Opening Of A New Branch Of Standard Chartered Bank - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 20 Words: 6143 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? Introduction The project on which I am working is Opening of new branch of Standard chartered Bank in Dubai. I being an ex employee of Standard Chartered Bank experienced that, Standard Chartered bank has to open a new branch in Dubai Mall (UAE), to boost the growth of the business and to discover new markets. The motive why they intended to open a new branch of Standard Chartered in Dubai is to raise their business and get further fame in the industry. Overview of Standard Chartered: Standard Chartered bank is a British financial service whose headquarter is in London, United Kingdom. It operates in almost 80 countries with the network of over 1,500 branches and outlets and 75,000 Employees. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Opening Of A New Branch Of Standard Chartered Bank" essay for you Create order Objectives: Strategic objective To be the worlds excellent international profitable bank Leading the means in Asia, Africa and the Middle East Product promise Leading by model to be the Right Partner How Standard Chartered bank operate: By building a comprehensive and safe and sound atmosphere, that rewards achievements and support workers to take control of their personal progress, Management strives to make Standard Chartered a majestic place to work. In Groups people strategy, bank focal point is employee engagement. In building the foundation of banks performance culture, Engagement plays a key role, being monitoring productivity and performance. SCB supports and bring his focal point on the behaviors, which get out the very best from every employee. Also SCB has a remuneration setup which gives incentivize to employees, keeping in view that remuneration setup should supports the business policy and strengthen their principles and standards. SCB make these policies considering that these are sound and in parallel to industry best practice principles with risk-based and strong governance constitution. Yearly bonuses are given with good judgment, in the form of cash and shares. All these policies are laid dow n with regard to an evaluation of risk and a number of other causes such as risk management and economic backdrop, profit and also whether management agenda is achieved. Another feature of Standard Chartered values is that that great place great emphasis is given on collective working, inventiveness and novelty. Nature and Business Case of project: To enhance customer ease and to serve the growing needs of the public, the Standard Chartered Bank has opened its latest branch in the UAE in Dubai Mall. A survey by the Bank shows customers rather visit banks on weekends as they are most relaxed and with their families. So SCB concentrated well on designing the bank timings and hours. The first bank with branch in the mall. With a large service area, ATMs, cash deposit machines and a relationship office, the opening of the branch shows Banks readiness to devote in infrastructure and allow it to productively grow its franchise. The branch will be officially opened by chairman, Group Head of Human Resources and Communications, Standard Chartered Bank. About the opening, chairman says, It will be a great pleasure to open this branch in Dubai Mall because the UAE is pivotal to the growth and development of Standard Chartered Banks franchise. We are proud of the achievements of Standard Chartered Bank in the UAE over the last 50 years and I am particularly impressed with the huge potential of the retail banking market in the Emirates. Head, Consumer Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, UAE says, Our branch at Dubai Mall will be part of SCBs strategy to grow the Banks distribution footprint at locations that bring SCB closer to our customers, while offering a refreshing banking experience. The branch opening and its hours are part of our overall approach to make banking easier and more convenient and highlights our commitment to Dubai and the UAE. TASK 1.2 Business review of Standard Chartered Bank: Business Review People: In this section: keeping hold on and attracting the best talent Engagement Performance Talent supervision and growth. In 2007 the group expanded immensely. SCB did well in sustaining this growth with their skill to attract, employ and develop the best international talent across the world. Attracting and retaining the best talent: While stepping up employment to support the business growth, there was 18% increase in the number of employees in 2008 to 75,000. Main concern for the group is attracting and holding the best talent, driving performance and engagement and building leadership capability. There were also increases in employees in many important strategic markets. Say 3,500 employees in India, 1,200 in Pakistan and over 1,300 employees each in China, and Singapore. And this hiring would keep on increasing in these areas. SCB has a profound history and local data across markets. Its employees represent over 100 different nationalities and equal gender balance is maintained across the Group. SCB focused on increasing the percentage of women at superior stages. And now in Asia, 45 per cent and 32 per cent of the senior management positions in China and Hong Kong and Pakistan, respectively are represented by women. Globally, 20 per cent of all senior managers are women. One of the key componen ts of its success is SCBs extensive local knowledge and also this approach is now extended to its recruitment strategy. Standard Chartered global employee referral program was launched in 2007. This has been very successful with more than 36 per cent and 37 per cent of new hires in China and India, respectively, referred to the Group by current employees. Internal job posting guidelines restarted in 2007. The number of positions advertised internally has since increased from 26 per cent in 2006 to 67 per cent in 2007. This gives greater visibility of career prospects to its current employees and also helps the group to further expand its internal talent pool. In 2007, SCB surpassed its International Graduate intake targets and hired more business school graduates as Management Associates. To retain employees, SCP focal point is providing the best environment. With the Right Start induction program in 2006, job turnover is very low. An inclusive environment is provided to em ployees. In 2007, a new flexible working framework was piloted in Ghana, Singapore, the UK and the US. Work at home program was introduced in Chennai, India. In 2008, these policies were extended to another six to eight countries. SCB also work towards including other varieties of flexible working measures to help its people enjoy a fit and convenient work-life balance. Researches were carried out to find the root causes of erosion and the drivers of maintenance in some of its core markets. SCB incorporated approach offers a more practical strategy towards attrition and was launched in India, China and the UAE in 2007. Engagement Standard Chartereds brand promise, Leading by Example to be The Right Partner, means living the Groups core standards. Their five values Creative, Responsive, International, Courageous and Trustworthy shows how they keep their staff engaged with their planned business objectives. The values are the heart and soul of the brand and are what makes Standard Chartered a perfect place to work, setting them apart from their opponents and powering their success. 2007 marks the seventh year SCB have considered employee engagement across the Group. Regardless of adding more than 10,000 workers last year, SCB attained a 95 per cent deliberate response rate to its annual Q12 engagement survey and the Groups overall engagement score increased for the seventh consecutive year. They believe, employee engagement can only achieved with the great people managers. Their Great Manager Program was commenced in 2007 and 5,500 people managers across the Group have contributed so far. This is a sc alable way to build management skills and is delivered to support the Groups people management calendar. This program was carried out through numerous communications, an intranet site and podcasts. 90 per cent of the executives surveyed showed that they have changed the way they manage and engage their teams through the help of this program. Performance Their policy in regard of rewarding employees is closely associated to performance. SC Bank introduced on-line performance and compensation management system which helped them to face the challenges around decision making. As it helped in reinforcing the link between performance decisions and reward allotment. The invitation for the Groups 2007 Share save scheme ended with a 40 per cent increase on 2006. 40 per cent of the eligible staff participated in the scheme. Talent management and development SCBs strengths-based idea is one of the high points of their policy regarding talent management. They recognized, nourished and leveraged an employees capacity into strengths, and also created an environment in which these strengths can flourish, enabling their employees to do at their best. On-line self-assessment system is introduced to helps individuals identify their strengths. In order to improve their effectiveness, in-house experts supports employees. To date over 7,000 employees have contributed in this setup, with the assistance of almost 240 strengths coaches. Specific importance has been given on executive development and had one-and-half times as many leaders attending internal core programs in 2007, as compared with 2006. And also, 250 of its existing leaders commenced a modified leadership development process. This program was to build the capabilities of its leaders in key growth markets. This policy is still going till today. The percentage of high performi ng, high potential junior and middle management employees rose by 26 per cent and 37 per cent respectively. SC Bank continues an executive succession plans for over 220 critical leadership roles, including focused development plans for those identified as successor. This succession pool characterizes 41 nationalities across all markets at the middle management level, indicating its multiplicity. In 2007, the group performed tremendously and SC Bank has been widely successful in sustaining this growth, in terms of attracting, engaging and developing talent. This put the group in better position in 2008. Task 1.3 Market competition: Competition is a contest between individuals, groups, nations, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. Competition is there between two parties strive for the same goal. Its something natural between living organisms which co-exist in the same surroundings. Business is often related with competition. Competing for customers, profit etc. Competition may result in self-improvement. For example, if two builders are competing for business, they will try to improve their products and service to increase sales. If one builder is more receptive to the needs of customers, this builder will succeed. Competitor of Standard Chartered Bank: Since Standard Chartered is one of largest bank of the world, operating in over 70 countries across 7 continents, the list of its competitors is long. However, the company main focus is on the Asian, African and Middle Eastern markets, a few large international competitors, including Citigroup (C), HSBC Holdings (HBC), and J P Morgan Chase (JPM) compete with SC Bank. In the first half of 2010, SC bank performed well. Though competition increased, both businesses have shown income momentum. Bank is continuing to invest to strengthen future growth. The essentials of the Group are in brilliant form. Loan impairment is getting better. Their position is strong across markets of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Even in the midst of global economic crisis, Standard Chartered has consistently grown its performance indices. Standard Chartered Bank Awards: Standard Chartered receives several awards each year for uniqueness, innovation, brilliance and business best in class. In 2009, Standard chartered won the following awards: 1. Alpha Southeast Asia Best Debut Bond Deal of the Year in Southeast Asia San Miguels PHP38.8B Bond 2. Asia Banking and Finance Award 2009 Best International Bank of the Year Singapore Best Retail Bank of the Year Singapore Best Core Banking Initiative (Virtual Banking Relationship Centre) Singapore Best Branch Initiative (Vivo City Branch) Singapore Best Self-Service Initiative (Online Banking) Singapore 3. Asia money Best Country Deals of the Year 2009 Deal of the Year: Republic of Indonesia, $650 million 8.8% sukuk due 2014 Indonesia Deal of the Year: San Miguel, P38.8 billion ($802 million) multi-tranche bond issue Philippines Best Leveraged Financing Deal: Oriental Brewery, $912 million equivalent acquisition financing Best Syndicated Loan: Noble Group, $2.4 billion three-tranche revolving loan facility Best Domestic Currency Bond: San Miguel Beverage, P38.8 billion ($801 million) three-tranche bond issue 4. Asia money FX Poll 2009 as voted by Corporate First for Best Overall FX Services India First for Best for Competitive and Prompt Spot and Forward Pricing India First for Best FX (Vanilla) Options Provider for Non-Asian and Local (Asian) Currencies India First for Best Innovative FX Products and Structured Ideas India First for Best Currency Strategy India First for Best Macroeconomic Research India First for Best Technical Analysis India First for Best Post-Trade Services India First for Best Customer Service India First for Best FX (Vanilla) Options Provider for Non-Asian Currencies Singapore First for Best FX Products and Services Provider for Offshore NDFs, KRWNDF First for Best FX (Vanilla) Options Provider for Local (Asian) Currencies Hong Kong First for Best Innovative FX Products and Structured Ideas Hong Kong 5. AsiaRisk Corporate End-User Survey 2009 First for Currency Derivatives Asia First for Cross-Currency Swaps in IDR, INR, KRW, RMB TWD First for Currency Options in MYR First for Currency Forwards in SGD First for Interest Rate Swaps in RMB, IDR, SGD, TWD First for Interest Rate Options in RMB, MYR, SGD, TWD 6. AsiaRisk Institutional End-User Survey 2009 First for Currency Derivatives Asia First for Cross-Currency Swaps in IDR, INR, KRW, RMB TWD First for Currency Options in MYR First for Currency Forwards in SGD First for Interest Rate Swaps in RMB, IDR, SGD, TWD First for Interest Rate Options in RMB, MYR, SGD, TWD 7. The Asset Triple A Asian Awards 2008 Best Cash Management specialist: Payment and Receivables Indonesia All these awards show priority of Standard Chartered Bank over its competitors. TASK 2.1 Expenditures and Cost analysis of the Project: Understanding that to operate and sustain a profitable business, in such a vast competition, is extremely tough. Their key business concern could be: Management Of Receivables they make sure receivables are collected in an well-organized and appropriate, accurate manner to optimize utilizations of resources. Management of Risk They make certain efficient running of debtors to remove risk of profits and losses caused by debtor and deferred payments. Management Of Inventory They guarantee well-organized and quick rotation of stock to maximize income. Cost Management dipping interest expenses through most favorable utilizations of funds. The SC Bank Collections Solution leverages the Banks widespread regional knowledge and extensive branch network across their key markets to specially modify solutions for their regional and local compilation requirements. This Collections Solution, carried through a consistent international platform, has the litheness to provide to their local requirements, thus enabling them to meet their objectives of minimizing costs and enhancing efficiency and fertility through enhanced receivables and risk management. Our extensive branch network, complemented by our correspondent banks network, provides you with a wide coverage of clearing locations to ensure you get the benefit of early availability of funds. This is further enhanced by our cheque purchase and guaranteed credit services. Good project management must be followed by the proficient utilization of labor, material and equipment. Those who are in charge for cost control of constructed facilities should have main concern on the Improvement of labor productivity. Material handling involves particular attention for cost decrease. New equipment and innovative methods are used to make possible extensive changes in construction technologies in recent decades Organizations lacking this fall out of the competition.. Labor Productivity Productivity is often broadly defined as output per labor hour. However, it is important to note that labor productivity is not a measure of the capabilities of labor alone. In fact it is a measure of the overall efficiency of an operating setup in utilizing labor, equipment and capital. Labor productivity is associated with units of product per labor hour, such as cubic yards of concrete placed per hour or miles of highway paved per hour. Productivity at the Job Site Service providers and proprietors are often concerned with the labor activity at job spots. So labor productivity should be expressed as functional units per labor hour, though different levels of measure may be used. For example, cubic yards of concrete placed per hour is a lower level of measure than miles of highway paved per hour. Lower-level measures are more helpful for checking individual activities, while higher-level measures may be more suitable for developing industry-wide standards of performance. Its better to set up a system which can be used to trail output movement over time and in varied locations. Substantial efforts are required to produce such results. The productivity guide should include parameters such as the performance of major expertise, effects of project size, type and location, and other major project influences. Labor Characteristics Through performance analysis, worker quality and contribution is assessed. Some of the Factors that might be evaluated include: Work Quality competence of work produced or accomplished. Work Quantity volume of work which is acceptable. Knowledge of Job established information of necessities, technique and expertise involved and in applying these to boost productivity. Knowledge of Related Work knowledge of effects of work upon other areas and knowledge of related areas which have influence on assigned work. Judgment reliability of conclusion, results and actions. Initiative capability to act properly, without being told. Utilization of Resources aptitude to outline and define project needs and place, plan and efficiently use all resources in hand. Dependability reliability in presumptuous and carrying out obligations. Analytical Aptitude effectiveness in thinking through a problem and reaching sound conclusions. Communicative Ability efficien cy by oral and written communications and keeping all related persons informed. Interpersonal skill worth in relating in an appropriate and productive manner to others. To Work under Pressure skills to meet tensed deadline and adapt to changes. Security Sensitivity ability to grip private information appropriately and to keep fit care in conservation of sensitive information. Safety Consciousness has knowledge of good safety practices and demonstrates awareness of own personal safety and the safety of others. Profit and Cost Sensitivity ability to seek out, generate and implement profit-making ideas. Planning Effectiveness ability to anticipate needs, forecast conditions, set goals and standards, plan and schedule work and measure results. Leadership ability to develop in others the willingness and desire to work towards common objectives. Delegating effectiveness in delegating work appropriately. Development People ability to select, train and ap praise personnel, set standards of performance, and provide motivation to grow in their capacity. Materials Management Another important element in project planning and control is Materials Management. Poor materials management results in large and avoidable costs. First, if materials are purchased early, capital may be tied up. And also materials may depreciate during storage or be stolen unless special care is taken. For example, electrical equipment often must be stored in waterproof locations. Secondly, delays and extra expenses may be incurred if materials required for particular activities are not available. Management must be aware of this fact that a timely flow of material is an important concern. Judgments about material procurement are required during the initial planning and scheduling stages. For example, activities can be laid in the project schedule to represent purchasing of major elements. Schedules in projects are influenced with a fast track or very tight time schedule: enough time for obtaining the required materials must be allowed. In some case, more expensive suppliers or shippers may be employed to save time. Purchase Costs Purchase cost is the unit purchase price from an external source. It also includes transportation and freight costs. It is usually advantageous to make a limited number of large purchases for materials. In some cases, organizations may combine small orders from a number of different projects to detain such bulk discounts; this is a basic saving to be derived from a central purchasing office. Budget for the Project: Start-up expenses Advertisements 12,000 Recruitment Agency Fees 8,000 State Banks Licenses Fees 50,000 Experts Fees 13,000 Rent Agreement and Advance Payments 28,000 Insurance 12,000 Decorating/Signs 13,000 Remodelling 3,500 Training (Break up in task 2.2) 7,500 Miscellaneous 3,500 Repetitive Expenses Perticulars Amount Multiples Total Lease Payments 348 12 4,176 Loan Payments 877 12 10,524 Payroll 20,000 12 240,000 Professional Fees 850 6 5,100 Rent And Utilities 3,500 12 42,000 Repair and mentanance 50 12 600 Stationery 20 12 240 Telephone 750 12 9,000 Advertising 1,000 12 12,000 ATM instalation and mentenence 2,000 12 24,000 Secutiry expenses 500 12 6,000 Utility Expenses 300 12 3,600 Subtotal 357,240 Cost benefit Analysis Definition: It is a process to weigh expected costs next to expected benefits, to determine the best course of action. Cost-benefits analysis will help you decide just which route would be best for you. It is simple to operate. We simply draw a line down the middle of a piece of paper to create two columns. On the left side, we list the benefits of achieving a given goal and on the right side , we list what it will cost you to get there. After that we add both columns to see which side has more balance. Thats not the end. It may sometimes be the nearest thing to a fifty-fifty. Cost-benefit analysis can give you an idea of whether a given goal is worth investigating further. For example, a sales manager wants to decide whether to implement a new online electronic contact management and sales processing system. The sales department currently has only a few computers, and its salespeople arent computer savvy. Employee training would be needed. . There may be a fall in sales during this peri od. While total expenses, including equipment, installation and training costs, plus lost productivity, are estimated to be Rs 150,800, the companys analysis reveals the new computer system would increase sales capacity, boost efficiency and enhance customer service and retentionfinancial benefits the company pegs at Rs 230,000 annually. Based on the cost-benefit estimates, the company would see a return on its investment in eight months. (Payback time: Rs150, 800 ? Rs 230,000 = 0.67 of a year.) Task 2.2 TO, THE MANAGEMENT SUBJECT: STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING COST At SC Bank, forecasting is done to find out the number of people the bank will require by human resource planning group. The group then works out the best way of obtaining then, as and when they are needed. An organization always looks for the people who can keep and sustain the competitiveness of the organization. And this role is played by the human resources and the managers. SC Bank is dedicated to providing growth and training opportunity for all its employees so as to achieve the overall objectives of the organization. These employees are encouraged at all stages by managers who have the accurate kinds of skills, knowledge and understanding .They acquire a range of knowledge and skills, both specialist and general, so that Standard Chartered Bank develops a workforce with a broad skill base. The following practices strengthen the provision of development and training throughout Standard Chartered Bank: INDUCTION This training is given for all new staff. Aims are set for all growth and training actions. All affiliated staff takes active accountability for their own development and training. Line managers have a duty for the development of their staff and are assisted to fulfill that responsibility. Standard Chartered Bank has a continuing training plan, keeping in view the training needs of all individuals. These development and training activities lead to nationally recognized academic, vocational and professional qualifications. All these activities are evaluated and assessed properly. The identification of development and training needs The main components which influence the identification of development and training needs at SC bank are: Directorate and Management Forum agree the Corporate and Operational Plans. They also indentify key objectives. Department Heads and staff make their departmental plans, in line with the key objectives In the same way, Line managers and their staff agree individual objectives, again supporting the key objectives. Current performance is assessed through PDR (Performance and Development Review), which identifies development and training needs at individual levels, which are then incorporated in the ongoing training plans of SC bank.. Needs may be in terms of personal or group skill, knowledge, understanding, behavior or attitude. They can arise from new technology, a new job, a change in the duties or some external change e.g. Legal. Objectives: Objectives for all training and development activities are identified by the Individuals and their line managers. They should be clear what the desired outcomes are in terms of new skills, knowledge, understanding etc. and proper mechanism should be identified to assess whether or not those outcomes have been achieved. Induction Training New staff must receive induction training and it is the responsibility of their line manager to ensure that whether the induction program is followed properly. So that new staff becomes fully effective as quickly as possible. At SC Bank, there are two parts of induction program. First is run within the individuals department and employment-related part is managed by the Human Resources Department. Methods of development and training Now the appropriate method of meeting the development and training needs is considered. By keeping in view, the objectives agreed and the learning preferences of the individual. Training, development and learning opportunities include: Relevant on-the-job training or coaching/mentoring. Attendance at conferences/seminars for precise learning opportunities external courses. Internal courses these are run by external trainers. Internal courses/training sessions these are run by members of SC Bank staff. Use of distance-learning packages by groups of staff at SC Bank or by individuals. External courses are normally be given by the Human Resource Department. Equal Opportunities Standard Chartered Bank Equal Opportunities Policy is always kept in mind, in every kind of training session. No individual will be offered or excluded from training session on the basis of sex, marital status, disability, color, race or ethnic origin, age, sexual preference or religious belief. Standard Chartered Bank plan and timescale Plans must be implemented in accordance with the deadlines set. Every persons responsibility must be clearly defined. The implementation plan must form an integral part of the business plan. The manager must be aware of the practical impact of his business ideas. Steps for implementation Business objectives are established. The tasks needed to attain the objectives set are defined and assigned . Timescale sis set out. Activities are monitored and progressed. Objectives: It must be clearly and concisely set out, with properly identified stages. Objectives must b be sensible, challenging but achievable. Monitoring Activity and Progress While monitoring the process, delays are to be tinted. At this stage delays are identified and rectified. In the business plan, several execution plans will be needed for the particular feature of the business: product planning, marketing, financial problems and human resource management. 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The smallest task can benefit from the use of a well-chosen project management method or tool, especially in the planning stage. Any task can be performed well by using a few project management techniques. Also Project Management methods can help in the planning and managing, especially multifaceted activities. Project management is mainly linked with planning and managing change in an organization. But also Project management methods and tools can be useful far more extensively than people presume. These techniques and tools are useful for any tasks in which diverse results are possible- where risk of troubles and malfunction exist hence proper planning and assessing is requires to achieve successful result. There can be a variety of projects- from small to extremely large, from simple to highly complex. Project management can c oncentrate on anything, particularly setting up or changing things, in any region or function, say * People, recruitment and managing * Goods and services * Materials, manufacturing and production * IT and communications * Plant, vehicles, equipment * Storage, distribution, logistics * Buildings and premises * Finance, administration, acquisition and divestment * Purchasing * Sales, selling, marketing * Human resources development and training * Customer service and relations * Quality, health and safety, * Legal and professional * Technical, scientific, research and development * New business development * And anything else which needs planning and managing within organizations. Project the plan: A variety of phases and activities of the project are planned. Team should be involved in the planning. One way is to work backwards from the end objective, identifying all the things that need to be set in place and completed, in reverse order. In addition, brainstorming may b used to help collect points and problem and to explore modernism and thoughts. Fishbone diagrams may be used for brainstorming. Involve others in this process. Project Timescales and Costs We may never plan a timescale that is over-ambitious. To cover deadline issues, plan to meet the date earlier, and work back from that earlier date. Some slippage or leeway should be built into each phase of the project. To be ambitious and aiming is good, but planning without proper carefulness and responsibility is harmful. Working out a little practicality at the beginning of a project concerning financials and timescales can save an massive amount of trouble later. The project team Team should be selected with great care. Choosing and gaining assurance from the best team members is essential to the excellence of the project, and the effortlessness with which you are able to manage it. Project critical path analysis Critical Path Analysis is a very rational and effectual way to plane and manage complex projects. It is shown as a flow diagram, with a linear format (organized in a line), and particularly a time-line. Project financial planning and reporting Some large projects need a worksheet to map and account, intended and actual outflow. Use MS Excel may be used. Small projects accounting can be managed using the projects Gantt chart. The Gantt chart for the Project: Tasks weeks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 State banks Approval   Market analysis    Selection of location   Pay package designing   Recruitment of the staff     Budgeting     Data analysis   Testing  Evaluation   Project critical path analysis   Project financial planning and reporting  Task 3.2 Strategic analysis Strategy development process needs an objective analysis and understanding of markets and costs. Using this, a number of choices and alternatives can be used to construct and put into practice a solid strategic plan for new or on hand markets. https://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=https://tutor2u.net/business/images/strategy(23.06.10) Strategic Analysis That is how, all about examining the strength of businesses position and keeping in mind the significant outside factors that may control that position. The process of Strategic Analysis can be assisted by a number of tools. Strategic Choice Through this, the nature of stakeholder expectations is recognized, identifying strategic options, and then these are evaluated and selected. Strategy Implementation Now the task is to translate strategy into organizational deeds. Who you choose as your indented audience will have implications for what capabilities you need, which will have an impact on what competitive pressures are around. We take each of these areas in turn. Analysis of target markets Analysis of competencies Analysis of competition and environment Analysis of target markets By analyzing the target markets, choosing the customers and markets, looking at what these customers value, ensures that your efforts and resources will return in full. First make sure, who your key target audiences and customers are and what they do and value. Now help them do what they do better. The process of choosing a target audience can happen at two stages. What existing customers do we have and their value to us? What if we chose to target untapped markets? These demand-side views require being coordinated against your means and the competitive atmosphere to know what costs would be involved to harvest these rewards. Existing customers Most of the companies will have customers list and accounts (unless there is a distribution channel involved) The key questions to ask are: Who are the main significant clients to you in terms of profit and strategic fit? What do these clients give worth? What is their business main concern? Where are the competitive pressures on these accounts? How can you enhance and improve this cust6omer relation. For existing accounts we work out for profitable customers. Secondly, areas of opportunity are identified. Customers are segmented and grouped together, who have similar needs or requirements. Some companies every so often analyze the whole relationship to recognize where and what customers actually want. Consequently this is where techniques such as relationship analysis, conjoint analysis, and for supply chains, value-chain analysis can have real power to unlock the profit potential from your customers. New market Target markets are analyzed. You ask who your customers could be in the future. What segment could you hit? Where are there economies of scale in meeting a group of customers needs? For new markets, do desk research, research in the form of bespoke market research studies to identify the best prospect areas. An internal view may be taken, without doing a information collection exercise, but it can be chancy to rely on interior views of the wider markets, or even outside views such as your distribution channel or on hand customers. But also sales-view bias may be there.. There is risk that the clients you dont perceive start shifting the market, or worse, you produce goods and services that become more specific to a small number and less attractive to a wider audience. Market intelligence can be used to spot likely target clients. Segmentation can be used to recognize likely prospects backed up by in depth qualitative research to find out what these new customers are looking for. All this, help to put together options for the future and by assessing the costs, risks and chances, it is possible to identify main concern for the key strategies that are possible. Target markets needs to be coordinated with existing competencies and resources, and also competitive pressure should never be ignored. Tasks Individuals should be held accountable for completing each task. It must be simply and clearly declared, and need not be domineering. Timescale Each task should have a clear timescale. The result should clearly display all the activities necessary with their deadlines. Task #3.3 Proper monitoring and control is essential for Successful implementation. Any difference is to be dealt with Progress evaluation. Agree precise specification for the project Accurate portrayal of what the project wants to attain, should be stated in the project specification. And also the criteria and flexibilities involved its parameters, variety, range, yield, sources, participants, financial plans and timescales. Project manager must discuss with others and then agree the project requirement with higher, or with relevant establishment. A project specification is vital to review how the project is going, or its success in the end. A model for a project specification: Describe principle, aims and deliverables. State parameters State the team and the way the team will work. Set up break-points at which to evaluate and check advancement, and how progress and outcome will be measured. Plan the project The various phases and activities of the project are to be planed. Involve your team in the planning. One way is to work backwards from the end aim. Communicate the project plan to your team The reason is, it keeps people up to date, and also it obtains significant support, accord and assurance. Team should be involved in the planning process to make the most of buy-in, ownership, and thereby responsibility. Agree and delegate project actions Persons being identified, who are accountable for each activity? Activities must be especially clearly described, including all relevant parameters. Delegation method is essential for successful project management involving teams. Manage, motivate, inform, encourage, and enable the project team The team and activities must be managed in meetings, communicating, supporting, and helping with decisions. It should be like Praise loudly; blame softly. One of the big challenges for a project manager is deciding how much freedom to give for each delegated activity. Tight parameters and lots of checking are necessary for inexperienced people who like clear instructions, but this approach is the kiss of death to experienced, entrepreneurial and creative people. Review project performance and adjust project plans Development of activities must be checked against the plan. Review performance should be reviewed regularly. Plan must be restated if required, in light of performance, changing circumstances, and new information, but never lose the track. Complete, review and report on project, with complete understanding. Failures and mistakes should be identified completely, impartially. Successes should be recognized appreciatively and rationally. A review report should be produced. Measure and report project results and benefits Conventionally this phase would be considered part of the project completion, but ever more, an accentuated additional phase of project follow-up is suitable. That is the case in very political environments. While focusing on project management, it is simple to overlook or disregard that many people are blown up in some way by the results of the project. Revolutionizing is difficult, even when it is good and for right reasons. If you remember this while in your project, this will help will help you in accomplishing a project that is well established, as well as victorious purely in project management terms.

Affirmative Action At The United States - 1634 Words

â€Å"No, it’s not me, it’s you†¦ What’s wrong with you? Why, nothing. You have everything we are looking for, it’s just†¦you’re black†¦Ã¢â‚¬  First established in 1961, Affirmative action (in the United States) was/is a practice in which the purpose is to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups and women (Merriam Webster). Fast forward to today’s society and what is affirmative action now? Considering the prevalence of diversity in the workplace and in educational facilities, it should be of utmost importance that all people, regardless of race, are given the equal opportunity in the admissions and job application process; affirmative action would enforce that importance. However, many job applicants go to an†¦show more content†¦If affirmative action were to take place, people would have an equal opportunity to get hired for a job. As stated earlier, many people today get t urned down from jobs because of their race. No one should be disqualified from a job because of the pigment of their skin. Affirmative action was designed to give qualified minorities (African Americans and women) a chance to compete on equal ground with the upper class (Caucasians). However, affirmative action seems to be a distant memory rather than a current action. A University of Chicago graduate applying for a business money management position in Dallas told the Times of how one hiring manager became excited while talking to him over the phone about how lucky the company was to hear from someone with a top business school education. But once the company representatives met him and saw that he was African American, â€Å"Their eyes kind of hit the ceiling a bit. It was kind of quiet for 45 seconds.† The company’s interest in him quickly cooled (Miah). The law prohibits racial discrimination yet when the African American graduate presented himself before the compa ny that was â€Å"lucky to hear from someone with a top business school education† they quickly dismissed him. Why? Is it because he was an African American or did he â€Å"not meet company standards†. Minority workers have an unemployment rate twice that of Caucasians and hold dead end, low paying labor jobs. The reason most minorities cannot

Critically assess the historical sources relating to early Islam. Free Essays

string(26) " caves in the wilderness\." Introduction The Muslims form a nation over thirteen centuries old ,with more than six hundred million people in all parts of the world. The prophet Muhammad was the first citizen of this nation, it`s teacher and guide. In this essay we will attempt to outline and critically access the principle elements of the historical sources relating to early Islam: The Qur’an, Ahadith and the biographies of Muhammad. We will write a custom essay sample on Critically assess the historical sources relating to early Islam. or any similar topic only for you Order Now The Qur’an from Muslim perspective. The Qur`an is the sacred book of Islam, the word of God and his final revelation. To Muslim The Qur`an is the ‘mother of all books. It was revealed to Muhammad for guidance of mankind, He recited the verses, and then they were memorized and written down by others. The original books do not exist, most of them have been lost and only their translation exists today. The Qur`an is written in Arabic ,a language today recognised as a major language. It deals with many affairs in peacetimes and during war. It provides advice in matters like marriage ,divorce, birth and death, property inheritance, buying and selling, trade and commerce, civil and criminal law, in short the Qur`an is a book of complete guidance embracing all different aspects of life. (Fazlur ,1965,p.30) The revelation. According to Muslim tradition during the month of Ramadan,Muhammad at the age of forty, tended to pray and meditate by himself in a cave on mount Hira outside the city of Mecca, in year 610 A.D.,he began to have visions,and revelation, from God through the angel Gabriel. Hence, each single word contained in the Quran is divine, free from human influence. Muhammad later preached these messages in Mecca where they were firstly rejected by the pagan worshipers and Muhammad was forced to escape to Medina where the first Muslim community was born. He and his followers later returned to Mecca and converted its inhabitants to Islam before going on to conquer the entire Arabian peninsula, and further parts of the world . The Qur`an is written in the most perfect written Arabic, and the way in which it has been structured, help the audience’s efforts to recall the message of the text. According to Muslim tradition, the Qur’anic verses were originally memorized by Muhammad’s companions . the Qur’an is, for Muslims, the work of God, it has been interpreted in many ways For some, the ‘fundamentalists’ it is literally true For others, such as the Sufis, every verse has an inner and more important meaning. based on Q 2:23 : Muslims see the Qur’an as unsurpassable and unique â€Å"If you have doubts about the revelation we have sent down to our servant, then produce a single sura like it -enlist whatever supporters you have other than God- if you truly think you can†. and again: â€Å"Say, ‘Even if all mankind and jinn came together to produce something like this Qur’an, they could not produce anything like it, however much they helped each other† Q 17:88 Qur’an critical viewpoint. In recent years there has been a tendency on the part of Western scholars to accept what Muslims stated about the origins of the Qur’an. Western scholars and some Muslim scholars, are careful-ling questioning the traditional view of the Qur’an. The historical authenticity of early texts has been the subject of great debate among scholars and the traditionalists that without any reliable font that concern these text of early Islamic literature assert as complete and authentic works, while critics argue that the Qur’an is lacking in exactness and they doubt its historical reliability and accuracy of the hadith and the biographies of Muhammad, having been recorded so long after the facts. Language difficulties. Ancient Arabic was an early simple language, a mixed Arabic-Syriac language, the traders’ language of Mecca and it was based on Christian liturgical texts. Professor Luxenberg states that when the final text of the Qur’an was codified, those working on it did not understand the original sense and meaning of this mixture trading language any more, and they vehemently and casually turned it into classical Arabic. http://www.livius.org/opinion/Luxenberg.htm Written Arabic only had consonants and there were no defining vowels, Furthermore, when the Qur’an was codified a script was used in which several consonants shared the same signs. There were 28 consonants but only 17 symbols, which means that Only 17 signs were used to write 28 consonants. Early Islamic linguists, and since the 19th century also western scholars of Islam, have discovered loanwords in the Qur’an derived from various languages, mainly from Syriac. In the 7th century this was the spoken language of the Middle East, as well as Greek, that was mainly spoken in the Byzantine empire. Mecca, Muhammad’s home city was a trade settlement and Muhammad himself worked in the caravan trade for years. It is unthinkable that he had no knowledge of Syriac. So it is not surprising that Syriac loanwords are present in the Qur’an. Further Argument. textual exegesis of the Quran Based on form and in depth text analysis, we also notice an untiring use of monotheistic similes with and from Judeo-Christian sources, Mohammad interpreted the rise of Islam as the development of what was originally a Judeo-Christian group. As this sect evolved and differentiated itself from its Judeo-Christian heritages, the Quran also progressed and was constantly in change for over a century. In trying to trace the sources and development of the religious ideas developed in the Quran recent study have decisively showed that the main external influences (together with the Old Testament resources) can be traced back to Syriac Christianity. It is now well recognized that there were structured Jewish and Christian churches amongst the established communities in the north, the south, and the east of Arabia. The Arab town of Hira on the Euphrates was the base of a Nestorian group which undoubtedly lead some kind of missionary activity in Arabia, and there are many references in old Arabic poetry to hermits living in isolated caves in the wilderness. You read "Critically assess the historical sources relating to early Islam." in category "Essay examples" With an outlook of the close commercial relations between Mecca and the Yemen it would be normal to say that some religious ideas and stories were carried to Mecca with the trading caravans and there are details of vocabulary in the Quran which lead to this assumption. Professor Wansbrough In his book Quranic Studies Sources and Methods of Scriptural Interpretation concluded that the canonization of the text that we today call the Quran, and even the emergence of the concept of Islam, probably did not occur till the end of the eighth century, more than 150 years after the death of Muhammad. Oral transmission. the Qur’an was considered of principal importance in relations to safeguarding, and many Muslims would memorize and learn to recite the Qur’an in its wholeness word by word. Tradition say that Muhammad and his followers could recite the complete Qur’an by heart .(Goldziher,1981,p. 23) For Muslims this would appear sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the veracity and reliability of oral transmission through the century is possible with great accuracy. Muhammad Muslim perspective The prophet Mohammad takes a special place in the life and conscience of Muslims today, just as he did in the past. (Tariq,2007,p.35). His mission was to get people at large to believe in One True God (Allah), the Creator of all, and also to show and teach the laws of moral, social, legal, ethical conduct and matters of importance for humanity in general. Therefore following Muhammad’s example and teachings is an integral part of Islam identity. (Maxime, 1985, p.73) Mohammad for Muslims, is the ‘perfect person’, the sinless model When Muslims speak his name they will add ‘peace and blessings be upon him’ In Surah 33, of the Quran we find the following statement: â€Å"Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but is the Messenger of God and the seal of the Prophets†. To the Islam world, this verse has been understood to mean that Muhammad was selected by God as the final prophet because of his qualities he was kind, considerate, wise and just and there will be no more prophets, there will be no new scripture. Hadith and and the biographies of Muhammad.- Critical perspective. The sira and hadith literature provide further information on Muhammad’s life. A standard Islamic source that attempts to provide some sort of context to the Qur’an and also where most of the historical information about Muhammad is derived from are the hadith, a collection of authoritative traditions that were handed down orally and are considered to be the words and deeds of the prophet Muhammad and also what the prophet approved . This are short reports or narratives on the sayings and deeds of Muhammad which were collected by Muslims in the ninth and tenth centuries. The most famous was written by Ibn Ishaq, born in 717 and died in 767 Life of God’s Messenger. This traditions began to be written down during the reign of Umar But, strangely enough none of these collections have survived, the work is lost, but was used word for word at great length by Ibn Hisham . The key problem however is, as just stated, there are no existing copies of this work the main source is the redaction of Ibn Hisham (d. 833) which according to scholars was following his own desire to spread a positive message of Islam and its great prophet, and so he removed whatever he thought was inappropriate to the Messenger of God† (Peters, 2009. p. 23) giving not a true reflection of the Prophet Muhammad’s life. He states at the beginning that he has edited it so as to omit: ‘things which it is disgraceful to discuss; matters which could distress certain people. Things or fact like the one where Muhammad allowed his followers to raid the Meccan caravans in the month of Rahab held by Arab tradition to be a sacred month when fighting was strictly forbidden. The Meccans were outraged at this act which was seen as cowardly. Muhammad himself seems at first to have been rather embarrassed by the raid, for he refused to distribute the loot which had been taken. Shortly after, however, another Qur’anic revelation was received to accommodate this matter. Further comment The biographies record at least 70 assassinations prompted by Muhammad against his opponents who disagreed with him. We know about his problems in Mecca, where they were initially rejected by the pagan worshipers and Muhammad was forced to escape to Medina where the first Muslim community was born. He and his followers later returned to Mecca where they subdued it’s inhabitants and by strength converted them to Islam before going on to conquer the entire Arabian peninsula, and then further battles and conquest lead to the proliferation of Islam around the world. Something to reflect on. According to the earliest sources Muhammad married at least eleven possibly fourteen women after the death of Khadija . However or not political reason could be found for most of Muhammad marriages , personal desires definitely played a big part has is made clear by the early accounts of his life. A tradition preserved by al Bukkhari states that he satisfied nine of his wives in a single night . Most people , regard sexual prowess as being incompatible with prophecy. In other accounts is said that Muhammad declared that he loved nothing better than prayer, sweet odours and women. In addition to all It was also was written some 200 years after the Prophet’s death and raises questions over its authenticity as the original source is lost and only fragments remain, leaving historians with the unpopular job of splitting real fact from creative writing. Problem with the Oral Transmission. Cook warns of the danger in accepting oral tradition as a reliable source when he states that if â€Å"the life of Muhammad was transmitted orally for a century before it was reduced to writing, then the chances are that the material will have undergone considerable alteration in the process† (Cook, 1983. p.65) Kussas. Pre Islamic Arabs have a long tradition of storytelling Kussas who told tales modelled on the Biblical stories, which were popular at the time, as well as stories from Iran The main aim of the storytellers was the same as that of the tribal poets, the glorification of their tribe entertaining people with legendary â€Å"tales of the Prophets† (Peters, 2009. p. 27). This appears to be rational assumption as the unreliability of oral transmission can be clearly seen in the number of variations in the traditions and furthermore historians do not exclude the possibility that even the biographies have very little historical foundation and owe more to the art of elaborated narration. Our Critic tend to view oral tradition with suspicion, due to the opportunity of corruption and manipulation as there is no way of corroborating this with written evidence at the time of the events. Non Arabic sources. The first documented Christian awareness of Muhammad is from Byzantine sources. They point out that both Jews and Christians saw Muhammad as a misleading prophet. In the Doctrina Jacobi nuper baptizati of 634, Muhammad is depicted as being devious for do prophets come with sword and chariot â€Å"You will discover nothing true from the said prophet except human bloodshed.† Contradictory Hadiths. Muslim scholars were faced with a huge series of traditions many of them clearly contradictory, and voluntarily agreed that there are numerous forged hadiths, however this does not weaken their relevance to Muslims. This muddle among early Muslims led Al Bukari, in an attempt to put an end the proliferation of forged hadiths, to compile an authentic authoritative text in the 9th Century In order to compile an authoritative text Muslim scholar developed the ‘science of hadith’. Each hadith was accompanied by an isnad a chain of transmitters going back to the companions of the prophet Muhammad The important questions were: Was transmission feasibleWere the transmitters reliable? The significant problem with this method is that the earliest hadith do not mention the chain of transmitters for its authenticity. Several western scholars and professors most of which are the authors of book indicated in the bibliography of this paper, have been far more critical of Muslim traditions and argue that there are no hadith which are truly reliable. Most Muslims do not question the stories and are shocked by any who do A few Muslims are beginning to question the Muslim sources. The truth is we have found a lot of discrepancy on how Islam came into existence. Bibliography; ABDULLAH, YUSUF ALI. 1937. The Holy Qur’an, Translation and Commentary. Lahore. AFZALUR R., 1992,Islam ideology and the way of life, Published by Seerah foundation, London. COOK, M. 1983. Muhammad. Oxford: Oxford University Press. FAZLUR R.,1965, Islam, Weindenfeld and Nicolson, London. GOLDZIER I, 1981,Introduction to Islamic theology and Law, Princeton University Press, Princeton ,New Jersey. KURSHID A.,1992, Islam its meaning and Message, Published by the Islamic Foundation, Leicester UK. MAXIME R..!985, Mohammed, Published by Pelican Books, Uk. PETERS, F. E. 2009. The Quest: The Historians’ Search for Jesus and Muhammad. Maryland: Recorded Books, LLC. SAYYD A,1989,Towards understanding Islam, Published by the Islamic Foundation, Leicester UK. SELL, D. D. 1923. The Historical Development of the Qur’an, 4th ed. London: Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent Co. TARIQ R.,2007,In the footstep of the prophet, Oxford university press, New York. http://www.livius.org/opinion/Luxenberg.htmaccessed on 7/03/2011 How to cite Critically assess the historical sources relating to early Islam., Essay examples

Behaviourism and Reinforcement

Question: Discuss about theBehaviourism and Reinforcement. Answer: Behaviourism refers to the methodical study of the behaviour of people and animals. The study goes into the reasons which dictate a particular behaviour; whether it is a product of the reaction of the organism to a particular stimulus in its external environment or is a force of habit based on previous experiences which decides the state of the organism and how it perceives the stimulus; whether it acts to reinforce a certain behaviour or acts as a deterrent as punishment. One of the most important factors which goes into the study is the role of the environment which has a drastic influence on the behaviour. Behaviourism is a multifaceted study which involves philosophy and psychology and it has undergone a lot of evolution over time. The early studies into it was in the 19th century and it was a product of studies into psychology which required more experimental analysis. It is by the determined contributions of eminent scientists that behaviourism has developed as a separate field of psychology. It is the works of Sechenov, Pavlov, and Bekhterev which established the concept of reflexive conditioning and the effect that it has on the behaviour. Ivan Mikhailovich Sechenov and his studies in physiology have paved the way to further studies into reflexes and nerve pathways. His books dealing with the study of behaviours raised a lot of new concepts and questions about the perceived theories which governs and regulated our response to stimuli and higher nervous functions. He is considered as ''The father of Russian physiology'' and he was the one who introduced the concepts of electrophysiology into the study of the brain as he showcased the correlation between electric currents and brain activity.. He was an incredibly influential scholar who inspired further study into the field of neurophysiology and neuroscience and introduced the concepts of how spinal reflexes are inhibited by the brain. Ivan Petrovich Pavlov is world famous for his works on classical and reflexive conditioning and the introduction of the concept made him a household name. His studies correlating physiology with neurology and behavioural studies were monumental in formulating the principle of reflexive conditioning, which have been experimentally and clinically proven and have a variety of applications in behaviour assessment, reinforcement, conditioning especially in classrooms (Olson Hergenhahn, 2009). His experiments on dogs have been ground-breaking to try and understand the concepts of involuntary reflexes and serves as the foundation on which all modern behavioural theories are based upon (Moore et al, 1978). The serendipitous nature of his discovery of classical conditioning while working on the physiology of dogs was a breakthrough in the field (Tarpey, 1975) and it showed the theory of antecedent control in classical conditioning. Vladimir Mikhailovich Bekhterev predominantly worked in the field of neurology but his studies into psychology has given him the epitaph of the father of objective psychology. His studies into the human brain have provided a base for the study of memory, reflexes and diseases. He was an academic rival of Pavlov as they had conflicting views on the study of conditioned reflexes and the principles of objective psychology (Akimenko, 2007). These concepts lay the foundation for the study of reflexes and behaviourism. Pavlov and Bekterev both arrived independently at explanations for conditioned reflexes as a reaction to the external environment. Bekhterev's study into association reflex is akin to the Pavlovian theory of conditioned reflex as they both try to explain Watson's theory of behaviourism which relied on Pavlov's research but was better supported by Bekhterev's conclusions (Hergenhahn, 2009). Bekhterev was a critic Pavlov's experiments on dogs as he was not in favour of using t he saliva observation and the use of acid to stimulate saliva flow. He favoured the use of electric stimulus to induce motor reflexes as he felt that it was much easily and accurately reproducible in humans (Moroz, 1989) John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner conducted the Little Albert experiment at the prestigious Johns Hopkins University with the findings published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology in 1920. The experiment was to showcase the concepts of classical conditioning. The experiment was a replication of the Pavlovian method of conditioning, but on infants, a nine month old boy in this case who was called ''Albert''. After establishing a basic emotional response of the baby towards a variety of stimuli like rats, rabbits, cotton, masks and other furry or hairy items, they went on to establish a response from him when he is playing with the rat. He is them subjected to a sudden loud noise which induces him to cry and be scared. This was repeated to establish the stimulus and then the baby was exposed only to the stimulus of the rat without the noise which was seen to induce a conditioned reflex of fear and crying in the boy. Similar response was observed with some of the other furry obje cts too which meant that the reflex was generalised but not with all hairy objects (Schwartz, 1986). The experiment showed how a conditioned response can be induced in humans by the process of conditioning a reflex to an unconditioned stimulus just like it was done by Pavlov in dogs. The concept of stimulus generalisation was also experimentally shown in this experiment which further broadened the study into behaviour and conditioned reflexes. A study like this would not be ethically accepted in the present scenario where it is mandatory to follow the ethical guidelines while conducting any experiment, especially on humans. There have also been concerns raised about the need to desensitize the subject against the stimulus lest he would have a lasting phobia of it all throughout his life raising concerns of lasting psychological trauma (Powell et al., 2014). This was not addressed by Watson. Additionally, the nature of the experiment itself left a lot to be desired and would not be a ccepted conclusively by modern standards. The experiment had only a single subject, and there was a lack of control subjects to provide a suitable balance to the study. There are a lot of regulations that have to be followed when using humans as subjects for research studies. Also there is lack of a proper records and data to provide fool proof legitimacy to the study. As mentioned by Harris, there is not enough consensus among the scientific community to come to a precise conclusion (Harris, 2010). Burrhus Frederic Skinner made significant contributions towards the study of psychology, behaviourism and philosophy and he was a prolific author and thinker of his time. He termed his method of conditioning as operant conditioning. He believed that the rate of response is the strongest and most effectual gauge to measure the strength of the response He put forward the notion of radical behaviourism (Skinner, 1974) and showcased the experimental nature of the studies that go into psychology. Through radical behaviourism, he formulated his ideas about the events and history that affect the behaviour of an organism. Conventional ideas in behaviour studies do not include internal events like emotions and perception in its fold whereas radical behaviourism includes them and considers them as having an effect on the overall behaviour. In his book Behaviour of Organisms, he provides a framework which governs the effect of the factors of the environment. He set out the difference between Pa vlovian conditioning (conditioned/reflexive conditioning) and operant conditioning. Whereas in Pavlovian conditioning, there is the correlation between a neutral stimulus and one which elicits a response, operant ones are not elicited as a response. Rather they are built up and gather strength over a period of time by conditioning. This theory proposes that behaviours are not always manifested as a response to a stimuli, rather they are a result of the gradual strengthening by operant behaviour or ''shaping'' as Skinner put it. He put forward the three term contingency which states the need for a reinforcer that is a result of the original stimuli (Jenkins, 1979). This goes a long way to explain the complexity of human behaviour which are often governed by a number of factors and responses. Skinner positions negative reinforcements to be equal to punishment and an influential factor in governing behaviour as the motivation to remove an undesired event acts as a motivation for behavi our. Along with Ferster, Skinner put forward the various stages of the reinforcement to explain the complete mechanism that goes to determine behaviour in operant conditioning (Ferster Skinner, 1957). Continuous reinforcement is where a reinforcement is gained by the subject when a particular event occurs. It is useful in cases where a desired behaviour has to be set up quickly by setting up a correlation between the desired behaviour and the reinforcement. Interval Schedule is where there is a time gap between the reinforcements. Fixed Interval Schedule is where the reinforcers are introduced in regular intervals such that the desired reaction is seen. A schedule like this has a low initial response but it increases exponentially in time for the next schedule of reinforcement. For example, people who are paid according to the number of hours worked. Variable Interval Schedule is where the time intervals between the introduction of reinforcers are random. In this, the response rate is also variable. For people who go fishing, the time taken to catch the number of fish varies. Ratio Schedule is where it varies according to the ratio of response to reinforcement. Fixed Ratio Schedule is where the reinforcement is applied only after the completion of a particular number of responses. For example, people who are paid commission on number of sales made. Variable Ratio Schedule is where the response count is variable and random between consecutive reinforcements. For example, slot machines and other gambling games. Conclusion The detailed discussion on the subject has helped in getting a closer insight into behaviorism and reinforcement. The contributions of some of the most reputed researchers have helped in getting an effective understanding of the subject and their application in the current scenario. Furthermore, reinforcement has been discussed and described from varied perspectives to understand the human behavior and the schedules that are involved in the same. Works Cited Akimenko, M. A. (2007). Vladimir Mikhailovich Bekhterev.Journal of the History of the Neurosciences,16(1-2), 100-109. Ferster, C. B. and Skinner, B. F. Schedules of Reinforcement. New York: Appleton-Century-Harris, B (1979)."Whatever Happened to Little Albert?"(PDF).American Psychologist.34(2): 151160.doi:10.1037/0003-066x.34.2.151. Hergenhahn, B.R. (2009). An Introduction to the History of Psychology, Sixth Edition. Behaviorism (pp. 394397). Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Jenkins, H.M. "Animal Learning and Behavior", Ch. 5, in Hearst, E. "The First Century of Experimental Psychology" (1979) Erlbaum: Hillsdale, N. J) Moroz, Oleg (1989). "The Last Diagnosis: A Plausible Account That Needs Further Verification".Soviet Review(6 ed.). pp.82102. Olson, M. H.; Hergenhahn, B. R. (2009).An Introduction to Theories of Learning(8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. pp.201203. Powell, R. A., Digdon, N., Harris, B., Smithson, C. (2014). Correcting the record on Steven Schwartz;Classic Studies in Psychology;Palo Alto: Mayfield Publishing,1986; print. Tarpy, Roger M. (1975).Basic Principles of Learning. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman and Company. pp.1517. Watson, Rayner, and Little Albert: Albert Barger as Psychologys lost boy.American Psychologist,69(6), 600. William Moore, J.; Manning, S. A.; Smith, W. I. (1978). Conditioning and Instrumental Learning. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Book Company. pp. 5261. ISBN 0070429022. Crofts (1957). "Different Types of Reinforcement Scedules"(PDF).autismpdc.fpg.unc.edu. National Professional Development Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders. RetrievedApril 21,2017.

The Gospel of Amazement

Background As Jesus was heading to Jerusalem, he passed between the cities of Samaria and Galilee, a path that took him through a certain village where he came across ten leapers. These Samaritan men stood a far from the rest of the people as they had been cast off by the society because of their disease. As Jesus approached the men raised their voices and shouted to him, â€Å"Master, have mercy on us.† Jesus then waked towards them and told them to go and show themselves to the priests.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Gospel of Amazement specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As the men walked off, they realized that their leprosy had healed and they were cleansed and therefore went off rejoicing. However, one of them on noticing that his leprosy was gone turned back while glorifying God and walked to where Jesus was standing. He then knelt before him and with his face on Jesus’ feet went a head to thank him for the miracle. Jesus then asked how comes, out of ten men only one came back to thank him. He then asked the man to rise up and go his way and told him that his faith had made him whole. Significance of leprosy At the time that Jesus lived leprosy was a common disease among the people, and the repercussions of having the disease were devastating. It was not enough that the leapers has to lose their limbs, they were also excommunicated from the rest of the society since the disease was contagious. They had to therefore, live outside the city away from the people where they begged for food and clothing. They were viewed as outcasts who had no place in society as men and the banishing of leapers was meant to make sure they die away from the rest of the society1. This was because there had not been even as single case of anyone who had recovered from the disease and the solution was death. Significance of the priests The priests at the time were identified as the mos t powerful religious figures and they had to approve of any miracles that were claimed to have happened. After their approval, the miracle would then be accepted by all the people, both the believers and the non-believers. By Jesus telling the leapers to walk forth and show themselves to the priests he wanted word on the healing of leapers which was a miracle to spread as this would then lead to the glorification of God. This was if the priests approved of the healing as a miracle as Jesus had previously received some criticism from the priest especially after performing miracles on a Sabbath. He, however, knew that even though the priests did not approve of the healing as a miracle, word would still spread due to the nature of leprosy at the time as no one had ever been known to recover from the disease2. This was perhaps the reason behind the wild rejoicing that the leapers had. Significance of the healing The leapers on the other hand, were overwhelmed by the idea of not living w ith the disease ever again and were clearly overjoyed. They were also happy to be integrated back to the society as life outside the city was unbearable both physically and emotionally.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These people had friends as well as families that they loved before they became leapers and got shunned due to the fear that they would pass the disease on to others. They were happy to show everyone that they had been healed and reunite with their family and friends. Only one leaper thought, amid all the jubilation and happiness, of walking back to Jesus and thanking him. There is also the identification of the universality that Jesus held as we are told that the leaper was a stranger. This suggests that Jesus did not know him and did not care much about acquaintances for him to perform miracles. This also suggests that the leapers did not know him in person though previous texts identify that his fame had traveled through the cities of Samaria and Galilee. This therefore suggests that the leaper had to have been really touched by the kind act of Jesus to come back and thank him. It also suggests that the leaper recognized that he owed Jesus for healing him and therefore, the least he could do is get down on his knees and thank him3. What we first identify is that the leapers were aware of whom Jesus was and they also had the idea that the healing was a miracle from God. This was perhaps the reason why they walked away glorifying God. The one leaper who came back to thank Jesus knew that Jesus being the son of God, was responsible for his healing and therefore decided to kneel in front of him and thank him. The leaper had an idea of who was responsible for his healing as well as who he had to thank. The other nine leapers on the other hand, had no idea that they needed to thank Jesus. They obviously had no idea who was responsibl e for their healing and in this case did not bother to step back, as the one leaper did, and thank Jesus. The recognition of responsibility in all cases has not always been universal as people find themselves unaware or openly ignorant of the person responsible for whatever they are experiencing. In this case, not much can be said to blame the nine leapers for not thanking Jesus as it might be believed that they were openly overwhelmed by their new found health4. The essence of faith The essence of faith as it has been used in this context recognizes the belief in something. This belief therefore, gives people an idea of whoever is responsible for the deeds that happen to us and around us. Though the other leapers knew about God, it may be assumed that they had no faith in Jesus and therefore were not bothered to thank him for their healing.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Gospel of Amazement specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Faith is often driven by the belief in something and in instances like this, the out-most belief of a person often manifest themselves amidst all the overwhelming emotions. Whoever one turns to first in such a situation suggests that they have quite a lot of faith in that person. In this case, the leapers had a lot of faith in the people back at the city perhaps due to the belief that they would be accepted back into the society as well as praised since they were the first cases of leprosy ever being healed. They probably knew that with their new found healing they would not only be accepted back into society, but they would also become famous and instant celebrities thereof. All this at the backdrop of their previously infamous status as the society had shunned them and viewed them as useless and a burden to their people. This is why they rushed into the city to show the people that they had been healed and forgot all about Jesus. Faith often comes with t he appreciation of whoever one has faith in. It is common for people to have faith in the wrong person or thing which may either be as a result of their lack of knowledge or out of sheer ignorance5. What sometimes may be referred to as the lack of faith may not necessarily mean that there is no shred of it thereof. This is because different people choose to show their appreciation in different ways. It all, however, boils down to the giving of thanks for a good deed done, more like the classical approach to appreciation of something good that is done whether to you as a person or to someone else. In this case, the one leaper was courteous enough to give thanks because he knew and had the faith inn him that Jesus was responsible for his healing6. He therefore went back and humbled himself before him and thanked him after which Jesus told him that his faith had made him full. The context in which full has been used in this case, suggest that the other leapers, though they had been hea led and were ready to be reintegrated back into society, still lacked something in them that was quite essential for them to lead full lives as human beings7. They lacked faith in Jesus and this is what mattered most in their lives. Faith as it is used to express the fullness of human life indicates that an individual has to have a belief in his spiritual being that defines his spiritual life. This belief has to be in what the person holds dear as the source of his spiritual as well as physical nourishment. In this case, the one leaper believed and had faith that Jesus was the source of both his spiritual as well as his physical nourishment especially since he had been physically healed.Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is important to note that the nature of the lives that leapers led meant that they had not only been excluded from living with the rest of the people, but also had been sanctioned to never enter the temples. This meant that the leapers were both physically as well as spiritually disabled as they could not access any form of spiritual guidance from the priests or even participate in worship in the church. Though Jesus had healed them and gotten rid of their physical disease, they were still spiritually handicapped and therefore not whole as human beings. The need to fulfill one’s spiritual being can only be done by having faith in God and in Jesus as his son. Miracles were often used by Jesus and his disciples to show how great God was by showing that he had power over nature. This often led to the conversion of many people into Christianity as more people had faith in God and subsequently Jesus. The last leaper who came back to thank Jesus identified that due to the miracl e that had just happened to him he needed to have faith in Jesus. Faith has often been described as a belief in something. The belief in something requires that one has to have hope in something that is unknown or is uncertain. The faith that the leaper had in Jesus was manifested in his thanking of Jesus as he identified that he was responsible for his healing. He did all this, despite the fact that he was still a stranger to Jesus and when they first summoned him to have mercy on them they thought that he was just another passer-by who would give them food or money. Believing in a stranger is often hard and thanking strangers even harder. One has to have a great amount of faith in someone for them to believe in them especially when it comes to believing that the person will heal him. There had not been previous cases of people who had recovered from leprosy or even people who had been miraculously healed by someone. This suggests that the leaper who had faith in Jesus had a pretty strong belief in him as the healing was an uncertainty. Though some may argue that it was the only option left since there was no other way the lepers could have recovered, it still remains that it takes real faith to identify an option that did not previously exist and have hope in it. Such was the situation in this case for this one leaper who had the courtesy to come back to Jesus and thank him. The issue of faith is often misunderstood with hope in its original context. It, however, differs from hope since faith suggests that the strong belief continues even after one’s success. On the other hand, hope ends after the success of the act that one hopes for8. In this case, all the leapers had hope that one day they would get healed by they did not have faith in God and in Jesus that he would be responsible for the healing. Hope doesn’t introduce a sense of responsibility as faith does. Faith ensures that a person cedes his or her life to the person he has faith in an d gives that person the responsibility over their lives. The responsibility in this case should be in Jesus as every person should let Jesus be responsible for their lives and let him have control over the course that their life takes. From this story we can try and speculate on what wholeness meant in regard to the other nine leapers who did not go back and thank Jesus. For some their lives could never be whole since living as an outcast changes their perception of life and other people’s perceptions of them. Though some could have been happy to have been healed and went back to their families, their families could have rejected them claiming that they thought the leper was dead or claiming they had moved on in life for instance in the case of a wife who might have remarried. For others they might have walked off ready to be reintegrated back into society and work among the people, but the nature of being a beggar for so many years and not having to work would have made them lazy and therefore could not work and had to go back to begging. Others would have felt special since there were probably more than ten leapers in the city and only ten were healed so some would have thought that they had to be really special for Jesus to choose them. This would have made them arrogant which would then lead the rest of the society to despise them and shun them which means that even if they were healed they would still be outcasts. For some, the feeling that he was important would have probably overwhelmed them and it is safe to assume that they would have come across other leapers begging on the side walk as they headed to the temple to meet the priests, which would then have meant that in their pride and joy they would have ignored those begging leapers. This would have been hypocritical considering the fact that they had just been begging like them a few minutes before. All these analogies portray a picture of individuals who even after they were healed, could ne ver be whole since they lacked the integral part of humanity that allows one to live a humble, contented and successful life, which is gratitude through faith. Significance of the number ten The significance of this scripture is also symbolic as one asks themselves what could have been the significance of the number ten and why there weren’t nine or eleven leapers. This brings to mind the issue of the tithe as only one out of ten leapers came back to give thanks. One ten tenth or a tithe of the blessing given by Jesus was returned to him and more blessings were given. This takes us back to the issue of giving tithes that suggests that out of all the income that one is blessed with one has to at least give back ten percent to God as a show of gratitude for being blessed and more blessings will follow. Though this may sound alarmingly close to what many preachers suggest of material wealth being given to those who give ten percent of their income to the church, this passage tea ches of blessings and not material wealth. Blessings in this case may come inform of health, love and acceptance into society. In this case, the ten percent does not have to be in monetary terms. This may be for instance ten percent of a person’s time to serve in the church or help others who are in need in society, or in case of a job where one gets to have a lot of contacts one may help others in the society who have no jobs by giving them at least ten percent of those contacts. The tenth leaper did not have any money to give to Jesus as he was a leaper, so he sacrificed the only thing he had and gave praises and worshiped Him. He sacrificed his urge to jump up rejoicing and speed off into the city to show off his newly found health and humbled himself before God and worshiped Him. Summary An example in real life is where an individual has misplaced priorities that force him or her not to have faith in God and forget that their life is managed by God. This is often the case where one has stayed for long without a job and looses all hope and therefore turns to God and prays that he or she gets a job. Then, out of the blue the person gets a lucrative offer and instead of thanking God the person finds himself bragging to society as well as their old comrades who had branded him or her a failure. This is often driven by the need for approval as well as recognition especially where the lack of a job had led the individual into losing his or her status in the society. In is not a secret that poor people are looked down upon and therefore people do not like to be regarded as poor. This often drives the individual to spend their first salary buying expensive gifts to the people around them so that he or she can gain approval. What the individual usually forgets is that he or she got the job by the grace of God and they should recognize this by showing an appreciation for what God has done for them. People should first seek appreciation by God by worshipping H im first and sacrificing part of their blessings to Him9. For the tenth leaper put God first as he returned to praise and worship before even showing himself to the priests as he had been instructed. This shows that wholeness and gratitude often complement each other. This means that one needs to have a generous and humble heart to receive wholeness. One needs to make God number one in his or her life since to succeed one has to have God in their lives as all good things come from God. There can never be wholeness without gratitude or rather giving thanks to God and also there can never be gratitude without receiving wholeness. Reference Card, Michael. Luke: The Gospel of Amazement. New York: InterVarsity Press, 2011. Charlesworth, James. Jesus and archaeology. New York: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2006. Kelly, Maureen. ChildrenÃ… ¼s Liturgy of the Word 2010-2011: A Weekly Resource. Boston: LiturgyTrainingPublications, 2010. Koet, Bart. Dreams and scripture in Luke-Acts: collected essays. New York: Peeters Publishers, 2006. Maria, Thi. The Lucan Journey: A Study of Luke 9:28-36 and Acts 1:6-11 as an Architectural Pair. New York: Peter Lang, 2010. McDonald, Lee. Forgotten scriptures: the selection and rejection of early religious writings. New York: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009. Nicholes, Lou. Luke: The Perfect Man. London: Xulon Press, 2007. Weissenrieder, Annette. Images of illness in the Gospel of Luke: insights of ancient medical texts. London: Mohr Siebeck, 2003. Footnotes 1 Thi Maria. The Lucan Journey: A Study of Luke 9:28-36 and Acts 1:6-11 as an Architectural Pair. (New York: Peter Lang, 2010). 61. 2 Lou Nicholes. Luke: The Perfect Man. (London: Xulon Press, 2007). 127. 3 Bart Koet. Dreams and scripture in Luke-Acts: collected essays. (New York: Peeters Publishers, 2006). 73. 4 Lee McDonald. Forgotten scriptures: the selection and rejection of early religious writings. (New York: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009). 239. 5 Annette Weissenrieder . Images of illness in the Gospel of Luke: insights of ancient medical texts. (London: Mohr Siebeck, 2003). 28. 6 Maureen Kelly. ChildrenÃ… ¼s Liturgy of the Word 2010-2011: A Weekly Resource. (Boston: LiturgyTrainingPublications, 2010). 94. 7 James Charlesworth . Jesus and archaeology. (New York: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2006). 72. 8 Bart Koet. Dreams and scripture in Luke-Acts: collected essays. (New York: Peeters Publishers, 2006). 45. 9 Michael Card. Luke: The Gospel of Amazement. (New York: InterVarsity Press, 2011). 32. This research paper on The Gospel of Amazement was written and submitted by user Isabell Wilkinson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Conquering Everyday Dilemmas Of a Content Officer With Ann Handley

Conquering Everyday Dilemmas Of a Content Officer With Ann Handley How can you improve your content marketing? How can you take advantage of an opportunity to entice people? Every company has the typical branding and collateral, but goes above and beyond with a tower of donuts! Today, we’re talking to Ann Handley, award-winning content marketing expert and Chief Content Officer (CCO) for MarketingProfs. Ann shares how she organizes her team, what’s she focusing on for the company, and how she measures effectiveness and success. CCO: Person at a management level who manages content what a company sells and does MarketingProfs educates and trains marketers; helps them figure out how to use modern digital tools, tactics, and techniques Six Elements of Campaign Marketing: Strategy, plan, create, communicate, analyze, and management Identify whats important to marketers; always ask what does our audience need to know to be successful in marketing? Focus on the Future: Plan what needs to be done now to know what you will offer in the next six months Remote teams require knowing what everybodys working on and where things are at; MarketingProfs’ philosophy is â€Å"When in doubt, cc† Utilize project management tools; don’t buy helpful tools and then not use them Hire people who are able to work in your company’s environment and who value and crave the type of autonomy offered Metrics used to measure success depends on the content; review open rates, trends, and other indicators what metrics matter more holistically and broadly Ann redesigned and re-launched her Website because to align her personal and professional worlds Focus on your distribution strategy to make your content stand out; distribute conversational and helpful content via email to connect directly with people Links: Ann Handley MarketingProfs Everybody Writes MarketingProfs Campaign Framework Total Anarchy Newsletter Confab ClickZ Andy Crestodina Value vs. Vanity: Revealing Which Marketing Metrics Really Matter The Most What topics and guests should be on AMP? Send your suggestions! If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Ann Handley: â€Å"In my heart, Im really more of a storyteller. The idea of really crafting a story to connect with an audience really was my sweet spot.† â€Å"For me, its not about one particular metric. Its really getting a sense of the metrics that matter more holistically and more broadly.† â€Å"What does our audience need to know to be successful in marketing? Thats really the lens that we look through to identify what it is that we need to either develop or to promote.† â€Å"What am I all about? Im all about content.†

Leadership Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Leadership Theories - Essay Example Leaders who use this theory in their organization's exhibit focus, vision, inspiration and risk-taking traits. They possess a charismatic charm in transforming the organization through influence on the employees. Ethically speaking, a transformative leader must only influence the followers in a positive manner. The characters or strategies shown to the employees should be within the ethical requirements of the organization or professional field in question. The objective of a transformational leader is to change the organization positively in all aspects. Transformational leadership is increasingly becoming popular in some sectors due to its effectiveness in ensuring improved performance. Transformative leaders not only influence the followers and other junior members of the organization but impacts also on other leaders. Through the influence, other leaders become agents of change i9n the organization. Followers respect, admire and the transformative leaders. Based on the description by the proponents of the theory, transformational leadership has four components. The components include intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration, inspirational motivation and idealized influence. Through these components, the leader is in a better position to make decisions that will initiate a positive change in the whole of the organization. Through intellectual stimulation, a transformative leader can make decisions in a manner that does not appear to challenge other leaders within the organization. The leaders encourage the followers to adopt creativity when undertaking their duties. Creativity offers the followers opportunities to innovate and learn. The leader can make the decision intellectually without any member of the organization feeling victimized. The second trait that is common among ethical leaders who utilize transformational leadership style entails individualized considerations (Grants, 2012).