Cash study Case Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cash - Case Study Example The growth in these sectors not only brings in additional income and revenue in the economy but also ensures that it remains stable. The decision by the Indian government to ease restriction on foreign ownership has attracted foreign players into the telecommunication, hospitality, aviation and transport industry. All these have led to economic growth thus making India a land of opportunities. The Indian government has continued to show a lot of interest in foreign investments. Policies intended to attract more investors have been passed. 2. The resources and capabilities of the international hotels are considered to be among the fundamental sources of competitive advantage within the areas they are operating in. Most of these international hotels have been in operation for quite a long time and they own several properties in various world locations. According to Enz (2010), international firms and hotels have resources that allow them to not only have an upper hand compared to local hotels but also attain superior performance. The advantage can be sustained over a long period of time to an extent that such hotels are able to protect themselves from resource imitation, substitution and even transfer. Armstrong (2011) points out that a company’s internal resources which include cash and other capabilities are more important than the external factors when it comes to achieving and sustaining competitive advantage. Resources like employee, experience and skills basically help in exploiting opportunities and also neutralizing potential threats. 3. India continues to grab headlines for its economic growth and boom. The high growth rates have not been ignored in the global discussion. International firms have therefore decided to open up their deep pockets as part of their investment strategies in the global markets. Despite the rising need for the services, the local firms and chains must come up with policies that will not only allow them

Reporting live from tomorrow Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reporting live from tomorrow - Essay Example However, all the plants, animals and human beings depend on water. It means that the food chain will be broken. It is believed that communities which are faithful to God, especially through prayers, always receive frequent rainfalls. This is because God shows His love for them by providing them with adequate water (Gilbert 214). However, communities who do not live righteously experience a lot of drought because that is away of God’s punishment. Most environmental analysts have in recent times argued that weather patterns are changing. This is because there have been a lot of environmental pollution. The pollution have been thought to be as a result of industrialization. However, some communities believe that weather patterns are changing because God is not happy, by the way men have turned into their sinful ways. According to recent reports, most people do not go to church. In addition, it is believed that some men have started worshipping Satan. In regards to this, God has not been able by the way men have turned their back on Him. It is also believed that, the level of sea level is rising. According to most scientist, the rise in sea level is caused by environmental pollution which in turn affect the ozone layer. The ozone layer, then will allow ultra violet rays to pass through to the atmosphere (Gilbert 215). It is this unregulated sunlight that melts the ice on top of mountains which then results in increase of sea level. However, for some communities, this is not true. This is because they believe that God is punishing mankind for disobeying Him. It has also been thought that some of the natural calamities that have befallen men such as earth quakes and earth tremors are signs of God’s hunger. In connection to this, unless mankind repent and asks for forgiveness God will continue punishing man through various ways. According to most medical experts, death rates have been increasing and also

Implementation of a Crisis Management System

Implementation of a Crisis Management System JAMES WALKER INTRODUCTION The implementation of a crisis management system is essential to the organization. Once the planning phases are completed, the implementation phases will include the resources and plans to address emergency response, communication, continuity, information technology, incident management and exercise/training. All aspects of the crisis management will be brought together for my organization (ATT). To be prepared for a crisis, the organization needs to have a preparedness plan and the right leadership to respond to the crisis. The SLP will involve detailed framework on ATT regarding assessing crisis management. Additionally, it will include organization and attributes, types of crisis, leadership needed for success, models and theories used, preparedness planning and development phases. ORGANIZATION AND ATTRIBUTES The organizations culture or attributes involves the values, beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors that employees share and utilize daily at work. It is all based on determination how they work to include understanding the business and how to fit into the business. The culture and attributes is the motivation to make decisions, take actions, and excel in performance for the organization. The culture of an organization is created by the consistent planning and action. If the organization and the people in it understand it, they will promote it or radiate it outward to make the organization successful. (ATT, 2017 and 2016) ATT has a legacy of giving the first responder and public safety organizations the support needed to handle a crisis. The attributes they possess are being trusted, experienced technicians and leaders, dedicated to the mission, and constant investing. ATT allocates many mission-critical abilities to the Federal, State, and Local governments. (ATT, 2017 and 2016) However, the organization must have a resilient and secure network that is joined with innovation leadership (ATT Labs and ATT Foundry). The within ATT represents the integration of a one ability plus another ability. Additionally, it represents the mission objective to give critical resources for the governments by providing the dexterity, experience, and dependability that is synchronized to the emergency responses so they can protect, work together, and respond. (ATT, 2017 and 2016) TYPES OF CRISIS It is important to identify types of crisis especially developing or assessing crisis management plans. Potential crisis is immense, but can be combined to make it bigger (snowball effect). Organizational crises are depicted as low-probability and high-consequence situations and are commonly categorized by uncertainty. The efficient management of an organizational crisis is reliant on leadership performance that reassures members to dynamically participate in knowledge acquisition and the devising of strategies to rectify the crisis. (Advameg, Inc, 2017) (James and Wooten, 2005) It is imperative that leaders foster a set of skills that will support in prevention and the efficiency to reacting to the crisis issues. Crisis leadership competencies are especially significant in dealing with the operational, strategic, and human resource functions and outcomes when crises transpire. Additionally, leaders need to be able to adapt and overcome these crises based off their training, knowledge, and experiences of past and present. (Advameg, Inc, 2017) (James and Wooten, 2005) The two most organization crisis that are face today are sudden and smolder crisis. Sudden crises are situations that happen without any type of warning and it is beyond the organizations control, such as organization related incidents and natural disasters. (Advameg, Inc, 2017) (James and Wooten, 2005) Smoldering crisis are serious organization issues that known within or without the organization. Additionally, they typically start out with minor internal issues that leaders can control (negligence) and can have a negative perspective coverage if it goes public, such as major controlling actions, government inquiries, customer and employee accusations, and media investigations. (Advameg, Inc, 2017) (James and Wooten, 2005) Smoldering crisis causes the most harm and destroys the reputation to the organization. Furthermore, it can be difficult to discover and try to resolve (egos and abilities) due to directly or indirectly involve management decisions. (Advameg, Inc, 2017) ATT has an all-inclusive response, recovery, and restoration program that supported by its internal processes that allow for minimal impact to the customers. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) ATTs IT Service Continuity (ITSC) is a resource that identifies and manages the IT service continuity risks. Furthermore, it safeguards and helps to minimize risk, cost, and duration of disruption to major sensitive service processes within and to their customers worldwide. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) Another resource utilized to restore normality from a crisis is the Network Disaster Recovery (NDR) team. It can provide quick recovery services for a broad range of disaster scenarios to include providing recovery over the global network. The main role of the ATT NDR is to recover the services of compromised networks and to take care of their assigned personnel on the team. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) The training plan for ATTs employees is very extensive. The managers, engineers, and technicians receive special types of training in physical recovery of the network and participate in recovery exercises annually to understand and practice the skills of the NDRs equipment and processes. Furthermore, the ensures that personnel know how to do the assigned tasks in case of an emergency or crisis. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) LEADERSHIP NEEDED FOR SUCCESS Effective leaders possess the same traits and characteristics such as effective communication, knowledge, experiences, and upbeat personality. The traits combine to shape the core of the most effective leaders. The traits are necessary and are important for an effective crisis leader. (James and Wooten, 2005) The following characteristics explain the top leadership characteristics needed for success prior, during, and after a crisis. Leaders need to have coordination to build team cohesion and integration. Effective leaders need to be able to define, analyze and understand the unique complexities of each crisis to make the right decisions. Leaders should be able to react efficiently under stress during a crisis. Additionally, being goal oriented to lay out the short and long term goals (setting objectives). (James and Wooten, 2005) Leaders need to be able to give information and have two way communications (active listening) to include interacting in an open and honest way with other people to the context of different perspectives to a crisis (team work). Leaders need to be able to think outside the box (open-minded and adaptive) when reflecting and understanding different solutions to a crisis. (James and Wooten, 2005) Leaders are always responsible and take ownership of resolving the crisis to include recognizing others if it was a team event. Leaders have the trait of prioritizing by having the sense of balance to recognize what issues need to be resolved first and what is the most important to resolving other decisions or solutions. Lastly, leaders need to be trained and prepared by being knowledgeable of the organizations contingency plans and recovery operations to include the skills, abilities and traits of the organizations members. (James and Wooten, 2005) ATTs business plan is a roadmap to the goals of ATTs business metrics, prioritization, imperatives, and capabilities among all the components within the organization. The success of leadership comes from the guidelines based in the business plan and they are aligned with what was mentioned above. The success of execution of ATT has leaders working together to capitalize on their competitiveness in the market. The leaders analyze the long term calculated risks and anticipate the mitigation to overcome the risks. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) The experience aligns participants to ATTs strategic direction and objectives, and enables them to develop and practice leadership skills that will support successful execution of the companys plans, including leading change. The participating leaders are committed to a personal action plan and drawing a line of sight from the companys strategic objectives to their day-to-day work. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) The plans focus on concrete actions that leaders would take to lead with distinction and accelerate execution of ATTs strategic imperatives. In addition, they provide a monetary profit improvement estimate. The leaders outline how their plan will serve to improve return on invested capital which is a long-term measure for the company (One ATT). To date, participants have targeted hundreds of millions of dollars of improvements aligned to the One ATT strategy. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) Moreover, the initiative has been credited with accelerating the formation of new workgroups and organization changes to support the strategy. The leaders are involved with the action plans and objectives in the daily operations. The plans focus on the leaders managing the execution of the strategic imperatives to include profit improvements and how to improve the plans. The right talent of leadership is needed to be committed to have constant innovation, motivation, and persistency. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) Furthermore, ATTs leaders are disciplined and focused so it reflects on the team and the markets. ATTs leaders must possess competencies to improve the structure and operations of the organization (positive intent, ability, shared respect, and the impact for trust-building). Additionally, the leaders go through a five phase concept such as signal detection (sense making), preparation and prevention (averting the crisis), containment and damage control (reputation), business recovery (normal operations), and learning (experience and opportunities). (ATT, 2016, 2010, a nd 2005) The main effort to save the reputation of ATT is to have a crisis communication plan. The effort to communicate to the public and the stakeholders when events occur is vital. The main things to discuss is the philosophy, assessing vulnerabilities, and to create a procedures to overcome. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) MODELS AND THEORIES ATT has models and theories that are associated with crisis management, just like any other organizations. The models and theories are as follows: crisis management strategy, crisis management model, crisis management planning, contingency planning, business continuity planning, structural-functional systems theory, crisis leadership, and social media and crisis management. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) ATTs crisis management strategy is intended to prevent crisis for following up the advancements of the organization. It projects the future ongoing monitoring of internal and external environment crisis as well as selection and implementation of the prevention strategy and management of operations (control and coping strategies). (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) ATTs management model for a crisis is about leaders understanding how to handle a crisis before the occurrence, such as avoidance, mitigation and recovery. The phases involves diagnosis of imminent situations or signals, selecting the best improvement strategy, and implementation of the process and monitoring. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) ATT is like any other organization who doesnt look forward to dealing with crisis situations that can cause them to be distracted from their operations, especially the ones that deal with the media. Furthermore, the public enquiry can put a negative effect, specifically on financial, political, legal and government influences. In other words, the CEO of ATT is prepared and has a plan to deal with having the best response to a crisis, such as impacts and what they are doing about the situation (crisis management planning). (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) Social media can have information become viral instantly. It breaks news faster than the traditional media, which makes managing a crisis difficult. ATT has mitigations dealing with social media situations and conducts training how to deal with the media. Furthermore, ATT has a policy in place to include social media tools for monitoring. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) The tools can also provide the crisis management teams access to real time information regarding the impacts of the crisis and who is impacted with their concerns. ATT has a planned approach created under their continuity and contingency plans on how information is released to the media. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) Additionally, the plans will have the reaction process that includes the crisis management team and other leaders. The leaders and the crisis management teams of ATT understand how to deal with the media and they are prepared based off training scenarios. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) ATT integrates contingency plans in the management planning process. The first step they take is to ensure the organization is prepared for any type crisis. The management teams train on scenarios and plan from it. The plan developed stipulates the procedures to include who would speak to the public regarding the crisis. Additionally, it is vital to have cooperation in any crisis and ATT assures questions are answered to include information to resolve the situation. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) ATT identifies the initial part of the crisis is the most crucial and speed and efficiency to resolve the situation is important, specifically having programs and communications quickly operational. ATTs contingency plan has the information and guidance to support the decision makers to deliberate short and long term effects of the decisions. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) ATTs continuity plan supports the disruptions and it identifies the vital functions and processes that are essential to the operations. Additionally, ATT develops this plan early. The plan is part of the impact analysis phase that discusses the organizations losses. The functions that are vital has their own contingency plans to mitigate the situation. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) Furthermore, the plan provides the mechanisms to allow resiliency and provide recovery assets. ATT stresses the importance of rehearsing the actions needed in exercises so the team members will act swiftly and effectively. Furthermore, the exercises provide a purpose to allow ATT to conduct debriefings to understand and document lessons learned (fictional to reality). To ensure effectiveness, ATT ensures the plan is reviewed and makes changes as necessary for validation. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) ATT provides information to their employees and other audiences. Structural-functional system theories are essential in an effective crisis management. It focuses on the information networks and command communications. Furthermore, it identifies the flow of information within ATT. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) ATT demonstrates leadership competencies that facilitate the recovery during and after a crisis. The organization builds an environment of trust to their customers and simultaneously improves their organization approach. The leaders identify the noticeable and unknown vulnerabilities and make wise and rapid decisions to mitigate risks to alleviate the crisis. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) Additionally, the leaders at ATT make a point to learn and develop tactics, techniques, and procedures to effect the change in the organization. The testing and validating the continuity and contingency plans support the validation of leadership during a crisis to include the structure. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) PREPAREDNESS PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PHASES During ATTs preparedness planning and developing phases, the organization identifies their mission critical functions to efficiently manage risks. The functions all the organization to give critical services, civil authority, safety to the public, and sustain economics. ATT takes a proactive approach to respond and the preparedness plans specify the redundant systems, back-up sites (telecommunications), employee communications, and alternate work sites if needed. Furthermore, the plans have customer communications instantly after the crisis. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) ATT leadership understand the importance of the impacts of any given crisis that could affect the national security, citizen services and economic well-being. In the end, the preparedness planning is essential to the operational functions across the comprehensive range of hazards and emergencies that could impact physical assets, buildings, and people. During the preparedness planning, ATT utilizes these planning princ iples to prepare for any type scenario of a crisis that could arise. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) ATT has a understanding of the functions that are vital to the organization and how the different situations of a crisis could impact operations, such as services and products (processes and impacts). Furthermore, the understanding of how the situations will impact leadership, abilities, security, and communications (mission-critical functions). In the end, by determining all that was mentioned will determine the type of response needed to mitigate the risks. Additionally, it will establish the authority and emphasis the resources to effectively help the response to any given situation. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) ATT finds it necessary to complete a functional risk assessment to address the critical functions and then make the suitable investments. Additionally, the assessment identifies the processes, resources, and suppliers which have a great impact to serving the customers to reach mission objectives. ATT can also identify the threats, the vulnerabilities and the probability that the threats will exploit the vulnerabilities based off the risk assessment. In other words, ATT can identify the relative risk exposure to the different elements and make fact based decisions on mitigation plans. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) The recovery strategies are a part of the preparedness plans and development phase. It allows for continuity strategies. ATT determines what it needs to perform and what options are available based off internal or external resources. Additionally, they can determine what to prioritize. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) ATT utilizes the risk assessment and recovery strategies to develop contingency plans to specific situations. Furthermore, the organization ensures the activities from the strategies are accomplished in a systematic and harmonious way to ensure validation of the plan and personnel to include the plan being practical. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) During the development phase and preparedness planning, ATT construct an all-inclusive plan and provision disaster recovery capabilities contingency plan to give the interoperable communication and continuity of essential operations with key stakeholders. An order that gives delegation to leadership is given so essential operations can continue if key leadership is unable to manage. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) ATTs contingency plans identifies incremental strategic and practical changes to the continuity plan to include identifying gaps in the abilities. Furthermore, it is essential to implement any new abilities prior to a situation occurring. It will allow for a success in the recovery stage, such as ATT fail over to Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) from wired networks. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) ATT are always testing, training, and conducting exercises to ensure the continuity plans are able to be implemented with or without warnings. The plans are tested on a methodical basis and as realistic as possible to ensure validation and effectiveness. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) It requires a development of tests for how they will operate from their abilities (emergency response). Furthermore, it includes recovery operations. ATTs emergency response teams (Network Disaster Recovery (NDR) Team) provide opportunities to obtain the required skills to execute their assigned roles in the response. Once testing, training, and exercises are conducted, ATT considers the changes based off the situations and adjust their preparedness plan so they can validate. The changes made reflect in the continuity plan and with their emergency response. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) CONCLUSION Based off the research and seeing how ATT prepares and develops their plans, it is essential to plan for the worse case scenario. ATTs ability to respond quickly and effectively is vital in protecting their staff, profits, reputation and the necessary operations. It requires an all-inclusive and cross organizational planning effort. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) Additionally, the plan is developed over a larger scale, global. By having a preparedness planning and development phase, it will support the mitigation of a crisis. (Pearson, 2002) To apply the preparedness phase, it will involve the development of each phase of the crisis management system. The planning gives the combined method and common terminology to the plan for all threats and hazards across all mission areas (Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery). (Pearson, 2002) The plans and processes need to be reviewed and supplemented accordingly to meet the analysis and assessments made from training and exe rcises. Additionally, the personnel in the organization need to know their roles. By having a proactive approach and the understanding of sensitive mission-critical functions, it will allow organizations to provide vital services, exercise civil authority, maintain the safety of their employees and the public, and to sustain its industrial or economic base. (FEMA, N/A) The risks assessments that are developed by ATT allow identification, assessing, and reacting to possible threats. With the existing vulnerabilities, the likelihood that a threat will utilize the identified vulnerabilities is probably imminent. (ATT, 2017 and 2016) Furthermore, the assessments allow to provide the adequate controls and risk mitigations, such as facilitate the planning, testing, investments, and actual recovery of IT critical infrastructure and applications. The mitigation of risks protects the overall integrity, reputation and brand to include controlling it, prioritizing it and organizing it quickly and efficiently. ATT considers the changes to any situation and environment that could affect preparedness. (ATT, 2017 and 2016) ATT validates the continuity plan that is implemented by conducting training, testing and exercises to ensure the plan works in the time of a disaster and if any improvement needs to be done to the continuity plan and the emergency response. (A TT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) ATTs response planning phases clearly define the use of resources from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and can be utilized as a reference point for disaster and event planning. (FEMA, N/A) By having exercises to identify gaps, it will allow for assessing the impact of a disaster or crisis for the organization. Additionally, it will identify the gaps and risk that are not so obvious (small to larger events). (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) Crisis communication is essential to withstand any crisis and may in the end rest on the effectiveness with employees, customers, suppliers, and any other interested stakeholders. The readiness to deliver the right message about the impacts is essential to both internal and external dependencies. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) In summary, the continuity plan, risk assessments, and the dependencies need to be communicated to the organization. Additionally, the organization needs to be able to foresee crises, distinguish crisis communications team, identify and train spokespersons, establish notification and monitoring systems, identify and know the stakeholders, create statements, evaluate the crisis, confirm and adapt significant messages, and analysis after the crisis. (ATT, 2016, 2010, and 2005) ATTs mission is to connect people with their world, everywhere they live and work, and do it better that anyone else. Were fulfilling this vision by creating new solutions for consumers and businesses and by driving innovation in the communications and entertainment industry. (ATT, 2017 and 2016) ATTs preparedness is proactive and is essential to maintain a reliable global network when a crisis strikes. BIBLIOGRAPHY Advameg, Inc (2017). References for Business, Crisis Management, Retrieved from: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/small/Co-Di/Crisis-Management.html. James, E., Wooten, L. (2005). Leadership as (un)usual: How to display competence in times of crisis, Organizational Dynamics, 34(2), 141-152, Retrieved from: http://www.sciencedirect com.ezproxy.trident.edu:2048/science/article/pii/S009026160500015X. (TUI Online Library). James, E., Wooten, L. (2005). Linking Crisis Management and Leadership Competencies: The Role of Human Resource Development, Retrieved from: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org /01e3/6a70c0952a465c99260c55da1b89ba6de3ee.pdf. ATT (2017). About ATT, Retrieved from: http://about.att.com/mediakit/vitalconnections. ATT (2016). Business Continuity Preparedness Handbook, Managing risk through proactive planning, Retrieved from: https://www.att.com/Common/about_us/pdf/business_continuity_ handbook.pdf, June 2016. ATT (2010). Successfully Mitigating Corporate Risk, Retrieved from: https://www.business.att.com/content/whitepaper/successfully-mitigating-corporate-risk.pdf, October 1, 2010. ATT (2005). ATT Network Continuity Overview, Retrieved from: https://www.corp.att.com/ndr/pdf/cpi_5181.pdf, January 25, 2005. FEMA (N/A). Business, Retrieved from: https://www.ready.gov/business. FEMA (N/A). Implementation, Retrieved from: https://www.ready.gov/business/implementation. Pearson, Christine (2002). Ivey Business Journal, A Blueprint for Crisis Management, Retrieved from: http://iveybusinessjournal.com/publication/a-blueprint-for-crisis-management/, January/February 2002.

Mrs Birling in An Inspector Calls Essay -- J.B. Priestley

"I've done nothing wrong - and you know it!" Mrs Birling exclaims, refusing to take responsibility for her actions, which is just one of the reasons why the audience may not see Mrs Birling as a very likable character. This essay is going to explore how J.B. Priestley creates such a disagreeable character and why the audience feels this way about her. Priestley represents Mrs Birling, as a very posh and high class woman. She, like her husband, can be very self-important, for example, when the Inspector says, "You're not telling me the truth" and she replies, "I beg your pardon!" She seems horrified that somebody could speak like that to a lady of her class. This is not only an example of how she is portrayed as self-important but also how class-conscious she is. Another example of this is in the stage directions at the beginning of the play when Mrs Birling is described as ?her husband?s social superior? meaning she is probably more aware of what the class boundaries are than perhaps Mr Birling would. She is also presented as rather cold and severe, ?If the girl?s death is due to anybody, then it?s due to him? Mrs Birling says as she criticises the father of Eva Smith?s baby. Here she shows she has little or no real regard towards other people?s feelings, especially people of a lower class. She says that the man responsible should be ?dealt with very severely?, assuming that he, like Eva, is lower class, therefore implying that upper class people never do anything like that. This links with the theme of stereotypes which is seen a lot in the play. Mrs Birling does not react well to questioning from the Inspector. She is not present for the majority of the inquiry, so therefore she is unfamiliar to the Inspector?s abruptness.... ...class conscious, ?I don?t suppose for a moment that we can understand why the girl committed suicide. Girls of that class?? Mrs Birling says, being so overly class conscious that she is automatically judging everybody by their class status. This is again making us compare her with people of all different classes and members of the family, such as Sheila. When the Inspector leaves, unlike Sheila, Mrs Birling tries to carry on as if nothing has happened, ?you?re just beginning to pretend all over again,? says Sheila, showing she has been influenced by the Inspector when her mother has not. In the context of this play, Mrs Birling is not a very amiable character. Although she does what she believes is right, she is also judgemental of everyone and is too aware of the divisions in the social class system to be liked by both the audience and members of her own family. Mrs Birling in An Inspector Calls Essay -- J.B. Priestley "I've done nothing wrong - and you know it!" Mrs Birling exclaims, refusing to take responsibility for her actions, which is just one of the reasons why the audience may not see Mrs Birling as a very likable character. This essay is going to explore how J.B. Priestley creates such a disagreeable character and why the audience feels this way about her. Priestley represents Mrs Birling, as a very posh and high class woman. She, like her husband, can be very self-important, for example, when the Inspector says, "You're not telling me the truth" and she replies, "I beg your pardon!" She seems horrified that somebody could speak like that to a lady of her class. This is not only an example of how she is portrayed as self-important but also how class-conscious she is. Another example of this is in the stage directions at the beginning of the play when Mrs Birling is described as ?her husband?s social superior? meaning she is probably more aware of what the class boundaries are than perhaps Mr Birling would. She is also presented as rather cold and severe, ?If the girl?s death is due to anybody, then it?s due to him? Mrs Birling says as she criticises the father of Eva Smith?s baby. Here she shows she has little or no real regard towards other people?s feelings, especially people of a lower class. She says that the man responsible should be ?dealt with very severely?, assuming that he, like Eva, is lower class, therefore implying that upper class people never do anything like that. This links with the theme of stereotypes which is seen a lot in the play. Mrs Birling does not react well to questioning from the Inspector. She is not present for the majority of the inquiry, so therefore she is unfamiliar to the Inspector?s abruptness.... ...class conscious, ?I don?t suppose for a moment that we can understand why the girl committed suicide. Girls of that class?? Mrs Birling says, being so overly class conscious that she is automatically judging everybody by their class status. This is again making us compare her with people of all different classes and members of the family, such as Sheila. When the Inspector leaves, unlike Sheila, Mrs Birling tries to carry on as if nothing has happened, ?you?re just beginning to pretend all over again,? says Sheila, showing she has been influenced by the Inspector when her mother has not. In the context of this play, Mrs Birling is not a very amiable character. Although she does what she believes is right, she is also judgemental of everyone and is too aware of the divisions in the social class system to be liked by both the audience and members of her own family.

Hrd Needs Analysis: Salon Receptionist Training Program Essay

1) Identified Need: Â  a) The training program is a response to a felt need within Avatal Salon. Because the receptionists and the business as a whole feel that the operations at Avatal need to improve in order to meet the needs of our clientele, the business needs to reestablish proper training and operation methods. The desire is to improve efficiency and accuracy, as the staff is currently lacking in this area. b) Instruction can only address problems related to lack of knowledge, deficiency of skill, and attitude. i) The need identified is proper training in Salon Iris software used by the receptionists to gain knowledge on the different tasks it is able to pursue, step-by-step instruction on how to accurately use the software in various scenarios, and to eliminate the errors brought to attention by clients. c) Avatal Salon, to view in a business perspective, is at risk when any problems concerning booking appointments or lack of reminder calls are made because it is crucial that appointments are accurate to keep the salon in business. d) Currently, I have identified a need for software training, as the salon has received two to six complaints, weekly, each based on individual instances of inaccurate booking and pricing issues from clients. These complaints have arisen as a result of operational errors – receptionists have made mistakes in properly booking clients as well as failing to confirm appropriate appointment times. When an appointment is improperly scheduled, clients are receiving confirmation phone calls informing them of the times they should have been scheduled for as opposed to the time reflected in the stylist’s appointment book. These issues need to be addressed, and can be solved easily by proper use of Salon Iris software. 2) Applicability of Technology: e) Most hair salons have traditionally operated without the need for technology. Modern trends, however, have allowed salon-based software to create a more efficient and seamless experience for both clients and salon employees. f) Current use of the Salon Iris software available to Avatal provides to dozens of different actions that are beneficial to the business when the persons using it are properly educated. 3) Providing a Competitive Advantage: g) In the beauty industry, competition is constantly increasing. With countless salons in the area providing similar services, it is a smooth operational system that allows Avatal to thrive and meet the needs of their clients. ii) Losing business to the competition is a struggle every salon faces, all measures should be taken to not only keep all clients around, but also to keep them satisfied. iii) Every haircut, color application, eyebrow wax, and so on all contribute to the success of the business and just one mistake in an appointment can throw off the rest of the appointments for that particular hair stylist on the given date. iv) Furthermore, the salon software allows Avatal to track the profitability of the business by tracking the success of promotions, calculating the income from various services and product sales, and providing useful benchmarks for salon staff. 4) Utility of Formal Training Program: h) Implementing a training program when the salon is closed allows for formal instruction, an opportunity to provide feedback, highlights the major areas of concern, eliminates the pressure of making mistakes with clients loyalty at stake, and also lets even the employees with a bit more experience to gain knowledge beyond what they already know. i) Many receptionists have expressed feelings of being undertrained as a result of their own assessment as well as feedback from the clientele. j) Receptionists expressed feelings of incompetency to perform in their position because of the lack of training provided once the problem was brought to the owners’ attention. v) The group of new hires was trained on-the-job for only a short time with only brief knowledge and skills pertaining to the software that a more experienced receptionists offered during training. k) All eight receptionists currently employed by Avatal Salon will be mandated to participate in the training program. vi) Observing the learners and collecting data throughout the training program when all learners are being analyzed, rather than just the newly hired persons, will provide Avatal Salon with accurate data to prioritize the objectives being addressed by instruction as well as getting the group of learners to work together as a team. Furthermore, a uniform training program will allow the same accurate information to be communicated to all employees at one time, as opposed to on a case-by-case basis. l) Appropriate instruction will resolve the problem faced by Avatal Salon for the present time and also future training programs. vii) Instruction is intended to provide each learner with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform this position competently. viii) Instruction given in lecture, group discussion, and group role-play forms is intended to allow the group of learners to address the need for improvement and provide prioritization skills to carry out tasks in a time wise and orderly fashion. 5) Instructional Goals: m) Avatal Salon has targeted three areas that will be greatly served by instituting this new training program: ix) First, the training program will allow for current mistakes to be corrected. All receptionists will learn the importance of scheduling clients with the stylist they have requested. x) Next, the receptionists will be trained on accurate time scheduling. This refers to the duration of each appointment – if one appointment is scheduled for less time than is required for that specific service, every other appointment for that day will be affected. xi) Finally, the training program will go to the overall experience of clients. By cutting waiting time and inaccurate booking, clients will feel comfortable and confident when making their appointments, and this will help the salon’s client retention rate and success of referrals.

The Return: Midnight Chapter 31

Elena woke up feeling stiff and cramped. But that wasn't surprising. Three other people seemed to be on top of her. Elena? Can you hear me? Stefan? Yes! You're awake? I'm all cramped†¦and hot. A different voice interrupted. Just give us a moment and you won't be cramped anymore. Elena felt Damon move away. Bonnie rol ed into his place. But Stefan clung to her for a moment. Elena, I'm sorry. I never even realized what condition you were in. Thank God for Damon. Can you forgive me? Despite the heat, Elena cuddled closer to him. If you can forgive me for putting the whole party in danger. I did that, didn't I? I don't know. I don't care. All I know is that I love you. It was several minutes before Bonnie woke up. Then she said feebly, â€Å"Hey! Whachoo doin'in my bed?† â€Å"Getting out of it,†Elena said, and tried to rol over and get up. The world was wobbly. She was wobbly – and bruised. But Stefan was never more than a few inches away, holding her, righting her when she started to fal . He helped her get dressed without making her feel like a baby. He examined her backpack, which fortunately hadn't gone into the water, and then he took out anything heavy inside. He put the heavy things in his own pack. Elena felt much better after being given some food, and after seeing the thurgs – both of them – eating too; either stretching their great double trunks up to break off pieces of wood from the barren trees, or scooping away snow to find dry grass underneath. They clearly were not going to die after al . Elena knew everyone was watching her to gauge whether or not she was up to any more that day. She hurried to finish drinking the tea heated over a dung fire, trying to conceal the fact that her hands shook. After forcing some jerky down, she said in her most cheerful voice, â€Å"So what next?† How do you feel? Stefan asked her. â€Å"Little sore, but I'l be fine. I guess everyone expects me to have pneumonia, but I don't even have any cough.† Damon, after one heavy-lidded glance at Stefan, took both her hands and stared at her. She couldn't – she didn't dare – meet his eyes, so she focused on Stefan, who was looking at her comfortingly. At last Damon dropped Elena's hands abruptly. â€Å"I went in as far as I could. You should know how far that is,†he added to Stefan. â€Å"She's sound, her nose is wet, and her coat is shiny.† Stefan looked as if he were going to smack him one, but Elena took his hand soothingly. â€Å"I'm healthy,†she said. â€Å"So that's two votes for me going on to save Fel ‘s Church.† â€Å"I've always believed in you,†Stefan said. â€Å"If you think you can go on, you can go on.† Bonnie sniffled. â€Å"Just don't take any more chances, okay?†she said. â€Å"You scared me.† â€Å"I'm real y sorry,†Elena said gently, feeling the void of Meredith's absence. Meredith would be a great help to both of them now. â€Å"So, shal we continue? And where are we heading? I'm al turned around.† Damon stood. â€Å"I think we just keep in a straight line. The path is narrow after this – and who knows what the next trial is?† The path was narrow – and misty. Just as before, it started in filmy veils and ended up blinding them. Elena let Stefan, with his catlike reflexes, go first, and she held on to his pack. Behind her, Bonnie clung like a burr. Just when Elena thought she was going to scream if she had to keep traveling through the white blanket any farther, it cleared. They were near the top of some mountain. Elena took off after Bonnie, who had hurried ahead at the sight of transparent air. She was just fast enough to grab on to Bonnie's pack and pul her backward as she reached the place where the land stopped. â€Å"No way!†Bonnie cried, setting up a clamoring echo from below. â€Å"There is no way I'm going across that!† That was a chasm with a very thin bridge spanning it. The chasm was frosty white on either side at the top, but when Elena gripped the bridge's ice-cold metal poles and leaned a little forward she could see glacial blues and greens at the very bottom. A chil wind hit her face. The gap between this bit of the world and the next bit directly in front of them was about a hundred yards long. Elena looked from the shadowy depths to the slender bridge, which was made of wooden slats and just wide enough for one person to walk on. It was supported here and there by ropes which ran to the sides of the chasm and were sunk with metal posts into barren, icy rock. It also swooped magnificently down and then back up again. Even looking at it gave the eye a sort of mini?Cthril ride. The only problem was that it didn't include a safety belt, a seat, two handrails, and a uniformed guide saying, â€Å"Hands and feet must be kept inside the attraction at alltimes!†It did have a single, thin, creeper-woven rope to hold on to on the left. â€Å"Look,†Stefan was saying, as quietly and intently as Elena had ever heard him speak, â€Å"we can hold onto each other. We can go go one by one, very slowly – â€Å" â€Å"NOOO!† Bonnie put into that one word a psychic shriek that almost defeaned Elena. â€Å"No, no, no, no, NO! You don't understand! I can't DO IT!† She flung her backpack down. Then she began laughing and crying at the same time in a ful -blown attack of hysterics. Elena had an impulse to dash water in her face. She had a stronger impulse to throw herself down beside Bonnie and shriek, â€Å"And neither can I! It's insane!†But what good would that do? A few minutes later Damon was talking quietly to Bonnie, unaffected by the outburst. Stefan was pacing in circles. Elena was trying to think of Plan A, while a little voice chanted inside her head, You can't do it, you can't do it, you can't do it, either. This was al just a phobia. They could probably train Bonnie out of it – if, say, they had a year or two. Stefan, on one of his circular trips near her, said, â€Å"And how are you about heights, love?† Elena decided to put a brave face on it. â€Å"I don't know. I think I can do it.† Stefan looked pleased. â€Å"To save your hometown.† â€Å"Yes†¦but it's too bad nothing works here. I could try to use my Wings for flying, but I can't control them – â€Å" And that kind of magic is simply not available here, Stefan's voice said in her mind. But telepathy is. You can hear me, too, can't you? They thought of the answer simultaneously, and Elena saw the light of the idea breaking on Stefan's face even as she began to speak. â€Å"Influence Bonnie! Make her think she's a tightrope walker – a performer since she was a toddler. But don't make her too playful so she doesn't bounce the rest of us off!† With that light in his face, Stefan looked†¦too good. He seized both Elena's hands, whirled her around once as if she weighed nothing, picked her up, and kissed her. And kissed her. And kissed her until Elena felt her soul dripping off her fingertips. They shouldn't have done it in front of Damon. But Elena's euphoria was clouding her judgment, and she couldn't control herself. Neither of them had been trying for a deep mind probe. But telepathy was al they had left, and it was warm and wonderful and it left them for an instant in the circle of each other's arms, laughing, panting – with electricity flashing between them. Elena's whole body felt as if she'd just gotten a sizable jolt. Then she pul ed herself out of his arms, but it was too late. Their shared gaze had gone on much too long, and Elena felt her heart pounding in fear. She could feel Damon's eyes on her. She barely managed to whisper, â€Å"Wil you tel them?† â€Å"Yes,†Stefan said softly. â€Å"I'l tel them.†But he didn't move until she actual y turned her back on Bonnie and Damon. After that she peeked over her shoulder and listened. Stefan sat down by the sobbing girl and said, â€Å"Bonnie, can you look at me? That's al I want. I promise you, you don't have to go across that bridge if you don't want to. You don't even have to stop crying, but try to look me in the eye. Can you do that? Good. Now†¦Ã¢â‚¬ His voice and even his face changed subtly, becoming more forceful – mesmerizing. â€Å"You're not afraid of heights at all, are you? You're an acrobat who could walk a tightrope across the Grand Canyon and never turn a hair. You're the very best of al your family, the flying McCul oughs, and they're the best in the world. And right now, you're going to choose whether to cross over that wooden bridge. If so, you'l lead us. You'l be our leader.† Slowly, while listening to Stefan, Bonnie's face had changed. With swol en eyes fixed on Stefan's, she seemed to be listening intently to something in her own head. And final y, as Stefan said the last sentence, she jumped up and looked at the bridge. â€Å"Okay, let's go!†she cried, picking up her backpack, while Elena sat staring after her. â€Å"Can you make it?†Stefan asked, looking at Elena. â€Å"We'l let her go first – there's real y no way she can fal off. I'l go after her. Elena can come after me and hold on to my belt, and I'm counting on you, Damon, to hold on to her. Especial y if she starts to faint.† â€Å"I'l hold her,†Damon said quietly. Elena wanted to ask Stefan to Influence her, too, but everything was happening so fast. Bonnie was already on the bridge, only pausing when cal ed back by Stefan. Stefan was looking behind him at Elena, saying, â€Å"Can you get a good grip?†Damon was behind Elena, putting a strong hand on her shoulder, and saying, â€Å"Look straight ahead, not down. Don't worry about fainting; I'l catch you.† But it was such a frail wooden bridge, and Elena found that she was always looking down and her stomach floated up outside her body and above her head. She had a death-grip on Stefan's belt with one hand, and on the woven creeper with the other. They came to a place where a slat had detached and the slats on either side looked as if they might go at any moment. â€Å"Careful with these!†Bonnie said, laughing and leaping over al three. Stefan stepped over the first chancy slat, over the missing one, and put his foot on the next. Crack! Elena didn't scream – she was beyond screaming. She couldn't look. The sound had shut her eyes. And she couldn't move. Not a finger. Certainly not a foot. She felt Damon's arms around her waist. Both of them. She wanted to let him support her weight as he had many times before. But Damon was whispering to her, words like spel s that allowed her legs to stop shaking and cramping and even let her stop breathing so fast that she might faint. And then he was lifting her and Stefan's arms were going around her and for a moment they were both holding her firmly. Then Stefan took her weight and gently put her feet down on firm slats. Elena wanted to cling to him like a koala, but she knew that she mustn't. She would make them both fal . So somewhere, from inner depths she didn't know she had, she found the courage to take her own weight on her feet and fumbled for the creeper. Then she lifted her head and whispered as loudly as she could, â€Å"Go on. We need to give Damon room.† â€Å"Yes,†Stefan whispered back. But he kissed her on the forehead, a quick protective kiss, before he turned and stepped toward the impatient Bonnie. Behind her, Elena heard – and felt – Damon jumping catlike over the gap. Elena raised her eyes to stare at the back of Stefan's head again. She couldn't compass al the emotions she was feeling at that moment: love, terror, awe, excitement – and, of course, gratitude, al at once. She didn't dare turn her head to look at Damon behind her, but she felt exactly the same things for him. â€Å"A few more steps,†he kept saying. â€Å"A few more steps.† A brief eternity later, they were on solid ground, facing a medium-sized cavern, and Elena fel to her knees. She was sick and faint, but she tried to thank Damon as he passed by her on the snowy mountain trail. â€Å"You were in my way,†he said shortly and as coldly as the wind. â€Å"If you had fal en you might have upset the entire bridge. And I don't happen to feel like dying today.† â€Å"What are you saying to her? What did you just say?†Stefan, who had been out of earshot, came hurrying back. â€Å"What did he say to you?† Damon, examining his palm for creeper thorns, said without looking up, â€Å"I told her the truth, that's al . So far she's zero for two on this quest. Let's hope that as long as you make it through they let you in the Gatehouse, because if they're grading on performance we've flunked. Or should I say, one of us has flunked?† â€Å"Shut up or I'll shut you up,† Stefan said in a different voice than Elena had ever heard him use before. She stared. It was as if he'd grown ten years in one second. â€Å"Don't you ever talk to her or about her that way again, Damon!† Damon stared at him for a moment, pupils contracted. Then he said, â€Å"Whatever,†and strol ed away. Stefan bent down to hold Elena until her shaking stopped. And that's that, Elena thought. An ice-cold rage gripped her. Damon had no respect for her at all; he had none for anyone but himself. She couldn't protect Bonnie from Bonnie's own feelings – or stop him from insulting her. She couldn't stop Bonnie for forgiving. But she, Elena, was done with Damon. This last insult was the end. The fog came in again as they walked through the cavern.

Allegedly

Allegedly Allegedly Allegedly By Maeve Maddox A reader who edits financial news has observed that some writers seem to be unaware of the specific connotation of allegedly and gives this example: [Company name], an integrated automotive company, is allegedly to reduce expansion plan for its car rent company, from initially 4,000 units to 3,000 units of additional fleet. The word allegedly is not a suitable choice in the context of what seems to be a straightforward business report about an impending reduction in the fleet of a car rental agency. The writer of the piece has received the information from some source. The professional approach would be to name the source. If for some reason a known source must not be named, then the information can be â€Å"rumored.† In modern English usage, the words allege, alleged and allegedly must be used with care because they imply suspected illicit activity. In 1300, the verb allege meant, â€Å"to swear on oath† or â€Å"to submit as legal evidence.† In the 21st century, the verb allege means, â€Å"to claim something unproven as true, especially with reference to illicit or illegal behavior.† Allege, alleged, and the noun allegation are verbal hot potatoes. The Associated Press Stylebook devotes five and a half column inches to guidelines for its use. Writers are advised to avoid any suggestion that they are the ones doing the alleging. This means that the writer must identify the source of the allegation in the form of an authoritative person, agency, or official document. For example, In a civil antitrust lawsuit, the Justice Department alleged that CEOs of the publishing companies met regularly in private dining rooms of upscale Manhattan restaurants to discuss how to respond to steep discounting of their e-books by Amazon, a practice they disliked. Once the source of the accusation has been identified, the writer must then use alleged or allegedly when referring to whatever has been alleged. For example: She is being sued for the $78,000 in parish funds she allegedly misappropriated for her own personal and family use. Several SNC-Lavalin employees said they were aware of the alleged scheme. On the other hand, it’s possible to overdo the allegeds and allegedlys. In these examples, the word accused is sufficient: Mendham Police Accused Of Allegedly Targeting Young Drivers Evansville woman  accused of allegedly  embezzling thousands from local program. Alleged is not a word to use in referring to an event that actually took place. The following example is from a news item about a speaker accused of making racist remarks at a meeting that was attended by many people: The police [are] collecting statements from people who were present at the alleged meeting. The speaker’s remarks were alleged, not the meeting. The meeting really took place. Finally, there’s no need to use alleged when some other qualifier can do the job as well or better. Here are some options: professed purported supposed so-called ostensible putative unproven/unproved Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What Is Irony? (With Examples)The Four Sounds of the Spelling OUPreposition Review #1: Chance of vs. Chance for

Free Essays on Roman Catholic Stand On Abortion

Roman Catholic Stand on Abortion Throughout history till the present day abortion has developed into a worldwide issue. Today’s society has been placed into specific categories: â€Å"pro-choice† or â€Å"pro-life.† It has been known for various pro-choice individual’s to take vigorous stands against those whom participate in the actual procedure of abortion, seeing abortion an act of murder. And there are those who take the pro-choice stand on abortion, basically more timid compared to the pro-lifer’s. Many individuals who have strong Catholic surroundings find abortion confusing when faced with the choice. Within the Roman Catholic denomination abortion is disapproved among women in the Catholic faith. But in the United States, â€Å"64% of Catholics disapprove of the statement that abortion is morally wrong in every case†(1). Catholicism has taken many stands against abortion and formed numerous questions in order to form some sort of defense. This issue of abort ion gives raise to such questions as: When does life begin? To what right does the women have to an abortion? Who decides whether abortion is morally wrong? I will explain the historical and systematic viewpoints of the Roman Catholic Church on their ongoing debate regarding abortion. In the early years of Christianity, moving away from paganism, debated over abortion existed then as it did now. Theologians throughout time debated whether abortion was morally correct by Christian standards. St. Augustine, one of the most important key theologians in Catholic history began the debate over abortion during his time. St. Augustine (354-430 AD.) began his position on abortion explaining those who have intercourse only (sola) for the wish to have children do not sin, whereas those who mix pleasure with sex, even if sex with one’s spouse, commits a sin. What he found worse than pleasure in sex was the prevention of pregnancy. He was careful to distinguish b... Free Essays on Roman Catholic Stand On Abortion Free Essays on Roman Catholic Stand On Abortion Roman Catholic Stand on Abortion Throughout history till the present day abortion has developed into a worldwide issue. Today’s society has been placed into specific categories: â€Å"pro-choice† or â€Å"pro-life.† It has been known for various pro-choice individual’s to take vigorous stands against those whom participate in the actual procedure of abortion, seeing abortion an act of murder. And there are those who take the pro-choice stand on abortion, basically more timid compared to the pro-lifer’s. Many individuals who have strong Catholic surroundings find abortion confusing when faced with the choice. Within the Roman Catholic denomination abortion is disapproved among women in the Catholic faith. But in the United States, â€Å"64% of Catholics disapprove of the statement that abortion is morally wrong in every case†(1). Catholicism has taken many stands against abortion and formed numerous questions in order to form some sort of defense. This issue of abort ion gives raise to such questions as: When does life begin? To what right does the women have to an abortion? Who decides whether abortion is morally wrong? I will explain the historical and systematic viewpoints of the Roman Catholic Church on their ongoing debate regarding abortion. In the early years of Christianity, moving away from paganism, debated over abortion existed then as it did now. Theologians throughout time debated whether abortion was morally correct by Christian standards. St. Augustine, one of the most important key theologians in Catholic history began the debate over abortion during his time. St. Augustine (354-430 AD.) began his position on abortion explaining those who have intercourse only (sola) for the wish to have children do not sin, whereas those who mix pleasure with sex, even if sex with one’s spouse, commits a sin. What he found worse than pleasure in sex was the prevention of pregnancy. He was careful to distinguish b...

Evernotes Beat Buhlmann How I became the CEO of my own life

Evernotes Beat Buhlmann How I became the CEO of my own life Evernote's Beat Buhlmann: "How I became the CEO of my own life" Beat Buhlmann is the General Manager of Evernote EMEA. With ten years of life management coaching under his belt, he decided to write a book about personal development planning and how it can help people manage their work goals and personal lives simultaneously. His book, Become the CEO of Your Own Life, was published earlier this year, an achievement that Beat credits in part to two time-saving friends to authors: Evernote and Reedsy. Read on to learn how these two tools came into play during the writing process, and to learn more about Beat's strategies for taking control of personal and career development.How did you get started on writing your new book, Become the CEO of Your Own Life?Working so intensively in the field of life management coaching was not my plan when I set out to start my career after graduation. As I began working, I quickly realized the importance of distinguishing between people management and business management. I also realized the importance of allowing an d encouraging individuals to accomplish goals not only professionally, but also in their personal lives - both parts are important if you want to create an environment of trust in the workplace.However, in today’s rapidly changing and hectic workplace laden with distractions and constant overload, managing one’s own life can be a challenge. To this end, I created a personal development plan (PDP) called the Swiss PDP Approach ®. For several years, I coached companies such as Dell, Google, and Evernote implement the Swiss PDP Approach ® to support their teams’ efforts to combine and align private and business life in an effective and meaningful manner. In today’s workplace laden with constant overload, managing one’s life can be a challenge. The Swiss PDP Approach ® is a simple approach but it works well, and I was getting increasingly more requests from Google managers around the world to hold people development training sessions for their teams. However, there came a point when I could no longer keep up with the demand - I still had a full-time job. I ended up having to to say â€Å"no, sorry† to many people, which was a difficult task, as turning down meaningful opportunities went against my inner beliefs. The first person whose request I declined was Matt Brittin, EMEA President at Google. It was Matt who encouraged me to write a book to share and spread my Swiss PDP Approach ®. So I did.What is the Swiss PDP Approach ® and how can it be applied to writers?One of the key elements of the Swiss PDP Approach ® is its non-silo approach. Far too often, people raise a wall between their private life and their work life (creating two silos). However, that does not make sense - what happens in your private l ife has an impact on your work life and vice versa. Therefore, I suggest a holistic, integrated view, as you can see in the following diagram: One of the main parts of the Swiss PDP Approach ® is about getting to know yourself, and I believe this is a vital step for any author looking to write a book, whether fiction or nonfiction. The following image shows you the three steps of the Swiss PDP Approach ®, the objective of each step, and who should support you: How did writing your book in Evernote affect your writing process?How do you write a book nowadays? How do you manage the vast amount of resources, literature, ideas, chapters, etc.? I can truly see the difference in the writing process between my first book, published 12 years ago, and my current one: Evernote. Evernote has been a game changer for me - it’s saved me so much time. Every idea, article, book, video, and audio recording is kept in Evernote and synchronized across all my devices. Having everything in one place allowed me to write whenever and wherever I wanted, whether it be commuting on the train, waiting at the airport, or during a flight.As the biggest challenge I faced while writing was finding the time, Evernote helped me jump a huge hurdle. I have a full-time job, I have a family, and I am a part-time EMBA professor at various universities. Finding the time to write was not easy, but thanks to Evernote, I could write during every opportunity I had: no matte r where or when, my book draft was always with me. My  biggest writing challenge was finding time. Evernote let  me write whenever/wherever I wanted. How did using Reedsy impact your book?When I was contacted by Reedsy  about a potential partnership, I first wanted to get to know the product better. As I was in the process of writing my second book, I started by using the Reedsy Book Editor to finish writing my manuscript. I took a liking to its  simple user interface and its marketplace for finding professional editors and designers.As my book is a practitioner’s book, I needed editors who could not only check for grammar and spelling errors, but also make sure that the book was clear and easy to understand. Being a non-native English speaker, it was important for me to not work with an editor who would simply rewrite everything. Yes, a native English speaker might formulate a sentence differently than me, but so what?  I wanted the book to be authentic and to sound like me. I stand for 100% quality and it is important to me that I write the books myself. Finding editors who ensured quality while maintaining my voice as an author was a great experience. I may be a non-native English speaker, but I still wanted the book to sound like me. I believe that everyone should do a PDP from time to time. If not, you run the risk of always going with the flow and being influenced or distracted by what is currently â€Å"cool.† Becoming the CEO of your own life requires you to invest time, and to engage in deep thinking and self-reflection. Try to enjoy the process, and remember that when it comes to your personal development, the results are in your hands! Becoming the CEO of your own life requires time,  deep thinking and self-reflection.

Identify a corporate situation that could disturb you as a manager Essay

Identify a corporate situation that could disturb you as a manager. Evaluate the situation and use marketing research methodolo - Essay Example It also stages quarterly fashion shows to showcase their new styles of children’s clothes. The company explored internet and social media advertising to boost their sales and indeed, sales increased more than 100% in just one year. The report shows evidence that advertising through Google ads, Facebook, Twitter and other internet websites can be very effective marketing strategies to gain more profits for a small business such as Twinkles Children’s Gear. ... This development provides much hope for small and medium enterprises to widen their exposure and reach a bigger market. Twinkles Children’s Gear is a small enterprise that sells customized clothes for aged children (7-12 years). Established in 2010, it is a relatively new company that has thrived on traditional marketing to sell their products. They stage fashion shows in hotels to show their new line of clothes on a quarterly basis and advertise these shows in local newspapers, posters and distributing leaflets in local shops, fast food outlets, schools, clinics and establishments catering to children and their parents. The manager of the business found the advertising strategies too time consuming and inconvenient and even encountered difficulty in securing permits for signage. Hence, they were ambivalent in posting signs everywhere to advertise their business. At the same time, expenses in staging fashion shows were getting higher. This pushed them to explore internet adver tising to supplement their present marketing strategies. Traditional advertising methods brought them more business as it was able to stir up interest from customers that it kept them coming back or calling for more information regarding show dates, studio location, new styles, etc. When they began exploring the internet as a possible platform for marketing, they found out that possibilities were endless. Upon setting up their first website, they were able to direct their potential customers to it for more in-depth information. At the end of the same year, they promoted their website with Google ads by paying for web hits. This caused traffic on their site to dramatically increase

International trade law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

International trade law - Essay Example There are three different ways that the transfer of risk may occur. The first is at the time of the conclusion of the contract for sale, the time of passing of the property in goods, and the time of the delivery of the goods. These rules may only come into effect when the parties did not contract for the transfer of risk, as is the case here. Furthermore, while the parties typically have insurance, which mitigates the risk of loss, it is still important to determine who bears the risk of loss, as the party who bears the risk of the loss is the party who is responsible for turning the loss into the insurance company, as well as await settlement from the insurance company and mitigate the damages. While risk may come from many different sources, the example in this case is political risk, which covers the risk regarding war. Assume that the contract is cif Calais The Vienna Convention Rules and the English Rules regarding cif are both relevant here, as France has ratified the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale Of Goods, also known as the Vienna Convention. The Vienna Convention states that, in cif contracts, the risk of loss passes from the seller to the buyer when the goods are loaded on the ship for transit, and this covers loss that occurred during the loading process. Thus, as soon as the carrier takes control of the goods, the shipper's obligation is satisfied. In this case, the buyer in Calais would have had the risk transferred, and the buyer in Calais would have to turn the claim into the insurance company, wait for settlement and mitigate his damages. ... be covered by insurance at this point.9 This is the case in Wuensche Handelsgesellschaft International GmbH v Tai Ping Insurance Co Ltd10 in which it was decided that, in a case where cans coming from China to Germany were dented before being put upon the ship, that the seller, and the seller's insurance, assumed the risk during the pre-shipment period of time. Other rules regarding cif contracts regard the transfer of the risk once the ship is afloat. The standard English rule regarding this is that, when the goods are specific or have been appropriated, the seller may tender the documents regarding the goods to the buyer, even when the seller knows that the goods have been totally lost- therefore, at the time that the documents are tendered, the risk would pass from the seller to the buyer.11 As long as the goods were in conformity with the contract at the time that the seller shipped them, then the buyer may not reject these documents.12 This is the English Rule, and is exemplifie d in the case of The Kronprinsessen Margareta.13 In that case, the court stated that if the seller would have taken the bills of lading to their own order, then the risk would have passed to the buyer for the loss, without question. However, they did not, and the bills of lading were retained by the seller, so the case was more complicated. The Convention Rule, while not specifically addressing cif contracts regarding goods which are lost at sea, nevertheless states that risk passes from the conclusion of the contract. In this case, the retrospective transfer, which means that the risk transfers upon shipment, may only be possible when the circumstances indicate (such as the parties bargained for this, or the insurance covers this specifically), and the seller did not know that the goods

Medical Terminology Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Medical Terminology Project - Essay Example ISMP and the FDA plan to accomplish this through educational materials, in professional journals, and lectures at seminars.    It is recommend by ISMP and FDA that ISMP’s List of Error-Prone Abbreviations, Symbols, and Dose Designations be referenced whenever medical information is being shared. This includes internal communications, telephone/verbal prescriptions, computer-generated labels, labels for drug storage bins, medication administration records, and pharmacy and prescriber computer order entry screens, as well as product labeling, industry promotional materials, and medical publications. Some of the abbreviations on ISMP’s list are included in the current Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JC) National Patient Safety Goal 2B, a â€Å"do not use† list of error-prone abbreviations, but ISMP’s full listing includes additional medical notations that have been associated with medication errors reported to the ISMP Medication Errors Reporting Program. legible when using other abbreviations. Simple electronic prescription program can eliminate errors caused by handwriting and transcription errors, assist with dosing, and provided quick access to drug information.   In 2001, The Joint Commission issued a Sentinel Event Alert on the subject of medical abbreviations, and just one year later, its Board of Commissioners approved a National Patient Safety Goal requiring accredited organizations to develop and implement a list of abbreviations not to use. In 2004, The Joint Commission created its â€Å"do not use† list of abbreviations (see next page) as part of the requirements for meeting that goal. In 2010, NPSG.02.02.01 was integrated into the Information Management standards as elements of performance 2 and 3 under IM.02.02.0 D/C Discharge or discontinue Premature discontinuation of medications if D/C (intended to mean â€Å"discharge†) has been

Term paper on Capital market efficiency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Term paper on Capital market efficiency - Essay Example In addition, reference is made to market ethics, at the level that ethics can secure, at least up to a level, market efficiency, being related to all three aspects of market efficiency, i.e. information, institutions and transactions. The literature developed in this field proves that existing research in regard to market risks and potentials focuses on the potentials of markets to become efficient but also on the ability of certain financial systems to promote market efficiency. This is the case of the Islamic finance system which is highly differentiated from the conventional finance system at the following point: in Islamic finance emphasis is given on the intervention of ethics in economic transactions. Because of this reason the reference to the Islamic finance system has been considered as quite necessary for evaluating the issues explored in this paper. It has been proved that it is not quite difficult for a market to be efficient, especially since efficient markets are not co nsidered as perfect markets. Still, it can be rather difficult for those managing financial products to promote ethics in all financial transactions. Indeed, certain aspects of each market are not aligned with the rules of market efficiency, as analyzed below. ... veloped in each market can be an indicative example of market efficiency, as described by theorists who have studied the particular subject (Palan 2007). It should be noted that market efficiency is also described as capital market efficiency (Kevin 2006). The two terms reflect almost the same phenomenon: the development of a high range of economic activities with no delays or other failures within an environment that it is highly influenced by ethics (Kevin 2006). The only difference between the above two terms is the following one: capital market efficiency refers to the potential of specific financial products to respond to the expectations of their investors while market efficiency refers to the expectations of all people living locally, i.e. within the territory in which the market involved is based, to take a return from their deposits or other investments (Palan 2007). The characteristics and the role of market efficiency have been highly explored in the literature. Different approaches have been used though for describing the particular concept (Mama 2010). In any case, it seems that the content of market efficiency is not standardized, depending on the market conditions and economic activities that the particular term has to reflect (Mama 2010). Reference can be made, in particular to the following forms of efficiency, as appeared in the modern market: a) transactional efficiency; this term is used in order to show the ‘costs and speed of reliably transferring funds between market participants’ (Mama 2010, p.10); b) from a different perspective, informational efficiency is a term used in order to show the efficiency in regard to information (Mama 2010, p.11), meaning not only the information gathered in regard to the performance of a particular market but

French laundry ( marketing analysis) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

French laundry ( marketing analysis) - Essay Example With the advent of the economic recession the sales of the restaurants have also been affected because of the reduced number of the customers. The owner and chief chef Thomas Keller has framed a unique identity for the restaurant in United States of America. To understand the present state of the restaurant certain management tools were used and the analysis has been provided below: The restaurant, French laundry has a strong market position. The name of the restaurant has become synonymous for rich and exotic food which provides a memorable experience for the gourmets. Many people are of the opinion that French laundry restaurant is not just an eatery; rather it’s the place where they create moments for the life time (Fish, 2009). However after the financial recession in US, the restaurant is losing its market position. The restaurant has achieved its present market position by the combined effort of all its members, starting from the head chef to the person who serves the food. Each and every aspect is so well managed that every moment spend in the restaurant becomes an experience to be cherished (The French Laundry, 2007). The French laundry is awarded three stars; the most coveted honour, in the restaurant industry. There are however, many more restaurants in US which share the three star rating with French laundry and are its strong competitors. The economical downturn has reduced the threat from new entrants in US market, but competition among the existing restaurants have increased a lot (The New York Times-a, n.d.). The restaurant is very much concerned regarding its raw materials and takes care to ensure a smooth and effective Supply Chain. French Laundry subsidised the farmers so that they can generate healthy off-season revenue. The restaurant prefers to use fresh fruits for the recipe and the left over fruits are used for making jams, cider vinegars, wine barrels etc. The

Knowledge mangemen assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Knowledge mangemen assignment - Essay Example Of the numerous activities constituting the knowledge management process, the most commonly discussed is knowledge transfer or knowledge sharing (Al-Alawi et al, 2007). Hislop (2009) observes that in the first generation of knowledge management literature, organisational socio-cultural factors were marginalised, and were not taken into consideration. However, the significance of organisational culture in knowledge sharing behaviour has now been established. Employees’ motivation and willingness to share knowledge emerges from the organisational culture, which is defined as the shared, basic assumptions that an organisation learnt while coping with the environment and solving problems of external adaptation and internal integration, taught to new members as the right way to solve those problems (Park et al, 2004). Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate how organisational culture can influence knowledge sharing behaviour in the workplace. Organisational Cu lture Influences Knowledge Sharing Behaviour While the strategies and the technologies for knowledge management enable the proper channelisation and dissemination of knowledge, the culture of the organisation directly influences knowledge sharing among employees. Knowledge sharing is also related to the importance given to intellectual capital in an organisational culture. In a rapidly developing economy such as India there is considerable emphasis on intellectual capital in various spheres including organisational knowledge management. Cheema (2010) asserts that education in knowledge management is critical for organisational managers and human resource personnel, and their leading with knowledge helps the organisation to achieve sustained competitive advantage in the growing global market of today. The key debates and the various perspectives in organisational knowledge management begin with the origins of the study of knowledge, or its epistemology, argues Hislop (2009). The proc essing of knowledge within the organisation, and its connection to human motivation are also essential factors. Social and cultural issues particularly those pertaining to the workplace, play vital roles in knowledge management and in the sharing of knowledge. Organisational knowledge is of a collective and shared nature, and its different dimensions are reflected in the dynamics of knowledge production and dissemination. Further, knowledge processes pertain to conflicts and politics at the workplace , which are inherent parts of organisational culture. They reveal the ways in which knowledge and power are mutually related, states Hislop (2009). Each organisation has a distinctive culture which reflects the organisation’s identity both in the visible and in the invisible dimensions. The visible aspect of culture is found in the values, philosophies and mission of the company, while the invisible dimension is formed by the unspoken set of values directing employees’ act ions and approaches in the organisation, state McDermott and O’Dell (2001). The critical success factors in organisational culture that influence knowledge sharing included mutual trust between employees, with a high expectancy of reliability of the promise or actions of other individuals or groups. Only when there is trust do team members respond openly and share their knowledge (Politis, 2003). Further, top

French laundry ( marketing analysis) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

French laundry ( marketing analysis) - Essay Example With the advent of the economic recession the sales of the restaurants have also been affected because of the reduced number of the customers. The owner and chief chef Thomas Keller has framed a unique identity for the restaurant in United States of America. To understand the present state of the restaurant certain management tools were used and the analysis has been provided below: The restaurant, French laundry has a strong market position. The name of the restaurant has become synonymous for rich and exotic food which provides a memorable experience for the gourmets. Many people are of the opinion that French laundry restaurant is not just an eatery; rather it’s the place where they create moments for the life time (Fish, 2009). However after the financial recession in US, the restaurant is losing its market position. The restaurant has achieved its present market position by the combined effort of all its members, starting from the head chef to the person who serves the food. Each and every aspect is so well managed that every moment spend in the restaurant becomes an experience to be cherished (The French Laundry, 2007). The French laundry is awarded three stars; the most coveted honour, in the restaurant industry. There are however, many more restaurants in US which share the three star rating with French laundry and are its strong competitors. The economical downturn has reduced the threat from new entrants in US market, but competition among the existing restaurants have increased a lot (The New York Times-a, n.d.). The restaurant is very much concerned regarding its raw materials and takes care to ensure a smooth and effective Supply Chain. French Laundry subsidised the farmers so that they can generate healthy off-season revenue. The restaurant prefers to use fresh fruits for the recipe and the left over fruits are used for making jams, cider vinegars, wine barrels etc. The

Business Plan for a Real Estate Business in Bangladesh Essay Example for Free

Business Plan for a Real Estate Business in Bangladesh Essay It will make good quality flats for clients to live and enjoy lot more exclusive facilities. All these will be available at a very reasonable price. Since we believe in economies of scale. Slogan: â€Å"feel like living on heaven in every moment† Financing: To start up the business, Tk. 20 crores will be required, some additional needs to be financed by the bank. The loan will be repaid by five years. Confidentiality: This Business Plan is strictly confidential and is the property of the co-owners mentioned above. Any reproduction of the material inside will result is strictly prohibited. There has always been a good demand in the real estate market, and as the income level of the people of Bangladesh grows, that demand is surging even further. People want to buy unique, good-looking and attractive flats, but they want a good value for their money as well. That’s where we come in. We offer excellent quality flats, at reasonable prices. Another uniqueness of our business is that we have a separate line of apartments for office/bank use only. There is currently no such real estate companies in Bangladesh that offers an exclusive line of apartments. Therefore, in this segment, we can enjoy the benefits of being an oligopolist. On the other hand, we have the business-to-business prospect. Due to good economic growth, apartments are on the rise. Raihan with share of profit and loss according to ratio of equity invested. Together, we have gathered the necessary expertise required to run a real estate business. Initially, we will of course incur losses, but we plan to make profits in the fourth or fifth year. Real Estate Industry Analysis Industry Analysis: Real estate is a fixed, tangible and immovable asset in form of houses or commercial property. Real estate market involves developing, renting, selling/purchasing and renovating of these assets (houses). Market participants includes o Developers (contractors, engineers, and so on), o Facilitators (mortgage companies, real estate brokers, banks, anagement agents and so on), owners, renters (leasers) Each product (house) is unique in terms of buildings, location, and financing thus market has heterogeneous products. Transaction costs are high and the process is usually long. Though there are mobile homes, but the land underneath is till immobile, real estate is an immovable asset. Market Segmentations: The main factor that affects demand in real estate industry is demographic features. The demographic variables include population size and growth, cultural background, beliefs. However, other factors like income, price of housing, cost and availability of funds, consumer preference, supplier’s preference, price of substitutes and compliments. Future Outlook: One of the most startling statistics regarding real estate in this country, and a fact few people even realize, is that big portion of land in the Bangladesh is held either by the Government or is being used for agricultural purposes. The total farm area comprises about 62% of the total geographical area, forest area accounts for 15%, Perennial water 11% and urban area only 01%. The physical landscape is characterized by small arable fields. There are over 11 million farm holdings with more than 65 million fragments. The pattern of land ownership is highly skewed. 5% for the families having land above 7. 2 acres own 26% of the land and 70% of the families having land below 2. 5 acres own only 29% of the land. The per capita availability of crop land is at present only 0. 24 acre. Land utilization statistics indicate that 54% of the net cropped area is single cropped and area under double and triple cropping account for 72% of the gross cropped area. 20% of the total cropped areas have irrigation facilities. Yield is low i. e. rice -0. 703 metric ton per acre. Annual food deficit ranges between 1. 5 2. 0 million metric tons. Frequent natural calamities like cyclone, flood, drought, tidal bore etc. add to the shortfall of crops and livestock. What this means is that only few portion of the country is available to support all residential and commercial uses. This equates to nearly 1800 people per square mile of land by 2020. Despite the mortgage crisis and resulting financial meltdown of the last several years, these statistics seem to indicate that owning real estate in Bangladesh will continue to be a wise investment. In the very basic economic sense, there is no more land being created (limited supply) and more population density every day (increased demand). ? Economy: Growth in FY2010 was better than expected in April 2010 in Bangladesh, as a pickup in domestic demand neutralized the impact of weak expansion in exports. Inflation came in below the April projection, and the current account surplus was higher. For FY2011, this Update retains the outlook of a moderate uptick in growth, but with a slightly lower forecast for inflation and a larger fall in the current account surplus. To raise growth prospects, power and gas shortages need to be eliminated and reforms accelerated. More fundamentally, political stability will be critical to boosting growth. The bank’s Monetary Policy Statement (MPS), issued in July 2010, indicated that there may have been some diversion of private credit into consumer spending and into speculative investments in the stock market and real estate. . So we are expecting that, the economic condition in Bangladesh will be much better for business. If we also consider the given figures the scenario will be clear more.

Identifying Non-traditional Gifted Students

Identifying Non-traditional Gifted Students Gifted students are defined as those who excel in academic subjects such as reading, science, or math. Some students do exceptionally well in visual art or playing musical instruments, while others exhibit strong leadership qualities. All of these are defined in the Americas School Act of 1994. The term gifted and talented when used in respect to students, children or youth means students, children or youth who give evidence of high performance capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and who require services or activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop such capabilities (Ryser, McConnell, 2004). Gifted children are sometimes called asynchronous due to their physical/emotional growth not corresponding to their intellectual growth. Traditionally, gifted students have been under-served or go unidentified due to schools being unable to provide advanced placement or the lack of curriculum for these students. If a student shows signs of boredom, lack of interest or diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, the score of such student may not have reflected their true potential. Times have not changed in regard to this type of students. Many of these students are still in regular classrooms without the opportunity of advanced placement, specific gifted classrooms or additional discovery classes to service their needs. The Federal No Child Left Behind Act has left little room for helping these students attain their full academic and/or talent goals. Combining these factors with the gifted children who are not identified due to not being able to perform well on standardized tests, or a low socioeconomic culture and those with learning disabilities that accompany their giftedness presents a dilemma for most school districts (Lardner, 2004). However, the first step for developing curriculum for schools is the identification process. 1. Problem statement This paper is meant to examine the problems and research that has been done in the area of identifying the students that may show extreme giftedness in one subject and perform low in another, those who may be overlooked due to cultural, linguistic or ethically diverse backgrounds and those students who may not score well on standardized tests; to include twice exceptional students. Identification and low representation of culturally, linguistically, and ethnically diverse (CLED) students have been a concern with researchers and educators in our country: (Lohman, 2005), (Pierce et al., 2007). Considering the changing demographics within schools and pressure from the government and funding issues, educators must examine how to change identification procedures and services to adequately recognize and develop these students talents (Briggs, 2008). Even though cultural diversity has become more prominent in in education, CLED students are more identified in the remedial classes and underrepresented in gifted and talented programs (Briggs, 2008). National surveys show that only 10% of those students performing at their highest level are CLED students even though they represent 33% of the school population (Gallagher, 2002). The issues of identifying and assessing such students are highly important due to various reasons, but first of all because the absence of proper educational approach and environment hinder the development and future success of a great number of people, which undermines the very mission of education. Researching methods and approaching for identification and assessment of nontraditional gifted students will help to address this deficiency of our educational system. 2. Literature review on identification and assessment of nontraditional gifted students Assessing the nontraditional gifted student has become a growing problem in school districts across America. While doing a review of existing literature on the problem of identification of gifted students, one can outline 3 major types of nontraditional gifted students. Each type of such students, its identification and relevant research will be described below. 2.1. Gifted students missed by testing Various identification methods are used to identify gifted learners. There are those who still believe that IQ tests can be the way to measure intelligence; Schroth and Helfer (2008) refer to Gottfredson who states that proponents of traditional instruments for measuring IQ believe that such tests are not biased against blacks, other ethnic minority groups who are English speaking, or other native born people in the United States predicting well for all subgroups. Schroth and Helfer (2008) reference Ford (2003) who believes that the same groups along with low-SES students are discriminated against by standard tests because such tests are biased against process that is color blind or culture blind, Eurocentric, monolithic and narrow (Schroth Helfer, 2008). The authors go on to support the models referenced in Renzulli Reis (2007), and Sternberg (2002,2003), regarding those who believe in utilizing multiple measures for identifying gifted students. Such measures include portfolios, observations, teacher, parent or peer nominations and test scores and may be used to identify gifted students as well as to identify those students who may be missed using only traditional tools (Schroth Helfer, 2008). There are many factors that influence identification and availability of gifted programming to CLED students. The assessment tools that are used, educator bias, the perception of cultural behaviors, quantity and quality of teacher preparation for working with CLED students, and degree of variety of instruction strategies influence the identification and services provided for CLED students (Briggs, 2008). Language barriers, non-stimulating environments, fear of not teaching to the test and the belief that few gifted students can be found in CLED students also influence under-identification of these groups (Briggs, 2008). Unfortunately, tests play a major role in identification, referral, and placement of gifted students. Due to students not scoring well on standardized tests, teachers need to create and use tests and assessments that are culturally responsive (Ford, 2010). 2.2. Gifted students with a learning disability Other learners that are not identified or serviced properly nationwide are gifted learners with a learning disability. Gifted/learning disabled students are students with high intellect (superior intellectual ability) who have low performance in a specific academic area such as math, reading or written expression. This is not due to the absence of educational opportunity or a health problem (McCoach, 2001). McCoach describes three types of gifted/learning disabled students. The first student does well in elementary school when the learning disabilities are less distinct and they still participate in gifted programs. As the work progresses within that students disability, he/she may begin to experience learning difficulties which leads to underachievement. These students are not normally identified as learning disabled due to the high achievement in elementary school. The second type is described as learning disabled but also gifted. Since such students have severe learning disabilities, they are seldom identified as gifted. The third type is the student that is not identified as either gifted or disabled. This students disabilities hide their gifts and the gifts conceal their disability, creating a smokescreen which is referred to as masking within the definition of gifted/learning disabled students (McCoach, 2001). Masking refers to the principle that many gifted students with learning disabilities have patterns of strengths and weaknesses that make them appear to have average abilities and achievement (McCoach,2001). So therefore, these students do not get identified as gifted or learning disabled. Some advocates believe that intelligence scores will be lower for these students, thereby hindering their identification as either gifted or learning disabled (McCoach, 2001). McCoach goes on to quote Waldren and Saphire (1990): the primary problem with the use of intelligence test to identify gifted students with LD is that the disability may lower their IQ score so dramatically that the students do not qualify for inclusion in the school districts criteria for gifted, even though they demonstrate strong abilities in some areas. 2.3. Twice-exceptional students The term twice-exceptional is used to describe students who are gifted and identified with a disability (Baum Owen, 2003). There has been extensive research identifying twice exceptional students. Identification is a problem due to a misdiagnosis of the student (Webb, et al., 2005). The challenge is still the under representation of students with disabilities in gifted programs. The question is not whether these students exist but how to serve them when they need two sets of services (Rizza Morrison, 2007). There is evidence to show that there is a large amount of students who are gifted with behavioral disabilities (Baum Olenchak, 2002, Neihart, 2000). One example of twice exceptional would be a student identified as gifted with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This particular disorder when combined with giftedness is difficult to diagnose due to the many similarities between ADHD and gifted characteristics. The difficulty differentiating between characteristics of giftedness and those of ADHD, and recognizing when they coexist, can easily lead to inaccurate identification. Gifted and ADHD children often exhibit similar behaviors: hyperactivity, disruptive behavior, challenges to authority, and social/emotional development (Leroux Levitt-Perlman, 2000). Leroux Levitt-Perlman referenced Clark (1992) regarding hyperactivity, which can occur in both gifted children and children with ADHD and is often the first characteristic a diagnostician will see. However, hyperactiv ity may manifest itself in different ways. The gifted child may show focused energy, whereas the child with ADHD is largely unfocused (Leroux Levitt-Perlman, 2000). In addition, both gifted children and children with ADHD may challenge authority. The challenging authority characteristic in gifted children compared to children with ADHD may be exhibited differently. According to Clark, gifted children are curious and want to ask questions, this is part of their nature. The challenge from ADHD children has been observed to be more hostile and aggressive in manner. Even though both types of children can disrupt the daily school environment, the causes are different (Clark, 2008). The disruptive behavior is presented in both gifted and ADHD children. For the gifted child, disruptive behavior is associated with boredom in response to unchallenging activities, curriculum, and learning style . Disruptive behavior in the ADHD child is the result of any or all of the ADHD core symptoms: inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity (Clark, 2008). The ADHD child can easily become distracted by outside environment and/or stimuli, or even by own thoughts. ADHD students have weak organizational skills which makes staying on task a challenge. Too strict of an environment can lead to a disruption in the classroom as well. In the gifted/ADHD child the frustrations of impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity, combined with under stimulation can lead to oppositional behaviors (Leroux Levitt-Perlman, 2000). When the social/emotional development aspects are considered, there are similarities for both gifted and ADHD children as well. The gifted student might interact maturely with adults but be less competent with his peers, unable to read the social cues that tell him his behavior is not within social norms for children his age. The gifted childs intellectual and/or creative ability is more advanced than the emotional level, along with the sense of self (being different than other students), which can cause social isolation. The ADHD child shows immaturity and does not pick up on social clues, leading to rejection from peers. Both of these can cause emotional outbursts and inappropriate behaviors (Leroux Levitt-Perlman, 2000). Clark references Mendaglio when stating that when the two of these are combined in one child, there is a heightened sense of of alienation, sensitivity, and overreaction ( Clark, 2008). 3. Synthesis of relevant research and findings There are important issues that need to be considered when developing a method for identifying gifted or talented students: gifted students will exhibit their talents not only in a certain domain but also within a specific area of interest. A student may perform well on classroom activities but with independent study, may show a deeper level of theoretical understanding within the same subject. Giftedness is a dynamic concept. A test score may not represent how a childs gifts may be developed into talents, especially for students who do not have the opportunity for out-of-school activities. Talents are shown by students who have disabilities, or who come from different ethnic, cultural, and economic backgrounds and finally, early identification has proven important in developing gifts into talents (Johnsen 2009). In order to avoid the scantiness of test assessments, Ford suggests that assessment should include answers to the following questions (Ford, 2010): Are the measures valid and reliable for the specific culturally different students and group? How can educators remove the bias in the measurements they use or must adopt for evaluation and gifted education decisions? Have the students had the opportunity to be assessed in ways that are compatible with how they learn and communicate? Finally, do the students have the opportunity to be evaluated via more authentic assessments; skits, presentations, speeches, research, and other models of their learning? . Moreover, concerning broadening the spectrum oh approaches to students, Ford (2010) suggests in her article, Culturally Responsive Classrooms: Affirming Culturally Different Gifted Students the use of the culturally responsive classroom which is characterized by five components. The five components include; teachers philosophy, learning environment, curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Ford believes that when teachers become more self-reflective, are able to recognize cultural differences amongst students and themselves, and create classrooms that are more culturally responsive, they can decrease cultural misunderstandings and miscommunication with CLED students (Ford, 2010). For gifted students with learning disabilities, the masking concept creates problems for school psychologists, they can not possibly test all students who are performing at an average level to look for disguised learning disabilities. Until these students exhibit underachievement, there are not clear suggestions or empirical research to help identify these students. Teachers and specialists focus on the students disabilities, so therefore the strengths and talents of the student go ignored. The teachers and/or specialists attention is focused on the disability so little or no attention is given to the students gifts or talents (Baum, 2001). The techniques that are used for the disability may very well lack the characteristics gifted students require for successful learning and thus inhibit the attempt of that technique. Baum suggests that using instructional strategies that provide balance between the strengths and weaknesses of the gifted/learning disabled will contribute to an auth entic, challenging curriculum (Baum, 2001). The pragmatic problem concerning twice-exceptional learners is identifying these children like those that are gifted/ LD. This agrees with the case that many children who are gifted go unidentified by the use of standard IQ tests, and currently, many of the current diagnostic measures are less than perfect form many ADHD children (Leroux Levitt-Perlman, 2000). Leroux Levitt-Perlman (2000) promote that the skills and talents within individuals must be expanded to include and acknowledge the strengths of the gifted/ADHD child and go on to comment on Maker, Neilson, and Rogers (1994) approach that combines Gardners theory of multiple intelligences and a matrix of problem types to design ways to identify and serve the diversity and skills in students (Leroux Levitt-Perlman, 2000). They surmise that students who were identified through this method made equal or greater gains in enrichment programs as those identified by traditional methods (Leroux Levitt-Perlman, 2000). McCoach suggests that identification of students with learning disabilities should parallel the identification of all other students with learning disabilities (McCoach, 2001). According to McCoach, the process must comply with both federal and state special education regulations while utilizing both ability and achievement testing. McCoach (2001) suggests that authentic assessment (portfolio with works of the student, written works, informal reading inventories) should be used in correlation with standardized methods of achievement. Conclusion The problem of identification and assessment of nontraditional gifted student is one of the important educational issues. Review and analysis of relevant research have shown that the so-called nontraditional gifted students may be divided into three groups: gifted students missed due to imperfection and limited nature of current testing system, gifted learners with learning disabilities and twice-exceptional learners. Methods of identification and assessment for the three groups differ from each other. 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