Paper Example For example, Pavlov's model of classical conditioning is commonly recognized as a form of associative learning where a neutral stimulus is introduced along with a stimulus of significance and an unconditioned response is transferred for a conditioned one. Within a vacuum this model works, but Cognitive-Experiential Self-Theory suggest that through one's experiences they form memories through which they associate emotions and when similar events occur that remind them of these memories, they in turn associate that even with the felt emotion. These emotions in turn effect behavior making this so significant to the daily lives of individuals. Human beings naturally use their emotions in relations to their memories to defines a sense of self. Cognitive-Experiential Self Theory denotes that the analytical and the emotional can work in contrast while simultaneously working in correspondence with the cognitive mind. A major disconfirmation of this theory can be seen in the human pursuit of self realization as Keirkegaard notes. If as Cognitive-Experiential Theory argue Human beings cognitively are reactionary to their on predicated emotions than there is no room to learn from one's emotions and in turn overcome them. Keirkegaard believed this individualistic existence caused everyone to travel along a path toward self-realization and this process, he noted, had three stages.

Are the documentary filmmakers trying to persuade you of a certain Assignment

Are the documentary filmmakers trying to persuade you of a certain point of view - Assignment Example This power to persuade comes from the fact that documentaries deal with raw reality and in doing so, it becomes more convincing and powerful in many ways. It is not the camera as a passive recording device, but the man behind the camera, with his particular likes and dislikes that makes us attracted to a piece of documentary. From the very beginning, there were distinctly two types of filmmaking. The first one tries to portray the film as a tool of magic, in which we see what is possibly not seen in real life. A larger than life, magical representation. This method was pioneered by George Melies (1861-1938). The second one portrayed film as a capturing device that captures time in the form of image and sound. It captures reality as reality itself. This method was pioneered by Lumiere Brothers (Auguste Lumiere-1862-1954 and Jean Lumiere- 1864-1948). Thus Lumiere Brothers can be considered to be the father of documentary filmmaking. In the documentary mode of filmmaking, the man behind the camera captures the elements inside his frame, but at the same time, he is excluding most of the reality and portraying only a small portion of it. This very act of elimination gives the documentary filmmaker his particular power to emote, persuade and sometimes even provoke. By editing the film, the maker constantly persuades the audience to go through a recording of a series of events in a particular time sequence. We must remember that the very invention of film is based on the fact that somebody wanted to document motion in pictures and this gave rise to the motion picture or film. The very first piece of film by Lumiere Brothers is called: â€Å"Workers leaving the Lumiere Factory†. It was screened on 22nd March, 1895. It was a documentary footage of the workers leaving a factory after work. This film presented to the world the idea that reality can be captured and played back by the device of cinematography. The term ‘documentary’ was first used by Joh n Grierson in 1926. He was writing review for Robert Flaherty’s film â€Å"Moana†. He wrote that the film had ‘documentary’ value. Thus from the very beginning ‘documentary’ meant a very specific type of film. The propagandist approach can be seen from very early approaches like Dziga Vertov’s â€Å"Kino Pravda† (literally means cinematic truth) newsreel series. Vertov believed that a certain sequence of shots taken from samples of real life, will create a meaning, not observable by the naked eye. Thus by interpolating shots and inter-titles, he tried to etch meaning out of seemingly normal life. In the Nazi propagandist films during the time period between two World Wars, like Leni Reifenstahl’s â€Å"Triumph of the Will† (1935) we see groundbreaking techniques of aerial photography, camera movement, wide-angle lenses and coupled with that a fantastic use of music to create movement and rhythm. It contained excerpt s from speeches delivered by various Nazi leaders including Hitler, interspersed with footages of the gathering of about 70 million Nazi supporters. The film actually tried to portray a vision which was envisioned by Hitler: Germany as a great power having Hitler as its great leader. Thus over the ages we have noticed a tendency in filmmakers to make films where truth is portrayed in a peculiarly forceful manner. The film â€Å"Who Killed Vincent Chin† directed by Christine Choy and Renee Tajima-Pena begins with the testimony of the stripper Starlene who was

Risk and profitability analysis Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Risk and profitability analysis - Coursework Example Commercial banking is another kind of service offered by the bank which includes Credit and lending, International trade and receivables finance, Payments and cash management, Insurance and investment, GB&M. Global banking and markets is another verticals of services provided by the banks which comprises of Global markets and Global banking. The bank provides another domain of services like Global private banking which involves Private banking, Investment management and Private trust solutions (HSBC, 2012, pp. 60-61). Lloyds provides a range of products and services financial services which involves Debt capital markets, structured finance, Working capital finance, Private equity, Trade and supply chain finance, Terms loans and overdraft. Risk management service is another vertical of the bank which comprises of Inflation linked solutions, Interest rate risk management solutions, Commodities market related solutions, Foreign exchange related solutions, and Additional risk related ser vices. ... Other verticals of services of the bank are Private banking and Business banking and corporate banking (RBS, 2012). B. Profitability and Risk Analysis of Four Banks HSBC:-It is a British multinational bank and also a financial service company which has it’s headquarter in London, UK. It is one of the largest bank is the world. It has earned $20.64 billion in 2012 and profit of $14.02 billion. HSBC Profitability Ratios 2009 2010 2011 2012 Return on equity capital 0.04 0.08 0.10 0.08 return on assets 0.00 0.01 0.01 0.01 net interest margin 0.02 0.02 0.02 0.02 net non interest margin 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.02 net bank operating margin 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00 earning per share 0.04 0.09 0.11 0.08 From the above table we can see that return on equity capital has increased over the period of time from 2009 to 2010 to 2011.But in 2012 it has decreased slightly. Overall position of ROE was quite high. Return on assets was low continuously which means net income over total assets was quite low. Net interest margin remained stable during the period. Net non interest margin increased in 2010 from 2009 and then remain stable. Net bank operating margin was low. Earnings per share have improved during the period with exception in 2012. Overall profitability ratios for HSBC were remaining stable for the period of four years. credit risk measure 2009 2010 2011 2012 total loans/total deposits 0.97 0.92 1.18 1.24 provision for loan losses/total loan 0.11 0.06 0.03 0.02 liquidity risk measure 2009 2010 2011 2012 net loans/total assets 0.10 0.11 0.15 0.15 purchased funds/total assets 0.94 0.94 0.94 0.93 cash assets and govt. securities/total assets 0.39 0.38 0.40 0.40 interest rate risk

Introduction to Special Education Essay Example for Free

Introduction to Special Education Essay * students with exceptionalities exhibit differences in learning and behaviour that significantly affect their educational potential they have exceptional needs that cannot be met by typical approaches to schooling * special education is constructed and delivered to suit the specific strengths and needs of students with exceptionalities The Modern History Of Special Education. * special types of educational services provided as far back as the 18th century * modern era of special education began in the 1960s during the civil rights movement (rejected existing practices of separately educating students who were different) * early forms of special education designed to reduce perceived threats to normal students History Of Special Education (Legislation Affecting Special Education) * some Canadian provinces enacted special education legislation as early as 1969 * 1975 ground breaking legislation in U. S.  Education for All Handicapped Children Act. * least restrictive environment * individualized education program (IEP) * categories of exceptionality * 1978 Javits Gifted Talented Students Act brought number of identifiable categories to eleven * 1990 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) added traumatic brain injury and autism to create the thirteen categories used today * IDEA â€Å"children with disabilities† instead of â€Å"disabled children† The No Child Left Behind Act: signed into law in 2002 * addresses four critical concerns. * accountability of educators for student academic achievement * flexibility of specialized funding implementation to maximize student achievement * option for parents to change child’s school if achievement is not at expected level * use of scientifically proven methods to have all children reading by end of grade three Is NCLB Making a Difference? Criticisms: * students with exceptionalities not exempt from district-wide or state-wide yearly achievement tests (law recently changed – flexibility option) * lack of available funding. * more emphasis placed on math and reading at the expense of other curricular topics To date, NCLB legislation has not significantly affected special education practices in Canada. How Is Special Education In Canada And The United States Similar? * basic practices follow the same conceptual models * major difference is way it is governed * U. S. operates under federally-mandated laws * each Canadian province and territory has own education legislation * most relevant federal law in Canada is Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms Prevalence Of Students With Exceptionalities * vast majority of classrooms now include students with exceptionalities * statistics difficult to acquire in Canada * U. S. Department of Education (2002) * 8. 8% of all students have exceptionalities * 85% of these have mild disabilities * twice as many males as females Inclusionary Practices * until the mid 1980s, special education services delivered wholly or partially separated from regular classrooms * all Canadian provinces have currently adopted philosophy of inclusion. * students with exceptionalities are provided with appropriate educational programming in  appropriate environments * regular classroom is first placement option * Inclusionary Practices * inclusion better than integration or mainstreaming because it does not try to â€Å"fix the child† to suit the system * inclusion does not replace the term special education because it does not provide specific definitions for implementation * educators support inclusion but are concerned about its lack of procedures for implementation Non-Categorical Model. * data-based approach to instructional planning * does not rely on specific labels * proponents feel that labels frequently stigmatize, isolate, and stereotype individuals with exceptionalities * more concerned with functional educational services than outcomes of assessments Categorical Model * students’ needs and abilities are defined and then identified, classified, and categorized * most widely used and accepted approach. * allows educators to design effective educational interventions without over-generalizing the characteristics of specific categories to any one child * textbook emphasizes categorical model * teachers need to know the criteria used to identify students with exceptionalities and how the criteria varies across categories * allows teachers to readily notice problems that children may be having * eliminates confusion and frustration when teaching students with exceptionalities.

Development of Forensic Science Methods

Development of Forensic Science Methods The Criminal Justice System of England in the 18th century initially consisted of perpetrators being privately prosecuted by their victim, with the victims playing the role of the criminal investigator; gathering and submitting evidence, paying fees to cover the expenses of the constables time in order to apprehend the suspect, filing charges with the local magistrates and presenting evidence to the grand jury. However, the development of the CJS has resulted in professional bodies gathering and submitting evidence, alongside the representation of victims in court by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), victim support services and there are an array of specialist courts in existence who handle cases specific to their knowledgeable subject. The Contribution of Forensic Science to Police Investigation As cited by Pyreck (2007, p. 4), The National Institue of Justice (NIJ. 1998) defines forensic science as the application of scientific knowledge to the legal system. Thornton (1997) observes, Forensic comes to us from the Latin forensus meaning of the forum. In ancient Rome, the forum was where governmental debates were held, but it was also where trials were held. It was the courthouse. So, forensic science has come to mean the application of the natural and physical sciences to the resolution of conflicts within a legal setting. The Home Office Report (2005, p. vii) proposes that factors such as the degree of integration and communication between police and scientific support appeared to be important in determining retrieval rates. Forensic science was initially a conventional means to corroborate suspected offenders, however due to procedures such as DNA testing; the report goes on to state that there is an increase in the proportion of volume crime offences detected using foren sic evidence. In the UK, it is estimated that, for directly detected volume crimes, the main evidence securing the detection was forensic in more than one quarter of cases. Databases such as AFIS and NDNA run systems which provide comparable results from forensic evidence to apprehend offenders on the system; with a detection rate of attaining perpetrators in seven in ten cases, which can render to be the solution to a further 0.4 open cases on the system. Fingerprint evidence can be found 41% of the time at scenes of vehicle crimes, 45% of non-residential burglaries and one in three residential burglary scenes; with 10% of scenes providing DNA evidence. However, it proves to be difficult to collect forensic evidence when scenes are inaccessible, have been purged or the offender has been vigilant. It can also be difficult to convict suspects with a positive DNA match when there is insufficient evidence or the individual provides a legitimate alibi. The use of forensic measures in co urt however, have proven to impact cases in a positive light; namely for theft, murder and burgulary cases, with an increase of 17% for burglary; alongside this, the appraisal of DNA and fingerprint evidence augments a jurys decision to convict in cases of homicide and rape. Methodology Applied when Gathering Blood Spatter Evidence and Other Samples in Criminal Investigation Forensic Scientists can gather a more accurate profile of the perpetrator and how the crime was committed by gathering and analysing the following specimens: Hair analysis Fiber Analysis Glass Fragments Paint Chips Analysis Soil Analysis Ballistics Toolmarks Bitemarks Fingerprints Footwear Tire Impressions Blood Spatter Analysis DNA Analysis Blood, Semen, and Saliva (DNA matching and typing; blood-spatter analysis Nonhuman DNA (dog, cat, deer, whales) Drugs (drug identification, forensic pathology) Explosives (bomb and arson identifications and source traces) Fibers (fiber typing, source identification, and matching) Hair (hair typing and matching) Fingerprints (fingerprint matching, AFIS, etc.) Bones (gender and age typing, identification of remains; weapon identification) Wound analysis (weapon typing; physical movement patterning) Firearms and ammunition (ballistics and tool-mark identification) Powder residues (shootings, suicides) Glass (glass typing and matching) Foot, tire and fabric impressions (impression typing and matching) Paint (paint typing and matching in automobile collisions, hit and run) Petroleum products (product typing and matching) Plastic bags (typing and matching; garbage bags as suffocation device or when used in transports) Soils and minerals (mineral typing and matching; forensic geology) Tool marks (tool identification and matching; homicides, burglary, home invasions, etc.) Wood and vegetative matter (plant typing and matching; plant DNA) RAPD matching; limnology, Forest Service Lab Insects, larvae, maggots; forensic entomology; time of death; location analyses) (Kiely, F. T. 2006, p. 50) One of the underlying principles behind forensic analysis is the concept that when two individuals come in contact with one another, or if an individual comes in contact with an object, there is a high probability of transfer of biological material (skin, hair, etc.). The transfer does not always have to be as obvious as blood, (Missouri State Highway Patrol, p. 22). Due to this, it is important to collect samples from all those whom have been in contact with the victim and the scene of the crime to avoid wrongful implications by eliminating those individuals whom do not match the suspects DNA profile. Analysing Blood, Semen and Saliva Samples Hair is a biological specimen of the body and may be associated back to its source through DNA analysis (although DNA is not always successfully extracted from hair), (Missouri State Highway Patrol page. 30). Alternatively, materials stained with blood, semen, saliva can be collected, be ensured to be air dried before placed in a paper bag and sealed, then tagged with the identification of the contents, exhibit number, initial and date. For porous material such as cloth and leather, investigators are advised to cut the area containing the stain; however for nonporous materials such as glass and metal, stains are removed via a cotton swab that has been moistened with water; and for liquid stains, a clean cotton swab is immersed in the sample. In terms of collecting semen samples, when the specimen is not drying-out, alternatively, condoms are to be frozen. When collecting a Buccal (Oral) swab, two to four swabs must be vigorously rubbed on the interior of the cheek for a minimum of 30 secs to a minute to recover epithelial (skin) tissue; which must then be labelled with the individuals names. The Application of Fingerprint Identification When fingerprint evidence found in a body of water is collected, it should remain in the original water. A watertight container should be lowered into the water and allowed to fill. This allows the evidence to be placed in the container without exposing it to the air. If fingerprint evidence found in water is allowed to dry before processing, the likelihood of developing prints of value dramatically decreases. (Missouri State Highway Patrol) page. 17)The Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) is a database which stores fingerprints that have been taken from suspects, whether they have been incarcerated or not; due to which perpetrators are easily identified, without having a definitive suspect, as their prints are already present on the system. Latent fingerprints on nonporous materials deteriorate rapidly upon prolonged exposure to high temperature and humidity. Consequently, items should be processed and/or forwarded to a laboratory as soon as possible A ruled scale should be used when photographing latent prints. Latent prints on materials are to be handled with gloves and placed in a cellophane protector, whereas latent prints on surfaces such as plastic cards, metal plates and glass bottles are dusted with finger print powder and then extracted with lifting tape and placed on a 3 x 5 card, which contrasts in color with the dusting powder used. Behavioural Science Support As cited by Alison and Rainbow (2011), the crime scene is presumed to reflect the murderers behaviour and personality in much the same way as furnishings reveal the homeowners character (Douglas et al., 1992: 21) (Alison, L. and Rainbow, L. 2011 p. 19) Full verbal case briefing and access to the SIO/investigation team All relevant statements Crime reports Any officers reports/status reports Pathology and forensic reports/findings Full set of crime scene and pst -mortem photographs Available analysis (e.g. telephony, palynology, entomology, etc) Relevant maps Visit to all relevant scenes; allows the BIA to gain fuller understanding of the decision-making process of the offender. Such information is not routinely available from (the above mentioned methods), where often the evidential focus is too restrictive to provide the necessary behavioural perspective. (Alison, L. and Rainbow, L. 2011 p. 25) Behavioural Investigative Advisors (BIAs) provide a theoretical perspective in investigations via the use of forensic psychology to support investigators by implementing methods such as crime scene assessment; DNA screening; suspect prioritisation; familial DNA; nominal pool generation; interview strategy; media strategy; offender background characteristics; and investigation strategy, (Newburn, T. Et al. p.. 658). In order to perform an accurate evaluation, BIAs require case materials such as: Please refer to Appendix. 1: Example of the BIAs work. The BIA are able bodies whom provide expertise in offender profiling to connect cases where correlating physical evidence is not evident. The Serious Crime Analysis Section (SCAS) of the NPIA, through their mandate to collect and analyse a range of sexually motivated offences throughout the UK, now has more than 16,500 offences on ViCLAS (Violent Crimes Linkage Analysis System) database, (Alison, L. and Rainbow, L. 2011 p. 25). Appendix Appendix 1: Example of the BIAs work. (Alison, L. and Rainbow, L. 2011) Case Study 2, folder 1FF, 194528.jpg

Essay on Symbols and Symbolism in Toni Morrisons Beloved :: Toni Morrison Beloved Essays

Symbolism in Beloved Toni Morrison enhances the effectiveness of Beloved with symbolism. This symbolism has a myriad of origins as well as forms. Number symbols come from astrological sources, while characters' names are allusions from ancient Egyptian mythology, the Bible, and African culture. Furthermore, important color symbols are discernible throughout the novel. From the very beginning of Beloved, the number 124 is distinguishable. In fact, it appears as the first character of each book of the novel. As the address of the home where most of the plot takes place, this number is extremely important. According to astrology, the numbers 1, 3, 7, and 22 are "ascribed with magical powers" (Samuels 135). These magical powers are said to be symbols of completion and creation. 124 fits this astrological delineation because the sum of the three digits in the number add up to the aforementioned 7. In addition, a significant association among characters in the novel is in the form of three people -- Sethe, Beloved, and Denver. Secondly, the name of the protagonist of the novel, Sethe, is associated with "one of the major gods of ancient Egypt and the Biblical Seth, who was the child of Adam and Eve" (Samuels 136). This Egyptian god was part man and part animal or bird, which explains the animal imagery surrounding Sethe in the novel. For example, when explaining her secret about Beloved to Paul D., Sethe is described as if she is a circling falcon or bird. Morrison writes, "She just flew...and the hummingbird wings beat on" (163). The name Sethe is also unique as a name for a female slave because it is derived from the names of Egyptian and Biblical males. Morrison uses the name to add to the masculinity of Sethe's character. Sethe's ability to overcome overwhelming tragedies and challenges such as her escape from slavery in Kentucky and the murder of her child identifies her with this quality. Additionally, the name Sixo symbolizes the dehumanization of slaves during the late 19th century. His name, derived from the number 6, implies that white masters didn't consider their slaves with enough respect to recognize them with more than a number. This renaming also symbolizes the power the slaveowners felt by stripping slaves of their individuality. The distinction of color in slavery adds to the color symbolism which pervades Beloved.

Biofoam: Not Just Peanuts Essay

Summer Internship Program State bank of India 7/27/2013 [Type the author name] A SUMMER INTERNSHIP REPORT ON Merchant Acquiring Business Point of Sale (P.o.s.) Submitted to L.J. Institute of Management studies In requirement of partial fulfillment of Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) 2 year full time Program of Gujarat Technological University Submitted on: 27th July 2013 Submitted by: Batch No: 2012-14 DECLARATION 1. Objective of the Study 2. Company Profile History OVERVIEW OF SBI PROFILE MISSION VISION ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HISTORY ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS SOCIAL ACTIVITIES OF SBI Owners Products Current Scenario 3. Organization Overview a. Organisation Structure b. Employee Profile c. Departmentation Information i. Finance ii. System iii. Marketing iv. HR 4. Strategies Adopted a. Finance b. Operations/ Production c. Marketing d. HR 5. Research a. Problems Identified b. Hypothesis c. Research Methodology d. Data Analysis e. Conclusions / Observations / Findings f. Suggestions / Comments OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY The objective of the study is TOWARDS THE PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE IN MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (2ND YEAR, SEM-3) The major objective of the study is : COMPANY OVERVIEW ( study of the various departments of the organization ) & MARKET RESEARCH ON ARE THE CUSTOMERS OF HOME LOAN DEPARTMENT SATISFIED WITH THE PROCESSES INVOLVED IN GETTING LOAN FROM SBI ? HISTORY OF SBI EVOLUTION OF SBI The origin of the State Bank of India goes back to the first decade of the nineteenth century with the establishment of the Bank of Calcutta in Calcutta on 2 June 1806. Three years later the bank received its charter and was re-designed as the Bank of Bengal (2 January 1809), the first joint-stock bank of British India sponsored by the Government of Bengal. The Bank of Bombay (15 April 1840) and the Bank of Madras (1 July 1843) followed the Bank of Bengal. These three banks remained at the apex of modern banking in India. On 27 January 1921,they were amalgamated as the Imperial Bank of India. The three presidency banks came into existence either as a result of the compulsions of imperial finance or by the felt needs of local European commerce and were not imposed from outside in an arbitrary manner to modernise India’s economy. Their evolution was, however, shaped by ideas culled from similar developments in Europe and England, and was influenced by changes occurring in the st ructure of both the local trading environment and those in the relations of the Indian economy to the economy of Europe and the global economic framework. Establishment The establishment of the Bank of Bengal marked the advent of limited liability, joint-stock banking in India. It was the associated innovation in banking, viz. the decision to allow the Bank of Bengal to issue notes, which would be accepted for payment of public revenues within a restricted geographical area. This right of note issue was very valuable not only for the Bank of Bengal but also for the Banks of Bombay and Madras. The concept of deposit banking was also an innovation because the practice of accepting money for safekeeping (and in some cases, even investment on behalf of the clients) by the indigenous bankers had not spread as a general habit in most parts of India. But, for a long time, and especially upto the time that the three presidency banks had a right of note issue, bank notes and government balances made up the bulk of the investible resources of the banks. The three banks were governed by royal charters, which were revised from time to time. Each charter provided for a share capital, four-fifth of which were privately subscribed and the rest owned by the provincial government. Presidency Banks Act The presidency Banks Act came into operation on 1 May 1876. This brought the three presidency banks under a common statute with similar restrictions on business. The proprietary connection of the Government was, however, terminated, though the banks continued to hold charge of the public debt offices in the three presidency towns, and the custody of a part of the government balances. Bank of Madras The decision of the Government to keep the surplus balances in Reserve Treasuries outside the normal control of the presidency banks and the connected decision not to guarantee minimum government balances at new places where branches were to be opened effectively checked the growth of new branches after 1876. The pace of expansion witnessed in the previous decade fell sharply although, in the case of the Bank of Madras, it continued on a modest scale as the profits of that bank were mainly derived from trade dispersed among a number of port towns and inland Centers of the presidency. Bank of Bombay Presidency Banks of Bengal The presidency Banks of Bengal, Bombay and Madras with their 70 branches were merged in 1921 to form the Imperial Bank of India. The triad had been transformed into a monolith and a giant among Indian commercial banks had emerged. The new bank took on the triple role of a commercial bank, a banker’s bank and a banker to the government. But this creation was preceded by years of deliberations on the need for a ‘State Bank of India’. What eventually emerged was a ‘half-way house’ combining the functions of a commercial bank and a quasi-central bank. The establishment of the Reserve Bank of India as the central bank of the country in 1935 ended the quasi-central banking role of the Imperial Bank. The latter ceased to be bankers to the Government of India and instead became agent of the Reserve Bank for the transaction of government business at centres at which the central bank was not established. But it continued to maintain currency chests and small coin depots and operate the remittance facilities scheme for other banks and the public on terms stipulated by the Reserve Bank. It also acted as a bankers’ bank by holding their surplus cash and granting them advances against authorised securities. The management of the bank clearing houses also continued with it at many places where the Reserve Bank did not have offices. The bank was also the biggest tenderer at the Treasury bill auctions conducted by the Reserve Bank on behalf of the Government. The establishment of the Reserve Bank simultaneously saw important amendments being made to the constitution of the Imperial Bank converting it into a  purely commercial bank. The earlier restrictions on its business were removed and the bank was permitted to undertake foreign exchange business and executor and trustee business for the first time. Imperial Bank The Imperial Bank during the three and a half decades of its existence recorded an impressive growth in terms of offices, reserves, deposits, investments and advances, the increases in some cases amounting to more than six-fold. The financial status and security inherited from its forerunners no doubt provided a firm and durable platform. The lofty traditions of banking which the Imperial Bank consistently maintained and the high standard of integrity it observed in its operations inspired confidence in its depositors that no other bank in India could perhaps then equal. All these enabled the Imperial Bank to acquire a pre-eminent position in the Indian banking industry and also secure a vital place in the country’s economic life. Stamp of Imperial Bank of India When India attained freedom, the Imperial Bank had a capital base (including reserves) of Rs.11.85 crores, deposits and advances of Rs.275.14 crores and Rs.72.94 crores respectively and a network of 172 branches and more than 200 sub offices extending all over the country. S B I – THE PROFILE REGISTERED NAME: STATE BANK OF INDIA CHAIRMAN: SHRI ARUN KUMAR PURWAR DATE OF ESTBLISHMENT: 1ST JULY 1955 FORM OF ORGANISATION: NATIONALISED BANK CENTRAL OFFICE: CORPORATE CENTRE APEX ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE, MUMBAI. REGISTERD OFFICE: CENTRAL ACCOUNTS OFFICE Number of domestic branches: 9,177 Number of foreign brances: 70 SYMBOL OF SBI The new symbol of the State Bank of India is circular representing the simplest and the most symmetrical of gometrical shapes. The circular shape of the symbol suggests the continual expansion like the ring in the water, to cover the entire country. From the ancient times, the roundness was considered as the fullness of the man’s being and his growing consciousness. The small circle in the center connotes that despite the SBI’s size it is small man who hold the center of State Bank stage. OVERVIEW OF THE BANK * State Bank of India is the nation’s largest bank, accounting for about 20% of India’s deposit and loan activities. * The bank operates more than 13,500 branches and over 5,000 ATMs within India and more than 50 offices in some 30 other countries. * The bank owns an asset base of $126 billion. * While its size has slowed modernization of both its services and its products, the bank has become more computerized. * Its international banking services include shipping and export financing and merchant banking. * The Reserve Bank of India owns about 60% of State Bank of India. MISSION OF SBI * To retain the bank’s position as the premier Indian financial service group, with the world class standards and significant global business, committed. * To excellence in customer, shareholder and employee satisfaction, and to play a leading role in the expanding and diversifying financial services sector, while continuing emphasis on its development banking role. VISION OF SBI * Premier Indian financial services group with global perspective, world- class standards of efficiency and professionalism and core institutional values. * Retain its position in the country as a pioneer in development banking. * Maximize shareholder value through high sustained earning per share. * An institution with a culture of mutual care and commitment, a satisfying and exciting work environment and continuous learning opportunities. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Directors on the Bank’s Central Board as on 1st July 2006 DIRECTORS Prof. M.S. Swaminathan Shri. Ajay G. Piramal Shri. Suman Kumar Bery Dr. Ashok Junjhunwala Shri. A. C. Kalita Shri. Amar Pal Shri. Arun Singh Shri. Rajiv Pandey Shri. Piyush Goyal Shri. Ashok K Jha Smt. Shyamala Gopinath Shri. O. P. Bhatt Chairman MANAGING DIRECTOR Shri T. S. Bhattacharya PRODUCTS AND SERVICIES OF SBI 1. SERVICES 1. SBI VISHWA YATRA FOREIGN TRAVEL CARD 2. FOREIGN INWARD REMITTANCE 3. ATM SERVICES 4. INTERNET BANKING 5. LOCKER 6. GIFT CHEQUES 7. PUBLIC PROVIDENT FUND (PPF) 2. DEPOSIT SCHEMES 1. CURRENT ACCOUNT 2. BASIC BANKING 3. SAVINGS BANK ACCOUNT 4. TERM DEPOSITS 3. PERSONAL FINANCE 1. SBI SARAL PERSONAL LOAN 2. HOUSING LOAN 3. SHORT TERM HOUSING LOAN 4. EASY TRAVEL LOAN 5. GRAM NIVAS SCHEME 6. CAR LOAN 7. EDUCATION LOAN 8. SCHOLAR LOANS 9. PROPERTY LOAN 10. LOAN TO PENSIONERS 11. LOAN AGAINST SHARES DEBENTURES 12. LOAN FOR EARNEST MONEY DEPOSIT 13. FESTIVAL LOANS 14. MEDI-PLUS SCHEME 15. TEACHERS-PLUS SCHEME 16. SAINIK-PLUS SCHEME 17. TRIBAL-PLUS SCHEME 18. CREDIT KHAZANA 19. RENT PLUS CURRENT SCENARIO * State Bank of India is focusing on internal accruals through competitive and efficient operations to increase profitability in the coming years. * SBI has moved up in terms of processes and technology in working systems. There has been concerted efforts to push up commercial lending, especially credit to SMEs (small and medium enterprises), besides cashing in on real estate boom with focus on improving housing loans. * SBI was focused on deploying capital to improve agriculture sector ‘in a viable way and not as a one-time basis’. * Retail credit alone stood at Rs 50,000 crore for the year ended 31 March 2006. * SBI has teamed up with GE Capital Services to market its credit cards, being showcased as an important product in personal banking. * At present, the bank has over 2.5 million credit cards in circulation * At present, the bank has around 6,000 ATMs across the country with an average disbursement of Rs 10 crore per day. * SBI Life, a joint venture with French company, Cardiff, adopts banc assurance model to expand its business in life insurance. * Through bundling SBI Life with other products, the bank offered protection to customers. Similarly, SBI Mutual Fund through multiple schemes had received overwhelming response from investors. * To facilitate transactions of  salary in labour intensive companies and factories, the bank has introduced Payroll cards, an ATM card for employees to draw salary from banks after the same has been remitted by the employers. They don’t need to have SB accounts for availing Payroll cards. * The bank has targeted 16 per cent growth in deposits and 20 per cent growth in lending for the region in the current fiscal. * Recently, the newly opened branches have received good response from customers as efforts were taken to improve the ambience of banking experience. ORGANISATION OVERVIEW ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE CHAIRMAN (ARUN KUMAR PURVAR) ↓ MANAGING DIRACTOR (SHRI C. BHATTACHARYA) (SHRI K. ASHOK KINI) ↓ DIRACTORS (ED-3, NED-13) ↓ CHIEF GENERAL MANAGER ↓ GENERAL MANAGER ↓ DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER ↓ ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER (MR S. MANKODI, REGIONAL BUSINESS OFFICE, SAURASTRA)↓ (MR. V. SUBRAMAIAN, MAIN BRANCH, RAJKOT) (MR. JAGDISH JOSHI, PFC, RAJKOT) ↓ CHIEF MANAGER ↓ DEPUTY MANAGER ↓ ASSISTANT MANAGER ↓ EMPLOYEES ↓ CLERKS ↓ MASSENGERS DEPARTMENTATION INFORMATION 1. MARKETING DEPARTMENT 2. FINANCE DEPARTMENT 3. SYSTEM DEPARTMENT 4. HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT MARKETING MDEPARTMENT MARKETING DEPARTMENT 1. MARKETING – AN INTRODUCTION 2. BANKING SECTOR AND THE ROLE OF MARKETING 3. MARKETING IN SBI 4. 7 PILLARS OF MARKETING 5. CUSTOMER SERVICE AT SBI MARKETING – AN INRTODUCTION Marketing is a multi-faceted subject covering the areas of production, consumption and distribution which can be viewed narrowly as activities that occur in the transfer of services to customers or broadly as all processes  by which the society meets its requirements. Marketing seeks to convert customer deeds into products and offers it to the market so as to fulfill the needs of the customers. Marketing communication is considered as a tool to communicate the benefits of the product to the customer. Marketing management is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational goals. Marketing department is one of the most important departments of any business organization. Whether its business unit, service unit, manufacturing unit, non government unit, tourism, country etc., competition has left no sector but to push itself to survive. The world has become global village and constant research and development, technology up gradation has made the market full of services and products and new ideas for customers. Scope of marketing is ever changing and everlasting. Brand management, event marketing, e-marketing, relationship marketing etc. are the new jargons in this area. MARKETING IN BANKING SECTOR â€Å"THE ROLE OF MARKETING IS TO DELIVER A HIGHER STANDARD OF LIVING† Marketing in banking sector is expressed as, â€Å"Putting People First† Banking – a word that brings the picture of money, economy cheques, drafts, savings, deposits, investments, and today.. it may bring more pictures of debit card, credit card, ATMs., Mutual funds, loans for 2 wheelers, 4 wheelers, homes, education, traveling, etc. The scope of banking activities has increased and therefore the role of Marketing in banking sector also has undergone rapid changes. Core banking, Net banking, e-banking, mobile banking, phone banking, are the new awtaars of banking today. BANKING ENVIRONMENT IN INDIA The mantra of today’s marketers is â€Å"Catch the customer and cash the customer† â€Å"Love the customer and not the product† The growth in aggregate deposits of scheduled commercial banks at 17.3% in 2003-2004 was higher than 13.4% in 2002-2003, adjusted for mergers. However, scheduled commercial banks’ credit recorded a lower rise of 14.6% during 2003- in food credit following higher off take of food grains. MARKETING IN SBI Marketing activities in SBI are centralized. Basically there are 14 circles all over the country zone wise. Namely, 1. Ahmedabad Circle 8. Hyderabad Circle 2. Banglore Circle 9. Kolkata Circle 3. Bhopal Circle10. Lucknow Circle 4. Bhubaneshwar Circle11. Mumbai Circle 5. Chandigarh Circle12. Delhi Circle 6. Chennai Circle13. Patna Circle 7. Guvahati Circle14. Kerala Circle Under each circle there is one local head office and few Zonal offices which take care of marketing activities of respective local branches of SBI. At L.H.O., there is one marketing head and good staff who plans & executes all the activities of marketing of SBI & its products for that particular region. The Central office at Mumbai decides the budget of marketing for all different circles and according to the allotted budget and requirements, heads at circle designs and develops the needed marketing strategies. So here, at SBI main branch, Rajkot, AGM of Main Branch, PFC & Regional head, carry out marketing functions under the supervision of L.H.O. Ahmedabad. THE CONSTANT MARKETING ACTIVITIES AT SBI MARKET RESEARCH DESIGNING AND REDESIGNING PRODUCTS & SERVICIES PRICING (setting interest rates) PROMOTION DISTRIBUTION AFTER SALES SERVICES etc. MARKETING MIX OF SBI PRICE The second important pillar of marketing or marketing mix of SBI is â€Å"PRICE†. It is important because other P’s are expense making whereas only this P fetches money. Banking sector is a service sector therefore in this sector there is no physical existence of product but here services are delivered and priced. It can be the interest on loan or charges collected for providing different facilities to its customers. Interest rate is the word used instead of price in banking sector. As far as deposits are concerned the public funds are used by bank and interest is paid to the account holders. As far as loans are concerned the interest is paid by the customer to the bank for using the funds of the bank. Interest rates are decided by the corporate office, MUMBAI under the supervision of RBI. In fact, decision regarding interest rates is all affected by monetary policies, capital market, availability of funds to commercial banks and economic conditions of country. PLACE Distribution or execution of products and services at any bank is mostly through its outlets or branches themselves. Yes today, ATMs are the most dynamic retail channel in terms of transformation they are bringing about in banking habits and about popularity with customers and branch staff alike. Depending on the size o market, city, town, state, country and need, the number and place of Zonal offices and branches are determined. As far as SBI is concerned, most of the branches and offices are located at the heart of the city. SBI has huge network of outlets and ATMs through out the world form where it serves its customers. STRUCTURE OF PLANING & EXECUTION PREMISES CORPORATE CENTER (MUMBAI) LHOs ZONAL OFFICE REGIONAL BUSINESS OFFICE BRANCHES Depending on the size of market, city, town, state and country need, the number and place of Zonal offices and branches are determined. As far as SBI is concerned most of the branches and offices are located at the heart of the city. IN RAJKOT THERE ARE 5 BRANCHES OF SBI: 1. RAJKOT MAIN BRANCH 2. BHAKTINAGAR BRANCH 3. JAGNATH BRANCH 4. LAKHAJIRAJ ROAD BRANCH 5. MARKETING YARD BRANCH PROMOTION GENERAL PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES AT SBI: At every branch of SBI they put hoardings of their different products, not only in branches but also on crowded roads of the city. They give advertisement in TELEVISION and NEWSPAPERS for their different products and special schemes if any.  SBI organized WORKSHOPS on securities market awareness campaign (SMAC) at eight centers and educated about 1675 investors in these workshops. They even give advertisement in national level MAGAZINES. PRODUCTWISE PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES 1. EDUCATION LOAN : For advertising at national level SBI put HOARDING and took help of TELEVISION. At local level they give LEAFLET to all the customers that visit the personal finance cell. Recently they have also started giving SEMINARS and PRESENTATIONS in colleges and coaching classes, where potential customers are found. 2. HOUSING LOAN : To increase the sales and for creating awareness about housing loan, SBI conducted a property fair. For that they took help of print media by giving advertisement in local newspapers and by distributing leaflets. 3. AUTO LOAN : As far as marketing of Auto Loan is concerned bank was in general impression that there was no need of doing. But as the time passed SBI started realizing that there rate are little bit higher in market. They decreased their rate & started doing marketing by giving advertising in the in local newspaper. They are doing promotion jointly with the dealers and also keeping stall at fair or other places. FINANCE DEPARTMENT FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS FOR THE YEAR| 2005- 06| 2004-05| % change| Total Income (Rs. Crore)| 43,184| 39,548| 9.19| Total Expenditure (Rs. Crore)| 38,777| 35,243| 10.03| Net Profit (Rs. Crore)| 4,407| 4,305| 2.37| Earning Per Share (Rs.)| 83.73| 81.79| 2.37| Return on Average Assets (%)| 0.89| 0.99| (-) 10.10| Return on Equity (%)| 15.47| 18.10| (-) 14.53| Profit Per Employee (Rs. Thousands)| 216.76| 207.50| 4.46| AT THE END OF| March 2006| March 2005| (%) change| Paid up Capital andReserves & Surplus| 27,644| 24,072| 14.84| Deposites (Rs. Crore)| 3,80,046| 3,67,048| 3.54| Advances (Rs. Crore)| 2,61,642| 2,02,374| 29.29| BALANCE SHEET OF THE STATE BANK OF INDIA AS ON 31ST MARCH 2006 (Rs. in billion)| MARCH 2005| MARCH 2006| CAPITAL & LIABILITIES| | | Capital| 5.26| 5.26| Reserves & Surplus| 320.26| 366.80| Minority Interest| 13.04| 14.30| Deposits| 5061.05| 5440.24| Borrowings| 229.30| 369.75| Other Liabilities & Provisions| 656.87| 771.96| Total| 6285.78| 6968.32| ASSETS| | | Cash & balances with Reserve Bank of India | 256.16| 311.29| Balances with banks and money at call & short notice | 253.41| 262.08| Investments| 2619.62| 2279.31| Advances| 2869.87| 3743.17| Fixed Assets| 35.74| 39.58| Other Assets| 250.98| 332.92| Total| 6285.78| 6968.32| Contingent Liabilities| 2017.46| 2930.77| Bills for Collection | 316.90| 247.81| STATE BANK OF INDIA MARKET RELATED RATIOS MARKET RELATED RATIOS| MAR 03| MAR 04| MAR 05| MAR 06| Market Price (Rs) (as on last day of the year/quarter)| 270 | 606| 657 | 968 | Price to Book Ratio (%)| 0.83| 1.58| 1.44| 1.79| Market Capitalization (Rs in Billion)| 142.05| 318.78| 345.75| 509.48| Earning Per Share ( Rs)| 59.00| 69.94| 81.79| 83.73| P/E Ratio (%) | 4.58| 8.66| 8.03| 10.40| Analysis of Performance financial * Level of domestic investments remained stable during the half-year of FY 2005-2006. * Investment Fluctuation Reserve amounted to 5.30% of eligible Investments. * During the half-year the Bank divested its stake in (Credit Information Bureau of India Ltd. (CIBIL) from 40% to 10% and booked a profit of Rs.7.50 crores as a result of this disinvestment. * During the period, forex business on account of customers registered a growth of 28.80% on Year-on-Year basis. * NII of the Bank went up by 24.11% from Rs.6,333.89 crore in H1 of 2004-05 to Rs.7,861.19 crore in H1 of 2005-06. * Staff costs registered a growth of 9.11% due to wage revision. Other Operating Expenses of the Bank showed a growth of 10.41% in in H1 of 2005-06 as compared to H1 of 2004-05 * Total provisions made for this half year were higher at Rs.2,984.21 crore as compared to Rs.2,536.02 crore made in H1 of 2004-05. Major provisions are as under: * Provision for NPAs at Rs.246.74 crore for the current half year (as agains t Rs.508.45 crore during H1 of 2004-05). * Higher Provision for depreciation on investment Rs.2,397.07 crore (as against Rs.344.03 crore in H1 of 2004-05). * Provision for tax at Rs.400.09 crore (including deferred tax debit) as compared to Rs.1,449.97 crore in H1 of 2004-05. Provision for tax is lower mainly due to higher provision for depreciation on Investment. * The provision & contingencies for the Current Quarter (Q2 only) stood at Rs.767.56 crores, as against Rs.1,523.04 crores in the corresponding period of the previous year. SYSTEM DEPARTMENT Information Technology ATM Project * The Bank’s ATM network includes 5479 ATMs in India, which is the largest ATM network in the country. The Bank continues to expand this network rapidly. Customers can transact free of cost at the ATMs of the State Bank Group. * The agreement with VISA and Master Card International for acquiring ATM transactions has resulted in another revenue generation stream. Core Banking Solution (CBS) * The Bank is moving towards a centralized database and a Core Banking Solution, with capability for on-line, real-time transaction processing. The Bank has brought 2165 branches at 437 centers under Core Banking Solution in all Circles, covering 38% business. * Implementation of CBS would substantially enhance the Bank’s capability in introduction of new and innovative products at very short intervals across branches and other value-added services to customers on a 24X7 basis, tone up internal efficiency through straight-through transaction processing capabilities on a centralized database and improve operational effectiveness in the areas, such as, integration of multiple delivery channels, single window for meeting all needs of a customer, better MIS and improved security.This will take the Bank to a superior technology platform leading to near-zero branch level system administration, centralized generation of reports and zero-effort reconciliation of inter-branch entries a s more and more branches shift to core banking platform. * Core banking would integrate the trade finance, Treasury and ALM applications enabling efficient funds management and risk management capabilities. Value Added Services * College/Hostel Fee Payment† through ATMs – Covered more than 67 Institutions sunder this scheme. * Topping up of Mobile phones of Idea, Orange and Airtel transactions. * Opening of Internet Banking accounts through ATMs for cardholders. * ATM is increasingly used as cash point for SBI cards. * Issue of monthly/quarterly season tickets for suburban trains of Central Railway at CST Mumbai. * Cash as well as Cheque Deposit on ATM – Facility has been made Operational on a pilot basis. * Temple trust Donation facility now available for Vaishnodevi, Shri Sai Sansthan, Shirdi and Gurudwara Sahib, Nanded.Devotees can now offer their donations to these Temples through ATM. * Online collection of Application fees for GATE & JMET 2006. * MTNL, Mumbai Bill payment through ATM. PERSONAL BANKING FINANCE CELL : To give focused attention to retail loans at branches, cells have been set up at 182 branches with many more to come. BUSINESS PROCESS RE-ENGINEERING (BPR) : The bank has undertaken BPR exercise and has engaged an international consultant as Advisor for the project. The objective of BPR initiative is to strengthen the bank’s ability to acquire new customers, build lasting relationship with existing customers and increase customer satisfaction through world-class service quality. The BPR team is simplifying and redesigning processes to leverage the core banking solution platform. Strategies are being evolved for migrating transactions to full set of alternate channels namely, ATMs, Internet and Call Centers. The objective is to transform branches into sales and service focused outfits with all back-offices, non-customer facing transactions being moved out of branches to central processing cells. SINGLE WINDOW SYSTEM : To improve customer service and to free the staff for marketing, single window delivery system has been introduced at 7446 branches. HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT 1. Introduction 2. Human Resource Management at SBI 3. Recruitment 4. selection 5. Promotion 6. Training 7. IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT It has become the necessity for the organizations to keep HR Department because EMPLOYEES are the valuable asset of any organization. Each and every organization is concerned with personnel functions and that is the reason for keeping a separate Human Resource Department. The personnel manager has the ultimate responsibility for all personnel and labor polices. This department helps the management in securing, utilizing and developing appropriate manpower to achieve the organizational objectives. For this purpose, it performs several functions like recruitment, selection, compensation, promotion, transfer, training etc. It also relates to the maintenance of industrial peace and harmony, Industrial Relations, labor welfare activities, etc. HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AT SBI The bank proposes to automate its HR processes with business objectives. Thus the bank has decided to implement an HRM solution which would handle all aspects of HRM, including payment of wages and salaries, CTC, performance management, training management, fixed assets etc. STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP PROGRAMMES Such programmes for officers in Senior Management grade, and Strategic HR initiatives were launched, and in addition, Revamping of the Training System It was undertaken to meet future needs of the Bank which is under implementation. INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS: Industrial Relations includes maintaining the relations with the employees and colleague to maintain the industrial harmony and peace. In order to increase the responsibilities of Senior or Special Assistants, their passing powers have been enhanced and duties enlarged. RECRUITMENT AT SBI As SBI is the government oranisation here for higher level of designation or post SBI prefers to follow the internal source of recruitment that is Promotion, Transfers, and demotion within the organization. As far as other clerical job is concerned there is no recruitment going on for the post of officers and middle level jobs. The External source of recruitment is used that is Advertisement in newspapers, magazines and web sites. Here, major decisions regarding recruitment are taken by SBI Central Recruitment Board, Bombay. SELECTION AT SBI RECEIPT OF APPLICATION SCRUTINISING APPLICATIONS RECEIVED INVITING RIGHT CANDIDATES FOR INTERVIEW DIFFERENT TESTS FOR SELECTION SELECTION OF THE RIGHT CANDIDATE PROMOTIONS The usual policy for promotion is to promote the person on the basis of seniority or merit. Length of service, education, training course completed, previous work history etc. are factors, which are given weitht while deciding on a operativeness, merit, honesty, many informal influences are powerful determinants of a promotional policy. PROMOTIONS AT SBI There are three types of promotions at SBI : * Fast Track Promotion * Normal Channel Promotion * Seniority Channel Promotion FAST TRACK PROMOTION It is applicable to the employees who have completed 2 years of job. Such employees have to undergo * A written test and * Then group discussion and * Personal interviews respectively. More over, every employee should have secured 90 % and more marks and grade A in confidential performance appraisal report. NORMAL CHANNEL PROMOTION In this channel of promotion employees who have completed four or five years of their job are eligible and they have to udergo written test and group discussion and personal interview. Depending on personal records, performance appraisal, requirement of staff, grades and percentage in test, employees and promoted. SENIORITY CHANNEL PROMOTION It is basedon as the name suggests seniority level of an employee The promotion is given to them. As this type of promotion is only given to senior employees for the higher level of posts and designations, at times they have to also go for written test and at times they have to directly go for oral exams and interviews. Four scale of promotion are there. In this type of promotion, employees who have done 12 years of job are eligible for scale 1 and scale 2 promotion while employees who have completed 14 year of job and carries minimum 50% marks are eligible for scale 3 and scale 4 promotion, Training Bank’s Training Philosophy â€Å"Training in State Bank is a proactive, planned and continuous process as an integral part of organisational development. It seeks to impart knowledge, improve skills and reorient attitudes for individual growth and organisational effectiveness†. State Bank of India†s experience in training spans more than four decades and is based on an in-depth understanding of the business and banking environment, domestic as well as international. TRAINING SYSTEM GOALS * Training * Feedback to corporate office to assist in policy formulation, product development * To act as a think-tank * An internal consultant * Organisational development interventions * To conduct customised on-site programmes at our branches * Interventions at branch level for organisational development * Research & Development TRAINING METHODOLOGY * Knowledge * Lectures * Exercises * Questionnaires * Quiz * Group work * Interface/panel discussions * Skills * Case studies * Exercises * Group work * Attitudes * Small group Work * Role play * Exercises * Interface/panel discussions * Customer interaction * Training media: Audio-visual teaching aids and computer aided learning MARKET RESEARCH -IN HOME LOAN DEPARTMENT VARIOUS STAGES IN RESEARCH Stage-1: PROBLEM IDENTIFIED At the very first stage in research the researcher has to clearly identify and define the problem. A well defined problem helps the researcher in the research. As it said that â€Å"A PROBLEM WELL DEFINED IS HALF SOLVED.† My research problem is â€Å"What are the experiences & difficulties faced by customers in getting Housing loan from SBI?† Stage-2: IDENTIFICATION OF RESEARCH OBJECTIVE Identification of Research objective is very essential in any research because if the researcher fails to identify the research objective he may fail in his research and the researcher can not achieve ultimate results. Research objectives are the end results.It directs and provides the base for the research plan. The objectives of this research are: 1. Primary Objective : To identify the difficulties faced by the customers in getting Housing loan from SBI and to find the gape. 2. Secondary Objective : * To identify the expectations of the loan holders. * Based on the opinions and experiences of the customers, to give suggestions to remove this gape. Stage-3: RESEARCH PLAN For gathering the needed information the researcher needs to draw out the most efficient research plan based on well defined research objective. Designing of research plan includes the following: 1. Data source 2. Research Approaches 3. Research Instruments 4. Research Methods [1]Data Source: In market research data can be of two types: Primary data: In primary data the information is obtained from the original source by researcher. Here, information needed is â€Å"the perception of the loan holders from SBI regarding the processes involved in housing loans†, which is only possible through personal meets with them so it is primary data source. Secondary data: The data, which is already collected and used, previously, is secondary data. For meeting the loan holders I got the personal information like name, address, telephone number etc. from their accounts so that is secondary data. [2]Research Approaches: Primary data can be collected in four ways: Focus groups Surveys Observation Experiments Observational research and survey research are two approaches, which have been used to meet the objectives of research. Observational research has been carried out simultaneously with survey research. [3]Instruments Used in Research : Researchers have a choice of two main research instruments in collecting primary data. * Questionnaires and * Mechanical Devices For surveying the housing loan holders of SBI, the research instrument used is questionnaires for each of them individually. [4]Survey Methods: There are two methods of survey: * Survey of population * Survey of samples selected from the whole To carry out the research, the method adopted here is the survey of the samples. First step to Sample Survey is designing the Sample Plan. Sampling Plan basically deals with the following: * Sample Size * Sampling Method Sampling Plan * Sample size-100 * Sampling method -Simple Random sampling * Instrument used For survey -Questionnaire & Personal Interviews QUESTIONNAIRE Instruction: a) The purpose is to make survey only. b) Information provided will be kept confidential NAME: _________________________________________ CONTACT NO.: _________________________________________ OCCUPATION:ââ€" ¡ Business ââ€" ¡ Profession ââ€" ¡ Service MONTHLY INCOME:ââ€" ¡ 8000 to 15000ââ€" ¡ Above 25000 ââ€" ¡ 15000 to 25000 * Had you visited other banks before taking loan from SBI? ââ€" ¡ Yesââ€" ¡ No * Reason for selecting SBI : ââ€" ¡ Nationalized bank ââ€" ¡ Lower interest rate ââ€" ¡ Good facilities ââ€" ¡ Lower cost ââ€" ¡ Speedy sanction * How you received the related information? ââ€" ¡ In a single piece ââ€" ¡ In bit of pieces * What was the gape between date of application and sanction of loan? ââ€" ¡ 1 to 5daysââ€" ¡ 5 to 10 days ââ€" ¡ 10 to 15daysââ€" ¡ 15 to 20 days ââ€" ¡ More than 20 days * In your opinion, comparatively sanction process is: ââ€" ¡ Speedyââ€" ¡ Moderate ââ€" ¡ Low * Within how many days loan amount was disbursed? ââ€" ¡ 1 to 2ââ€" ¡ 11 to 15 ââ€" ¡ 3 to 5ââ€" ¡ 16 to 20 ââ€" ¡ 6 to10ââ€" ¡ More than 20 * Did you face any difficulty in receiving disbursement? ââ€" ¡ Yesââ€" ¡ No * In comparison with other banks the interest rates of SBI are: ââ€" ¡ Higherââ€" ¡ Lower ââ€" ¡ Equal to other banks * Your suggestion: _______________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY DEPENDING ON THE VIEWS OF THE HOME LOAN HOLDERS OF SBI BASED ON THE QUESTIONNAIRE PREPARED. OCCUPATION OF DIFFERENT CUSTOMERS The above indicated results shows that more of the home loan holders are Businessmen. There is not much variation between service and profession class as the number of both the class of the customers are nearly similler. CLASSIFICATION OF THE CUSTOMERS ON THE BASES OF THEIR INCOME LEVEL BY DIVIDING THEM INTO SPECIFIC INCOME CLASS The above graph shows that there is not much deviation among the different classes. More of the home loan holders are having the monthly income between 15000 to 25000. Those having monthly income more than 25000 are lesser. But looking to the overall scenario there is equal distribution among all the  three income class. NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS WHO HAD VISITED OTHER BANKS BEFORE TAKING LOAN FROM SBI The graph shows that more of the loan holders had inquired, directly or through other sources like friends or relatives, other banks before taking loan from SBI. THIS SHOWS HOW THEY RECEIVED BASIC INFORMATION To the response of this question, more of the customers replied that they faced a little difficulty in receiving different information regarding basic information or the information about documentation. REASONS GIVEN BY CUSTOMERS FOR SELECTING SBI The above graph looks very unevenly distributed but it is due to the reason that the respondents gave more than one answer to this question. Some told that more than one reason are there for selecting SBI. One of the reasons not mentioned through graph is â€Å"TRUSTWORTHYNESS† stated by some of the respondents. GRAPH SHOWING THE TIME DURATION BETWEEN APPLICATION GIVEN BY CUSTOMERS AND LOAN SANCTIONED BY THE BANK The above result is full of variations. During the survey, It was found that some of the first 22% customers got the loan sanctioned even within one day. On the contradictory part, some of 11% customers did not get the loan sanctioned even after 40 days of application. This was also due to the delay in submission of required documents by customer. IF THE SANCTION OF LOAN WAS SPEEDY FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF CUSTOMERS TIME TAKEN BY THE BANK TO DISBURSE THE LOAN AMOUNT TO THE CUSTOMERS AFTER SANCTIONING Gape between sanction and disbursement is generally found to be 2 to 8 days after sanction of the loan. Some of the customer faced difficulty in receiving the disbursement of the loan. Few got the payment after a long wait of approximately a month. CUSTOMERS WHO FACED DIFFICULTY IN RECEIVING THE DISBURSEMENT OF THEIR LOAN AMOUNT INTEREST RATES IN VIEW OF THE CUSTOMERS OF HOMELOAN DEPARTMENT RESEARCH FINDINGS 1. Liberalization in the loans is needed. 2. It was found that most of the customers who got the loans sanctioned fast, received the disbursement faster and those who got the loan sanctioned late, got the payment late than the average time. Of course, this can be due to unclarity on the part of customer. 3. Customers want that they should be able to get all the information from one person only so that they need not to run here and there. 4. Core banking should be fully helpful to the customers. In spite of core banking customers are still facing difficulty regarding flexibility for payment of installment. 5. Lower documentation should be there for the loans. As per customers view only really needed documents should be asked for. 6. Customers who got delayed sanction or delayed disbursement were dissatisfied and suggested to faster the operations of the bank. 7. Most of the customers expressed view that they prefer SBI more for the home loans as it is very good, as compared to the other private banks also, as far as the home loan’s aspect is considered 8. Dissatisfied customers told that the operations involved in sanction and disbursement needs to be made faster like that of private banks. 9. Fast response to the various inquiries of the customers is needed. Some customers as shown in the results complained that they got the information from more than one person. 10. The infrastructure facilities like good interior and air-conditioned branches should be there. 11. Customers expect to be treated with politeness and respect. 12. Customer care should be given more importance. 13. More attracting facilities are needed. 14. Customers should be given full knowledge about the services inquired. 15. More connectivity with other banks. 16. Better front desk services are yet needed, customers are not yet fully satisfied with it. 17. For all the new coming schemes awareness should be created among people. 18. For entertainment of the waiting customers small T.V., Newspapers, Magazines etc should be there. SWOT ANALYSIS STRENGTHS * Nationalized Bank * Safety and security of money * Highest number of ATMs * Years of experience – Century * Large Network * Government Support * Transparency in charges. * Experienced employees WEAKNESSES * Rigid work culture * Lake of young employees * Excessive Documentation * Bureaucracy * All branches and Head offices are not having fully modern infrastructure. OPPORTUNITIES * Constant fear in the minds of customers towards Private Banks. * Ever expanding rural, urban, and international market. THREATES * Private Banks provides more facilities at low charges. * Shifting customer preference towards private banks. * Dynamic employees and greater technological product of private banks. * Customer satisfaction is high in private banks. SUGGESTIONS 1. PEOPLE : * Good suggestions coming from employees side should be appreciated and implemented. * Motivational package for excellent work at the bank should be offered. * Employee integrity and sincerity should be rewarded. * Make duty a desire of employees through Satisfying sociological, financial, status need of employees. * Work culture of employees should be like that of private banks employees. * Young and enthusiastic employees should be recruited for customer care services. All nationalized bank can join hands in this regard and can even seek approval from RBI. * System of hire and fire should be there for this new young employees up to particular age limit. 2. PROMOTION : * To increase the young customers step-ins, SBI can install in house cyber cafes to attract the young customers in premises of SBI. * New schemes and constant recorded announcement of the products in the bank premises itself can attract the attention of customers visiting the bank at least during peak hours. * SBI is flooded by new generation products but they need intensive marketing especially for products like demat A/c, insurance, mutual fund and e-banking. 3. PRODUCT : * Mobile banking, bill payment services, online tax payments, NRI tax advisory, Investment solutions should be given importance. * SBI should have tie up with big industries, schools, NGOs, hospitals, commercial complex, colleges etc for opening the salary A/C of their employees. * Too much documentation and complex procedure should be reduced to greater extent. For example, if a customer is having A/C with any nationalized bank then a simple check can be used for cross checking of their identity. * Women’s A/C : At SBI study of profiles show that lesser number of women prefers SBI, while the fact is number of working women in Rajkot is improving day by day.  To capture this section of society, saving A/c offering with different schemes for women can be planed out. 4. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT : * Each and every counter should be named properly above the desk through hanging sign boards and name boards to minimize customer quarries. * Renovation is the need of SBI branches and good interior with pleasing environment is the demand of today’s competitive edge. * Cabin system should be destroyed and customer-employee interaction should be without any glass partition between them. This reduces the status gap and offers warm helping hands to customers’ problem solution. * Departmentation in the banks should be such that customers don’t need to ask anybody to search for required counter. * Chart showing the designation and department of concerned persons should be there inside the bank.