Ethics in Group Counseling Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Ethics in Group Counseling - Article Example Ultimately the paper aimed to provide a kind of resource for practitioners interested in implementing group counseling in the school. As a starting point the paper illustrated that family issues are an important topic for group counseling insofar as many children learn aggressive behavior in their home. Moreover the paper postulated that parental abuse also is an important area of focus because substance abuse issues are a serious problem in the home and substance abuse often leads to physical abuse. The article then provided an overview of group counseling. Group interventions can be quite helpful but the question is what format should be utilized. Three main group types were outlined. Education/guidance groups may address social skills issues, Counseling Groups are target towards children with developmental challenges, and therapy groups are used for more severe issues. Group counseling formats incorporate four stages (Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing & Adjourning) which are directed towards first establishing a relationship, establishing boundaries, addressing basic rules, developing increased responsibility and recognizing unrecognized issues. The next major section of the paper involves legal & ethical consideration for schools on a definition basis. The paper defined consent, which is permission to participate in counseling (typically from parents). The paper then defined confidentiality which is the legal obligation not to disclose information surrounding treatment. Breaching confidentiality was covered insofar as confidentiality must be broken when a student poses a risk. Special consideration should be given to how groups are selected & formed. Next special consideration was given for which topics should be considered in groups. Lastly the paper covered details around adequate notification, dangerous behavior parental disclosure, dual relationships and counseling notes, Ethical risks and professional

Prevention of teen pregnancy Essay Example for Free

Prevention of teen pregnancy Essay Explain the level of prevention with teen pregnancy (can choose your own level out of the three levels).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Teenage pregnancy has been a major problem not only in the developed world but also recently in the developing nations.   In the US and Canada, due to the increased awareness amongst teenagers, the prevalence of teenage pregnancies is decreasing.   However, in several developing nations, the incidence of teenage pregnancies is on the rise.   In the year 1999, it was found that about 97 teenagers out of every 1000 between the ages of 15 to 19 years were pregnant and about 80 % of them were not desired.    Before the age of 18 years, 80 % of the teenage girls have sex.   The age of menarche has also dropped to 12 to 13 years (Weiss, 2000).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Teenage pregnancies may not be intended for social reasons but due to other including medical and psychological.   The chances of the girl to have a miscarriage, abortion, stillborn baby, etc, are reasonable higher.   These girls are usually the ones who belong to the lower socioeconomic groups and the chances of living in poverty are realistically higher.   The financial burden on the woman would also increase, as she would now have to leave her studies and pick up some job in order to support her child.   Children born from a teen mother are frequently underweight and are at a high risk of developing health problems.   Due to a number of causes, it is always preferred that teenage pregnancies are prevented.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are three different levels of prevention when it comes to teenage pregnancies.   These include primary prevention, secondary prevention and tertiary prevention.   Primary prevention includes measures to prevent pregnancies through physical or other methods.   These include use of contraceptive pills, condoms, etc.   This helps to reduce minimize the risk of getting pregnant.   Secondary prevention includes checkups, scans, etc, to ensure that the girl does not get pregnant.   This is usually followed if primary prevention is not enabled.   Tertiary prevention of includes taking measures to prevent any further pregnancies after one has already occurred in the teenage girls.   The best level of prevention would be primary prevention (Connelly Inui, 2004).  Ã‚               How might this specific level of prevention be addressed in a community experiencing an increase in family violence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are several measures which need to be adopted for primary prevention of teenage pregnancies.   These include health education, sex education, school and college based programs, health services, use of condoms, use of contraceptives (birth control pills), etc.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the teen pregnancy prevention program several people belonging to the community should be involved including the teenagers, parents, teachers, legislatures, administrators, professionals, media, medical professionals, School authorities, etc.   It is important that the entire community be involved in the program, as teenage pregnancy is a multi-faceted issue.   People are advised to develop responsible health attitudes, behavior and practices regarding teenage pregnancy.  Ã‚   The program should be much more than just offering health services and counselling services.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The program should take place at several places including schools, colleges, health centers, public health centers, community discussions, etc.   The targets of such programs should be more realistic and achievable.   Both the boy and girl should actively take part in such programs.   At all stages, it is very important that the family and the parents are involved.   Besides, resources and materials such as condoms, birth control pills, education material, counselling services, etc, should be provided.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the teenage pregnancy prevention program, multiple agencies should be involved.   In the planning and implementation of the program, teenagers themselves should be involved.   The parents should educate and create awareness in their children about sex and pregnancy during the childhood stage itself.   Hence, involvement of the parents is also required.   Mobile services would also help to create awareness in rural and far-flung areas.   The trust should be in creating increased levels of confidence, self-esteem and decision-making amongst teenagers.   Teenagers should also be educated about drug abuse and alcohol abuse.   Drug abuse can affect judgment, which can lead to irresponsible sex behavior. Explain why a comprehensive health program should address all three levels of prevention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Teenage pregnancy programs need to address all the levels of prevention, as focusing on one single level of prevention and ignoring others would create bias and negative attitudes of the community to those girls who have already become pregnant.   As the rates of teenage pregnancy are reasonable high and a significant number of girls become pregnant during the teenage period, there are high chances that they would lead a miserable life.   This may make it all that more difficult to enable the process of primary prevention.   Several facilities such as health education, medical services for the mother and the child, housing, financial support, nursing homes, counselling, etc, need to be provided.   It is important that teenagers who become pregnant be given all the care and love during the pregnancy period and not be driven out of the house.   Pregnant girls should also be given counselling services as they would not know much of the manner in which their healthcare needs have to be met.   They should be specifically warned about drug abuse and smoking during this period. The focus should be on ensuring that the mother and child are healthy and do not suffer.   During the pregnancy period, the young father should be supportive of the girl.   The young mother should also be educated about the manner in which abuse and neglect need to be tackled. References: Connelly, M. T. Inui, T. S. (2004). â€Å"Principles of Disease Prevention.† In: Braunwald, E., Fauci, A. S., Kasper, D. L., Hauser, S. L., Longo, D. L. and Jameson, J.L. (Eds) Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, New York: McGraw-Hill. Huberman, B. (2005). â€Å"National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month (NTPPM) Planning Guidebook.† Retrieved on December 9, 2007, from Advocates of Youth Web site. Ontarios Maternal, Newborn and Early Child Development Resource Centre and the Sex Information and Education Council of Canada (2007). â€Å"Update report on Teen pregnancy prevention.† Retrieved on December 9, 2007, from OMNECD Web site: SHPPS (2006). â€Å"Pregnancy Prevention.† Retrieved on December 9, 2007, from SHPPS Web site. Weiss, D. (2006). â€Å"Reducing Teenage Pregnancy.† Retrieved on December 9, 2007, from Planned Parenthood Web site: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/news-articles-press/politics-policy-issues/teen-pregnancy-sex-education/teenage-pregnancy-6240.htm

Gifted and Talented Program Admissions: Needed Improvements and Reforms

Gifted and Talented Program Admissions: Needed Improvements and Reforms Gifted and talented programs are intrinsically valuable to many children’s education as they provide a system in which all students involved are engaged, challenged, and intellectually stimulated. In "How People Learn", Donovan, Bransford, and Pellegrino (1999) stress the importance of each student being given reasonable and appropriate goals based on his or her level of understanding and competency (p. 20). Gifted and talented programs help institutionalize the attempt to meet all student’s needs by providing uniquely appropriate challenges which aim to keep every student engaged, thus receiving the best chance at success. Although there are many valuable and important aspects of gifted education, there are also significant issues rooted in the base of America’s gifted and talented programs, one of which I will address throughout this paper. In my opinion, the most notable problem which troubles gifted and talented programs is the system by which students are se lected to join their school’s gifted and talented program. The problem associated with how students are chosen to join a gifted and talented program stems from the way that we define giftedness. Because there are countless ways in which any individual can define talent, the government created a federal task force in 1972 to study gifted education in order to standardize the way in which schools choose students for and implement their gifted and talented programs. The task force’s results are known as the Marland Report and include much information as a result of their research, including a decision that a public school’s gifted and talented programs should aim to serve between 3 and 5 percent o... ... for the Gifted. New York: Teachers College Press. Borland, James H. (2003). Rethinking Gifted Education. New York: Teachers College Press. Donovan, Bransford, & Pellegrino (1999). How People Learn. National Academic Press. Eby, Judy W., & Smutny, Joan F. (1990). A Thoughtful Overview of Gifted Education. New York: Longman. Fulkerson, Jan & Horvich, Michael (1998). Talent Development: Two Perspectives. Phi Delta Kappan, 79(10), 756. Johnsen, Susan K. (2003). Issues in the Assessment of Talent Development. In James H. Borland (Ed.). Rethinking Gifted Education (pp. 201-214). New York: Teachers College Press. Meier, Deborah (1995). The Power of Their Ideas. Boston: Beacon Press. Shore, Bruce M., Cornell, Dewey G., Robinson, Amy, & Ward, Virgil S. (1991). Recommended Practices in Gifted Education. New York: Teachers College Press.

Lord of the Flies, Coral Island and the Role of Adults

It is known that to fully appreciate the novel â€Å"Lord of the Flies† (1954) by William Golding (1911-1993) it is necessary to have read Robert Michael Ballantyne’s (1825-1894) â€Å"Coral Island† (1858), or at least to understand its theme and treatment. And so, since it was Golding’s intention to set himself to write an island story that deliberately challenged Ballantyne’s model in â€Å"Coral Island† -by inverting its assumptions and values- we can explore multiple angles from which the two novels can be compared and studied.An item which seems quite interesting when analysing both texts is that one related to civilization and its adult exponents. After a thorough reading and focusing on very clear and specific elements we happen to notice the differences -as well as some similarities- among the roles and the significance of these adult characters in each novel. We will first refer to Golding’s â€Å"Lord of the Flies†, in which there are various examples of the complexity of the adult figure. But we must first refer to Golding’s own experience at war in order to get a clearer picture of his position towards our central concern.From the first years of his life, he faced the atrocities of war when he took part in the Second World War by joining the British Navy at 1940. The war, as a physical result, changed a lot Golding's view of life. He could not believe in man's innocence any longer. He found that even the children are not innocent. No one is innocent. The ideas of W. Golding's view of human nature can be found in almost any of Golding's books and particularly, in his first and most famous book, â€Å"Lord of the flies† 1. So, let us now focus on the novel itself.At a moment of uncertainty-anguish the boys beg desperately for a signal from the world of grown-ups: (â€Å"Grown-ups know things† said Piggy. â€Å"They ain’t afraid of the dark. They’d meet and have tea and discuss. Then things ‘ud be all right—† â€Å"They wouldn’t set fire to the island. Or lose—-† â€Å"They’d build a ship—-â€Å" The three boys stood in the darkness, striving unsuccessfully to convey the majesty of adult life. â€Å"They wouldn’t quarrel—-† [†¦] â€Å"If only they could get a message to us,† cried Ralph desperately. â€Å"If only they could send us something grown-up†¦ a sign or something. 2) In the next chapter what they get is a dead body of a man hanging from a parachute, a corpse which gets rotten as the story advances. Is this the adult figure they were waiting for? Or, should the question be: Does this ‘gift’ from air help them in any way to strengthen their boundaries with civilization? The answer seems to be ‘no’. On the contrary, it makes them panic, slowly driving them mad and irrational. It unleashes violence, leads them to sa crifices and murder, and takes them back to a primitive stage.So up to now the adult figure does not seem to be associated with a positive role. However, there is another character in the novel who also becomes very important as regards our analysis of the adult figure. Finally, when on the last pages, Ralph is lying on the sand, ready to accept the blow which will kill him, and he hears the silence around him, and he looks up †¦ up†¦ , he can first see some emblems of power, some symbols of the grown ups’ world and also of his father authority, and only then he can see a man – a naval officer. This man happens to stop Ralph’s brutal chase just by chance. Grown-ups have been dropping bombs and planes, and it was an atomic war which had made the children’s evacuation necessary in the first place. Who have gone crazy and been having an atomic war but the grown-ups themselves? 3 Again, a new question should be made: Is this a real symbol of salvati on? Or, How can an ambassador of an atomic war stand for the parental protection or even a mature model to be followed? The naval officer’s ignorance, his lack of understanding of what has been going on, is ironical. Furthermore, what Golding is trying to make clear at this instance is the decadent figure of the human adult, and by extension, of the whole human civilized world. Let us now turn to R. M. Ballantyne’s â€Å"Coral Island†. Here, the concern about civilization, seems to be very well defined as well as good and evil are so clearly separated that there cannot be any conflict between them. 5 In spite of this, when we come to a closer look we find a special complexity within a number of characters. Everything about Ballantyne’s boys, who are older by some years than Golding’s boys, is confident and positive.The novel as a whole, pictures the assumptions and values of the Victorian period in affirming progress, imperialism, self-reliance, th e Creator, the goodness of nature and of human nature- when Christianised at least 6 Actually, this is quite an interesting item to focus on. On the one hand there are the dark-skinned people referred to as â€Å"the savages†, who are in fact the native inhabitants from the neighbouring islands. They are a kind of primitive adults, constantly characterised as cruel, uncivilised inferior beings.Their rituals, their form of life, the whole of their culture is described as barbarian and demoniac and Ralph, our young narrator, is deeply horrified at seeing them. They represented a menace to the boys, and they tried to escape from them or to stay in good – but distant- terms with them, so as to keep them away from their coral island. On the other hand there are the pirates, who, paradoxically, are –like the rest of the fair-skinned characters- superior ; their ways are civilised, their clothes being the main symbol of their superiority. What is interesting about thes e last ones is that they are at first described as representing a dangerous element –as had already been the shark or the very ocean. Nevertheless, as the novel goes on, we are made to think that this wandering adults who travel overseas, robbing ships, conquering all that they found at their pace and kidnapping people, are actually ‘not that bad’. Even the pirates are â€Å"better† than the natives, more intelligent, cleaner, etc.But also, as we reach the end of the novel, we suddenly meet some educated peaceful missionaries who work a miracle when they get to the island the boys are captured in and manage to convert the wild savages into Christians and they embrace our Lord’s Gospel. It must be understood that the priest’s reason for being there is to abolish the beliefs of an entire human group and the pirates are traditionally thought of as being thieves, kidnappers and violent conquerors. But, somehow, this is not the image Ballantyne de picts towards the end of the novel. Given, thus, the complex nature of these beings, a new different question arises.What is the true nature of adults-civilization for Ballantyne? How come that adults like the priest and the pirates can be representatives of good or salvation? Are the adults capable of completely changing their previous evil nature all of a sudden? Obviously, the answer seems to rely on the moral outlook, the Victorian ethos, which bathes the whole novel. The didactic intentions are clear. His intentions are to teach his readers, not only to inform them about the wonders and terrors of the Pacific Islands, but also to make them reflect on the power, goodness, glory of God and make them better people. As a result, by comparing and contrasting both novels from the opposed perspectives of the two authors , we identify the key elements inherent to each one as regards our main topic. Basically, while in Ballantyne’s â€Å"Coral Island† the prevalent view of man was that based on the confidence of the white man 9 in Golding’s â€Å"Lord of the Flies† the thesis is based on the man’s fallen nature myth, expressing through it his belief in man’s other nature, the dark and guilty nature. 0 Mainly, both Ballantyne and Golding’s perceptions about adulthood and civilization vary not only because of a completely divergent perception on the world -which derives from their personal experiences- but also because of the time when each novel was written and the totally different socio-political scenery in which they were developed. 1 Material obtained from http://www. geocities. com/Athens/Forum/6249/bio. htm 2 â€Å"The Lord of the Flies†, by William Golding (p. 117) Faber and Faber Limited (1954) 3 Notes provided by the teacher on â€Å"The Lord of the Flies† by William Golding. Notes provided by the teacher on â€Å"The Lord of the Flies† by William Golding. 5 Notes provided by the teacher on â€Å"The Lord of the Flies† by William Golding. 6 Notes provided by the teacher on â€Å"Coral Island† by R. M. Ballantyne. 7 Macmillan Master Guide, The Lord of the Flies, 1986 8 Notes provided by the teacher on â€Å"Coral Island† by R. M. Ballantyne. 9 Notes provided by the teacher on â€Å"Coral Island† by R. M. Ballantyne. 10 Notes provided by the teacher on â€Å"Coral Island† by R. M. Ballantyne. 11Macmillan Master Guide, The Lord of the Flies, 1986

Prepare a marketing mix for a company.

1. Fix a Marketing mix for a company.The company which I will be taking to explicate the selling mix is BMW.Introduction to BMW:BMW ( Bavarian Motor plant ) is the universe known makers of autos and motor motorcycles around the universe. BMW besides owns the Mini trade name and is the transnational company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. They are the most successful high public presentation division in the car industry in the present clip. The company was founded in 1916 by German, Frank Josef Popp and its central office is situated in Munich, Germany. Very foremost BMW used to plan engines for aircraft than after it started doing minibikes than they eventually became the versatile interior decorator of the autos around the universe. And subsequently BMW started planing the racing autos for the racing titles. The research of marketing mix has started in 1976 to assist companies in accomplishing their selling ends. Most of the selling companies will non be successful in accomplishing their ends. To accomplish a end of the company, selling mix plays a major function which can be determined as the input for the development of the company. If BMW follows a peculiar theoretical account of marketing mix with the sequence order so accomplishing the selling end of the company will be really easy and accurate. The into intelligence find helped most of the companies that condescending of market construction and selling mix will non ever assist existent clients of the company but frequently in few instances conjectural clients will besides do usage of this selling mix conditions. For act uponing the market conditions, market mix are used. Such that the persons and sections of the market can increase the net incomes of it with the nature of attack they follow utilizing selling mix. To do the market mix unitises possible, sections of the markets, merchandises used ; civilizations need to be understood such that the consecutive and coincident actions can be established utilizing market mix conditions which will assist in inflexions the buying determination of users and consumers. Before discoursing in item about the market mix Lashkar-e-Taibas discuss briefly about the market structures which may ensue in understanding the selling mix easy. Markets of mechanization, nutrient markets, mass ingestion, fiscal market, athleticss and societal establishments market, information engineering, communicating market, perishable goods market, aggregate media market, direct gross revenues market, industrial trade goods market, agribusiness market, wellness market, pharmaceutical market, oil market, chemical market, pigments market, instruction market, service market, commercialism and distributions market, mining market, lumber market, dress market, passenger transit market, professional services market, e market, amusement market, hotel direction market, recognition card market, existent estate market, building and technology market, motorcycle, minibike, scooter and moped market, featuring goods market.The natural construction of market mix:Market mix aims will find the coincident and consecutive actions which will be helpful in taking determinations of consumers and users. For specifying market mix the critical mass minimal stairss need to be apprehensible which will assist in bring forthing the buying merchandises. The aims can be accomplished with the lower limit cost which will find the actions to act upon the head of the consumers. The purchase determination will be helpful in understanding the market mix. Commercial actions will be after the selling mix determinations. Consumer ‘s head can be influenced by variable by detecting world itself. What one establishment advancing gross revenues seeks is to run into a chance ‘s unrealized demand. This requires a â€Å"profound democratic sense† , unless one is willing to bewray the client, in which instance, this treachery is paid for with market portion.Marketing developments:The logic of market can be hypothesized based on innovation, find and simulation utilizing these marketing mix. The undertaking of marketing adult male find will get down with the man-made accomplishments to understand the procedure of gross revenues. The selling innovation hazard will finding the find stages of marketing mix. The market sections will find the partial behavior of markets. The market construction understanding will assist to analyse the selling mix: To make so we would wish to get down by presenting the construct of â€Å"variable† managed in markets. Philip Kotler described them without giving them a logical sense. However, he did director to comprehend the kernel of the selling mix. The variables are as follows:DistributionMerchandiseCommunicationMonetary valuePromotionPeoplesTopographic pointLogical relationship can be profoundly analyzed based on the selling mix constituents of the company which we have taken ( BMW ) . Let ‘s discourse briefly about all the selling mix constituents of BMW.1.Distribution:Bringing merchandises closer to the client is considered as Distribution. Distribution can be practical and physical. Merchandise can be brought closer to the client for accessing that merchandise to the client is the existent end of distribution. There are two different constituents of distribution. They are:The dialogue of the trade name can be sustained and the freedom of commercialisation is based on the trade name attributes.The demand, the efficient of distribution and the shutting gross revenues of the satisfaction better demands of the client.2.Communication:Properties and benefits of merchandise and services of the company will be informed to the client utilizing the communicating constituent. There are two different signifiers of communicating. Communication has an expensive facet which is called as advertisement utilizing the communicating constituent. The attending of the client can be drawn utilizing advertisement component. A relationship can be aroused based on the intended relationship of the involvement which is to be aroused to buy the rational inducements and which can be stimulated based on the urge purchased by the company. In different instances the marks can be advertised based on the left hemisphere prospect that can be aimed to whilst of the right hemisphere to be aimed. For m of publicity can be taken from the communicating country based on the pleasance intent of each country. A merchandise can be experienced based on the way of publicity such that the integrating of belonging can be done from the client even without being purchase the merchandise. For advancing the merchandise an involvement should be shown such that the merchandise can be extremely trader based on the contents and inducements of the merchandises.3.Product:For fulfilling the demands of every client, merchandise and services plays an of import function. Products and services are the elements which place an of import function in bring forthing two different types of relationships with the chance which can be a nexus one or the functional chance. The usage value of the merchandises can be referred based on the relationship of the maps. The utility of the merchandise is called as ‘use value ‘ . The benefits will be utile for bearing the relationship with the mensurating facets of objects and topics. The usage value of the merchandise is the cardinal which will be helpful in determination devising procedure to buy the concluding phase of merchandise. The definition of the merchandise can be linked with the merchandise based on the complimentary relation with the client and itself. There are can be functional type complimentary relationship and personal type complimentary relationship. There are can be predominately subjective nexus which has to be formed with the latter aims of the merchandise. An single involvement is based on the footing of nexus within in the merchandise and if there is no sensed nexus so there is no involvement for a peculiar merchandise. A merchandise is considered as the touchable and physical entity for many different concern companies which can be used for the procedure of purchasing and merchandising. For illustration if a new auto is bought so that can be the new merchandise merely or possibly non a merchandise. For purchasing a auto sometimes the things can be more complex in the auto and will non be same as same expected, this specifies the merchandise demand. There are three different degrees of a merchandise which will research the nature of the merchandise.The nucleus merchandiseThe existent merchandiseThe augmented merchandiseLet ‘s discourse briefly about all the different degrees of merchandise.The nucleus merchandises:The nucleus merchandise will non be considered as the touchable or physical merchandise. Core merchandise can non be touched because the benefit of the merchandise will be considered as the nucleus merchandise which makes the value to the merchandise. Just like for illustration auto can be the convenient benefit such that it will assist us to travel anyplace and whenever and the another benefit which can be accessed by the auto is the velocity with which anywhere can be travelled comparatively speedy.The existent merchandise:An existent merchandise can be considered as the physical merchandise or the touchable merchandise. Different people can do usage of existent merchandise. For illustration Lashkar-e-Taiba ‘s take the same illustration of auto where the auto can be test thrust so bought and so collected.Augmented merchandise:This merchandise is considered as the non-physical merchandise portion. Augmented merchandise has different values based on which premium can be accessed. For illustration whenever a auto is bought it will come with a kind of guarantee, fabricating offer of the company, client service and different services of the gross revenues. The different selling tool which BMW can be accessed is for the rating can be the usage of merchandise life rhythm and client service life rhythm.4.Price:For buying, a monetary value is considered as the conditioning component. In general the trade goods can be exceeding and the there can be conditional monetary value and it is non determined. Goods and services can be the pecuniary value along with the conditions of payment which can do the entree to the goods in conformity with the income of the buyer. The merchandise can be chosen sing the monetary value and merchandise conditions, the basic pick can be the coveted pick which should n't be accessible and the following 1 can be the replaced based on merchandise conditions to get the better of the monetary value barrier within the operational footings and the concluding phase can be the action of purchase to make. A merchandise can be priced in many different ways. Lashkar-e-taibas discuss briefly about all the pricing policies and schemes based on different state of affairss.Premium pricing:Premium monetary value specifies to utilize a high monetary value where there is a singularity of merchandise. premium pricing is used where of all time competitory advantage exists. High monetary values can be charged for different luxury things like, sails of canard, 5 star hotels, Concord flights etc.Penetration pricing:For deriving the portion of the market monetary values of the merchandises are unnaturally changed low and when these merchandises starts acquiring soled so the merchandise monetary value will be increased. Penetration pricing will be made usage of Sky TV and France TelecomEconomy pricing:This is considered as low monetary value low frills. The merchandise monetary value wil be set to minimum based on the selling cost and fabrication merchandises. Especially supermarkets will do usage of this pricing strategy based on economic system trade names like soups, sphagetti etc.Physiological pricing:When client is made to response based on rational and emotional footing of market wants so this pricing strategy is used.Product line pricing:Benefits of parts of the merchandise runing reflect the benefits of the merchandise line pricing. This pricing strategy will be used in different little fortunes of work like auto rinsing which has different monetary value at different topographic points.Optional merchandise pricing:Whenever new merchandises will be launched and based on the purchasing of the merchandises from the clients, so the monetary value of the merchandises will be increased utilizing optional merchandise pricing. The merchandises monetary values and services of the merchandise will be increased based on the optional ‘extras ‘ like monetary values of the air hoses will be increased based on some excess optional monetary values like row of seats reserva tion etc.Captive merchandise pricing:A premium monetary value will be charged by the company when the there is complement merchandises with the same battalion. When the old stock should be served this merchandise bundle pricing strategy is used. For illustration pictures and Cadmiums can be sold in package and attacks.Promotional pricing:As the name specifies, publicity pricing will be used to advance the freshly launched merchandises. Promotional pricing can be purchase one get one free strategy or assorted different strategies based on the topographic point and merchandises.Geographic pricing:Geographic pricing strategy will be used when there will be different pricing for different merchandises based on the evident and fluctuation of the merchandises all over the universe merely like the value of rareness where monetary value will be increased based on transporting cost.Value pricing:For external factors pricing this strategy is used. Like the recession period or increasing force of competition companies. Gross saless and services of the merchandises will be provided based on value merchandises like values repasts provided by different nutrient eating houses.5.Promotion:Promotion is one among the of import tool which determines the communications of market. As said by marketing mix of H.Borden, ‘promotion mix ‘ will be at that place for every communicating of market merely like the mix of bar in which there will all the basic ingredients will be same and if the ingredients of the bar alterations so concluding result of the bar will be alterations same applies to publicity. Promotion mix integrating can be the coherent run signifier. The procedure of communicating can be illustrated by marketing messages. A publicity lies based on the publicity mix. Let ‘s separately know about all constituents of publicity mix.Personal merchandisingPromotion of gross revenuesPublic relationDirect mailExhibitions and just tradesAdSponsorships6.People:For ev ery experience or service elements, people play an of import function. For every minute services need to be consumed and produced. The client service facets should be altered which will be helpful in run intoing the demands of the persons of the devouring individual.7.Place:Topographic point is one of the of import component of marketing mix. Topographic point can besides be known as intermediary, channel. Goods and services can be mechanised based on the services of consumers and users. There are six basic determinations of the channel:Which sort of channels will be used direct channels of indirect channels? For illustration, with the consumer straight or with the jobber indirectlyMultiple channels or individual channelsMultiple channels of cumulative lengthsIntermediary typeEach channel degree of intermediaryIntra channel struggles can be avoided based on the mediators i.e. distributers local in battles between them

Free Essays on My Last Duchess

In â€Å"My Last Duchess† by Robert Browning, we are introduced to the dramatic monologue. In a dramatic monologue, the speaker unknowingly reveals his personality through his speech. In this poem, the audience listens to a conversation between the Duke and a nameless envoy who are making the final arrangements for the Duke’s second wedding. Strangely, the Duke brings out a portrait of his former wife whom he rambles incessantly about. Through the Duke’s ramblings, we learn that he is a self-centered, arrogant, and completely chauvinistic man, asserting emotions of both power and weakness. The Duke is a materialistic, proud man. He has a high rank in nobility and a well-respected name. Thus, he tries to portray himself as powerful and sophisticated. But his underlying motives shine through and we see the Duke as jealous and possessive. The Duke was formerly married and this marriage ended tragically. His last Duchess had a wandering eye and a smile for everyone. This infuriated the Duke - The Duke must have been a Leo because he always had to be in the spotlight, his pride injured when the attention was not there. He felt he should be the only one in his Duchess’s life to cause her joy or any sort of emotion, really. The Duke feels that he has made this woman. Who was she before he bestowed the almighty name on her? How dare she not show her full thanks! The Duke was like many men we see today - envious and completely ridiculous.Unfortunately for the Duchess, her innocent flirtations must have boiled the Duke over the edge. He could not talk to her about his feelings. And even if he was able, he probably would not because this would injure his ego even more. Sure maybe she would listen, but now she knows she has the upperhand over the Duke. It is all a control issue with these two.So he decides on a different plan.. The Duke became enraged to the point he hired someone to kill his wife. All this has not ... Free Essays on My Last Duchess Free Essays on My Last Duchess In â€Å"My Last Duchess† by Robert Browning, we are introduced to the dramatic monologue. In a dramatic monologue, the speaker unknowingly reveals his personality through his speech. In this poem, the audience listens to a conversation between the Duke and a nameless envoy who are making the final arrangements for the Duke’s second wedding. Strangely, the Duke brings out a portrait of his former wife whom he rambles incessantly about. Through the Duke’s ramblings, we learn that he is a self-centered, arrogant, and completely chauvinistic man, asserting emotions of both power and weakness. The Duke is a materialistic, proud man. He has a high rank in nobility and a well-respected name. Thus, he tries to portray himself as powerful and sophisticated. But his underlying motives shine through and we see the Duke as jealous and possessive. The Duke was formerly married and this marriage ended tragically. His last Duchess had a wandering eye and a smile for everyone. This infuriated the Duke - The Duke must have been a Leo because he always had to be in the spotlight, his pride injured when the attention was not there. He felt he should be the only one in his Duchess’s life to cause her joy or any sort of emotion, really. The Duke feels that he has made this woman. Who was she before he bestowed the almighty name on her? How dare she not show her full thanks! The Duke was like many men we see today - envious and completely ridiculous.Unfortunately for the Duchess, her innocent flirtations must have boiled the Duke over the edge. He could not talk to her about his feelings. And even if he was able, he probably would not because this would injure his ego even more. Sure maybe she would listen, but now she knows she has the upperhand over the Duke. It is all a control issue with these two.So he decides on a different plan.. The Duke became enraged to the point he hired someone to kill his wife. All this has not ...

Quotes and Discussion on Walde essays

Quotes and Discussion on Walde essays "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." It would be wonderful to have time to live alone and contemplate life and learn what living deliberately could teach. Personally, however, I would feel, upon my death, that I missed out on many experiences by simply living alone and in the same way for a lifetime. I would like to see the world and meet many people. A person can only discover so much about himself/herself before he/she wishes to discover things about other people. "Our life is frittered away by detail." This is very true in today's society. People worry about every aspect of their lives, instead of enjoying what is right in front of them. Some things, though, should be looked at carefully and savored, like nature and "I think that there are very few important communications made through [mail]." I disagree with this statement. Important communications are made through mail. If Thoreau had to mail this piece of literature, I'm sure he would have found it very important. What is not important to one man, may mean the world to another "Let us spend one day as deliberately as Nature, and not be thrown off the track by every nutshell and mosquito's wing that falls on the rails." The media often makes too large a deal of many matters. People do not need to be informed of all that goes on in the world. Unfortunately, not everyone can just leave their lives behind and live by and pond for over two years. I, for instance, cannot do this because the law does not allow me to stop going to school, even if it is to find myself in nature. "Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads." This statement produces wonderful images of all the things on the gr ...

GPA, SAT and ACT Data for Top North Carolina Colleges

GPA, SAT and ACT Data for Top North Carolina Colleges North Carolina has some impressive options for higher education, and the admissions standards for places like Duke and UNC Chapel Hill can be daunting. Most top-ranking schools have holistic admissions, so the final admissions decision takes into consideration things like your extracurricular involvement and application essay. That said, youre going to need high grades and strong test scores to get into most of the schools on this list. To see if youre on target for admission to some of North Carolinas top colleges, follow the links in the list below:   Appalachian State University Roughly two-thirds of applicants are admitted, and most have grades of a B or higher and standardized test scores that are average or better. GPA-SAT-ACT Graph for Appalachian State Admission Davidson College Fewer than a quarter of all applicants to Davidson will be admitted, and nearly all successful applicants had grades in the A range and above average standardized test scores. GPA-SAT-ACT Graph for Davidson College Admission Duke University Duke consistently makes my list of the countrys  most selective colleges.  Youd better have high grades and standardized test scores if you want your application to be taken seriously. In  2015, just 11% of applicants were admitted. GPA-SAT-ACT Graph for Duke University Admission Elon University Elon admits about half of its applicants. Most admitted students have grades in the B range or higher and SAT/ACT scores that are at least a little above average. GPA-SAT-ACT Graph for Elon University Admission Guilford College About a third of applicants to Guilford are rejected. The school has test-optional admissions, so dont worry if your SAT or ACT scores arent ideal. You will need a high school record that demonstrates your college preparedness. GPA-SAT-ACT Graph for Guilford College Admission High Point University High Point University is one of the less selective schools on this list, but youll still need solid grades and test scores to be admitted. A little over a quarter of all applicants are not admitted. GPA-SAT-ACT Graph for High Point University Admission Meredith College This womens college admits about 60% of applicants. Most women who get in have grades in the B range or higher and SAT/ACT scores that are at least average. GPA-SAT-ACT Graph for  Meredith College Admission NC State University About half of applicants to NC State get in, which means over 10,000 applicants receive rejection letters. Youre probably going to need above average grades and test scores to be admitted. GPA-SAT-ACT Graph for NC State Admission Salem College Salem is another womens college, and its admissions bar is similar to Meredith College. A little over a third of applicants will not get in, and youll need grades and test scores that are at least average. GPA-SAT-ACT Graph for Salem College Admission UNC Asheville Youll want a GPA above a B and above  average SAT/ACT scores to be competitive at UNC Asheville. Dont be fooled by the schools relatively high acceptance ratestudents who dont qualify for admission dont tend to apply. GPA-SAT-ACT Graph for UNC Asheville Admission UNC Chapel Hill As the flagship campus of the UNC system, Chapel Hill is highly selective. Less than a third of all applicants will get in, and those who are admitted have grades and test scores that are significantly above  average. GPA-SAT-ACT Graph for UNC Chapel Hill Admission UNC School of the Arts Only a third of applicants will get into UNC School of the Arts, but unlike other schools on this list, your grades and test scores may not be the most important part of your application. Successful applicants need to have strong non-numerical measures such as auditions, portfolios, and resumà ©s of relevant experiences. GPA-SAT-ACT Graph for UNC School of the Arts Admission UNC Wilmington UNC Wilmington is a moderately selective public university. Over a third of applicants wont get in, and those who are admitted typically have above average grades and SAT/ACT scores. GPA-SAT-ACT Graph for UNC Wilmington Admission Wake Forest University Wake Forest is one of the more selective colleges to move to test-optional admissions, so you dont need to worry about your SAT and ACT scores. That said, you probably will need high school grades up in the A range. GPA-SAT-ACT Graph for Wake Forest Admission Warren Wilson College As a work college, Warren Wilson is not for everyone, and the admissions process is largely about identifying students who will be a good match for the schools ethos. Roughly four out of every five applicants are admitted. Successful applicants tend to have grades in the B range or better and above average standardized test scores. GPA-SAT-ACT Graph for Waren Wilson College Admission

Getting married and the change of my life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Getting married and the change of my life - Essay Example In order to have a successful marriage, I will need to find a job and put my future wife’s needs before my own. One of the duties of being a husband is providing for a wife. Although I could not understand this fully when I was younger, I realized the importance that education would play in my life and, more specifically, enhance my chances of finding a loyal and devoted wife. This is why I came to study in the United States because of the higher level of education that was on offer. Not only did my time in college teach me valuable skills like hard work and perseverance, but I now also have the ability to locate a high-paying job that will allow me to take care of my wife more than adequately. Another reason why a job is important is because my wife will give birth to a baby in the not too distant future. This will bring a whole new set of challenges, but I am confident that the skills that I have acquired will help me be the best father that I can be. Another way that I will have a successful marriage is by putting my wife’s needs before my own. Not only is my future wife my cousin, but she is younger than I (she is 20 while I am 23). This means that she will be my responsibility when we are married. In traditional Saudi weddings, the role of the husband is clear: to provide and care for a wife more than oneself. Although this places a lot of pressure on my shoulders, my life will also become less stressful because I will have someone to support me. This will be very important to me because I will be trying to look for a job and also playing the role of a young father, so I will need all the help that I can get. Some people dread marriage because of all the challenges that inevitably come with it, but I look forward to getting married because it will make my life better in so many ways. For one, my wife and I will be able to help each other when we face difficulties. However, if my wife and I are going to have a

What is SPSS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What is SPSS - Essay Example SPSS is basically an abbreviation of statistical package for the social sciences. The users of SPSS software can enter data which becomes accessible for analysis. The obtained analyzed data can be then formatted into a report with the usage of modeling and graphs. There are many reasons for which researchers have made use of the SPSS software. Most notably, the software is used in order to manage large amount of data that can be very difficult to handle (Carver & Nash, 2011). SPSS is windows-based and highly user-friendly software that can be used by students without difficulties. Be it regressing analysis or correspondence analysis etc., SPSS is designed to run any form of research method. ANOVA, t-tests and linear regression are the most widely used function of SPSS. The results obtained after using SPSS software allow researchers to represent their data in such a way that general audiences can also read and understand the subject matter (Field,

Business and sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business and sustainability - Essay Example However, the introduction of the approach that â€Å"cleantech† offers is something of a different entity entirely. As such, cleantech necessarily refers to the way in which technology can be utilized both as a means of providing a diminished negative impact upon the environment as well as providing a superior level of performance at lower cost. In such a way, cleantech is able to not only benefit the interests of the natural environment but also benefit the interests of stakeholders within the firm that seek to maximize revenue by increasing efficiency and productivity. In such a way, the utilization of cleantech comes to be something of a win – win situation. Whereas it is oftentimes seen that businesses and industry can only maximize profits through increasing production, cleantech necessarily promotes the understanding that changes in technology necessarily promote increase in efficiency that has a positive impact upon overall profits as well as a diminished negativ e impact that the process of production might necessarily engaged the environment. As a function of understanding and describing cleantech to a more full and complete degree, the following analysis will be concentric upon the means by which cleantech is ultimately the definition of a sustainable business. Before delving directly and answering whether cleantech is or is not the hallmark of sustainability, it must be necessary to understand the cleantech, and the application thereof, necessitates that the industry/firm in question be perennially aware and cognizant of whatever changes might be taking place within the technological environment. The reason that this awareness is so necessary is due to the fact that the firm will not be able to integrate with these technological changes and thereby enhance their overall efficiency unless they are continually seeking means by which the process in which they engage can be streamlined. Although cleantech represents an important progression with regards to the way in which business/industry seeks to integrate both with the needs to generate income and the needs to preserve the environment, it would not be fair to say that sustainable business is all about cleantech. The reason for this is due to the fact that sustainability and business cannot and should not be defined based upon cleantech alone. In such a way, cleantech should be viewed as a process and means whereby a firm/industry can seek to benefit itself with the tangential benefit of benefitting the environment. Although this is a net positive for all players involved, it nonetheless does not have sustainability as its primary mission or goal. Instead, it merely allows for the ancillary benefit of environmental consciousness. An obvious example of the way in which cleantech works in order to benefit both the company and the environment would necessarily be the utilization of a better and more efficient process of production than had previously been employed. Mor eover, the process itself is not the sole contingent category; instead, the actual inputs to the process or the building or facility within which the product is created can also include components of cleantech. In short, cleanteach is not restricted to a simplistic understanding of the components of any particular project. As such, the range and scope of materials and processes which it includes is so broad as

SECTION C OF CAP TK 3C Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

SECTION C OF CAP TK 3C - Essay Example I understood my role as a project manager not as directing the project, and also recognized that I cannot effectively achieve my goals without receiving the proper information on financial performance, in a timely manner. Financial account is concerned with the business language. Additionally, I have realised that this is a common channel through which all parties can effectively communicate issues of business. It is the common media through which people of all walks can effectively understand one another equally. This language has been used in the project to record different transactions and summarize the results of the project operations. It is this information, which is then used by other interested parties to understand matters of the project that they are interested with. For example, the performance reports are used by the project manager to understand whether the project is running effectively and according to the set goals. Essentially, I have come to understand that financia l accounting is the backbone of any coordination and planning in an organization or a project, and it must be taken with the seriousness it deserves. Courses and Assessments that contributed to the Lessons Financial accounting and analysis Cost accounting Project management Company analysis Financial statement analysis Ratio analysis Budget planning and analysis Lesson #2: Corporate social responsibility Mount Sinai Hospital takes the responsibility of ensuring the wellbeing and health of its employees, customers as well as the stakeholders, as part of its Social Corporate Responsibility. Given that 1 in every 8 women in the US is diagnosed with cancer, the hospital recognises the fact that even some of its workers may have come into contact with cancer in one way or another. Therefore, the hospital works in partnership with other well-wisher-organisations such as Breakthrough Breast Cancer, in order to deliver a scheme that contributes funds to promote life-saving breast awareness to people that are affected. Indeed, creating cancer awareness was one of the action plans towards implementation of the current project. This helps the public and particularly the women who are susceptible to become aware of the worth of undertaking regular cancer check-ups – with this they will realize that early detection can help reduce the chances of dying from cancer because treatment can be easier. The hospital undertakes awareness with the help of likeminded partners, by use of display words and pictures on product packaging as well as on special stickers in the hospital’s women changing rooms. In addition, Mt Sinai Hospital is involved in distribution of education materials to its staff and customers across the US. When I interacted with top managers that are involved with social responsibility plans, they made be aware that social responsibility is part and parcel of the hospitals’ strategic plans, and that its unique nature is that it is not profit or iented. Instead, the programme is used as a way of giving back to the community with the expectation of benefits such as improved public image and brand awareness. Essentially, I came to understand that Social Corporate Responsibility does not lead to waste of resources especially because its long-term benefits are worthwhile. Courses and assessments that contributed to the Lessons Company analysis Management and leadership Marketing and brand

Discussion and Respond Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion and Respond - Dissertation Example The company which I work for uses John Adair’s model of Action Centered Leadership. This model motivates the team as a whole to perform their task and achieve targets. This model encourages the achievement of goals as the only aim for the team and further enhances individual and team performance by creating new opportunities as they achieve their targets appropriately. Teams are formed and directed towards a goal as per their performance and individualistic performance is weighed against what is expected of individuals in their capacity as a part of the team. Herzberg’s theory or the motivation-hygiene theory is based on two factors which increase satisfaction of employees at the workplace on one hand and reduce the chances of dissatisfaction on the other. These factors motivate the employees to work and continue their relationship with the organization. This theory can be applied to my personal and recent experience with a local firm which is an owner managed small siz e corporation. The company provides challenging work, motivational incentives like bonuses and proper performance appraisals which provide a positive encouragement to all of us in continuing our jobs with full devotion and efficiency. The incentives both financial and non-financial act as a force which encourages us to perform better than our past and the challenging tasks and targets enable us to work harder.

SECTION C OF CAP TK 3C Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

SECTION C OF CAP TK 3C - Essay Example I understood my role as a project manager not as directing the project, and also recognized that I cannot effectively achieve my goals without receiving the proper information on financial performance, in a timely manner. Financial account is concerned with the business language. Additionally, I have realised that this is a common channel through which all parties can effectively communicate issues of business. It is the common media through which people of all walks can effectively understand one another equally. This language has been used in the project to record different transactions and summarize the results of the project operations. It is this information, which is then used by other interested parties to understand matters of the project that they are interested with. For example, the performance reports are used by the project manager to understand whether the project is running effectively and according to the set goals. Essentially, I have come to understand that financia l accounting is the backbone of any coordination and planning in an organization or a project, and it must be taken with the seriousness it deserves. Courses and Assessments that contributed to the Lessons Financial accounting and analysis Cost accounting Project management Company analysis Financial statement analysis Ratio analysis Budget planning and analysis Lesson #2: Corporate social responsibility Mount Sinai Hospital takes the responsibility of ensuring the wellbeing and health of its employees, customers as well as the stakeholders, as part of its Social Corporate Responsibility. Given that 1 in every 8 women in the US is diagnosed with cancer, the hospital recognises the fact that even some of its workers may have come into contact with cancer in one way or another. Therefore, the hospital works in partnership with other well-wisher-organisations such as Breakthrough Breast Cancer, in order to deliver a scheme that contributes funds to promote life-saving breast awareness to people that are affected. Indeed, creating cancer awareness was one of the action plans towards implementation of the current project. This helps the public and particularly the women who are susceptible to become aware of the worth of undertaking regular cancer check-ups – with this they will realize that early detection can help reduce the chances of dying from cancer because treatment can be easier. The hospital undertakes awareness with the help of likeminded partners, by use of display words and pictures on product packaging as well as on special stickers in the hospital’s women changing rooms. In addition, Mt Sinai Hospital is involved in distribution of education materials to its staff and customers across the US. When I interacted with top managers that are involved with social responsibility plans, they made be aware that social responsibility is part and parcel of the hospitals’ strategic plans, and that its unique nature is that it is not profit or iented. Instead, the programme is used as a way of giving back to the community with the expectation of benefits such as improved public image and brand awareness. Essentially, I came to understand that Social Corporate Responsibility does not lead to waste of resources especially because its long-term benefits are worthwhile. Courses and assessments that contributed to the Lessons Company analysis Management and leadership Marketing and brand

BEHAVIOURAL FINANCE Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

BEHAVIOURAL FINANCE - Literature review Example Thus, there is a need for a new economic paradigm that can enhance the economic condition of all countries. The literature lays stress upon different views of the scholars and researchers related to the current topic. It is observed that few of these scholars are in favour of the idea, whereas others have directly opposed the same. Presently, there is a great need for change as individuals perceive that economic, social and environmental shifts are necessary. The global population is increasing at an alarming rate accompanied by an extraordinary improvement in life expectancy worldwide. Innovations made in the technological industry have enabled the people to learn and communicate essential information on a global level. The inequality between poor and rich countries has continued to grow with the passage of time. The demand for natural resources has increased and climate changes are more frequent than ever. The main issue related to the world economy is the most severe one. Apart from the abovementioned difficulties, the economic paradigm is also questioned as the world economy is heading towards a decline (Reza, 1999). The economic condition worsened as the blame game persisted so as to identify the one responsible for the economic downturn and recession. Primarily, the blame was put on the financial managers who had failed to identify and manage risk appropriately and even the regulators did not stop them from undertaking any fraudulent activity. The economic strategy devised for promoting growth was inadequate. Businesses and governments had stated the need for a new economic paradigm, which can facilitate sustenance of the environment. New Economics Movement had rapidly grown over the past few years. New Economics Foundation and The Other Economic Summit formed a part of the movement. It had clearly identified that the present economic model is

We Should End War in Middle East Essay Example for Free

We Should End War in Middle East Essay â€Å"American soldiers killed in attack. † This is the latest headline out of Iraq, yet stories like these are all too common, even while the armed forces do their best to censor the reality of the war from reaching the home front. The brutal realities of the war in Iraq cannot be sufficiently censored to prevent Americans from finding out the horrible toll our soldiers pay each day, losing their humanity by killing and losing their minds by having to see their friends’ arms or legs blown off. The American public has finally started to voice its opposition to the protracted war in Iraq, as recent polls and presidential approval ratings show that the public is increasingly upset with the direction the war has taken, even though support for the troops continues to remain high. As it stands, opposition to the war also continues to grow and the polarization that marked the early days of the war is diminishing, as citizens, politicians, members of the armed forces, and even those in the Bush administration are realizing the errant decisions that led to and sustained the war have cost far too muchin billions of taxpayers’ dollars, international economic and political status, and most importantly the lives of tens thousands of Americans and many more Iraqis. Few issues have polarized the political community and general population in the United States as the sustained war in Iraq. While most of the country agreed that invading Afghanistan was necessary to combat terrorism, the decision to invade Iraq was met with mixed feelings at best. At the time, the Bush administration used everything in its power to convince the American public and the world of the righteousness in attacking Iraq. The many reasons, with varying degrees of honesty and accuracy, ranged from the threat of weapons of mass destruction to Iraq’s participation in terrorism to the plain fact that Saddam Hussein was a bad man. Unfortunately, many Americans who would normally be in the middle of the road on such issues were blinded by the administration’s continued propaganda about having to support a president during wartime, regardless of the terrible decisions or unexplained actions he takes, and many also believed that Iraq was involved in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. A Washington Post poll of 1,003 adults taken in August of 2003 found that nearly 70% of Americans polled believed that Saddam Hussein was personally involved in Al Qeada’s attacks on the United States; a Time/CNN poll conducted around the same time found Americans more closely split on whether the military action in Iraq was worth the price in America lives, taxpayer dollars and other costs — 49% said yes, 43% no and 8% were unsure (â€Å"Poll: 70% Believe Saddam, 9-11 Link†). With its aims justified in the eyes of the misinformed American public, in March of 2003 the Bush administration got its wish to expand the war in the Middle East to include Iraq. This initial invasion was a showcase for the massive military industrial complex that provided scores of new technological advances in recent years designed to maximize death. Memorable images from the invasion include the â€Å"shock and awe† campaign of large bombs and missiles tearing up Baghdad, the famous toppling of the Saddam Hussein statue by Iraqi civilians, and President George Bush landing in a fighter jet upon an aircraft carrier, only to give a speech in front of a large banner that read â€Å"Mission Accomplished! † The tragically comedic irony of that banner can only be understood in hindsight, and only by those fortunate enough not to have been in Iraq. Over four years later, the mission has not been accomplished, unless the mission was to create the highest possible revenues for international oil companies at the expense of young American lives. Additionally, the Bush administration’s decision to invade Iraq eroded much of the international good will created by the September 11 attacks. Many countries that supported the U. S. invasion of Afghanistan see the invasion of Iraq as unnecessary and nothing more than the act of a bully, the world’s lone superpower. However, most Americans chose to dismiss the loud opinions of the international community as being shortsighted and not relatable. The economic impact of the war in Iraq is felt by all Americans each time they pump gas. In the four years since the U. S. invaded Iraq, Iraqi oilfields and associated infrastructure have sustained 400 attacks, and oil production in the country has fallen from 1. 95 barrels per day during the first quarter of 2007, short of the U. S. goal of 2. 5 million barrels per day and the previous mark of 3. 7 million under Saddam Hussein (Miller). It is also highly reported in the media and amongst citizens that companies like Haliburton, associated with Vice President Dick Cheney, have benefited immensely from the reconstruction contracts in Iraq, leading many to believe that the war is solely for oil. The fact that oil companies are now making record profits seem to reinforce these ideas. But, another consequence of U. S. action in Iraq is that the dollar is losing its international value. The dollar has weakened against the euro, gold, copper, and other assets, and when Bush came in to office, a dollar equated to . 987 euros while now it is at . 5 (Miller). While oil gets more expensive, the dollar weakens, in large part due America’s overwhelming dependence on it and the massive expenditures of oil, resources, and money on the war in Iraq. The business side of the war in Iraq seems to have little benefit for common Americans, who are really the ones paying the most for it in terms of dollars. Top economists estimate that the total costs for the war will exceed $2 trillion. The Bush administration predicted in 2002 that the war would cost between $100 billion and $200 billion, but according to a 2006 study by Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph E.  Stiglitz and Harvard lecturer Linda Bilmes, after factoring in long-term healthcare for wounded US veterans, rebuilding a worn-down military, and accounting for other unforeseen bills and economic losses, the total could reach far above the $700 million it has so far cost for the war effort alone (Bender). With so many domestic issues requiring effort and money to rectify, this extended war does little to provide health care for the millions of Americans without it, or maintain the country’s infrastructure. A former economic advisor to President Bill Clinton, Stiglitz based the study on past conflicts, the current war’s impact on the ballooning federal deficit, its ripple effects on overall economic growth and investment, and losses in productivity (Bender). The increasing economic costs, combined with the economic downturn experienced during Bush’s time in office is borderline catastrophic, but actually compares little to the greatest cost of the war, which is the cost of human lives. As this speech is being written, the war has cost a total of 4,000 U. S. oldiers’ lives according to the latest body counts, and the violence continues to not on maintain its horrible pace, but even shows signs of increasing, as daily reports of not only American casualties but Iraqi civilian casualties roll in. In the same report the daily violence against civilians included a suicide truck bomber in the Sulaiman Bek city hall, a predominantly Sunni area of northern Iraq, which killed at least 16 people and wounded 67; add to this at least 21 other Iraqis that were killed or found dead in attacks nationwide and life in the U. S. -occupied country becomes more apparent (Gamel). While it is impossible to say that Iraq was a peaceful country under the regime of Saddam Hussein, it is easy to say that it is not at all peaceful under the regime of George W. Bush. This has led to a negative view of the United States by many of the Iraqi that are supposed to be helped. According to Iraqi author, Abdul Hadi al-Khalili, who was kidnapped in broad daylight by gunmen and forced to pay $30,000 to be released, this is a product of American occupation: â€Å"Crimes like carjacking, murder, and kidnapping were nearly unheard of during the years of Saddam’s repressive police state. The United States successfully dismantled Saddam’s government but completely failed to bring a sense of law and order to the nation of Iraq† (Al-Marashi and Hadi al-Khalili). It is apparent that the war in Iraq is bad for Americans, Iraqis, and creates a world in which countries are afraid of what the next unilateral action of the U. S. will be. An invasion of Iran, perhaps? There has been discussion along these lines, but one can only hope common sense prevails over fantastical dreams of hawks in the government. One of the quietest statistics from the war is the number of servicemen and women wounded in action. Because the armed forces keep such firm control on media and personal reports by the soldiers, the American public is largely unaware of the sheer numbers of soldiers that come back from Iraq gravely wounded. According to the latest reports by the Department of Defense, the total U. S.  Iraq War casualties stand at over 56,000; this figure includes the nearly 28,000 wounded by hostile action and almost double that amount for soldiers who were evacuated for illness and non-hostile action, a blanket description that also includes soldiers who commit suicide (White). The thing that differentiates the war in Iraq from previous wars is that the fatality rate is misleading and the casualty rate is significantly higher than Vietnam and Korea, which experienced fewer than three people wounded for every death, and the World Wars, in which there were less than two (Bilmes). Some of this can be attributed to better medical technology and the use of body armor, but the overall theme is that there are and will continue to be a large amount of wounded veterans, both physically and psychologically, coming back to the United States needing treatment on an already grossly understaffed and under-funded Veteran Affairs administration. So far, more than 200,000 veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan have been treated at VA medical facilities — three times what the VA projected, according to a Government Accountability Office analysis; of these veterans, more than a third have been diagnosed with mental health conditions, and thousands more have crippling disabilities such as brain and spinal injuries (Bilmes). The Veterans Benefits Administration has 400,000 pending claims, some which will never be honored, and of the 1. million service members involved in the war from the beginning, 900,000 are still on active duty, which will only lead to greater problems when their time is up (Bilmes). The conservative estimate of the price wounded veterans will cost the U. S. taxpayers in between $300 billion and $600 billion, not to mention the price the veterans themselves have already paid. No matter what the reasons for fighting the war in Iraq may be it is apparent that those who fought it and those who paid for it will continue to pay for years to come. There is little to suggest that the war in Iraq is justifiable or will have a positive outcome. It has created ill-will towards America from the rest of the world that may last for generations; it has killed possibly hundreds of thousands of humans, and maimed many more; it has left a country in complete shambles with little hope to pull out of it anytime soon; and, it will end up costing far more than it is worth in time, money, and lives. As Americans continue to learn the truths about Iraq and the administration that led us there, it will continue to oppose the poor decisions. As the elections of 2006 showed, Americans are ready for a change. The only thing that remains to be seen is if the American public is ready to initiate that change or blindly maintain the status quo. Their decision is more important than they could ever realize.

Overview Of The Firstbank Nigeria Plc

Overview Of The Firstbank Nigeria Plc FIRSTBANK Nigeria Plc is one of the oldest financial institutions and indeed the largest retail lender in Nigeria, its the 1st bank to be established in West Africa. The bank was incorporated in Liverpool as a Limited Liability company in March 1894 with the name Bank of British West Africa. The bank was listed on the Nigerian Stock exchange (NSE) in March 1971 after which it acquired its name First Bank of Nigeria in 1979. Following the CBN induced industry-wide consolidation in 2005 the bank acquired its merchant banking subsidiary, FBN Merchant Banker ltd and MBC intl Bank Plc. FirstBank maintains a subsidiary in United Kingdom which has a branch in Paris, the bank also has representative offices in South Africa, China and Dubai through which it offers offshore financial services. Presently the Banks assets are in excess of N100billion. 1.2 THE NATURE AND SIZE FIRSTBANK as a leading commercial bank has the largest network of branches in the country, over the years the bank has continually reviewed its organizational structure and corporate identity in line with changing financial environment. Known for its uniqueness for being dependably dynamic and stability, 1st Bank has made for its self a name, a brand goodwill associated with fidelity and safety of funds. Being a key player in the nations financial-banking sector, Firstbank delivers a wide range of financial services to its numerous customers; the bank is well known for innovative changes in technological device and service delivery. Being the first bank to introduce a Biometric ATM i.e. an ATM machine that uses both pin no selection and finger prints to identify transaction buttresses this point. The bank through its acquired subsidiaries also provide other financial services and they include, insurance policies, housing schemes, asset portfolio management. 1.3 PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FIRSTBANK offers a wide range of wholesale, retail and consumer banking products and services in ensuring that it keeps true to its name as the 1st bank of choice in the country,. Our products include: Æ’ËÅ" CONSUMER BANKING: Generic Savings Account, Current Account, First Premium Term Deposit, First Savings Plus Account, First Hifi (Children) Account, First Current Plus Current Account(with zero COT), FIRST Current Business Account, First Dom Account, First Instant Savings Account. All accounts have the flexibility of over the counter withdrawals given the new CBN policy, ATM cards, Dividend warrants lodgment and access to E-Banking services. . Æ’ËÅ" WHOLESALE BANKING: The services and products therein are further divided into ASSET PRODUCTS: They include- Term loans, Overdraft, Oil and Gas contract finance(OGCF), Bankers Acceptance, Commercial Papers, Bills Discounting, Project Finance, Equipment Leasing etc, INTERNATIONAL TRADE FINACE: Includes but not limited to- Import finance, Export Finance, Clean lineconfirmation, Letters of Credit, Bills for Collection, Forex Trading Invisible RemittancesPayment for Services. Æ’ËÅ" E- BANKING: First Online which allows you to transact business online at the comfort or your home or offices. First Alert-Instant notification on your account First Mobile-Access to your account through you phone, it includes buying of airtime and payment of utility bills. First Pay and First Collect-effect payment and several collection to and from your merchants. FIRST CARDS : Debit and Credit cards which include- MasterCard, FirstBank Naira MasterCard, First Cash Card, Visa Card (Gold, Classic and Infinite), Visa Credit Card. Notice that all cards issued by the bank comes with FIRSTBANK brand name- FIRST FIGURE 1C:UsersDanielDesktopCYNTHIAFirstBank MasterCard.jpg C:UsersDanielDesktopCYNTHIAVISA_GOLD2.gif C:UsersDanielDesktopCYNTHIAFirstCash Card.jpg Æ’ËÅ" MONEY TRANSFER: FIRSTBANK offers funds transfer services locally and internationally through mediums like- First Domestic Transfer, Western Union, Money Gram and RIA. Æ’ËÅ" OTHER SERVICES: Other services rendered by the bank includes- Agricultural Financing, FIRST Diaspora banking services for Nigerians in Diaspora and Bills Payment for prompt settlement of utility bills(e.g. PHCN, Water and DSTV) 1.4 VISION, MISSION AND ESSENCE Vision: To be the clear leader and Nigerias bank of first choice Mission: To remain true to our name by providing the best financial services possible Essence: The DNA of the FirstBank brand lies in its strength, size and dependability, typified by its brand icon, the African Elephant. Our brand essence is therefore Dependably Dynamic which is a holistic representation of our past, present and the future of FirstBank. 1.5 CORE VALUES The core values of FirstBank are coined in an acronym for quick recall and living by the guiding principle TELL SPIC Team Work Everyday a better way, the team spirit is embedded in our culture as the best possible way to work. Ethics The good will of the bank is to be maintained as you deal with both internal and external customers, ensuring that the client leaves your office satisfied. Loyalty the essence of brand name and its very existence evolves in loyalty to our customers, Firstbank has been in existence for generations and loyalty to our customers is what makes us tick. Superior Performance To strengthen the banks brand, leverage and upscale the customers experience through delivery of excellent services. Professionalism To revolutionize the Banks operations in line with the dynamics of the operating environment while ensuring that we provide the best financial services unmatched. Integrity Adopt high ethical values to guide the conduct of all banking business and transactions in conformity with all relevant regulatory requirements. Customer Centricity The customer is the king and the reason we are in business, their demands should be met in line with banks policy 1.6 OUR BRAND PILLARS LEADERSHIP Our statusability as truly the 1st and No1 SAFETYSECURITY- Security of fundsInvestments, job security, Integrity. ENTERPRISE Resourcefulness, Tenacity SERVICE EXCELLENCE Efficiency, Performance focused, Reliability, Accessibility 2.0 PLANNING This chapter focuses on goal setting, study plan, expected difficulties to be encountered in data collection and plan to overcome these challenges. 2.1 OBJECTIVE OF THE ORGANISATIONAL ANALYSIS The objective of the organizational analysis is to specifically examine the current state of the Banks operational and structural framework, analyse the functional units and the interface relations and also recommend ways of improving the interface relations. 2.2 GOAL SETTING Goals setting involves establishing specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-framed (S.M.A.R.T ) target by an individual or organization. Goal focuses attention towards goal-relevant activities, revealing the objectives and strategies in which the goals can be met. Figure 1 below is the structured project plan for the organisational analysis. Activity Timeline 20-Jun-12 22-Jun-12 24-Jun-12 26-Jun-12 28-Jun-12 30-Jun-12 2-July-12 4-July-12 8-July-12 10-July-12 12-July-12 14-July-12 16-July-12 18-July-12 22-July-12 Review of BSN course material Data Gathering Data compilation Report writing Draft Report Review Sub-set meeting Review Update report Draft submission to set adviser Correction and final submission Figure 2: Project Plan 2.3 PROJECT PLAN Reviewing of the BSN course materials and EBSCO database to understand theory on organisational structures, data collection method and research report writing style. The internet (Google search and Wikipedia) comes in very handy in enhancing project plan. The objective of the data collection stage of the project is to gather relevant and accurate information, to obtain the participation and co-operation of the appropriate target population and to facilitate the collection and analysis of data. The targeted populations are staff of the functional units, staff of hub branches, heads of the functional units (department) and some strategic business units and staff of Human Capital Management- Head Office. The medium to achieve this includes- Informal Interviews, telephone survey, one-on-one chats with some members of the targeted population e.g. the heads of departments and staff of the Human Capital management because of their exigent duties. All perceived sensitive questions would be handled through interviews (which are not formal) and not written questionnaires. The FirstBank Intranet and internet website will be used extensively to gather information on functional units and organizational structure while personal visits to the Head Office and hub branches will be utilized to objectively gather information on functions of various departments, interface relations and recommendations for improvement of the interface relations. Data compilation stage will include analyzing data collected and reviewing information from subset meetings and research report writing. Report writing stage would involve applying the reviewed data gained from the various materials and extraction of relevant information from FIRSTBANK intranet and periodic publications. Data structuring and report preparation will also be done at this stage. Reviewed responses from telephone calls and outcomes of informal interviews Discussed challenges with Set Advisor at subset meeting and via phone calls. Update and revised document with necessary corrections. 2.4 DIFFICULTIES TO BE ENCOUNTERED IN DATA COLLECTION Questionnaires could not be used because of the banks policy on bulk mails or questionnaires related to work and business environment hence adequate data collection seemed impossible. Network challenges when accessing both the internet and the Banks intranet. Time constraint and the busy schedule of visited staff will also be a limitation. Insufficient time due to researchers official duties. 2.5 PLAN TO OVERCOME THESE DIFFICULTIES All perceived sensitive questions would be handled through interviews and not written questionnaires. Extra hours to be dedicated for accessing the Banks intranet while a substitute internet modem was purchased to curb congestion or delays on web hosts. Personal interviews will be conducted for staff with busy schedule, telephone calls and communication chat applications were also utilized for other staff Ensure proper time management. 3.0 ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE AND CULTURE This chapter focuses on the theories of organisational structure and organisational culture. 3.1 ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE Organisations exist to achieve goals; these goals are broken down into tasks as the basis for jobs. The term organisational structure therefore refers to the formal configuration between individuals and groups regarding the allocation of tasks, responsibilities, and authority within the organization (Galbraith, 1987; Greenberg, 2011). Said differently, The framework, typically hierarchical, within which an organization arranges its lines of authority and communications, and allocates rights and duties. Organizational structure determines the manner and extent to which roles, power, and responsibilities are delegated, controlled, and coordinated, and how information flows between levels of management. (Business Dictionary-Google). The structure of the organization can be defined simply as the sum total of ways in which its labour is divided into distinct tasks and the its coordination is achieved among these tasks /(Mintzberg 1983a) Very early organizational structures were often based either on product or function (Oliveira Takahashi, 2012). Others moved beyond these early approaches and examined the relationship between organizational strategy and structure (Brickley, Smith, Zimmerman, Willett, 2002). This approach began with the landmark work of Alfred Chandler (1962, 2003), who traced the historical development of some companies, He concluded from his study that an organizations strategy tends to influence its structure. He suggests that strategy indirectly determines such variables as the organizations tasks technology, and environments, and each of these influences the structure of the organization. More recently, social scientists have augmented Chandlers thesis by contending that an organizations strategy determines its environment, technology, and tasks. These variables, coupled with growth rates and power distribution, affect organisational structure. The Organisational structure as argued by Alfred Chandler can be seen in FIRSTBANK structure which was changed recently to suit the Banks intended strategy. The Bank in Oct 2010 had embarked on a re-structuring of its entire operational system and workforce, we can therefore deduce that Strategy determines organizational structure. A critical review of Mintzberg definition shows that it is not against the aforementioned, the design of every superstructure ends up as a compromise between the objective factors of work flow, process and scale interdependency, and the subjective factors of personality and social need. Organisations may be conceived on paper, but they must function with flesh-and-blood human beings. (Mintzberg, 1983). Hence for a critical analysis of FirstBank OA, the Mintzberg theory will be adopted. 3.1.1 ORGANISATIONAL CONFIGURATION Mintzberg claims that organisations are composed of five basic elements, or groups of individuals, any of which may predominate in an organisation. The design parameters determine individual positions (examples will be shown using FirstBank configuration) Operating Core: Staff or employees who perform the basic work related to an organisations product or service e.g.- Tellers, Customer Service Officer, Foreign Operations Staff Strategic Apex: Top-Management responsible for running an entire organisation. The Executive Directors and Executive Vice President of the bank sit at the Strategic Apex Middle Line: Managers who stand in a direct line relationship between the strategic apex and the operating core. They include the Group Heads, RegionalArea Office Managers. Techno structure: Organisational specialists responsible for standardising various aspects of an organisations activities eg- Internal Control and Audit, Compliance, Credit Risk Management(CRM) AND MANCO Support Staff: Individuals who provide support to an organisation outside its operating workflow.(I.T support, Security personnels) Mintzberg identified five organisational configurations, they however depend some contingency factors which include Age of the organization, Size Technical System, Environment and Power factors: Æ’ËÅ" Simple Structure is characterized by loose division of labor, relies on direct supervision and finds its key part at the strategic apex Æ’ËÅ" Machine Bureaucracy which relies on standardisation of work process, relatively centralized power for decision making; with its key part in the techno structure where the planners of the organisation reside. Professional Bureaucracy which deals with standardisation of skills and has the operating core as its key part. Divisionalised form -each division has its own structure, it centers on standardisation of outputs. Autonomous units are created to deal with entire product lines, allowing top management to focus on large-scale, strategic decision. The middle line is key part of the organisation. Adhocracy, a highly informal, strong presence of mutual adjustment, organic organisation in which specialists work in teams, coordinating with each other on various projects. FIRSTBANKS structure like most large corporations is characterized by the divisionalised form of Mintzbergs configuration as various divisions (departments) are created by their product lines or end products. The techno structure is located at Head Office to provide services to all divisions; support staffs are located within each division like we have the IT support for each area and marketing assistants who are support staff assigned to each branch. Most of the operational activities are conducted by the middle line managers, department heads or unit heads and they all operate with some form of independence and centralization within their units. They coordinate the output, acting between the strategic apex and the operating core. They also oversee the activities of the operating core and are expected to report back to strategic apex. The typical operational structure in a FIRSTBANK branch is divided into two divisions- i. The Operations Unit who are in charge of the everyday running of branch and attending to customers demand. The head of this unit is called The Branch Operations Manager. ii. The Retail or marketing unit who are in charge of increasing the market size and credit portfolio of the branch. The Business Manager heads this unit of the branch. Each of these units runs independently of each other with separate reporting lines even though they are situated in the same complex ant they form part of the whole group. Given the Banks ever evolving strategy in line with changes in market dynamics and technological advancement, the structure design is determined by the strategic planning and corporate transformation unit through the HCM department, stating unit and individual key responsibilities and the reporting lines. The final structure is then approved by the strategic apex and the statutory regulatory authority (Central Bank of Nigeria). Usually the bank makes the policies available on its local INTRANET and other periodic publications or circulars as organisational changes are initiated. 3.1.2 ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE EFFECTIVENESS EFFICIENCY Effectiveness of a system is about doing the right things. Its about producing the intended or expected result, In measuring organisational effectiveness, the relevant question would be: is the organisational system doing the right thing for its survival?, is it focusing its drive on opportunities to produce revenue? Is it producing the output it needs if it is to survive? Efficiency of a system, on the other hand is about the inputs the system uses in order to produce outputs that is doing things right, accomplishing your tasks with a minimum of time and resource, It centers on performance and cost reduction. To thoroughly examine organizational success, both measures should be considered because productivity is a function of inputs to outputs which is the theme of efficiency and effectiveness. Efficiency should always be the servant of effectiveness.(BSN Phase 1, module IX, p 575) Looking at the Banks history and evolutions, one can boldly say that FIRSTBANK has achieved some level of efficiency and effectiveness. The total assets of the Bank as at Dec 2011 as published equals N,2463,543, total equity was N373,572 while the total Customer Deposits was N1,783,777,(figures are in millions).however there is room and need for improvement, the Bank lacks behind in mobilization of current account deposits and booking of credit facilities. These lapses deny the bank of some benefits which include increase in customer base and collection of float income from these deposits. The FIRST Instant savings account was introduced by the Bank to bridge this gap on deposit mobilization, this product however has not recorded much success because of the strict requirements, the deployment of FINACLE 10 Banking solution which is scheduled to kick off this year July is an Efficiency measure in order to reduce turnaround time, this I believe is coming rather too late. The strategic Apex of the Bank needs to review these points afore mentioned and reach a favorable conclusion so that the Bank can edge forward. 3.1.3 DESIGN PARAMETERS Mintzberg identified nine design parameters. By using these parameters the organisational designer can influence the way individuals are positioned in the organisation and the way groups or departments are formed. The design parameters are Job specialisation; Behavior formation; Training and indoctrination; Unit grouping; size; Planning and control systems; Liaison devices; Vertical and horizontal decentralization. The design parameters predominant in FIRSTBANK are: Job Specialisation: In FIRSTBANK, all job titles are specified, the roles to be performed, the job description, key competences and reporting lines are well explained for staff to understand. Job Specification for each job title is easily accessible on the intranet, it is the banks believe that job specialization increases employee productivity. Æ’ËÅ" Training and indoctrination: In order to carry out task, employees need to possess particular skills and knowledge.(BSN Phase 1 Course Notes, pg 584). In FirstBank its a trend to continuously train staff on a need to know and improvement basis, this exercise forms part of appraisal marks to be awarded during year end performance rating. The heads of branches or departments recommend staff for training if a knowledge gap or improvement need is identified. Educational and career advancement is also encouraged. The Human Capital Management Development anchors this aspect of the bank. Given the ever increasing need for the aforementioned, the Bank has rebranded its HCMD training arm to be called FIRST ACADEMY. The essence is to inculcate the banks values, ensuring that their staffs are well grounded and ever ahead of industry trends. Indoctrination are done upon recruitment of staff be it new or experienced hirees in order to imbibe the banks culture and values into them. The unit grouping is an important design parameter in FIRSTBANK because it creates a system of supervision in which there is a reporting line, departmental, unit or group head for all strategic units of the bank, this encourages standardization of outputs. Firstbank adopts functional grouping Vertical decentralisation: Mintzberg (1983a, p.99) defines vertical decentralisation as the dispersal of formal power down the chain of line authority. FISTBANK adopts limited vertical decentralization. Heads of departments/units are delegated the power to control most of the decisions concerning their line units and such decisions are cascaded down to their subordinates, however they have their reporting lines and various limits. 3.2 ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE Culture refers to the underlying values, beliefs and codes of practice that makes an organisation what It is. The customs of an organisation, the self image of its members, the things that make it different from others are its culture. Culture is symbolic; Culture is unifying and refers to the processes that bind the organization together. Culture is rooted deep in unconscious sources but is represented in superficial practices and behavior codes. Deal and Kennedy (1982) argue that culture is the single most important factor accounting for success or failure in organizations. They identified four key dimensions of culture: Values the beliefs that lie at the heart of the corporate culture. Heroes the people who embody values. Rites and rituals routines of interaction that have strong symbolic qualities. The culture network the informal communication system or hidden hierarchy of power in the organization. Peters and Waterman (1982) suggest a psychological theory of the link between organizational culture and business performance. Culture can be looked upon as a reward of work; we sacrifice much to the organization and culture is a form of return on effort. Schein (1992) says that organisational culture is developed over time as people in the organisation learn to deal successfully with problems of external adaptation and internal integration. It becomes the common language and the common background. Employee values are measured against organizational values to predict employee intentions to stay, and predict turnover. This is done through instrument like Organizational Culture Profile (OCP) to measure employee commitment (OReilly, ChatmanCaldwell 1991). However Daniel Denisons model (1990) asserts that organizational culture can be described by four general dimensions: Mission Strategic Direction and Intent, Goals and Objectives and Vision Adaptability Creating Change, Customer Focus and Organizational Learning Involvement Empowerment, Team Orientation and Capability Development Consistency Core Values, Agreement, Coordination/Integration Denisons model also allows cultures to be described broadly as externally or internally focused as well as flexible versus stable. The model has been typically used to diagnose cultural problems in organizations. 3.2.1 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE ORGANISATIONS CULTURE (FIRSTBANK) According to Schein (1992), the two main reasons why cultures develop in organizations is due to external adaptation and internal integration. External adaptation reflects an evolutionary approach to organizational culture and suggests that cultures develop and persist because they help an organization to survive and flourish. If the culture is valuable, then it holds the potential for generating sustained competitive advantages. Additionally, internal integration is an important function since social structures are required for organizations to exist. Organizational practices are learned through socialization at the workplace. Work environments reinforce culture on a daily basis by encouraging employees to exercise cultural values. Organisational culture is shaped by multiple factors, including the following: External environment Industry Size and nature of the organizations workforce Technologies the organization uses The organizations history and ownership The external environment to FirstBank includes the ever emerging competitors, the realization of this pushes the Banks management is forge ahead and be innovative. The increasing number of banks offering same products that Firstbank had exclusivity to buttress this point, exceptional service delivery and brand value/positioning are the keys to have an edge over others. Other aspects of FirstBanks external environment include the legal or statutory regulations which the Bank must conform with, the political, socio-economic dynamics of Nigeria. The workforce of the bank is considerably large in comparism to other banks being the bank with the largest number of branch network and emerging diaspora banking through its subsidiaries. Prior to the rebranding of the Banks workforce, 1stBank had a culture of mostly old staff and few young staff, in 2008 the bank retrenched over 900 staff especially those who had spent over 25 years in service, the management immediately embarked on recruitment of new and experienced hirees who were relatively young, in addition to this, salaries were increased to suit the modern banker status. A new culture in that aspect had been achieved as 1stbankers were no longer distinguished by long suits and old staff. 3.2.2 FIRSTBANK CULTURE FIRSTBANK possesses a strong culture which is continually being improved. In the light of Daniel Denisons model of culture dimensions, FirstBanks mission strategic direction, goals and objectives, are clearly understood by members of staff. The Bank strives to make its staff live by its core values and this has so far helped the bank in terms of durability and goodwill. For the importance of the afore mentioned, FirstBank carries periodic mystery shopping exercise and branch spot checks to ensure that we live what we preach, hence staff are enjoined to move with the train. FirstBank adapts quickly to industry changes and are quick to identify a market opportunity hence they are most often the fore most bank for some products or innovations in the banking industry. Its the bank policy for staff to stick to a particular dress code, have the banks premises painted in a particular way and colour, have a products and services delivered to customers with the brand name FIRST and a unique way of service delivery. All this distinguishes the Bank and a Firstbanker from every other bank or person. The Elephant is also a historic symbol of FirstBanks culture which represents stability and strength, like Peters and Waterman (1982) suggests, the strong culture of the bank has positively enhanced its good will and market share, however things can get better. There exist an area of improvement in the Banks culture as it is normally being discussed within its members that staff are not been sufficiently motivated, the slow promotion process is a major aspect of this. A review of the Banks choice to downsize its work force recently by way of retiring (and firing) staff (although with mouth watering incentives) buttresses this point. Firing on the base of culture Usually pointed as a source of creating family like environment, the notion of corporate culture is also used for firing, with this practice started from shoe company Zappos, which granted its fired employees with huge compensations afterwards.(Google- Wikipedia .As the corporate culture may mean almost everything, firing on the base of culture means the employer does not accept and desire to be inclusive for the culture of the employee and thus the employee does not fit in corporate culture, although this may fall in the ground of discrimination, there is still not law or case law resolving or addressing the question making this practice possible and available for businesses for now. Firing on corporate culture is a recent practice, from 2008. 3.2.3 CULTURAL TYPES Handy (1985) identified four(4) types of organizational culture and they include: Power culture: Entrepreneurial in nature, central control, quick to response, built on trust flexible. Role culture: Roles are more important than persons, functional, rule and procedure driven Task Culture: Cross functional, based on jobs and projects, networked, coordinationcombination of jobs around tasks. Person Culture: People are the central focus, controls are only possible where members agree. FIRSTBANK adopts the role culture, this is because the roles are seen before the persons behind it, and the workforce is also driven by rule (policies) and procedure. 3.2.4 THE PROCESSUAL APPROACH The processual approach is a translation model in which movements of ideas or objects reside in the sense maki