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Essay on Summary of Oedipus The Kings by Sophocles

Summary of Oedipus The Kings by Sophocles Oedipus is in a series of tragic events throughout this play. A couple of days after Oedipus was born, he was left on a mountainside to die. The reason for this is because an oracle predicted that he will grow up to be the murderer of his father the King. Oedipus did not die as he should have, instead Oedipus was found and taken to the nearby city of Corinth. This is where Oedipus was adopted as the son of the King and Queen. Many years later, Oedipus seeks counsel from the same oracle that predicted his fate. The oracle does not tell him the identity of his true parents, instead tells him that he would kill his father and marry his mother. To ovoid this prophecy, he ran away from Corinth back†¦show more content†¦A plague of infertility strikes Thebes; women no longer bear children and crops are not growing. Oedipus, in his pride, says that he will end this deadly disease. Oedipus sends Creon to the oracle in Delphi for guidance. When Creon returns, Oedipus learns that the murderer of King Laius must be found and either be killed or exiled. In search for the Killers identity, Oedipus listens to the advice of Creon and sends for the blind prophet. The prophet warns him not to go searching for the killer of the king. The prophet is then provoked in exposing Oedipus as the killer. A messenger arrives from Corinth with the news the King Polybus has died and the people of Corinth want Oedipus as their king. Oedipus does not want to go because of the fact that his â€Å"mother† is still alive and does not want the prophecy to come true. The messenger then reveals that Oedipus was in fact adopted and is not the son of King and Queen of Corinth. Jocasta finally realizes the true identity of Oedipus and tells him to stop the search for the killer of the King. She then goes into the palace and hangs herself. Oedipus goes and seeks verification of the messenger’s story from the herdsman who was supposed to leave Oedipus for dead. Oedipus learns tha t the adopted son of Polybus and Merope was actually the son of Laius and Jocasta. This is where he remembers that place where the roads met, is where he killed his own father King Laius, with the consequence of marring his ownShow MoreRelatedOedipus Tyrannus, A Tragic Hero. Summary: . Context. Oedipus1391 Words   |  6 PagesOedipus Tyrannus, a Tragic Hero Summary: Context Oedipus Tyrannus is a Greek tragedy that was first performed as a play in 429 BCE. The setting of the play is in Thebes, one of Greece’s city states that is suffering from a tragic plague. King Oedipus’s brother in-law; Creon, reports back from the oracle of Apollo that the plague would only be lifted if the murderer of his predecessor; King Laius, is found and brought to justice. Before the whole city of Thebes, Oedipus vows to apprehend and punishRead More Oedipus Rex – a Christ Figure Essays1020 Words   |  5 PagesOedipus Rex – a Christ Figure  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚   Sophocles’ famous tragedy, Oedipus Rex, perhaps â€Å"the most important and influential drama ever written† (â€Å"Sophocles† 717), presents in the person of   Oedipus the model of a good ruler, a humanely intelligent and vigorously active leader, a man who earlier saved his adopted city Thebes from disaster. Is Oedipus an alter Christus besides?    The numerous parallels between the figure of the king Oedipus and the figure of Christ in the ScripturesRead MoreMWD Oedipus Rex1701 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Title: Oedipus Rex Author: Sophocles Date of Publication: around 430 B.C. Genre: Dramatic Tragedy Biographical information about the author: Born at Colonus, son of Sophilus. Sophocles was a playwright and served as a priest. He had a son with Nicartrata, who was also a playwright. And he also had a son with Theoris. Wrote 123plays but only 7 survived: Ajar, Antigone, Trachinian women, Oedipus Tyrannoss, Electras, Philocetes, and Oedipus at Colonus. Also increased the number of chorus fromRead MoreHow to Read Literature Like a Professor1408 Words   |  6 PagesChapter 3 - Nice To Eat You: Acts of Vampires Chapter Summary: -Ghosts and vampires are never only about ghosts and vampires. There’s a thin line between the ordinary and the monstrous. -Sex: Evil, lust, seduction, temptation, danger. Evil has been related to sex ever since the serpent tempted Eve. -Exploitation: using other people to get what we want, placing our desires above others. Vampires and other figures are used where someone grows by weakening someone else. Connections: -The ScarletRead MoreTragic Hero In Oedipus The King1502 Words   |  7 Pageson a journey with this hero, witnessing both their triumphs and failures. In addition, this character must be more complex than what is seen on surface or at first glance. The character Oedipus in Sophocles Oedipus the King, meets all of these general parameters provided by Aristotle. The three reasons the Oedipus is a tragic hero is based on character traits of nobility, his hamartia, and lastly his self-pity and suffrage. Information found located on University of Pennsylvania’s education portalRead MoreThe Role Of Fate And Fate In Oedipus1075 Words   |  5 Pagespeaceful fates, but in the case of Oedipus, it was an unruly one, in which he was set on a path to his own demise. The story itself starts at the point in time in which all the Oracle of Delphi had told was true, but everyone was oblivious to it. Oedipus had already killed his father and married his mother, even bore children with her. It is a tragic end to who was once a glorious man, but one must think whether or not these chain of events happened because Oedipus chose to or because the Oracle foretoldRead More Marxist Theory and Oedipus the King Essay1339 Words   |  6 PagesMarxist Theory and Oedipus the King      Ã‚  Ã‚   The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles (Marx and Engels 2). This excerpt, taken from Karl Marxs and Friedrich Engels The Communist Manifesto, explains the two primary classes found throughout most of Europe during the era of the Industrial Revolution. These classes were the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The former were known as the exploiters and the latter as the exploited. The wealth, power,Read MoreConfronting Death in Greek Mythology: Allegiance to Family or Empire?1491 Words   |  6 PagesAlthough her family has a scandalous account, she tries to give her family a nobler impression. Investigating the history of Antigone’s family, it has been stated, â€Å"Oedipus kills his father Laius inadvertently, not realizing who he is, and then proceeds to marry his mother, Jocasta, also not realizing her true identity. As a result of Oedipus marriage to Jocasta, he sires four children, who are at once his siblings and his children: Eteocles, Polyneices, Ismene, and Antigone† (GradeSaver). KnowingRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of Oedipus Rex943 Words   |  4 Pagesprocess of being solved as the people of Thebes suffer. In Sophocles’ Greek tragedy, Oedipus Rex, Thebes is being punished by the gods for a crime committed far in the past. The city of Thebes is cursed with a plague until the murderer of Laius is discovered and banished from the land. As Creon and Oedipus work to save Thebes, their different qualities show who is a better fit to be king. Oedipus saved Thebes once from the sphinx; however, Oedipus’ qualities of being arrogant, intense, and stubborn causeRead More Characterization in Oedipus the King Essay2193 Words   |  9 PagesCharacterization in Oedipus Rex  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚   The dialogue, action and motivation revolve about the characters in the story (Abrams 32-33). It is the purpose of this essay to demonstrate the types of characters present in Sophocles’ tragic drama, Oedipus Rex, whether static or dynamic, whether flat or round, and whether protrayed through showing or telling.    Werner Jaeger in â€Å"Sophocles’ Mastery of Character Development† pays the dramatist the very highest compliment with regard to

The Threat of Domestic Terrorism free essay sample

In the past 10 years or so, we have all observed many changes in the way domestic terrorism operates. For instance, left-wing terrorism was overtaken by right-wing extremism as the most dangerous terrorist threat to the United States in the 1990’s. In the last few years, special interest extremism has now surfaced as a serious terrorist threat. With that said, it is widely known that extremist groups are largely involved in activity protected by guarantees in the constitution and utilize rights like free speech and assembly to their own benefit. The primary focus of United States policy regarding counterterrorism has been on jihadist terrorism since the attack by Al Qaeda on September 11, 2001. However, in the last dozen years or so, domestic terrorists who have committed crimes within our homeland and found motivation in extremist ideologies or movements have executed fellow citizens and destroyed property throughout our country. Although there are many criminals that have not been prosecuted under terrorism statues, I believe that domestic terrorists should be taken just as seriously as any other. We will write a custom essay sample on The Threat of Domestic Terrorism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I’ve found in my recent study on this subject, that domestic terrorist organizations are not officially listed by the Department of Justice or by the Federal Bureau of Investigation but they have defined particular types of terror threats. Included in this are persons who commit transgressions concerning anti-government ideals, black separatism, white supremacy, anarchism, anti-abortion beliefs, environmental rights, and ideologies in support of animal rights to name a few. I feel it is necessary to stress; however, that not all of these opinions are inherently malign but instead can be taken too empirically, consequently leading to a dangerous operation. Understanding extremists and exercising prevention measures against domestic terrorism is, in my opinion, of significant importance for policy makers. These issues are alive and well when you consider the level of terrorism activity as reported by watchdog groups in the last several years. Since 9/11, domestic terrorists have been responsible for coordinating more than two-dozen incidents. It is for this reason that I think Congress should consider a number of things when addressing these concerns. Among these concerns would most likely be the fact that many domestic terrorist groups use nontraditional tactics. For example, a large number have been known to engage in activities such as vandalism, trespassing, and tax fraud, as opposed to airplane hijackings and suicide bombings. Exploiting the internet has proven to be a huge resource for the more internet-savvy extremist in this day and age. When I was a member of the Intelligence Community, I was taught that many international terrorist organizations operated under a predictable cell structure. After doing some personal research, I have found that this is not at all the case for domestic-type terrorist groups known to use the concept of leaderless resistance. Even our prisons have become a haven for terrorist radicalization. Although, the activity of convicts in gangs may be more driven by enterprises such as drug trafficking more so than radical belief. This is not to say that they are not terrorists as they exhibit extreme ideological dimensions and intend to coerce the government to further their social objective. In conclusion, I feel the desire to point out that the unfortunate reality of the matter is that that terrorism of any sort will never cease unless we address the very reason it exists. These organizations have been consistent throughout the past and they will continue to carry on in the future with intent to spread terror and panic for the purpose of furthering their radical objectives. Bias, hatred, and prejudice seems to be what encourages the continued growth of the domestic terrorists. To that end, perhaps our efforts should instead be dedicated to establishing peace, fostering alliances and maintaining a nation free of discrimination.

The Rise Of The Y2k Bug Essays - Calendars, Software Bugs, COBOL

The Rise Of The Y2k Bug The Y2K problem is the electronic equivalent of the El Ni?o and there will be nasty surprises around the globe.--John Hamre, Dep. Secretary of Defense When I was in the first grade, my elementary school invested in several computers and started Introduction to Computers classes. I remember playing math games and drawing with art programs, in awe of, and slightly intimidated by the beastly piece of technology in front of me. I had little idea of how it worked, and even less of an idea of what was in store. Over the years, the technological world has advanced rapidly, and humans have come to rely on computers for just about every aspect of daily life--from education, to communication, to banking, to electricity, we depend on technology. The Y2K bug seems to be a vicious reminder that our technology is just a tangled connection of imperfect, haphazard systems we have come to let run our lives. The Year 2000, or Y2K problem is caused by a shortcut imbedded into many computers and microchips. In the 1960s, to conserve what was then precious and expensive memory space, computer programmers shortened the four-digit year to use a much more economical two-digit method--for example, 78 would mean 1978. Unfortunately, computers and microchips that still use a two-number year will recognize 00 as the year 1900, not as 2000. When using data involving dates, the problem will cause failures in arithmetic, and can corrupt databases with incorrect information. These types of calculations are necessary in systems involving administrative information, scheduling, and billing. A statement issued by the President's Council on the Year 2000 Conversion states: This [Y2K bug] could cause [computers] to either shut down or generate incorrect data. In our electronic information-dependent society, that could be a big problem. At the time the two-digit year was first used in computer programming, no one addressed or was prepared for a problem when the year 2000 rolled around, because, like today, technology was advancing and changing quickly. Computer programmers assumed that the two-digit year would eventually be changed and become obsolete. This, obviously, did not happen. In many cases, the older applications that use the two-digit method have been built on, and are buried deep into systems that are the basis of large corporations and other industries that run civilization as we know it. Computers are everywhere in government, business, utilities, and our jobs. When one system fails, there is a cascading effect to other systems. Despite a lingering skepticism in some realms, I assure you: The Year 2000 problem is real; its consequences are serious; and the deadline remains unstoppable. said Stephen Horn, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Government Management, Information, and Technology Scratching beneath the surface frenzy of Will my home PC work? and Will my microwave make the transition? it is not difficult to find an even more threatening danger. The North American Electric Reliability Council sites four critical areas that pose the greatest direct threat to power production and delivery: energy management systems; telecommunications; protection systems; and power production itself. Their Y2K Coordination Plan for the Electricity Production and Delivery Systems of North America states that The threat is most severe in power plants with digital control systems (DSCs). Numerous control and protection systems within these DSCs use time-dependant algorithms that may result in unit trips. Despite extensive plans and endless explanations, the potentially catastrophic nature of this problem cannot be accurately figured. No one knows exactly what will be affected, or how much. While the government and its assorted departments and councils have taken to releasing longwinded, optimistic reports and coordination plans, computer programmers hired to seek out and fix the bug have been learning how to live in a world independent of technology. Bad news lurks in every corner and statistics are depressing. The consulting firm GartnerGroup has estimated that Venezuela and Saudi Arabia (two of the largest exporters of oil to the United States) are 12 to 18 months behind the United States in their Y2K-compliance efforts. Being faced with the threats of loss of electricity, oil, and unfortunately, any hope of technological stability is a serious matter that should not be dismissed quickly. Knowledge and preparation is the key

School Choice essays

School Choice essays School Choice: What Choice is there? Public schools are grossly inefficient, and are not adequately educating many of America's youths. Schools that are run independent from local government bureaucracy provide better education at lower cost. School choice would allow more students to attend better schools. School choice is a potent educational reform that is far more effective than increased spending. The fears of opponents of school choice are factually unfounded. School choice is necessary to improve American education. Through allowing more parental choice in education, school choice forces education into a free market environment. As it is now, parents send children to the nearest school, assigned to them by the school district. If a family is wealthy enough and chooses to do so, parents can send children to private schools. However, this family then pays twice for one education. They still pay their taxes, and they pay the tuition for the private school. Under a school choice plan, any parent who decides to send their child to a private school will receive a scholarship from the government, redeemable for tuition at scholarship accepting private schools. The scholarship dollar amount is far below that of the average cost per student per year at public schools, but would allow millions of parents who cannot presently afford private tuition to do so. If a school performed poorly, parents would choose to remove their children, and then send to them to better schools. If a school began losing all its students, and therefore all its funding, the school would desire to improve. Under the current system, government schools get your money whether they are doing a good job or not. Milton Friedman was one of the first people to propose a school choice plan. Since he did so over a quarter century ago, support has expanded rapidly. However, few plans for school choice have actually been enacted. The city of Milwaukee enacted a progr...

The 14 ACT Grammar Rules You Must Know

The 14 ACT Grammar Rules You Must Know SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The ACT English section consists of questions that test your knowledge of grammar and writing style. By learning and understanding the grammar rules tested on the ACT, you'll be well on your way to getting an excellent ACT English score. In this article, I'll explain the most important ACT English grammar rules and provide sample questions from real ACTs. How to Use This Guide to ACT Grammar Rules The ACT English section tests numerous grammatical concepts, with many appearing consistently on every test.In this guide, I’ll give you explanations and examples for the most commonly tested ACT grammar rules.Keep in mind that there are also style and organization questions on ACT English that are unrelated to specific grammar rules. This article is a great study tool if you are trying to get a middle score, just starting your ACT English studying, or reviewing the most importantACT grammar rules.If your target score is above 30, you should also study the grammar rules that are only rarely tested on the ACT. For more examples or explanations of the rules I discuss below, or if you want to learn more about ACT grammar rules,read our other articles onACT English. The 14 Most Commonly Tested ACT Grammar Rules These rules are by far the most important for you to learn and understand in order to conquer the ACT English section. I've linked each rule to the article in which it's explained more thoroughly. You can also find in these articles explanations for related grammar rules that are less important but still tested on the ACT. #1: Surround Non-Restrictive Clauses and Appositives With Commas Comma rules are extremely important to know for the ACT, and these comma rules are repeatedly tested on ACT English. Relative Clauses: Restrictive vs Non-Restrictive Relative clauses are dependent clauses that describe a noun and start with a relative pronoun or adverb such as "who," "that," "which," or "where." The basic rule is that non-restrictive clauses should be surrounded by commas, whereas restrictive clauses should not be. On the ACT, clauses that start with "which" are always non-restrictive, and clauses that start with â€Å"that† are always restrictive.Therefore, clauses that start with â€Å"which† should always be surrounded by commas, whilethose that start with â€Å"that† should never be. What's a Restrictive Clause? Restrictive clauses are essential to the meaning of the sentence. You can’t take a restrictive clause out of a sentence without significantly changing the meaning of the sentence. Here’s an example: People who wear sunglasses indoors aren’t invited to the party. If you remove the clause "who wear sunglasses indoors," you substantially change the meaning of the sentence. You wouldn't know which people aren't invited, and you’d be left with "People aren’t invited to the party."Because you can’t remove this clause without changing the meaning of the sentence, the clause should not be surrounded by commas. This kid can't come to the party. (Court Kizer/Flickr) What's a Non-Restrictive Clause? A non-restrictive clause is not essential to the meaning of the sentence. If you got rid of the clause, the sentence would still make sense, and its meaning wouldn’t change.Here’s an example sentence with the non-restrictive clause underlined: My day, which consisted of eating and studying calculus, was incredibly boring. The clause "which consisted of eating and studying calculus" adds more information about my day, but if it were removed, the overall meaning of the sentence would be unchanged. This is what the sentence looks like if we remove the non-restrictive clause: My day was incredibly boring. As you can see, the overall meaning of the sentence is the same. The sentence is still describing my day as boring; we just have less information detailing why it was boring. Actual ACT Example The clause "who had gathered essential material critical to writing his best-selling novel Roots from a griot in Gambia" is a non-restrictive clause which adds more information about Alex Haley. Since a non-restrictive clause must be surrounded by commas, the correct answer is D. What Is an Appositive? An appositive is a descriptive phrase that doesn’t include a verb. Like a non-restrictive clause, an appositive can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence. Here’s an example sentence with the appositive underlined: Lily, my niece, is the most exceptional child in the world. If we get rid of the appositive, the sentence still has the same meaning: Lily is the most exceptional child in the world. This isn't my niece. Actual ACT Example The phrase "known as the Navajo code talkers" is an appositive and thereforemust be surrounded by commas. Because the original sentence is correct,the correct answer is F.Answer choices G and J are both wrong because there is no comma after "group." Also, answer choice H is incorrect because it creates a run-on sentence. #2: Don't Put a Comma Before or After a Preposition On the ACT, it’s always incorrect to put a comma after a preposition and very rarely correct to place one before.Here are some example sentences that include commas incorrectly placed before or after prepositions: Ana enjoys traveling, to Hawaii for fun. Lucy was petrified to look under, the bed. The commas before "to" and after "under" should be removed. Here are the corrected versions of the sentences: Ana enjoys traveling to Hawaii for fun. Lucy was petrified to look under the bed. brownpau/Flickr The one exception to this rule is when a preposition introduces a non-restrictive clause. Here’s an example of this: Cade, with whom I went to college, is an extremely skilled physician. The clause "with whom I went to college" is a non-restrictive clause that provides more information about Cade. Because non-restrictive clauses must be surrounded by commas, the comma before the preposition "with" is correct. Keep in mind that this situation rarely comes up on the ACT. Generally, commas shouldn’t be put before or after a preposition on the test. Actual ACT Example The comma before the preposition "of" is wrong; there also shouldn’t be any comma after "rights." Therefore, the correct answer is C. On the ACT, if you’re unsure whether or not there should be a comma, it's best toerr on the side of leaving the comma out. #3: Don't Separate Two Independent Clauses With a Comma Separating two complete thoughts with a comma is a grammar error known as a comma splice, and it's the most common type of run-on sentence that appears on the ACT. Here's an example of a comma splice: I’m going to my friend’s house, it’s really far away. As you can see, the clauses before and after the comma are complete thoughts that could stand alone as sentences. There are a few ways to correct a comma splice. One is to place a conjunction after the comma: I’m going to my friend’s house, but it’s really far away. Alternatively, you can put a relative pronoun after the comma: I’m going to my friend’s house, which is really far away. Finally, you can use a semicolon to correctly separate two complete thoughts: I’m going to my friend’s house; it’s really far away. I'm not sure what this means. (Laura Olin/Flickr) Actual ACT Example Both clauses before and after the comma are independent and could stand alone as sentences; therefore, this sentence is a comma splice. Since adding a conjunction after the comma corrects the comma splice, the correct answer is B.While answer choice C also adds a conjunction, this choice doesn’t work since the word "so" doesn’t make sense in the context of the sentence. ("So" implies a cause-effect relationship, whereas "and" connects two related thoughts.) #4: Use the Fewest Words Possible When it comes to the ACT, the shortest, grammatically correct answer choice that expresses the same information as the original sentence will be the right answer.Sentences that are more concise are easier to comprehend. Wordiness On ACT English, wordiness is a grammatical error in which words or phrases are added to a sentence unnecessarily. Here's an example of a wordy sentence: Melissa enjoys having fun by way of shooting at the gun range. And here is the corrected version of the sentence: Melissa enjoys shooting at the gun range. Clearly, the second sentence is more concise, and it stillcontains all the relevant information that’s in the first sentence. That looks like a fancy gun- but, then again, I don't know anything about guns. Actual ACT Example The phrase "as time goes by" is unnecessary- it doesn’t add any information that can’t be inferred without it. Answer choices B and C are incorrect because the sentence already implies that her collection grows "gradually" and "with the passing of time." Thus, the correct answer is D. Redundancy Wordiness and redundancy are similar errors. Ifa word or phrase is redundant, this means it can be eliminated without altering the meaning of the sentence. Here is an example of a sentence with a redundancy error (the underlined part): I quickly finished the test in a rapid manner. The phrase "in a rapid manner" is redundant because the word "quickly" already implies that I finished the test rapidly. This sentence can therefore be corrected by simply getting rid of the redundant phrase: I quickly finished the test. Actual ACT Example The word "peril" means danger; therefore, the phrase "dangerous peril" is redundant- that is, the word "dangerous" can be eliminated without changing the meaning of the sentence. This means thecorrect answer is J. Jumping out of an airplane can put your life in peril. (Morgan Sherwood/Flickr) #5: Modifiers Must Be Next to What They're Modifying The general rule regarding modifiers is that they must be placed next to whatever it is they're modifying. On ACT English, there are two types of modifier errors, which we introduce below. Misplaced Modifiers Generally, adjectives and adverbs go before the word they’re modifying, and prepositional phrases go after the word they’re modifying. Here's an example of a misplaced modifier: George broke the plate inthe kitchen that his mom bought on their vacation. The way the sentence is written makes it seem as though George’s mom bought the kitchen(instead of the plate) on their vacation. Here is a corrected version of the sentence: In the kitchen, George broke the plate that his mom bought on their vacation. Now, it’s evident that George's mom bought the plate- not a kitchen!- on their vacation. Actual ACT Example The phrase "in pink-tinted glasses" should come after the word it’s modifying. From the sentence, we can safely assume that it was the woman who was in pink-tinted glasses. Answer choice G is the most logical, grammatically correct answer. Dangling Modifiers When a sentence begins with a modifying phrase, the introductory phrase must be immediately followed by a comma and the noun being described. Here’s an example of a dangling modifier, with the incorrect part underlined: While walking through the grocery store, Jane’s shopping cart knocked three bags of Doritos onto the floor. The way the sentence is written makes it seem as though Jane’s shopping cart- instead of Jane- was walking through the grocery store. There are a couple of ways to fix the sentence. One is to place the noun that's being modified right after the comma: While walking through the grocery story, Jane knocked three bags of Doritos onto the floor with her shopping cart. Alternatively, you can place the subject in the introductory phrase: While Jane was walking through the grocery story, her shopping cart knocked three bags of Doritos onto the floor. Be careful with the Doritos. (theimpulsivebuy/Flickr) Actual ACT Example The original sentence implies that "she" died down; however, this doesn’t make much sense. From this sentence, we can infer that a fire dies down- not "she."Answer choice J is clear and concise, and it corrects the dangling modifier. #6: Keep Verb Tenses Consistent The basic verb consistency rule is that verbs should remain consistent in both tense and form throughout a sentence.Here’s an example of a consistency error, with the incorrect part underlined: Twenty-five years ago, Josh bought Cross Colours clothing and learns how to rap. The verb "learns" should be in the past tense. Not only should "learns" be consistent with the past tense "bought," but also the phrase "twenty-five years ago" indicates that this was something that happened in the past. Here's the corrected version of the sentence: Twenty-five years ago, Josh bought Cross Colours clothing and learned how to rap. Furthermore, the verb tenses of surrounding sentences can provide context clues for the proper tense to use in a given sentence to maintain consistency. Here's another example of a consistency error: Natalie works in fashion. She liked keeping up with the latest style trends. The shift from the present tense "works" to the past tense "liked" doesn’t make sense in context, and the verb tenses should remain consistent. Here's a corrected version of the sentence: Natalie works in fashion. She likes keeping up with the latest style trends. Actual ACT Example The verbs "continue" in the first sentence and "score" in the second sentence are in the present tense; as a result,the shift to the past tense with the word "were" doesn’t make sense given the context. To fix this error, we must change "were" to the present tense. The correct answer is C. (Answer choice D unnecessarily adds the infinitive "to be.") #7: Choose the Right Word Based on Context Word choice is a common topic on the ACT English section. Word choice refers to knowing which specific word to use in the context of a given sentence. There are two common types of word choice questions that often appear on the ACT. Homophones Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings.Here are some homophones that have appeared on the ACT: its - it's their - they're whose - who's would've - would of All the words with apostrophes are contractions (it's = it is, they're = they are, who's = who is, and would've = would have). By contrast, "its," "their," and "whose" show possession. Finally,"would of" is always wrong and should be corrected to either "would have" or "would've." You might also come across the word "its'," which is not a real word and will thus always be incorrect. Here is an example of a word choice error: The committee chose not to defend it’s decision. In this sentence, the use of the contraction "it's" is incorrect. Instead, we should use the possessive word "its" to indicate thatthe decision belongs tothe committee: The committee chose not to defend its decision. Related Words The second type of word choice error on the ACT involves synonyms or related words. With this type of question, a word will be underlined and the answer choices will be related words. However, only one word will be correct given the context of the sentence. Actual ACT Example The context of this sentence indicates that the underlined word should signify that the celebration is made bigger or more important. Even though "heightened," "raised," and "lifted" can all mean making something higher, only the word "heighten" can mean to deepen or intensify. Therefore, the correctanswer is A.The celebration isn’t literally lifted up but rather made more important. These types of questions can be difficult becausethey require a deep knowledge of vocabulary. They’re hard to prepare for since you don’t know which words will appear on the ACT. However, if you are able to recognize a word choice question, hopefully you’ll be able to select the right word using the context of the sentence. Also, you can keep track of word choice questions from previous ACTs. #8: Use the Correct Idiomatic Expression Idiom questions don’t conform to specific rules. You have to rely on your intuitive grasp of English and your knowledge of specific phrases to choose the right idiomatic expression. On most idiom questions on the ACT, you’ll be asked either to determine which preposition to use in a given sentence, or whether to use a gerund or an infinitive. Prepositional Idioms For prepositional idioms, you need to know which preposition to use based on the context of the sentence. Here’s an example sentence with a prepositional idiom error underlined: Because Alexis was three hours late, I was worried of her. The correct expression is "worried about." There's no specific rule you can learn to identify this error; you just have to be familiar with the phrase. Idiom questions are the only types on ACT English for which it's in your best interest to rely on what sounds right. Idioms With Gerunds or Infinitives Gerunds are verbs that act as nouns and end in "ing."Examples of gerunds include "running," "talking," and "singing."Infinitives are verbs used as nouns; they are constructed by putting the word "to" before a verb.Examples of infinitives are "to run," "to talk," and "to sing." While gerunds and infinitives can be interchangeable in some sentences, other sentences require the use of one or the other.Here’s an example of an idiom error: You decided reading this article. In the sentence, the gerund "reading" should be changed to an infinitive: You decided to read this article. Unfortunately, there is no specific rule you can rely on to know when to use a gerund or infinitive in an expression. Try to use your knowledge of idioms and keep track of idiom questions on previous ACTs. Actual ACT Example The correct expression is "right to wear clothing," sothe correct answer is C. Enokson/Flickr #9: A Pronoun Must Agree With Its Antecedent This rule means that a pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number. A plural pronoun must refer to a plural noun, and a singular pronoun must refer to a singular noun.Here's an example of a pronoun number agreement error: Marshall forgot their homework. The pronoun "their" is referring to the homework of Marshall. Because Marshall is one person and "their" is a plural pronoun, this sentence has a pronoun agreement error. Here is the corrected version of this sentence: Marshall forgot his homework. Real ACT Example In this sentence, the plural pronoun "them" refers to the Navajo language, which is singular. The pronoun "it" at the end of the sentence also indicates that the underlined pronoun should be in the singular form. The correct answer is C.Answer choice B is wrong because it has a subject-verb agreement error. #10: Use Apostrophes Correctly to Form Possessives There are almost always a couple of apostrophe questions on the ACT. If you know apostrophe rules, these questions should be relatively simple. If a word is singular or plural and does not end in "s," you add an "s" after the apostrophe to make it possessive.Here are a couple of examples: I am the people’s champion. Joe’s career isn’t going very well. To create a possessive for a plural word that ends in "s," just add an apostrophe after the "s." Here is an example of this: The traditionalist thought that all of the basketball players’ shorts were too long. Actual ACT Example This sentence is referring to the age of one person; therefore, the correct version of the possessive pronoun is "person’s."The correct answer is A.Answer choice D is wrong because a comma can’t come between a subject and a verb. #11: Colons Must Come After a Complete Sentence Colons are usually used to introduce lists or explanations.The key rule for colons is that they must come after a complete sentence. So if you were to end the sentence where the colon is placed, the sentence should make sense and be a complete thought.Here is an example: Incorrect: Sabrina needs to purchase a few items for her project like: construction paper, paint, and glitter. Correct: Sabrina needs to purchase a few items for her project: construction paper, paint, and glitter. The first sentence is incorrect because the part of the sentence that comes before the colon isn’t a complete thought. Actual ACT Example In this sentence, the colon is unnecessary and improperly placed. The part before the colon isn’t a complete thought. In answer choices H and J, the commas are unnecessary. The correct answer is therefore answer choice G. #12: Semicolons Separate Two Complete Thoughts Semicolons are like periods; they separate two independent clauses.As a result, you should be able to replace any semicolon with a period. On ACT English, you might find a randomly placed semicolon or need to replace a comma with a semicolon in order to fix a comma splice.Here are two example sentences with semicolons used both correctly and incorrectly: Incorrect: Because Dave wanted an adrenaline rush; he decided to go skydiving. Correct: Dave wanted an adrenaline rush; he decided to go skydiving. The second sentence is correct because the clauses on both sides of the semicolon are independent and could stand alone as sentences. Actual ACT Example Here, the semicolon is just randomly placed after the verb "are"; there is no independent clause on either side of the semicolon. Since no punctuation is necessary after "are," the correct answer is answer choice C. #13: Use the Correct Relative Pronoun The ACT likes to test your knowledge of relative pronouns. There are two specific relative pronoun rules that are important to know for ACT English. Relative Pronouns Must Agree With Their Antecedents Here are what different relative pronouns can be used to refer to: who and whom - people only when - specific times or time periods only where - places only which- any noun other than a person that- any noun whose- possessive that can be used for people or things In many situations, more than one relative pronoun can work. However, in other situations, only one will be acceptable. Here's an example of a relative pronoun error: Incorrect: I love going to restaurants in whichI can get unlimited breadsticks. Correct: I love going to restaurants where I can get unlimited breadsticks. The relative pronoun here is referring to "restaurants"- a location- so "where" is more concise and appropriate. Breadsticks! (apasciuto/Flickr) Here is another example: Incorrect: Johnny enjoys books where he gets to choose his own adventure. Correct: Johnny enjoys books in which he gets to choose his own adventure. A book isn’t a location; therefore, "where" is the incorrect relative pronoun. Media, including books, movies, and articles, should be modified with "in which." Who vs Whom You might have no idea when to use "who" or "whom," but the rule isn’t actually that complicated. Basically, "who" is used as a subject and "whom" is used as an object.A subject does an action or is being described, whereas an object has something done to it. An object can be an object of a verb or preposition. Take a look at our article on pronoun case for more information about subject case vs object case. Now, let's take a look at a couple of examples. First, here is an example sentence using the relative pronoun "who": James, who is my friend, lives in Oklahoma City. In this sentence, "who" is being used correctly. The word "who" is modifying James, and he is my friend. Next, here's an example sentence that uses the relative pronoun "whom": My aunt, from whom I got this jacket, is a very interesting woman. In this sentence, "whom" is also being used correctly. The word "whom" modifies my aunt; I got the jacket from her. You should be able to substitute he/she/they for "who" and him/her/them for "whom." Also, always use "who" before a verb and "whom" after a preposition. Actual ACT Example Remember that "where" can only be used to modify a location. Because storytellers are people, "where" is incorrect.Now, let’s find the right answer. Answer choice D is wrong because the "they" after "that" is unnecessary. Additionally, since the relative pronoun comes before a verb, you can’t use "whom." This means thatthe correct answer is B.The word "who" modifies the storytellers who are doing the action. #14: Subjects and Verbs Must Agree Subjects and verbs must agree, meaning that you must use the singular form of a verb with a singular subject and the plural form of a verb with a plural subject.Take a look at these example sentences: Incorrect: Rock stars likes to entertain adoring fans. Correct: Rock stars like to entertain adoring fans. The King! If the verb is in the present tense and the subject is in the third person (he/she/it/they), the verb usually ends in "s" in the singular form and does not in the plural form.In the example above, the subject is "rock stars," which is plural; therefore, the verb "like" should also be in the plural form ("like" instead of "likes"). On the ACT, subject-verb agreement questions can be even more difficult if there is a phrase that separates the subject from the verb. Here's an example of this: Incorrect: The clothes in my bedroom is in my closet. Correct: The clothes in my bedroom are in my closet. The subject of the sentence is "clothes," which is plural, so the verb should be in the plural form. However, the prepositional phrase "in my bedroom" separates the subject from the verb. If a verb is underlined, make sure you identify the subject that corresponds with the verb to ensure that the subject and verb agree with each other. Also, keep in mind that a subject can never be contained in a prepositional phrase. Actual ACT Example This is a relatively basic subject-verb agreement question. Looking atthe previous sentence, we know that the verb should be in the present tense, so G and H are wrong. The subject of this sentence is "molecules," which is plural. Therefore, we should use the plural form of the verb "bump." The correct answer is J. Other Grammar Rules on ACT English While the rules I explained above are the most often tested on ACT English, there are some other grammar rules that will be tested as well. Here are the links to our other articles that explain the remaining grammatical rules you'll need to know for the ACT: Parallelism Run-on Sentences and Fragments Adjectives vs Adverbs Punctuation Commas The Complete Guide to ACT Grammar Rules What's Next? Now that you're comfortable with the grammar rules on ACT English, make sure you know about style and organization questions. These include questions dealing withadd and delete options, author's main goals, transitions, and macro logic. In addition, we recommend masteringthe five critical concepts you must understand to be able to ace ACT English. Finally, to excel on the ACT English section, you'll need to determine the best approach for reading passages. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep classes. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our classes are entirely online, and they're taught by ACT experts. If you liked this article, you'll love our classes. Along with expert-led classes, you'll get personalized homework with thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step, custom program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Try it risk-free today:

Legal Aid Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Legal Aid - Essay Example The changes have singled out the reason for the introduction of a resident test as being the need to ensure the delivery of a justice system that is more credible and efficient to the UK citizens. However, when that provision is closely assessed, it presents more problems than anticipated. In fact, when this new change is assessed based on the provision of the above three laws, it may not pass the justification. The major reason for the introduction of the two-part residence test as a requirement for the qualification for accessing legal aid is to single out foreigner within UK and its overseas territories jurisdiction, and then deny them an opportunity to equal access to the justice system, similar to the UK citizens. The stability of the United Kingdom justice system is tempting to assume that it bears permanency, since it has been entrenched for long enough. Nevertheless, the recent changes introduced in LASPOA 2012 threaten this stability, through introducing legal measures that are contrary to the spirit and letter of the rule of law. When summed up together, the changes have introduced restrictions to the access of legal aid and increased the fees and the procedural hurdles for those who seek to use the courts to defend their interests (Bindman, 2013:6). In addition, the changes have introduced the use of secret evidence that precludes challenge, increased the surveillance to and access of personal and private information, and reduced the damages payable to people who have successfully defended their claims through the justice system (Bindman, 2013:6). Overall, the government has struck a major blow to those who seeks to uphold the rule of law. The definition of the rule of law requires that all individuals are granted an equal chance and opportunity to access the justice system. However, the introduction of the recent changes in the LASPOA 2012

Managing organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Managing organization - Essay Example I believe that there are no things that are impossible for as long as one believes that he or she can do it. I do not want to push myself to the limit. However, I always believe in everything I do. I always check my capacity and I am beginning to understand the things that I love and those that I hate. It is not easy to understand ourselves. In fact, there are some quite times when I try to listen to myself only to find out that there are such many things that I still need to know more about me. In fact, there are some times when all I need to do is to stay calm and listen further to all the things that make me who I am. All of these only prove that there are still many things that I need to learn more about myself. There are many ways that we need to understand about ourselves and even I am admitting to the fact that there are still many things that I need to learn about myself. There are many ways in order to do it. One thing that is very common is what is commonly known as self-evaluation. In the following sections, I was able to discuss clearly some of my basic personalities and everything related about me. The following sections are ways of gauging me and understanding more about me as part of my self evaluation. Dimension for extraversion has 8 points which belongs to moderate score classification. This means that I am on moderate level when it comes to sociability, assertiveness and my talkativeness with others. This also means that I am midway to being extravert or introvert. In other words, I have the flexibility to adapt to both extreme when it comes to sociability, assertiveness and talkativeness. Dimension for agreeableness has 11 points and just like extraversion, the score belongs to moderate classification. When it comes to being good-natured, cooperative and trusting, I am moderate and this further means that my tendency to argue with others is based on consideration of what gives harmony with

Sport Psychology Essay Example for Free

Sport Psychology Essay tExercise is an accessible method of fulfilling a persons physical goals which they have for their own body. Humans are capable of engaging in a variety of exercises including running, playing a game of volleyball, or even surfing. In spite of the many physical accomplishments which humans can gain from physical exercise, people are also capable of encountering many psychological benefits from doing so. Studies have shown that exercising release certain chemicals in our brain that results in a good feeling. For instance, a late The beauty behind physical exercise is not only due to physical benefits which humans receive due to it, but also from the positive psychological energy given to humans that helps motivate us to continue the journey of life. arousal regulation, imagery, self confidence, attention, or concentration , goal setting memory write a 4-5 page paper. the assignment thing said you will write an article for a sports magazine on a topic from the psychological skills training section of the book that you find interesting. ( choices are: arousal regulation, imagery, self confidence, goal setting attention or concentration ) The format of your aticle should be similar to those in the actual newsletter or magazine. Be creative: include graphics and diagrams, get the readers attention with quotes and create a catchy title. write in language that is accessible to individuals who have never taken a sport psychology class. Be sure to include good content and ideas for how this information can be applied to specific situations ( using examples in a good idea ). Prayer-= Ones performance can soar like an eagle once you defeat the psychological struggles flooding ones mind. Anxiety is the main proponent to affecting any human being from giving their utmost potential in a sport. Anxiety is derived from due to self-insecurities. There are various approaches which you can make when confronting ones psychological struggles hindering ones performance, through the use of: somatic anxiety reduction,cognitive anxiety reduction, and multimodal anxiety reduction packages. An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast; a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind (Buddha). A wild beast in a surfing contest can be a shark swimming near the surface of the waves, while an evil friend in this case can be the physical symptoms which one experiences when feeling the anxiety of competing, thats making it difficult to keep your balance on the surfboard. One method which any human can use in order to control these physical symptoms that can possibly hinder ones performance is through the use of somatic anxiety reduction techniques. This technique focuses on progressive relaxation, learning how to control ones breathing, as well as biofeedback. Progressive relaxation involves becoming familiar with the tension experienced in ones muscles and then releasing all of it. This method is extremely beneficial to any human since it helps one to become conscious of the feeling experienced in the muscles when one is under a stressful situation. By familiarizing oneself with this particular strain in the muscles, one is capable of being able to preventing them from interfering with ones performance. Controlling ones breathing is also vital in order to present ones utmost performance. When humans experiences stress and anxiety in any particular situation, one can often experience a shortness, irregularity, as well as shallowness of breath. In contrast, when one is under a peaceful state of mind, ones breathing is steady and deep. Biofeedback is also an effective method used in order reduce somatic anxiety. This particular technique involves learning to control ones physiological and unconscious responses in the body through the process of receiving physiological responses that arent normally available to a person. Another technique which athletes as well as any other human can use in order to reduce anxiety involves some cognitive exercises. One exercise commonly use is meditation which involves an inwardly oriented personal exercise that involves quieting and concentration of the mind that can lead to a great deal of reduction of muscle tension. Another technique which individuals can use is autogenic training which centers a human to produce warmth and heaviness, that can eventually leads to a state of relaxation. Another technique that can be applied to ones life in order to help one to regulate arousal during performance is called multimodal anxiety reduction packages. A well known form of this anxiety reducing technique is called stress management training. SMT consists of applying relaxation and cognitive components to ones form of coping responses to emotional arousal that may arise within. Another example of a multidomal anxiety reduction that may fortify ones way of coping with stress is through stress inoculation training. This particular training involves exposing a human to stressful components, including mental images, and self-statements, that fortifies a humans resistance to stress. Therefore, as mentioned before, arousal regulation is a particular coping mechanism which athletes can greatly benefit them in order to excel in their physical and mental performance when playing a sport. Studies have shown that these anxiety reducing techniques greatly benefit individuals while working under pressure. Somatic anxiety reduction consists of becoming aware of ones physical symptoms that may arise while under stress, and learning how to cope with them when they arise during performance. Cognitive anxiety reduction techniques is also vital by helping one to gain more control of the anxious thoughts that emerge in ones conscious, that can enable one to give ones outstanding performance. The last particular anxiety exercise that was mentioned is the multimodal anxiety reduction packages, which is essential for all humans to build effective and positive coping mechanisms in the midst of a stressful situation. These three anxiety reducing techniques can be seen as vital methods which psychologists have created in order to help any human being to learn how to control ones body, physical, and emotional responses to stressful situations that can be presented during performance during any particular moment in ones life. Therefore, if athletes gain more control over their emotions, this what am i sad about: after comment; made me feel like im not good enough. and that im not a cool of enough girl. i want to take shit serious. i feel bad about that.

Thomson Highways The Rez Sisters Essay -- Thomson Highway Rez Sisters

Thomson Highway's The Rez Sisters Works Cited Not Included The play The Rez Sisters is written by one of Canada's most celebrated playwrights, Tomson Highway. Highway was born in 1951 in northwestern Manitoba. He went on to study at the University of Manitoba and graduated from the University of Western Ontario, with honors in Music and English. Native Literature is inspired by 'contemporary social problems facing native Canadians today; alcohol and drug abuse, suicide, wife battering, family violence, the racism of the justice system, loneliness, rejection, youth awareness, as well as modern-day environmental issues.';(P. 172 Native Literature in Canada.) Highway once said, 'We grew up with myths. They're the core of our identity as people.';(P. 172 Native Literature in Canada.) I am going to focus on the image and identity of Native people as seen through the play The Rez Sisters. Identity is 'how you view yourself and your life.'; (p. 12 Knots in a String.) Your identity helps you determine where you think you fit in, in your life. It is 'a rich complexity of images, ideas and associations.';(p. 12 Knots in a String.) It is given that as we go through our lives and encounter different experiences our identity of yourselves and where we belong may change. As this happens we may gain or relinquish new values and from this identity and image our influenced. 'A bad self-image and low self-esteem may form part of identity?but often the cause is not a loss of identity itself so much as a loss of belonging.'; Social psychologists suggest that identity is closely related to our culture. Native people today have been faced with this challenge against their identity as they are increasingly faced with a non-native society. I will prove that the play The Rez Sisters showed this loss of identity and loss of belonging. When a native person leaves the reservation to go and start a new life in a city they are forced to adapt to a lifestyle they are not accustomed to. They do not feel as though they fit in or belong to any particular culture. They are faced with extreme racism and stereotypes from other people in the nonreservational society. 'The Rez Sisters won the Dora Mavor Moore award for the best play in 1986-87 and later went on to earn extravagant praise at the Edinburgh Festival.'; (P. 172 Native Literature in Canada.) The play is full of comedy, trag... ...rs, '?was one of the most toughing exuberant, cleverly crafted and utterly entrancing plays?';(Cover The Rez Sisters.) Tomson Highway did a great job at giving the reader an idea of what reserve life is about. He gave us the opportunity to experience the hardships of native people and some insight to how they form their identity.   Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After reading this wonderfully written play I do believe that our culture plays a very important role in how we as people form our identity and determines where we feel we belong. Nanabush had a great deal to do with the women keeping their current identities and since of belonging. I feel that if we believe in a spirit and surrender or lives to them they will take care of us just as Nanabush did in this play. We all need to belong somewhere and feel comfort in our lives. We as human beings need to open our eyes and see we can all belong together and live in one society without dropping our culture but before this can happen we need to end racism and stereotyping. These are the two main factors that push people, more commonly native people, into the loss of belonging the loss of their culture and the loss of the core of their identity.

Food Inc Essay

Food Inc. opens in an American supermarket and draws attention to the unnatural nature of year-round tomatoes and boneless meat. It pulls aside the curtain that is concealing the truth about food from the consumer. After the brief intro, the movie shifts its focus to the topic of fast food and its impact on the meat industries. Fast food virtually started with McDonald’s. When they decided to simplify their menu and hire employees that repeated one task over and over for minimum wage, the result was the fast food phenomenon that swept the United States, and then the world. Today, McDonald’s is the largest purchaser of beef and potatoes in the United States, and is one of the largest purchasers of pork, chicken, tomatoes, and apples. Though an unintentional consequence, this has had a drastic impact on the way all food is processed. The top four meat packers now control over 80% of the market, the Tyson Corporation being the largest of them all. The documentary next takes us to a Chicken farm in Kentucky and explains that, since the 1950s, chickens have doubled in size, and they reach that incredible size in half the time it used to take them to reach their more natural size. Chickens today are genetically modified to have larger breasts in response to the consumer preference for white meat. The chickens grow at such a rate that their bones and organs can’t keep up with the rapid growth of the muscles, or the meat. The original farmer that was followed in the documentary was unable to take the filmmakers inside the chicken houses. After being visited multiple times by Tyson representatives, the farmer informed the filmmakers that he would be unable to escort them inside. After a long search, a woman finally stepped forward and agreed to take the filmmakers inside an overly-crowded coop and behind the veil of the modern chicken industry. The next veil that is lifted by the film is that of the corn industry. Corn can be chemically engineered into many different products, such as the extremely unhealthy high-fructose corn syrup. Corn costs more to make than it is worth, so it is subsidized by the government, encouraging even more of its use. Corn is the number one grain used to feed animals for slaughter. Feeding cows corn instead of their natural diet lead to the unintentional creation of 157H7 E. coli, a deadly bacteria that can kill. The film reveals how food standards have dropped, with only 9,164 safety inspections from the FDA each year as compared to over 50,000 in 1972. The food industry has become consolidated to the point of a few companies having a great deal of power and influence via the government. The USDA is no longer able to shutdown plants with contaminated meat. A bill titled â€Å"Kevin’s Law† had the intent of changing that, but, after 6 years, the bill still has not been passed. Food companies have made some attempts to reduce E. coli by cleaning their meats in an ammonia solution. However, unhealthy food is being subsidized and contributing to American obesity and the rise of type 2 diabetes in adolescents. The film then travels to a hog processing plant that kills 32,000 hogs a day. They expose the strategy of the company to hire extremely poor and illegal immigrants who can’t afford to quit their jobs, despite problems with frequent infections of the hands and fingernails, a side effect of poor sanitation standards. We then discover that it has been legal to patent life since the 1980s, and learn about the company Monsanto’s round up resistant soybean that now makes up 90% of the soybean market. Monsanto systematically sues offenders that break copyright laws. Private investigators are hired to monitor and find any infringements. Even if infringement was unavoidable, smaller, neighboring farmers are forced to purchase the round up resistant seeds. Monsanto has a great deal of political influence, with close ties to both parties. Both the Bush and Clinton administrations had close ties with Monsanto. Only the consolidated power of consumers can overcome the political and economical power of the large food processing companies. We owe it to ourselves to use that power to demand healthier, organic foods. In a free economy, the consumer has the ultimate power. Just as the tobacco industry was exposed and its power drastically reduced, so too can the substandard food industry be wrangled into submission.

Minor Assignment Marketing Mix Essay

Introduction This report has been compiled in order to describe the four most common elements of the marketing mix which are described by Elliot, Rundle-Thiele and Waller (2010 p.18-21) in the following few sentences. * Product – â€Å"A good, service or idea offered to the market for exchange.† (p.18) * Price – â€Å"The amount of money a business demands in exchange for its offerings.† (p.20) * Promotion – â€Å"The marketing activities that make potential customers, partners and society aware of and attracted to the business’s offerings.† (p.20) * Place (Distribution) – â€Å"The means of making the offering available to the customer at the right time and place† (p.21) In conjunction with these descriptions, all four marketing mix elements will be analysed and shown how they can be applied to retail petrol outlets and the products which are made available to customers. The Marketing Mix Elliot et. al describe the marketing mix as â€Å"the different elements that marketers need to consider.† (2010 p. 18) When using the marketing mix to market retail petrol outlets such as Caltex Woolworths or Coles Express, marketers need to consider the Product, Price, Promotion and Distribution (Place) of not only petrol, but many other consumer and specialty products which retail petrol outlets offer. Product It can be seen in retail petrol stations that other than the expected fuels like unleaded and diesel which are generally relatively low in terms of their profit margin, â€Å"some oil firms claim that supermarkets sell petrol at a loss in order to attract customers.† (The Economist, 1996 p.58) Other products are required in order to boost profits for the retail petrol chains’ owner. These other products are mostly the convenience type and can range from the daily newspaper and chewing gum, to a bottle of orange juice or a loaf of bread. There are three categories of convenience products outlined by Elliot et al. which are all found in retail petrol outlets and include staple products, impulse products and emergency products. (2010 p. 207) * Staple products – These are considered to be everyday grocery products like bread and milk, purchased regularly by consumers and therefore aren’t heavily promoted * Impulse products – These are considered to be only purchased when seen, like confectionary or magazines which are eye catching and are usually found around the cash register. * Emergency products – These are considered to be those products which are only purchased when really needed, like a raincoat or an umbrella. Although there are a lot of products sold by retail petrol outlets like Caltex Woolworths and Coles Express, the obvious product centred on all retail petrol outlets is the fuel supplied to consumers. The varieties of fuels which can be purchased can include: * E10 – 10% Ethanol. * E85 – 85% Ethanol. * E95 – 95% Ethanol. * Unleaded – Standard fuel. * Hi Octane – Offered for high performance vehicles. * LPG – Alternative to liquid fuel, a Gas product. * Diesel – More efficient lower sulphur producing by product. There is a vast selection of fuels for consumers to choose from and although the blends of fuels stay similar, the names and descriptions of these fuels tend to change from outlet to outlet. For example, when you drive into a Caltex Woolworths you are confronted with the choice of â€Å"Caltex Vortex 95 or 98,† both are hi octane blends offered to a prospective purchaser. (Woolworths fuels, Website.) Price When dealing with topic of pricing in retail petrol stores, the outcome of the price has to be both beneficial to the seller, and seen as a good deal to the buyer, otherwise no trades will take place. As stated previously, petrol itself tends to have a lower margin for profit which means the strategic pricing of other products in-store needs to be addressed as well as ensuring that the price of petrol is not seen as out of balance with other suppliers. There is an obvious demand for petrol, as almost everyone who is able, drives or rides a vehicle which requires fuel to run. So it could be argued that retail petrol stations don’t necessarily set their own prices, but go off supplier guidelines which base their fuel pricing strategy on demand, â€Å"Demand based pricing sets prices according to the level of aggregate or individual customer demand in the market.† (Elliott et al. 2010 p. 250) Elliott et al. also continue to write that both Caltex Woolworths and Coles Express hold more than 60% of the Australian fuel market share (2010 p.268) so high demand from their suppliers will enable them to lower their fuel prices and therefore gain more customers, earning higher profits. Pricing of other products offered by retail petrol outlets such as bread or milk tend to have the opportunity to be competitive and more fairly priced than a standard petrol station, the major grocery companies behind retail petrol outlets like Woolworths and Coles focus on gaining more ground off one and other, price drops are reflected in store and this also proves more profitable, because consumers are drawn into purchasing something they wouldn’t normally associate with their petrol. Promotion An important aspect in the success of retail petrol outlets is in their promotion, or the way in which their fuels and other products are portrayed to potential customers. There are many numbers of ways in which retail petrol outlets use promotional tools to make the public more aware of what their outlet has to offer. Using the Coles Express website for example, it can be seen that promotion plays a major role in the marketing of retail petrol outlets, on the homepage can be found five key promotional campaigns designed to catch the eye of potential customers. The opportunity to win â€Å"the ultimate weekend Ferrari drive experience† or â€Å"two Cadbury chocolate bars for four dollars† (Coles Express, website) are two examples of how Coles Express use promotion as a tool to gain the interest of potential customers. The use of shopper dockets and rewards cards are also a major way in which retail petrol outlets have promoted themselves, using incentives of cheaper fuel by spending amounts of money in store or purchasing earlier in their supermarkets and bringing the docket to the petrol station in order to gain the fuel discount. In the recent past, retail petrol outlets have encouraged shoppers to buy big in store in order to earn big discounts off fuel â€Å"motorists who spend more than $300 during one supermarket visit during the next three days receive a 40 cent per litre petrol discount. Shoppers who spend more than $200 or more receive a 25 cent a litre discount, while those who spend $100 or more get a 10 cent a litre discount.† (Cranston 2009) Woolworths have the â€Å"Everyday Rewards† program, and Coles have the â€Å"Fly buys† rewards program. Both these programs offer rewards point in exchange for purchases made in their outlets. Another way in which retail petrol outlets can promote their product is through sponsorship, Coles Express for example are sponsoring Daffodil day, a program not normally associated with fuel but this can help to grow an organisations image, by supporting such a worthy cause, Coles express may gain respect from the community and in turn boost their profits. Place (Distribution) The transportation and distribution of products including fuel to retail petrol outlets operates under the marketing mix category of â€Å"Place.† â€Å"The science (or art) of ensuring products are in the right place at the right time in the right quantity is known as logistics and the various partners that contribute to the process make up is called the supply chain.† (Elliot et al. 2010 p.21) Retail petrol outlets operate somewhat differently to conventional service stations, the retail petrol outlets are often situated near to a parent supermarket company (in the same complex) which makes supply of products other than fuel relatively easy as the distance for stock to travel is minimal. When looking at the fuel aspect, it can be seen that the logistics tend to become a lot more involved and a more defined supply chain emerges. * First fuel is sourced from their respective supplier (Caltex or Shell) on a relatively routine basis, as fuel is a required product for most of the community. * The fuel is then transported by truck from oil refineries which are based in more coastal areas (Caltex oil refinery in Kurnell NSW) which makes it easier to transfer oil from overseas oil barges when new shipments arrive. * When the trucks reach the retail petrol outlet the fuel is then pumped into underground holding tanks, where the fuel can now be distributed to the customer via the petrol pump and now exchange of fuels can be made for a profit. Conclusion This report was compiled in order to describe the four elements of the marketing mix: * Product * Price * Promotion * Place (distribution) The descriptions of these marketing mix elements were also shown in application; how they are applied when breaking down the four aspects in relation to retail petrol outlets. Focusing on the Caltex Woolworths and Coles Express partnerships it was able to be shown how the marketing mix elements are applied. Products have been broken down into specific fuels and other items which are available to potential customers, these products have also been categorised as either: Staple, Impulse or Emergency. Price has been shown to be of vital importance, and the outcome of the price has to be both beneficial to the seller, and seen as a good deal to the buyer. Promotion has also proven to be of high importance to the overall marketing of retail petrol outlets, the use of shopper dockets for discounts, and sponsorship for awareness and image are important promotional tools outlined above. Place (Distribution) outlines the logistics and supply chain which is in place for retail petrol outlets to gain their product in order to forward it onto the paying public to gain an overall profit. All four of these marketing mix elements play their own equally pivotal role in ensuring the successful operation of retail petrol outlets. References Coles Express website www.colesexpress.com.au Cranston, B. (2009) NSW: ACCC investigating supermarket petrol promotion. AAP Australian National News wire Elliott, G. Rundle-Thiele, S. & Waller, D. (2010) Marketing. Pump Action, The Economist. (1996) Vol. 338 Issue 7950, page 58 Woolworths petrol website www.woolworthspetrol.com.au

Ten Reasons to Learn English

Ten Reasons to Learn English Here are ten reasons to learn English - or any language really. Weve chosen these ten reasons as they express a wide range of not only learning goals, but also personal goals. 1. Learning English Is Fun   We should rephrase this: learning English can be fun. For many students, it isnt much fun. However, we think thats just a problem of how you learn English. Take time to have fun learning English by listening to music, watching a movie, challenging yourself to games in English. There are so many opportunities to learn English while having fun. Theres no excuse not to enjoy yourself, even if you have to learn grammar. 2. English Will Help You Succeed in Your Career This is obvious to anyone who lives in our modern world. Employers want employees who speak English. This might not be fair, but it is the reality. Learning English to take a test such as the IELTS or TOEIC will give you a qualification that others might not have, and that might help you get the job you need. 3. English Opens Up International Communications You are on the internet learning English right now. We all know the world needs more love and understanding. What better way to improve the world than to communicate in English (or other languages) with those from other cultures?! 4. Learning English Will Help Open Your Mind We believe that we are all brought up to see the world in one way. Thats a good thing, but at a certain point, we need to expand our horizons. Learning English will help you understand the world through a different language. Understanding the world through a different language will also help you view the world from a different perspective. In other words, learning English helps to open your mind. 5. Learning English Will Help Your Family Being able to communicate in English can help you reach out and discover new information. This new information could help save the life of someone in your family. Well, it certainly can help you help the other people in your family who dont speak English. Just imagine yourself on a trip and you are responsible for communicating with others in English. Your family will be very proud. 6. Learning English Will Keep Alzheimers Away Scientific research says that using your mind to learn something helps keep your memory intact. Alzheimers - and other diseases dealing with brain functions - isnt nearly as powerful if youve kept your brain flexible by learning English. 7. English Will Help You Understand Those Crazy Americans and Brits Yes, American and British cultures are  rather strange at times. Speaking English will certainly give you insight into why these cultures are so crazy! Just think, you will understand English cultures, but they probably wont understand yours because they dont speak the language. Thats a real advantage in so many ways. 8. Learning English  Will Help You Improve Your Sense of Time English is obsessed with verb tenses. In fact, there are twelve tenses in English. Weve noticed that this is not the case in many other languages. You can be sure that by learning English you will gain a keen sense of when something happens due to the English languages use of time expressions. 9. Learning English Will Allow You to Communicate in Any Situation Chances are that someone will speak English no matter where you are. Just imagine you are on a deserted island with people from all over the world. Which language will you speak? Probably English! 10. English Is the World Language OK, OK, this is an obvious point weve already made. More people speak Chinese, more nations have Spanish as their mother tongue, but, realistically. English is the language of choice throughout the world today.

How to Format a Biology Lab Report

How to Format a Biology Lab Report If you are taking a general biology course or AP Biology, at some point you will have to do biology lab experiments. This means that you will also have to complete biology lab reports. The purpose of writing a lab report is to determine how well you performed your experiment, how much you understood about what happened during the experimentation process, and how well you can convey that information in an organized fashion. Lab Report Format A good lab report format includes six main sections: TitleIntroductionMaterials and MethodsResultsConclusionReferences Keep in mind that individual instructors may have a specific format that they require you to follow. Please be sure to consult your teacher about the specifics of what to include in your lab report. Title:  The title states the focus of your experiment. The title should be to the point, descriptive, accurate, and concise (ten words or less). If your instructor requires a separate title page, include the title followed by the name(s) of the project participant(s), class title, date, and instructors name. If a title page is required, consult your instructor about the specific format for the page. Introduction:  The introduction of a lab report states the purpose of your experiment. Your hypothesis should be included in the introduction, as well as a brief statement about how you intend to test your hypothesis. To be sure that you have a good understanding of your experiment, some educators suggest writing the introduction after you have completed the methods and materials, results, and conclusion sections of your lab report. Methods and Materials:  This section of your lab report involves producing a written description of the materials used and the methods involved in performing your experiment. You should not just record a list of materials, but indicate when and how they were used during the process of completing your experiment. The information you include should not be overly detailed  but should include enough detail so that someone else could perform the experiment by following your instructions. Results:  The results section should include all tabulated data from observations during your experiment. This includes charts, tables, graphs, and any other illustrations of data you have collected. You should also include a written summary of the information in your charts, tables, and/or other illustrations. Any patterns or trends observed in your experiment or indicated in your illustrations should be noted as well. Discussion and Conclusion:  This section is where you summarize what happened in your experiment. You will want to fully discuss and interpret the information. What did you learn? What were your results? Was your hypothesis correct, why or why not? Were there any errors? If there is anything about your experiment that you think could be improved upon, provide suggestions for doing so. Citation/References:  All references used should be included at the end of your lab report. That includes any books, articles, lab manuals, etc. that you used when writing your report. Example APA citation formats for referencing materials from different sources are listed below. BookName of author or authors (last name, first initial, middle initial)Year of publicationTitle of bookEdition (if more than one)Place where published (city, state) followed by a colonPublisher nameFor example: Smith, J. B. (2005). Science of Life. 2nd Edition. New York, NY: Thompson Brooks.JournalName of author or authors (last name, first initial, middle initial)Year of publicationArticle titleJournal titleVolume followed by issue number (issue number is in parenthesis)Page numbersFor example: Jones, R. B. Collins, K. (2002). Creatures of the desert. National Geographic. 101(3), 235-248. Your instructor may require that you follow a specific citation format. Be sure to consult your teacher concerning the citation format that you should follow. What Is an Abstract? Some instructors also require that you include an abstract in your lab report. An abstract is a concise summary of your experiment. It should include information about the purpose of the experiment, the problem being addressed, the methods used for solving the problem, overall results from the experiment, and the conclusion drawn from your experiment. The abstract typically comes at the beginning of the lab report, after the title, but should not be composed until your written report is completed. View a sample lab report template. Do Your Own Work Remember that lab reports are individual assignments. You may have a lab partner, but the work that you do and report on should be your own. Since you may see this material again on an exam, it is best that you know it for yourself. Always give credit where credit is due on your report. You dont want to plagiarize the work of others. That means you should properly acknowledge the statements or ideas of others in your report.

We do not need guest workers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

We do not need guest workers - Assignment Example Samuelson argues that legalizing the inflow of illegal immigrants such as the guest-workers in United States will be the same as importing poverty (221). He supports his argument by pointing out that an increase in population growth and depletion of national resources is likely to result into an irreversible economic problem. 222, Samuelson says that since the year 1980, the number of low-income Hispanics in United States has risen to 162% (222). However, it is my view that the author criticizes the issue with a lot of harshness. He uses sarcastic phrases and statements such as â€Å"Its a myth that the U.S. economy needs more poor immigrants† and â€Å"we’d be importing poverty† (Samuelson 222). However, the author still manages to present his opinions with substantive evidence and reasons showing why more guest-workers in the country will lead to future problems. The author’s article is interesting and informative at the same time. For example, I was not aware that 400,000 guest workers get admitted annually in United States (Samuelson 222). In conclusion, Samuelson’s article, like all the other collections in Penfield’s book has many elements that make it essential for development of a student’s argument skills and critical thinking. For such reasons, I would recommend my friends to read chapter 8 and other chapters of the book, in Robert Samuelson’s part of the

American me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

American me - Essay Example It usually comes to the aid of developing and under-developed countries when disasters such as war, hunger and terrorist attacks happen. The people of America come from different origins; we do not look at ethnical backgrounds of people but their nationality (Swirski). Our culture is described as mainstream American culture which combines a number of cultures for example, the European, and African-American. As an American citizen by birth, I am patriotic to my country, ready to serve whenever called upon. I love hiking and sea sports which Americans are well known for. Every summer holiday we go for camping and skiing with my family and sometimes my friends too. Being the tourists that we are I have visited a lot of places and different states, and interacted with different people. The American people are usually givers and this characteristic is a foundation passed on from one generation to another. My parents taught me to give at a tender age; we used to carry the things we do not need to church where they were then distributed to the less fortunate in the community. Sometimes they were sent to Africa to war tone countries where there are no resources. I travelled to Africa once, not on a welfare journey but on safari, I was astonished at the rich culture the people had, they were welcoming living as brothers and sisters. They share what they have however little it may be, one time I thanked God for all I have. They had animals which I only used to see in the Zoo and others in books only, For example the lion king of the jungle, the antelopes, gazelles and hyenas animals that can only survive in savannah areas. I love to enjoy life, I believe that we only live once and so we should enjoy life. That is what I do by sharing time with my friends and appreciating them, spending time with my family and partying. Americans are known for hosting the best parties and staying till dawn. This is the best way to

Macroeconomics In Healthcare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Macroeconomics In Healthcare - Essay Example It is estimated that the global community currently provides roughly $2 billion per year to health in the poorest countries. For the poorest economies, spending does appear to make a difference. Gro Harlem Bruntland, Director General of the World Health Organization, believes that â€Å"health has a central role in the world economy. Yet, few finance officials and development economists have so far explored the potential importance of health investment as an instrument for reducing poverty† (Ivinson551). Improved health is potentially advantageous to poor economies. Increased life expectancy can lead to increased productivity and economic stability for many poor families, assuming that opportunities for work and education are readily available. However, in some of the poorest economies, opportunity for increased income from work is very limited. In some areas, basic infrastructure such as roads, utilities and means for production does not exist. Often political corruption prev ents those who are healthy and physically able to work for many years from realizing their true income potential. Even relocation to areas with more work opportunities are difficult with limited income and few safe roads. In those areas, it is a combination of increased spending on health care, increased development of infrastructure and acitivities which remove or reduce corruption that must take place simultaneously for the poorest economies to benefit overall. Improved health care alone will not bring about much change in economic conditions.

Business Analysis of Honeywell International

Business Analysis of Honeywell International Honeywell International is a Fortune 100 global diversified technology and manufacturing leader with revenues to the tune of $30.9 billion. The company has four strategic business units, namely Aerospace, Access and Control Solutions (ACS), Transportation Systems, and Specialty Materials. Honeywell employs about 123,000 employees in more than 123 countries of which over 10,000 are employed in India. The organizational structure of Honeywell India is illustrated in ) This thesis aims to formulate a design and implementation plan for a formalized onboarding program for two of the Strategic Business Units (SBUs) of Access and Control Solutions (ACS) namely: Honeywell Security Group (HSG) and ADI. Honeywell Security Group (HSG) Honeywell Security is an international supplier and distributor of electronic security systems and solutions. Honeywell Security is a business unit of Honeywell International, $34 billion diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials. (Honeywell, 2010) Honeywell Security has an extraordinary range of solutions across intrusion detection, Video surveillance, access control technologies Home net systems and invests over $50 million a year in research and development. It has its engineering centers of excellence in the U.S., Canada, China, Korea, India, Scotland and France and leverages technologies that are developed elsewhere in Honeywell and brings them to the security business. Honeywell Security South Asia operations spans across Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and other South Asian countries with HQ in India. Headquartered at Gurgaon, Honeywell Security has sales offices in Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata catering to all four corners of the country. An exponentially growing business unit of Honeywell International, Honeywell Security caters to all electronic security needs for Industrial, Government, Defense, Transportation, Commercial, Retail, Hotel, Hospital, Corporate Buildings, IT, ITES, Banking and also the Residential market. Lines of Business Video Systems Products range from basic camera systems to fully integrated systems capable of working on LAN and over internet. Access Control Systems Single door applications to integrated enterprise level access control systems. Integrated Security Systems Use of access control, alarm monitoring, video badging, digital video, CCTV, visitor management and perimeter intrusion detection on vindicator platform to provide a comprehensive security management solution integrated with process control, building management control and other enterprise level systems. Intrusion Detection Systems Intrusion detection products ranging from the simplest door contact to the central station receiver. Home Systems Sophisticated end to end technology solutions for comfortable, secure informed living. In India, HSG employs about 61 employees constituting of about 33 sales employees ADI ADI is a $1.8 billion leading distribution business encompassing security, fire, sound and low voltage products, with over 219 branches across North America, Europe, Mid-East Africa. ADI globally represents more than 700 leading vendors and is a global distributor for more than 80,000 products. ADI also partners with customers by providing business tools, products and services they need to enhance their capabilities and grow their business. (Honeywell, 2010) Beginning 2006, ADI launched its distribution business in Asia with first three branches in India at Gurgaon, Bangalore Mumbai. ADI also has a team of sales professionals in New Delhi, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Jaipur, Pune, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Cochin and Hyderabad. ADIs goal in India is to build a successful distribution model to satisfy the burgeoning need for quality and cost-effective security, fire, sound and other low-voltage electronic products in the rapidly growing Indian economy. ADI in India represents over 40 leading industry brands in 7 product categories; over 2000 products and offers its customers a one stop shop value proposition at convenient branch locations, with multiple brands, local stocking, competitive pricing, training technical support and customer business centre all under one roof. In India, ADI employs about 120 employees constituting of about 82 sales employees. Lines of Business CCTV Fixed Cameras, Speed Dome Cameras, Digital Video Recorders (DVR), Monitors, Lens, Accessories. Intrusion Alarm Wired Wireless Control Panels, Keypads, PIR, Panic Switch, Magnetic Contacts, Gas-leak detectors, Sounders, Sensors, Speech Dialers, Accessories. Home Automation Video Door Phones, Multi-apartment solutions, Home Systems, Accessories. Access Control Single Multi-door Controllers, Readers, Cards, Locking devices, Accessories. Fire Alarm Conventional Addressable Control panels, Sensors Detectors, Call points, Notification Appliances, Initiation Devices, Accessories. Sound Speakers, Amplifiers, Microphones, Intelligent PA Systems, Professional Audio, Accessories. Chapter 8: Problem Statement The time taken for a sales employee currently to become productive, that is, start contributing effectively to the business at HSG and ADI divisions is about 6 months to a year. This problem has been even more consistent in ADI since its entry into the Indian market in 2006. This has a direct impact on productivity and revenue generation. Productivity is defined by an employees achievement of their key result areas (KRA) with a primary focus on target revenue achievement. Retention of employees is another concern especially at ADI. The attrition level is 13% at HSG and 31% at ADI year-to-date (YTD). This Management Research Report aims to understand the key reasons for attrition in the two divisions and the delays in productivity. Chapter 9: Hypothesis According to a study conducted by the Aberdeen Group, 90% new hires make their decision about whether to stay in the company within 6 months of joining. Inspite of this only 88% of companies have onboarding programs of duration less than 6 months (Refer to ). Another research reveals that over 50% of new hire sales people leave voluntarily or are terminated before they even become productive. The above statistics indicate the correlation between a formalized onboarding program and the productivity of an employee thereby leading to the hypothesis that investing in a formalized onboarding program and other engagement initiatives improves productivity and retention of an employee and increases revenues. It is a cost that needs to be incurred by a company so that the employees become productive assets by generating steady revenue streams on a regular basis. Chapter 10: Approach and Methodology Approach This project is approached through a combination of primary and secondary researches. The primary research piece includes interviews with the business leaders, sales employees and human resource managers. The intent is to analyze the problem from the business, employees and the process owners perspective. The secondary research was conducted via published reports and white papers about onboarding best practices. Once the results of the research were tabulated, an onboarding framework was designed based on the gaps identified between the current and desired state. A cost-benefit analysis is also conducted to estimate the effectiveness of the onboarding program. Lastly, through the use of Six Sigma tools, a Failure Modes and Effects Analyses (FMEA) study is undertaken for the proposed onboarding framework to identify, prioritize and mitigate potential risks associated with the program. At the end, some priority action points are suggested for the implementation of the program. Research Methodology Two questionnaires were rolled out for the research based on the initial inputs from the Human Resources team, namely for the business leaders and the sales employees. The questionnaires were sent to heads of the two SBUs and based on their availability, they were interviewed. The questionnaire for the business heads was designed with the intent of identifying the core issues in processes which might impede employee productivity (for example, recruitment policy, onboarding/training employees, performance evaluation or engagement) and to understand the desired state of a productive employee from the business leaders perspective. The second questionnaire was sent to a few of the sales employees at both of the SBUs. The sample employees selected for the interviews consisted of new sales employees who were about 6 months old in the organization. The others included some who have been with Honeywell for over a year. The intent of the interview was to identify the key challenges faced by the new employees in getting adequately oriented to the business. The secondary research was conducted with the intent of understanding onboarding best practices. Some of the published reports and white papers consulted were taken from Corporate Leadership Council (CLC), Aberdeen Group, Kaiser Associates, Bersin Associates and Gallup Consulting. Chapter 11: Analysis Employee Profile at ADI Figure Employee break-up by function in ADI Figure Sales v/s Non-sales employee mix As displayed in Figure 14 and 15, the sales function forms a major portion of the employee population in Honeywell ADI. Understanding that ADI is in the distribution business and the presence of numerous players, both organized and unorganized, makes the market extremely competitive and explains the sales driven nature of the organization. Figure Total work experience of employees in ADI Sales Division The division employs more skilled employees than fresh graduates (Figure 16). The maximum sales employee work force has a total work experience between 2-4 years Figure Work Experience in ADI Sales Division (in months) ADI has a fairly new workforce; most employees have spent only about 6 months in the organization (Figure 17). This signifies that there is a high turnover in the ADI and people are being hired more frequently. Additionally, the loyalty of ADI employees seems to diminish over the years spent in the organization. Figure ADI Sales Employee Industry Experience Profile Most sales employees have a background in security or IT. This implies that Honeywell aims to recruit as many people with a background in Security, although due to a lack of available skilled talent, they prefer to recruit from the IT industry, followed by distribution (Figure 18). A need for technical knowledge is the reason for IT and security taking precedence over distribution. Other industries include telecommunications, computer hardware, FMCG, chemicals, dish television providers etc. Employee Profile at HSG Figure Employee break-up by function in HSG Figure Employee break up Sales v/s Non Sales: HSG As displayed in Figure 19 and 20, just like the ADI division, the sales function too forms a major portion of the employee population in the HSG division as well. Figure Total work experience of employees in HSG Sales Division The division employs more skilled employees than fresh graduates (Figure 21). The maximum sales employee work force has a total work experience between 2-4 years. However this variation is less in HSG as compared to ADI. Figure Work Experience in HSG Sales Division (in month) Figure Composition of employees by tenure in organization Comparative view HSG vs. ADI While experienced in the industry, HSG has a workforce new to Honeywell; most employees have spent only about six months in the organization (Figure 22). However a comparative look at the composition of employees by tenure in the organization (Figure 23), suggests that there are a greater number of employees hired at a faster rate in ADI than HSG. In ADI. 37% of the employee population has spent six or less than six months in the organization as compared to 27% in HSG. Also there are a greater number of older employees in HSG than ADI. This suggests that employee retention is better in HSG than in ADI for employees who spend more than 36 months in the organization. Figure Sales Employee Industry Profile: HSG Most sales employees have a background in IT or Security. This implies that Honeywell aims to recruit as many people with a background in Security, although due to a lack of available skilled talent, they prefer to recruit from the IT industry, followed by System Integration. A need for technical knowledge is the reason for IT and Security taking precedence over System Integration. (Figure 24) Interview Results Interviews with Business Leaders: Challenges and Findings (Please refer to and for the details of the interview) This section summarizes the key findings from the interviews conducted with the business leaders of the ADI (Harish Vellat) and HSG (Anil Mehra) Divisions respectively. ADI: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To enable the sales employee to have an intelligent conversation with the customer. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Meet both product and category wise targets à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To get a good knowledge about both Honeywell and competitor products à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Understand the customer and preempt his expectations. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Clearly state objectives and desired outcomes of the onboarding program to the employees HSG: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Low awareness about the industry and hence lack of relevant talent. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lack of a formalized onboarding/ training schedule à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Challenge to administer employees based in remote locations à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ No formalized feedback process to gauge the effectiveness of the onboarding program à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To bring the employees on board at the earliest Interviews with New Sales Employees: Findings ADI à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Most respondents have relevant work experience. A lot of them have worked in the profile of a System Integrator. Previous employers: Godrej, Vodaphone, Voltas, Sony Ericsson. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The aggressive fast paced nature of work is a challenge. The product portfolios that the employees were handling at Honeywell are much larger as compared to their previous roles where it was much smaller. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Employees sense a lack of in-depth knowledge about the products. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lack of clarity of role/ processes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Control measures implemented in case of lack of clarity: Technical team, branch manager, colleagues. Most employees said that they prefer contacting their immediate colleagues first due to easy reach. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Other employees supported the idea of having a buddy/mentorship system in place since it would serve as a platform for potential employees to take on higher roles HSG à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Induction winded up too fast. Too much information in very little time à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lack of clear understanding of the business models. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ People based in remote locations face a problem in reaching out to their RMs directly à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Changing the mindset of people to open up to a niche product/market à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lack of clarity on processes especially order and collection processes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Products are priced at par/high priced compared to competitors and the challenges are in justifying the product to them. Ideal versus Current State of New employee productivity at Honeywell Current State: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Time to Productivity Currently it takes about 6 months to a year for an employee to reach productivity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Selling Skills Employees selling skills is currently based on their previous work experience. They lack selling skills specific to Honeywell and the distribution model. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Industry/ company knowledge Employees come from similar industries and have a fair understanding of the industry. However they lack the understanding of the impact of their contribution to Honeywell objectives. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Product Knowledge Employees do not feel confident about their understanding of the products as they think the product trainings wind up too fast and the product portfolio is large. A few respondents also felt that Honeywell products are priced at par or higher than a few competitors and they find it challenging to justify the product to the customers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learning internal processes (order, booking, preparing bill of quantities etc.) Employees do not feel comfortable with the processes and utilize previous work experience to comply with processes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Build relationships with various functions (commercial, marketing, technical, supply chain etc.) Lack of interaction with marketing team, inadequate technical support à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Engagement in day to day selling activities (prospecting/ meeting customer) Employees selling skills is currently based on their previous work experience. Lack of clarity on everyday process which increases follow ups with managers/colleagues. Ideal State: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Time to Productivity Desired state would be to reduce the time to productivity to 3-4 months à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Selling skills Employees should be able to make an intelligent conversation with the customer. They should possess employee good prospecting skills and should continuously communicate with the customers by asking questions, listening to them and collecting the information and thereby draw an action plan to approach the same. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Industry/ company knowledge Productive employees should possess a thorough knowledge of the various products offered not only by Honeywell but also the competitors. These employees should be able to connect individual objectives to Honeywell objectives. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Product knowledge The employees should have a deep understanding of the products. They should be able to bring out the strengths of each product to the customer to justify the price and add value. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Learning internal processes (order, booking, preparing bill of quantities etc.) A productive employee should adhere to all internal processes from the start to the closure of an account; customer evaluation, payment, order taking, billing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Build relationships with various functions (commercial, marketing, technical, supply chain etc.) A productive employee needs to work in coherence with other functional teams to get better market information and tune the companys environment to market conditions (competitor moves, changing market trends, forecasting demand) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Engagement in day to day selling activities (prospecting/ meeting customer) A productive employee consistently follows up with the customer, is extremely responsive to customer demands and prepares a plan of action from themselves. Summary of Ideal versus Current State Figure Summary of Ideal versus Current State The current state of Actual versus Target Sales achievement and Bonus Payouts is summarized below. Actual versus Target Sales and Gross Margin Achievement Market Share Total Market Size ($) 349,000,000    Market Share ADI% 5%    ADI Annual Revenue ($) 17,450,000 Total market size ($) times market share of ADI (%) ADI Gross Margin ($) 13% Actual Gross Margin for ADI Employee Targets # Total Sales Employees in ADI 82    # New employees (not rated) 32    Revenue Target per employee per day (Rs.) 80,000    Revenue Target per employee per day ($) 1818 (1 USD = Rs. 44) # working days 231 52 weeks times 5 working days per week minus 21 paid days off + 8 national holidays Annual Revenue Target per employee ($) 420,000 Sales target per employee per day times # of working days Annual Revenue Target for ADI (all employees) 34,440,000 Annual Sales target per employee times # total sales employees in ADI    Revenue Gross Margin Description Targets Weights in Sales Incentive Program 75% 25%    Target per employee per day ($) 1818 N/A Gross margin for ADI is 20% Annual target per employee ($) 420,000 N/A Annual target per employee times # of working days Annual target for the ADI division 34,440,000 20% Annual target per employee times # total sales employees in ADI Actual versus Target Mismatch Actual as a % of Target 51% 65.00%    Weighted (Actual as % of Target) 38% 16% 75%:25% weight to Revenue: Gross Margin in SIP Figure Target Sales Achievement Figure 29 shows the actual versus target achievement by the sales employees at the ADI division. The total market size as mentioned before for the Electronic Security Market is USD 349 million. ADI accounts for about 5% of the total market share and its gross margin for FY2010 was recorded at 13%. There were 82 sales employees as of June 2010 of which 32 were new (less than 6 months old) and were not rated for performance. The Key Results Area (KRA) set for each sales employee includes Billing of Rs.80,000 (USD 1818) per day and meet weekly targets. For details of the all the KRAs please refer to . Assuming an employee has 5 working days in a week and there are 52 weeks in a year of which there are 21 paid leaves and 8 national holidays, the total number of working days is 231. The annual revenue per target is thus USD 420,000. For a typical sales employee at ADI the sales incentive program is split between individual revenue target achievement and ADIs gross margin target achievemen t. The gross margin target for ADI was set at 20%. The Individual revenue and gross margin SIP components are split in the ratio of 75:25. Knowing the divisions annual revenue achievement in FY2010 was USD 17.45 million and the target revenue is USD 34.44 million, we can infer that the actual revenue as a percentage of target revenue was only 51%. Additionally the actual versus target gross margin achievement is calculated as 65% (13%/20%). Assigning the respective weights based on the SIP, the actual as a percentage of target achievement is 38% and 16% for the revenue and gross margin components respectively. These figures clearly suggest that the division is way behind achievements of its targets. A closer look at Figure 30 also supports the possible reasons for this mismatch. Bonus Payouts Bonus Payout (Actual versus Target) Payout % of target payout Planned       Performance at 75% of target 50%    Performance at 100% of target 100%    Performance at 130% of target 200%    Actual bonus payout       What % of target was bonus paid out Actual 100%    # Sales employees who exceeded target performance (bonus payout >100%) 25 Honeywell Performance Development (HPD) 9 block rating (1,2,4) # New employees who were not rated 32    Potential population at risk 25 # total sales employees in ADI (# of new employees not rated + # sales employees who were paid bonus) Potential attrition rate 30%    Current attrition rate 31% YTD Figure Bonus Payouts Figure 30 illustrates the actual bonuses that were paid out in FY2010 to the ADI sales employees. The sales incentive policy distinguishes the payout at different levels of performance as follows: Figure : Sales Incentive Policy Performance Levels Performance Target Achievement % Payout (% of target payout) Threshold 75% 50% Target 100% 100% Maximum 130% 200% Based on the limited data available, the number of employees who exceeded their performance and got a bonus payout of greater than 100% was estimated based on the performance ratings. Honeywell follows a 9-block performance rating matrix called the Honeywell Performance Development (HPD). The matrix is based on two parameters: results and behaviors with three rating scales namely: Exceeds Honeywell Standards, At Honeywell Standards and Below Honeywell Standards. Additionally, the base salary to incentive is pay mix is in the ratio 65:35. Refer to for the matrix. Based on the matrix, ratings 1, 2 and 4 signify exceeds standards ratings in one of the two parameters at least or both. There were 25 employees who received an HPD rating 1, 2 or 4, while the number of employees who were not rated since they were new is 32 in number. This means that the remaining 25 employees form part of the potential employees who are the risk of leaving the organization. This accounts for an attrition ra te of around 30%. As per the data provided by the Human Resources team as well, the attrition rate was indicated as 31% YTD.