41 Words That Are Better Than Good

41 Words That Are Better Than Good 41 Words That Are Better Than Good 41 Words That Are Better Than Good By Michael The soul of writing is specificity, yet all too often, we lean on general-purpose words instead of choosing the most precise ones. Most of our daily communication probably depends on less than 1,000 words. Of course, that includes words such as you, I, is, are, of, and for, which are already the best words for the job. I admit that sometimes in conversation, I deliberately limit my vocabulary because I dont want others to look at me quizzically: Who does he think he is, anyway: one of the authors of a writing tips blog? The result is vague, even boring, conversation, using words so general, they could fit almost everything in the world. How was your trip? Fine. How do you feel? Good. Choosing other words is no improvement, if we always choose the same words. A world where everything is cool or awesome is not much more interesting than a world where everything is fine or good. So lets buck the trend. Here are 41 alternatives to good that cant be used to describe everything in the world because they each have specific meanings, or at least, different connotations. breathtaking amazing, surprising, astonishing, enough to make you gasp with pleasure, and almost enough to make you forget to breathe. choice preferred, prized, specially selected. In New Zealand, the exclamation Choice! is used similarly to Great! in the United States. dazzling amazing, splendid, brilliant, shining so bright that its hard to see it. delectable highly delicious, usually describing food, from the Latin for delight. delightful causing joy, delight or pleasure, producing positive emotion, with the same Latin root as delectable. deluxe high quality, related to luxury, from the Latin for excess. enjoyable pleasant, bringing pleasure and satisfaction bringing joy. excellent superior, best in its class, of the highest quality, making a person shout Excelsior! exceptional uncommon, rare, and better for being so. exemplary an example of high quality, a model for others. fine delicate, exquisite, almost as good as it gets. Related to the French and Latin words for finished and exact. Overused until often it merely means acceptable. exquisite exceptionally fine or rare, with the sense of extreme favorable helpful, encouraging, positive, convenient, such as getting hoped-for results. first-rate exceptionally good, in the highest class. Describing a British naval vessel with more than 100 guns. first-string the starting players on a sports team; that is, the best of them. Many other expressions begin with the word first. five-star from the hotel rating system in which a five-star hotel is among the worlds best. formidable causing awe, respect, wonder or even fear, perhaps because its so large or strong. gilt-edged high quality, from the practice of putting a thin layer of gold on the edges of a book. gratifying pleasing, satisfying, making someone content. incredible amazing, beyond belief, almost too good to be true. luxurious fine or comfortable, such as an expensive hotel room. I use it to show gratitude for a gift that is too fancy for my tastes. magnificent splendid, elegant, noble. From the Latin word for great deeds. opulent showy, extravagant, magnificent, sumptuous more than luxurious, with the sense of more than you really need pleasing giving cheer, pleasure, or enjoyment something that pleases you positive certain, good, favorable. Currently used in expressions such as positive energy or positive vibes. precious beloved, valuable, worthy, of high price. Precious writing is euphuistic: overly cute and takes itself too seriously. prime first, as in first quality. rare uncommon, scarce, and therefore valuable. The gravestone of an influential English playwright is inscribed with the (misspelled) tribute O rare Ben Johnson. satisfying sufficient, pleasing, more than adequate. select privileged, specially chosen, high-quality. shipshape well-organized, fully prepared, meticulous, tidy. Before you embark on an ocean voyage, you want your ship to be in shape. sound healthy, solid, secure, complete. If a floor is sound, you wont fall through. sterling of high, verifiable value, as in sterling silver, which is 92.5% pure silver. Originally referring to British coins, which had a star or a starling on them in the Middle Ages. striking impressive, memorable, calling to mind the striking of a coin. sumptuous costly, expensive, as in a meal with many courses of great variety. Weve got a whole article about sumptuous. top-notch belonging to the highest level, possibly from some 19th century game that used notches to keep score. subtle clever and crafty, though thats an older meaning. A subtle flavor is not overbearing, and the chef will be pleased if you tell him so. up to snuff meeting the standard, adequate, sharp. Snuff is a more expensive powdered tobacco, which was sniffed by higher-class gentlemen as a stimulant in the 19th century. valuable worthy of esteem, having high worth or value. welcome anticipated, a pleasure to see, received with gladness, as in welcome news. From the Old English for â€Å"a wished-for guest. well-made built right, properly constructed, sound. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Types of RhymeOne Sheep, Two Sheep, One Fish, Two Fish . . .48 Writing Prompts for Middle School Kids

Essay Three Cases of Union Breaking in Us

Essay Three Cases of Union Breaking in Us Essay Three Cases of Union Breaking in Us Journalism 513 Edward Connolly The Legacy of Three Union Busting Milestone Events in the United States This paper will discuss three major unionized labor- ­Ã¢â‚¬ management disputes in the U.S.; the goals of each action (strike or other action); the significant individuals involved in breaking the unions involved; the public attitude of the times; and the aftermath of those union- ­Ã¢â‚¬ management disputes in terms of their effect on union growth and progress. The strikes and the strike breakers: First – Andrew Carnegie and the Homestead steel strike of 1892 Second – Ronald Reagan and the Air traffic Controllers’ Strike of 1981 Third – Governor Scott of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Public Employees union - ­Ã¢â‚¬  2011 Union defeats in these three disputes led to major union busting efforts and blunted progress in a time of union growth, or accelerated a downward trajectory in a period of decline. Carnegie and Homestead Works Skilled Steel Workers For several years Andrew Carnegie had been building his fortune upon acquiring and operating steel companies and plants at a time when steel was the major growth industry enabling America to build cities and infrastructure that would make it the envy of the world. Carnegie’s holdings in steel were primarily in â€Å"unorganized† or non- ­Ã¢â‚¬ union plants. In 1888 he acquired the unionized Homestead plant in Pennsylvania. At the time of his acquisition and early period of operation, unions (the plant union was the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers, or AA) were comprised primarily of skilled personnel who worked cooperatively with management on productivity, efficiency and quality of the product. Unionized workers also held a great amount of personal security and a sense of ownership of their jobs. As Carnegie’s plan ts became more mechanized they required a large number of unskilled laborers that came in as non- ­Ã¢â‚¬ union workers. The AA, a national union, was also organized in other steel plants in the Allegheny region. The union initiated a strike on June 30, 1892, which was followed by a management directed â€Å"lockout† of union workers. While Carnegie left for an extended tour of Europe he left one of his managers, Henry Frick in charge. Frick had a plan to fiercely oppose the union, to not only end the strike – but to break the union entirely. Carnegie was complicit in the plan, but stayed in Scotland to keep himself comfortably above the fray. Frick hired the Pinkerton Agency with an objective of overthrowing the striking workers that were occupying the perimeter around the plant (after a fence had been built by Frick to keep the workers out of

International Bus Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International Bus Management - Essay Example communications, technology and transportation have provided the process a new momentum and have made the planet more co-dependent than ever (Global Policy Forum, 2010). The multinational organizations manufacture their products in a number of countries and sell to the consumers around the globe (Global Policy Forum, 2010). Raw materials, Money, technology and human resources have started moving across nations more swiftly than ever. Along with that the products, finances, cultures and ideas circulate more easily (Global Policy Forum, 2010). As a consequence, the legal, social and economics movements have been forming in International level. It is the time to have globalization in every aspect; globalization of economics, globalization of culture and legal environment (Global Policy Forum, 2010). The company, Nestle is a leading global company with its existence in around 130 countries around the world (Nestle, n.d.).The report consists of the analysis of its strategy in local and global markets. The company’s competitive strategy, foreign market entry strategy, market enhancement strategies as well as some other local and global strategies has been discussed below. At the same time a glance at the organizational structure of the company can provide an influential factor behind the success of the organization. Nestle is one of the most respected brand name in the global food and beverage industry. The company promotes its products in around 130 nations across the globe (Nestle, n.d.). Some of its well known global brands include Maggi, Nestea, Nescafe, Friskies and Nestle. Apart from its own products the company owns around 52% of shares of Alcon Inc and about 30 % of the cosmetic giant, L’Oreal (Hoovers, 2010). Such diverse range of products makes it a leading brand not only in the world of food and beverages but attempts to elevate it to greater heights. This part of the report has been based on the tactical theories, written by renowned authors on

Discussion 2 Week 10 The Assignment Model Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion 2 Week 10 The Model - Assignment Example ce in the balanced assignment model, the supply and the demand at each source and destination are clearly determined and limited to one, decision makers are provided with the essential tools to solve the problem conveniently. Likewise, as described, when the problem is unbalanced, it is either that the supply exceeds demand, or the demand exceeds the supply (Taylor, 2010). There are several benefits which could be gained from using the assignment model. For one, the decision makers are provided with clear constraints that would facilitate the formulation of decision variables along the indicated expected demand and supply at source and destination. In addition, through a study written by Caulley (1982), it was revealed that the applicability of the assignment model is appreciated in situations where â€Å"there is a variable to be optimized, such as teacher satisfaction. In the example used to demonstrate the assignment model, students are assigned to teachers in a way that matches them up with the students they request as much as possible†¦ The author concludes that the advantages of these models are that they give a better solution than can be obtained by inspection and they take teachers wishes into account regarding assignment† (par. 1). In addition, since these type of problems could be solved using computer applications through Excel or Excel QM, the decision makers could be provided with accurate solutions at the soonest possible time – giving the user of the model the convenience and ease of arriving at the most viable solution within a limited time period. Caulley, D. (1982, February). The Use of Assignment and Transportation Models in Evaluation. Research on Evaluation Program. Paper and Report Series No. 68. Retrieved from eric.ed.gov:

INTIMACY, LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

INTIMACY, LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP - Essay Example Love and intimacy are two basic pillars of modern marriage. Nevertheless, the issues of property are often challenging for the modern couples. In a sound modern marriage it is relevant to have a well-balanced relations in marriage, which are full-fledged at different levels of a marriage. Modern philosophers on love, intimacy and property In the book written by Laura Kipnis "Against Love" the author claims that there are societal bounds, which connect two spouses together. The concept of marriage is much wider, than it was a century ago. Now, it is a long-term romantic relation (gay, lesbian or straight). The concept of love and intimacy are often correlated with the concept of marriage. From the political perspective relation in a marriage facilitate governmental management over individuals (Kipnis, 2006). Kipnis in accordance with Freud underlines that â€Å"basic repression is necessary for any civilization to survive (Csencsitz, 2008). Currently, equal civic stability is an enfo rced compliance between the modern political and social system. Marriage exerts influence on love in order to "maximize submission and minimize freedom." (Kipnis 2006, p. 53). Kipnis defines love in the following way: â€Å"love is the nearest most of us come to glimpsing utopia in our lifetimes† (Kipnis, 2006). Therefore, currently marriage is considered to be an integrative component of spouses. Nevertheless marriage was previously considered as the relations between two spouses and they combined their mutual assets. Nowadays in Australia the number of one-person households increased and currently 9 per cent of Australians live alone (Classen, 2004). Very often it is possible to meet the couples in Australia, which do not have money for their own mansion. They live in the households of their own. Therefore, women do not want to risk their properties and neither do men. In the work presented by Susan Maushart an interesting interrelation between the concept of property and m arriage is discussed. Thus, it is described the way family lived through without technology (Shumway, Sterling, Kimball, Korinek, and Arredondo, 2007). Therefore, in the modern world a family and a marriage cannot exist without many external factors. Political factors, technological advancement are crucial issues in the existence of marriage and family. As far as we can see, modern people are dependent on different issues of the world. Another author Marilyn Yalom in her book â€Å"The History of the Wife† presents a changing nature of roles of women in the modern world (Yalom and Carstensen, 2002). Women work outside of home more than earlier. Women are turning into more independent; they have turned into a competitive workforce. Modern women want to have marriage and to be beloved women, but they lack role models. The icons of modern women are different. Popular culture represents them from different points of view. A different interpretation of marriage in the modern world Consequently, intimate relations and marriage is presented from an unusual perspective. Currently, modern love should be considered in the modern context. The earlier representation of romance currently coexists with intimacy. In accordance with Shumway the literature of love is focused on a perverted representation of love. Therefore, unlike â€Å"romantic marriage†, which existed after the period World War I, there is a high degree of intrigue and courtship in the modern marriage. In accordance wi

People Oriented Leader Or Relations Oriented Leadership Business Essay

People Oriented Leader Or Relations Oriented Leadership Business Essay Many business majors do not see the early management though as primitive in nature. Modern management thinking is often thought as modern management theory. Modern management thinking has been researched in reference to early management though, businessmen today only have a clear understanding of current and modern managing thinking, they have little knowledge of the past management thinking. Management thought involves politics and theory. The politics of management thought often come from the ones whom want the management styles to be received (OConnor, 1999). Because of political institutions order can be restored under established institutions. Management science during the factory era did just that. This could be seen during the Great Depression where management was desperately needed for reestablishing jobs. The birth of The Labor Unions was in this era. This proved to be one of the most effective changes management science contributed to history (Wren/Bendein, 2009). Modern management has its foundations based on management science and thoughts. The birth of early management started like everything else started i.e. people wanting a solution to a problem. Management thought has been often thought of as a type of science, and in fact it is. Managerial science uses assets of human resources and business principles to define and resolve workplace issues (Bedeian, 2004). During the early era of factory companies managerial companies were basically absolute and non-existent this caused chaos and lack of communication. Miller in his book Barbarians to Bureaucrats mentioned that there must be a strong relationship between the life cycle stage of an organization and the nature of its leadership, where as leadership is defined as an elusive concept, which comes through a conversation quite easily but very, few people understand. The very idea of leadership presupposes the existence of follower. (Wright and Taylor) stated that the activity of leadership co uld not be carried out without the aid of the followers to lead. Advanced managerial thoughts are based on the foundations of Millers 7 stages which are Prophet, Barbarian, Builder and Explorer, Administrator, Bureaucrat, Aristocrat and Synergist. The compelling new vision of a prophet and the aggressive leadership of an iron willed barbarian, who implement the prophet ideas will help to build new techniques and expansions. The builder and the explorer then push these through, but the growth spawned by these managers can easily stagnate when the administrator sacrifices innovation to order, and the bureaucrat imposes tight control. The aristocrat spends his time re-arranging, trading, and manipulating the assets but is unable to create new ones. It is the synergist that are capable of specialized knowledge and skills, and the integration of those competencies makes them a business leader who balances creativity with order, to restore vitality and insure future growth. It is important that a leader has good ethics in leadership, this is because in management the leaders must take decision that not only will benefit them but also think how other people will be affected. Millers work showed how leaders offered their leadership skills with their known value and ethics. These stages offered more advanced managerial thoughts, since companies started to focus on more of a humanistic approach to resolving issues with managerial science by establishing policies and procedures as well as employee labor relations. Leadership can come in many forms such as: Autocratic Leadership Bureaucratic Leadership Charismatic Leadership Democratic Leader or Participative Leadership Laissez-Fair Leadership Task-Oriented Leadership People Oriented Leader or Relations-Oriented Leadership Servant Leadership Transactional Leadership Transformational Leadership The right leadership is chosen according to the requirements of the company it self. Each leadership carries its own scope. To be a good leader means switching him or herself instinctively between styles according to the people and work they are dealing with. To choose the most effective approach one must consider: The skill levels and experience of the members of the team. The work involved (routine or new and creative). The organizational environment (stable or radically changing, conservative or adventurous) Among all of the management thought theories there are some key principles that have been defined. The identification of systems is done by their structures, since there are different types of systems. These include: real system, abstract or analytical system and controlled system. Systems of theory provide an internally consistent framework for classifying and evaluating the world. This consists of many definitions and concepts. When system theory was first introduced to management science and organizations were significantly affected. The main effects of system theory in management are that educators and consultants started helping managers to change their overall perspective regarding an organization. Managers were being thought to look at an organization from a broader and new perspective, by interpreting patterns and events in the workplace. Before the theory of systems was introduced, managers used to focus on one part of an organization at a time and after they moved all attention to another part. In other words, the importance of synchronization between departments (or parts of an organization) was not given great importance. As already mentioned, earlier in the introduction, feedback, communication and collaboration between systems are a necessity in order for an organization to work efficiently with a common goal. Theory of systems is an abstract philosophical framework that involves a highly empirical and investigative form of management science [2]. Moreover, system of theories is a useful conceptual tool, although it is insufficient. System theory is a useful tool because it helps analyse orderly research problems while it is insufficient because researchers need to take a very active role to complete the abstract role suggested by the systems theory. It also clarifies the role of complex organisations in modern society; and predicts that the complexity of organisations, and therefore the role of management, will probably continue to increase at least for so long as the efficiency-enhancing potential of complexity can continue to outweigh its inevitably increased transaction costs. The introducing of theory of systems to managers, helped them recognizing the various parts of the organization, and in particular the interrelation of the parts. As system theory was introduced, it took much more of a holistic view of organisation, focusing on total work organization and the inter-relationship between structures and human behaviours producing a wide range of variable within organisations [3]. They help us understand the interactions between individuals, groups, communities, organizations, larger social systems, in their own environments and help us enhance our understanding of how human behaviour operates. The fundamentals of the past have been neglected by scholars of the present day. (Bedeian, 1998) states that evolution of management thought has been deprived of the past, which has the backbone of modern day management. It is a known fact that anything that is currently in existence as we as humans may know it to be, had to come from somewhere. The past exists in a reciprocal relationship with the present (Bedeian, 2004). Early management thought has evolved over this time period with more advanced thinking in how to better manage and keep order. Significant contributions have deemed necessary in order for management thought to become as evolved as we know it today. Modern Management Thinking is mainly surrounded by policies, procedures and ethical methodologies these guide the co-operation itself. Many aspects of modern management thought derived from the economic history of traditional management. Factory era management science concepts such as well-defined hierarchy, labor relations, rules and regulations, interpersonal skills, competence and records management cultivated the framework of the 21st century of modern management. (CliffsNotes, 2010) Structural contingency theory makes part of Modern Management. This theory is closely related to system design (Scott 2003). The contingency adopted an open systems view on organization. It is a class behavioural theory, which claims that theres no best way to organize a corporation, lead it or make decision. Instead, the optimal course of action is contingent (dependent) upon the internal and external situation. Several contingency approaches were developed concurrently in the late 1960s. Some important contingencies for companies are listed below: 1. Technology 2. Suppliers and distributors 3. Consumer interest groups 4. Customers and competitors 5. Government 6. Unions Structural contingency theory suggests that companies will have a plan so that if any organizational change takes into place the other plan will be obtained. Therefore, each business ensures that it will operate within the most efficient structure to support the business. There are varies factors that influence structural contingency decisions and plans. This theory also states that organizational structure needs to fit the three contingencies of the environment, size and strategy. This means that every aspect of the current situation has to be taken in account when a manager makes a decision. It also has to act on the aspects that are the key of the situation at hand, this means that what worked once is not going to work on a different situation, that is why it all depends. According to this, the best style will be achieved due to a continuing effort of identifying the best leadership or management style. Making decisions or applying leadership styles contingent on internal and external factors. These can increase effectiveness in the current situation. Such theory is part of the contingency theories of leadership, decision-making and also rules. In this theory, it is explained that a managers success relies on variables such as the workforce, leadership style, task structure, perceived power of the manager and corporate culture. Modern management science is obviously shaped by every aspect of the past. Although education plays a great part in modern management thinking, the term modern thinking is truly understood by experience. Bedeian in his book the Gift of Professional Maturity explains the five lessons that are considered invaluable. The first lesson is that of realizing ideas are a product of their own time and place.(Bedeian, 2004). This is an epiphany for business majors because it denounces the idea of management thought being universal to all times. This type was evident in the Great Depression where as one can see it was only justified and useful in a particular time period. The second lesson in management thinking in accordance to Bedeian is the advantage of being an informed consumer of received knowledge. Having the correct information in a the palm of your hand will serve as an adversary when it comes to management thought; everything in management theory is based off of acclaimed information. Without received knowledge management is obsolete (Bedeian, 2004). The third lesson of Bedeian is the danger of inherent in relying on secondary source materials. Information is best effective when obtained from a primary source. Secondary information; when it comes to management thought is useless. Which is why modern management thought has a bit of an advantage over factor era management thought. Bedeian in his fourth lesson of management says: widely accepted facts are often wrong. He implies that accepted facts are widely wrong. In fact, this begs the explanation of what is considered accepted as fact. In management thought fact may not always be determined as fact unless the information to support the facts are true in nature (Bedeian, 2004). Employees had lack of managerial facts during the factory era. This included the actual conditions, which they had been working on. Due to an understated compensation, employees were not sure who they will believe while child labor was spread. By taking great strides to improve these facets of management, modern management has learnt lessons from the factory era. The fifth and last lesson of Bedeian is the special advantage of the past history. (Bedeian, 2004) Modern management thinking has had the advantage of learning from the past events that were so devastating to the world and has the advantage of making better management economic choices. After evaluating and discussing in detail such contributions, it can be concluded that effective and qualitative management is a necessity in both small and large corporations/businesses. The latter will yield a better organizational structure incorporating all the departments of a company to work as unity to achieve several goals.

Brand Report – Monster v Red Bull

At the heart of every great organization, Is a world class product or service and in any competitive business market, organizations rival to be every consumer's â€Å"first choice†. Effective brand management Is essential to every business – building strong brands that not only reflect value and credibility, but also outlive the product or service the business offers, Is a challenge for many organizations today.The FMC (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) industry is one of the biggest industries in the world, simply because of the rand's and products that make up this sector such as Colgate, Dove, Palmolive and the list goes on. This report will compare two FMC brands within the Australian market, namely Monster Energy and Red Bull, and the consumers levels of brand awareness towards the selected brands. It will also discuss the importance of brand association and how this is measured.Through the use of these brands, Monster Energy and Red Bull, the report will illustrate the importance of an organization's ability to continuously build brand awareness with its consumers. Launched by Hansen Natural In 2002, Monster Energy penetrated the Australian market In 2009 ND has since bumped up the consumption of energy drinks In Australia to 225 million liters, resulting In gross sale of $2. 37 billion, according to Monster Corps's 2012 annual report. This figure also includes Australia's number one selling energy drink company, Red Bull, with a market share of 40%.As defined by Kettle (2009), a brand can be a name, sign, logo, symbol or a combination of these, that identifies an organization's product or service, differentiating them from other competitors. According to Keller (1993), brand equity is conceptualized from the perspective of the individual consumer. He also asserts that customer-based brand equity (CUBE) occurs when the consumer is familiar with the brand and whilst holding favorable, strong and unique brand associations in memory (1993). CUBE (Cus tomer-Based Brand Equity) is further defined by Keller (1993, up. ) as the differential effect of brand knowledge on consumer response to the marketing of the brand. Brand knowledge Is defined In In terms of two components; brand awareness and brand Image. According to Keller (1 993), brand awareness relates to brand recall and recognition performance by consumers, whilst brand image refers to the set of associations that consumers hold in memory. Since its launch in 2002, Monster Energy has developed strong brand salience, despite its non-evocative brand name.Placing the word ‘energy' with ‘Monster assists the customer to associate the product with the correct category. Brand salience is the first step in Seller's CUBE model (2008) and where organizations must establish who they are and what the brand represents to consumers. Establishing an identity and creating brand awareness is important at this stage, as it is when customers initially create perceptions about the b rand. McDonald & Sharp (2003) assert that a brand that has some level of brand awareness Is more likely to be selected by the consumer, than a brand unknown to the consumer.A challenge FMC companies must consider, Is the consumer's lack of decision making process Involved at the time of purchase, making It difficult for new brands to penetrate an already infiltrated industry. When Monster was initially low. Despite heavy marketing promotions and sporting associations, Monster's position within Australia's energy drinks category was relatively low, in comparison to market dominator and competitor, Red Bull. In comparison to its rival, Red Bull, Monster's brand salience lacks depth in the minds of Australian consumers.Although the Monster's logo of a monster claw shaped as an ‘M' is easily recognizable internationally, Australian consumers still lack the ability to recognize or recall the product category in which Monster belongs. The breadth of brand awareness concerns the rang e of purchase and usage situations in which the brand comes to mind (Keller, 2008), which largely depends on the organization of the brand and the product knowledge in consumers' memory.Today, Red Bull is the most recognized ND profitable energy drink in the world and is a beverage consumed at any time throughout the day. Both Red Bull and Monster offer a range of energy products, targeting consumption at different times throughout a given day. Both brands have broad brand awareness, consumers associating them with extreme sports, beverage for consumption early, mid or late in the day and an energy booster. Experiment 1 A research survey was conducted with a sample of 30 participants, 1 5 of which were male and 15 female (Fig 1 & 2).The objective of the survey research was to: Determine if males or females consume energy drinks and how frequently To determine the position of both Monster Energy and Red Bull in the mind of consumers Determine when and where the energy drink is most c onsumed Procedure The survey was formed with the appropriate questions to provide the data required to support brand awareness research on the energy drinks category. Participants were recruited from Speeches Australia Pity Ltd and also several students from the University of Western Sydney, Parameter campus.Results The first question was to determine how frequently males and females drink energy drinks throughout any given week (Fig 3). 19 participants reported drinking 1 or less energy drinks throughout the week with only 2 drinking 5 times a week. The next question asked what energy drink they consume and Red Bull came in at 43% popularity and Monster ranking third place at 20% Fig 4). The third question was asked to determine when and where the participants consumed their selected energy drink (Fig 5). 17 participants reported having an energy drink in the afternoons, with mornings being the time energy drinks were least consumed.Consumption within the workplace was reported as being the most common place of consumption with social events ranking in second with a reported 9 participants (Fig ). Summary Although the sample was small, the data research supports the statistics that Red Bull Energy rates higher in consumer's minds than Monster Energy. Despite both brands being strongly associated with humor, fun, excitement and extreme sports, one can conclude that because energy drinks are most consumed during the day and within the workplace, the breadth of brand awareness for both Monster and Red Bull is relatively broad.According to Asker (1992), brand association is anything linked in memory to a brand associations enable a company to differentiate their brands in the market and can be tildes as an organization's competitive advantage. Keller (2013) classifies brand associations into three categories; attributes, benefits and attitudes. Attributes are the features of the brand, benefits are the values the consumer attaches to the brand and attitudes refer s to the consumer's overall evaluation of the brand. Building brand equity can also be done through the leverage of related or secondary brand associations (Keller, 2013).Secondary brand association can be an effective way for an organization to reinforce existing strong, favorable and strong associations if the existing brand is deficient. Red Bull uses celebrity endorsements, sporting, cultural and community events as secondary brand associations. Low & Lamb (2000) discusses the importance of firms measuring being able to measure associations with their brands and the techniques that can be used to accurately measure consumer brand associations. Brand image, attitude and perceived quality have been used to measure brand associations for many years.After much research, Low & Lamb concluded that not all brand scales such as personality or attributes can be applied across all categories, therefore, acting as separate constructs as opposed to nee-dimensional brand associations. This g ives rise to the idea that consumers now have more developed memory structures for more familiar brands. The authors also suggest that care must be taken when measuring associations of familiar brands – as quoted by the author ‘Familiarity moderates the dimensionality of brand associations'.Asker (1996) asserts that in order for organizations to perform optimally and allocate resources fairly across its portfolio of brands, it must implement common measures of performance. Managers should seek new branding strategies, to always from the same category as their product, but from the other brand categories. This will provide fresh ideas and new insight, resulting in new product positioning in the market. Kara also discusses the use of ten different measurements used to measure brand associations.He also asserts that the one measurement of brand equity that can be used is price premium. The reason behind this is that regardless of brand, any driver of brand equity will affe ct price premium. The consumer's association with any given brand is important to any organization wishing to maintain competition in the business market. Suppresses (2000) discusses the lack of knowledge regarding brand association relevant to other brands in other product categories. Suppresses points out the challenges brought about by private label brands.Suppresses also discusses the ways by which firms can research consumers' brand associations including lengthy personal interviews as opposed to group interviews and validating given answers to questions. By validating answers, one can increase the probability of detecting hidden associations. Suppresses concludes that brand managers need to attain a deeper understanding f the sources of brand equity in order to implement optimal brand strategies and to maintain effective communication. The way by which firms undertake research should delve into the unconscious and non-verbal associations that consumers have for their brands (2 000).Experiment 2 Personal interviews were conducted with two participants, male and female, aged 27 and 19 respectively. The objective of the survey research was to: the emotions associated with Red Bull's secondary association through sporting imagery Determine the emotions evokes when the participants brand Red Bull Procedure The interview was conducted to determine the emotions consumers have Bull and its secondary brand association. Both participants (Male A and were students of University of Western Sydney, Parameter campus. Rest The words ‘RED BULL† was vocalizes to each participant two times.The FL to measure their initial reaction and the second was to validate that area reacted immediately with instant recognition and slight excitement. Fem. recognition but not of excitement. When validating their reactions, Male loves the brand and is a regular consumer however, Female B said she c Red Bull but is not a fan of the taste. A picture of the Red Bull logo (Fig. 5; to both participants and both reacted similarly, with recognition. Male A recognition and affordability for the brand with the use of facial express head gestures.Similar to the reacted of Female B, although she wasn't t the product. The third measurement was through the use of imagery re Bull's secondary association, sporting endorsements (Fig. 8). Male Bi's ex. increased and he vocalizes his interest in X-tree sporting events and of Red Bull's consistent involvement in the sporting arena. Female Bi's en however, dropped and was visible by her posture and lack of verbalism Brands can evoke strong emotions and memory associations from consul that one's negative perception of the brand as a result of taste or expert difficult for organizations to change.The research also illustrates that the association consumers hold with Red Bull is a positive one. Following Ex and Experiment 2, the results reflect the premise that the selected bran extensive brand salience with consumers and that if consumers are expo positive marketing, perceptions tend to remain. Red Bull is a superior BRB otherwise saturated energy drink category, posing increased competition riveter label beverages and other energy brands. By continuously impair strategic branding, firms can be certain that with these strategies, it will competitive edge within the business market.Brand management with industry is of utmost importance, as monopoly retailers continue to dicta brands to display on their shelves, minimizing consumer choice and the increasing competition within all product categories. The energy drinks exception, with consumers increasingly becoming more health conscious industry battling to remain competitive with an increasingly globalizes market. With the right brand strategies and managers to drive and imply strategies, one can be confident that Red Bull will continue to dominate energy market share. Appendix Fig 7.

East of Eden: An Interpretation Essay

I. Cathy Ames – Cathy’s main motivation was her desperate and incessant need for money. This held true throughout most of the book; it was only at the very end of her life that she realized that she had been missing something her entire life. This is the reason she left everything that she had amassed to her youngest son, Aron. This act may have been a desperate attempt at making up for the love she was never privileged enough to have. Cathy viewed herself as someone who could outwit most anyone she met — especially men. There were a few of those who she feared because she felt like their eyes could see into every one of her thoughts and emotions. Samuel Hamilton was one of these people, and so she despised him. Whatever happened in Cathy at the end was responsible for her change in disposition. Her sudden â€Å"goodness† (if it can be called that) impelled her to leave everything she owned to Aron, her â€Å"good† son, and nothing to Cal, whom she felt was most like her in his devious personality and sinful motivation (from what she gathered of the few times they met). Cathy saw nothing good or honest in any part of humanity. Even the men who she served disgusted her. She surrounded herself with the slime of civilization, and was blinded to everyone and everything else. I don’t know that Cathy ever truly liked anybody but herself, and in the end the fact that she didn’t even like herself frankly scared her. All of her past misdeeds finally came back to haunt her. After swallowing her â€Å"Drink Me,† she finally ceased to be, and in her mind, never was; and that was the way she wanted it. Samuel Hamilton – Samuel Hamilton was a family man. He valued spending time with his family and found that even more important than making money. Even though he always complained about his extremely unprofitable and barren ranch, he made a lifetime of happy memories there and found it very hard to leave when he and Lisa moved to Salinas. Samuel had a persistency about him. Nothing could ever wear him down, except of course, old age in the end. But no matter the number of failed inventions or patents that didn’t work out, he was always working on another one of his ideas. Samuel was loved throughout the entire county; everybody was his friend. He had one of those insightful and humorous personalities that everybody liked. Samuel loved life and ached for what each new day would bring. Although not as devout as Lisa in her views about religion and what is sinful, Samuel was a good, moral person who enjoyed life very much. Samuel saw himself as nothing more than any other man he had ever met. He was constantly giving and doing his part to improve society as a whole. He cared for nearly everyone and everything. For his children, Samuel wanted nothing but success and greatness, but at the same time he wondered if it were a selfish and sinful thing to want greatness for his children, knowing that it would be a hard and lonely path. Perhaps this is the reason Samuel himself was so content with his own financial status. He was never alone, and always had the pleasure of family near. Samuel Hamilton died a rich man – surrounded by friends and family. Caleb Trask – Cal wanted desperately to be liked and loved the way Aron was. He loved his brother, but at the same time envied him to no end. It was his jealousy that drove Cal to do the mean things he did to his brother, but these cruel tactics were no relief from his inner strife. Afterward, Cal always beat himself up emotionally for wanting to hurt his brother. Cal was very smart and clever (like his mother I suppose) and emotionally strong, but he longed to be loved, especially by his father, Adam. Cal was once desperate enough to try to â€Å"buy† his fathers love (as Will Hamilton had asked quite frankly) with $15,000. After Cal found out the truth about Cathy, what she had done to his father, and that she made a living as a whore, he felt like it was his responsibility to help protect Adam. His whole life, Cal never felt that Adam liked him very much, the way he loved Aron. It was when Cal saw his mother up close that he realized why his father loved Aron so much more than him; Aron looked like Cathy, whom Cal knew Adam still hopelessly loved. Cal always referred to himself as being â€Å"bad,† by thinking bad thoughts and doing bad things. He also always confided in Lee that he longed to be good, like Aron. That’s all he wanted. But, unfortunately, he despised himself. He hated himself so much that Lee suspected he enjoyed wallowing in his self-pity. It was his only protection from the outside world; a world that Cal was sure would reject him for his brother, Aron. Aron Trask – Aron was steadfast in his morality and was disgusted by the filth of society, very much like his mother. But unlike Cathy, Aron would not have surrounded himself with anyone or anything against his beliefs. Aron’s brother, Cal could be described as Aron’s opposite. He was so much stronger than Aron in every way except maybe physically. Cal accepted things as they were, and suffered through them, as awful as the circumstances may have been. On the other hand, Aron, as Abra suggested, tore up reality for his own picture of how the world should be, and if that picture should become impure, his whole world would come crashing down around him. In the beginning, Aron lived for the goodness in life, and so, naturally, he built his mother (whom he had never known) to be the most beautiful, kind, pure woman in the world. I don’t think his vision ever left him given his reaction when he discovered the truth. In the second half of his life, Aron was driven by his love for Abra. But it wasn’t really Abra that he loved. It was a completely pure and moral being wearing Abra’s skin and beauty. Nevertheless, it was this vision of Abra that got him through all of his hard times at school, and what he lived for at home. After Adam rejected Cal at Thanksgiving, Cal took his anger and frustration out on his brother in the cruelest way he could imagine. Cal showed Cathy to Aron and he learned the truth; his mother was a whore, the most undignified thing a woman was capable of being. Aron’s picture of life was altered dramatically, and he couldn’t handle it. He had viewed himself as good and clean and moral. His life was destroyed in his mind and he would always feel impure and dirty. Aron enlisted in the Army and ultimately got himself killed. Lee – Lee was a very wise intellectual. What motivated Lee through life was unclear. It had to have been his dreams that he often talked about and longed to accomplish. But what about after he had no dreams left? He had even said that after trying out life in his San Francisco bookstore that he had no more dreams left. From then on, Lee’s main motivation must have been his love for the Trask family. It’s obvious that he loved the boys very much and felt as though the Trasks were part of his own family. Lee was very smart and clever. He valued the goodness in man, and found ignorance annoying, but very plentiful in society. He always craved a good debate or intelligent conversation. He always liked talking with Samuel Hamilton because he could provide this. Their long talks about the story of Cain and Abel excited Lee, because they always left him pondering, and wanting more. It was obvious that Lee enjoyed learning, and examining complex situations very much. Throughout all of East of Eden, it was Lee that offered the best advice; perhaps because he dissected each situation thoroughly enough to see what needed to be done. Lee also accepted whatever life threw his way, but dealt with it intelligently and the best way he knew how. Lee was well liked, for a â€Å"chink.† He respected those that gave him respect. By the end of the book, he had grown very attached to Abra, who spent a lot of her time at the Trask place talking to Lee. In the very end, I think it was his need to see Cal and Aron (who eventually died) succeed in their own ways. This is why he stuck up for Cal to Adam on his deathbed; and, of course, Adam’s answer, â€Å"Timshel,† was the finest answer he could have given. Charles Trask – Charles felt as though he was second best to his brother, Adam his entire life. He always felt that it was Adam who Cyrus, their father, loved more. I suppose Charles is a lot like Caleb Trask in that way. Charles had an abusive and violent temper when he was a teen, and at one time even tried to kill Adam. Charles loved his father, and just wanted his respect, but Cyrus moved away after sending Adam into the Army. And so, Charles was left alone on his farm to make his own living. I don’t think Charles was ever happy with his life. He was always depressed because of his loneliness whenever Adam was away, and they didn’t get along for any length of time when they were together. He refused to sell the ranch whenever Adam suggested it, because it would be a waste in his mind. Charles was stubborn and insisted on spending no money on himself and was determined to stay where he was. Charles probably felt inferior to his brother, because of their father’s favoritism toward Adam, but Charles always knew he could win in a fistfight. Charles intimidated most of the people in town because of his size and strength. In that way, I suppose, he probably felt superior to everyone else, especially after Cyrus, his father died and left him and Adam a sum of more than $93,000 to split. After Adam left with his share, Charles was the wealthiest farmer in the area and the most respected. Charles knew how to do one thing well: farm. He lived for farming, and he did it until the day he died. He made a considerable amount of money in his lifetime too, but never got around to enjoying it. Charles was a loner. He didn’t have any close friends, and as far as we know was only married for a short time while Adam was in the Army. Other than that he was a homebody, and didn’t socialize much (except for his late night excursions to the local inn). He died never seeing any other part of the country, never living in any other house, never doing anything other than that which he had been doing his entire life. And while it never made him happy, it seemed to be enough for him. Adam Trask – Adam was mistreated throughout most of his childhood by his father and brother. All Adam wanted was to be happy, in his own way. He didn’t want to live under the pressure of his father, always competing with his brother. He didn’t want to go into the Army, and he didn’t want to go back to the farm in Connecticut. I think Adam lived for the happiness that the next day would bring, not knowing what it would be, or from where it would come. That’s how he got through the first half of his life, and that’s how he came upon Cathy and how the second half began. Adam lived for Cathy Ames and would have done anything for her. Like Steinbeck described, his first year with Cathy was the first time Adam really felt alive. She was his world. When she left, not even the twin boys she left behind were enough to keep Adam going. And so, he fell into a deep depression, melancholy for nearly eleven years. Secretly, during that time, I think he believed that Cathy would see the error of her ways and come back to him. I don’t think he ever really accepted her leaving him. Nevertheless, he was the father of two boys, and eventually came around to caring for their best interests. He moved them to Salinas and enrolled them in school. He was open to the idea of Aron even going to college, which he finally did. Adam always seemed a little scatterbrained; he was always prone to getting into situations a little over his head. He wasn’t very sensible in some of his endeavors (the nice farm he bought, but never capitalized on, the marriage that was doomed to begin with, the lettuce that never made it across the country), but he was as honest as a man could be. He was very friendly and was open to anyone and everyone being his friend if they so wished. He became popular in Salinas (except for the incident with the lettuce) very quickly. Adam didn’t read people very well though. He understood his own emotions, but when it came time to be responsible for his sons, he had a hard time; it was Lee that actually raised Cal and Aron for the first decade of their lives. Adam never pitied himself; he simply resigned himself to the fact that he was raised by a father he didn’t love, a woman he didn’t know, and a violent brother whom he feared. But Adam grew to be a fine man, and at the end, a good father; one his children could respect. Abra – Abra was an average teen girl who viewed life, in the beginning when we were first introduced to her, as a game. She wanted so much to be an adult, and to raise a family. She pretended to be Aron’s mother to him more than once in the story, as an example of her longing to raise a child. Abra fell in love with Aron at a very young age and stuck to her first love for most of her teen years. She wanted nothing but to raise a small family with the man with whom she was in love. But as the situation became more complicated between her and Aron, their relationship suffered, possibly without his complete understanding. When Aron finally left for Stanford, after deciding to become a priest, Abra ended up spending a lot of time at the Trask house, and finding herself getting very close to Lee and Adam, more so than her own parents. It was during this time, with Aron gone, that she discovered that she really didn’t love Aron any more. Aron had transformed her (or wanted to anyway) into something she wasn’t and never could be. While she realized this, her confusion about her conflicting feelings (for she still liked Aron, and wasn’t 100% certain what she wanted) wouldn’t allow her to break up with him. It wasn’t until after Aron enlisted in the Army that she was sure she didn’t want to be with him. Abra was a smart girl, who enjoyed many talks with her new friend Lee. She didn’t feel that she was somehow better than anyone, but at the same time, she didn’t feel any lower than anyone either. She fit in nicely with society, but was much brighter and wiser than most. Eventually she got together with Caleb, and I believe that those two together would have ended up very happy. Cal wouldn’t have expected Abra to be anything more than what she was, and could be happy with that. Abra saw Cal as a flawed individual, and found him to be very much like herself (she even compared their parents faults), especially after the close scrutiny she was under whenever Aron was around. II. Steinbeck’s central message in the book is the seemingly endless struggle between good and evil in all of us, and the fated consequences of the choices we make. Those who felt the evil inside themselves felt that their fates were predestined and unavoidable (especially Cal who knew of his mother and could feel her blood flowing through his veins). This reveals the importance of â€Å"Timshel† in the end of the book to Caleb as he gets a chance at redemption by being able to choose his own fate. Caleb had the gift (or enlightenment) of â€Å"Timshel† bestowed upon him by his father. â€Å"Timshel† or â€Å"thou mayest† was the key to freeing Caleb from his self-torture and releasing him from what he felt was a fated path to hell. Because of â€Å"Timshel,† Cal had a chance to make up for what he had done wrong because he knew that he wasn’t evil, and he knew he didn’t want to be evil, and with this inspiration he wouldn’t be evil. III. As a theme I see the basic story of Cain and Abel reinvent itself within the Trask family generation after generation. It was interesting because all the characters whose name began with the letter â€Å"A† represented the good and benevolent son to Adam and Eve that is Abel. Examples of these are Adam, Aron, and Abra. And likewise, the characters whose name began with the letter â€Å"C† represented Abel’s jealous and flawed brother, Cain. These examples include Charles, Cathy, and Caleb. Charles had become jealous at the fact that his father got more pleasure out of Adam’s gift than out of his own, and in a rage, tried to kill his brother. This was the first story line that followed that of Cain and Abel. The second would come later when Cal was rejected by Adam on thanksgiving and betrayed his brother in a way that ultimately got Aron killed. This was the second story line that followed that of Cain and Abel. As a sub-message in the book I saw that it was the dishonorably acquired money that indirectly brought about the downfall of all of characters, hinting at the evils of destruction for which money is responsible. The specific examples that came to mind were Cyrus, who stole from the GAR; Charles, who began his fortune of the stolen money that his father left him; Cathy, who had amassed her fortune whoring; and Aron who was left the money Cathy made. Caleb came near destruction, but he found that burning the money his father had refused helped relieve him from his self-pity and a likely demise. The only character who seemed untouched by the evils that came with the dollar was Adam. Adam squandered a lot of the money his father left him on an idea of his. This bad investment left him not rich any more. His money never had the chance to destroy him because he never found it valuable enough to cherish. In turning his son down on the money that was offered to him, Adam in a sense freed himself from the evils that came along with it. Likewise, Samuel and Lisa Hamilton lived very long and happy lives not having a dime to their name. IV. There are many ideas and images that I see repeated throughout the book. As a list see the presence of the evil that money represents; the story of Cain and Abel reinventing itself through each of the generations of the Trask family; the cruelties perpetrated by characters whose names begin with C (Charles, Cathy, and Caleb) to the characters whose names begin with A (Adam, Aron, and Abra); the honest confusion and moralistic uncertainty of all of the characters whose names begin with the letter A; war that always negatively affects the lives of everyone; the good ideas that always came to Sam Hamilton and Adam Trask (but mostly Sam) that never turned out to be lucrative endeavors; the similar scars that Charles and Cathy shared that seemed to mark them as the devious people they were and condemn them to fall to their sins and evil doings. V. â€Å"Timshel,† or â€Å"thou mayest† in hebrew changed the outcome of, and possibly ended, the repeating Cain and Abel retellings. In the versions of the Bible that everyone in East of Eden had ever known, the story of Cain and Abel included a decree by God ordering Cain to overcome sin, while in another version, God promised that Cain would overcome sin. Both of these versions seemed to condemn sinners to their misdeeds without hope of redemption. However, Lee discovered that in the original hebrew text, the significant word in the conflicting sentence was actually â€Å"timshel,† or â€Å"thou mayest.† This, of course, would allow each individual to be in charge of his own moral destiny. It was Cal who mainly feared that the sins of his mother would come back to condemn him because he reasoned that the same blood flowed through his veins, but â€Å"timshel† would relieve this. The significant character blessed with this enlightenment was Cal. After Cal learned that Aron was dead, and knowing that it was his fault, he goes to his father where Lee speaks for him. Lee asks Adam to forgive his son and to free him from his sins. Adam’s response, â€Å"timshel,† symbolically freed Caleb as he was now free and in charge of his own destiny without having his past sins, or the sins of his parents holding him back. VI. Beginning with my dislikes, I disliked the chapters that seemed to slant away from the rest of the story; the chapters of Olive Hamilton especially. These chapters seemed to have no effect on the Hamiltons or the Trasks. I found them pointless, but I also may have missed an underlying reason for their place in the book. Regardless, I liked the book very much. I thought it was well-written and very well thought out. The action parts were the best, but it moved at an understandably slow pace to reveal every significant thing that happened, but moved fast enough to keep me, the reader, entertained. It shocks me how much research Steinbeck must have had to do simply to develop the concept for East of Eden, but I think his time was well spent. And it was obviously worth it, for now, almost 50 years later, it is still widely read. I thoroughly enjoyed the story.

Teaching the Life Skills in Special Education

Teaching the Life Skills in Special Education Here is a list of life skills that students/children with developmental delays should be taught once they are able to learn them: Personal InformationName, address, telephone numbers, location of their paper identification, contact information. Sign InformationSigns in the community: Stop, men, women, no smoking, out of order, no loitering,exit, detour, pedestrian crossing, yield, no dogs etc. Important LabelsFlammable, poison, harmful, out of reach of children, high voltage. Knobs, dials, buttons, switches:TV, radio, stove, toasters, washer/dryer, microwave, taps, scales, handles etc. Application FormsSurname, occupation, signatures, initials, references. Finding InformationDictionaries, catalogues, internet, phonebooks, 911, location of important information etc. LabelsPrescription labels, direction labels, recipes, index, table of contents, shopping directories, calendars, important dates, holidays etc. Store TypesGrocery, laundry, hardware, drug store, restaurants, specialty, hairdresser/barber, recreation centres etc. LiteracyThank you cards, basic letters, invitation RSVPs, envelope addresses Basic LawsTraffic signs and signals, no smoking, speed limits, vandalism, noise bylaws, loitering etc. BankingAccount management, debit card use, deposits and withdrawals, writing cheques, understanding statements MoneyIdentification, change, values, coins, paper and equivalencies TimeTelling time, being on time, understanding the difference between analog and ditital, alarm clock settings, times for work, meals and sleep These are just some of the important life skills that students with developmental delays will need to be taught. Some individuals will be capable of learning more of the basic skills than others. However, these basic life skills are an important part of their curriculum. Many activities can be done to help support the learning of these activites - it may take some creativity and hands on experiences.

Wedding Toast Essays

Wedding Toast Essays Wedding Toast Paper Wedding Toast Paper When Valerie first told me note that I was told, not asked! That I was making a speech, I thought it was her way of getting back at me for anything I had ever done to her while growing up. Lately I realized that it is actually an honor to be asked to address YOU. Look to your left. Look to your right. (Pause) YOU are the people Valerie and Christian love the most. They’ve invited you because this day would not be the same without you. And you have made them a priority in your lives by celebrating with them.You have honored them with your presence and made their day so special and unforgettable. On behalf of my family, I would like to thank you all for coming. As sister of the bride, I have a unique view of Valerie. She was the little sister I had always wanted. She was a happy, precocious child I remember her ability to get into all sorts of trouble and then proclaim quite indignantly NOT ME! One of my favorite memories of her childhood was how much w e loved rainy day we would get a tire and make it into a boat.Flash forward to a charming pre-teen in braces that got permission to come and stay with me in New York at my first apartment. She was willing to go along with my crazy schemes. Then as she got older, we shared a room for a few months while I stayed in New York. She had learned that little-sister trick of appropriating and wearing things that were not hers. And, every single night before we went to sleep I was subjected to the same boy-band song Valerie has grown into a beautiful woman.She is no longer my little sister, but a graceful, smart, generous, caring equal. It is an honor to know the person she has become. She is a great friend as you know loyal, patient and generous. And she loves a challenge and this is where Christian comes in. Christian, you are one lucky guy! Valerie you look stunning and Christian. Well you look stunned! So Christian, here’s some advice for the future: She is always right She always needs some new clothes She never looks fat in anythingIf she’s right say so, and if she isn’t -say nothing! So here we are their wedding. They have made it. a DOZEN years together and stronger every day. High school sweethearts who have defied the odds. Leave it to them to be defiant in the face of anything! Today is a celebration of not only where they are now, but the road that has brought them here. They have built a beautiful life together. I think you all will join me in this wish: Valerie. Christian. May you live forever in love, and may love live forever in you.

Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Issues - Essay Example Shared decision-making (SDM) which is a collaboration between patients and caregivers in the treatment process, is gaining recognition as the basic necessity of a patient-centric model of care. It is considered to be especially ideal for the treatment of chronic illnesses (Zoffmann et al., 2008). SDM is essentially based on a mutual selection of care goals arrived at by the patient and his physician, but is not well understood or appreciated by many health professionals. Following is a case scenario in point. The trustees of the Snowdon Fund Medical School and Hospital were keen that the organization should revitalize itself and become more productive to keep abreast of competition. A committee comprising of a nominated trustee, experienced administrators, clinicians, and senior nursing staff was formed to draw up a competitive strategy for the same. During a meeting of the committee, Prof. Jones, a senior professor and clinician made a strong case for adopting shared decision-making (SDM) to make the treatment more patient-centric and the hospital patient-friendly. Prof. Jones with more than two decades of experience in treating chronically ill cases was convinced that SDM was the way to go especially where the treatment of chronic diseases was concerned. A perusal of published medical literature (Legare et al., 2008) and her own discussions with her patients had persuaded her to believe that patients want to be involved in their own treatment. Thi s was good, Prof. Jones opined, because with the ever-increasing number of patients taking medicines, allowing them to make informed choices would definitely reduce waste and unnecessary cost associated with non-compliance with the prescribed medication regimen, yet help the patients derive the full benefit of the treatment. In chronic illness, â€Å"adherence to physician designed programs is usually moderate to poor.† (www.amga.org). The

People Capability Maturity Model Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

People Capability Maturity Model - Research Paper Example The long-term success of an organization entirely depends upon its success in the talent market. These days talent market is dwindling rapidly with expansion in business market. Due to lack of talent some organizations have started offering incentives to ordinary employees that were once offered to talented and 0ld employees. The challenges related to talent hunt are extended further than recruiting and retention. At the very time competing for hiring talented people is not sufficient. Because trying hard to win just talent war can be harmful for the organization. A homogeneous balance between business and talent war is the golden key to success. Organizations must make every effort to develop a healthy learning environment so that the entire workforce keeps on refreshing their skills with changing demands of the market. A very vital constituent of any organization is a labor force having knowledge and skills to make rapid modifications and ability to get hold of new skills. Such a r esponsive workforce is a great asset for an organization. Organizations have stabbed to adapt different techniques to improve human capital. To achieve a better human capital management system most of the organizations came up with different ideas like getting better ways of information sharing, arranging interactive workshops for employees, highlighting the mission and vision statements of organization, practicing downsizing, founding attractive incentive policies, launching complaint handling system, conducting various seminars and conferences to throw light on importance of training and continuous learning for employees, supporting the unique concept of job rotation, giving employees the relaxation to work from home and conducting regular training session. What many corporations require is a framework to implement these wonderful ideas. Now trends are changing rapidly in market. These changing trends have affected workforce badly. The scenario in business is totally opposite now that’s why in order to keep pace with these changing trends employees need to enhance their knowledge and skills constantly. This is the war of talent and employees have to try hard to win this war. Doers must be thinkers, people are the real assets for any organization, workforce is actually the investment, centralized decisions, continuous struggle for improvements and centralized network are some of the advanced concepts in business. Since people are now the real asset for any organization so in order to hire and maintain talented workforce its inevitable to follow a strategy that could help an organization to address the problems being faced by the workforce. The organizations have to focus on three interconnected components i.e. people, process and technology. With the help of People Capability Maturity Model many organizations have made excellent improvements in their products and services. The People CMM is an organizational change model. It is based on the fact that w orkforce training practices won’t endure until and unless organization changes its behavior to support them. The People CMM presents a plan for renovating an organization by gradually civilizing its labor force practices. The People CMM consists of five evolutionary stages, at every maturity level; a new structure of practices is added to already implemented at previous levels. Each superimposition of practices elevates the level of