Problem of the organization Essay

The purpose of this case is to understand the situation and the problem the organization has faced and gives possible solutions. The company is conducting work life balance concept to improve the employee satisfaction. Work life balance is intended to maintain the balance between work life and personal life. That is favorably effect to the organization as well as the employees. YTB Bank has faced high absenteeism situation. Even though absenteeism is the practice of regularly staying away from work, here I have identified the absenteeism as a main problem in the case. Therefor I have acknowledged what â€Å"Absenteeism Management† is?. There are many forms to prevent from the absenteeism. Here, I have identified a few of them. Since the organization has faced the problems regarding the absenteeism, I have identified the possible solutions to get rid from that. But there are benefits and difficulties that the manager and the employees can face. Here the implementation of work life balance has gone the wrong way. The reason is, employees do not understand the right implementation of the concept. Because of that they are requesting more flexibility from the manager. For the problem of the case, I have selected the best practices manager can implement. Apprentice employment is the best practice to solve the problem. But there are pros and cons of apprenticeship. There are financial, labor disputes and disadvantages of contract basis employment. I have given a possible solution to get rid of those problems. Finally, I recommend the possible solutions which can implement by the company. Problem Statement and symptoms The problem is four tellers out of seven, requesting leave at the same period. Mr. Gamini as regional manager is facing a problem with requests leave 4 of his tellers out of the 7 at the same time. A. One female teller (A) has already gone on maternity leave and after the cession of the said leave quota she has to report back by next week, yet since her newly born baby was a premature one still she is keeping the child in the Neonatal unit of the Colombo Hospital and meanwhile she has made written request from Mr. Gamini to extend her leave. B. The second teller’s mother has fallen in the house and fractured her leg and this teller being the one and only child of the family had to look after her (B) mother and request at least one month leave. C. The third teller (C) has two little ones in the year 1 and 3 respectively and needs to go early by 12pm to collect her little ones after school since there was no one to take care of them after school as they have come to Colombo recently and the other thing is her husband was a supervisor of a factory who is usually reaching home late. D. The fourth one (D), most competent teller to be a successor to Mr. Gamini after him with good knowledge, skills and experience as identified by Mr. Gamini is demanding to exempt herself for a few hours from daily work in order to continue her MBA. Symptoms Employees do not have proper knowledge about absenteeism. And there is no proper procedure to manage absenteeism. Polices of absenteeism is not carefully established. There is not any flexible work arrangement at the workplace. Literature Review Work-life balance is adjusting day-to-day activities to achieve a sense of balance between work life and personal life. There are benefits of work life balance management. Those have reduced stress levels, at work and at home, Greater focus and concentration, Higher levels of job satisfaction, The opportunity to participate more fully in family and social life, More time to pursue personal goals and hobbies and it is cause to Improve health of employees. Balancing the demands of a busy lifestyle is not an easy thing to do, but is best managed by regularly reviewing and assessing priorities. Setting goals around helps to identify what value highly. Managing time effectively is important. It can be done through reviewing job activities, give priorities and success factors and create a boundary between balancing work and personal time-leave work at work where possible. Build resilience and have a positive attitude is must. Avoid stress, mental exhaustion and burnout, fatigue affect to work productively. Maintain a healthy lifestyle, look after yourself, eat well, sleep well and set aside a little time to exercise or pursue an activity that can enjoy are other factors. Everyone experiences stress at some stage in their life. It is a way for us to know that something in our life is causing us concern and is affecting how we are thinking and feeling. Stress is not always bad. In small doses, it can help you perform under pressure and motivate you to do your best, but when you are constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pays the price. Managing stress is about making a plan to be able to cope effectively with daily pressures. The ultimate goal is to strike a balance between life, work, relationships, relaxation and fun. By doing this you are more able to deal with daily stress triggers and meet these challenges head on. Some strategies that can help to look after the mind and body, and in turn help to better control behaviors that result from too much stress. Consequences Consequences of absenteeism is not only harmful to an employee’s career, but the organization’s bottom line. Alternatively, absenteeism could be an indication of managerial issues. As an example : low employee morale and toxic work environment. Regardless of the reason, there is no doubt that the effects of absenteeism at work are resoundingly negative. Absenteeism hits the financial aspects of the organization. The absent member of staff has the potential to be paid for not producing any product. This can be 100% wages for a period of time which falls pro-rate as the absent period continues. Workers who regularly miss work or show up late risk being let go, forcing employers to go through the time and cost of hiring and training alternates. Complicating matters is the cost of having to pay an alternative employee to complete. Especially if short staffing forces managed to pay that individual over time. Administration of the cover absenteeism, rescheduling other employee, possible extra pay for others to take on the added amount of work. The added workload for peers is another problem. This adds greater pressure to others, requires a faster volume of the peers work to make time for the absent employee’s responsibilities to be covered. Frequent absenteeism can cause tension among co-workers. Employees who show up to work regularly and on time feel frustrated that a chronically late or absent employee is giving them an increased workload by forcing them to fill in. They may also pass judgment on the person’s perceived laziness. This anger can be aggravated further if no disciplinary action is taken. Great chance error due to added work load or adding new responsibilities to novice employees product quality deterioration can be brought about by work peers handling higher workloads. Dissatisfied customers may be resulted from that. Potential for other employees to become over-burdened and risk of them taking time off which of course adds to the circular effect. For those on long term absentees there is the possibility that their employment will be terminated. This requires recruitment to start, followed by interview, induction and training to bring the new employee up to that skill level of the terminated employee. Absenteeism impacts on the training and development of the employee base. If there is insufficient staff cover, employees may not be released for upskilling which adds to the poor performance of the overall organization. These are generic points, many employers will bring a wider range of issues specific to their environment If the employee is suffering personal problems, without a certain degree of flexibility and support from management, this can be even more detrimental than unexcused absences. If managers show zero tolerance for any absenteeism, workers will feel compelled to come in regularly, even if they definitely should not be there. Solutions To prevent difficulties like this, YTB Bank could have followed procedures. There are way outs which possible for the bank. A clear attendance policy. Flexible scheduling. Good documentation. Incentive programs should be tied to attendance. Tie promotions to attendants. The employee is in charge of their destiny. Look at the current scheduling guidelines. Peer pressure drives individual accountability. Let employees come up with their own schedules. Focus the real reasons for absence. Communicate regularly. Maintain contact with employees whilst they are absent from work. Take disciplinary action for unacceptable levels of absence. Include team games. Weight attendance on the scorecard. Share the statistics with departments/sections. Since the bank has introduced â€Å" Work-Life-Balancing-Dual-Responsibilities† process for the employees, managers can not restrict on the situation. Because of the he can adopt â€Å"Flexible Work Arrangements† to handle. Flexible work arrangements are alternate arrangements or schedules from the traditional working day and week. Employees may choose a different work schedule to meet personal or family needs. Alternatively, employers may initiate various schedules to meet their customer needs. There are flexible work arrangements can implement as the manager of YTB Banak. Since the teller is the employee of a bank who deals directly with most customers. There should be a proper schedule to satisfy the customers. The tellers should have experience in cash handling and should have pleasant character. To take a solution there are information to recognize. 1. How many tellers should be there at the same time – Assume at least five tellers should be there to handle customers. 2. What are the days the number of customers is high. 3. Whether there are additional employees in other sections (Internal Recruitment). 4. What is the financial position of the company at the moment. Solutions for teller A According to the case, teller A should get leave because of the unconscious situation she has faced. And she has made written request too. As a manager, Mr Gamini can not give her solution. Because of that she should be released from the problem. It is possible if manager can manage the problem with other three tellers. Pros and cons of the solution Teller A satisfied about the leave and she is happy. And she will expect to report to the work as soon as possible. Other employees also expect more flexibility from the manager. Solutions for teller B Asks teller B to take a person or relation to take care her mother. Or tell her to take her own solution to solve the problem without taking leave. Pros and cons of the solution Teller B is getting disappointed about the workplace and she will demotivate to work. Solutions for teller C The manager can introduce flexible working schedule for the tellers. Teller C expecting go early to take her children. And teller D expects few hours of a day. Therefor, it is possible if D can come to work after 12 o’clock while C can go home to take care of the children. Pros and cons of the solution C and D are happy with the solution. And the tellers can treat customers successfully. B is not happy with the solution and she is disappointing. It is harmful to organizations god will and the policies of the company. Because if the employees are going early and come in the evening is will get the bad image for the people. Ask teller C to find out a day care center near to the office for children and manager can give half hour interval to take children and placed them in a day care center. Or manager can arrange a place to keep children within the office. And she can ask her relative to come and stay with them and take care her children. Solutions for Teller D Since the teller D required few hours of the day, it is better if the manager can give her one day leave for a week. Hence, she works four days in a weak and get one day leave. Pros and Cons of the solution Even though she is happy with the solution other employees also expecting excuses. Alternative Solutions 1. Discuss with the tellers at the same time and ask them to get together, discuss and come up with a solution. And the same time inform them, at lest there should be five tellers in the office same time. Pros and Cons of the solution That is motivating employees to take decisions and understand the importance of their attendance their own. According to that manager can arrange the work schedule. Other employee’s attitudes can be changed. They will discourage of work and they will come up with solutions and the reasons for absentees. 2. Delegation the workload with other tellers in preferable schedule is another solution. It is possible arranged teller C and teller D on a roster basis for morning and evenings and B to at be home. Then to fill the blank of a teller, delegate the work with another five tellers. Pros and Cons of the solution Teller C, teller D and Teller B also happy with the solution. Other tellers are getting frustrated. Because their workload is high. Other tellers getting pressure to finish work. And there is a big possibility to make mistakes. 3. Hiring new employees is another solution for that. The situation has not been going for a long time. Because of that manager can not recruit permanent employee. Because of that, the manager can hire a person for a short time period. There are possible employment types which possible: Probationers Apprentice Fixed Term Contract Casual Employees Seasonal Employment Outsourcing Pros and Cost of the solution There is an additional cost for the company. There are hiring cost, interviewing cost, salary and other administrative cost. But it is a long term investment to the company. New spirit of the company. Recommended Solution Since the attitude and the behavior of the employees are very hard to change, it is not perfectly work above most solutions. Because of that I suggest hiring an employee is the best practice for the problem. From the above employment types, â€Å"Apprentice† is the greatest practical solution. Apprenticeship Apprentice cannot be considered as a workman or an employee. Thus there is no contract of service between an employer and employee. An Apprentice is merely acquiring the knowledge of he/she is interested in and an employer merely undertakes to train him. However some statutes including Industrial Dispute Act, EPF Act and Termination of Employment Act, have brought in an Apprentice within the definition of a workman. Taking on apprentices and trainees can provide real benefits for the company. A new apprentice or trainee can contribute significantly to the bottom line, with practical skills and knowledge acquired through their training. Taking on a new apprentice may also mean eligible for a range of government financial assistance. They can be full-time, part-time or school-based. But that is a cost for the company. Apprenticeships are available in many occupations in a broad range of industries. It can be increased labor disputes. By providing apprenticeship company can spread their good will and company can a word the certificate after the period. That is beneficial for future recruitments. Precautions Training Needs Since the newcomer is an unskilled labor there should be orientation program and training program. For that manager can allow senior employees to train new employees. Pros and Cons : That is wasting the time of experienced employee but at the same time it is an investment for the company. Administration Cost There is an administration cost which should outflow of the company. For the personal file and training documents are included to the administration cost. Pros and Cons : Even though it is a cost should pay from the company, it is increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the operations. Moral Issues Morale and employee relations problems arise when the temps working alongside permanent employees for months, doing the same work and putting in the same hours, but not receiving the same benefits afforded their permanent employee’s co-workers. So it is better to explain the beneficial side of the apprentices and make the team work schedules. Pros and Cons : Again there is a time waste, but still the manager can make a friendly environment to each and every employee. Legal Concerns Recent court decisions have highlighted the fact that the organization must be careful how they hire apprentices. There must be no doubt about the workers’ status and about the lack of eligibility for the benefits of permanent employees. And treat temp workers with the same respect and care the permanent staff. Pros and Cons : The manager has to pay more attention to the legal remnants. And that will hit to the efficiency of the operations. But by paying more attention to those problems, managers can prevent from complex situations. Conclusion Organizations are conducting updated techniques, methods and the process maintain the efficient and effectiveness of operations. Human recourse management is one of the most important concepts of the company. Since the technological equipment and methods increase the productivity, there are arrangements to process and maintain employee satisfaction. HR Managers are responsible for making policies, designing and devising human resource strategies, contributing to the corporate plan of the organization, integrating human resource activities to the main purpose of the organization. Work life balance concept is one of the best practices of HRM. Implementation of the work life balance concept is beneficial for both parties. Efficient, innovative and motivated workforce is an asset to the company. And having a flexible work arrangement is facilitating employee satisfaction. They can easy to handle the day to day works. Before implement the process the management of the company should have proper knowledge about the concept and should identify the requirement of the employee. And they should conduct program to train their employees to implement the concept. Management should have rearranged the policies and schedules to maintain the control the concept. Then only company can increase the bottom line. Otherwise employee may expect more excuses and the flexibility and then they will miss their works. Within the work life balance environment it should be careful to maintain the absenteeism. It is better if management can get a solution from the organization without taking solutions from the outside. Job sharing, rescheduling, job expanding, promotions and internal recruitment are the internal solutions for the absenteeism. Otherwise every time organization has to pay the big cost to solve problems. Then employees will use to get solutions from out every time. They will not be serious in their work. In this case I have selected apprentice trainee for the vacancy. Because the change is a pain for employees. May be it is not effective the internal recruitment process. There is no contract with the employee and the employer in apprentice. Since the problem is for a short time period, that is the most possible solution than others. References Dayarathne N W K D K. (2007) Human Resources Management Theory and Practice, Colombo: S. Godage ; Brothers Snell. Bohlander. Vohra. (2007) Human Resources Management,Delhi:Cengage Learning http://wiki. answers. com/Q/How_can_high_absenteeism_of_employees_affect_an_organization 8/12/2013 http://www. qld. gov. au/health/mental-health/balance/lifestyle/index. html 8/14/2013 http://www. chamberscolombo. com/types_of_employment 10/15/2013 http://www. apprentice-forward. org. uk/YoungPeople/AdvantagesDisadvantages. asp 8/15/2013 http://www. businessknowhow. com/manage/hire-temp. htm 8/13/2013 http://www. hrmagazine. co. uk/hro/features/1078051/is-business-flexible 8/13/2013 http://www. hrsrilanka. com/resources/articles/81-terms-and-conditions-of-employment-in-sri-lanka 8/16/2013 https://www. whoi. edu/HR/page. do? pid=14332;ct=901;cid=2248/16/2013 http://www. inc. com/encyclopedia/flexible-work-arrangements. html8/16/2013 Appendix Case Study Mr. Gamini is the regional manager of the YTB Bank regional office Kirulapone and very recently he is facing problems with 4 of his tellers out of the 7 in the office. One female teller has already gone on maternity leave and after the cession of the said leave quota she has to report back by next week, yet since her newly born baby was a premature one still she is keeping the child in the Neonatal unit of the Colombo Hospital and meanwhile she has made written request from Mr. Gamini to extend her leave. The second teller’s mother has fallen in the house and fractured her leg and this teller being the one and only child of the family had to look after her mother and request at least one month leave. The third teller has two little ones in the year 1 and 3 respectively and needs to go early by 12pm to collect her little ones after school since there was no one to take care of them after school as they have come to Colombo recently and the other thing is her husband was a supervisor of a factory who is usually reaching home late. The fourth one, most competent teller to be a successor to Mr. Gamini after him with good knowledge, skills and experience as identified by Mr. Gamini is demanding to exempt herself for a few hours from daily work in order to continue her MBA. Early time none of these kind of request was entertained by the management of the band and from recent past the management is adopting a more flexible procedure and practice with regard to this type of work-life-balancing-dual-responsibilities of workers. Thus the new trend demands the regional manager Mr. Gamini to become a flexible

A Comparison of Moral Views Essay

When we think of ancient philosophies, we immediately think of the early Greek philosophers. Among them were Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, considered as the Fathers of Philosophy. Although they have different views on some certain aspects, we all know that they are the most influential thinkers not only during their respective times but today. This paper will focus on the similarities and differences of the moral and ethical views of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Socrates believed that self-knowledge will meet the conditions of having a good life. For Socrates, knowledge and virtue are of the same category. If a person could not learn knowledge, he cannot learn virtue. With this, he argued that virtue can be taught. â€Å"The unexamined life is not worth living.† Socrates believed that the pursue of knowledge and wisdom should always come first before any private interests. For him, seeking knowledge is in accordance to ethical and moral actions. Socrates, considered to be the greatest philosopher of all time, assumed that reason will lead to the good life. He believed that the real happiness a person achieved was influenced mainly by doing what seems to be right. When a person’s true value and function is found, he will achieve happiness. The Socratic ethics can be categorized as teleological in nature. We humans act towards the good and these actions naturally have their purposes. Plato, like all the early philosophers, based his beliefs on ethics on virtues and human well-being. Plato’s beliefs on happiness diverged significantly from other philosopher’s views. Due to this, his time on describing his own concept of happiness was divided. He spent lots of time criticizing the customary beliefs of the good life. Plato also considered happiness as perfect and is not easily understandable since it is supported by metaphysical assumptions that appear to be vague and is impossible to be understood. The focuses on Platonic ethics are the problems and difficulties of an individual, not happiness as a factor of good-living. For Aristotle, ethical knowledge is considered to be a general knowledge and not a precise knowledge. He argued that ethical knowledge is not a theoretical discipline but rather practical in nature. Aristotle believed that to become good, a person should have experienced the actions of life and is in accordance to fine habits. He did not believe that merely studying virtues will make a particular individual virtuous. One should do righteous and honorable to be good and virtuous. Aristotle believed that reputation and respect only would give a person his happiness. He argued that an individual finds happiness by fulfilling his functions as a human being. For Aristotle, a human’s function is to utilize what he has that everything else does not, his capacity to think or reason, or logos. A person using his ability to reason fulfills his nature as a rational soul and therefore finds his absolute happiness. For me, Aristotle’s ethical philosophy is the most applicable and the most practical to adapt. Unlike Socrates’ belief that an individual will be virtuous if he studies the virtues, Aristotle believed that one should act good to be good – not by merely studying how to be good nor what is good. Plato, on the other hand, focused on what should not be done in order to make a person’s life good. Aristotle argued that understanding what is good does not make a person good. So I think, Aristotle’s concept on morality stands among the three of them, just like the saying goes â€Å"Actions speak louder than words.†

How to Write Carnegie Mellon Universitys Essays 2018-19

With its application pool rising to record highs and an acceptance rate that keeps dropping (2017 saw a 10.8% acceptance rate spanning its seven colleges), Carnegie Mellon University is amongst the most selective institutions of higher education in this country. As the university becomes more selective, its supplemental essays provide an increasingly vital opportunity for you to differentiate yourself from the pack. For the 2018-2019 admissions year, CMU has announced that it will be using three entirely new prompts. This is your chance to show them something they’ve never seen before! Below, we’ll go into detailed explanation of what the prompts are asking—with tips, hints, and examples provided to ensure that you stand out. What CMU has done here is take a standard question— why this major —and ask it in a manner that will make you answer it a certain way. While the typical ‘why this major’ prompt gives students the freedom to focus on the past or future (i.e. how you developed an interest or what you plan to do with the major), this version of the question is asking you to focus on the former. A successful execution of this prompt will: 1) elaborate on the path that led you to choose your major and 2) show the adcom why you deserve to pursue this major at their school. The latter doesn’t necessarily need to be explicit. If you can do part one while showing drive, curiosity and all those good things that adcoms love to see, consider part two completed as well. Let’s dive in. There are essentially two methods for completing this prompt. The first is a narrative arc or anecdote. If there’s a moment where you said to yourself â€Å"this is going to be my major,† that could be a great story to tell! Perhaps you were in a robotics competition and after weeks of toiling, your robot finally moves. And that’s when you knew, you knew beyond a shadow of doubt, this was the path you needed to pursue. Here’s what telling that story does. First, it shows tenacity—even after weeks of failure, you didn’t give up. Second, it shows innovation. And third, CMU just happens to be known for offering a robotics major, so even without being explicit, you just told the adcom exactly why you belong at CMU! Stories are a great method for drawing in your reader and creating pathos. The trick, however, is to not get so caught up in the narration that you fill your 300 words without actually saying anything. If you’re going the anecdote route, ask yourself the following questions: Does the story I just told show why I’m passionate about the major I’ve chosen? Have I showed that CMU is the right place for me? Don’t say you want to pursue a major in underwater basket-weaving if CMU doesn’t offer that (just an example, but you get the idea). Do mention, either briefly or implicitly, how CMU would allow you to continue pursuing and developing your passion. If you can honestly answer yes to those questions, then you’re all set! Let’s move on to the second method of answering this prompt. I call it the brag sheet method. You may not be able to fully answer the prompt with just one moment or story. That’s okay! Not everyone has that kind of story to tell. An alternative is to briefly list key moments, progressions, or accomplishments leading up to your decision. Here’s an example: â€Å"From writing short stories as a seven year old to winning my first prose contest in high school, creative writing has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.† Unlike the narrative arc method, this example is neither a story nor a specific event. Instead, it shows how creative writing has been pivotal to my life for years. Though arguably less compelling than a story, this method has the bonus of demonstrating growth, long-term commitment, and development. Being that CMU is one of the only universities to offer a BA in creative writing, it also shows why I’m applying. This same method will work if you choose to talk about who or what inspired you. However , this comes with a warning. If you choose to talk about a person or work that inspired you, ensure that you don’t only write about said person or work. If the adcom learns more about the Pulitzer prize winner whose work inspired you than they do about you and your work, reassess! Submit your essay and we’ll get back to you with helpful edits. This prompt is a gift. Within the confines of the word limit, the options are endless. This is your chance to show the adcom exactly what makes you so special. But don’t get bogged down by the possibilities! So how do you know what’s worth writing about? Is there something you mentioned on your Common App that you feel the need to elaborate?   This should not be even remotely similar to the subject of your personal statement. Think of your essays as a portfolio; they should be complimentary without being redundant.  Ã‚   For example,   if your passions are science and wildlife, and your personal statement is about wildlife, make this prompt about science. Is there something you haven’t been able to mention anywhere that you’re dying to mention?   Let your personality shine through. Whether your passion of choice is volunteering with animals, taking apart computers, or almost anything else, it can have a place in this prompt. However, it shouldn’t be so random that it doesn’t say anything about you as an applicant. Here’s a good idea: â€Å" I collect postcards from all over the world because I love learning about new cultures.† See how this paints a picture of a student eager to learn and expand their horizons? Now here’s a bad idea: â€Å"I like watching Netflix in my free time.† Does that tell the adcom something that helps them envision a contributing member of the CMU community? Neither of the above? Just write about something you love. If you have a topic that you could talk about for hours, then here’s your place.   Note: this has to be entirely different than your answer for the previous prompt. The scoop : use this as an opportunity to show your personality and your passion. The caveat: don’t get overwhelmed by the possibilities. Narrow in on something pivotal to what makes you you, and make sure it still shows CMU why you’re a fit. The ideal : if you have a story, accomplishment, or passion that shows you possess drive, an entrepreneurial spirit, or a similar embodiment of the CMU spirit, here’s the place to prove it. What not to do: Don’t be redundant. If you’ve already said it in another CMU essay or in your personal statement, don’t say it again. This prompt is clearly one CMU values highly. They give you an additional 50 words, provide an introduction for the prompt, and attach more than one question. Spoiler: they care a lot about your answer. Let’s break down what this prompt is really asking because there are a lot of extra words. The overarching goal for this essay is to prove to CMU that you deserve their â€Å"diverse community of scholars, artists, and innovators.† They’re proud of their network. Why do you deserve to be a part of it? If offered access, what do you have to offer to their collaborative environment? These are all implicit questions, meaning they may not outright ask them, but they secretly want them answered. The only efficient way to ensure you account for all aspects of the prompt is to focus on one instance or example. Whether this is a long-term commitment (the teamwork you’ve encountered while playing football for the last four years) or one specific event (the time your group was falling behind on a school project, so you helped delegate roles to pull everyone together), the idea is the same. But don’t just start listing stuff. Here’s the format your essay should follow (and for clarity’s sake, I’ll continue with the previous example): The challenge : Regardless of whether you’re choosing the long-term or specific instance, your essay will be much stronger if you describe a challenge that had to be overcome. For example, you’ve been assigned to a group for a school project. The deadline is in a week, your group has communicated very little, and everyone seems to be inefficiently doing their own thing. The solution: Solve your challenge using teamwork. Bonus: try to show leadership qualities!   You realize your group needs to work together, so you get everyone together and delegate roles to get things done. With everyone working on a role that caters to their unique talents, the project comes together. The takeaway: What did you learn from the experience?   I learned that communication and teamwork allowed our finished product to be so much stronger than it otherwise would have been. The future: How will you apply the takeaway to the future? Don’t be afraid to make it CMU specific! In fact, this is a great opportunity to throw in a few sentences of ‘why CMU.’ Example:   Ã¢â‚¬Å"CMU is constantly collaborating with leading companies, amongst them Sony and CH Robinson, to create results that would otherwise not be possible. In this environment, I would use my own talent for robotics and seek complimentary talents to push the limits of what I can achieve.† The more specific you can be here, the better. Specific to you and specific to CMU. Be aware that the above scenario is a very generic scenario. You will create a much stronger essay by using this space to share an example specific to you. Whether this is the time you entered a design competition with a group of friends or painted a city mural with your art club, just make sure it’s pretty specific to you! If it’s a situation that can apply to every high schooler in the world, definitely reassess. So, there you have it! At the end of the day, you want your essays to answer the prompts in a way that screams ‘you.’ The more personality and you-ness in the essays, the better. Want help on your Carnegie Mellon application or essays? Learn about our College Apps Program . Want us to quickly edit your college essay? Submit it to our Rapid Review program , and we’ll get it back to you quickly with comments from our expert team.

The United States in World War I Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The United States in World War I - Essay Example Later in 1917, America joined the war as they declared war against the Germans. This paper will discuss how the United States joined the war and how it participated in the war. Participation of United States in World War One Since Wilson was a peaceful man, he speedily announced that the United States was neutral in the war, and that it was to remain that way. However, it became very hard and complex for the United States to follow this path of neutrality. In this regard, the Americans could not ignore the development of the war even before joining it officially1. Even though the United States did not join the war immediately it commenced, it is evident that it had prepared for the war early in 1914. In this case, one of the largest ammunition merchants based in the United States, Bethlehem Steel, ordered millions of armoury from the British government. These included millions of weaponry shells, in addition to ten 500-ton submarines. Bethlehem continued with the construction of such alien vessels though they were against the law2. This armoury development continued through to 1915, where the U.S. armoury industry continued to develop, with support form western allied nations. In the meantime, Germany and Britain acted against the operations of the United States, which greatly angered the then president of the United States, Woodrow Wilson3. ... This is one of the operations that the Germans carried out in which president Wilson highly tolerated the Germans and acted with much patience and restraint. Most people believed that the president would declare war on Germany due to its constant attacks5. The Germans continued upsetting the Americans and on January 31, 1917, they resumed unhampered submarine conflict. This operation by the Germans saw the sinking of several U.S vessels, which angered Wilson further. Due to this, President Woodrow pushed for a declaration of war against Germany on April 2, 1917. This was the first time during the war period that United States officially joined the war and the house of Congress approved the move speedily6. After the declaration, most Americans did not receive and embrace the move. Few weeks following the declaration, out of a pool of ten million people, only 73, 000 men volunteered to join the army for the preparation of the war7. By the time the United States joined World War in Apri l 1917, the warfare had been intense in Europe for almost three years. The first instance when the United States contributed to the war was in Marshal Foch’s Allied counter-offensive commenced in July 1917. In this encounter, the Americans played a very significant role. Later in September the same year, the U.S first army of approximately 20 segments won a major victory in the St Michael salient8. The American Expeditionary force (AEF’s) was the major force employed to handle the operations of the First World War. This force first displayed the American flag in May 1917 to indicate that America was fully part of the war. Once, these forces

Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Project - Research Paper Example 2006). Furthermore, the project will utilize locally available materials and hence individuals will earn a living as a result. Of important to note it that the new road design require little maintenance and hence a lot of saving will be made. The road design creates emergency section for ambulances and breakdowns. This makes it easier to respond to various crises along the three-lane road, (Dibb, S. 2009.) Since many pedestrians and drivers have no prior experience in using such roads, a lot of training and workshops require to be initiated so as to equip them with the relevant information. When drivers use the frontier lane without controlling the access to the main lane, this increases the number of intersections and hence conflicting points (Frank, R. et al 1972). A large number of conflicting points usually lead to congestions and accidents. Though materials for building the road will be purchased from the locals, it is important to note that most of the materials are not available locally. In addition, locals will only be employed for manual jobs only. Senior positions will filled by the contractors. Lastly, the project has no plans on how vandalism of lighting and metal barricades will be reduced, (McDonald, M.

Language and Lexicon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Language and Lexicon - Essay Example Language and Lexicon As long as it meets the description, it is a language, even if other organisms do not understand it. Generally, it is the cognitive ability to learn and utilize complex communicative systems. Language relies on semiosis in order to relate signs with their meanings. It contains phonological systems, which govern the manner in which symbols combine to create sequences of words. Lexicon, on the other hand, is the vocabulary of the said language, also referred to as an individual’s lexical knowledge. It is taken along the lines of meaning in a language of written symbols and speech sounds. It is essential to know a language’s lexicon in order to understand the language. Every culture possesses its own lexicon and language. Lexicon includes bound morphemes, for example, majority of affixes, which cannot be used alone as words. Lexicon can also include various idiomatic classes of expression, as well as other collocations, and compound words. Dictionaries normally attempt to list a given language’s lexicon in alphabetical order, although they do not include bound morphemes. Lexicon, more formally, is the inventory of lexemes that is present in a particular language. Key Features of Language There are several key features of any language. Language is quite complex since it is the only full lexicon. One feature of language is a vocal-auditory channel. Majority of languages are spoken with hearing and the voice being medium for the majority of communication. Vocal communication acts as the basis for language communication (Trask, 2012). Directional reception and broadcast transmission is another feature of language. Human language is dispersed in every direction when it is spoken, although the ear pinpoints the sound’s direction. Another key feature is transitoriness or rapid fading, which refers to the fact that sound, fades quickly. This gives sufficient opportunity for people to hold discussions that would be lost in confusion if the sound s hang in the air. Interchangeability is another key feature of language, which allows for speech utterances in use by the two genders. This is not present in all organisms. The feature allows for empathy and thorough understanding among the sexes (Trask, 2012). Another key feature of language is total feedback that ensures all humans can hear what they say while checking the communicative effect and quality of their speech. Individual analysis of speech allows one to correct mistakes that lead to clearer communication in conversations held in the future, as well as for the avoidance of undesirable action (Trask, 2012). Specialization is yet another feature with the human body possessing parts that let them vocalize the phonemes. These are essential increased communication perception and depth of understanding, both non-verbal and verbal. Other features are semantics, which refer to the use of different words to express similar meanings in the same language. Moreover, arbitrariness that ensures sounds are given a meaning by the person hearing them, discreteness that refers to the ability of humans to put sounds in context even where the sounds are not clear, and duality of patterning that is referent to the switching of known sounds to come up with new meanings (Trask, 2012). Levels of Language There are four levels of language; text, sentences, words, and

Firearms forensic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Firearms forensic - Essay Example Evidence can come from diverse sources such as from genetic material or trace chemicals to dental history or fingerprints. Evidence can serve many functions in any investigation, such as to trace an illicit substance, to identify remains or to reconstruct a crime. NIJ funds research and development to improve how law enforcement gathers and uses evidence. It supports the enhancement and creation of tools and techniques to identify, collect, analyze, interpret and preserve evidence Following the partial police reports and crime scene sketches, I will adopt Crime scene forensic examination. This is because crime scene examination often document the crime scene. The investigators take photographs and physical measurements of the scene, identify and collect forensic evidence which in the sketches have been identified, and maintain the proper chain of custody of that evidence. Crime scene investigators collect evidence such as fingerprints, footprints, tire tracks, blood and other body fluids, hairs, fibers and fire debris. For instance form the sketches I Identified the victims and the positions of bod parts, the clothing, the jewelers, gold colored rings and pool of blood. Another reason as to why I will use crime scene forensic examination is because NIJ funds it to improve on blood identification and other  body fluids at the scene. The forensic team also has a responsibility of protecting crime scenes, preserving physical evidence and collecting and submitt ing the evidence for scientific examination. I think NIBIN would be useful in this case. This is because NIBIN Program applies the Integrated Ballistics Identification System to compare and contrast the images of ballistic evidence that are obtained from the crime scenes and the recovered firearms. NIBIN will assist because as new images will be being entered, the system will be searching the

International Human Rights Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International Human Rights Law - Essay Example f attaching to third world repressive regimes and conflict zones often permits the most horrific human rights abuse through promulgation of unsavory business practices as pointed by GE1. Several of these multi-national firms are accused of economic imperialism and the fostering of intercountry competition as related in Blake,et al 2. Governed by the rules of supply and demand, their loyalties are solely afforded to their stockholders. Amidst accusations and public scrutiny, extra-territorial corporate regulations are implemented to address human rights concerns as provided by U.S. Dept. of Commerce3. Serious calls for legislative challenges alleged that the American Government as a whole benefited from this internationalization of production and marketing. As the parent country of TNC’s, such allegations created fear among the public officials who are likely dragged into the difficult situation. As a result of these concerns, the government has imposed stringent measures to unravel the complications of jurisdictional disputes and direct relationship of the parent state and the host country over the multinational corporations. Along with other parent countries standard policies for control were established to meet the specific demands of their parents and host. In response a number of multinational corporations countered with their own voluntary policies and/or codes developed with industry groups, intergovernmental organizations and multi-stakeholder initiatives to provide as an adjunct to the established principles provided by the state or parent countries, in Simons4. Voluntary Principles were also established by the United States and United Kingdom to offer as guidelines for human rights assessment techniques. The United Nations Human Rights Responsibilities also upheld an effective model for voluntary self-assessment and verification methods to ensure corporate accountability. Problems are often encountered though at their regulations especially in

Discussing an artwork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussing an artwork - Essay Example This makes it possible for one to perceive water as a plane that reaches to the canvas’ depth, which Venus seems to be approaching. Venus comes in front towards reality of the onlooker’s edge. The picture is beautiful reflecting a mysterious movement as Venus slithers from a distance while flowers in pink float. The slow descent of the pink flowers reveals that the air around Venus is still and warm. The Aura and Zephyrus, which are the characters floating in the air drift Venus forward using their breath. The sky they are floating in is weightless and motionless, while they lock in an embrace. While Venus is ratifying her inspiration, the characters follow her romance in air free from any kind of restriction. Venus portrays a curve-like pose, while holding her hair in front and using the other hand to cover her breast. Since she is stilting her head, her eyes appear indefinable (Lazzari and Schlesier 6). The â€Å"Birth of Venus† reflects popular culture. Most people in the world today are inclined towards the things the world has to offer as well as the forces influencing it. Thus, the artwork by Botticelli aims at encouraging people to focus on the beautiful aspects of life as well as have hope that ideal things will become apparent in the coming years once they keep hope. In terms of elements, Botticelli employs when composing â€Å"Birth of Venus† include a golden ratio as well as a suggestion of oval configuration. Venus is abnormally large and is situated at the painting’s center. The dimensions of the canvas come from a golden mean. He portrays the importance of Venus by creating an oval composition illusion. With regard to subject matter of the painting, Venus depicts two key aspects. Firstly, she serves as a god in earth who stimulated human beings to engage in physical love. She is also portrayed as a god in heaven who inspires humans to practice

Miranda Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Miranda Rights - Essay Example proven guilty, are no different than any other criminals, and have the Fifth and Sixth Amendments backing them up, they should be guaranteed the rights enumerated in the Miranda warnings. Innocent until proven guilty is the phrase that is used to describe someone who has not been found guilty of a crime, such as a suspect, who must await trails until that decision can be made. Terrorist suspects are in the same boat as robbery suspects in that they have yet to be found to be completely guilty. Many people who are suspects often end up not being guilty of the crime for which they are being accused. As every suspect is considered to be innocent until they are proven guilty, they should be entitled to the rights that are drawn out in the Miranda warning. A suspected terrorist is as innocent as any suspected criminal until decided otherwise before a court. Terrorist suspects are just like any other criminal suspects. They have committed a crime, they have done something wrong against another person, organization, or something larger, such as the United States, and they have been caught. Someone who is suspected of terrorist activity should get the same treatment and rights as a person who is suspected of robbing a store or murdering a family member. Indeed, it seems that people who have committed a heinous crime such as murder or rape are entitled to more rights than someone who is suspected of engaging in terrorist activity. In reality, there is no difference between the different types of criminals. If one criminal is entitled to the laws that are displayed in the Miranda warnings, than those that are accused of terrorist activity should get the same benefits. As was the case in Miranda versus Arizona, the U.S. Supreme Court case that birthed the Miranda rights (Sonneborn, 2003), the criminal suspects that are denied their Miranda rights are essentially denied their Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights. The Fifth Amendment protects criminals from abuse of government

Two Lobbies At A Glance Essay Example for Free

Two Lobbies At A Glance Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Among the many hotels in Toronto, I decided to compare two hotels on nearly the same 3-star rating grade but with big contrasts. I decided to compare Marriot Residence Inn Hotel and the Drake Hotel. The Drake Hotel, located a bit distant from downtown, got a three and a half star rating for five floors of well-planned rooms, with attractively decorated interior and fun entertainment venues that makes it a hip destination. The Marriot Residence Inn Hotel meanwhile got three star ratings and is centrally located in the downtown making it an ideal destination for business travelers, vacationers and families. It is also located near the famous CN Tower and you can even book a room with panoramic view. Their room prices are different as well with the Marriot Residence Hotel’s room tagged at $232 per night and the Drake Hotel’s room priced at $191 per night. Both hotels boasts of hi-tech facilities, equipment and extensive amenities suited to the interest of the majority of their guests. Both hotels are also voted among the top ten most popular hotels in Toronto with the Residence Inn bagging the top place and the Drake Hotel in the top nine out of a hundred hotels. Both are popular to tourists although the choice of hotel between the two is driven ultimately by their personalities that are often in contrast too.   The hotel lobbies described and differentiated below became a window then to their distinct style of servicing their clients. The cozy lobby of the Marriot Residence Inn Hotel (Downtown) against the adventurously hip lobby of the Drake Hotel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first thing you will notice upon entering the lobby of one of the most popular hotel in Toronto, Marriot Residence Inn, is the cozy ambiance, clean interior and coordinated colors. The red seats are comfortable and the wooden wall panels create a warm atmosphere. The lobby of Drake Hotel is meant to catch the attention of the adventurous and art lovers. The couches are soft and got a lived-in look to it. The chairs are not matching and there are edgy and colorful art pieces that are included in the lobby. The dà ©cor is meant to vibrate a hip, inviting and cool hotel for those who want that kind of lifestyle. The Marriot Residence Inn Hotel provides better guests reception than those in Drake Hotel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The front desk team of the Marriot Residence Inn Hotel is friendly and quick to assist you with your bags and to your room. They are professional but very welcoming that it makes guests feel comfortable instantly. The front desk team of Drake Hotel is helpful and friendly too. However, they seem to lack additional personnel to attend to the guests that are coming in and out. At few times, they let the guests drag their own bags in and make them wait since the reception is busy. Since many of the personnel of Drake Hotel are young, some had attitude in servicing their guests while some are very courteous to everyone. Some complaints on the guest stays are the noisy delivery at the morning of beer supplies and the pulsing beat of the jammed crowd at weekends. The guests of Drake Hotel are mainly composed of art-lovers and young, adventurous ones while the guests of Marriot Residence Inn are mainly composed of family vacationers, professionals and mature tourists.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Perhaps it’s the neighborhood around Drake Hotel that made it a popular choice for the hip and the artsy. The Drake Hotel has a hangout bar at its rooftop, lounge and club. It is also near famous bars and within the art community that gladly supports them. The guests of Marriot Residence Inn are treated the classy and comforting hotel amenities and downtown entertainments located around the Marriott while the hotel guests of Drake Hotel are subjected to fast, hip and fun events within the hotel itself.   The CN Tower, which is the tallest vertical structure in the world, stands within the view of the Marriot Residence Hotel while the Drake Hotel boasts of a very interesting art community and buzzing nightlife. The peace and quiet of the Marriot Residence Inn is more relaxing than the vibrant buzz of life in the Drake Hotel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If a guest is looking for a relaxing stay and envisioned sublime peace in their hotels then Drake Hotel is not for them Marriot Residence Inn is more suited to the mentioned objective of peace and quiet since the Marriot Residence offers hotel rooms, classy restaurant and a high-end bar. Drake Hotel meanwhile, is the spot for three very famous and very crowded nightspots in Toronto thus noise level and activity buzz is high. One guest stated that when he complained about the noise, he was given an earplug owned by the staff so as he could get a night of sleep. The Marriot Residence Hotel is much suited for family than the Drake Hotel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Drake Hotel has a menu of pleasure toys discreetly displayed in the lobby while the Marriot Residence Inn Hotel offers a comfortable and quiet stay. Since the focus of Drake Hotel seemed to be more on the entertainment areas rather than the hotel rooms, it is often jammed with people having a nightlife rather than of guests who are looking for a good bed to rest and a quiet room to sleep into. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many phases in one’s life that one has varying interests and goals. Therefore the timing of choosing one hotel between the two is dependent on the interests of the guests. The Drake Hotel is much suited to the young, hip and outgoing personalities who like to be around art, jamming, nightlife and entertainment. While the Marriot Residence Inn hotel boasts of world-class excellence and quality service that they provide to those who can afford it.  Ã‚   Staying in either of these two hotels is enjoyable as long as your needs are met, your expectations exceeded and the moments you stayed there are hassle-free and enjoyable for you and your companions. Reference: Toronto Hotels. (2008) Trip Advisor. Retrieved January 25, 2008 from http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g155019-Toronto_Ontario-Hotels.html Thesis Outline Two Lobbies At A Glance Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both are nearly in the same 3-star rating. Both are located in tourist interests areas. However some differences are noted upon observation of their distinctive lobbies. Point One: The cozy lobby of the Marriot Residence Inn Hotel (Downtown) against the adventurously hip lobby of the Drake Hotel. Marriots Residence Inn’s cozy ambiance, clean interior and coordinated colors Drake Hotel offers colorful art pieces and dà ©cor Point Two: The Marriot Residence Inn Hotel provides better guests reception than those in Drake Hotel. The friendly staff of Marriots Residence Inn The busy and young personnel of Drake Hotel Point 3: The guests of Drake Hotel are mainly composed of art-lovers and young, adventurous ones while the guests of Marriot Residence Inn are mainly composed of family vacationers, professionals and mature tourists. The Drake Hotel has a hangout bar at its rooftop, lounge and club. The guests of Marriot Residence Inn are treated the classy and comforting hotel amenities and downtown entertainments located around the Marriott Point 4. The peace and quiet of the Marriots Residence Inn is more relaxing than the vibrant buzz of life in the Drake Hotel. Drake Hotel‘s high noise level and activity buzz. Marriot Residence offers hotel rooms, classy restaurant and a high-end bar. Point 5: The Marriots Residence Hotel is much suited for family than the Drake Hotel. The Drake Hotel has a menu of pleasure toys discreetly displayed in the lobby Marriots Residence Inn Hotel offers a comfortable and quiet stay for whole family. Conclusion The timing of choosing one hotel between the two is dependent on the interests and preference of the guests.   Staying in either of these two hotels is enjoyable as long as your needs are met, your expectations exceeded and the moments you stayed there are hassle-free and enjoyable for you and your companions.

Nutritional Needs over a Life Span Essay Example for Free

Nutritional Needs over a Life Span Essay As we grow older, our nutritional needs begin to change. Not only do they change throughout different stages of life, but they also vary depending on whether you are male or female. The following are nutrient requirements for the lifespan of both men and women: Infants Infants of both sexesleave the mothers womb and live on their mothers breast milk for the first four to six months of their life. If breastfeeding is not possible, then the infant should be formula fed. This provides all the necessary nutrients to sustain good health during this time frame. From age six to 12 months, infants can begin eating solid foods such as rice, oatmeal, soft fruits, cooked veggies and meats. After they are a year old, they can graduate to eating larger, raw fruits, vegetables and lean meats. Teenagers Teens have to keep a well balanced diet because they are growing during these years. They also have to be able to concentrate in school and get adequate nutrition to help them play sports, as well. They need sufficient iron in their diet; teenage girls usually do not get enough of this. Protein, calcium and Vitamin D are particularly important during a teenagers growth spurt. This includes fish, chicken breast, skim milk, cheese and low fat yogurts. Boys usually need more calories than girls because they have more muscle mass and tend to grow taller. Another facet of teenage life, particularly for women is the pressure to stay thin. They are more likely to suffer from eating disorders and inadequate nutrition, than males. Read more:Â  Essay on Nutritional Requirements Adults Adult men and women have different nutritional needs based on their occupation and activity level. Those who have sedentary jobs, can get away with eating a 1500-1800 calorie a day diet, without weight gain. However, those who work in field such as construction, cleaning, fitness instruction, etc..require a greater calorie intake of at least 2000-3000 calories daily. Women of child bearing age, must eat plenty of iron rich foods like cooked fish and poultry products, as well as spinach and other leafy green vegetables. Just before and during pregnancy, women have to pay close attention to the diet, as this can affect the health of the baby. Along with obtaining nutrients from all of the major food groups, she may take folic acid supplements to aid in proper development of the childs spinal cord. They should also avoid raw foods that may contain poisonous bacteria, like fish, eggs and soft cheeses. Older Adults Older adults are not as physically active as younger adults, so their calorie needs are reduced. Calcium is very important to maintain strong bones. Women are particularly susceptible to developing osteoporosis later in life, so they should increase their calcium intake Fiber rich foods such as multigrain breads and slow cooked oatmeal aid in the digestion of older adults. A variety of B-vitamins plus protein help maintain a healthy central nervous system and protects body tissues from damage.

What Determines A Good Service Encounter?

What Determines A Good Service Encounter? When giving examples of my service encounter I will, each time try to explain the reasons for my service encounter, a brief description of what the firm did and provided for myself, my level of satisfaction through a rating system between one to seven, from lowest to highest possible satisfaction, and lastly my reasons for this satisfaction rating. I feel this information will allow me to most effectively analyse the service encounter, and identify the determinants of a good service encounter whilst allowing me to compare different service encounters. I will firstly look towards the 7ps concept (Booms and Bitner 1982) which is an extended version of the marketing mix. What is crucial here, for the purpose of the essay, is determining if some Ps are more important than other Ps in terms of having a greater impact on a service encounter outcome. I will therefore proceed through each P, systematically and in turn evaluate its importance in determining a good or bad service encounter. The introductory marketing texts suggest that all parts of the marketing mix (4Ps) are equally important, since a deficiency in any one can mean failure (Kellerman, Gordon and Hekmat, 1995). Number of studies of industrial marketers and purchasers indicated that the marketing mix components differ significantly in importance (Jackson, Burdick and Keith, 1985). Robicheaux (1976) found that key marketing policies had changed significantly. Pricing was considered the most important marketing activity in Robicheauxs (1976) survey, although it ranked only sixth in Udells (1964) survey. Udell (1968) found that sales efforts were rated as most important, followed by product efforts, pricing, and distribution. LaLonde (1977) found product related criteria to be most important, followed by distribution, price, and promotion. Perreault and Russ (1976) found that product quality was considered most important, followed by distribution service and price. Thus, it appears from the studies above that business executives do not really view the Ps as being equally important, but consider the price and product components to be the most important (Kellerman, Gordon and Hekmat, 1995). Brunner (1989) argues that the marketing mix should be extended to include more factors affecting the services marketing and thus actually becoming mixes themselves. He provides examples of Concept Mix, Cost Mix, Channels Mix and the Communication Mix So far we have mainly touched on the 4 core Ps but what Ps can affect and determine the outcome of a service encounter? Fryar (1991) argues that differentiation and segmentation is the basis of a successful service. Further, the personal relationship with the customer and quality of the service are important elements of the service marketing. This may be referring to the extended Ps of the marketing mix. Heuvel (1993)seems to agree with Fryar stating that Interaction between the one delivering the service and the customer is very important and has direct effect on the service quality and quality perception. He goes on further to state that the Product element can be better demonstrated as having two components, the primary and secondary service elements as well as the process. Both Heuvel and Fryar seem to be heavily referring to the People and physical Ps of the extended marketing mix (Grove et al. 2000) compares service marketing to a theatrical production. How the service is performed is as important as what is performed. The critical factor is therefore the customer experience. He goes on to state that the traditional Marketing Mix does not adequately capture the special circumstances that are present when marketing a service product. As such it could be concluded that the 4Ps for the purpose of service marketing and thus as a determinate of a service encounter can be seen as outdated. Rafiq and Ahmed (1995) state that 7Ps is more comprehensive, greater refined and includes important participants such as people and process. For the purpose of Service encounters the three new Ps of People, Process and Physical design can be seen as equally if not more important than the four core Ps. This can be supported through the extended Ps widespread acceptance in recent years The customer satisfaction Kano model helps to understand and evaluate consumer acceptance and satisfaction, and can be used in many different disciplines. The model classifies product attributes based on how they are perceived by customers and their effect on customer satisfaction (Kano, Seraku et al. 1996). According to the model, there are three types of product attributes that fulfil customer satisfaction to a different degree: 1) basic or expected attributes, 2) performance or spoken attributes, and 3) surprise and delight attributes. A competitive product or service meets basic expected attributes, maximises performances attributes, and includes as many delighted attributes as financially feasible. In the model, the customer endeavours to move away from having unfulfilled desires. The basic or attributes are basic attributes, which customers take for granted and are not worth mentioning due to their obviousness. While the presence of these attributes is not really taken into account, the nonexistence of these attributes could be very dissatisfying for the customer. The performance or spoken attributes are those voiced by customers in what they are wanting from the product. These requirements can satisfy or dissatisfy consumer depending on the level of their satisfaction by a product or a service. The surprise and delight attributes if present can excite the customer, but their absence does not dissatisfy, as customers do not expect them. A competitive advantage can be achieved through successful use of both expected and exciting attributes Kanos model of customer satisfaction will now be looked at. According to various researchers, product life cycles are getting shorter, thus businesses are looking for ways to reduce product development time and to introduce their products to the market more quickly and efficiently (Tan , 2000) Further, in many of the competitive markets, customers are getting more selective, demanding greater features in products and services. As a result, identifying customer needs and transferring this information through to the product design stage is imperative for any business to be able to stay competitive in the market (Sireli et al., 2003, Tontini, 2003,) Kanos model helps deal with these new trends and in turn hopes to meet customer requirements in the most efficient and effective way Through traditional customer satisfaction tools, used to evaluate customer feedback, a strong correlation is assumed between product performance and customer satisfaction. For example, customer satisfaction is assumed to increase or decrease proportionally to the product performance improving or deteriorating respectively (Huiskonen and Pirttila, 1998). However according to Mazler, increasing fulfillment of customer expectations does not always mean a proportional increase in customer satisfaction as this change also depends on the type of expectation (Matzler et al., 1996). The different types of customer expectations can have different effects on customer satisfaction fulfillment. Kanos model of customer satisfaction tries to address this issue in providing particular types to each expectation such as attractive and indifferent. This can help companys understand the customer requirements. SERVQUAL can be used to determine if there are any differences between perceptions and expectations and if so whether this difference (if it was positive) contributed to a happy service encounter. SERVQUAL can only be defined in a consumers mind as it is a psychological difference between perceptions and expectations. Gronroos (1982) suggests that the perceived quality of a service is the result of an evaluation procedure whereby customers compare their perceptions of service quality delivery and the outcome against what they expected . Expectations can be can be defined as the customers frame of reference with respect to a product/service that allows anticipation of product/ service performance (Bitner et al. 1990). Due to the fact that the model involves perception it means judgment may differ among individuals and thus could be based on the cultural framework that the person brings to the encounter (Ueltschy et al., 2007). While customers can judge the quality of manufacturing goods in terms of functions and standards, they may find it difficult to measure service quality because they have to assess not only the outcome of the service, but more importantly the process of the delivery of that service. Therefore, before customers purchase a service, they have expectations about service quality that can be based on a number of variables such as word-of mouth recommendations, individual needs, past experiences and a service providers marketing communications (Parasuraman et al., 1988). Parasuraman et al., (1988; 1991) attempts to define the dimensions of service quality. Five major dimensions have be identified, namely reliability, responsiveness, assurance, tangibles and empathy. Reliability is the ability to execute the service as promised. Responsiveness refers to the willingness in providing the service. Assurance concerns the politeness in delivering the services and trustworthiness expressed to customers. Empathy can be defined as the understanding of customers specific requirements and their individual needs. Finally, tangibles include the physical evidence of the service such as facilities and personnel. It has been widely accepted that these dimensions of SERVQUAL are able to capture the construct of service encounter quality (Raajpoot 2004). The concept of customer relationship management will now be looked at which has emerged from relationship marketing. There is no doubt that in recent years there has been a greater emphasis on customer relationship management then ever but why is this? And is relationship marketing that important with regards to a service encounter? The emphasis on customer relationship management could be attributed to technological advancements which have allowed businesss to create increasingly intimate relationships with their customers. ÃÆ'-sterle (2002) suggests that electronic commerce, supply chain management, one-on-one marketing [and] customer profiling to name a few are developments which can be attributed to the dramatic changes in the supplier-customer relationship observed. It is this amalgamation of business functions which could loosely be referred to as modern customer relationship management. Stone et al. (2000) asserts that the concept of RM always included a very strong focus on the consumer. But possibly, CRM takes this a step further in its integration of business functions which contribute to value maximising services for the consumer via the management of customer relationships, and in turn increasing customer retention Relationship marketing has been successful in creating strong relationships with customers on a large scale. The technique has traditionally looked to apply its marketing communications to its customers depending on their relative needs. This entails customising marketing and product/service offerings to the various individual consumer groups to create a more personalised service as well as to develop a relationship based on interactivity. CRM, on the other hand, provides more to the individual marketing needs. This is due in the main part to the technology to make such a system technically and economically feasible (ÃÆ'-sterle 2002), organisations are now able to further customise their marketing and product offerings, not just to groups but to individuals themselves. This has meant there is no longer a need for customers to be grouped together into lifecycles with others, as businesss can mould their services around individual requirements. As such it can be concluded that CRM is an evolution of RM and has utilised advanced technology as an instrument to meet and surpass individual customer requirements. Discussion Section I will first mention my service encounter with Dominos pizza; in short I was throwing a small party with my friends from home as I had recently returned from university. My freinds were very hungry and fancied some fast food that wouldnt be too expensive. Thus I ordered three large pizzas over the phone. I was very happy with the service encounter and would rate it at a six. My high satisfaction from this service encounter can be attributed to the following. Firstly when I phoned up Dominos pizza the staffs were very friendly and polite, swiftly taking my order. We were also informed on the phone about a seasonal special offer that was ongoing at the time. This special offer allowed us to reduce our expenditure on the Pizzas which surpassed my expectations of what I thought would be the price. The pizza was then delivered to us within thirty minutes, as promised and was absolutely delicious and still fresh. Thus, I would be very happy to order from Dominos Pizza again; however I was initially put on hold for three minutes which is why I am not rating the encounter at a seven. This nearly left me hanging up the phone and browsing for a close competitor, which of course would have been detrimental to Dominos Pizza. I will first look towards the 7ps concept (Booms and Bitner 1982) to determine why and how a good service encounter has occurred. Clearly the price had a major impact on our decision to choose Dominos Pizza. It can be see that Dominos pricing scheme is competition based, due to the high competitiveness of this industry driving the prices down. However our decision to buy from Dominos pizza was not solely based on the price, as we had options to look for a cheaper competitor. What did determine why we decided to choose Dominos Pizza was based on the brand name, reputation it holds, convenience and peoples past experiences with Dominos Pizza. The convenience and price alone would not have persuaded us to buy from Dominos Pizza thus the main determinant of why we purchased from Dominos Pizza could be accredited to the brand name. But what actually determined a good service encounter? One must look further and concentrate on the extended Ps, namely People, Physical Evidence and Processes . The personnel on the phone and the friendly delivery staff certainly contributed towards a good service encounter. The staff taking my order were clearly well trained and well informed, providing me information on the latest deals and being polite. The process was a high determinate of a happy service encounter. The Pizza was delivered within thirty minutes; failure to do so may have meant unhappy hungry customers who would not have been willing to repeat purchase from Dominos Pizza. Indeed the three minute wait I needed to endure on the phone nearly left me hanging up and not completing the service encounter. The physical evidence is not really relevant to this service encounter. It can be seen that the fast process, polite personnel, product and place (convenience) contributed greatest to a happy service encounter from the 7ps perspective. SERVQUAL will now be used to determine if there were any differences between perceptions and expectations and if so whether this difference (if it was positive) contributed to a happy service encounter. SERVQUAL can only be defined in a consumers mind; it is a psychological difference between perceptions and expectations. The SQ can be measured using Parasuraman et al.s (1985) Gaps Model. The Gaps model is made up of five so called gaps. Firstly, the knowledge gap is the difference between what customers want and managers think customers want. In this case as customers, we wanted a tasty pizza delivered to our door within a reasonable time at a reasonable cost. We got everything we wanted, thus it would appear that there was no knowledge gap. However being put on hold for three minutes could be seen as a slight knowledge gap which may have been detrimental to Dominos pizza. This knowledge gap could have been caused by the manager not hiring enough or enough productive staff. The standards gap is the gap between managements perception of customer expectations and actual results for the service delivery. In this case there is probably a positive gap. Although Dominos pizza stated the pizza would be delivered within thirty minutes we didnt actually believe it. Thus the actual delivery outweighed our expectations and can be seen as a positive gap. Gap 3 Delivery gap The promises of a delicious pizza and a fast delivery were fulfilled and thus we were happy and didnt have any quarms. From the above it can be seen there were little if any gaps between our expectations and what was delivered and this clearly heavily contributed to a happy service encounter. The customer satisfaction Kano Model will be now be used to determine how Dominos Pizza satisfied us. Kano uses three types of relationships between attributes and the levels of customer satisfaction they generate. We must determine which attributes account for the largest proportion of customer satisfaction. The first type of attribute is the must have attributes. These are expected by the customer, all our must haves were met by Dominos Pizza. The linear satisfier attributes keep the customer satisfied, the delighter attributes are not expected or required, but help create customer satisfaction and can make the difference in brand choice for a consumer especially in competitive markets. The convenience, speed of delivery and tastiness of the pizza could come under the heading of linear satisfiers. The polite personnel over the phone and great offers provided on the phone can be seen as delighter types of attributes and most contributed to my happiness on dealing with Dominos Pizza, further it was these delighters which have made me want to repeat purchase from Dominos in the future. From using the relevant theories it can quite clearly be seen that the main determinants of a good service encounter which Dominos Pizza offered was the speed of the delivery, the special offers that ensured the price of the pizzas were less than first expected and the freshness of the pizzas which can be related to the speed of delivery. Thus, a manager working in the take-away service industry should ensure that his /her staffs are well trained and informed to not only take peoples orders over the phone but to answer peoples queries and provide information on ongoing special offers. A manager should also ensure there is an efficient distribution process so the delivery is undertaken as quick as possible. The service encounter that Dominos Pizza offered delighted me and my friends as customers, further I would be very happy to order from them again and recommend them to others. Therefore Dominos Pizza have provided a good service encounter. My next service encounter I will mention is my orthodontist appointment with my local NHS hospital Northwick Park. I was referred to the orthodontist by my dentist, who advised that I needed braces. I thus made an appointment for 9:00am on the 24/09/2009. I was pretty unhappy with this particular service counter for a number of reasons. Ultimately I was unhappy that I needed to wait an hour and fifteen minutes for my appointment after arriving prompt at 9:00am meaning me missing my train back to university. I was also upset because my actual appointment was rushed only lasted ten minutes, thus not all my queries were answered sufficiently. I would rate this service encounter at a two. I will again look towards the 7ps when analysing why and how bad services was encountered by myself. Firstly, the price for my appointment was free and therefore started my service encounter on a good note. The place of my appointment was however quite inconvenient for me as it meant me coming back from university especially for the appointment. The actual service was rushed and incomplete, this made me dissatisfied with the service. The process was slow and very inefficient which contributed heaviest to my dissatisfaction of the service encounter. As a customer I would have ideally preferred an NHS orthodontist to be located nearer my university for convenience, furthermore, I sought after a brief waiting time and a productive and effective appointment which would fully answer my questions. I got none of these things and thus there most certainly was a knowledge gap. This knowledge gap could be decreased through an efficient process, a more thorough appointment and a local NHS orthodontist for my convenience. My expectation pre appointment was that I would need to wait about twenty minutes for my appointment which I was happy to do and that I would be provided an appointment lengthy enough to ensure all my queries were answered. My expectations were not met at all and therefore clearly there is a negative standards gap. Review | Back To The Future Review | Back To The Future The movie Back to the Future, is filled with an all star cast and dynamic visual effects that were stunning in nineteen eighty-five and still stunning by todays definition. It was an appealing movie in which all ages could relate to the fun and entertainment that it was meant to portray. The movie was set in the fictional town of Hill Valley and focused upon the antics of Doc. Emmett Brown played by Christopher Lloyd and his sidekick Marty Mcfly played by Michael J. Fox. The film was written by Robert Zemeckis, who also directed the movie and Bob Gale,who came up the story idea. Steven Speilberg was the producer for the film. The story idea came to writer Bob Gale one day when at his parents home he found an old yearbook of his fathers. He thought to himself, Would he and his father been friends if they had gone to school together? Gale returned to California and shared his idea with Robert Zemeckis. They decided to take the project to Columbia pictures and made a developmental deal with Columbia for the script in September of 1980. (Klastornin) The rough draft of the script was finished in February, nineteen eighty-one. The film turned out to be more than just a thought about his father. The film had only a nineteen million dollar budget and brought in more than three hundred-eighty million dollars. Back to the Future was a critically acclaimed best movie of nineteen eighty- five. Critic Christopher Null claimed it to be a quintessential nineteen eighties flick that combines science fiction, action, comedy and romance all into a perfect little package that kids and adults will devour.(Null) It won the Hu go Award for dramatic presentation, the Saturn award for best science fiction film, academy awards and Golden Globe nomination. The film marked the beginning of a franchise with the sequels Back to the Future ll in nineteen eighty- nine and the sequel Back to the future lll in nineteen ninety. There was an animated series, a theme park ride and a video game released as well. The movie has a scene in which Marty is asked who is president in nineteen eighty- five and replies, Ronald Reagan. The person he is talking to laughs and tells him that Ronald Reagan is an actor, not a president. When watching the film for the first time Ronald Reagan himself was so amused by the joke about his being president that he had the theater stop the movie and rewind the reel so he could see the part again. He even referred to the movie in his nineteen eighty-six State of the Union address. He stated, Never has there been a more exciting time to be alive, a time of rousing wonder and heroic achievement. As they say in the film, Back to the Future, where were going, we dont need roads.(cspan) Many years later president George H.W. Bush used references from Back to the Future in his speeches. The film had to shoot at Universal Studios in California because no town would allow producers to redo their town to fit the nineteen fifties setting. Hill Valley scenes were shot at Courthouse Square on the back lot. Industrial Light and Magic created the thirty- two special effect shots. (Freer) Designers set the fifties in a wonderful way to make the town look beautiful, they shot all the scenes from the fifties first so they could make the town look bleak and ugly for the scenes in the eighties. Back to the Future had to shoot differently than how most movies are filmed. Michael J. Fox was working weekdays on the hit television series Family Ties. This made him only available to work on the movie set from six-thirty p.m. to two-thirty a.m. on weekdays. They were forced to save exterior scenes until weekends because that was the only time he was available during daylight. This routine gave him only five hours for sleep each day. He found this schedule exhausting but worthwhile bec ause he was simultaneously living his dream of being on television and in movies. The movie took one hundred days to film and finally wrapped up on April twentieth of nineteen eighty- five. Producers and editors worked twenty-four hour shifts making sure the movie would be ready for its July third release date. Only eight minutes of filming was omitted when editing was completed. A lot of hard work went into the making of the movie Back to the Future. It was a risk at the time with lots of wondering whether the movie would flop or be a success. It proved a risk worth taking because now, twenty-six years later, it is movie that most all generations have seen. Back to the Future will continue to remain a film title known worldwide. This is a film that closes the generation gap and brings old and young together as one. Future generations will continue to enjoy this film for years to come.

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Traumatic Brain Injury: What happens to the blood-brain barrier? Introduction Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability worldwide for which there is no cure. Many patients who survive from TBI may experience permanent cognitive loss, behavioral issues, and emotional disturbances, which require daily medical or social attentions.[1, 2] It is believed that over 2% US population is experiencing TBI-associated disabilities which create an annual burden evaluated at $60 billion on direct (medical service) and indirect (loss of productivity) costs.[3, 4] Traumatic brain injury is complex which consists of a mechanical trauma (primary injury) and a resulting biochemical cascade (secondary injury), and lead to a wide diversity of symptoms.[5] The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a highly specialized endothelial barrier which separates components of the circulating blood from neurons.[6] The BBB acts as the interface between the vascular system and the brain that restricts and regulates the exchange of substances.[7] The blood- brain barrier is responsible for the maintaining of homeostasis of the brain through regulating the chemical environment, the entry of xenobiotic and the immune cell transport.[8, 9] The concentration of water, ions, amino acids, hormones and neurotransmitters in the blood undergo fluctuations. If those fluctuations were allowed to occur in the brain it would lead to local disruption of signal propagation and uncontrolled neural activity.[8, 10] Interruption of cerebral blood flow would result in neuronal death.[11] The blood-brain barrier breakdown has often been documented in patients with TBI which may also be used as a biomarker in the clinic and drug trials.[12] The blood-brain barrier ... ...he activate local microglia.[63] Activated microglia can contribute to blood brain barrier opening.[64] Inflammation following blood brain barrier disruption after traumatic brain injury might be vital for the implementation of tissue repair and reorganization or even cell death.[65] Summary The pathological processes that develop following brain injury inevitably lead to neuronal death, which can be immediate or delayed. Blood brain barrier disruption, resulting in neuronal loss, might also influence the long-term traumatic brain injury complications which are characterized by neuronal death.[66, 67] Blood brain barrier breakdown is the central role of traumatic brain injury in the pathophysiology. Prevention of secondary damage following traumatic brain injury poses an important position in the treatment of traumatic brain injury or blood brain barrier breakdown.

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Children’s behaviors and reactions have always been so interesting to me. Studying Erikson, Piaget, and Kohlberg’s different theories on human development has given me a much deeper understanding of these behaviors. Although their theories are different, they do share three assumptions according to an article on SparkNotes.com: 1. People pass through stages in a specific order, with each stage building on capacities developed in the previous stage. 2. Stages are related to age. 3. Development is discontinuous, with qualitatively different capacities emerging in each stage† ("Psychology/Development," 2012, p. 1). While studying these three theorists it has affected my own idea of human development in two ways. Additionally, my view of how a patient has been raised has affected my nursing care. I admit that when I care for a child, a majority of the time I silently blame the parents for the improper actions of the child. It is easy for me to forgo disciplining an ad olescent patient. I often say to myself, it is not the child’s fault and excuse them for their behaviors, mainly because I believed that is how they were raised and they don’t know better. After learning about Erik Erikson’s theory on development, I realized that a child’s development is not solely dependent on the way the child was raised by their parents. There are other contributing factors in development, according to an article that compares Erikson’s views versus Freud’s titles Erik Erikson. McLeod (2013) states that Erikson, â€Å"emphasized the role of culture and society†, (p. 1) in the development of personality. After studying Erikson it has changed my understanding of why children behave and react in certain situations. In McLeod’s (2013) article it also mentions... ...n Simply Psychology, â€Å"children at this age like to explore the world around them and they are constantly learning about their environment† (McLeod, 2013, figure 2). Everything dangerous was kept in locked drawers and cabinet, so I thought the child would be safe roaming around the small exam room. Also, the incident involving the child’s eye was traumatizing to him and after the sutures are placed it would cause even more trauma. I explained to the parents that in order to instill autonomy into this child, they must allow the child to explore to overcome any fears that may be brought upon from this traumatic event. That is just one example of how I utilized Erikson’s theories into my nursing practice. I will continue to bring it into my plan of care, because I now have an understanding of why children react and behave in a certain way towards different situations.

Communistic Society Essay -- essays research papers

Communistic Society   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Karl Marx, a 19th century philosopher, is credited with establishing and developing the idea of a communist society in response to modern capitalism in the early 1800’s. Communism is the theoretical economic system characterized by the collective ownership of property and by the organization of labor for the common advantage of all its members. Marx described human history as the attempt to control nature in order to improve the human condition. The party was formed to support and promote the common interests of the proletariat.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Communists believed that private property was the root of class struggle. Communists felt that ownership of property and the means of production allowed owners to be oppressive and to control employee wages, product pricing, and lives of the workers. To eliminate this problem, means of production should be government owned. Communists, Marx stated, were to lead society into its new era. Marx stated that following a revolution the proletariat would seize control of both the social and economic world. The distinction between classes would be lessened, and class struggle would cease to exist. Government, social structure, and economic development were three important aspects of Communistic society. Communists believed that the present should dominate the past, contrary to previous modes of thinking under which the past dominated the present. A person’s social standing woul...

Critically analyse the ruling of the House of Lords in ‘Howe [1987] 1 AC 417’ that duress is not a defence to murder.

Introduction It will be critically analysed in this study whether the ruling of the House of Lords in ‘Howe [1987] 1 AC 417’ was acceptable and whether the notion that duress is not a defence to murder should continue to apply. Various academic opinion will be analysed and a review as to whether some change ought to be made will be considered. Thus, it will be demonstrated that although duress should not be a complete defence to murder, it should be a partial defence as there are some situations which lead to injustice on the basis that this defence is not available to them.[1] Main Body Duress is a common law defence that seeks to protect individuals that have been forced or compelled to commit a crime. The defence of duress provides an exception to the rule that a person shall be held responsible for any crimes they commit on the basis that they had not done so voluntarily. As the defence is open to abuse, caution needs to be taken by the Courts when allowing the defence to be submitted. Accordingly, restrictions are needed to ensure that the level of threat the defendant has been subjected to is not menial. Hence, as noted by Spain; the defence of duress â€Å"fails to recognise the reality that one will not need to be subjected to a specific type or level of threat for one’s will to be overborne.†[2] Furthermore, it is also important that the crime is not disproportionate to the threat in order for this defence to prove successful. This will prevent an abuse of the defence from occurring as individuals will not be able to take advantage of the defen ce in all circumstances. An example of this can be seen in relation to murder where the defence of duress is not generally accepted by the Courts. This is because, it is difficult to persuade the Court that a person has been forced or compelled into committing a crime when the harm that has been caused, is greater than the harm that has been threated. In deciding whether a defendant can use this defence, nonetheless, the Courts will have to use the proportionality test, which is both subjective and objective. In R v Howe[3] it was held that a jury should consider whether; a) the defendant acted in this way because he honestly believed that his life was in immediate danger; and b) a reasonable person of the same characteristics of the defendant would have acted in the same way. Here, it was, nonetheless, found that duress could not be a defence to murder. This decision has been the subject of much controversy over the years with conflicting views as to whether the defence of duress should in fact apply to mur der.[4] On the one hand, it is believed by Shankland that duress should serve as a valid defence to murder on the basis that a murder which has been committed as a result of duress should be distinguished from a murder that was pre-meditated.[5] On the other hand, it was said by Toczek that defendants should not be able to rely upon the duress defence for murder as this could not be deemed a ‘reasonable’ belief as required by the Court in Howe.[6] Accordingly, it would be difficult to establish that a person’s belief to commit murder was ‘reasonable’ on the basis that they were subjected to duress. The Court in the more recent case of R v Hasan[7] agreed with the Howe decision and made it even more difficult for the defence of duress to be successfully raised in all criminal cases. Here, it was argued that rather than merely finding that the defendant had a ‘reasonable’ belief, it must be shown that they had an ‘actual’ belief in the efficacy of the threat which compelled the defendant to commit the act. Arguably, it became apparent from this decision that rather than defendants demonstrating that they had a reasonable belief, they are now required to show that the reasonable belief was also a genuine one. The Law Commission have also expressed their concerns as to whether duress should apply to murder and have considered including duress as a partial defence to murder.[8] This would mean that first degree murder could be reduced to second degree murder, whilst second degree murder could be reduced to manslaughter. Whilst this would provide some protection to those individuals who have genuinely feared for their own or families life in committing the crime, it would prevent the scope being broadened too far. Accordingly, it has been said that moral involuntariness should be excused and that regardless as to what crime the defendant had committed, duress should be capable of being used as a defence.[9] Hence, it is said that the defendants fear or lack of courage should be given due c onsideration as these are central to the rational of the defendant. Conclusion Overall, it is evident that there are mixed opinions as to whether duress should be used as a defence to murder, yet whether this would broaden the scope too far is likely. This is because the defence would most likely be open to abuse if it could be used in circumstances such as this. Individuals would be capable of demonstrating that they had been subjected to duress in order to escape criminal liability for murder. This would be unjust in many situations as it cannot be said that the life of a human being is proportionate to a threat that has been made. Nevertheless, in order to ensure that complete liability is not imposed upon defendants in circumstances where they genuinely feared for their life, it could be said that duress should be used as a partial defence to murder. This would prevent defendants from completely escaping liability, yet it would provide the Courts with some leeway when considering certain cases that would require a defence, such as domestic violence victims. Bibliography Books E Spain., The Role of Emotions in Criminal Law Defences: Duress, Necessity and Lesser Evils, (Cambridge University Press, 2011). The Law Commission., Murder, Manslaughter and Infanticide: Project 6 of the Ninth Programme of Law Reform; Homicide, (The Stationary Office, 2006). Journals G Williams., ‘Necessity: Duress of Circumstances or Moral Involuntariness?’ Common Law World Review, Volume 43, Issue 1, 1. L Toczek., ‘A Case of Duress’ The New Law Journal, Volume 155, Issue 7173, 612. M Sorarajah., ‘Duress and Murder in Commonwealth Criminal Law’ (1981) The International and Comparative Law Quarterly, Volume 30, No 3, 660-661. R Shankland., ‘Duress and the Underlying Felony’ (2009) Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, Volume 99, Issue 1227. Cases R v Hasan [2005] UKHL 22 R v Howe [1987] 1 AC 417